Queer Query #13: Religious Fashion ?

This post might be considered offensive by some .. so i will try as much as possible to tip toe and be non offensive...

Basically, like almost anything with a lifestyle where it includes a fashion, a trend, a following, religion is no exception. However whats interesting its not a uniform trend globally or even within the same country, at least thats how i observe it, so for example in Australia it might have been the trend a couple of years ago among to be paganist, while now the new "fad' is being Agnostic. While on the other side of the world our beloved Egypt the religious trend is dependent on which society you are in, if you are in the straight or gay society.. and then which straight society in. Within the straight society the trend is tending lately to be more pro-conservative, i.e. more religious, however in the same time if you look at the straight "High Society" you would notice well they becoming more religious in terms of words and preaching but not really by acting upon it... after all who filled Skybar and Marasi this summer ;).

Enter the queer world of Egypt, well the fashion in it is Agnosticism, we try to follow the west sometimes. you know what is funny for me sometimes, when i was reading the blog of IQ and his last post "Sin-me My Sunni"... the comments that came on his blog by some of his readers that was all pro his provocative anti-islamic comments seemed to have came out of ignorance, ignorance about Islam, or religion in general, at times i felt like i was a reading a comment of a stupid airhead red state American guy, who is just responding for the sake of responding and following the fashion with no real knowledge of the issues. I in general have no issues or a bone with agnosticism however i am just annoyed when people comment on issues that they are not best knowledgeable about..

Well i myself am a muslim, and i do believe in Islam and i do respect other peoples choices on religion, one of my best friend has a wierd mix of sufism mixed together with kabbalah spiced up with some christianity, my other best friend prays all his five prayers, oh i forgot to mention they both live in london, not in Egypt. ... speaking of religious fashion, i get asked this wierd question this ramadan, that i dont think have been asked before on any ramadan ....

The conversation usually goes something like this ..

Friend: Are you fasthing this ramadan ?

Me: Yes

Friend: Like Fully Fasting ?

Me: huh is there more than one kind of fasting ?

Friend: Yes there is fasting from food only, while smoking and having water... there is fasting from everything other than cigarettes .... there is fasting while having sex ,,,

Me: NO I AM FASTING FULLY!!!!

is this a new a trend? new forms of fasting has developed, is there a new fashion for fasting ?

I believe that regardless of which religious belief you have, having some spirituality or faith in a deity is important for ones soul, so this ramadan, regardless of who or what you believe in... explore your spiritual side ... ? ask your self some questions like seriously, whats the point of this life... is the point of me living.. to blog, or to do the worthless 9-5pm job to advance humanity, or is the point of us living is for us to our soul mate ? what is the point... this ramadan do a bit soul searching, and understand when it comes to religion .. following a fashion trend can be dangerous for your soul, and try to following what you believe in and try find what you believe in and do understand finding what you believe in is not an easy journey...

peacefully yours,

Q