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.

Interesting post but I don't agree that men and women are equal in any religion. For example, a woman could not become Pope, and if there are any men at all present nor could they become an Imam, that's just one example of inequality. I feel sure there are many more.

I looked into Islam extensively as I’m married to a Muslim man and I considered converting.

There are lots of really nice things about it and it was very progressive for its time in terms of women’s rights even though it has a terrible reputation for oppressing women. This is more to do with culture than the religion itself, if you look into what the Quran actually says it isn’t what most people think.

However, there are two reasons I ultimately decided to reject it which I can never get past even taking it in historically context. Firstly, the age of Aisha when her marriage to the prophet was consummated (9). Second, it mentions several times that men are allowed to sleep with women they’ve captured as slaves in battle, and I can’t see this as anything other than rape.

I still feel the majority of Muslims are know are kind and respectful people, both men and women.

The overwhelming majority of nuns no longer wear veils or indeed wear anything that distinguishes them as religious. Some of the contemplative orders retain them, but most ‘active’ orders started removing distinguishing clothing after Vatican II.

The order who educated me just wear a silver cross brooch to designate their order these days.

The veil/face covering is more a choice for women. The quran doesn't say to cover your face however, some women prefer this and would like only their man to see their face. Its their life and their choice im not going to judge. I certainly didnt drop dead ans thr planet didnt explode because she covered her face and I can only see her eyes.

Yes, islam does encourage men and woman to be modest men have rules too. It isnt because they are sex mad and cant control themselves. There are men who rape and assault women of all backgrounds. They're all pigs. Imo.

Islam does encourage being cmgood to the environment including not to be wasteful and many others. The bicycle one im.not sure on. I haven't heard that before. But a lot of Muslim women are free to cycle on bikes but maybe in our long skirts/abaya would be tricky.

What do you think is restricted on Muslim women in modern islam?

Ive heard this before but the nuns ive seen do cover. It may not be the full black cloak and headscarf like in Sister act but some wear a scarf that attaches to the fringe/front of hair and covers the hair partially.
Its interesting because this is one of the similarities in islam and Christianity that I like and follow.

Do the women wear head coverings? Modest dress?

Why does asking why some people reject Islam (as OP’s colleague did) equal bashing Muslims?

This. I've known smoking and drinking Muslims who never go to Mosque but would do Ramadan. Others who started very 'mild' eg. No head covering, but then got more 'religious' - hijab, covered arms/ legs.

You can be any sort of Muslim just like you can be any sort of Christian ranging from no sex before marriage and giving 10% salary to church, versus those go for midnight mass once a year.

Muslims aren't a race as two people within a family can be Muslim and Christian.

For many people it seems to be about belonging, sometimes in a more sinister way it can be about creating a power bloc. I often see posts here about the lack of interest in Christian persecution in Africa and China as if to gather faith based support.
I would fight to protect my loved ones but not in the name of my faith, it's a dangerously effective way to rustle up a posse of impassioned idealogues and that's a concern in a would be secular society made up of many faiths.

It's not their man who sees their face.

It's anyone female and males who wouldn't have sex with her - so brothers and father, grandparents but anyone else in the extended family such as cousins can't.

I don't want to live in a society where I can't see anyone's face - including your local boys with Balaclavas

Agree.

I'm Nigeria, not Africa, then there is a genocide but zero outcry.
You all love to hate on jews

Because it's 'interesting' that this particular religion is being highlighted. "Why are some people who leave religions very vocal/ anti the religion, for example my Muslim colleague...". That's genuine curiosity rather than coming at it from a certain angle. OP may not even be aware of her bias but it's there.

Shes more than welcome to come for breakfast should she want to. 😋 and stay for lunch too!

And if shes living independently fine, she can live her life how she would want to. I dont have HANGUPS over sex. Thank you very much ! But I teaxh my children about morals and respect, self respect and worth.

I believe sex is something special between two people, who love one another and I stand by that. Thats just me. You might think the opposite. Fine, everyone's entitled to their own opinion.

But a woman having sex with a deadbeat man after meeting him in a club, getting pregnant, forgetting about him, not knowing who he was or having bus number, and then the child growing up without a father doesn't sound like the dream situation for anyone. Irrespective of either of them being Muslim or not.

My daughters are still very young so I haven't approached the topic of healthy sex and relationships with them yet. But they know that in our faith you get married and have children. There are no slings and random sleeping about. You might think differently and thats fine. Each to their own and all that!

Long ago I could see why some people might be attracted to it as a way of explaining things
Agree, I also think it was a necessity to develop morals and ethics for society to live by but now we have laws to do that. I do sometimes envy people with a strong faith who feel God has a plan for them and they take comfort in his presence particularly as they age and believe they will soon meet their Creator as opposed to fearing death

I know someone who claims to be half Muslim and half Christian. So not even 2 people within a family.

In what way? You described only showing your hair to your family, so that only they can enjoy it. Why is your husband's hair 'enjoyed' by the general public, but not yours? What is different about it?

For many reasons, but often because they don’t agree with the oppression

No, I wouldn't be supportive of something I dont agree with.
And that is it.

I grew up with two alcoholic parents. Us kids felt booze more important that ourselves and we went without a lot. My eldest (nearly adult).son knows how I feel about alcohol. He also feels bad that vodka was more important than having the correct uniform. We would go to school without the correct kit, always on trouble for coming into school with not the right things. And not having socks and even wearing school shoes on weekends because sometimes we didnt even have other shoes. They would spend our school bus fare.money on alcohol meaning that some days we wouldn't go to school until they got their next giro. There were times i would come home from school and they had decided to go to the pub, we had to sit in the garden in the cold or rain, waiting as we didnt have a key. Sometimes for hours needing the toilet and very hungry Then they would come home bladdered and no groceries. All horrible memories.
Alcohol causes a lot of social and health issues. So no, I wouldn't be supportive of that and he is interested in health and fitness and working in a gym currently.

Nigerian Christian? I'm not unaware of militant Islamism on the move west and south, i've seen the issue since the 90's at least.
Raising an army fuelled by 'the will of power hungry men god' is not new.
Perhaps Chinese investors in Africa will tackle it with fewer qualms and less vulnerability to pr than 'western' intervention.
The Russians can't do it as they're busy trying to stop their empire collapsing. Trump could because he doesn't care what people think, even had a go at the Nigerian government about it iirc, but he's busy too right now, and he foolishly told his voters that US wasn't going to be world policeman.

The age of Aisha is disputed as in those days women / girls matured and went through puberty quicker. Her older sister said that Aisha was actually 19. And that she was 29 when Aisha married the prophet. She was actually engaged to someone else and very highly educated and well spoken and eloquent. She stayed with prophet Muhammed until his death, spoke well about how he treated her and how she was well cared for and loved by him and how she also loved him deeply. She then went on to narrate many hadiths as well. That she spoke well of him again and recorded many of his ways of life, his teachings. In fact, one thing he kept repeating before he died was be good tonyour woman, be good to your woman. The quran says the best of you ar best to your wives.
There is no paedophilia in islam. If it was, it wpulsbt be the fastest growing religion my friend
Aisha was already having her menstrual cycles and was year's ahead in knowledge and education. She was also engaged to another gentleman but called it off to marry prophet muahmmed. Her sister also noted that she was an older teen when she married the prophet. And in Islamic numbers it is written 9 10 which is 19. There was no child marriage or rape as in those days like I said puberty and growing up and way different to nowadays . This can all be researched maybe better than the way I'm writing it.

I accepted islam almost 2 decades ago and even I heard this and thought to myself it doesn't sound right but then I looked into it and my husband explained it better to me.

The other one is not right. Sex before marriage is not allowed and owning slaves is not allowed either in islam it is permissible however to marry a maid/house help should a man want to and she happily agrees. Its not a case of in a war grabbing a random women and forcing her to be your wife/sex partner that goes against islam.

There were many women who were made widows in the times of battles most certainly. And prophet Muhammed encouraged men to marry them so they'd be looked after and not on their own with children to feed and little money to live on.

A nun chooses to be a nun and so chooses the behaviour expectations that go with that.