Celebrating Muslim Eid today as an Ambassador of Goodwill

Originally posted by Alaskan Man
we should start celebrating all religions big holidays as we do Christmas, not only would it be fun, but we would get days off from work!

We sure do need more days off of work friend. That's one of the huge problems in the world, we spend 87% of our waking hours on average just finding and maintaining sustinance in a dog eat dog world. Never enough time always something to be done, lots of stress and worry, that we often take out on the wrong people for the wrong reasons.

Meanwhile all the world's precious resources are concentrated in very small and select group of hands along with most of the world's monetary wealth.

They work us constantly for hard and little and reward us primarily though sewing the seeds of ignorance and misunderstanding to exploit us and to extoll us to work us harder and harder for less and less.

It's a crazy world!

Looks like the festivities are rite on time especially with all the rant and rhetoric on war. People could use this time to re think their differences and relax. Maybe a miracle mite just happen...

Originally posted by CuteAngel
Looks like the festivities are rite on time especially with all the rant and rhetoric on war. People could use this time to re think their differences and relax. Maybe a miracle mite just happen...

They sure could use the time to rethink the rush to war again in the Middle East and Asia.

I have to say those cookies and pastries I recieved yesterday might not be as filling as some munitions but definately much more tastier and easier to digest and pass than a stomach full of lead.

It's hard to imagine since we are all human and fraught with the same fears, hopes, desires, loves and wants, that there really is anything legitimate worthy of killing one another over.

It's all a matter of perception and perspective and people should spend more time reflecting on their own instead of imposing them through force of arms.

A good visit with the mirror is always a healthy thing.

Thanks for posting Cute Angel!

reply to post by ProtoplasmicTraveler


I agree sweets and pastries are a far better alternative to lead and depleted uranium. However, our hopes for humanity holding hands and getting along with one another despite our differences is wishful thinking. Although it is a lofty goal, but it is something humanity should aspire to. Oh, I can go for some pastries right now.

Originally posted by Jakes51
reply to post by ProtoplasmicTraveler

 

I agree sweets and pastries are a far better alternative to lead and depleted uranium. However, our hopes for humanity holding hands and getting along with one another despite our differences is wishful thinking. Although it is a lofty goal, but it is something humanity should aspire to. Oh, I can go for some pastries right now.

Sounds like a delicious idea, my stomach holds out hope.

We can change the world, if we all believe it can be changed.

Well, I couldn't be bothered to go & get some nuts in the end, but I already had grapes, so I took them round to my Muslim neighbour's house. I've just got back &, I'll tell you, I got more than I'd bargained for!
I'm pretty sure that the bloke who answered the door thought I was taking the piss when I said "Eid Mubarak!" but I spoke quickly to explain who I am (he doesn't live there so didn't know me) & that I thought it would be a nice gesture. So my neighbour came to the door & insisted I come in. Well, I've not been plied with so much cake, biscuits, sweets & tea since my grandma was alive! There were quite a few people there & they chewed my ear off for over an hour, but it was cool, & now I'm on 1st name terms with more of my neighbours that I previously only knew as Mr or Mrs Whatever & those I did know are now not exactly friends, but closer to it.
They were fascinated that I'm not Muslim but wanted to be neighbourly anyway, so I told them about this thread. They were absolutely amazed that an American non-Muslim came up with the idea. As I said, a long conversation & really, if I'd known in advance I'd be there so long, I might have thought twice about going. Still, hey ho, it went well, but I'm not going to any other houses this year! I thought I'd pop into the Karahi house for my evening meal on the way to work & take bananas. Whatever happens, I'll have an excuse to get out of there in short order!
Oh yeah & my neighbour insisted I take some homemade pistachio fudge with me: its amazing stuff!

reply to post by Bunken Drum


Oh my word, I wish I could give you a 1,000 stars for such a great story and sharing it with us all.

It's amazing how excited people really do get when they see you care!

I imagine you must be thrilled and feel great about doing it too, not to mention so much richer with knowing your neighbors better and knowing more, and wow that fudge it sounds great.

That was very nice of you to tell them about me. This I have to say is the kind of good will I am really looking to foster and have people enjoy and experience.

You know I bet you made their holiday in a lot of ways by bringing them your glad tidings and love and word from across the great pond it's not just a singular occurence. This is the kind of thing that gives people hope.

Hope my friend is the greatest gift of all. It's stories and actions just like yours I hoped for when I posted this thread and I thank you from the very bottom of my heart for being so kind to both them and me, and well...your stomach. It sounds like you had a great experience that does credit to us all.

I am so pleased, I can't even begin to say how much.

What a wonderful, wonderful, story and occurence.

Thank you my friend. See it's starting out to be a good and a Happy New Years!

reply to post by Bunken Drum


You know my friend you have literally made my day! I was so hoping some exceptional people would read this thread and follow suit and give it a try.

I am so happy you decided too. I really can't applaud your example enough for doing such a wonderful thing and taking that kind of initiative.

It's all that I hoped for and more even to know some people out their have your kind of courage and love.

You my friend are an amazing person.

I hope the forum moderators give you about 1,000,000 rounds of applause.

You deserve so much more, my respects and more.

reply to post by ProtoplasmicTraveler Yeah it was well cool, but as I said, a little overwhelming. Also, not anticipating such a long stay, I hadn't bothered to wash & shave. Still, if they noticed, it didn't seem to bother anyone. I do kind of know the people whose house I visited already, as we share a wall behind my place that's the side of their back yard & there are always issues, you know?
Still, now I know them better & perhaps they realise that when they've seen me falling out of a taxi drunk, that's not all there is to me. On the whole, I'd recommend to anyone to have a go themselves. I was particularly pleased to be able to share evidence with them that not all Americans are anti-Muslim, although I did feel it necessary to bite my tongue regarding my own attitude to religion in general. Maybe we'll get into that another time...
Yeah, that fudge is really good!

reply to post by Bunken Drum


Hey my friend, I hear you, you probably practice the same religion I do it's called Sex-Drugs-and Rock 'n Roll. It's a loose kind of go with the flow every day is a holiday affair with not a whole lot of worship involved on your knees except the occassional blessing of a toilet!

Culture shock can be overwhelming at times. I remember my first Cuban Christmas Eve the best roast pork I have ever tasted and not one darn potatoe mashed, fried, boiled, or baked to be seen! Weirdos! But the company was great and the pork and other food was too even if there were no potatoes. The old men thought I was CIA because I knew so much about History and Politics and Cuban History even though I am just a Gringo.

Yet over the years I have found myself with Orientals, Hindus, Budhists, Jews, Muslims, Latins, Greeks and others for holidays and having to play the part of the lone White Anglo Saxon Protestant who really just protests an occassional lack of Sex-Drugs and Rock n' Roll!

I posted the thread in Above Politics hoping that great people like you would keep politics out of it or the politics of religion anyway. I didn't want to make it a religious thread either and invite that kind of debate, but to keep the politics of religion out of it at well.

Mostly it's about trying to rise above politics as you witnessed yourself in "An American who isn't anti-Muslim". There are many Americans who aren't, but the press and the government has a tendency to take that stance so we all get painted with that brush.

I wanted to try to demonstrate as you have done yourself by example so well, that it's possible to rise above the politics of religion, and the politics of nations just to share what we universally all have in common and strengthen our bonds on what we have in common.

One of my Biker friends has a great weekend long party twice a year to coincide with Bike Week and Biketober Fest in Daytona Beach FL. Some of her friends belong to different Biker Clubs that don't all get along, and of course guys and girls who have changed lovers but not crowds over the years.

She has a big empty metal drum by the enterance with a notebook and some pens, with a sign that says "What ever your issues are or might be with anyone else write them down and leave them in that drum as long as you are here".

She's never had a fight in the 12 years I have been going to her parties and let me tell you those are people who know how to worship! If you catch my drift.

I doubt you or your neighbor will ever look at each other the same and you are probably winning the best neighbor in Australia competition right now as far as the Muslims are concerned.

I just tell people I believe in a higher source in the universe but I am not sure what it is, and not anxious to find out and am just about having fun and being nice to other people. It works just about always.

I try to get people to judge me for who and what I am and not what I am not, and it works pretty good.

I bet the next time you fall out of a cab there might be someone there to pick you up. Wouldn't that be something.

Thanks for doing what you did and sharing.

Have a Fosters on me!

reply to post by ProtoplasmicTraveler


When I enter someone's abode I try to be mindful of their beliefs, political ideologies, culture, and other perceived differences. Although, I find it fascinating learning about them in all their intricacies when they are willing to share. However, most of time the conversations go in many different directions, but I find being moderate in those instances is the best mode of action. However, I like your idea of just visiting them as normal human beings and wishing them well on their special day. You don't have be of any religion to wish someone well. It's common courtesy. Remember no matter if you are a Muslim, Jew, Catholic, Liberal, Conservative, or other social distinction; we all put our pants on one leg at a time.

reply to post by Jakes51


Well as dear old used to say friend Jakes51 the best way to loose a friend is to discuss religion or politics with them, sell them a used car or loan them money. Naturally I grew up to be a Minister in politics with a used car lot and a pay check advance loan store!

Mom was right! I haven't got a friend in the world.

Just kidding about all the above stuff but it's basically true. She also said when in Rome do as the Romans do and that's what I always try to shoot for is to adopt the same attitudes and predispositions as the people I am around.

It works good, puts people at ease and lets you just enjoy talking about fishing and the weather.

Your a very wise man Jake. Thanks for posting and staying involved in the thread. There is one more day to Eid left and it would be great if at least a few more people took Bunken Drums advice and gave spreading some Eid cheer a try.

Thanks friend.

reply to post by ProtoplasmicTraveler So, it gets better! But 1st, I'm not an Australian, I'm from & in the UK. As for my religion, yeah well I do have spiritual beliefs - pagan with a bit of wiccan & a few ideas I've picked up from all sorts of places, but yeah, lifestyle wise, sex, drugs & rock'n'roll about covers it. Like you said, being nice to people needn't have anything to do with religion. I celebrate Xmas for the fun of it, Yule as a spiritual thing; Beltane doesn't stop me eating Easter eggs later either! So why not get more into Eid?
So, I just finished eating @the Karahi house. I gave the lads there a bunch of bananas & wished them the old season's greetings etc. Ha! They were stunned & well pleased. Only charged me for the can of Lucozaide I had with the meal. I eat there quite often, so I'm glad I made the effort, because otherwise I'd have continued to be just that scruffy white guy that eats curry with roti instead of a fork.
I disagree about not talking politics or religion tho. It just has to be done @the right time: when people know you & realise you're not attacking them, just expressing an opinion. Difficult time to do that regarding Islam right now...

reply to post by Bunken Drum


You are right, talking politics and religion is something ultimately we all can't help but do but doing it at the right time makes a huge difference.

For instance most people in the United States have no idea what the Muslim religion is about, other than it is 'supposedly' bad, and leads to all kinds of horrors that are too silly to list.

Learning the basics of what Islam is and then talking to people about it's virtues and merrits is a much better way than simply taking George W. Bush's articulate and detailed description.

So much of how religions are presented by the religious is politics. There isn't in fact much freedom in religion. No Catholic Priest is ever going to pull you aside in Mass and say "Son you were born to be a Mormon, why not give them a try!".

Ultimately it's sales, and looking to recruit and retain that drives most of the political conversations about religion.

Most religion has been tainted by politics because it's a lot easier to say G-d wants us to beat the Green Bay Packers and will make it so than I his son Chuck Knoll want you Steelers to beat the Packers and make it so.

Natuarally you have to rewrite the book a little to make it look like G-d is a Steelers fan!

Combining politics and religion can make for one explosive combination and that's why politicians have long loved to do so.

It's always the little guy who gets hurt the most by it though, often as they try to quantify and qualify what the G-d wants, the Religion wants, and what the Political Leader wants, looking if at all possible to please them all.

The Holidays in any religion focus on the good uncorrupted aspects of it and more of it's true meaning. It's a great time to enjoy it.

But as you can see you have gone from nuts to bananas and it pays real dividends!

Thanks for sharing my friend.

Thanks for inviting me over! S&F

What a wonderful thing you did! I understand it felt great walking around in the neighbourhood making these people happy!

And I bet they were sincerely happy & thankful too, because they didn't expect a white American to even know about Eid and giving presents!

What you did was great!

People like you are through their actions, building bridges to something much better!

And thanks for your effort, making the world a better place for all of us!

I salute you my friend!

reply to post by Chevalerous


Thank you my friend, I really appreciate you stopping by and posting to the thread.

Every encouraging word helps in getting the word out and making it a happier, kinder place.

I have to tell you I think Eid is great, 3 days is certainly better than 1!

One of the other posters to the thread got out and did some Eid giving today too and had a surprisingly good time just like I did. I highly recommend it for everyone!

Thanks my friend.

Bless you ProtoplasmicTraveler, that was a wonderful thing you did. I only wish more people on this planet could be as loving as you seem to be.

Originally posted by antonia
Bless you ProtoplasmicTraveler, that was a wonderful thing you did. I only wish more people on this planet could be as loving as you seem to be.

Thank you Antonia it sure was a wonderful feeling thing to do by the way.

Truly one of the happiest and most satisfying things I have ever done.

I highly recommend everyone try something similiar to bridge cultural, and religious and national gaps when ever they can.

Thank you so much for posting and happy Eid!

HI Proto!
Just wanted to check in on your awesome thread!
Talk about denying ignorance!

If more people we're open to others not like them,
the world really would be a better place! (again)

I have thought about this thread alot today.
I feel you have hit upon a major problem we face as americants.

For instance, in my backwoods state, it seems to be pure fear
of others that drives this extreme paranoia against other faiths & people.
Only by exposing others as human beings like us- as you are
doing here- will we ever progress past war, division and hate.

Now you see why my hope for man is severely dampened.
We must enjoy being like this, for we cover it up and call it patriotism,
and use any excuse in the book to avoid being civil and show
genuine concern for others. I dont see this ever changing much.
All we care about is ourselves and whether our taxes will be raised or not.

There are no muslim people around here.
Wonder why, with all the paranoia towards them!
If there are any around here, you would never know it.
They probably are afraid/ashamed and hide out in their houses like I do,
because I am not only ashamed of my own, I am mostly
appalled at this sheer lack of compassion shown towards "others",
by people suppposedly proclaiming to be "christ like"!

I think we either just like to be paranoid, or we really know no different!
It makes us feel all righteous and stuff and above anyone else I suppose.
This is such a red state, that we consider all muslims "kooky",
"terrorists" or just plain bassackwards!
Heaven help anyone different who moves here!

But mormonism isnt kooky?

It really is just an extreme form of arrogant ignorance!
We couldn't even fathom the idea it may be partly US and
our blatant arrogancy, racist attitude and sheer hypocrisy.
Evene though we loudly proclaim to not be racists!

We do not know how not to be, for it is ingrained in schools,
churches(especially) and every home far and wide,
taught proudly to generation after generation. Same-o, Same-o.

Kudos to you my friend for paying it forward so to speak!
You dont know how much we ALL need it! Thank you!

reply to post by dodadoom


Thank you my friend. Leave it to our governments to give everything to us backwards.

People the world over are all hungry for peace and want it.

The only thing that really stops it from ever happening are our governments.

When I was a young boy they used to tell us how terrible the Chinese Communists are, how they were brainwashed night and day to hate Americans and Capitilism.

Look at China today it's still a Communist Country and the make and sell more things than we do and are our number one trading partner and creditor!

I used to argue with my teacher in school saying, you know I don't think the Chinese are that bad, and I don't think they listen to loud speakers 24 hours a day telling them to hate Americans like these films you are showing us say.

I got in trouble for saying that of course...

Yet really, who was right and who was wrong? Me or the the teacher?

Thanks for posting my friend and keeping the thead going and up on the board.

There is one more day to Eid left.