Birthdays are Religious?

Do you think Birthdays are religious events/celebrations?

Yes	7.9%	[ 3 ]
No	68.4%	[ 26 ]
Sometimes	23.7%	[ 9 ]
Total Votes:			[ 38 ]

[Requiem ex Inferni]

Super 9-Volt

I was once told by a JW that the few times birthdays were mentioned in the bible, bad stuff happened during that time, hence why they don't celebrate it. It sounded like the most ridiculous crap I've ever heard. cat_rolleyes

John the Baptist had his head cut off and presented to a princess as her birthday present. There's also supposed to be a story about a pharaoh who had a birthday with equally bloody results.

It's not just birthdays, though- they don't celebrate ANYTHING.

[Ask Jappleack]

Im responding with this cuz, well after eharing the they dont celebrate anything thing, why not celebrate every day? its just as ridiculous as not celebrating at all.

Except its more positive lol, aside form it could be costly.

[Xiam]

I make everyone bow to my greatness and give thanks that I decided to grace them with my very existence. Yeah, totally religious, because they should all worship me. It's my day, dammit!

I don't really celebrate my birthday all that much. We maybe go out to eat at the place of my choosing, and I sometimes get to pick out something I want as a gift, but that's pretty much the limit. I barely even get cake unless somebody feels like baking.

I honestly don't see what is wrong with celebrating one's birthday though. It's acknowledging someone's life, and thinking about what an accomplishment it is to not have... I don't know... died of the plague, or something, by now. I don't see how that's religious, unless you think appreciating someone's friendship and celebrating the fact that they're still living is blasphemy. In which you are a sad, pathetic individual.

Ryu Kei Shou Kawazu

Im responding with this cuz, well after eharing the they dont celebrate anything thing, why not celebrate every day? its just as ridiculous as not celebrating at all.

Except its more positive lol, aside form it could be costly.

Hm... this, more or less. In a sense, yeah, the only reason I can see for not celebrating special occasions, is unless you're cherishing every moment already. And I'm not entirely sure Jehovah's Witnesses do that. I could be wrong though.

[blackheartgirl2]

Wandertoal-Haqq

blackheartgirl2

I have been talking with a muslim and Jehovah's Witness and they tell me that birthdays are religious(not their religion) so they can't celebrate them.

I don't believe birthdays are religious unless you make them that way. I can understand how some people think lighting candles on cakes is pagan and not ok because it would be religious. But to go out and eat and maybe give a gift does not sound religious to me at all.

So i don't think celebrating birthdays is something wrong if your religion says you can't celebrate other religions things or holidays. Because birthdays are not religious unless you make them religious.

So do you celebrate your birthday or other peoples birthday?
If you do, how do you celebrate it?
And do you consider birthdays a religious event/celebration? and why?

1) I don't celebrate birthdays anymore.
2) N/A
3) It could be considered religious as its origins are pagan. I disagree with the person who said that wearing clothes and living in houses is of pagan origin because I believe that most of the first people were Muslim (submitting to the will of God). But the real evidence against it is this: the Prophet, salAllahu alayhi wa sallam, didn't do it & birthdays were indeed celebrated back then. Instead of being celebrated, it should serve as a reminder that we will be soon taken back to Allah, subhannahu wa ta'ala, that we need to be striving to please Him because judgement is coming. It's mostly a non-Muslim custom that has no basis in Islam. We only celebrate 2 holidays, our Eids. I hope that I do not offend you at all; just trying to explain what I have learned from listening to scholars. wa Allahu 'Alim.

You are right they did not do it back then so there is nothing in Islam but if you celebrate or even do something small in recognition of the day you were born that it not adding something to Islam, its the same as i'm sure the prophet (peace be upon him) didn't eat the same things we did or even drive a car. As long as you don't say it is part of Islam and it is not religious then whats the problem?

[blackheartgirl2]

Super 9-Volt

I was once told by a JW that the few times birthdays were mentioned in the bible, bad stuff happened during that time, hence why they don't celebrate it. It sounded like the most ridiculous crap I've ever heard. cat_rolleyes

I was told that too, that in the bible bad things happened during a couple peoples birthdays and it is pagan so they don't do it.

[blackheartgirl2]

Requiem in Mortis

Super 9-Volt

I was once told by a JW that the few times birthdays were mentioned in the bible, bad stuff happened during that time, hence why they don't celebrate it. It sounded like the most ridiculous crap I've ever heard. cat_rolleyes

John the Baptist had his head cut off and presented to a princess as her birthday present. There's also supposed to be a story about a pharaoh who had a birthday with equally bloody results.

It's not just birthdays, though- they don't celebrate ANYTHING.

Yep because they think every christian holiday has pagan beginning so they don't celebrate them. But they don't do a lot of things that other christians do

[tuxkatz6]

My understanding from JWs is that they don't celebrate birthdays (or holidays in general) because it's almost a way of having a false god. Celebrating a birthday is celebrating the person whose birthday it is and taking focus away from God. Maybe it's religious in the same kind of sense as the golden calf being a false idol?

I'm not affiliated with any non-birthday-celebrating religion. I personally think it's wonderful to celebrate the life God gave us and the fact that the people in our lives were all brought into this world at some point.

[Wandertoal-Haqq]

blackheartgirl2

Wandertoal-Haqq

blackheartgirl2

I have been talking with a muslim and Jehovah's Witness and they tell me that birthdays are religious(not their religion) so they can't celebrate them.

I don't believe birthdays are religious unless you make them that way. I can understand how some people think lighting candles on cakes is pagan and not ok because it would be religious. But to go out and eat and maybe give a gift does not sound religious to me at all.

So i don't think celebrating birthdays is something wrong if your religion says you can't celebrate other religions things or holidays. Because birthdays are not religious unless you make them religious.

So do you celebrate your birthday or other peoples birthday?
If you do, how do you celebrate it?
And do you consider birthdays a religious event/celebration? and why?

1) I don't celebrate birthdays anymore.
2) N/A
3) It could be considered religious as its origins are pagan. I disagree with the person who said that wearing clothes and living in houses is of pagan origin because I believe that most of the first people were Muslim (submitting to the will of God). But the real evidence against it is this: the Prophet, salAllahu alayhi wa sallam, didn't do it & birthdays were indeed celebrated back then. Instead of being celebrated, it should serve as a reminder that we will be soon taken back to Allah, subhannahu wa ta'ala, that we need to be striving to please Him because judgement is coming. It's mostly a non-Muslim custom that has no basis in Islam. We only celebrate 2 holidays, our Eids. I hope that I do not offend you at all; just trying to explain what I have learned from listening to scholars. wa Allahu 'Alim.

You are right they did not do it back then so there is nothing in Islam but if you celebrate or even do something small in recognition of the day you were born that it not adding something to Islam, its the same as i'm sure the prophet (peace be upon him) didn't eat the same things we did or even drive a car. As long as you don't say it is part of Islam and it is not religious then whats the problem?

I mentioned that our celebrations are just our Eids...& the Prophet, salAllahu 'alayhi wa sallam, would have ordered us to celebrate such a thing if there was benefit in it. Perhaps this would shed a little more light on the issue: http://qa.sunnipath.com/issue_view.asp?HD=1&ID=2106&CATE=115
The things I say are not my opinions, but what the scholars teach. Whether or not we fully understand that doesn't mean they aren't right.
Anyway, hasbi Allahu wa ne'mal wakil. Allah is sufficient for me and is the best trustee of affairs. So if we differ, Allah is surely the One who will clear up the matter. May Allah guide us both to the Siraatal Mustaqeen, the Straight Path. Ameen.

[Inscriven]

Any time spend glorifying and celebrating man is time away from glorifying and celebrating God.

Christianity has a similar attitude to this kind of thing. Really conservative sects believe that secular entertainment is a sin because it distracts you from worshipping God.

Christian Swedish Death Medal = ok
Square dancing = SIN.

[blackheartgirl2]

Wandertoal-Haqq

I mentioned that our celebrations are just our Eids...& the Prophet, salAllahu 'alayhi wa sallam, would have ordered us to celebrate such a thing if there was benefit in it. Perhaps this would shed a little more light on the issue: http://qa.sunnipath.com/issue_view.asp?HD=1&ID=2106&CATE=115
The things I say are not my opinions, but what the scholars teach. Whether or not we fully understand that doesn't mean they aren't right.
Anyway, hasbi Allahu wa ne'mal wakil. Allah is sufficient for me and is the best trustee of affairs. So if we differ, Allah is surely the One who will clear up the matter. May Allah guide us both to the Siraatal Mustaqeen, the Straight Path. Ameen.

Yes our religious Celebrations are the Eids but if i am correct there are days that the prophet fasting in remembrance of other things right? and i have talked to muslims that fast those and they are considered in their countries holidays, they don't work them.

But celebrating your birthday is not religious, it is a recognition of you having been alive for another year. You are not saying you are better than anyone else or anything bad.

[Aporeia]

They aren't really religious. They are cultural celebrations of a person's passing age. There was once a time when most people didn't live past 20, you know?

[Avgvsto]

I celebrate the day that my mom got pregnant cause I believe life starts at conception.

[Avgvsto]

False Dichotomy

They aren't really religious. They are cultural celebrations of a person's passing age. There was once a time when most people didn't live past 20, you know?

ehhh that's kinda misleading. Generally the infant mortality rate really dragged down the average. I mean most historical figures you could think of lived well past that. For instance, Augustus Caesar lived to be 70 something years old even though he was feeble and sickly most of his life. Oh wait you said there was a time without specifying, sorry. I guess before biology and doctors, or just like the very dawn of civilization you'd be more than right.

[Aporeia]

Avgvsto

False Dichotomy

They aren't really religious. They are cultural celebrations of a person's passing age. There was once a time when most people didn't live past 20, you know?

ehhh that's kinda misleading. Generally the infant mortality rate really dragged down the average. I mean most historical figures you could think of lived well past that. For instance, Augustus Caesar lived to be 70 something years old even though he was feeble and sickly most of his life. Oh wait you said there was a time without specifying, sorry. I guess before biology and doctors, or just like the very dawn of civilization you'd be more than right.

Most historical figures were rich and had people to take care of them when they were sick, were rarely short of food, and were not toiling in dangerous conditions constantly. Most, not all, but in general, the majority of any names we remember through history were famous because they had more to do with their life than struggle to survive.