Of Faith and Religion

The other day, I was sitting in school with Vivienna, Lai and Adam. We just finished a Maths exam which was a total brain buster fer me cos I was only half awake. But yes my dear parents if you're reading this, I believe I can still get an A. *wry smile*

Anyway we were discussing Chemistry, when it somehow went off track to golf, puasa, marriage and religion. Lai said his grandfather converted to a Buddhist before he died, so now everyone else in the family are Buddhists. The don't give much of a damn really, just go to the temple and pray. Like once a year? My impertinent friend here bought joss sticks to play with firecrackers. = ="

Lai lai laiiii....come pray forgiveness, or no more firecrackers on Chinese New Year haaa.

Temple keeper: Hello there. How can I help you?

Devout : A pack of joss sticks please.

Temple keeper: That'll be $3. Eh you come here very often ha. So you must pray a lot?

Lai: No lahhh. These sticks are great for firecrackers. You don't know meh?

Temple keeper: ...Oh ya ya. Er...but why temple joss sticks leh? Go Miri buy cheaper what.

Lai: Aiyaa, support the temple mahh. You all need money also right?

~~~~~~~

I just see it as totally wrong. When you simply name yourself a follower because someone says so, it doesn't make you one. Don't get me wrong. As a Muslim, I believe in God. But I also respect other religions. I believe that having faith in any God is better than none. But to say that you're a Buddhist or Christian or whatever lah because someone told you to, is downright wrong and disrespectful. Why even bother to do so if you don't have any faith in it?

Then he said, "So if a Chinese marries a Muslim, become Malay lah."

I dunno why her mouth is gaping open but does she look malay to you? = ="

Let's get this misconception right once and for all. Being Malay doesn't make you a Muslim. Malay is race. Muslim is religion. It just so happens that most Malays are Muslims. But there ARE Malays who are non-muslims. And in my opinion, if a person converts to a Muslim just because he/she is going to marry one, it just shows faithless that person is. To a higher power I mean. Sure they must love their significant other very much to do so. But if you're going to marry a Muslim,you've got to love the person first, AND love the religion too. It goes the same for any other religion too. Simply converting may make you a Muslim, but it doesn't make you a true Muslim.

Don't get me wrong. My mom converted too when she married my dad. But at least she understands Islam and its commitments, and respects it. My point is that a person shouldn't simply say that oh yeah I'm of this religion because my parents said so but I don't give a damn anyway. Have some respect. If you don't believe in God, then say that you don't. Don't say that you do just for the sake of having a religion.

Since we're on this topic already anyway, I'd just like to point out that we Muslims have nothing to prove. According to Bush's statement, "The time has come for all responsible Islamic leaders to join in denouncing an ideology that exploits Islam for political ends, and defiles a noble faith." I agree with him.

Yeah it gave me a weird feeling at first, after constantly calling him monkey face and all that, but he's right. What he didn't say is that we tried to explain it all along, and it took them God knows how many bombings and decapitations for them to realize that. I'm still glad of the fact that they at least took this initiative. BUT it's not only our responsibility to fight the extremists. It's everyones. Hey it's not our fault some people got carried away and became deluded with the notion they're pleasing a God. *shrug* Crazy people. Sigh. The world is full of lunatics.

Attention : I'm not out to insult people who converted due to marriage. I'm not insulting any other religions. I'm just saying what I believe in. I'm also not saying Islam is the one and only religion to follow. No extremism here. I don't believe in forcing people to change their faiths. My one and only point is Don't make religion an excuse.

Oh and a Selamat Berpuasa to yall now ^^ Dontcha just loooove the festive season? All the yummy food and new, pretty baju kurungs I'm getting and the ... opps I got carried away =p