AboutBrenton Hepburn Expertise I am one of Jehovah’s Witnesses.
I can answer questions on the reliability of the NWT, the so called mind control problems, so called prophecies, and general practices and history of Jehovah’s Witnesses.....
>>>>WARNING<<<<<< ....Please be aware that there are at least ... 3 .... people here who ARE NOT practicing JWs and, (at other times there have been as many as 5.) These ones will, at times, appear to have an agenda against JWs., and will often give answers that are not correct in regard to JW teachings and practices. If you are after a answer from one of Jehovah’s Witnesses, please read some of the answers that the various experts have published before choosing someone. If you want to ask them a question that is fine, but if you want a balancing view after asking one of the NON JWs, ask a JW the same question
Experience I have been a publisher since 1964. When I first went on the internet I found a lot of negative information dealing with Jehovah’s Witnesses covering prophecy, mind control and what many said was a very bad translation of the Bible known as the NWT. It shook my faith. After may hours researching these topics I could see why some felt that way, but, I was also able to explain why there were these misleading views. I can now set matters straight for anyone that has negative information about Jehovah’s Witness to show them that such information is at best misleading and at worst dangerous lies.
Education/Credentials I have been a student of the Bible for many years, am trying to teach myself Biblical Greek.
Was a public tax accountant for many yrars untill SEP 2009 when I gave it up.
Question 1. I understand the JW stand on celebrating individual birthdays but Jesus's birth day is a celebration of his life on earth by those who believe in him and a rememberance of what he gave in order to give us all eternal salvation. Couldn't it be argued that the birth of Christ be the 2nd most important event in the history of mankind and desrve celebration?
Answer Hello Nick.
This is a timely question and one that comes up every year.
It certainly is true that the birth of Jesus was a momentous occasion. We are told that Angels pronounce the birth of Jesus to Sheppard's in the field who came to see their "new king" (Luke 2:1-20) Some months later when Joseph, Mary and Jesus were lodging in a house, the magi from the east visited with their presents.
However there is no record of Jesus or any other Jewish person celebrating his or their own birthdays. It would seem to be a lodgical conclution, that the shepards would celebrated his birth each year as they had seen the promised messiah, but there is no record of them doing so. Such an annual event, if truely important, would surly be recorded for us to follow.
It is true that in the Bible there are many celebrations recorded for the Jews who were Gods chosen people. They celebrated many different occasions each year, the release from Egypt, the day of atonement, the festival of booths, the festival of dedication, the festival of new moon, the festival of unfermented cakes etc. There is no record of any one of Gods people celebrating their birth days.
Some people may refer to Jobs sons in Job 1:4. This reads (ASV) "4 And his sons went and held a feast in the house of each one upon his day; and they sent and called for their three sisters to eat and to drink with them."
When Job's sons Å“held a banquet at the house of each one on his own day, it should not be supposed that they were celebrating their birthdays. (Job 1:4) Days in this verse translates the Hebrew word yohm and refers to a period of time from sunrise to sunset. On the other hand, "birthdays"
is a compound of the two Hebrew words yohm (day) and hul-le-dheth. The distinction between "day" and one's birthday may be noted in Genesis 40:20, where both expressions appear: "Now on the third day [yohm] it turned out to be Pharaoh's birthday [literally, 'the day (yohm) of the birth (hul-le-dheth) of Pharaoh"]." So it is certain that Job 1:4 does not refer to a birthday, as is unquestionably the case at Genesis 40:20.
It would seem that Job's seven sons held a family gathering (possibly a spring or harvest festival) and as the feasting made the week-long circuit, each son hosted the banquet in his own house "on his own day." This is the most likely scenario because verse 5 reads "5 And it was so, when the days of their feasting were gone about, that Job sent and sanctified them, and rose up early in the morning, and offered burnt-offerings according to the number of them all:" This verse indicates that it was one day after the other that the sons of Job held their celebrations.
A principle that the Jews were taught is found for us in the book of Ecclesiastes 7:1 "A good name is better than precious ointment; and the day of death, than the day of birth." RSV. Making a good name for oneself with their God was more important that the fact that they were born. To have and to keep Gods approval their life course must be one that was in harmony with Gods requirements. As Job and Solomon were convinced that the One who created human life can restore it. He can bring back to life humans who have died. (Job 14:7-14). This means that the day of death can be better than the day of one's being born, if one has by then built up a good name with God, who can resurrect faithful ones who die.
We feel the same applied to Jesus. We do not see Jesus as a "god man". We understand Jesus to be, while on earth, fully man. He had to prove himself just like any other man, or us. That is why it is recorded in Hebrews 5:7-9 that Jesus had to learn what it meant to be obedient ("7 In the days of his flesh, Jesus offered up prayers and supplications, with loud cries and tears, to him who was able to save him from death, and he was heard for his godly fear. 8 Although he was a Son, he learned obedience through what he suffered; 9 and being made perfect he became the source of eternal salvation to all who obey him," RSV)
Jesus gave only one occasion for his disciples to remember and that was the day of his death Luke 22:19 "19 Also, he took a loaf, gave thanks, broke it, and gave it to them, saying: 'This means my body which is to be given in YOUR behalf. Keep doing this in remembrance of me.' 20 Also, the cup in the same way after they had the evening meal, he saying: 'This cup means the new covenant by virtue of my blood, which is to be poured out in YOUR behalf.' " (NWT).
By his death he proved faithfull to the end and the best example for us to follow. So we remeber his death each year. It is because he stayed faithfull that we have a way to salvation. Jesus had to die a faithfull, perfect man inorder to correaspond with the life of Adam. This he did.
Also the fact that December 25 was not the date of his birth (his birth was the end of September beginning of October) and that the customs that accompany Christmas all come from pagan sources, tell us that it would seem most likely, that this celebration would not be pleasing to our God and creator Jehovah.
I hope this has answered your question, and please feel free to ask any more
