Obaid Barakzai and Blair Johnson

00:08 My name is Blair Johnson. My age is 18 today's date is October 27th, 2020. I am in Provo, Utah and talking to buy peroxide and he is my OSS partner.

00:28 My Name is Earl by Bragg say my age is 22 today's date is October 27th 2020. I'm in Salt Lake City, Utah and talking to Blair Johnson and she is my OSS partner.

00:44 Awesome. Well obeid.

00:48 What I guess what made you were? Why did you want to do this interview with me today different perspectives, especially when it comes to Interfaith dialogue and often times, you know, like people don't actually talked about space because they think that it's a very divisive topic write anything like I wanted to do the interview till like you're more perspectives cuz I believe that's like by understanding with other people actually think about their beliefs and their systems and their cultures that they've actually created units with your family's that's educating enough for them. I can even you know to learning about other people's ideas. I can learn more about my own belief and also my own sister and also like what I actually believed in still need to wait till I compare what I believe in with, you know, like other people's beliefs, but also like in a way to educate more and how the rest of the world

01:48 He sees the world differently than I do anything. I've been always curious to like understand, you know, what other people like to think about this world. Like what are their belief systems? Right? Like even though I seem like I find the Interfaith dialogue to be a very humanizing topic, especially if you know like when PS humans believe in like compassion and kindness and respect than all of that, but I think like everyone has a different approach to be stop aches and everyone sees the world differently and I want to know like, you know, why people actually looked you know at the world differently and also like just educate Myself by talking to someone who has different opinions than me. So that's why I participated in today's interview and I look,

02:33 I think the same question goes for you. That's like why did you decide to be part of this conversation?

02:41 Yeah, I was really excited for this interview today. I am fairly new to I guess this kind of new personal initiative to engage more in Interfaith dialogue and learn more about people of different face or different opinions and very recently being blessed with being a part of the Interfaith youth core. Especially just made me really excited to immediately engage in these opportunities, and I was really excited to meet you as well and just meet more people especially during this crazy time where there's not a lot of that and so

03:22 Are we moving on to our bios now?

03:29 Awesome. Well, I have obeid by right here.

03:34 He says my name is Oh by peroxide and I am originally from Kabul Afghanistan. I grew up as a Muslim and after doing my own research about the religion and its inclusiveness of everyone. I decided to stay as a Muslim, but this time a bit more educated and willing to initiate conversations with people of different base.

04:00 And then late is Beautiful by Ayo. And the youngest of seven children do six daughters. And one son. I am from Cedar Rapids, Iowa and a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and I'm currently studying English one big life events. That shaped me was when my brother came out as being gay quotes. If you have never stood with the oppressed dosto time left them by one of my favorite authors rupi Kaur has inspired me to stand with Anna flip those who do not enjoy the same privileges that I do I seek to uplift those who may not feel seen or included. I recognized the importance of how I ship and finding a more inclusive space. I left off 4 Mile of curiosity and allies Europe for individuals who may not fit the mold. I want to give a voice to those of minority groups in sizes of overwhelming majority and be a kind face that can help assist these individuals to have representation my desire

05:00 There is to be a lifelong social justice Advocate specific issues. I care about black lives matter / anti-racism lgbtq + Ally poverty and its influence on the American public education system as a recently increasing knowledge of and participation and Interfaith dialogue.

05:22 Duke Duke now would be a good time to ask each other questions about your bio if you want to

05:33 I can I can I really loved you know your body by thing like you were super liked, you know passionate than terms if like, you know expressing your believes, it's them and also like what you believe in and all of that good jazz and I think like one of the things specifically that they want you to like maybe elaborate a little bit more on is that you actually, you know, you brought it up this topic just like inclusiveness of minorities and also like a Lightship same kind of curious to see like what is it in your daily life that you do that would help create an inclusive space for minorities. Let's say that you taught Raven Iowa, right and also like what does that include stiffness or allyship look like to you personally if you can elaborate a little bit.

06:22 Yeah, I love that question. Yeah, so I'm currently attending Brigham Young University and I was super lucky and very happy to receive my current employment, which is I work in our University's office of student success and inclusion and are two main student populations are students who are not of Latter Day Saints beliefs were not members of our church attending our University and then LGBT students in that population. And I think again, like I said in my bio this wasn't the only event that affected that is definitely a catalyst having my brother come out.

07:10 And it was just

07:13 Seeing the pain that comes from those who are minorities and don't aren't they feel limited and opportunities are limited in being accepted by other people and that was just really heartbreaking to me. So I just kind of like in like in myself making it my mission to make sure that it's those people felt that way it wasn't going to be because it's me and wanting to include them more and I think it's especially at University like me write you a lot of people are very similar and they don't necessarily see those who are not like them.

07:52 And they don't know how to communicate or interact with them. And so that's another big goal that I have is to help people and educate people on seeing these people for who they are and not trying to make them be like us or try to make them be members of our church, but just listening to them and admiring what they believe.

08:16 It did anything like you spoke really well until I can only inclusive Ness and also like being really honest and transparent in terms of like, you know, the culture of the school that you actually go into like I went to dive into BYU like four or five times for the model United Nations competitions and every time that you don't like at the most, you know a person of color brown United walk2campus. I'm not a lot of people would actually look like me and even those who actually looked like me they had, you know, different Fades they had different belief systems, which is totally fine and okay, but like I didn't actually see 11 to let you know that can a community where everyone the majority looks the same but the minority looks so different and divided and fortunately, I really appreciate you bringing that up and opening up to you no understanding what that inclusivity on a campus for everyone on the stove the same looks like so

09:13 Questions, I guess I do I really liked in your bio and you were talking about after doing my own research about the religion and then still deciding to stay Muslim. I just kind of curious about like I guess what started that Journey or what sparked that and then what research you went into and just kind of your journey in that you're bringing this beautiful questioning. Of course, you don't like I was born and raised in Kabul Afghanistan and then I was born, you know, like as a Muslim meaning dislike when I was you know, two to three years old, you know, my parents were actually take me to Marcus and they would actually help me read Porter on which is never wholly bug and it would do these things. Right right since I was a little kid like all of these things turned into a habit that I didn't actually understand what I was actually doing right for example, like if you want to press you to see if you would like, okay, this is nice, you know, I know what I'm doing in the end.

10:13 And it helps my body ride to tells me like to stay clean and you know, like sanitize and all of that good jazz, but I think like for me like I was like, yeah, this is nice that go to my house and meet new people write but like like why I'm actually doing this, right and I was doing this and it became a habit but I'm like why am I doing this like why it is so imperative to like, you know, go to these faces and sounds like meet people and do the exact same thing to do actually doing right and then after like a few years when I was seven, I was coming across, you know, this mean that sounded like it show it's like I think 20 goats, you know, following one another and then this one goat not following them. Right and I think like it's book really well to don't follow the crowd, right and I'm like, I'm just going to like moms with my siblings like did I just do it but like I don't actually understand, you know, like why am I actually doing it? So after that after located to me and my started you don't like reading the book as I can eat to know like what the book?

11:13 Stars and what I'm even saying cuz like our price on an Arabic or you can also do it in other languages, but it's recommended in Arabic and we do it in that way and I was like what am I saying when I started realizing that like you actually like, you know say good things about like, you know God or ride you appreciate you don't like the greatness. If I keep Manatee you appreciate greatness of this universe and planets and like who he has, you know, like and after that I like wild like reading more about the sense of gratitude in myself and my kind now grateful for the things that I have in my life right and grateful for the parts that I walk around there that I walk into right and grateful for the stars and grateful for the air in the atmosphere that I've read and write it's all a gift and I think after that, you know, like I'm in a really personal connection to that and of course I was going to be really rough times as well and then

12:13 Time that I've go to my balcony around like 10 or 11 p.m. You know, it's neat that I would go in there. You know, I would look at the stars and the moon I would just take a few deep breaths and gratitude and I think that is something that I learned to like reading Quran and also like to Googling a lot of these information and also like asking questions from our you know, Malala you like a chaplain. I think that's the right turn just like priest in like 2 sanity. But like we have my last did you like, you know speeches and all of that? I'm on Friday so I can Friday prayers and I asked them I was like, what is the section e mean like how I can utilize the information and knowledge that you just shared with all of us and my personal life, right? That's how I can be kind to my neighbor. Right? And if you like the week after I still remember that like I went too young and you know how my neighbor like plans has trees and also like, you know water and mowing his lawn and all of that good jazz or like if you'd like, you know, I made a really personal

13:13 Directions to Lake My Religion for that it created a sense of you no gratitude and also made me like to be more inclusive and kind to be kind and being inclusive to like getting everyone's perspectives and listenings which told this day continues to educate me and continues to hopefully, you know, like make me a little bit Stein dirty today.

13:39 I loved everything you just said.

13:43 Thank you.

13:45 Are there any other questions outside?

13:51 I was going to ask if there are any other questions that you had arrived.

13:56 I do have if that's okay Daniel. So like I feel like I'm really loved your by on anything like it speaks to like sets like an amazing like open-minded Educators like individuals or like I really appreciate you especially if you like the piece that you brought up about like the lgbtq + community and also like the black lives matter cuz I feel like these movements, you know, like by now had become so Global that speaks to like the marginalized lived experiences of so many like and the represented populations and minorities not only in America, but I'll smack run the world and I feel like that is also something that's like, you know, I think like I didn't actually expect you know, like send money has you don't like you are faced to believe in cuz I lived in Utah from phone half years that you went to school in here. I lived with six different host family and I love them all there still like amazing and I think I have like six of my best friend.

14:56 What members of the church but like I don't usually like when I'm in that conversation with them, right? Like I don't usually expect them to like start talking about like, you know, black lives matter movement for the lgbtq. So like I'm kind of curious to see like what was the starting moment like what it was that moment that you had that got you interested to be an advocate in these moments. I love that. I think I mean first I'll bring up. I was nervous to come to BYU because of that reason as like, I know it's not a very diverse University and I know they're going to be people who have very different viewpoints and me a majority who probably will

15:44 But I think and it's also kind of funny because I say, I'm from Iowa and so I think what comes to mind for a lot of people are like white conservative Farmers is what makes up Iowa, but I am from a very Urban part Cedar Rapids and I grew up with pretty diverse populations and all of my schools and things like that. And so I think a lot of it helped that that was something that I grew up with and but you know, what kind of taking a step back, you know, my church population wasn't the most diverse and so going what what's missing here. What's something that I really value that I'm not finding and it was those diverse viewpoints and people who I was really close to

16:35 That I just really valued what they believed in and so I think especially with I mean, you know, this pandemic has just really been raised just been kind of setting a flame everything to start a fresh, you know, and so I think that was like looking inwardly and gun what what do I need to step back and think about what is really important to me and it was these issues these movements because they were impacting people that I really care about and want the best for and sell my

17:13 Friends who are really close to and I hadn't seen you know, because of my place as a white privileged American. I hadn't seen that struggle and so once I saw it was just so heartbreaking and just really motivated me to go. I can't I can't reverse what's happened, but I can move forward for myself and do everything I can to kind of make sure that this isn't a problem which I know I can't solve it by myself. It's not my place to but that was just something that was really important to me and saying with like the LGBT community especially in my church is really important for me to feel to make it known that I was an ally to these people as a member of the church so that they would know that they're safe with me and that they can be open with me because there aren't a lot of members of my church to

18:10 Offer the same

18:12 And so that was another thing that is really important me.

18:17 Thank you so much for sharing that to that you liked. It also speaks really well to like, you know, the Allies Europe, you know topic that you brought up in your bio and how imperative it is to follow a religion analyst. Of course, I think at the same time you don't like being exclusive to like your neighbor's be inclusive to like your friends and also recognize the struggles that you're actually going through and you're not being a lie and basically like utilizing you knows maybe like the church resources to actually be an ally to those people. Right? Cuz it you've already recognized like those struggles and want to like, you know fight for them and advocate for them anything like it's also like speaks to like in my experience personally to that sometimes, you know, like I have a really hard time like understanding I'm like

19:05 Can I follow the religion Foley and also at the same time? Can I still like BF4 advocate for this topic that I believe in that my people of their religion in my not fully believe in it, but I believe in this right. I also believe fully in My Religion might can I still do that? Like can I do both at the same time? Right and I feel like by Bruno years and years if I had been traveling for the past thirteen years around the world have gone to like three different schools in Phoenix and centuries of dance in Indonesia and Utah and I think one of the things that I really learned, you know in my life is how imperative is the intersection of you know, those belief systems ride that hey like I really believe even in the end. I believe in this religion, you know, everything that it says I'm beginning flu save but I might not fully believe and how people interpret interpret, you know, like certain things in the village and write them like

20:02 It actually asks for kindness, right it actually aspirin compassion to like don't really depressed the topics other places that I tell even my people of my the members. If you don't like my religion, I don't talk to you like at the same time. I'm like I still advocate for what I believe in cuz this is the right thing to do. Right and I think sometimes like even though I think religion is created to bring people together like inside thing taken from the world relief, which is a feature of people together, but I am like advocacy is also a kind of religion right even though like it's not like it really concrete established institutionalized system that we all have to like follow right but it is I think the right thing to do because it's humanizes money of the struggles if y'all haven't found in and we need to like use definite the other privileges to like you recognize that you understand the kind of struggles with our friends are going through our neighbors are going through things that really like human eyes is like

21:02 Humanity I just left the turkey that Isis cuz I can basically human

21:12 Oh, yeah, I love that. I think that goes along with I loved what you're saying about my sometimes when you're in your religion your or you're surrounded by people in your religion and you're going well. This is how I feel all in in My Religion, you know, I I believe in all these things I practice these things you're going but this thing is really important to me too. And there isn't as much value being placed on it. So how am I going to reconcile these two things and I like I definitely connected that struggle as well. Like I think as soon as being around other people and like in My Religion, you know, I mean just the phrase know what would Jesus do and I think there is a coming

21:58 A development happening with all these movements of going okay, things are crazy. And a lot of things are happening right now really think about what Jesus would do and he would be supporting and advocating for and marching alongside with the marginalized populations.

22:18 And so I think like that can be applied to to like all religions. Universally when these bring people together. What is it about? It's about that Unity within these differences that we have in opinion or Envy Beast because it's about humanity. Is it about you know, if that's the unity that we finds which I think is beautiful.

22:41 Yeah, that's awesome. Anything like you know, when you talked about like that, you know when you brought up like the phrase, you know, what Jesus would do. I feel like that is like super powerful cuz I think like in my perspective Jesus is like an undeniable fact that only like that makes like what we share super like trustworthy, right? Cuz it's like a big really big thing in the religion. Right? Like people like to be like, I believe in Jesus. He's one of our five top prophets in My Religion become a stylist and I'm anything like every time that you don't like you talking about like certain things with like your friends and all of that and like if they're members of the church or if they're members of your not particular religion, like, of course, you don't like they believe in Jesus right like the bring it up until you know, like they do believe in Jesus.

23:41 I bought it the question like I think five and a half months ago or something to my friend who just came back from his mission. You know, if I'm Mexico and we Just Tires like a like what do you think what Jesus would actually do like you was talking about like, you know how like he was not as inclusive of the lgbtq + rights and also like how you know, like what is born to like, you know, basically like last woman, you know the men and how to make it applies to you don't want me to swell and then I think like when I brought up the question, I think like he paused and she didn't actually say anything right and like what like the way that I recognized Jesus has actually recognized them with kindness and compassion and respect than all of that. You do good stuff to me personally ride from my belief system. Like it's all good staff and when you bringing the topic, you know people like oh, it's like what can I say right like, we're all humans.

24:41 You know what all like we all have like different flavors and different like Tina favors and all of that. So like Jesus of course would be like I drive like a mister but like

24:52 The like it's kind of like contradicts what I just said 2 minutes ago right about like how you shouldn't be right but I think my kid goes beyond until like the interpretation of like how we interpret things right? Have you understand things and how I would probably do some but the experience has helped us educate the way we receive information and also the way that he share information, right? And I think you know exactly Jesus, you know said that they'd be kind to one another right? I mean not only Jesus religions around the world. What does actually the Chinese means write a thing like a lot of these political leaders these days use those phrases and terms as a wait till I can manipulate, you know, the populations and also manipulate people into believing in only one belief system that right. It's okay. So like I am a priest of course, I'm not but maybe like an example to like help clarify right? It's okay. Like I have a priest. I know that

25:52 I've been in this place for like so long. So like trust me they're using the rhetorical skills to like help you understand themselves and their point of view is not necessarily the religion, right? Cuz sometimes it really helps me to understand the disconnect. I mean it's connected but the disconnect between like priests and also like a church and like church is a very like some objective think right to me and we danced and also teachings and all of that but then I'm like one attempts to humans like it is impossible for them to like you do stay objective. I like you definitely mad. Like I have something for you to understand those things and they're like, none of us are like, this is not what I'm saying? This is like my Jesus I do. This is what God Said No disagreements ital like they sting the defoliant hundred percent represents the church like a hundred percent. You know, how many percent interpretation like, but let's have a conversation.

26:52 Let you know like I'm going to have you to like listen to like what I believe into cuz I'm going to offer you like a different solution then get off on you like a different perspective. Right? Cuz I believe that there are a million solutions to specific problem and none of the solutions of necessarily wrong. Right? I think it is just the people who have different creativity levels for different curiosity levels that use those Solutions likes house on the clinic at Community where everyone has heard and every one solution is chair to a certain problem. We can be more inclusive and we can also be out, you know, the Ally and pray that our ship around everyone's at the interact with

27:30 Yeah. Wow, I love that. I think some things that were coming to mind were like, I think what you were saying was really reaching what the beauty is of interfaith dialogue and that cooperation and teamwork that can be found in that. That's how we're going to make the most difference or that power going to be the most successful in this thing. And I think it's not necessarily restricted to those of Faith because there are so many people who don't choose a religion or don't you know label themselves at the religion, but they have such beautiful beliefs like set of beliefs and such beautiful.

28:18 Ideas about serving others and about making a difference. And so I think there's something to be said to for those who are for example, I guess Christian who are like I got like that's the Christian thing to do but they're just using that to say, you know, this is the faith that I identify as so I'm going to use this to do this thing where I was what the actual meaning of Christian which of course is subjective according to people's religion and faith that like for my example, I guess being Christian is like

28:54 Well this person who does not identify as Christian is being much more Christian than you are right. Now, you know, they're being much more giving and forgiving and understanding and sensitive to these other people. And so I think that's something that's really important and that should be made a priority which is been really cool to learn as I've been striving to engage more in Interfaith dialogue because there are so many beautiful ideas and beliefs better than extend so much further than the set of beliefs that I've been raised by you know, so yeah. I mean, do you have anything else to say about that? He also basically like brought up, you know, like this important point about like putting a scale on like how much of a Christian You Are by doing specific things, right?

29:54 Nothing like that has like something I don't know. I mean like this something that they definitely don't like personally disagree with I feel like there's no limits to be put on a relationship with you one God or relationship, you know like with you in Jesus and all of that cuz I feel like everyone's relationship but I think the question could be like, you know me be like to hear your thoughts. I'm just wondering that's like what can we do right like a DC Young ages like an educated people to not put those like scales or not to put those limits on the relationship with you on God like yeah. Yeah.

30:40 I mean, I think there's something that we are really blessed with and being in this generation is that because of the I guess upcoming of these movements in the kind of disarray that we've been thrust into we've had to adapt emotionally and you know, socially two different people and different base and so I think that's something that we can either use as an excuse to be like all this craziness. We just don't know what we're doing or we can use it and utilize it to be

31:21 We've been given this gift of a kind of reset. Let's let's start over and engage with each other and listen and be empathetic and be sensitive instead of going. We just we don't know we're going through crazy stuff right now instead of going we're all unified in this crazy stuff. So let's use this to come together and get to know one another and you know, utilize the beliefs of other people and find beauty in that.

31:56 I think that's super beautiful talkative the beauty you know this because he's going to take Beauty speaks really well until like, you know, the humanity in general that's like we're all beautiful. It's okay for us to like as if in belief systems anything at the end of the day like we need to utilize as you said our experiences to come together and recognize that were differences to live in harmony. Why did I feel like that is one of the ways that we can make this world more inclusive and then you can have you no like more like a lot of people don't like to be asked questions about these things cuz it's a very light sensitive and devices topic to them right to those people who don't maybe ask questions based on my understanding of my conversations with them, but I think like I find this topic to be like very like unifying and uniting if I go to belief systems, right and like yeah, I mean like do you have a religion he likes or she's like why they're like, yeah.

32:56 Yes, I'm like, yeah, that's that's amazing. Let's let's talk about if I like if they don't have you know.

33:06 And you like of course, you know that could they feel comfortable right? I'm like like why is that sounds like you don't you know me like follow the crowd or like you don't believe in a particular belief system. That's like so many people believe in right and likewise added like I don't think talking about those things. I think likes it's an important that impair the ground for a star like to have a conversation on and I think our conversation from time to time can be like the unifying a bike. I was Spirit, right? Like you can also be like unifying of even our friendship and also like your eyelashes in that moment, right cuz we have important things to talk about that have like usually in my perspective good outcomes, right and like when we talk when you tell me about like u r a t s m Wright or atheistic believe like you educating me on your world that they need to be educated on when I share my beliefs about like Islam and Muslim right and like educating you about my belief system and the good thing about that is look like when I go to sleep at night like I feel

34:06 Educated right? I feel like there's a missing piece of me that I was that was missing that I put it in place. That was to know someone else in my community and their belief systems, right? Cuz I believe in my community really well and very well and I think like I believe that like I am who I am because of my community because of the people that regardless of their belief systems in religion and you know political ideas and all of that. I just need to know the place that you know her like I breathing and swallowing me haven't come only through having conversations and I recognize myself in my own belief systems.

34:47 Do you have any questions? I was just thinking like conversations. Of course, that's how that's how we're going to achieve that you know that piece of the world and of interactions and cooperation with people but sometimes that's really hard and I know like in my experience being raised as a member of the Church of Jesus Christ Latter-Day Saints, sometimes there is like there's a common thing, you know in our religion like from the scriptures. It's like we are the one true church and so I'll lie no missions are all about bringing others unto Christ. But sometimes people have more of the mindset of about bringing them into our church because the church is right and the only thing that's right and so I'm just trying to think cuz I mean

35:40 I've been really blessed with experiences that have helped me better see that.

35:46 The importance of and Beauty in getting to know other beliefs and finding the truth in that and not discounting it at all. But I think I mean I could definitely say like in years past I would have had a different perspective. I would have been someone invites you to their church. I don't know if I'm allowed to go because their Church isn't true until like now I have more perspective and I'm more know I would love to engage in that experience and I love to get to know those babies and see how they can be applied to me, but I'm just trying to think through like how best we can engage in those conversations with people who are more.

36:33 You know in finding the beauty in their beliefs and going tell me more about it without.

36:39 Kind of discounting the other's perspective if that makes sense.

36:44 Yeah, definitely a thing like really amazing points and I think too bad you don't like to share my thoughts. I have like two basically different ways of looking at it. I think the first ways that's like who we are actually of humans. Like I usually uses the examples of sound Seattle like my best friend's last like for example or restricted to only you know, like one set of ideas right? I'm like, okay, let's talk about food, right? Can you like eat one food and for the rest of your life, you know, what kind of food and riches past I was indifferent. No, just kidding. You don't I can like do you want to like each one kind of food for the rest of your life and also like I used to blog about tea and all of that and you drink tea everyday and I'm like, can you have like one cup of tea every single day? Can you like

37:33 Stay in one place. Go to One Park unit for the rest of your life. I think to me like someone who likes to you know, consider himself as a global mining Peacemaker as a global citizen myself that I am. I think it's hard for me. Right? Like I love all the different kinds of food. I love all different kinds of, you know, like tea and all of that but like I don't see why it's hard for me to like, you know, like two

37:59 Open up to understand other people's point of view is right cuz I look at these different things. Right? Like it may be like my eagerness or is you know passion for like understand you different things is very similar thing. I'd like the way that I love all kinds of food is exactly the way that I love it, you know getting educated on different belief systems why I want to keep feeding my brain and my mind to understanding what people actually going to write it just like how I love to you don't like my body to like different kind of food, right? And I think these are all connected you got to like each other like feel your body have got to like educate this video on mine. That's how I look at it. Right and I think a lot of people like very like I think they try to restrict the definition on faith and belief system, right only believe that I know is belief and religion ride. The only face that I know has faith in religion, but they tend to forget about like believing and having a conversation

38:59 Different perspective right belief and you don't have any conversation with someone who actually looks at the world, you know, like differently than I should eat themselves. So I think I'm like if you believe in a religion like as a human as a brother sister, whatever I'm like I treat you to have to believe and the process in which we can start unpacking and you know our belief system and in the process in which we can start educating other people like if you believe in religion like as a human I recommend I encourage you I highly encourage it also like belief and compassion believing kind is belief in respect to other people's opinions, right? Cuz I think like if you don't have this belief system and Humanity of like respecting others and compassion and kindness, I don't think that you know, those people say belief system to my door. I really just completed by this is of course, you know, my personal opinion. Of course, I asked them to be that I think that's what the majority of the religions in the world, you know, like ask him to do so

39:59 But I'm like, like if you want to be kind to your religion, like you don't have to be kind and respect the other humans, right? That's very like to me undeniable fact. I'm like to having a conversation with other people you can you do like Billy belief in their religion Purdue super-connected anything like one way that we can like have people, you know, like chance alike understand the different belief systems and you're not getting rid of like all the Crazy Eights to actually set goals and set out plans for the conversation that they're about to have like before you leave maybe like your door just ask yourself the question. That's like I'm about to have this conversation like two to three things that I'm looking for in this conversation is this to get to know the person personally friendship wise getting to know their favorite colors. And why is it that I want to get educated on right? Like I want to learn more about their belief system. I want to know when interacting with right what kind of beliefs and backgrounds

40:59 Because I'm right right and I think the third one is really tricky. Did you know that this idea persuasion? That's like I want to send it. But of course whether I want to have this idea that I'm going to leave my room and going to educate myself. I believe in compassion. I'll need my religion, but I'm compassion because that's what my religion actually encourages me to do starting to believe and compassion starting to believe in having a conversation with other people and I think starting to believe and setting goals and outcomes. It's to me personally wise could help, you know people to like start having these conversations and start heading over yet billed off of when you already have so I hope that you know, you questions are like, yeah.

41:52 I think something that was coming to mind a lot was like going in and you know you're talking about am I going to go into this conversation to persuade this individual, you know that tricky bit and I think that's something that I've definitely experienced a lot both, you know in myself doing that and then others doing that to me, you know having an agenda to refute what they're saying or what their belief is and I think

42:21 And that's definitely something that I've been guilty of whether it's been conscious or unconscious. It's just going well wait, but this is what I believe my whole life. So when they share something that's different than what I believe. It feels like an attack like a personal attack. And so I think that's something that maybe it needs to be taught or educated in terms of like having these conversations and having these dialogues of going what just because this person believes something different than you or is different than you is not in any way making you less or you know, we are all equal and their beliefs are equally important to them yours are to you and can you find the beauty in that can't you find the humidity in that that you can you share something even though they're drastically different and so I'm just trying to think

43:15 There's like what we can do to help other people engage in these conversations as well because I mean in talking to you feel like we're pretty much on the same page. Like we're just both really curious and open to learning about other people's religions and beliefs and opinions. And so just trying to think in like how to help people Foster those conversations is you know, looking in and going I'm walking in this conversation knowing that we are equal on all levels and that we like can find connection through this thing that's really important to us and through this thing that we're really passionate about and I think that's been something that has definitely been a learning experience.

43:59 When I woke up too much into it because I'm not super educated politically but in like I'm thinking specifically political conversations right differ from people. It's been tricky for me and I've learned a lot of lessons in going into this conversation is going their opinion is not wrong because it's not my opinion. It's just another opinion and they are so that was just like I thought I was coming to mind as you were talking and going how am I going to apply this to me? And in my life and in helping other people engage with me in the same way so that it can be a productive conversation. Like we're having you know, like where we would definitely like to know and very like similar page cuz like we believe in humanity not because like you want to be on the same page, right, but I feel like to believe that we are on the same page and weird.

44:59 Led by so many if I would love to experience a sandwich eating bugs and conversations with other people same clothes. So glad that's like we're having a very productive and educating conversation. And also I think it started crapping out the conversation. I have two questions that I left like he was not on the course you can ask me the same or you can ask me a different question that I we love him like that road map seeing one of the thing is that like do you like feel misunderstood by people who have different belief systems than you right? If so how and I think the second question is like what was about like my conversation today that surprised you write like we expecting someone like was Muslim differently or like what like, how did I surprise you feel like these questions? I think to address the first question. I just kind of talked about it a little bit earlier. I sometimes there are certain values that I think should be prioritized that aren't necessarily by.

45:59 My religion or individuals in my religion and so I think

46:06 With like interacting with people of other religions, which I'm actually really used to because I come from a place where I was the only member in my high school as my church. And so it is just like everyday all day as engaging with people of different beliefs and different religions. And then I'm asking me about mine and there were some aspects they didn't quite understand that really didn't make sense. But I think it was I think it a huge influencer with me walking into this conversation being open to them that led them to being open to me and finding truth in what I believe while I'm simultaneously finding truth and my baby weave.

46:50 And then the second question, I think I don't think there's anything that like surprise me just because I was walking into this. I mean, I'll tell you I am not an expert by any means in the Muslim faith. And so I was just really walking into this going I'm ready for anything, but I just I mean I had a really really Pleasant conversation and it was really fun to find how many like similarities we had in terms of like what we're talking about and things that are really important to us about your journey and kind of you know, re-evaluating going like why do I believe what I believe while still being curious the other beliefs which I think is really admirable.

47:38 Add thank you so much. You are super sweet. Do you have any questions for me or yeah, I guess the same two questions. Like is there anything that like when people I mean especially in your interaction with a lot of members of the church live in Utah, do you sometimes feel misunderstood and then also like was there anything surprising to you about me this conversation but I think like that. They feel like I feel you know misunderstood by a lot of people could like when they think you liked all these people crazy. They're trying to like Kayla is do not of course open till like what we believe they're trying to like dominate the whole world with your religion. And of course, you're not exclusive to like a lot of things you don't like human ride black lives matter. I mean that's like not necessarily the lgbtq +.

48:38 Until I start a conversation with him that I like, you know, I have a huge ear-to-ear smile on my face all the time and how like I'm trying to like it'll be closer to everyone try to listen to The Compassion in the process because every time that I have a conversation all you need to know if that's all you need to know like, you know, but of course I think like my education and you know what I've read. I think I don't like those much you don't like further Beyond, you know, like the really appreciate and how like you're so many similarities between like my religion and also like the LDS church in terms of having big Families in Need Center than some other things, but of course, I think there are few things that are like really controversial and turns out like lgbtq plus rides and also like other things that people like start to run

49:38 Nice D's Des more than before anything the first and I think the second question something that you know, like I'm surprised is it like every time that I started having a conversation with someone of a different faith if I know their faith like the LDS, you know, I'm like, okay, I'm open-minded and you don't get into this conversation with all my heart's in the years. I like educate myself on their belief systems and recognized, you know, they were struggling and all that. But like I hope when I talk about lgbtq + lights or when I talked about like black lives matter anti-racism. I hope they're respectful if you don't like my belief system, which is I think like you definitely surprised me with like your open-mindedness your kindness and also like sweetness and towel like you have been listening to all of the things that I've been staying without like you don't like being a member of the church for my interactions with other

50:38 Any type of the past 5 years that talk about it, right? But I think it really surprised me like especially like how educated someone is. Do, you know who's coming from Annandale high school? And then now, you know rocking the world at BYU it like all these thank you. I'm glad

51:08 All right.

51:09 Well, I think that's pretty good stopping place also, like, you know each other it's like response times and understand the system political and social media.