Why do people convert to Islam?

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- mynameismarwa
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Why do people convert to Islam?
OP - May 03, 2013, 09:05 PM

Hey, I hope I posted this in the right place Most of the people in this forum have left islam and are now living a happy healthy life. But I have no idea why people choose to convert to islam in the first place??? (This is coming from someone who was unfortunately born muslim) Especially after they have read the Quran, personally without even knowing that it had contradictions, mistakes and falae scientific claims. It never spoke to me and it was just a book full of rules and many hell refrences! I don't see why it's the fastest growing religion. I just wanted to find out your ideas on why you think people convert to islam.
- ibn Bilal
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Why do people convert to Islam?
Reply #1 - May 03, 2013, 09:10 PM

The grass tends to look greener on the other side, I guess.
- scamper_22
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Why do people convert to Islam?
Reply #2 - May 03, 2013, 09:32 PM

Why does any movement gain followers?

Islam certainly has the appeal of providing a set of rules to live by in a world where there is much uncertainty.
It also promises utopia... if only it were implemented. This makes it of great appeal as a counter-weight to any nation with problems.

Have problems with poverty, healthcare, income distribution, war, morality... this is due to Islam not being implemented and once it is, you will be relieved.

But mainly it is because people tend to view religion, like most political movements from the rosy glasses they choose to wear.
The hijab becomes empowering and a show of modesty... in a world of sexuality.
Jihad becomes an inner struggle... of yoga like xen... in an anxious world.
The constraints become a good set of rules in a world of too many unknowns and choice.
...

It's not like people sit there objectively and study the koranic texts in totality before converting.
Most people don't sit there reading all options of political affiliations either.
Most just hear the broad message and think it might be a good idea.
- dr_sloth
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Why do people convert to Islam?
Reply #3 - May 03, 2013, 09:45 PM

because how did muhammed know that an embryo is a blood clot?

Quote
I don't see why it's the fastest growing religion.

we know muslims have higher birth rates, and i dont see any reason to believe that this is an insufficient explanation.
- billy
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Why do people convert to Islam?
Reply #4 - May 03, 2013, 11:10 PM

There is a lot of hype about conversions to Islam.

Islam is an evangelical religion and there is something of a mania for da'wah these days for many reasons.

The appeal of Islam is often the appeal of the reactionary which will always have a niche.

Its also the appeal of the dissimulating.

a religion that teaches that those who leave it deserve to be killed or persecuted has deep issues.

The sound of a trumpet being blown loudly by a self regarding trumpeteer, but very often, a trumpet full of sound and fury, signifying nothing but its own cacophony.

"we can smell traitors and country haters"

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Love is Blind. Stevie Wonder is blind. Therefore, Stevie Wonder is God.
- mynameismarwa
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Why do people convert to Islam?
Reply #5 - May 03, 2013, 11:11 PM

I definitely agree with the idea that people feel like they need to follow a set of rules to feel like they have a purpose in life. Islam is definitely a religion that asks alot fronm it's followers.
- Crunchy Cds
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Why do people convert to Islam?
Reply #6 - May 04, 2013, 01:16 AM

I have come to realization that some people just NEED religion in their lives to feel any kind of purpose, so I figure just let them be unless they are hurting others. Some main reasons I believe people desire religion that atheists/agnostics tend to overcome/ not care

1. Fear of death
2. Unable to cope with hardships (It was meant to happen because God knows best)
3. A sense of belonging to a particular group

***~Church is where bad people go to hide~***
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Why do people convert to Islam?
Reply #7 - May 04, 2013, 05:38 AM

Scientology also claims to be the "fastest growing religion". There's no concrete, foolproof way of knowing which religion gains the most converts and as someone noted, Muslims have relatively high birth rates; Muslim countries tend to have high rates of poverty, low levels of education, conservative and superstitious cultures -- which all contribute to relatively high levels of religiosity in Muslim societies -- and of course the apostasy death taboo that makes Muslims less likely to leave the faith, and ones that do, less likely to be open about it.

I agree with billy, especially the "appeal to the reactionary" part.
- redriding
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Why do people convert to Islam?
Reply #8 - May 04, 2013, 06:21 AM

- The mystique of the unknown.
- The Romantic East - with its mysterious language and fascinating past. Islam offers an alternative to the dreary Walmart existence (of course the honeymoon period eventually wears off - the hapless convert eventually realises the new sh!t stinks just as bad as the old sh!t).
- Like most cults: Instant brotherhood/sisterhood. Attention given to new converts.
- You get to be part of a 'persecuted minority' (this appeals immensely to some white folks - think Myriam Francois-Cerrah).
- Homer
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Why do people convert to Islam?
Reply #9 - May 12, 2013, 04:33 AM

Well...look how many people convert to Mormonism.....and Mormonism is even dumber and you cant even drink tea! Scientology, Suicide Alien Cults, Wicca (seriously..wicca is stupid), I could go on.....

What I'm saying is...well, I'll let this punk rock group say it better:

so you say you gotta know why the world goes 'round
and you can't find the truth in the things you've found
and you're scared shitless 'cuz evil abounds
come join us
well I heard you were looking for a place to fit in
full of adherent people with the same objective
a family to cling to and call brethren
come join us
all we want to do is change your mind
all you need to do is close your eyes

come join us

don't you see the trouble that most people are in
and that they just want you for their own advantage
but I swear to you we're different from all of them
come join us
I can tell you are lookin' for a way to live
where truth is determined by consensus
full of codified arbitrary directives
come join us
all we want to have is your small mind
turn it into one of our own kind
you can go through life adrift and alone
desperate, desolate, on your own
but we're lookin' for a few more stalwart clones
come join us
come join us
come join us

we've got spite and dedication as a vehement brew
the world hates us, well we hate them too
but you're exempted of course if you
come join us
independent, self-contented, revolutionary
intellectual, brave, strong and scholarly
if you're not one of them, you're us already so
come join us
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SCWPCiHJ8rk

The foundation of superstition is ignorance, the
superstructure is faith and the dome is a vain hope. Superstition
is the child of ignorance and the mother of misery.
-Robert G. Ingersoll (1898)

"Do time ninjas have this ability?" "Yeah. Only they stay silent and aren't douchebags." -Ibl
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Why do people convert to Islam?
Reply #10 - July 27, 2013, 02:04 AM

Quote from: mynameismarwa on May 03, 2013, 09:05 PM
why it's the fastest growing religion.

well that's an easy question.

1) High Birth rates among Muslims
2) Low birth rates among non-Muslims
3) Death threat to any one who leaves Islam

I am an ex-Muslim and If you met me in the street and told me that am I Muslim? I would shout "Allahu Akbar" what foolish thing you asking brother.
I pray 5 time a day and never masturbate to Mila Jovovich

YOLO AND SWAG WILL SET YOU FREE
- shnx045
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Why do people convert to Islam?
Reply #11 - July 27, 2013, 07:35 AM

Like Crunchy CDs said, the idea of belonging to a group.

If you're young and weren't so popular at school/college and have people around you saying how great Islam is, talking about the ummah etc, after a while it can sound quite appealing.
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Why do people convert to Islam?
Reply #12 - July 27, 2013, 08:00 AM

Mila Jovovich...

`But I don't want to go among mad people,' Alice remarked.
`Oh, you can't help that,' said the Cat: `we're all mad here. I'm mad. You're mad.'
`How do you know I'm mad?' said Alice.
`You must be,' said the Cat, `or you wouldn't have come here.'
- moi
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Why do people convert to Islam?
Reply #13 - July 28, 2013, 05:42 PM

Are there large numbers of converts anywhere?

When you are a Bear of Very Little Brain, and you Think of Things, you find sometimes that a Thing which seemed very Thingish inside you is quite different when it gets out into the open and has other people looking at it.

A.A. Milne,

"We cannot slaughter each other out of the human impasse"
- The Defiant
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Why do people convert to Islam?
Reply #14 - July 28, 2013, 09:12 PM

Strange how nobody mentioned the muslimah can only marry a muslim rule. This accounts for the vast majority of converts I know, including myself. It also means a lot of fake/going through the motions conversions and problems further down the line for the couple, when one(usually the muslimah) gets more pious and the other shows no signs of upping their game.
- TheDashingRabbit
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Why do people convert to Islam?
Reply #15 - July 28, 2013, 10:25 PM

^

Most muslims even the liberal ones tend to get more religious as they get older. Especially once they get married and settle down with a job.

Personally when I was a muslim I planned on partying and fooling around during my early twenties and then becoming really religious once I got married.

This is why I tell my fellow teen ex muslims to make sure that your closest friends are non muslim and non religious. They may seem liberal when they are young but they will ditch you for their religion once they get older. Might as well save the emotional trouble and stick to making friends with non religious people from the get go because you won't run the avoidable risk of them ditching you for their religion later on in life.

In my opinion a life without curiosity is not a life worth living
- The Defiant
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Why do people convert to Islam?
Reply #16 - July 28, 2013, 10:38 PM

^
I've witnessed this first hand on many occasions,, it's expected from what I can tell. To be fair I know of people in the Catholic faith who think this way too. I've even heard both sides actually explain that this was their plan all along.
- yeezevee
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Why do people convert to Islam?
Reply #17 - July 28, 2013, 10:47 PM

Quote
Why do people convert to Islam?

good question but no one is overtiring in to real Islam.. very few.. very very few..

What the hell Bo Ra Choi ..Bo Ra Choi

Is that Bo Ra Choi real??

Well people convert in to Islam for the same reason Buddhists convert in to Christianity

Well South Korean Christians are weird people..

Do not let silence become your legacy.. Question everything
I renounced my faith to become a kafir,
the beloved betrayed me and turned in to a Muslim
- BritExConverted
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Why do people convert to Islam?
Reply #18 - July 29, 2013, 01:17 AM

good news, one converted gal, she left islam. just a bit while ago then. it was on social network. tho to share it here....

some people convert for fashion/manners/sense of belongings, some people convert cos they find it to be "truth", some know it all before the embrace. for me it was fashion/manners as well as "truth" but I didn't know it all. I can still remember the day when I found out about Muhammad and Aisha. I was speechless.....

some muslims in the west have better manners than some non muslims. also I grew up in area where there loads of them. things like that. it can lead some to islam.....
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