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« 'But He Never Hit Me': A Christian Primer on Emotional Abuse | Main | How 'Modest Is Hottest' Is Hurting Christian Women »

December 13, 2011

How to Respond to Our All-American Muslim Neighbors

And how to respond to absurd boycotts, for that matter.

Margot Starbuck

Lowe’s national retail chain, following a conservative Christian group's call for businesses to boycott advertising on a new TLC reality show about Muslims, pulled its advertisements from All-American Muslim. The Florida Family Association (FFA) claims the series, which follows five families in and around Dearborn, Michigan, is nothing more than propaganda masking a radical Islamic agenda. Though the FFA suggests over 60 other advertisers have also pulled their ad dollars, these reports have not yet been confirmed. In any case, Lowe’s has borne the brunt of media criticism for pulling their ads from the show.

The FFA’s odd beef with All-American Muslim is that the Muslims being featured are not radical enough. One is a high-school football coach. One is expecting her first child. Another goes shopping for the traditional hijab after abandoning it following September 11. With the exception of shopping list items, these folks feel pretty similar to most middle-class Americans. But not according to FFA, which says "the show profiles only Muslims that appear to be ordinary folks while excluding many Islamic believers whose agenda poses a clear and present danger to the liberties and traditional values that the majority of Americans cherish."

FFA’s twisty logic is subtle, so don’t miss it. By using the phrase “appear to be,” FFA is not willing to admit that these Muslim Americans might actually be ordinary folks. Rather, to support the imaginary agenda—and to promote their own—the organization maintains the story that somehow, TLC producers are tricking us by presenting those who “appear” to be ordinary.

The group is right about one thing: Someone is masking reality to promote a radical social agenda. I just don’t think it’s the families in Michigan. In fact, when I tune in on Sunday night to meet these families from the safety of my living room, I fully expect that the elusive liberties and values cherished by the majority of Americans are also cherished by these American families. We’ll see.

Meanwhile, I suspect that FFA founder David Caton won’t be tuning in. Recently appearing on ABC News’s World News, Caton insisted, “This program creates an image that’s harmful, education-wise, to the beliefs, structure and memories of millions of Americans who will look at this and say, ‘Well, all Muslims are like that,’ when it’s not accurate.”

If Caton’s statement is confusing, you’re not alone. As a reality barometer, ask yourself if it would be more or less true to invert Caton’s statement, asserting, “This program creates an image that’s not harmful, to the beliefs, structure and memories of millions of Americans.” Would it more true or less true to say, “Not all Muslims are radical extremists”? Sadly, Caton has distorted truth to suit his group’s ends.

If TLC’s controversial, now-cancelled Sister Wives, which chronicled the daily life of a Mormon polygamist, was a scintillating private treat for curious evangelicals, All-American Muslim is its natural successor. Among the many millions of American Christians who will tune in to All-American Muslim on Sunday night, there will be millions of us evangelicals who, regrettably, do not have one authentic relationship with a Muslim American. Even if we can identify them in our communities, we’re not regularly breaking bread with them before a Friday night football game or attending their baby showers.

Whether or not we’ll continue to shop at Lowe’s, those of us who dare to watch on Sunday night will be educated, in a rudimentary way, about what “they” are really like. And, for groups like the FFA, that’s very dangerous. The success of Caton’s group, and others like it, depends on creating images of “the other” that are frightening and inherently distorted. When the Muslim community becomes our teacher—or the Mormon community, or the gay community, or the poor community—the stick-figure straw men that we use, and abuse, will be exposed.

Blogger Tod Kelly recently grieved this generation of protesters who seek to stifle ideas with which they disagree. Recalling the day when protests centered on ensuring the public good, he writes,

A fruit grower that used toxic chemicals that made their way into the product, for example, or companies that had been caught illegally paying slave wages are the kinds of boycotts I can sympathize with. These boycotts looked to change destructive examples corporate malfeasance—usually one that put the public well-being directly at risk. For my generation, however, it seems like boycotts are all about the stifling of ideas that are different from our own.

The contemporary impulse to stifle freedom of expression isn’t just coming from the Right. Over the summer, activists protested Starbucks’ CEO Howard Schultz’s scheduled appearance at Willow Creek’s Global Leadership Summit by circulating an online petition claiming Willow Creek was “anti-gay.” The campaign resulted in Schultz withdrawing from the event. Rather than being open to the possibility that mutual exchange between those who disagree was possible or even beneficial, organizers reinforced the kind of binary thinking that disallows the very relationships that might actually heal and transform.

The words being thrown around these days to describe the FFA are “hate group.” Maybe it is. It is definitely a “fear group.” If the group’s type of lobby doesn’t represent your faith, consider watching the show. Decide for yourself. Better yet: Don’t watch the show, and pursue an authentic relationship with a person in your community who practices Islam.

Now that would be radical.

Margot Starbuck is the author of the forthcoming Small Things With Great Love: Adventures in Loving Your Neighbor (InterVarsity Press) and has written for Her.meneutics about advertising, Father’s Day, strip-club evangelism, and jiggly thighs.

Comments

Haha! Was waiting to hear from you on this! Thank you!

Dear heavens! I am quite glad that TLC doesn't want to film a day in my life. Oh, the groups that would protest: "But we don't want everyone to think THAT'S how Christians live."

Let's protest slavery and injustice, not what reality TV chooses to air.

Very well written and very accurate in many ways.

I applaud the show. The Muslim families it portrays are far more like the Muslims I know than the scary image portrayed by the radical right. It's great for us to come to understand someone different from us better.

Well written, Margot. Thanks for writing this.

Dear Margot,

Thank you for writing this insightful post. I appreciate your thoughts. I often feel that we are reacting to those different from us out of fear instead of searching for understanding, or finding common ground. My question is, why are we so afraid of differences? Why must we constantly struggle to be right or better than others? Why do we insist upon our own way of seeing things and demand others conform to our beliefs and standards? Love never demands its own way. We have been given free will and therefore need to respect the free will of others. To preach the gospel, don't we first need to BE the gospel?

A picture I saw recently illustrates exactly what I mean. Picture number 12 is a photo of Christians protecting Muslims during prayer in Cairo. http://www.buzzfeed.com/mjs538/the-most-powerful-photos-of-2011

Sometimes we are spiritually sick, even while professing religious devotion;this spiritual sickness is the poverty of the soul that forgets, "there but for the grace of God go I." It is always easier to point the fiinger, cast blame, villainize and make other people wrong, for in this we do not have to take responsibility for ourselves, or need to change and grow.

It baffles me how small fringe groups and individuals can so strongly exercise influence and control. Whether it be 700 signers of a petition that led the CEO of Starbucks to bow out of a speaking engagement at Willow Creek, Westboro Baptist church, Rev Terry Jones or protests from the FFA that could lead Lowe's to withdrawal advertising from a nationwide documentary on American Muslims.

@Basil

It's because we (humans) frequently assume that he or she who speaks loudest speaks with the most voices. And in general they're right - every person that speaks is speaking for dozens or hundreds of others that feel the same but can't or won't speak out for one reason or another. The end result is that those that *don't* speak out are known not by the company they themselves keep, but by the company of the most public - and frequently most fringe - people of their group. This is only made worse by the modern news cycle; groups very rarely make the news for trying to calm people down, while attention seekers are given what they want.

Here's an exercise. Write down the name of a denomination, religion, or political party. Then write three or four names that you associate with that group. Then reflect on if the people you name are, in fact, closest to the ideal of the group or if they are splinter groups.

I wonder - if a Muslim from Iran were to do this about Christians, would they write down Terry Jones' name?

“This program creates an image that’s harmful, education-wise, to the beliefs, structure and memories of millions of Americans who will look at this and say, ‘Well, all CHRISTIANS are like that,’ when it’s not accurate.”

Hmmmm. Seems like blatant racism and xenophobia to me.

Hi Margot,
Are these All Americans Shiite, Sunni, or Imam driven Muslims? I think it would be safe to say they probably aren't the Louis Farrakhan variety eh? This is an important distinction, as is the distinctions made in Foxes book of Martyrs** with Christianity concerning the authority of scripture vs. the doctrines and traditions of men.

http://www.gutenberg.org/files/22400/22400-h/22400-h.htm

Americans and Christians hope that militant Islamic practice not spread. Casting aspersions on moderate Muslims could radicalize them - not a smart move.

If groups started protesting TBN and "The 700 Club" for not devoting enough airtime to Christian militants like Timothy McVeigh or the group in Kentucky who swore to take up armed rebellion and assassinate politicians they don't agree with, the Christian community as a whole would be horrified. We know that those fringers don't represent the full body of Christ, and we want the truth of our faith to be known. Yet too many of us sit largely silent while the same thing happens to people of other faiths. Thank you, Ms. Starbuck, for your common sense and good Christian decency.

You are ignoring what has gone on in Europe and how Islamic roots were established there. Have you considered that the alarms being sounded are valid?

Have any of you read the quran? If these really are Muslims, beware.

jfforness - The situation in Europe, where assimilation was not encouraged, is not directly comparable to America. Remember the whole concept of America as a melting pot? We accept those from other countries and with other beliefs. It's a part of who we are (or are supposed to be) from our very founding. Even those with different beliefs can be integrated into our society - which is secular, by the way, much as we may like to tout America as a Christian nation.

That's the point. Don't isolate Muslims, get to know a few. You may find they are shockingly normal. Would Christ ignore, isolate or demonize His neighbors? Hmmm. I seem to recall Him saying something different about neighbors...

Isolating Muslims, making them out to be second-class citizen, unwelcome in their own country (and it is their country as much as yours, if they are citizens), that's more a recipe for radicalization than welcoming them.

I've lived in a Muslim country for over 15 years. There were of course many many average human beings just like there are many many average human beings in the USA who don't take religion very seriously. It's not the 'average' human 'Muslims' that people are afraid of or concerned about, it's the growing majority of average Muslims who are being radicalized around the world. IF a Muslim takes his or her faith seriously, and if 'push comes to shove', he or she will side with the Quranic verse...'kill the unbelievers wherever you find them' etc. etc. It would be really good if all Christians would read the Quran - good English translations are available. The low place of women, the allowance of four wives, etc etc point to a religion that is not even close to the standards as portrayed in the Bible for Christians to obey. I've lived many years among Muslims and I agree they have a right to live in freedom in this country and to 'share' their faith. But let's not close our eyes to the basic teachings of the Quran. The program in a real sense 'white washes' that basic nature of Islam.

Roger Malstead, who lives in a moslem country, knows what he is talking about. These are not radicalized muslims being portrayed on the show. Nobody fears these ordinary muslims who are trying to integrate into the US mainstream. His advice is sound. Read their holy book and you will see it commands good muslims to kill Christians. If this fact of their faith does not alarm you then your head is stuck in the sand. The show is trying to white wash this fact of their faith away. It is always surprising to me how liberal women white wash away the harsh treatment of women in the muslim faith. The christian faith respects and elevates women to an honored status although it still states that the man is head of the household. Islam is dangerous and tv shows which show otherwise are misleading.

While it’s true the the Koran can be used to justify a terrorist agenda, millions of Mulsim don’t read the book that way. Muslims are not consistent in their interpretation. What nearly all Muslims are consistent with is an effort to live up to a set of standards in the this life, in the (often distant) hope that God will accept them in the next life. So why spend effort pushing people to be consistent with one reading of the Koran. Much better to put your efforts into really meeting Muslims, as the author suggests, and through your life and words show them the solid hope that Jesus holds out and the love he is. That would do a lot more to move the Kingdom of God forward than debating interpretations of the Koran.

Margot:

Well said. I have never participated in a boycott and probably will not. Do they do much of anything besides make the person/group look reactionary? And the Evangelical community is reactionary enough as it is.

One point of minor contention. This show has an agenda. It may not be the one FAA is worried about. But if we want to get to know All-American Muslims (and your point that we should is a good one), turning on the tube is not a good way to do it. As you well know, the writers, directors, and producers of this show have choreographed it so that what they want portrayed is portrayed. Mainly for ratings and so the show will make money.

I think that is the danger of "reality TV" like this. It is far from reality and is as staged as a fictional drama. But the word reality tries to convince us otherwise.

Thanks for writing.

Great post, Margot, very very thoughtful.

Is it too much to hope that FFA would also protest a show about "ordinary" members of Christ's Kingdom for failure to include people like Randy and Vicki Weaver (passed away now, of course, but you get my drift)?

Probably.

Cheers,
Tim

http://www.humanevents.com/article.php?id=48166&s=rcmp

All-American muslim is anything but peaceful. (Evidence in the above link.) It is a front, for things that are less than peaceful. The main crux of the series has been to try to point out how wierd Americans are toward muslims, and how Americans distrust muslims, and are bigots toward muslims, etc. Muslims are just peaceful, and 'american' even though they (by the virtue of the precepts of their faith) generally despise 'outsiders' to their faith. Look at every country where muslims are dominant. The UAE is perhapse the most 'liberal'. I wouldn't want to live in the others. Islam has a long-standing tradition of seeking unity, by what they are mutually against. In this case, they are against most Americans, who they desire to portray as (at least) slightly bigoted.

When discussing 9/11 for instance - the first thing that a typical muslim thinks is defensive: don't judge me for what they did. (I know, for I have been friends with several muslims, including an imam's daughter.) Rather than the first reaction being to condemn the actions and express solidarity WITH AMERICANS. They FIRST express solidarity with ISLAM (immediately after such an act)... rather than express solidarity with the victim. This is very telling - of a religion that refuses to 'compromise.' It is an intellectual TACTIC: first the strong arm of Islam does something stupid, barbaric and wrong. Then the soft arm of Islam says 'don't condemn us, understand us, we're just like you'...(and they only condemn those acts WHEN PRESSED FURTHER...as a way to disarm you toward them, and hence, toward Islam in general.) I've seen this tactic displayed MANY TIMES, even in personal conversation.

Islam advances using a strong arm AND a soft arm. But advance, it will, when it is intellectually coddled.

Christians should not over-react. But withdrawing your advertising from a show... is hardly an over-reach or an over-reaction. If I don't like something (let alone approve of it) I shouldn't be FORCED to support it! That's not even on the level of criticism. That's on the level of free preference and free choice! Lowe's is perfectly normal for choosing what it wants its brand to be associated with. On the other hand, the management at Lowe's is wise for discerning an overall WAR on christianity...an overal (subversive, intentional, practically diabolical and coordinated) WAR on christian faith that IS going on in America. The so-called "War on Christmas" is just a symptom of this overall war on any realistic portrayal of a faithful Jesus Christ in the lives of regular Americans. And at the heart of that war is an advancing faith that views itself as SEPERATE from "The West". Therefore, most of those who oppose christianity, tend to coddle the other elements that oppose 'the west'. Lowe's wasn't the first to 'take sides'. There are others who are 'taking sides' against christianity...as evidenced by those who ARE over-reacting to Lowe's advertising decision!!

E Harris wrote: "... the management at Lowe's is wise for discerning an overall WAR on christianity."

Nope. I think the management at Lowe's discerned an overall affect on their bottom line, revenues. If they thought that catering to a particular religious group (whether Muslim, Christian, Hindu, Buddhist, Jain, Jewish, or any other) would help them sell more housepaint and ceiling fans, they'd cater to that group regardless of any supposed "overall WAR on Christianity."

Cheers,
Tim

Thanks for a largely biased article. One small paragraph that shows bad behavior by the left, while 90 percent of the article bashes the right. I can't speak for all conservative Christians, but I do not despise Muslims. In fact, I love meeting and conversing with those from other cultures. I would like to get to know some Muslims. However, I've tried at least 20 times to strike up a conversation by saying hello and smiling, and except for one time, the only response I've gotten from a Muslim has been that they looked straight ahead and didn't acknowledge my greeting. The chill toward me was quite obvious. No matter how you might want to deny it, there is an element in the Muslim faith who have publicly expressed hatred toward those outside their faith and even other Muslims who are secular and not religious. They've done this either in words or by outrageous action (9-11 for example). Of those Muslims, I am afraid ... very afraid. To imply that because I fear anyone--Muslim or not--who publicly expresses their desire to harm me and my family or anyone else supposedly makes me a bigoted hateful person is in itself a shaming statement that seeks to stifle free speech and expression. That these comments are usually made by people who seem to think the only danger/evil in the world are those with conservative views, especially those who are conservative Christians, is par for the course. I am a racist because I don't agree with Obama's policies. I am a homophobe because I don't exalt and cheer gay sex. I am an idiot because I believe that God--and not man--controls the environment and the weather. I am a dullard because I believe the Genesis account of mankind in a literal way and reject evolution. I am anti-choice because I believe an unborn child is just that: an unborn child. These are things I hear and read EVERY day coming from the left. Yet, those on the left who have posted here, have, for the most part, sounded SO smug about how good and wonderful THEY are because they believe all these things should be not just tolerated, but praised. To tolerate means you put up with something even though you don't like it or agree with it; the proverbial live and let live. It does NOT mean that you bow down and praise such stuff. However, the meaning of tolerance has been changed by the left to now mean full fledged acceptance and cheering. To do less makes one a horrible person.

AMEN Susan!!! I couldn't have said it better myself. The road is a narrow one and many are on the wide one as we are seeing more and more Christians move off the foundation of Christ and into the world around them. I am so tired of being called a "hater" because I value and do my best to uphold Gods word. I dont care what anyone calls me. I only care what Christ does. Margot, you are being deceived my sister and you will see it eventually, when it is too late to change anything. Read His word. There you will find the Truth.

Susan, I'm a fellow conservative...and my experience with muslims has been the opposite! Maybe that's because, I approach things differently or something. But I've had enormously useful, encouraging, and edifying conversations with muslims (a young man, and a young woman). Real muslims, not 'the nation of islam' types. The two muslims that I'm referring to were analytical, like myself. They enjoyed talking about logic, philosophy, and how specific concepts and words from the Bible or Qur'an affected how we view things. They enjoyed the debate - and liked to debate & discuss things that are typically taboo in our secularized atheistical public culture. Along with taking an economic stand against promoting Islam... we need to have honest, heartfelt conversations with them. But this is more true (I think) between the men... For some reason, Islam remains a very patriarchal culture, and a rule bound, book-bound culture. In that regard, it is much like conservative christianity is (or should be)...only it's TOO word-bound and patriarchal. There's no Spirit, and there's no "Son" as in "son of God". So their form of monotheism is relatively heartless (though they don't know it, because they're comparing it with atheism). So we have some common cultural "feel" or understanding that acts as a facilitator for conversation.

E Harris wrote: "... the management at Lowe's is wise for discerning an overall WAR on christianity."

Tim wrote: "Nope. I think the management at Lowe's discerned an overall affect on their bottom line, revenues. If they thought that catering to a particular religious group (whether Muslim, Christian, Hindu, Buddhist, Jain, Jewish, or any other) would help them sell more housepaint and ceiling fans, they'd cater to that group regardless of any supposed "overall WAR on Christianity."

I agree Tim. Lowe's has a bottom line - and no doubt took that into account before they took a public stand. But the reaction to Lowe's pulling their advertising was a militant reaction. State senators vowing to try to MAKE Lowe's re-instate advertising dollars on a show that Lowe's doesn't approve of. Not to mention a lot of over-reaction from CAIR (the Council for American-Islamic Relations)...which gets it's money from who exactly?

It IS an ideological war. And historically... Islam has not linked arms with Christianity. America is overwhelmingly Christian (sorta) so that's why Lowe's wasn't taking a big risk by standing against a few loud (pro-muslim) voices...who over-reacted, and are generating attention to Lowe's by THEIR over-reaction!

Lowe's recently came out with a commercial stating: "Shine On, America." It had a bunch of people pushing a giant electrified globe of lights around & panning out to show American cities all networked & lit up. I think Lowe's knows where to take it's stand. Not with the anti-energy-production crowd...and not with the crowd that wants to wrap its arms around american muslims and simultaneously rebuke their tolerant neighbors!

At the rate that we are going (intellectually) we are setting ourselves up to be an occupied country. We have no respect for America or what COMPRISES America...unless they have heavy foreign attachments and enjoy rebuking Americans!

This article and the responses are interestion. But nothing can obliterate the fact that Moslems intend to take over the world and to destroy all opposition. A friend of mine went to a mosque regularly as research for a term paper in a university. The members were friendly and seemed genuine. When, however, the iman preached it was the standard Moslem cant that they were not only the only people who should exist but that when they get even a small foothold in a country they must begin demanding their own laws and when they become numerous enough their religion and culture are forced on everybody else. Do not trust even the seemingly mildest Moslem. The are really out to get you.

"Do not trust even the seemingly mildest Moslem. They are really out to get you."

Such paranoia has not been my experience coming from Sierra Leone, West Africa where Muslims are far more numerous than Christians, and where both have, by and large, lived amicably together for centuries. Churches continue to thrive and evangelistic outreach happens all the time. Even during the horrendous "Blood Diamond" rebel war of the '90s, Christians and Muslims suffered together at the hands of drug crazed demon possessed insurgents intent on looting the country of all its natural resources. What did Christians do then? They fasted, prayed and worked together with their Muslim neighbors to help defend themselves and their nation. To this day, the Gospel of Jesus Christ continues to live and breathe surrounded by the practice of Islam in Sierra Leone. Of course unique histories make for different situations in the present. However, this only goes to show that as Christians, we simply cannot make blanket statements about the evil of all Muslims for they, like Christians, may have different interpretations of their faith.

Interesting discussion, except that some posts (including mine) are not showing up, and some people may be posting in disguise(e.g. a "Tim" is using E. Harris' posting name, while not leaving his own. In fact, "Tim" may be using multiple different posting sites. I looked for and could not find either E.Harris or Susan and could not find their original posts. If this is really a dialogue, give us all the privilege of actually reading real posts from original authors in the comments. Otherwise, why should we bother to come here? Thanks

Joanne, I'm not sure what you mean by a Tim using a lot of posting sites, but I'm the one who has posted here. I hope no one is adopting my name to do anything improper! If you want to see a sample of my writing, you can go to Jennay Rae Armstrong's blog here: http://www.jennyraearmstrong.com/2011/12/02/how-does-god-really-feel-about-interracial-marriages-or-what-year-is-it-people/

Cheers,
Tim

Actually, every Muslim I've met have been almost exactly like the people in that show. And I live in New York City and know plenty Muslims.

very interesting topic, in europe I think there is more muslim families than the states, I think the states respect all faiths.

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