Yesterday I visited my aunt. She is an ultra-fundamentalist Muslim who believes that anyone who doesn't follow Islam, Christianity, or Judaism should be killed. She also believes that ex-Muslims, like me, should be killed as well. She has posted things like "watch and enjoy the non-believers' demise" on her Facebook page on some occasions when natural disasters occurred in non-Muslim countries.
But she is the most loving relative I have aside from my close family. She would give her life for her children, and she is hospitable, caring, and welcoming to me. She is also involved in charity work. I feel great that I can love her and not hold a grudge against her for her beliefs regarding what should be done to people like me. What is interesting to me is that she thinks of me as a great person, which proves that her own belief that atheists are immoral, horrible people is just absolutely wrong. She unintentionally doesn't have her ultra-Islamist goggles on when she treats me, and I don't have my anti-religious goggles on when I treat her either. We treat each other as people.
We are all humans. This is one of the most frequently used phrases in ideological discussions, but it has never resonated with me as much as it does now. Yes, we are all humans first and foremost, not sets of beliefs. Beliefs can reflect parts of a person's character and personality, but they are never the full picture. That fundamentalist Bible thumper who lives down the street may actually have a family he cares about and would give everything for. That niqabi ultra-fundamentalist Muslim woman may have a family that means everything to her. That fervent anti-theist may have a partner that they can give up their life for. There is more to a lot of people than meets the eye, especially when that eye sees things through an ideological lens rather than an objective one.
*gets off soapbox and gives a philanthropic hug to everyone*
But she is the most loving relative I have aside from my close family. She would give her life for her children, and she is hospitable, caring, and welcoming to me. She is also involved in charity work. I feel great that I can love her and not hold a grudge against her for her beliefs regarding what should be done to people like me. What is interesting to me is that she thinks of me as a great person, which proves that her own belief that atheists are immoral, horrible people is just absolutely wrong. She unintentionally doesn't have her ultra-Islamist goggles on when she treats me, and I don't have my anti-religious goggles on when I treat her either. We treat each other as people.
We are all humans. This is one of the most frequently used phrases in ideological discussions, but it has never resonated with me as much as it does now. Yes, we are all humans first and foremost, not sets of beliefs. Beliefs can reflect parts of a person's character and personality, but they are never the full picture. That fundamentalist Bible thumper who lives down the street may actually have a family he cares about and would give everything for. That niqabi ultra-fundamentalist Muslim woman may have a family that means everything to her. That fervent anti-theist may have a partner that they can give up their life for. There is more to a lot of people than meets the eye, especially when that eye sees things through an ideological lens rather than an objective one.
*gets off soapbox and gives a philanthropic hug to everyone*
