Christmas time in Abu Dhabi: the national colors of the United Arab Emirates are red, green and black, and the national day is in early December. The 8th, if I remember correctly. So in about the middle of November, the city is festooned with strings of lights—white, red, and green. It looks very much like Christmas. Of course the lights come down quickly after national day, but the stores, catering to expats, stock turkeys and Christmas greeting cards.
Christmas Time in Israel: Jesus was a Jew from Israel. Much of the Arab population is still Christian. And pilgrims and tourists come steadily to see all the Christian holy sites. Threats of violence keep many home, but there is still a considerable crowd of Christmas in Israel for Christmas. Signs of the holiday are everywhere, and Israelis and Palestinians alike hope for a large influx of tourists.
I never encountered any resistance or persecution of my Christian beliefs and practices while in non-Christian countries. What has your experience been?
