Conversion to Islam in the west

Submitted by Prashant (India), Dec 8, 2011 at 22:13

Dear Dr Pipes:

The Islamists never hesitate to mention that a large number of westerners get converted to Islam. In my opinion it is just a trend of time and not much to glorify Islam. Let me explain. In the last fifty or so years people all over the world are evaluating their religions with a new open mindedness. What was the chance that an American Christian or Jew will question Christianity 200 years ago? What is the chance that s/he will do it now? Naturally, the number and fraction of people who are question the age old practices of their religions has gone up. A fraction of \ these people get attracted to Islam because 1) due to the activities of terrorists, Islam gets a lot of free advertising and 2) Islam is the only religion that is openly seeking converts through marriage, person-to-person campaigning and well funded campaigns.

But Islamists should not celebrate too much. The open-mindedness and objectivity that has become a part of the other religions of the world will also find its way into Islam. Islamic societies will not be able to prevent external influences like the Internet, social and electronic media, education, objectivity and freedom from penetrating them and the Muslims will also start questioning Islam just like everyone else. This might already be happening in the Islamic societies. A small fraction of people who are fighting against the ME dictators might also be privately revolting against the local mullah.

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