I celebrate Christmas with my family because it gives us a chance to get together and enjoy each other's company. This entry was posted on Thursday, December 8th, 2011 at 10:26 PM and tagged with Baha'u'llah and Jesus, Bahai, Bahai Faith, Bahaullah, Birth of Jesus, Christmas and Baha'i, Messenger of God, religion, spiritual, unity of Messengers of God and posted in Uncategorized. in Baha'i Videos on Vimeo . Based on the understanding of Christmas as a commemoration of the birth of Christ, the day is clearly of significance to Baha’is, who believe that Christ was a Manifestation of God. Top. Subscribe now to receive email newsletters and updates from the Bahá’í Center of Washtenaw County and surrounding Bahá’í communities. However, the global governing body of the Baha’i community, the Universal House of Justice, wrote in a 1989 letter to a Baha’i: … there is no harm in Baha’is sharing Christmas with Christian relatives or … Bahá'u'lláh is the latest prophet, or 'manifestation', of God. A selection of music, teaching materials, and calendars is also available, as well as a small collection of used books. Christmas: Celebrate the season outside the box. In December, Haifa’s Ben Gurion Boulevard (Moshava Germanit) is a winter wonderland of lighted streets and decked-out restaurants featuring decorations that celebrate all faiths, at the foot of the illuminated Baha’i Gardens. Jesus instructed ' communion ' as found at Luke 22:19 the annual observance of Jesus' day … Having been brought up a Baha’i myself, my parents worked hard to instill a Baha’i identity in our family. The majority of believers therefore do not necessarily feel that they … Shadi is the Editor of Arts at BahaiTeachings.org and holds a BA in Media Communications and Public Relations, but is more widely recognized for her musical contributions to the Baha’i community and involvement in arts based and community building initiatives, locally and internationally. This will be the first year we won’t be joining my husband’s family for Christmas, and the first one my husband has missed in his entire life, all because of this darn pandemic. Christmas is the festival created by the early Church to ensure that there would be a celebration of the coming of Jesus (known as the Christ, "The Chosen One") to the world. Through His power, born of Almighty God, the eyes of the blind were opened, and the soul of the sinner sanctified… We bear witness that through the power of the Word of God every leper was cleansed, every sickness was healed, every human infirmity was banished. RELATED: Family Meals: A Space to Bond, Reconnect, and Heal. Each Bahá’í community will then celebrate according to local custom. I send "Happy Holi" cards to my Indian friends and "Happy Solstice" cards to my Wiccan friends. However, just because the Baha’i Faith promotes these teachings does not make the religion compatible with Christianity. Many people celebrate both Kwanzaa and Christmas. Instead of decorations, some families opt to dress their best and have a special meal together. Fast-forward about 20 years: I’ve moved to Canada and found myself a wonderful Prairie husband, who discovered and adopted the Baha’i Faith in his youth. For example, in a Bahá'í family, where the parents and children are Bahá'ís, they do not usually buy one another Christmas presents. Our sabbath day, so to say, is Friday, but even most Baha’is don’t know that! Why not? This meant my family observed Baha’i Holy Days and other significant days — such as Ayyam-i-Ha; Naw Ruz; Ridvan; and the birth of the Twin Manifestations, the Bab and Baha’u’llah — with unique activities surrounding gift-giving, hospitality, service, and charity. Baha’is do not, however, celebrate Christmas within their communities as one of the Baha’i Holy Days. We testify that when He came into the world, He shed the splendor of His glory upon all created things. This date has been celebrated as the New Year in Persia for thousands of years. Baha’is – while believing in the divine origins of all other world religions – follow the teachings of Baha’u’llah, whom we believe to be the latest in the line of Messengers sent from God with laws to address the needs of humanity in this day and age. However, Christmas--literally, a mass for Christ--is at it's heart a holy day. As a community, Baha’is are encouraged to emphasize celebrating Baha’i Holy Days and discontinue celebrating other religious Holy Days —because, otherwise, why would we have Baha’i Holy Days? Sometimes, Bahá’ís are invited to Christmas celebrations with their friends : all this is fine, because Bahá’u’lláh taught that Bahá’ís must maintain cordial relationships with the followers of all religions. Christmas Time! Ayyám-i-Há--the Intercalary Days--are those four (five in leap year) … The Baha'i Faith is a religion which exists independently of all other religions. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed The official website of the Baha'i Faith is: Sign up for our newsletter and get all our latest content, © 2021 BahaiTeachings.org All Rights Reserved. And if so, how do they commemorate the occasion? And the simple answer is: No. You are invited to a weekly, Wednesdays at 9:00 am, Zoom video, prayer group. Good question, since Bahá'ís do celebrate with gifts and parties, acts of charity and community service, and general good cheer. You have explained that as a result of an email discussion group there is a differing of opinions whether Baha’is are permitted to celebrate Christmas, and you have expressed your understanding that while there is no harm in sharing the festivities with friends, the " Baha’is themselves should not be putting up Christmas trees, exchanging gifts, etc." This question is a bit of a tricky one to answer because Christmas means different things to different people. Based on the understanding of Christmas as a commemoration of the birth of Christ, the day is clearly of significance to Baha’is, who believe that Christ was a Manifestation of God. Thank you so much! The following suggestions could be adapted for many holy days and faith traditions — not just Christmas. Invite friends that you know love the arts! I have been asked by a few friends if I celebrate Christmas. Baha’is do not celebrate Christmas among themselves, that is other Baha’is, however if the Baha’i has Christian relatives they can participate in some Christmas customs with their family. Baha’is revere Jesus as a Manifestation of God , but we have our own holy days, just as Jews have theirs, Muslims have theirs, Christians have theirs, and so forth. Please choose 1 or 2 prayers[...], Dear Friends, We are scheduling Zoom-based devotional meetings in our home every Thursday. I love attending the Lessons and Carols held here on the island in the Episcopalian Church (along with most of the islanders, no matter their faith). For the first time in both our lives, no external circumstances or forces are influencing either of us to celebrate Christmas. (The following article is by Preethi from bahaiblog.net). As such it has its own calendar and its own holy days. Meeting ID: 966 4294 0212 Password:[...], © Copyright Bahá’í Center of Washtenaw County, "Recreating Ourselves in the Image of the Master": A series of talks by Tom Price on ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, the Perfect Exemplar, Contributing to social progress: The U.S. Baha'i Office of Public Affairs, The Mission of the Báb: Retrospective 1844-1994. The Baha’i Faith is dedicated to bringing about the unification of humankind and an enduring world peace. In a Bahá'í family, for example, where the parents and children are Bahá'ís, they do not usually buy one another Christmas presents. Bahá'ís do not regard God as having a gender. This period brings the Baha'i calendar into conformity with a solar year. As a community, Baha’is are encouraged to emphasize celebrating Baha’i Holy Days and discontinue celebrating other religious Holy Days —because, otherwise, why would we have Baha’i Holy Days? Blessed is the man who, with a face beaming with light, hath turned towards Him. "Love is heaven’s kindly light... Love is the on, The happiness of mankind will be realized when wom, Masud Olufani welcomes his father for a conversati, Love gives life to the lifeless. With the exception of New Year, Bahá'í holidays commemorate major events in the lives of the founders of the Bahá'í Faith. I celebrate Baha'i holidays with my Baha'i friends -- and anyone else who wants to join us (I'm a Baha'i). The views expressed in our content reflect individual perspectives and do not represent the official views of the Baha'i Faith. Although the Bahá'í writings use a masculine pronoun to refer to God, this is to suit the language in which they were originally written. He it is Who purified the world. I often find it hard to focus on the spiritual aspects of Christmas because of the heavy cultural significance it has acquired. These days it’s celebrated by people of many different faiths and those of none. For as long as I can remember, this festive period between Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve has always been filled with so much warmth, joy, service, the presence of God, and the coming together of families and friends. People who work shift jobs sometimes offer to cover the shift of their Christian co-workers so that they can celebrate Christmas with their families. However, I feel this sense of longing for celebrating something this year. A very blessed Christmas to all our Christian friends! Some receive gifts at Christmas and distribute gifts on Baha’i Holy Days. The day of Naw-Rúz is also one of the nine Bahá’í Holy Days and so Bahá’ís suspend work to celebrate. A Christmas message from the Australian Baha’i Community appeared in the Manly Daily newspaper prior to Christmas. Ruth McCullagh. ... “Thus, Africans of all faiths can and do celebrate Kwanzaa, i.e. Presents can be given at any time. Incarnation theology are integral to it, it isnt just hte birth of Christ it is him as God totally becoming incarnate. It depends. You can decorate your home with winter-inspired decorations and call it a “winter wonderland” or “winter festival.” Children could come together to create decorations and ornaments that inspire peace, unity, and joy, place them around the house or gift them to neighbors. Apr 2011 865 NZ Dec 25, 2012 #2 How can they? The life and ministry of Jesus transformed the lives of individuals — both in His lifetime and for centuries after — as well as humanity as a whole. I don’t celebrate Christmas for my own self, although I join family and friends in their celebrations. This entry was posted on Thursday, December 8th, 2011 at 10:26 PM and tagged with Baha'u'llah and Jesus, Bahai, Bahai Faith, Bahaullah, Birth of Jesus, Christmas and Baha'i, Messenger of God, religion, spiritual, unity of Messengers of God and posted in Uncategorized. How’s that for definitive? For a number of years the UK’s prime minister has issued a statement of celebration for Naw-Rúz. Jan 23, 2014 - Explore Anisa Foroughi's board "Baha'i Celebrations" on Pinterest. How can they best reach you? The deepest wisdom which the sages have uttered, the profoundest learning which any mind hath unfolded, the arts which the ablest hands have produced, the influence exerted by the most potent of rulers, are but manifestations of the quickening power released by His transcendent, His all-pervasive, and resplendent Spirit. The birth of Jesus marked the fulfillment of Jewish prophecies about a new Manifestation of God. I’m a sucker for holiday movies on the Hallmark Channel. I’ve been reflecting on this a lot lately, especially as we hunker down for a lonelier winter in this global pandemic. To put you in touch with a Baha’i in your area who can answer your questions, we would like to kindly ask for a few details about yourself. One person shared that they host an annual interfaith prayer gathering for their friends and neighbors on the theme of Christmas and the birth of Jesus Christ. As such it has its own calendar and its own holy days. Eight years ago, in 2011, the United Nations proclaimed July 30 th as the annual International Day of Friendship. I was raised Methodist, but in 1983 I became a Baha’i. Prayer books and writings are prominent, as well as books on Bahá’í history and current topics. Celebrating Christmas, as a Baha'i, is a very personal matter. Like many people, Baha’is who do celebrate Halloween see … I. Iconodule. Through Him, the unchaste and wayward were healed. Nevertheless, they do not celebrate Christmas amongst themselves. They then gift their food and baking to friends in the neighborhood or people in need. Through His power, born of Almighty God, the eyes of the blind were opened, and the soul of the sinner sanctified… We bear witness that through the power of the Word of God every leper was cleansed, every sickness was healed, every human infirmity was banished. Baha'i Holidays and Festivals There are nine annual Bahá'í holy days plus an annual fast. With family and friends they decorate a Christmas tree, open gifts and eat a holiday meal. They include writings from Christianity and the Baha’i Faith that highlight the station of Jesus and his importance to the world —  like these words from Baha’u’llah, the prophet and founder of the Baha’i Faith: We testify that when He came into the world, He shed the splendor of His glory upon all created things. Celebrating Christmas, as a Baha'i, is a very personal matter. Its evidences, as witnessed in all the peoples of the earth, are now manifest before thee. Christmas is celebrated by most people in Canada and elsewhere and the Bahá'ís join in these celebrations with their Christian friends. So Bahá'ís do not celebrate Christmas amongst themselves, but they will happily celebrate Christmas with people who are not Bahá'ís. Others pass on participating in Christmas gift exchanges with family and instead find ways they could collectively be of service to their community. So how do Baha’is celebrate the true meaning of Christmas while still honoring their Baha’i beliefs? One thing is for sure: there are many ways for Baha’is — and people of other faiths — to inclusively take part in the spirit and festivities of the season while also strengthening their family and faith traditions. The beauty is that there’s room for creativity, flexibility, and honoring the meaning of Christmas, no matter what faith you are. It marked the beginning of a very special childhood made distinct because of the innate wisdom that all Manifestations have, even as children. Ayyam-i-Ha or the Intercalary days last four days during regular years and five days during a leap year like 2012. The views expressed in our content reflect individual perspectives and do not represent the official views of the Baha'i Faith. Daily Kent Stater Becca Liptok and Carmel Clavin celebrate Christmas like most Americans. …and what Pagans do. Christmas is a tricky one because of what it has come to represent in much of Western society – the true meaning of Christmas is, unfortunately, often lost amidst the Christmas tree decorations, Santa-and-elf motifs and endless Christmas sales advertisements. The views expressed in our content reflect individual perspectives and do not represent the official views of the Baha'i Faith. Do Baha’is celebrate Christmas? Then I ask them what THEY are doing. Sort of. RELATED: How Interfaith Prayer Gatherings Are Changing Communities. Indeed, families may contain both Baha’is and non-Baha’is, and the participation by Baha’is at celebrations of Christmas or of other religious observances, should not be made into a source of conflict but rather be used as an opportunity for demonstrating the honor due to other religions and also as an incentive for developing the celebration of Baha’i Holy Days and anniversaries. I turned to Facebook to see how other Baha’i families celebrate this festive season while also strengthening their own traditions as a family. Blessed, indeed, are those who recognize the immense gift of His divine teachings. He it is Who purified the world. Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts The Baha’i Faith has few traditions, which could also be considered as habits that we strive to implement in our day to day lives, such as prayer and service. Another Baha’i family hosts a special dinner to invite friends who did not receive an invitation to Christmas dinner. Don’t get me wrong. Sometimes. There are so many other important religious holy days to commemorate during the Christmas period that we can nurture and learn from. Through Him the leper recovered from the leprosy of perversity and ignorance. Christmas is the celebration of the incarnation it is a feast day where one prepares by fasting for it. But these words of Baha’u’llah remind us of the real significance of the life of Jesus. The perpetuation of such cultural characteristics is an expression of unity in diversity.” Some Baha’is don’t celebrate Halloween, while others dress in costumes, hand out candy, and decorate their homes. However, as many Christians pause to celebrate the birth and life of Jesus, Baha’is too can stop to reflect on the significance of this day. There is nothing wrong for Bahá’ís to celebrate Christmas with their families. Australian Baha’is join with our family, friends and neighbours in their celebration of Christmas. The Station of Jesus Christ in the Baha’i Faith As the birth of The Baha'i Faith and Christianity: 16 Resources Featured on Baha'i Blog Blessed is the man who, with a face beaming with light, hath turned towards Him. You could create an interfaith calendar of all the religious traditions and holy days. Posted on December 15, 2014 by Kamelia. There are many ways to do this. That does not mean, however, that we do not share all sorts of the celebrations of family and friends who follow other beliefs. See more ideas about crafts, bahai children, bahai faith. Compare Bahai with Christianity, Islam, and … With Christmas just around the corner, we thought it could be useful to share some of the posts featured on Baha'i Blog so far, that relate to Christianity. Baha’is do not, however, celebrate Christmas within their communities as one of the Baha’i Holy Days. The bookstore at the Bahá’í Center of Washtenaw County features a variety of books and materials of interest to the members of the Bahá’í community. In my childhood and youth in Australia, we celebrated Christmas with my father’s side of the family, who carry strong Irish Catholic traditions. This passage is close to my heart because I was raised as a Christian and was first taught to know and worship God through the teachings of Jesus. Another way to celebrate the true meaning of Christmas is to focus on the concept of service and giving. Indeed, families may contain both Bahá’ís and non-Bahá’ís, and the participation by Bahá’ís at celebrations of Christmas or of other religious observances, should not be made into a source of conflict but rather be used as an opportunity for demonstrating the honor due to other religions and also as an incentive for developing the celebration of Bahá’í Holy Days and anniversaries. 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