I am a Muslim Woman

November 21, 2001 | Furi Setio Rini

[Ronin]

Hello,

My name is Furi Setio Rini and I am a Muslim woman. I am 20 years old and live in Jakarta, Indonesia. I am attending my third year of medical school at Trisatki University. My friend, Ronin, asked me to write this because he is very disturbed about the hatred of Islam that he is seeing on your board.

What can I say about me? Well, I think I am an average Indonesian girl. I like movies and music. I love to shop for new clothes. Sometimes I eat too much. I do not like the music that is too loud. I don't like politics and I don't understand them.

I have to laugh when I hear western people talk about Muslim women. Somehow they think that all of us are beaten by men and treated like animals. If you had ever seen my father, my brothers and me, running away from my mother when she was angry, you would know how silly that is.

I have never worn a veil. I wear make up and I use lipstick. Except on the days I go to Mosque. On those days I clean myself as much as I can. I do not believe that it makes much difference to God, but I want him to see me with my true face, and heart.

I have two brothers. One of them is older, the other is younger than me. I guess that they are like brothers everywhere. Sometimes I love them. Sometimes I hate them. Sometimes I wish I could kill them. But no, that is a lie. Even when I think I hate them, I love them. They are my brothers, my family. I love and respect my father and my mother. I adore my father and hope to find a husband just like him.

I have not been kissed yet. And I have not been held as a woman wants to be held. Yes, I want it. Yes, I dream about it. But I can wait until I find the man I will marry. And no -- it will not be a marriage arranged by my parents. I will choose my husband, and he will choose me. We will marry because we love each other and want to spend the rest of our lives with each other. God willing.

I am studying to be a doctor. It is my best dream and ambition to be a doctor in a small village where doctors are rare. I want to be able to help the most common people of my country. I want to make life better for them. I want to bring happy and healthy babies to loving mothers and proud fathers. I want to give comfort to the old people who have so much to teach us. I want to share my love with true and real results.

I am not perfect. I am quite lazy sometimes and I have to force myself to studies on days when it is too hot, or at times when there are so many other interesting things to do. But this is a story about Muslim women, so maybe I should talk about that a little. What is Islam to me? This is a question that is very hard for me to answer. Islam is in my blood. I pray to God each day. I ask for health and happiness for my family, my friends and my country. More than that I cannot say. I love God and I pray to Him daily. . Is that any different from you?

I pray to God each day for wisdom. But the newspapers and the television and the radio shows me nothing but images I do not want to see. I can't stand the pictures I see.

I hate war. I hate it! I hate it! I hate it!

I hate it almost as much as I hate pediatrics class. Not because I hate newborn babies, I love them. I want my own babies. But, I hate learning about the illnesses and the horrible conditions that can happen when a baby gets sick.

My heart cries. Sometimes, just opening the textbook is a horror. To see a stillborn baby makes a small death inside me. But I must learn, because if I cannot learn to treat them and make them well, more babies may die. I cannot think of anything worse.

I think that most Indonesian girls are like me. And, most Indonesian boys are like boys everywhere. They like cars and sports. They play music too loud. When they think they are so cool and exciting, they are usually very boring. The television and radio you see is not showing you the proper vision of my country or my people. We live and we love. We go to restaurants, movies, and clubs.

I do not drink alcohol, but I do not find that a hardship. (I did have a glass of red wine once. It did not taste very good.) My father and my brother smoke cigarettes, but I don't. No, we do not eat pork.

Men say that the words of God are in the Holy Quran, the Christian Bible and in the Jewish books. I do not know about that. I read the Holy Quran and try to live my life in the teachings that it contains. But inside my heart I know the only commandment of God is love. I love God. And I know that God is love.

So, this is my testament. It is not very profound.

I am a Muslim woman. I love God. God is love. I love you all.

Furi Setio Reni

[homeschool mama]

She reads only what is allowed most likely.

[Sabertooth]

Ronin, thank you for this excellent post. Unfortunately, it won't cure the invincibly ignorant. Too many of my fellow freepers seem to think that if you don't hate this young woman and everyone like her, you can't possibly love America.

A few have questioned the authenticity of the post but none have expressed hatred for this woman. That's an unfounded smear on your part. Don't throw your shoulder out patting yourself on the back for your bigotry.

I believe that there are far, far greater numbers of Muslims around the world who are decent people that just want to live their lives and raise their families in peace.

Why are they so quiet about 9/11? Not just around the world, but also in America?

Too many good Freepers have sinned by silence lately.

You utterly fail to address the point that so many FReepers have made:

Too many Moslems have sinned by theirsilence lately.

[Sabertooth]

Agreed. He's a bigot.

[Windy-Dave]

We have an ex-President here in America who picked out of his religion the things he could accept or tolerate and threw away what he didn't like. He was one of our weakest and most indecisive Presidents who became one of the most pathetic examples of leadership this country ever produced.

He was big on religion like you are, he was tolerant to a fault and fawned over the innocent misfortunates of society and tried to get everybody to like him. In your religion Islam many of your kind conveniently over look those things you well know are in it like he does his religion. Now you see the difference between religion and Christianity. In Islam there are no moral absolutes as there are in Christianity. You accept things as they are but in religion such as Islam you get to make up the ending as it suits the situation and if it some how doesn't fit the mold the escape clause says its ok to kill the so called Infidels. This is what you obviously are ignoring because it is in the book of Islam you desire to follow. The problem all of you struggle with is JESUS! We can talk endlessly about God But Allah is not Jehova God!

Have you figured out who he is Yet? Does Peanuts give you a Clue? You will find much favor with liberals of his ilk to hold your hand and agree all of us intolerant concervatives are mean and nasty individuals but I can assure you and any who are interested, we take our Christianity literally from cover to cover and Jehova God does not mince his words or share his glory.

Muslims must learn that you are our mission field. We love our enemies and pray for those who despitefully use us and take advantage of our caring nature and even those who attack us in a un-provoked manner. We are not however a stupid or shallow race of people; trusting to a fault usually but not totally un-aware. I am part Indian and like a good Indian, I no speak with a forked tongue! We learned a long time ago not to trust in treaties and to sleep with one eye open!

You are all facing a dilemma as Muslims, Mohammed did not know the end of the story that is why he left it up to you to make it up as you go along and all of you are lost as a goose in a snowstorm! We worship the Alpha & The Omega Jehova God who knows the Whole story because its all about him not some starry eyed dreamer wielding a sword imitating the true God of the Universe!

True Justice will come; and at that time "Every Knee Will Bow and Confess JESUS is Lord of ALL! Jehova's Sword separates fact from fiction, truth from lies and it also divides Religion from Christianity. In its present un-reformed state Islam is everything and more as Franklin Graham described it. Believe it or Else!

[vladog]

I dispute that "Freepers hate all Muslims". Why is it if someone in this country (a non-Muslim) takes Islam to task then we hate them. On the ohter hand it is OK to bash America and what we stand for. As the Bard said, "Me thinks the lady doth protest to much."

[Happygal]

``Well, I think I am an average Indonesian girl. I like movies and music. I love to shop for new clothes. Sometimes I eat too much. I do not like the music that is too loud. I don't like politics and I don't understand them.''

MY LONG LOST SISTA!!!!!!!!!!! *S* </sarcasm off>

[calmseas]

Sounds like a seminar posting to me. I guess I'm just a cynic.

Seriously, though, I don't hate Muslims, and I don't think most Americans do, either--though there are some out there who do, I'm sure. The problem is that fanatics could not leave us alone. I know that I would be perfectly content to just be left alone. Whatever is going on in Saudi Arabia, Oman, Iran--you name the place--I could care less about as long as it does not affect me (us).

Peaceful co-existence with the Muslim world I think would have suited most Americans just fine prior to September 11. Now, however, everything has changed. Muslim fanatics have vowed to kill Americans and destroy Americans if they can. And on 9-11 they acted on those vows. Sad though it may be, many thousands of Muslims will now die because we value self-preservation. It is as simple as that. The fanatics within Islam have brought the wrath of tiger upon all of Islam.

[Concentrate]

Yes, there are many good Muslims, but we've heard precious few tell how disgusted the attacks on the WTC and Pentagon made them. Nor have I heard any state how ashamed they are that madmen have committed these acts in the name of Allah.

The silence has been both thunderous and deafening.

So true, so true. Ever see an American Moslem with an American flag? (Except to burn it?)

[solzhenitsyn]

Sabertooth, the sad truth is that a number of Freepers have expressed hatred for Muslims; not just Muslim terrorists, but Muslims in general. That of course includes not just the author of Ronin's article and the other persons I mentioned in my reply, but approximately one billion other men, women, and children who did not attack the World Trade Center. I wonder how pointing that out makes me a "bigot". Rather a novel use of the word.

I wish I could stay up a little longer and participate in the discussion, but I travel tomorrow, so I must be off to bed. I'm sorry I won't be here to give anyone the courtesy of a reply.

Rather than smearing Freepers generally (as someone has suggested), I very specifically ranted against those who have expressed hatred for all Muslims (fortunately, a small subset of FR). I don't know that that includes anyone on this post, and I'd like to how that construction could be read into my words.

No one should take offense who has not expressed hatred of Muslims in general; those are the folks I specifically inveighed against, and I don't see how I could have been clearer.

I believe I stand right about where President Bush does on the issue. We are not at war with a religion.

This "bigot" and "liberal" needs to get some sleep, so unfortunately, I've got to duck out of the fray. I wish you all a good night.

[Victoria Delsoul]

Some background on Indonesia first:

Indonesia's population is 203 million (2000 census). The majority of Indonesians are of Malay extraction. The remainder of the "pribumi" (natives) are Melanesian (in Irian Jaya and the eastern islands). There are ethnic Chinese, Indians and Arabs concentrated mostly in urban areas throughout the archipelago. The major ethnic groups are: Javanese - 45%, Sundanese - 14%, Madurese - 7.5%, Coastal Malays - 7.5%, and others - 26%

A comprehensive family planning program has seen Indonesia's annual population growth rate fall from 2.3 percent in 1972 to around 1.6 percent in 1996.

About 88% of the population is Muslim. Roughly 10% is Christian (Protestant and Roman Catholic) and approximately 2% are Hindu and Buddhist. All five of these religions are formally recognized in Indonesia and have official national holidays commemorating events of importance to their followers. While the country is predominantly Muslim, the government is secular and therefore is not based on a single religion.

Based on this information, it's hard to believe that Miss Rini will be one of the fanatical Muslims, such as the ones living in Afghanistan, Iraq, Sudan, Iran and other fanatical Islamic nations.

[Hila]

This girl is not a girl, let's not believe this game from another oppressed person, who knows where.

[FITZ]

I notice she didn't mention what her co-religionists are doing to Christian Indonesians. Does it bother her at all they are beheading people just for believing differently than she does? She doesn't mention the over 1 million people in Sudan who were killed by Muslims, or the killings going on in Nigeria now. Does she really believe Islam is peaceful when Hindus will tell you otherwise because of the millions of Hindus killed by Muslims? Does she approve of the terrorist acts being done in the US and the 7000 innocent Americans killed in the name of Jihad?

[Mark17]

OK, that is all fine and dandy, but I noticed there was not a single word about the 9/11 attacks. What she thinks of the terrorist attacks goes a long way to determine what I think of her, as she seemed to be far more interested in trying to get us to love Islam, than in condemning the attacks.

[HP8753]

My friend, Ronin, asked me to write this because he is very disturbed about the hatred of Islam that he is seeing on your board.

It isn't a hatred of Islam.It is a hatred of terrorists and those who make excuses for them.

Like hearing muslims say they are against terrorists BUT

[Lawrence of Arabia]

Big malls and stores like IKEA in Riyadh, have separate mosques for ladies. FYI.

[rko1933]

.... .- -- ..--..

[cali4ever]

'Serbian Style"hehe Gotta love it!!!!! That stuff is some of the best meat you'll ever taste!

[WRhine]

Sabertooth, the sad truth is that a number of Freepers have expressed hatred for Muslims; not just Muslim terrorists, but Muslims in general. That of course includes not just the author of Ronin's article and the other persons I mentioned in my reply, but approximately one billion other men, women, and children who did not attack the World Trade Center.

As if a billion Muslims would attack the WTC. Let us forget that most Muslims thought we had it coming and all too many of them rejoiced when it happened. Perhaps you should ask yourself why is it that just about every Muslim nation in this world is a third world country with no democracy.

[Concentrate]

Great shot! Saved. (Click on right mouse over picture to do so)