What comes to your mind when you hear the word "Muslim"?
By marzhanas
@marzhanas (1)
September 15, 2011 9:13am CST
Last night as we were watching a news program on television, my cousin suddenly told me that when she hears the word Muslim the first thing that pops into her mind is terrorists.
I cannot blame my cousin for having a generalization that Muslims are terrorists because most of terrorists group are linked with Muslims. This is how she thinks about Muslims and I have to explain to her that not all of them are terrorists. Terrorist groups don't represent the Muslim community. In the Philippines, we usually hear from local news programs the word Muslim when there are bombings and kidnapping in Mindanao. The media unintentionally projected into my cousin's mind that Muslims are terrorists.
I also used to think the same way like my cousin thinks about them. But everything changed when I've experienced to work in the Middle East for two years. It's a wonderful experience working with my Muslim boss and colleagues. They treated me fairly. I never experienced discrimination even though I am a Christian living in a Muslim country. I used to watch Al Jazeera Channel to get the latest news and events in the Middle East. This is a news programs where I don't only hear the negative sides of Muslims but their good deeds too. Aside from watching Al Jazeera, I also read some articles to get valuable information about their culture and religion. Slowly, I have learned to understand and love the beauty of their culture as I love my own culture. I don't anymore think that Muslims are terrorists.
5 people like this
21 responses
@nasapiyush (147)
• India
15 Sep 11
Hi marzhans
Your cousin should not have a mindset like this. Its not always that they are terrorists , they are very good and kind people .
Some people are responsible for this and everyone gets blamed. This is really a bad thing.
Why to blame who are not at all responsible for that. Some Muslims are really good human beings as I met a girl who is a Muslim but she is very polite and understanding .
terrorists should be blamed not Muslims ..
1 person likes this
@nasapiyush (147)
• India
15 Sep 11
Your cousin should not have a mindset like this. Its not always that they are terrorists , they are very good and kind people .
Some people are responsible for this and everyone gets blamed. This is really a bad thing.
Why to blame who are not at all responsible for that. Some Muslims are really good human beings as I met a girl who is a Muslim but she is very polite and understanding .
terrorists should be blamed not Muslims
@cream97 (29087)
• United States
15 Sep 11
Hi, marzhanas. Welcome to myLot!
When I think of the word Muslim, I think of the term, "Monk". I also think about, the word "old fashioned" too. I also think of a Muslim as being a Jehovah Witness or someone that wears scarves around their heads. I don't mean to sound judgmental, but this is how I view a Muslim.
When I think of the word Muslim, I think of the term, "Monk". I also think about, the word "old fashioned" too. I also think of a Muslim as being a Jehovah Witness or someone that wears scarves around their heads. I don't mean to sound judgmental, but this is how I view a Muslim.@cream97 (29087)
• United States
15 Sep 11
But, I don't hate Muslims at all. I love them the same way as I love anyone else in this world. My husband's nephew's father has became a Muslim many years ago. He even has changed his name too. A good friend of mines that I knew in high school has a baby daddy that is a Muslim. I respect their religion, even though I may not follow it at all. We all come from the same God, and no matter what denomination, creed or religion that others may take upon, I still see them as being created by God himself! They are not singled out, no matter if they choose to be by mankind.
@marie2052 (3691)
• United States
15 Sep 11
No matter what culture or what part of the world we are in there can be terrorists.
I too think it a sad situation when we stereotype people.
I served during the Vietnam war and again during desert storm.
I think the saddest part of our minds is that we as America has been taught to be the greatest nation in the world. However unless you are of Indian descent we all come over with different strains of blood heritage through our veins.
But with government, media, and even fear, we have learned to suggest if you are not an American and you walk in your native dress, have a different culture, then we become opinion minded by the way individuals are taught and through what is read and the media.
I have met plenty of muslims here in Florida. I do not fear them, if anything I know they are afraid to have a conversation with us.
I have always put myself out there when meeting another person of a different nationality to learn where they are from and do what God would want us to do is be kind.
I genuinely believe if we quit stereotyping cultures and individuals we could once again be a great nation.
I fervently believe that whether you be afro american, muslim,oriental, or other culture we are all humans, and I learned this at a very early age from being with so many different nationalities while I was in the Army and I am greatful for the chance to have been blessed to know so many different cultures.
@marie2052 (3691)
• United States
16 Sep 11
Thank you for marking me best response.
My first involvement with different cultures came when I became a nurses aide at age 15. I worked for Carmelite Nuns. I was not Catholic.
Some of them were from Germany,one was from France, and the one I worked directly under was from Nicuraga.
I worked under them until I turned 18, and went the next day in the Army.
From there, I learned to work through 8 weeks of grueling basic with Puerto Rican's, Afro Americans and Caucasians.
I am sure there was other cultures, but trust me we had little time to learn of each other. But yet we were a team pulling each other through basic.
If we just look around, different cultures abound everywhere. We all just have to learn to respect and love them for the differences they bring to our world.
Thanks tech2d for your kind comments as well.
@viney17 (688)
• Philippines
15 Sep 11
i was once scared of muslims because of what i heard of them. Some say that they are war freaks, they are brutal and things like that (i heard they are also religious), so i keep my distance away from them until i met my friend/classmate he is cool and not the typical war freak guy :)) i guess friends can change your views sometimes :))
1 person likes this
@elshaddai123 (3981)
• Kottayam, India
16 Sep 11
Muslims are human beings we have to love them. some fanatics are doing some terror activities, we cannot blame all. let better understanding come to them when they realize that they are on the wrong side
@alnilam (969)
• United States
16 Sep 11
What comes to mind... Prejudice... That would be it... I think there is too much predjudice when it comes to Muslims, their religion is by default peaceful, sadly there are a few branches of the religion that are bad but are still marked as Muslim... They might need a new label of religion for that... The media often uses the term Extremist Muslim which is still quite unfair...
@Pose123 (21635)
• Canada
28 Sep 12
Hi marzhanas, Welcome to myLot! I hope that you will enjoy your time here and make both friends and money. I'm very happy that you have come to understand that, like others most Muslims are good people and that they want to live in peace. Sadly, because of the actions of a few, all Muslims are looked upon as terrorists by those who only hear the negative. I am not a Muslim but I feel that people are people and we must all learn to live together as brothers and sisters in a world that is becoming smaller all the time. Blessings.
@vandana7 (100300)
• India
26 Sep 12
I think of them as people who are torn between different thoughts. The fanatics keep them under thumb so even if they are not agreeable to many of the wrongdoings, they wouldnt dare to oppose because they fear backlash from their own community. Fanatics on the other hand are truly aware that they are not following the religion but they enjoy the power they have on others including people from their own community. Muslim women are very nice soft spoken and well behaved. I personally have good experiences to recall when it comes to them.
@Triple0 (1904)
• Australia
16 Sep 11
It's always the negative stereotypes that we see on television about Muslims bombing and hurting other people. There are good and evil people in this world and not every Muslim is evil. I've been learning the Islamic religion in my studies of religion class in school and I'm understanding their religion more than before. People are so against Muslims because they don't understand. I was kind of disturbed how some people were celebrating when Osama Bin ladin was killed by the American soldiers. That's murder! There's always tension between the Americans and Muslims, why can't they be friends? 
@Deultimate (2)
• United States
16 Sep 11
The term moslim has been given a wrong image by some of these people themselves . Whenever I hear the term moslim, what comes into my mind is violence. This is because many terrorist groups are connected with the name in one way or the other. Consider what are happening in the countries where there are moslims and followers of other religions in the world today.
@garavegeta (963)
• Kochi, India
23 Jul 12
Hello dear,I know all muslims are not terrorists,but a vast majority of oor muslims can become terrorists,and they are supported by the rich one's in arabian countries.The first word comes to my mind is the cut throat attitude and religious intolerance.
You have never experienced discrimination,well thats good to hear,but most people are not that lucky.
@00fear (3216)
• United States
15 Sep 11
I don't always think of them as terrorists either. I've seen some Muslims here at my school too, in fact I've seen one that is a professor and there is one who works at a store by where I live and seems pretty cool with me. Everytime me and my cousin go to by snacks he is always greeting us because he knows us already. When I think of the word Muslims, I think of how there country might look. Like Afghanistan, I don't know how's it like over there.
@barehugs (8973)
• Canada
16 Sep 11
As a Canadian, and have always prided myself on being anti-racist. But I will always remember where I was, and what I was doing on 9-11, and the terrible feelings and thoughts that retched my stomach as I watched the twin towers crumble. I realize there are millions of good Muslims, but be that as it may, I can never forget (nor do I think it should be forgotten) that 15 bad Muslims plotted and killed thousands of innocent people who were just doing their own thing as they went about their lives. They did it for Allah. Thank God Obama was wise enough to find Osama Bin Laden and give him his just deserts!
@cow_boy29 (236)
• United States
16 Sep 11
some of them terorist, fanatics and etc but you must look the other who have nasinalism in their mind, so if they are not so dangerous we can tolerance them if not hmm
@touchtype30s (70)
•
15 Sep 11
When I hear the word Muslim the first thing I think of is primary scapegoat for society's ills. In Britain in my experience that is currently the case. Muslims vary a lot obviously but currently they are the main scapegoat because they are different from the majority and they are a very sizable and obviously different minority. They're relatively peaceful overall which makes them a vulnerable and soft target for bigots. People used to treat Northern Irish Catholics in the same way twenty years ago. Yes a minority are evil terrorists but most are no worse or better than anyone else. The Quran is a peaceful and positive book about being kind to others in a practical way and has a lot more common sense than a lot of the New Testament does in my opinion. The Nazis (BDP and EDL etc) target Muslims and also Jews (that's me but non-religious), gypsies and anyone who isn't Anglo/Saxon/Jute/Viking English - i.e. most of the world. Thinking all Muslims are terrorist is going down the BNP/EDL Nazi avenue I'm afraid to say.
@shrmanoj (382)
•
16 Sep 11
Dear mate, I have so many muslim friends around me and in net also. So, I don't want to give any negative answer beacause they are also pweople of this earth and in my opinion all the people in this earth are only human beings, we should not divide them as with their religions.
@asifbg043 (28)
• India
16 Sep 11
i know world wide people have made a mindset against Muslims, but it is wrong to associate such wrong thing with the complete community.
it is even worse to isolate a community with such wrong remarks.
we forget that so many organisations not associated to MUSLIMS have caused deaths to innocent people, for example- Nazis (in WWII), LTTE (srilanka), RSS and Bajrang Dal (INdia), JAPANESE TORROR GROUPS
so many to quote
but still the world wants to target Muslims , this is wrong
