In India many ismailis celebrate holi and diwali along with their hindu freinds similarly in U.S.A many ismailis attend christmas party and celebrate christmas.
What do you think about that. Share your opinion that is it right to celebrate festivals of other religions?
festivals of other religion
-
star_munir
- Posts: 1670
- Joined: Tue Apr 22, 2003 12:55 am
- Contact:
-
anilalaudine
- Posts: 3
- Joined: Mon Nov 10, 2003 5:09 pm
Yam,If im not mistaken, it was MHI that said that we should try to create a bridge between our faith and other faiths, therefore i not only belive that is correct for an ismaili to attend other religons festivals as we should invite other people to our festivals as well, i cannot see a better way to create that "bridge"as in a happy and chearfull ocasion as the religiouse festivals.I am always welcomed in cristian homes during this xmas ocasion, and i also attended hindu festivals, and in no time have i felt that i am less an ismaili for that, so i also invite my non ismaili friends to our festivals and activities.I strongly believe that this is one of the pricipal pilars for an ismaili, and in fact for any HUMAN BEING, accept everyone for who they are and be proud of who you are.
-
star_munir
- Posts: 1670
- Joined: Tue Apr 22, 2003 12:55 am
- Contact:
Sorry for waking up an old thread:
Christmas was my favorite holiday back then. No school for couple weeks, drink hot chocolate, play ice hockey...Just pure innocent fun.
It doesn't even feel like Christmas anymore. When i was a little kid in the 80's, it felt like Christmas then. Smiles on peoples faces, there was hardly any stealing or ripping anyone off. It was a time to spend with your friends and family. Although no gifts were ever exchanged, people seemed to be in the spirit. After all, Christmas is all about spending time with families. There is just so much going on now, economy, war, killings, etc. People are starting to question about Jesus being born in December. How can he born in December? It was a cold month and shepherds could not have flocked their sheep's during cold months. (Sheep's would die of cold)
Christmas was celebrated long before Jesus existed. It was a pagan holiday.(so it wasn't really called Christmas either it was called Saturnalia) honoring Saturn, the God of Agriculture.
It was actually celebrated with huge feasts, gifts and drinking!!!
In 350, Pope Julius I declared that Christ’s birth would be celebrated on December 25. He was trying to make it as painless as possible for pagan Romans (who remained a majority at that time) to convert to Christianity. The new religion went down a bit easier, knowing that their feasts would not be taken away from them.
The Mummers were groups of costumed singers and dancers who traveled from house to house entertaining their neighbors. From this, the Christmas tradition of caroling was born.
Mistletoe was considered a sacred plant, and the custom of kissing under the mistletoe began as a fertility ritual.
So, keep celebrating Christmas and enjoy it. Remember, were here to build bridges with our neighbors
Christmas was my favorite holiday back then. No school for couple weeks, drink hot chocolate, play ice hockey...Just pure innocent fun.
It doesn't even feel like Christmas anymore. When i was a little kid in the 80's, it felt like Christmas then. Smiles on peoples faces, there was hardly any stealing or ripping anyone off. It was a time to spend with your friends and family. Although no gifts were ever exchanged, people seemed to be in the spirit. After all, Christmas is all about spending time with families. There is just so much going on now, economy, war, killings, etc. People are starting to question about Jesus being born in December. How can he born in December? It was a cold month and shepherds could not have flocked their sheep's during cold months. (Sheep's would die of cold)
Christmas was celebrated long before Jesus existed. It was a pagan holiday.(so it wasn't really called Christmas either it was called Saturnalia) honoring Saturn, the God of Agriculture.
It was actually celebrated with huge feasts, gifts and drinking!!!
In 350, Pope Julius I declared that Christ’s birth would be celebrated on December 25. He was trying to make it as painless as possible for pagan Romans (who remained a majority at that time) to convert to Christianity. The new religion went down a bit easier, knowing that their feasts would not be taken away from them.
The Mummers were groups of costumed singers and dancers who traveled from house to house entertaining their neighbors. From this, the Christmas tradition of caroling was born.
Mistletoe was considered a sacred plant, and the custom of kissing under the mistletoe began as a fertility ritual.
So, keep celebrating Christmas and enjoy it. Remember, were here to build bridges with our neighbors
I mark/observe the festivals of other cultures and religions in the workplace out of diplomacy (e.g. Christmas, Diwali), so the Whites and Hindus don't discriminate against me because I am South Asian and Muslim. In other words, based on previous experience, I don't want them marking me out as the 'perpetual outsider'. It feels that I have to kiss their backsides - I find myself constantly sucking up to Christians, Jews, Whites, Orientals, Hindus, Sikhs about their cultures, religions, national holidays etc. expressing an interest (or, I present the image of interest) in whatever they are celebrating that week. I don't, as a South Asian Muslim/Isamili, impose or bring my culture or religion into the workplace because I see as a 'neutral space'. But, other races, cultures and religions do. It makes me sick beacuse, more than anything, there is no reason whatsoever to bring it into the workplace.
I give them cards and presents so they think I'm OK as a South Asian and as a Muslim. If I could, I wouldn't bother with Christmas and Diwali. These are just empty, pointless cultural and commercial festivals which mean little to me. At my work, the firm sends out emails about Western, Christian, Jewish and Hindu festivals but none about Muslim festivals. But, I know, again based on previous experience, that if I discuss my South Asian/northern Indian cultural heritage, or the origin of my parents, or my
Islamic faith (even if it's based on Ismailism), I will get a negative reaction from non-South Asians and non-Muslims.
I give them cards and presents so they think I'm OK as a South Asian and as a Muslim. If I could, I wouldn't bother with Christmas and Diwali. These are just empty, pointless cultural and commercial festivals which mean little to me. At my work, the firm sends out emails about Western, Christian, Jewish and Hindu festivals but none about Muslim festivals. But, I know, again based on previous experience, that if I discuss my South Asian/northern Indian cultural heritage, or the origin of my parents, or my
Islamic faith (even if it's based on Ismailism), I will get a negative reaction from non-South Asians and non-Muslims.