I met a man on a plane from Pakistan.
Saeed has kind eyes, mocha skin, perfectly straight and white teeth, hidden behind full lips. His eyes are sunken in and surrounded by dark circles. I could sense his love and respect for his family and daughters, the older one which was sitting by us. He kindly and gently introduced us, where this 11 year old confidently reach her hand across the stout structure of her father to shake my hand. After a series of small talk and redundant questions Saeed asked why I was in Chiang Mai. I plainly explained I worked with a church. “So, you are a religious person?” He asked.
“Yes, I am.”
“You practice religion?”
“Yes, I am a practicing Christian.”
“Do you say prayers?”
“Yes, I do. Are you religious?” adverting the attention off myself.
“Yes, I am.”
“Are you Muslim?”
“Yes, but not an extremist like most Americans picture Islam to be. You know, all religions are the same at the core.”
”Really? Maybe you can tell me more about Islam. I am interested in knowing more.”
He went on to describe similar teachings of Muhammad, Jesus, Ghandi, Buddha: love your neighbor, giving to charity, importance of family, respect...”
“Yes, Jesus did teach those things. But Christians believe that Jesus is God.”
I continued to go on for a few minutes about why I’m a Christian until I could sense he was uneasy.
“I don’t know much about religions, you know. But I would like for you to come to Pakistan and stay with my family.”
O.K., interesting response, especially amist a conversation that was clearly making him uncomfortable. “I can tell,” his words rolled off his tongue in an arabic-english accent, “that you are a kind person. There should be people like you running your government.” A vision of being elected president ran across my mind.
I was relieved when he went to tell me the history of Afghanistan, the neighboring country of Pakistan. “I don’t know if I should tell you this...” he began.
The following is a paraphrase of his teachings (the words in parenthesis are my own):
The Soviets were in power in Afghanistan and the U.S. was deathly afraid of communism. So afraid, that we engaged in many wars to drive them out while killing so many innocent people, and also training the “uneducated people” (as Saeed described) to fight. According to Saeed, part of the U.S. training was to present the “uneducated people” with an extreme view of a jihad, or Holy War. The U.S. told these people that this was the time to fight, and therefore encouraging the creation of extreme Islam. But when the Soviets withdrew, so did the U.S. leaving ammunition, but no one to point the guns at. So, where did Afghanistan point their guns? None other than themselves (And so the civil war began. Turning old friends and companions on one another). And within a few years destroying the beauty of what was once Afghanistan. And while the once powerful military figures were engaging a war with each other, another power was rallying. The Taleban began forming. They too had ammunition as well as an extreme view of Islam, but now no funding. A Saudi Arabian, named Osama bin Laden then came into play. He funded the uprise of the Taleban which took over city by city. According to Saeed, the Taleban had nothing to do with 9-11. bin Laden was entirely responsible for that situation. And when the U.S. demanded the Taleban hand him over, culture barriers proved alive when the Taleban refused out of respect for a friend. And the U.S., unable to comprehend this or else skeptical (understatement), used our “Arms of mass destruction” to bomb a (half-dead Afghanistan). And though the Taleban is no longer in power (though still prevalent), the U.S is involved in recreating foreign politics. And now, Saeed continued, the Taleban is fighting with Pakistan because of the ally status of our two countries.
I will never claim to fully believe Saeeds account. And although Saeed’s account may be biased, as all accounts must be, no one an argue with perception or fact.
It’s hard to face the realities of war and real life that include death and unrest. We are sheltered as Americans. We live with a yellow veil over our faces that allow us to see only the minor inconveniences of our comfortable lives. And I won’t pretend to be empathetic regardless of how sympathetic I may be. I’m not sure what the answer is. We all surely cannot pack-up our lives and nomadically live where war is just to remove the clouds over our eyes. I don’t know what my role is, what our role is. Maybe it is to visit Saeed’s family next summer. But until then, let’s say real prayers that call an end to war and protection of people. Jesus is always the answer, even in the most devastating, unending circumstances.
“Americans do not know,” Saeed humbly ended his speech, “because they are thousands of miles away. There is peace in your country. But we know, because we are there.”
Saeed has kind eyes, mocha skin, perfectly straight and white teeth, hidden behind full lips. His eyes are sunken in and surrounded by dark circles. I could sense his love and respect for his family and daughters, the older one which was sitting by us. He kindly and gently introduced us, where this 11 year old confidently reach her hand across the stout structure of her father to shake my hand. After a series of small talk and redundant questions Saeed asked why I was in Chiang Mai. I plainly explained I worked with a church. “So, you are a religious person?” He asked.
“Yes, I am.”
“You practice religion?”
“Yes, I am a practicing Christian.”
“Do you say prayers?”
“Yes, I do. Are you religious?” adverting the attention off myself.
“Yes, I am.”
“Are you Muslim?”
“Yes, but not an extremist like most Americans picture Islam to be. You know, all religions are the same at the core.”
”Really? Maybe you can tell me more about Islam. I am interested in knowing more.”
He went on to describe similar teachings of Muhammad, Jesus, Ghandi, Buddha: love your neighbor, giving to charity, importance of family, respect...”
“Yes, Jesus did teach those things. But Christians believe that Jesus is God.”
I continued to go on for a few minutes about why I’m a Christian until I could sense he was uneasy.
“I don’t know much about religions, you know. But I would like for you to come to Pakistan and stay with my family.”
O.K., interesting response, especially amist a conversation that was clearly making him uncomfortable. “I can tell,” his words rolled off his tongue in an arabic-english accent, “that you are a kind person. There should be people like you running your government.” A vision of being elected president ran across my mind.
I was relieved when he went to tell me the history of Afghanistan, the neighboring country of Pakistan. “I don’t know if I should tell you this...” he began.
The following is a paraphrase of his teachings (the words in parenthesis are my own):
The Soviets were in power in Afghanistan and the U.S. was deathly afraid of communism. So afraid, that we engaged in many wars to drive them out while killing so many innocent people, and also training the “uneducated people” (as Saeed described) to fight. According to Saeed, part of the U.S. training was to present the “uneducated people” with an extreme view of a jihad, or Holy War. The U.S. told these people that this was the time to fight, and therefore encouraging the creation of extreme Islam. But when the Soviets withdrew, so did the U.S. leaving ammunition, but no one to point the guns at. So, where did Afghanistan point their guns? None other than themselves (And so the civil war began. Turning old friends and companions on one another). And within a few years destroying the beauty of what was once Afghanistan. And while the once powerful military figures were engaging a war with each other, another power was rallying. The Taleban began forming. They too had ammunition as well as an extreme view of Islam, but now no funding. A Saudi Arabian, named Osama bin Laden then came into play. He funded the uprise of the Taleban which took over city by city. According to Saeed, the Taleban had nothing to do with 9-11. bin Laden was entirely responsible for that situation. And when the U.S. demanded the Taleban hand him over, culture barriers proved alive when the Taleban refused out of respect for a friend. And the U.S., unable to comprehend this or else skeptical (understatement), used our “Arms of mass destruction” to bomb a (half-dead Afghanistan). And though the Taleban is no longer in power (though still prevalent), the U.S is involved in recreating foreign politics. And now, Saeed continued, the Taleban is fighting with Pakistan because of the ally status of our two countries.
I will never claim to fully believe Saeeds account. And although Saeed’s account may be biased, as all accounts must be, no one an argue with perception or fact.
It’s hard to face the realities of war and real life that include death and unrest. We are sheltered as Americans. We live with a yellow veil over our faces that allow us to see only the minor inconveniences of our comfortable lives. And I won’t pretend to be empathetic regardless of how sympathetic I may be. I’m not sure what the answer is. We all surely cannot pack-up our lives and nomadically live where war is just to remove the clouds over our eyes. I don’t know what my role is, what our role is. Maybe it is to visit Saeed’s family next summer. But until then, let’s say real prayers that call an end to war and protection of people. Jesus is always the answer, even in the most devastating, unending circumstances.
“Americans do not know,” Saeed humbly ended his speech, “because they are thousands of miles away. There is peace in your country. But we know, because we are there.”
10 Comments:
Edika, probably the most interesting and thought-provoking thing we've read in quite some time. Thanks for sharing this conversation with us.
You're right, we have NO idea what all is (and has) gone on in the middle east over the year. Prayer for peace, and the reign of Christ, like you said, is absolutely the answer.
thank you for taking the time to share that conversation. it is thought-provoking, that is for sure.
you are so brave for talking to Saeed like you did. I probably would have opted to be silent..
I love the way you think:) We've had this conversation before...but I LOVE that you are so moved to "do something"--you also have such a way with words. Thanks for your honesty and reminding me that we are all called to peace, no matter where in the world we live!
loved the post! you are such a great listener- that is something i have always admired about you!
i loved that you took a risk with your conversation with saeed. i, like kara, would have probably done everything in my power to not have that conversation!
Erika, very interesting conversation. I really liked your analysis of the whole situation.
It's a hard situation for the U.S. to be in. Before WWII we were largely isolationist. We dealt with only our problems and let others duke it out. We were sharply criticized for not caring about the problems of others and for not using our strength to help them. At the same time, we were criticized for not protecting out own interests. That's not our policy anymore and we're beginning to see that there are lots of negatives to being involved in other countries problems and in many respects, we've gone too far. We have disregarded the cultural effects we have on other countries and bull-dozed our way through too many situations. I pray that our next administration understands that making and keeping friends, especially in the Middle East and Pakistan/Afghanistan/India regions, will actually increase our strength, rather than diminish it.
I'm tired of the iron fist.
spectacular; thanks erika.
"...all religions are the same at the core." -hear, hear.
I can only say wow. I loved it. You are the greatest. My thoughts were you are totally going to visit he and his family b/c that is who you are and that is why I love you.
That was some good dialog with Saeed. I don't think his account is too far from the truth regarding US foreign policy in Afghanistan during the cold war. I'm sure there are plenty of scholarly books and articles that will prove or disprove his view.
The times are a changin, though. Take ancient tribal cultures, Islam, and mix it that with modernity and there is bound to be something lost in translation. For one thing, American's assume we know better than everybody else about everything, therefore everyone else is inferior. This is obviously a dubious view. This genuine lack of humility, and compassion only breeds more contempt, from both sides of the battle.
There is no doubt that Democracy and freedom and capitalism has proven to be best form of government. Why doesn't everybody embrace this with open arms? We are corrupted by sin. The part that has made this experiment so successful for America, is that we have been blessed with natural resources that formed our nation's affluence. Its a bit more complicated than that, as you consider the other factors that occurred in the early history of America.
That said, most people are not thinking too deeply about these issues. They rather judge and ridicule all forms of war, and think we are beyond that.
have you ever read the kite runner by khaled hosseini? get it.
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