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A Clash of culture, faith (latina conversions to islam)
CNN ^

Posted on 06/05/2006 4:27:34 AM PDT by The Lion Roars

Every morning, Jackie Avelar wakes up to a predicament. On one side of her bed is a clock that sounds the Islamic call to prayer five times a day. On the other side is a statue of Mary. As a Muslim, she wants to remove it. As a Latina, she can't.

Her father, who is a Catholic from El Salvador, wants the statue to stay.

Photos Embracing a New Faith A growing number of Latinos are redefining themselves through Islam, attracted by a devoutness, simiplicity and way of treating women that they prefer to the machismo culture they were raised in.

"I have to respect him," Avelar said.

So she has found a comfortable balance: She covers the statue with a photo of her family.

Avelar, 31, constantly struggles to find balance within her family, within the outside world, within herself. Growing up, she was a beach-going, tank top-wearing, salsa-dancing girl. Now, she's a devout Muslim who favors Islamic garments and avoids socializing with men.

Across the nation, thousands of Latino immigrants are redefining themselves through Islam, including a few hundred in the Washington region, according to national Islamic groups and community leaders. Precise numbers are not available, but estimates range from 40,000 to 70,000.

(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonpost.com ...


TOPICS: Culture/Society
KEYWORDS: islam; latin
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To: Redleg Duke
Every time I see a caucasion or latin woman in hijab, I feel pity. Talk about a self-inflicted wound!

With the World Cup coming up, I'm tempted to call that an "own goal!"
21 posted on 06/05/2006 5:18:41 AM PDT by July 4th (A vacant lot cancelled out my vote for Bush.)
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To: Free Baptist

Have you heard of "worship" in terms of dulia, hyperdulia, and latria? There is a difference, you know.


22 posted on 06/05/2006 5:24:38 AM PDT by Pyro7480 (What do leftists, Islamists, & Jack Chick and his ilk have in common? Hatred of the Catholic Church)
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To: Thorin

">>>>>>In business after business in the Philippines you can see, hanging on the walls, god shelves, where BOTH Roman Catholic idols and Buddhist idols are placed together, and incense is burning there.

"This is probably because the business is owned by an ethnic Chinese, who own many businesses in the Philippines but who, unlike the Filipinos, generally aren't Catholic."

NOPE. These are members of the Roman Catholic church, and big givers to it. Regardless, why wouldn't any Roman Catholic priest in the Philippines ever speak on the error of this mixture? They never would. They don't care, as long as the proper gifts are made to the church (or personally to the priests).


23 posted on 06/05/2006 5:28:47 AM PDT by Free Baptist
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To: The Lion Roars

Very funny article. Thanks for posting.

The funny part is that the most logical explanation for the "macho" part of Iberian culture, as compared to that of other Mediterranean Catholic countries, is the period of Muslim domination of the peninsula.

The extreme identification of male "honor" with female virtue is straight out of the honor killing aspect of Arab culture.

Although the Spanish "point of honor" requires killing the rapist or seducer, not the sister or daughter. Personally, I consider that a considerable improvement.


24 posted on 06/05/2006 5:33:09 AM PDT by Restorer
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To: Free Baptist; sinkspur
Your opinion of what Roman Catholics do with idols is out-voted by the members of your own church outside of the United States.

I am neither Roman Catholic nor Protestant but I recognize God as the only One worthy of worship and I know Jack Chick claptrap when I see it.

25 posted on 06/05/2006 5:37:54 AM PDT by kanawa
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To: Pyro7480
Have you heard of "worship" in terms of dulia, hyperdulia, and latria? There is a difference, you know.

Such subtleties are lost on one with only a partially-developed faith.

26 posted on 06/05/2006 5:38:04 AM PDT by markomalley (Vivat Iesus!)
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To: Free Baptist
As a Latina she can't remove the statue.

Dove dice quello nella bibbia?

Of course, I don't have to translate that for you, because you can speak in tongues! If you can't, then you may want to see a doctor, as you may have suffered some brain damage when you were "dunked". That would be bad, would it not? You might be "left behind" because of something like that! Thankfully, if you keep reading the King James Bible alone (written by Shakespeare-actor/playwright-reliable?), you will be saved. Are you even literate enough to read something so complex?

Are you Baptist Church of God or Baptist Church of the Lord? Are you original Baptist Church of God, or are you reformed Baptist Church of God? Are you Reformed Baptist Church of God, reformation of 1879, or Reformed Baptist Church of God, reformation of 1915? Or did you simply break away and make up your own?

Bwahahaha, this is too easy!

27 posted on 06/05/2006 5:41:41 AM PDT by Theoden (Why do you seek the cup of Christ, is it for his glory, or for yours?-Indiana Jones The Last Crusade)
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To: Pyro7480
"Have you heard of "worship" in terms of dulia, hyperdulia, and latria? There is a difference, you know."

These differences have nothing to do with plain Bible truth. "dulia," "hyperdulia" and "latria" are just part of the trade termonology of the religious system, designed to bamboozle people into thinking the purveyers of the system have it all worked out.

Folks, "Dulia," "hyperdulia," and "Latria" are not meant to be names for your new-born daughters, please.

"Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in the heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water that is under the earth: (5) THOU SHALT NOT BOW DOWN THYSELF TO THEM, NOR SERVE THEM: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, ..." (Deuteronomy 20:4, 5) Oh, that's much simpler! That's a relief! No more incense, no more lighting candles, no more genuflecting. Just worshipping God in Spirit and in truth.
28 posted on 06/05/2006 5:41:44 AM PDT by Free Baptist
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To: Restorer; EBH; markomalley; Free Baptist; browardchad; SaveUS; AmericaUnite; jaime1959; ...

Only the dhimmi confuses islam as being respectful of women. These people who convert to islam are losers in real life. They see this act as grabbing attention from their community. Makes them important for a few months.


29 posted on 06/05/2006 5:41:50 AM PDT by The Lion Roars
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To: Theoden
Free Baptist: I am an independent and un-affiliated Baptist preacher of the King James Bible.

I guess that answers your question. The Baptists tossed him out.

30 posted on 06/05/2006 5:46:52 AM PDT by steve86 (Acerbic by nature, not nurture)
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To: The Lion Roars
A Clash of culture, faith (latina conversions to islam)

Not surprising since the core values of certain Latin American cultures were strongly shaped by the Muslim worldview during the centuries of Moorish occupation of large parts of Spain.
31 posted on 06/05/2006 5:49:52 AM PDT by aruanan
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To: BearWash
LOL. Just so you know, I have no problem with my Baptist brethren who act as real Christians should. I like to toy around with the bad ones, so if you, or anyone else takes offense to my comments, it is NOT aimed at you, only people like him. Also, I do the same things to bad Catholics as well!
32 posted on 06/05/2006 5:52:20 AM PDT by Theoden (Why do you seek the cup of Christ, is it for his glory, or for yours?-Indiana Jones The Last Crusade)
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To: Free Baptist
"Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in the heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water that is under the earth: (5) THOU SHALT NOT BOW DOWN THYSELF TO THEM, NOR SERVE THEM: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, ..." (Deuteronomy 20:4, 5) Oh, that's much simpler! That's a relief! No more incense, no more lighting candles, no more genuflecting. Just worshipping God in Spirit and in truth.

Ah, but it isn't that simple. Read Apologia of St. John Damascene Against Those Who Decry Holy Images

Another example: Ezekiel 41: 17-18, when Ezekiel has a vision of the idealized temple, that has carved/wrought images of cherubim in it.

33 posted on 06/05/2006 5:58:09 AM PDT by Pyro7480 (What do leftists, Islamists, & Jack Chick and his ilk have in common? Hatred of the Catholic Church)
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To: EBH

She should try walking in a Muslim neighborhood without a veil and see how much Muslim men respect women.

Mrs VS


34 posted on 06/05/2006 5:59:01 AM PDT by VeritatisSplendor
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To: Pyro7480

He hasn't responded in a while. He's probably writing me a very nasty, and really long mail message :)


35 posted on 06/05/2006 6:02:26 AM PDT by Theoden (Why do you seek the cup of Christ, is it for his glory, or for yours?-Indiana Jones The Last Crusade)
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To: EBH

It breaks my heart to see any question go to Islam. But sometimes I wonder if that is another way for someone to get much needed attention. I mean a woman going down the street dressed in Muslim attire is defintely going to get attention. As far as Catholic preaching goes, I am Catholic, there are few and far between that can rise to the occasion. Nlow if we had more Father Corapi's there would be More vocations to the priesthood. He is not pc and shoots from the hip.And knows hell on earth and lived to tell about it!


36 posted on 06/05/2006 6:06:56 AM PDT by red irish (Gods Children in the womb are to be loved too!)
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To: Pyro7480
Ah, but it isn't that simple.

C'mon. Don't confuse the poor person. Jack Chick religion is so much simpler, easier to understand...

See how easy that is? It's all the Catholics' fault.

37 posted on 06/05/2006 6:08:55 AM PDT by markomalley (Vivat Iesus!)
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To: The Lion Roars
So when will the first illegal alien convert blow something up here in the good old USA? That could certainly solve a couple of apathy issues here.
38 posted on 06/05/2006 6:09:58 AM PDT by conservativewasp (Liberals lie for sport and hate our country.)
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To: red irish

To see any Christian. Yep have not had my first cup of coffee yet.


39 posted on 06/05/2006 6:14:02 AM PDT by red irish (Gods Children in the womb are to be loved too!)
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To: jaime1959

"Why would you convert to Islam?"

" I need more control and domination than the average,macho, Latin male provides. I need to control my natural, Latin urge to fight back. Honor killings are the perfect incentive for self-control."


40 posted on 06/05/2006 6:16:55 AM PDT by ClearBlueSky (Whenever someone says it's not about Islam-it's about Islam. Jesus loves you, Allah wants you dead!)
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