Islam is a cycle of indoctrination, misinformation and hatred, and a woman's role can be a terrifying one. Nonie Darwish grew up in Egypt and Gaza in the 1950s and 60s and is the child of a father who is considered to be a martyr for Islam. But, as she matured, she began to question Islamic traditions, both Qur'anic and cultural, and as she grew older her doubts uprooted her religious upbringing. Instead of the indoctrination of hatred that she experienced while young, she encountered Christianity when she came to America and its emphasis on loving one's neighbors. This shook her world.
But leaving the world of Islam is more than a simple decision to change one's religion - Nonie was amazed at the difference between the world of her youth and that of her new life in America. Here she became a Christian and started to understand the disparity between what Muslims truly believe and what is portrayed in the media. With her love of the Arab people along with a new-found love for America, Jews and Israel, she now speaks publicly about reconciliation, acceptance and understanding between Israelis and Arabs.
