There is, of course, no record of the birth of Jesus except in the Bible (Gospels), and the two Gospels which mention Jesus's birth at all do not mention what time of year it was. 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. I’m a sucker for holiday movies on the Hallmark Channel. Whereas, Christmas presents are given at Christmas which is based on: lies. Good question, since Bahá'ís do celebrate with gifts and parties, acts of charity and community service, and general good cheer. Baha'i Holidays and Festivals There are nine annual Bahá'í holy days plus an annual fast. Top. 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. Another could be to offer a hand at the local shelter for their annual Christmas feast. It heralded the life of yet another Manifestation of God who would suffer great tribulations and suffering to bring humanity towards God. 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. By sacrificing Himself, however, a fresh capacity was infused into all created things. So how do Baha’is celebrate the true meaning of Christmas while still honoring their Baha’i beliefs? With the exception of New Year, Bahá'í holidays commemorate major events in the lives of the founders of the Bahá'í Faith. in Baha'i Videos on Vimeo . Having a conversation and making a decision as a family builds unity and gives room for all to contribute creatively. 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? RELATED: How Interfaith Prayer Gatherings Are Changing Communities. …and what Pagans do. Celebrating Christmas, as a Baha'i, is a very personal matter. Get in touch with the Baha’is in your community. 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. The Festival of Ayyam-i-Ha lasts from Feb. 26 until March 1. The Baha'i Faith is a religion which exists independently of all other religions. We invited our extended family, friends, and neighbors to join us in our ever-evolving family traditions. You could create an interfaith calendar of all the religious traditions and holy days. In a Bahá'í family, for example, where the parents and children are Bahá'ís, they do not usually buy one another Christmas presents. 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. The views expressed in our content reflect individual perspectives and do not represent the official views of the Baha'i Faith. 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. 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? 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. 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. The Baha'i calendar has nineteen months, each consisting of nineteen days, and each named for one of the attributes of God. Incarnation theology are integral to it, it isnt just hte birth of Christ it is him as God totally becoming incarnate. We testify that when He came into the world, He shed the splendor of His glory upon all created things. Through Him, the unchaste and wayward were healed. As such it has its own calendar and its own holy days. I often find it hard to focus on the spiritual aspects of Christmas because of the heavy cultural significance it has acquired. For Bahá'ís, New Year is preceeded by the Nineteen Day Fast, a time of spiritual introspection. RELATED: Family Meals: A Space to Bond, Reconnect, and Heal. 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. I celebrate Baha'i holidays with my Baha'i friends -- and anyone else who wants to join us (I'm a Baha'i). You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed Many families save the Christmas gifts they received for opening in late February during the Baha’i festival of Ayyam-i-Ha. I think that we can all agree that while Christmas may be, essentially, a Christian holiday, the celebration of Christmas has expanded well beyond the boundaries of Christianity. The Baha'i calendar consists of 19 months, each 19 days long, equaling 361 days. 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. 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. 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). The views expressed in our content reflect individual perspectives and do not represent the official views of the Baha'i Faith. 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 Subscribe now to receive email newsletters and updates from the Bahá’í Center of Washtenaw County and surrounding Bahá’í communities. And the simple answer is: No. 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. As individuals, we are free to partake in any religious activities that don’t directly interfere with the Bahá’í teachings. Eight years ago, in 2011, the United Nations proclaimed July 30 th as the annual International Day of Friendship. Presents can be given at any time. 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