10-24-2004, 06:42 AM
Salam Shaunee,
If you have come to the conclusion that your Muslim friends are 'humoring' you I do think you should reconsider.
Friends can be in different 'levels' just like when you say I love you it means love but in different ways, for example I love Allah, SWT in one way (truly in a very special deep way) and I love my family in another way and my neighbours and friends in another way still. You can put love or friendship on a 'rating scale' but it is still love and friendship. It is not possible to love everyone in exactly the same way, but you have feelings enough anyway to cover them all.
I have friends that I have known for 25 to 30 years that has known me as a non-Muslim and as a Muslimah. I still care for them and their children but I cannot talk with them about everything, since they don't share my faith. I cannot sit down and discuss what is most important in my life with them. So we share something else besides faith, and that bit is much less today. It is the same for my friends too, we still care about each other, but it is in another level.
Besides I do believe that being nice and civil and showing respect and tolerance is a very good way forward in this troublesome world where much of this seems to have been lost? That is why it is nice to have discussions also here on the forum with people like you, that seems to appreciate these qualities. To me that is very positive. So please continue to post and share your views.
Salam