Mother-in-law sends my wife a thank you card because she did something nice for her mom on their 33rd wedding anniversary. They went out to eat dinner, a cake was provided, and everyone had a good time. Frankly, all that was needed was the candles and a song and it would be no different than a birthday party. I guess my MIL was trying to lay to rest any thoughts on why one can be celebrated and the other cannot when she provided this article...
*** w98 10/15 p. 30 Questions From Readers ***
Questions From Readers
Many of Jehovah’s Witnesses observe wedding anniversaries. A birthday is an anniversary of when you were born. So why celebrate wedding anniversaries and not birthday anniversaries?
Frankly, there is no need for a Christian to celebrate either. Still, that does not mean that the two are equal in import or that Christians must view the former (wedding anniversaries) as they do birthday celebrations.
As noted, it can be said that both are anniversaries because an “anniversary” is ‘the annual recurrence of a date marking some event.’ It could be an anniversary of any event—the day you had an automobile accident, saw an eclipse of the moon, went swimming with your family, and so on. It is clear that Christians do not turn every “anniversary” into a special day or have a party to commemorate it. One should consider the aspects of an event and decide what is fitting.
Frankly, the article seems to suggest that there are many types of 'anniversaries' and that some are required by Christians and some are conscious matters. Wedding anniversaries are considered conscious matters according to this article. But notice how the Watchtower reasons on birthdays.
Jesus was not born on December 25, a date linked to pagan religion. The Bible directs us to commemorate the date of Jesus’ death, not the anniversary of his or anyone else’s birth. Doing so accords with Ecclesiastes 7:1 and the fact that how a faithful person’s life turns out is more important than the day of his birth. The Bible has no record that any faithful servant celebrated his birthday. It records birthday celebrations of pagans, linking these occasions with cruel acts. Let us get the background of those birthday anniversaries.
Notice how it drifted from Christmas day not being Jesus' birthday to the faithful ones life being more important that their birthday to the bible's account of birthday being linked with pagans. Let's examine this closely:
- If how a person's life turning out is more important than the date of his or her birth, then isn't it reasonable to say that a how a couple's marriage turns out is also more important than the date of the wedding?
- Ecclesaistes 7:1 was used to enforce the person's life over date of birth idea. Here's another verse to consider in the context of this verse:
- Ecclesiastes 7:3 -- Frustration is better than laughter, because a sad face is good for the heart.
- The whole passage is about wisdom gained through bitter experience but if verse one can be plucked out of context to suggest that birthday celebrations are unnecessary because how a person's life turned out is more important than his date of birth then what could I suggest when I pluck verse 3 out of context? It is better to remain frustrated and sad all the time? Perhaps, the WT could use this verse to explain why the 'worldly' people always seem happy but are somehow not doing better in life than the emotionally drained witnesses.
Of course, my wife (upon hearing this reasoning) will conclude that I am not being a meek and teachable one. I guess it is because I will no longer listen to the BS without doing some real critical thinking on the issue. It's okay if a person chooses not to celebrate his or her own birthday for whatever reason suits them, but it is not okay to bind another person who does not agree with said reasoning.
Next paragraphs:
The first is the birthday of the Pharaoh in Joseph’s day. (Genesis 40:20-23) In this regard, the article on birthdays in Hastings’ Encyclopædia of Religion and Ethics begins: “The custom of commemorating the day of birth is connected, in its form, with the reckoning of time, and, in its content, with certain primitive religious principles.” Later, the encyclopedia quotes Egyptologist Sir J. Gardner Wilkinson, who wrote: “Every Egyptian attached much importance to the day, and even to the hour of his birth; and it is probable that, as in Persia, each individual kept his birthday with great rejoicings, welcoming his friends with all the amusements of society, and a more than usual profusion of the delicacies of the table.”
Another birthday celebration mentioned in the Bible is Herod’s, at which John the Baptist was beheaded. (Matthew 14:6-10) The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia (1979 edition) provides this insight: “The pre-Hellenistic Greeks celebrated the birthdays of gods and prominent men. G[ree]k genéthlia designated these celebrations, while genésia meant a celebration commemorative of the birthday of a deceased important individual. In 2 Macc[abees] 6:7 we find reference to a monthly genéthlia of Antiochus IV, during which the Jews were forced to ‘partake of the sacrifices.’ . . . When Herod celebrated his birthday he was acting in accord with a Hellenistic custom; there is no evidence for the celebration of birthdays in Israel in pre-Hellenistic times.”
Admittedly, true Christians today are not preoccupied with the roots and possible ancient religious connections of every practice or custom, but neither are they inclined to ignore pointed indications that do exist in God’s Word. This includes that the only birthday celebrations of Biblical record are of pagans and linked to instances of cruelty. Hence, the Scriptures clearly place birthday celebrations in a negative light, a fact that sincere Christians do not disregard.
Translation, bad things happened on the only two recorded accounts of birthday celebrations, therefore birthday celebrations are bad. This same cheesy reasoning that has been employed countless times before. Now, the first part of the last paragraph speaks of how 'true Christians' are not preoccupied with the roots and ancient religious connection of every practice or custom. Admittedly, that is true, however, they are preoccupied with the roots of the vast majority of holidays celebrated today such as Valentine's Day and Mother's Day. Not to mention the roots in other things like the cross, windchimes, saying bless you when someone sneezes, etc.. They look like loons, even to my atheist brother who can find just as many crazy things concerning Christianity as a whole as can be found in this religion.
Last sentence:
Consequently, while it is entirely a private matter if Christians choose to take note of their wedding anniversary, there are good reasons why mature Christians abstain from celebrating birthdays.
In other words, we say that anniversaries are okay but birthdays are wrong. So to go back to the original question, "So why celebrate wedding anniversaries and not birthday anniversaries?" Because we said so.