10. Why do Americans know so little, or misunderstand Islam
2007-11-04 12:49:55 · 13 answers · asked by sabreenjalil@sbcglobal.net 2 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
Ask a Muslim man the name of the Capital of Myanmar. Most would not even know the country, although it is much larger than Dubai, Qatar and Kuwait put together?
The answer to your question is relevance. More Americans in my view know more about Islam now (since 911) then they did before that date. Ironically, their first exposure to Islam is to the wrong dimension of it.
America being a super power, most Americans do not think of other nations or races as relevant to their day to day living. People know about America in most places, because their lives could be changed from a new invasion from America...lol.
Thus, the Super Star is known by a lot more than the average Joe. From the stand point of an average American, Islam is irrelevant to their lives, so they do not care to learn about it.
The same would be true if you go ask an Afghan in a remote village about the subtleties in the differences between the Methodists and Presbyterians. Heck Most Muslims probably wont be able to tell you the real differences between the Catholics and the Protestants, let alone who Calvin was.
It all depends on what has more impact on your life, whether real or imagined for people to pay attention.
People are the same everywhere. Only their circumstances differ. What do you think of this answer?
P.S. I am a Muslim by the way.. Salaam.
2007-11-04 13:03:30 · answer #1 · answered by NQV 4 · 3⤊ 0⤋
Most Americans are not exposed directly to Muslims or the Islamic faith. They learn all they know from the TV or the News, and most of that is not about the actual religion or the "normal" Muslim, it's about a specific group or a specific groups ideology.
I taught a seminar about Islam in a small rural high school, we talked about the basics and the culture and most of the kids had no knowledge about Islam, they only knew what they had seen on TV. These were high school seniors and after the presentation many of them came up and thanked me for introducing them to Islam because the had so many misconceptions prior to my class.
2007-11-04 12:58:22 · answer #2 · answered by paganmom 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Not many muslims in America. But I guess your question should be "Why do muslims know so little or misunderstand islam?"
The problem is not that non-believers misunderstand islam, the problem is the so-called believers "misunderstand islam". They abet terrorism and calls the muslim community to overthrow the secular governments and replace them with sharia law. They want to establish islamic rule over the world and would you violence and deceit to accomplish it. Are they "misunderstanding islam"? So far, muslims in general have not come out in a strong way to condem these people and because of that, non-muslims are begining to feel that the terrorists are the real muslims and the peaceful muslims are not muslims.
2007-11-04 12:59:41 · answer #3 · answered by ali 6 · 2⤊ 1⤋
For one thing, the vast majority of Americans are not Muslims, so why would they know very much about Islam?
And the schools are so systematically devoid of religion, most schools don't even teach a comparative religion course. In my town they do teach about world religions in the schools, and I am quite pleased with the curriculum. It doesn't push any one religion.
And now, since the US has been attacked by a rogue Muslim organization, people naturally associate this terrorist behavior with Islam, unfortunately. Americans don't understand the motives even of the terrorists, let alone the average Muslim in the world. Many Americans have forgotten the power of religion. It's time we remembered.
2007-11-04 13:00:01 · answer #4 · answered by The First Dragon 7 · 4⤊ 0⤋
Unfortunately, many just don't care, don't want to know and/or are not willing to try to find out for themselves. For example, Allah requires Islam's sons as martyrs of jihad whereas Lord Jehovah gave his own Son as He loves His creations unconditionally and where there is no shedding of blood, there is no remission of Sin!
2007-11-04 13:01:54 · answer #5 · answered by menome b 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
what is Islam? the essentials of Islam? what Muslims recite/whisper in their prayers? Easy to read explanation in simple English: http://bit.ly/Mm76Ml
2014-01-30 11:28:14 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Well, there's only one way to solve that problem. And it's not by continuously commenting on Americans' ignorance.
2007-11-04 12:56:08 · answer #7 · answered by En79 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
With all its popularity, those who still don't know about Islam, they either don't want to know or they are too stupid to know anything.
2007-11-04 12:54:49 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 1⤋
Because ignorance rules and people would rather believe in the comfort of their own misinformation, hate, prejudice, mistrust and ignorance than embrace any knowledge.
Pop culture rules the US. It isn't right. But it does rule.
2007-11-04 12:55:44 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 2⤋
Because our population is like 99 Christian to 1 Muslim.
2007-11-04 12:53:01 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 2⤋