Should Muslims Celebrate Christmas?

[guillaumeb]

From the article:

If Christmas is to celebrate the birth of an elite, highly revered Prophet, most Muslims have no problem observing the occasion. If Christmas is to celebrate his message of social justice and reforms, most Muslims have no problem observing the occasion. If Christmas is to celebrate his message to feed the hungry, welcome the immigrants, and love thy neighbor, then the Muslims have no issues celebrating the Christmas.

To read more:

https://www.patheos.com/blogs/askamuslim/2018/12/should-muslims-celebrate-christmas/?utm_source=Newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Islamic+Wisdom&utm_content=49

I generally find this poster to be quite insightful. Personally, I give the same holiday greetings to others as they initiate with me.

[trotsky]

1. ...

It would be nice if Muslims and Christians honored Jesus and celebrated together the values taught by Jesus-those pertaining to social justice, rights of others, loving thy neighbor, kindness, and loving thy enemy, ‘giving from the left hand so the right hand does not know about it’.

Are those the true teachings of Jesus?

"social justice" - like telling people what the rules are regarding how severely they can beat their slaves? (Luke 12:47)

"rights of others" - such as endorsing the idea that people can be bought and sold? (Matthew 18:25)

"loving thy neighbor/enemy" - except those who do not wish to submit to Jesus (Luke 19:27)

Ugh.

[Major Nikon]

8. You just don't understand

The bible is only to be taken literally when it comes to the good shit. All the literal bad shit must be metaphoricalized into good shit because of reasons and parables.

[dchill]

2. Only if they want to, and can afford it.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

3. If they want to, why not?

[guillaumeb]

4. I celebrated Ramadam with Muslim friends.

Celebrate the hope, and ignore the suggestions to overspend.

[obnoxiousdrunk]

5. Depends on

what part of the world they are in.

[guillaumeb]

6. True.Very true.

[Binkie The Clown]

7. Why not? I'm an atheist and I celebrate Saint Patrick's Day. nt

[Major Nikon]

9. If nothing else he evicted all the snakes from Ireland

That alone is worth raising a pint in his honor.

[edhopper]

11. Where are all the pre-5th Century snake fossils?

This story is no less silly than the bulk of Christian myth.

[Major Nikon]

13. You just don't understand

Jesus did the hocus pocus thing and made all those fossils disappear as a test of your faith (you failed, btw).

[edhopper]

15. I got an "F" in faith.

But a "B+" in critical thinking.

[bearsfootball516]

28. My Mother-In-Law is one of those people.

She doesn't believe dinosaurs existed. She thinks fossils were put there by the devil to trick people.

How my wife escaped it, I have no idea.

[guillaumeb]

10. St Patrick was actually French.

So my father told me. But we still celebrate his day with a drink

[Act_of_Reparation]

12. Who cares who celebrates what?

Why does this person feel they have to justify celebrating Christmas?

[guillaumeb]

14. In my view, the author is speaking about recognizing common values.

And applying it to Christian traditions.

[Act_of_Reparation]

17. That's only half the story.

From the article:

As we approach Christmas, Muslims are often asked if they celebrate Christmas. Some Muslims even question themselves whether they are allowed to wish “Merry Christmas” to their Christian friends and colleagues. Some equate the secular celebrations with Christianity.

Several years ago, as I was hanging Christmas lights over my garage, one of my relatives baffled me when she asked, “Are you a Christian now?”

Yes, the author points to what he sees as similarities between the respective traditions, but it's obvious he's only doing this because partaking in another religion's celebration—even if only the secular traditions of that celebration—is taboo.

[guillaumeb]

18. Some discourage it.

And some Christians deny that Islam shares the same root as Judaism and Christianity.

[Act_of_Reparation]

19. And what do they all have in common?

[guillaumeb]

20. Obviously, that they are all Abrahamic religions.

[Act_of_Reparation]

22. A little too specific.

I wouldn't isolate this sort of behavior to just the Abrahamic religions.

[guillaumeb]

24. Feel free to continue with your analysis. eom

[Act_of_Reparation]

25. I would, but I'm too busy celebrating somebody else's holiday.

Luckily, none of my friends or family give a shit.

[trotsky]

21. They're all co-opting the pagan celebrations of Yule and Solstice? n/t

[Act_of_Reparation]

23. Except for the nudity and the employer-employee freaky Friday role reversal.

[Major Nikon]

16. Because as we all know, the baby Jesus was born on Christmas day

[LakeArenal]

26. Why do Christians celebrate Dec 25

When it’s not the supposed actual date of June.

Egads. That tree and gift giving shit has nothing to do with Jesus. I would hope he’d be embarrassed by the whole thing in his name.

But I don’t believe any religion and I celebrate the Solstice. It’s just I can’t get a day off for that. So I say Merry Christmas.

[guillaumeb]

27. It roughly corresponds with the solstice.

And informed Christians know that many pre-Christian holidays were "adopted" by the early Christians.

Plus, how could Santa drive that sleigh in June?

[LakeArenal]

29. Santa is Magic. Geez

And how very tribal to assume only kids with snow get Christmas presents in Dec.

I don’t know guillaumb, you are usually so thorough in your posts!!?

PS— kidding...😉

[guillaumeb]

30. Thank you.

And yes, Santa often delivers presents in a canoe.


As proof:

[trotsky]

31. And by "adopted" you mean stolen/co-opted/assimilated, right? n/t

[guillaumeb]

32. Do you always accentuate the negative?

That is so sad.

[trotsky]

33. I am using the correct words.

It does no one any good to whitewash the history of your religion, g.

[guillaumeb]

34. After I wrote:

And informed Christians know that many pre-Christian holidays were "adopted" by the early Christians.


You now accuse me of whitewashing history. Great job of misreading, or mis-framing. You choose.

[trotsky]

35. Do you think "adopted" is an accurate word to describe what happened? n/t

[Major Nikon]

38. It's a word intended to whitewash

Christian missionaries stole pagan Yule holiday celebrations by claiming they were Christian. The tactic was specifically intended to compel pagans to abandon their beliefs. At first it was done on the condition of trade. Later they would torture and kill people for retaining their heretical beliefs.

[trotsky]

39. Precisely.

Cold-hearted Christians who would rather gloss over the less-than-admirable bits of their religion's history tend to use words like that to soften the impact.

Anyway, the real crime here is me pointing that out, apparently.

[Major Nikon]

40. 11th Commandment!

Choir!

Intolerant atheists!

Yep, some have perfected playing the victim to the performance art level.

[forgotmylogin]

36. Nobody should celebrate any holiday they don't want to. (n/t)

[guillaumeb]

37. Agreed. eom