Very interesting

Submitted by Involved with a Turk (United States), Feb 3, 2008 at 14:55

Thank you Straight Talk! I definitely see what you are saying..

One thing, I have asked him about Islam and he says if I really want to know I need to read. He sent me several links to read up on myself.. if I am interested... while he hasn't mentioned anything about me converting to islam, nor have I.. I have asked him questions, but he refers me to other places... and says "read, then we talk". He wants me to read about it before talking with him about it.. as if he wants me to be fully informed before asking questions.. that way then, if I am still interested in discussing it with him, he will answer my questions. Is this odd?

He himself has not stated he is "Americanized". This is my observation.. in the year and a half we have been talking. He goes to parties, he smokes, he recently quit drinking and realllly partying, but he is laid back in that sense... He doesn't seem to live a very conservative muslim lifestyle.. while prayer is important to him, I get the impression that he is more like we are in our religion.. we go to church, pray, what have you, but lies his own life outside of that.

He knows I am Christian and he made the statement to me, "Christians and Muslims are bretheren". So he knows my views... and I think he acknowledges that I am merely trying to learn his religion as a means to know him and his lifestyle better. Perhaps this is why he wants me to learn it on my own..

As far as my children.. I have raised them to believe in God and Christ. He knows this as well. I think I will ask him what he would expect of me and my children in regards to religion.. Since he brought up marriage a few weeks ago... I have been weighing a lot of this very heavily. Before now I honestly didn't ponder the idea of being with him long term.. I care about him, and even love him yes, but before he said anything it wasn't something I had considered.. I figured we would meet and what not, but it seems he is wanting to take things to a higher level here so I upped my active research so to speak! Lol...

Now when I say he is "hard and tough" i mean in a general sense.. maybe I should have chosen my words differently. He doesn't take crap off of people.. lol.. I guess I am referring to your typical stereotype for American men. But in a more self controlled fashion. For example, he seems the type that when he makes a decision, that's that.. which is to be expected in my opinion from any man.. and being raised Christian, while I am a very independent woman, I do feel that in a partnership and marriage, the man does have the final say in the matter, if we want to take a religious viewpoint.

I am a woman who will speak my mind within my boundaries, and express my thoughts, views, and opinions, and if those are taken into consideration, and the decision remains, then I respect that.. as long as my points of view are heard. He seems to be able to complement this.. so far anyway. Although we have not really had any decisions to be made together at this point.

Perhaps I should experiment with this to test the waters.. lol... But when he ASKED me if I would want to work if I lived with him, and I said, 'Yeah, i like to work' he referred me to my children... and he is right. If I have no need to work.. why not be home with my children? And I find that in itself honorable. He did not say I could not work... he just expressed his opinion to me that he would like to see me be at home with them. Which in all honesty, I would love to do, more so than going to work. In that light, it would be merely for self gratification, if I were to continue working. So I agree with him in that aspect.

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