This will cause some anger....RIDICULOUS!

[Durrah]

I've had a little discussion with them about things like this mostly since I started coming to this forum. They just say "how come this, how come that.." and I basically don't have answers to convince them.
A few weeks ago I went to watch Manchester Utd v Chelsea with a muslim from work and they knew this. Their words were "be careful, don't go anywhere alone with him." They're paranoid about it and I'm not lying, I swear to God.

Sorry to hear that mate.

I guess the best you can do is continue to talk with them. Maybe you should invite your muslim mate round down your house one day? I know i was like proabably the only muslim friend for some of my english mates and i knew all of their parents and admittidly some had their sterotypes or resverations about muslims- even though few actually knew any, but because i actually got to know them and stuff i was able to break down those 'barriers' if you like and my mates would then tell me how their parents changed in their views. They werent malicious or nasty people, just ordinary folk, but they just didnt know any muslims really and only based their opinions on what they heard.

sometimes a good example of something can make all the difference to people's perceptions.

 

[zanjabeela]

I think that is sad, stupid, and ridiculous beyond belief. Let them have their decorations--and let us keep our veils. I wonder, also, if this is leading up to a domino effect kind of thing with all religious symbolsim, or if it really is just political correctness.

 

[Nσσя'υℓ Jαииαн]

Is it just me, or are people going really psycho:? lol

 

[Woodrow]

I would suspect a domino effect. The lose of any religious symbol results in a lose of all of them.

 

[IbnAbdulHakim]

I've found personally that the best form of dawah is to actually be a living imbodiment of islam and show what islam is about through your everyday life.

Most people i've known, ie. friends and stuff, hated been bogged down with too much literature, questioning, not taking 'no' for an answer etc- its one of the reasons that most of them disliked jehowah witnesses.

However many of them would comment upon my actions pubclially and privately and i relaised that what i said, the way i behaved and acted becamse reference point of islam for many friends, their families etc..

So, inshallah we should make sure as muslims first that we are practising our deen proerply. Then you'll see that we wont nessacarly have to go upto anyone becase they will naturally come to you.

:salamext:

thats correct and sis i noticed that those who dont follow islam are treated lik kaafirs. For example there maybe a brother who drinks etc so no-one would ever ask him about islaam or even recognize his islaam but those who practise the deen will be asked and subhanAllah the responces recieved are amazing. And the only way to recognize someone who practices the deen if by acting it out,

"whats the beard?
why do you pray?
FIVE TIMES A DAY??
why do you wear that hat?
you muslims dont believe in evolution ?"

and it carries on.

 

[rubiesand]

Hi England,

Could you maybe show your parents this article from the Telegraph newspaper? I think it will help them see things from a new perspective.
I'll copy it below, with emphasis by me.


"Leave Christmas alone, say Muslims
By Jonathan Petre, Religion Correspondent
Last Updated: 1:56am GMT 15/11/2006



Muslim leaders joined their Christian counterparts yesterday to launch a powerful attack on politicians and town halls that play down Christmas.

They warned that attempts to remove religion from the festival were fuelling Right-wing extremism.

A number of town halls have tried to excise references to Christianity from Christmas, in one case by renaming their municipal celebrations "Winterval".

They have often justified their actions by saying Britain is now a multi-faith society and they are anxious to avoid offending minority groups.

But the Muslim leaders said they honoured Christmas and that local authorities were playing into the hands of extremists who were able to blame Muslim communities for undermining Britain's Christian culture.

The unprecedented broadside was delivered by the Christian Muslim Forum, which was launched this year by the Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams, with the support of Tony Blair.

The forum's reaction reflects growing anger among Christians and other faiths about the efforts of secularists to push religion to the margins of public life.

In 1998 Birmingham renamed its celebrations "Winterval", and in 2001 Luton described its Christmas lights as "luminos", taken from Harry Potter.

Last week, the Church of England criticised Royal Mail for issuing Christmas stamps with no Christian theme.

The forum, which draws half its membership from senior members of the Muslim community, said in a statement that "as Muslims and Christians together" it was "wholeheartedly committed" to the religious recognition of Christian festivals.

"Christmas is a celebration of the birth of Jesus and we wish this significant part of the Christian heritage of this country to remain an acknowledged part of national life.

"The desire to secularise religious festivals is offensive to both of our communities."

The statement, signed by the forum's chairman, the Bishop of Bolton, the Rt Rev David Gillett, and its vice-chairman, Dr Ataullah Siddiqui, urged society to promote religious freedom.

"Those who use the fact of religious pluralism as an excuse to de-Christianise British society unthinkingly become recruiting agents for the extreme Right. They provoke antagonism towards Muslims and others by foisting on them an anti-Christian agenda they do not hold."
Bishop Gillett said in a separate article that it was strange that so many public bodies were nervous or dismissive about Christmas when 72 per cent of Britons described themselves as Christian in the 2001 Census.

Any repetition by councils to rename Christmas so as not to offend other faith communities will "backfire badly" on the Muslim community, he said. "Sadly it is they who get the blame — and for something they are not saying."

 

[Keltoi]

I believe the problem in the West in terms of the increasing anti-Christian mindset is caused by the need to feel like a rebel. It started in the 1960's and has just increased from there. That leads to academic institutions, most of them highly liberalized, to look upon Christianity as the old barrier to self-expression and individualism. It is sort of a strange mixture of liberal idealism and leftist hostility to the "old ways." It is ridiculous, but I think it will get worse before it gets better.

 

[Muezzin]

I heard about this the other day. In the law firm I've had experience at, there is only one Christian - the rest of the employees are either Muslim, Sikh or Hindu - and they still put up decorations. I'm not offended at the sight of tinsel or Christmas trees. What a ridiculous thing to take offence to.

 

[Karimeldib]

dear england,
i think muslims have much more important things to fight against that tinsel and christmas trees...
for example the right for a veiled woman to teach or work or go to school. the right to go out for friday prayers, etc etc...
and as to the remark about getting people to convert...every person who believes in a religion usually wants everyone else to join that religion! right or wrong? if u believe in christianity and u believe it is the best way of life wouldnt you want everyone to join? its the same with muslims we believe its the most efficient, fulfilling way of life so to us we want people to be muslims and for the muslims to follow the religion correctly...

 

[FBI]

I see what the goverment are trying to do, simple. they wan't people to resent islam and in the intrest of fairness any anti-islamic stances they might introduce might not be concieved as anti-islamic.

 

[TheRightPathI]

I see what the goverment are trying to do, simple. they wan't people to resent islam and in the intrest of fairness any anti-islamic stances they might introduce might not be concieved as anti-islamic.

:salamext: Bingo.

Is it just me or does this seem like they are just trying to suppress religion until there will be no more religion in the workplace or other places?
:wasalamex

 

[Woodrow]

:salamext: Bingo.

Is it just me or does this seem like they are just trying to suppress religion until there will be no more religion in the workplace or other places?
:wasalamex

In my opinion that is what is being done.

However, I do not view it as a Western influence problem. I see it as a business problem and too many businesses world wide placing emphasis on profit above human needs and rights. This happens not only among non-Muslim businesses but among Muslim businesses were the owners should know better.

How many Muslim business owners do you know that laugh and brag about getting rich off of the vices of non-Muslims by selling haram products to non-Muslims?

These attitudes contribute to the decline of ALL public acknowledgement of ALL religions.

 

[snakelegs]

who is behind this - the BNP?
sounds like somethng cooked up to make more people hate muslims.....
actually, this would be a great opportunity for some PR work. like muslim organizations in UK issuing press releases saying that this is nonesense and muslims have no objections, etc.

 

[-Shakirah-]

it wasn't exactly an article, I read this in the mail newspaper. It was a few do's and dont's at the office partly! From a paper thats totally biased!

 

[-Shakirah-]

And btw I don't lnow a single Muslim that has a problem with Christmas, in fact some of the celebrate the festive season more then the christians themselves!

 

[IbnAbdulHakim]

And btw I don't lnow a single Muslim that has a problem with Christmas, in fact some of the celebrate the festive season more then the christians themselves!

whohoooah!! sis no we dont, we only celebrate islamic stuff lol.

 

[Trumble]

I understand your anger, but make sure you direct it at the right group of people (the goverment)

You should follow your own advice!

This has nothing to do with government or civil servants, and there is no ban on Christmas decorations in any government department.

It's partly those who like to think they are acting in the interests of 'minorities' without actually bothering to consult them, but mainly fear of an insane legal system where people can be sued for just about anything, no matter how trivial. The sad end result is that this sort of nonsense just increases resentment and increases tensions.

Is it just me or does this seem like they are just trying to suppress religion until there will be no more religion in the workplace or other places?

In reality Christmas decorations in offices have absolutely nothing to do with religion! This certainly has nothing to do with suppressing it. It's probably hard for devout muslims to understand but in many so-called Christian countries, including the UK, Christmas really doesn't have much to do with religion any more. It's just a sort of big national occasion for chilling and letting off steam once a year, be it spending more time with the kids, partying or just sitting in front of the TV.

 

[Eric H]

Greetings and peace be with you England,

I don’t think anyone who sees Christmas decorations thinks, oh yes I must go to church and become a Christian.

Where is the message of Christ in Christmas decorations?

In the spirit of seeking Christ at Christmas

Eric.

 

[Abdul Fattah]

Well I think this is sad and even though I don't really care for these kind of things I do consider this bad news. This is another affirmation that these days many people seem to think that in order to be religiously-neutral one has to be anti-religious, which obviously is ridiculous. I mean come on, not putting up symbolic items as a part of being political correct? How are symbols politically incorrect? the only way I could consider this an issue of political correctness is when some symbols would and other wouldn't be allowed. In that case it would be political incorrect, But as I understand so far there has been no such bans on any religious symbols in offices in England right?

 

[AvarAllahNoor]

To be fair has ANYONE heard a person of non-christain faith say they are offended by anything Christmassy?? I've not, some people are just out to cause more intolerance...like we don't already have that.