Why Would Anyone Convert to Islam?

[GregConstantine]

Does anyone have any insight into this? It would seem to be that in order for one to convert to Islam, one would have to suspend any critical thought and accept a warped version of history, much like what one would have to do to convert to Mormonism.
I know of two people, one who was baptized Orthodox, and another who was a rabid atheist, both converted to Islam.

 

[loveejesuschrist91]

Because they think there is a paradise full of wine & women, they gonna have sex with them there !!

 

[RKO]

For the same reason someone would convert to orthodoxy. Because they believe it to be truth.

 

[rusmeister]

People in our culture come from materialistic philosophy, even when religious, and are starved for some genuine asceticism, which Islam offers as well as Orthodoxy. That could be one motivating factor.

 

[MKJ]

I do not think converting to Islam would require the same sort of historical suspension of belief as it would to become a Mormon. Remember, even in Christianity, there are parts of history where we do not clearly understand how they fit into what our faith teaches. people become Christians even when they do not feel they clearly understand the solutions to these issues.

As for why some choose it: as Rus said, it offers a serious attempt at ascetic practice and self-discipline; it does, though many people do not realize it today because it is not in the limelight, have a fairly significant philosophical and mystical tradition; and there are some people for whom it really represented their first contact with a serious religious system, or they had some personal contact or experience that led them in that direction.

 

[VolRaider]

I've always wondered if Shi'ites and Sunnis worshipped together despite their differences. I've never seen a mosque labeled either branch. I would think that could be very appealing, condidering our religion has thousands of denominations and quite a few won't give the others the time of day.

 

[GregConstantine]

At MKJ:
[FONT='Verdana','sans-serif']“I do not think converting to Islam would require the same sort of historical suspension of belief as it would to become a Mormon. Remember, even in Christianity, there are parts of history where we do not clearly understand how they fit into what our faith teaches. people become Christians even when they do not feel they clearly understand the solutions to these issues”[/font]
[FONT='Verdana','sans-serif'] [/font]
[FONT='Verdana','sans-serif']I do not agree with this. I think any honest seeker will naturally investigate the claims of any religion to see if it can stand up to historical scrutiny. Islam makes historical claims about itself that is foundational to Islam. Take those away, and its foundations come crumbling down. [/font]
[FONT='Verdana','sans-serif']I don’t exactly know what you mean by “even in Christianity, there are parts of history where we do not clearly understand how they fit into what our faith teaches.”[/font]
[FONT='Verdana','sans-serif']But I don’t agree with that either. Maybe you can explain more what you mean by that?[/font]

At VolRaider:
I don’t know how much you know about Orthodoxy or about the claims we make for ourselves, but we do not consider ourselves a “denomination”, but the original Church established by Jesus Christ Himself, from which everyone else has broken away. So I do not accept being included in your statement “our religion”.

 

[Kristos]

Disillusionment with Christianity.

 

[VolRaider]

At MKJ:
[FONT='Verdana','sans-serif']“I do not think converting to Islam would require the same sort of historical suspension of belief as it would to become a Mormon. Remember, even in Christianity, there are parts of history where we do not clearly understand how they fit into what our faith teaches. people become Christians even when they do not feel they clearly understand the solutions to these issues”[/font]
[FONT='Verdana','sans-serif'] [/font]
[FONT='Verdana','sans-serif']I do not agree with this. I think any honest seeker will naturally investigate the claims of any religion to see if it can stand up to historical scrutiny. Islam makes historical claims about itself that is foundational to Islam. Take those away, and its foundations come crumbling down. [/font]
[FONT='Verdana','sans-serif']I don’t exactly know what you mean by “even in Christianity, there are parts of history where we do not clearly understand how they fit into what our faith teaches.”[/font]
[FONT='Verdana','sans-serif']But I don’t agree with that either. Maybe you can explain more what you mean by that?[/font]

At VolRaider:
I don’t know how much you know about Orthodoxy or about the claims we make for ourselves, but we do not consider ourselves a “denomination”, but the original Church established by Jesus Christ Himself, from which everyone else has broken away. So I do not accept being included in your statement “our religion”.

Congrats on making my point.

 

[GregConstantine]

"Congrats on making my point."

Its not my personal claim, but the claim that the Church makes about herself, and the Scriptures, the lives of the saints and martyrs, and the writings of the fathers all testify to and make that same claim.

 

[ArmyMatt]

I think it also, in a wordly sense, appeals to a desire for power. Islam spread through conquest. in the eyes of the world (and not theology) in Islam when you win. Mohammad conquered and governed. Christ was beaten and killed by the very people He came to illumine.

so I think it has a very worldly appeal to it

 

[1970jennifer]

Christians.

 

[Truth light]

They think it's attractive

 

[buzuxi02]

There's two primary reasons westerners convert to Islam. First some men fall in love with Muslim girl so he has to convert to marry one. Second reason is tied to the first. People are disillusioned with western culture and the contradictory teachings of westernized Christianity. Islam has fairly uniform social standards and a sense of culture that the west threw out long ago.

Mormonism can attract converts not because of theology, but because of their success in not melting into the decay of secularism. It is a statistical fact that Mormons have lower divorce rates, make above average incomes and have more children than the national average. That formula is tough to argue with.

 

[gurneyhalleck1]

Why do people convert to Islam?

Well, perhaps the whole 72 virgins thing has something to do with it?

 

[gracefullamb]

.

 

[MKJ]

A couple years back they had a special on TV, about the increase in converts to Islam here in the USA. What you stated there in bold was the argument these converts gave. The people interviewed were attracted to the strict morality/ anti-secularism that they found in Islam. What I found fascinating was how many of the women mentioned respect from men. Yeah, I know, before anyone states it how contradictory that is considering how Islam treats women, but these woman used examples of lack of cat calls and crude sexual behavior/ comments from men and lack of objectification in Islam in their opinion, as why they converted. It fascinated me simply because I had always thought that most of the western women who convert do so because they are marrying a Muslim but none of these women interviewed in the special had even been dating at the time of conversion. Anyhow, I think you are right it is the feelings of disgust for western culture and secularism that has them turning to Islam.

I think what you are saying about women is very to the point actually. Most Muslim women that I know would say the same thing - that they see things like dressing modestly as being about maintaining dignity rather than obscuring or degrading it, about recognizing them as more than sexual objects. And they are of course women living in Canada, who are well educated, often professionals. While it is true there are Muslim countries where women are treated badly, there have also been Christian and secular and other countries that have treated women badly - it does not seem to be something tied to religion alone. I suspect it has as much to do with things like poverty and education. And the example of what women are supposed to be our secular culture gives, and sometimes our religious culture, is not all that appealing either.

 

[MKJ]

Why do people convert to Islam?

Well, perhaps the whole 72 virgins thing has something to do with it?

I think that if people thought realistically about 72 virgins, it would begin to seem like it could be a trial rather than a reward.

 

[GregConstantine]

This begs the question, why are they not converting to Orthodoxy? Even after being exposed to the traits mentioned above about why people convert to Islam (modesty, not secular, etc) they still reject Orthodoxy for Islam?

 

[GregConstantine]

"I think that if people thought realistically about 72 virgins, it would begin to seem like it could be a trial rather than a reward."

lol! not for a guy!