Why do people reject Islam?

[SplodgeWaddler]

Just curious really. A lovely colleague of mine used to be a Muslim but was quite vocal in telling us she was no longer a Muslim. It was a clear, decisive rejection of the religion and not just a lapse of faith.

Has anyone done similar, I'd love to know your reasons.

There were many Muslim girls at my school, some of whom had massively restricted prospects in life. One girl (who was a bit wild) told us she was worried that she was going to be forced into an arranged marriage. She just didn't come back one day, she was under 16.

Things do seem to have moved on since then though but there still seems to be huge variation.

I find people rejecting a religion they grew up in far less weird than randomly taking up a new religion. A few Irish people of Irish descent have taken up extreme Islam beliefs over the years and ended up in the papers for crimes and I just find that bizarre.

It is a religion in its mid flex point. Christianity had a reformation starting in 1492, that has settled down now. Islam is probably about to experience the same wave of challenges to orthodox thought, before it accepts that a range of broadly sympathetic views has to be acceptable, because total orthodoxy cannot be compelled. Iran's mullahs have not yet accepted that, but the world will have a better chance of peace when it does.

Apologies for wading in. I have been going back and forth to majority Muslim countries in the Gulf for more than 30 years, for holidays with family. On my first visit, in 1987, no women in Oman wore anything more than a light scarf head covering and they worked in front line customer service No abayas, no niqab. Islamism is currently in a repressive phase.

I agree but the orthodoxy looks tough to break. The punishments get harsher. I’d love to think you’re right though.

Catholicism probably looked an impregnable wall before Martin Luther nailed his theses to the church door. Islam will achieve an accommodation with civil society, probably much faster than Christianity because of modern medias. As an atheist, I can love both religions and still think it's all superstition. But the art and music created to glorify Christianity has no equal in Muslim culture, which forbids representational art.

It is, IMHO, the most significant failing of Islam. There is no outlet to express beauty. I would be very pleased to be corrected by someone who knows better.

Christianity has achieved it already, so it is faster?

I don't know, but I find Christianity's love and respect for art and music for the glorification of a deity quite uplifting. I went to a lecture about Muslim worship in Dubai and asked why there was no Muslim equivalent, and there wasn't a sensible reply. It may be, of course, that there was no appetite for it, which is a little depressing. Everyone needs beauty in their life.

I think Islamic calligraphy is impressive and beautiful. Also the internal domes of Mosques creates beautiful spaces.

I agree @Seedlingsparrow . Beautiful, but less accessible than representational art. Glorious spaces, but not much content, unless you can read it. I write that as a fan of the beauty of pure calligraphy.

Look up nasheeds on YouTube

No matter how often Muslims insist that it’s an religion of peace, Islam in the U.K. is associated with Trouble, aka terrorism, in a way that other religions in the U.K. (e.g, Hinduism, Buddhism, Sikhism) are not.

I think the “peace” aspect is only on their terms

I was astonished to learn recently that for fundamental followers music is “haram”. Music!! How appallingly dreadful!

I can maybe understand wanting a “Footloose” type ban of pop music for reasons of morality - but no music at all ? Not even an orchestra. Miserable.

Yep, prob I’m missing the point, but nuns quite famously ride bikes. There’s quite a tradition of it if you look at google - searching also brought up mention of some buddhist nuns cycling. Call the Midwife featured nuns on bikes too. Nuns do tend to want to do good in the world and bikes are, now as in earlier times, cheap means of transport.

You won’t get anywhere accusing Islam of not having an artistic tradition though. While you’re on Google look up Granada or Samarkand, among others. Different traditions of art do not mean in any way inferior, that idea is a laugh! Islamic architecture is amazing.

’scuse the 3 posts in a row but that just underlines the old dream of diversity in peace for me. Things have gone wrong in Islam recently, and it’s tied to male control and domination. Unfortunately we in the west can do nothing right by other cultures, their internalities are beyond our control, but we cannot put up with constant immigration especially by those who bring terrorism with them.

This is how the puritans used to be after the Civil war and they banned theatre apart from mystery plays.

Generally Christian’s in the UK don’t think this is punishable by death or flogging though

Exactly, hundreds of years ago

Yes, they have always ridden bikes. They need to for the community and charity work.

Yes it does seem to have a medieval mindset and I find it’s dogmatic approach scary, there seems to be no compromise

I think it is that many Muslim followers are dogmatic and uncompromising. Islam started in a lawless, drunken, unstable time. Followers were expected to adopt a high moral standard. It was incredibly demanding and exacting but gave women a degree of respect and freedom. The command to give regularly to charity and for all to have a period of fasting brought understanding of poverty. There is much to admire in Islam. I really believe that many Muslims refusal to obey mandatory commandments such as being responsible stewards of the planet and instead focus on interpretations such as women covering up( the Qur’an asks only for modesty in dress) is so short sighted.
it turns a Islam into a restrictive, cruel unforgiving religion, more suited to the Middle Ages. I really don’t think the spirit of Islam intends that. Sometimes I think that some Muslims get so caught up in culture that they fail to acknowledge key teachings. Albania is a predominantly Muslim country, yet most women are not veiled or wear head coverings. Their cultural Islamic practices are less strident and aggressive. This does not make them less devout. Wearing a hijab doesn’t make you a good Muslim, particularly if you ignore other more important requirements.

Seems to be a lot of outward appearance in it, rather than heart, look at me, aren’t I devout because I fast, pray 5 times a day, cover up but then I do admire the fasting as that can’t be easy

Actually, while I started out quite chilled about Islam a few year ago, I have become very much less favourably disposed to it. I was very close to mostly Jewish people at university and while I think all religious belief is idiocy, I have come to the conclusion that I prefer modern Judaism with its preferences for democracy and liberalism to theocracy. I am almost at the point of declaring myself Jewish.