How many Muslims do you personally know?
- Thread starter chair
- Start date
Yes, many.
And I found that gatherings with them were enjoyable until the topic of loyalty to their adopted country America came up.
Then, one man posed the question how do you expect a Muslim man serving in the American military to take up arms against Muslims in another country?
I replied, German American's took up arms against Germany in both world wars. They were Americans first.
The topic was dropped and we turned to other things.
I've met a number, but I only really knew one well. He was a Persian who spoke at length about the realities of his former homeland and the religion that ruled it, of his faith and his family.
I liked him. Funny, intelligent and the product of a first rate Western education, along with a rich understanding of his own people's history and culture. We never argued religion, because at the time I knew him I was an atheist. He was worried about me on that count. I was worried about him too.
He was an engineer. His family had a construction concern in Iran.
All sorts of things. Why? They sounded like interesting and good people. His father was a particularly courageous man who prospered under the Shah and remained when many of his countrymen were fleeing, understanding he would be subject to great scrutiny given his son chose to remain in the U.S.
Yes, my next door neighbors are Muslim.
They couldn't be nicer.
Dad's an M.D., mom doesn't work, they have four daughters.
Two oldest daughters are now M.D.'s
Quite a lot.
Been to their Muslim weddings, graduations, birthday parties, etc.
They are the nicest people on my street.
The mom and dad are from India, all the kids were born here in the USA.
One other thing I'd like to add:
Across the street from me and my Muslim next door neighbor lives a Jewish family.
The Jewish families daughter is in the same grade as the Muslim's families daughter.
For about 4 years, the Jewish girl would spend each day after school at the Muslim's home because her Jewish parents both worked.
The Jewish family has three kids. I have been their two Bar Mitzvahs, and one Bat Mitzvah.
However, the Muslim's didn't go to the Mitzvahs, and the Jews didn't go to the Muslim weddings.:idunno:
Across the street from me and my Muslim next door neighbor lives a Jewish family.
The Jewish families daughter is in the same grade as the Muslim's families daughter.
For about 4 years, the Jewish girl would spend each day after school at the Muslim's home because her Jewish parents both worked.
The Jewish family has three kids. I have been their two Bar Mitzvahs, and one Bat Mitzvah.
However, the Muslim's didn't go to the Mitzvahs, and the Jews didn't go to the Muslim weddings.:idunno:
Morpheus
New member
Spent time with many and came to know a few better.
Quite congenial with excellent sense of humor. Good cooks. Quite tolerant even during repeated extensive religious discussions. Family oriented.
Most were either professionals or owned businesses. Some, even outside of complete family units, were high school or college students. Some were a bit lower to middle classed Black Muslims with blue-collar jobs. Some actually work for the Islamic Center in Plainfield, Indiana.
Met most of the families. As I said before, they were very family oriented. Really not particularly different than other families I know. I remember how I was surprised the first time I was around the women when they came out of Mosque and removed their hijabs before getting in their cars while talking about family, shopping, television shows, etc. Kids laughed and played just like any other kids. The only real difference I noticed was that the parents and kids seemed to be closer as a rule than a similar number of European-American families even in the Christian Church. Family before business or money.
I was a club coach for a soccer team on which there were two Muslim girls. One of the fathers was a machinist and he and I talked a lot. Turns out he's Palestinian, of Kurdish descent, and was pleased I knew something about Saladdin, the Kurdish Calif who was so admired as an adversary by Richard the Lion-Hearted.
His wife is a native of the U.S., and his daughter is Muslim, a pretty good soccer player, of which her father is quite proud. She can pretty much wheedle anything out of Daddy by smiling and batting eyelashes.
I know a second Muslim whose daughter wanted to play recreational soccer. "No, no daughter of mine will do that!"
(tears from daughter)
"You may play, but your arms and legs will be covered."
(tears from daughter)
"You may wear shorts and a jersey, but you will keep your hair covered."
Smiles. "O.K. Dad."
Two students, a boy and a girl, siblings whose parents fled East Africa to the U.S. He's a bit of a rebel, and gets in some trouble. He got along well with me, though, and when his sister was assigned to me the next year, came by to explain how she was, and to make sure I knew she was his sister.
Their parents work hard for very little, and really push their kids to excel so they won't have to.
His wife is a native of the U.S., and his daughter is Muslim, a pretty good soccer player, of which her father is quite proud. She can pretty much wheedle anything out of Daddy by smiling and batting eyelashes.
I know a second Muslim whose daughter wanted to play recreational soccer. "No, no daughter of mine will do that!"
(tears from daughter)
"You may play, but your arms and legs will be covered."
(tears from daughter)
"You may wear shorts and a jersey, but you will keep your hair covered."
Smiles. "O.K. Dad."
Two students, a boy and a girl, siblings whose parents fled East Africa to the U.S. He's a bit of a rebel, and gets in some trouble. He got along well with me, though, and when his sister was assigned to me the next year, came by to explain how she was, and to make sure I knew she was his sister.
Their parents work hard for very little, and really push their kids to excel so they won't have to.
csuguy
Well-known member
One. She is fellow student at my university - but she is an Engineering Major of some kind, where as I am Computer Science. I think she graduates with her undergrad this semester.
She is a strong Muslim feminists. She adheres to her faith, but growing up in America in public schools - she has no problems interacting with people of all backgrounds and creeds. She even attends college parties, though doesn't drink. All in all she's pretty awesome.
The Muslims that I know the best are:
The lady who cleans our house. She has become more religious over the years, and now dresses differently and wear a hijab on her head. Brought her son to our house once, when school was on vacation. Sunni, which is the most common here.
A gentleman who used to work for me. PhD in one of the hard sciences. Alawi (think Syria). Not many of those here. Their society has changed dramatically in the last generation or two, for example, as far as the status of women.
The cab driver who takes me to the airport and back (I tend to travel a lot for my work). Has twin girls, and hopes that they will get well-educated.
There are a number of Muslim tradesmen (carpenters and the like) that I know, but not very well. Also some physicians.
The point of this thread (in case you haven't figured it out), is to re-humanize Muslims in our minds. I though this was necessary, considering some of the threads that we have seen recently.
I am quite aware of the threat that radical Islam poses. More aware on a personal level than most TOL posters, I think. But I am also aware of the danger of lumping all Muslims together, and going off on anti-Muslim hate-fests.
For those who don't know: I live in Israel.
The lady who cleans our house. She has become more religious over the years, and now dresses differently and wear a hijab on her head. Brought her son to our house once, when school was on vacation. Sunni, which is the most common here.
A gentleman who used to work for me. PhD in one of the hard sciences. Alawi (think Syria). Not many of those here. Their society has changed dramatically in the last generation or two, for example, as far as the status of women.
The cab driver who takes me to the airport and back (I tend to travel a lot for my work). Has twin girls, and hopes that they will get well-educated.
There are a number of Muslim tradesmen (carpenters and the like) that I know, but not very well. Also some physicians.
The point of this thread (in case you haven't figured it out), is to re-humanize Muslims in our minds. I though this was necessary, considering some of the threads that we have seen recently.
I am quite aware of the threat that radical Islam poses. More aware on a personal level than most TOL posters, I think. But I am also aware of the danger of lumping all Muslims together, and going off on anti-Muslim hate-fests.
For those who don't know: I live in Israel.
watch out for those Israeli Defense Forces, i mean, the palestinian land grabbers ! kidding. yes, i have a Muslim friend named Adnan. from Bosnia. very nice guy, funny and intelligent. i always put myself in other people's shoes, if i can. not literally necessarily, but i try to see other perspectives. any hate fest is detrimental to any society or individual. it's frightening when a "mob" or violence oriented mentallity takes over, fueling false misdirected emotions and beliefs. what can we do ? we are all the same in so many ways, yet we can't get along. i hate to be redundant, but EVERY single sin or crime, violence, lust, power, money, greed, hate, murder, war, theft, pride, ego, obsession (other than God/Jesus), material desire, anger, bitterness, resentment, - etc, etc. EVERY single thing is SELF/SELFISHNESS. i include myself, of course. obviously there countless levels and variations of selfishness, but if we all understood the implications, individually, goups, nations, faiths and the world, most thing would improve. never going to happen, i'm just sleepy. good day, God Bless All ! ! ! -
PS - i also worked closely with a man from Lebanon, i never asked if he was Muslim though. very good guy
musterion
Well-known member
The last Muslim I was personally acquainted with (that I'm aware of, anyway) was in the summer-fall of 2001. I was working at a canning plant in Indiana, with gigantic warehouses you could get lost in for an hour. He was hired on as a load inspector and inventory manager...those folks were always out and about for extended periods. Anyway, he was well into his 40s, spoke English very well and said he was retired Tunisian Air Force. Very polite but very quiet, stayed to himself a lot, didn't talk much despite several people being friendly to him.
Within a week of 9-11, he disappeared without any notice whatsoever. Just *poof* gone.
I think the supervisors alerted the FBI a few weeks later when odd stories like that one started turning up from all over the country.
Coincidence? Maybe.
My dad's doc from as far back in the '80s was Pakistani. Dad tells me of one time Israel was in the news and this otherwise nice, pleasant physician got noticeably agitated and quite hateful against Jews when the topic somehow came up in conversation. At the time it didn't mean much to my dad but in the past 10 years he says it now makes a lot more sense.
Within a week of 9-11, he disappeared without any notice whatsoever. Just *poof* gone.
I think the supervisors alerted the FBI a few weeks later when odd stories like that one started turning up from all over the country.
Coincidence? Maybe.
My dad's doc from as far back in the '80s was Pakistani. Dad tells me of one time Israel was in the news and this otherwise nice, pleasant physician got noticeably agitated and quite hateful against Jews when the topic somehow came up in conversation. At the time it didn't mean much to my dad but in the past 10 years he says it now makes a lot more sense.
Some people always need a group to hate. When it became disreputable to hate black people, some switched to homosexuals or Muslims or both.
Some people seeking power and followers find the practice of scapegoating a group to be an effective method to gain those goals. Hence the behavior you often see from them.
Some people seeking power and followers find the practice of scapegoating a group to be an effective method to gain those goals. Hence the behavior you often see from them.
1. Yes .. I meet Muslims everyday. They are in and out of the office all day long. I know 2 very well.
2. The 2 I know are nice, generous people.
3. One is a truck driver who owns his own trucking company. The other is an interpreter.
4. The truck driver is married to a lady who is a Catholic. They have two teen sons. Very active in sports. The other one is a widower.
Yes, if the media isn't in a coordinated effort to brainwash us about gun control, they are in a coordinated effort to brainwash us for racial tension. If they are not in a coordinated effort to brainwash us for racial tension, they are in a coordinated effort to brainwash us that the Bible is wrong and male-male anal intercourse is right. If they aren't in a coordinated effort to brainwash that our Bibles are wrong, they are in a coordinated effort to make Americans hate Israel's enemies.
It's so obvious. We live in the Soviet Union our mothers warned us about.
Any Muslim I've known has been in passing. Just waiting to hear Chair's story and wondering if this thread is going the way he thought.
Quincy
New member
I know a couple dozen or so rather well, I used to be married to woman whose family was Muslim. The ones who grew up over here are good people and we get along quite well. One is a police officer, a couple are doctors, some are in college but most of them work a trade like laying carpet or demolition. Being part of the family, I can say many are peaceful folks, especially if they grew up over here. The ones who immigrated, most seem to not grasp the language and customs too well, but a few of the less orthodox ones are interesting people I get along with. The ones who visit from overseas, I'd rather shove a hot poker down my throat than be in the same room with them. They think I don't understand what they're saying when they are all gossiping in Farsi but I do and their hatred towards me is bothersome. They think I'm a Jew even though I've told them I'm not.
The ones who grew up here, I really like, though. To inject a western analogy, they are to the Islamic fundamentalists what Christians who've only ever read John 3:16 are to..... most people on this forum.
ok then, bye
perspective. we're all people. "most people" - wow:vomit:
Quincy
New member
A lot of the people on here are against many things, such as same-sex marriage while there are less fundamental Christians who don't oppose it. The vast majority of Christians on here are fundamentalists and they are opposed to non-traditional values just as fundamental Muslims are. I'm only pointing out the similarities in moral compass towards some issues in regards to people who have an orthodox understanding of their particular holy text.