We all grew up afraid of the monster under the bed, that mythical creature that came to life when mom or dad turned out the light and it was time to sleep. Logically there was no sense to it, and the monster was never to be seen in the real world. But in our minds it was terrifying. Fear and ignorance seem to be symbiotic; one grows the other. If it wasn’t for the morning sun we’d all still be tucked under the covers seeking safety from what is lurking under the bed. And so it goes.
The headlines in yesterday’s Wall Street Journal read something to the effect “Muslims will likely Outnumber Christians by 2050.” Now there’s a monster under the bed if ever there was one. What conspiracists call the liberal left-wing media is actually a less than benevolent parent switching off the light of our morning sunshine. Under the covers we hide while our imaginations run wild. In light of what has been happening in the world today Muslims get stereotyped into a bunch of murderous savages who behead their enemies and ravage innocent children. Fear and Ignorance fertilize each other and our minds run wild.
My best friend, my wife, is presently studying hard in college to pursue her dream of doing Social Work. In another year she will have her degree and be off on this next big adventure. Reading papers from her collegiate work has enlightened me on many fronts. It is really fun when what we learn is so very different from what we knew. As the son of a Baptist minister I “know” a lot about other religions. And since 9/11, like so many other Americans, I’ve found myself hiding under the covers fearing the under-the-bed monster. Today’s news headlines about ISIS are terrifying (I suppose that is why they are called terrorists?), but ISIS is not of the House of Islam based upon what I’ve read in the Quran.
In any event, back to the Wall Street Journal article. The headline specifically said by 2050 the Muslim population will likely equal the Christian population. What the opening paragraphs failed to illuminate is that recently the U.S. Census Bureau said that from its data the Muslim population in the U.S. today numbers about 1.5 million people. That is 0.7% of the total; less than 1%. Mind you I am not suggesting this is good or bad, it’s just a fact. If someone has an unenlightened fear of Muslims, telling them they might soon outnumber Christians could be upsetting. And, saying 2050 sounds a lot sooner than saying 45 years. Using the word “likely” doesn’t make it a fact. After reading the fine print of the article the author delineates the population she refers to is the world population, not the U.S. population. Okay, I think some sunlight is beginning to shine through the bedroom window.
pfizer viagra without prescription The medicine is invented by the British scientist and this has been marketed by the US medicine company, Pfizer. The jelly is sildenafil rx offered in the sweetening flavours. The main active india pharmacy viagra ingredient is Sildenafil Citrate. You can sit on a towel or a square to cialis shipping amerikabulteni.com facilitate any strain on your knees.
Beyond this though, by taking time to actually study or read about the House of Islam and the Prophet Mohammed, it is much more difficult to contrast Muslim theology compared to Christian theology. Don’t misunderstand me, there is still a huge difference. But in matters of God (Allah), community and family the Muslim faith is not so unlike the Christian or Jewish faith. And Muslims are, by the tenets of their faith, no more or less barbaric than any other religion. Nonetheless, we can sell more newspapers by laughing as we switch off the bedroom light and tell our children to beware of the monster under the bed.
One other thought caught my attention as I pondered these things: when I discovered that Baptists actually trace their roots back to Roman Catholicism it was quite a surprise to me. It was equally surprising to see that Christians, Jews, and Muslims all follow their roots back to Abraham. And to Abraham’s father. And back to Adam. We are all one in terms of lineage. At some point there is, indeed, only one God. We are everyone of us children of God. Truly there is no need to fear or fight each other. Once again, as was always the case when we were children, there is no monster under the bed.
Now, where did my slippers go?