Q: I am working in a factory and the manager invited all the workers who have a birthday in this month, to his office (Maybe to celebrate, maybe to speak with them about their work).
There will be cakes and sweets. Do you think that God forbid to celebrate birthday? Jehova witnesses said that this is custom of idolaters. But celebration birthdays (in our days an in our place), has nothing to do with idolatry.
To refuse to come is a bit unpleasant (Even if i explained why) because I live in Israel and in Israel do not like or believe in Jesus.
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A:
Many have asked: Is it wrong to celebrate one's birthday, but not wrong to
celebrate one's wedding anniversary? The Bible does not condemn either! Here is
what the Watchtower said back in 1998 in Questions From Readers:
"Many of Jehovah’s Witnesses observe wedding anniversaries. A birthday is an
anniversary of when you were born. So why celebrate wedding anniversaries and
not birthday anniversaries?"—w98 10/15 pp. 30-31
The Watchtower of December 15, under the heading "Do You Remember?"—
Why do Christians celebrate wedding anniversaries but not birthdays?, had
this short comment to the previous longer answer: "The Bible does not put
marriage in a bad light. It is entirely a private matter whether Christians
choose to take note of a wedding anniversary, reflecting on the joyfulness of
that event and on their resolve to work for success as a couple. However, the
only birthday celebrations of Biblical record are those of pagans, and such were
linked to instances of cruelty.—10/15, pages 30, 31." (End of quote)
If it is, as they say, "a private matter whether Christians choose to
take note of a wedding anniversary," why can the same not also be said when it
comes to birthdays? If a wedding anniversary is acceptable because "the Bible
does not put marriage in a bad light," and is a time for "reflecting on the
joyfulness of that event," is that not also true of one's birth, which the Bible
likewise does not put in a bad light? When Eve gave birth to her first son, she
exclaimed: "I have produced a man with the aid of Jehovah." (Gen. 4:1) And
Insight on the Scriptures acknowledges: "For parents, the day their baby is
born is usually one of great rejoicing." (it-1 p. 318 Birth) The
anniversary of the birth can also be a time for "reflecting on the joyfulness of
that event," both, for the parents and for the child. The other argument, that
the only birthday celebrations mentioned in the Bible are those of two pagan
rulers, Pharaoh of Egypt and king Herod, does not make birthdays a pagan
celebration. We are not celebrating their day of birth, but rather our own.
Job was a man who "proved to be blameless and upright, and fearing God and
turning aside from bad." In fact, Jehovah said that "there is no one like him in
the earth." (Job 1:1; 2:8) Job had seven sons who "held a banquet at the house
of each one on his own day; and they sent and invited their three sisters
to eat and drink with them." (Job 1:4, 13) What was that about? Did Job's sons
celebrate their birthdays? The Society claims that that could not be for the
word "birthday" is not used there. This is how they address that question: "Did
Job’s children observe birthdays? No, they did not. The original-language words
for 'day' and 'birthday' are different, each having its own meaning. (Genesis
40:20) At Job 1:4, the word 'day' is used, denoting an interval of time from
sunrise to sunset. The seven sons of Job apparently held a seven-day family
gathering once a year. As they made the circuit, each son was the host of the
banquet held at his house on 'his own day.' (w06 3/15 p. 13
Highlights From the Book of Job; Italics mine)
It should be noted that at Genesis 40:20 in the Hebrew Scriptures it does not
say Pharaoh's "birthday," but rather "the day of the birth of Pharaoh."
The word for "day" here is the same word that appears in Job 1:4. (You can
verify this for yourself in any Interlinear Hebrew Translation.)
Also, the account in Job nowhere suggests that the seven sons came together once
a year to party for an entire week. There is no mention of any "seven-day family
gathering," just as the Watchtower says that there is no mention of any
"birthday." If, according to the Society, the main issue in this case is that
the word "day" is used rather than "birthday," then it would appear that like
the sons of Job, it would be acceptable to celebrate "each one on his own day,"
and also invite other family members "to eat and drink with [us]," as long as we
avoid calling it a birthday. We might want to call it an "anniversary of
a joyful event." Thus it would become a "private matter" like any wedding
anniversary, as explained in the Watchtower.
What is God's view on birthdays? He has not told us! What others do or don't do
is no argument for or against it, as Paul wrote: "Who are you to judge the
house servant of another? To his own master he stands or falls. Indeed, he
will be made to stand, for Jehovah can make him stand. One [man] judges one
day as above another; another [man] judges one day as all others; let
each [man] be fully convinced in his own mind. He who observes the day observes
it to Jehovah. Also, he who eats, eats to Jehovah, for he gives thanks to
God; and he who does not eat does not eat to Jehovah, and yet gives thanks to
God." (Rom. 14:4-6, 13-14; NWT)
There are no Scriptures where Jehovah has forbidden his people to observe in
some personal way the day of their birth, perhaps by celebrating that joyful
occasion while reflecting on how he has lived his life in harmony with God's
will, while "giving thanks to God." Another person might in a similar way
consider the day of his baptism as being special to him. God has not told us
that such things offend him. But on the other hand, there are numerous
Scriptures that condemn those who place heavy burdens on God's people,
enslaving them by means of their own laws, which they judge as equal to God's
laws, as was the case of the religious leaders in Jesus' day. (Prov. 30:5-6;
Matt. 23:1-5;
2 Peter 2:17-19; Rev. 22:18-19) Of course, Jehovah does condemn
excessive eating and drinking. Job offered sacrifices on behalf of his sons in
case they had become guilty of that. (Job 1:5; Deut. 21:20)
Jehovah has not given anyone the authority to "go beyond the things that are
written,"
from what he himself has told us,
not even an angel out of heaven. (1 Cor. 4:6; Gal. 1:8,9) Such a person would
become guilty of making God's Word invalid, and consequently his worship would
be futile; which would also be true of anyone who follows him. (Matt. 15:6-9;
2 Thess. 2:10-12) And besides, deviating from God's word always causes divisions!
This became the situation in the Corinthian congregation with its "superfine
apostles," as Paul called them, who were dominating their fellow brothers and
caused them severe problems. These "false brothers" opposed Paul, accepting
nothing with respect from him, as is also the case with those today who reject
what Paul says on this issue: "For you gladly put up with the unreasonable
persons, seeing you are reasonable. In fact, you put up with whoever enslaves
you, whoever devours [what you have], whoever grabs [what you have], whoever
exalts himself over [you], whoever strikes you in the face." (1 Cor. 1:10,11;
4:6-8; 2 Cor. 11:19,20, 26; 12:11, 20; Gal. 2:4,5) Just because Jehovah has
tolerated lawlessness within his household does not mean he approves of it!
Celebrating one's wedding anniversary or birthday does not even qualify for
being a matter of conscience, for God's word has not ruled on these matters. It
does not involve the worship of demons or the teaching of lies, as do many
worldly holidays such as Christmas, which God does condemn. (1 Cor. 10:21; James 1:27) It does not fall into the category of eating foods that are offered to
idols, which in itself is not wrong, as Paul explained, but could become a
conscience matter as it involves true worship and the consciences of those who
are weak. (Rom. 14:1-3;
1 Cor. 8:4-13) Keep in mind the apostle Paul's warning
that "the inspired utterance says definitely that in later periods of time some
will fall away from the faith, paying attention to misleading inspired
utterances and teachings of demons, by the hypocrisy of men who speak lies," who
forbid all sorts of things that are not wrong in themselves, but merely give "an
appearance of wisdom in a self-imposed form of worship and mock humility." (Col. 2:18-23;
1 Tim. 4:1-3)
Whether a person observes the anniversary of his marriage, or of his birth (or
joins in celebrating someone else's anniversary or birthday), or ignores them,
is entirely a personal matter. Paul goes on to say, "The kingdom of God does not
mean eating and drinking, but [means] righteousness and peace and joy with holy
spirit." (Romans 14:17)
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