It’s Iimi! Truth, Justice, and the Moral Way…

Iimi and Krysta are taken aback when Rick asks to interview Iimi for an elective journalism class. Reluctantly agreeing, she soon realizes that this isn’t simply about explaining her views. It’s a battle to defend… Truth, Justice, and the Moral Way!

Fifteen Years of Blogging!

Fifteen Years of blogging. When I started on Xanga, I never expected to be where I am now. Thank you all for following me. Now we’ll see what the future holds.

Journey’s End. Journey’s Beginning.

Kismetta finally had come clean to her parents about wanting to become a Christian. Will she be able to resist the pressure against her? What consequences are there? And, since she is a minor, what will her parents (who have authority over her) decide?

Post Comic notes: While the story is about Kismetta’s conversion, telling it through the perspective of her parents’ anguish was important to give the reader a sense of what she had to overcome. Yes, as Catholics, we know Kismetta made the correct choice. But converting to the Catholic faith is always painful when the family of the convert thinks that the choice is wrong. That pressure is why some fail to move forward with what they believe is right, and that is why we need to support them and pray for them.

It’s Iimi! Go to Jibril!

After finally accepting that Jesus is God, angering her mother, Kismetta tries to take the next steps, hoping it will be smooth sailing. But there are other things in play than she realizes. Meanwhile, her parents hope to find a way to divert what they see as blasphemy. What will happen when Kismetta follows the command to… Go to Jibril!

Post Comic notes:

 

Jibril is the Arabic version of Gabriel… the Archangel. In Islam, he is claimed to be the one who gave Muhammad the Quran. So, it’s natural that Kismetta would think this is who was referred to in Issue 131. But if you look down at the bottom of the sign on the cover of this issue, you’ll see that perhaps, the meaning was a bit more down to earth.

It’s Iimi! There is Nothing Concealed That Will Not Be Revealed

After accepting that Jesus Christ is who Christians profess He is, Kismetta hopes to avoid strife by keeping this information from her family. But is she about to learn the truth of the words of the Gospel: There is Nothing Concealed That Will Not Be Revealed.

It’s Iimi! Breakthrough!

It can be hard to be patient when you can’t identify any forward momentum in what you try to do. Often our human efforts seem to come to nothing. But God has a plan too, and you never know when He plans a… Breakthrough!

Post-Comic notes: And so it begins for Kismetta, not ends. She has many more steps to take. But she’s taken an important first step towards Christ.

As a side note, in showing the reactions of the Muslims Kismetta  knew, it had to be the Assistant Imam who opposed Najiyah’s plans, to avoid turning him into a cardboard villain. The Assistant Imam would not want to live under ISIS or the Taliban. The Muslims in this comic are not extremists. But, like all other people, they can make errors of judgment. 

For those who may be mildly shocked by the Assistant Imam returning Najiyah’s feelings despite their age difference, or those who assume that the stories of Muhammad’s wife Aisha, means all Muslim men are pedophiles, I found it interesting that, while California allows underage marriage with parental consent, it’s forbidden in Jordan (where the Assistant Imam comes from) and Qatar (where Najiyah comes from). Exceptions can be granted if the courts find the underage partner to be mature enough to understand the responsibility of marriage. 

But the point is, the Assistant Imam wants to wait until Najiyah becomes an adult so she doesn’t rush into a situation she might later regret.

His position on polygyny reflects the research I’ve found online. The most common view I’ve seen from Muslims online is, “Can men do this? Yes.  Should they do this? We don’t recommend it.”.