Note to Anonymous:
If you don't have the guts to leave your name, please don't leave a comment. Anyone can criticize another Muslim, but if you don't allow me to respond to your comment directly, then how can we engage in meaningful discussion?
Yes, I talk about sex a lot, but why I shouldn't I? My blog reflects my persona and my challenges in converting to Islam. Maybe you are a virgin and are waiting till you get married - ma'shallah if that is true - or someone in a commited marriage where sex is a meaningful and blessed act according to Allah (SWT). But, I am not. I am a man who has lived a life of pure, American-college inspired hedonism and who is now learning to live a new way. So, yes, learning to live without sex is one of my main challenges and I will continue to talk about it.
Lastly, how dare you suggest that I became a Muslim because it was "glamorous"? Islam or the perception of Islam in the world today is probably the most unglamorous thing in the world. I became Muslim because I believed in the oneness of God, that there is no God greater than Allah ("La ilaha illallah") and that there have been 25 prophets of God's vision and the last was also the best, Muhammad ("Rasullallah sallallahu alayhi wa salam.") It has hard making the transition to a life where I have moved away from only thinking about the immediate consequences of my actions and to one where I think about the consequences in the afterlife. But, through the grace of Allah (SWT), I think I am on the right track.
Thoughts on education, politics, social justice, equality, pop culture and Islam through the heart, mind and soul of an American Muslim. I am a 32-year old male, Hindu convert to Islam, community college professor, doctoral student and past coordinator for Muslim Men Against Domestic Violence. Please email me at iwontjudgeyou@live.com
Why didn't you treat Christianity that way?
ReplyDeleteMatt, treat it what way? I don't understand.
ReplyDeletesubhanAllah..i respect your sincere submission so much man. keep it up :)
ReplyDeletethe way you treat Islam
ReplyDeleteWhat I mean is you feel like you have to seriously change your life for Islam. Why didn't you have this conviction when you became a Christian?
ReplyDeleteThis comment probably belongs on the tattoo post, but perhaps your fervor for Islam is partially derived from your masochism. To an uneducated observer like myself, it appears that converting to Islam involves a lot of rules, behavior and physical changes. All of these changes would be painful/difficult for me and I'm assuming it's the same for most.
ReplyDeleteI just never associated SS with organized religion.
ReplyDeleteI think people want to know why you don't just stop boozing, abstain from temptations, etc. Why the need for religion? If the behavior is compulsive, why not seek a therapist?
I don't understand the commenters who get pissed for asking questions. Isn't that why SS made the blog? The ability to question life's big issues is what I like best about him. --CZ
I would like to SINCERELY apologize to you for making my comment. It was in no way fair and I recognize it. I hope you can forgive me. And I don't have the guts to leave my name...because it was an unfair attack.
ReplyDeleteAgain, I am VERY sorry.
Does it disturb you in any way that if, in the future, you change your mind, you are legally eligible to be executed for apostasy? Under Shariah law, that is. This happens in Pakistan and other godforsaken places, and even in America some "reverts" find it necessary to go underground or remain anonymous.
ReplyDeletehas it occurred to you that by converting so many times, you've annoyed the gods of other religions ? i am certain you have compelling reasons to believe you are right this time around. things are different, you "feel" more etc. but thats just nonsense. if religious truth came down to what you 'felt'.. then we are all in a mess!
ReplyDeleteand can i ask you ... where do you draw the line between literal interpretation and symbolic interpretation ? isnt all of this a farce ? you attempting to read more into something where nothing can be proved ?
why dont you blog on why you think islam is right and everything else is wrong. it better be compelling... not some vague thing where you 'feel' islam is right.. look where your 'feelings' got you so far ...! (tatoos, sex, alchohol).
think about you.