Poll: Why shouldn't I convert to Islam?

[ThrobbingEgo]

I'm seeing a fair deal of religion bashing and the whole, "God is a lie," thing going on here, so I will simply say this and leave it at that.

To say that you are certain that God does not exist is to imply that you hold some sort of answer that everyone else seems to be missing; to say that you know where the universe itself came from and to imply that our science is 100% accurate. They will say there is no evidence to prove God exists because they are looking for a utopian world where all of their problems are cured by a devine being. What would be the point of living? Many athiests I know only dumped religion when they felt religion failed them. There was no, "Hey, I think I will be rational today," moment about it. They screwed up, blamed it on God, and dumped everything they once believed and started anew.

I guess I'm something of a minority then. My religion never really failed me, I just gradually saw that I didn't agree with the laws, the rationale behind them, and everything I knew and could observe contradicted the existence of supernatural entities. I was very anti-religion for a time - and I can be, when I'm debating against someone who's using their religion as a reason to get other people to submit to their will, their belief of how things should be done, without any logic or reason - but I don't hate people who're religious and I don't think they're all pathetic mindless masses.

You make too many enemies that way. Hate polarized people.

I suppose I posted this to make this point as well. I hear so many athiests crying, "Respect my right to disbelieve! You offend me!" when they, in turn, cannot respect another's right to believe because they have to tell the world, "God does not exist!"

It goes both ways. You have some atheists who just want to defend their rights - and you have some who hate religion. Just like you have some religious zealots, and people who want to go to church, synagogue, or mosque on weekends.

ThrobbingEgo seems to have the rational thing down pat - Not stomping beliefs, but rather able to carry on an intelligent conversation and brings up some good points.

I just don't like seeing people misrepresented because they're different. I'm not a fan of stereotypes, simplifying people, pidgin holing... It's just not a good thing to do. If you stomp on someone's beliefs, well, when I "have" to do it, I try to be knowledgeable.

 

[CaptainJula]

How much have you researched it?

Have you even READ the Koran? Maybe you should before you charge in head-first into something you don't know about.

 

[Naeo]

1. God isn't real.

2. Islam oppresses women.

3. Islam preaches that homosexuals and Jews should be stoned to death.

Many many others, but you asked for 3.

4. Islam also preaches that you can lie to others about Islam as long as it converts them to Islam

You have no idea what you're talking about. Islam teaches quite the opposite of this- lying about Islam or religious teachings of whatever creed, if they are truly divine, is a big no-no.

Surah 2:79:
But woe to them who fake the Scriptures and say:
?This is from God,? so that they
might earn some profit thereby;
and woe to them for what they fake,
and woe to them for what they earn from it!

Surah 2:159:
They who conceal Our signs
and the guidance We have sent them
and have made clear in the Book,
are condemned of God and are condemned by those
who are worthy of condemning.

Surah 2:174-175
Those who conceal any part of the Scriptures
that God has revealed, and thus make
a little profit thereby,
take nothing but fire as food;
and God will not turn to them on the Day of Resurrection,
nor nourish them for growth;
and their doom will be painful.
There are those who bartered away
good guidance for error, and pardon for punishment:
how great is their striving for the Fire!

(all taken from the Ahmed Ali translation)

 

[ThrobbingEgo]

I mentioned Daniel Dennett earlier in this thread, because it's fascinating when he talks about religion. Anyway, I found another one of his TED talks, I'm about two minutes in, and I think it's similar content to what I found in his book. He is, I think, explaining why and how religions came into being. This covers a bit of the debates we've been having - and Dennett's a very respectful, well spoken man with a bitching beard. Don't be afraid to watch.

http://www.ted.com/index.php/talks/dan_dennett_s_response_to_rick_warren.html

 

[chenry]

Bacon
Alcohol
Bacon flavoured Vodka.

 

[jj90]

1. God isn't real.

2. Islam oppresses women.

3. Islam preaches that homosexuals and Jews should be stoned to death.

Many many others, but you asked for 3.

ill second that.

 

[ElephantGuts]

Might I suggest Judaism as a replacement?

But honestly, I don't see why you would leave a choice like choosing your religion up to others. Do what you want to do.

 

[ThrobbingEgo]

Might I suggest Judaism as a replacement?

But honestly, I don't see why you would leave a choice like choosing your religion up to others. Do what you want to do.

Conversion to Judaism's not an easy process. It's sort of an oddity among religions because they don't actively try to convert people (outside of Judaism, anyway. Conservatives and Orthadox shuls are pretty aggressive about taking in Reform and Secular jews). I think it's procedure to be turned down, or discouraged, three times - I don't really know all the details - and there's a lot of studying involved.

 

[jasoncyrus]

Where as the likes of bhuddism, not so much studying as self discovery.

 

[cainx10a]

1. God isn't real. That's subjective.

2. Islam oppresses women. So are men exploited, surely having to marry 9 wives, father 100 of kids, and work to feed all these 109 mouths can't be that easy. It's not Islam that oppresses women, it's a frail moralistic society runned by Goons (SA, not SOMETHING AWFUL, but Saudi Arabia) or by backward uneducated people (Afghans - no offense to any afghans on this forum))

3. Islam preaches that homosexuals and Jews should be stoned to death. So does every religion, kill the one who ain't following your god

Many many others, but you asked for 3.

Here are real reasons not to follow Islam:

1. Food/Drink limitations (Alcohol, and that Halal thingy

2. Too much prayer hours

3. Too little pre-marital sex

4. Too much faith needed

 

[ElephantGuts]

Might I suggest Judaism as a replacement?

But honestly, I don't see why you would leave a choice like choosing your religion up to others. Do what you want to do.

Conversion to Judaism's not an easy process. It's sort of an oddity among religions because they don't actively try to convert people (outside of Judaism, anyway. Conservatives and Orthadox shuls are pretty aggressive about taking in Reform and Secular jews). I think it's procedure to be turned down, or discouraged, three times - I don't really know all the details - and there's a lot of studying involved.

That's what makes it so great. No random bum can just wander in off the street into our religion. It takes procedure. I think it shows that we Jews value the quality of our religion rather than the number of people who belong to it.

 

[cainx10a]

Might I suggest Judaism as a replacement?

But honestly, I don't see why you would leave a choice like choosing your religion up to others. Do what you want to do.

Conversion to Judaism's not an easy process. It's sort of an oddity among religions because they don't actively try to convert people (outside of Judaism, anyway. Conservatives and Orthadox shuls are pretty aggressive about taking in Reform and Secular jews). I think it's procedure to be turned down, or discouraged, three times - I don't really know all the details - and there's a lot of studying involved.

That's what makes it so great. No random bum can just wander in off the street into our religion. It takes procedure. I think it shows that we Jews value the quality of our religion rather than the number of people who belong to it.

Every orthodox religious bub value the quality of their religion.

 

[ThrobbingEgo]

That's what makes it so great. No random bum can just wander in off the street into our religion. It takes procedure. I think it shows that we Jews value the quality of our religion rather than the number of people who belong to it.

Except for the people who just happened to be born into it.

Also aren't the really orthodox families the ones with, like, fifteen kids? Strikes me as a "don't go to the store, make your own" kind of deal.

 

[Smowy]

1. God isn't real. That's subjective.

2. Islam oppresses women. So are men exploited, surely having to marry 9 wives, father 100 of kids, and work to feed all these 109 mouths can't be that easy. It's not Islam that oppresses women, it's a fail moralistic society runned by Goons (SA) or by backward uneducated people (Afghans - no offense to any afghans on this forum))

3. Islam preaches that homosexuals and Jews should be stoned to death. So does every religion, kill the one who ain't following your god

Many many others, but you asked for 3.

Here are real reasons not to follow Islam:

1. Food/Drink limitations (Alcohol, and that Halal thingy

2. Too much prayer hours

3. Too little pre-marital sex

4. Too much faith needed

This guys got it, if you truly want to be a muslim then none of those four points should matter.
It's up to you in the end, not the escapist member base.

 

[ExodusinFlames]

I'm thinking about following Islam but my friends keep telling me not to. When I ask them to give me three reasons not to, they can't think of anything. So I am essentially looking for three reasons I should not become a Muslim.

I put the poll answer as "I don't care" you need to do what feels right for you. Some folks like religion for this. It institutes boundaries and rules (some of which are somewhat silly, same as all other religions) I'm sure your friends have some form of objection, but don't want to be discriminitory based on news reports.

Islam makes alot of folks nervous because of whats going on in the middle east. News reporters will go over and ask the screaming fanatic what he thinks of the situation and he begins screaming "Death to America, Destroy the blah blah" whatever, but thats the same equivalent of asking for the opinion of the Christian faith from the Grand Dragon of the Klu Klux Klan.

If the faith feels right to you, do it. Plain and simple. A good friend of mine (Pakistanni and Canadian)'s mother converted, but that was for marriage. He was raised Muslim, and much like most members of our generation, resents his faith. Most folks lose their faith at around the 15-25 marker, because of alot of reasons. Make sure that you aren't getting into it for that reason(recent loss of faith), cause if it doesn't provide that for you, you'll feel hollow and abandoned further.

Go into a mosque speak to an Imam and ask any relevant questions you have. Be prepared for generalizations and a few programmed answers. Its the nature of all teachers of any faith.
Go and speak with a Rabbi in a Synagogue, and it'll be similar but different. You know? A church, regardless of the name or demonination of faith, isn't a wellspring of answers, it isn't the secrets of the universe. It is however, a place that you can go to and feel safe and secure, surrounded by friends, family, loved ones, and even strangers, and possibly see it as a source of personal inspiration.

Thats my take anyways.

 

[Naeo]

Might I suggest Judaism as a replacement?

But honestly, I don't see why you would leave a choice like choosing your religion up to others. Do what you want to do.

Conversion to Judaism's not an easy process. It's sort of an oddity among religions because they don't actively try to convert people (outside of Judaism, anyway. Conservatives and Orthadox shuls are pretty aggressive about taking in Reform and Secular jews). I think it's procedure to be turned down, or discouraged, three times - I don't really know all the details - and there's a lot of studying involved.

That's what makes it so great. No random bum can just wander in off the street into our religion. It takes procedure. I think it shows that we Jews value the quality of our religion rather than the number of people who belong to it.

Or, to play Devil's Advocate, it's an "exclusive club". Historically, with no offense intended, Judaism has been a fairly ethnic-based religion- that is, you're born into it or you're almost definitely not Jewish. Ergo they arguably have instituted the high levels of studiousness and such to keep other people out. Not that it's without merit- theoretically it allows for a greater degree of scholarly understanding of the religion.

 

[Bat Vader]

1. God isn't real.

2. Islam oppresses women.

3. Islam preaches that homosexuals and Jews should be stoned to death.

Many many others, but you asked for 3.

Ladies and gentlemen, let the Islamophobia begin!

Not Islamophobia, my opinion. Which the OP asked for.

I hate all religions equally.

I thought atheists did not believe in religions. How can you hate something you do not believe in?

 

[SnowCold]

WHy should your friends diced what you do with your life? do what you want!

 

[Bat Vader]

I'm thinking about following Islam but my friends keep telling me not to. When I ask them to give me three reasons not to, they can't think of anything. So I am essentially looking for three reasons I should not become a Muslim.

This is not really something you should ask us or your friends. This is an issue you should make based upon your own thoughts and feelings. Not the thoughts and feelings of others.

Is there any reason you want to covert to Islam? Like a spiritual or meaningful reason?