Here’s a short one today and take a look at your New World Translation.
The birthday celebration is the topic that the Witness associates with just two individuals in the Bible. However, there are other verses that imply direct involvement with birthdays.
The organization cites support for this from two separate accounts within the Bible. However the organization has not been completely forthright in terms of birthdays and the verses at pertain to this.
What will follow are some verses dealing with birthdays and birthday announcements. An interesting irony is that in 1979 the Watchtower had an issue commemorative issue celebrating the centennial existence of the Watchtower organization.
Watchtower birthday focus:
Genesis 40:20-22
Mark 6:21-27
Based upon the two verses above, the Society would make it seem that birthdays are not to be celebrated. Let’s look at what the Society has left out for birthdays/announcements:
Genesis 3:15 Jesus foretold and look at cross reference to Romans 16:20 (you will need a mainstream bible for this since it’s not in the New World Translation.
Genesis 16:11 Ishmael
Genesis 18:10 Abraham. Go into verses 1-2 how Jehovah has appeared as three men.
Judges 13:3 Samson
1 Samuel 1:11-20 Samuel prayed for and Jehovah answers the prayer
1 Kings 13:2 Josiah
2 Kings 4:16 Shunammite’s son. Human announcing-let me know what you think.
Job 1:4 Job’s children
Isaiah 9:6 Jesus foretold
Micah 5:1-3 Jesus
Matthew 1:20-21 Jesus foretold by Jehovah’s angel.
Luke 1:5-25, 57-66 John the Baptist
Luke 1:26-38 Jesus foretold by Gabriel
Luke 2:1-20 Angels celebrate, the shepherds decide to go visit Jesus
The question worth asking at this point is this, who directed the angels to foretell? Let’s look at Watchtower history now for its statements:
MY DEARLY BELOVED BROTHER RUSSELL:– I am writing to wish you a happy birthday, and a glorious “new birth day” at the day that God may choose; also, to say that the Lord has brought me safely to Trinidad–I believe in answer to prayer before leaving Jamaica.
The Watch Tower and Herald of Christ’s Presence. March 1914 p. Reprints p. 5429
Pardon me for intruding on your precious time, but I just can’t help letting you know how much I appreciate the phonograph which came to me on the morning after the 8th, which was my 80th birthday. It was indeed a birthday gift from Jehovah, to be used in proclaiming his name. May grace and strength be given me to do with my might what my hands find to do.
The Watchtower Announcing Jehovah’s Kingdom. January 1, 1940 p.16
Is it proper to have or attend celebrations of birthday anniversaries?-F. K., Nevada.
Such celebrations have their roots in pagan religions, and not Scriptural grounds. Some Bible commentators suggest that birthday celebrations may have had their origin in the ‘notion of the immortality of the soul.’
The Watchtower Announcing Jehovah’s Kingdom. October 1, 1951 p.607
So what you have is something that the organization participated in during the inspection of Jesus was a pagan practice, yet the organization was preaching truth.