ARE BIRTHDAYS PAGAN?
TRUTH OVER LIES DAILY
#TOLD
Q: I read excerpts from this book called The Lore of Birthdays that talks about the pagan origins of birthday celebrations. Like round cakes, blowing out candles, etc. It’s getting to the point that everything has some kind of pagan background and I’m almost afraid to do or say anything.
Is it wrong to celebrate birthdays, given the so called pagan origins they say are in the the book or can a person celebrate God giving them another year and celebrate with friends and family in a non sinful way?
A: Thanks so much for your question!
I understand it can be wearying to know truth and know the history behind everything. With much wisdom is much grief.
However, I don’t believe its possible to stay away from everything that’s pagan. Pagan simply means “of the earth.” We can’t leave the earth.
There are certain things that are holy and set apart for God, and certain things that are profane, unclean, detrimental, and/or in transgression to God’s Law. In the middle of those extremes are just natural things that God created. Those things are pagan, common, natural, of the earth.
However what we CAN and should do is stay away from idolatry. Idolatry is when people create graven images, or connect the things of the earth to false gods, false religions, superstars/icons, or the worship of entities other than the Most High.
Being thankful to God and celebrating your birthday is not necessarily evil. However if you create graven 3 dimensional creature images around it, or make an idol of yourself…or sin against God, or become a drunkard, or go to a club full of idolatry… then its definitely wrong and sinful, which is transgressing the law of God.
1 Corinthians 10: 19 What say I then? that the idol is any thing, or that which is offered in sacrifice to idols is any thing?
20 But I say, that the things which the Gentiles sacrifice, they sacrifice to devils, and not to God: and I would not that ye should have fellowship with devils.
21 Ye cannot drink the cup of the Lord, and the cup of devils: ye cannot be partakers of the Lord’s table, and of the table of devils.
22 Do we provoke the Lord to jealousy? are we stronger than he?
23 All things are lawful for me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but all things edify not.
24 Let no man seek his own, but every man another’s wealth.
25 Whatsoever is sold in the shambles, that eat, asking no question for conscience sake:
26 For the earth is the Lord’s, and the fulness thereof.
27 If any of them that believe not bid you to a feast, and ye be disposed to go; whatsoever is set before you, eat, asking no question for conscience sake.
28 But if any man say unto you, this is offered in sacrifice unto idols, eat not for his sake that shewed it, and for conscience sake: for the earth is the Lord’s, and the fulness thereof:
29 Conscience, I say, not thine own, but of the other: for why is my liberty judged of another man’s conscience?
