Birthday celebrations

Wednesday, July 8, 2009 8:07 PM
From: "Carlos Burman"


Dear Eiko

Once again i email....fairly close to each email.

Its been very wet these 2 weeks hasnt it...

i hear that Tsuyu should be finished by next week at some point..so i look forward to less rain but i also dont look forward to very hot sunshine and humidity.

Well i dont think theres a perfect weather.

Anyway,i hope you fine and well...this Sunday i have the Public discourse,so of course if you would like to hear it,please come as usual.

Anyway,another year gone and another year older in your life and the rest of mankiind...im sure you dont enjoy looking each year at yourself gettig older and older.

Well,Jehovahs witnesses realise we do get older and of course we do keep a track of our age each year other i wouldnt know my birth date or that i will be 30 years old in a couple of months time.

From the outset,The bible does not discourage generous giving to a loved one..nor does it discourage having a feast or a party as long as it is done in moderation.

However,Jehovahs witnesses follow Gods word...and anything that is associated with anything unclean in Gods eyes we shun.

The Bible at no time mentions that a Christian should celebrate thier birthday.

Furthermore,looking at where birthday celebrations started and in what light True christians back in Bible times used to regard them,helps us today to know whether we should follow such a tradition or not.

There is nothing in the scriptures indicating that christians celebrated an annual birthday.

Infact,there are just 2 references in the Bible to birthday celebrations.

Likely you know them both.

Both persons were not servants of God.

The first was that of Pharaoh of Egypt. It was marked by the hanging of Pharaoh’s baker, who had been in prison with Joseph. (Gen. 40:18-22) Commenting on Genesis 40:20, Dr. Adam Clarke observes: “The distinguishing [of] a birthday by a feast appears from this place to have been a very ancient custom. It probably had its origin from [the] notion of the immortality of the soul, as the commencement of life must appear of great consequence to that person who believed he was to live for ever.”

The second, some 1,800 years later, was the birthday of Herod Antipas. The account in Mark 6:21-24 reads:

“But a convenient day came along when Herod spread an evening meal on his birthday for his top-ranking men and the military commanders and the foremost ones of Galilee. And the daughter of this very Herodias came in and danced and pleased Herod and those reclining with him. The king said to the maiden: ‘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.’ And she went out and said to her mother: ‘What should I ask for?’ She said: ‘The head of John the baptizer.’”—See also Matthew 14:6-11.

Regarding the account of Herod’s birthday, Dr. Richard Lenski comments: “The Jews abhorred the keeping of birthdays as being a pagan custom, but the Herods even outdid the Romans in these celebrations, so that ‘Herod’s birthday’ (Herodis dies) came to be a proverbial expression for excessive festival display.”

How are we to look at these two birthday celebrations? Is it just coincidental that they are mentioned and that both were for persons not having God’s approval? Or could it be that Jehovah deliberately had these details recorded in his Word, which he says is “beneficial for teaching, for reproving, for setting things straight”? (2 Tim. 3:16) At the very least it can be said that these two accounts Biblically put birthday celebrations in a bad light, as a practice of those estranged from God.

Its also worth noting that,the day of Jesus birth was never recorded in the Bible..only his death which was very important.

“The notion of a birthday festival was far from the ideas of the Christians of this period in general.”—The History of the Christian Religion and Church During the First Three Centuries, by Augustus Neander.

As time passed and there was a falling away from pure Christianity, what began to be commemorated was the death, not the birth.

“The reverence in which the martyrs were held led to an undue attachment to the scene and day of their death. By a happy thought the day of a martyr’s death was called his birthday. The places where the martyrs had died were regarded with a holy awe. . . . On the anniversary days the services [in the churches] were largely devoted to recalling his services and character. . . . It must be remembered, however, that these [annual] memorial services were no part of the general order of the Church.”—History of the Christian Church, by Dr. John F. Hurst, Vol. 1, pp. 350, 351.

So even though the Bible does not contain a specific prohibition against birthday celebrations, Jehovah’s Witnesses have long noted the Scriptural indications and have not celebrated birthdays. In this, they harmonize with the pattern of the earliest Christians.
Also, while there is no Bible justification for annually celebrating the date of a Christian’s death, we can agree that the day of death is better than the day of his birth. Thus we should concentrate, not on the day of birth but on each day imitating Christ and reflecting God’s image. Should we die, then we will have glorified God by our way of life, and he will surely remember us.—Heb. 5:9; 11:6; Phil. 3:8-11.



What is the origin of popular customs associated with birthday celebrations?

“The various customs with which people today celebrate their birthdays have a long history. Their origins lie in the realm of magic and religion. The customs of offering congratulations, presenting gifts and celebrating—complete with lighted candles—in ancient times were meant to protect the birthday celebrant from the demons and to ensure his security for the coming year. . . . Down to the fourth century Christianity rejected the birthday celebration as a pagan custom.”—Schwäbische Zeitung (magazine supplement Zeit und Welt), April 3/4, 1981, p. 4.
“The Greeks believed that everyone had a protective spirit or demon who attended his birth and watched over him in life. This spirit had a mystic relation with the god on whose birthday the individual was born. The Romans also subscribed to this idea. . . . This notion was carried down in human belief and is reflected in the guardian angel, the fairy godmother and the patron saint. . . . The custom of lighted candles on the cakes started with the Greeks. . . . Honey cakes round as the moon and lit with tapers were placed on the temple altars of [Artemis]. . . . Birthday candles, in folk belief, are endowed with special magic for granting wishes. . . . Lighted tapers and sacrificial fires have had a special mystic significance ever since man first set up altars to his gods. The birthday candles are thus an honor and tribute to the birthday child and bring good fortune. . . . Birthday greetings and wishes for happiness are an intrinsic part of this holiday. . . . Originally the idea was rooted in magic. . . . Birthday greetings have power for good or ill because one is closer to the spirit world on this day.”—The Lore of Birthdays (New York, 1952), Ralph and Adelin Linton, pp. 8, 18-20.

Basically, Jehovah God has told his servants to be a clean people in every way especially when it come to spiritual cleanliness. Leviticus 11:44..Jehovah hasnt changed...hes the same God with the same standards....Malachi 3:6

Even to a non christian who has researched to see where Birthday celebrations came from would see that birthdays were never from Jehovah God..they have pagan origin....its tradtions are from man and are wholly against Gods standards as to getting involved with anything to do with spiritism and magic.

Thus Jehovahs witnesses do not object to meeting with family and friends who share there same principles to eat and drink and perhaps at times to exchange a gift..we are a happy people who reflect a happy God.

We just dont go against Gods word and use our Bible trained consciences to make a good decision and please Jehovah God..and we find more Joy in obeying him than in celebrating 1 day a year our birthday.

Hope to speak to you soon again.

Carlos Burman

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Date: Thu, 25 Jun 2009 08:32:41 -0700
From:
Subject: Happy birthday to me
To:

Hi Br Carlos..

I have been wondering your whereabouts since I haven't heard from you for two weeks.
I just hope you are well and you are enjoying your stay in London fully, fully and fully.

So you are coming back on the 27th of June, that is the day after tomorrow.
I've got to work on Sunday evening. I turn 48 on the 28th of June, so we're going to have a small party at home Sunday afternoon. I'd like to invite you though if I recall correctly you don't celebrate anyone's birthday. I think it has nothing to do with religion, it's just a tradition. But it is totally up to you. Tell me why you don't celebrate anyone's birthday.. it's my question this time.

So I think I attend Thursday meeting on 2nd of July. Hopefully we see again on the day.

Your friend,

Eiko