Finding Faith

There are many things similar about the American South and Cairo, Egypt. Many of both populations are religious, family orientated, and generally conservative about maintaining time honored traditions and ways of life. As a Unitarian, I often felt out of place growing up in Nashville, where not believing in Christ as my savior was often puzzling and tantamount to having a third arm. I even found myself repulsed by the concept of organized religion, as I felt it proved to be more exclusive and aggressive than inclusive and understanding. But life in Egypt has changed me. You can't escape religion here. It is not reserved in a special box of secularism to only be opened with caution. The call to prayer has become a sound of comfort, signaling the passing of the day and marking a time for reflection. Stores closing briefly to allow the owner to pray has become common place, and becoming comfortable with people praying in front of you has been a long struggle that I am just now winning. Partaking in the breaking of fasts, being invited (and declining) to witness the slaughtering of a sacrificial sheep, and striving to understand and learn about the religion of 1.2 billion Muslims, I have found myself engulfed in religion. In this environment of faith, I have absolutely become more spiritual. I believe it is inevitable in this country, and not because Muslims are forcing their religion upon me. Quite the contrary, the clear line that they draw between what is their religion, and what is mine, has made me more inclined to understand their faith. I never felt that respected by Christian evangelicals I encountered in America. Religion here is a common topic of conversation, a daily habit, but not something that is forced. Of course, every religion has its crazies. I am sure that at some point I might encounter the extreme Muslim who will not respect that line, but I think it says a lot that so far I have not. Religion may be a public matter, but its a personal decision. I feel that finally, in the middle of this Muslim land, I have truly found my own Unitarian faith. Not only do I find that I understand my own religion better, and that of my current neighbors, but I feel like I have finally gained an insight on religious America. After all, religion is religion, and faith is faith. I can't help but laugh that it took the Muslims to teach a Unitarian about the Christians and that it might take the Unitarians to unite the Christians and Muslims. Just trying to make Ralph Waldo and Adlai proud.