Twin Towers

On the 11^th September 2001 I was one of the many people who survived the Twin towers attack. But I was only lucky as I was on the third floor of the building so it was a lot more easy to escape compared to others. But I still wasn't able to breathe as the amount of smoke in the building was toxic. People around me were losing arms and getting fatally injured and paper was flying around everywhere. I was listening to people make phone calls to their loved ones saying goodbye on my fight out of the building, it was horrible. In my head I was praying to God to protect me and keep me alive as I thought I would be one of the people who couldn't make it out of the building.

I was wondering to myself, why would God let this happen to me? Why did he let me come into work today? Why would he let all the people in the building have their lives taken? If God’s omnipotent and all powerful why could he not convince the terrorist bombers to change their mind and respect other people’s lives? If God is also omniscient and saw and knew what was going on why was I and about nineteen others the only survivors? If God is all loving why did he let the other workers in the building lose their lives in such a tragic way? I was upset because all of my work friends and people I did not know was not able to make it out alive like I did, and telling their loved ones the news broke my heart. If God is all loving why did many of their lives get taken so quickly? This was mostly a moral evil as the terrorist bombers were responsible for making two planes crash into both of the buildings taking many lives but why would God let these people do that?

God is the creator and ruler of the Universe, as a Roman Catholic I agree that Jesus suffered and maybe God wanted us to because we need to know the understanding of the suffering like he did. God also gave us free will which means people can choose therefore humans create the evil and suffering but maybe the terrorists that day thought that bombing the world trade center was the right thing to do to. They must have liked the thought of people suffering to show their belief in their own faith and that they would do anything for their own God. Jesus also argued for change and we can do the same, the prayer I said in my head that day was the prayer that saved my life. We don’t know why most people’s lives got taken so quickly that day. God probably wanted their suffering to end and they would've got the reward of eternal paradise when they died and if you were on the higher floors, God may have thought it was better to die quicker than suffer in pain for a longer time; he wanted them to be at peace.
HL @harl3yl

This is why I still believe in God because even though many other people in the building lost their lives, and he let this happen. The best explanation for it was that God gave us free will, we could avoid the evil and suffering by doing god acts and loving one another and showing God that we don’t deserve to suffer. God also spared my life because in my prayer I was telling him how I wasn't ready to die and he saved me. The terrorists may have been tempted by their own God or the devil to bomb the buildings. For the people that did lose their lives, God put them at peace they got the reward of eternal paradise. 

Conversion

Converting to another faith or from no faith at all is meant to be a happy time, especially in so called 'Multi-faith' Britain right? Wrong. I have lived in this country for years now, most of those years, were spent as a practising Catholic, and my time in Britain was going well, I had a supportive family and was doing well at University, but when I took a life changing decision to become a Muslim, everything seemed to slowly change.

My family even struggled to accept my decision, I think mostly they were confused, as to why I suddenly decided to convert, changing from a faith that I had been brought up to believe in. And there seemed to be no questioning these beliefs. One main thing I have discovered during my time as a Muslim, is that it is human nature to feel the need to make others believe what you believe, and we seem to find it very hard to accept people's different beliefs. I feel like my choice is not socially accepted in even in this apparent multi faith society. I am 'randomly' searched more often, making me try to avoid travelling when I can, whereas before my intentions were the opposite, to travel as often as possible. After events like 9/11 and 7/7 the Muslim faith was generalised, making some Muslim's lives a living hell, now I'm beginning to experience that hell.

Trying to convert followers of other religions when you are living in a multi-faith society is a form of prejudice and discrimination against others with other faith's to you. Yet I am still asked frequently when I'm going to snap out of this 'faze', by my own friends and family.

Some find it very easy to judge other religions when they know barely anything about them. How can you regard a religion as wrong, or useless, unless you have studied them and compared the differences? Well some find this very easy.

SC

Muslims and Terrosism - JH

Terrorism

I really can’t stand it anymore; I think I’ve finally had enough.

This is not the life I want for me or my family. It was today that I was walking through Heathrow Airport, eyes watching me as I travelled past different terminals. As I walked past, people whispered and tried to hide their stares but I’m too used to this behaviour now not to notice. It still hurts that just because I am Muslim, I am automatically a terrorist suspect.

As I stop for lunch with my family and put our bags to the side, I see a panicked look spread throughout the crowd, I really just want to say ‘get a life!’ but of course that would only make matters worse. I was sad at the beginning but then I got angry, especially because my children had to go through this with me. We just wanted to pass through the airport like any other family, excited to go on holiday but of course this is never to be. I really don’t think anyone knows how I feel?

The worst bit was when we went through security. The security guards seemed to put most of their efforts into searching me and my family. It is hard for me to get my head across why this happens.

There is so much stereotyping in today’s world, yes I know that Muslims have been terrorists, but that does not mean that every Muslim is. People judge me by what I look like and what I believe in, but my faith is very important to me and I would never change my beliefs.

I hope that when my children grow up they will not have to deal with this prejudice and discrimination; we are as human as anyone else.

I hope attitudes change soon

Syed  

JH

Muslims and Terrorism VK

VK

Muslim….. Terrorist

These words somehow seem to go hand in hand. Why do people think that every Muslim is a terrorist, an evil mastermind, wanting to kill?

I have faced this issue all of my life. I remember once, passing through airport security, feeling ashamed and alone. The security men would whisper to each other as soon as walked up to the security screening. Them looking me up and down and giving me filthy looks. They always stopped and searched me, always, asking me more questions than any other passenger. Once through to the airport lounge, passengers would be sacred as soon as I walked away and left my bag whilst going to the loo, thinking a giant bomb was inside, waiting to explode. Do you know how horrible that feeling is? People actually believing that you are here to ruin lives, to blow up buildings. It makes me feel so sad.

The airport is not the only example of this. Travelling to work is a problem too. I work in London and take the tube to work. Every time there is a security threat, passengers automatically look at me and pin the blame just because of my religion. They all seem to think I would want to hurt others. Yes Muslims have been terrorists before but does that mean everyone is? Not every Christians is kind and nice.

I wish attitudes and beliefs would change. I really hope people soon see that Muslim people are not all terrorists, that they are just normal human beings living their lives!

Why is this world full of judgement and prejudice?

Ahmed