Can a Muslim attend Midnight Mass?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Everyone is welcome to Mass. As the PP said, don't take communion (not because you're Muslim, but because you aren't Catholic in "good standing" - there are lots of Catholics who shouldn't be taking communion too). You can either just wait in the pew (step out so people can get by) or go up, cross your arms over your chest, and you'll receive a blessing rather than communion.

You also don't have to kneel (fine if you want to), if you don't, lean forward a little bit so the people behind you aren't right up in your neck

You should definitely go - if you are serious about this boyfriend, sounds like his faith is important to him. You will have to figure out how to have your faiths co-exist, and it's easier if you start earlier than say "We'll figure it out if/when we get married." He should also be participating in your faith with you to some degree.

If you're not serious about him, well - then who cares either way?

My bf and I are very respectful of each other's faiths and we're not super religious. He only goes to church on Christmas Eve with his family and he wants to include me in their tradition. For Eid, he takes me out to nice dinners but I've never asked him to attend a Mosque with me...I don't want him to feel exposed to stuff he may not want to hear etc.

OP, if your BF "doesn't want to be exposed to stuff he may not want to hear" he is not the right man for you. Your religious teachings are part of who you are, for both of you. Take each other to services a few times then talk about it, even if you aren't religious. You need to be able to talk about your spiritual lives.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Everyone is welcome to Mass. As the PP said, don't take communion (not because you're Muslim, but because you aren't Catholic in "good standing" - there are lots of Catholics who shouldn't be taking communion too). You can either just wait in the pew (step out so people can get by) or go up, cross your arms over your chest, and you'll receive a blessing rather than communion.

You also don't have to kneel (fine if you want to), if you don't, lean forward a little bit so the people behind you aren't right up in your neck

You should definitely go - if you are serious about this boyfriend, sounds like his faith is important to him. You will have to figure out how to have your faiths co-exist, and it's easier if you start earlier than say "We'll figure it out if/when we get married." He should also be participating in your faith with you to some degree.

If you're not serious about him, well - then who cares either way?

My bf and I are very respectful of each other's faiths and we're not super religious. He only goes to church on Christmas Eve with his family and he wants to include me in their tradition. For Eid, he takes me out to nice dinners but I've never asked him to attend a Mosque with me...I don't want him to feel exposed to stuff he may not want to hear etc.

OP, if your BF "doesn't want to be exposed to stuff he may not want to hear" he is not the right man for you. Your religious teachings are part of who you are, for both of you. Take each other to services a few times then talk about it, even if you aren't religious. You need to be able to talk about your spiritual lives.

OP here. Oh no. We definitely do talk about our faiths and each have no problem with the other being christian or Muslim I just meant that we don't go out of our way to include the other in the few religious practices we do partake in. I thought we kept it like that so as to not encroach on whatever faith based boundaries we may have.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Everyone is welcome to Mass. As the PP said, don't take communion (not because you're Muslim, but because you aren't Catholic in "good standing" - there are lots of Catholics who shouldn't be taking communion too). You can either just wait in the pew (step out so people can get by) or go up, cross your arms over your chest, and you'll receive a blessing rather than communion.

You also don't have to kneel (fine if you want to), if you don't, lean forward a little bit so the people behind you aren't right up in your neck

You should definitely go - if you are serious about this boyfriend, sounds like his faith is important to him. You will have to figure out how to have your faiths co-exist, and it's easier if you start earlier than say "We'll figure it out if/when we get married." He should also be participating in your faith with you to some degree.

If you're not serious about him, well - then who cares either way?

My bf and I are very respectful of each other's faiths and we're not super religious. He only goes to church on Christmas Eve with his family and he wants to include me in their tradition. For Eid, he takes me out to nice dinners but I've never asked him to attend a Mosque with me...I don't want him to feel exposed to stuff he may not want to hear etc.

OP, if your BF "doesn't want to be exposed to stuff he may not want to hear" he is not the right man for you. Your religious teachings are part of who you are, for both of you. Take each other to services a few times then talk about it, even if you aren't religious. You need to be able to talk about your spiritual lives.

OP here. Oh no. We definitely do talk about our faiths and each have no problem with the other being christian or Muslim I just meant that we don't go out of our way to include the other in the few religious practices we do partake in. I thought we kept it like that so as to not encroach on whatever faith based boundaries we may have.

You sound very young and naive. And your bf is making it clear to you that faith is going to be an important part going forward -- otherwise, you will be isolating him from his family every Christian holiday. The successful interfaith marriages I know either picked one religion, or embraced both traditions.

I think you are better off splitting if you can't even entertain the thought of going to a Mass.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Everyone is welcome to Mass. As the PP said, don't take communion (not because you're Muslim, but because you aren't Catholic in "good standing" - there are lots of Catholics who shouldn't be taking communion too). You can either just wait in the pew (step out so people can get by) or go up, cross your arms over your chest, and you'll receive a blessing rather than communion.

You also don't have to kneel (fine if you want to), if you don't, lean forward a little bit so the people behind you aren't right up in your neck

You should definitely go - if you are serious about this boyfriend, sounds like his faith is important to him. You will have to figure out how to have your faiths co-exist, and it's easier if you start earlier than say "We'll figure it out if/when we get married." He should also be participating in your faith with you to some degree.

If you're not serious about him, well - then who cares either way?

My bf and I are very respectful of each other's faiths and we're not super religious. He only goes to church on Christmas Eve with his family and he wants to include me in their tradition. For Eid, he takes me out to nice dinners but I've never asked him to attend a Mosque with me...I don't want him to feel exposed to stuff he may not want to hear etc.

OP, if your BF "doesn't want to be exposed to stuff he may not want to hear" he is not the right man for you. Your religious teachings are part of who you are, for both of you. Take each other to services a few times then talk about it, even if you aren't religious. You need to be able to talk about your spiritual lives.

OP here. Oh no. We definitely do talk about our faiths and each have no problem with the other being christian or Muslim I just meant that we don't go out of our way to include the other in the few religious practices we do partake in. I thought we kept it like that so as to not encroach on whatever faith based boundaries we may have.

You sound very young and naive. And your bf is making it clear to you that faith is going to be an important part going forward -- otherwise, you will be isolating him from his family every Christian holiday. The successful interfaith marriages I know either picked one religion, or embraced both traditions.

I think you are better off splitting if you can't even entertain the thought of going to a Mass.

I don't agree with PP about faith being that important to your BF. It sounds like he is not very religious but has a family tradition of going to mass on Christmas Eve. That is very common.

I do think OP is a bit immature if she can't imagine attending mass for one night. Unless you are practicing a very strict version of your religion? Most religions would have no issue with you attending a ceremony/celebration of another religion, just don't take communion and don't kneel or repeat the prayers if you feel uncomfortable. You are observing a celebration and learning about a different culture and set of beliefs. You know what your beliefs are so unless you are very insecure in them, the mass shouldn't be something that makes you doubt your own religion.

If you still feel uncomfortable about it, just tell the BF that you aren't comfortable and meet him afterwards.

[Anonymous]

All are welcomed to any services.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Everyone is welcome to Mass. As the PP said, don't take communion (not because you're Muslim, but because you aren't Catholic in "good standing" - there are lots of Catholics who shouldn't be taking communion too). You can either just wait in the pew (step out so people can get by) or go up, cross your arms over your chest, and you'll receive a blessing rather than communion.

You also don't have to kneel (fine if you want to), if you don't, lean forward a little bit so the people behind you aren't right up in your neck

You should definitely go - if you are serious about this boyfriend, sounds like his faith is important to him. You will have to figure out how to have your faiths co-exist, and it's easier if you start earlier than say "We'll figure it out if/when we get married." He should also be participating in your faith with you to some degree.

If you're not serious about him, well - then who cares either way?

My bf and I are very respectful of each other's faiths and we're not super religious. He only goes to church on Christmas Eve with his family and he wants to include me in their tradition. For Eid, he takes me out to nice dinners but I've never asked him to attend a Mosque with me...I don't want him to feel exposed to stuff he may not want to hear etc.

OP, if your BF "doesn't want to be exposed to stuff he may not want to hear" he is not the right man for you. Your religious teachings are part of who you are, for both of you. Take each other to services a few times then talk about it, even if you aren't religious. You need to be able to talk about your spiritual lives.

OP here. Oh no. We definitely do talk about our faiths and each have no problem with the other being christian or Muslim I just meant that we don't go out of our way to include the other in the few religious practices we do partake in. I thought we kept it like that so as to not encroach on whatever faith based boundaries we may have.

You sound very young and naive. And your bf is making it clear to you that faith is going to be an important part going forward -- otherwise, you will be isolating him from his family every Christian holiday. The successful interfaith marriages I know either picked one religion, or embraced both traditions.

I think you are better off splitting if you can't even entertain the thought of going to a Mass.

It's OP who doesn't want her BF exposed, not the BF. It sounds like they are just trying to be considerate of each other. Pp's comment, in contrast, sounds like an attempt to protect a Chtisian guy from being led astray from a muslim woman.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Everyone is welcome to Mass. As the PP said, don't take communion (not because you're Muslim, but because you aren't Catholic in "good standing" - there are lots of Catholics who shouldn't be taking communion too). You can either just wait in the pew (step out so people can get by) or go up, cross your arms over your chest, and you'll receive a blessing rather than communion.

You also don't have to kneel (fine if you want to), if you don't, lean forward a little bit so the people behind you aren't right up in your neck

You should definitely go - if you are serious about this boyfriend, sounds like his faith is important to him. You will have to figure out how to have your faiths co-exist, and it's easier if you start earlier than say "We'll figure it out if/when we get married." He should also be participating in your faith with you to some degree.

If you're not serious about him, well - then who cares either way?

My bf and I are very respectful of each other's faiths and we're not super religious. He only goes to church on Christmas Eve with his family and he wants to include me in their tradition. For Eid, he takes me out to nice dinners but I've never asked him to attend a Mosque with me...I don't want him to feel exposed to stuff he may not want to hear etc.

OP, if your BF "doesn't want to be exposed to stuff he may not want to hear" he is not the right man for you. Your religious teachings are part of who you are, for both of you. Take each other to services a few times then talk about it, even if you aren't religious. You need to be able to talk about your spiritual lives.

OP here. Oh no. We definitely do talk about our faiths and each have no problem with the other being christian or Muslim I just meant that we don't go out of our way to include the other in the few religious practices we do partake in. I thought we kept it like that so as to not encroach on whatever faith based boundaries we may have.

You sound very young and naive. And your bf is making it clear to you that faith is going to be an important part going forward -- otherwise, you will be isolating him from his family every Christian holiday. The successful interfaith marriages I know either picked one religion, or embraced both traditions.

I think you are better off splitting if you can't even entertain the thought of going to a Mass.

I agree that you are naive. I think when you're dating too you don't realize the importance of inlaws. Just imagine going to midnight mass every other year for the rest of your life, celebrating Easter dinners and them fighting to baptize the baby. You think it's all no big deal now, but inlaws have a way of sneaking in. You marry his family too.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Yes. I don't know about Muslims, but many non-Catholics attend for the music. There is a fair amount of standing and kneeling. It is fine to sit out all the kneeling and I'd advise that as it comes close to a show of faith. You can sit out the standing as well, but might want to stand at the beginning and the end as that is more a sign of respect towards the person leading the celebration.

I have lived in the Middle East, and if you are Muslim with Christian friends you would definitely attend their weddings, which often include a mass, as well as as funeral masses.

Where do you go to Mass that the music is that good.

I'm not Catholic, but have attended many church services for work as a direct care worker for individuals with disabilities. I have been to services with beautiful Gospel choirs (Baptist, AME), or men and boys choirs (Episcopal) but the Catholic churches I've attended have been among the most welcoming, but with pretty boring music.

[Anonymous]

Ya gotta go Christian if you want good tunes

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Muslim here. Why aren't you comfortable with it? What's the concern?

As in I'm muslim and don't believe Jesus is son of God. Will it be against my faith to attend a church service where he will be referred to as such?

If you can't attend church with your boyfriend, you need to break up with him now. If you got married, there would be many family events (weddings, funerals, baptisms, first communion) that you would be expected to attend. No one should expect you to pray or take communion, but you should be able to be there and be polite. If you can't, you need to find a nice Muslim boy to date.

[Anonymous]

According to DCUM, Christmas is an American holiday, not a Christian one. So all Americans celebrate, regardless of religion. Therefore there is no problem.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Muslim here. Why aren't you comfortable with it? What's the concern?

As in I'm muslim and don't believe Jesus is son of God. Will it be against my faith to attend a church service where he will be referred to as such?

Just saw this--PP who lived in the Middle East. Many Muslims these days have become hyper zealous in ways that never existed in the past.

In the Middle East for centuries people participated in the religious ceremonies of the other. These range from weddings and funerals to ceremonies to pray for rain and ordinations to the priesthood. I know of a place where the custom is for the Muslim head of a tribe allied to a Christian tribe to put the head covering on the head of one of the latter when he is being ordained as a priest. Among the Muslim and Christian tribes with deep and old relationships, the Muslims would attend the baptism and first communion services as well.

Christian families visit Muslim families on their eids to give their greetings, and Muslim do the same for Christians on Christmas and Easter. At Easter, Muslims give Christians the traditional greeting, "The Messiah has risen." Muslims believe that Jesus didn't die but was taken into heaven like Elijah, so saying this is okay even though the Christians put a different spin on it.

One of the sadder aspects of the Middle East today is that these very old traditions of people of different faiths living together in peace and respect that could set an example for many parts of the world today are being torn apart.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yes. I don't know about Muslims, but many non-Catholics attend for the music. There is a fair amount of standing and kneeling. It is fine to sit out all the kneeling and I'd advise that as it comes close to a show of faith. You can sit out the standing as well, but might want to stand at the beginning and the end as that is more a sign of respect towards the person leading the celebration.

I have lived in the Middle East, and if you are Muslim with Christian friends you would definitely attend their weddings, which often include a mass, as well as as funeral masses.

Where do you go to Mass that the music is that good.

I'm not Catholic, but have attended many church services for work as a direct care worker for individuals with disabilities. I have been to services with beautiful Gospel choirs (Baptist, AME), or men and boys choirs (Episcopal) but the Catholic churches I've attended have been among the most welcoming, but with pretty boring music.

Lol! You are so right. It is so ironic that the religion that gave the world some of its finest music today has some of the worst music at its services. St. Matthews typically has good music at its midnight mass. It is easier to find in a place like New York where a few of the older churches have kept up a good musical tradition.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Muslim here. Why aren't you comfortable with it? What's the concern?

As in I'm muslim and don't believe Jesus is son of God. Will it be against my faith to attend a church service where he will be referred to as such?

Just saw this--PP who lived in the Middle East. Many Muslims these days have become hyper zealous in ways that never existed in the past.

In the Middle East for centuries people participated in the religious ceremonies of the other. These range from weddings and funerals to ceremonies to pray for rain and ordinations to the priesthood. I know of a place where the custom is for the Muslim head of a tribe allied to a Christian tribe to put the head covering on the head of one of the latter when he is being ordained as a priest. Among the Muslim and Christian tribes with deep and old relationships, the Muslims would attend the baptism and first communion services as well.

Christian families visit Muslim families on their eids to give their greetings, and Muslim do the same for Christians on Christmas and Easter. At Easter, Muslims give Christians the traditional greeting, "The Messiah has risen." Muslims believe that Jesus didn't die but was taken into heaven like Elijah, so saying this is okay even though the Christians put a different spin on it.

One of the sadder aspects of the Middle East today is that these very old traditions of people of different faiths living together in peace and respect that could set an example for many parts of the world today are being torn apart.

Yes! They used to be icons of tolerance, even having christian wives. I think one of the men from the old moghul muslim dynasty that built the taj mahal had a wife in every religion to prove his tolerance! I agree it is sad to see it go (not multiple wives, but the tolerance).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:According to DCUM, Christmas is an American holiday, not a Christian one. So all Americans celebrate, regardless of religion. Therefore there is no problem.

"DCUM" does not have an official point of view about this. Some people who post on DCUM are of this opinion, espeically when it comes to Christmas trees and gift giving.