Finding Love From an Unexpected Source
The other day, I posted a video on TikTok that aimed to spread awareness about the fact that Muslims also hold Jesus in high regard, and love him too. The video was purely informative, and the intention behind it was to highlight the similarities that exist between the Muslim and Christian faiths. I strongly believe that comparative religion can play a significant role in bringing people together and eliminating the barriers that divide us. It's important to understand that division only benefits those who seek to oppress us.
I was blown away by the comments. There were so many loving comments and wishes for peace to me and my family. These sentiments were uplifting, inspiring, and completely unexpected because all of this love was from Muslims.
Even though I don't belong to their religion, they treated me with love. This meant a lot because it contrasts how it feels in America if you don't belong to Evangelical Christianity.
There is a common saying within the deconstruction community that is “there is no hate like Christian love”, and it saddens me how popular this is, and how much it resonates.
Yet, this is how it feels to not belong to evangelicalism. If you’re atheist, agnostic, progressive Christian, LGBTQ, or democrat (gasp!), there is no love shown. It’s clear from the constant rhetoric of the religious right that we are despised and are “enemies”. The contempt is even worse if you’re a woke lefty calling out injustice.
So, these comments were a magical moment when I received so much love from people of a religion that I was taught to fear and equate with terrorists. This reminded me that people can love others outside of their own religion. Love can exist not only across the globe but also across different belief systems.
If only my country could choose love instead of cruelty rooted in a “biblical worldview”. If only my country could choose love instead of religious superiority. If only. If only.
Yet, this small tiny moment of finding love from an unexpected source had an impact on me. It connected me to my fellow humans, and we need more of those moments with one another.