Can a Muslim attend Midnight Mass?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Your title seems to be asking is it ok for religous purposes tk attend a mass of another faith.
I'm not sure why you and your boyfriend have had religous discussions like you later share that you do, but don't know the basics of his religion or yours that this is fine.
I agree with the others that this lack of basic communication about religion needs to be corrected before you consider marriage. I understand that you say he is not practicing now but his family is, and children/marriage can change things.
I'm not sure that your current way of not talking about much to try to be respectful (or however you phrased it) is working if you need to come to an anonymous forum to ask his question.
Good luck to you both!

Ask your imam.

My priest was unsure if I could attend a service at a Sikh temple. A friend was moving back to India and asked me to attend. I asked my priest. My priest asked the Bishop. The bishop said yes and outlined what I could/could not do: could remove my shoes; could cover my hair; could not eat the food sacrificed to the gurus. I went and had a great cultural experience. My friend moved to India without our relationship ending on a sour note.

[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.

Not PP, but I can attest from personal experience that several Catholic churches in the DCUM area have great music: Gospel choirs, modern "Christian rock", and various ethnic choirs. My parish has a choir of parishioners from Francophone Africa who sing in Krio and play drums. Everyone gets up and dances in the aisles. We also have attended masses in both Bethesda and Potomac where the youth choirs specialized in popular Christian rock songs. The priest who married us is from a parish well-known in this area for their Gospel choir. You are just attending the wrong parishes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Your title seems to be asking is it ok for religous purposes tk attend a mass of another faith.
I'm not sure why you and your boyfriend have had religous discussions like you later share that you do, but don't know the basics of his religion or yours that this is fine.
I agree with the others that this lack of basic communication about religion needs to be corrected before you consider marriage. I understand that you say he is not practicing now but his family is, and children/marriage can change things.
I'm not sure that your current way of not talking about much to try to be respectful (or however you phrased it) is working if you need to come to an anonymous forum to ask his question.
Good luck to you both!

Ask your imam.

My priest was unsure if I could attend a service at a Sikh temple. A friend was moving back to India and asked me to attend. I asked my priest. My priest asked the Bishop. The bishop said yes and outlined what I could/could not do: could remove my shoes; could cover my hair; could not eat the food sacrificed to the gurus. I went and had a great cultural experience. My friend moved to India without our relationship ending on a sour note.

I just googled it and it probably is haaram to attend the Midnight Mass simply because there will be images (https://islamqa.info/en/111832). Even if the parish doesn't have stained glass windows, there will be a crucifix, Stations of the Cross, and some religious statuary. A non-Catholic, non-Orthodox, i.e. Protestant church without any images would be fine, it seems. If you are observant, explain to your bf why you cannot go. Of course, if you are really observant, you probably would not have a bf at all, let alone a Catholic one.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Your title seems to be asking is it ok for religous purposes tk attend a mass of another faith.
I'm not sure why you and your boyfriend have had religous discussions like you later share that you do, but don't know the basics of his religion or yours that this is fine.
I agree with the others that this lack of basic communication about religion needs to be corrected before you consider marriage. I understand that you say he is not practicing now but his family is, and children/marriage can change things.
I'm not sure that your current way of not talking about much to try to be respectful (or however you phrased it) is working if you need to come to an anonymous forum to ask his question.
Good luck to you both!

Ask your imam.

My priest was unsure if I could attend a service at a Sikh temple. A friend was moving back to India and asked me to attend. I asked my priest. My priest asked the Bishop. The bishop said yes and outlined what I could/could not do: could remove my shoes; could cover my hair; could not eat the food sacrificed to the gurus. I went and had a great cultural experience. My friend moved to India without our relationship ending on a sour note.

I just googled it and it probably is haaram to attend the Midnight Mass simply because there will be images (https://islamqa.info/en/111832). Even if the parish doesn't have stained glass windows, there will be a crucifix, Stations of the Cross, and some religious statuary. A non-Catholic, non-Orthodox, i.e. Protestant church without any images would be fine, it seems. If you are observant, explain to your bf why you cannot go. Of course, if you are really observant, you probably would not have a bf at all, let alone a Catholic one.

So muslims cannot attend any weddings in Catholic, Lutheran, Episcopalian and some other mainstream protestant churches either?

They cannot tour places like St. Patrick's in NYC or the Sistine Chapel?

[Anonymous]

[quote=Anonymous][quote=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. [/quote]

You suffer from dreadful reading comprehension issues. Where did you go to school?[/quote]

Then please explain. There are multiple threads about how Christmas is not a religious holiday.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Your title seems to be asking is it ok for religous purposes tk attend a mass of another faith.
I'm not sure why you and your boyfriend have had religous discussions like you later share that you do, but don't know the basics of his religion or yours that this is fine.
I agree with the others that this lack of basic communication about religion needs to be corrected before you consider marriage. I understand that you say he is not practicing now but his family is, and children/marriage can change things.
I'm not sure that your current way of not talking about much to try to be respectful (or however you phrased it) is working if you need to come to an anonymous forum to ask his question.
Good luck to you both!

Ask your imam.

My priest was unsure if I could attend a service at a Sikh temple. A friend was moving back to India and asked me to attend. I asked my priest. My priest asked the Bishop. The bishop said yes and outlined what I could/could not do: could remove my shoes; could cover my hair; could not eat the food sacrificed to the gurus. I went and had a great cultural experience. My friend moved to India without our relationship ending on a sour note.

I just googled it and it probably is haaram to attend the Midnight Mass simply because there will be images (https://islamqa.info/en/111832). Even if the parish doesn't have stained glass windows, there will be a crucifix, Stations of the Cross, and some religious statuary. A non-Catholic, non-Orthodox, i.e. Protestant church without any images would be fine, it seems. If you are observant, explain to your bf why you cannot go. Of course, if you are really observant, you probably would not have a bf at all, let alone a Catholic one.

The site appears to adhere to a very fundamentalist, extreme and even kooky Islam. Muslims in the Middle East go to churches to celebrate events with their Christian friends all the time and have done so for centuries. The churches is the Middle East are 90 percent Orthodox, which means lots of icons, etc.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Your title seems to be asking is it ok for religous purposes tk attend a mass of another faith.
I'm not sure why you and your boyfriend have had religous discussions like you later share that you do, but don't know the basics of his religion or yours that this is fine.
I agree with the others that this lack of basic communication about religion needs to be corrected before you consider marriage. I understand that you say he is not practicing now but his family is, and children/marriage can change things.
I'm not sure that your current way of not talking about much to try to be respectful (or however you phrased it) is working if you need to come to an anonymous forum to ask his question.
Good luck to you both!

Ask your imam.

My priest was unsure if I could attend a service at a Sikh temple. A friend was moving back to India and asked me to attend. I asked my priest. My priest asked the Bishop. The bishop said yes and outlined what I could/could not do: could remove my shoes; could cover my hair; could not eat the food sacrificed to the gurus. I went and had a great cultural experience. My friend moved to India without our relationship ending on a sour note.

I just googled it and it probably is haaram to attend the Midnight Mass simply because there will be images (https://islamqa.info/en/111832). Even if the parish doesn't have stained glass windows, there will be a crucifix, Stations of the Cross, and some religious statuary. A non-Catholic, non-Orthodox, i.e. Protestant church without any images would be fine, it seems. If you are observant, explain to your bf why you cannot go. Of course, if you are really observant, you probably would not have a bf at all, let alone a Catholic one.

So muslims cannot attend any weddings in Catholic, Lutheran, Episcopalian and some other mainstream protestant churches either?

They cannot tour places like St. Patrick's in NYC or the Sistine Chapel?

I answered above--this is not mainstream Islam. It is very fundamentalist and not in keeping at all with the long traditions of the Middle East deep and respectful relationships between Muslims and Christians. As I have written earlier, in some areas the custom even today is for a Muslim tribe to be allied with a Christian one, and I gave the example of the head of the Muslim tribe taking part in the ordination rites of members of the Christian tribe who become priests.

[Anonymous]

[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=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. [/quote]

You suffer from dreadful reading comprehension issues. Where did you go to school?[/quote]

Then please explain. There are multiple threads about how Christmas is not a religious holiday. [/quote]

Op is not talking about Santa, elves, nutcrackers, giant inflatable snowmen, or trees. These are secular, cultural, not in the least bit religious and completely cultural parts of the American Christmas tradition in this country that is part of many non Christian cultural celebrations.

OP is talking about midnight Mass, totally and without exception a completely religious experience, unique to Catholics and the protestant denominations that celebrate midnight Mass, a 100% religious tradtition and one that is unique to various Christian religions and celebrated worldwide by Christians.

If you can't see the difference between the two you are either purposefully dense or terribly uneducated.

[Anonymous]

There's theology (the ideal) and then there is practice (the real). Generally observant Muslims throughout the world do attend events in churches. Some may do so with the acceptance or even encouragement of their imams. Certainly, I know many generally observant American Catholics who attend same sex weddings or the second weddings of divorced loved ones who have not obtained annulments. When my XH marries, my DC (the minor) will be there although Dad has refused to participate in the annulment process (older DC is an adult and refuses to attend the wedding). Our priest advised that family harmony was more important than a minor following canon law. This is not mean that Catholic theology says its okay for Catholics to participate in (give approval to) these unions.
OP does not sound observant. Nor does it seem that she is from a cultural background where Muslims attending church is the norm. Perhaps she is South Asian or from Indonesia where Christians are a small and rather low key minority?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Your title seems to be asking is it ok for religous purposes tk attend a mass of another faith.
I'm not sure why you and your boyfriend have had religous discussions like you later share that you do, but don't know the basics of his religion or yours that this is fine.
I agree with the others that this lack of basic communication about religion needs to be corrected before you consider marriage. I understand that you say he is not practicing now but his family is, and children/marriage can change things.
I'm not sure that your current way of not talking about much to try to be respectful (or however you phrased it) is working if you need to come to an anonymous forum to ask his question.
Good luck to you both!

Ask your imam.

My priest was unsure if I could attend a service at a Sikh temple. A friend was moving back to India and asked me to attend. I asked my priest. My priest asked the Bishop. The bishop said yes and outlined what I could/could not do: could remove my shoes; could cover my hair; could not eat the food sacrificed to the gurus. I went and had a great cultural experience. My friend moved to India without our relationship ending on a sour note.

I just googled it and it probably is haaram to attend the Midnight Mass simply because there will be images (https://islamqa.info/en/111832). Even if the parish doesn't have stained glass windows, there will be a crucifix, Stations of the Cross, and some religious statuary. A non-Catholic, non-Orthodox, i.e. Protestant church without any images would be fine, it seems. If you are observant, explain to your bf why you cannot go. Of course, if you are really observant, you probably would not have a bf at all, let alone a Catholic one.

So muslims cannot attend any weddings in Catholic, Lutheran, Episcopalian and some other mainstream protestant churches either?

They cannot tour places like St. Patrick's in NYC or the Sistine Chapel?

I answered above--this is not mainstream Islam. It is very fundamentalist and not in keeping at all with the long traditions of the Middle East deep and respectful relationships between Muslims and Christians. As I have written earlier, in some areas the custom even today is for a Muslim tribe to be allied with a Christian one, and I gave the example of the head of the Muslim tribe taking part in the ordination rites of members of the Christian tribe who become priests.

What countries have Muslim tribes and Christian tribes? That is interesting.

[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?

It's against your faith to date a Christian man. But you've reconciled that (and I personally think that's fine). So the question is, can you handle going to a Christian service and hearing a difference of opinion from your own? Again, I think you probably can. My Muslim husband has attended several Christian funerals and baptisms on my side of the family and he hasn't become a kaffir.

[Anonymous]

Anyone is welcome at Mass. If this causes you such discomfort perhaps you should reevaluate dating outside of your faith.

[Anonymous]

In Muslim countries with Christian minorities, heads of state or their representatives routinely attend church services on holidays like Christmas and Easter to show solidarity and respect for these minorities. I guess OP's family is not from one of those countries. :/

[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.

Keep him as a BF but never marry him.

It will never work out.

[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?

Only baptized and confirmed Catholics can participate in the part where people can get up and get in line to eat the bread and drink a sip of wine. But that's a short part of the whole service. I'm not catholic and I've been to mass many times. It's fine.

Plus, I think it's universal that both muslims and catholics believe Jesus was the son of Mary and the holy spirit. People say "son of god" because the holy spirit comes from god, and because oftentimes people call god "the Father" to everybody in the world, sort of like saying "allah." But nobody believes god was somehow the biological father of jesus like with sperm or anything like that.