As a family business in the 3rd generation, we wish you and your loved ones a wonderful pre-Christmas season if you celebrate it and a peaceful and beautiful end to the year for everyone. 

As one of the largest natural stone dealers in Germany, we work with quarries and partners from all over the world. We would like to wish all our customers, partners and service providers a contemplative and happy time at the end of the year - regardless of whether you live in Germany, Switzerland, India, Brazil, Turkey or Italy.

Given what has happened this year and in recent years, we as humanity should move closer together again. Religions from all over the world share the beliefs of love, compassion and charity - values ​​that are particularly highlighted during the Christmas season. The universal messages of hope, peace and joy transcend denominational boundaries and should remind us that despite our differences, we are connected as a human family.

What unites us as humans

This festive season, the celebrations of different religions invite us to appreciate the rich diversity of our global interactions and celebrate the shared values ​​that bind us as human beings. May this time of year remind us that harmony and cohesion are possible regardless of our religious beliefs, and that the essence of many religions and moral principles is universal.

In Germany, around 50 percent of people belong to the Christian faith, of which 44.6 percent are Catholic, 34.7 percent are Protestant and 3.7 percent are Orthodox. About 36 percent do not belong to any religious community and 8.5 percent are Muslims, Buddhists and Hindus. Only around 0.3 percent in Germany belong to Judaism. The proportion of members of Pentecostal and free churches is 2.3 percent.

Why do we celebrate Christmas and how and what do people actually celebrate elsewhere? 

The figure of Jesus Christ is central to the beliefs of many religions worldwide. While Christianity reveres Jesus as the Son of God and the Savior, there are also other faiths that view Jesus as a prophetic figure or spiritual teacher.

In this article, we take a look at different religions that believe in Jesus Christ or have overlap with the Christian faith and explore the varied interpretations of various teachings as part of the Christmas celebrations.

The Birth of Jesus Christ – Christianity

Christianity, in its various denominations, worships Jesus Christ as the Messiah and the Son of God. Jesus Christ plays a central role in the Christian faith. He is considered the Son of God who came into the world to redeem humanity from sin. The birth of Jesus, his teachings, miracles, his death on the cross and his resurrection are cornerstones of the Christian faith. Christians believe that Jesus is the Messiah who fulfilled Old Testament prophecies and restored the connection between God and humanity. His sacrifice on the cross is viewed as an act of love and redemption, giving believers the opportunity to receive forgiveness and eternal life.

The Trinity, the doctrine of Father, Son and Holy Spirit, shows the unity of God in three persons, with Jesus playing a unique role as the divine Son. The Christian confession of Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord shapes the understanding of God and the moral orientation of many Christians worldwide. 

The Bible consists of the Old Testament, which includes Christian and Jewish writings, and the New Testament, which contains the teachings of Jesus and the history of the early Christian communities.

Jesus as a Prophet in the Quran – Islam

Islamic tradition honors Jesus as a noble leader who preached divine wisdom, performed miracles and called people to worship the one God. His role as a prophet is emphasized in Islam as an integral part of divine guidance for humanity. In the Islamic faith, Jesus is an important servant and messenger of God, but not a part of the divine Trinity as taught in the Christian faith.

While Muslims don't celebrate Christmas, the Islamic Eid al-Fitr also emphasizes the importance of family, community and generosity - values ​​that are also highly valued during the holiday season. Muslims celebrate Eid al-Fitr after the end of the fasting month of Ramadan with communal prayers, festive meals and the exchange of gifts.

Chanukah – Judaism 

Jews and Christians share many common roots, as Christianity grew out of Judaism. However, there are significant differences in their beliefs, theological beliefs and practices.

In the Jewish faith and the Torah (the first five books of the Bible) Jesus Christ and the question of the Messiah do not play a central role. Contrary to Christian understanding, Judaism does not view Jesus as the Messiah or Son of God. The Torah, Judaism's holy scripture, contains no specific references to Jesus Christ. The Jewish expectation of a messiah refers to a secular leader who will redeem Israel and usher in the messianic era, but not to a divine figure. The Torah emphasizes the one God and the unity of divinity, without the idea of ​​a Trinity. Judaism teaches that the Revelation at Mount Sinai and the Torah form the basis of the covenant between God and the Jewish people, although Jesus does not appear in this theological perspective.

In addition to the basic teachings of the Torah, Judaism celebrates Hanukkah, a festival that marks the rededication of the Jerusalem Temple in the 2nd century B.C.E. Celebrates after the Maccabee Revolt. Hanukkah spans eight days and nights, during which a menorah, an eight-branched candelabra, is lit to symbolize the miracle of the Temple lighting. The celebration also includes exchanging gifts, eating fried foods such as latkes (potato pancakes) and sufganiyot (similar to Berlin pancakes), and singing songs together.

Hanukkah highlights the triumph of light over darkness and faith in the miracles of God, representing a unique celebration in the Jewish calendar that differs from Christian Christmas celebrations. Overall, both the Torah and Hanukkah play a central role in Jewish tradition and offer a unique theological perspective and celebration.

Overcoming suffering with Buddha - Buddhists

Buddhists believe in the teachings of Siddhartha Gautama, the Buddha, who shows the path to enlightenment and overcoming suffering. 

Siddhartha Gautama was born in the 6th century BC. He was born in a region that today includes parts of Nepal and India. His exact date of birth is not certain, but traditionally the full moon day in the month of Vesak is celebrated as his birthday, enlightenment day and death anniversary.

Siddhartha Gautama came from a wealthy family, but he left his luxurious life to search for knowledge about human suffering and the meaning of life. After years of spiritual search and practice, he finally achieved enlightenment under a fig tree, which has since been known as the Bodhi Tree.

After his enlightenment, Buddha taught his insights known as the Four Noble Truths and the Eightfold Path. The Four Noble Truths include the knowledge of suffering, the causes of suffering, the possibility of ending suffering and the path to ending suffering. The Eightfold Path is a guide to an ethical and spiritual life.

Jesus Christ and Buddha show parallels in their teachings by emphasizing love, charity, renunciation and compassion. Both lived lives of humility and taught inner transformation as a path to spiritual development. Despite these similarities, there are key differences in their theological significance, as Jesus is revered as a divine savior figure in Christianity, while Buddha is viewed as an enlightened teacher in Buddhism.

Diwali – Hinduism

Hinduism is one of the oldest world religions with a variety of spiritual traditions, rites and beliefs that originated in India. Central concepts include Dharma (moral and ethical action), Karma (law of cause and effect), Samsara (rebirth) and Moksha (liberation from the cycle of rebirth).

There is no uniform teaching or worship in Hinduism regarding Jesus Christ. However, many Hindus view Jesus as an inspiring spiritual teacher and guru or worship him as an avatar or embodiment of the divine. 

The values ​​of Buddhists and Hindus, such as compassion, non-violence and spiritual development, overlap with the values ​​of Christians, Muslims and Jews. Common principles such as charity, ethical behavior and the search for spiritual fulfillment are anchored in many world religions, and there is room for interreligious dialogue and cooperation based on shared moral principles.