Reasons Why Religion And Politics Should Not Mix.
What does it mean to me, an Arab Muslim female to have a government of extremists?
As I have been in a constant struggle to be in control of my life, to not only speak of freedom but to apply it on real life, to be able to liberate my self of a widely known and practiced believe system that for me and few others like myself considered to be the law the governs the acts of individuals to what suits the society, a Muslim female, add to that being an Arab means that I am meant to be here on earth to worship our creator Allah in every Islamic way without questioning and to get marry to a Muslim man who Islam says "If Allah would order anyone to worship any creature it would be to order a woman to worship her husband, as obeying the husband is a form of obeying Allah" so I am asked to live and serve a man`s every desire, even if it contradicted with my own desires, then I am to give birth to children whom I will teach them to grow up to be a good Muslim men and women, this is the message of women on earth, do not get me wrong here, It is normal for women to nourish their babies and enjoy motherhood but isn't it selfish to frame women in this very rule, isn't it unfair to deny women their right to choose, take their righteous place in this world , is it justice to take equality out of the equation and force women to believe that equality is the question of all mislead, faithless and lost women, is it normal to believe that heaven is for those that obey the rules even if the rules did not make any sense and those he do not obey will be destined to suffer in hell.
In my society it is a shameful thing to be a liberal, and it is a sin to be a secularist, I am an infidel for believing in women equality, the right to choose your religion, the right to practice your religion, I am more of a nut case for believing people should do what ever makes them happy even if that meant being gay or having a sexual relationship outside of marriage bond, everyone should be free to do what ever they wish with their bodies, my believes makes me a anomalies.
Before the Arab spring, when we were ruled by a dictator it was quite impossible to break free of what is considered the norm, I was beaten up, accused of so many horrible things, seen as a whore, outcast and looked at as a pest that is harmful to the society as I might infect others with my thoughts and ideas.
I finally managed to break free, leaving my home country was the only option I had to say NO, I can not and will not follow the herd, I will not obey like a brainless sheep, I will not settle down with less if I can get more out of my life, I refuse to be seen as an object, I refuse to be seen as shame, I am not lacking mind or well power.. I am not to follow but to lead, at least to lead my self to my distention.
Now, with the brotherhood taking control of my beloved home country, I lose any chance of ever being able to go back home, things are worse now, what I lived was a joke to what will happen to a wild girl like me, I am guilty of liberality, I am guilty of secularism and I am so enjoying being guilty of being free.
Having a liberal country means that people will have the choice, choice to be religious or anti religious, choice to get marry, have kids and be happy as a mother or a choice to fulfill any ambition one might have, a choice to explore one`s self ... choices what makes us decent, what makes us human, when we are able to choose we are able to think for our selves.
As long as the brotherhood is ruling my Egypt, my lovely home country, our media will wear a head scarf, we will lose our freedom of speech, equality and every right we had worked hard to achieve, it is either the Islamic way or no way at all.
Some will say I am anti Islam, I am sure not, I simply think religion is a very personal issue and I have all respect for everyone who practice their religion with such supplication and intensity of faith, but having faith in Islam does not give the right to individuals or groups to force everyone else to having the same faith and believes or to judge anyone else by their believe system.
A government of any country should be neutral to serve all groups of different believes and need, a government should be fair to all their citizens, a Muslim should be equal to a Christian or an Atheist, a government should protect heterosexuals in the same way as homosexuals or bisexuals, a government should treat every woman as equal in every right to any man, a government have to make sure that racism is an unacceptable behaviors and that anyone who commit hate crimes will face the law.
Can anyone say that the Brotherhood of Egypt will do any of that ?
It amazes me, the millions who rebelled in Mubarak`s time and threw him off the presidential chair for the sake of freedom and justice settle down with another form of dictatorship only because the majority of Muslims thinks by electing a Muslim Brotherhood that Allah is satisfied now and in this way they are serving Allah !!
What a failure of revolution that is, now it is the time for a revolution of the mind, spreading thoughts and ideas and enlightenment into the brain washed. Another revolution is bubbling underneath the surface, a revolution of humanity.
We deserve freedom, we deserve to gain the ability to choose, we deserve to think for our selves and be responsible for our actions.
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When people start following their heart, they start moving away from the restrictions of a taboo-based society, and more into the path of what their true nature really is. When they listen to their heart, their authentic life starts to become available to them. There is freedom in living how you feel is most natural for you, and there is slavery in allowing a society to dictate who you should be, and what you should be doing. certainly I agree with you that brotherhood and their cronies are dunderheads. haha. however, what you clamour for could not work practically in Egypt. With less than 5% of 85m who may agree with you on mainstream secularism including human rights, women rights, gay rights etc... guess that less than 0.0005% could have balls to be interviewed in media for instance and talk freely about pre-marital sex or gay rights in this muslim country. I lived in Egypt quite chunk of my life as an open-minded person. What's really interesting for me is that I've always been saying to people they should live their own life, do what they want to do, follow their heart, stop listening to others, and stop listening to what society tells them they should do. And yet I've been choosing to get involved in what society tells me or suggests I should be doing, at least, in public. My practices have been inconsistent with my teachings. Guess many liberal Egyptians fall in this dilemma and either leave the country or live underground. This may take ages to shift. Although, it is not a perfect example, yet very similar to us, it took almost 60 years in Turkey after Kemal Ataturk to be described as a secular country. So the good news is that it is possible to happen one day, though I rule out for Egypt women, LGBT's and Coptic Christians to enjoy any modern boarders soon. the cultural shift may need a war against Islamists and I mean a true war with victims and blood and a new fresh generation involved who is taught the meaning of liberty when they were 5 years old. good stuff. keep blogging :) walid
ReplyDeleteWalid, interesting point of view, I agree with you freedom simply comes from pursuing your true nature of ones self and getting out of other people expectation circle, but I need to point out to you that I do not wish for any anti Islamists wars or conflicts, i don't want no victims, no blood on either side of the battle to freedom, I am Liberal Secularist, and it is true Secularism is misunderstood in Egypt or the Islamic world for that matter, liberality is seen as a moral compass gone rusty and secularism is a sin but this is only a concept, liberality is what keeps a society united, the more you possess freedom the more you appreciate it and respect other people's freedom, liberality is not an atheist movement that is trying to defeat religion in this case Islam, it is merely giving everyone the right to believe or not, be religious if you want to but do not force others to follow your believe system, be wild but don't expect everyone else to be a wild as you, liberality is allowing all sort of believes not denying them, if I as an Egyptian Muslim female can see and understand the true meaning of Liberality and Secularism then many many others can do, like millions of Egyptian, I grew up receiving the same upbringing, I was force fed the system and pretty much a sheep in the herd and I found freedom, I found my liberality and I learned about peace, I learned about love and forgiveness and I learned to accept people for their true faces, and here where the absolute freedom is, being able to accept the true faces of people and accepting their believe systems, you can believe in what ever you want as long as you not harming me and too accepting my true face and believe system..
ReplyDeleteI do not wish to wait another 50 to 60 years to see my Egypt Liberal Secularists, I hope people will gather and wake up, If we want to build a new Egypt... Revolution is Evolution and we are in the last heated stage of our battle against freedom suppression and I am full of hope that we as a nation can do the best for ourselves and break free of our mind control system.