For LilyLayla as requested

[abdullahnoor]

I was born and raised in a Christian family and in a Christian environment. As a kid, I was fascinated by the teachings of Jesus. Yes, teachings of Jesus and not of St Paul. I paid special attention to Jesus’ parables in particular. To me, it was beautiful.

I liked the way Jesus condemned the rich hypocrites. I liked the way he mixed around with the poor and destitute. I liked the way he lifted the status of “poverty” over the “material”. He made “being poor” look good and “being rich” look bad. Call it the “underdog syndrome” if you like, but as a kid I liked it, because I could relate it to real life. There are so many rich and showy people who are hypocrites, pretending to help the poor. And I didn’t and still don’t like them one bit.

At the same time as a kid, I learnt a little something about Buddhism and Islam. I was fascinated how Sridartha Gautama, a rich prince abandoned wealth to seek knowledge. Again, note the similarities of Gautama’s and Jesus’ attitude towards wealth. Both stress knowledge over the material.

As for Islam, I was fascinated by the “One True God” approach. Again I noted the seeking of knowledge and abandoning of wealth on the part of Muhammad, when he meditated in the cave – as with Gautama searching for knowledge. This ‘One God” concept in Islam, appears much more appealing to the “Trinity” concept in Christianity, which for the life of me, I could not understand.

My interest in Buddhism and Islam remained dormant for years. It was only later as a young adult that I started to study those two religions more deeply.

As time went by, I found that Islam was more appealing than Christianity. In fact, I even found Buddhism more appealing than Christianity too. However, Islam had the edge over me because it not only taught about life but it also teaches about God – something missing in Buddhism.

I was fascinated with the verses of the Quran that tell readers to look for signs of the Creator. And indeed I see His Creations everywhere! From the laws of physics, to laws in Mathematics, to life on earth. I even see the signs of God even in literary works of different cultures. In fact, I concluded that it is easier to believe that this universe is designed rather than it happened by chance. Here is my take on the creation-chance debate in the old forum. See how difficult it was for atheists to argue against my belief of a creator.


http://www.faithfreedom.org/forum2/viewtopic.php?t=3250&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=0

Take note of the flooding, in spite of my diplomatic style. As I said, there is so much hate in FFI, it is difficult to engage in intellectual discussion here.

But why Islam, you may ask. Simple. To me, reading the Quran is like God talking to me. From the very words of the Quran, I was asked to look around me for God’s existence. Like I said, I did – as in the laws of physics etc. No other scripture has asked the same!

I reasoned that if God did create this universe, then surely He would put signs and markers in this universe, then tell us to look out for these markers, won’t He?

I saw those markers in the sciences, maths and literary works – and I saw Him asking me to look for them (as in the Quran).

That is basically what got me converted to Islam.

Lily, I know you wanna here the sob story side, which is my trials and tribulations I had with my family then. I draw a line here. That is my personal life and I don’t wish to put it online, because I don’t want to speak ill of my family and I don’t want haters here to use that history of mine to backstab me. Besides after many years, I have actually won their hearts.

But if you truly wish to know about my problems then, just put up a temporary email and I will see how much I can give you, if that is of any help to you, so that you may benefit and know how to handle your case now.

Right. That is my story. Basically, I actually practised Islam even before registering myself as a Muslim. I was fasting, praying in congregation and even gave zakaah, when I was actually a “non-Muslim” in the eyes of the Census Dept in the country of my residence then.

Why I finally registered as a Muslim is because I was told that if I died, the Muslim community could do nothing, if my family claimed I was a Christian and buried me as one. I thought about it and went, Whoa! Hence, I officially converted. Only after that, did I meet my present wife.

See my story? Isn’t enlightenment and love for created things much more beautiful than stories of horror, hate, bile and vengeance put up by haters pertaining to their apostasy?

===

Note to readers -

I edited the first line in the post, because yeezevee the multinicker mistook that I was not born a Christian.
_________________
Have you noticed that while stories of converts to Islam are always about love, compassion and enlightenment - stories of apostates from Islam on the other hand, are always about hate, bile and vengeance?

[yeezevee]

[piggy]

[Leia]

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[yeezevee]

[abdullahnoor]

Lily

[Leia]

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[abdullahnoor]

[diotima64]

[Leia]

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[abdullahnoor]

Lily

You have to be specific exactly what is it you do not like.

If you say that something happened 1400 years ago, and that is why you hate, then there will be no end.

Because I too can say that US kills your fellow Arabs by the thousands, and because of that, I hate everything that is Western, including Nike and Coke.

So the fight continues. Terrorists bomb US targets and US bombs your fellow Arabs - innocent women and children included. There is no end if you do not look at specifics.

Now think about it. What is it in your life, not what happened 1400 years ago, that makes you hate Islam?
_________________
Have you noticed that while stories of converts to Islam are always about love, compassion and enlightenment - stories of apostates from Islam on the other hand, are always about hate, bile and vengeance?

[Leia]

Article unavailable as per the author's request.

Restoration is possible upon request.

--administrator

[abdullahnoor]

Lily

Yes, I know you want to have fun and laughter. The question is, will you find that after you leave Islam? Will you even find it, after you have migrated, to a non-Muslim country?

Let us take real examples.

A happy person talks happy things. A sad person talks sad things. An angry and vengeful person talks angry and vengeful things.

Look at Ampbreia and Cyberite, who claim to have left Islam and are now in the “Free West”. Take a look at their posts to me and about me.

Do their posts sound happy? Or do are they filled with hate?

Now ask them, if they really are so happy as they claim, why not talk happy things? Why do they still bear so much malice, hate and vengeance for Muslims who support Islam?

If you leave a sad state, then you should be happy, isn’t it?

Why then do you see them carrying baggage of hate?

My point is that happiness is relative. My point is that happiness has to come from within yourself. Because if you depend on outside factors to make you happy, (like migrating or apostatizing), you still won’t find happiness! Cyber and Ampbreia are excellent examples!

Trust me. I learnt this from the teachings of Gautama. These are the same teachings as Jesus’ teachings. And these same teachings are from Muhammad too! Happiness from outside is temporary. Happiness from within is golden and cannot be taken away from you.

The way to attain such happiness is to drop that hate.

I have to attend to some matters now. Think carefully and post your thoughts. Insha Allah, I will try to make a reply within 24 hours.

Take care.
_________________
Have you noticed that while stories of converts to Islam are always about love, compassion and enlightenment - stories of apostates from Islam on the other hand, are always about hate, bile and vengeance?

[diotima64]

I quite agree with you, Abdulahnoor when you say that hapiness must come from within...but there are certain external conditions that might make it easiere to have "happy thoughts" no?

BTW

[crazy canuck]