Turning Muslim in Texas

BBC TV Channel 4 web site ^ | Jan. 10, 2004 | BBC TV Channel 4

[JeepInMazar]

Turning Muslim in Texas

	Praying in Texas

George W Bush may be backed by Christian fundamentalists but in his home state of Texas, Islam is the latest big draw. The Bible belt is transferring its allegiance to the Qur’an because, for many erstwhile Christians, believe it or not, the church is too liberal.

Eric was a Baptist preacher before he became a Muslim 14 years ago. Now he prays five times a day – even in the middle of watching a football game. His wife, Karen, also a convert, is covered from head to toe in the traditional Muslim burka. Islam, says Eric, ‘is everything I wanted Christianity to be’. His mother has found it hard to come to terms with her son’s conversion and believes he will return to the Christian faith: ‘Then he will be a dynamic preacher.’ Eric says: ‘Maybe some day she’ll embrace Islam.’

Women are also becoming followers of Muhamed. Yasmine (previously Mindy) arranged a marriage for herself and has three children. Islam, she says is ‘the solution to a lot of the prevailing evils: drugs, adultery, fornication…’ Converts often see the religious laws more clearly than those who have been brought up as Muslims and Yasmine can spot a mistake at 20 paces. She believes that she has a unique opportunity to help people who are born into the religion get back to the fundamentals.

Catherine has been a Muslim for two weeks. She came from a privileged background – private school followed by a career in PR. Now the established Muslim women guide her through the purification rituals as she washes before prayer and removes her nail varnish.

David is the only white Muslim in his little town on Route 66. He believes his new religion makes him a better American and, far from undermining liberties, gives the individual more rights. He had an arranged marriage and his wife, who was born a Muslim, was shocked by the strictness with which he insists they live their lives. His family – a white man with his wife and daughter dressed in their hijabs (headscarves) –are stared in the streets and supermarkets of their one-horse town.

There are 400,000 Muslims in Texas alone and Islam is the fastest growing religion in the USA. Since 9/11 there have been more converts to Islam than ever. Eric believes that people are trying to understand Muslims and want to learn about their religion. Yasmine says: ‘America should not be afraid. If it would be better Muslims were the majority. If a child asks me: “Who made this leaf?” I say, “Allah. Allah made everything.”’

[Maria S]

"They marvel that this 1600 year old document has not been changed or edited. Isn't the Torah much much older and the same?"

I hope that all of these so-called 'converts' are taking the time to research Islam, Mohammed, and the Koran. Once they do, they will go back to either Christianity or Judaism, whichever they left.

Mohammed could neither read nor write, and he 'reported' all of the stuff that was to be written in the Koran after his wife had read to him from the Torah. (This is a greatly simplified version, but you get the gist.) The Koran is probably THE largest plagiarized piece of literature ever created.

How former 'Christians' can convert to Islam is beyond me, especially the way muslims seem to feel about Jews. What on earth is happening in this country?

[Squantos]

I have encountered this pisslamic genius and his tribe ..........nasty looking lot . They'd do better to pray for soap .

Stay Safe !

[xJones]

I wonder if remnants of the Islam accepting Paulicans -come - Bogomils - who passed through parts of Southern Germany - influenced Luther?

That's a long stretch by any imagination and what influenced Luther was the corruption of the Catholic Church.

[Destro]

Of course. Just speculating....

[AAABEST]

Children don't need to be taught evil and be left to make up their own minds. The Quran (or however it's spelled)belongs in the toilet, not in the hands of a child.

The only time I'd let my child touch one is if he was going to wipe his ass with it, and probably not even then.

[AAABEST]

I don't think we're at the point of banishment just quite yet.

That's because - as I said - you're much more easy going and charitable than I.

The best thing we could do for them and the world is convert them now.

They're very lucky that they have the Guillermos of the world, as there are many who would love nothing more than to give them the holy war that they so desire (and refuse to denounce).

[Guillermo]

Well, of course, the best thing is for them to convert...but the thing is, you can't convert anyone at the point of a bayonet.

And, don't accuse me of being easy going and charitable, I'm quite the ___-hole, thank you ;)

(I say, another large-scale attack, and Mecca and Madinah go up in smoke within the hour, and every Mohammedan is rounded up and deported by the end of the week)

[mindspy]

There just a bunch of kooks or ex druggies. If it wasn't islam and we were in the 70's it would be Est (sp?) or some other gathering for kooky outcasts. If not born a muslim, I think Islam is a huge draw for the nut jobs that want to belong to something and be loved by someone. However, this is scary because there are an awful lot of pointy heads out there that will fit in the scarf.

[xJones]

Of course. Just speculating....

How lame, try harder.

I can speculate that the current Pope is really the anti-christ by tracing a mythological ancestry through Albigensian southern France and claim that he drinks from the Holy Grail that Himmler couldn't find because his Polish mother hid it under her bed next to the Spear of Lohengrin which was falsely claimed to be in a German mine shaft.

If we're going to speculate, we can have a really good time, Destro. BTW, your FR page is a good excuse not to post one.

[Destro]

Then why do the Protestants always bring up the Paulicans as an example of early pre-Luther Protestants?

The Paulicians sincerely condemned the memory and opinions of the Manichean sect, and complained of the injustice which impressed that invidious name on the simple followers of Paul and Christ. The objects which had been transformed by the magic of superstition, appeared to the eyes of the Paulicians in their genuine and naked colors. Of the ecclesiastical chain, many links were broken by these reformers; and against the gradual innovations of discipline and doctrine, they were strongly guarded by habit and aversion, as by the silence of Paul and the Evangelists. They attached themselves with peculiar devotion to the writings and character of Paul, and in whom they gloried. In the gospels, and epistles of Paul, Constantine investigated the creed of the primitive Christians; and whatever might be the success, a Protestant reader will applaud the spirit of the inquiry. In practice, or at least in theory, of the sacraments, the Paulicians were inclined to abolish all visible objects of worship, and the words of the gospel were, in their judgments, the baptism and communion of the faithful. A creed thus simple and spiritual, was not adapted to the genius of the times, and the rational Christian was offended at the violation offered to his religion by the Paulicians. †Gibbon's Ro. Hist. Ch. 54.

[xJones]

Then why do the Protestants always bring up the Paulicans as an example of early pre-Luther Protestants?

You must run around in some weird circles because I've never heard of Paulicans until today. Believe or not, we aren't pelicans.

[Destro]

You should read Gibbon's "Rise and Fall of the Roman Empire" then.

[xJones]

Dear Gibbons, "the noblest of the Romans". If all his siblings hadn't died in infancy and his sweetheart cut off by his Calvinist father, he might not have blamed Christianity so hard for the fall of the Roman Empire.

[xJones]

You see, Gibbons saw the fall of the Roman Empire through the eyes of a lapsed Calvinist. Imagine if a lapsed Buddhist wrote his version of what happened to the Roman Empire hundreds of years before. Or better yet, a lapsed Hinduist trying to interpret a time far ago from his. Now that could really get funny.

History written by someone with a grudge is not the most reliable source, but every historian tries to tell it through their own myoptic eyes.

[Hila]

Well, if a child asks who made this leaf, the correct answer is YAHWEH the Creator, Maker of heavens and earth. And Allah is simply a moon-god, invention of satan.

[GOPcapitalist]

If a child asks me: “Who made this leaf?” I say, “Allah. Allah made everything.”’

This hints of a major epistemological problem inherent to mohammedan theology. Mohammedanism is deeply rooted in the occassionalist belief that an act of "allah" brings about every worldly event to the most simple of scientific phenomena. To them, cotton burns not because a lit match is placed upon it but because "allah" specifically wills that it burn in each event that this happens. In the greater scheme of things this translates into unfavorable logical consequences. To one end, it removes culpability from action and gives rise to a tendency to excuse away acts of great sin such as, oh, say suicide bombings as being something in the will and service of "allah." To the other end it gives rise to a state where authority itself derives from "allah's" supposed will rather than consent of the governed. In other words, the ayatollah, acting as an intercessor at the will of "allah" for the imam mahdi for that period in between his alleged dissappearence and alleged return, becomes the chief agent of the state and his decrees of fatwah and jihad become its laws.

But returning to the original question, the real answer is not as this individual said. If a child asks "who made this leaf" the answer is that the leaf grew from the tree, which grew upon the earth as a created living organism. That earth from which the organism grew, and the existence of the organisms of life themselves, are the substances of creation to which a Creator, who we know as the judeo-Christian God, is ultimately the initiating causally responsible being.

The loosely judeo-christianized yet wholly heretical form of the mohammedan moon idol, by contrast, had nothing to do with it.

[Hank Rearden]

Is this the same Death Cult that has very specific instructions for its moronic followers to enter a room, wipe their butts and wash their hands?

You get to be a Moo if you're too stupid even for the Scientologists.

[Vigilanteman]

I don't think the LDS, per say, actually convert you after you are dead. They only give you the baptism which you can accept or reject.

Rather different from Democrat Party bosses who turn deceased Republicans into Democrats.

[Jacob Kell]

The BBC probably got their statistics from CAIR, or some other similar group. They have exaggerated the number of Moslems in the U.S.

[1john2 3and4]

re: your post (#116)

i found your post to be one of the most informative pieces of writing i have ever read here on FR. i had not been aware of that aspect of mohamed-ism, and it explains quite a bit about the cult-ure. for instance,

could the belief- that all that happens is "allah's will"- be the reason that the cult-ure has not developed?... insofar as it seems to eliminate, or at least discourage, a certain curiosity necessary for the nourishment of the scientific mind?

fascinating, thank you!