Devoted to a religion? Maybe I’m just culturally religious!

The biggest discussion that I probably argue with people is religion. What is a religion? It’s to be part of a group of people that follow the same belief system. Ok good, we defined that part easily. So what is a Muslim? What is a Christian? What is a Jew? The three most common religions in the world that believe in one God and that’s it. So what’s the problem with that? Far too many. The cultural differences is the key! So let’s get back and explain the culture first before the religion. Obviously a Muslim from Iran is culturally different from a Muslim in Malaysia. Yes they pray 5 times a day. Yes they fast Ramadan and do all the good deeds of the 5 pillars.. But do they really interpret the religion the same way? No. The cultural differences are more over powering. Life maybe as a Muslim in Malaysia is more liberal than Iran. Or vice versa. It all depends on the cultural surroundings.

How about an Arab Muslim and an Arab Christian? Same culture exactly. Different religious views. However when you talk to a Palestinian Christian you can never tell what religion he/she follows. You can’t see a difference in sociological behavior at all. You can never know the difference unless you asked them what is their religious views! Same goes for other religions. How can you really tell unless you know where they are from and how they are raised?

So why am I bringing up this topic? Simple. I believe that as a person raised in North America for over half my life that I have become culturally religious. What does that really mean? Well, first off, no one can ever tell what religion I follow. I don’t have an obvious appearance that segregates me to any religious groups. Ok, so that’s confusing, but Canada is a very multi-cultural country? So it makes sense. I am easily mistaken as a Christian.. why? Well, cause I know a lot about Christianity because I was raised around Christians and I used to live in the South in USA where majority of people are very conservative Baptist. But I don’t follow Christianity. No, I know many things about it, but I was raised as a Muslim. This is confusing now. Not really, I follow my religion because I was raised that way and I respect it, but I am very well educated and aware of other religions and especially Christianity because I live amongst them. Great, but what’s the point? Well, the point is that because I live in a Christian dominated culture, that I am automatically stereotyped as one because I have no other religious trademarks. No Hijab (scarf), and no conservative actions. Nothing! Well, what does that have to do with cultural differences really? Well, when you live in this culture you somehow blend in and loose any differences. But there must be some differences that makes it obvious. Not really, I just follow the standard, no eating pork, and no drinking alcohol. So that makes me a Muslim? I mean what does eating / drinking have to do with religious stereotypes? I mean first thing when I say, “I don’t eat pork or drink alcohol” is that I automatically stereotyped as a Muslim. I am like yes and? What is vegetarianisms? Do you expect me to believe that when a person tells you they don’t want to have any meat in their food is because they are vegans? I doubt it, I know for a fact that they just don’t trust any type of meat and could be Jewish. I mean sometimes I just ask for strictly vegetarian food because I just don’t know what kind of meat really is in the food. So right there I just eliminated the religion/food difference. So religion might not be 100% the cause of it, and I was raised to be abstinent from these things and it just became a habit. Once you are raised and growing up all your life doing something in particular than you just end up hating it and not getting close to it. That’s it. So the cultures and religious views have been mixed. Sort of yes and no. I don’t want to seem nonreligious, but I follow Islam because I was raised that way. So I was culturally raised that way. How? Simple, I am an Arab and Arabs are known to be conservative and morally ethical people. So is Islamic views! Yes, so the religion and culture is obviously mixed. I know many people don’t agree but that’s how I feel about this situation.

I obviously understand and tolerate Christianity and Judaism because I live amongst them and I accept it. I just believe in all three religions and I believe that living in North America, especially in Canada that I have become somewhat mixed culturally and religiously. Whatever the person chooses to follow is their choice. I chose to keep following the main religious beliefs of Islam which is a mix of the Arabic culture. I also chose to blend in the multi-cultured lifestyle of Canada that is Christian dominated in order to not segregate my self from the norm.

So in conclusion, I love all religions and I love all cultures and I just want to mix them all and live a nice morally and ethically liberated life.

So really, I just like all religions, and I like to be culturally religious in Canada and just be part of everything.

Random Thoughts