• Welcome to Religious Forums, a friendly forum to discuss all religions in a friendly surrounding.

    Your voice is missing! You will need to register to get access to the following site features:
    • Reply to discussions and create your own threads.
    • Our modern chat room. No add-ons or extensions required, just login and start chatting!
    • Access to private conversations with other members.

    We hope to see you as a part of our community soon!

Birthday Parties Around the World

Birthdays ok for Christians or not?

  • Yes

    Votes: 7 50.0%
  • No

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • I'm not sure

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Who cares?!

    Votes: 6 42.9%
  • Other (I'll post my response)

    Votes: 1 7.1%

  • Total voters
    14

t3gah

Well-Known Member
According to researchers the early Hebrews and Christians didn't celebrate birthdays. There are even two occurances in the bible that show what happens to people at birthday celebrations. Both celebrations depict someone being killed during the celebration. One of those celebrations in the bible has a Christian getting beheaded, John the Baptist.

Even Jesus' birth information is missing in the scriptures. No exact day, month or year is listed. Who was in power is listed but that is all.

The Hebrews were even on a different calendar that the rest of the world is. In the past it was a Roman calendar, Julian. Then came the Gregorian calendar, created by Pope Gregory. The Hebrew calendar is quite different. The links below are to wikipedia.com the free online encyclopedia:

Below are the only depictions of birthday celebrations in the bible:
[World English Bible]
Matthew 14:1 At that time, Herod the tetrarch heard the report concerning Jesus, 14:2 and said to his servants, “This is John the Baptizer. He is risen from the dead. That is why these powers work in him.” 14:3 For Herod had laid hold of John, and bound him, and put him in prison for the sake of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife. 14:4 For John said to him, “It is not lawful for you to have her.” 14:5 When he would have put him to death, he feared the multitude, because they counted him as a prophet. 14:6 But when Herod’s birthday came, the daughter of Herodias danced among them and pleased Herod. 14:7 Whereupon he promised with an oath to give her whatever she should ask. 14:8 She, being prompted by her mother, said, “Give me here on a platter the head of John the Baptizer.”

14:9 The king was grieved, but for the sake of his oaths, and of those who sat at the table with him, he commanded it to be given, 14:10 and he sent and beheaded John in the prison. 14:11 His head was brought on a platter, and given to the young lady: and she brought it to her mother. 14:12 His disciples came, and took the body, and buried it; and they went and told Jesus. 14:13 Now when Jesus heard this, he withdrew from there in a boat, to a deserted place apart. When the multitudes heard it, they followed him on foot from the cities.

Mark 6:21 Then a convenient day came, that Herod on his birthday made a supper for his nobles, the high officers, and the chief men of Galilee. 6:22 When the daughter of Herodias herself came in and danced, she pleased Herod and those sitting with him. The king said to the young lady, “Ask me whatever you want, and I will give it to you.” 6:23 He swore to her, “Whatever you shall ask of me, I will give you, up to half of my kingdom.”

6:24 She went out, and said to her mother, “What shall I ask?”
She said, “The head of John the Baptizer.”

6:25 She came in immediately with haste to the king, and asked, “I want you to give me right now the head of John the Baptizer on a platter.”

6:26 The king was exceedingly sorry, but for the sake of his oaths, and of his dinner guests, he didn’t wish to refuse her. 6:27 Immediately the king sent out a soldier of his guard, and commanded to bring John’s head, and he went and beheaded him in the prison, 6:28 and brought his head on a platter, and gave it to the young lady; and the young lady gave it to her mother.

6:29 When his disciples heard this, they came and took up his corpse, and laid it in a tomb.

Genesis 40:1 It happened after these things, that the butler of the king of Egypt and his baker offended their lord, the king of Egypt. 40:2 Pharaoh was angry with his two officers, the chief cupbearer and the chief baker. 40:3 He put them in custody in the house of the captain of the guard, into the prison, the place where Joseph was bound. 40:4 The captain of the guard assigned them to Joseph, and he took care of them. They stayed in prison many days. 40:5 They both dreamed a dream, each man his dream, in one night, each man according to the interpretation of his dream, the cupbearer and the baker of the king of Egypt, who were bound in the prison. 40:6 Joseph came in to them in the morning, and saw them, and saw that they were sad. 40:7 He asked Pharaoh’s officers who were with him in custody in his master’s house, saying, “Why do you look so sad today?”

40:8 They said to him, “We have dreamed a dream, and there is no one who can interpret it.”

Joseph said to them, “Don’t interpretations belong to God? Please tell it to me.”

40:9 The chief cupbearer told his dream to Joseph, and said to him, “In my dream, behold, a vine was in front of me, 40:10 and in the vine were three branches. It was as though it budded, its blossoms shot forth, and its clusters brought forth ripe grapes. 40:11 Pharaoh’s cup was in my hand; and I took the grapes, and pressed them into Pharaoh’s cup, and I gave the cup into Pharaoh’s hand.”

40:12 Joseph said to him, “This is its interpretation: the three branches are three days. 40:13 Within three more days, Pharaoh will lift up your head, and restore you to your office. You will give Pharaoh’s cup into his hand, the way you did when you were his cupbearer. 40:14 But remember me when it will be well with you, and show kindness, please, to me, and make mention of me to Pharaoh, and bring me out of this house. 40:15 For indeed, I was stolen away out of the land of the Hebrews, and here also have I done nothing that they should put me into the dungeon.”

40:16 When the chief baker saw that the interpretation was good, he said to Joseph, “I also was in my dream, and behold, three baskets of white bread were on my head. 40:17 In the uppermost basket there was all kinds of baked food for Pharaoh, and the birds ate them out of the basket on my head.”

40:18 Joseph answered, “This is its interpretation. The three baskets are three days. 40:19 Within three more days, Pharaoh will lift up your head from off you, and will hang you on a tree; and the birds will eat your flesh from off you.” 40:20 It happened the third day, which was Pharaoh’s birthday, that he made a feast for all his servants, and he lifted up the head of the chief cupbearer and the head of the chief baker among his servants. 40:21 He restored the chief cupbearer to his position again, and he gave the cup into Pharaoh’s hand; 40:22 but he hanged the chief baker, as Joseph had interpreted to them. 40:23 Yet the chief cupbearer didn’t remember Joseph, but forgot him.
At the link below, birthday celebrations explained in detail:
From Wikipedia.com (The Free Online Encyclopedia) said:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Birthday
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.


A birthday is the date on which a person was born. It is customary in many cultures to celebrate the anniversary of one's birthday in some way, for example by having a birthday party with friends in which gifts are exchanged. It is also customary to treat someone especially nice and generally accede to their wishes on their birthday....
The origins of birthday celebrations and the ceremonial acts are said to be offensive to the Christian God according to some Christians.

With all the information posted, what do you think about Christians celebrating birthdays?

This is also a Poll. You can either Vote, post your response & vote, or post a response only.
 

Ceridwen018

Well-Known Member
t3gah,

Are you Seventh Day Adventist, by chance? Don't they not celebrate birthdays or conventional hoidays?
 

Circle_One

Well-Known Member
t3gah said:
Who Really Rules The World :eek:
*Sigh* It's me. I had hoped I wouldn't have to reveal myself in such away, but alas, I am the ruler of the world everyone. Now bow down to me and here....drink this kool-aid. *Shifty eyes*
 

Feathers in Hair

World's Tallest Hobbit
But you'd stated previously that you were an ex-JW. If all of this is aimed at making fools of either us or the JWs, it's really not a kind way of going about it.
 

Feathers in Hair

World's Tallest Hobbit
t3gah said:
"going about it"?

you mean you want people to make fools of the "us" you mention and JWs?

I'm not up for hire.
I do apologize, I misspoke myself. When I said 'us', I meant those people who frequent the forums. It is good to know that you are not up for hire, but I continue to be confused, and because I can no longer see if this anger is being directed at me, these forums, religion in general, or if there is, indeed, any anger at all involved, I will beg your forgiveness if I have offended you and will kindly step down before your prescence. It is my own faulty nature to become overly sad about these things. :eek:
 

FyreBrigidIce

Returning Noob
I celebrate my childrens birthdays for many reasons. I never thought of them as religious. Nor do I only celebrate their life just one day a year. I do not think many parents only celebrate their childrens life only on the day of their birth. Parents that decided they wanted their children celebrate it every day by showing love, protection and guidance.

My children are told every day that they are special and loved. Even if they get in trouble they will still know that they are loved. They also do not just receive gifts on holidays.
 

Melody

Well-Known Member
t3gah said:
I'm a Jehovah's Witness. My parents are witnesses and so is my brother.
Ahhhh....ok....now I understand where you are coming from. One of my employees was a devout JW and I became quite familiar with the tenets of the JW faith.

Melody...who happily celebrates family birthdays, Christmas, Thanksgiving, Easter, etc.
 

johnnys4life

Pro-life Mommy
Huh? Why, just because bad things happened on somebody's birthday, is it not right for Christians to celebrate it? It may not have been a custom in the Bible times, but maybe it was and it just wasn't mentioned.

What evil could possibly come out of celebrating someone's birthday with them? For some people it is the only time thier families remember them at all!
 

James the Persian

Dreptcredincios Crestin
I voted yes, but of course they're nowhere near as important for us Orthodox as our saint's days (or the family sava if you're Serbian Orthodox). Physical birth might be important, but our death and rebirth in Christ through baptism is much more so.

James
 

may

Well-Known Member
johnnys4life said:
Huh? Why, just because bad things happened on somebody's birthday, is it not right for Christians to celebrate it? It may not have been a custom in the Bible times, but maybe it was and it just wasn't mentioned.

What evil could possibly come out of celebrating someone's birthday with them? For some people it is the only time thier families remember them at all!

Whether people are aware of it or not, many things that they do are linked with superstitious practices or beliefs, some having to do with deities or spirits. For example, did you know that birthday observance has its origin in astrology, which attaches great importance to one’s exact birth date? What about the birthday cake? It appears to be related to the Greek goddess Artemis, whose birthday was celebrated with moon-shaped honey cakes topped with candles

Although considered to be a harmless 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.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







 

johnnys4life

Pro-life Mommy
Christmas and Easter are also said to have been "rooted in Paganism" but we can take them now and make good out of them (provided we avoid the temptation to be overly materialistic at Christmas time!)
 

michel

Administrator Emeritus
Staff member
FyreBrigidIce said:
I celebrate my childrens birthdays for many reasons. I never thought of them as religious. Nor do I only celebrate their life just one day a year. I do not think many parents only celebrate their childrens life only on the day of their birth. Parents that decided they wanted their children celebrate it every day by showing love, protection and guidance.

My children are told every day that they are special and loved. Even if they get in trouble they will still know that they are loved. They also do not just receive gifts on holidays.
As do I. The only downside to celebrating the childrens birthdays is remembering the pain Marie went through at their births. But I agree that every day is as precious; birthdays are just an excuse to be generous. Love I can do, protection and guidance fall on deaf ears- they are both over twenty. At least I am there to pick up the pieces.:)
 
Top