Omar Mateen’s act of terrorism created a number of unexpected effects, some of them precisely the opposite of what he probably intended and has provided the country with an opportunity for growth on several fronts. As the complicated story unfolds, focusing on discrimination, Islamic radicalism, gun control, immigration, and politics, author Frances Fuller, who spent 30 years in the Middle East, notes that Mateen hurt us, as he meant to do, but would be surprised by some of the results.
"Omar Mir Seddique Mateen, whoever he was down deep, whatever his motivation, regardless of his legal right to own an assault weapon, has done more than he could have expected to do when he planned to slaughter a roomful of unsuspecting people," Fuller stated. "He played into the hands of an unfriendly and reckless politician, made life harder for Muslim Americans, provoked an outpouring of love and support for the gay community that he attacked, revealed the violence in extremist Islam and exposed a similar strain in a legalistic group of Christians."
Fuller says that the tragedy provides a crucial moment to consider our own acceptance of a violence as a means of achieving our will. She points out that Jesus, who is the center of the Christian faith, refused to perpetuate the violent history that he inherited.
“If we are violent, it is because we have accepted, instead of resisting, the evil culture of our world. This culture is the way of perpetual conflict, but every tragedy is an opportunity to see our mistake and learn.”
Frances Fuller puts a face on the Middle East many Americans have not yet seen. Her award-winning memoir, 'In Borrowed Houses', gives readers a penetrating glimpse of the Middle East from the inside.
Told in short episodes, Fuller’s book reveals the alienation, confusion and courage of civilians in the Lebanese civil war, introducing to the reader a variety of real people with whom the author interacts: editors, salesmen, neighbors, refugees, soldiers, missionaries, lawyers, shepherds, artists, students. With these people she works, studies, plays games, prays, laughs and cries, all to the accompaniment of gunfire. Together these small stories tell what war is like for civilians caught on a battlefield, and they create the impression of the Lebanese as a fun-loving, witty, patient and resilient people. Fuller's stories compose not a political history, but a historical document of a time and a place.
Critics have praised ‘In Borrowed Houses.’ A judge in the 22nd Annual Writer’s Digest Self-Published Book Awards called 'In Borrowed Houses' “ . . a well written book full of compassion . . . a captivating story . . . ”. Another reviewer described the book as “Wise, honest, sensitive, funny, heart-wrenching . . .”. Colin Chapman, lecturer in Islamic Studies at the Near East School of Theology in Beirut said, “ . . . western Christians and Middle Eastern Christians need to read this story…full of remarkable perceptiveness and genuine hope.”
Frances Fuller is available for media interviews and can be reached using the information below or by email at frances0516@att.net. The full text of her latest article is available at her website. Fuller's book is available at Amazon and other book retailers. A free ebook sample from 'In Borrowed Houses' is available at http://www.payhip.com/francesfuller. Frances Fuller also blogs on other issues relating to the Middle East on her website at http://www.inborrowedhouseslebanon.com.
About Frances Fuller:
Frances Fuller spent thirty years in the violent Middle East and for twenty-four of those years was the director of a Christian publishing program with offices in Lebanon. While leading the development of spiritual books in the Arabic language, she survived long years of civil war and invasions.
Contact:
Frances Fuller
frances0516@att.net
http://www.inborrowedhouseslebanon.com
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