I just finished reading a really good book, called “Infidel” by Ayaan Hirsi Ali. It really puts things into perspective, when reading memoirs about how other people in different parts of the world grow and live. I always thought I was a feminist of the fiercest kind, and thought I knew most, if not all, of the biggest feminist leaders past and present. However, this was the first time I’ve heard of Ayaan, and she just fascinates me. While I don’t really agree with some of her views and plans, I find that I have the utmost respect for her as a woman, a politician, and a progressive. I didn’t know much, and still don’t know much, about Islam and the Muslim world. I’ve heard rumors and stories and speculations, but I haven’t really heard much from anyone who has actually been born and raised Muslim. Her memoir told of how she grew and live in Somalia, Kenya, and Ethiopa. She spoke of how she witnessed little girls being flogged by their fathers and brothers for being raped. She spoke of how she herself was bought and sold by her father into a marriage she didn’t want to be part of. She talked of excision and little girls as young as 7 years old having the parts between their thighs sewn up so as to be “purified” in the eyes of Allah. I was absolutely appalled at the extreme ways of Islam. I was horrified.

I think, though, to put things in perspective, there are many extremes in every religion. Any extremist, no matter from what religion, can be led to become very violent and take away basic human rights from others who don’t believe in the same things they do. From the Crusade to the Holocaust to today’s crisis with Islam, the message as a whole is clear: when you put yourself in a little box called religion, with little room to move, grow, and question, it becomes very, very dangerous. It’s when you find that excuse to do harm to others because you’re so dead set that you’re right and they’re wrong. From killing millions of Jews to persecuting women for being raped to having girls cover themselves up from head to toe in blackness in order to avoid having men “lust” over them for showing an ankle or heaven forbid, a wrist. It’s so extreme to me.

Religion is such a touchy subject. This is what I mean when I say, “I am spiritual, but I am not religious.” I don’t need doctrines to tell me I’m a good person. I don’t need to pray and recite scripture to know my morals. I don’t need someone else’s authored book to tell me what is right and what is wrong. I intend to do no harm, to myself and to others.

How are we going to move on as a world culture if we can’t learn to accept each other? These are things that need to be discussed, debated, taught. Every so often, instead of worrying about the latest bathroom vanities to install, we need to really sit down with our fellow human friends and discuss how we’re all different yet the same.