The new face of Islam

EveningStandardLondon via ModernReligion ^ | 3/15/02 | Nick Compton

[mikeIII]

How come you not spreading the word about Hinduism? Seems a good way to meet some impressionable women. ;)

Haven't you heard, Shermy - swarthyguy, with his screenname and prolific postings, is in-waiting to be noticed by Ann Coulter! :-))

[swarthyguy]

Yuk yuk; not that i would get on my high 'cow' and say no (yeah, dream on) but women should've curves, y'know?

[Ed_in_LA]

It could be that these converts, especially the young women, are finding in Islam a traditional value system that they find lacking in modern, secular Britain. Apparently, religious observance is much weaker there than it is here, so there is a void for young people who do not feel comfortable with the modern, anything-goes, sex-drenched, youth culture. In the U.S., there would be an alternative for these young people, namely, the many Christian churches in every town, of all denominations, which would welcome these young people with open arms, seek them out even. But the Brits are much more secularized than we are, so the most visible alternative to relativism, feminism, and secularism, the only religion that seems to unapologetically promote traditional values, apparently, to these disaffected young people, is Islam.

[swarthyguy]

Got divorced since i started hanging out here.

[swarthyguy]

Sort of the same appeal to Abdul Hamid(JW), a firm, no-nonsense set of rules to adhere to with the exit door locked. Article is a little scary; maybe US missionaries need to focus on England!

[Joe 6-pack]

Thanks for taking the time to check out my profile page...I find your registration date quite distinctive as well, though I must admit, the first time I quickly browsed past your screen name, I thought it was, "Callgirl for Bush,"...I was scandalized...
...#8-)

[dheretic]

I am a Deist that believes in Jesus (though not in Christianity). I find most religions repugnant. It's easy to adopt one when you feel too lazy to use your God-given gifts of rational thought and the power of objective observation of reality to make your way in the world. Jihad Johnnie went over to Islam because it provided "spiritual discipline." Hardly. More like it provided an excuse for him to no longer be a thinking human being. We should remove his brain and make an automaton out of him; he'd contribute something to the world for a change.

[FITZ]

Caroline first started reading about Islam last April. A school friend she has known since she was 11 was marrying a Tunisian, a Muslim. 'My best friend was marrying into a different culture so I wanted to know more about it,'

Some women are THAT desperate to have a man. You don't hear of women converting to Islam without that aspect. Anything for what they believe to be love ---and then when their children are removed by the father to an Islamic country, they will expect the government to help retrieve their kidnapped children.

[FITZ]

Most were introduced to Islam, and Islamic history and teaching, by friends.

Isn't that how the Moonies got converts too? But the Moonies were a fad that was a lot less dangerous.

[BenR2]

'The perception of how women are treated is completely incorrect,' insists Caroline. 'Women have a fantastic position in Islamic society.'

Caroline, what do you say we revisit this statement of yours in, oh, 10 years time?

[swarthyguy]

IslamoBorg.

[bjcintennessee]

I know firsthand how little people understand Islam. I know there is prejudice based on ignorance.

Since 9-11, our 'ignorance' has been steadily replaced with knowledge about Islam, the religion of peace.

These new converts will only get a clue about the true Islam when they move to a country where Muslems are in the majority, wherein they are free to exercise all the 'rights' and 'edicts' given to them in the Koran.

[MarMema]

And if a nominal, non-practicing Anglican becomes a real, practicing Orthodox Christian, he or she enters right into the heart of God!

Christ is Risen!
I had similar thoughts. We are exotic, unusual, and also extremely conservative and traditional.
Looks like they made a bad choice. Too bad for them.
Holy things are for the Holy.

[BenR2]

'The perception of how women are treated is completely incorrect,' insists Caroline. 'Women have a fantastic position in Islamic society.'

I agree! Especially those lucky enough to be involuntarily relieved of their clitoris at an early age! (End sarcasm.)

[Jilli]

they will expect the government to help retrieve their kidnapped children. oh, yeah, like the government has the time or inclination to do that. . .Elian comes to mind, he was even in our Country. Isn't there some saying like "no brain, no pain?"

[x]

Good point. The kind of spiritual hunger expressed here is common in the West. In itself it's not a bad thing. I'm not so sure more active proselyzing by churches would necessarily work for everyone, though. Some people are looking for something very different from what they grew up with -- especially if in some key ways it's not so very different after all. See the recent Times article on Christian converts to Judaism in the American South.

[FITZ]

A few months after she converted she met a Muslim African-American actor, Luqman Ali, and they decided to get married. 'I went home and said: "I've got some news. I'm getting married and I'm a Muslim."

It really does have a lot to do with finding a man. Most of these women would do anything to have one.

[CARepubGal]

I lurked before 9/11 but joined FR 9/11/01. My Freepername was kind of an afterthought: I couldn't think of anything cool but I do support the President and live in Southern California (not LA!) so the name :-)

[swarthyguy]

'The perception of how women are treated is completely incorrect,' insists Caroline. 'Women have a fantastic position in Islamic society.'

[FITZ]

I know of a woman from Mexico who married a Muslim and they were living in the US --- when she had a child his family decided the child had to be raised as a Muslim and in their country since the US is too un-Islamic for their tastes. She didn't want to go there, he took the boy and she is only allowed to talk on the phone with him occasionally --the father lives somewhere in the US and it's his mother and sisters raising the kid. She was very upset that the US embassy wouldn't get him back for her.