Allah Alkhbar

Recently Mohamed and I were out and about in town running errands .Some thing happened that at the time I didn't think it was a big deal.Since this is the new and improved Libya, and we are free to voice our opinions with out fear of reprisals from the government , I would like to discuss this with you to see what you think.

We were in our car approaching a check point.There were many cars ahead of us but the line was moving quickly since the cars were being waved through the check point by the young man on duty.When my turn came I flashed him a smile and a peace sign , Moe smiled as well . We expected a nod or a smile back from the young man, as so often happens these days.We were signaled to stop which was fine . The young man came to the car and smiled at me . He asked me to say Allah Alkhbar ( God Is Great, in Arabic) .I told him of course I would say God is Great. I shouted out at the top of my lungs Allah Alkhbar, then I was allowed to drive through the check point. We all had a laugh as I drove away.I was looking in my review mirror as I drove down the street.I noticed the guy continued to wave through all the cars behind me , not stopping them as he had me.Later we drove through the check point on the opposite side of the road. No one asked me any questions as I came through the check point, but they did smile back as I flashed them the peace sign.

Tonight as I was washing the dishes I started thinking about this and that, because let's face it, washing dishes is a mindless chore,.My mind wandered here and there.One of the things that passed through my mind as I washed the dishes was the experience at the check point with the young man .I think what triggered my thought was Moe was watching one of the many new Libyan channels on TV . Some one on the talk show he was watching was continuously  shouting out Allah Alkhbar every 2 minutes or so .One thought lead to another , and before I knew it , there I was in my mind back at the check point shouting out Allah Alkhbar.

This is ok , as I have been know to shout out Allah Alkhbar for no reason at all . The spirit moves me , so to say.But I remembered that out of all the cars before or after me , I was the only one that was stopped. I was the only one that was asked to shout out Allah Alkhbar .

Now why was that, I wondered? Was it because Moe and I smiled at him and none of the other people had acknowledged him , let alone smiled?Did he take that as a opening to joke around with some one that seemed friendly ?Did he do it because I was obviously  a foreigner ? I don't wear a head scarf or the Hijab as so many other western women do here in Libya.I am Muslim but I don't cover.But Mohamed was in the car with me and he is Libyan and obviously a Muslim .

I do look " foreign" with my blond hair showing . Was that why he did it ? To remind me that this was an Islamic country?I don't know what he was thinking when he asked me to shout out Allah Alkhbar.But what if .... I was , oh say , a ambassador ,or a volunteer doctor here to help the many wondered people , or any one of the many foreign workers that are still here in Libya working , the majority of whom are Christian .How would one of them had felt if they had been demanded to shout out Allah Alkhbar ? Would they have understood that this has become the rallying battle cry of this revolution? Would they have understood that they were not necessarily being singled out because they were foreigners?

Maybe he just felt enthusiastic that day and wanted to share his enthusiasm with some one, and I was the chosen person .He might have just wanted to see what I would say or do ? Who knows ? But maybe in the future it would be more appropriate by those that man the check points, to just accept the peace sign from those that flash it and not demand an Allah Alkhbar from people that don't voluntary shout it out ?Does any one see my point ? I do know that this is an Islamic country, but we do have many non Muslims that work and live here that might feel intimidated by this " mandatory " Allah Alkhbar .

Can We Talk ?

Can we talk ?

A couple of days ago there was another airplane incident involving an attempted terrorist attack on another airliner by a Muslim. This guys own father tried to warn authority's that something was wrong with his son . No one really listened to him .Stricter safe guards are being put into place all around the world due to this newest attack.I have to ask myself WHAT NEXT ?I am sure you are too .I certainly don't want to fly anywhere .But why let a small faction win and restrict my freedom ?

Already you have to take off your shoes . There booths in airports around the world that can see you naked to make sure nothing is on your person that may be used to harm passengers or airplanes . Ironically enough , Amsterdam's Schipol airport that the alleged " Christmas Day Bomber" flew out of to America, has one of these booths . Wonder why it wasn't used ? You may be subjected to random body searches , which can include body cavity searches , with out your permission.Long lines at the airports with missed connections .No water allowed in  long lines .On and on the list goes of things you once took for granted when you traveled are now a thing of the past .

Now there are the NEW RULES too !The Newest of the NEW RULES say you have to remain in your seat on board for one hour before landing or take off .What happens if you have diarrhea and can't hold it ? If your little child has to go to the toilet before the landing ? You will not be allowed a pillow or blanket in your lap during certain times on the flight . These rules are for ALL INTERNATIONAL FLIGHTS INTO AMERICA. But I have heard some USA domestic flights were subject to these new rules as well . They are enforced at random .

Ok , here is what I have to say about this ....People , company's , countries all have to do ,what they have to do, to save lives . I think we can all agree on this .What is wrong with this picture is that most of the reasons for all these extreme measures are due to  the actions of some extreme Muslims that do NOT REPRESENT THE  MUSLIM SOCIETY AS A WHOLE . People forget that and want to lump all Muslims in a nice little neat package and label us TERRORIST . well , it won't work .WE AREN'T  ALL TERRORIST . For real , you gotta trust me on this one . We really aren't .

Just as in the 60's and 70's not all Christians were terrorist either when the Baader Meinhof gang was running a muck all over Europe . Anyone old enough to remember them ? No one went around accusing Germans of being terrorist. What about the Japanese Red Brigade ? Remember their terrorist organization ? They were communist .No one said that ALL communist were terrorist , even if they were thinking it , and communist weren't, or that all Japanese were terrorist .Ok ,what about the Irgun, the Zionist terrorist organization of  Israel ?  

Contrary to all and sundry , not all Israelis are terrorist either .So , why is the world labeling the entire  Muslim population terrorists?

Things that are done in the names of freedom , libery , justice ,revolutionary change, and or religion don't make it so just because these words are used to hide dispicable acts of certain people . It doesn't describ the whole . It isn't the whole . Please keep that in mind the next time something horrible is commited useing those words . Remember also, just because something looks like a duck , doesn't mean it is a duck  , even if it does quake.

Right Or Wrong

I was just reading the news when I stumbled across this news " Libya Tortures Four Christian Converts " . at Persecution.org , International Christian Concern . This disturbed me as I know that Christians are allowed to worship here in Libya freely .... AS LONG AS THEY DON'T TRY TO EVANGELIZE any Muslims here in Libya .

It is a death sentence in the Quran for any Muslim to convert to any other religion , especially if they were born into Islam as all Libyans are here in Libya .All Libyans know this is a Islamic law and a civil Libyan law as well . I think most outsiders know this also .

Having said this , I feel that I must make it clear that not under any situation or circumstances I do condone torture of any sort , by anyone , or any nation for any reason , religious or political .

I think all parties involved in this incidence are guilty . The Outsiders for evangelizing Muslims here in Libya knowing it was a violation of the law . Making it that more likely for other law abiding Christians in Libya to fall under scrutiny by the authorities . The Libyans clearly knew what the consequences would be for them and possibly for others like them if caught .Their disregard for the safety of others is appalling for putting them in harms way . This is a terrible situation for all , making Libya look bad internationally .

Haroun

This is a picture of my son Haroun before he became very ill . It was taken on the day I had registered with the Islamic society as a Muslim. Even though I had converted 10 years before , I had never gotten around to registering . That was a very happy day for our entire family . Haroun was so thrilled .That was 7 years ago .He died 2 years later .

This was , I think , the only time I have worn the Hajab , or the scarf .I had to wear one to the Islamic society place . It felt odd to wear the Hajab , as if I was a impostor or something . At the same time , as strange as this will sound , it felt Holy ? I have a personal aversion to wearing the head scarf and all the other paraphernalia that Muslim women are supposed to wear . So , I felt like a hypocrite too that day . I know , a total contradiction huh ?

The picture above Haroun drew years before he became ill as a present to me . I loved it because it was a abstract and so expressed his talent as a artist .Years later on after he became addicted to heroin , he told me that this was the way he felt when he was on heroin, like a monster . We have this picture in our living room as a reminder of him .

Talks on Prisoners Release

I hesitated to write on this subject knowing full well I might be opening Pandora's box of very nasty surprises , but I felt I had to comment on Libya's proposed action to release some Islamist rebels from prison . Saif Al Islam Ghaddafi , chairperson for The International Foundation, is currently in negotiations with an Al Quada- affiliated Islamist rebel group to release some of it's members that are in prison .

As a foreigner living here , married to a Libyan , mother to Libyans , grand mother to Libyans , I am frightened to know this may come about . Used to be , being a Muslim was a natural thing here . There was no compulsion in religion to be extreme . I mean everyone is Muslim here . The Christain foreigner's working here , or the occasional Christian married to a Libyan are the exception to the rule , but they are treated with respect and are allowed to worship as they wish . They are not allowed to evangelize though . But more and more on the streets here in Tripoli you will see men with short Arabic style dress , all rumpled , many times not too clean looking even though the clothing most be clean to pray in , short pants , long unkempt breads , menacing glares towards people in general , women singled out for the " special " look . If you try to engage them in a conversation they act as if you are the bane of Righteousness . Sometimes in tow , you will see a woman covered from head to toe in swaths of BLACK material ,with a veil shielding her face from view . This is a relatively new affection one didn't see here in Libya before maybe the mid 1990's . Women dressed however they felt like either traditionally or "western" , the same for men .They still do , don't get me wrong . But this growing group is pushing this form of dress on others , onto people that don't necessarily agree with them . Much like the Taila-bad in Afghanistan did with the baraka .

This is alarming ... WHY ? Because these people ( here I loosely use this term ) are generally the NEW MUSLIM RIGHT and they , I have noticed when ever I have occasion to engage them in conversation, are the Extremist that want radical change in the Muslim world , if not the entire world . They are NOT tolerant of other views , cultures , or religions .They think like many other closed minded groups through out history , that if you are not with them , then you are their enemy .

Where ever they have the power ( Pakistan , Afghanistan , Iran etc....) then chaos follows in government and civilian life , with the collapse of the economy . Women and children seem to pay the price with loss of simple freedoms such as education and for some reason , medical care . I find the frequency of the NEW MUSLIMS RIGHT converts down right scary . They are so black and white in their dealings and thoughts with the world ,no grey anywhere . No give or take with them . I am not alone in this feeling. This isn't just a foreigners feeling either . I hear Libyans expressing their concern also .They are too cautious to vocalize loudly their fears due to their concern over this groups growing power in the society . This is a potential future problem taking root now .Hopefully it can be worked out without jeopardizing religious freedoms we have now .