Never thought you'd see those two things in one thread did you? Well, bear with me and see how I make the connection:
JWs don't celebrate birthdays for the following reasons:
1. Only two birthday celebrations are mentioned in the Bible. Both by non-worshippers of Jehovah and both ended in disaster.
2. Birthdays have pagan origins. Christians have nothing to do with pagan practices.
3. Birthdays give undue prominence to the one celebrating. Only Jehovah deserves such prominence.
Using that same reasoning, should embalming be practiced by JWs?
1. JOSEPH honored his father's request by taking advantage of a custom that prevailed in Egypt at the time. He commanded "his servants, the physicians, to embalm his father." According to the account found in Genesis chapter 50, the physicians took the customary 40 days to prepare the corpse. The embalming of Jacob allowed for the large, slow-moving caravan of family members and Egyptian dignitaries to travel about 250 miles [400 km] to take Jacob's remains to Hebron for burial.?Genesis 50:1-14. (1)
So the only embalming mentioned in the Bible shows that it is a custom that prevailed in Egypt.
2. The ancient Egyptians embalmed their dead mainly for religious reasons. Their concept of an afterlife was linked with a desire to stay in touch with the physical world. They believed that their bodies would be used throughout eternity and would be reinvigorated with life. As common as embalming was, to date no Egyptian account of how it was done has been found. The best record is that of the Greek historian Herodotus in the fifth century B.C.E. It has been reported, however, that trying to recreate the results by using the directions provided by Herodotus has not been very successful. (2)
Embalming has false religious connections.
3. In ancient Egypt, the type of embalming a corpse might receive depended on a family's status. (3)
The more prosperous the family, the better embalming methods the deceased received thereby increasing the status of the dead one with the afterlife.
However, the WTS makes no sanctions against embalming for Christians today as noted here: Although apparently not commanded by Jehovah, the preserving of Jacob's remains is not spoken of with disapproval in the Scriptures. The embalming of Jacob was not meant as a precedent for the nation of Israel or for the Christian congregation. In fact, there are no specific instructions on the subject in God's Word. After Joseph himself was embalmed in Egypt, there is no further Scriptural mention of the practice.?Genesis 50:26. (4) and, Would a Christian object to the custom of embalming? From a realistic point of view, embalming is merely delaying the inevitable. From dust we came, and to dust we return at death. (Genesis 3:19) But how long will it be from the time of death until the funeral? If family members and friends are coming from a distance and there is a desire to view the body, no doubt the remains will have to be embalmed to some degree. Scripturally, then, there is no need for concern if local requirements mandate that the body be embalmed or family members desire that this take place. The dead are "conscious of nothing at all." (Ecclesiastes 9:5) (5)
Embalming was practiced by non-worshippers of Jehovah and was related to false religious practices. However, since there were no specific instructions on the subject then scripturally there is no need for concern if family members desire it to take place. So embalming is okay by God and allowed by JWs.
Let's look at birthdays in the same way. Birthdays were practiced by non-worshippers of Jehovah and was a pagan practice. However, since there was no instructions against it or condemnation of the birthday celebrations mentioned then scripturally there is no need for concern if one chooses to observe and celebrate a birthday. So birthdays should be okay by God and be allowed by any who worship him.
references:
1. Embalming: Is It For Christians WTS website http://www.watchtower.org/library/w/2002/3/15/article_01.htm
2. Embalming: Is It For Christians WTS website http://www.watchtower.org/library/w/2002/3/15/article_01.htm
3. Embalming: Is It For Christians WTS website http://www.watchtower.org/library/w/2002/3/15/article_01.htm
4. Embalming: Is It For Christians WTS website http://www.watchtower.org/library/w/2002/3/15/article_01.htm
5. Embalming: Is It For Christians WTS website http://www.watchtower.org/library/w/2002/3/15/article_01.htm