This Viral Video Of A Conversation Between A Muslim Girl And Her Non-Muslim Friend Proves That Kids Will Show Us The Way
Ignorance, a true lack of knowledge and understanding, is the root of much of the fear and hate in the world. People are often afraid of what they don't understand.
One way to overcome this is by making a real effort to learn from one another.
A video from Channel 4 that first went viral on Facebook, and again more recently on Twitter, demonstrated this perfectly.
The video is part of a promotional campaign for Channel 4's series How The Other Kids Live.
The series puts kids from vastly different backgrounds together for play dates so that they can learn about each others' families and cultures.
The viral video features Yasmin, a Muslim girl, and Brendan, a Catholic boy, as they learn about the differences and similarities in their religions and the way their families live.
One interaction between the two really stands out. While Brendan is visiting Yasmin's house, Yasmin says that she is Muslim and, after a second, Brendan asks "What's a Muslim?"
Yasmin responds:
"When you celebrate the same stuff but in a different way."
“When you can celebrate the same stuff but in a different way” Kids are so pure man https://t.co/ZWF9885pNY— tars (@tars) 1558017537
While Brendan spends time with Yasmin and her family, he learns a lot about their way of life.
He sees her family pray, and gets to ask questions. It is these kind of questions, asked from a place of innocent curiosity, that allow children to learn and accept others
His questions aren't eloquent, but Brendan is making a real effort to learn and understand. Encouraging this kind of free exchange of knowledge and information is the idea behind the series.
Another clip shows Yasmin answering more of Brendan's questions.
@biscottibae https://t.co/7o9DUGIVHp— tars (@tars) 1558018546
Twitter thought the two kids were adorable, and inspiring.
@krasiwayah Aww! The end when he got emotional because the experience was finished 😭☺️ bless him!— ADWOA ADU 🇬🇭🇬🇭🇬🇭🇬🇭🇬🇭🇬🇭🇬🇭🇬🇭 (@ADWOA ADU 🇬🇭🇬🇭🇬🇭🇬🇭🇬🇭🇬🇭🇬🇭🇬🇭) 1558082067
@krasiwayah @biscottibae His heart is so pure!!! https://t.co/rEBTyqhKta— 🇰🇳🇯🇲Small Island Gyal, 🇮🇪Ireland Gyal (@🇰🇳🇯🇲Small Island Gyal, 🇮🇪Ireland Gyal) 1558095365
@krasiwayah @wokeeth @biscottibae This is why kids need to be around kids of other backgrounds. Periodt.— Lady Cesarean (@Lady Cesarean) 1558089615
@krasiwayah My heart 😭 mashallah kids are so innocent. There’s no judgement just pure interest and intrigue ☺️❤️— Maeve (@Maeve) 1558032906
@krasiwayah When she said “We believe in same thing, just different” I felt that 🙌🏼 Girl is smart and when asked wh… https://t.co/NVROyAWnvb— GOD AURA. 🦂 (@GOD AURA. 🦂) 1558077563
They also loved Brendan's curiosity.
@PrettyyCookie @krasiwayah That’s what I loved too. And his questions were so sincere!— Sy Smith (@Sy Smith) 1558125832
@parisianteal @AmayaJordan2 @krasiwayah kids ask the weirdest questions. im polish and i’ve been asked some interes… https://t.co/Y2jVtNPLMg— 💔⚔️Kat/Kasia⚔️💔 (@💔⚔️Kat/Kasia⚔️💔) 1558291772
@krasiwayah This is so beautiful, at least the lil guy is learning— àugust (@àugust) 1558031915
There were a few shoutouts to Brendan's mom for the gentle correction too.
@krasiwayah The woman’s reaction to his mistake in saying ‘Muslim toys’ is the exact kind of unproblematic correcti… https://t.co/sKDgVCUaFR— Eliza🙃 (@Eliza🙃) 1558390483
Kids don't have to be eloquent or understand all of the nuances of a discussion right away—that comes after they understand the basics.
As it turns out, the kids really are all right.
Muslims Are Sharing Totally Mundane Things About Their Mosques To Make A Powerful Point
Mosques are places of peaceful worship, fellowship and community; just like any place of worship: church, synagogue or temple.
Dutch game developer and gaming diversity advocate Rami Ismail was tired of seeing the media emphasizing that victims of the Christchurch shootings belonged to "peaceful mosques," as though that were not the standard.
Ismail wanted to do something about it, to change the way the public thinks of mosques and the communities that exist there, so he posted the following tweet asking for input from other Muslims.
"Since several news networks emphasize that the mosques at the Christchurch shootings were #PeacefulMosques, as if most aren't:"
"Hey muslims, tell me something painfully mundane and common at your mosque, whether you visit it five times a day or one time a year."
"Non-muslims, RT."
Since several news networks emphasize that the mosques at the Christchurch shootings were #PeacefulMosques, as if m… https://t.co/lwbh1zrzVh— Rami Ismail (رامي) (@Rami Ismail (رامي)) 1552621315
Ismail then started off the hashtag by sharing a personal experience.
At my #PeacefulMosques, we used to have this 5-ish year old kid that would always run in front of everyone during p… https://t.co/yzBOXJ1pRe— Rami Ismail (رامي) (@Rami Ismail (رامي)) 1552621483
Others soon followed suit, and #PeacefulMosques went viral.
Compassion for other species was a common thread.
@tha_rami When I went to my local mosque the other day, this little boy was feeding water to a thirsty cat ❤️… https://t.co/E89a3wm60X— Nishard (@Nishard) 1552676555
@tha_rami A CAT!!! Pretty sure every mosque has a few inhabitant cats, strolling around, lazily lie itself during F… https://t.co/rP0556dlkp— Bentara Alam (@Bentara Alam) 1552622102
@tha_rami Every single day, the imam will feed the birds for almost 40 years now. #PeacefulMosques #Canberramosque https://t.co/Wvi5Kczjvw— Hamnah Rico (@Hamnah Rico) 1552713842
Lots of everyday concerns and anecdotes you would see from any place of worship.
@tha_rami @ignitesthestars The regular announcement of "Could license plate [NUMBERS HERE] please move"— finn skywalker conspiracy theorist PhD, since '15 (@finn skywalker conspiracy theorist PhD, since '15) 1552622505
@tha_rami Not my mosque but when I was 17 I went to an island in Istanbul&we missed the last ferry back. no money f… https://t.co/TxW6Y8K36Q— Ceylan Ş. (@Ceylan Ş.) 1552669998
@tha_rami @iamavraman At my #peacefulmosques we have this elderly man who as a side job is a driving instructor for… https://t.co/duStz9LbQU— Hamza Khan (@Hamza Khan) 1552672809
A sense of loving community can always be found.
@tha_rami i haven't been to masjid in years, but i will always remember sitting in a little room of laughing auntie… https://t.co/ahjH9vnJ4i— rimi 🍌🐟 (@rimi 🍌🐟) 1552623789
@tha_rami Yesterday or two days ago I prayed at the mosque after work, took a nap, read Quran and did some Arabic l… https://t.co/X3ZUsk2zZl— #RedPitch⚽❤ Stan Account💚 (@#RedPitch⚽❤ Stan Account💚) 1552662496
After the atrocity that was the Christchurch shootings, these stories of the mundane happenings at Mosques are a stark reminder of exactly what the world lost that day: good people who were just trying to worship peacefully. People with loving families and mundane lives, with everyday dreams and problems—just like everyone else.
Artist Rises Above The Hate With Inspiring Drawings Of Same-Sex Jewish and Muslim Couples ❤️
Caleb is a trans, POC artist who makes gorgeous illustrations. One of his illustrations depicts interfaith, gay relationships and, despite the heat he took at first, he's not standing down from spreading his message of love and inclusivity.
The illustration that received backlash pictures a gay couple and lesbian couple.
Both couples feature one Jew and one Muslim person.
I deleted this after receiving a lot of messages from strangers telling me that I deserved to die for being religio… https://t.co/71lCjt7kaa— 🌿 Caleb 🌿 Ranni's House Husband (@🌿 Caleb 🌿 Ranni's House Husband) 1547034868
Caleb's images provoked outrage from religious extremists.
Twitter has done nothing to get rid of these abusive people after I reported them. I'm done being scared of homopho… https://t.co/cQolUyD1UW— 🌿 Caleb 🌿 Ranni's House Husband (@🌿 Caleb 🌿 Ranni's House Husband) 1547035095
One person stated,
"As a Jew I allow myself to speak on behalf of my Jewish/Muslim brothers represented here. May the eternal face burning clouds on your dwellings that your legs are broken, may your crops disappear, may Gd [sic] cover your cities under the oceans"
Others called the pairings "impossible", sinful, and numerous people wished illness and death upon him.
But despite the hatred, Caleb is "done being scared of homophobes".
Twitter has done nothing to get rid of these abusive people after I reported them. I'm done being scared of homopho… https://t.co/cQolUyD1UW— 🌿 Caleb 🌿 Ranni's House Husband (@🌿 Caleb 🌿 Ranni's House Husband) 1547035095
Caleb's commitment to spreading love, not hate, as well as the images themselves are inspiring people everywhere.
@porkironandwine THIS is beautiful. You are so brave for posting these All the love to you Caleb💜💜💜— ViktorsCrutch (@ViktorsCrutch) 1547036160
@porkironandwine https://t.co/AmsN8ESYBo— jewdⒶs // ייִדהודה (@jewdⒶs // ייִדהודה) 1547068967
@porkironandwine It's tough being the voice of change and receiving so much abuse. But you're literally saving live… https://t.co/gUOCjVynLR— Lena M. 🏳️🌈✊🏾🧠♿️ (@Lena M. 🏳️🌈✊🏾🧠♿️) 1547062919
@porkironandwine I'm so sorry you recieved so many disgusting and hurtful comments on such beautiful loving art. I… https://t.co/HUgAhadeV1— Bad beard ossan (@Bad beard ossan) 1547035382
@porkironandwine this is gorgeous - I'm glad you posted.— Lewd Alfred🌈Douglas (@Lewd Alfred🌈Douglas) 1547055345
@porkironandwine HOW DO I RETWEET THIS 100000 TIMES?— 💖 (@💖) 1547038949
@porkironandwine If you can have a rich religious life and also understand that love is love, you deserve my most h… https://t.co/azM2xjqIcX— KaramzinovArt 🖌️ (@KaramzinovArt 🖌️) 1547042070
Bravo for your beautiful message of love and inclusivity, Caleb!
Reddit user jnsxx asked:
"What was the creepiest confession made on Reddit?"
In less than 3 months over 2,500 comments were posted. Here's the best:
45. The Power of 3...
The lady lactating from her 3rd nipple in today's confession thread. packerken
44. Come Home! Be A Phoenix!
GiphyI cut off all contact with everyone I know and moved to Kenya, I tell people a fake name and a fake background and have made it appear to my family that I died on boat trip in the Pacific. No I am not joking. I am dead in the United States. Tomgoldaccount
43. I See You!
I still have "imaginary friends." I'm almost 30.
I lost them for a while. I don't know why or how, but it they were gone. I couldn't see them or hear them any more, not the way I used to when I was younger. It made me was miserable. I kept hoping for a way to get them back.
Two weeks ago, I somehow managed to finally break through whatever the barrier was. I have spent the past two weeks hanging out with, and talking to, a character from a well-known TV show.
I can't really "see" him visually, but I can see him with my mind's eye. He goes almost everywhere with me. He's sitting on my bed right now, waiting for me to get off my computer. (I promised I would get off a little while ago, but I had to check reddit one last time.) He's been coming to work with me every day for the past two weeks. I share my food with him. (I kind of mentally duplicate it for him, since he can't touch it in reality.)
I love it. I'm happy again. I realize most people would say he isn't real, but something about him is. I don't care. He's real to me. 863 points· 6 years ago·
42. Lead with forgiveness....
That guy who travelled far away SOLELY to beat the crap of a guy who scammed him online, and turned him into a paranoid cripple. DAVasquez-
41. UTOPIA?
GiphyThe story of a guy who met this creepy guy who seemed inhuman named Jimmy C. Who claimed to have committed suicide by jumping off a bridge and that he was meant to kill him. He's gonna kill him the next time he sees him and he'll be driving a black Mercedes with the license plate UTOPIA. scaredog20
40. That Stinks....
There was this guy obsessed with girls pooping. He talked about some girl on campus he had a thing for so he'd frequently follow her into the bathroom so he could listen in the next stall while she pooped.
He also talked about how one of the greatest moments of his life was when he got to watch his sister poop, and then was privileged to be able to wipe her butt. He described it all in graphic detail.
It all ends on a sad note. I believe he was a combat veteran with PTSD. The last post of his I saw implied he was planning to take his own life. I don't remember his user name. BarneyMorphine
39. Meow Mix....
The one that still bothers my sleep is the guy who accidentally cooked his girlfriend's cat. I can't find the thread anymore, but I felt bad for the guy because I like animals and I could see something like what happened to him happening to me, so I always double check my oven before turning it on. I think he was engaged and she dumped him. MrDreamThief
38. A Dangerous Woman....
A post on /r/relationships about this guy with a crazy wife. Everyone ended up giving bad advice like "Just suck it up and divorce her you dummy!" which led to him doing it (despite not wanting to in fear of his children) and his ex-wife killing his children. NumbuhOne
37. Unlucky 7....
A cop accidentally killed seven people in a car using carbon monoxide poisoning... Not a day goes by without him thinking of those seven people. MarieLuminous
36. Just Say No!
The one guy who tried heroine and got addicted. He made a post before he tried it and a few more afterwards about his addiction and recovery. Here's the link to his first post. birthmom1220
35. Trespass!
I once helped out my a female friend's family by taking care of their cat for a week. Every day for a week, I would go over there and snoop around their house. I found my friend's diary, and proceeded to read the entire thing. I used this information to get her to like me, and she is currently my wife. ThrownAway2389
34. Medium or Well?
Wasn't there a man that ate a corpse while his neighbor was watching? Pheeck
33. There Will Be Blood!
A bit of revenge towards someone that irreparably damaged a loved one I care deeply for. I deleted it because I felt fear for what I had said even though i was vague enough to leave out any information that could be used against me. I'm still afraid of that part of me, but I regret nothing. ZombehPlatypus
32. The Healing Waters....
Definitely the pee dungeon. Guy relieves himself in a urinal only to see an eyeball in the drain. Later he sees a guy covered in pee running out from the shop and they discover a small alcove made under the urinal large enough for a person to rest their head. Pinkfeatherboa
31. Paging Dateline....
GiphyThere was a guy who sold his house with an underground bunker attached to it or something like that. He proceeded to continue living in the bunker for an extended period of time, coming and going at night, unbeknownst to the new home owners. Details might be different, maybe someone can find it and link the comment. ECircus
30. I can't Listen!
Not a confession, but the creepiest thing/link/post I have ever seen on reddit was the link to the audio file of the Jonestown suicide thing where you can hear the kids crying because they don't want to take the cyanide pill. The parents are promising them it will be all right, but they are literally killing their kids on tape. not_a_russian_bot2
29. The Confessional...
There was a guy who got arrested after he used confession bear to admit to the murder of his sister's abusive boyfriend. He said he was a drug addict, so he gave him too much, and the cops ruled it an overdose. Until he made the post and got caught... dorkmax
28. The Poo Flinger!
I once took a poop In the bathtub and then realizing what a horrible mistake I'd made, I flung poo Into a hole In the wall.
My parents renovated and patched up the hole. So now there Is a ~15 year old turd in between the bathroom and kitchen wall of my childhood home.
Not even using a throwaway because I have no shame. ahemsoaptin
27. Pay Attention Parents....
I came very, very close to committing a school shooting
I was picked on A LOT in high school. I think it was because I tried so hard to be cool and everyone saw right through it. There were these 4 cowboy jock types that gave it to me the worst. After being publicly humiliated and beaten in front of a girl I liked (as she laughed/cheered), I decided that none of it was worth it anymore. I had no support at home being an only child and having parents that worked constantly, and cutting and burning myself didn't make me feel better anymore. So I got my dad's handgun out of the gun-safe (he uses the same combo for everything, the idiot) and brought it to school with me the next day.
I can't adequately describe to you guys how ready I was to kill these four. I had absolutely no fear or doubt in my mind. I wanted nothing more than to show everyone what happens when you push someone over the edge like they did. I had the gun tucked in my waistline. I was wearing this baggy pair of cargo shorts that i wore a couple times a week that day. I remember walking towards the cowboy's table, so damn ready for it to be over, when the gun fell out of my waistline, down my left short leg and made the loudest sound as it hit the cafeteria floor. I tried my best to grab the gun real quick, but people saw what it was and screamed, and one of the instructors tackled me to the ground.
They eventually concluded that I had brought the gun to school to impress people, and had no intention of using it. I was expelled and sent to live at a youth ranch in Idaho until I was 18. I did have the intention of using it though. I was going to kill all of them. I'm 24 now, and I still think about it all the time. I have not recovered from high school. I'm still terrified of people in general, and avoid having relationships because of what I fear I'm capable of.
I'm not looking for pity. I know that what I did was wrong, it just feels good to tell the story. Thanks Reddit. Reddit
26. Chastity is rough!
One of the weirdest was the dude that posted the three part saga about his wife who kept him in Chastity. Not for any kink or anything, but because she was scared he would cheat (she was out on business a lot). Of course she was cheating all along. They got divorced and he ended up with nothing but sounded so happy drinking his beer in his garden chair with pizza in his little flat. woodsoffeels
25. Married to Your Stalker
GiphyA guy confessed that he stalked a lady for a year by hacking her love interest's computer, planted a load of proof that love interest had been stalking her and was into a load of weird and creepy stuff, revealed it to the lady, helped girl to get a protection order on love interest, used that as his own way in with the girl, and finally married her.
24. Wedding Bell Blues
Somebody said that he was supposed to cheat with his fiance's best friend the night before their wedding, but she died in a car accident on the way to the hotel.
23. The IT Guy
Giphy...a guy that was hired as the second guy for what had been a one man IT team. He had a crush on a coworker and found out the main IT guy had a crush on her as well at the same time as finding out he was doing some illegal stuff with the payroll and financing software.
Guy reports the main guy who gets fired and he takes over the position as head IT, a position he uses to get access to HR files to essentially get inside info on the girl he fancies.
21. Tragic Accident
GiphyThe one where the guy confessed to burning his house down accidentally as a kid which claimed his family.
Still haunts me.
20. Recognizing an Unfaithful Husband
GiphySome guy casually talking about being unfaithful to his wife. Curious, I glanced at his comment history. And recognized him....
My old roommate's brother. I was new to Reddit back then (old account from years ago I've since deleted) and didn't know the rules against outing people. I commented "Wow, [the dude's name], is that you?!" He messaged me telling me to take his name out of my comment.
I responded by saying I just e-mailed a link to his account to his mother-in-law (I didn't really, I was just being a cheeky monkey.) He thought I was serious and called his wife to do some damage control... and inadvertently outed himself and later got a divorce.
Oh, and he went through my comment archive and found out who I was (never take selfies in uniform!)
His whole family absolutely hates me now.
19. Reckless Driving
GiphyI remember one where the guy as a joke while driving with 4 friends reached over and jerked the steering wheel to mess with his buddy.
The car crashed claimed the other 3 people but left him alive. He never told anyone he caused it and has to live with it every day.
18. Revenge
My best friend dated my ex. I got revenge by sleeping with his mom.
[deleted]
17. Accident or Negligence?
GiphyThe apartment manager who confessed:
I put a rag into a new water heater exhaust to keep debris out and installed it in a rental. I get a call a week later, there's been an accident. I show up and there's a ton of EMS and police. They ask me where the gas shutoff is, and I go down to shut the gas off and see the end of the rag I forgot sticking out of the top of the heater.
Ripped the rag out, shut the gas off and head upstairs only to be told all the tenants had passed.
I drink all day now and sleep. It's killing me from the inside every single day, but if I say anything my family is ruined. We have a bunch of rental properties and we'd be shut down.
16. Stranger Danger
A guy who confessed that he would go into people's houses if they left their door unlocked. He would check doors, if they weren't locked he'd let himself in and just sort of wander around their house looking at their stuff and sometimes helping himself to their food.
[deleted user]
15. Your Eyes
GiphyIt's crazy how a picture can affect you. You're simply scrolling through Facebook or Instagram and- BOOM. There they are. Looking right back at you.
You. Can't. Move.
You lock eyes with this person like you have a thousand times before, only they can't see you this time. No, this time you take the opportunity to drink them in like you regret not doing before. You're overwhelmed by this wave of nostalgia mixed with something else... Pain? Love? Resentment? You don't know. But you stare into those eyes like you did all those times before, and it's like you're in each of those individual moments all over again.
You remember melting into those eyes when they first captured you. You remember dreaming of those eyes when he first told you he loved you. You remember gleaming into those eyes when he proposed. You remember surrendering into those eyes when he promised himself to you in that church. You remember searching for answers in those eyes for the very last time... when he left.
It's crazy because there was a point in time when you knew everything about this person. It's nearly impossible to think that you were once the most important person in their life, as they were in yours. It continues to blow my mind how I used to know every Thing about him... And now the only thing I know about those eyes is that they're staring at her everyday- the second set of eyes looking back at me in that picture.
Two months after my divorce, and my ex-husband is engaged.
So I keep scrolling, and that's that.
14. Reality Check
Everything that I do, everything that I say, everything that I see, I stress that what I think I'm experiencing isn't what other people are experiencing.
I could be doing the most normal thing like walking my dog, and then a thought in my head pops up "what if you're actually not walking your dog, instead you're just dragging a leash around looking like a maniac", a thought that makes me reach down to pet my dog to make sure he's real, then afterwards, scold myself for thinking otherwise.
But then it comes back, what if I was just dragging a dog leash around looking crazy?
I don't know, there's a strong feeling in my chest that I'm not really doing the thing that I think I'm doing, instead, I'm doing something else entirely that is making others really uncomfortable.
I'm so scared man.
[username deleted]
13. Looking For Answers
You were in my dream last night. It's the only place we see each other now. I haven't seen or talked to you in over a year.
I asked you why you broke up with me and you said I was too depressed for you. And now I'm awake and upset that I'll never see you again. I wish that I could just forget you.
[username deleted]
12. Loosing Control
GiphyI'm not writing this for any reason other than that I have to need to make sure others know how badly I messed up. Most people have bad things happen to them from chance or minor mistakes, but I ruined not just my life, but so many others in an awful way and can't keep silent anymore.
I left for college several years ago. I had the chance for a full ride scholarship, but for reasons I still can't remember, I threw it away and decided to take out a loan (with my parents as cosigners!) for the same amount to go to a prestigious university many hours away from home instead. College life started off well, but I did not pay attention to my mental health and wound up cracking under the stress. I returned home, but rather than taking time to recover, I decided to go straight back to college into a similar program that I hated, albeit closer to home and with several friends.
It was an environment that was on par with any frat house, but I had to live in it. Once again I would wind up failing out of school due to my inability to stay on top of things or manage my well-being. I was pretty much the stereotypical successful high school student who failed out of college due to wanting to party and poor study habits. I didn't stay in touch with my parents, most of my friends, or even myself. The story doesn't end there though.
When the lease expired, I had the chance to go back home, but I could not face my family. Massively in student debt, and with a low paying job, I decided to continue rooming with these people that I had considered my friends. And they were my friends, it was my fault that my life had deteriorated to this point. But now, out of school for a year, and with a job that does not even cover my monthly expenses, I slowly sunk into debt, hiding myself away from the world until it was too late.
No matter how much trouble I caused, or how much ruin I bring on myself, my friends and family still showed me love and support, and I can't bear to see them in this condition. Now, bills are finally catching up, my friends are realizing how I have skimmed the house's finances to make rent, and my college loans are crippling my family. I could have had some sort of decent life, but instead I chose chaos and ruin and spread it to everyone I know. I have lived for several years with nothing but hatred for myself, and have had every chance to turn it around, but I only tightened the noose around my neck.
I'm not sure how much longer people will remain in my life when the full details of what I've done come to light.
11. Step Away
I'm very attracted to my partner's stepdad. I would like to say I very much love my partner. He is my first real relationship with a man, I even moved across the country to be with him. Before all this happened we were in a long distance relationship where I would occasionally visit and he would do the same. He met my family we all got along great. When it was time for me to meet his mom and step dad we decided to go to dinner.
The time came and as soon as we walked in the door this very good looking man caught my eyes and attention. As we kept walking we were getting closer and closer to his table and then it him me, that was his family, his mom was sitting in the same table I just hadn't notice anyone because I was so distracted by this man that had just pulled all my attention towards him.
Fast forward after me moving my sexual attraction only got stronger and I actively started to try and flirt with him discreetly. He would send me mixed signals and even between the both of us there was always this attraction where I would catch him watching me from across the room during family functions.
My head tells me to not touch this situation with a ten foot pole and let it be and not ruin my relationship or his.
10. For The Children
I married a guy. He admires other girls and he's embarrassed by me... so I cheated on him. And we're pretty much only together for our son...
9. Crushed
Almost 20 months ago, a practical stranger left a note on my car confessing his crush on me. I told him I had no feelings for him. We became friends after he confessed a secret to me, and for the next month everything seemed fine.
Then he told me that he still had feelings for me. I told him, again, that I had none for him.
He ended up betraying me. Big time.
That was when I knew that if I played this correctly, I would be on top of a very good opportunity.
So I forgave him. And I began playing him. I teased his feelings out. I was subtly flirty, friendly, and caring. Six months after he had first confessed his feelings for me, I told him I would be willing to attempt to have a relationship after he wrote me a letter once again confessing his feelings (but I told him this under the guise that I had mixed feelings towards him, and I was still working it out).
Then we went back to college, and I met someone and fell in love. For the most part. My relationship was honestly a sinking ship. But I persisted with it. Out of stubbornness and out of spite.
During the entire eight month relationship, I continued to spend time with my now best friend. We did everything together. We were in the same clubs, classes, major, minor, etc. We even ended up living together when I moved in with my boyfriend (who conveniently lived with my best friend).
We got closer and closer. He started taking me on 'dates' because my boyfriend would not. He started rubbing my shoulders, buying me presents, showering me in gifts. When he was losing faith in my loyalty to him and my promises that I was to be his future husband and that this was just a step in my 'training' on how to be the best husband on the planet, I moved my pawns so he wouldn't topple his king. Ever time he wavered, I was there.
He kept a diary, mostly related to us (we had a stupid celebrity name). I stole the password from him and read it every night to make sure my next move wouldn't upset him too much, but just enough so that it would hurt.
Finally, my boyfriend broke up with me. I was heartbroken despite the issues (I still loved the guy...).
We fought less and less in the months that followed. He began trusting me blindy, and finally he asked if we wanted to start a relationship.
I told him I had to figure out how to love him. That I was working every day to figure out how to love him. That I was dedicating my SOUL to trying to love him.
He said he would wait for me forever. That he was in love with me. That he has been in love with me since the first day we met and he knows that we were destined to be together. That he would try to become perfect for me. That he would only think of me when he had fantasies, that he would never touch another guy until I was ready to seal the deal.
I'm planning on using him for the next two years to continue to get free stuff and food and attention. Then I'm going to tell him that he has been worthless to me this whole time, and that this is all because he devastated my trust four years ago in a parking lot at my high school.
8. WOW
GiphyOn the day of our 10 year wedding anniversary I found that my wife had been talking to a guy online, trading pics, talking about possibly leaving me for about a month and a half. I sort of knew the guy through the Guild my wife and I were in (world of warcraft). The night before when I got home from work she was telling me some jokes he had told her and I found it strange that she found them as funny as she did. I felt like it wasn't something she would normally laugh at. So while we were on the couch watching TV, I logged into her discord account and the first thing I saw was "I'd send you butt pics but I'm being supervised".
I immediately excused myself and went to bed, I didn't know what to think so I just shut down. Upon waking up in the morning I googled a script that would download their chat history from discord and I read it all. My heart broke when I read "I'm so angry at (husband) when he's not with me, but I'm fine when he's here". My heart shattered the first time I saw her say "I love you" in the chat logs. It shattered again when I saw "I thought banging (husband) a bunch would cure my horniness but it hasn't). I haven't cried in...
I can't even remember the last time I cried but I cried 3 times while reading the logs. It was a sick train ride of deep sadness, despair, and anger seeing the progression of this happening. Getting further into the logs I see them arguing, resolving said arguments and then arguing again. At one point she exclaims to him she doesn't know why she's doing this and that she really loves me but he's like her kryptonite and she can't help it. I can see both of them pushing each other away, yet still trading pics (presumably through Snapchat although I can't prove it) every so often. It seemed like any relationship had run it's course and they were just mechanically (or habitually?) doing this.
I confronted her. Said "happy anniversary.... Do we have another year?" Told her I found the logs and read them. She explained how it happened, that we did have another year, she didn't know how to end it once she realized what she was doing, that she didn't REALLY cheat on me (eyeroll), that she would immediately block him on everything.... I was pretty catatonic for almost a week. It's about 6 weeks later now. We seem to be doing fine now I think.
The trust is still broken though, and I still find myself wanting to log into all her accounts to check on things if she leaves her phone out or computer on. I am doing mostly ok at this point, though sometimes I'll hear or see something that reminds me of everything (like when I saw this post title) and I'll have... an attack of depression...? I guess. Hard to explain. I haven't talked to anyone about this because I still love her and I don't want my family and friends to hate her.
Now, I feel like I should note why she was angry with me since I mentioned it but didn't really explain. She was angry because she felt like I wasn't doing anything/enough around the house. She talked to me about that (while she was already talking to him). Now, I felt like I was doing plenty and she just wasn't recognizing it. However, I still took her complaint seriously. So I started writing down EVERYTHING I did around the house in a sort of daily journal: from picking up trash, cleaning up cat puke, taking care of the 'lil one, to picking up her old coffee mugs and used Splenda packets.
I'm still doing this, because I realized while I was doing things around the house before I started the documentation it was hard to say how much I was actually doing because most of it seems inconsequential by itself and I would forget what I had done making it hard to say I wasn't just being lazy. when tracking it though it's much easier to remember (without looking at the journal) and it all added together is actually alot that I do. Plus, it's just satisfying to see the pages fill up from margin to margin with all of that stuff.
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7. Bottled Up
Over a two month period earlier this year, I unexpectedly dropped about 30 lbs of weight from 220 lbs to 190. I was urged by friends and family to seek medical help, so I did. I was diagnosed with gastritis. After failure to successfully treat it, they realised there was a misdiagnosis. I've been misdiagnosed since then with crowns disease, diverticulitis, and ulcerative colitis over a few months. Last thursday, I received the diagnosis of stage four gastric cancer.
Finally, one of the doctor's I've been seeing decided to do an endoscopy, where they run a tube with a camera down into your organs to get a better look. They found a tumorous growth inside of my stomach. It proves to be malignant. Theyve found that it has spread to nearby lymphnodes and I have an appointment tomorrow for them to check other organs they now believe may have also been affected. I do not know how to tell my family about this.
My symptoms have been persistent nausea, blood in vomit and stool, disinterest in food and even when hungry I feel full after a couple bites, I've continued to lose weight and am now down to about 175 (I haven't weighed 175 since middle school.) I'm constantly fatigued, which sucks working 60hrs a week doing physical work. Fairly constant discomfort in my abdomen as well. I've been diligent in hiding all of this from my wife, kids, parents, siblings, coworkers, and friends. I never told them much after the diagnosis of Crohn's disease and diverticulitis.
I do not want anyone to treat me differently or try to do things for me that I can still do. I just want to stay useful for as long as I can. I don't want to burden anyone with such news, and I'd like to keep my dignity for the time being.
This is my secret, and I will keep it from everyone but you, Reddit. As nobody in my personal life uses this site, I can rest assured you will keep it too. It does feel much better to get that off my chest, I appreciate those who took the time to read it.
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6. Silent But Deadly
GiphyI fart in my coworkers small office all the time.
We're friends and all, so it's nothing malicious.
I know when he leaves and usually how long he's going to be gone so I'll hold my farts and when he leaves I'll walk into his office and air out.
It's honestly hilarious. He will sometimes comment about it. He thinks that it's because he shares a vent with the bathroom 2 doors down the hall (He doesn't) but the office between his and the bathroom never stinks so there goes his theory.
Sometimes I'll go let one off then like 10 minutes later get an IM like "Dude, this office man. It fucking reeks in here. I don't think they've changed the carpets in years. This is nuts"
Meanwhile I'm holding my sides in laughter.
5. Lars In Real World
I own a 5 foot tall love doll while living with 2 grandmas & my mom. It was interesting ordering the doll and getting this big box weighing 80 pounds into the house with no one noticing. (I sat outside waiting for UPS to arrive just so no door bell was rung.) Had to go through the front door- through the hallway then into my room.
Somehow I did it with no one seeing. After owning her for about a week it's a real trouble trying to keep her clean with people around - so strategizing clean up times in the bathroom sure is a chore. One time I had her in the bathtub to clean up and just took a shower so no one would question, then I open the bathroom door to see my grandma waiting to use it.
I just had to pray she didn't open the shower curtains while doing her business- in which she didn't. So a few months go by, some family needs to move in. I would now share my room with my brother and his girlfriend temporarily. I hide the doll in a big enough box, inside my closest. No one knows I have this life sized doll- and I would rather keep it that way.
4. Mamma Mia
I had a baby when I was 15 and he was adopted. Closed adoption. Most painful thing I've ever gone through.
He turns 18 in a few months and if he so chooses, he can find me. I'm married & have kids now, and my kids have no idea he exists. I really, really want to meet him, but I'm terrified he's got mental disorders like his biological father (who is now in prison for murder.)
3. Brain Drain
GiphyI have two:
1. That I have night terrors that I can't even explain. Usually dealing with bizarro scenes you'd see out of an American Horror Story episode. Usually about friends, family, acquaintances, old friends I haven't seen in years. Literally anyone to the point of waking up crying and being scared to sleep.
2. That I think I am actually developing Alzheimer's at age 23. I have a hard time remembering anything nowadays. I couldn't even tell you what I did yesterday. It's as distant as being 5 years-old in my mind.
I don't tell anyone because I don't like the feeling of people thinking there is something wrong with me. I already struggle with the idea that I actually have autism and everyone just interacts with me to be nice.
2. Warped Reality
I think that I am beginning to hallucinate every once in a while. Its mostly little things that are there, and then they aren't.
1. Meeting Your Maker
GiphyI'm deeply afraid of death. I'll remember that I will die some day, and have a panic attack. It's been happening on and off since I was a child, and the first ones were around xmas, so I now hate it. No one but my close friends know, and it sucks because everyone I talk to a therapist about it, they write it off as something else, like being afraid of growing up (dude no, I just told you, it's death). Now that I'm single, I'm finding these panics harder to manage. I don't know what to do.
Gay Student Who Escaped Conversion Therapy In Kenya Awarded Prize For Bravery
Mahad Olad is a resident of Minnesota, an ex-Muslim, and a columnist for The Ithacan, Ithaca University's student newspaper. He has just been named the most recent winner of the Colin Higgins Foundation's Youth Courage Prize for his bravery when escaping gay conversion therapy in Kenya, an experience he has written about at length.
The prize includes a $10,000 grant, which Olad plans to put toward his education as well as "a visual media project dedicated to capturing the lives and experiences of LGBT+ Africans."
In the summer of 2017, junior Mahad Olad successfully escaped life-endangering gay conversion therapy in Kenya.… https://t.co/EVvbRB9P24— The Ithacan (@The Ithacan) 1535983248.0
Olad's bravery is remarkable. After his freshman year of college, his family took him to Kenya, telling him it was a vacation to see their family. Once he arrived, however, his mother informed him there would be no family vacation. Instead, there were several sheikhs at their hotel who planned to escort him to gay conversion therapy — the next day:
I knew that it wasn't really a choice. A few sheiks were at our hotel that night. They briefly spoke to me about how being gay and atheist is unequivocally against my Islamic upbringing and African heritage. I knew that when they came back to get me the following morning, I would be forced to go with them.
@ReasonOnFaith What a story!— (((Ken))) (@(((Ken)))) 1518107894.0
Kenyan gay conversion therapy camps are dangerous and secretive, not unlike those in the United States:
The leaders operate the camps around grim parts of Somalia and Kenya. They submit their captives to severe beatings, shackling, food deprivation and other cruel practices.
It usually involves a rigorous Islamic curriculum. Those who fail to cooperate, make adequate progress or try to escape could possibly be killed.
Conversion therapy, still legal in much of the U.S., is also practiced in other countries. Mahad Olad narrowly esca… https://t.co/WrQpf8Yc92— ESM (@ESM) 1518123391.0
Pretending to go along with his mother's plan, Olad went for a walk. He knew he needed help to escape back to the U.S.:
I knew I had to get out immediately. I was without access to money or even my passport, so I needed assistance. To buy myself some time, I told my mother that I was willing to go along with her plans. I told her I was going for a walk, and then I made a call to Ex-Muslims of North America (EXMNA), an organization that supports people who have chosen to leave Islam. They quickly put me in touch with Executive Director Muhammad Syed, based in Washington, D.C. Mr. Syed reached out to the United States Embassy in Kenya to see if they could help me escape. I was told that if I could take a cab to the embassy they could shelter me and help me figure out how I could get back to the U.S.
@ama_media @ThePaulHobbs I find it hard to believe that this is still a thing.— morgandyke 🇨🇦 🏳️🌈 (@morgandyke 🇨🇦 🏳️🌈) 1535993472.0
Once his family was asleep, Olad escaped to the U.S. embassy, where many organizations collaborated to bring him to safety:
In the middle of the night, when everyone was asleep, I escaped from the hotel and made it to the embassy. Thankfully, the consul general welcomed me into his home until we could formulate a plan. The next problem was that I had no place to go and no money to get back to the U.S. I couldn't go back home to Minnesota and Ithaca College was basically closed for the summer. The consul general reached out to the college to see if they could help. Luckily, they were able to find a place for me on campus and EXMNA was generous enough to pay for my airfare back to the U.S.
Gay 'conversion' therapy has been described by the UN as torture and condemned by leading medical groups as child a… https://t.co/VEOLttOhgr— Jason Ball (@Jason Ball) 1535955221.0
Olad is now trying to raise awareness of the dangerous practice of conversion therapy and its continued presence in Africa:
We don't have exact numbers of how many young people are forced to go to these camps but we know the numbers are growing.
Olad earned this recognition for his courage and dedication. The United Nations has condemned conversion therapy as an example of "torture and ill-treatment," though many countries, including the U.S., continue its practice.
H/T - Indy 100, The Ithacan