X. pt 4

When our class took a field trip to Harlem, I didn't really know what to expect. Everything was fun and I did learn a lot, but nothing compared to the Islamic mosque. Considering my family raised my jewish, I was never exposed to any other religion. Many of my friends study Christianity or Catholicism, but even then I never had been in a church. When we walked into the mosque we all had to take our shoes off, and the girls and boys had to enter in different doors. It was strange, but i was taking it all in because it was very exciting. The room was peaceful and empty. Just as many temples and churches do, they were very into community service and providing food for people who needed. The man who was giving us the tour of the mosque was African American and I started to think, "Wait, when I think of Islam, I stereotypically think of a woman all covered up or a man with a turban, I didn't know other people studied Islam too." It seemed so conventional to think of it that way, but I couldn't help but question it. Are we all so wrapped up in ourselves and our own religion that we are surprised when we see something out of the ordinary? The thing is though, this wasn't out of the ordinary. There are many blacks who study Islam and even whites. The tour guide was explaining the difference between religion and culture. You can study the religion and not necessarily wear clothes that cover all your flesh. I didn't know that and I'm glad we went, because it truly opened my eyes. 

http://encarta.msn.com/encyclopedia_761560115/black_muslims.html

This is an overview of Black Muslims and their history. You don't need to read it all unless you're interested, but the first sentence of the last paragraph caught my eye because it just shows how far the Islamic religion has come. They use to think whites were the devil and now people are sharing the same religion. It's amazing to me.