I had a real unfortunate experience the other day - I was shown the error of my ways by a group of 'holy' people who happened to be Muslims in this case!
Now, just for clarity, I deserved to be admonished (foolishly I forwarded a 'joke' that others didn't find so funny). What I don't think that I deserved was the way that that telling off took place. Let me explain.
I have for some time been forwarding text messages that I receive from individual friends to a wider group of friends. Sometimes these messages have spiritual messages, sometimes jokes and sometimes just a quick request to follow a link to a particular website. No problem there.
Where I did get a backlash was when I sent a rather risque racial joke. Now before there are any 'holier than thou' individuals reading this who might be getting all excited let me say two things:
1. If I find a joke funny about any creed, especially my own, I share it - good or bad
2. I knew that I might have upset some people so immediately issued a full apology accepting that this might be a little too much for some and that it was not my intention to cause upset or distress.
So, the scene so far, I received a text message and thought it was funny so forwarded it to others - as I usually do. Within minutes I get responses saying that it is 'too much' please do not send any more as it is 'contrary to what Muslims should do!'. My immediate response was to reply with a full apology. Yes you are right I was stupid for not thinking before hitting the send button. However, I then started to think about what had happened. Why was it that when I sent the apology to everyone more replied saying don't worry we know it was a joke, and why was it that the ones that complained took a religious and 'holier than thou' attitude? I had made a mistake and they seemingly went out of their way to tell me.
Being the kind of person that I am I decided to ask them. Each one took the stance that they were offended and were right to complain and that these kind of actions were not what 'good' Muslims should be doing. Stunned silence. I then took it on myself to point out to these self righteous 'morals' police that;
1. surely it was better for a Muslim to shade the wrong doers 'error' with 'yep - you messed up! But as an overall good guy don't panic we're with you - Just don't do it again as this kind of thing can upset some people!'.
2. What was it about YOU that led you to take the effort to reply to a text message that YOU didn't like whilst when YOU received previous text messages that YOU did like YOU never bothered to reply to say 'well done keep up the good work'?
Cutting a long story short they couldn't see the point that I was trying to make i.e. yes I was wrong but YOU should be consistent with your own messages especially as Muslims as it was this blowing something small out of proportion that enforces the Muslim stereotype. It seems to me that sometimes some people - Muslim or otherwise - find it easier to condemn than forgive! I don't think that they appreciated taking a different perspective.
I ask this of you (Muslim or otherwise) Do Muslims who take on a holier than thou attitude need to get off their high horse - or is it just me?
Passionate Voice
(Photo by Kudaker: http://www.flickr.com/photos/kudaker/)
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