On Christmas morning I got up to prepare for worship and heard on the radio that explosions in churches in Nigeria had killed a number of those gathered to celebrate the birth of Christ. Muslim extremists were suspected in these cowardly acts and honestly the news made me feel sick. I was angry -- this is just evil in God's name. Then I read a piece written by Tahir Gara, a Canadian Muslim, and I was encouraged.
I cannot understand why people shy away from saying Merry Christmas to each other these days. It was not like that a couple of years ago. It seems as if people in the malls and public places are avoiding Christmas greetings out of fear that someone may be offended.In our environment of fast-growing immigrant communities, people look into each others' eyes and try to judge whether it's appropriate to say Merry Christmas. This boggles my mind. Why is it ever inappropriate to share Christmas greetings? This beautiful phrase should not be offensive to anyone since it only carries a message of love, hope, peace and celebration...
Preventing children in some schools from singing Christmas songs for the sake of others' beliefs is an unnecessary measure in building relationships with people of other cultures.Unfortunately, some champions of our hypersensitive, feel-good culture, and our own typical polite behaviour towards Christmas and other celebrations, are actually alarming immigrants.Most immigrants are quite comfortable with Christmas. They take it first as an event of culture and celebration. They are not offended by it even in religious terms. Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists and others consider Jesus a messenger of love and peace. Muslims share Jesus as a part of their belief.
It was an important antidote to the cruelty and hatred of a few. What are your thoughts about religious extemism?
I have several atheist friends who denounce religion (Christianity and Islam, in particular) as the source of many of mankind's unkind and violent acts. These include the multiple and various attacks, wars and atrocities carried out by extremists and 'believers' in the name of their chief deity since the time of the Crusades to the present day.
ReplyDeleteI always counter that it's people, not religion that instigate these kinds of events. I find it hard to assign blame to a certain religion or belief if it's an individual (or like-minded group) who are perverting religious messages to fuel their own hatred and distorted point of view.
I couldn't agree more with Ian. Well said.
ReplyDeleteAgreed,to focus on extremists in any part of life dramatically distorts the big- picture reality.
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing the piece by Tahir Gara. The perspective of the immigrants actually being boggled (by what almost appears to them as our fear of being inappropriate in our own beliefs) is profound to me.
May we take to heart her message and move boldly into the new year sharing the love that Jesus taught.
I agree, good points Ian. Thanks to those who responded to your response!
ReplyDeleteIan, I am an atheist and I sound very much like your friends in my stance that religion is 'the source of many of mankind's unkind and violent acts.'
ReplyDeleteHowever, your comment that is that it's people who pervert their religious messages, not religion who instigate the events really stood out to me. I never took this angle of thinking that you show and I am now more informed in my opinion and have been thinking about this for a couple of days. That sounds ominous doesn't it?! Don't worry I mean it in a positive way that I'm glad I am more informed, so thanks.