YOURSAY | 'The intent was good, but someone made a mistake of not checking.'

Faux pas in PAS-led Kelantan heralds Christmas

Vijay47: First of all, I am not offended by the "Mary Christmas" bunting by the Malaysia Airports Holdings Bhd (MAHB), and I do not suspect it to be part of an anti-Christian conspiracy by people like PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang, academic Ridhuan Tee Abdullah, muftis, barbers and laundrette-operators. 

On the contrary, looking at the glass half full, I find the greeting an extremely profound one, a celebration of a most relevant element in the birth of Christ. 

If not Mary, who else played such a blessed role in the holy event? So, to all ye men of goodwill, 'Elizabeth Christmas'!

Anonymous: Vijay47, why always an apologist? Wrong is wrong, mistakes are mistakes. They deserve the present idiotic state because of decades of arrogant, supremacist debauchery. Enjoy it, and let it deteriorate further.

Most of the country’s talents have emigrated. I call it retribution.

Anonymous: The intent was good, but someone down the line made a mistake of not checking. MAHB has since withdrawn the banner, taken responsibility and apologised.

In the spirit of Christmas cheer, was it really necessary to write one whole article about it? Just a humble and sincere opinion.

JD Lovrenciear: It is not a case of “sorry, it was a mistake”. The bottom line that underscores this is irresponsibility.

Someone on the payroll did not discharge his or her duty to ensure the content was correct. Otherwise, the only conclusion is we have people in high positions who are not qualified.

Stop finding some scapegoat by pinning it on a low-ranking staffer. By the same token, if a non-Muslim did a Muslim festive banner with similar mistakes, what would have been the outcome?

Not Convinced: Indeed, if some non-Muslim did a Ramadan festive banner with similar mistakes, a police report would have been lodged.

Remember The Star earlier this year? They were asked to show cause by the Home Ministry over the daily's front page which featured a picture of Muslims praying (to mark the first day of Ramadan), which unwittingly was under a headline on a separate story on terrorism.

Headhunter: Now you know why they are against efforts to improve the standard of English. Because they themselves are uneducated in the language and don't want anyone to be better than themselves.

While our neighbours are taking a big leap forward to improve their English standards, we are doing just the opposite, because little Napoleons are afraid that others will outshine them.

Pope Francis says faith demands respect of immigrants

6th Generation Immigrant: The Pope is right; migrants must be accorded assistance. Humanity demands that, irrespective of our religious commitments.

However, the Pope should not stop there. He (and all bodies) must act on the root cause of the migrants' problems, just as the Pope had done so in justifying Mary and Joseph's required temporary migration to Bethlehem.

Migrants today worldwide are almost homogenously of a religion from their respective countries, races and ethnicities, all apparently unable to cope with their own homelands' administrations, again homogenously of a specific type.

What's even more frightening is that these migrants still believe and subscribe to the customs of that religion, despite all the hardship they are forced to face. The cycle of migrating will, therefore, continue into the future.

Tackling misinterpretations of the religion is what the Pope and the world need to do to remove the world's migrant problem. It's not the migrants, but the religious zealots that cause migrants to exist.

The best Christmas present I could ask for

Vijay47: Wow, a Muslim family having their own unique Christmas celebration. Now, that is something we don't usually run into very often in Malaysia. 

You are so right, Fa Abdul. A Christmas tree or a Christmas dinner does not make you any less a Muslim or Hindu or Buddhist, just like enjoying satay and ketupat do not make me any less a Christian. 

I can imagine how tough and annoying it must be for you, listening to all the do-gooders who would want to steer you back to the right path, but way to go, girl.

Anonymous: Well said, Fa. I am a Hindu, and we also have a Christmas tree and exchange presents. To all of us, “Mary Christmas and Happy New Years.”

Wg321: India’s preacher Zakir Naik would be very angry. He said it is a sin for a Muslim to wish a Christian "Merry Christmas". You can find this all over YouTube.

Anonymous: All over the world in many countries, having a Christmas tree at home is very normal.

The religious supremacist bullies here have nothing to show for their high salaries, so they do things like ban Christmas greetings and celebrations.

Vgeorgemy: Fortunately, we are living in a world where a Muslim country proudly has mosques in St Mary’s name.

Yours and My Malaysia: Christmas gift suggestions: To your enemy, forgiveness. To an opponent, tolerance. To a friend, your heart. To a customer, service. To every child, a good example.

To yourself, respect.

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