Where does the Bible speak against celebrating birthdays?

Answer 1

The short answer is: No place in The Bible is such a statement made.

The Bible does not specifically say "yea" or "nay" to many things (such as speeding, texting while driving or driving drunk, drug abuse, provocative clothing in public, using a hand or machine gun to kill another person, adding poisons to food or water, etc., etc., etc.) yet by godly principles clearly stated in the Holy Scriptures, each person makes his or her own choice and answers to God in the end.

The fact is birthdays have long been celebrated by peoples in many parts of the world, many who knowingly worship false gods and practice pagan traditions. True worshipers, however, need to remain separate from those who promote false teachings, and remain as clean as possible in God's eyes at all times.

Note what is stated at 2 Corinthians 6:14-18:

"Do not become unevenly yoked with unbelievers. For what fellowship do righteousness and lawlessness have? Or what sharing does light have with darkness? Further, what harmony is there between Christ and Belial? Or what portion does a faithful person have with an unbeliever? And what agreement does God's temple have with idols? For we are a temple of a living God; just as God said: "I shall reside among them and walk among them, and I shall be their God, and they will be my people." "'Therefore get out from among them, and separate yourselves...and quit touching the unclean thing, and I will take you in.'"

Also look up Matthew 15:7-9 and Revelation 18:4. Although none of these even mention the words birth or day, they give a true Christian something on which to reflect.

Consider too, not only the outrageous manner in which some birthday celebrations are held (excessive drunkenness, overeating, selfishness & greed, hurt feelings, etc.) but also the lack of true love and acceptance encouraged at such gatherings. Would you not rather someone told you you are special, honored you, or gave you a thoughtful gift on ANY day of the year, rather than doing so just because it is expected of them on one certain date? I know I would.

When it comes to social get-togethers, anniversaries, going-away parties, baby celebrations and the like, Witnesses of Jehovah are perhaps one of the most social, loving, and hospitable groups one will ever find, always ready to share what they have with others. In fact, it could probably be said that Jehovah's Witnesses always seem to be in various stages of planning fun activities for their young, old, and in-between members to enjoy good wholesome fun on a very regular basis!

We don't wait for a specific date found on a man-made calendar to hold these occasions only once a year.

Another Answer

The answer to this is easy - nowhere. Jehovah's Witnesses and some other sects believe that birthdays were celebrated by people who worshiped false Gods. Yet those who worshiped false Gods ate meat, drank wine, went on walks, and a host of other things that these groups do without question and yet they single outs birthdays for 'special' treatment. Most "Christians" in the world regard the JW practice of not allowing their children to celebrate either birthdays or Christmas as cruel in the extreme and often ends up with JW children being bullied and ostracized in school.Christians believes in the teachings of Jesus Christ. Part of that teaching is that Jesus wants us to enjoy our God-given life.Jesus himself enjoyed parties and social get-togethers. He made it very clear: "I have come", he said, "that they may have life, and life in its fullness" (John 10:10). In other words, we should not go round with faces that look like thunder, or be glum, or be miserable. We must live life to the full - our God given life - in a Godly way. to Christians that means celebrating birthdays, Christmas, Easter and other joyful occasions.Finally, although two of the references to birthdays in the Bible refer to wicked people, it is the people who are deemed wicked, not the birthdays. In the Book of Job we read that Job was an upright, good man, and he brought up his sons to be Godly and righteous. The evidence indicates that his sons - and most probably Job, as well - celebrated birthdays. "Every year when each of Job's sons had a birthday, he invited his brothers and sisters to his house for a celebration. On these occasions they would eat and drink with great merriment." (Job 1:4 - New Living Translation)

Needless to say, today, birthdays are important in our culture and a yearly celebration is quite proper for friends and family. There is no need to be filled with guilt brought upon by well-meaning, but wrongly informed members of religious organizations who add extra, and often skewed and corrupted meaning to the scriptures.

Answer 2

The Bible doesn't say not to celebrate Christmas. On the other hand, it also doesn't say TO celebrate Christmas. Neither does it reveal the specific date of Jesus' birth, which seems a rather important detail if it's supposed to be celebrated.

Answer:

Where does the Bible command its observance?

God has listed the seven annual Holy Day [holiday] Sabbaths He wants His people to observe and keep in Leviticus 23... which are all "Christ-centered," and which reveal His plan of salvation. Beginning with the Passover in the spring of the year [I Cor.5:7] -- when the dead of winter gives way to spring's resurrection to life, they extend into the fall of the year [the time of the bountiful harvest] ending with the "Feast of Tabernacles" [Christ's Millennial Rule on earth] and the "Last Great Day;" Judgment Day [the Great White Throne Judgment -- Rev.20:11].

Jesus, the Creator God of the Old Testament [John 1:3], established them to be observed by His people "forever" [Lev.23:41] ... and He observed and kept them, Himself [as our example], when He walked the earth as a man.

"Birthday parties" are a pagan concept not celebrated by either Christ nor His disciples. The only one's recorded in the Bible were for Pharaoh and king Herod.

Christmas is a pagan observance of the Winter Solstice, an ancient satanic orgiastic worship of the "rebirth of the sun god"... with Jesus' name slapped on it in these last deceptive end times.

If God wanted His people to observe any pagan rite or ritual in worship of other gods, He would command it so in His Word. But, instead, He [Jesus] says:

"Thou shalt have NO OTHER GODS BEFORE ME." (Ex.20:3)

And: "...Ye shall not go after other gods, of the gods of the people which are round about you; (For the Lord thy God is a jealous God among you) lest the anger of the Lord thy God be kindled against thee, and destroy thee from off the face of the earth... Ye shall diligently keep the Commandments of the Lord thy God, and His tesimonies, and His statutes, which He hath commanded thee." (Deut.6:14-17)

Christmas is not mentioned in the Bible, because God doesn't want His people to forsake His Commandments and His Sabbaths and His salvation.

Even the "Christmas tree" of ancient Babylonian origin, which figures so prominently in the modern "Christmas" obeservance... God commands His people not to learn:

"...LEARN NOT THE WAY OF THE HEATHEN..." (Jer.10:2-4).

The world, of course, teaches it... and God's Word goes unheeded. But the command is clear. God doesn't like it and His Word commands His people against all the "unauthorized holidays" that the world teaches and commands and "expects" the nations to observe.

Answer 3

The bible does not directly condemn the celebration of birthdays, but birthdays are only mentioned twice in all of scripture, both practiced by pagan rulers, and both involving death. The celebration of the anniversary of one's birth was long a pagan custom.

Genesis:40:20: And it came to pass the third day, which was Pharaoh's birthday, that he made a feast unto all his servants: and he lifted up the head of the chief butler and of the chief baker among his servants.

Matthew:14:6(Mark 6:21-28): But when Herod's birthday was kept, the daughter of Herodias danced before them, and pleased Herod....and had John the Baptist killed.

Answer:

Like so many of man's other customs and traditions... birthdays, also, are an example of man's vain celebrations of praise and worship of himself... instead of his Creator.

With the possible exception of "Thou shalt have no other gods before Me," -- God doesn't specifically condemn birthday celebrations by law -- it's just a meaningless carnal vanity... and a waste of time.

"A good name is better than fine perfume, and the day of death better than the day of birth." (Eccle.7:1 NIV)

"Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of His saints." (Ps.116:15 NIV)

Merely being born is no great accomplishment on the part of the one born. It's what a person does with their life [a wasteful one or one with purpose] that's of interest to God.

That's the assessment to be determined in the Judgment. [Hint: birthdays fall into the 'wasteful' category]

Answer 4

Nowhere does the bible speak against celebrating birthdays. Birthdays are only mentioned a couple times and it neither mentions a prohibition, nor mentions the permission of them.

Additionally:

The two biblical instances of "birthday" observances are the celebrations of pagan, heathen kings. The custom and tradition that the nations of the world today inherited and still observe.

Nowhere else in the Bible are birthdays celebrated by God's people. In fact... the Bible reveals that the day of one's DEATH is more celebrated by God than the day of one's birth.

"A good name is better than precious ointment; and THE DAY OF ONE'S DEATH than the day of one's birth." (Eccle.7:1)

"Precious in the sight of the Lord is THE DEATH OF HIS SAINTS." (Ps.116:15)

That's why Jesus' DEATH is observed and remembered from year to year in God's commanded observance of the Passover.

"...For even CHRIST OUR PASSOVER is sacrificed for us: therefore LET US KEEP THE FEAST..." (I Cor.5:7-8).

It's the significance of His the way He lived His Life, together with the way He DIED, according to the Scriptures that matters with God... and not the mysterious biblical obscurity of the day of His birth.

It's the works we have done in the course of our lives that God will Judge at the Last Day. That's what's important... not just whether or not we were born.

The biblical contrast between the significance of our "being born" and our "appointed death" [Heb.9:27] is evident in the contrast between the "vain pursuits" of men and the "purpose" of God's plan for man.

Being born, while a reason for joy and celebration [at least at the time of the birth]... is not anything significant in and of itself - if a person DOES NOTHING WITH HIS LIFE!

It's the "end result" of that life that God will Judge.

The celebrations of birthdays in the Bible by the two pagan, heathen kings is a matter of wasteful, meaningless human vanity. A custom and vanity to which the world clings to this day.

Plus... in the biblical accounts of these pagan birthday celebrations... bad things happened. Pharaoh's baker was hanged [Gen.40] and John the Baptist was beheaded [Matt.14].

The Bible neither condemns nor commands "birthday celebrations" -- but merely refers to two historical instances of the heathen custom and vanity, matter-of-factly.

Answer 5

The Bible does not say anything about birthdays. People celebrate their birthdays every year. Children love having birthday parties.

Answer 6

It doesn't.

Answer 7

nothing