From the school brochure. The propoganda that ruled all 13 years of my education:
Birthdays:
Enjoying a feast or a party and generous giving to loved ones are certainly not wrong. (Luke 15:22-25; Acts 20:35) Jehovah?s Witnesses enjoy giving gifts and having good times together throughout the year. However, the only two birthday celebrations mentioned in the Bible involved people who were not true believers. They were a Pharaoh of Egypt and the Roman ruler Herod Antipas, each of whose birthday celebrations had deadly results. (Genesis 40:18-22; Mark 6:21-28) So it is not surprising to see these historical references to the attitude of early Christians toward birthday celebrations:
"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 Three First Centuries (New York, 1848), by Augustus Neander (translated by Henry John Rose), page 190.
"Of all the holy people in the Scriptures, no one is recorded to have kept a feast or held a great banquet on his birthday. It is only sinners (like Pharaoh and Herod) who make great rejoicings over the day on which they were born into this world below."?The Catholic Encyclopedia (New York, 1911), Volume X, page 709 (quoting Origen Adamantius of the third century).
Additionally, birthday celebrations tend to give excessive importance to an individual, no doubt one reason why early Christians shunned them. (Ecclesiastes 7:1) So you will find that Jehovah?s Witnesses do not share in birthday festivities (the parties, singing, gift giving, and so forth).
From the education brochure
BirthdaysMisunderstandings may even arise with celebrations that appear to have few, if any, religious connections. This is true of birthdays, celebrated in many schools. Although Jehovah?s Witnesses respect the right of others to celebrate birthdays, you are no doubt well aware that they choose not to share in such celebrations. But perhaps you are unaware of the reasons why they and their children have decided not to participate in these celebrations.
Le
livre des religions (The Book of Religions), an encyclopedia widely distributed in France, calls this custom a ritual and lists it among "secular rites." Although considered to be a harmless secular custom today, birthday celebrations are actually rooted in paganism.The
Encyclopedia Americana (1991 edition) states: "The ancient world of Egypt, Greece, Rome, and Persia celebrated the birthdays of gods, kings, and nobles." Authors Ralph and Adelin Linton reveal the underlying reason for this. In their book The Lore of Birthdays, they write: "Mesopotamia and Egypt, the cradles of civilization, were also the first lands in which men remembered and honoured their birthdays. The keeping of birthday records was important in ancient times principally because a birth date was essential for the casting of a horoscope." This direct connection with astrology is a cause of great concern to any who avoid astrology because of what the Bible says about it.?Isaiah 47:13-15.Not surprisingly then, we read in The World Book Encyclopedia: "The early Christians did not celebrate His [Christ?s] birth because they considered the celebration of anyone?s birth to be a pagan custom."?Volume 3, page 416.
With the foregoing in mind, Jehovah?s Witnesses choose not to share in birthday festivities. To be sure, the birth of a child is a happy, glorious event. Naturally, all parents rejoice as their children grow and develop with each passing year. Jehovah?s Witnesses also find great joy in demonstrating their love for their family and friends by giving gifts and having good times together. However, in view of the origin of birthday celebrations, they prefer to do so at other times throughout the year.?Luke 15:22-25; Acts 20:35.
From the Require brochure.
4. Birthdays: The only two birthday celebrations spoken of in the Bible were held by persons who did not worship Jehovah. (Genesis 40:20-22; Mark 6:21, 22, 24-27) The early Christians did not celebrate birthdays. The custom of celebrating birthdays comes from ancient false religions. True Christians give gifts and have good times together at other times during the year.
