From the Worldwide Faith News archives www.wfn.org
Alien nation: Interfaith visitors say Americans are friendly but don't have a clue
From
PCUSA NEWS <PCUSA.NEWS@ecunet.org>
Date
27 Sep 2002 16:00:23 -0400
Note #7441 from PCUSA NEWS to PRESBYNEWS:
27-September-2002
02367
Alien nation
Interfaith visitors say Americans are friendly but don't have a clue
by John Filiatreau
STONY POINT, NY - Among the questions American Presbyterians had for Muslims
taking part in the Interfaith Listening Program: Do you wear shoes in your
country? Do you have TV? Do you ride camels? Do you wash your faces with
cow's urine?
"One of the impediments" to improving Muslim-Christian relations in this
country, Hadeel Ghoneim, a Muslim editor from Egypt, observed with droll
humor and understatement, "is lack of knowledge about Islam."
Christians and Muslims alike were stunned to discover how little many
Americans know about Muslims - and about cultures other than their own.
Many said they'd come to discuss interfaith relations but had to devote much
of their time to sharing "World Almanac" information - historical,
demographic, geographical - about their home countries.
Farsijana Adeney-Risakotta, of Indonesia, a Christian, said she wished she'd
known beforehand that she'd be required to talk about "not only interfaith
(relations), but also the entire history of the country."
Alio Mahaman, a historian from Niger, said: "I did not know we would have to
do advertising for our country. ... I came here as a Muslim, and didn't know
I would have to answer a lot of questions about many other things."
Sheikh Abduraman Hussien Mussa, of Ethiopia, said graciously, "Of course
there were people who do not know much ... as is human nature everywhere."
Despite their sometimes ignorance, said the Rev. Jesse Kamau, the Kenyan
moderator of the Presbyterian Church of East Africa, many Americans "seem to
assume they know everything."
After two weeks on the road and more than 100 visits with Presbyterian groups
from coast to coast, Muslim-Christian teams from 10 nations in Asia, Africa
and Europe reassembled at the Stony Point Center this week for a one-day
"debriefing," sharing stories about their adventures and opinions of the new
church-to-church program.
They were unanimous in their judgment that the Interfaith Listening project
was worthwhile and ought to be repeated and expanded in future years.
"God is in this mission," Kamau said. "I see God in it ... God, who wants to
put his scattered flock together."
Sheikh Mussa, noting that "perfection pertains only to God," conceded that
the program was imperfect, but urged Presbyterian Church (USA) officials not
to let it be "defeated and annulled by time."
Fr. Boulos (Marwan) Wehbe, an Antiochan Orthodox priest from Lebanon, said,
"The positive outcome ... far exceeded our expectations. The result was
simply marvelous."
Andreas D'Souza, of India, a Christian, said the pilot project proved its
worth and "definitely should continue in some form."
Several participants suggested including representatives of other faith
groups.
Will Browne, associate director for ecumenical partnerships of the PC(USA)'s
Worldwide Ministries Division (WMD), said that, while the program's sponsors
have "a strong leaning that we want to continue" with what he called "sort of
an experimental effort," they don't yet know whether it will be repeated next
year.
The budget for the 2002 program was about $75,000. It was a project of the
WMD, Presbyterian Disaster Assistance and the Presbyterian Peacemaking
Program of the Congregational Ministries Division.
Many of the participants said more time should be provided next time - for
planning, travel, resting and sightseeing.
Alhaji Yussuf Murigu, of the Kenya Arab Friendship Society, noted that he and
Kamau visited cities "from one ocean to the other," making 11 airline flights
in less than two weeks.
Adeney-Risakotta said her schedule was "very tight, and very intense."
Mahaman said he was exposed very briefly to the Amish people in Pennsylvania
("It was very interesting to me to see this group that hasn't changed since
the 17th century"), and was sorry he hadn't had time to learn more about
them.
Salam Mahadin, a professor at the University of Amman, in Jordan, said no
more than two activities should be scheduled for a single day.
Boulos said his main regret was that he didn't have time to take in the movie
"My Big Fat Greek Wedding."
PC(USA) officials said this year's program was created in haste in response
to last September's terror attacks in New York City and Washington, DC.
All the visitors said their American hosts were unfailingly kind, sensitive
and accommodating.
Mussa said the media in Ethiopia had persuaded him "that America dislikes
Islam," but he discovered that "what the media were telling me did not
connect with reality."
"I encountered only the believers, and among them only the Presbyterians, who
obviously have been seized by the love that comes from their faith," he said,
"and from them I felt an affection that I now can characterize as Christian."
He said he was particularly impressed with audiences: "No matter how long I
spoke, they showed no boredom or disrespect."
Boulos said he was treated so well by Presbyterians in Florida "that I left
my heart, not in San Francisco, but in Fort Myers."
Boulos conceded that there were a few cultural glitches. "In my country, when
you are having a meal, and someone asks if you want more, you say no, so they
will insist," he said. "Here, when you say no, they think you mean no."
(Mahadin said her experience was similar: "The Americans show you around and
say, 'Make yourself at home' ... but we are just not used to opening
someone's fridge and making ourselves a sandwich.")
Ismat Lateef Mehdi, a Muslim professor from India, said what she found most
rewarding was living in the homes of her Presbyterian hosts and meeting their
families. She said she was impressed with their warmth and kindness, and
surprised to learn "how deeply they think of things" and "how much they know
about the world."
All agreed that the media generally have done a rotten job of portraying
Muslims.
Hassane Dan Karmi, of the Evangelical church in Niger, said Americans "only
know Islam through what is shown on television," and would never be aware,
for example, that "Islam in Niger is very peaceful." He said the U.S. media,
especially television, focus so intently on violence perpetrated by radical
Muslims that their coverage "prevents Americans (from seeing) any other kind
of Islam."
Boulos agreed that the American media engage in "a lot of oversimplification,
and perhaps distortion," which tend to widen the gaps between faiths.
Several participants observed that their own countries' media have similar
shortcomings, and present an inaccurate and unfair image of Americans, and of
Christians.
Despite the general lack of trust in the media, many said program planners
should have tried harder to attract media attention to Interfaith Listening
events. Mahadin commented that 30 seconds on TV can do more to dispel
damaging stereotypes about Muslims than a dozen appearances before crowds of
"10 or 12 people" in a succession of "small villages."
Boulos also recommended "more media coverage, more press conferences, more
TV"; efforts to "get in touch more with influential people"; and targeting
"more cosmopolitan and more visible places." He added, "I was so surprised
that New York (City) was not involved" as a host city.
Many observed that Presbyterians, especially young Presbyterians, seemed to
stay away from the Interfaith Listening gatherings, and worship services, in
droves.
"We found many congregations with many, many empty pews," said Kamau, of
Kenya, adding that he has seen the same phenomenon in Europe, where "you go
to a huge sanctuary, and only four or five people are present ... and they
are grannies."
Murigu, also of Kenya, said he also was shocked by the relative emptiness of
the churches he attended, and especially by the absence of young people,
whose participation in Interfaith Listening activities, he said, was "almost
zero."
By contrast, he said, "In my country, church is very lively; no young person
would miss it. ... I thought maybe (his Presbyterian hosts) don't want young
people to hear a Muslim speaking." (On one occasion, he said, he "thought
perhaps the young people are not interested" in hearing his message - but
when a door was ajar, he spotted a group of youngsters "peeping.")
Murigu said he also was surprised by the advanced age of most of the
Presbyterians. "They are calling me a child," he said, "and I am 60!"
The visitors were surprised to see what a "melting pot" the United States is
becoming.
"In Africa, when we say 'American,' the picture that comes to us is the
Anglo-Saxon," said the Rev. Iteffa Gobena, president of the Ethiopian
Evangelical Church Mekane Yesus, "but we have learned that this country is
becoming more and more multicultural, multifaith, multi-everything ... and is
never anymore to be a country of one race."
Gobena said he visited one urban elementary school where students from more
than 40 ethnic backgrounds spoke 25 different languages.
Ghoneim, from Egypt, noted that America is "a nation of newcomers, of
strangers." Boulos said many Americans "seem to feel that they don't need to
partake in other cultures," and appear to be content in their "ignorance of
Islam, and ignorance of other kinds of Christianity," such as his Orthodox
faith. Browne conceded that Americans aren't always aware of "how we are
woven into the rest of the world" because they have long had "the power to
ignore and isolate."
For the most part, the visitors didn't find security precautions at U.S.
airports too intrusive.
Christians and Muslims alike were treated like other travelers - with a few
exceptions.
Sheikh Mussa, who wore traditional clothing, including Arab-style
headdresses, was singled out for particular scrutiny on several occasions,
partly because he has a metal prosthesis in his leg that set off airport
alarms.
Gobena said he was subjected to a special search and an FBI interrogation at
an airport in Michigan where officials were suspicious upon detecting a small
metal cross in one of his bags. "You are expecting I am putting a bomb in my
cross?" he demanded.
Gobena said participants should have been provided "some kind of
identification" to save them from "going through this kind of hassle."
Murigu said he had no trouble. "I had a very good time, even at airports," he
said. "I myself was surprised."
Mussa said he was impressed when he was taken to a place of worship and saw
over the entrance three symbols: the crescent of Islam, the Christian cross
and the Jewish Star of David. "Even though I am now 64 years old," he said,
"I never saw anything like it."
He said he was impressed that the Christian pastors he encountered "had
almost perfect knowledge of their Christian faith," but found that the
Muslims did not have "the same level of knowledge."
Karmi said most of the Muslims he met during his trip were African-Americans,
"who seem to have converted to Islam as a search for identity more than a
question of faith." One African-American Muslim, he said, grew very angry
upon hearing "my story about my conversion from Islam to Christianity." He
said the man, himself a convert from Christianity to Islam, "just did not
accept" that the opposite conversion was possible.
Murigu said he encountered no Muslims. "Nobody made an effort for me to meet
a Muslim at all," he said. "I don't know why they don't want me to meet the
Muslims (or) why was I not taken to the mosque. ... Do you believe it? I did
not meet a Muslim."
Most participants said they expect to stay in contact with some of the
Americans they met during their travels.
Several expressed opposition to a U.S. attack on Iraq for the purpose of
deposing Saddam Hussein and replacing his Baghdad regime.
Luigi Davide Sandri, a Christian journalist from Italy, urged the group to
issue a formal statement of opposition to such a war. "We are very upset
about the possibility of a new war against Iraq," he said, "and we think that
only diplomatic efforts and political measures can bring peace in the world.
... We believe war is no way to bring about a better future for the people of
Iraq and of the Middle East."
Sandri particularly objected to President George W. Bush's use of the phrase
"God bless America" in a speech about his intentions regarding Iraq.
"Nobody can make war in God's name," he said. "To invoke God's name for the
war is a blasphemy and sacrilege."
He said his impression after meeting 200 to 300 Americans was that "a big
majority of the American people are against this war."
That was certainly true of the Interfaith Listening group, although it
decided against issuing a statement against the war.
Some of the visitors expressed surprise that more Americans weren't publicly
opposing the proposed attack.
"If you are a Christian," Murigu said, "you are for Jesus, and you are for
peace."
He said he was surprised that U.S. citizens, living in the most democratic
nation on Earth and enjoying a level of freedom unknown virtually anywhere
else, don't try harder to influence their government. "You can see from their
countenances," he said, "that they think the government is very far, and they
cannot reach it."
Osias B. Jaim, a bishop in the United Church of Christ in the Philippines,
said he was encouraged to learn "that there are some protests here in
opposition to the policy of making war on Iraq."
He said the U.S. protesters will inspire the people of his country "and make
us more determined" to oppose U.S. economic policies that he said have been
"disastrous" for the Philippines and its indigenous people.
In an address to the group, Browne recalled that, when he was growing up in
India, there was a house in his neighborhood that was left vacant for many
years because it was the place where several families of Muslim residents had
been slaughtered by marauding Hindus. The empty house was a powerful symbol,
he said, "of what happens when we don't tend to relationships" between people
of different faiths.
Last Wednesday, while most of the Interfaith Listening teams were en route to
their home countries, buoyed by new friendships and good will, seven workers
in the office of a Christian charity in Karachi, Pakistan, were shot and
killed execution-style, apparently by anti-American Muslims who identified
Christianity with the West and with the U.S. administration's "war on
terror."
The slaughter was a chilling reminder of the urgency of building bridges
between people of various faiths, and it called to mind the observation of
Hayat Al-Hoayek Atieh, a Muslim journalist and Interfaith Listening team
member from Jordan, that the reasons for such violence "are political, but
are manipulated and made to appear religious" - a recurring theme in the
Christian-Muslim talks.
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