Republika OnLine �Islamic World� new convert
The story of John Clenn Howell Towards Islam I Initially, the Islamic Arab Regarding Only He Knew
Friday, February 25, 2011, 13:19 GMT
REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, Columbus - In the 1990's, John Clenn Howel, moved from his home in Ohio to a remote area the third largest city in America, Chicago, Illinois. There he built relationships with people whom he knew through underground music events in which he is involved as well. Howell lived in Chicago for five years, a period that would change his whole life.
Environment where he lives with his incredible variety of immigrant-dominated population. He saw all who lived around him were people dancing. "Foreigners in fact the majority and I are a minority," he wrote in a note file on his Facebook account.
In the environment, interacting daily with the Serbian, Croatian, Albanian, Ukrainian, Gypsy, Jewish Hasidik, Chaldea, Syria, Armenia, Russia, Greece, Pakistan, Afghanistan, India, Tibet and sebagianya, is reasonable. But seeing no norman see people dreadlocked nomads herding sheep from West Asia, or an old Muslim man with a beard and turban.
Howell also witnessed a number of women veiled in mystery, wrapped her body from top to toe with a black dress. He also heard people talking in a mixture of different languages. "All that I experienced there and right in the midst of an ultra-urban city of Chicago," he said. For someone who came from remote rural areas, people like that constellation is very luring
When he started to make friends with a variety of identities in lingkunganya, he began experiencing major changes in consciousness. "Many of my neighbors turned out to be Muslims and bad when all the stereotypes I have ever received came in the memory, I realized how all of it wrong, can not be trusted and just propaganda," he said.
Prior to Chicago, Howell apparently never been any contact at all with the Muslims in Ohio. He also felt the need to understand who exactly they are. "That's me doing for the break through the limitations of social prejudice that I was in a stretcher during the American culture," said Howell.
Muslim's debut is a man Afghanista, named Sami living as a taxi driver. He was the same age and lived next to Howell exactly. "I remember the first time I went brsamanya and we drove around in the vicinity, then I thought, 'you must be careful, these people are Muslims and do not you always told that Muslims are dangerous and may slit your throat in order to steal anything in your pocket? "
How bad it is! "But that's taught by society and my culture. Fortunately, I do not care about that nonsense and I am glad I am not contaminated with it," he said. Instead, he considered the Sami is funny man who tells the best story about her life experiences. "I'm finally close to her and her entire family, really experience that enriches life."
Thinking back again to the elementary school years, Howell clearly still remember a statement from his teacher who said, "Islam is the religion of the sword, and anyone who lives by the sword will die by the sword."
"Now after almost ten years as a Muslim, I never once heard a thing like that in Islam," he said. Howell admitted now realized exactly how anti-Islamic conditioning has been started since childhood.
In elementary school he also got spectacle films of anti-Islamic, such as "El Cid" describing Muslims as evil people. While growing up, Howell often heard his school friends use nicknames such as 'towel head', 'sand nigger', 'camel rider' to refer to Muslims.
Some school teachers even claiming that Muslims are 'people who swarthy'. She claimed her family was lucky not pengolok, but the type who respect and appreciate others. "That's who instill the values and moral ethics in balance within myself," said Howell.
Serious questions arise as to Howell, "How can cultural Ameika so dumb and full of prejudice against Islam. This is the old religion of the Middle East, but ironically, my own people also practice Islam from the East Tenggah (Christian), they also share the same prophets .
"I also want to know the truth about Muslims and their religion, Islam," he said. He began searching for answers to many questions. "I do not just ask the Krisitiani. I also began to ask directly to Muslims," said Howell. From there he studied and found that Islam was stomping his mind.
"I understand that Muslims come from everywhere and from every race. This is very contrary to all records concerning Muslims that seems to dwell on the Arab race," said Howell. The fact that he had learned, in fact the Arab minority among Muslims. Looking around, he found the Muslim variety. "Only Muslims have encountered China, Philippines, Russia, India, Turkey, Persian, Latin America, Africa, Europe and America are all around me." (Continued)
http://www.republika.co.id/berita/dunia-islam/mualaf/11/02/25/166157-awalnya-islam-yang-ia-tahu-hanyalah-seputar-arab
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