2 q's

1) From what I understand, it is perfectly ok to donate organs.

2) There is a difference between celebrating Christmas and having one in your home if your roommates celebrate.

Just my personal opinion.

I understood that you can donate organs if you ask for the rest of your body to be buried according to Baha'i law

Christmas

There is a leaflet on the Warwick Baha'i site - they produce leaflets for the Uk community
http://www.netcomuk.co.uk/~vickers/warwick_bookshop/pages/christmas.html

Just adding on to what others have said: it's okay to join others in celebration, but Bahá'ís aren't supposed to celebrate the holidays of other religions between eachother. Did that make any sense?

Hi Caitlin,

1) 984. Organ Donor for Parts of the Body Including the Eyes

"In reply to your letter of October 1st inquiring about organ transplants
and Baha'is acting as donors for parts of the body we refer you first of
all to our letter of March 3rd 1967 in which we quoted to you a passage
from one of the beloved Guardian's letter on this subject.

"We are also able to give you the following from a letter of the beloved
Guardian by his secretary: "There is nothing in the teachings which would
forbid a Baha'i to bequeath his eyes to another person or for a hospital;
on the contrary it seems a noble thing to do." This passage is from a
letter dated September 6th 1946.

"The House of Justice does not wish at the present time to go beyond the
elucidation contained in the above statements."

(From letter of the Universal House of Justice to the National Spiritual Assembly of the British Isles, October 16, 1969)

2) Like others have said, I think the tree is cool. If your roommates were all Baha'is, then it might be a little weird, but as it is I wouldn't worry about it. There will be a tree in my house, too. :)

The quote you're thinking of can be found here, though:

http://www.livejournal.com/community/ljbahai/343933.html

Well...is Christmas REALLY a religious holiday anymore? It is for many people, but it doesn't HAVE to be for others...I consider it an American holiday moreso than a Christian one. I know plenty of people who aren't Christian/don't have a religion that celebrate Christmas. It's not like Jesus was actually born on December 25th anyway.

Like others have said, yes, organ donation (or even leaving ones body to science) is fine by the Faith, though certainly one should seek to insure that the rest of the body (and the donated part after its use) be treated according to Bahá'í guidelines of respect (i.e. no cremation or embalming, etc.).

As concerns the Christmas tree, I know the quote you're (most likely) referring to:

"Verily, the people who rejoice in the day of the feast and enjoyed the tree [1] (which) was decorated, following the custom of ancient times, are the people of superstitions. By the Majesty of thy Lord! Were they in the time of Christ, they would turn their backs and would not behold His smiling, glorious face; but today they in the shallow waters of their superstitions without discretion."

[1 Christmas tree.]

(Abdu'l-Bahá, Tablets of Abdu'l-Bahá v2)

I think it's important to note that the quote doesn't seem to imply that it is the tree, the feast, or the following of ancient customs that make the concerned people a "people of superstitions". Many Persian believers, both in Iran and elsewhere, continue to set out the Haft Seen at Naw-Rúz, so the use of old traditions isn't proscribed. Shoot, old traditions are a huge part of what give our diverse cultures their richness. I say embrace the love of the shiny tree! If nothing else, it'll smell good (unless it's plastic, which is, of course, an abomination unto God)!

sorry, but i dont see christmas as a religious holiday..
to me its more about the giving (and occasionally recieving) gifts..
the green colourful tree serves as decoration for a cold, rainy december..
and the cards might as well just be well wishers.

the point is, christmas is worldwide and doesnt have to be a religious holiday.

its all about how you percieve it, which is what you will be judged upon.

Yay for Christmas

hmm interesting way to see Christmas... I just think we need to be careful because we're celebrating the birth of Christ (hence the name "Christmas") and it is hidden behind commercialism and that green tree. I was watching the news the other day and they were asking people why we have Christmas and a lot of people left out Christ and God and most talked about Santa... a few even said we were celebrating Santa's birthday... So, I have no problem with what Christmas is, it's the way that Christmas is celebrated that leads me to feel uneasy about it.

Re: Yay for Christmas

aww.. ease up, its the most enjoyable holiday of the year, not blasphemy!

=)