I went out with some friends this evening. Just got home. It's 2am. We went to see the Davinci Code. I actually really liked the movie. I think it was probably even better because I never read the book. Kind of like suspense the whole way through. I'm glad I went out. I really had to get my mind off certain things, so it was a nice break, and much needed in my opinion.
I basically went with a group of 25 people. I only knew one person of the 25 (it was a Muslim professional networking group that had made the arrangements), and my friend had recommended I join them, and he was kind enough to arrange a ticket for me as well. I had a nice time, and everyone went for dessert after (always nice to meet new people).
It's weird. Before I left, one of my friends (non Muslim) called me to ask if I knew anything about the "protest" that was happening at 2pm at Sheppard Ave. I asked what protest and he said that some Muslim organization had arranged a protest over the DaVinci Code. My response, no I didn't know, nor do I care. I'm going to see the movie tonight, with 25 other Muslims. The response I got, "yeah, you always were an anomaly".
OK- WHERE do I start. I am SO irritated. Irritated that I have to get a call and defend myself. Irritated that I have to be seen as an anomaly. Irritated that I'm actually thankful that I'm seen as an anomaly (it irritates me, not because I want to be seen as the "norm" but because that's how bad the norm has gotten). Most of all, I'm irritated that this stupid community cannot stop with the negative bloody publicity. PLEASE for the love of GOD. Some of us are trying to live normal lives. Why the hell do these morons have to come along and ruin it for us and put us in a perpetually defensive position? I hate it.
I don't even understand what the heck they are protesting. I mean- what's the issue? Muslims don't see Jesus as God, so the implication in the movie that he was actually not a deity, well that fits more into a Muslim philosophy than anything else. But let's not even debate this fact...It's like, "HELLO- did you NOT get the part when they said the movie was fiction?" Fiction means- not true, not implying that it's true.
Here's my recommendation. If stupid people have too much time on their hands, they should find useful things to do. If the movie really bugs you, write a petition or something. Don't clog up our roads with your stupid protests, and don't show the world how stupid and irrational you can be. You just ruin it for the rest of us. Have we not had enough negative publicity already?
Man, this stuff tires me out. If this keeps up, more and more, the world will start to see people like myself as the anomaly, not the norm. I know the "normal" Muslims outnumber the whako ones. The only problem is the normal ones aren't vocal enough. Many don't want to air our dirty laundry and reveal our infighting and disagreements to the rest of the world. My recommendation- air away baby. That's the only way the world will see that there are normal thinkers in our community. Many of them. And we are the norm. The anomaly is the handful of psychos with their opinionated and backwards viewpoints being flashed in front of the media on what feels like a daily basis. If we don't speak up, they will be seen as the norm, and we (the normal peace loving Muslims) will have contributed to it with our silence.
6 comments:
If you were to go through your post and replace the word "Muslim" with "Christian", it would still make perfect sense.
Look, I can't claim to be embarassed by the whacko faction of my religion 'cause I'm an atheist. My parents, though, are pretty devout Christians and are shaking their heads at all the wingnuts protesting a freaking fictional movie.
Religion's a source of a lot of power and influence, so there will always be people who try to distort or exploit it for their own gain. While it's frustrating, I actually find it a little helpful to see such displays (protesting a fictional work, making racist comments, etc.) so you can easily identify the people you don't want to be associated with. It's Darwinian.
I agree completely- but one thing- Fortunately for Christians, their religion hasn't seen the same amount of weird publicity from the freakos within their faith.
The Muslim people unfortunately, seem to be plagued with all the negative publicity, brought on by the handful of crazies within our faith, that we would sooner disown, kind of like the red headed cousin that people like to disassociate with.
My complaint is that amidst all the bombings, cartoons, etc- did they REALLY need to invite more, and give the world yet another chance to think that we're all freaks? Nope, didn't think so... :-)
Think people, think- if you're Muslim and bringing YET more publicity to our community, try making it positive publicity this time. ARG.
Christians have plenty of weird publicity-grabbing freakos: Fred Phelps, Jerry Falwell, James Dobson, Pat Robertson. The problem is that we see what happens in the US where they're VERY Christian and VERY wary of anything that remotely resembles Islam. Elsewhere in the world Christians are the minority who're viewed askance, and with even better reason. There's probably been more blood shed in Jesus' name (or with his politically-invoked backing) than any other religion.
In my perfect world *all* religions would be considered quaint superstitions and largely ignored, but that's me.
Hmmm- Good point re: the bloodshed, but Muslims are pretty close, if not ahead by now Dan. :-) We can call it a tie if that makes you happy...
Please. On the grand scale of things it's only recently, and in a relatively minor way, that Islam's been associated with violence. The Crusades, the witch hunts, the Inquisition...all directly sponsored by the Christian church. The massacre of the native Americans, every declaration of war in the 20th century that ended with "And may God bless America"...Christians have plenty of historical blood.
Not that I'm forgiving either; I think there's lots of guilt to go around. Killing anybody in the name of religion is beyond stupid, whether it's a plane flown into a building or a gay kid beaten and left to die outside of Laramie.
Here here. Killing in the name of religion is a stupid thing. I keep reminding everyone- Hello- Did you not read the part of the Quran that said you cannot take a life? What about hurting innocent people? People seem to apply a great deal of selectivity in religion...
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