From this point, I will begin to quote my journal from the trip. When I quote my journal, it will be in italics, giving me the ability to elaborate beyond my writings (in normal script).
December 1, 1:28am
An interesting thing happend to me on the flight from Bangkok to Pakistan. After an hour of the flight, I met a guy on the plane named Hassan. I was the minority on this flight and everyone noticed! I had pulled out my immigration form for Pakistan to begin filling it out. Hassan noticed and asked if he could see the document that I was working on. He noticed that I was American and wondered if it was my first time to Pakistan. I told him that it was and we proceeded to have a 2-hour conversation about life, faith, politics, and family. It was amazing! We ended by exchanging email addresses. Here's the funny part--as soon as we landed in his country, he pretended that we hadn't even spoken to one another. It was as though he didn't even know me. Nonetheless, I plan on emailing him when I get home to see if we can build on the friendship that we began on that flight.
Hassan said something to me that I'll never forget and that I would hear again and again as I was in Pakistan. He said, "On this plane, it makes no difference what your faith is and what mine is. We can be friends anyway."
It was then that I made the most valuable discovery of the trip: I am polluted with the American Narrative.
With 9/11, the War in Iraq, the war on terrorism, the hunt for Osama bin Laden, the price of gasoline, the Al Queda playing cards, the political cartoons, movies depicting Arabs as angry and anti-American etc. etc. etc. (the list goes on and on) the narrative of America has become, "Muslims are the enemy."
Now I didn't think that I had ever bought into that reality. I follow Christ right? I have no enemies. How deceived I was and we all are in this country.
Let me ask you a question and I want you to answer honestly to yourself. When you are sitting on an airplane and you see an Arab man get on, do you take special notice?
I would make the bold statement that you are lying if you say, "no".
I never considered Muslims my enemey, however the American narrative (I began to understand to my horror) had woven its way into the way that I thought about these people. My conversation with Hassan proved the opposite to be true. Whatever the reasons that he responded the way that he did when we landed, I'll never know. What I do know is that I had a deeper, more meaningful conversation with him than I had had with anyone on a plane in the longest time (if ever).
One thing that you need to understand about me is that I am not into the 4 Spiritual laws (at all) or forcing a spiritual conversation on an airplane. Many "Christians" salivate when they think about airplane conversations (conversions). As if for some reason they think that the person sitting next to them trying to read is dying to get into a "religious" conversation with them. I also don't want to discount many important moments that some people have experienced on airplanes. Some reading this might have come to say yes to Jesus in just such a moment. All I am saying is that this is not my style. Airplane time for me is highly introverted. It is 2-4 uninterrupted hours that I have in silence to read, write, or think (unless a "Christian" tries to convert me--believe me, this has happened before!).
All this to say, I don't get on an airplane to prey on whoever is next to me. If God opens a door to get to know the person, great! If not--great!
That is why my conversation with Hassan was such an eye-opener. Not only did we get to know each other, I learned about the worldview of Muslims and discovered that they are kind, tender, hospitable people--perhaps more so than most Americans. Did I mention that he had volunteered to help us secure taxis and a hotel if we needed help in the terminal?
Maybe some of the misconceptions that he had about Christians and Americans were altered in those two hours as well. Who knows--God does I guess.
By the way, if you are reading this blog and don't consider yourself a "Christian" that is okay. You might even want to read my post, "The difference between church people and followers of Jesus" October 2005. Know that in Pakistan and any other Muslim nation, you are considered "Christian" simply because you are from the west.
7 comments:
Good job, Jeremy. You say that you are polluted by the American Narrative. Maybe your friend acted as he did when you arrived in Pakistan might be because he is polluted by the Muslim Narrative. Don't forget that he has been educated in the ways of the East as you have been of the ways of the West.
But, doing what you did on that plane may be a good way for thoughts and opinions to change. Good for you.
Gram and I really enjoy reading your journal. Keep 'em coming.
Love you,
Gram/Gramps
The gospel converts both of us, inviting both Christians and Muslims to understand the depths of God's love for his children and to break down, in Jesus, the wall of hostility between us. We are both responsible for the hight of that wall and its inpenetrableness. Jesus addresses us like Reagan addressed Gorbachev: "Tear down that wall!"
Jer
Great thoughts. I ran across your blog because of a post you left on Jake's Well, and I was excited to read about your journey (both physical and otherwise!). Sounds like you're still processing the changes. Thanks for sharing your candid, thought provoking words.
-- Steve
I would have to say that I disagree with your statement that every American takes a second glance at an Arab who walks onto an airplane. I agree that some may, but the idea of everyone acting like that is far fetched, to some extent. Being raised in a home that accepted anyone, no matter who they were, I can't say I freak out when someone of Arab decent walks onto a plane. I applaud people of different ethniticies staying true to who they are. When women cover their heads at all times because of their religion and culture, I don't get nervous, I am excited that I live in a country where people from all over can come together and be true to their own backgrounds. They can be accepted in a country full of people of different cultures and feel welcome. Sure, America has it's faults, like everything else in this world, but we are given a chance to be who we are and worship whoever we choose, which is something to be really grateful for.
I would have to agree with most of this. As I also experienced it. Though I didn't have any conversations on that plane. I got some shut eye.
Annonymous,
Thanks for your thoughts. I didn't say anything about "freaking out" when someone of Arab decent walks onto an airplane. I believe my quote was "take special notice".
I am also grateful that people like you and me were raised in homes where we were taught (and modeled for) how to love and accept all people. That isn't the point I was making. The point that I was making is that all of us, because we live in this particular culture that speaks a non-stop particular language, are to some degree polluted by the nonsense of the American narrative.
To gram/gramps, I appreciate your insight. Currently I am more disappointed with the narrative of my country and haven't considered the narrative of theirs. You are right though and I will speak more about this later.
To Jake--I'm confused by what you said. How is one incorrect narrative (ours) worse than another incorrect narrative (theirs)? Can you elaborate more on your thought?
To CJ--Ah the desire to believe that we are truly the beloved. I resonate deeply with that desire.
Thank you for your sensitivity to your new friend, Jeremy. I would encourage you to establish email contact with him because, as has been mentioned, you both probably have some propaganda issues that you would do well to help each other out with. Like the "pyramid effect," who knows what fruit the new learning will bear.
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