Necessary Roughness

The Houston Chronicle has an article that focuses Muslim women who left Roman Catholicism for Islam.

They told a visitor of their reasons for converting: they were attracted by the simplicity of Islam; the fact that they could pray directly to God without an intermediary (something they could do under Catholicism as well); Islam’s focus on close family ties, similar to that generally found in Latino culture; and respect for women. Some felt they were discovering lost roots from Islamic Spain.

“Before I was Muslim, I used to wish I was covered,” said Maria Franco, a native of Monterrey, Mexico. “Back home, people would say, ‘Oooooh, you good-looking girl,’ and make many other rude comments. I hated that.”

I’m not an authority on the simplicity of Islam, but there seem to be some diverse opinions within it, including whether or not jihad means a philosophical internal struggle or an outward struggle to kill infidels. That’s important information.

The second two reasons need more information. The woman chose Islam because she could pray directly to Allah, and in the same breath the writer mentions that Christians can pray directly to God instead of the saints. Was this woman ignorant about praying directly to God, and the reporter filled this information in? Similarly, Islam focuses on “close family ties”, but so does the Roman Catholic Latino culture? Where is the distinction?

I am curious as to why Ms. Franco thought that Christianity prevented someone from wearing modest clothing. Did she need the mandate of a religion as an excuse to cover up?

Finally, this anecdote from one woman who asked her priest about Islam:

“I was scared, though my heart felt so at ease and I thought: ‘Is this from the devil?” she recalled. “I went to the priest to make confession, and I started crying. That’s when he said: ‘I have read the Quran. I understand it. But you need to follow your religion. Muslims are not bad people, but they are not right. We are correct. Don’t question your religion; practice it, but don’t question it.’ ”

Martinez didn’t like the answer. As she continued her research, she realized that Islam respected and honored Jesus as a prophet. That removed the last stumbling block. “To me, I didn’t abandon Christianity, I discovered a religion that continued it,” she said.

I find this response amazing from a called and ordained servant of the Word. There is no mention of instruction or consequences. The priest should have asked what parts of doctrine this woman had trouble with, and then began to rectify any misconceptions she had about Roman Catholicism. If she still felt that Roman Catholicism was too restrictive, she could have been informed about other denominations whose belief systems wouldn’t have the same eternal consequences as Islam. Of course she rejected the priest’s answer.

If someone tells me that he or she wants to leave Christianity for Islam or some other religion, I would ask what that person thinks Christianity is.