I am a cradle Catholic. I was born Catholic and will likely die Catholic. Nonetheless, I've always been tolerant of other religions and find their beliefs and traditions interesting. I like to learn about why people believe what they do and where those beliefs come from.
In particular, I've had a lot of Muslim friends, and I wonder why they do what they do, too. For instance, how do they know which way to face when they pray? How do they know when they can break their fasts during Ramadan? And why do they eat a date to break that fast? I learned that last tidbit when I asked a good friend of mine why he carried dates with him during our road trip from his hometown of Kissimmee to Jacksonville. After jokes about dates and blind dates, it turns out that Muhammad ate a date to break his fast, so Muslims carry on that tradition. There was also a time when I thought that dates were just dried figs. Turns out they're actually a real fruit.
Look at that--two lessons in one day.
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