Is Islam in Global Flux?
29 Apr, 2008
- During the later years of the Roman Empire, millions of people abandoned the polytheistic state religion and converted to new competing religions: Mithraism, Judaism, and the young Jewish cult of Christianity. This free marketplace of religion ended with the accession of Emperor Constantine, who mandated Christianity as the only tolerated faith and all others to be persecuted.
Islam began as a small cult that succeeded beyond all expectations because the powerful empires of the day (Persia and Byzantium) were weakened by long, expensive conflict. The Arabs unexpectedly swept over formerly Roman Christian and Jewish North Africa and forced mass conversion. The same was true for the conquest of Persia and across Central Asia, where the Zoroastrians, Buddhists, and Hindus were persecuted.
After a thousand-year monopoly, the conversion of masses of people from the Catholic Church to dissenting sects (Protestants) was the consequence of political ferment in Europe and the advent of the printing press, which broke the monopoly of Catholic learning.
For the modern Western world, over a 400-year period, religion has lost the arm of state compulsion. Most of us today are free to believe, not believe, or shop around for a faith that suits us. We certainly do this in the United States; religion is a marketplace.
But what of Islam, which advertises itself as the world’s
fastest-growing faith? It may well be that it is also entering into
a phase of losing followers disgusted with its current phase of
militant fundamentalism and bigotry. This defection is particularly
brave in countries with Muslim governments that execute defectors
(apostates). The following are some numbers on this phenomenon,
provided by Andrew Walden, editor of the Hawai`i Free Press in Hilo,
Hawaii
(andrewwalden@email.com).
- Italian ex-Muslim Magdi Allam's very public baptism by Pope Benedict on Easter Sunday made headlines. According to Walden, he is not an anomaly. He says that Muslims are leaving Islam in droves. The baptism of Allam was an act of defiance in the face of Islamic threats, among them threats by Osama bin Laden.
- In Africa, Islam used to represent Africa’s main religion and
there were 30 African languages written in Arabic script. The
number of Muslims in Africa has diminished to 316 million (out of
a population of almost 1 billion), half of whom are Arabs in North
Africa. (See Ahmad al-Qataani, Interviewed by al-Jazeera in 2006.)
- In Iran as many as 1 million people have surreptitiously converted to Evangelical Christianity in the last five years, according to Pastor Hormoz Shariat (Google him), who claims to have converted 50,000 of them through his U.S.-based Farsi-language satellite ministry. The Iranian parliament is debating the death penalty for conversion.
- In Iraq, a similar phenomenon is growing. The March 4th New York Times reports: “After almost five years of war, many young people in Iraq, exhausted by constant firsthand exposure to the violence of religious extremism, say they have grown disillusioned with religious leaders and skeptical of the faith that they preach.”
- In southern Russia the same pattern is emerging. According to Roman Silantyev, executive secretary of the Inter-religious Council in Russia, two million Muslims converted to Christianity and as many as 100,000 have converted to Christianity in post-Soviet Kyrgyzstan.
- In Kashmir, victim of Islamist war, evangelicals report thousands of sub-rosa converts. An Indian newspaper headline reads: “Urban Muslim Youth Out to Junk Faith.”
- Palestinians, after decades of terrorist rule, are being quietly converted, holding in-home services to avoid detection. Says one evangelist: “I’ve been working among these people for thirty years, and I promise you I’ve never seen anything like this.”
- The London Times estimates 15% of Muslims living in Western Europe have left Islam — 200,000 in the UK alone. Those who leave often face harassment, threats, and attack, but they are leaving.
This seems to be another era of religious defections in the face of very ugly religious warfare. We have been there before.
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Dr. Laina Farhat-Holzman is an historian, lecturer, and author. Born in Rochester, New York, she was married to an Iranian 15 years, lived on and off in Iran, and had two children in that marriage. She maintains her blog: www.globalthink.net. She also writes for the Pajaronian, the Santa Cruz Sentinel and Family Security Matters. She can be contacted at Lfarhat102@aol.com.
Name: More than flux - Overdue!
Date: Tuesday April 29, 2008
Time: 07:20:30 -0700
Comment
Quote from Arthur Schopenhauer, a famous philosopher: "The World as Will and Representation" First Book: "Consider, for example, the Koran. This wretched book was sufficient to found a religion of the world, to satisfy the metaphysical need of innumerable millions of men for twelve hundred years, to become the foundation of their morality, and of no small contempt for death, and also to inspire them to bloody wars and most extended conquests. We find in it the saddest and the poorest form of Theism. Much may be lost through the translations ; but I have not been able to discover one single valuable thought in it." http://en.wikisource.org/wiki/The_World_as_Will_and_Representation/Second_Half
Name: Allat
Date: Tuesday April 29, 2008
Time: 07:56:07 -0700
Comment
He, he, he. You say,"millions of people abandoned the polytheistic state religion and converted to new competing religions: Mithraism, Judaism, and the young Jewish cult of Christianity"_______________We, Pagens NEVER abandoned our Philosophy and Wisdom Schools, you, Christians and islamics, destroyed our Temples, our Schools, hunted us down, and FORCED us to convert. And we, that refused to convert, were SLAUGHTERED, man, woman and child!_______________Today, we would DIE again before we abandoned TRUTH! We will NEVER give up the DIVINE!
Name: Islam in Flux?
Date: Tuesday April 29, 2008
Time: 08:04:10 -0700
Comment
The problem is that there can be no development in islam because of the dogma that the quran is the last revealation. Only the Mu'tazila, who enabled the so-called "golden age of islam", believed that the quran was made by humans and that its period of validity is limitid. During this period, the Kalifat was leading the world in many aspects. However, the Mu'tazila were outlawed by orthodox clerics like Ibn Taimiyya, who is still highly respected in Saudi Arabia and other sunnite countries. This was the end of islamic philosophy (Kalam) as well and there was no development any more. Development in Islam means that muslims now have to ask their clerics how to use a mobile phone, a refrigerator or a camera in a halal way. Islam does not have any scientific or philosophical capabilities because it contradicts logic, science and even itself. That´s why we can Islam regard as fixed and inflexible while the other world is in the Flux.
Name: Allat
Date: Tuesday April 29, 2008
Time: 08:07:27 -0700
Comment
Everything you have of Beauty today, EVERYTHING, is from us, Pagans. We, Polytheists, knew ourselves as part of Nature, as part of the UNiverse. And the world was in Balance. IT was Green.________What has Christianity (Yeshua ben Joseph was NOT a christian!)---and later, islam --contributed to this world, today? After 2,000 years, after 1500 years?---------------Everything worthwhile, after all, is from us, Pagans. Mathematics, the Sciences, Law, Medicine, Hygeine, the Gymnasium, the Arts, Architecture, Logic and Rhetoric,Languages, Philosophy and the study of the Divine.___________SO, what has christianity, judaism, islam, given to this world, today?_____________________I'll tell you, NOTHING!________ That's why Bush is giving a special Conference about the state of the economy and the world, this morning.
Name: Re: Allat
Date: Tuesday April 29, 2008
Time: 08:11:39 -0700
Comment
But there is also gnostic christianity which cannot be considered monotheistic.
Name: ZIDINKO
Date: Tuesday April 29, 2008
Time: 08:25:41 -0700
Comment
sick and tired of this monkey called Allat , has he any thing else to do ?Keeps repeating the same bullshit time after time , please management ,get him off his high horse,as he must scard to jump down,ok once or the most twice,out of 20, 10 comments are his/her. Please get this who ever this being is a JOB. AND FUCK OFF!!!
Name: FRANK
Date: Tuesday April 29, 2008
Time: 08:38:07 -0700
Comment
Is this the best you could do, a million here and a million there, the amount of time and effort being spent on converting muslims runs into billions of dollers,missioneries are raising the dust through out the muslim world, while there are over 500 crapy website like yours doing their utmost, and 100% anti muslim press and IS THIS ALL YOU COULD MANAGE? Sack the lot. Never will you ever catch up to Islam,the trend is only one way , and it is rightly now a fasion to be a muslim, a challange which the believrs are ready to take on, so WISHFUL THINKING,keep trying, and like i always say, WE LOOSE 6 BUT MASHAALLAH ALWAYS WE GAIN 12
Name: Allat
Date: Tuesday April 29, 2008
Time: 09:02:39 -0700
Comment
"gnostic christianity" --- Si, you speak with a straight tongue.
Name: Allat
Date: Tuesday April 29, 2008
Time: 09:10:34 -0700
Comment
Zidinko: I'm the person, you speak about---with your dirty, filthy tongue. I'm NOT hiding - and I'm NOT ashamed. I have just as much right to speak here - and more. As I don't use your gutter language--- You're NOT going to get me off!
Name: Godot (ex-Muslim in exile)
Date: Tuesday April 29, 2008
Time: 09:13:51 -0700
Comment
Laina Farhat-Holzman wrote:"In Africa, Islam used to represent Africa’s main religion and there were 30 African languages written in Arabic script. The number of Muslims in Africa has diminished to 316 million (out of a population of almost 1 billion), half of whom are Arabs in North Africa. (See Ahmad al-Qataani, Interviewed by al-Jazeera in 2006.) My comment: I don't need to check Ahmad al-Qataani's interview, the population of Africa never reached 1 billion at any time in history including all religions. Check your demographical resources prior to quoting "Aljazeera". Please let's be rational and avoid exaggerations in our mission to expose Islam.
Name: Allat
Date: Tuesday April 29, 2008
Time: 09:24:06 -0700
Comment
Zidinko: I am Cyrano to your Montfleury.
Name: Re: Godot (ex-Muslim in exile)
Date: Tuesday April 29, 2008
Time: 09:42:01 -0700
Comment
According to Wikipedia Africa had a population of 922 millions in 2005. Expect 2-3 % growth every year. Then we have almost a billion this year.
Name:
Date: Tuesday April 29, 2008
Time: 09:55:38 -0700
Comment
How can any adult with an ounce of humanity and decency not leave islam?
Name: Az
Date: Tuesday April 29, 2008
Time: 10:15:19 -0700
Comment
Islam, like Orthodox Christianity, is essentially paganism in monotheistic wrapping paper. The Bible and Quran are ok, but nothing special, & if there r "scientific miracles" in Quran why did us Kafirs find such discoveries and not during the "Golden Age" of Islam?
Name: Godot to Re: Godot (ex-Muslim in exile)
Date: Tuesday April 29, 2008
Time: 10:47:41 -0700
Comment
So you exaggerated the numbers in advance? You projected your misinformation? That's what they call back to the future. One little advice, with all my respect to Wikipedia, it can not be used as a serious reference in serious discussions and academia.
Name: Re: Godot to Re: Godot (ex-Muslim in exile)
Date: Tuesday April 29, 2008
Time: 12:05:46 -0700
Comment
Are you kidding? The numbers are from the UN and are supposed to be reliable. If you have better data then I would like to see them. http://esa.un.org/unpp/p2k0data.asp
Name: link again
Date: Tuesday April 29, 2008
Time: 12:06:37 -0700
Comment
http://esa.un.org/unpp/p2k0data.asp
Name: Just enter Africa!
Date: Tuesday April 29, 2008
Time: 12:07:27 -0700
Comment
Name: Mind recounting your figures again!!! liers,liers.
Date: Tuesday April 29, 2008
Time: 12:36:22 -0700
Comment
COUNTRIES: ALGERIA 32 Million Muslims (99% of Population) CONGO, DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE (ZAIRE) 15 Million Muslims (25% of Population) EGYPT 71 Million Muslims (94% of Population) LIBERIA 0.7 Million Muslims (20% of Population) MALI 10.5 Million Muslims (90% of Population) MOROCCO 31.5 Million Muslims (99% of Population) NIGER 10 Million Muslims (85% of Population) NIGERIA 67 Million Muslims (50% of Population) RWANDA 1.28 Million Muslims (16% of Population) SENEGAL 10.4 Million Muslims (94% of Population) SOMALIA 9 Million Muslims (99% of Population) SOUTH AFRICA 1 Million Muslims (2.5% of Population) SUDAN 26.6 Million Muslims (70% of Population)
Name: Andy Stunich
Date: Tuesday April 29, 2008
Time: 12:54:03 -0700
Comment
I believe that Islam would have a net loss every year but for its high birth rate among Muslims and the compulsory nature of Islam in most parts of the Islamic world. It is hard to determine how many real, Qur'an thumping Muslims there are in many parts of the Islamic world when most people in Islamic lands are going to publicly claim to be Muslims in order to avoid persecution.
Name: JIM [ a revert]
Date: Tuesday April 29, 2008
Time: 13:15:15 -0700
Comment
First of all totally agree about Allat, always a bit too much of this and that crap. Secondly, why is it that Islam watch and FFI keep on bombarding us with Muslim numbers in the world, the truth every one knows, whether you like it or not , the fact is that these websites have thrown at Muslims what they could,in another word have bloody failed miserably ,so please less of exaggeration and a bit of sense in your articles.
Name: Re: Mind recounting your figures again!!! liers,liers.
Date: Tuesday April 29, 2008
Time: 13:42:09 -0700
Comment
What do you want to say??? BTW, you forget to mention ethiopia, eritrea, djibouti and maybe some other countries. But who cares??? Give some exact figures or stop to critisizes others. BTW, I am independet from the author you are critisizing!!!
Name: pmk
Date: Tuesday April 29, 2008
Time: 14:06:45 -0700
Comment
These stories are anecdotal. The man baptized by the pope is the exception that proves the rule. Unless a strong Christian community comes PUBLIC in these countries, don't believe it is there. It's what they WANT you to believe. If you think Islam is "in flux" you will let down your guard and Islam will have you right where it wants you. If those who converted to Christianity really believed in it they would not be afraid to say so. No man can serve two masters.
Name: Africa Population
Date: Tuesday April 29, 2008
Time: 16:23:17 -0700
Comment
It is very difficult to get a correct estimate of population in countries like those of Africa. Some statistics say that it grew from 767 millions in 1999 to 922 millions in 2005. It's the fastest growing continent in the world and is likely to touch one billion any time if hasn't yet.
Name: Greg
Date: Tuesday April 29, 2008
Time: 19:38:03 -0700
Comment
Good. Damn good. I wish that the whole world could see these numbers. It would give even more people strength.
Name: Malfean
Date: Tuesday April 29, 2008
Time: 19:38:41 -0700
Comment
Consider the 2000's the new 60's! When reviewing Islam is all its demented glory... consider Deep Purple and a few glasses of your finest. I got a certain little girl shes on my mind No doubt about it she looks so fine Shes the best girl that I ever had Sometimes shes gonna make me feel so bad Hush, hush I thought I heard her calling my name now Hush, hush She broke my heart but I love her just the same now Hush, hush Thought I heard her calling my name now Hush, hush I need her loving and Im not to blame now (love, love) They got it early in the morning (love, love) They got it late in the evening (love, love) Well, I want that, need it (love, love) Oh, I gotta gotta have it Shes got loving like quicksand Only took one touch of her hand To blow my mind and Im in so deep That I cant eat and I cant sleep Listen Hush, hush Thought I heard her calling my name now Hush, hush She broke my heart but I love her just the same now Hush, hush Thought I heard her calling my name now Hush, hush I need her loving and Im not to blame now (love, love) They got it early in the morning (love, love) They got it late in the evening (love, love) Well, I want that, need it (love, love) Oh, I gotta gotta have it
Name: Bobby
Date: Tuesday April 29, 2008
Time: 20:35:44 -0700
Comment
These kind of stories need wide coverage. That would ensure islam crumbles in on itself. Muslims try to inflate their numbers in hopes of attracting more people and sometimes it works, at least lets them get some clout in the political stage. Same way stories like these would deflate them and show them their true place.
Name: Saul Wall
Date: Tuesday April 29, 2008
Time: 21:03:23 -0700
Comment
While some of the evidence cited is less firmly supported than other bits there is a real trend at work. I suspect that it is a trend that will prevail but who am I to say? Islamic nations are undergoing demographic transitions as their abysmal literacy rates continue to creep up and their economies diversify and expand. Their total fertility rates (while still comparatively high) have been falling, often at rates far faster than those of Western and industrialized Asian nations did. Apostates and apostate support organizations are making the news now as never before because there are more apostates than ever before. Evangelistic Christianity, secular philosophies and simple practicality and hedonism are strong competitors for Islam in the Middle East/North Africa region but in Indonesia, and other eastern regions, population who have not been under subjugation as long are reverting to Hinduism, Buddhism and native religions as well. This is not going to be a quick transition and hostility towards apostates will be a continuing problem. But as more apostates, high-profile and otherwise make the transition their political power will grow. Violence against the apostates will increase Islam's shame in everyone's eyes and only feed the effect. For Islam it is a catch 22: Leave the apostates alone and people will lose the fear that keeps them from examining and leaving Islam. Fight them and it discredits the religion among those who were ignorant about its nature.
Name: JUDEO CHRISTIANITY ISLAM IS A REAL DISEASE AND TRUTH AND TRUTH WORSHIP IS THE ONLY CURE
Date: Tuesday April 29, 2008
Time: 23:16:55 -0700
Comment
U JEWS CHRISTIANS MUSLIMS HV KILLED AND PERSECUTED US TRUTH = NATURE WORSHIPPERS AND WE HV CONSTANTLY FOUGHT BACK. NO FAKE DEITY/ALLAH CREATED MAN BUT MAN EVOLVED BY NATURE,TRUTH IS IN OUR GENES=DNA. WE HV ALWAYS LOVED AND WORSHIPED MOTHER NATURE AND WILL CONTINUE,ALL FAKE RELIGION LIKE JUDEO-CHRISTIANITY/ISLAM WILL BE DESTROYED. TRUTH SHALL TRIUMPH FINALLY. NATURE IS LOVE,NATURE IS GOD,AND WE PAGANS LOVE NATURE THE TRUTH AND ONLY TRUE GOD WITH ALL HER DIVERSITIES AND MANY GODS AND GODDESSES AS TART OF HER. DEATH TO JUDEO-CHRISTIANITY/SIALM TRUTH = NATURE WILL TRIUMPH OVER THE JEWS/CHRISTIANS/MUSLIMS.
Name:
Date: Wednesday April 30, 2008
Time: 00:52:41 -0700
Comment
Good. Muslims are leaving islam in droves. Soon we may find them concentrated in certain pockets only like Saudi Arabia,Iran, and parts of middle East. Let the oil run dry,Saudi will not be able to sustain their financing terror networks and mosque building around the world ,which could have been put to better use by improving the economic lot of the millions of muslims in the middle East itself,including Saudi Arabia! Oil will run out in another 30-40 years and these muslims will get the boot by the West wchich they very much deserve. Then there will be no political correctness to islam as it is now! We are all eagerly awaiting this!
Name: honey
Date: Wednesday April 30, 2008
Time: 03:39:50 -0700
Comment
islam is an opressive system so we cant know how many have denied islam in their hearts but shore not in small numbers and this is most important...
Name: Ex Muslim
Date: Wednesday April 30, 2008
Time: 05:01:50 -0700
Comment
I have left Islam but nobody knows due to persecution. There must be millions like me around the globe who dare come out openly. Statistically, I am still counted as a Muslim.
Name: Chanderkant
Date: Wednesday April 30, 2008
Time: 13:15:04 -0700
Comment
it is sad , but i share the same fate as you although you have left islam,i am from Hindu background and i have recently with a friend of mine who is also a hindu, from Germany have reverted to Islam. Our families are not aware , but when they do find out,there could be trouble.
Name: Ananda
Date: Wednesday April 30, 2008
Time: 14:06:05 -0700
Comment
To Laina Farhat-Holzman who wrote : "...there have been times in history that a religion gained – or lost – large numbers. Apparently Islam is in such a period of growth...", Laina inform us about Islam's recent large growth in actual numbers. A vague lack of belief is floating around that this statement is untrue. As a per cent of world population, Islam could be losing rather than gaining.
Name: Ananda
Date: Wednesday April 30, 2008
Time: 14:13:28 -0700
Comment
To Chanderkant : The spelling of your name almost certainly proves that you are not a Hindu.
Name: kafir/infidel ( & Ex-communist ).
Date: Wednesday April 30, 2008
Time: 21:04:12 -0700
Comment
TO CHANDERKANT : You are a true follower MUSSALMAN of the pedo,rapist,looter,robber,murderer,killer ,deceiver,terrorist ,liar, called MO_HAM_MAD ,his cult which is plague of humanity and called ISLAM. Is there any good,educated,thinking human being who want to enter into darkness and swallow poison ? There is not one good about ISLAM / MO / ALLA / QQURRAN . Unless you are extremely evil ,cruel,wicked, fascist,intolerant ,slavery minded, sex maniac like MO to follow Mo_HAM_MAD , even if you have a grain of truth,knowledge,thinking you will flush ISLAM/ QQURRAN / MO into sewage becoz it is all that shit , that stench and that sewage . CHANDERKANT - you have given away not only your ignorance ,evil,cruelty,wickedness,hatred,bigotry but also lack of understanfing anything about Hindu dharma !!!! In HINDU DHARMA there are no fatwas,no jihads, no apostacy,no blasphemy,no hooddoed rules, no force, no killing for not belief, no kafirs, no infidels, no nonbelievers !!!!!!!!!!! No ex-communication also. Hindu dharma is based on self realization- that comes from within from the heart and mind - thinking,pondering,deep meditation etc - of a person. Hindu dharma is based on reasoning,logic........ So where from you will get trouble? You exposed your utter, evil,cruel,bloodthirsty mind - becoz in ISLAM blasphemy,apostacy,leaving ISLAM means death !!!! Now you are caught red handed as theif like your profiteer MO. a real theif,thug,gangster,killer.
Name: Godot to Re: Godot to Re: Godot (ex-Muslim in exile)
Date: Thursday May 01, 2008
Time: 08:20:22 -0700
Comment
Nn, I was NOT kidding at all. BTW, please do everybody a favor and pick a nickname for easier dialogue. You may chose one from: Wikipedia.org/names
Name: Muslims are biggest liars
Date: Thursday May 01, 2008
Time: 20:51:20 -0700
Comment
Since Mo was the biggest con artist ,his followers are biggest liars like chandarkant who also calls himself Akhter/Jorge/Jim/abeliever/muslim22/iluvu .
Name: ha ha ha ....
Date: Friday May 02, 2008
Time: 04:00:34 -0700
Comment
More and more Moslem start to use their logic and realize that the religion they're proud of is not more than garbage, made by the f*cking warlord called Mohammed who never felt peace during his life and after his death(that's why his followers always say: "peace be upon him", even after his death 14 centuries ago up to this time). Christians never say anything like that, also the Budhists, Hinduists, Confucianists etc. So, it is very clear, in Islam, their prophet needs prayer from its follower, while other religion, especially the prophets of Christian, didn't need any prayer from any Christian. See the difference? Prophets were coming to save people, this islamic prophet needs prayer from its follower to save him (fromthe fire in hell). Ha ha ha .....
Name:
Date: Sunday May 04, 2008
Time: 05:54:02 -0700
Comment
we say peace be upon u as a community custom i think the jews also say something similar... shalom
Name: Joseph
Date: Wednesday May 07, 2008
Time: 22:18:00 -0700
Comment
No Parent will ever want's to see their daughter become 2nd,3rd or 4th wife of man.Just put this question to any parent & appeal to them to leave this flithy cult , I am 100% sure he will agree.