Islam and the West
Soft Voice, Strong Message: Students, world leaders seek UD professor's thought-provoking views on Muslim politics, religious extremism
Muslim Life in America Review the entire website before you post your comments.
Islam in Texas: Watch this Video
Islam in Europe
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I found the Islam in Texas video fascinating. The tropes that currently exist regarding “Muslim” and “Texan” in American culture are seemingly stark opposites. Both tropes continue to stand strong, carrying extensive baggage as to what the words have been socially constructed to mean. Yet, they have begun to disintegrate as shown in the video. The most intriguing aspect of this is that the two “opposing” tropes have now adhered, and created a new subculture that appears to be sweeping the nation.
I praise all of those in the video for following what they believe and refusing to conform to the society and conventions they were brought up with. I found the first story the most interesting, with the “almost” Baptist minister and his shocked mother. With his mother representing the pureblood trope of a Texan, she compared Islam to homosexuality. Both are foreign objects that are unwelcomed into her and many other Texan lives. Her son served as a prime example of the developing subculture that has begun to emerge. As they represent two consecutive generations, they represent two definitive mindsets. As generations continue to roll, barriers continue to break, and acceptance continues to force itself upon the nation, we will find ourselves in a completely different culture in the very near future.
In reviewing the Islam in Europe website I found it interesting how so many countries can have such similar and also such different problems with respect to Muslims. One juxtaposition I found interesting was that the US website on Muslim immigration noted that many Muslims in the US are increasingly successful and well-educated, while in the UK they are "among the poorest and least educated minorities in Britain." This disadvantage among Muslims is the case in most of the European countries highlighted.
There have been three main reasons for Muslim immigration to Europe. The first is by immigrating from colonies to the motherland, the second is by worker shortages in Europe that were eased by increasing Muslim immigration, and the third is the increase in economic and political refugess looking to make a better life for themselves and their families. Further, none have much, if any, representation in the government, and many face problems of discrimination, poor education, and low socio-economic status.
Discrimination has also increased, in large part in reaction to the bombings in the US, London, and Madrid. Some European countries are more amenable to their Muslim populations, by for instance officially recognizing their religion and allowing for public Muslim schools.
Geography also has a part to play in European reactions to Muslims. For instance, Austria and to some extent Germany are against admission of Turkey into the EU for fear of their borders being overrun by immigrant Turks. While this is not simply a matter of religion, but also of national security, unemployment, overpopulation or the like, many European countries do not embrace their increasing Muslim populations. In many of the countries where workers were invited to help during labor shortages, the governments of these countries wanted these workers to leave once the shortage was over. However, many of them stayed. These are just some of the issues facing Muslims in Europe today. Hopefully they will be more welcomed into these societies and the negative attention that has been brought by terrorist attacks will decline.
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I also felt the Islam in Texas video was very interesting. It is good to see that people have been able to find a faith that speaks to them and allows them to develop themselves spiritually and simultaneously become better people.
With that said, some of the attitudes in the video and readings bothered me. There was a strong emphasis on Islam being an entirely new and unique concept in religion because it preached unity, tolerance, selflessness, love, respect, etc. But wait, aren't these the same tenants of Christ's message as well?
The more I learn about Islam, the more I have discovered how similar the two religions actually are. Thus, I feel it is imperative- as waves of Americans convert to Islam- that we emphasize the similarities between the two religions in their acceptance of God/Allah as the Sovereign One. If this attitude isn't adopted (from people of both faiths), history tells us that the only result will be resentment between the two religions. Not only this, but such bitterness puts new American Muslims in danger of becoming as prideful as some of their misguided Christian brothers and sisters are now.
In the Islam in Texas video it is interesting to see the reactions of different people. The Baptist mother was shocked by the news that her son had converted to Islam. The fact that she wonders whether or not it was worse than if he had said that he was gay brings up an interesting point. While Texans tend to be more conservative, it may be harder for them to be accepting of newer trends in society. Further, she refuses to believe that this is a permanent change, thinking that he will return to Baptism and become a great preacher. Additionally, his business partner takes the same approach, of trying to get him to convert back to Baptism. Had this story been about a liberal family from the North things may have been seen differently. There may have been more acceptance, or no comparison to being gay.
An important thing that struck me throughout the video is that the people that converted to Islam have done it for personal reasons. They do not try to flaunt it, or convert other people to it. They are at peace within themselves and that is all they need. If everyone could take this kind of an approach to religion it would be much easier for all religions to coexist. Overall, I think people need to have a greater respect for all people and religions, regardless of whether they are the same or different.
“Lots of people are going out to buy a Qu’ran” since September 11th, says one Muslim convert in the Texas Muslims video. I wonder about the truth of this statement.
I could agree that the word “Islam” is now mentioned in Presidential speeches more than ever before. I could agree that, partially as a result of September 11th, more Americans are turning a curious, if not suspicious, eye on their local mosque.
Yet, despite the increased chatter about Muslims, I hesitate to believe that many Americans are really taking the time to understand Islam. More likely, people are comfortable with what information is handed to them, either by the media or by hearsay, and their curiosity about Islam ends there. Are bookstores seeing record sales in Qu’ran? I searched online to find out, but discovered nothing to confirm it. I did find a good sale at Amazon.com: The English Translation of the Holy Qu’ran with Full Arabic Text for $12.97. Better yet, though perhaps less legitimate, is a Free Qu’ran at http://www.freequran.org/ for $0.00. That’s an unbeatable deal. So, are you interested?
I didn’t think so.
Catherine brings up an interesting point. Yet as Islam continues to grow at an unprecedented pace in both the United States and Europe, I wonder what changes the future will hold. As the number of people converting to and following Islam grows, the numbers of influential people and public figures in that figure will also likely rise. With respected figures practicing Islam, (whether publicly or silently) I believe a respect of the faith will follow.
When this begins to take place, I believe the American mindset of Islam will start to resemble that of other traditionally western religions. That attitude of familiarity and respect will only take time as Islam assimilates into American culture.
As the video depicts, this process will likely be long; the attitudes in Texas of perfect example. While mothers in Texas equate the prospects of their children being gay and converts to Islam in the same unspeakable category, the US obviously has a long road ahead. Unfortunately, the road to acceptance of homosexuality is similarly arduous.
Today is simply the beginning stage of Islam’s re-exposure to a now greater perceptive and tolerant world. I definitely foresee this intermediate stage of acceptance as a transitional one. The quiet yet unmotivated interest in Islam that overwhelms the majority of American society today could easily lead to a greater curiosity and genuine interest. And only with that sparked primary interest will widespread acceptance one day become reality.
Upon watching the video Islam in Texas, I was completely shocked. Call me ignorant, but I could have never pictured a steak eating, gun shooting, white Texan to leave their Baptist faith and turn to Islam. Christ seems to be too much of a way of life for these people that I am surprised that anyone could get a way with turning away from Christ in their later life. Eric’s mother says that finding out her son converted to Islam broke her heart and was the same as if he had told her that he was gay. This is exemplary of the ignorance that I attach to these people. It is really a shame that these people can be so closed minded. I hope that this changes, but for now it is honorable that these people are able to face the adversity that comes along with separating themselves out from the crowd. When Eric was praying at the football game the video showed many people laughing and staring at him. This is probably indicative of the treatment of Muslims all over America.
Like everyone else I found the Muslims in Texas video fascinating. Initially I was shocked and found it amusing to see my personal stereotype of Texans blown away. But was it? When I hear Texan I think gun-toting, Baptist, football loving, republican, flag-waving and conservative to the extreme. So when one of the converts let it be known that he converted to Islam because he was looking for something more conservative than Christianity, well there you go. My stereotype reaffirmed. Has anything really changed? After initial befuddlement trying to figure out how the world was turned upside down that one line righted it again. Once again I can hear Texas and think conservative.
Then when one of the converts said “being Muslim makes me a better American” I knew everything was still the same. Texas is still home to our patriotic pulse. All this leads me to conclude once again that people are the same regardless of their religion. The Baptist mother and the Baptist preacher want the same things as the Muslim converts, to be good people and to be good Americans. They just now disagree on the best way to do this. Carry on Texans in your quest for righteousness. I hope you find it in whichever path takes you there.
One scene in the video left me with a curious thought. The segment on the woman who converted to Islam and wore a Hijab covering her entire face was interesting to me. Especially the scene depicting her rearranging the women lined up for prayer so that their shoulders were touching. There was nothing wrong with this, she was doing what her faith instructs her to do, but I can’t help wondering what the other women, the one’s whose faces weren’t covered, were thinking about this newly converted zealous Texan woman. I am especially curious to hear their response to her opinion that because she is a new member of the faith she can instruct others who were born into it and may have become jaded. Point taken, but do the people she thinks she is helping agree?
Whitney, your comment about the same values of love, respect, tolerance, unity, and selflessness being upheld in both religions is very important. And I agree that the more I learn about Islam the more similarities I see between the religions.
I found msnbs’s “Islam in Europe” site to be very concise and informative, but showing that no source is without bias. The site seems to focus on the plight of the Muslim and the discrimination which they face in Europe. The site ignores the support and amnesty these European states provide.
The site speaks of the disenfranchisement of the Turkish immigrants from German society. It also mentions that Islam, practiced by less than 4 percent of the population, is not “recognized by the government and is therefore not eligible for state funds.” The site fails to mention the unwillingness of the Turks to accept the German way of life. One example is the sort of Turkish “machismo” they express towards German women in forms of whistling and yelling when they walk by. Another piece of information the site fails to mention is the massive amount of support the state of German provides to these “disenfranchised” Turks.
In all the European states I examined, only one was listed as having a handle on its ethic issues. Miraculously, this state is Albania, the only with a Muslim majority. Not only are there “few major issues in the Muslim community” but “there is a strong degree of religious tolerance in the country.” I wonder if they examined the tolerance for other religions.
As is almost becoming cliché on this blog, I too found the "Islam in Texas" video to be of interest. I, however, am not as shocked as others seem to be at the conversion of Eric, Jasmine, David, and Catherine from Baptist to Mulsim. From personal experience of having been to Texas, the stereotype of a "steak eating, gun shooting, white Texan" as Michael Shulman puts it is blown way out of proportion. Despite popular belief, Texans do have a mind of their own, and just like any other human being, are searching for substance in their life.
That being said, what really intrigues me is that if supposedly hardcore Christians are converting to Islam, what does that say about the Christian religious institutions in the United States? Jasmine, an Islam convert from the video says the one thing that attracted her to the Muslim faith was Islam's strict stance on rape, divorce, drugs, and crime. These are all issues that Christianity is supposed to have the same stance on as the Muslim faith, yet Jasmine found something lacking with her previous religion. The same can be said about Eric and David. One thing that the video did not address, and that I would like to know, is what did they find in Islam that they couldn't find in Christianity?
After viewing the video, I then moved on to the "Islam in Europe" website. Having relatives in both Italy and Germany, I decided to look at the Islamic population in those two countries specifically. According to the website, both Germany and Italy seem to have problems with integrating people of the Muslim faith into their society. This is most certainly the case in Italy, where the banning of mosques, burkhas, and non-Christian immigrants was seriously discussed after the terrorist attack of 9/11, London, and Madrid. It is interesting to view a seemingly complete opposite reaction to that of the US in a country where an attack did not occur; in a post-9/11 America, there have been more Mulsim converts than ever before.
In the "Islam in Texas" video, it was very suprising to hear the "almost minister" say that Islam is everything he wanted Christianity to be. I got the idea that perhaps he, like many other converts to Islam, feel that Christianity is too lax in it's worship, and that people favor the more structured worship offered by Islam. It is interesting to note that while our culture becomes more and more liberalized and mannerisms and ways of life that were half a century ago considered taboo are now accepted, some yearn to find a strict faith to guide their lives and they feel that christianity is insufficient. Many, even in traditionally Christian Texas, find what they seek in Islam.
In the article on Muslim Life in America about the Tagouri family, Yahia and Salwa Tagouri express their displeasure at the use of the terms “Muslim terrorist.” They mention that there have also been American terrorists who happen to be Christian like the Unibomber or Timothy McVeigh, but that these people are not referred to as “Christian terrorists.” They are angry because the phrase “Muslim terrorist” links Islam to violent acts. I agree with the Tagouris that this phrase unfairly links Islam to terrorism and violence on unwarranted grounds. By using this phrase the media is misleading people; it is encouraging the erroneous belief that all Muslims believe the same things that men like the September 11 terrorists believed. This phrase reinforces prejudices of Americans towards Muslims. It seems to be portraying the religion as violent when in fact Islam means peace.
Believe it or not, I did not find the “Islam in Texas” video very interesting. Nothing at all in this video surprised me. While various Texans converted to Islam, I don’t find their conversions or the ways in which they handle themselves to be a demonstration of how the prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) lived his life.
First, the one gentleman’s mother, who refused to accept her son’s conversion, was to be expected. I believe she would have considered her son’s coming out as “the most disheartening news… I have ever received” as well. This is unfortunate, because both religions maintain similar views and beliefs (for example, their condemnation of homosexuals), but expected.
I was also not impressed by the Texans who found Islam. Perhaps I am off base, but I don’t believe religion should be based on what fits you the best. The man who I believe was called Eric was constantly trying to convert his friend, something which appears far more American than Muslim. Possibly this is from his Christian background, but either way I frown upon it. Jasmine, the Muslim convert, can spot a “Muslim mistake at twenty paces.” To me, it seems very strange to make a religious mistake, let alone be corrected by a recent convert.
I found the website "Muslim Life in America" interesting, in particular I found the Students in California article interesting. I find it surprising that teenagers are as devout to their religion as those featured in the article. I can honestly say I have never seen someone praying before eating in the cafeteria. I would be surprised to hear that a group of Catholics bowed their heads before lunch at school, and that form of prayer is much more subtle and not likely to draw attention. The group of Muslim students that prayed in the cafeteria during lunch impresses me because Mulsim prayer, at least from what I understand, is much more of a production than that of a Christian denomination.
At the same time, I find it puzzling that they did not find a more suitable place to pray. Places of worship tend to be peaceful and more spiritual than a busy cafeteria. I understand that they are trying to show people that Muslims are not evil people, but still Im puzzled. A statement that almost contradicts their previously stated purpose is when Dania Arafeh said "They're trying so hard to fit in, I can't tell the Muslims from everyone else." If you are trying to show everyone that you are in fact the same with different religious practices, then wouldnt it make sense to be the same in all aspects other than the religion you practice in your home.
I may be alone in my opinion, but I see religion as something that you keep in your heart and soul. It is an incredibly personal decision and experience. I believe that the only part of your religion that should be visible to the world is the way you treat others and live morally.
What I found so interesting about the Islam in Texas video was the answers that the random Texans gave to the questions asked by the interviewer. The absolute ignorance that people have about Islam was shown in these situations. The second woman wanted to know if they believed in God. First of all, she was stating that unless you believe in God, and the Christian God at that, you could not be a Texan, because obviously all Texans are moral, God-fearing people. Also, she seemed to be ignorant of the fact that religions other than Christian religions existed. She seemed to think that the mere fact that Muslims believe in a different supreme being they cannot also be true-blooded Americans.
I was also happy that the video pointed out an aspect of religious converts that I personally find obnoxious. When an individual converts to a religion, they tend to be overzealous about it. This overzealousness tends to lead to preaching to others instead of simply being a good person within the religion.
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I thought that the Islam in Texas video was very interesting and even a bit astonishing. It was quite interesting to hear the stories of the various born-and-raised Texans who had converted to Islam, and on their own accord. Most people view Texans as being hardcore conservative, Bible-bashing, Protestants, and almost complete opposites of Muslims. Thus, it was fascinating to learn that many of these Muslim converts were almost more religious, or more knowledgeable of Islamic laws and customs than many other born-Muslims.
I thought it was also very interesting to see how these Muslim converts lead their daily lives amongst the backdrop of the very same conservative, Protestant Texan society. It seemed that at first many of their family and friends had trouble understanding or were even sometimes thoroughly upset about their decision to convert to the Islam, mainly out of ignorance of the Islamic religion. The one woman was not even certain if Muslims believed in God! But, overall, it seemed as if Muslim converts had adapted their beliefs to their surrounding Texan society and were extremely content with their new way of life.
I enjoyed reading the Muslims in America website, and found the article "A Mosque in Massachusetts" particularly interesting. The situation involving blatant discrimination against Muslims to buy property for a new Islamic center was disheartening, and reminded me of the similar events that we saw in the video from class. While the situation was terrible, it made it easy to see how easily the media and people in general so quickly blow things out of proportion and reject anything new or different. I could definitely picture people in the Milton area getting riled up with a headline suggesting an influx of people. Additionally, it seems probable that the community was generally uninformed about the Muslim's faith.
On the other hand, it was really nice to see how the town of Sharon reached out to the Muslim community after their struggles in Milton and welcomed them into their area. Not only were they not hostile, but they extended their welcome and were happy to have interfaith dialogues and diversity. The situation in Sharon provides a model for education of neighbors, discussions, and openness to new cultures and faiths. Hopefully in the future more communities will be accepting as Sharon was, and the mix of many religions will seem commonplace.
There were two segments of the Muslims in Texas video that were particularly effective in deomstrating how complicated inter-religious relationships are, and how the conflicts within these relationships can be far more difficult to resolve than any other sort of conflict (political, cultural, ect). One of these scenes is where a Muslim convert is debating with a co-worker, and the other scene is where the mother of that same convert is talking about her son's religion.
Two best friends can be on opposite ends of the political spectrum, yet they can still "agree to disagree." When people truly care about eachother, they are usually able to put aside their differences and focus on what they have in common. However, with religion this is not always possible. In fact, when it comes to religion, it seems that the more someone cares about somebody else, the more the difference in religion will cause a problem. Because when someone believes that souls are at stake, that overrides all else. The way in which the two co-workers are so confident and insistent that the other will convert, or how the mother will never give up hope that her son might revert to Christianity shows how much of a strain religious difference can put on relationships.
This example on the personal level shows why it is so difficult to imagine possible solutions for religious conflict on an international level. People may be willing to compromise when it comes to politics, land, money, or even freedom - but not when it comes to faith and one's soul.
I agree with the general consensus that the video of Islam in Texas was very interesting. And, as Whitney and several other people mentioned, I found the belief that Islam was more structured than Christianity an interesting differentiation. I, too, find that the more I learn about both faiths, the more similarities I see. I believe that both teach generally the same values and have similar suggestions for living one's faith in a more worldly setting. I certainly believe that Islam's tenets help its faithful live their lives, as those of Christianity do, but I was surprised to hear that fundamentalist Christianity wasn't a strict enough guide. To me, it seems to have many guidelines. And, while I could see why the mother would be initially surprised and unsure how to respond to her son's conversion, her ignorance and closed attitude was visible. Attitudes such as this, that do not accept other religions, will not help us to move toward a tolerant, peaceful world.
Additionally, I saw parallels between the gathering of Muslim "sisters" with Catholic "sisters"- the excitement of another woman taking vows, the conservative dress, and the sharing of religion with one another are all characteristics both groups share.
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What an interesting video Islam in Texas was. I am constantly reminded just how little I know when it comes to other cultures, even within my own country. Its both encouraging and disheartening what I see in this video. Encouraging that this sort of this is studied and that Muslims endure even in less than tolerant areas. Upseting intolerance still exists on that level. Its easy to write it off as Southern backwardness or something of the like. The problem exists in the north, however. Persians, arabs and turks are grouped into "towel heads" and "camel jockeys". Islamophobia is a scary reality in this country, and apparently its not politically incorrect to rip into Muslims. Its natual to a degree, this close to 9/11, but it needs to be curbed or it could be a big problem. Again, this video highlights a small part of the greater struggle, but it is definately eye opening and valuable.
On Islam in Europe
I was pretty impressed by this site because it does a great job of breaking everything down. I was first surprised that though no one country has an extremely large amount of Muslims, every country has its share, except for maybe Poland since it doesn’t even have the figures for population. It was interesting that Latvia has less than 500 Muslims. How bigoted does France seem since it doesn’t officially recognize Islam. I was also surprised that Macedonia and Russia have the largest percentage figures with 30% and 14% respectively. I figured that the further east one travels the Muslims there would be, but that is not always the case. For example, the Ukraine has less than one percent.
It was also interesting, but not surprising, that Muslims have faced a lot of adversity no matter what country they live in. Most of the countries’ major issues all have something to do with how the Muslim communities have all taken a hit by way of discrimination after 9/11. It almost brings me to the point of feeling that Al Qaida is digging a deep hole for the whole Muslim community. It also seems like in most European countries with larger Muslim populations, the Muslims are less educated and have higher unemployment. Last but not least, it is interesting to see that Muslims are slowly starting to make their way west across Europe, though in small numbers. The website does a great job, especially in showing how Muslims have moved relatively slowly to western and northern European countries starting around the beginning to middle of the 20th century.
On Islam in Texas
At first, I was thought this video was going to attempt to try to convert me to Islam, especially considering the banner the scrolled across the bottom of the screen and because the name of the website is www.turntoislam.com. It’s almost hard to take these people seriously just because of their accents. Texas and Islam do seem highly contradictory. You have to give all these people credit for being brave enough to be openly Muslim (like that of Eric, the guy who prays at the football game) in the heartland of Christianity that is Texas. I was taken aback by the woman’s comparison that coming out as Muslim was like coming out as being gay. David’s comment that America was founded on some of the same principles advocated by Islam made a lot of sense. His comment that people in Texas are more tolerant than people in cities was amazing to me, especially after that segment was followed up by a lot of people talking about how much they don’t know about Islam. Dave’s next comment about 9/11 being a blessing was interesting in that his logic seems plausible that people are looking deeper into Islam to see what it is all about. I was even more astonished about how American Muslim converts appear to be stricter in their faith. However, I find it quite hard to believe that America will have a Muslim majority.
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