Birthdays

Dear Victorious,

Is it Biblical to celebrate birthdays? Isn't that just a pagan holiday (which the Bible warns us against)?

Mara T. - San Antonio

Dear Mara,

No, I believe the pagan holidays you are referring to, at least in their Biblical context, are holidays that celebrate false gods. So it may be possible to put a birthday celebration into such a context, but I doubt that is where most birthday celebrations fall.

Ironically, we've taken holy celebrations like Christmas and Easter - and turned them into the Biblical rendition pagan holidays with Santa Claus and the Easter bunny. That we should be concerned about!

But in today's American culture, celebrating some one's birthday is like celebrating that individual. It's a way of saying, "I'm glad you're here!" There is nothing in the Bible that would prohibit or even warn against such a practice. So get out the birthday cake and enjoy yourself.