Luxor4u

A-Four wrote:
It is of my opinion that the original writer here, has little or no knowledge of either faith, so should withdraw and study at least one, then perhaps question another, after this.

This has come back to haunt me yet again!!!
What would you like me to withdraw from A-Four?What would you like me to study?

I don't need to study my faith!I follow it on a day to day basis!

I accept the 10 commandments.
I have partaken in 5 of the 7 Sacraments of the Catholic church.
I can only aspire to 6 as Holy Orders will not apply to me.
Extreme Unction will be the final one for me!

I attend Mass,I go to Confession.I acknowledge One true God.I say my prayers every day,abstain from certain "pleasures"during Lent,don't eat meat on Fridays and fast days(whether they've been repealed by Canon Law or not)..and enjoy the feast days!

Surely that's enough evidence that I know what I need to know about my faith!!
I have no time to withdraw into solitude and study it or any other before asking questions!

Anyone can "google"information and repeat their findings.
But not everyone can admit to a following a faith in a very simplistic way(like me!)

Sometimes too much knowledge can be a bad thing!And if withdrawing and studying it will cause me to question it..than I'd just rather be a follower..and not a scholar!

Glyphdoctor wrote:

Dusak wrote:
If I was ever to marry a Muslim woman, I would convert to Islam, not because I had to because otherwise I couldn't marry her, but to show the family respect and integrate myself into a new community. Some may call this a falsehood, others may say its for self gain.

But this was 14 months ago, not more than 4 years ago.

I don't really care what someone's religion is, but making up stories for attention is not a really admirable trait.

And somewhere, maybe everywhere, stories are being made up.

You are quite correct on this, it was fourteen months ago, but it was penned as such because I wanted to see what the reaction would be regarding this. I wanted to see if there was going to be negativity towards such a statement. At the time I did not want to discuss it as I have done so recently, and this was because it could of affected me in another matter which has since passed. As a few have mentioned, too much information can cause problems, so I waited because for me, the time was not right. Do not think that there is only you that is reading my posts, other people are and I have no control over this, but that is not enough reason for me not discussing all sorts of topics. At the time I had to be very word careful, now the flood gates can be fully opened.

One thing about me that never changes, I do not tell lies concerning anything I write on here, I have always told it as it is and will continue to do so in the future. Only you could/would suggest that it is story time, as you have used that term before in relation to my posts. This is something that you have to live with, suspicion of others or just me.

You have, most of the time, called me or inferred that I'm an attention seeker. Not so as I care not if I am totally ignored by all. But again, if this is your opinion, that is something else you have to live with.

You have proved that you are the type of person to spend your time searching out past posts, not just mine, but others in your attempts to either undermine or to point score. Again if this is your like, then carry on.

As I have mentioned many a time, I enjoy being a member on here, I like talking about my life and things that I have seen or just the latest news. It may interest some or bore the pants off most but I will not stop. Besides, you must enjoy reading what I write as your always quoting or using me in references. This is something that I have to live with.

I don't need to spend time searching out past posts. I just have a good memory of what was said previously.

As for converting to please others, I don't get it. As for saying some words you don't even know the meaning of even though it is the BELIEF in the words that is the basic distinction between a Muslim and a non-Muslim, I don't get it either. As for hiding your religion in a Muslim country, I don't get it either.

But it's your life to live, so to each his own.

There you go again, making assumptions. I do not hide anything in this country, the people that mattered knew, I just decided not to make it public knowledge on here until I was certain that it would not have repercussions for me, financial wise, and it would have at the time, from problems that I have highlighted on the other post you are entrenched in. I don't know why I even feel the need to explain myself to you. So, this is another post you have successfully removed me from due to your one irremovable one sided opinions and beliefs that what you say is pure fact and not open for debate by any.

I thought that all that was needed to convert to Islam was to believe that the message of all the prophets is that there is just One True God and he alone is to be worshipped.
You have to say the Testimony of Faith (Shahada)
La Ilaha illa, Mohammed rasoola Allah.
There is no true God but God (Allah) and Mohammed is his messenger.
If you say this with conviction and understand it's meaning then you become a Muslim.
Maybe the checks that Dusak went through was to make sure he did have the conviction and understood the meaning of the words he was saying.

Yes, you are correct Carrie.

carrie wrote:I thought that all that was needed to convert to Islam was to believe that the message of all the prophets is that there is just One True God and he alone is to be worshipped.
You have to say the Testimony of Faith (Shahada)
La Ilaha illa, Mohammed rasoola Allah.
There is no true God but God (Allah) and Mohammed is his messenger.
If you say this with conviction and understand it's meaning then you become a Muslim.
Maybe the checks that Dusak went through was to make sure he did have the conviction and understood the meaning of the words he was saying.

Yes, you are correct Carrie. It's leaving the faith that's the real problem.

I may well have posed this before, but as the subject has been refreshed I'll pose it now anyway.

I am confused! (Nothing new there then.)

Many times I have been told that when those who were not born into a Muslim family take up Islam as their faith they are not 'converts' but 'reverts'. That is to say, that they were born Muslim but just didn't know it at the time. So, in choosing Islam they are reverting to that which they already where. Now, if this is the case why does anyone have to take any steps such as outlined above by Carrie?

I have always found it odd that, (in particular but not solely) one Muslim family that I am close to in Luxor would introduce me to their wider family and friends, giving my name and then stating that I was a believing Christian. The response often being along the lines of 'Ah. She is a good Muslimah!'

I personally don't believe you are born into any particular faith, although your cultural conditions can and do influence it. I actually believe that you choose your faith, and feel very sorry for those that wish to do that but it is even on pain of death if they do.

All babies are said be born Muslim, but it is their parents that imprint their faith on them, so they may become Christian, Muslim, Buddhist etc. That is why the word "revert" is used. But it's English phrasing only. There's no such terminology in Arabic and so I don't think it really matters what term one uses in English to describe it. Babies born to Muslim parents have the shahada recited in their ears when they are born, but those born to other parents obviously don't, hence the need to recite the shahada.

I find what your friends say to be odd too and really have no idea what they are getting at with that. Have you ever asked them?

Glyphdoctor wrote:All babies are said be born Muslim, but it is their parents that imprint their faith on them, so they may become Christian, Muslim, Buddhist etc. That is why the word "revert" is used. But it's English phrasing only. There's no such terminology in Arabic and so I don't think it really matters what term one uses in English to describe it. Babies born to Muslim parents have the shahada recited in their ears when they are born, but those born to other parents obviously don't, hence the need to recite the shahada.

I find what your friends say to be odd too and really have no idea what they are getting at with that. Have you ever asked them?

So the brainwashing starts very early - probably the same with most other fairy tales - sorry I mean religions.

Glyphdoctor wrote: I find what your friends say to be odd too and really have no idea what they are getting at with that. Have you ever asked them?

I tried, but with only one person (who wasn't always around) who spoke good English I'm sure much got lost in translation. I took it as a compliment and pretty much left it at that.

It was funny one day whilst I was staying at the house as a couple of older ladies came to visit. We went through the usual introductions, smiles, tea and sign language then I realised conversation was going on about my hair and not having my head covered. My translator wasn't around at the time but when I asked later his mother said the other women thought that as a good woman I should cover my head, at least whilst living there and mother had told them she would never dream of asking me to do such a thing. As it happens, even though it is not an obligation, when I visit places for the first time - a village or a home - I usually ask my guide/host in advance if it would be preferred if I covered my head. I always have a scarf with me just in case but I've never needed it. The same in Morocco where I spend more time in non tourist towns.

The oath that I had to repeat in Arabic three times was

''I believe in just the one God Allah and Mohamed was the last prophet.''

It must be a difficult life to be so cocksure of yourself that you can only believe your own words GD.

@ Dusak - seriously, was it the LAST prohet?

It is stated in the Qur'an that Mohammed is "the seal of the prophets".....a term generally accepted by muslims to mean that there will be no more. i.e. he is the last.

Ah but it could be seal as in the type with flippers.

Scottishtourist wrote:

A-Four wrote:
It is of my opinion that the original writer here, has little or no knowledge of either faith, so should withdraw and study at least one, then perhaps question another, after this.

R
This has come back to haunt me yet again!!!
What would you like me to withdraw from A-Four?What would you like me to study?

I don't need to study my faith!I follow it on a day to day basis!

I accept the 10 commandments.
I have partaken in 5 of the 7 Sacraments of the Catholic church.
I can only aspire to 6 as Holy Orders will not apply to me.
Extreme Unction will be the final one for me!.
I attend Mass,I go to Confession.I acknowledge One true God.I say my prayers every day,abstain from certain "pleasures"during Lent,don't eat meat on Fridays and fast days(whether they've been repealed by Canon Law or not)..and enjoy the feast days!

Surely that's enough evidence that I know what I need to know about my faith!!
I have no time to withdraw into solitude and study it or any other before asking questions!

Anyone can "google"information and repeat their findings.
But not everyone can admit to a following a faith in a very simplistic way(like me!)

Sometimes too much knowledge can be a bad thing!And if withdrawing and studying it will cause me to question it..than I'd just rather be a follower..and not a scholar!

Oh boy, difficult one here ST, so I shall try to explain the best way I can, without creating too much steam.

You state in your initial post that your mother converted from Protestant Christian to Catholic Christian, a straight forward progress from one sect of the faith to another. I think that you would agree that for some one to perform this in reverse would be un- thinkable, because the person would no longer be of, what many believe is the supreme faith, where the authority of the Pope and his bishops are infallible ( Vatican 11 ), and they have questioned this.

The reason why I question your request on some who may have converted from Christanity to Islam is that, without sounding superior, your 'blind' faith, would not put you in a good position to question, another persons new faith outside Christianity.

One thing is for sure the man Jesus was born, lived and died, any one who thinks different is a fool, however the history of what became Christianity can be challenged.

Just for reference, I am neither Christian or Muslim, though I do believe in God.

Bearded Brian wrote:Ah but it could be seal as in the type with flippers.

Or the kind with flippancy.

ST you say you don't eat meat on Friday, I too was brought up not to eat meat on Friday, I too was brought up to believe that the Latin mass was unchallangeable, it enabled Roman Catholics to follow the mass where ever in the world they where. Which was true. As you say the abstaining from meat has been repealed by Canon Law this and other "laws" have been overturned. Does it not give you cause to question, does God give the word of God or is it the Pope ,Cardinals etc who have the last word? Really not challenging your faith just asking you as a Catholic what do you think about the changes and how they are implimented.

Rules & regulations of the various branches of christianity were largely man-made. Presumably they can be altered by man....whichever 'man' heads that particular branch.

It wasn't so long ago that poor old Mary Magdalene was "rehabilitated".....having been moved from mere 'sinner' (per the gospels) to 'prostitute' at the behest of early popes.

It's all a bit of a 'rum do'.....and largely made up as you go along