Celebrating birthdays

Is celebrating birthdays sinful? Witness Lee has spoken out numerous times against birthdays. He used the cases of Pharaoh and Herod as a basis to argue that birthdays have pagan origins.

[Nell]

Originally Posted by Unregistered

Is celebrating birthdays sinful? Witness Lee has spoken out numerous times against birthdays. He used the cases of Pharaoh and Herod as a basis to argue that birthdays have pagan origins.

IMHO No. Not sinful. (Unless the celebration itself is a drunken orgy or something.)

The origin of birthdays is…birth.

Nell

[Ohio]

Originally Posted by Unregistered

Is celebrating birthdays sinful? Witness Lee has spoken out numerous times against birthdays. He used the cases of Pharaoh and Herod as a basis to argue that birthdays have pagan origins.

Yes, celebrating birthdays is a mortal sin. John the Baptist was beheaded on the only birthday party in the New Testament.

The ONLY holiday we were allowed to celebrate was Chinese New Year. That is one of LSM’s official “feasts.”

[Bible-believer]

Originally Posted by Unregistered

Is celebrating birthdays sinful? Witness Lee has spoken out numerous times against birthdays. He used the cases of Pharaoh and Herod as a basis to argue that birthdays have pagan origins.

1Cor. 6:12 All things are lawful unto me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any.

Two days ago a Western brother said that several serving ones from the workers’ house were at a birthday party with his family. He invited the serving ones from the workers’ house to rejoice with them on his child’s birthday. We should not bring worldly customs into our midst. In taking the way of the Lord’s recovery, we have not celebrated birthdays for the past thirty years. We are not without fault, but some Western missionaries should be criticized. They have come to the East to do the Lord’s work, but they are also damaging the Lord’s work. To celebrate their children’s birthday and even invite serving ones to participate is a fleshly act that will damage the Lord’s work.

—The Administration of the Church and the Ministry of the Word

Verses 3-4:That was before the twelve disciples were sent forth to preach the word. Herod married his brother's wife and thus committed adultery. John spoke frankly to him. From this we see that we should not be careless concerning sin. This is the only place in the Bible that mentions the celebration of a birthday. To celebrate birthdays is not very good, for it easily gives rise to trouble. Sin easily enters when men indulge in pleasures. Herodias was obviously an adulteress. John was put in prison on account of her, for John had said to Herod, "It is not lawful for you to have her" (see also Mark 6:18).

—STUDY ON MATTHEW

Originally Posted by Unregistered

Two days ago a Western brother said that several serving ones from the workers’ house were at a birthday party with his family. He invited the serving ones from the workers’ house to rejoice with them on his child’s birthday. We should not bring worldly customs into our midst. In taking the way of the Lord’s recovery, we have not celebrated birthdays for the past thirty years. We are not without fault, but some Western missionaries should be criticized. They have come to the East to do the Lord’s work, but they are also damaging the Lord’s work. To celebrate their children’s birthday and even invite serving ones to participate is a fleshly act that will damage the Lord’s work.

—The Administration of the Church and the Ministry of the Word

Here is to the Administration of the “church”, (sorry I can’t call them that anymore).

Proverbs 18:2

A fool does not delight in understanding,
But only in revealing his own mind.

Proverbs 15:2
The tongue of the wise makes knowledge acceptable,
But the mouth of fools spouts folly.

Proverbs 17:12
Let a man meet a bear robbed of her cubs,
Rather than a fool in his folly.

I’ll meet a bear robbed of her cubs, before I would open up a single writings or speaking of those fools who spewing these doctrines of demons.


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Interestingly while the circle I grew up with wasn’t really that dead set against birthdays or TVs, as they were against holidays and they do come to birthday celebrations when invited though I do understand the difficulty and pains when LR kids attend school particularly Christian school when kids/classmates of supposingly the same faith can have holiday/birthday celebrations both within or out of school but yet they cannot, however it never be explained to them why. Apparently growing up I never saw nor heard any messages directly from Witness Lee on these matters in any meeting, conference, or trainings, however it seems like an echo chamber of many LR veterans and elders repeat in everyday life that keeps going down the chain and for children it’s typically coming from parents and children’s meeting teachers. Sometimes parents don’t necesaary all agree with each other but often afraid of offending the one that is orthodox on it they afraid to say Christmas/birthday present. It’s beyond me how not more kids are homeschooled nor do LR have their own schools maybe with exception of Acaciawood. Though it’s not technically part of LR/LC/or LSM just happen to be owned by the members or the LR.

I am beginning to think people especially westerners take LR/LC as their new family not just church after being betrayed or felt betrayed by their own families(or western individualism) or had very bad experiences including with holidays and birthdays growing up they have the “Grinch”mentality and decides to purge their family and cultural traditions growing up from their lives And in a herd mentality to follow Lee’s messages to the letter in living their personal lives and making decision for their family even if it means isolating themselves from
their relatives or social groups. Apparently I believe if Lee says football is bad they will not allow themselves or their kids to play or watch football as well. The church personal life mixture is like a game of Simon Says to me.

[TLFisher]

Very rarely did I come across anyone against celebrating birthdays during my time in the Local Churches as a child and as an adult. Only example I recall is one who was previously a Jehovah Witness before coming into the Local Churches.