Iran’s Armenian Christians Celebrate Christmas
"Islam versus Judaism… How is Jesus Viewed?"
By Larry C. Johnson
"I found the photo above as an interesting place to start a discussion about the birth of Jesus and how he is viewed in Islam and in Judaism. Anti-Muslim propaganda in the West, especially in the United States, paints a picture of Muslims as intolerant fanatics who threaten Christians with death if they don’t convert. But then there is the photo above… The fact is that in Muslim Iran, Christians are able to celebrate Christmas openly and without interference. I also note that Tehran is still home to one of the oldest Jewish communities in the world. The supposedly intolerant Islamists ain’t killing them either.
The situation for Palestinian Christians in Israel, Gaza and the West Bank, is quite different from that of their Armenian cousins in Iran. For example, according to the Times of Israel, Israeli Police harassed and arrested Palestinian Christians who were celebrating Christmas in Haifa on Sunday, December 21, 2025. The Israeli police raided a Christmas celebration in Wadi Nisnas (a predominantly Palestinian Arab neighborhood in Haifa), dispersing the event, confiscating equipment, beating participants, and arresting at least three people - including a man dressed as Santa Claus.
There also are reports of isolated incidents today in the West Bank: Earlier today, Israeli settlers set fire to a Christmas tree in the West Bank, and IDF soldiers beat up an elderly man in Bethlehem who carried a cross pendant around his neck. The good news is that the Palestinian Christian community, accompanied by a few foreigners, gathered in Bethlehem without incident to commemorate the birth of Jesus.
While Christian Zionists enthusiastically embrace the term, Judeo-Christian values, I believe a case can be made that Islam is far more tolerant of Christians than are the Jewish Zionists. Consider the following:
With respect to the identity of Jesus, Islam views Jesus (aka Isa) is a major prophet and messenger of God. Jesus is venerated as one of the five greatest prophets (alongside Noah, Abraham, Moses, and Muhammad). He is the Messiah (al-Masih) but in a non-divine sense, sent to confirm the Torah and guide the Israelites. Within Judaism, Jesus is not recognized as a prophet, Messiah, or divine figure. He is viewed as an ordinary Jewish man, possibly a teacher or false messiah claimant who did not fulfill biblical prophecies (e.g., world peace, ingathering of exiles).
Then there is the debate surrounding the Talmud. The Talmud (primarily the Babylonian Talmud, compiled around 300–500 CE) contains a small number of scattered passages that many scholars identify as references to Jesus of Nazareth (referred to as “Yeshu” or “Yeshu ha-Notzri”). These are highly polemical and negative, portraying him as a sorcerer, heretic, and false teacher who was justly executed. Scholarly consensus, as articulated by Peter Schäfer in his seminal book Jesus in the Talmud (2007), views these as deliberate counter-narratives to Christian claims, likely composed in Babylonia (3rd–4th centuries CE) in response to the growing dominance of Christianity. They parody New Testament stories to assert Judaism’s superiority.
However, some scholars (e.g., Johann Maier, Jacob Neusner) argue many or most references are not to the historical Jesus but to other figures with similar names (Yeshu/Yeshua was common), or are legendary/late additions. Due to medieval Christian censorship, some passages were altered, erased, or omitted in printed editions, making reconstruction reliant on manuscripts.
Whether you side with Peter Schäfer’s view or believe that Johann Maier has the right interpretation, there is no dispute that Islam holds a view of Jesus that is more in harmony with the beliefs of Christians. While both Islam and Judaism reject the claim that Jesus is the Divine Son of God, Islam accepts the Christian claims regarding the Vigin birth and the miracles. performed by Jesus, Judaism strongly rejects those claims.
And then there is the diametrically oppsed beliefs separating Islam from Judaism with respect Mary, the mother of Jesus. Islam highly exalts Mary as one of the four greatest women in history (alongside Asiya, Khadija, and Fatima). She is sinless, pious, and devoted; the Quran dedicates Surah 19 (Maryam) to her, detailing her life and virginity. She is a model of faith but not divine or an intercessor. Judaism, on the other hand, does not mentioned in Jewish scriptures (Torah or Talmud) and holds no religious significance. She is viewed simply as a Jewish woman and mother in Christian stories, which Judaism does not accept.
As is the case with Jesus, there are passages in the Talmud (primarily the Babylonian Talmud) that scholars interpret as containing lurid or sensational references to Mary (referred to as Miriam), the mother of Jesus. These are polemical in nature, often implying adultery, infidelity, or promiscuity to counter Christian narratives of the virgin birth, portraying Jesus as illegitimate rather than divinely conceived. Such references are found in scattered discussions on sorcery, heresy, and execution, and they have been historically controversial, leading to censorship in medieval printed editions due to Christian accusations of blasphemy. However, interpretations vary: Some scholars argue these refer to different historical or legendary figures (not the biblical Mary), while others see them as deliberate anti-Christian parodies from the 3rd–4th centuries CE, with no historical reliability.
Without delving into a deep theological discussion, I simply say that I celebrate the birth of Jesus as a divine event with the ultimate purpose of uniting all humans — regardless of their sex, race or ethnicity — with their Creator. In other words, you don’t have to be a member of a particular tribe or speak a particular language or have a particular skin color, to be embraced as a genuine offspring of God. In that vein, I wish all who are reading this a Merry Christmas… That does not mean you have to accept Jesus, just understand that I am wishing for you the best things that life can offer to you and your family. Thanks for reading."
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