Do people who convert to Islam...

[p_p_man]

think of it as a kind of religious sect, like the Moonies or Ron Hubbard's crowd.

Are they carried away on a brief, intense wave of interest or do they consider all the options before they convert?

Islam, being such an alien culture to the one we're familiar with in the West, where the death of a child in Palestine is felt by Muslims everywhere, I just wondered what the attraction is...

ppman

 

[DulceCrema]

Islam is the religion decreed for mankind by God*, Who revealed it to His prophets; and they in turn, taught it to the people around them. The word, Islam means 'Peace' and also 'Submission to the Will of God'. From the beginning of mankind on the face of the earth, revelations came to God’s chosen prophets; and the first prophet was the first man, Adam and the last Prophet was Prophet Muhammad, (peace be upon him), through whom the Religion of God was perfected. And in between, thousands of prophets came to the peoples who inhabited different lands in different periods of history. The Holy Qur’an, the Scripture of Muslims, mentions by name only twenty five of these prophets, of whom the most important are Abraham (Ibraheem [pbuh]), Moses (Moosa [pbuh]), David (Dawood [pbuh]), Jesus (Eesa [pbuh]) and Muhammad [pbuh].

All these prophets of God taught basically the same message of Islam to their people.

The word “Islam” today is mostly used to refer to the final form of the Religion of God taught by the last prophet, Muhammad (pbuh). It is often counted as the latest of the three monotheistic religions, Judaism, Christianity and Islam. In this sense, Islam emerged in the Arabian peninsula, which we know today as Saudi Arabia, in 612 C.E. through Prophet Muhammad (pbuh). Judaism is believed to be based on the teachings and the laws of Prophet Moses, while Christianity is said to take its social and moral codes from the teachings of Prophet Jesus. All three religions are believed to have their roots in the teachings of the patriarch Abraham, who also was a great Prophet of God.

The Holy Qur'an states in Chapter 2 (verses, 124-130), that God appointed Abraham an Imam or leader to the people. But when he prayed to God to bless his children too, God answered that He would bless only the good among them and not the evil doers. And God took a covenant from Abraham and his son Ishmael (Isma’eel [pbuh]) to sanctify the House of God (that is Ka'aba) at Makkah, for those who come to pray there and compass it around. And Abraham prayed again to make his children Muslims or people obedient to God; and also to send among them a Messenger who would rehearse God's signs to them and instruct them in scripture and wisdom and purify them.

In answer to this prayer of Abraham, God sent a Messenger to the Land of Ka'ba from among Abraham's own children, and he was the Last Prophet of God, Muhammad (Peace be on him).

And it was through Muhammad (peace be upon him), that the Guidance of God for mankind was completed and perfected. Muhammad (peace be on him) taught the people, the Book of God called the Qur'an, and instructed them as to how they should lead a life in Submission to God. The details of the Guidance of God exemplified in the life of the Prophet, are called the Sunnah or the Example of the Prophet. The Qur'an and the Sunnah together form the foundation of Islam; and it is on this foundation that the Great House of Islam stands.

Islam is a comprehensive way of life, touching every aspect of human existence. The "Pillars" of Islam are actions, which serve as the foundations of the faith and cover aspects of both belief and ritual worship.

Quoted From:
http://www.muslims.net/english/discover/discover.shtml

No, I am not a follower of Islam..but I'm pretty sure that those that convert to it think it more than just a sect. The "options" aren't that much greater than converting to, say, Judiasm.

 

[Lost Cause]

So where do they get the instructions to car bomb children in a marketplace, hijack planes, blow up buildings etc...? I've looked all over but can't find relevant text.
I don't see christians, jews, and buddists, suicide bombing those whose religion is different than theirs.

**And there was light, twenty megatons, and a cloud, and it was good**

 

[scylis]

same reason somebody converts to Judaism, Catholosism, Mormonism (is that the right way to say it?), Hinduism, Buddism, Prodestantism, Satanism, Atheism, and anything else.

because it strikes a cord in them; because what they believe echoes what they hear from that religion
sometimes they don't know it until they hear a religion's teachings, and sometimes they have to search long and hard through the many and varied religions out there. quite often they make mistakes. sometimes they don't find the one that fits what they feel inside before they pass on. sometimes they have to start their own.

 

[p_p_man]

Thanks DulceCrema

That was an extremely interesting post.

Incidentally the link said I need permission to enter.

Do you know why that is?

 

[scylis]

So where do they get the instructions to car bomb children in a marketplace, hijack planes, blow up buildings etc...? I've looked all over but can't find relevant text.
I don't see christians, jews, and buddists, suicide bombing those whose religion is different than theirs.

**And there was light, twenty megatons, and a cloud, and it was good**

and where in the bible does it say to discriminate and persecute? to sell drugs? to steal? to cheat on your spouse? to kill others just because they wear the wrong color (a rival gang's color)? to walk into your school with a loaded gun and start indescriminately killing?

oh, and do the Crusades ring a bell?!?

 

[scylis]

Re: Thanks DulceCrema

That was an extremely interesting post.

Incidentally the link said I need permission to enter.

Do you know why that is?

i guess they just KNEW you're a Brit!

 

[p_p_man]

I don't see christians, jews, and [edited by ppman] suicide bombing those whose religion is different than theirs.

**And there was light, twenty megatons, and a cloud, and it was good**

They don't have to. They use modern weapons of war instead.

ppman

 

[scylis]

yup yup.

instead of killing tens of people, they kill tens of thousands of people! makes things go a LOT faster!

 

[DulceCrema]

Yay! Let's stereotype ALL Muslims as terrorists....

p_p_man...maybe you have to be muslim to view that page I fixed it, it should be okay now.

 

[Starblayde]

They just told me i could save moeny on my long-distance phone calls....




Oh WAIT! That was AT&T!

Phew, thought I'd missed something there

 

[p_p_man]

Yay! Let's stereotype ALL Muslims as terrorists....

p_p_man...maybe you have to be muslim to view that page I fixed it, it should be okay now.

Yeah works fine now.

Thanks...

 

[Lost Cause]

I still stick with what I said, exampled non-religious acts of violence does not explain the Muslim RELIGIOUS acts of violence.
Until someone can intelligently give me some points to look at, I will not change my view that it is a religion of murder.

 

[artful]

The Ring of Truth

If you as an outsider, observe those people who call themselves Muslims, you may not see much of Islam in them; or their life may misrepresent Islam, as in the case of the followers of any religion, for that matter. If you want to study what Christianity is, you go to the great scholars of Christianity as well as to the Bible, the Holy Book of Christianity.So also in the case of Islam, where you need to get information about it from the most authentic sources. Then only can you judge Islam as well as Muslims as to how they really compare with the followers of other religions,or how they fare in their observance of this Great Religion.


Thank you Dulce!

 

[foxxxyred]

Until someone can intelligently give me some points to look at, I will not change my view that it is a religion of murder.

You say it like you are proud you think that way.

 

[p_p_man]

does not explain the Muslim RELIGIOUS acts of violence.
Until someone can intelligently give me some points to look at, I will not change my view that it is a religion of murder.

I've always been curious to know the reasoning behind the Spanish Inquisition, the Witch Hunts of England and Salem and, as syllus said, the Crusades...

And that's not to mention Israel today...

ppman

 

[artful]

The Truth

I still stick with what I said, exampled non-religious acts of violence does not explain the Muslim RELIGIOUS acts of violence.
Until someone can intelligently give me some points to look at, I will not change my view that it is a religion of murder.

The truth is out there,...it is YOUR duty to seek it out.We are so FORTUNATE in this day and age to have the internet,...the WWW is a fertile ground for lies and deceptions,...but if you seek the TRUTH,...it also can be found here.

 

[scylis]

Re: The Truth

The truth is out there,...it is YOUR duty to seek it out.We are so FORTUNATE in this day and age to have the internet,...the WWW is a fertile ground for lies and deceptions,...but if you seek the TRUTH,...it also can be found here.

the Lone Gunmen hold the answers.

 

[Lost Cause]

Okay, I'll make this simple...it is the way I think based on observation of the past thirty years! There is no emotion involved in my conclusion. It is like saying the grass is green, because it fits the color!
Again, for those who want to be PC to death,
Give me a fucking example of other religions who resort to car bombing, suicide attacks, hijacking airliners and killing non-combatants!
It's just that simple!
Either you want to ignore the facts, or you are deliberately attempting to deceive me.

If you resort to comparisons, give them in the same relationship of religion......not general examples! Again, suicide bombings!

Are you sure you aren't catholics?

 

[p_p_man]

Give me a fucking example of other religions who resort to car bombing, suicide attacks, hijacking airliners and killing non-combatants!
It's just that simple!

We've been telling you...

Christians...

Ho hum!

ppman

 

[Lost Cause]

Okay....brick wall time. I'm going to sleep after I finish cleaning my weapon. It's after two a.m. on the Left Coast of the Colonies. Have a splendid day! I hope it won't be spoiled by another CHRISTIAN suicide bomber! Cheers!

 

[scylis]

have you ever heard of the IRA, dumbass? the Irish Republican Army? they're a bunch of pissed off Catholics who resort to car bombs, bus bombs, rioting, and assassination of British officials in both Northern Ireland and England b/c they think that Protestant Norther Ireland should be incorporated into Catholic Ireland.

havn't heard from them in a while. did that whole deal get resolved or was it just washed under the bridge that us good ol' Americans created with our anti-terrorism, ass-kicking, macho, bullying campaign?

want another example, then? it's not of car bombings or suicide attacks, but they didn't have much in the way of jet airliners back in the day, nor cars, for that matter. it IS, however, a good example of religion vs. religion. well, i'll tell you about Bors the knight. Bors was curagious, strong and good at his job: killing. you see, durring the Middle Ages in Europe, society and power revolved around warfare. knights, brave armored warriors, were held up as examples of all that was good and just. however, Bors, like most other knights, have been tought that "thou shalt not kill," which is the exact opposite of their entire lives. this causes moral problems for Bors and his fellow knights. how could they follow the will of their god and gain entrance to heaven when their lives centered around breaking one of their god's sacred Ten Commandments? then there came a mandate from Rome that Jerusalem and the Holy Land should be cleansed of all non-Christians (filthy Muslims, defiling the Holy Land!) and that though Jesus and God both proclaim that killing is bad juju, that only counts for other Christians! this means that all of Bors' problems had been solved! now, not only would he be able to continue to do what he has been trained for most of his life to do, but he won't be breaking a Commandment doing it, meaning he can get into heaven guilt free! so when the call to join what would become the First Crusade was sounded, Bors and his fellow knights jumped at the chance to be a part of it. and the rest, as they say, is history.

 

[Starblayde]

havn't heard from them in a while. did that whole deal get resolved or was it just washed under the bridge that us good ol' Americans created with our anti-terrorism, ass-kicking, macho, bullying campaign?

Thats been swept under the carpet... but First Minister David Trimble wants a referendum on the subject. If the decision is to merge with Ireland: we'll never hear about another one again. If the answer is to stay in the union with britain: we'll have another vote every 7 years

bloody religion

 

[Lost Cause]

A. I'm not a dumbass, people usually attack others with attempted insults because they have no solid data to back their position.

Okay, you've made your point with ancient information. We now have two examples of religion gone wrong. Now What?
My point is just as valid as yours. Yours is based on second hand accounts out of a book or the web.
Mine is based on personal, military counter-terrorism experience, real time observation, the web based arab-english papers, and of course the everyday reminders in the live news of buses blowing up, and Israel retaliating with missles...not more suicide bombings.
My position stands...over and out!

 

[Pyper]

ETA, the Basque terrorist organization in Spain, was founded in the Catholic churches in that region, and continues to be supported by that institution. ETA believes that the Basque region should be separate from Spain based on...who knows what.

ETA, as the Spanish have been trying to tell the world, are as just a big bunch of bastards as Al Qaida or any other Muslim terrorist organization. But nobody listens because...they´re Christian terrorists! Every two weeks, ETA bombs a shopping center, or assassinates a politician (unrelated to them in any way), or does something else just as horrible. Last week, they planted a bomb in a Basque youth group leader´s car. This young man had nothing to do with ETA´s desire for separation from Spain. He is alive, but at 29 years old, he now has only one leg.