Merry Christmas
The psychology of human behavior reveals that human beings or even animals look for experiences or activities that bring comfort, pleasure and joy. Any movement or activity that brings pain or discomfort is avoided and detested. We celebrate festivals because they bring joy and pleasure. Christmas, Diwali, Eid, Hanukkah, Buddhist Festivals, Bahai Festivals, Festivals of African tribes and several other festivals in different cultures and religions are celebrated to enjoy and be happy. Joy and happiness is the goal and objective of human beings in life. Therefore, one must celebrate the festivals with all and everybody irrespective of the faith one belongs to. We should share our joys with all the people.
I remember a friend who was working in an international office where people belonged to different faiths and nationalities. He said that almost every day there was a food item shared by someone in the office because that person had his/her festival. Everybody in the office joined in and enjoyed the feast. This is what is called sharing love and joy with each other.
The people of Japan are lovers of festivals of various types and forms. New Year is their biggest festival which is celebrated throughout the month of January. The entire country goes into joy and jubilation at New Year. ‘Hanami’ or ‘cherry blossom viewing’ is also a very popular festival. People love to enjoy parties under cherry trees.
Diwali and Holi are great festivals of India. Diwali is the festival of lights. Homes, temples, workplaces are illuminated with ‘diyas’ (oil lamps) and candles. Holi is a very colourful event, People celebrate Holi by throwing colours at each other. The followers of Hindu religion share their joy with people of the world during these festivals.
The Muslims celebrate Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha as two very important religious festivals. Eid al-Fitr is celebrated at the end of Ramadhan, the month of fasting for Muslims. Eid al-Adha is a festival of animals’ sacrifice. People say prayers of peace and love for humanity and enjoy the parties with varieties of deliciously prepared sumptuous meals.
December is the time to celebrate Christmas. Somehow, Christmas has become a worldwide festival. In Japan and some other countries of the East, Christmas is celebrated as a festival and not as a religious practice. The people in these countries celebrate Christmas because it is a time to feel the joy.
Let’s not take Christmas as the festival of a specific religion. Let’s celebrate it as the festival of all humanity because ‘Merry Christmas’ carries the message of equality, justice, human rights, freedom of expression, joy and peace for all and everyone most particularly the oppressed and persecuted ones. Merry Christmas reveals the TRUTH that frees humanity of slavery of all kinds and forms. It doesn’t matter whether we go to church, temple or mosque. What matters is that we love every human being on this planet. Merry Christmas is a message of unconditional love that believes in giving and forgiveness. This kind of love is devoid of all negative thoughts and actions. When we share this love, we move into the realm of joy and peace. Therefore, let’s celebrate and enjoy Christmas.
‘Merry Christmas!’
Mumtaz Shah
Excellent write up sir. Indeed Merry Christmas carries the message of equality, justice, human rights, freedom of expression, joy and peace for all and everyone most particularly the oppressed and persecuted ones. It is the festival of joy. Asif Javaid Toronto .
Thanks Asif Javaid for appreciating the Christmas message. Our aim should be not to limit the festivals to a specific religion, sect or class. We must all join together to celebrate events. Thanks once again for your love and affection for humanity. Wish you and your family Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.
A nice study about the happiness and its value in the society. Festivals definitely brings peace and joy but Christmas and the coming of Jesus brought much more then that, it brought eternal Peace and Joy.
Thanks Youel Robert for appreciating the write-up. I agree with you that The coming of Jesus brings eternal peace and joy. I wish you and your family Merry Christmas and happy New Year.
Christmas Is truly a festival of love and joy and human dignity. The joy is because God has shown his love to the world by sending His lOving son to the earth. He Brought reconciliation, and mercy and forgiveness for the whole world so therfore this is the moment of being thankful for the incarnation and celebrating it without any kind of bias. Thank you sir for the thoughtfull article.
Thank you very much Mauric Sahib for writing such good thoughts about Christmas. It is a festival of love, joy and peace for all humanity. You are very right in pointing out it’s mystical aspect of God’s love for humanity that He gave his son for the deliverance of man from worldly miseries. I wish you and your family all the joys and blessings of Christmas and New Year.
Shah Sahib your narrative regarding the universal message of Christmas manifests the grand salvation plan of God Almighty for all humanity .Hopefully your point of view is endorsed and accepted to all mankind regardless of any race caste or religion. Your attempt to revise the gist of Christmas with a new broader and wider aspect is appreciable and applaud able . Christmas and New Year greetings.
Many thanks Raymond Simon for your thoughts on the Christmas message. Merry Christmas is nothing else but the concept of ‘Messiah’ who came to deliver the persecuted, the oppressed, the poor, the rich, the sick and all those who were deprived of human rights and justice. The verdict Jesus gave in the case of the woman caught in sin is a hallmark of his mission. He came to free man from slavery of all kinds and forms. People were crushed between two laws: the Roam law and the Sharia or Moses’ law. But the Messiah gave a new concept of God. God is not punishment but unconditional love and forgiveness. Therefore, Merry Christmas envelops all of the philosophy of Messiah. Thanks for your appreciation comments. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!