I am in the northwest of Pakistan where I meet Mahmoud (alias, ed.). He is a Christian working in the public education system, where he supervises public schools and also introduces teachers to new teaching methods, such as activity-based learning. Not only does he know the Christian minority inside out, he is also an education expert with a relevant academic background.
Mahmoud says: “Children of Christian parents have a hard time in public schools. They are often lonely, feel left out, shy and afraid to engage with the community. They may not even raise their hands in class to answer questions so as not to attract attention.”
Indignantly, he says that some Christian parents even tell their children not to answer questions about the Christian faith, even from classmates. The questions could be, for example, why Christians believe in three gods (the Trinity, ed.) or whether Jesus is a prophet or the Son of God.
“Parents are not able to prepare their children from home to answer questions, as they may not be literate, numerate or have any education themselves. Many poor Christians have created mental walls in their heads where they are very afraid of the Muslim majority.”
Many poor Christians have created mental walls in their heads where they are very afraid of the Muslim majority - Mahmoud
Some Pakistani Christians develop inferiority from childhood
“Because of fear and restraint, Christian children in public schools can develop a sense of inferiority that can shape their personality for life. I believe a child's personality is formed from the age of zero to ten. Therefore, it can be harmful if children grow up this way,” the experienced educator says emphatically. He recommends that Christian children attend a Christian independent school for the first few years of their lives. This can prepare them for attending public educational institutions later on.
“I do believe that Christian children can rise and shine if their parents could educate them to answer questions. There are examples of Christian children doing well in public educational institutions if their parents have taught them what to answer in school. They will also thrive in the community, but their psyche and mentality needs to change so they don't feel inferior.”
Mahmoud's mom prepared him for the tough questions at school
Mahmoud grew up with a mother who was a teacher and could teach him the Bible. “In the evenings, she would bring up what we had learned in school about Islam. For example, a Muslim friend once encouraged me to become a Muslim. He told me that I would be able to have sex with virgins in paradise if I converted to Islam. But because I was prepared for such questions, I could say that in my family there are also women. If we as a family became Muslim, what would women get in heaven? My classmate didn't know how to answer, so he went to a Muslim scholar. The next day he met me with dejected eyes. He hadn't gotten an answer to my question.”
Because of his upbringing and approach to life, Mahmoud now has a good relationship with non-Christians. “I have friends who are Muslim and Hindu. I don't feel inferior, but see everyone as equal human beings.”
On the contrary, Mahmoud sometimes experiences respect from Muslims for the Christian faith. “I think some are jealous of the Christian attitude. For example, Christians are taught to be humble and forgive their enemies. This approach is not found in Islam, which rather teaches that you should take revenge on your enemies.”
