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Nun speaks against misconception about Islam

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    sonz's Avatar Full Member
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    Nun speaks against misconception about Islam

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    Sister Mary Ann Pevas, who teaches at Winona State University in Minnesota, is trying to correct the widespread misconception about the Islamic religion at the Siena Center.

    The seminar is part of the 40th anniversary celebration of the Racine Dominican Retreat Program. Pevas, who aims to build bridges between East and West, will speak about the Palestinian struggle against the Israeli aggression and Middle East tensions on the 8th of April.

    "In order to build bridges of understanding and respect between the peoples of the Middle East and the citizens of the United States, I have embarked on several educational endeavors with `peace building' as a goal," she said.

    Among activities she plans for this spring is taking a group of student from the Winona State University on a two-week study-travel tour to experience firsthand life in an Islamic country and learn about the Muslims’ rich history, culture, and economy.

    Asked about her interest in the Islamic religion, Pevas said that following September 11 attacks on the United States she decided to travel to the Middle East region and check herself the myths the Western media told about the Muslims.

    Pevas said that her decision to embark on a journey to the Muslim world to see whether what’s being said about Islam is true or false came due to her father's teaching early in her life that things are not always as they seem.

    "Check things out before drawing conclusions," he would say. What I found was very different from the perspective portrayed in the media in this country,” Pevas said.

    ”First, I took a year's sabbatical and spent it in the region. I spent significant periods of time in Egypt, Pakistan, United Arab Emirates, Iran, and Turkey. It was a marvelous opportunity and opened my eyes to many prejudices I found I was carrying. Now I want to share what I experienced and learned.

    ”Second, this past fall I traveled back to Cairo, Egypt, and lived with a Muslim family for some time before moving on to Israel and the West Bank. Again I had multiple opportunities to share meals with local people. Everywhere I went I listened to others talk about their experiences of local conditions. In Egypt, it was about inadequate incomes, poverty, inadequate housing, and no real political voice in how things are mismanaged by the powers that were in place. In the West Bank, I listened and saw the humiliating oppression the Palestinians endured living under occupation. I also spent time talking with Israelis listening to their fears and hopes for the future. All of the people of that region want peace. They just can't quite get it together to make it a reality yet. We don't help when we misunderstand the situation and our part in events over there,” she added.

    Asked about what she means by “myths about Islam”, Pevas said that some widespread misconception about Islam like that it oppresses women, Islam is a religion which spreads terrorism, and Islam is intolerant of foreign cultures and other religions.

    “Such perceptions are erroneous and lay seeds for behavior which is detrimental not only for people in the Middle East because it breeds public policies which cause harm, but also detrimental for all of us in this country. Such misperceptions become blanket conclusions and the bases for prejudice and prejudicial behavior here in the United States. These ideas serve no good for anyone.

    ”A friend of mine who I would place in a group of "responsible citizens in the Midwest" truly believes that ‘all Arabs should be rounded up and shipped back to where they came from’ so we can have some peace in this country. Doesn't this remind you of some expressions we heard often during the civil rights movement? Prejudice is prejudice. Only the focus changes. At this time in our history our focus is on Arabs and Mexicans. Funny thing is that we need both these peoples, and without both our lives would be very different here in the United States and not in a positive sense either.”

    Also asked about the reason wrong myths about Islam gained credence, Pevas said “I find many people in the Midwest were just as bewildered about the Middle East as I was after 9/11. Most folks are responsible people trying to make sense out of their world and world events. When one is bombarded night after night with reports of bombings and deaths of our soldiers in Iraq, it can become either numbing or a source of anger.”

    ”There is a group who I will call the ‘spreaders of bad news.’ They gather some information about Islam, about what they think is Middle East culture, and about the people of the Middle East and, thinking they have enough information, these people draw very simple conclusions regarding very complex situations. The key characteristic which separates these folks from others is that they close their minds to any new information, especially if it does not support what they already have concluded as absolute truth. They know how things are and that's it! This latter group is often angry about the way the United States and its interests are treated in the Middle East according to their views and, seeking someone to blame, see Arabs as the source of conflicts. Then they begin to perceive themselves as experts as they spread their prejudices and misperceptions wherever and whenever they can.

    The fact of the matter is that most Muslims in the Middle East are good, God-fearing, tolerant and generous people who are trying to make a living amidst very difficult circumstances, raise their children and protect their families just as we here in the United States are trying to do. If we could meet some ordinary people from the Middle East, and share a meal and opinions, all of us would be better off. That is the stuff of peace building.”

    Source: The Journal Times
    Nun speaks against misconception about Islam

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    Re: Nun speaks against misconception about Islam

    Greetings and peace sonz,

    Another good story, may God bless you for your encouraging work

    Eric
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    Re: Nun speaks against misconception about Islam

    jazakAllah kheir for posting.

    Its nice to read things like this sometimes. Takes away the depression of the constant battles aganst Islam portrayed in the media.



    Rabi'ya:rose:
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