Some thoughts I was thinking

It amazes me sometimes, how questions and thoughts that would be going on through my head for long, would exactly be discussed and then I am always like; hey, so it wasn't just me thinking about that lol.... I just didn't know because I was not following the discussions until now..

I have been wondering for long about two things...

Why many if not majority of Muslims who leave Islam (including myself) don't become atheists but agnostic or something less direct than atheist.. and I always thought about it in contrast to the west, where many are very comfortable and confident about being an atheist...

I thought to myself, it could be because in the Muslim society and specifically the Arabic one, we drink religion with milk as babies..!! Religion is incorporated in every aspect of our lives.. literally!

I still remember an incident from my childhood, where my siblings and mother teased me because I would mispronounce words as I recited verses from the Quran.. I mean, if I was mispronouncing words because they sound alike, it means that I was very young, that I still haven't even learned how to say words correctly in my own language.. and I was! The verses were not pretty either, they were talking about the devil who whispers to us...🤷‍♀️ but then, this is how young we learn religion!

I also remember that as a child, I said "duaa" which means prayer, but a short one, before and after I entered the bathroom!! Can you imagine that religion is incorporated in the bathroom habits!!! You could not imagine how it was incorporated in everything else. Almost every move required a dauaa of some sort.

..and bear in mind that I don't even come from a highly religious or fanatic family.. It is not like we had the Quran memorised, or or were one of those families who didn't listen to music etc.. nah, we were never THAT religious, but this is really how the avg. Muslim is raised. 🤷‍♀️

So of course leaving this is not as easy as someone raised in the west.. taught real science and philosophy in schools, and where religion doesn't play that "major" role in their life since the minute they are brought to this life..! It is why when we get out of it, it is difficult to be as assertive and say that we are atheists.. Even though I pretty much think that I am ... I never deny the existence of a god, but I have difficulty thinking that it could exist. ..Yet most of us still try to seek some refugee in being agnostic..

The other thing is that ex Muslims in the Arab world, are usually too aggressive in addressing religion (including myself).. I've always wondered as to why that is, as compared to western atheists I have come across before.. I KNOW that there are fanatics in the west too, but I am talking about the many as compared to some ...

And I always thought that it is probably due to factors like; living in a society where we feel hated, unaccepted, attacked, and where freedom is limited.. Maybe also that the level of maturity is not too high overall, because this is all new to us in our society and part of the world...

I've always wondered about these two things, today I was watching a discussion and I was just simply amazed that these two points were discussed... it made me think, okay so I am not imagining it all! It is why I love the internet. It makes you realise that you are not alone, and that people are thinking your exactly your thoughts and reaching your conclusions.. When it is rational thinking, we are all likely to reach similar conclusions anyway..

SW-User

i believe people are born hardwired towards religion, or a belief in a diety of some sort, and then it's further conditioned into them by people who were born the same way. in other words, it's partially to mostly genetic. the same for politics, gender identity, and sexual orientation. because of random gene-combining we get variants among mind-sets, but generally people are primed before birth.

i'm an American agnostic-atheist - just meaning i don't know what's going on, but i see zero evidence of any gods. both of my parents are believers. not exactly devout, but they talk about a god like it's a matter-of-fact.

i remember feeling this way from the moment i was told of the idea of a god. i felt the same way when told about other non-tangibles, like Santa, the Easter Bunny, etc...

i understand even less about Muslim religion. it's portrayed as evil at certain points in the education system, before university level. i remember that. but i'm a cynic, so i figured it was just a cultural thing my own country didn't value. it's the same all around the world.

TheSirfurryanimalWales · 61-69, M

I was brought up a Roman Catholic.
Made to go to church every Sunday.
Refused point blank to go any more at 14.
Expected trouble.
Didn’t get it.
Been an atheist ever since and find weddings and funerals very uncomfortable.
No religious service when I pop my clogs.
In Canada you will be able to be comfortably agnostic/atheist.
..
Strangely after I refused to go to church it was not long before my parents stopped going!

Iwantyourhotwife · 22-25

I've always wondered as to why that is, as compared to western atheists I have come across before.. I KNOW that there are fanatics in the west too, but I am talking about the many as compared to some ...

And I always thought that it is probably due to factors like; living in a society where we feel hated, unaccepted, attacked, and where freedom is limited..

Anyone feeling surrounded by enemies feels this way. I bet you know religious Muslims and Christians who lash out like that in secular places. Like they're a horse or donkey, trying to free itself of weight it doesn't want to bear. I imagine it is tough to remain composed and you kick till they get off your back

This was a pretty interesting find