Many families save the Christmas gifts they received for opening in late February during the Baha’i festival of Ayyam-i-Ha. I celebrate Baha'i holidays with my Baha'i friends -- and anyone else who wants to join us (I'm a Baha'i). This period brings the Baha'i calendar into conformity with a solar year. 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. 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. We invited our extended family, friends, and neighbors to join us in our ever-evolving family traditions. I was raised Methodist, but in 1983 I became a Baha’i. 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. I love seeing the lights and decorations, although I usually do not put up any myself. However, just because the Baha’i Faith promotes these teachings does not make the religion compatible with Christianity. 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. In a Bahá'í family, for example, where the parents and children are Bahá'ís, they do not usually buy one another Christmas presents. Jesus instructed ' communion ' as found at Luke 22:19 the annual observance of Jesus' day … (The following article is by Preethi from bahaiblog.net). Do Baha’is celebrate Christmas? For the first time in both our lives, no external circumstances or forces are influencing either of us to celebrate Christmas. Apr 2011 865 NZ Dec 25, 2012 #2 How can they? Others pass on participating in Christmas gift exchanges with family and instead find ways they could collectively be of service to their community. Another could be to offer a hand at the local shelter for their annual Christmas feast. Every year on December 10 th the world observes Human Rights Day, marking the day the United Nations General Assembly adopted the … Blessed is the man who, with a face beaming with light, hath turned towards Him. 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 RELATED: Every New Era Brings A New Calendar. There are so many other important religious holy days to commemorate during the Christmas period that we can nurture and learn from. That does not mean, however, that we do not share all sorts of the celebrations of family and friends who follow other beliefs. Baha’is do not, however, celebrate Christmas within their communities as one of the Baha’i Holy Days. Love lights a fla, Strive ye with all your hearts, raise up your voic, How can faith-based individuals and organizations, My hope for you is that you will ever avoid tyrann, As we suffer these misfortunes we must remember th, Family Meals: A Space to Bond, Reconnect, and Heal, Finding Beacons of Hope in Monuments and Public Art. Books and materials are purchased for the bookstore mainly through the Bahá’í Distribution Service in Willmette, Illinois. Here is a highly informative video by a Baha'i speaker about the nature of the Christmas holiday and why Baha'is generally do not celebrate it … Press J to jump to the feed. The majority of believers therefore do not necessarily feel that they … There are many ways to do this. Besides, since the Bahá'í Faith accepts the validity of all the former religions, we would need to celebrate ALL their holy days, not just Christmas, in order to be fair. Baha'i Holidays and Festivals There are nine annual Bahá'í holy days plus an annual fast. Christmas is celebrated by most people in Canada and elsewhere and the Bahá'ís join in these celebrations with their Christian friends. Many of us find joy and comfort in decorations and festive lights throughout the year — and they’re especially lively during the dead of winter. 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. The views expressed in our content reflect individual perspectives and do not represent the official views of the Baha'i Faith. 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. I love his parents to bits and have loved joining in on their Ukrainian-influenced Roman Catholic Christmas celebrations the past couple of years that we’ve been together (the Saskatchewan winters, not so much!). And if so, how do they commemorate the occasion? Baha’is do not, however, celebrate Christmas within their communities as one of the Baha’i Holy Days. Please choose 1 or 2 prayers[...], Dear Friends, We are scheduling Zoom-based devotional meetings in our home every Thursday. You are welcome to join, 7:30 p.m.;[...], You’re invited to a Devotional Meeting dedicated to the Arts! Instead of decorations, some families opt to dress their best and have a special meal together. 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. Baha’u’llah says: Know thou that when the Son of Man yielded up His breath to God, the whole creation wept with a great weeping. 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. Invite friends that you know love the arts! This question is a bit of a tricky one to answer because Christmas means different things to different people. RELATED: Family Meals: A Space to Bond, Reconnect, and Heal. Then I ask them what THEY are doing. What really stuck with me was the time we spent together: simple but profound. Christmas is celebrated by most people in Canada and elsewhere and the Bahá'ís join in these celebrations with their Christian friends. Subscribe now to receive email newsletters and updates from the Bahá’í Center of Washtenaw County and surrounding Bahá’í communities. Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts I read that one Baha’i family uses this time to bake together, and while they bake, they consult on various service ideas for the upcoming calendar year. The views expressed in our content reflect individual perspectives and do not represent the official views of the Baha'i Faith. While the principle of progressive revelation means that Baha’is believe in the divine origin of the other world religions (and consequently, the significance of each of their Holy Days), the Baha’i Faith is an independent religion with its own Holy Days. It heralded the life of yet another Manifestation of God who would suffer great tribulations and suffering to bring humanity towards God. The views expressed in our content reflect individual perspectives and do not represent the official views of the Baha'i Faith. A very blessed Christmas to all our Christian friends! Learn how your Jewish friends celebrate Hanukkah, and light a Menorah for each of the eight days. The day of Naw-Rúz is also one of the nine Bahá’í Holy Days and so Bahá’ís suspend work to celebrate. Many people celebrate both Kwanzaa and Christmas. 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. I celebrate Christmas with my family because it gives us a chance to get together and enjoy each other's company. You could create an interfaith calendar of all the religious traditions and holy days. I love seeing the lights and decorations, although I usually do not put up any myself. The Baha'i Faith is a religion which exists independently of all other religions. And the simple answer is: No. In my childhood and youth in Australia, we celebrated Christmas with my father’s side of the family, who carry strong Irish Catholic traditions. The Baha'i calendar consists of 19 months, each 19 days long, equaling 361 days. 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? The views expressed in our content reflect individual perspectives and do not represent the official views of the Baha'i Faith. So in no particular order, here are 16 Baha'i Blog posts relating to Christianity in some way: 1. 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? Through Him, the unchaste and wayward were healed. Thank you so much! However, Christmas--literally, a mass for Christ--is at it's heart a holy day. I often find it hard to focus on the spiritual aspects of Christmas because of the heavy cultural significance it has acquired. But CAN Bahá’ís celebrate Christmas? 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." 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. See more ideas about crafts, bahai children, bahai faith. Right now, we adapt ourselves to the way weeks are organized in the prevailing culture where we happen to live. Some receive gifts at Christmas and distribute gifts on Baha’i Holy Days. …and what Pagans do. It would be fun, but I'd never get any work done! Baha’is do not, however, celebrate Christmas within their communities as one of the Baha’i Holy Days. Another way to celebrate the true meaning of Christmas is to focus on the concept of service and giving. Ruth McCullagh. Our sabbath day, so to say, is Friday, but even most Baha’is don’t know that! For a number of years the UK’s prime minister has issued a statement of celebration for Naw-Rúz. This conversation could look at the yearly calendar, the various community groups and circles you are a part of, and the different faiths and traditions you want to honor as a family, including Baha’i, Jewish, Muslim, Hindu, Zoroastrian, Christian, and other traditionally spiritual Holy Days. Through Him the leper recovered from the leprosy of perversity and ignorance. It depends. 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. Christmas Time! But this should not be surprising, since once can find examples of truthful and beneficial teaching in many of the other world religions. 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 birth of Jesus marked the fulfillment of Jewish prophecies about a new Manifestation of God. 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. Australian Baha’is join with our family, friends and neighbours in their celebration of Christmas. A Christmas message from the Australian Baha’i Community appeared in the Manly Daily newspaper prior to Christmas. Posted on December 15, 2014 by Kamelia. This date has been celebrated as the New Year in Persia for thousands of years. The Writings speak beautifully about the life and station of Jesus. 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. Nevertheless, they do not celebrate Christmas amongst themselves. As Christmas and the end of the Gregorian calendar year approach, I see many questions on my Facebook feed, asking: Do Baha’is celebrate Christmas? I don’t celebrate Christmas for my own self, although I join family and friends in their celebrations. Baha’is do not, however, celebrate Christmas within their communities as one of the Baha’i Holy Days. So how do Baha’is celebrate the true meaning of Christmas while still honoring their Baha’i beliefs? Ayyam-i-Ha or the Intercalary days last four days during regular years and five days during a leap year like 2012. Bahá'ís accept the prophets of other religions as continuing stages in the revelation of God. 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. One could be to pack meals and deliver them to the homes of elderly neighbors. Many of us do joyfully celebrate Christmas with our families and friends who celebrate it. Through Him, the unchaste and wayward were healed. It marked the beginning of a very special childhood made distinct because of the innate wisdom that all Manifestations have, even as children. By sacrificing Himself, however, a fresh capacity was infused into all created things. 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. Baha’is do not, however, celebrate Christmas within their communities as one of the Baha’i Holy Days. I turned to Facebook to see how other Baha’i families celebrate this festive season while also strengthening their own traditions as a family. You are invited to a weekly, Wednesdays at 9:00 am, Zoom video, prayer group. Do Baha'is Celebrate Christmas? The beauty is that there’s room for creativity, flexibility, and honoring the meaning of Christmas, no matter what faith you are. The Christmas story is an exciting story in the religious history of the world. in Baha'i Videos on Vimeo . Now, when store clerks and others who do not know me ask if I am ready for Christmas, I simply tell them that I don’t specifically celebrate it myself—though as a Baha’i I honor the spirit of the season. RELATED: How Interfaith Prayer Gatherings Are Changing Communities. Whereas, Christmas presents are given at Christmas which is based on: lies. As such it has its own calendar and its own holy days. 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. But if I want to celebrate the true meaning of Christmas, I think the best way to do this is to watch a documentary that tells the story of the courageous life of Jesus Christ himself, to learn of his miracles and sacrifices. That being said, however, Baha’is are free to participate in the celebrations observed by their friends and family who adhere to other religions. 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. Not all are suitable for people following serious social distancing restrictions, but there are definitely ones that we can try and adopt to some degree, or look forward to trying when we can all be together again. 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