Giving, The Philippines, The Sultunate of 1405 and ISIS

1. Just came back from Pakistan, and when you come back here, you appreciate this place so much, you can kiss the ground.
2. Yes, the same is in The Philippines. Lot’s of poverty.
1. I mean I feel this real sadness, miss my family…
2. Yeah I feel the same way. Have a friend I worked with in Saudi Arabia, he’s just like a brother, and he’s back home now.
1. Just that you don’t know who’s sincere with you back there. They’re all smiles…and I believe it too, but there also money involved.
2. Yeah I hear you. I got a call last Christmas from my friend and he told me he was sick, so he needed money.
1. Was he really sick?
2. Well I asked him, just be real with me, if you’re sick you’re sick, but if you’re not, you’re not.
1. Yeah, they don’t know that a lot of us are hand to mouth here as well. It’s not all roses. My thing I guess is just trust, and it just makes you wonder. Even if you give to one, someone else will have to say something about it. Some other relative will wonder why they didn’t get any.
2. Yeah that’s how it is in poor countries.
1. Give if you can but don’t break your back. If you can’t help yourself, how can you help anyone else.
2. Yeah, we make little money, just getting back, at least myself.
1. So you’re not Muslim right?
2. No. Christian.
1. I went to a church in Pakistan recently. Check this out. [Showing pictures on phone]
2. That’s cool. Wow, such a big church. Wonder why there is so much hatred, look at ISIS, look at what they are doing.
1. That’s the thing though, what are they doing? ISIS was born from this aggression. Everyone is like ISIS is evil, but guess what, there was someone else who was much more brutal, and relentless which is the disgusting part. But no one EVER sees that part. The gross aggression of the USA and it’s allies. It’s sick.
2. I look at everyone as an individual. Just because ISIS is there, doesn’t mean all Muslims are bad.
1. True but why are you even saying that? No one ever says that about Christians.
2. I guess we live here, so that’s how it appears.
1. Exactly.
2. What to do….
1. You know, there are Muslims in the Philippines?
2. Yes I know that.
1. Mindanao?
2. All over.
1. Actually, those Muslims there are decedents of the Sultunate that was made in 1405. The Muslims were actually there before the Spanish. I was reading about the courage of these people to resist the Spanish invasion cuz’ the Muslims came as traders, they didn’t take over. The Spanish wanted to take over. It was really amazing to read that history.
2. But they are always fighting.
1. It’s the same thing man. You have the official story, and you have the other story. The other story is never told. They are a distinct community, why is it okay for the government to push their way on them? It’s pretty amazing how they have stood the test of time, they resisted rule over them for a few hundred years. When the American’s came in the 1900’s, they finally lost control. I was reading how the Islamic leaders were concerned about the modernization in terms of media on the Muslim community there. And that how it would misguide the younger Muslims.
2. Lot’s of history.
1. Yeah man, lot’s of history!
2. I wonder why people can’t get along. It’s just money, power, corruption.
1. It just makes you wanna’ take care of yourself.