The latest issue of Time magazine has an article about the differences between Western cultures and Muslim cultures. The writer, Carla Power, quoted a Muslim scholar who once wittily remarked about the differences, "You Westerners make love in public and pray in private. We Muslims do exactly the reverse." Carla Power summarized the differences like this:
"What's decent to do in public? The French have no problem with bare breasts on billboards and TV but big problems with hijab-covered heads in public schools and government offices. . . In the Islamic world, religion is out of the closet: on the streets, chanted five times daily from minarets, enshrined in constitutions, party platforms and penal codes. Sexual matters are kept discreet."
What I found incredibly interesting and revealing about our Western culture is that after the article identifies the difference, it says nothing about why religion is private in the West. The article proceeds to discuss how Muslim cultures have responded to sexual issues made public, but ignores why we have such trouble discussing religion.
While I am painfully sorrowful that Muslims have not embraced Jesus for who is really is but just acknowledge Him as a prophet, I look forward to the fact that Muslims at least believe it's an important issue. So much is wrong with our culture when discussions about whether or not someone has come and truly conquered sin, or even what is sin are taboo. Religion is taboo but Paris Hilton remains newsworthy. I'm going on record right now as saying, I look forward to more news about religion than Paris Hilton.
No comments:
Post a Comment