Lesson 44 Explore 2: Why Don’t Jehovah’s Witnesses Celebrate Birthdays? | FAQ
Why Don’t Jehovah’s Witnesses Celebrate Birthdays?
Jehovah’s Witnesses do not celebrate birthdays because we believe that such celebrations displease God. Although the Bible does not explicitly forbid celebrating birthdays, it does help us to reason on key features of these events and understand God’s view of them. Consider four of these aspects and related Bible principles.
1. Birthday celebrations have pagan roots. According to Funk & Wagnalls Standard Dictionary of Folklore, Mythology, and Legend, these celebrations originated from the belief that on a person’s birthday, “evil spirits and influences have the opportunity to attack the celebrants” and that “the presence of friends and the expression of good wishes help to protect the celebrant.” The book The Lore of Birthdays says that in ancient times, birthday records were “essential for the casting of a horoscope” based on “the mystic science of astrology.” This book adds that “birthday candles, in folk belief, are endowed with special magic for granting wishes.” The Bible, however, condemns the use of magic, divination, spiritism, or “anything like this.”
(Deuteronomy 18.14: “For these nations that you are dispossessing used to listen to those practicing magic and divination, but Jehovah your God has not allowed you to do anything like this.)
(Galatians 5.19-21: Now the works of the flesh are plainly seen, and they are sexual immorality, uncleanness, brazen conduct, idolatry, spiritism, hostility, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, dissensions, divisions, sects, envy, drunkenness, wild parties, and things like these. I am forewarning you about these things, the same way I already warned you, that those who practice such things will not inherit God’s Kingdom.)
In fact, one reason why God condemned the ancient city of Babylon was that its inhabitants practiced astrology, which is a form of divination.
(Isaiah 47.11-15: But calamity will come upon you, And none of your charms will stop it. Adversity will befall you; you will not be able to avert it. Sudden ruin will come upon you like you have never known. Go ahead, then, with your spells and your many sorceries, With which you have toiled from your youth. Perhaps you may be able to benefit; Perhaps you may strike people with awe. You have grown weary with the multitude of your advisers. Let them stand up now and save you, Those who worship the heavens, who gaze at the stars, Those giving out knowledge at the new moons About the things that will come upon you. Look! They are like stubble. A fire will burn them up. They cannot save themselves from the power of the flame. These are not charcoals for keeping warm, And this is not a fire to sit in front of. So your charmers will become to you, Those with whom you toiled from your youth. They will wander, each one in his own direction. There will be no one to save you.)
Jehovah’s Witnesses are not preoccupied with the roots of every custom; yet when the Scriptures give such pointed indications, we do not ignore them.
2. The early Christians did not celebrate birthdays. The World Book Encyclopedia says that “they considered the celebration of anyone’s birth to be a pagan custom.” The Bible shows that the apostles and others who were taught directly by Jesus established a pattern that all Christians should follow.-
(2 Thessalonians 3.6: Now we are giving you instructions, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, to withdraw from every brother who is walking disorderly and not according to the tradition that you received from us.)
3. The only commemoration that Christians are required to keep involves, not a birth, but a death-that of Jesus.
(Luke 22.17-20: And accepting a cup, he gave thanks and said: “Take this and pass it from one to the other among yourselves, for I tell you, from now on, I will not drink again from the product of the vine until the Kingdom of God comes.” Also, he took a loaf, gave thanks, broke it, and gave it to them, saying: “This means my body, which is to be given in your behalf. Keep doing this in remembrance of me.” Also, he did the same with the cup after they had the evening meal, saying: “This cup means the new covenant by virtue of my blood, which is to be poured out in your behalf.)
This should not be surprising, for the Bible says that “the day of death is better than the day of birth.”
(Ecclesiastes 7.1: A good name is better than good oil, and the day of death is better than the day of birth.)
By the end of his life on earth, Jesus had made a good name with God, making the day of his death more important than the day of his birth.-
(Hebrews 1.4: So he has become better than the angels to the extent that he has inherited a name more excellent than theirs.)
4. The Bible never refers to a servant of God celebrating a birthday. This is not simply an oversight, for it does record two birthday celebrations by those not serving God. However, both of those events are presented in a bad light.-
(Genesis 40.20-22: Now the third day was Pharaoh’s birthday, and he made a feast for all his servants, and he brought out both the chief cupbearer and the chief baker in the presence of his servants. And he returned the chief cupbearer to his post of cupbearer, and he continued to hand the cup to Pharaoh. But he hanged the chief baker, just as Joseph had interpreted to them.)
(Mark 6.21-29: But a convenient day arrived when Herod spread an evening meal on his birthday for his high officials and the military commanders and the most prominent men of Galilee. And the daughter of Herodias came in and danced and pleased Herod and those dining with him. The king said to the girl: “Ask me for whatever you want, and I will give it to you.” Yes, he swore to her: “Whatever you ask me for, I will give it to you, up to half my kingdom.” So she went out and said to her mother: “What should I ask for?” She said: “The head of John the Baptizer.” She immediately rushed in to the king and made her request, saying: “I want you to give me right away on a platter the head of John the Baptist.” Although this deeply grieved him, the king did not want to disregard her request, because of his oaths and his guests. So the king immediately sent a bodyguard and commanded him to bring John’s head. So he went off and beheaded him in the prison and brought his head on a platter. He gave it to the girl, and the girl gave it to her mother. When his disciples heard of it, they came and took his body and laid it in a tomb.)
Do the children of Witness parents feel deprived by not celebrating birthdays?
Like all good parents, Witnesses express love to their children throughout the year, including giving them gifts and having enjoyable gatherings. They try to follow the perfect example of God, who spontaneously gives good things to his children.
(Matthew 7.11: Therefore, if you, although being wicked, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more so will your Father who is in the heavens give good things to those asking him!)
Children of Witness parents do not feel deprived, as these comments show:
• “It’s more fun getting a gift when you’re least expecting it.”-Tammy, age 12.
• “Even though I don’t get presents on my birthday, my parents still buy me gifts on other occasions. I like it that way because I get surprised.”-Gregory, age 11.
• “Do you think that ten minutes, a few cupcakes, and a song make a party? You should come to my house and see what a real party is like!”-Eric, age 6.
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