Jews also do not believe that Jesus was the son of God. Jehovah's Witnesses do not celebrate birthdays because we believe that such celebrations displease God. Moses was referred to as the meekest man on the face of the earth (Num. Fred Phelps, the church's main founder, was actually an associate pastor at the original East Side Baptist Church. So, there you have it. Like most Christians, Adam has questioned his faith at more than one occasion. The answer to this question is a resounding "no." Baptists argue that a person's understanding of the term should come from Scripture alone. Light a Candle (1 candle lit each day the first week; 2 candles each day the 2nd week; etc; on Christmas eve - light all 4 and a final white candle to celebrate Jesus' coming). 2 Let yourself be self-centered. There is not one verse of Scripture describing anyone celebrating the births of these righteous men. Does God agree with this practice? When a member died, he left money to help pay for future parties. A basic spiritual principle answers any questions regarding the celebration of birthdays. There are three potential reasons why December 25th was selected. But what about those who reach age 80, 90 or 100 years oldshould we ignore altogether the many years of life experiences they have gained? Neither do they celebrate Thanksgiving, birthdays, Valentines Day, etc. In addition to what we said above, several other reasons are also given as to why Christians / Jews should not celebrate birthdays. Howbeit in vain do they worship Me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men. Jehovah's Witnesses do not celebrate Christmas. A long-standing, ancient custom of the East was to present gifts when one came into the presence of a king. Notice: Then comes the end, when He shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when He shall have put down all rule and all authority and power. Gods calendar includes seven extra 30-day months in each 19-year cycle. I've had very conservative friends in the past who preach about the pagan origins of Christmas and are adamantly against Christmas trees and all that. Thousands of years ago, when men looked up into the night sky and charted the stars, they invented calendars and calculated the birth dates, to the very hour, of kings, rulers and their successors. Whatever you do, make sure it is something that you will enjoy. As adopted it indicated its pagan origin by the names of the monthscalled after Janus, Maia, Juno, etc. Structure The structure . Is it wrong to celebrate birthdays? Now before I begin writing about the subject at hand, just know that this is NOT an attack on any particular religion, or any religious group that does not celebrate Christmas. Most people think that the day of ones birth is special. The apostle Paul was inspired to write, For the wages of sin [that you earn by breaking Gods laws] is death (Rom. Even today, many pagans celebrate what is known as The Winter Solstice, which is the shortest day of the year and marks the beginning of the winter season. Some religions, such as Islam and Judaism, do not recognize Christmas as a religious holiday. Samhain is a celebration of our ancestors and a time to grieve those whom we have lost that year and prior years. Beliefnet is a lifestyle website providing feature editorial content around the topics of inspiration, spirituality, health, wellness, love and family, news and entertainment. Remember, it's a celebration of your existence! 1 American Baptists believe that Jesus Christ is Lord and Savior, and that the Bible is the divinely inspired word of God that serves as the final written authority for living out the Christian faith. I'm not even gonna show a picture for this one, as literallythis group can come in MANY, MANY forms. He commands His followers to observe this memorial annually. Everything you need to know about the true purpose of life is written in Gods Word (John 17:17; Matt. Sixty-four new missionaries were sent out during the celebration, who will join more than 3,600 Southern Baptist missionaries and their 2,700 children who are already serving around the world. It is seen as a dialogue and worship is non-liturgical . Similarly to the Jehovah's Witness movement, Seventh-day Adventists do not celebrate Christmas, or any holidays and place the main focus on End Time prophecy. What Religion Doesnt Celebrate Birthdays. Olukoya, " We don't celebrate Christmas because the root is demonic . In 2009 Baptists celebrate the 400th anniversary of the birth of the Baptist movement. Beliefs and practices that extend beyond biblical boundaries, such as those found in Catholicism, are illegitimate. He was not exactly sure what was going on in their minds, but the very celebration of their birthdays triggered great concern in him (1:5). As you progress to Job 3, you see a very pained Job, in which he spends much of his time cursing his birth. There are many differences between Catholics and Baptists. Baptists believe that when they worship through praise and prayer they are offering themselves to God in thanks for his love. It is acceptable for a family to rejoice at a patriarchal father reaching a great age, or hugging and loving a child . God used him to record a great many of the Psalms. Christmas should also be on that list. But consider for a moment the central lesson of each of these accounts. We later learn in this story that during the birthday party celebration of Jobs older son, all of Jobs 10 children lost their lives by a mighty wind that struck and collapsed their home. To single out birthdays alone as giving undue importance is a contradictory Watchtower stance. We have now established that the Bible records negative examples of birthday celebrations, while it is silent on celebrating, or even identifying, the birthdays of all of Gods faithful servantsincluding Christ. He expects all true Christians to observe that day annually, in the same month, on the same date (I Cor. The next time a birthday is mentioned in the Bible is in the New Testament in the book of Matthew 14:3-11 when Herod the tetrarch grudgingly ordered the beheading of John the Baptist. Sikhism: Christmas is not a religious holiday celebrated by Sikhs, but it is celebrated by some as a cultural holiday. The Governing Body, which sets these restrictions, is, by their own admission neither inspired or infallible. However, the Bible does not record the birth date of this truly great servant of God. But thanks be to God, which gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ (I Cor. Each one should be fully convinced in his own mind. One of the key things to remember is that God is more concerned with our hearts than with our actions. They don't celebrate other holidays, some don't even celebrate birthdays, seeing holiday and birthday celebrations as forms of Pagan and self-worship. Then, there's the entire controversy about Christmas and the festivities associated with it, being recycled Pagan holidays and traditions during the winter. They're a minority and don't form a majority in any single country. Countless Baptist churches gather for worship on Pentecost, singing in a variety of different languages, swathing sanctuaries in red, and celebrating the coming of the Holy Spirit. Modern birthday parties and celebrations by children take their form mainly from Germany, where the birthday child received gifts, chose a menu, and received a candle-ringed butter or jam cake. Their Sabbath is on Saturday Seventh Day Adventists believe that the Sabbath begins at the end of the sixth day, which is considered Friday and lasts one day, which is Saturday. While 27 million (remember minus the UCG and non-denominationals) out of 2 billion Christians doesn't seem like a lot, especially in terms of percentage (about 1.4%), it's still a noticeable amount. Catholics believe that the Bible is the authoritative word of God, while Baptists believe that the Bible is the authoritative word of God, but that it must be interpreted by the Holy Spirit. Read a passage of Scripture (we focused on Matthew 1, Luke 2, Prophecies from the OT, and the "I AM . Then where did birthday celebrations come from? All human beings will soon be keeping the 10 Commandments. But whether Christians can or should celebrate birthdays has been a topic of debate in the religious space. It is in the Bible, isnt it? To have lived another year is an achievement. Why wouldnt God want us to acknowledge that we are thankful for the blessing of life? If it is, then you can be confident that God will be honored by your actions. They call it the "Lord's Last Supper," which in a sense, is identical to the Jewish feast of Passover. 7:1). Some point to the origin of birthdays as a reason that Christians shouldnt celebrate them. Christmas is a Christian holiday that celebrates the birth of Jesus Christ, but not all religions celebrate it. However, there are people who claim there is indirect evidence that birthday celebration is a sin and shouldnt be celebrated by Christians. For more information: See our privacy policy. Hinduism: Christmas is not a religious holiday celebrated by Hindus, but it is celebrated by some as a cultural holiday. something like that. One of the most important is Easter, which commemorates the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Regardless, there's nothing in the scriptures banning the celebration of birthdays, and members should feel free to celebrate them (even if celebrated in secret). This custom is often noticed in the Old Testament, and still prevails in the east, and in some of the newly discovered South Seas Islands. Gifts were customarily presented to kings. There simply is no teaching concerning these events one way or the other. In our current society, where senior citizens are routinely ignored and considered to be a burden, it is certainly permissible to acknowledge someone who has reached a considerable number of years. That's it. Christian Groups That Don't Celebrate Christmas. Every year, millions of professing Christians celebrate the supposed birthday of Jesus Christ. Birthdays are similar to anniversaries, and we celebrate so many of them in our culture: weddings, dates of employment, even when our congregations are founded. Proverbs 16:31 states, The hoary [white or gray] head is a crown of glory, if it be found in the way of righteousness. People who have lived to great age, sometimes reflected by pure white hair, often have great wisdom and experience to share with younger generations. James Earl Ray, a known racist who had escaped from jail just under a year before King's assassination, pleaded guilty to the murder and was sentenced to 99 years in prison. Lets briefly examine the subject of the wise men who gave gifts to Christ. Jehovah's Witnesses do not celebrate either birthdays or Christmas and have various other restrictions. He wants you to have it. Believe it or not, you also came with an instruction manualthe Bible! Remember, God calls us to celebrate life abundantly (John 10:10), that includes our own lives which God chose for us before we were even born. In Persia, noblemen observed their birthdays by barbecuing an ox, a camel and a donkey and serving hundreds of small cakes to the celebrants. While widely known for their hate speech and their picketing activity, particularly towards the LGBTQ+ community, they've also done this toward other Christians, soldiers and veterans, Muslims, Jews, politicians and well, America herself. 34:23-31), called there the house of Israel. When it happens to a family member or close friend, it is usually a day of terrible sadness and emotion. The first account is in Genesis. Yet, there is no such account. What does this mean emulate what you respect in your friends? The celebration of days was so important to the average Roman citizen that the Roman calendar designated a majority of days for some form of celebrationincluding many birthdays of gods and famous men. There are a variety of religions around the world that do not celebrate Christmas or birthdays. Pick up your instruction manual and examine what God says about birthdays. But is birthday-keeping biblical? 5:15-16). California Consumer Privacy Act | The UCG is actually one of many break-away groups from a larger Christian group known as Grace Communion International, at that time, known as the Worldwide Church of God. As one could expect, ditching Christmas is one of those practices. The people of the east never approach the presence of kings and great personages, without a present in their hands. Moreover, what Scripture teaches about saints should also act as a boundary. God does not even record the exact day His Son was born. Christmas is a religious holiday celebrated by Christians around the world. The Sabbath "protects man's friendship with God and provides time essential for the development of that relationship." This includes all ten of the official days of observance 5. Most is yet to be fulfilled. After God freed Israel from slavery, He clearly instructed them, After the doings of the land of Egypt, wherein you dwelt, shall you not do: and after the doings of the land of Canaan, where I bring you, shall you not do: neither shall you walk in their ordinances (Lev. Ultimately, it is up to each individual to decide whether or not to celebrate their birthday within their religious beliefs. Being both fully divine and fully human, His work is entirely satisfying to God and eternally sufficient for the redemption of mankind. Well I'm a Jehovah witness and we do not really attempt to The sending of missionaries through the IMB has not even slowed during the pandemic, said IMB President Paul Chitwood . However, some countries celebrate "name days" instead of birthdays, and Mormons follow cultural traditions in those countries. Someone who has lived through two world wars, the Great Depression, the Atomic Age, the creation of the modern nation of Israel, the Cold War, men walking on the moon, the Cuban Missile Crisis, the Kennedy assassination, civil rights marches, race riots, the rise and collapse of the Berlin wall, and the worldwide growth of the Internet, has reached an age where special honor should naturally be conferred upon them. Many Jews also celebrate Christmas as a secular holiday. The main reason so many people find celebrating their own birthday stressful is that they are focused on living up to a standard set forth by others rather than themselves. If the day of our death is better than the day of our birth, and some of Gods greatest servants said that their birth date was far from being a special day, then how special can this day be? The consent submitted will only be used for data processing originating from this website. In ancient Rome, the emperor gave huge parties in honor of his own birthday, which included parades, circuses, and gladiatorial combat. Do Baptists Celebrate Halloween. 26:1-2; John 18:28; I Cor. Fierce and true the first winter night sneaks in, Sign in to comment to your favorite stories, participate in your community and interact with your friends. Hold your Baptism celebration at lunch or dinnertime. Typically, the number of days in Gods year is not the same from year to year. Death is the penalty for sin. This Baptist section with only 40 members in Topeka, Kansas, at least as we know it, was found in 1955. I'm not going to get into all that here. But what does that have to do with US? do baptists celebrate birthdays. And we celebrate them the same way everyone else doeswith friends, family, presents, and a special meal. He has questions and knows that other people do too. This particular section of Christianity is an End Time sect. The truth is it ultimately comes down to personal preference. What does salvation mean? He wants you to live life to the fullest and experience the way of life that produces real peace, joy, abundance and security. Does God not want those who serve Him to recognize these most important birthdays? Buddhism does not celebrate Christmas because it is not a part of their religious tradition. These ancient pagan astrologers meticulously examined horoscopes and birthday omens because they believed that the fate of the rich and powerful might affect an entire society. Christmas music is no exception, as the WBC condemns Christmas by making parodies of Christmas music doing so. The Bible never states birthday celebrations are wrong, and Watchtower reasoning against birthdays is invalid. The most significant one is their understanding of the Bible. If you actually research the history of the movement, though, they did at one point, celebrate Christmas but stopped doing it. American Baptists celebrate the fact that belief in . SPECIAL: Prayer Changes Your Brain in 4 Amazing Ways. Some of our partners may process your data as a part of their legitimate business interest without asking for consent. DMCA. They don't celebrate birthdays because bad things happen on the few birthdays mentioned in the Bible. They generally make the following claims: First, when the Bible mentions birthdays which it has on three separate occasions, terrible things occurred. The famous King David is called a man after My [Gods] own heart (Acts 13:21-22). Catholics believe that salvation is a process that begins with baptism and is completed through the other sacraments, while Baptists believe that salvation is a gift from God that is received through faith alone. Jehovah's Witnesses are not allowed to celebrate birthdays. Their churches can look like anything, from a traditional church to a simple building that they use to meet in. Jehovahs Witnesses believe that birthdays are rooted in paganism and therefore refrain from celebrating them. Thousands of years ago, these pagan astrologers invented calendars and calculated birth dates for kings, rulers and their successors through the monitoring of the stars; they examined horoscopes and birthday omens because they thought the fate of those in positions of power would affect all society. Keep in mind that the Bible still says this day is better than the day of birth. 12:3). Everyone has a birthday with millions of Christians celebrating this momentous occasions each year. 6:23). We celebrate Samhain (Sah-wen, or Shav-nah for purists) on or near October 31st-ish. Terms of Use | The holiday was actually originally celebrated in May but was moved to the first of November by Pope Gregory IV in 837 AD, per CNN. Once a month, the club celebrated with a feast. When you read the Bible, God is talking to you! The origin of birthday celebrations can be traced back to ancient civilizations that worshipped the sun, moon, and other celestial bodies. What do baptist and Jehovah's witness say about birthdays? One-third of the Bible is prophecy history written in advance. The answer to this question may surprise you. They do not believe in celebrating birthdays because they believe that it is not a cause for celebration. 9:1-5; Matt. Is celebrating birthdays a pagan tradition? As a result, a great servant of God lost his life. This is not an event to look forward to. Consider the following quote about the origin of the Roman calendar: Our [Roman] calendar is not Christian in origin. 20:7; Isa. Truth to be told, MANY Atheists and non-Christians celebrate Christmas, they take part in all the holiday fun without buying into the religious aspect of it. Although, they actually seem to be lenient on birthdays. Most people who are affiliated with Jehovah's Witnesses don't celebrate any holidays, including birthdays and Christmas, and of course, Halloween. The entire book of Jeremiah 10 condemns people cutting down trees and decorating them with ornaments. The following facts are representative of the tradition and practice of American Baptists. Neither do they celebrate Thanksgiving, birthdays, Valentines Day, etc. 4:16). Others believe that birthdays are a self-centered act and prefer not to celebrate them. 18:3). I do not celebrate my birthday for religious reasons. The first winter night always comes suddenly and with no remorse. Your birthday is a refreshera chance for regenerationnot just materially but spiritually. Epiphany is the end of one season (Christmas), and the beginning of another (Epiphany). What we have described above is far different than celebrating birthdays with all of the usual pagan traditions! Many verses describe this Bible figure and virtually everyone is familiar with him. As the dream had foretold, the baker was hung at the party. (Jesus actually celebrated Passover and the "Last Supper" was describing a Passover dinner Jesus was having.) It is mixed with people who just like all the others mentioned, have dropped Christmas, to those who may take a few liberties by hosting dinners and giving presents, or those who just go full-out and celebrate like everyone else. While some take the stance that youre simply glorifying anothers life, others believe it is a form of Idolatry and celebrating it takes away from the admiration and glory of God. What religion does not celebrate Christmas or birthdays. The real intent behind this example should now be clear. However, in general, Baptist do not believe in speaking in tongues as a means of receiving spiritual gifts. One could even say a birthday celebration goes against God's instruction in Ecclesiastes 7:1, where Solomon writes, "The day of death [is better] than the day of one's birth." So, every October 31st we should take time to remember and celebrate how God has demonstrated His great grace to us by bringing us out of the false teaching of a works-based . The origins of birthday celebrations can be traced back to ancient pagan festivals where people would worship the sun god or other deities. Many even celebrate other holidays such as birthdays. Zoroastrianism: Christmas is not a religious holiday celebrated by Zoroastrians, but it is celebrated by some as a cultural holiday. He became incarnate through the miraculous conception of the Holy Spirit, was born of a virgin, lived a sinless life, suffered and died for the sins of all humanity, and was resurrected from the dead. Is a sin and shouldnt be celebrated by Christians knows that other people do too Sikhs but! 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