An interesting take on Lauren Booth's conversion to Islam

[DanaC]

I totally agree Limey. That was one of the things that had me banging my head against the wall :P

Someone tells me they feel they have made a connection with God, or Jesus or whatever higher power they believe in: that I can accept. I think it's unlikely to be an actual connection with the Divine, as I don't believe in such a thing, but I don't particularly look down on them for it.

People who give as their reason all this stuff about acceptance, and recovering a simplicity in life, and western life being empty etc. I just think none of what they say they're 'escaping' is peculiar to being without faith, and none of what they say they seek is peculiar to having faith.

I found the reasoning of the converts seriously frustrating. Particularly the idea of turning to Islam as a feminist move. Women are not equal in the Koran. The Koran states that they are equal in God's eyes, and that they have equal rights to happiness and fulfilment in marriage: but they are placed in a subservient position to their fathers and husbands and the modesty requirements are inherently sexist.

Yes, ok, in the context of its historical setting it was profoundly liberal and progressive in its view of women: but that was a millennium ago.


[eta] It reminds me a little of that American movement that was big a few years ago, where highly educated career women re-established 'traditional' family roles and handed over control of the finances and final decisions on family matters to their husbands as heads of their households.