Celebrating all.

I am in favour of understanding different cultures but I am with Pascal on religion: "Men never do evil so completely and cheerfully as when they do it from religious conviction." But that, too, is worth learning about.

Reading about the history of different cultures might teach you more. Not that there's anything wrong with joining in celebrations, I'm just not convinced they are good teaching aids. Perhaps you could try your experiement and report back on it?

It sounds like a great way of learning about other faiths and cultures. Will you just go for them major religions or include the minor religions?

DH has done a lot of reading on different cultures and religions for some years firstly as he was charged with introducing an equality and diversity policy to his organisation (one of the first to do so) and then more recently as it is a subject that absorbs him. I certainly think you would enjoy the study and research although I wonder if celebrating the various observances and festivals might be difficult without espousing the underlying beliefs.

Surely as we become more multi-cultural as every year passes, to learn about each other and our cultures and religions etc would make us less ignorant and more tolerant and welcoming into our worlds?

If anyone can give me some ideas where to start, I've got Muslim, Christian and Jewish. There are also ones like the Druids, Rastafarians, Polish and Romanians. My uncle was from the Ukraine. If anyone can give some more ideas or more in depth knowledge of different cultures I would appreciate it. Thank you.

Good luck with that if you think that Polish and Romanian are religions.

I think ruby means different cultures when she mentions Polish, Romanian, Ukraine etc.

I think we are a tolerant society in general and hope that will not begin to change due to terrible events.

Don't forget the Jedi.

And the flying Sphaggetti monster!

Petra I'm sure that people in Poland and Romania have religions. And I twice said about culture.

Thank you rosequartz it seems you understood more where I was coming from. I'm sure the majority of people will realise that these terrorist attacks are carried out by the minority and not the general in any religion or culture just as the IRA was not the whole of Ireland. and we have lived with this sort of fear for decades now. I remember very well the bombings in Warrington killing two boys out buying Mothers Day gifts. Awful, but not to be blamed on every Irishman.

I can't forget Jedi, I bought my son a Space Rug for Christmas, which is like a fleece brown Jedi blanket thing. He loves it, although was a bit dubious on opening it. But then he did get some Gorilla Snot too!

Galen What is the flying Sphaggetti monster?

Well, the Poles are overwhelmingly Roman Catholic (we had a Polish Pope) and I think Romanians are Orthodox Christian.

So the Poles would be celebrating the same festivals as Christians in the UK, probably not in such a commercialised fashion.
I think Orthodox Christians celebrate Christmas on 7th January, but I am not sure about Romania.
So you could have two Christmas dinners if you like ruby

You could do some interesting research on the gastronomy associated with each festival. The Mormons must have some celebration or other, though alcohol is forbidden . The Bahai faith sounds very benign and its adherents were cruelly persecuted by the Ayatollahs. If you really want some excitement, how about Voodoo...?

Another thought, rubylady. Many schools in multi-cultural communities make a practice of celebrating diversity. If you have, or can make, contact, it might be fun to see how the children take to each others' festivals.