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Turning Muslim in Texas
BBC TV Channel 4 web site ^
| Jan. 10, 2004
| BBC TV Channel 4
Posted on 01/10/2004 1:30:11 PM PST by JeepInMazar
Turning Muslim 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 Quran 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 sons conversion and believes he will return to the Christian faith: Then he will be a dynamic preacher. Eric says: Maybe some day shell 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.
TOPICS: Front Page News; News/Current Events; US: Texas
KEYWORDS: conversion; islam; jihadinamerica; muslimamericans; muslims; texas
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To: JeepInMazar
Maybe public schools should not get involved in religion, but what is wrong with religious component to education. What is so bad about teaching children that there is a religious tradition and belief that there is one God who created the heavens and the earth? Why withhold information from children in the education process?I support teaching public school children about religion- they should learn the basic doctrines of all major world religions, and a sample of the minor ones.
But they should learn about them in an objective and balanced way ,including the negatives.
The problem is that those who want Creationism and other religious doctrines taught in the schools want them taught as the truth and without any criticism.
That is what I object to
41
posted on
01/10/2004 2:19:52 PM PST
by
WackyKat
To: browardchad
There is no objective evidence to back up these stats, which were likely obtained from CAIR, or the kook being interviewed. I agree. CAIR has been cooking the stats and their reasoning in coming up with their stats is circular and they extrapolate the numbers.
42
posted on
01/10/2004 2:21:00 PM PST
by
JeepInMazar
(I left my Russian Jeep in Mazar-i-Sherif)
To: WackyKat
I've never seen one around here, maybe you can point them out to me.
If someone is calling for a Christian Theocracy, then they're not a fundamentalist.
43
posted on
01/10/2004 2:23:08 PM PST
by
Guillermo
(It's tough being a Miami Dolphins fan)
To: JeepInMazar; Jason_b
Muslims view both Christians and Jews as recipients of divine revelations. However, they also believe that Christians and Jews have proved unworthy custodians of this revelation, and Islam came into being in order to restore the unadulterated divine truth. This view holds Islam to be the final message from God, superceding all previous religions.
The Koran is slightly less than 1400 years old according to historical records. In addition to the Koran, the Muslims also hold as divine truths the sayings of the "Household of the Prophet" which have been orally passed down through the generations. This second source, which is supposed to offer guidance on living and serves to explain the verses of the Koran, is called the Hadith. Muslims place equal emphasis on both the Koran and the Hadith in terms of quoting verses or sayings.
Over time, it is now generally accepted that the Hadith may have become corrupted due to lack of authoritative written translations.
44
posted on
01/10/2004 2:24:12 PM PST
by
nwrep
To: JeepInMazar
Baptists believe "Once saved, always saved."
So, under their logic, if one left the Christian faith, then they were never a Christian to begin with.
45
posted on
01/10/2004 2:24:39 PM PST
by
Guillermo
(It's tough being a Miami Dolphins fan)
To: WackyKat
The problem is that those who want Creationism and other religious doctrines taught in the schools want them taught as the truth and without any criticism. I think we are on the same page. I object to the notion that God should never be mentioned in school and that religion and the Bible is to be excluded from the educational process.
It makes sense to me to have every student in High School to read the major religious texts. Let them read the entire Bible and the entire Quran. Let them read it and discuss the comparisons between the character, life, and teachings of Jesus and Mohammed. A good open minded exposure to what the texts actually say should be part of a quality education.
46
posted on
01/10/2004 2:25:16 PM PST
by
JeepInMazar
(I left my Russian Jeep in Mazar-i-Sherif)
To: WackyKat
Do you think they''ll be able to teach "God made everything" without teaching "Allah made everything", also? Yes. Once we declare Islam an outlawed as a dangerous political system.
"Allah" made nothing.
47
posted on
01/10/2004 2:25:26 PM PST
by
AAABEST
To: Guillermo
Baptists believe "Once saved, always saved." So, under their logic, if one left the Christian faith, then they were never a Christian to begin with. You are speaking about theology, however the way the term is used in our popular culture is that Baptists are Christians. One born into a Baptist family or a Catholic family are Christian by birth when the term is used in the poplular, non-theological sense. They are not Muslims or Hindus, they are Christians.
48
posted on
01/10/2004 2:27:59 PM PST
by
JeepInMazar
(I left my Russian Jeep in Mazar-i-Sherif)
To: RightWingAtheist
All fundamentalists are not alike...
For Christians God sent His Son to die in our place so that we do not have to.
Conversion is by invitaton not force...
There is no moral equivilancy between Christianity and Islam..
Christians need not rely on an external locus of control...in fact without the internal locus of control (the Spirit of the living Christ) it is impossible to please God & be saved from eternal death..
God...The God (God the Father) of Abraham, Isaac & Jacob is not the same god of Mohammed...
Neither is Mohammed the equal of Christ..(God the Son) or God the Holy Spirit
Folks will not accept the God of their fathers but will go whoring after strange gods...those of who they have no knowlege of the truth...or the totality of what that god truely represents...
He...The God of Abraham, Isaac & Jacob has sent them strong delusion...that they would believe a lie..
Atheism...is but another one of these delusions...
imo
For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God. 1
Cor. 1:18
In whom the god of this world (Satan) hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious
gospel of Christ... should shine unto them. 2 Cor. 4:4
The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God. Psalm 53:1
49
posted on
01/10/2004 2:29:22 PM PST
by
joesnuffy
(Moderate Islam Is For Dilettantes)
To: JeepInMazar
Islam, says Eric, is everything I wanted Christianity to be. Maybe that's what Eric says.
But, it's not what Jesus says!
50
posted on
01/10/2004 2:29:40 PM PST
by
Gritty
("They sow the wind and reap the whirlwind"-Hosea 8)
To: JeepInMazar
Yes. Lets teach kids about Christ and Mohammed.
One one hand the Prince of Peace who preached nothing but unconditional love and gave His life to the world, and left a light that shines thoughout the millenia, transforming and civilizing the world.
On the other hand we have a false prophet who was a murderer and a child molester who worshipped the moon, and whose followers are insane uncompromising maniacs.
I agree, let's teach both.
51
posted on
01/10/2004 2:30:05 PM PST
by
AAABEST
To: JeepInMazar
I'm explaining why that fellow said this convert was not a Christian.
He is not saying Baptists aren't Christian, he is saying this fellow was never a Christian.
52
posted on
01/10/2004 2:30:33 PM PST
by
Guillermo
(It's tough being a Miami Dolphins fan)
To: Guillermo
I've never seen one around here, maybe you can point them out to me. If someone is calling for a Christian Theocracy, then they're not a fundamentalist.Read any of the lengthy Roy Moore threads, for starters
53
posted on
01/10/2004 2:33:23 PM PST
by
WackyKat
To: JeepInMazar
HA HA HA HA HA!
This is the BIBLE belt, not the Shari'a belt, you moron.
You people are giving this crap too much credence. There is a reason that the British warships did not want the BBC on the TVs during the war.
400,000. That's rich.
54
posted on
01/10/2004 2:34:26 PM PST
by
johnb838
(Understand the root causes of AMERICAN anger.)
To: WackyKat
Can you be more specific? Maybe a link, or the name of these theocratic posters?
I've been on this board for almost 6 years, and I've not seen a single call for theocracy on here.
55
posted on
01/10/2004 2:36:00 PM PST
by
Guillermo
(It's tough being a Miami Dolphins fan)
To: AAABEST
Once we declare Islam an outlawed as a dangerous political system. Which is what the Catholics did to Cathars, the Catholics did to the Protestants, the Protestants did to the Catholics, one Protestant sect did to another, everybody did to the Jews, etc.
Which is why we have the First Amendment, giving us freedom of religion.
If you don't like it move to Saudi Arabia, they practice the banning of disfavored religions
56
posted on
01/10/2004 2:37:19 PM PST
by
WackyKat
To: WackyKat
Islam resembles an ideology (like fascism and communism) more than it does a traditional religion.
I wasn't around in WWII, but I doubt many pro-Nazi rallies/gatherings were tolerated.
I'm not saying we should ban Islam, but we should certainly end immigration from Islamic countries.
57
posted on
01/10/2004 2:40:20 PM PST
by
Guillermo
(It's tough being a Miami Dolphins fan)
To: JeepInMazar
Islam, says Eric, is everything I wanted Christianity to be. Christianity is about God, not about us. Perhaps Eric just wanted a religion that put him and his "needs" above God's glory.
Just what the author of Islam, Satan, wants -- people to think of their desires over the will and glory of God....
58
posted on
01/10/2004 2:42:24 PM PST
by
Theo
To: JeepInMazar
"
But most people who call themselves Christians don't know the Bible very well."Or Christ, either.
You make my point.
To: Guillermo
I've not seen a single call for theocracy on here.
I believe the poseter is engaging in a bit of hyperbole.
60
posted on
01/10/2004 2:43:51 PM PST
by
johnb838
(Understand the root causes of AMERICAN anger.)
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