Most mornings I get up about 7 or 8 and I connect to the net to download my email while I shower before I have a cup of tea, prepare parrot and dog food, and feed the avians. This morning I did the same, why not? but I peeked at the email before I made my tea and got distracted.
First, I wish I did speak Portuguese, but I don't. French and Spanish, yes, Portuguese no. I have some very good friends, originally Brits who lived in Alexandria with us back in the 80's who are living outside of Lisbon. Their extremely fair, blonde or red haired kids who grew up speaking Arabic with the gardener and housekeeper are now perfectly fluent in Portuguese and I'm quite envious. So, Mundomeu, my apologies.
The next two posts left me chuckling. First, there are probably many Portuguese-speaking Muslims in the world. Arabic is, after all, only required of those who want to read the Quran in the original. If my daughter can speak Italian, French, and Spanish, does it mean that she's not Muslim? Oh, the possibilities of entertainment here are endless.
Then there was Jo who was incensed that I "gave up" my religion for inheritance..... Uh, where did I ever say that I was Christian? In fact, I was raised as (as my good friend Ameeta, who was raised a Jain, put it so well) as a non-aligned monotheist. Let's face it. Whatever power may or may not exist, and people are qute free to insert anything that they might like, I doubt very much that he/she/it's primary concern has been the labels that humans wear. I don't recall anything in the New Testament in which Jesus is alleged to have said "And you shall call yourselves Christians"...in fact, I bet that he'd be horrified. Most of the advice in the Bible and Quran is about how to be a better person, rather than how to wear a team t-shirt. I happen to think that labelling humans as Christians of whatever flavour as opposed to Hindus or Muslims is rather silly and counterproductive. My whole point was that I didn't give up anything to be called a Muslim, I just let some people who are fascinated with labels be more comfortable. I suspect that I'm a better Muslim than many label-conscious folk are, but I was before too. It's how you live your life that counts.
No wonder Anonymous posts are anonymous. Now to feed the birds and chat with AliBird who truly understands God and the universe and everything.
6 comments:
hi! I've already notice your blog here in blogger, and it's like "wow" 'cos 4 days ago I've arrived from Egypt after 11 days with my parents, travelling there and knowing the Nilo and that amazing places, and that amazing people.
I'm just 22 and I fell in love with the country, now I understand why there are people who go there everytime they can.
just tell you that there I was so sad 'cos I had a bad night with my parents, and I was crying like an idiot, in the bus back to the Cairo hotel, and everybody in the street who saw me crying were like making funny things and smiling, and that kind of things doesn't happens here in Spain, so it was like "wow, how cute people"...
So nice to meet your blog and here you have another reader.
take care.
kisses from spain.
*esme*
I think it is a flaw of our society that we still view religion as anything more than a stepping stone to our own better understanding. I'm not saying there isn't a higher power or an afterlife, just that you'll never discover these things by listening to someone else's incessant prattle about how to be a "good person." We should take the good things from all organized religions and find a way to fit them into our lives, without the unnecessary (and often harmful) dogma. Fundamentalists may scoff me for being agnostic, but I've never been happier than when I decided God was a being that was impossible to know and I should stop searching him/her/it out to concentrate on improving myself.
I'm speechless i guess, i admire ur thoughts about life and belief. Yeaa..being better person is the most important messages in all religion i guess..it's just being more soften as people civilization grow..and i found islam suitable for me. Perhaps, team uniform isn't that necessary, and i don't believe labelling ourself is creating certain images as well. But, i really enjoy wearing headscarf in my country while many women prefer not.The reason is not to show that i'm muslim, but it's all about my soul. Being more close to the religion taught me about to behave and dress up, make me feel better. Coz it keep remind me, to act well..and i never dare being prejudiced on others way and style..Have lots of friends, budhism, hindu, christians and catholics. As matter a fact i did learn alot from them. Nice to know that we're never be perfect unless we try to absorbed and learn as many knwledge from other..
Nice to know you..i'll read insightfull posts from u..
and coming to egypt is my mom's and my dream too..
You just a shit,craps,bicth,fuck person.You're a unworthiest person in the world.You just a shit you know.FUCK U!!!SON OF A BICTH...!!!HOPE YOU'LL DIE SOON...!!!You know,NOBODY likes & wants you!!!Do you relies that the world will be a better place without you,BITCH!!!!!!Go to hell,bitch!!!
Your nightmare.........
Was that last post a parody? Might make a funny entry over at engrish.com. "What a hell?"
I like your comments. Well put. I think that some of what you said is echoed in the writings of C.S.Lewis and others whose concern was certainly substance over style. Still, the style is sort of a useful construct, as are the religious labels, at least for the census takers and the marketers. Is it not good to have a general idea of another's faith that can be summarized in a word, instead of having to read their whole religious resume? Talk amongst yourselves.
--"I think that we shouldn't enlist in a religion and believe everything we're told."--
Neither do I, unless. Unless the possibility exists that one and only one of the manifold religions in existence is a (the) true one, meaning one that contains 100% truth, and is in fact lead by Jesus with a prophet acting as mouthpiece, as in the days of old when Jesus led his church.
If only that religion existed...
Ok, I might as well come forward. That church does exist. It's up to you to find it. I'll give you a hint: It's not a matter of "the one that's right for you". It's the same church for everybody. I could tell you, but it will mean more if you find this out yourself.
Let me help you start your journey. Start with the Bible. Start with humility. Start with Prayer. And don't stop! I promise you, as a representative (albeit a minor one) of Jesus Christ, you will find the answers to your questions in this lifetime, and they won't be mystical. They'll be plain and simple.
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