Planet Earth is on holiday.. please call again later

The powers that be tell us we should be respectful to other races and religions and beliefs.. We must not let our personal opinions infringe on others rights to practice their religious beliefs, festivals or other days of the year where work is a no-no.

Over the last year or so, we have seen an increase of religious freedom and a method of control for certain other religions.
For example, there was a news story about a hospital that had to take down its Christian cross symbol so as not to offend other religions.

Well, if TPTB want to take things so literally, then perhaps we should all practice, respect and conform to every other religions holy days.

What do I mean by this?

I mean that for most of Europe and America we celebrate Christmas. Christmas is a public holiday based upon religious grounds, as is the Easter holiday. A vast majority of people do not work on Christmas day. Many others try not to and some just have to.

Many other religious people who do not recognise Christmas are forced to endure the Christian holiday as part of the 'Western" system of 'legal days off' of the workers.

If TPTB are so concerned about ensuring everyone has freedom to practice their beliefs, then why is it that other religions do not have the same 'holiday' status as Christmas day or New Years day.. or Easter, or thanksgiving or any other public holiday like a bank holiday. Th

How many days off a year would we all have if we recognized every holy day or event such as July 4th? Thanksgiving is now being introduced more and more into the UK, so why not introduce every other holiday from every other country?

Here's a list for 2010. This is a mix of as many dates that relate to a public holiday as best I can get for now.. If you know more then please add them

1st Jan, new years day
Mary, Mother of God - Catholic Christian
Feast of St Basil - Orthodox Christian
Gantan-sai (New Years) - Shinto
2nd Jan.
3rd Jan.
Martin Luther King (USA)
5th Jan.
Twelfth Night - Christian
6th Jan.
Epiphany - Christian
Feast of the Theophany - Orthodox Christian
Nativity of Christ - Armenian Christian
Dia de los Reyes (Three Kings Day) - Hispanic Christian
7th Jan.
Nativity of Christ - Orthodox Christian
10th Jan.
Baptism of the Lord Jesus - Christian
14th Jan
Maghi - Sikh
17th Jan
World Religion Day * - Baha'i
Blessing of the Animals - Hispanic Christian
18-25th
Week of Prayer for Christian Unity - Christian
19th Jan.
Timkat - Ethiopian Orthodox Christian
20th Jan.
Vasant Panchami ** - Hindu
Inauguration day (USA)
24th Jan.
Triodion begins - Orthodox Christian
25th Jan.
Conversion of St. Paul - Christian
30 Jan - Feb. 1st
Mahayana New Year ** - Buddhist
30th Jan
Tu B'shvat * - Jewish

FEBRUARY

1st Sunday in February,
Superbowl (USA)
2nd. Feb.
Candlemas - Christian
Presentation of Christ in the Temple - Anglican Christian
Saint Brighid of Kildare - Celtic Christian
Imbolc - Lughnassad * - Wicca - northern and southern hemispheres
3rd Feb.
Setsubun Sai - Shinto
Washingtons birthday (USA)
7th Feb
Meatfare Sunday - Orthodox Christian
Four Chaplains Sunday - Interfaith
12th Feb
Maha Shivaratri ** - Hindu
14th Feb
Chinese New Year - Confucian/Daoist/Buddhist
Cheesefare Sunday - Orthodox Christian
Saint Valentine's Day - Christian
Transfiguration Sunday - Christian

15th Feb.
Nirvana Day ** - Buddhist
Great Lent - Clean Monday - Orthodox Christian

16th Feb
Shrove Tuesday - Christian

17th Feb
Ash Wednesday - Lent begins - Christian
21th Feb
Orthodox Sunday - Orthodox Christian

26th Feb
Mawlid an Nabi * ** - Islam
Intercalary Days through March 1 - Baha'i

28th Feb
Purim * - Jewish

MARCH

1st
Holi ** - Hindu
16th
Vaisaki - New Year ** - Hindu
17th
St Patrick's Day - Christian
20th Equinox
Ostara * - Wicca - Northern Hemisphere
Mabon * - Wicca - Southern Hemisphere
21st
Norouz (New Year) - Persian/Zoroastrian
Naw Ruz (New Year) * - Baha'i
Passion Sunday ** - Christian
24th
Ramanavami ** - Hindu
25th
Annunciation of the Virgin Mary - Catholic Christian
27th
Lazarus Saturday - Orthodox Christian
28th
Palm Sunday - Christian/Orthodox Christian
Khordad Sal (Birth of Prophet Zaranhushtra)** - Zoroastrian
29th
Mahavir Jayanti - Jain
30th
Lord's Evening Meal - Jehovah's Witness Christian
Hanuman Jayanti ** - Hindu
Magha Puja Day ** - Buddhist
30-31
Pesach (Passover) First two days * - Jewish

APRIL 2010

1st.
Maundy Thursday - Christian
2nd.
Good (Holy) Friday - All Christians
4th
Easter - All Christians
5-6th
Pesach (Passover) final two days * - Jewish
11th
Yom HaSho'ah * - Jewish
14th
Baisakhi - Sikh
19th
Yom Ha'Atzmaut * - Jewish
21st
First Day of Ridvan * - Baha'i
23rd
Saint George's Day - Christian
28-May 1
Theravadin New Year** - Buddhist
29th
Ninth Day of Ridvan * - Baha'i
30th
St. James the Great Day - Orthodox Christian

MAY

1st
Beltane - Samhain * - Wicca Northern and Southern hemispheres
Labour day (Philippines)
2nd
Lag B'Omer * - Jewish
Twelfth Day of Ridvan * - Baha'i
3rd
Bank holiday (UK)
6th
National Day of Prayer - Interfaith USA
13th
Ascension of Christ - Christian
19-20
Shavuot * - Jewish
23rd
Pentecost - All Christians
Declaration of the Bab - Baha'i
27th
Buddha Day - Visakha Puja ** - Buddhist
29th
Ascension of Baha'u'llah * - Baha'i
30th
Trinity Sunday - Christian
All Saints - Orthodox Christian
31st
Bank holiday (UK)
Last Monday in May, Menorial day (USA)

JUNE

3rd
Corpus Christi- Catholic Christian
9th
Saint Columba of Iona - Celtic Christian
11th
Sacred Heart of Jesus - Catholic Christian
12th
Independence day (Philippines)
19th
New Church Day - Swedenborgian Christian
21st Solstice
Litha * - Wicca Northern Hemisphere
Yule * - Wicca Southern Hemisphere
First Nations Day - Canadian Native People
29th
Feast Day of Saints Peter and Paul - Christian

JULY

4th
Independence day (USA)
9th
Martyrdom of the Bab * - Baha'i
Lailat al Miraj * - Islam
8th
Lailat al Miraj - Islam
9th
Martyrdom of the Bab - Baha'i
11th
St Benedict Day - Catholic Christian
12th
Battle of the Boyne
13-15
Ulambana (Obon) ** - Buddhist
15th
Saint Vladimir - Christian
20th
Tisha B'Av * - Jewish
24th
Pioneer Day - Mormon Christian
26th
Lailat al Bara'ah - Islam
Asalha Puja Day ** - Buddhist

AUGUST

1st
Lammas - Christian
Lughnassad (Lammas) - Wicca/Neo Pagan
Fast in honor of Holy Mother of Lord Jesus - Orthodox Christian
6th
Transfiguration of the Lord - Orthodox Christian
11th
Ramadan begins * ** - Islam
15th
Assumption of Blessed Virgin Mary - Catholic Christian
Dormition of the Theotokos - Orthodox Christian
24th
Raksha Bandhan ** - Hindu
29th
Beheading of John the Baptist - Christian
30th
Bank holiday (UK)
National heroes day (Philippines)


[edit on 5-9-2009 by Extralien]

SEPTEMBER

1st
Ecclesiastical Year begins - Orthodox Christian
First Monday September, Labour day (USA)

2nd
Krishna Janmashtami ** - Hindu
6th
Laylat al Kadr * ** - Islam
8th
Nativity of Mary - Christian
9-10
Rosh Hashanah * - Jewish
10th
Eid al Fitr * ** - Islam
11th
Ganesa Chaturthi ** - Hindu
12th
Paryushana - Jain
14th
Elevation of the Life Giving Cross - Holy Cross Day - Christian
18th
Yom Kippur * - Jewish
23-29 (23-24 Primary Obligation Days)
Sukkot * - Jewish
23 Equinox
Mabon * - Wicca Northern Hemisphere
Ostara * - Wicca Southern Hemisphere
29th
Michael and All Angels - Christian
30th
Shemini Atzeret * - Jewish


OCTOBER

1st
Simchat Torah * - Jewish
2nd Monday in October, Columbus day (USA)
4th
St Francis Day - Catholic Chrisian
8-16
Navaratri ** - Hindu
11th
Thanksgiving - Interfaith - Canada
17th
Dasera ** - Hindu
20th
Birth of the B'ab * - Baha'i
28th
Milvian Bridge Day - Christian
31st
All Hallows Eve - Christian
Reformation Day ** - Protestant Christian

NOVEMBER

1st
All Saints' Day - Christian
Samhain - Beltane * - Wicca Northern and Southern hemispheres
2nd
All Souls' Day - Catholic Christian
5th
Diwali - Hindu, Jain, Sikh
11th
Veterans day (USA)
12th
Birth of Baha'u'llah * - Baha'i
15th
Waqf al Arafa - Hajj * ** - Islam
Nativity Fast through December 24 - Orthodox Christian
16th
Eid al Adha * ** - Islam
4th Thursday in November, Thanksgiving (USA)

21st
Christ the King - Christian
Guru Nanak birthday - Sikh
25th
Thanksgiving - Interfaith - USA
26th
Day of Covenant - Baha'i
28th
First Sunday of Advent - Christian
30th
Saint Andrew's Day - Christian


DECEMBER

2-9
Hanukkah * - Jewish
6th
Saint Nicholas Day - Christian
7th
Hijra - New Year * ** - Islam
8th
Bodhi Day (Rohatsu) ** - Buddhism
Immaculate Conception of Mary - Catholic Christian
12th
Feast day - Our Lady of Guadalupe - Catholic Christian
16th
Ashura * ** - Islam
Posadas Navidenas through December 25 - Hispanic Christian
21st Solstice
Zarathosht Diso (Death of Prophet Zarathushtra - Zoroastrian
Yule * - Wicca Northern hemisphere
Litha* - Wicca Southern hemisphere
Yule - Christian
25th
Christmas * - Christian
26th
Feast of the Holy Family - Catholic Christian
Death of Prophet Zarathushtra ** - Zoroastria
Boxing day
28th
Holy Innocents - Christian
31st
Watch Night - Christian

Informative links
UK bank holidays
www.interfaithcalendar.org...
en.wikipedia.org...

So far, that is 139 possible days off of work to follow religious, cultural and other holidays that are observed by many as part of their way of life.
This does not include the 21 day average that the UK is allowed to take oof work for personal holidays. So we can add those too

If we all followed everyone else in honouring and respecting every single day given that nees you to be away from work, could the system collapse?
Would TPTB be in the wrong not allow all recognised events to not be a legal day off work?

This is one of the problems of immigration and migration, you give an inch and they take a mile.

reply to post by butch_uk


I'm not too sure what you're trying to say.

My point here is that we all want the freedom we ask for to do as we please as long as it does not hurt anyone else. The freedom to be able to partake in the festivals of others, to learn from their cultures and such things.

Our countries are now so intermingled with different beliefs (not just races) that many cultural or religious events are not legally recognised as some of the more 'dated' ones are for any given area.

The issue being that TPTB do not want us to share with other cultures festivals as it would destabilise the economy.

Everyone could be on holiday every day of the year. Due to the way TPTB control what we can and can't do, having more legal holidays are not allowed which is discriminatory in effect.

TPTB tell us it is illegal to stop someone practicing their beliefs, illegal to deny religious practice... Yet TPTB wont extend other religious holidays into the legally 'allowed' holidays during a working year...

As i have said, Christmas is allowed as a legal holiday, but many other events are not... but they should be.

reply to post by Extralien


I am somewhat surprised I didn't see Muslim religious holidays on your list. I don't know "official" holidays, except what can be Googled. There are 8-11 (Depending on the year?) official holidays in a calendar year, and practicing Muslims that are very strict with their religion have church holidays, as well. Counting both official and church holidays, they total somewhere around 27 or so holidays a year.

I work with quite a few Muslims, and they are given these days off, but have to reschedule on their typical off days to compensate, except for the official 8-11 holidays.

Indian employees are also given 30 days of continuous vacation per year, to take all at once, so they can fly home for the month since the tickets are so expensive. Most of the Indian employees do go home every year. Most of the Indian people I work with are Christian, so they share the majority holidays in the US.

Muslim Holidays 2009 (changes every year, I guess)

Wednesday 7 January-Ashura
Monday 9 March-Milad un Nabi (Birthday of the Prophet Muhammad)
Saturday 14 March-Milad un Nabi (Shia)
Saturday 22 August-Ramadan (start)
Monday 21 September-Eid-Ul-Fitr
Saturday 28 November-Eid-Ul-Adha
Friday 18 December-Al-Hijira
Sunday 27 December-Ashura

reply to post by Libertygal


Thank you for adding to the list..
And helping to strengthen the point.

Many others are 'allowed' to have the extra time off or swap it for other days that they would normally have off work..

It is these days that are not made legal holidays.. they should be made legal. . people should not have to sacrifice their allotted holidays for something that many others are legally allowed to have due to their culture and countries religious belief system .

reply to post by Extralien


While I understand your point, please do understand Muslims get their official Holidays *plus* our official holidays. The only difference really is, their holidays they get to not really BE there. So, for all 8-11 of those holidays, they are abesnt, and do not have to make up for those days. Only the remainder of their "my church is having a special ceremony" days are the ones they have to reschedule.

For US holidays, however, we do have to work. It is only because of the type institution where I work, it is open 24/7, 365 days a year. But, nonetheless, I still have to work Christmas, Thanksgiving, Memorial Day, Labor Day, Martin Lither King's Birthday, no matter.

We have a rotating holiday schedule, and have set holidays we have to work, and it is every other year you work the opposite holiday. So if I work Christmas this year, I am off Thanksgiving. I am off Christmas the next year, but I have to work Thanksgiving that year. Muslims are included in this holiday rotation. Only two holidays are "official" where I work, meaning we get time and half for working them, is Christmas and Thanksgiving. We do rotate all official holidays though.

My work is very fair, I love my workplace. If you have a religously based holiday, they give it, no questions asked. It keeps people from claiming to be every religion, I guess.

But, if you are Muslim, it sure doesn't make sense that you would demand Christmas or some Jewish holiday too.

You have put so much delightful energy into this thread, I for one would like to hear more about your views on the Celebration of Humanity.

Interesting how even the darkest of societies and cultures celebrate holidays and special occassions, I suppose that to celebrate reguardless of what that may be is a doorway to the celebration of life as a whole.

reply to post by antar


Well, imagine what you could learn about other cultures and our own Human history if we celebrated other festivals as well as the ones we are 'legally' allowed to celebrate.

Imagine a planet with no borders and if money was no issue.. you could travel the globe and have a festival of life every single day for the rest of your life.

Life should be celebrated.

Being 'told' what to celebrate and when is a form of control.
If I chose to follow a certain religion, I have the legal right to celebrate any and all holidays of that belief system, but these dates may not coincide with the legal 'norm' for any one given society...

But it should be made a legal holiday for anyone to participate in.

Look at how many Christian businesses close for the Christams holidays. Just how many others suffer from this upset to their daily routine. It is this upset that other belief systems are not allowed to have their holidays introduced into the calender as a legal holiday for everyone.

If you choose to work on a holiday then that is your choice

But you know what they say.. "all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy.."

Now hang on a minute, I don't know what you're getting at, firstly (I'm sorry to ask this by the way) what is TPTB?
And I don't know if what I am about to say has been said, because I haven't read everything, but if you are in a, say, country that is on the most part Christian, and you have moved there and are, say, Muslim, you should conform to the country that you have moved to's culture, right? Because, say, Muslim countries don't exactly show any sympathy to Christians that go out there and don't go along with their ways of life.

I have no idea if what I just said has anything to do with this thread at all, but I think countries should not bend over for outsiders and their cultures/ways of living. I mean, I'm not religious, I couldn't care less about how people live as long as it isn't at the extent of other people; but I do not believe all religions should be practised/followed by everyone because that is not right.

Extralien you seem like an intelligent, self disciplined, nice individual, and your thread is one of the most detailed I have seen; but I hope you haven't been confused by my post if it has no bearing on the topic.

Ramadwarf on cultures

Originally posted by Ramadwarf Philes
what is TPTB?

TPTB is an abreviation for the term "The Powers That Be"... In other words, the government or any other body of power.

if you are in a, say, country that is on the most part Christian, and you have moved there and are, say, Muslim, you should conform to the country that you have moved to's culture, right? Because, say, Muslim countries don't exactly show any sympathy to Christians that go out there and don't go along with their ways of life.

You should not have to conform to anyone elses way of living or follow their belief strucrture.. That is the beauty of freedom.. to do as you please as long as it does not affect, hurt or damage any other. A Muslim in a Christian country is prevented from doing normal trade (for example) on Christmas day due to the legal holiday given. This affects the Mulsims way of life therefore upsetting the normal run of things. It should be recognised that the Muslims holy days are also recognised and made a legal holiday. It is discrimination that these Muslin holy days are not given the same level of 'legal holiday' status as the Christian holiday. Same goes for any other religious belief.

The current way of things means that if you are a Muslim and want to celebrate your holy days, you have to take them by using your legally allowed holiday entitlement from your employer. Christians do not have to as they have been given their holy days as a legal holiday.

This is supposed to be a multi cultural society that we, here in the UK, live in, yet it is not given the same balance and respect owed to many of these cultures and beliefs.

I think countries should not bend over for outsiders and their cultures/ways of living. I do not believe all religions should be practised/followed by everyone because that is not right.

You might have chosen to follow another religion..you might have been born in a foreign country but followed your parents religious beliefs.. Calling someone an outsider is discrimination and may also possibly be classed as racism. Countries and individuals cannot do or say these things.

This is not about being made to follow other religions..this is about countries coming to terms with the fact that they are discriminating against other religions by not making their holy days legal holidays as the countries do with their own 'majority rule' legal holidays

Extralien you seem like an intelligent, self disciplined, nice individual, and your thread is one of the most detailed I have seen; but I hope you haven't been confused by my post if it has no bearing on the topic.

Ramadwarf on cultures

No, I have not been confused by your post.. thank you for posting. I hope I have answered your questions in a way that you can understand what i am trying to say here.

and lets not forget OP

That we are not supposed to work on gods day of rest and depending on your religion that would be every wednesday,thursday,saturday and sunday

I like this idea we would only have to work half the year,the ? is, How are you supposed to support your family with that many days off?(unless they are payed)