I will give away some info about me. I live in Belgium. With that said, any fellow Belgian would ask me in which part. Brussels, Flanders or ‘that other piece’. But I’m not going to discuss that problem, we have politicians pretending to be solving that problem.
But what I would like to share with you, are the issues I’m having with the multicultural aspect of where I live. Before you leave this page thinking I’m a racist (or worship me, yelling ‘Heil alackofimagination’, thinking I’m a racist): I’m not. I just find it hard sometimes because they are in fact so very different at times, despite what everyone tries to tell us. For instance: their believe. I’m a christian, you see, but I’m a christian like 3 quarters of Belgium: I believe that there’s some kind of afterlife, because it would be so sad for the loved ones we’ve already lost if there is indeed no ‘passing on’. Granted, I could just as well be a Buddhist and believe in reincarnation, but I happened to grow up in Western Europe and people mostly believe in that big, bearded man and his magical wonderboy Jesus. Do I believe he walked on water? Do I believe he could turn i-don’t-care-how-many-breads into enough loafs of bread to feed an entire crowd? No. Probably not. But who cares, honestly?
I like history and so, if historici have enough evidence to prove he really did exist, why wouldn’t I believe that? He may or may not have been God’s son, but I don’t see why that is of any importance because, according to the Bible, we are ALL children of The Holy Man. I don’t care if he had a wife and children, I wouldn’t even care the slightest bit if he was gay (allthough that would be kind of contradictory with his own belief), what matters to me is that he was a good man. I haven’t read the entire Bible, but having grown up in a highly christian environment, I heard a lot of stories. The children Bible was my favourite book, and why wouldn’t it be? They’re all like fairytales! Joseph had several dreams and hell, they came true! He saved an entire country, just because he told the Pharao he had a dream about cows!
And that’s where our beliefs seem to clash. Most of the christians are prepared to see the morale behind the stories and move on. They teach us something, and it just happens to be nicely wrapped up in a science-fiction story. Whereas, muslims believe that everything in the Koran should be respected and is nothing but the truth. And for all I care, they follow every rule in the Bible as well, even where it says you can’t sit on the same chair as where a woman has sat that was menstruating at the time. Good luck to you avoiding that when going to a restaurant.
I couldn’t care any less what they think is true and whether or not, it should be executed. I don’t think their belief is any better or worse than mine. It’s probably just as bad and just as good at the same time. Theirs has its faults, theirs has its benefits, just like mine. They can even get into my afterlife, allthough I wouldn’t see why anyone would trade their ultimate Paradise for my heaven, constantly eating pudding with golden spoons. Why can’t I get into theirs? Why do they talk to me like I’m less worthy than them, just because my bearded second ‘dad’ doesn’t really have a problem with me not going to church every sunday and not fasting for 40 days on end? If I don’t have a problem with you commenting on my, according to you, boobs falling out of my shirt, why would you have any problem with me saying I don’t see a reason why you should be allowed to follow a ‘islam-class’ instead of Christianity-religionlessons? I’m assuming nobody forced you into going to a christian school.
Anyways, to end a long sermon (what an appropriate word on this topic): can’t you accept us for who we are, no matter what we believe? You give me calorie-full cookies for the sugarfeast and I’ll give you chocolate bunnies for Easter.
Deal?