WHY I DON'T HATE MUSLIMS!

A personal reflection

Based on my Facebook postings and even some of my homilies, some of the my friends are wondering: "Why do you a Catholic priest like Muslims so much?"  Well, here is my answer: "It is because I am Catholic, and a rational human being and possibly because of my personal experiences with Muslims." 

"Love your [Muslim] neighbour" 

First, my attitude towards Muslims is inspired by my Catholic faith.  I am reminded of the line from Matthew's gospel where Jesus says: "You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’  But I say to you, love your enemies, and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your heavenly Father . . ." (Mt. 5:43-45).  And so, if I am enjoined to love even my enemies, I certainly must love Muslims who are not my enemies.  That is probably why the Vatican Pontifical Council for Inter-religious Dialogue annually sends Ramadan greetings to Muslims and seeks dialogue with them in various ways. 

Besides, despite some serious theological differences with Islam and some serious flaws the Church sees in Islam, the Catholic Church does not see Islam as essentially evil.  The Catechism of the Catholic Church, quoting from the Council Fathers of Vatican II speaks of the  Church's relationship with the Muslims in this way: "The plan of salvation also includes those who acknowledge the Creator, in the first place amongst whom are the Muslims; these profess to hold the faith of Abraham, and together with us they adore the one, merciful God, mankind's judge on the last day" (CCC 856, quoting LG 16). 

"Thou shalt not make Generalizations" 

A second motivation for my attitude towards Muslims is because I try to be a rational human being.  Reason and logic tell me not to judge the actions of people based on the actions of other people in their group.  I abhor the terrorist acts committed by Muslims, as much as I do the evil actions committed by adherents to any religion. I abhor even more those acts committed in the name of Islam, as much as I do those acts committed in the name of Christianity (such as by South Africa's Apartheid regime, the Ku Klux Clan, the Westboro Baptist Church).  Criminals of any religion and especially those who use religion as their motivation must be punished and punished justly. 

But basic logic tells me not to attribute the sins of "some" to "all."  I do not think that the 911 hijackers and ISIS criminals are representatives of true Islam.  I would also hope that Muslims do not judge me and my Christian faith, by the acts of the aforementioned Christian groups. 

My experience with Muslims 

Perhaps the most determinant factor in my attitude towards Muslims is my Ugandan experience with them, which leads me to treat them at worst as eccentric people, at best as friends.  Some of my American friends and acquaintances are often surprised at my answer when they ask me: "Are the Muslims attacking your people in Uganda?"  I usually say that not really.  Of course we sometimes have our small squabbles over butcheries, but we don't have the inter-religious conflicts you read about occurring in Nigeria, the Central African Republic, the Sudan (although I really think that even these are first economic, second ethnic and only thirdly religious conflicts).  And anyway, these are only three out of 54 different African countries. 

Growing up in a typical Ugandan village, we had Catholic, Protestant and Muslim neighbours.  Naturally, the differences of religious practices were a cause of curiosity for us: Muslims with their fasting, praying five times and of course circumcision; the Protestants with their penchant  for carrying Bibles to Church.  (I wonder what they thought of us Catholics!)  Muslims went to the mosque on Fridays, Seventh Day Adventists on Saturday and the rest of the Christians on Sunday.  Catholics mostly went to Catholic Schools, Anglicans to Anglican schools and Muslims to the few Muslim schools they had. 

But there was a lot inter-denominational mixing in school for practical reasons.  For example, I went to an Anglican school for two years since that was the school closest to our house, while the Catholic school was another three miles away, a distance too long for a six-year old to walk.  Also, because there are very few Muslim schools, more Muslim kids go to Christian schools than vice versa.  While there, some of their more important Islamic traditions are respected, such as the wearing of veils for girls, the non-consumption of pork or alcohol or the provision for prayer.  In return they too respect the Christian ethos of whatever school they attend. 

On a more personal note, often my mother's teacher's salary could not tide us through the month.  But this Muslim family that ran a small store would let us take food on credit and this is something we did for years until mom's financial situation improved.  Recently when I visited home with some American friends and they came to my mom's house for lunch, it was this same family, who came to help her with the cooking.  While the guests were surprised to see a Muslim veil-clad young lady in the home of a Catholic priest, for us this is inter-religious business as usual. 

Putting your money where your mouth is 

 

Recently I had occasion to put my attitude towards Muslims the test in real life.  The Louisiana chapter of Heartgift, a non profit organization that brings in children who need delicate heart surgery, asked me to help receive and translate into Kiswahili for a Muslim patient who were coming into New Orleans from Kenya.  Together with some fellow Africans who are more competent in the language we met the guests at the airport.  When they arrived, the uncle accompanying the little Qamar was clad in his Islamic tunic and cap.  When we took a photo with them, I could not miss the irony of the fact that a Catholic priest in full clerical attire and a Franciscan brother in his habit were standing next to with a Muslim imam in his tunic.  And why?  Because a little's girl's heart needed to be mended.  And who mended her heart?  A Jewish surgeon.  And who paid for the surgery?  American Christians. 

In sum . . . 

And so, why don't I hate Muslims? 

1. Because my Catholic faith tells me to love them. 

2. Because my rational faculty tells me to judge each man, not by the name of his creed, but by the content of his character. 

3. Because the Muslims I have encountered have never given me a reason to.