Why Islam?

[Bikewer]

Islam is, according to various pundits, still the fastest-growing religion on the planet. This may be due to it's prevalence in various well-populated parts of the Earth, but that can't be all.

I'm don't think I'm wrong in thinking that to most of us rather secular and skeptical types, Islam seems to be the very idea of the worst sort of religious thinking.
Just the notion of "submission to the will of Allah" seems anathema to free thinkers, and the rather mideaval mindset that seems to characterize the faith likewise.

Although Islam was at one time a supporter of intellectualism , science, and learning, this does not seem to be the case today.

So what's the attraction? Why do so many people of diverse cultural backgrounds find the faith attractive?

[Chris O.]

I would think that Islam, in it's basic form is actually the most benign form of religious thinking, after, perhaps, budhism. The notion of "Submission to the will of Allah," is no different than that of "Thy will be Done" in Christianity. In fact nowhere in the Qua'ran does it require it's members to go out and convert the masses. You are far less likely to be harassed on an early Sunday morning by a Muslem than an Evangelical Christian. Most Muslems are content to try to live according to the wishes of God, a life of discipline and sacrafice, instead of going out of their way to make other's lives miserable.

Of course the actions of a few maniacs make a bad name for the rest, but gross generalizations are rarely ever acurate.

The true basis of Islam, is peace, and that carries a huge attraction in today's world. Is it that controversial that people believe in a God that wants us to be good to each other?

[Tony]

Originally posted by Chris O.
The true basis of Islam, is peace, and that carries a huge attraction in today's world. Is it that controversial that people believe in a God that wants us to be good to each other?

Isn't the true basis (at least in theory) of most religions "peace"?

[Meadmaker]

I think "the attraction" is that it doesn't have some of the baggage that Christianity has.

You don't have to deal with the miracles of Jesus, or explaining how someone can be the "Son of God". It just asserts that there is no God but God, and Mohammed is his prophet.

[Chris O.]

If I had to say, in a word, the main focus of Christianity, it would be "Salvation" not "peace."

The modern Christian church is more focused today on personal salvation, and the path to Heaven, than it is on "peace" Now, salvation may include being peaceful, and peace-loving, but there's more emphasis on the acceptance of Jesus Christ as your savior, and confession of your sins, than being kind to your neighbor.

Jesus himself started out preaching Peace and Love, but it got severly distorted along the way.

Though as far as baggage, Islam and Judaism both carry far more severe consequences for sin than that of Christianity. As a Christian, all you have to do is ask for forgiveness, and you're golden. Islam and Judaism both demand discipline. There is no easy way out.

[Beerina]

Well, as I am constantly pointing out, Western philosophy and culture has spent several hundred years turning Christianity into a harmless lifestyle choice. The benefits of modern society make the social necessity of religion much smaller.

I don't know that Islam is spreading particularly rapidly in North America or Europe (immigration aside.) With democratization and freedoms should come better living standards and the (in some cases legal, not just social) freedom to not have to "go to church every Sunday." Fast forward a generation or two and similar things will happen.

[Bikewer]

Both at the university I work at, and at my wife's florist shop, we see the rather quick Americanization of many Muslims, particularly the women.

They show up at school wearing at least the headgear, and in some cases the whole body-covering rig. But in a few weeks, it's blue jeans and tank-tops. Oh, and cigarrettes.

[Winter]

Originally posted by Bikewer
Both at the university I work at, and at my wife's florist shop, we see the rather quick Americanization of many Muslims, particularly the women.

They show up at school wearing at least the headgear, and in some cases the whole body-covering rig. But in a few weeks, it's blue jeans and tank-tops. Oh, and cigarrettes.
Whilst it's embarrassing to admit to attending a university.. (honestly, it's merely to temporarily avoid homelessness); I can rather vividly recall seeing a few Muslim girls, fully adorned by traditionally conservative attire, on the same computers in the library each morning. Oddly, their computer usage often elicited giggles and animated whispers.

Given a burning disdain for my own ignorance, I once checked Internet Explorer's history after they'd left. Innocent and educational websites? No. Porn.

[Kimpatsu]

Originally posted by Bikewer
...This may be due to it's prevalence in various well-populated parts of the Earth...
So, what does "This may be due to IT IS prevalence..." mean, anyway...?

[Bikewer]

English-major nitpicker. :D


I am much too lazy to spell-check or edit my posts for such gaffes, being a stream-of-consciousness writer whose talents go largely unrecognized.

[Kimpatsu]

Originally posted by Tony
Isn't the true basis (at least in theory) of most religions "peace"?
No. The basis of all religions still extant today is "me right, you wrong". And that is an obvious recipe for violence. Even in the past (in the days of henotheism), the henotheists only differed from their rivals in that they acknowledged the existence of genius loci; they just believed their own tutelary deity to be better. Peace has never had anything to do with it, unless you think peace is achieved by exterminating all those who are different...

[Kimpatsu]

Originally posted by Bikewer
English-major nitpicker. :D
While I am certainly a "nitpicker", I am, nor have I ever been, an English major.
My first major was Japanese.
My second was history.
My third was physics.
Wherein the English there? (Except that it's the one language in which I have always been required to communicate...)
Originally posted by Bikewer
I am much too lazy to spell-check or edit my posts for such gaffes, being a stream-of-consciousness writer whose talents go largely unrecognized.
Laziness is not an excuse; it is, however, an explanation...
(And may be marginally preferable to the admission that you can't tell the difference between "its" and "it's"...
Yours gramatically,

[crimresearch]

I agree with Kimpatsu's take...
the 'Us vs Them' appeal of Christianity was based on a God that could perform miracles to smite enemies way back when...
the appeal of Islam may be based upon a Prophet who chopped off heads more recently.

[Chris O.]

Originally posted by Kimpatsu
No. The basis of all religions still extant today is "me right, you wrong".

The basis of all religions was never "me right, you wrong." I do agree that is a symptom of religion in general, but you can't get a group together and say: "We're right," without a basis to be right about.
Each group believes the god, prophet, or leader they follow is the correct god, prophet, or leader, to follow but it's based off of different things for different religions. Mainly the basis is how to behave, what to worship, how to get into paradise, and how to get into hell.

The elitism comes from the fact that they believe, that they believe the truth. And since there can only be one truth, the others are wrong, and must therefore be saved from their backward ways. And the invasion or ideologies is never recieved well.

They believed in their god before the smitings began, and in their prophet before the heads began to role. The violence is just a symptom, not the basis of religion.

[hgc]

Originally posted by Tony
Isn't the true basis (at least in theory) of most religions "peace"? Sure, it's all about peace ... ahem, post-conquest. Mohammed himself spread Islam at the point of a sword. Not even Jesus can claim that!

[crimresearch]

Originally posted by Chris O.
...They believed in their god before the smitings began, and in their prophet before the heads began to role. The violence is just a symptom, not the basis of religion.

Mmmmm...not sure I get this.

How did people believe in the Prophet before Muhammed started killing?

[jmercer]

I believe that the rules concerning fair treatment of people are suspended when dealing with infidels - which would be anyone not Islamic. Hence "point-of-the-sword" conversions are perfectly OK - but you have to treat your new brethren differently once they hit the mats and start praying to Mecca. :)

[FireGarden]

crimresearch
How did people believe in the Prophet before Muhammed started killing? They liked what he had to say.

The Muslims don't get violent until after Mohammed is forced out of Mecca and into Medina. You'll even see a change of tone in the Koran. In the earliest Suras, the unbelievers are to be left alone, God will judge them. But, later, the Muslims stop turning the other cheek and hit back!


As for the general competitiveness related stuff that others brought up...
There are many churches, etc that have survived being part of the Islamic empire. Including the church of the Holy Sepulchre, the keys to which are in the hands of an Islamic family even today. By mutual consent. Even those Buddhist statues that the Taliban tore down survived, ...how long? in an Islamic Afghanistan.

In fact, it's hard to predict Islam's reaction to other religions. Mohammed's uncle/guardian, Abu Talib, never converted. He died of old age while still a pagan. And pagans were allowed to visit the Kabba in Mecca for a year after the Muslims took control of it. Cynical old me, I say they were making sure that religious tourism wouldn't suddenly die off with the change in relgion.


Why Islam is popular....?
The only explanation I've heard is that the formalism/routine makes people feel that they are actually engaged in worship. But there must be a website out there were new Muslims "witness" to their conversion, and give their reasons. That would be a better source of data than a secular site like JREF.


EDIT:
I've got no idea regarding the authenticity of this site
http://www.convertstoislam.com/Stories/stories.html
I read the first one, it seems, ... I don't know, ...
"Ideal?"
"Cliche?"


EDIT 2
Oh no, it has a science page!
http://www.convertstoislam.com/Science/science.html

Is there a deja-vu smiley?

[Giz]

I'd assume it's the fastest growing religion because so many of its followers live in the developing world where (unlike Europe, China etc) populations are exploding*.


* Seems to be a recurring problem with Islam :p

[AWPrime]

Originally posted by Giz
I'd assume it's the fastest growing religion because so many of its followers live in the developing world where (unlike Europe, China etc) populations are exploding*.


* Seems to be a recurring problem with Islam :p

That seems to be true.

[L7Cz]

English-major nitpicker. -- BikewerKimpatsu calls 'em as he sees 'em. I can admire him for that.

And I agree with the "me right, you wrong" premise, too. Every splinter of every sect of every religion began because its founder thought he (or she or it) had unique access to the Truth. Whether they stated the "you wrong" part directly, or just spouted their own version of Truth, counting on the listener to make that decision, the basic dichotomy was there. Even in polytheistic societies, the panoply of gods that were tolerated was not because of enlightenment, but because none of it worked! Sometimes your god would come through, sometimes he/she/it turned a deaf ear to your plea. Better to hedge your bets by allowing the possibility that some other god might have jurisdiction than to deny the possibility that there was something that had power over the vicissitudes of life, and descend into despair over your lot.

And "fastest-growing" only means there is a small base in comparison to the converts. A two-person religion can triple in size overnight, but it doesn't make it any more valid a belief system than any of the others.