"Because it's Wrong!"

[franceslievens]

The question that is asked the most in a morality class is this one: "Why?" Some kids hate the fact their behaviour is under constant questioning. Others answer without hesitation, using their own words and home culture.
I ask: "Is she allowed to take a little pig that isn't hers and pretend it's her own?"
"No," Hadise says.
"Why, Hadise? She could have thought the pig was no-one's posession anyway."
"She can't because it's haram," comes Hadise's clever answer.
That's why I like teaching in so-called "black" schools, or concentration schools: schools in which the majority of the children are from a foreign cultural background. It makes teaching in primary school a challenge and I can take my knowledge out for a walk.
Although they aren't supposed to be in my class I teach a lot of kids like Hadise. They come from Muslim families that are rooted in Islam, but for reasons that aren't quite clear the children take the morality class. They add colour to the class and it's fun for them when they don't have to explain themselves to the teacher when answering "It's haram." Yes, I know what it means and I think it's a clever answer for an 8-year-old.

In another class a 12-year-old Hadise gives the same answer when we're talking about Heinz who steals a medicine he can't afford to cure his wife. The other kids don't agree in this case. "Stealing might be wrong, Hadise, but aren't there cases when it's okay? Shouldn't we look at the circumstances?"

Two Turkish girls answers a question about wrong and right. They both use the knowledge they have from their own religion to give that answer. Sometimes they'll get questioned, sometimes they don't, but always they should be open towards the questioning.

Comments

[candlelightfrot.livejournal.com]

At that age being the Catholic I was, if I were in your class I'd probably be somewhat strict in my interpretation also.... 'cept the pig wouldn't bother me.


You should hear the discussion I've been having with a Muslim man of about 25 years of age from Sidon (Lebanon) but now living in England, about homosexuality. Islam is even worse than Christianity about muddling peoples' minds, if he is an example. No sense of logic whatsoever. The way he thinks reminds me of the times in the '70s listening to Arafat and others from the PLO, skyjackers, etc., making absolutely no sense of logic whatsoever. If ... then.... has no meaning for him. Facts often have no meaning for him, especially if those facts contradict a verse from the Qu'ran or even a Hadith.

Four guys (8 women) witness a penetration, kill the gay guys; someone come-out, say they are gay, kill the gay guy. Why, because if he dies here on earth, he will make it to heaven. Islamic logic. Certainly worse than even the logic of American Christians. Homosexuality is a trial, which they even will say is caused by inadequate parenting (their own parenting evidently). But if you are homosexual, that is just being homosexual, you're sinning. Thus you are not worthy of basic rights. Ask them how can a trial, akin to the trials of Job, be a sin. Their answer... duh....

I like to think I'm as spiritual as the next man, but damned if I'm going to convolute logic like that just to play at some religious spirituality. You're lucky you have them at age 12. Any older and you'd be tearing your hair out.

[frances-lievens.livejournal.com]

Any older and that strict they probably wouldn't be in my class anymore, but in the Islam class. Muslims usually end up in my class because their view of Islam isn't the teacher's view. The Turkish kids used to end up in the morality class when the Islam teacher was Maroccon and vice versa. It doesn't happen too often anymore, but the 12-year-old did end up in my class because of that reason: her view of Islam isn't the teacher's view. For the 8-year-old I have no reason to give whatsoever.

I know my colleague who tought Islam at the secondary school I worked at last year, had trouble with the strict kids who take the Qu'ran literaly. He told me he had a lot of discussions about interpretation in his class. He doesn't drink alcohol, but his wife doesn't wear a scarve, because the Qu'ran doesn't state you have to wear one. It simply says both women and men have to dress appropriate.

Islamic logic is certainly logic that reminds me of Christianity my grandmother lived under.