Lauren Booth: I'm now a Muslim
November 4, 2010 - 1:29pm
Lauren Booth: I'm now a Muslim
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2010/nov/03/lauren-booth-conversion-to-i...
"This week's screams of faux horror from fellow columnists on hearing of my conversion to Islam prove that this remains the sterotypical view regarding half a billion women currently practising Islam..
I have no doubt that this is for life; there is so much in Islam to learn and enjoy and admire; I'm overcome with the wonder of it..
How hard and callous non-Muslim friends and colleagues begin to seem."
1. That's what Islam has needed all along. A blonde Western woman to tell the Western world about the positives of Islam. Why didn't they think of this sooner?
2. Reading the article, I found myself having a flashback to this Seinfeld anti-dentite episode (highlights) and this exchange in particular, at about 3:03:
Jerry: I think he's converted to Judaism purely for the jokes!
Priest: And this offends you as a Jewish person?
Jerry: No, it offends me as a comedian!
What dribble - "I feel this", "I felt that".
1. That's what Islam has needed all along. A blonde Western woman to tell the Western world about the positives of Islam. Why didn't they think of this sooner?
2. Reading the article, I found myself having a flashback to this Seinfeld anti-dentite episode (highlights) and this exchange in particular, at about 3:03:
Jerry: I think he's converted to Judaism purely for the jokes!
Priest: And this offends you as a Jewish person?
Jerry: No, it offends me as a comedian!
My moment of mirth is over.
This is as offensive as the articles in which Western women "dress up" in a hijab or burka for a day or a week and "report back" their "fascinating" insight about the Other™ to great "oohs" and "aahs".
It's gross. Racist. Imperialist and yeah, condescending as hell.
And NDPP I understand why you posted this thread in the feminism forum. But Muslim women™ have not ever needed the validation of a white woman convert from the West to ensure that the West "knows" that Muslim women™ DO have agency, autonomy, etc. Gosh darn it, they DO! Wow!!
This reeks of colonial feminism.
Moving to body and soul.
Tony Blair's journalist sister-in-law.
So she picked her favourite flavour of insanity. Good for her.
I am far from sympathetic to the religious dabblings of the privileged. But in the long history of conversion (religious and political), conversion is often followed by public explanation/defense. It does seem rather arrogant - these new converts are often relatively privileged outsiders joining a despised group. Who are they to presume to speak for it? I have often thought this when reading such defences. But it's happened again and again for thousands of years! It's not new. I'm not trying to justify it - just put it in perspective.
It does seem rather arrogant - these new converts are often relatively privileged outsiders joining a despised group. Who are they to presume to speak for it? I have often thought this when reading such defences. But it's happened again and again for thousands of years!
Like that darned Constantine.
Like that darned CIA. And then there was this more recently. Apparently Leslie Deak is a Xtian-Jewish-Muslim convert and philanthropist with ties to the CIA and US Military. Most remarkable.
This "conversion to another religion" is all pretty hilarious for an atheist. They believe in "the one and only God" and then switch to a different "one and only God" . Lauren Booth explains it thusly: "Dear Allah and Dear God both mean the same thing, of course"
She switched because Muslims are more calm than the others are. And then she poops on Richard Gere for being a meditating Bhuddist, and calls Bhuddism "trendy".... despite the fact that Islam is getting the most converts right now.
My best girlfriend says that "nobody has any need to know what I pray about". I like that a lot - spirituality is a personal thing and there is no need whatsoever for gatherings, churches, or doctrine. Go Girlfriend!!
I have no doubt that this is for life; there is so much in Islam to learn and enjoy and admire; I'm overcome with the wonder of it..
"Not to mention that the conversion came with a the great promotion package from my employer, presstv ...".