I am 18 years old and have been raised as an Arab-Christian. My father is Orthodox and my mother is Catholic. Both sides of my family are very old fashioned and strict. I am very conservative and have old fashion morals myself. All of my friends are Arabic, some of them being Christian and some of them being Muslim. Lately, I have been thinking about converting. I think I am valid in saying that I want to convert because I see the difference between Christian and Muslim families. Not to say that Arab-Christian families can't be strict, but I feel like my morals and values lean more towards the Muslim side. I don't mean this as far the religion goes, just the morals and values that go along with it however. If that makes any sense?? I feel like religion is just something that you are born into and I feel like people should get to chose their religion. I do have some family that is Muslim and I have talked to them about this and they support it because they think I am doing it for the right reasons. My father however is a very strong Christian and I am afraid that he would be very angry with me and not talk to me. I'm scared of what my Christian side of the family and my Christian friends will think. Please give me as much advice as you have.

Mahlia513

I understand what you're saying, but trust me thats SUCH a stereotype!! In Americanized-Muslim families the men RESPECT their wives completely!! If you find a good guy anyways. My Muslim uncles have never treated their wives badly and hold a high respect for them because they do take care of them and the children. Sorry, I don't mean to be caddy, but that really bothers me when people hold that stereo type against Muslim men. They don't beat there wives either.

NeedKarma

Then there's that whole issue about leaving Islam that I didn't face.

http://www.islamonline.net/servlet/S...=1119503544134

31pumpkin

Oh yes they do beat their wives! That especially if they are westernized. My 1st husband was Muslim. He tried to" break my hard head" for wearing shorts & enraging his jealousy of other men looking at me. That's beyond possessive! That's sick.
Not to say that any other men don't beat on their wives for different things, but it's all abnormal.

If the main reason for preferring to be a Muslim rather than some other religion is so that you like the way the women behave, then I feel sorry for that.
Most of us just try to find someone compatible to love & share their life without restrictions & stereotyping.

ScottGem

I'm afraid its NOT a sterotype. Its a precept of the religion. I don't dispute that not all Muslim men, especially westernized ones treat their wives that way. But if they don't, they are not following the teachings of Islam that closely.

I think your experience is the exception. Again, you need to do a LOT more research.

Mahlia513

Well I'm sorry to hear that you're first husband beat you or whatever, but half of my family is Muslim and most of my uncles came to America when they were 18! They would never lay a hand on their wives!!! Muslim men who do beat their wives just make us look bad, but it also depends on what ethnicity the man is. I am Lebanese and that has never happened in my family! Yemens or other ethnicites may beat their wives, but they just make us Lebanese look bad! They should not be compared to eachother! Lebanese is a completely different thing then Yemen or Palestinian, etc. Thta is SUCH a stereo type!! And I really am sorry that you had that experience but trust me no good Arabic Muslim guy beats there wife.

31pumpkin

Well, he came from Lebanon in his early 20's and not 18. So that's a relief that he isn't one of your uncles! Just kidding!
I meant the women were westernized. You may be limited to Muslim women only though. Even so, in America, they may want more freedom than what they have ....one day!

LUNAGODDESS

It is taking me forever to drop my former faith...they just won't let me go...I wrote letters only to have them return...I made phone calls..they tell me ...I am just going through the change...what I found more interesting and supporting are those of my family that are Muslims and Lutheran faith ...there seemed to less arguments about other faith...this will be your life at the end...you will have to live forever with that final decison...your father... if he is a true christian will and should not hate you for your new direction...open minds are and should be the trait of most true faith...the reaction of the fruit from the christian faith will be challenged in your decision and again no one should be disassociating you and wishing your death...when you make the choice...it is your heart condition that you should follow...now if you are underage then you will truly have to follow the direction of the father and mother...when you leave the house ... if being a muslim is still within you...then that is what you should believe...these are challenging times and evil is working hard to collect his masses...do not hate the faith...just dis-like rotten fruit...

greg49

in response to Mahlia513's original question:

I can agree with the above quote, though the rest of what she said is hard to grasp without reading the rest of the thread history.

I would challenge you to read the Bible, and what Jesus said about himself, his purpose, and how we as humans fit into the whole big picture. These things will compel you to make a choice. There is no ambiguity, no wishy washy new age spirituality there.

Obviously you must make your own decision for what you will believe, and it will affect you for eternity. Whatever examples of any religion you see exhibited in other humans, take it/them with a grain of salt, because we're all imperfect. In other words, don't let someones' interpretations of morals and values override the much more important absolute values that the God of the Old and New Testaments represents.

Jesus made many clear statements that require a clear acceptance or rejection of Him and His claims. His deeds also impacted history in an undeniable and irreversible fashion, which also has to be reckoned with by each individual.

So, read both the Quran and the Bible, and ask Him to help you see the Truth.

May you quickly see the Light!

pussycatman

Hi Don't make enemies in choosing what you want, keep as you are you get both sides of a argument and god knows what you feel, You don't gain any medals by choosing one or the other I would think god would prefer someone who knows both sides of a story than just knowing one. CARL.

ordinaryguy

As I see it, you are very fortunate to have been born into such a diverse family, and you are wise beyond your years in questioning the claims of the various religions to be the only right one. My own experience was limited to a single fundamentalist Christian denomination until I was older than you are now. It was a years-long struggle for me to break free of these narrow minded rigid views and find a larger perspective on the life of the spirit. I know it may be tempting to pick just one religion and limit your belief and experience as required by the teachers of that faith. But I would urge you to see each religious tradition as a different facet of the complex jewel of spiritual life and experience. Take the best of each, but give your exclusive moral allegiance to none. Those who rigidly adhere to one or the other of these religions will have trouble accepting your choice if it is anything other than the one they hold, and they may well reject or shun you for it. But if they truly love you they will come around eventually. Far better to follow the light of your own conscience wherever that leads you than to choose only out of fear of being ostracised. This may not lead you to the easiest life you could have, but I sense that you are far too intelligent and honest to be satisfied for long with a rigid orthodoxy of any kind.