Hot Topic: Muslims Aren't Terrorists

Sometimes I come across tweets by ignoramuses regarding Muslims. And most of the time, they are the butt of terrorist jokes, as if Muslims and terrorists are interchangeable terms. What I dislike most about people making racist and ignorant comments about Muslims is how little they know about the people and their culture. Living in the most populous Muslim nation in the world has made me very defensive, and I absolutely despise anyone who talk shit about them and their religious beliefs.

Let's get to it:

I am a Catholic in a country with upwards of 202 million Muslims. I am a minority, and more often than not I am surrounded by more Muslims than any other faith. Every sunset I would hear the melodic tunes of the Maghrib prayer. Arabic words are interspersed in our Indonesian vocabulary. I learned how to say assalamu'alaikum warahmatullahi wabarakatuh and curse in the language that I would never have the privilege of speaking fluently. I've had sporadic lessons on how to read Arabic scripts but to no avail. I pass by mosques and women in hijabs everyday. Yet, I have never felt threatened by them.

The main reason why Muslims get such a bad reputation is because the media only focuses on the negative aspects of the religion. Every faith has flaws, and focusing on a scratch in the armor does not make the armor any less strong. Ever since the 9/11 attack, the world shifted into a deviated view of a relatively peaceful community. The media has become a never ending festival of Muslims Are The Worst, and everyone has a free ticket to the show. 

Learning about Muslims through the media is akin to learning about Christianity through scrutinizing the Westboro Baptist Church. The entire world easily rebuffs the Westboro Baptist Church as a group that doesn't reflect the true face of Christianity, yet many refuse to listen to the fact that the Jihadists aren't a representation of all Muslims. To put it simply, the Muslims you see on the news is like that one bratty rebellious kid in kindergarten who shits in the corner while the rest of the class watches in horror. I cannot stress the importance of proper representation, because it is absolutely sickening to see so many people who know fuck all about the religion make general assumptions and irrational fears based on an event that does not at all reflect 1.6 billion Muslims around the world.

I am not an expert in Islam, and I know that my knowledge about the religion is limited, ergo I am not going to explain the laws and values of the Qur'an. But I do know that there are several laws in the religion that violates modern human rights and several values that are seen as backwards and oppressive towards certain groups. I understand this wholeheartedly, but as a Catholic, I must say that my own religion is quite sexist and has equally ridiculous laws. Every religion has its weaknesses, and it's unfair to point to one and express your disapproval while blindly accepting other religions that are just as flawed.

I have said this before and I will say it again; I admire Muslims. I admire the way they stick to their beliefs and the words of their God. I respect those who pray before sunrise and every other consecutive salat times everyday. I believe that Muslims follow the rules of their religion more so than many Christians. I used to watch my maids pray, and I have never once thought that Islam was a dangerous religion whilst growing up with them. I've realized that Christians are no less more threatening than Muslims are.

Yes, terrible things have happened under the rule of Muslim extremists, but for centuries the Roman Catholic church reigned Europe like a tyrannic monster. Not only were the Inquisitions a big part of our past, but even in the present day there has been several instances of terrorist attacks by Christians in the name of God. The Ku Klux Klan, for instance, or Eric Rudolph who bombed a lesbian bar and an abortion clinic, or just read the list of modern Christian terrorism. Yet, Christianity is treated as a 'good' religion, and Islam as a 'bad' one. 

I have been surrounded by Muslims all my life, and I have never felt threatened around them because of their religious beliefs. I think it's incredibly stupid to dismiss 23% of the world's population as evil and heartless bastards if you know nothing about them. We can't just expect every culture around the world to abide by the liberal norm of the west, and if there are certain aspects of another religion or culture that you do not understand nor agree to, it is not your place to shut them down as wrong (unless it blatantly violates basic human rights). Discriminating against Muslims doesn't do anyone any good. Don't let what the media say build your perception of an entire nation that you have never been a part of.