Thinking of my World Literature
class during my senior year in college, I was assigned to read the graphic
novel “Persepolis” by the famous Iranian author Marjane Satrapi. In her
autobiographical novel, the author portrays the realities of her childhood growing
up in Iran during the Islamic regime. Her astounding story essentially
seeks to break-down the misconceptions of how Iran is viewed by the western
world. I found myself in shock to see how, I too, had a vague knowledge of what
women dealt with in Iran. All of the reason that made me write at least two essays
on her revealing and engaging book.
Not only was I becoming
knowledgeable about the Eastern Culture and the misconceptions that I had about
Iran, but I was finding myself identified with the way she told her stories.
Many of those chapters reminded me of the atrocities and corruptions that exist
in my home country as well as it reminded me of the huge misconception that exists for what
Christians are like.
When I was in elementary school
in Venezuela, my teachers knew that I was an Evangelical Christian and even
though I attended a private school, they were so IGNORANT that they would automatically
exclude me from participating in school dances, recitals and folkloric
presentations. I complained to my mom and she complained to the principal, “Why
isn’t my daughter participating the recitals?” Their response: “because she’s a
Christian and we thought she was not allowed to dance.”
Wow! Really? I happen to LOVE music, and dancing! They immediately put me in
the choir and I became the lead singer in my 6th grade recital. If
they had only asked they would have saved themselves the embarrassment. But the
stories really do go and on, I have heard people who don’t really know what is
the difference between a Christian and a Jehovah Witness, aren’t they the same
thing? Don’t you all wear long skirts and women wear no make-up? Um... no. What
an erroneous way to look at the world, placing them in categories of
misinformed definitions.
During my studies at a Liberal
Arts college, I took 3 in-depth courses about Islam and religion in popular
culture, besides that, I lived 7 years in Utah and I made many LDS friends, my
families are both Evangelical Christians and Catholic, I have learned about
them, and I can respect and co-exist with people of other beliefs, but no matter how many different cultures I come across, I will
always remain true to my faith, and my faith in Christ will never be shaken.
