This tweet went viral. Muslims are calling me a hedonist, worshipper of productivity, etc. Thing is, I'm all for spirituality, for taking time off and smelling the flowers, for meditating or voluntary fasting. Problem is Ramadan is obligatory....
You are threatened with punishment from Allah and censure from the Muslim community. Kids have to fast too with no food/water for 30 days from puberty onwards. This is downright cruelty if not abuse. Nobody should be forced to fast, especially not a child.
And the effects go way beyond a personal individuals choice to fast when the entire country is fasting. These are choices that affect our world and are worth talking about. What type of world we live in will depend on the choices that we collectively make.
Islam pulls us down and wastes the productivity and lives of 1/5th of the world's population for one month of every year (actually more, since its a shorter calendar). This is downright evil, a lie, a fraud that robs Muslims of many years of their lives.
I fasted Ramadan for over a decade. It was always challenging. I saw it as a sacrifice I made for the sake of Allah. And the days were damn long here too. In recent years from 4am to 9pm or so. Do that for 30 days and add extra prayers see how you feel.
My kids never got their full parents for Ramadan. They got half parents because we were not eating all day. By evening you are tired and grumpy and can't wait for 9pm to come. You also don't take them out as much and end up staying home doing more Quran reading and stuff.
If Ramadan was optional, I wouldn't be able to argue against it like this. It really would be a free choice then. Since it's not, I have every right to say its horrible and really a crime against humanity. What other religion puts such a heavy burden on its followers?
