Religion Conflicts

by Layan Al Kaelani

edited by Eman, Noor, and Farah

 

Most people are probably aware about the conflicts occurring around the world, The Sunnis and Shiites conflict in Yemen, The Christian and Muslim disagreement, and ISIS are all examples of this. Over time these conflicts have been increasing in violence, people are dying, losing their families, houses and are becoming refugees all around the Middle East

 

According to reporter Alon Benmeir, the Sunnis and Shiites have initiated a war with each other due to their difference in beliefs. Because of the minor differences, the entirety of Saudi Arabia banned the existence of Shiite on its ground.

 

Another major issue right now is the Christian-Muslim disagreement that has been on for a while, such as the Pegida organization in opposition to Islamification in European countries, so they can maintain the Westernization in culture.

 

There is the conflict of ISIS which is told that they are killing people all around the world, and this is also putting a low profile on Muslims, such as the Charlie Hebdo shooting incident in Paris.

 

All those conflicts around the world are causing students worldwide and internationally to build a major role in their friend choice. Personally I was interested in why students actions are being influenced by their religions, because even at AIS-R students have problems in accepting others. According to the survey, it has shown that students are reacting to people due to their religions, not only in North, South America, and Europe but also in the Middle East. But not only is it affecting their friend choice it is also making them fear their surroundings.

 

At AIS-R, students aren’t disrespectful to one’s belief and no one has any arguments about these conflicts. About the majority of students at AIS-R, believe this fact. From a total of 325 students interviewed in middle school, 15% of them disagree that people at AIS-R are respectful to one’s beliefs, 56% of them agree, 24% of them strongly agree, and 5% of them strongly disagree.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In a world where Muslims are being discriminated, here at AIS-R, Muslims are being respected towards their religious belief. However many Christians here don’t think they are, because Christians in AIS-R are a minority, they have not experienced religious discrimination by peers before. There is approximately 93 Christian students here in middle school, about 4% of them strongly disagreed and 12% of them disagreed. This data has shown that Christians were one of the most people who disagreed about AIS-R being respectful towards one’s religion belief.

 

Sometimes people are surrounded with others that believe in different faith, but does that mean that they all have their own way on accepting others?

 

An anonymous student who believes that being disrespectful towards others is useless had the following to say, “I would be friends with Christians if I was surrounded with them in school, because I don’t want to be that person who judges people based on their religion. Though if that person judged my belief in my own religion I would most likely not be friends with him/her.”

 

According to a male student, who is familiar with all the religious conflicts occurring, “I am surrounded with Christians, and I do sort of have problems being friends with them, and I do sometimes doubt them because of their religion.”

 

According to Danya, an 8th grader, “ I was in a school and the majority of them were Christians, I don’t really mind being friends with them because I don’t see a difference in religion.”

 

Due to the recent events in the religious fundamentalism, people have become more fearful of their surrounding due to their religious belief.

 

Danya says, “ I am not fearful from my surrounding, because I am aware that their are different countries that are totally racist, here its at a lower level to a point where we all can get along.”

 

Faris Alqalam, an 8th grader says, “I am becoming more fearful of my surrounding due to my religious belief, because there are more people going out killing others thinking that it is the correct thing to do but its actually not.” This fear of killing people is originating from the ISIS situation, and as shown by the quote, is negatively affecting students with certain religious beliefs.

 

According to the interviews, female students are less fearful of their surroundings and have no problem in accepting other students, but male students are the opposite. It has affected their reaction and actions toward those conflicts.

 

As you can see even here at this school students are being affected by the religion conflicts, they are reacting differently towards others.“We’re just kind of the same no matter what we worship.”, 8th grade student Noor Naeem states. They are all viewing their surroundings differently, but I have noticed that gender also affects peoples choices, reactions and actions toward those conflicts.