The eleventh commandment: respect thy classmate

Muslim Nahreen Ahmed walks into her counselor’s office and out of the blue she hears a greeting of her native tongue. The accented “Salaam Alaykum” stood in her memory more than the rest of the day’s events. Ahmed smiles knowing that there are other people in the school that respect her religion.

Different faiths and religions have added to the diverse mix of beliefs at Allen, and among the mix, students have found acceptance and support for their beliefs.

Take me to church

You’re driving through town and pass a sign advertising an after-church ice cream social. A couple hundred feet later, you see a group of kids leaving a Sunday school class. Just a few more, there’s a huge cross peeking over the grocery store to your right. In Allen, the signs of Christianity are everywhere.

Christianity in all forms can be found at high school, and with religious organizations, young believers are able to meet and feel comfortable sharing their faith.

“Although some people don’t agree with [my religion,] and may treat me differently because of it, I don’t believe that should make me keep quiet because then what’s the point of believing in something and having a passion for it?” Christian Jenna Wilson said.

Allen sponsors five Christian clubs including Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA), Young Life, Bible Paradigm Club, Dudes Undeniably Devoted to our Eternal Savior (D.U.D.E.S.) and Daughters of our Living Lord and Savior (D.O.L.L.S.). The clubs are friendly spaces, and while Jesus and the Bible are often discussed, people of any religion are welcome to attend.

Christian Merrie Cypert has been the sponsor of the Muslim Student Association for the past four years.

“I believe that we should be able to open opportunities for all groups to be able to have their clubs and participate,” Cypert said. “So if I want Fellowship of Christian Athletes, D.O.L.L.S., you know other clubs to be able to have opportunity to meet at school and after school, then we have to open that to all religions.”

A MSA meeting includes snacks and group discussion about faith and life in general. Often college students are invited to share their experiences blending Islam with college life. Non-Muslims have attended MSA meetings to learn more about the religion.

Young Life also welcomes people of other religions to their events.

“We had some Muslim kids go to Young Life camp with us and that was awesome,” Christian Scott Jackson said. “They were totally loved there.”

Jackson uses his role as a Young Life sponsor to create a “safe place to be kids,” no matter what they believe.

“By no means do you have to believe the same things,” Jackson said. “Yes we are going to tell people what we believe, but you can believe something totally different and it doesn’t mean I’m going to treat you any differently.”

According to Jackson, Christianity is all about appreciating the joy in life.

“Young Life [offers] a great opportunity that we’re just able to show people how exciting and happy life can be because we know the truth; that we’re loved no matter what we do,” Jackson said.

While Wilson attends D.O.L.L.S. to “grow further in Christ”, she said everywhere is a place to practice Christianity.

“It should be your whole entire life, not just in places I choose,” Wilson said. “It should be a lifestyle.”

Christian Bella Alanjari believes similarly.

“I don’t think a club is how you express your belief in Christ,” Alanjari said. “It’s simply a way to unify your belief of Christ.”

Beyond wearing crosses around their necks, Christians show their religion by letting it lead them in all they do. Christianity is all about “following Christ to the best of your ability,” Alanjari said. She says that practice can apply to schools, clubs, church and showing kindness in everyday life.

“God has created the world to kind of protect us,” Jackson said. “If we fall he should hopefully protect us from some pain.”

Pride and no prejudice

The bell rings and you hurry home to be in time for the Dhuhr Salat, the midday prayers. You arrange your prayer rug in the direction of Mecca, the holy city of Islam where the house of God stands, as your forehead repeatedly touches the ground in absolute devotion to Allah (the Arabic word for God).

The alarm rings and you’re late. Forget brushing your teeth or breakfast. First things first, you find a moment of peace to say a prayer to one or all of the multi-representative Gods of Hinduism.

The beep of the heart monitor startles you. Others in your position may pray to whichever God(s) they please, especially when they see a loved one in an E.R., but you choose not to. Does it really matter if there is a higher power watching over you?

Multiple religions are represented in the high school, and instead of the divide of the student body’s religion causing trouble, it allows students to represent their faith in unique ways and unify the acceptance of all religions.

“I started wearing the hijab [a headscarf that Islamic women wear for modesty] sophomore year, and it really did change my life,” Ahmed said. “I know that it makes me different, and I am proud of that.”

However, sometimes expressing their belief can have repercussions.

“I was honestly really scared when I started wearing the hijab because I was like, ‘Oh my gosh, I’m going to get bullied and people are going to call me terrorist in the hallway,’” Ahmed said.

But this was not the case.

“I was just walking down the hall and I said ‘Hi’ to one of the janitors and she came up to me and said, ‘I am so proud that you wear your cultural custom and you should be proud because you look beautiful in it,’” Ahmed said. “That really touched me, and little things like that can really make your day.”
For Hindu Svara Mehta, she wears her faith in the form of a small dot, known as a bindi, symbolizing that she is at God’s feet as well as a necklace around her neck for chanting.
“Not just being Hindu, but being Indian is the greatest thing that you could ever be,” Mehta said. “There’s lots of culture and different activities and festivities.”

Some people choose not to shape their faith and remain agnostic. Though technically an Agnostic is a person who holds neither of opposing positions on a topic, in terms of religion an Agnostic is someone who doesn’t claim belief or disbelief in God.

“[Religion] has always struck me as if it’s one of those things that’s beyond human comprehension,” Agnostic Gage Clow said.

Religion itself may be outside human comprehension, but that hasn’t stopped people from judging others for it.

“If we’re not aware of what we do, then people start calling us terrorists and [other things] and that sets a precedent so we always have to careful of what we do,” Ahmed said.

Despite the differences of faith, acceptance of all religions is a common aspect in the student body.

“I really like the school’s surrounding because everybody is just really nice about it,” Ahmed said.