There are still a number of countries in this
world where Christians are forbidden from
celebrating the day associated with the
birth of Jesus. Check them out below:
1. England
Cromwell
Oliver Cromwell overthrew the monarchy
and oversaw the execution of King Charles I
during the English Civil War, but for many
the fiery Puritan leader is better known for
banning mince pies.
Christmas and the celebration of saints'
days was discouraged – if not prohibited –
in England between 1647 and 1660 as the
country was ruled by a puritanical
movement that considered the feast day
'giving liberty to carnal and sensual
delights'.
They mandated that shops had to remain
open and cracked down on celebrations,
leading to violent clashes on the streets of
London and other cities. Life returned to
normal after Cromwell's death in 1658 and
the Restoration two years later.
2. Brunei
Brunei banned public celebrations of
Christmas and imposed fines and jail terms
for those caught celebrating the festival in
2014, an edict that was reiterated in 2015
by religious leaders writing in local
newspaper, the Brunei Times.
"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," they said.
It specifically banned the wearing of
Christmas costumes such as Santa hats, the
lighting of candles, the signing of religious
songs and putting up decorations such as
Christmas trees. The Sultan of Brunei, a
billionaire who owns hotels across the
world, introduced a strict interpretation of
Sharia law on the territory last two years.
3. Tajikistan
The reclusive former Soviet republic
country's education ministry issued a
decree in December outlawing Christmas
trees, the exchange of presents, fireworks
and festive meals.
Sky News reported that while the
restrictions in 2015 are the strongest yet,
anti-Christmas regulations have been
getting increasingly restrictive over the last
few years in the Muslim-majority country.
In 2014, the Tajik government banned
Father Christmas and three years earlier a
man dressed as Santa was stabbed to death
in the capital on New Year's Eve. Tajikistan
also bans Halloween and in 2013 and 2014
police rounded up revellers dressed as
zombies and vampires.
4. Saudi Arabia
Little surprise that Saudi Arabia, a theocracy
governed by the strict Wahhabi doctrine of
Islam, is not a big fan of Christmas.
In the past, expatriates had quietly
celebrated in the comfort of their own
homes (and will likely continue to) but
rumours of illicit Christmas parties
prompted state media in January to
reiterate that celebrating the festival was
not allowed in the kingdom.
It went further by forbidding Muslims from
greeting non-Muslims at Christmas, with a
Saudi scholar saying:
"If they celebrate the birth of God's son and
you greet them... it means you endorse
their faith."
In 2015, it emerged that some expatriates
in Saudi Arabia were going further, tweeting
pictures of their Christmas trees and
children dressed for the occasion.
5. North Korea
Back in 2013 North and South Korea almost
went to war after the latter erected a giant
Christmas tree at the border of the two
countries.
North Korean state media said that the
huge Christmas tree – which was lit up in a
town close to the border and clearly visible
from the North – was an act of
psychological warfare.
North Korea does not officially ban
Christianity but is ranked among the most
hostile countries in the world towards
Christians.
To complicate matters, December 24th –
Christmas Eve – is celebrated in North
Korea as the birthday of the Sacred Mother
of the Revolution, Kim Jong Il's mum.
6. Albania
Albania not only banned Christmas but
religion as a whole in 1967, making the
country the first and only constitutionally
atheist state.
The ban on any and all religious worship
was only lifted after the fall of the
Communist regime in 1990, when both
Christians and Muslims were able to
practice for the first time.
During the Communist years many priests
and religious leaders were rounded up and
jailed, but the pious celebrated Christmas
and Easter nonetheless in private. They
would have cake or chicken at meal times
as a way of marking the days.
7. USA
Puritans, up to their usual tricks, attempted
to ban Christmas when they arrived in the
New World in 1620. They branded the
festival 'Foolstide' and decreed that the only
religious day that should be celebrated was
the Sabbath.
The Puritans managed to keep the ban
going until the middle of the 18th century,
at one point even arresting the Sir Edmund
Andros, the Governor of Massachusetts,
when he tried to sponsor a Christmas
service.
8 CUBA
Fidel Castro announced the Cuban
government as atheist as soon as it took
power in 1959 but it wasn't until 1969 that
the Communist leader actually banned
Christmas, as he wanted the population to
stop partying and start working on the
sugar harvest.
It was Pope John Paul II who eventually
persuaded the now late Cuban leader to lift
his ban during a visit in 1998, when Castro
agreed to make the day a national holiday.
9. Somalia
Somalia banned Christmas in 2013 when a
directive from the Ministry of Justice and
Religious Affairs stated that no Christian
festivals could be held in Somalia.
Sheikh Ali Dhere, the country's director of
religious matters, called a press conference
a week before Christmas to make the
announcement.
"We alert fellow Muslims in Somalia that
some festivities to mark Christian days will
take place around the world in this week. It
is prohibited to celebrate those days in this
country," he said.
It was the first time that the Somali
government had banned Christmas since
the country's government collapsed in
1991. In 2015, the government in
Mogadishu went further, banning New
Year's Eve celebrations and ordering the
police and army to disperse any
celebrations it found.
10. China
Christmas and Christianity as a whole were
banned in China after 1949 but you would
not know that if you were to visit during the
festive season today.
China goes mad for Christmas, and it is not
just Chinese Christians that get in on the
act – while Christmas is not a national
holiday it is a widely celebrated festival day,
akin to New Year, with fireworks and fancy
dress in abundance.
While Santa Claus costumes and hats are a
common sight on the streets of Shanghai or
Beijing during Christmas, other costumes
are less traditional – devil horns, for
example, are sold widely to mark the day.
Couples also like to treat Christmas as akin
to Valentine's Day, exchanging gifts and
going out for romantic meals.
Local media reported in 2012 that, like in
the West, the Chinese use Christmas an
opportunity to hit the shops, with Christmas
Eve the biggest shopping night of the year
for some retailers.
Source - IBTimes UK

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Fool countries

mhm

You can't expect islam go celebrate christmas!!

most of erm still celebrate like usa and china