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Sultan of Brunei bans Christmas 'because it could damage faith of Muslims'

As for topic, this whole "i'm insulted by your religious holiday" thing has gone past any common sense as of late.

Cornell university guidelines for Christmas celebrations:

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https://sp.ehs.cornell.edu/fps/fire...afety_Guidelines_for_Holidays_Decorations.pdf
 
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Sultan of Brunei bans Christmas 'because it could damage faith of Muslims'
Tiny conservative nation on Borneo warns citizens that putting up festive decorations or singing carols could threaten the country's Muslim faith
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Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah Photo: EPA

By Barney Henderson
4:07PM GMT 22 Dec 2015

Brunei has banned public celebrations of Christmas, warning that putting up festive decorations or singing carols could threaten the country's Muslim faith.

The conservative Islamic country on the island of Borneo allows non-Muslims to celebrate Christmas, but only within their communities, and they must first alert the authorities.

At least 65 per cent of the 420,000-strong population of the oil-rich state are Muslims.

The Ministry of Religious Affairs said in a statement: "These enforcement measures are ... intended to control the act of celebrating Christmas excessively and openly, which could damage the aqidah (beliefs) of the Muslim community."

In a warning to Muslims earlier this month, a group of Imams warned that any celebration "not in any way related to Islam” could lead to "‘tasyabbuh’ (imitation) and unknowingly damage the ‘aqidah’ (faith) of Muslims".


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Brunei's Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah holds the arm of his son Prince Abdul Malik to bless Malik's new wife Photo: Olivia Harris/Reuters


“During Christmas celebrations, Muslims following that religion’s acts – such as using their religious symbols like cross, lighting candles, making Christmas trees and singing religious songs, sending Christmas greetings, using signs praising the religion, putting up decorations or creating sounds and doing anything that amounts to respecting their religion – are against Islamic faith,” the Imams said, according to the Borneo Bulletin.

“Some may think that it is a frivolous matter and should not be brought up as an issue. But as Muslims and as a Zikir Nation, we must keep it (following other religions’ celebrations) away as it could affect our Islamic faith.”

Some Brunei residents rejected the ban, by posting Christmas pictures on social media using the #MyTreedom hashtag.


Brunei, a former British protectorate, is run as an absolutist Muslim monarchy by the Sultan, Hassanal Bolkiah, 67.

Political discontent is limited thanks to a high standard of living and free education and health care, although members of the royal family have been criticised for their extravagant lifestyles.

Michael Jackson, the late pop singer, was reportedly paid more than £10 million to give a concert in Brunei in 1996 to mark the sultan’s 50th birthday.

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(L-R) Hassanal Bolkiah, the Sultan of Brunei, his son Prince Abdul Malik, new wife Dayangku Raabi'atul 'Adawiyyah Pengiran Haji Bolkiah and Queen Saleha during the wedding ceremony in the Nurul Iman Royal Palace in Banda Seri Begawan, Brunei Photo: EPA

Last year, the sultan caused controversy by introducing Sharia criminal law, which allows for punishments including stoning, whipping and amputation.

This policy triggered a boycott of the hotel chain owned by the Sultan of Brunei’s sovereign wealth investment agency by a group of celebrities, fashion designers and other famous names.

Backed by the likes of Stephen Fry, Stella McCartney and Sir Richard Branson, the rich, famous and chic were urged not to book into any of the Dorchester Collection venues, including the Dorchester in London, Le Meurice in Paris, the Beverly Hills Hotel in LA and Il Principe in Milan.
what an arse
wish Saudis "baptise" his country so that Uncle Sam can bring democracy there.

EDIT: Correction on the lack of civilian lives status. The country is the equivalent of Saudi Arabia with more modern laws.
it has to catch up with Malaysia though which has declared Shias as Kafir.
wonder what kind of debates happen on their forum? they be saying Shias are kafir according to our constitution
hmm reminds me of a country and a community which was founded in 47 and the community was still Muslim
 
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Ya. I assume for all spaces/buildings under administration of Cornell.
Theoretically the presence of religious decorations on a university/government employee's person/desk space shouldn't be a problem, but some might argue that you get into issues of whether religious decorations on the desk of an 'academic adviser' might offend students from another faith etc.

On the other hand, how is a prominently displayed cross on a necklace, Hijab, Jewish Kippah or Muslim prayer cap by university/government employees any different in terms of the 'perceived impact' on those engaging with them?

I do agree with the guidelines if they are consistently applied to all religions and specifically apply to decorations organized/arranged by departments or displayed in locations beyond an employee's personal desk/office.
 
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it has to catch up with Malaysia though which has declared Shias as Kafir.
wonder what kind of debates happen on their forum? they be saying Shias are kafir according to our constitution
hmm reminds me of a country and a community which was founded in 47 and the community was still Muslim

Malaysia's internal demons have already swallowed up a B777, and more is to come.
 
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why Muslim people changes the view on freedom as soon as any Muslim dictator is involved. If this would happened to eid in western countries with very less Muslims, you will demand to teach lessons to the western societies about freedom of religion.Even if there is not a single christian in country the festival celeb should not be banned.I think muslims faith is weakest faith which can be damaged by celebrating Christmas.

Its hilarious when you guys talk about freedom, you lynch people for eating beef.:lol:
 
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what an arse
wish Saudis "baptise" his country so that Uncle Sam can bring democracy there.


it has to catch up with Malaysia though which has declared Shias as Kafir.
wonder what kind of debates happen on their forum? they be saying Shias are kafir according to our constitution
hmm reminds me of a country and a community which was founded in 47 and the community was still Muslim
you would love to see their christening, would'nt you?
both brunei and malaysia need to follow examples from indoneasia. malaysia has just called e-cigs haram
E-cigarettes are 'haram' for Muslims declares Malaysia's National Fatwa Council | Daily Mail Online
 
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Theoretically the presence of religious decorations on a university/government employee's person/desk space shouldn't be a problem, but some might argue that you get into issues of whether religious decorations on the desk of an 'academic adviser' might offend students from another faith etc.

On the other hand, how is a prominently displayed cross on a necklace, Hijab, Jewish Kippah or Muslim prayer cap by university/government employees any different in terms of the 'perceived impact' on those engaging with them?

I do agree with the guidelines if they are consistently applied to all religions and specifically apply to decorations organized/arranged by departments or displayed in locations beyond an employee's personal desk/office.

Might as well abolish any celebrations if people aren't supposed to know how these celebrations came to be.

I suspect some nefarious scheme is behind it (not only at Cornell, speaking of general conditions here), like, make Christmas a holiday for all, by removing it's Christian origin, as if that was to remain it would perhaps prevent all the diverse masses from celebrating what is, in effect a primarily shopper's frenzy holiday.

It's valentine's day all over again.
 
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Mind you these are not revelations, Siddartha Gautama or lord Buddha spoke about the universe in detail from nebular's to galaxies and even the big bang theory.. Buddhism also theorizes quantum physics

You can refer to this by simple search of the said subjects if you actually wish to

And all this was near a millennium before Islam was founded by Prophet Mohammed and the writing of the Koran


As I learn Sufism, I know many Truth about Siddarta Gautama. He finds " a Nirvana" on Earth by spiritual practice. If you learn Sufism you will see similar things as well being talk there. For me, and many Sufism students, we are not like Salafist people or majority of Muslim who see Nirvana (heaven) as something physical, for us, Nirvana can be something beyond that, spirit world. Or there are two kind of Nirvana (heavens) physical and spirit world. Yup, Sufi believe we can achieve that even in here. Even there is a verse saying that in Quran, but seems many Muslim dont notice that verse.

In Islam, we acknowledge that God send not only Abraham/Ibrahim descent as prophet, so I believe that Sidharta is likely a True Prophet for Eastern World as well, but some how the lesson is spoiled that make it not pure anymore Today. Sory mate, it is derived from Islamic perspective.

To make it clear. Talking about my Islam, it is a combination of Sufism and Wahhabism, which ones that makes sense I grab, and the one that I see not really that right I throw.
 
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Might as well abolish any celebrations if people aren't supposed to know how these celebrations came to be.
I don't think religious celebrations are being abolished ... this is the government/government institutions trying to tread a fine line where they are not perceived as supporting a particular religion over another.

People are still free to put up religious decorations on their private property and on their immediate person, correct?
 
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What a hypocrite.

Pervert Muslim King Bans Christmas in His Kingdom–Threatens Christians with Prison

Pervert Muslim King Bans Christmas in Brunei


Breitbart News21 Dec 2015 1,795

21 Dec, 2015 21 Dec, 2015


The Sultan of Brunei has banned public Christmas celebrations–even though he and his brother are far from devout practitioners of their nation’s strict Sharia law.

From the Daily Mail:

The super-rich ruler of Brunei has told residents of his country that if they plan on celebrating Christmas, they could face up to five years in jail.

In fear the the religious holiday will affect the faith of its country, the tiny oil-rich nation’s Sultan, Hassanal Bolkiah, has banned the public celebration of Christmas.

Any Muslims caught celebrating Christmas, and non-Muslims who are discovered organising celebrations, could face the lengthy prison sentence.

While non-Muslims are allowed to celebrate the holiday within their own communities, they must not disclose their plans to the nation’s Muslims – which make up 65 per cent of the 420,000-strong population.

The Sultan owns the Dorchester Collection of hotels.

The chain’s two American hotels are the Beverly Hills Hotel and the Hotel Bel Air.

In the spring of 2014, after the move to sharia law, celebrities like Ellen DeGeneres led the charge for massive boycotts at the properties.

Read the rest of the story here and further reporting from Breitbart London here.

According to a 2014 60 Minutes report, the Sultan and his brother are clear hypocrites, freely indulging their own sexual mores.

From MalaysianDigest.com:

60 Minutes’ Alison Langdon travelled through the small Asian nation undercover to see how the strict regime was affecting citizens and spoke to a woman who was once part of the Sultan’s harem revealing the hypocrisy of the current state of affairs.

“We’ve been trying for six months to get access and permission to visit Brunei to speak to the Sultan and that was denied, so in the end we decided to go in as tourists,” Langdon told news.com.au ahead of the program.

What they found, she explained, was a beautiful but repressed country where its citizens never criticise the royal family – mainly because it’s a crime – and seem to be unaware of the Sultan and his playboy brother, Prince Jefri’s debauchery.

Both brothers have a reputation for indulging in beautiful women.

Vanity Fair dubbed them the “constant companions in hedonism” in 2011 for their lavish lifestyles and penchant for collecting women like children collect toys.

And Prince Jefri is on the outer, accused of siphoning $19.2 billion (AUS) from the country’s coffers.

According to Jillian Lauren, the American woman who spoke to 60 Minutes about her year in Prince Jefri and the Sultan’s harem, the pair indulged a lot – and they didn’t care how old the girls were.

“She (Lauren) was in the harem when she was 18 and when she was there there were between 30 to 40 other girls, some as young as 15,” Ms Langdon said. “She spent a year there. She received hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of gifts, jewerlly and clothing. She was very well looked after but that’s because she caught the eye of the Sultan’s younger brother Prince Jefri.

“She was his play thing. They had sex hundreds of times and then Prince Jefri gave her as a gift to the Sultan and she goes into great detail (about) the sexual activity she got up to with the sultan.”

That says it all. One rule for them and another set of rules for someone else. His brother has a ship called "Tit$" I kid you not, and the two smaller ships attached to it are called nipple 1 and nipple 2. As for the "Sultan" they sit in billions yet how much have they donated to help their brothers and sisters in Syria?
 
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That says it all. One rule for them and another set of rules for someone else. His brother has a ship called "Tit$" I kid you not, and the two smaller ships attached to it are called nipple 1 and nipple 2. As for the "Sultan" they sit in billions yet how much have they donated to help their brothers and sisters in Syria?

I hope he is reminded of his own humanity. Even the late King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia was buried in an unmarked grave....
 
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I hope he is reminded of his own humanity. Even the late King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia was buried in an unmarked grave....

They sit on toilets of gold bro, yet the Prophets(as) were men of simple cloth. I can't believe they have the audacity to preach faith. Serious, judge a man by his actions. I can go on. The collective people of the Abrahamic faiths can see through this charade.
 
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They sit on toilets of gold bro, yet the Prophets(as) were men of simple cloth. I can't believe they have the audacity to preach faith. Serious, judge a man by his actions. I can go on. The collective people of the Abrahamic faiths can see through this charade.

Its the same for many 'Christian' rulers who appear outwardly religious or proponents of the faith, but lead double lives and contrary to what is taught in the faith.

Holy Q'uran reminds us in Sura 56, Waaia:

43. And in the shades of Black Smoke:

44. Nothing (will there be) to refresh, nor to please:

45. For that they were wont to be indulged, before that, in wealth (and luxury),

46. And persisted obstinately in wickedness supreme!
 
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