Funny story - reasoning about Islam and Rasta with a black woman at work

[Kebo]

I had to tell this story - its a classic. Today at work I was reasoning with a black woman - she was asking me how I got into rasta. She told me she favored Islam. Her understanding is that Islam is an African religion. I reasoned back that its only African because its an Abrahamic faith, but that Islam is founded in Saudi Arabia, in Asia. She reasons back that Saudi Arabia is part of Africa and on the map motions that the whole middle east is part of Africa. I clarify things for her and she tells me she's gonna check with her source and get back to me.

Later that day she comes back to me with her info. Her info tells her that back in the day the whole world was called Asia and the man who discovered Africa named it Africa. You can't make make that stuff up.

Funny stuff - also another sign that black americans could use education about their roots

[discipleofthenile]

Who determined the boundaries for "Afrika" or "Asia"?

Would you be so kind to tell me what of her information was so erroneous and funny?

[Kebo]

If u dont get it kid I cant explain it to u

[discipleofthenile]

well you must excuse me.  I guess I am another dumb black american who needs education about my roots and do not see the humor in your story.

No I do not get it.
I still do not see where this person is off.  It seems to be you that is off the mark.

You specify "black woman at work" and "black american"...
What are you?

[Kebo]

Whats up are you a muslim - do u know anything about race and skin color and culture and roots - are you cool with the belief that an outsider discovered Africa - I think a black person who wants to claim the arabic countries as their spiritual homeland is off the mark - what i said is easy to understand why you making it hard - and my race is none of your business

[discipleofthenile]

*******and my race is none of your business *******

yet you mention a "black woman at work" and make a statement about "black americans" yet YOUR race is irrelevant?!?!

I say it is my business since you made it such a point to identify black this and black that...there are other ways to describe someone other than their skin color...especially if you are going to state that your race is none of my business.

And as far as "discovering" Afrika and naming it, perhaps that refers to Africanus.

*******I think a black person who wants to claim the arabic countries as their spiritual homeland is off the mark*******

Well I think you missed the mark when this person explained that "Asia" and "Afrika" are not bounded and constrained to the european's carving of it.  I am not being a protectionist for Islam or Arabs but lets be sure of our definitions.

It is really obvious that YOU missed the point that this person was making about Asia and Afrika.  What you see on the Rand-McNally map is what the invaders and colonizers demarked as boundaries.

God did not carve borders.

Nevertheless, since it seems like you do have the time to go into it, I still would like to know what part was so doggone funny?

[Kebo]

If your thing is 'god did not carve borders' then we aint on the same page - forget it

[discipleofthenile]

******* forget it *******

sure, that will be easy.  It was not a funny story anyway.

[Kebo]

I re-read my first post and it does has racist tones but my interest is in African consciousness - so I would rather hear of a black woman turning to an Afro-centric spirituality that an Arabic one - maybe her reasoning about the world initially being called Asia wasnt that far-fetched but what was humorous to me was the fact that a theory can be created to support any belief - in this case the belief in Islam - to me her reasoning sounded less like truth and more like an islamicized point of view

[discipleofthenile]

thank you for the honest clarification/explanation.

-bless