Religion as a Marketplace

 Religion as a Marketplace

Walking through Upper Dean Street Market on a Saturday afternoon, with the sunshine piercing my body and reflecting off my sunglasses, I made my way through the crowd of people shopping in the Bullring towards the nearest McDonald's to get an ice cream and cool myself down.

"Can I help you?" the young man in a turban asked.

"One McFlurry, please," I replied.

He smiled as I handed over my money and gave me my chosen ice cream.

"Have a good day," he called out as I left the restaurant to find a seat outside where I could enjoy it.

As I walked through the crowd towards an empty seat, I spotted a large stone slab not far away. At that moment, I heard a voice rise above the noise of the crowd:

"Repent, for the Judgement Day is at hand!"

I looked around to see where the voice was coming from and saw a man in a black jacket holding a Bible in his left  hand and a microphone in the other.

I smiled and thought to myself, What a cliché.

Continuing on, I reached the seat I had noticed earlier and sat down to eat my ice cream.

One spoonful, then another. I enjoyed my McFlurry as I watched the world pass by.

"Ha! Ha! Ha!" I heard.

To my left, I saw four men dressed in black suits, each wearing a small cap centred on his head. They stood together talking and laughing among themselves.

Realising they had noticed my stare, I quickly looked away.

To my right stood three men with long beards gathered around a table. They wore white caftans and were handing out small books and leaflets to passers-by.

As my eyes peered through the gap between two of the men, I noticed a banner that read:

‘Learn Islam’.

I thought to myself:

Religion is like a marketplace.

A place where different sellers display their products and call out to potential customers, inviting them to stop, listen, and consider what is being offered.

Like a marketplace, religion is a space where people with different beliefs present their faith, invite others to hear their message, and seek to help others understand what they believe and why they believe it.