New Face

[rinard]

Although religion is no longer dominates everyday life in Western society, Islam becomes the fastest-growing religion in America and in the world?


A NATION CHALLENGED: AMERICAN MUSLIMS; Islam Attracts Converts By the Thousand, Drawn Before and After Attacks
By JODI WILGOREN
Source: The New York Times: October 22, 2001, Monday
Section: National Desk

http://www.geocities.com/Pentagon/3016/fastest.htm

"Islam is the fastest-growing religion in America, a guide and pillar of stability for many of our people..." Hillary Rodman Clinton, Los Angeles Times, May 31, 1996, p.3

Famous people are affected too:

Singer "Cat Stevens" Hear his story as told him
http://www.islamtomorrow.net/converts/yusuf_islam.htm

[Braincase]

I challenge the Muslims to breed as fast as Mormons and Catholics!

[Abba-Dabba]

I challenge the Muslims to breed as fast as Mormons and Catholics!


They do. They just kill em off faster.

[R&GHomer]

This has been a point of contention with the Catholic Church for a long time. Western Christians simply are not breeding as fast as the Muslims of the world.

Unfortunately, I sat next to a priest on a flight too Dallas. This guy was an outright bigot at times. Speaking loudly against the godless Muslims and how they are completely set on destroying Christianity. In his mind he completely believed it was a planned conspiracy to out breed Christians, and blamed our final doom on abortion, women’s rights, and birth control. I’m Catholic by birth and agreed with him on some points, but he was way over the top. He stopped just short of suggestion another Crusade.

[whoman69]

The Muslims want to turn this into a holy war. It is our job to show them its just a bunch of lying zealots who want to blame their own stupid economical policies on the US. We need to get that region of the world stablized economically, not match them with rhetoric.

[cheeeefs]

I'm cool with most Muslims, and it's actually not an inherintly evil faith (unless you use the generalization that anything that is not of your own particular faith is inherantly evil) about .0005% of the Muslim population is getting 100% of the Muslim representation. I'm currently in a country whose population is around 65% Muslim. And my job is to kill those bastard Muslims that are hogging the spotlight. I have yet to run into one that wasn't smiling and supportive, and very polite and kind. Whatever religion is in the majority concerns me not. As long as the moral structure of the world remains intact, or better yet improves, I'll continue with my beliefs and the rest of the world can continue with theirs.

[rinard]

From what I've heard from different friends of mine who have converted to Islam, there are a few main reasons for most conversions.

1. Islam is a religious lifestyle, not just a quick Sunday morning church visit and a label. Although some Christians do pray before each meal and spend much time with their Bible, etc...many don't in the USA. Islam is something that can't be shunted into a few spare hours. You pray five times a day. Your dress code is affected, even your food choices are explained in the Qur'an. Many converts like it because they feel actively involved and as if they are truly religious.

2. For women, it is a big and welcome change from the "in your face" sexuality of western culture. Women are not required by the Qur'an to veil. They are required to dress modestly and it is *recommended* that they cover their hair. However, most do veil and some go farther with niquab (the face screen) or other traditional clothes . Women dressed like this consider themselves marked as religious women, not easy dates. They don't get hit on. No one gawks at their bodies. They are clearly off limits sexually and many that I personally know say it is liberating not to have to conform to western standards of sexy dress, makeup and spending so much time and money on appearence. You buy a five dollar hijab, put your hair in a ponytail and cover, wear long skirt and a tunic shirt -you're set.

3. Islam is also growing because many people are not satisfied with Christianity. They feel it is too liberal, too fluid and changes for the culture. Islam on the other hand is more rigid and does not as a whole allow much for modern changes and the whims of society. Many like it because they feel other religions have loose standards.

That's what I got from the new Muslimah's group at Yahoo, Islamway women's board and a few other friends of mine. Stats taken by many college groups say that women convert 4 times more often then men.


This is an example:


Why Are Women Turning to Islam
At a time when Islam is faced with hostile media coverage particularly where the status of women in Islam is concerned, it may be quite surprising to learn that Islam is the fastest growing religion in the world, and even more ironic to discover that the majority of converts to Islam are WOMEN .
The status of women is society is neither a new issue nor is it a fully settled one, and where Islam is mentioned, for many the term 'Muslim Women' prompts images of exhausted mothers chained to the stove, 'victims' suppressed in a life of indoctrination, frantic to be westernized and so on. Others will go to great lengths to explain how the hijaab is an obstacle, clouding the mind, and comment that female converts are either brainwashed, stupid or traitors to their sex. I reject such accusations and pose to them the following question: why is it that so many women who have been born and brought in the so called 'civilized' societies of Europe and America are willing to reject their 'liberty' and 'independence' to embrace a religion that supposedly oppresses them and is widely assumed to be prejudicial to them?
As a Christian convert to Islam, I can only present my personal experience and reasons for rejecting the 'freedom' that women claim to have in this society in favour of the only Religion that truly liberates women by giving us a status and position which is completely unique when compared with that of non-muslim counterparts. Before coming to Islam, I had strong feminist tendencies and recognized that where the women was concerned, a lot of shuffling around had been going on, yet without being able to pin her on the social map. The problem was ongoing: new 'women's issues' being raised without the previous ones being satisfactorily resolved. Like the many women who shared my background, I would accuse Islam of being a sexist religion, discriminating, oppressing and giving men the greater privileges. All this coming from a person who did not even know Islam, one who had been blinded due to ignorance and had accepted this deliberately distorted definition of Islam.
*
However, despite my criticisms of Islam, inwardly I wasn't satisfied with my own status as a women in this society. It seemed to me that society would define such terms as 'liberty' and 'freedom' and then these definitions were accepted by women without us even attempting to question or challenge them. There was clearly a great contradiction between what women were told in theory and what actually happens in practice.* The more I pondered, the greater emptiness I felt within. I was slowly beginning to reach a stage where my dissatisfaction with my status as a women in this society, was really a reflection of my greater dissatisfaction with society itself. Everything seemed to be degenerating backwards, despite the claims that the 2000 was going to be the decade of success and prosperity. Something vital seemed to be missing from my life and nothing would fill this vacuum. Being a Christian did not do anything for me, and I began to question the validity of only remembering God one day a week - Sundays! As with many other Christians too, I had become disillusioned with the hypocrisy of the Church and was becoming increasingly unhappy with the concept of Trinity and the deification of Jesus. Eventually, I began to look into Islam. At first, I was only interested in looking at those issues which specifically dealt with women. I was surprised. What I read and learned taught me a lot about myself as a woman, and also about where the real oppression of women lies: in every other system and way of life outside of Islam. Muslim women have been given their rights in every aspect of the religion with clear definitions of their role in society - as had men - with no injustice against either of them. As Allah says: Whoever does deeds of righteousness, be they male or female, and have faith, they will enter paradise and not the least injustice will be done to them [Nisaa 4:124]
So having amended my misconceptions about the true status of women in Islam, I was now looking further. I wanted to find that thing which was going to fill the vacuum in my life. My attention was drawn towards the beliefs and practices of Islam. It was only through establishing the fundamentals that I would understand where to turn and what to prioritize. These are often the areas which receive little attention or controversy in society, and when studying the Islamic Creed, it becomes clear why this is the case: such concise, faultless and wholly comprehensive details cannot be found elsewhere.

[Logical]

They do. They just kill em off faster.

:thumb:ROFL

[Jenson71]

That's terrible how people "choose" their religion by how they would appear in public.

[Valiant]

2. For women, it is a big and welcome change from the "in your face" sexuality of western culture

im sorry that is a cop out...no one forces women to dress pretty or wear make-up..that is what is called a choice...these people that use this as an excuse for changing religions are retards..you do not change your religion for public acceptance or lack there of... if you want to be a muslim cool..do it for the religion not because you dont want to show your boobs or wear panty hose...


as for the restrictions...pig was forbidden because it was a parasite infected animal that was not clean to eat... they could eat it today but choose not to change the law...

and i agree muslims get a bad rap... most i know are great and love america...

[Ugly Duck]

"Five to 6 million strong, Muslims in America already outnumber Presbyterians, Episcopalians, and Mormons, and they are more numerous than Quakers, Unitarians, Seventh-day Adventists, Mennonites, Jehovah's Witnesses, and Christian Scientists, combined. Many demographers say Islam has overtaken Judaism as the country's second-most commonly practiced religion; others say it is in the passing lane." JOHAN BLANK, USNEWS (7/20/98)
http://www.usnews.com/usnews/issue/980720/20isla.htm

"In fact, religion experts say Islam is the second-largest religion in the United States... Islam has 5 million to 6 million members, followed by Judaism, with approximately 4.5 million..... And Islam is believed to be fastest-growing religion in the country, with expansion coming from conversions." By ELSA C. ARNETT, Knight-Ridder News Service

[ChiefJustice]

Islamic spam on a Chiefs board?You could at least express your love for Rich Gannon first before trying to "teach" me about how Cat Stevens is even remotely famous!

[cheeeefs]

So Rinard.... are you a Chiefs fan?

[whoman69]

In most Islamic societies women do not have rights. Its a society where a man can go outside the marriage but a woman is stoned for adultery. It is commonplace for women to have their clitoris removed at an early age so they cannot enjoy sex and will thus have no desire to go outside of the marriage. While its true that this society can make sex objects out of women, its is better than being a sexual non-entity. Only the man is supposed to enjoy sex.

[rinard]

I think you should visit this site to see how much Islam respecte woman compared to Christianity:

Women in Christianity and Islam

http://www.beconvinced.com/women/CH_IS.htm

[Rausch]

In most Islamic societies women do not have rights. Its a society where a man can go outside the marriage but a woman is stoned for adultery.

That is also true for most Non-western societies.....

This problem is HORRIBLE in parts of Africa....Asia isn't full of saints either...

[rinard]

This phenomenon indicates that Islam is truly a religion from God. It is unreasonable to think that so many American converted to Islam without careful consideration and deep contemplation before concluding that Islam is true. These Americans came from different classes, races and walks of life. They include scientists, professors, philosophers, journalists, doctors, nurses, teachers, artists, lawmakers, chefs, laborers, and every other sort of person imaginable, although Islam is frequently misunderstood and may even seem exotic in some parts of today's world. Perhaps this is because religion no longer dominates everyday life in Western society; whereas, for Muslims, Islam is life. Muslims make no artificial division between the secular and the sacred.

[Rausch]

This phenomenon indicates that Islam is truly a religion from God.

No it doesn't.


It just proves how stupidity can be allowed to run rampant when you don't seperate church and state.....

[Abba-Dabba]

Great, just what we need. :rolleyes:

FWIW If you need anything I will be over here eating my pork rinds and reading The Demon-Haunted World by Carl Sagan.

[rinard]

Some post shows a complete and dangerous lack of comprehension. Islam is a religion, not a terrorist group. The media classifies Muslims as "terrorists," "highjackers" and "kidnappers." So why would anyone even look at Islam? Why are so many priests and preachers going to Islam?

David Karesh was a Christian, shall we ban all Christian momentous?
When you compare all of Islam to these terrorists, you essentially say every Sunday clothed bible reading Christian is a Branch Dividian fundamentalist. The linking of such actions to Islam or the Qur’an is incorrect. Rather, such inhumane actions clearly contradict the teachings of Islam - just as the bombing at Oklahoma City by Timothy McVeigh and the killings that occurred at Abraham Mosque, Hebron - Philistine by Dr. Baruch Goldstein clearly contradict the teachings of Christianity and Judaism, respectively.


Let there be no misunderstanding of my intentions. This post is not an assault on Christianity or any other religion.
It is indispensable for me to look for the truth and study comparative religion because if I would like to know whether a religion is true or false, I should not depend on my emotions, feelings, or traditions. Rather, I should depend on my reason and intellect. When God sent the prophets, He supported them with miracles and evidences, which proved that they were truly prophets, send by God and that the religion they came with was true.


God revealed a holy book to Jesus called the Injeel, some parts of which may be still available in the teachings of God to Jesus in the New Testament. But this does not mean that the Bible we have today because it is not the original scriptures that were revealed by God. They underwent alterations, additions, and omissions. This was also said by the Committee charged with revising The Holy Bible (Revised Standard Version). This Committee consisted of thirty-two scholars who served as members of the Committee. They secured the review and counsel of an Advisory Board of fifty representatives of the co-operating denominations. The Committee said in the Preface to The Holy Bible (Revised Standard Version), p. iv, “Sometimes it is evident that the text has suffered in transmission, but none of the versions provides a satisfactory restoration. Here we can only follow the best judgment of competent scholars as to the most probable reconstruction of the original text.
The Committee also said in the Preface, p. vii, Notes are added which indicate significant variations, additions, or omissions in the ancient authorities (Mt 9.34; Mk 3.16; 7.4; Lk 24.32, 51, etc.).

My question is do we believe in the information declared in the following sites or not:

THE REAL STORY OF MARY
http://geocities.com/SoHo/Gallery/3001/storyofmary.htm

THE TRUTH ABOUT JESUS
http://sultan.org/articles/Jesus.html

Who Was Jesus According to Jesus?
http://www.islaminfo.com

IS THE BIBLE GODS WORD?
http://www.jamaat.net/bible/Bible1-3.html

Women in Christianity and Islam
http://www.beconvinced.com/women/CH_IS.htm

The Bible - A Closer Look!
http://www.todayislam.com/bible.htm

[Logical]

rinard,

You have chosen a fine way to alienate yourself from the membership of this BB with this thread. If you want to be an accepted part of the community you might want to break in with some less controversial topics and work yourself up to a topic like this one after people get to know you.

Just a friendly hint, you are certainly welcome to pursue this topic but I would not expect to be greeted or welcomed with open arms if you do.

[ChiefJustice]

This guy has the exact same thread at the Mange...and it is received about the same as it is here.I wonder how many other boards have been victim to this spam.

[cheeeefs]

Rinard, I respect your opinions for what they are. (how's that for a vieled comment?) ;) but really man, I don't want some guy I don't know at all comeing on to my chiefs board and telling me to re-evaluate my religious beliefs or unbeliefs. You're not going to turn anybody's head right now. You're comeing off as some freshly recruited Islam eager to recruit people. Maybe you could PM Denise :P but other then that I don't think many people here want to argue the merits of their faith versus yours.

[rinard]

Believers and disbeliever, I will tell you something; the natural inclination for religious faith is an integral part of the human essence. This is an indisputable fact of history. All scholars of comparative religion, regardless of their own religious backgrounds, agree that religious belief is a natural human condition. They differ, however about its origins.

It is indispensable for everybody to look for the truth now or later but who guarantee life and how long we are going to live and when the last moment will come. No body knows.
We have all the capabilities and resources to recognize and distinguish using for example the Internet. We will have no excuse, maybe the people in The Amazon do?
We will be asked then.

[Mithrandir]

Believers and disbeliever, I will tell you something; the natural inclination for religious faith is an integral part of the human essence. This is an indisputable fact of history. All scholars of comparative religion, regardless of their own religious backgrounds, agree that religious belief is a natural human condition. They differ, however about its origins.

It is indispensable for everybody to look for the truth now or later but who guarantee life and how long we are going to live and when the last moment will come. No body knows.
We have all the capabilities and resources to recognize and distinguish using for example the Internet. We will have no excuse, maybe the people in The Amazon do?
We will be asked then.

I worship the Chiefs. Dick Vermeil is my God. I pray to him every Sunday.

GO CHIEFS!

PS- I'd take this to a religion board. It's way out of place here and no one really cares.

[ChiefJustice]

Get lost troll....you are worse than a Bronco fan....this is a "FOOTBALL" bulletin board...you offer no insight that is the least bit relevant to this place....or the Orange Mane...

When we create a "Lemmings looking for a ledge" BB...you will be the first one we call to moderate it!

[Mithrandir]

Get lost troll....you are worse than a Bronco fan....this is a "FOOTBALL" bulletin board...you offer no insight that is the least bit relevant to this place....or the Orange Mane...

When we create a "Lemmings looking for a ledge" BB...you will be the first one we call to moderate it!

ROFL :LOL:

That's rep...

[keg in kc]

Great. Just what we need. A new board religious zealot. I rarely say anything with regards to religion, but I'll make an exception now:

thank god for the ignore feature. Or allah. Or vishnu. Or set. Or whoever is responsible. Maybe we should start a new religion of "AustinChiefism".

[Logical]

Believers and disbeliever, I will tell you something; the natural inclination for religious faith is an integral part of the human essence. This is an indisputable fact of history. All scholars of comparative religion, regardless of their own religious backgrounds, agree that religious belief is a natural human condition. They differ, however about its origins.

It is indispensable for everybody to look for the truth now or later but who guarantee life and how long we are going to live and when the last moment will come. No body knows.
We have all the capabilities and resources to recognize and distinguish using for example the Internet. We will have no excuse, maybe the people in The Amazon do?
We will be asked then.


Rinard,

I am going to pass onto you a BB policy to you now.

We have an established policy that you may not know of and that is that a poster needs to post at least some posts on the topic of football or they may be banned. We rarely have to enforce this policy (almost never). We are very tolerant of off topic posts but not if that is the only thing you ever plan to post. So please be aware that if you want to continue posting here, this is not a BB for you to evangelize on the Muslim faith or just to post off topic only. I searched your past posts and I can see not a single attempt to post about football which is why I am informing you of the policy.

Hopefully you plan to participate on the subject of football.

Please keep this in mind.

[jAZ]

The Muslims want to turn this into a holy war. It is our job to show them its just a bunch of lying zealots who want to blame their own stupid economical policies on the US. We need to get that region of the world stablized economically, not match them with rhetoric.

Damn dude, you might consider referring to the correct group of people. They are called "Islamists" (not to be confused to the average, majority Muslim). "Islamists" are radical extremist Muslims ala al Queda.

The average Muslim-American just wants the Chiefs to win this weekend.

:shake:

[ChiefJustice]

Maybe we should start a new religion of "AustinChiefism".

I've already bought into that religion/cult and it seems to be working great....i just stay away from the Kool-aid
;)

[jAZ]

Rinard,

I am going to pass onto you a BB policy to you now.

We have an established policy that you may not know of and that is that a poster needs to post at least some posts on the topic of football or they may be banned. We rarely have to enforce this policy (almost never). We are very tolerant of off topic posts but not if that is the only thing you ever plan to post. So please be aware that if you want to continue posting here, this is not a BB for you to evangelize on the Muslim faith or just to post off topic only. I searched your past posts and I can see not a single attempt to post about football which is why I am informing you of the policy.

Hopefully you plan to participate on the subject of football.

Please keep this in mind.

Logical is correct (and quite logical)...

To be welcomed into the ChiefsPlanet family, you must first accept the Chiefs as your lord and savior (ya hear that TJ?) and then once you have show at least a little faith in the team, you can rack up 6958 posts going round and round with folks about religion and politics...

But first things first...

Do you have tickets to the playoffs? Or will you be cheering while watching on TV?

[digi2fish]

Some post shows a complete and dangerous lack of comprehension. Islam is a religion, not a terrorist group. The media classifies Muslims as "terrorists," "highjackers" and "kidnappers." So why would anyone even look at Islam? Why are so many priests and preachers going to Islam?

what you're doing here is scaring me.
that's enough.
:shake:

[jAZ]

what you're doing here is scaring me.
that's enough.
:shake:
Ok, that's it! I've had enough!

It's one thing to upset Logical... I love it when that happens!

But I will not, I repeat, NOT tolerate you scaring the coolest Chiefs fan in all of Taiwan!

rinhard, apologize to digi2fish now, or we are no longer best friends!

:spank:

[RNR]

Good thread title! cause that is what you are doing, trying on new faces untill you find the one that fits? Good luck on the 72 virgins :rolleyes:

[Abba-Dabba]

Eh, what do I care? :shrug:

I'm a infidel anyway.

Now where is that bacon cheeseburger from last night?

[Logical]

Get ready for a ride folks we are moving to the Romper Room.

[RNR]

Get ready for a ride folks we are moving to the Romper Room.
This is where I jump off :)

[alanm]

Good thread title! cause that is what you are doing, trying on new faces untill you find the one that fits? Good luck on the 72 virgins :rolleyes:I like Dennis Millers comments on the 72 virgin thing. "The concept sounds great. But after 7-8 virgins, I'm thinking your gonna want a Pro." :thumb:

[Logical]

I like Dennis Millers comments on the 72 virgin thing. "The concept sounds great. But after 7-8 virgins, I'm thinking your gonna want a Pro." :thumb:ROFL Maximum offense in one post, dude that is rep.:clap:


Drat: You must spread some Reputation around before giving it to alanm again.