Reading

I'm currently reading "How Does It Feel to be a Problem:  Being Young and Arab in America" by Moustafa Bayoumi.  I heard a WPR broadcast on it back awhile ago and then saw it at my local library.  I am not Arab, but I'm young and Muslim in America so I can somewhat relate to their plight.  With the recent OBL events, I fear that anti-Islam/Muslim/Arab sentiment may increase again making the book even more relevant because it focuses largely on the targeting of Arabs following 9/11.

It's a timely read.  I've only read a portrait and a half (the author calls them portraits instead of profiles due to the term 'racial profiling,' but what I've read so far has been moving and distressing. 




I just finished by Ranya Idilby, Suzanne Oliver, and Priscilla Warner.  While I think most of my readers would agree that Ranya's perceptions of Islam are far from mainstream, I do think our faith allows for interpretation and found this book a fast, entertaining, and uplifting read.  The women's friendship and faith are something I would love to have.  All three manage to build their own faiths by learning from the other two women from different faith traditions.  The world would be a better place if this would happen more and more often!  All three, while practicing Islam, Christianity, and Judaism in their own lives, are a bit universalist and I'm starting to find I relate more and more with that ideology.  I do believe Islam is the straightest path to God...meaning free from the distractions and misconceptions of other faith traditions...but I also think people sincerely doing their bests to live good lives pleasing to God have got a great shot at Heaven regardless of label.