Do Jehovah’s Witnesses Celebrate Birthdays? (Should Jehovah’s Witnesses celebrate birthdays?)

Last week, I came across an interesting article as I was browsing through the internet that talked about Jehovah’s Witness Traditions. What stood out is that the denomination does not agree with birthday celebrations.

I found this interesting since my birthday is one of the events in the year that I always anticipate. As a theologist and Christian, I wanted to understand the reasons behind the concept.

Hence, I did further research by going to the Jehovah’s Witnesses’ official website and visited a Kingdom Hall that is nearby to get first-hand information from one of the leaders. With all that I found, I realized it would be better to have all the information in an article.

Hence, I decided to write this article titled, ‘Do Jehovah’s Witnesses celebrate their birthdays?’

Please join me in the article below to discuss whether Jehovah’s Witnesses celebrate their birthdays. I have highlighted the reasons Jehovah’s Witnesses do not celebrate their birthdays.

In addition, you will find out whether Jehovah’s Witnesses can say ‘Happy Birthday.’ Read on to learn more.

Do Jehovah’s Witnesses keep track of their birthdates?

Jehovah’s Witnesses keep track of their birthdates but do not celebrate them. They have beliefs that prevent them from celebrating birthdays.

Keeping track of their birthdates is essential since the information is crucial to accessing certain services or for official reasons. Some of these services are in school and maneuvering the employment sector.

Jehovah’s Witnesses refrain from celebrations they believe do not honor God, such as Easter, Christmas, birthdays, and other celebrations other Christians hold.

Should Jehovah’s Witnesses celebrate birthdays?

According to Jehovah’s Witnesses denomination guidelines, it cautions members from celebrating their birthdays. It means you should not celebrate your birthday as a Jehovah’s Witness member.

Jehovah’s Witnesses celebrate one annual event, ‘The Memorial to Christ’s Death’. In addition, they do weddings, funerals, and anniversaries.

As for other celebrations, they believe those are part of false religious beliefs. Jehovah’s Witnesses, the Bible does not mention that Christians should celebrate birthdays.

In addition, they argue that the two birthday celebrants mentioned in the Bible, Herod Antipas and Pharaoh, were not God’s servants. Therefore, it gives them more reasons to refrain from conforming to birthday celebrations.

Why don’t Jehovah’s Witnesses celebrate birthdays?

Jehovah’s Witnesses do not celebrate birthdays based on their beliefs. They believe birthdays do not conform to Biblical ways but align with paganism.

Another reason is that they believe birthdays expose the celebrant to evil spirits and negativity, which may attack the person. In this regard, they find birthdays unnecessary.

Some people associate birthdays with astrology, whereas Jehovah’s Witnesses are against the concept or anything that aligns with spiritism, divination, or magic.

According to written beliefs in ‘The Lore of Birthdays’, birthdays are vital for horoscope reading. In this context, they refer to these assumptions and base their argument on events in the Bible where God denounced the Babylonians given their astrological practice.

Also, Deuteronomy 18:14 is against such practices: “For these nations, which thou shalt possess, hearkened unto observers of times, and unto diviners: but as for thee, the Lord thy God hath not suffered thee so to do.”

In addition, they believe that early Christians did not have birthday celebrations. They argue that if they did practice, the Apostles would have passed the tradition for all Christians to follow.

Ecclesiastes 7:1 says the day of death is better than the day of birth: “A good name is better than precious ointment; and the day of death than the day of one’s birth.”

In this regard, Jehovah’s Witnesses believe that Christians should only commemorate death. It also explains why they do not celebrate Christmas.

Genesis 40:20-22 says it was Pharaoh’s birthday, and Mark 6:21-29 mentions that it was Herod’s birthday. The Bible mentions birthdays twice of two personalities who do not align with God’s teachings.

In this regard, Jehovah’s Witnesses argue that since the Scripture does not mention God’s servant’s birthdays, they do not have a reason to celebrate them.

What happens if a Jehovah’s Witness celebrates their birthday?

Jehovah’s Witness does not stipulate the repercussions of a member celebrating their birthday. However, based on their guidelines, going against the denomination’s standards and beliefs results in serious consequences.

These include caution or face dis-fellowshipping and shunning. There may be a different outcome as they believe in repentance.

In this regard, the outcome will vary on different attracts. For instance, the consequences depend on whether other denomination members know and the intensity of discipline your act will attract.

Can Jehovah’s Witnesses say ‘’happy birthday?’’

The denomination does not specify whether a Jehovah’s Witness member can say ‘Happy birthday.’ However, they do not celebrate birthdays.

In addition, they do not wish each other on the day. Some people suggest they only wish each other well or that the person enjoys the day.

Also, Jehovah’s Witnesses do not send each other gift cards or birthday cards. Their beliefs regarding birthdays refrain them from wishing each other happy birthdays and gifting.

Do Jehovah’s Witnesses deprive their children of birthday celebrations?

Jehovah’s Witnesses do not celebrate their children’s birthdays, which outsiders may perceive as depriving the children of having a joyous occasion.

However, Jehovah’s Witnesses do not single out a specific day to show their children love.

Rather, they express affection to their children throughout the year through gatherings and giving them gifts. They believe they should follow Christ’s example of how he handled children.

Jehovah’s Witnesses hold the belief that they should spontaneously reward their children with good things, as said in Mathew 7:11: “If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?”

According to children of Jehovah’s Witnesses, they admit that they enjoy receiving gifts unexpectedly throughout the year as opposed to having them on a specific day.