By Rabbi Jack Bemporad, Center for Interreligious Understanding, N.J., with co-authors: The Very Reverend Dr. James A. Kowalski, Dean of the Cathedral Church of St. John the Divine, New York City; Professor Marshall Breger, Catholic University of America, Washington, D.C. and former Reagan White House liaison to the Jewish community; and Suhail A. Khan, Buxton Initiative, Washington, D.C.
We don't normally look to reality TV to teach lessons of faith and religious freedom. But one TV program is doing just that. On an upcoming segment this Sunday, commemorating the 9/11 tragedy, the audience meets real-life first responder Mike, who speaks of the bond of loyalty he shares with his fellow first responders and his heartfelt sense of loss for those who heroically gave their lives on 9/11. With his wife Angela and their three children watching on with pride, Mike and his fellow heroes in uniform carry an American flag during the pre-game ceremony at Detroit's Tiger Stadium.
The support expressed for Mike by his colleagues is poignant because Mike's last name is Jaafar, an Arabic name. Mike is one of the real-life characters on TLC's All American Muslim, the reality TV show that has come under recent attack. Islamophobic extremists seem to have forgotten the values on which this country was founded, and that dismays us.
The show is filmed in Dearborn, Mich., where there is a large American Arab and Muslim population. It has the power to introduce viewers to the lives of five American Muslim families. In addition to Mike and Angela Jaafar, there are sisters in a complicated relationship, a party planner, a high school football coach and newlyweds. The families may share the same faith but even a cursory peek into their everyday lives by means of reality TV, challenges viewers to rethink many commonly held stereotypes about American Muslims and Islam. American Muslims are busy struggling to raise their families, go to work, pay the bills and achieve the American Dream. In short, they are just like us.
Sadly, like those who opposed the building of Jewish synagogues in New York City in the '30s, racial integration in the '50s and a Catholic president in the '60s, a small cadre of hate groups is now opposing this television show because they allege the show "humanized Muslims in America" and is "propaganda clearly designed to counter legitimate and present-day concerns about many Muslims who are advancing Islamic fundamentalism and Sharia law." Having not succeeded in scaring off enough advertisers (two have pulled ads), they are now also trying to drive off the show's audience and destroy the viability of this critically acclaimed program by killing its ratings.
What terrible thing will happen if these hate groups fail and people continue to watch? Important segments of the American reality TV audience will get a valuable, stereotype-stopping window into people alleged to be "different" from themselves. The audience would then know not to do what they are being told: to fear, to mistrust, to denigrate them.
In another scene, Shadia Amen-McDermott and her brother, Bilal Amen, travel to Lower Manhattan in New York City to visit Ground Zero, pay their respects and to get tattoos from their favorite tattoo artist, Ami James (this is, after all, a reality TV show). As American Muslims of Lebanese decent, Shadia and Bilal initially are apprehensive about their encounter with Ami James, because James is an Israeli Jew who served in the military during the action in Lebanon. Their fears quickly subside once Shadia, Bilal and James are able to discuss their backgrounds openly. They lament that it took leaving their countries of origin and coming to the United States for them to become friends.
But that should be no surprise for us as a nation of immigrants. Many of us, and our forebears, came here looking for a better life. Then, and now once again, we find segments of our country discounting this crucial fact about the United States. Generations of Americans of every race, ethnicity and faith have forged a unity -- a United States -- based on individual liberty and religious freedom. They brought to life the motto "E. Pluribus Unum" -- From Many, One Nation -- as does ‪All American Muslim. It illustrates the vibrancy of our shared American heritage. That heritage is not some lofty goal -- it is who we are as Americans.‬‬
We are community leaders from the three Abrahamic faiths who are not usually brought together by reality TV. But this show has ignited an exceptionally valuable conversation. So, rather than tune-out in protest, as Americans, it's time to tune-in.
Michelle Chen: Lowe's All-American Muslim Fiasco and the Politics of Normalcy
Well-done.
I'm amazed that those with anti-Islam attitudes can find anything to criticize about it.
How can anyone seriously be against accepting fellow Americans at face value?
http://www.witness.co.za/index.php?showcontent&global[_id]=74381
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8:30 Remember how the Unbelievers plotted against thee, to keep thee in bonds, or slay thee, or get thee out (of thy home). They plot and plan, and Allah too plans; but the best of planners is Allah.
God has many, many names and human beings since the dawn of man have found their way and called to Him. It doesn't matter the road people have taken they all lead to the Divine or not (in the case of atheists) - and that is okay, too.
Well, THERE'S your problem!
Your post goes downhill from there.
All any of us can go by are the attitudes and behaviors of an individual follower of any given religion.
I'm not religious myself -- I have no "God in this race", so to speak - and so, I'm fine with anyone, religious or not, who is open-minded, respectful and reasonable. Conversely, see anyone who is closed-minded, disrespectful, or unreasonable as part of the problem.
There are people in every religion who fit both descriptions.
Regarding the Quran -- it's all in the interpretation.
If someone wanted to try to make Christianity look bad, via the Bible, in the same way that people try to do with Muslims and the Quran, they could make the same case, just as easily.
It's an illogical approach in any case, though, because both the Bible and the Quran have just 3-5% violent content. It's interesting that the people alleging to highlight what "Islam really teaches" only pull from that non-representative 5%.
"You will not enter paradise until you have faith, and you will not have faith until you love one another".
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So that's your poor excuse to not put this beautiful saying into practice?
Now I can really see the relevance of this saying of Prophet Muhammed (may the prayers and peace be upon him):
"Keep yourselves far from envy, because it eats up and takes away from good actions like fire eats up and burn wood."
Its obvious that you are burning up on the inside because you can't stand to see any good coming from Islamic sources. I pity you and those that FAV your comment that you choose to start your NEW YEAR off by bringing forth your BAD YEAR from 2011 and beyond. Really, you are in a very sad human condition.
"We are talking about people who specificalÂly target you because of your race and religion."
==
Who?
"Muslims?"
I know Muslims ... they don't do that.
"Radical Muslims" then?
Nope ... they kill more Muslims, and more people from their same societies, than they kill people from a different race or religion.
Not sure who you mean?
Those who attack other's beliefs do so because they fear. Those who are secure in their own relationships with the Creator don't need the validation of getting others to join them. They respect that each person has their own path. A child needs others to hold their hand, a adult can walk without assistance.
Putting a nation together out of volunteers from everywhere on the planet is no easy thing, but the global consensus, as far as I can tell, is that America does it better than just about any other country. Check the length of the lines at other countries' embassies for immigration visas.
After living in Europe for a long time, I can say from first hand experience that we are far better at it than any European country.
Some countries proudly refuse to even try--Japan, Saudi Arabia, Greece, et al.
We do really, really resent immigrants and sons of immigrants who want to kill us because we are at war with their kind, but everyone is like that.
were forced to contribute to nation building.
A religious affiliation does not define a person. People have to be looked at individually. No one would consider someone like Billy Graham and the Phelps' group alike, but both say they are Christians. And I don't see how anyone could put the people on this show in the same category as those who murdered so many on 11 September 2001. That makes no sense.
Some people take religion and twist it to fit what they want to believe, but I don't know of any reasonable person of any religion that would use their religion as a rationale to murder anyone. Most people of any religion would abhor that kind of thinking.
There are fanatics in religions and of no religious affiliation. Religion is not the problem. The problem is individual words and actions that hurt or kill others. Look at any religion and you can find people who did terrible things, but that does not reflect on every person in that religion. We have to use common sense when we think about these things and calm minds before we decide someone is a certain way because of our own (often misguided) perceptions.
- So according to your claim religious minorities in is lamic countries should be living the best of life. Not.
What should we think of a religion that teaches this doctrine:
“Fight those who do not believe in Allah and the Last Day and who forbid not what Allah and His messenger have forbidden—who do not practice the religion of truth, being of those who have been given the Book—until they pay the poll tax out of hand and are humbled.†K. 9:29
" o9.0 JIHAD
" (O: Jihad means to war against non-MuslimÂs, and it is etymologicÂally derived from the word mujahada, signifying warfare to establish the religion. And it is the lesser jihad. As for the greater jihad, it is spiritual warfare against the lower self (nafs), which is why the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) said as he..."
http://www.shafiifiqh.com/maktabah/relianceoftraveller.pdf
"It has been narrated by 'Umar b. al-Khattib that he heard the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) say: I will expel the Jews and Christians from the Arabian Peninsula and will not leave any but Muslim."
Book 019, Number 4363
http://www.usc.edu/schools/college/crcc/engagement/resources/texts/muslim/hadith/muslim/019.smt.html#019.4363
"The world is divided into two parts, separated only by time: the lands under Muslim rule and those which will eventually receive the Islamic dawa and come under Muslim rule. page 4
http://wwwÂ.currenttrÂends.org/dÂocLib/2006Â1018_MonoÂgraphFishmÂan2.pdfâ€
These are people first, regardless of religion. You have offended Muslims, and embarrassed Americans - well this one at least.
- Yes people have nothing to do with 9/11 you are right. It is their religion that does.
Agree, here's an article that elaborates on it.
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=124494788&ps=cprs
This Country and its citizens have grown up and understand it is Jesus and not Mohammed who is the greater prophet. So if your reality is to assimilate into Jesus Kingdom, welcome.