What is the pull of Islam?

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The latest issue of Chronicles magazine has a great article on this. If they post it at their site I will link to it.

They talk of the recent conversion of the Italian ambassador to Saudia Arabia to Islam - he had been Opus Dei at once I believe, the conversion of Russian Orthodox priests, Slavs (something unheard of before because ehtnicity used to define the Slav’s releigion) and how Russian soldiers in Chechnya are converting and embracing jihad against their mother country. Not to mention the Texas woman brought up a fundamentalist/evangerlical whose conversion story is apparently inspiring other young women.

Muslim missionaries at my door several months ago asked if the prayer of Jesus that :they may be one" was not efficacious - there are 23,000 or so denominations - how can he be God? I am really troubled by that and my faith in Catholicsm and Chritianity is becoming increasingly shaky.

I have an Assemblies of God friend whose church had their youth minister convert to Islam a year ago. My friend says its all a sign of the end -times. The great apostacy. I don’t know if I buy that anymore - Muslims talk too of the end times and how the West and Chritianity/Judaism will embrace secularism and Satan.

I have to be honest - I am scared to admit it but I find the unity of Islam appealing and am starting to read some books on Islam written by Western Muslims and not by evangelicals or Catholics who have an ax to grind. I want the hear the Muslim case from Muslim believers and not Christian apologists.

I started my faith journey as a nomial Protestant, had a born-again experience and became evangelical; then more fundamentalist and then Catholic. I thought my journey was over but something is telling me - God? - that maybe it is not.

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Are you having trouble with how God could be divided into three parts (the Trinity) or become a man in Jesus Christ? If that is so, you can start a new thread about it in the apologetics or non-Catholic religions section.

And the reason why many Catholic/Christian apologists speak out against Islam is because they don’t believe in the Koran or their prophet, so its only natural they oppose it.
 
Catholic29 said:
Are you having trouble with how God could be divided into three parts (the Trinity) or become a man in Jesus Christ? If that is so, you can start a new thread about it in the apologetics or non-Catholic religions section.

And the reason why many Catholic/Christian apologists speak out against Islam is because they don’t believe in the Koran or their prophet, so its only natural they oppose it.
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Read the news - as I said Chronicles magazine - very conservative and Pat Buchahan is a regular - can’t help but run a main feature in the current issue about Orthodox, Catholic and Protestants in the West converting in record numbers to Islam all since 9/11. Its more than theology, It is news. Some of us still Christian are open to the thouight that maybe Islam is True.
 
rien said:
Read the news - as I said Chronicles magazine - very conservative and Pat Buchahan is a regular - can’t help but run a main feature in the current issue about Orthodox, Catholic and Protestants in the West converting in record numbers to Islam all since 9/11. Its more than theology, It is news. Some of us still Christian are open to the thouight that maybe Islam is True.
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I will read it, but why are they converting? Because the Quran made better sense than the Bible?:confused:
 
Catholic29 said:
I will read it, but why are they converting? Because the Quran made better sense than the Bible?:confused:
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They are converting because of moral issues, The lack thereof in the West and Chritianity. The lack of a core belief, foundation, answers. The priest/homosexual scandals in the Catholic church a perfect example and they go unchecked under the new Pope - read the latest Catholic World Report. For fundamenatalists in the South ironically, it is the moral issues causing them to convert too. As to the Orthodox, it was not so clear. Only that a formerly prominenbt Orthodox priest who has converted to Islam is now a great missionairy of Islam to the Slavs and Russia. Chronilces magazine has not yet posted the article but they will probably do so.

Either way, this is a great magazine - a conservative one - they were right on Iraq from day one and their “prophecies” have proven true. Many orthodox Christians write for the magazine - including Pat Buchanhan. Can’t recommend it enough.

Bottom line - Chronilces says they are converting in record numbers because they no longer have faith in Western culture/civilization and that Islam provides a certainty and a universaltality. Beleive me, I know - I am feeling the pull too.
 
I believe that you look around and panic, like Peter did while walking on water. Yes, things are very bad out there today. Really bad. You want to find something to belong to that offers stability and safety and goodness.

You need to focus on God. Not the bad stuff. You need to feed your soul with the sacraments and prayer. And you need to learn to lean on God instead of on yourself or other people. I believe that’s what He’s trying to teach you.

I use to believe that God was there for the big stuff, but I’ve learned that He truly wants me to lean on Him for everything. When you learn that lesson, bad stuff doesn’t paralyze you anymore. You still feel pain, but the peace doesn’t leave.

We’re on a journey of conversion and holiness the whole time we’re on Earth. Stay on the path of holiness and don’t look at that path that appears easier and safer. It’s not. It’s an illusion.
 
I know a lot of Muslims because I live and study in London. These are the reasons I can think of for converting:
  1. Numbers. You could call it snowballing. The more Muslims there are due to high birth rates, immigration and conversion due to marriage, the more it grows. Then there’s more chance people will convert due to missionary type activity, making it grow and beginning the cycle again.
  2. The Muslims I know are quite fervant with there faith; they don’t drink or get involved with a lot of the whole ‘liberal’ university scene. They are usually very friendly and I think this difference could become attractive to some people. As the Muslim students outnumber the Christian ones (meaning practising Christians, people with vaugely Christian beliefs probably outnumber the Muslims), they are more noticed for there different values.
  3. In many ways, Islamic belief is simpler and easier to grasp than Christian belief. Although there are different groups within Islam, they form a more coherant whole than the thausands of Christian churches.
  4. As Islam of all kinds increasingly influences different countries, I think people want to know what its about. Maybe they see what seems like an Islamic revival as proof that there’s something in it, and that the reason it spreads so much is that its God’s will.
Anyway, those are the reasons I can think of at the moment. It is the case that Islam is spreading. These issues are very much debated in England where the grow is visible. Islamic values are closer to Christian ones than the values of secular liberalism. However, St. Paul roughly says, “what use is anything if you don’t have love?”

Whatever anyone says, the Islamic governments around the world can be nasty places of violence and poverty. They’re not all the like that, and the west is far from perfect, but those who are tired of our culture and its deteriorating values will not find the awnser in Islam. Jesus is the way, the truth and the life.

I saw the OP was having some problems with his faith. Rian, you arn’t alone; studying theology made my faith a bit shakey; but I’m through it now, I know God will never abandon me. After all my worries about a whole load of things, it was amazing how gently but surely simple prayers drew me back and convinced me of Christ’s love. God will not abandon you either; I’m sure that in there own way, the authors of those books you are reading have a sincere faith in one God, just like we have; but Jesus is the only way to him.

It seems you’ve been round the diffferent churches quite a lot. Maybe you should take a little time steadying yourself; and focus on the voice of our creator. God doesn’t turn away those who sincerely reach out to him 🙂
 
Rien, you are reading about people converting to Islam, and i can tell you, many and many Muslims are converting to Christianity.Numbers mean nothing and don’t forget Jesus said many will be deceived so people converting is not the axe on which you can build your convictions on.

Second, converting to Islam for moral reasons because the West is immoral? then why not change the West and ask to apply Christian morality? because the West cannot impose religion on people, so even if one converts to Islam, the problem will not be solved as there will always be people who want to live it their way. In the same way some priests acted immoraly, some cheiks do this as well…it is not Christianity that lead these priests to do what they did.

Furthermore, Jesus said not the gates of hell can stand in the face of His Church…does this mean the Church will never have problems? of course not! it is THE Church satan will attack the most 😉 so we must all pray for the Church because all are tempted.

If all people apply the Christian morality and live in a Christian community like our early Christian fathers, the planet would be paradise 😉 but why base your convictions on people? Jesus said who he loves a brother or sister or anything more than Him is not worthy of Him …we do not have Saints because of Islam but because of Jesus 😉 yes these same Saints who belived in Trinity and Jesus’ divinity and which some people reject for something “easier” 😉 God is not easy to grasp 🙂
 
In the early times and even occasionally nowadays they converted to Islam because it was “Convert or Die!” which is still a basic cornerstone of their faith.
I urge you to think and pray.
Do Not Give In To The Infidel!
WP
 
Islam started when Muhammad, a seventh century Arab, purported to be the Messenger of God. That much we know for sure. The Qur’an, he claimed, was a series of revelations he received directly from a nameless Lord.

The inspirational experience was described by Muhammad to be like a bell, clanging in his head, causing him to shake and sweat profusely. These rather nasty experiences continued, he said, until he was able to decipher the message. Thus the Qur’an, Muslims believe, is God’s revelation to man through his final and most important prophet.

Yet only Muhammad heard these “revelations.” He offered no evidence of his divine inspiration—we take the Qur’an solely on his word. The Bible, by comparison, had forty authors, all literate, who told a consistent story over the course of fifteen centuries. Muhammad, who was admittedly illiterate, acted alone in the formation of Islam and is alleged to have invented his religion over the course of twenty-two years.

Over a billion people live in nations controlled by Islamic principles. Thus to many, Muhammad was a rousing success. Yet these very same nations are among the world’s most destitute, least free, and most violent. And they are the fountain of terror, providing the money, men, motive, and means for murder. In that light, Muhammad’s legacy is considerably more tarnished.

There were no miracles to prove Muhammad’s claim of being a godly conduit. There were no healings, walking on water, parting seas, raising folks from the dead, or feeding multitudes. And there are no fulfilled prophecies, like the exacting and detailed predictions that Biblical prophets routinely made to demonstrate their divine authority. But the most troubling part about our absolute reliance on Muhammad’s testimony that he and his Qur’an were divinely inspired is that the prophet’s character was as deficient, and his life was as despicable, as anyone who has ever lived.
www.prophetofdoom.net
 
add to this his insults regarding Jesus when he claimed Jesus was not crucified :rolleyes:
 
Often we Christians are given conflicting messages by the world around us. If we strictly follow our faith, we are told that we are backwards, ignorant prudes who dominate women and are uncompassionate.

Muslims have the advantage of being still protected by some in the media. Their strict behavior is seen as cultural, so they are not mocked for their beliefs to the same extent as Christians are.

Making fun of strict Christians is a common occurrence on television. I rarely hear Muslims mocked for being modest or strict in their faith.
 
The former Italian ambassador HAD to convert. He was a life long Arabic scholar who had always wanted to see Mecca. So he snuck in and got caught on the way out. Huge problem. Killing him would cause a fuss, he had violated Saudi law and so that was embarassing, what to do? Ah convert him on the spot and send him home asap. Either that or they start collecting stones and digging a hole. So there was no big attraction other then staying alive.

Islam creates unity by killing. Is that the right way? Also that unity is questionable. There are a wide variety of sects in Islam, sunni, shiite, ismaili, sufi…all have differences. Their logic impales themselves.I suggest you visit www.answering-islam.org. Islam is indefensible.
 
I can’t speak for others. But there is no pull toward Islam for me.

I’m very satisfied and content with what Catholicism teaches-- even when we personally fail to live up to her teachings. And God knows I’ve failed miserably to live up to his expectations.
 
Christianity is in a lull, the majority of Christians in the west support abortion, contraception, fornication, co-habitation, divorce and remarriage etc… I’m basing this on the fact that 2/3rd of our primarily Christian nation support abortion, and the numbers only rise for the rest. Today’s Catholic may dabble in any and all of these and receive the Eucharist gladly come Sunday without confessing if he/she even attends Mass anymore. And how often do you hear these issues addressed? Almost never, don’t want to offend the sensibilities of the parishoners by calling it like it is.

Just today for All Saints myself and one other old man sat during Holy Communion while every single person received. I hate to judge the situation but I attend daily Mass regularly there is rarely more than two people in line for confession yet 400 get up to recieve? There’s this huge disconnect between what our faith teaches and what parishoners do. It’s like the 800 pound gorrilla in the room. If people really aren’t practicing their faith anymore but simply going through the motions, then that leaves them open to leave easy.

Since it appears to the layman the Christian West has all but accepted abortion, contraception, homosexual marriage, fornication, co-habitation etc… And whether people realize it or not, these go against the moral law, so they seek out what appears on the outside the more devout way of serving God. And on the outside Islam appears that way to people. It doesn’t seem like a bunch of folks just going through the motions and not actually believing or practicing their faith, but actual devout lovers of God. That’s the draw IMO.
 
2 Timothy 4:3-4
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3
For the time will come when people will not tolerate sound doctrine but, following their own desires and insatiable curiosity, will accumulate teachers
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and will stop listening to the truth and will be diverted to myths.
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I wanted to add this scripture passage. I think it pertains to this movement towards Islam as well as other movements that lead us away from Christianity. Please keep this in mind when the grass looks greener on the Islamic side. It is not.

:blessyou:
 
again, we must remind some that West does not equal Christianity . Culture plays a big role. Can you impose on Americans the Christian values? if not, live your faith and values with pride and happiness and pray for the conversion of others. Some saints lead a bad life before conversion, so do not judge, be good followers of Christ , show good example, educate your children and leave the rest to God.
 
The apparent unity in Islam can be explained by a saying attributed to Mohammed himself - “The enemy of my enemy is my friend”. I believe this is one of the reasons that radical Muslims have demonized Israel and the West, because it gives them a common enemy. Don’t forget that the Shi’ites and Sunnis recently fought a bloody 8-year war - the Iran/Iraq war. And recently, the Iraqi leaders of the Shi’ite and Sunni communities had to meet and agree to stop violence between the two sides in the interest of keeping the focus on the Americans in Iraq. If Israel went away tomorrow, Iran and Saudia Arabia would be at each others throats in a heartbeat to determine whether Shi’ites or Sunnis would dominate the Middle East.

I can understand you wanting to read about Islam from Muslims, but remember that nothing you read will be without bias. And many of Islam’s “warts” have not been subjected to public scrutiny because anyone daring to criticise Allah or Mohammed is subject to a death sentence.
 
i agree with you Jim…but after 9/11, and even before, many books criticized Islam and the character of Muhammad. The unity in Islam, i will add, is that Islam is religion and state and any criticism is faced by death threats. In the West, there is separation between the 2 and any one can criticize or reject faith and no one will threaten his life. In Saudi Arabia, if you don’t go to pray, the Mutawi’ will oblige you…no freedom…if a Christian in SA continues to work during prayer time, he’s taken to the police…not everything that shines is gold.

What merit do we have if we are obliged? you live your faith fully and with pride…am sending you as sheep amongt wolves. Remember Jesus’ warnings always 👍
 
Hello ,

If you want to meet people who are converts to islam then go to www.whyislam.org

If you want a great mainstream site about islam then go to

www.islamonline.net

if you have any questions you can also PM me or post the questions on this site .

best regards,

meedo
 
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