Houston Oasis board member Janey-Ali Rizvi gave a fantastic talk a couple of days about about what it is like to come out as secular within a Muslim culture.
He is a really good speaker and so investing 30 mins to listing will be time well spent. He brings you right into it all and gets you to feel what it is like to be an ex-Mulsim.
What is Oasis?
Their website explains it like this …
Houston Oasis is a community that meets regularly to create a place for freethinkers to celebrate the human experience. Each week we gather to discuss real-world principles based on reason, not tradition, which are supported by evidence, not scripture or revelation. Founded in September 2012, Houston Oasis is fundamentally different from a church; we could be described as a freethought oasis, where we welcome all people who want to be part of a community exploring life through reason.
We are guided by core values which define our community. They shape our interactions with each other, society, and the world.
- People are more important than beliefs.
- Reality is known through reason.
- Meaning comes from making a difference.
- Human hands solve human problems.
- Be accepting and be accepted.