The abusive hand of religion.
Many believe religion is a source of insight, inspiration, and guidance. Families all over the world go to their churches and mosques. They pray to their gods and try to spread the word of their religion.
Often, the number one argument against religion is about the wars fought in its names. Thousands have died in the name of god.
Thousands are dying in his name as we speak.
They're dying young.
We never see the hidden battlefield. I was born in a Muslim family, in a middle eastern country. Around my 10th birthday I moved to North America. While in my country, I was fed religious guidance whether I wanted it or not. From elementary school teachers to parents and other family members. From TV to radio to books. There was no end of it. I didn't complain back then. I was so young and ignorant of the world (and who could blame me?). To me, this was the only way I had seen it done before. In my eyes, everyone I met was a Muslim.
Then I moved to Canada. There, I had my first taste of different cultures and views. It is very odd for a 10 year boy to have his entire world turned up side down on him. Still it wasn't so bad. I was very young and didn't see the things that were REALLY different here. Things really started to sink in when I went to middle school (junior high).
Thats when I really saw how much freedom kids around me got. Freedom from their parents that is. I wasn't allowed to watched The Simpsons, WWF, Much Music (think MTV). Kids around me watched those with their families. They got to go out with their friends. Whenever I went out, I could only stay out for two hours. Then I had to be home. My parents rather have me sit and watch paint dry on the wall rather than play with my friends for more than two hours. It was really brutal.
As you can guess, I didn't like this. I started to rebel and question my parents. Thats when the first walls between us started appearing. My parents are very dedicated Muslims. Many times they have tried to have me become part of their religion. Twice I was very close but grew lazy (I was very young at that point). I started seeing my parents in a very different light. I realized my dad had no sense of humor at all. I mean he didn't crack a single smile during shows like Seinfeld and Fraser. Instead he would spit curses at "The Western Culture". To this day I can't understand why my parents think in such way.
My home life grew more distant and disturbing. On the outside I was usually indifferent to matters and tried to be nice. On the inside, I was very shaken.
Every week my parents and their family friends hold a gathering at on of their houses. In this gathering they discuss the Koran and its teachings. I've been to a few (I was often the only kid there in fact). After a few sessions I came to notice some things didn't make any sense. One example was the subject of dating.
As far as I could make out, dating was not allowed in any form among teenagers. That vehemently screwed all of the children of the said families. The reasons for this made no sense to me. "It can lead to sex before marriage". "Just look at the kids around you, they all want dirty things in their relationship". "It's not about the relationship. It's about the body contact." "Kid's just aren't supposed to date when they're young. You should date when you're much older, when you intend to marry someone."
Right. Date when your older. We all know how EASY it is to date someone when you're twenty something years old and have had absolutely no experience with girls.
Under the watchful eye of my parents, I am not allowed to date girls. Under their watchful, I'm not allowed to goto parties. Under their closed minded rule, I could not ask the questions I really wanted. Their religion ruined my life. They ruined my childhood. I have never challenged them on any of these major issues because I love them. I do not want them to become more stressed than they already are. It's a rather annoying trap.
I didn't fight any wars for their religion. I never believed in it. I never committed to it.
It still managed to kill me while I was young.