All-American Muslim on TLC

[straycat80]

I have watched the two episodes aired so far. Although I don't agree with some of their religious beliefs it is interesting to see how different people live and I learned alot I didn't know about the Muslim faith and culture.
About when this was filmed. I live in the midwest too and it looked like they filmed this in the summertime.

[Tilden]

I checked on the dates of Ramadan. Apparently, they cannot really be determined in advance, because they depend on the timing of a waxing/waning moon, which varies not only year to year but place to place.

So, depending on where you live, and what year it is, Ramadan may be late summer or early fall.

[Kocky_Kamikaze]

Nope, I'll be watching also. Have recorded the episodes but just haven't had a chance to watch yet.
I think I need to watch because I'll be brave enough here to admit that I don't have the most positive attitude about Muslims and I think that's probably because I know so little about them. What I do know is not good. So I'm anxious to watch this. I don't like feeling the way I do about a certain group of people.
Although it's possible I may watch and still have negative feelings. Having heard about some of the traditions like fathers and brothers seriously injuring or killing a daughter for being sexual before marriage or with a non-Muslim really doesn't help my opinion. Nor does some of the things stated in the Koran.
Don't want to offend anyone but just being honest here.

I respect your honesty because you acknowledge your perceptions and you're willing to see if those perceptions can be overcome, if at least partially. Even if your mind isn't changed, at least you gave it a go. Hopefully, you'll have more positive experiences with Muslims by, perhaps, interacting and learning more.

[Dragonlady]

I watched the second episode...for some reason, the first didn't record but I could understand even without seeing it.
So far, I'm only seeing people who seem to be very unlike what I have heard about Muslims.
Although very religious, the rest of their lives seem no different than most of us. I'm wondering if we'll only see what the producers want us to see. Is it possible that we'll be shown only the good?
I have no problem whatsoever with deeply religious people.
I'm also wondering if they have become American citizens. Has that been established?
I don't agree with the aspect of women being expected (but not required) to wear head coverings for the reason given but that's a minor thing. does anyone know if that's a policy here only?

It seems so odd to me to learn that Dearborn is highly populated with Muslims. I'm 100% Italian and when I was a child, had oodles of relatives that lived in Dearborn. Most have died by now but it used to be very Italian.

I'm so hoping that this show helps me learn more about them and doesn't just present an unbalanced representation.
I plan on having an open mind.

[Imperfect1]

I think I need to watch because I'll be brave enough here to admit that I don't have the most positive attitude about Muslims and I think that's probably because I know so little about them. What I do know is not good. So I'm anxious to watch this. I don't like feeling the way I do about a certain group of people.
Although it's possible I may watch and still have negative feelings. Having heard about some of the traditions like fathers and brothers seriously injuring or killing a daughter for being sexual before marriage or with a non-Muslim really doesn't help my opinion. Nor does some of the things stated in the Koran.
Don't want to offend anyone but just being honest here.

I know what I'm about to say is politically incorrect, and I apologize for that, but after 9/11, Muslims scare me. A lot! And deeply religious Muslims living in the U.S. scare me even more, because I am very afraid that if/when there are more Muslim attacks on the U.S. (by Muslims in OTHER countries) that many of the Muslims living in the U.S. will CHOOSE TO SIDE WITH those Muslims attacking the U.S., and this will increase the danger to us. Let us not forget that, by their own admission, religion ABSOLUTELY COMES FIRST with them --- and if their religious leaders decree that the U.S. must be attacked, how are those "Americanized" Muslims going to react????

Yes, it is all well and good for TLC to have this program on the air, and I'm glad that the Muslims on the show seem to be pro-America, and it is fine for all of us to be more familiar with their lifestyles ---- BUT to me, that does not change the fact that there are also Muslims living in this country who are
not harmless, and who, when given the opportunity, would gladly aid those who want to cause further harm to this country. (Not to mention any fanatical Muslims who have come into this country for the specific purpose of causing harm!!!)

And yes, of course I know that America is populated by people from all over the world --- and among every group there are those who are 'good people' and those who are not. But it is different with Muslims because the tenets of their religion are so violent, and Muslim terrorist groups have already WITHOUT PROVOCATION viciously attacked the U.S. --- leading to our being, essentially, at war for many years now, with a number of the Muslim terrorist groups in other countries. That is a very different situation than just being arbitrarily threatened by people from other countries living in the U.S.

[Tilden]

There's an interesting book called Nine Parts of Desire. It was written by an American woman journalist who was covering the Middle East when the Taliban first came to power. She looks both at what the Koran specifically says and how the Taliban's practices sometimes just don't jibe with what the Koran says. Ultimately, she says that it's hard to look at any religion objectively because it's not just about what the religious precepts are but how they are put into practice by people claiming to follow the religion--this would be true of other religions beyond Islam too, of course. A lot of people who claim to practice a particular religion do things in the name of that religion that the primary text for the religion would indicate are inappropriate.

[Debb70]

Perhaps I am naive, but I don't fear that Muslims, who are not extremist, will turn against our country. I guess that is a possiblity, but, that is why our founders came here; to find freedom from religious persecution.

I am as afraid of far right extremists who profess to be All American Christian as I am anyone. Terrible things can be done in the name of religion. There are Baptists churches that you can attend across this country, expecially in the south, who will teach that our President is evil and that he wants to destroy our country. They teach this based on their religious convictions. That scares me. Are they dangerous?

[Kocky_Kamikaze]

I watched the second episode...for some reason, the first didn't record but I could understand even without seeing it.
So far, I'm only seeing people who seem to be very unlike what I have heard about Muslims.
Although very religious, the rest of their lives seem no different than most of us. I'm wondering if we'll only see what the producers want us to see. Is it possible that we'll be shown only the good?
I have no problem whatsoever with deeply religious people.
I'm also wondering if they have become American citizens. Has that been established?
I don't agree with the aspect of women being expected (but not required) to wear head coverings for the reason given but that's a minor thing. does anyone know if that's a policy here only?

It seems so odd to me to learn that Dearborn is highly populated with Muslims. I'm 100% Italian and when I was a child, had oodles of relatives that lived in Dearborn. Most have died by now but it used to be very Italian.

I'm so hoping that this show helps me learn more about them and doesn't just present an unbalanced representation.
I plan on having an open mind.

I watched the second episode...for some reason, the first didn't record but I could understand even without seeing it.
So far, I'm only seeing people who seem to be very unlike what I have heard about Muslims.
Although very religious, the rest of their lives seem no different than most of us. I'm wondering if we'll only see what the producers want us to see. Is it possible that we'll be shown only the good?
I have no problem whatsoever with deeply religious people.
I'm also wondering if they have become American citizens. Has that been established?
I don't agree with the aspect of women being expected (but not required) to wear head coverings for the reason given but that's a minor thing. does anyone know if that's a policy here only?

It seems so odd to me to learn that Dearborn is highly populated with Muslims. I'm 100% Italian and when I was a child, had oodles of relatives that lived in Dearborn. Most have died by now but it used to be very Italian.

I'm so hoping that this show helps me learn more about them and doesn't just present an unbalanced representation.
I plan on having an open mind.

Well, first off, the Middle Eastern Muslims (to differerentiate from other Muslims from other cultures) no different from anyone else. They wake up, go to work or school, eat meals and have normal family concerns just as anyone else. That's why they're so "boring". If anyone is expecting to see something crazy like an infiltrated sleeper cell or some sharia law-type of honor killing, it's not going to happen.

As far as the women covering up, you have to bear in mind many Christians have similar clothing restrictions: Penecostals, Mormons, Amish, 7th Day Adventists, etc. And, in case it's not known, most times, the hijab (head coverings) are an option that women freely opt for. I've heard from the women who opt to cover say it's more freeing because they feel they get more respect from men because they concentrate on the woman as a person than being objectified. Oh, I almost forgot, as far as wearing a burqua outdoors is concerned (the head to toe coverings), it's derived from Saudi culture.

As far as Dearborn demographics is concerned, immigrants in general will converge in areas that already have their people living there. It gives a reliable support system in a strange land. This is why you have Chinatowns, Little India's, Little Bosia, Cuban sections in Miami, etc.

Just keep in mind: people are people, no matter what their background!

[Kocky_Kamikaze]

Perhaps I am naive, but I don't fear that Muslims, who are not extremist, will turn against our country. I guess that is a possiblity, but, that is why our founders came here; to find freedom from religious persecution.

I am as afraid of far right extremists who profess to be All American Christian as I am anyone. Terrible things can be done in the name of religion. There are Baptists churches that you can attend across this country, expecially in the south, who will teach that our President is evil and that he wants to destroy our country. They teach this based on their religious convictions. That scares me. Are they dangerous?

This is oh so true! Many attrocities such as warfare, slavery, incarerations and other persecutions have been committed throughout history: Europe, Eurasia, the European conquests in the Americas. I don't think I even have to mention the first phase of the process of colonizations: introduction of missionaries to make the natives submit to their religious beliefs.

[Dragonlady]

Well, first off, the Middle Eastern Muslims (to differerentiate from other Muslims from other cultures) no different from anyone else. They wake up, go to work or school, eat meals and have normal family concerns just as anyone else. That's why they're so "boring". If anyone is expecting to see something crazy like an infiltrated sleeper cell or some sharia law-type of honor killing, it's not going to happen.

First, let me preface this post that when I say "you" I don't mean you-Kocky_Kamikaze...just "you" in a general way.
I totally understand that Muslims are just like everyone else, as you stated, as far as living a normal life, re working/school/eating, etc and I don't consider that "boring."
That's just living.

If anyone is expecting to see something crazy like an infiltrated sleeper cell or some sharia law-type of honor killing, it's not going to happen.

I have to disagree with that viewpoint. It's very possible, in fact, I'm pretty sure that "honor killing" has happened here and, I know, for a fact that it's happened many times in England. ( I often read Mail Online) We haven't seen any sleeper cells yet (that I know of and I don't think it's always something that we will be privvy to know about. I think a lot is censored for "our own sake") but we've certainly seen individual radical thinking Muslims who have tried to cause harm in the name of their religion.

As far as the women covering up, you have to bear in mind many Christians have similar clothing restrictions: Penecostals, Mormons, Amish, 7th Day Adventists, etc. And, in case it's not known, most times, the hijab (head coverings) are an option that women freely opt for. I've heard from the women who opt to cover say it's more freeing because they feel they get more respect from men because they concentrate on the woman as a person than being objectified.

Yes, many religions and many cults (am not implying they are the same) do have dress codes, particularly for women. I object to a lot of those also, for the reasons given but I also respect everyone's choice. From what I've seen on the show, it's possible for a women to wear a hijab with regular Westernized clothing. What if she wore a short, tight dress with the hijab? How would that keep her from being alluring to the opposite sex?

Just keep in mind: people are people, no matter what their background!

The fact is that there are wonderful people and evil people in all walks of life but we develop our opinions based on what actions we have seen in others' behavior. Call it profiling, if you will, but I call it common sense and instinct. Even animals avoid danger with experience and instinct.

I have to agree with Indifferent One in many ways. Muslims in America (and England where there is a huge population) are very remiss in stating publically any objections or to decry the evil doings of radical religious Muslims. I think it would aid their desire of having positive reactions from others, who are not familar to their ways.
America has always welcomed others from different countries but we want them to "be on our side" when they're here, which is just human nature.

Please understand that I'm not arguing with your viewpoint but questioning and remarking on the issues that many people have about Muslims. This is why I'm watching the show. I want to be educated with as much knowledge as possible to form opinions.

And, Imperfect One, I respect your opinion and feel you should be able to say what you think and feel, even if others feel differently. We should be able to state freely here in this forum.