Comments on: Terror In Saudi Schools

By: eric/canada

eric/canada — Wed, 03 Oct 2007 16:48:35 +0000

Interesting topic: Here’s some old Canadian experience: As a child I grew up in a small, rural town, 1200 people with 8 churches. My folks, from a decidedly non-religious family, gave in to pressure from their friends, and I went to 4 different churches (catholic, anglican, baptist, and united) before they gave up. About all I can remember from those encounters was that everyone was very serious, well dressed, glared at me, and expected me to know enough about their faith to stumble through a service. Hell and punishment were rarely mentioned, but after awhile I understood from all my friends that I was going to Hell but they didn’t hold it against me. TV held much more lurid religious terror, particularly the “Davy and Goliath” kids show. I can still remember one episode where Davy (the kid protagonist) gets all pissy and wrecks a picnic area, then gets tired and falls asleep, and dreams that a deer comes and tells him that “God doesn’t like sinners” or something. Still gives me the shivers today. Now, as kids our seasons revolved around Christmas, Easter, summer vacation, Thanksgiving and Halloween. Religion was publicly emphasized during Christmas and Easter, somewhat during Thanksgiving, and that was about it. (No, we don’t worship Satan at Halloween, he just lets us dress up and extort candy from people MUHAHAHAHA) Since the closest thing to “non-Christians” in town was a Jehovah’s Witness family, hating the “other” was reserved for Soviets (and, being kids, being “gay”). There was certainly no personal enforcement of hating other religions like I have read here. Now that religion in the West seems to be making a comeback (most of the families in my neighborhood are going to church or mosque), and the Muslim world seems to be becoming the new Soviets for the average folk here, I wonder how kids here are being taught….

By: Esra'a

Esra'a — Tue, 02 Oct 2007 18:23:03 +0000

I guess one day I realized that I really hate the box I was forced and pressured to live in. It began with the level of intolerance I was experiencing. I gave in completely; never said a word of disagreement, loved the idea of being part of something, a group, a tightly-knit community. So I did and said whatever everyone else was doing/saying or what I was told to believe. But one day I just said “however this one thing is wrong” (stoning) and ever since I’ve been a completely different person with a completely different outlook due to the horrid reactions I received.

I really wish that more people would do things like that because it’s little things that wake us up in the end. I think if it wasn’t for that comment I’d still be misguided, ignorant, blind, and intolerant… all valid descriptions of an “extremist.” In many ways I am still like that but definitely not in the same degree that I freakishly was in the past. This site has really changed me, and the writers here inspire me to be a better person.

It is SO easy to give in and be part of the “masses.” And so tempting when it makes you feel like you belong somewhere, even if it’s somewhere you don’t want to be, it’d still be “home.” But it’s really damned wrong to live like that and I hope this site inspires other young people to change from that kind of lifestyle.

By: Omid T (Iran/USA)

Omid T (Iran/USA) — Tue, 02 Oct 2007 14:23:58 +0000

What was it that changed, anything in particular or was it a series of events that opened it all up?

By: Esra'a

Esra'a — Tue, 02 Oct 2007 13:29:10 +0000

Trust me, it was years before I learned how to be somewhat decent. In my earlier years I was so unbelievably brainwashed and an ultra pan-Arabist it wasn’t even funny.

By: TeacherLady

TeacherLady — Tue, 02 Oct 2007 13:05:14 +0000

So how did we all end up being such decent people? It seems some people have the sense/ability to rise above attempts at brainwashing!

By: MyTwoCents

MyTwoCents — Sun, 30 Sep 2007 17:47:56 +0000

Thank you all for speaking out on education in Islamic nations. I’ve seen Westerners with teaching experience in the ME try to say the same things, but be shouted down with accusations of racism.

By: Tiara

Tiara — Sun, 30 Sep 2007 05:37:57 +0000

It’s the same in Malaysia too! Jinns and syaitans follow you everywhere, if you so much as show a bit of skin or hair you’re in hell, your non-Muslim friends are going to hell, gay people are evil, women’s rights groups in Western universities hold meetings where they take their tops off and lick each other’s breasts (no kidding, I had one teacher tell us this)…my God. it was crazy.

No wonder I’m more of a Universist than a Muslim. If only Malaysia didn’t make it such a pain and legal battle to undeclare your religion on your ID!

By: Sarah (Saudi Arabia)

Sarah (Saudi Arabia) — Sun, 30 Sep 2007 00:17:50 +0000

Thank you for the feedback, guys

I have to say I am very surprised that this is going on almost everywhere. I thought it was only the original Wahabbis (TM) who got carried away.

SudaneseDrima, that’s an interesting idea. Why don’t you go first?

By: SudaneseDrima

SudaneseDrima — Sat, 29 Sep 2007 05:51:44 +0000

Here’s an idea. We don’t we all write some short bios about the sociopolitical experiences that have had an impact on us while growing up?

By: Esra'a

Esra'a — Fri, 28 Sep 2007 22:07:28 +0000

That’s true, Tamara. I went to Catholic school in Bahrain as a very young child for a couple of years, it was a pretty hellish experience! Anyone with short skirts and really tight clothes was not allowed in class, even though they were CHILDREN, so they can’t possibly dress this way to be “slutty.” They separated the Muslims from the Christians during bible school and when it was singing time we weren’t allowed to hum with them, however they were able to pray with us as long as they dressed appropriately.

Then I left that school for another one where Islam was a mandatory course for all 12 years of schooling.