Islam....

[Sarah12385]

is anyone out there studying Islam? I've got a few questions if any of you you are, or if anyone of u already Muslims.

 

thanks

 

~Sarah~

[sami]

Just go ahead and ask. I have been studying Islam for a reasonably long time to allow me to respond to your question(s).

[JerseyGirl0718]

Dont know if I can help but I got an A in history of Islam.

[sami]

What College???

[JerseyGirl0718]

Originally posted by sami

What College???

 

It was one of my courses that were required course work towards my degree that I'm still working on. Well..not really...I had to take a bunch of histories & for something new & interesting and with all the garbage going on in the world today, I figured I would go with Islam...It made more sense than The History of American Women to me, idk, lol.

 

I go to a county college in my state, N.J. Took H.O.I last semester...

[Sarah12385]

well, i was raised Catholic. when i was about 15/16, i actually began to pay attention to all the repeted prayers i had been saying, i paid attention to every single word the priest would say in his homily, and began reading the Bible. i don't know what put me in gear to dive into the religion so much, but i realized there were more things that i didn't believe in than vise versa, and there were things i thought to be wrong inside the Catholic church.

 

this went on for about a year or more until i had no desire to even attend church anymore.

i felt completely lost. i received an email, just a chain email/spam, but it was a marketing ad for an Islam center relatievly close to my home, and for some reason that email stuck in my head, i began studying it, about 3 months into studying it and becoming familiar with it, i met my current boyfriend, who coincidentally happened to be a Muslim. so, i've become even more interested in the religion because i feel as if i have some guidance in my life now, I even took a trip to visit a Mosque in my city.

 

I'm at a stand-still now tho. i'm not sure what to do from here on out. my parents have practically disowned me for my choice to leave the Catholic church, my boyfriend has been very supportive of me, and i feel like i'm in the middle of it all. I love my family to death, and it's not a matter of chosing my parents over a boyfriend in this case, it's a matter of my happiness and faith, in my opinion. This may not seem like a big deal to many people, but faith is something that is very important to me and something i *need* in my life.

 

if anyone has any comments or suggestions, i'm all ears

 

~Sarah~

[alphamale]

Originally posted by Sarah12385

if anyone has any comments or suggestions, i'm all ears

~Sarah~

so what exactly is the problem SARAH??? I hardly think we can tell you whether to convert or not, it is a very personal decision with all sorts of ramifications.

[sami]

That's my advice to everybody here in the LS. I have been studying Islam too for a while now. I found answers to many of my unanswered questions. I feel very comfortable setting of my free time just to study and reflect. I started to feel more spiritual

and 'm becoming more serious about relgion in general. I have respect for every individual human being as God-created. I like it alot that way though some of my close friends cannot understand my interest in Islam. I can't blame them though. It's a journey not everyone is ready to take I guess.

[Sarah12385]

i'm asking for exactly what you copied/pasted into your reply Alpha - suggestions or opinions.

 

 

~Sarah~

[melina]

Sarah

 

how old are you?

[RecordProducer]

Originally posted by melina

Sarah

 

how old are you?

 

This is a good question. You should know more about the Islamic religion if you want to convert. The Islam favors the men and women are considered second class citizens. Your boyfriend doesn't have to be that way, but generally look at the Islamic countries and how their women live.

The Islam belongs to certain countires and peoples and you're not one of them. It protects the existence of these nations. You're not Muslim in your heart, you were not raised to be one. For Muslims the religion comes before everything else, before their families, children, before themselves.

When you choose to convert, you need to respect their rules, share their goals and beliefs, and raise your children accordingly. Are you ready to do that?

[d'Arthez]

Please be careful when you are making sweeping generalizations, RP.

 

A small minority of people in my country, Christians, ban women from public functions. My country received even mention by the UN for this in one of their reports on women's rights! These women are allowed to vote by their husbands - for the right party of course - and there sole task seems to be procreation. Is that true of every Christian? No. Is it wise to create a similar bogey-man with regards to Islam? Of course not.

 

It really depends on the exact group of Islamic people she would join, and she studies about, if this or that would be true. All questions she has, depend a bit on that. She is trying to learn about that, which is highly commendable.

[alphamale]

Originally posted by d'Arthez

Is it wise to create a similar bogey-man with regards to Islam? Of course not.

 

It really depends on the exact group of Islamic people she would join

Exactly D'ARTHEZ. Most who follow Islam are not fanatically religious and many are totally secular. Not unlike other religions.

 

There are a few Islamic nations who have already had female Presidents or Prime Ministers whereas some western powers (U.S.) have never even had a female head of state.

[Moose]

For Muslims the religion comes before everything else, before their families, children, before themselves.

How is this any different than Christianity?

When you choose to convert, you need to respect their rules, share their goals and beliefs, and raise your children accordingly. Are you ready to do that?

Again, this should be observed with any religion you choose to follow.

I have respect for every individual human being as God-created.

What about the infidel? (Gentiles, Christians, Americans)........isn't Muslim/Islam the very religion waging war shedding innocent blood in the name of Ali against the infidel?

 

I do commend you on your research, and I do hope you find the correct way to God.......but for me, Muslim/Islam is too violent, and barbaric for me.

[alphamale]

Originally posted by Moose

.......but for me, Muslim/Islam is too violent, and barbaric for me.

It is in actuality no more or no less violent than any other religious dogma.

[melina]

I'm with Record Producer on quite a few statements.

 

I asked about her age as where I come from it is quite normal to go and look for "more" when you're around twenty. I come from a very comfortable and wealthy country but also a bit "boring" as it's all there for you. When I was 16 I started being very interested in Islam, read everything I could find, even did two years of arabic lessons at a college nearby.

 

The fascination lasted until I was about 23. I have travelled to the middle east etc. In my opinion: of course there are more liberal islamic countries. But there is fanatism. And when you visit the odd mosque in most the places the imam will teach about infidels and the evil jews and death to Israel, etc.

 

You can deny it. That's just the way it is.

 

Also, Islam stems from judaism. So does Christianity.

 

Sarah, I'm catholic as well. Why don't you start reading up on Judaism a bit more. Try to understand who Jesus really was. In the end he was a very serious rabbi, just like a rabbi you would find today praying at the Western Wall in Jerusalem.

 

It has helped me in my Christian belief to try and understand Jewish culture. Because to me that's where our religion (christianity) really comes from.

 

And please, do not convert to Islam (it doesn't take much to convert) for your boyfriend or because you're in love.

 

There is so much there in Christianity. No need to convert to another religion. You'll find tolerance, forgiveness, love etc in Christianity. Why become muslim or Buddhist or worse join the latest Kabbalah?

 

I often have doubts but when I read up on the new testament I cannot imagine a more fulfilling and satisfactory way to my questions about life.

[Moose]

Originally posted by alphamale

It is in actuality no more or no less violent than any other religious dogma.

Come on, don't start with me Alpha. The doctrine that I follow is Christian and there aren't any violent commands by MY God to go out and kill anyone. Don't go off on a rabbit trail here............

[blind_otter]

I feel uncomfortable denigrating a religious faith - the only understanding I have of it is the propaganda from our press. I don't dare try to lead someone away from believing something just because I think it's right.

 

I encourage you to do your own research regarding this faith. As I understand it, the only accepted verions of the koran are not in english.

 

It's doubtful that asking for opinions on a mesage board will lead to any true understanding of this faith.

 

I myself have been an avid researcher on Buddhism and other nonviolent asian religions, but I like the personal aspect of researching and asking qualified individuals to edify me rather than laypeople on a message board who are (for the most part) pretty dern biased.

[alphamale]

Originally posted by blind_otter

laypeople on a message board

is that what u think of us B_0??

[Moose]

but I like the personal aspect of researching and asking qualified individuals to edify me rather than laypeople on a message board who are (for the most part) pretty dern biased.

I agree.

[blind_otter]

Originally posted by alphamale

is that what u think of us B_0??

 

Weeeelllll...I dunno. I've been to meditation groups and retreats, but the most non-biased historical information I've ever received was in school from professors who had spent their lives researching the topics I had of interest. I'm just sayin'.....

 

Advice and opinions for the lovelorn is one thing. Something as touchy as Islam (especially in the current political climate) - might be better left to the scholars.

[Pocky]

Originally posted by melina

There is so much there in Christianity. No need to convert to another religion. You'll find tolerance, forgiveness, love etc in Christianity. Why become muslim or Buddhist or worse join the latest Kabbalah?

 

There is so much in Buddhism as well. You'll find tolerance, forgiveness, compassion, love, understanding and knowledge in Buddhism. You obviously don't know anything about the religion and I find your remark distasteful.

 

 

Originally posted by Moose

Come on, don't start with me Alpha. The doctrine that I follow is Christian and there aren't any violent commands by MY God to go out and kill anyone. Don't go off on a rabbit trail here............

 

If you're only following the New Testament, but not if you also consider the Old Testament a part of the Bible. And there are many Christians that kill because they claim that they have been instructed to do so and that they are doing God's will. There are zealous people it just about every religion that will manipulate the words and teachings to mean whatever they want it to mean and that includes hatred, anger and murder. Please don't place Christianity above other religions as though it hasn't murdered in the name of God. It has.

 

 

Originally posted by blind_otter

I myself have been an avid researcher on Buddhism and other nonviolent asian religions, but I like the personal aspect of researching and asking qualified individuals to edify me rather than laypeople on a message board who are (for the most part) pretty dern biased.

 

Exactly. And most people rarely even bother to study their own religion - to ask them about a religion they don't even practice will only give you quite a bit of uneducated information.

 

If you're truly interested in the Muslim religion then why don't you find a local church and request to meet with a representative?

[melina]

I don't find saying: "there is so much in Christianity, why go look in other religious" distasteful.

 

That's quite a harsh thing to say.

 

I didn't criticize Buddhism one bit. I have lived in the middle east, in India and HOng Kong. The conclusion I have come to is that looking deeper into Christianity AND Judaism as its origin has helped me finding answers.

 

And Pocky: there are no "local churches" in Islam.

[alphamale]

Originally posted by Pocky

There are zealous people it just about every religion that will manipulate the words and teachings to mean whatever they want it to mean and that includes hatred, anger and murder. Please don't place Christianity above other religions as though it hasn't murdered in the name of God. It has.

Correct POCKY, the Holocaust in WWII was basically Christians masacaring Jews and other "undesirables". It was, however, cloaked under the secular flag of Nazism so it did not look like religous persecution.

[blind_otter]

Originally posted by melina

I don't find saying: "there is so much in Christianity, why go look in other religious" distasteful.

 

I do. The OP asked for information about Islam. Not christians prostelytizing. Each of us find out own path through experience and self-exploration. She didn't ask to be convinced to stop exploring her own path and to stay christian.