CHRISTMAS CELEBRATION

Christmas is the annual Christian’s celebration or festival of the birth of Christ on 25th of December of every year. Advent heralded the period of Christmas. Advent is from Latin (Adventus) which means coming. It is the period with four Sundays before Christmas. Christmas is a very important religious season for us Christians just like the period of Idel fitri, Kabir, Salaam etc is important to our Moslem brothers.This period is not only the season of celebration of the birth of our lord and savior Jesus Christ. It is also a special period of reflection for us Christians. It is a moment of prayers and alms giving.

The period of Christmas is so terrific and celebrated by all, here in my country people normally travel home for their celebration. Apart from the celebration of Christmas, it is also a period most people commit many atrocities in the name of Christmas celebrations like stealing to maintain the social status, adultery, hoarding, licentiousness, killings through sacrifices or rituals, robbery, promiscuity, profligacy to mention but a few.

Many Christians are intoxicated by this dynamic but important season of Christmas. It is a period people show of their wealth and riches. It is a period some Christians who don't participate in church's activities donates generously in other that their name will be praised. It is a period of savagery, it is not many people that travel home for Christmas celebrations that return safely and healthy. Some living in the village uses this opportunity to annihilate and bewitches their enemy living abroad yet some of them are Christians. Christmas is a Joyful moment to the world especially we Christians. It is a period of private meditation and devotion, it is a period we confess our sins, it is a period we remember the Hoi polloi (common) people among us, it is a period we thank God for the gift of his son Jesus Christ who came to salvage us from sin, hardship and punishment.

Finally Christmas is a period Christians should thank God for their lives. It is a period we venerate the saints (Dulia), it is a season we honor Blessed Virgin Mary (Hyperdulia) through whom God was made man in Christ Jesus. And it is a moment we Christians should worship God (Latria) in a special way for giving us his only begotten son to be born of a woman for our salvation and freedom. (Viva Christians).

RELIGION & FREEDOM

Religion is the belief in the existence of gods or god, who have created the universe and given man a spiritual nature, which continues to exist after the death of the body.

Religion theologically could be defined 'as man's awareness and recognition of his dependent relationship on a transcendent being'. The purpose of religion is to promote peace to man. God wants peace in every religion and in every religious adherent. Mother Theresa of Calcutta stated this clearly that peace begins with just a smile. Therefore every religion must be in peace, any religion which cannot encourage or promote peace is not worth calling a religion. Religion binds and unites people, communities, tribes, nations and countries together. Religion never started to bring differences, wars and destruction.

There are many religions in the world; few of them I know are Christianity, Islamic, Judaism, Hinduism, Zoroastrians, Buddhism and African traditional religion. Christianity and Islamic religion are the two main religions in the world and there are often differences between this two religion in some country. Jesus Christ is the founder of Christianity and the champion of human freedom while Mohammed is the founder of Islam, which promotes peace too. The two religions are from the same origin Jewish religion or Judaism.

Many people has been mislead and wrongly thought not to preach the truth and what is morally and ethically accepted in the eyes of God and man. Many countries were at war today because of lack of religious tolerance. Sectarian violence is increasing every day, religious radicalism, fundamentalism, fascism and even terrorist attacks and threats. Some of these just started because of hatred and lack of understanding and accommodation to one another in different religions.

Religion is transmitted socially and not biologically. Religion is to promote unity, love and peace. Pope John Paul II of blessed memory was a champion of peace he reached out to all religions. Even Pope benedict XVI his successor is also preaching peace and unity to all religions especially between Christians and Moslems. His recent visit to turkey, his meeting with the orthodox patriach and the istanbul famous blue Mosque also centered on religious tolerance and freedom. Every religious adherent should therefore recognize that religion was there to help man who is a religious animal to attain eternal salvation. All religion and their adherents should preach peace, love and dialogue instead of violence. When we realize that peace is the essence of religion all we smile to one another like mother Theresa of India said abinitio, and the world will be a better place for all and God will have honor, praise and glory.