Xenophobia--"She is Muslim in her <3"

I am not afraid of hate. Hate is a product, not a cause. What I am afraid of is fear. I am afraid of the Xenophobia that is caused by ignorance.

I haven't even gotten to Turkey, but already I have found myself having to defend Turkey, and even Islam. When the Hell did we start lumping all Muslim countries into one turbulent pot of terrorists? In an argument with my mom she started quoting a court case that was happening in Malaysia. I know my geography. Malaysia is over 4,000 miles from Turkey. So what they both have high Muslim populations? With well over a billion people (1/5 of Earths total population) on earth being Muslim, that is hardly a surprise. Malaysia and Turkey are VERY different places.

The truth is, Islam is a beautiful religion. The central tenet of the faith is to submit oneself to God's will. It doesn't matter if one is saying God in English or Arabic--we are seeking the guidance of our one creating, loving being. It breaks my heart that an infinitesimal percent of extremist zealots have turned what seems every Westerner I've run into here in Michigan into Islam haters (ignorants).

In counterpoint, Christianity is a beautiful religion. The central tenet of the faith is to accept the atonement of the Son of God and use the free will that is a gift of that sacrifice to make righteous choices so that we can return into his presence. It breaks my heart that the well intentioned actions of ignorant westerners in the past may have tainted the Christian faith in the eyes of Muslims.

We are all children of Abraham. Muslims through Ishmael, Judeo-Christian through Issac.We are brothers.

A good friend of mine was recently in the Holy Land. While trying to gain admittance to the Dome of the Rock, a guard asked if my friend was Muslim. The Palestinian woman accompanying my friend responded in Arabic: "She is Muslim in her Heart". <3

I submit to you that the Bible's idea of what it means to be "Christian" and the Koran's definition of what it means to be "Muslim" are the same thing: Show your love for God, by showing your love for his precious children.

Am I scared about moving to Turkey? Somewhat.
Is there a remote corner of my mind that fears terrorism? Definatly
Do I think that I can change the course of a war? Hell No.
Do I believe that I can change the course of my heart? Certainly.
Do I intend to do my damnedest to overcome ignorance? Yes.
Do I think--nay, know--that this is what God desires?  To my last dying breath.

Do you?

I hope that makes me Muslim in my heart too. <3