Jehovahs Witnesses Revealed

Birthdays are only one of the celebrations that Jehovah’s Witnesses have banned over the years.  Prior to banning, the Watchtower actually kept the list of birthdays in the society’s book Daily Heavenly Manna. Birthdays were allowed because the first president Charles Taze Russell saw nothing wrong with it.
     When you look at the Jehovah’s Witness reasoning for not allowing birthdays, you will see that once again they read things into the scripture that are not said. They use basically two scripture verses to prove their interpretation.  Genesis 4:20 – 22, which reads, “Now it came to pass on the third day, which was Pharaoh’s birthday, that he made a feast for all his servants: and he lifted up the head of the chief Butler and of the chief Baker among his servants.  Then he restored the chief Butler to his but their ship again, any place the cup and they were sent.  But he hanged the chief Baker, as Joseph had interpreted to them.” (NKJV) and Matthew 14: 6 – 10 which reads, “But when Herod’s birthday was celebrated, the daughter of Herodias danced before them and please Herod. Therefore he promised with and oath to give her whatever she might ask. So she, having been prompted by her mother, said, “Give me John the Baptist’s head here on a platter.“ and the King was sorry, nevertheless, because of the house and because of those who sat with him, he commanded it to be given to her.  So he sent and had John beheaded in prison.”  Their feelings are that because the word birthday appears in the Bible only in reference to pagan rulers, Pharaoh of Egypt and Herod of Galilee, and both of these men put someone to death during their birthday celebration, then no one should celebrate birthdays. Further, they say that there are no men of faith celebrating birthdays in the Bible. So what they’re saying is that it’s official interpretation is “God’s law” and that because is God’s law, they will use disciplinary procedures to enforce the policy.
     First of all, what you have here are some very wicked men. This was nothing new to them.  They executed people all the time, not just on their birthday and their statements that the word birthday only appears in the Bible when it’s connected to these men, is not quite true.  If you look at Job 1:14 using their own New World Translation we read this, “And his sons went and held a banquet at the house of each one on his own day; and they sent an invited their three sisters to eat and drink with them“. If you continue to read down the book of Job it’s very clear that it’s referring to his birthday. Job 1:4-5 “ every year when each of Jobs sons had a birthday, he invited his brothers and sisters to his home for a celebration .  On these occasions they would eat and drink with great merriment.  When these birthday parties ended and sometimes they lasted several days, Job would summon his children …” (Living Bible) Job 3:1-3 reads “After this Job opened his mouth and cursed the day of his birth.  And Job spoke, and said: “may the day perished on which I was born…” (NKJV) if you read the Jehovah’s Witness New World Translation, it says in Luke 1:14 “And you will have to wait and great gladness, and many will rejoice over his birth”. Luke was talking about John the Baptist birthday being a time of celebration. 
     Interesting that on July 1, 1979, the Watchtower’s celebrated its own 100th birthday with a special issue titled “keeping watch for 100 years“. So it’s OK To celebrate the “organizations” birthday, but you can’t have a birthday party for your children or even give a card.  If you do, you risk being disfellowshiped or diciplined in some why.