I would like to make a neutral observation. The discussions regarding
religion that have taken place among Roger, Carl, and Mustafa, do not lead
to mutual understanding or resolution of issues. Rather, they appear to be
experienced by Mustafa as attacks upon a central tenet of his life, an
important part of his identity, and thus, he attacks back. While Roger sees
these discussions as rational debate, and Carl sees them as open discussion
of personal views, Mustafa does not. Mustafa is not going to stop believing
in his faith. Roger is not going to stop wanting to prove over and over
again that he is the more rational of the two and that his position is
correct. Carl may never stop wanting to make amends for having been an
Evangelical Christian in the past.
Miriam
