As an American Christian that's been living in and throughout the Middle East for the last 10 or so years. I can tell you without a doubt that unless you have actually lived over here for a while, you don't know the half of it. Not saying nothing for good or bad, but I hear it all the time that Johnny (my friend), knows so and so and he's from the Middle East and he's a muslim and he's a really nice guy. Sure. I have several that work for me. Awesome people. To a point. But they aren't wired up the same as we are in the west. Anything you can read on the internet doesn't even come close to getting you to understand or attempt at grasping the reality of this place. Even after 10 years, it seems like every day I'm learning something new. For better or worse, this is just the way things are. I'll give you a good example. Call me a liar or hater, doesn't bother me. But, a Muslim does not lie. I, as a Christian, I am always lying. Everything that comes out of my mouth is a lie. (Unless it involves work, but that's another story) So heresay does work here. And it is perfectly acceptable and expected to lie to Christians. If I come across a wreck, nobody here stops. You just don't do it. You will be blamed and if you're lucky, the State Department will get you out of the country before the court procedings start. Every city here has what is termed a chop chop square. I'll let your imagination figure out what happens there every Friday. And stealing here will wind up with you on chop chop square. Unless you're a local. You claim that you needed it more than me and therefore it wasn't stealing. And since I'm a Christian, it's more than okay. Muslims hanging out and living in America and the West have semi adapted to our ways and conformed to a point. But calling them true Muslims and the ones over here extremists is like saying New York Catholics are the real Catholics and the Pope is an extremist. So can they adapt? Sure. Do they want to? Maybe to a point. I talk alot with the guys that work for me. I avoid the religion talk, and we talk about the differences in our societies. So please don't take the above as bashing them. It's their country, their rules. They're just a lot different from our way of living and yes.. when I tell them some things about living in the West.. their eyes light up, like WTF who does that.. (I showed them deer hunting. lol.)
BUT, I will say this. No matter where I go or what I'm doing. Every man will greet me with; Welcome to my country. Please sit and have tea with me and tell me about your country.
So take it for what you will.. just a few things I've seen/learned over the years here. Nothing is as you see/read on the internet or tv. I accept that's just the way things are and I live my life around their rules. I tell them that they make the rules, I just play the game. Same as they will never come as a guest to my country and tell me what to do, I won't do it here. Except wiping their butts with their bare hands. That one I do give them crap over. No pun intended. Or when they poop in the shower and mistake it for the toilet hole. That one gets me upset.
