Muslim students who attend Catholic university lament that Christmas is over celebrated

Muslim students who attend a Catholic university in Chicago recently lamented to the school newspaper that Christmas is overcelebrated while Islamic holidays are disproportionately undercelebrated.

The story, titled, “Religious Holidays Aren’t Represented Equally on Campus,” makes the case that all religious holidays should be celebrated equally on campus — despite a large disparity between religions at Loyola University. In fact, 60 percent of students at Loyola self-identify as Roman Catholic, while a large majority of the rest identify as a Protestant denomination. According to the Loyola Phoenix, there are only about 800 Muslims on a campus of nearly 17,000 students.

The story then follows Sajid Ahmed, a leader in the Student Muslim Association, as he laments about too much Christmas and not enough Islamic tradition. Ahmed told the Loyola Phoenix that the major Islamic holidays — Eid al-Fitr (in June) and Eid al-Adha (in August) — are “a bit dampened just because you have to go about your normal routine…At home, it’d be a big family thing, dress up and go to the mosque…”

Bryan Goodwin, associate director of the student complex, told the Phoenix that demographics don’t decide which religious holidays are celebrated campuswide and said Christmas isn’t about Christianity, but the feeling of the season. He added that the university has tried to disassociate Christmas with Christianity by saying “Happy Holidays” instead of “Merry Christmas” and that the school would be thrilled to celebrate other religious holidays.“We feel that we do a good job at the student center of allowing other faiths to [join the holiday season]. ..”

Don’t!  Actually Jewish and Hindu students probably do appreciate an effort to include them. But do not be ashamed of being Christians in a Christian institution. Celebrate CHRISTmas.