Islamophobia: You Scared? Go to Church

Christians believe that Jesus is the Son of God. Christians believe in the Trinity; the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. Muslims consider the Trinity to be a division of God’s Oneness and a shirk, an ultimate sin. Christianity and Islam have different scriptures, with Islam using the Quran and Christianity, the Bible. These are just a few differences of the two religions, but not the end of these differences.

Certain people capitalize on these differences. And not for the betterment of society. They use these differences to further separate the two religions and cause dissension amongst the righteous people. Creating a divide within many facets of society. I think the riff between the two religions can be traced back to the fall of Jerusalem in 636. And way up into today’s society, the divide still exists.

From generation to generation, the division has been carried on.

Muslims conquered Jerusalem in 636. It is believed that over 90,000 Christians were massacred during this time. Muslims fought wars and won against Jews for years, until finally taking Jerusalem under siege. Ever since then, there has been a division between these two major religions. Today, the divide can be disguised as American and non-American. Even though, statistics estimate there are 3.3 million Muslims living in the United States, about one percent of the total U.S. population.

Evidence of this divide can be referenced back to our black leaders: Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X. Martin stood for Christianity and turning the other cheek and Malcolm stood for Islam and by any means necessary. They both stood for the civil rights of blacks. They just traveled different roads getting there.

Now, in the 20^th century, we have stereotypes of Islam and terrorism being one and the same. We have Sunday sermons in churches, that speak against the Muslim population.

We have a presidential candidate lobbying for the banishment of all Muslim persons from entering the US.

These types of attitudes define the fear and prejudice against Islam or Muslims. And from this stance, a certain type of behavior is bred. Islamophobia. When behaviors breed from these types of attitudes, violence against Muslims, like the shootings of a Muslim Imam and his associate in New York, happen.

People like Trump make it seem okay to be prejudiced against the Muslim community, here and abroad. People like Trump reinforce the stereotype that all Muslims are dangerous and terroristic. (Is that even a word? Of course it is. Of, or relating to terrorism.) People like Trump continue to force the wedge creating the divide, between Christians and Muslims.

You know it’s bad when your family starts believing the hype. My last name used to be Allah. I moved to Virginia from Massachusetts  and my wife convinced me to change my name. I moved it to the middle and assumed my mother’s maiden name. My wife reasoned that I should change it now that we were in Virginia, since it could be used as a prejudiced against me. She thought I would not be able to land a job because Virginia had me blackballed. For my name. Even though I was working a job at the time. She still thought that I would be targeted because of it.

So, as cliché as it may sound: “Happy wife, happy life.” I changed it. And when I did, everybody at my job was like, “Dude, what’s up?” My only answer was, “I just wanted to take my mother’s name back.” They wouldn’t understand.

Hell. I didn’t understand it, when in Rome…

So, now, I have my mother’s maiden name. Which is cool. It was my last name at birth. I only changed my name, after becoming an adult, for cultural reasons. But, in retrospect, my wife had a good idea. She had a bad phobia behind her motive of convincing, but, it was not a bad move. Unfortunately, this country still feels some sort of way against Islam and the word Allah. Especially after 911. I have my own conspiracy theories about that whole thing.   

In other words, I have my doubts about the truths this country claims to tell. I can’t find it within myself to trust a nation that was built on lies, deceit and thievery. That’s my own opinion. Like it or lump it. We have come so far as a nation, yet, we are stuck in a day and age where prejudice still overrules. What a shame.

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