Convert Horror

Submitted by Navindra Christophe (Canada), Feb 19, 2006 at 14:23

First, i want to thank you for stepping forward, the mark of a true leader, with this brave website that exposes the injustice towards innocent people who are trying to follow Gods path with good intentions. I have written this article to share with you about my experience with this nightmare of converting to Islam.

I converted to Islam in 2002 and from there my eyes opened to something that I thought was a new life...I was wrong.

I have been pursuing spiritual paths since childhood and I knew that life was more than just "existing and dying". I have even entered into withcraft and my life was turned upside down as a teenager when my brother reported me to the school guidance counsellor.
I lived with many physical side effects and hallucinations when I was sent to a teenage rehab centre from the medications I was forced to take.

Later on in my life I pursued Christianity and I still had the ambition to explore further as I felt something was still missing in my life.
After becoming friends with fellow muslims who would invite me over for meals and coffee and gatherings- I read the Quran and went to mosques. After alot of so-called "tender loving care" and "guidance" from these fellow muslims--I prayed the SHAHADA.

The nightmare began when I converted to Islam as my so-called muslim friends started to persistently ask me for favours and justify their words with messages of "charity" from the Quran (according to their translation). I was constantly used by the mosques and by muslim friends with moving furniture for them, parking cars for them, lending money, and bodyguard work (I am a former competitive bodybuilder from Manitoba, Canada---I'm now living in Toronto).

Because I grew up with a disability (I am an audio learner and I have Bi-Polar disorder) the muslims would condem me for having no education and for not having a house or a car and for not earning enough money at my job(s)--I was told I was not HOLY enough as I wasn't prosperous.

When doing my Salat prayers- My condition actually worsened--my wife Jessica, who wrote an article to Ali Sina in the past about her experience, noticed my mood swings got worse and I was suffering from physical seizures and Illusions.
When I was on stress leave from work (on doctors orders) I applied for Zakat (charity Funds) that mosques are SUPPOSED to give to the needy as I was on disability pay from work during my leave. Many times, by members of alot of the mosques, I was scolded for being lazy and irresponsible by the administration staff as they felt becuase I have a strong looking body and I was so young ( I was 34 back then) they felt that I am without excuse for not having money.
Many muslim friends turned their backs on us during my medical leave and many of them claimed to be "busy" when we asked for help.

Many times...I had to use my physical appearance as a "weapon" to demand my Zakat funds as we were literally starving and needed money for food and medication. I also had a SHOUTING match with an Imam at a mosque in order to get my Zakat fund of $75.00 that I finally got after threatening not to leave the mosque.

I was yelled at for taking FREE literature fom other mosques by the administration staff and I was wrongfully accused for taking too much (I only took what the sign on top of the literature table said I can have-maximum 4 each).

When asked by Muslims if I spoke Urdu I told them I only speak Spanish and English and grade 3 Arabic ( I am born of East Indian/Spanish decent) they would not talk to me and many of them gave me "dirty looks".

When I prayed wrong or mentioned my arabic prayers wrong- I was yelled at and I was turned away from courses in the mosques because I wasn't educated and the courses required grade 12. (I was a teenage runaway from home and I could not finish school due to physical and mental abuse from teachers-so I worked to survive).

I was turned away from Islamic leaders who accused me of being a "money grubber" when I asked for Zakat help as I even offered to work for the money. When my wife Jessica forwarded a complaint to the mosques presidents and vice presidents about the wrongful treatment we were getting from the administration staff she was ignored.

My medical condition grew worse and after researching more truth about Islam and its conflicting verses (ie Surah 3 verse 85). -If Islam is a religion of UNITY and EQUALITY then why is the Quran saying that those who practise other religions accept Islam will be amongst the LOSERS?

In parts of the Quran it says we are to respect our "companions" the Jews and Christians and in another part it says that "Allah will desroy them for what they believed".

When a religion teaches "dominant" behavior and "prejudice" towards others who pursue God in a different path then its no longer a religion of God...rather its known as a CULT.

We have left Islam and we became buddhists and we have never been more joyful. Our financial situation is still a struggle but we are doing much better than before. We have also been expereriencing a new outlook on life as my mood swings have shortened and my strange hollucinations seizures have stopped.

The sun shines brighter in our home and our marriage has improved- I have also moved on to a better job and we have made new friends.

The nightmare is over and I hope to end the nightmare of Islam to others with my testimony.

Thank you:

Navindra Christophe

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