Converting to Islam

[Jenn! 918]

This is an honest question because I'm curious about those of you who convert. If you feel that the religion you were raised with doesn't fit, why the urge to find another religion? Why not just believe what you believe and conduct your own relationship with God?

I'm not a convert, but this question caught my eye. I'm curious about who God is and what the boundaries are when you don't share God with a community of believers. I mean no disrespect. I'm just curious, too. Where do the rules for the relationship come from when you go it alone? Is the reason for not joining an organized religion to avoid being held to standards or judgement by other adherents, or to feel more equal to God? How do you know the rules?

No offense taken. If I reverse the logic, then the major reason for following an organized religion is accountability?

Personally, I just don't have faith that any one religion has got all the rules right (if there are meant to be rules at all, that is). And I don't see the point of "joining" a religion if you don't intend to follow all of its rules. I guess your argument against that is that by becoming a part of the religion, others of that religion will help guide you and stay on the right path?

I don't think that religion is a prerequisite for morals. Athough, I've been raised in a society where religion exists - not sure I can say with any certainty that I would have the same morals if religion had never been a part of my life in any way.

[Sofiyya 1,687]

Thx, Jenn! I'd say that the reason for following God is accountability. What comes to my mind when someone wants to avoid organized religion is that they are seeking to avoid accountability and decide for themselves what God wants of us. I'm not knocking it as a way to work thru doubts, I just see it as a bit self-absorbed and narcissitic if it never moves beyond that. I could be wrong, afterall, I follow a religion that's not exactly what many would call organized lol.

Edited December 2, 2009 by Sofiyya

[Mommy2ZaidnSalma 11]

Jenn, you couldnt have said it better. that is the same exact reason I do not practice organized religion. I feel like if im going to convert I should follow the religion 100% and if I dont have plans to, why give myself the label of being "christian" or "muslim"

[Henna Rose 0]

Jenn, you couldnt have said it better. that is the same exact reason I do not practice organized religion. I feel like if im going to convert I should follow the religion 100% and if I dont have plans to, why give myself the label of being "christian" or "muslim"

What about grace and forgiveness ? None of us will be perfect Christians, Muslims (insert your religion here) as long as we are living in this fallen world. Does that mean I can't call myself a Christian because I struggle in the flesh sometimes, make mistakes, am human and will never be perfect? Does that wipe away my beliefs and faith when I stumble? Or does it mean that I can renew myself and look to God for his mercy and forgiveness, learn from my failings and move on?

Just food for thought

[Vanessa1 7]

You know this is an area of my life that I am currently struggling with. I was devout in a particular religion for over 10 years, having not had a set religion in my youth. It was the rules and that what you should or shouldn't do that eventually drove me away. It wasn't that I disagreed with accountability but that's what the focus became. I estranged myself from my family slowly over time and began to lose who I was as an individual. I wasn't free to consider my own decisions and situation because there were definite things you should and should not do. But in that process I made decisions to follow the set path and then some very bad things happened because I was following faith above logic. I had to separate myself from it, which was a slow, painful, and very guilt-ridden process.

I'll admit I miss religion in my life but, as others have said, I don't know if there is a right one and I just don't know if anyone can know that. I don't have anything against people who are devout to a religion and there are some really good things about it that I miss. I think that it does set your moral code and, again, that's not necessarily a bad thing. What I struggle with is when I feel like in order to be devout to a religion, which I would be if I joined one again, then I just couldn't give up being who I am because I really like me. I just don't feel like I need someone to regulate every move I make.

I say this respectfully and it is merely my own experience on my own path. I loved so many things about being a member of a church and some of the things about the organized religion was really great but I just couldn't be me and I needed to get back to myself. I won't give that up again, and must be able to keep that if I ever join a religion again.

[Mommy2ZaidnSalma 11]

Henna

I suppose I wasnt clear about what I meant. For me, I dont believe in EVERY aspect of any specific religion and I feel like if you doubt things about a religion how can you call yourself a part of it?

IE: I was born and raised catholic but dont believe in Original Sin, which is why i dont label myself catholic anymore. Same goes with Jews,Muslims, etc. If you were going to convert I would assume you have 100% faith that this religion is EVERYTHING you want, not just bits and pieces

[venusfire503 54]

This is an honest question because I'm curious about those of you who convert. If you feel that the religion you were raised with doesn't fit, why the urge to find another religion? Why not just believe what you believe and conduct your own relationship with God?

Jenn,

First of all, I hope I don't offend anyone with anything I have to say - it's not my intent.

I think that's an interesting question. I can understand the desire to identify with a religion, even though I don't. I don't have any desire to follow the Catholic religion I was "born into", or to convert, either.

I am doing what you suggested - I believe what I believe and have my own relationship with God. I follow many Christian traditions, partly out of habit, partly for the sake of my children (who have been doing them all their lives). I have also adopted many of my husband's 'habits' - not drinking, (usually) not eating pork, etc. I do Ramadan with him, too. I don't consider myself, from a religious perspective, to be anything other than a believer of God.

My thought on it is that if I was born into the religion, I can more or less choose how strictly I want to follow it. If I convert to a religion, I would feel obligated to be as strict as possible, since it would be my choice to convert. Does that make sense?

I love what someone posted - think about whether or not you'd follow the religion without your SO. That's one thing I thought about - if something happened to my husband, I can't imagine I'd keep doing Ramadan, for example. So, even though it would be 'easier' and more convenient to label myself as a follower of a specific religion, I just don't feel like I 'belong' to any particular one. Part of me envies people who do.

I hope everyone finds peace and happiness.

venusfire

[venusfire503 54]

Thx, Jenn! I'd say that the reason for following God is accountability. What comes to my mind when someone wants to avoid organized religion is that they are seeking to avoid accountability and decide for themselves what God wants of us. I'm not knocking it as a way to work thru doubts, I just see it as a bit self-absorbed and narcissitic if it never moves beyond that. I could be wrong, afterall, I follow a religion that's not exactly what many would call organized lol.

Or perhaps, as in my case, we're not convinced that anyone else knows exactly what those rules are... It seems to me that most religions follow what someone in the past interpreted the rules to be. Even within each religion (from what I know), it seems there is debate about exactly what those rules are. What bothers me quite a bit is when people claim that the ONLY way to salvation is to follow what they believe. I honestly can't believe that God would decide that only people who decided to follow a certain religion would be 'saved' from eternal damnation. I refuse to blindly live my life a certain way because some human somewhere said I should. As far as what God wants, how do ANY of us really know? Not to knock anyone's beliefs, but we are all going by what we were told is 'right'. Some do it just because they were told, some feel in their hearts that what they heard is right. However, can SO many of us (humans) be wrong? What about people who felt in their hearts that something was right, and later decided that something different was right?

I don't live my life the way I do (without attaching myself to a certain religion) because I want to avoid accountability. I do my best to treat everyone with respect and understanding, help others, etc. I just am not convinced that any of the people who preach any of the religions are the absolute authority and are 100% accurate. Think of the whispering game many of us played as children. If I am ever convinced, I will follow what I hear. In the mean time, I am accountable to my children, my husband, my self, and what I feel is God's Will (not in that order).

venusfire

[Mommy2ZaidnSalma 11]

Venus. that is exactly what I meant. I was born catholic. When I was old enough I started to learn about the religion and didnt follow it 100% but still labeled myself catholic. But...If you are choosing to convert, I feel you should believe in every aspect of the religion, otherwise, what would be the point? I dont mean to offend anyone thats just my take on converting.

[Bajih 4]

Interesting conversations. UmmSqueaker, I laughed when I read that part about being the "token" convert. LOL. So true. When will I just be considered a Muslim? I am Muslim.

I converted to Islam in 1996 because I felt a deep stirring within me that this was the right path. Since Day One, I have not questioned that decision. I feel as if I have a personal close relationship to God that transcends "religion". I do not know if any of my Muslim sisters can attest to this, but I see Islam as a way of thinking; way of living and the term "religion" stifles it. I do not see Islam as a "religion" as I believe it was the original way of living in the beginning of time. I am not sure if I am making any sense- sorry!

Here is my conversion story. Posted many moons ago.

HMy conversion story

May you find your way to peace. Follow your heart. It will always guide you right. That is God speaking to you.

Baj

[Safiya&Samir 0]

I totally understand what you are saying. There are many different aspects of Islam. Of course there are rules of how a Muslim state should be run, and there are social aspects which are basically just getting together and enjoying each others company, but more than that, it is just a private thing, practiced in the home between yourself and God.

The question of, if you didn't believe in your original religion, why choose another, is strange to me. You decide you don't believe in one, decide you do believe in another. ? It IS mostly about your personal relationship with God. If I believed that I could "go it alone," I would have just stayed agnostic. To say that anyone can discern everything about life for themselves seems kind of condescending to me. Maybe I'm an idiot, but I don't think it's possible for a human being, especially as one starts in life, at youth, when major life decisions are made, to decide what is best 100 or even 50 percent of the time. We all need help. I like the fact that theologians and philosophers have been debating everyday issues for centuries and I can turn to their interpretations for guidance. I feel that if I had been Muslim since I was 18 I could have avoided a lot of problems in life. Problems are a necessary part of growing, but some things are REALLY better avoided.

[Jenn! 918]

I didn't mean the question to be condescending. I really wanted to understand better. I think what it boils down to is that with an organized religion you need not only faith in God, but also faith that the written word at the center of the religion is divine, e.g. the Quran. If one is unable to believe in that, then conversion does become pointless, right?

[morocco4ever 63]

I didn't mean the question to be condescending. I really wanted to understand better. I think what it boils down to is that with an organized religion you need not only faith in God, but also faith that the written word at the center of the religion is divine, e.g. the Quran. If one is unable to believe in that, then conversion does become pointless, right?

What I don't understand is why some people assume that if you don't follow a specific religion then you don't believe in God at all. I also don't understand when some assume that if you don't follow a specific religion then you are avoiding accountability.

For instance, a Muslim prays 5 times a day. A very important part of the religion. What if that person that prays 5 times a day is also cheating on his wife? Or stealing. Or a number of things that are wrong. Does that make this person higher in the eyes of God than of one that believes in God, is not doing the above mentioned, prays, but in his own version, rather one that is specified by a religion?

I guess my point is that just because a person hasn't chosen a specific religion doesn't mean that they don't want to be held up to accountability. Perhaps that person is reasonable enough to know that there will always be accountability no matter what. And a person with a good heart doesn't need a religion to understand right from wrong.

[hicham13 0]

hi everybody it is been a long time

i m just posting a debates between christian and muslim talkin about good issue like is the bible true word of god and another issue is jessus god may alah open ur minds and plz don t get nervouse give ur self time listen and be patiant .

2nd is jessus god

http://video.aol.co.uk/video-detail/is-jes...oberg/147444816

may god open ur minds and plz again don t be angry and listen coz i knoz some ppl it is hard for them to say sth about thier relegion

1st

http://vodpod.com/watch/187880-ahmad-deeda...rue-word-of-god

[Kenza 1]

hi everybody it is been a long time

i m just posting a debates between christian and muslim talkin about good issue like is the bible true word of god and another issue is jessus god may alah open ur minds and plz don t get nervouse give ur self time listen and be patiant .

2nd is jessus god

http://video.aol.co.uk/video-detail/is-jes...oberg/147444816

may god open ur minds and plz again don t be angry and listen coz i knoz some ppl it is hard for them to say sth about thier relegion

1st

http://vodpod.com/watch/187880-ahmad-deeda...rue-word-of-god

Thank you Hicham, but this post is not to debate which religion is true or false. It is about finding your own spiritual path whether that be a religion or not.