I am sad we cannot just get along and be respectful of our surroundings and of each others’ beliefs.
Here’s something interesting I came across the other day and shared in my Google Reader (which you can subscribe to, like an RSS Feed)
Anonymous Arabist writes:
“Venn diagram of the US population, the world Muslim population, the overlap, and al-Qaeda.
The al-Qaeda dot had to be sized up tenfold in order to be visible.
If Islam were really a blood-soaked religion and most Muslims really backed al-Qaeda, wouldn’t they have taken us out already?“
Full disclosure: I am an atheist, but for me, being an atheist doesn’t mean I can’t understand religion or respect others’ beliefs and convictions. I just try to stay out of religious debates because neither side can “win” when they argue about core beliefs and faith (or lack thereof).
Just a girl trying to find a balance between being a Shopaholic and a Saver.
I cleared $60,000 in 18 months earning $65,000 gross/year.
Now I am self-employed, and you can read more about 
@Leo: I'm a Middle Eastern, and a Muslim.. we don't ask anyone for tax here 🙂 whoever gave you that information must have had a wrong idea on how it currently is. Historically, they used to in the past (like when Islam was first spreading). But not anymore! plus in my country (and all Gulf countries) we don't even pay tax for anything (what you earn is yours)
I'm just saddened that some countries and people give us all a bad name.. we are normal, just like you and everybody else, we're just caught up in this b.s that extremist have caused. Those extremists are idiots, they have their own crazy ideas and it has nothing to do with religion. Islam (if they tried to really understand it) is a religion of peace.. || I'll stop here though because I really don't like discussing religion 🙂 but I'll just say this.. there are good people and bad people no matter what religion, race, gender.. why categorize anyone based on a minority?
The Middle East is filled with people of different religions.. I have Christian, Bahai', and Atheist friends (and I do have Jewish friends but they don't live here).. I'd say people should be more concerned about being happy and content with their choices in life rather than worry about what religion did what.. its never the religion, its the people.
I heard from somewhere, I might be wrong. The middle east are made up >80% of muslims, so the minorities (non muslims or infidels) either have to pay for tax for protection or convert or get intimidated by muslims on a regular basis. Look at the recent events with worldwide riots etc. Of course some countries are more extreme than others, there are also state supported ethnic cleansing in some areas. . .sad but that's the reality. . . .[sigh]
Of course that is not to say that all muslims are bad. I have known some really great muslim friends, it's just when you get to the middle east, the atmosphere is very different from here. I am thankful every day that I live in a free country (USA), and we should not take it for granted.
I am NOT caucasion, I am first generation immigrant (got here when I was around 10 years old,) and I speak three languages including English.
Buddhism is a true religion of peace!
I'm an atheist, and I'm pissed about my country's intolerance.
I was talking with a fellow friend who made a great point. So, al-qaeda blew up our buildings and in some American's eyes that makes all Muslims bad. Well, Timothy McVeigh was a Catholic and blew up the Oklahoma building and it was considered terrorism…so wouldn't that make all Catholics terrorists too? There's so much ignorance about the Muslim religion and people are all pissed off that they think Obama is a Muslim. I personally don't care what he is as long as he can run the country! I'm outraged right now and almost ashamed at the people's behavior here. There is a serious issue going on in this country right now of intolerance that is almost disrupting our very own freedom. I am concerned and outraged. We are causing our own wars within our own country. It's much more vile here than you can image right now.
You make a good point in logic about religion and assumptions.
I think perhaps, it was a bigger show of terrorism to blow up the iconic World Towers than it was to blow up the Oklahoma building.
That being said, it doesn\’t make ANY of it right, but it hits a lot harder on the psyche to see something you are used to working in, seeing everyday, just disappear because they wanted to make a point on their own agenda.
That, and I think they also tied it back to their religion (extreme albeit), which made people associate the terror with their religion even more.
It\’s quite sad. I feel really bad for what good Muslims are going through right now.
I believe in Jesus Christ and that He came to this earth (God in human form) to die on a cross for my sins. What does that mean? It means when I fall short, which we all do every day, that He loves me enough to pick me back up, clean me off again (through forgiveness), and allow me to continue the process of becoming more like Him. Being Christian does not mean you are morally right, do lots of religious acts, and look down on others. It means that when I die, I am secure in the belief that I have eternal life, and I will be face to face with my creator and live eternally with Him. We are just passing through on this earth. It's not our eternal home.
More Atheists need to come out.
We are more shunned and looked down upon with disgust then different races or sexual preferences. People somehow deem you less trustworthy if you are not "Christian" or any religion. Or you get the stigma that you are only saying you're an Atheist as if you're a college girl saying you're "bi-sexual" just to get attention or be "cool."
Long live Bill Maher, he's the only vocal atheist we have so far.
Hey, I agree.
BF and I are both atheists. We keep it on the down low, because talking about religion or politics tends to raise a lot of fire with people. I don\’t like getting into fights when they just can\’t change my mind on certain topics, and I can\’t (nor want to) change theirs.
That's exactly the point.
We have to keep quiet of our "non-beliefs" simply because it'll cause an uproar with every other religion out there. While we have to be sensitive to everyone else's belief, at the same time we are bombarded daily with religious intonations of others. The Pledge of Allegiance has "one name under God," when swearing an oath in a courtroom we place our hands on a Bible, on every dollar bill it says "In God We Trust."
Everyday occurrences are laced with religious symbolism, but if any utterances is spoken of the contrary then that causes the greatest of disdain.
We don't wish, nor want, to change others beliefs, but it's somehow a religious person's obligation to change me, to find Jesus and be saved.
It's insulting.
You said it. I suppose it doesn\’t bother me as much, religion, when I think about it as being a way to tie a community together, you know, the anthropological/social view! 🙂
If people feel good, and do better because –they– believe in religion, then I\’m of the \”let them be\” mindset. A lot of very religious people are very kind and generous, without feeling the need to shove it down my throat, but there are others who are not as easygoing.
I just don\’t like being attacked verbally or drawn into discussions I don\’t want to discuss, over religion, because as I\’ve said, no one can win.
Excellent point. Thought provoking.
Excellent post….. I totally 100million% could not agree more! I am a tooth fairy agnostic which essentially means atheist but I live in Cairo right now amongst millions of Muslims and fully respect their relationship with god….. Islam did not cause 9/11 any more than Christianity caused Ku Klux Klan Lynch Mobs.
Love thy neighbour.
What does that really mean? \”Tooth Fairy Agnostic?\” 🙂 I\’ve never heard of that term before!
I absolutely agree that we should just respect each others\’ beliefs and not blame them for others\’ actions. It\’s awful seeing the way they\’re being treated in North America when many have been here for such a long time.
It makes me think of back to WWII where the German and Japanese living in North America were being attacked for what their countries were doing. Just because someone is German or Japanese, doesn\’t mean that they think the same way. 🙁
Exactly…. good parallel there! There is a good old film called Bad Day At Black Rock that touches on the Japanese in USA getting attacked.
Tooth Fairy agnostic basically means I lean to atheism but I can't deny the existence of any god or literally anything. It's like saying the tooth fairy is as likely as the christian god to me (sounds awful when I write it down!)….. But that is basically it!
Goodness, perhaps that\’s what I am? I do think that gods exist in the minds and hearts of a community that believes in them, but I just don\’t follow it nor believe.
wow religion huh? I grew up around Christian family members and went to church growing up, but when I was around 21/22, I just decided to give it all up. I don’t believe in the gods of the 3 main religions, I can’t say for 100% that some kind of god doesn’t exist, however I’ve come to realize that religion isn’t for me. I’m not even spiritual. 😉
Still I understand why people are religious, I don’t hold that against them, my thing in life is for people to do what works for them. I don’t mind religious people as long as they respect my disbelief and don’t try to preach. To be honest with you, atheists/agnostics can be as evangelical about their skepticism as some religious people can be about their religious beliefs.
That tends to annoy me. I’ve also noticed that its popular among atheists to get very political and to make that their “god” and that’s also a turnoff, some of the atheists I’ve met really want to push their political beliefs on others. You could say that I hate extremism in anything. You can be extreme about anything. In my early twenties I used to be very active in this one atheist forum but I quit going there.
I’m happy to say that there are also nice atheists and agnostics, who do their own thing and aren’t weird about their philosophies. There are some people out there who can’t understand how someone can be non-religious, ethical and happy. But its cool, again I think people do what works for them whether that means being religious or not. I think most North Americans (Canadians and Americans) know that most muslims aren’t extreme.
You know, you\’d think that North Americans would know that most Muslims are not extreme, but then I read something on Post Secret today, about a woman II presume, as the image is of a woman) saying that when she cuts a Middle-Easterner\’s hair, she feels like she\’s betraying her country.
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_a7jkcMVp5Vg/TIwkOBPnNZI…
Not all Middle-Easterners or Arabs are Muslim. There are some who are Catholic or Jewish too. It\’s very difficult to categorize people, but it does make me sort of sad that we can\’t get along even if we don\’t believe in the same things.
I just read that Post Secret too.
The one about the woman who forgave her rapist after Hurricane Katrina was just unbelievable.