A Reply to Antoine
Since I wrote my post "Cold Civil War", I met a guy (not in person, only via the blog) named Antoine, who had a strong feelings against Sunnies, and insisted that in Liban, Christians and Muslims simply can't co-exist. I am totally against such concept, and I insisted that Liban is for people, and so many share this point of view with me.
Normally, I tried to prove him him wrong, and he tried to prove me wrong as well. Which is why I allowed "crossing" some red lines that I usually try NOT to in my blog. I wanted to reply to his last comment, but i couldn't find better than kahwwta's amazing post. So dear Antoine, check out that post, and you'll see that all Lebanese can co-exist, regardless of their sect :)
Waiting for your comment Antoine....
Posted by
FaiLaSooF
9 comments:
hello Faialasoof and to all.
Well Failasoof let me congratulate you for being one of the few bloggers who goes the extra mile to answer a query and yake a personal interest in the view if others: bravo to you, its extremely kind and one of the reasons I come to your blog and will keep coming back.
Khwaata's post was beautiful, and does prove muslims and chrisitians and whoever can live with eachother, and I am sorry if any 'negative' misconceptions have been formed of me by you and others on this blog.
Please understand my views are are soley MINE and based on negative experiences will all different sects, and yes, some inlcuding sunnis. I think you have misunderstood me in writing on your post " [ Antoine] and insisted that in Liban, Christians and Muslims simply can't co-exist".
If you and others refere to my blog you will see I mentioned that Chrsitians will find ot difficult to live with sunnis and shia BOTH, not muslims as a whole. It was my fault for not expanding to mention that the reason I feel this is that unlike the lebanon's christian's, the sunnis and shia in lebanon, like elsewhere in the middle east, tend to be dominated by single parties, thus their views and whims will be decided by such parties.
I should have also mentioned in the past that sunnis brought Arabism, while the shiites brought in Islamic fundementalism, (and both are now trying to stop to prove we can 'be them too'),much to the detriment of chrsitians, who themselves brought in unsavoury concepts such as 'neither east or west' which didn't really help us at all.
So please don't make me look like an anti-sunni monster. Indeed, I am mentioned already I hail from the south (Ain ebel village - majorty chrsitian) and spent much trading in mini-Iran Nabatieh, where I made friends among shias and sunnis there (who themselves I admit live in a state of fear and prudence).
So I appreciate your efforts Failasoof and hope I have explained myself better but we all have to admit lebanon is a NATURALLY divided counrty, whcih Patriach Sfeir made clear, but that OK, we just have to all amdit thats all, and that does not mean we caanot make friends with other sects!
Thanks Failasoof (and I still want you to reply to my post - I though I made a lot of good Posts ha ha)
Anyways, want to go read Chef ramzis delicious cookbook ha ha, and that man I love for his non-sectarianism - do you Failasoof
Cheers,
Antoine (PS how was exam)
although iam not in on this debate (nor do i want to be), i cant help but point something out to antoine. although i agree with failasoof, i understand where antoine gets his views or fears if you will. but if you want to base your argument on the past, then the shoe fits both ways. the muslims would have the same fears.
that being said, i still believe that everybody in lebanon can coexist in peace.
buckeye
Dear Antoine,
Man! You made me speechless! Thanks for all the lovelt things you said, and I'm glad you feel this way.
Sorry if I gave a wrong impression about you as a anti-Sunni monster, I didn't mean that at all. And I believe you have proven that you are a very tolerant man.
You have told stories about how different sects, and I just tried to show opposite stories, ya3ni there are always two sides of the story.
I didn't know you have a blog, please give us the address, I'm sure it is very interesting.
As for what you said about Sunnies Shiites and Christian, and what each sect has brought to Liban, I totally agree with you. But I have one thing to add, there is always small fraction from each sect that has its own opinion, not just follow the mojority's opinion, and it is these small fractions that make the difference with time.
Liban is a devided country, but the level of tolerance is increasing, that's what i was trying to point out, and those of us who believe in diversity SHOULD advertise for it, so with time, it would become a common thing among all Lebanese.
Mom is a big fan of Cheif Ramzy, as for me I'm a big fan of mom's cooking :)
As for my tests, as a medical student, we have exams every week, it is an endless road that we have to suffer before we become full-time doctors. I'll try to reply to you last reply (but you made so many points, and it needs time to comment on all of them). So bear with me, I'll try to find a way to reply :)
Thanks again for everything you said, and please keep visiting and commenting on the blog :)
Buckeye,
there always will be positives and negatives, and we have to choose what to take. For me, I want the positives :)
Hello Failasoof
Thanks for the understanding: greatly appreciated. Will be coming back soon.
I do have my own my blog, I was referring to my post on your blog - let us hope your blog is not distracting you from your studies: when I was in Australia for business I met and befriended ayoung shia lebanese chap who was associated with my company as a casual job - extremly intelligent and open minded but like many others an ardent supporter of the opposition, who would hoenstly spend more time on political blogs than his studies, but he passed his degree with flying colours thank goodness, and is now a successful young professional. And I am sure you will be called Dr Falaisoof in no time too. (I should really get my young firend to come onto your blog - I am sure many arguments will come about by you interacting with eachother (though he's like most lebanese Australians - works hard all week and only looks forward to eating BBQ and lebanses sweets and smoking nargaleh on the weekend: Australiand Lebanese are a successful yet luazy bunch ha ha)
Glad to hear you like Chef Ramzi
will talk soon
cheers'
Antoine
Sorry Antoine me agian
Spelling mistake as always: I do NOT have my own blog: sorry for any confusion.
Antoine
Thanks for clearing things up Antione, but remember mnay christians and shia supported Arabism too.
Riad
Sine failasoof mentioned my post:) you are all invited to comment on "About Religion"
http://khawwta.blogspot.com/2007/03/blog-post_19.html
your comments are most welcome
Secular democracy is Lebanon's only hope. You seperate the politics from the sects so that a demonstration against Lahoud is not an insult to Maronites and convening parliament as the constitution stipulates run by the vice speaker is not a blow to the Shiites.
Unfortunately Sarah thats is excatly how lebanese think - when your group is pushing for something and 'they' stop it then it must be sectarian motives.
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