Do you judge/ pity converts to Islam?

[Candyapplesandhearts]

Firstly I’m a convert to Islam. White European, so more than likely if you saw me you’d assume I was a convert, plus my name would definitely give the game away.

i live in a metropolitan area where converts are yes rare but not too too share whereby it’s shocking.

well keeping this in mind, I bought a block of sessions for a beauty treatment, and the aesthetician was visibly taken back by me firstly, fine it happens because I wasn’t what she was expecting, with my name and I show up in a headscarf.

but the questions, not only were they pretty inappropriate but also steeped in judgment. I was shocked. I could tell that she wasn’t necessarily being malicious or even hateful, but she clearly had a very pre conceived notion about my motivations and my choices. Ie several questions about my husband and how he made me convert, or as she said ‘become Islamic’, lots on clothing and how she often feels sorry for a lot of Muslim women.

truthfully MN, is this a thing? Deep down are these thoughts people have but maybe don’t voice.

in general even at work I do have questions asked but they are more diplomatically phrased- so now I’m wondering am I actually being judged/ pitied?

if you have heard of an eruv, that is asking society to change to fit our religion.

It requires planning permission though tbh when i looked at the planning application for the eruv around the camden area, i saw a name i recognized as the name of a member of my (liberal) synagogue expressing her objection so some jewish people also disagree. Eruv is namely required for orthodox jewish people. most observant orthodox jewish people would only want to live within an eruv or they wouldn't be able to push a stroller on saturday or carry anything. I live within the eruv and it means my MIL can visit me on saturday even if she has to walk an hour.

'The proposals would require the installation of 26 5.5-metre galvanised steel posts on streets around Hale and Hale Barns, each connected by a line of nylon wire.'

https://altrincham.todaynews.co.uk/news/2024/07/01/controversial-plan-revived-to-create-eruv-area-in-hale-and-hale-barns/

I vaguely had heard of something similar before - perhaps in New York? Personally I feel about this the same way I feel about my all my English neighbours in France insisting on English being spoken at local parish meetings/social events. I do think if you're going to live somewhere, you should adapt and integrate and not expect the society around you to make special accommodations or exceptions.

my DH's family have lived in London since the 1920s.

UK has always been multicultural. lack of acceptance of people's religious requirements (within reason) generally means they can't participate in civil society. While some do adapt their religion around i.e. liberal judaism,for example West Central Liberal synagogue created a synagogue service at 3 pm on Saturday for the jewish girls who worked at department stores (on saturday); many would not and inevitably for society this creates an underclass. as many people would not try to reform their religion and would stay religious (and ostracised). it is generally the middle class who tend to be attracted to such movements anyway.

Great for businesses obviously if there is a desperate underclass but not good even for the local population. I always think the white working class are the sacrificial lambs of this approach, they would be fighting for the worst jobs with a desperate underclass (DH's grandfather was a garment worker in the 1950s and he didn't know if he had a job from one week to the next; this was how they treated jewish garment workers).

UK has a long history of importing foreign labour to fill local shortages, in our case now, many people too sick or depressed to work. So if we invite them over, we need to be mindful integration is a two way street.

As for orthodox Judaism, most have been in Uk for three to four generations. they are not going away.

I suggest you become familiar with the fact that not everyone agrees. I don't believe everything is determined. I agree that the way you're brought up and the culture you are brought up in will influence you, but I believe in free will.

There may be outside influences on your choice but it remains a choice unless your choice is restricted in some way eg by the law.

Who has been antisemitic?

Friday night dinner with family isn't exclusive to being jewish.

well the context is that his wife is Jewish and the tradition is to have friday night dinner.

antisemitism is a common problem in the uk, along with islamophobia.

Having Friday night dinner isn't exclusive to judaism.

Disagreeing with the principles of any religion isn't phobic, it's only phobic if you attempt to stop someone following their religion/faith through abuse or control.

The Friday night dinner think was about you can't be a PM and expect to work a 9-5?

Having Friday night dinner isn't exclusive to judaism

Oh my good grief 🤦🏼‍♀️

'Oh my good grief' what? 🫣

Jewish people don't expect to work a 9 to 5, jewish people are happy to work longer hours on other days to make up for leaving early on Friday. But friday night is our sacred time.

If he is saying this he is saying basically observant jewish people are lazy/slackers for clocking off at 6 pm when that isn't true.

https://www.thejc.com/lets-talk/its-disgusting-to-attack-keir-starmer-for-keeping-friday-nights-for-family-vxtmo9br

Nigel Farage, dat you?

No judgement form me

I have studied Islam myself

There seems to be a lot of misconceptions and misunderstandings as to why women in Islam choose to wear a hijab, the importance of it and what it means.

It's a symbol of love for our creator and not a symbol of oppression.

If you are genuinely interested in finding out the reasons why so many wear it, then watch the video below that answers many questions.

Why don't men wear it then as a symbol of love for their creator? No one would have an issue if both sexes were equally inconvenienced.

From what I've read they have different things they need to cover. (But obviously it's a lot less)

And if you want to find out more about women in Islam then you can visit this web page that answers many questions.

yaqeeninstitute.org/what-islam-says-about/islam-and-women#does-islam-treat-men-and-women-differently

there was an AI generated photo of Keir starmer in a pink chador.

I must say he looked extremely fetching.

I wonder what idiots would actually believe that lol

I have a BIL whose mum believes that UK is turning into an Islamist country (she is american). She teaches at a Jewish private school and she believes that her country should send more money to Israel. I also know jewish atheists with the same views i.e. dislikes muslims and religious christians, but very very pro zionist.

in a sense its not about religion, its about people having tunnel vision and that ailment is not about whether you pray or not. Its about empathy and your ability to engage in dialogue.

We know why they wear it.
We question that it's really free choice.

@Runsyd There is a hijab for men too whereby they must cover themselves from their navel to their knees, not wear tight clothing and lowering their gaze. Modesty isn't limited to just women, it's for men also. It just takes a different form.

@Werweisswohin do you actually know what Friday night dinner is?