One of the communist parties in Nepal, shortly after a competing communist party had banned Christmas, took over power and rescued the holiday for Christians, according to Catholic World News.
CWN, citing several Nepalese sources, said it was last spring when the government of former Prime Minister Khadga Prasas Oli banned the holiday.
He was a member of the Community Party of Nepal, a “Unified Marxist-Leninist” organization.
At the time, Christian leaders in the Hindu nation objected, pointing out that Christians would have difficulty obtaining the day off if it no longer was an official holiday.
But they didn’t get a response until just before Christmas, when Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal’s government restored it.
He’s part of a rival communist party, the Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist-Center), which had taken control in August.
Dahal promptly issued a statement offering wishes of “peace, happiness, prosperity, good health, unity, and brotherhood to all Nepali Christians at home and abroad.”
Catholic Culture noted the nation of 29 million has few Christians: it is 81 percent Hindu, 9 percent Buddhist and 4 percent Muslim, with 3 percent following the indigenous Kirant Mundhum religion.
But thousands of non-Christians took part in Christmas celebrations.
Asia News reported large parts of the nation’s population celebrated last weekend.
“Shops and malls were decorated with Christmas decorations, lights, and trees. Christians sang hymns, exchanged gifts, glorified the birth of Jesus Christ, and said prayers,” the report said. “Thousands of non-Christians took part in the festivities and celebrations as well. Nepali President Bidya Devi Bhandari led public celebrations. In her address to Christian leaders, she said that she hoped that this occasion ‘would reinforce feelings of love and unity among Nepali citizens and inspire everyone to respect the Constitution in the name of a peaceful and prosperous Nepal.’”
The main opposition came from Hindu believers who still aspire to see Hinduism as the state religion.
International Christian Concern noted Nepal is “home to one of the fastest growing Christian populations in the world and many Christians expressed their concern when Christmas was removed from the list of public holidays.”
from PropagandaGuard https://propagandaguard.wordpress.com/2016/12/31/communists-ride-to-rescue-christmas-for-christians/
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