Religious and Racal Discrimination in Eboo Patel’s “Acts of Faith” Essay (Book Review)

Introduction

Religious multiplicity is among the greatest challenges faced by today’s world (Eboo, 2007). “Acts of Faith” is a compelling story that gives inspirations from Eboo Patel, who lived with a vision of unity.

The book takes us through his journey in life from childhood up to adulthood, including his founding mission of a youth interfaith movement, which would cultivate harmony and togetherness among the youth. “Acts of Faith” is an excellent piece that is written with a beautiful flow that gives chronicles of confidence and self discovery.

The author, Dr. Eboo Patel writes about his journey of faking identity, to portray himself as an Indian, an American, and a Muslim. In the process of trying to forge his identity, he came up with a comprehensive conclusion about the similarities between all faiths.

As a result, he developed an interfaith group that was responsible for helping the youth understand, and embrace the commonness of their humanity through their different faiths. Through this movement, the author proves that educating a young nation to ignore religious differences and work for the bosom of everyone is the only way for the world to escape violence and interpersonal conflicts.

Themes of the Book

The main theme of this book is religious fundamentalism. Through this book, Dr. Eboo, the author, covers three main religions that he experienced. He gives to his readership an account of the similarities and differences between the three religions. He then comes up with a general comment to summarize his findings from his experience with different religions.

He also covers the theme of unity among people of different religions and races. The author effectively brings out the theme of unity by working to promote oneness in the society, so that everyone can eliminate religious and racial differences and work for a common interest. He initiates this by supporting an interfaith movement among the youth, which he hopes will bear abundant fruits in future.

Author’s Background Knowledge that equip him to Author this Book

The author of the book, “Acts of faith” has lived a life that has equipped him with relevant experience and skills to write this book. He is an American Muslim from India, possessing three identities but with one body. He lived an adolescent life that offered him a chain of subsequent rejections of various levels of heritage, as he believed that the three religions in him could never co-exist.

He believed that he could not be an Indian, an American, and a Muslim at the same time; he had to serve one master at a time. He grew up outside Chicago, where he had to succumb to a series of constant barrages of racism that exposed him to bullying and mistreatment.

He found himself excluded from the rest of the society because of religion and race. During his high school life, he ignored everything concerning his heritage from the Indian and Muslim religions and worked for his educational success. He did this in a bid to be like the White Native Americans who were around him.

When he joined college, he learnt about the “liberatory” force of politics and the hypocrisies that existed in America. He realized that anger is not a person’s identity. When Yitzhak Rabin was assassinated, Patel watched how young people with raw emotions were recruited by religious extremists who manipulated them into murderers full of hatred (Eboo, 2007).

On the other hand, he was facing distinct ideas at different levels of understanding: an American fighting for equality and openness; a Muslim striving to go back to his original teachings of mercy and forgiveness; an Indian with diversity added to the original material.

The Author’s main Points and Supporting Evidence

The author mainly dwells on how to live with oneness and work for a common interest, despite having a multiplicity of religions and races. He points out that we are all human beings with intrinsic dignity and require to be treated with respect. We are hence the same despite the little physical differences that we may have. He emphasizes on eliminating discrimination against each other.

He convincingly shows how young men with bitterness and hatred can be transformed successfully through the society’s faith, and their own efforts into profound leaders who will advocate for peace in the society rather than war and bloodshed.

He supports his arguments by saying that by faith peace can be achieved even in societies that have had a lot of unrest. This is through instilling the correct values among the youths so that they can grow up learning to live together in peace and work in togetherness. By starting a successful interfaith movement among the youth, he proves his findings about his idea of creating unity and oneness in the society.

He says that figures like Osama bin Laden were once troubled youths but ended up as terrorists because they did not find a suitable mentor; instead, they met people who taught them hatred and fed them with bitterness. If they had met a good mentor, they would have never been terrorists; instead, they would have been among the world’s most honored leaders.

How the Author Argues his Points

Dr. Eboo, the author of “Acts of Faith” is a convincing author. He argues out his points with sufficient evidence. He employs a persuasive language that can potentially transform his entire readership that has been living with hatred and discrimination of any kind. The author argues his point from a societal point of view. He uses common examples that are likely to be familiar to almost all his audiences.

He portrays them in a comprehensive manner, covering each detail, to give his readers the real picture of his meaning, and convey the right message to his target audience. He builds persuading stream of ideas that create a mood of self-reflection to the readers, which help to sink his point home.

Ideas that Link to Other Readings in the Course

The main themes of this book link with several other readings in the course. The ideas of racial and religious discrimination are also brought out in “Dreams from My Father” by Barrack Obama.

The book by Obama also talks about racial discrimination in America. The author shares an experience with Dr. Eboo; he was born of parents from two different cultures, Kenya and Hawaii, he grew up in Hawaii, in a humble family and later in America. Just like Dr. Eboo, Obama lived a life of hope and faith as he wished for a society that did not know any racial and religious differences.

Implications for Cultural Diversity and School Leadership Learnt from the Book

This book teaches about the need to live peacefully in a society of cultural and religious pluralism. Most schools host students from varied ethnic groups and religious backgrounds.

Through this book, school leaders learn to live with other students from a diversity of societies keeping in mind that all human beings are the same; that our physical differences cannot be suffice to justify or cover any level of discrimination. It is hence necessary for school leaders to promote peace among students of different backgrounds.

Audience to direct this book

This book best suits ethnics and racists. It is a marvelous book for people whose souls are filled with hatred and bitterness. Acts of Faith will help such people realize their identities. They will also learn how to find fulfillment in these identities as they work towards the common goal. The book can also be directed to leaders who make their decisions and judgments basing on their personal interests and race or religion.

Strengths and Weaknesses of this Book

Strengths

This book effectively and persuasively covers the idea of pluralism among religions and races. It is a fantastic book that advocates for togetherness and oneness of the human race. The author uses a diversity of styles and diction to create the desired mood and convey his message in a way that is convincing to his audience, as he attempts to achieve his goal of authorship.

Weaknesses

The author makes a general conclusion about the similarities that different races and religions have. He does this basing on only three identities. He does not consider the cultural differences that people have, which are also a cause of discrimination among different groups.

He should have considered such factors in his book and provide a lasting solution to them. The book has many story lines, which are incomplete. It covers some ideas at shallow levels.

Reference

Eboo, P. (2007). Acts of Faith: The Story of an American Muslim, the Struggle for the Soul of a Generation. Boston: Beacons Press.