Islam is also an alternative for Latinos in the United States

AFP via The News (Mexico City) ^ | January 1, 2002

[sarcasm]

LOS ANGELES - Latinos who don't drink, eat pork or even dance might feel out of step with their families or with other Latin Americans. Just the same, about 40,000 Latinos living in the United States find that Islam meets other needs and provides an alternative community.

"Some claim they are dissatisfied with Christianity, some are interested in the more active practice that Islam offers. Some find out about Islam through friends and family," said Samantha Sanchez, president of Latino American Dawah Organization, one of several U.S. organizations of Latino Muslims.

Marta Galedary, a Mexican immigrant who discovered Islam through friends 20 years ago, now organizes study groups for Latinos at the Los Angeles Islamic Center.

"People came to us out of curiosity and asked for literature about Islam in Spanish, so we realized that we needed to reach out to non-Muslims," said Galedary, whose group numbers 25 to 30. "Everyone knows someone who is interested."

In California, as in Texas, the majority of Muslim Latinos are Mexicans or Central Americans who arrived some years ago and haven't mastered English. On the East Coast, the communities are mostly Puerto Rican or Dominican, and many were born in the United States, said Ismi Saraji, who lives in New York.

Recent converts have little problem giving up pork, liquor and dance, said Saraji. The problem is getting their families to accept their new lifestyles.

"The problem for them is how their families may feel betrayed by them. My cousin was still trying to feed me pork pies for years after I converted. When I mentioned the problem with pork, she would just say: 'So don't eat that part'," said Saraji.

"My parents still don't understand a lot about my religion and I sometimes feel that they don't want to understand something that they don't like," said Mercedes Zeenni, a Mexican-born California resident who converted to Islam 11 years ago, before marrying her Lebanese boyfriend.

So strong is the fear of rejection that some follow Islam in secret.

"I'm always worried that the people I love the most will reject me. My grandparents still don't know. I think the fear of rejection is one that all new converts fear," said Juan Galvan, of Texas.

Nearly all Latino converts to Islam had been practicing Catholics who were to some degree uncomfortable with Catholicism.

"I was Catholic. But from the start, it seemed that Islam gave more answers to my questions, was more direct, without mysteries, and making it easier for me to understand what it meant to believe in God," said Zeenni.

[Centurion2000]

I wonder how long until we have suicidal Islamic La Raza bombers in LA and San Diego fighting an intifada for their 'homeland' or arguing the Right of Return to try and take the SouthWest from America ?

[Liberty Ship]

Just thought I would give this a ping and kick it back up to the top in light of today's revalation about the Dirty Bomber. Never can tell which of these posts will turn out to be important six months later!

[reg45]

Hey, try the typical Islamic flavor -- You disagree with me, therefore I will declare a Jihad and kill you.

[TLBSHOW]

what is really points out 6 months later that what the terrorist have in common is Islam.

[livius]

Catholicism has been extremely watered down for many years now. Once upon a time, it was very structured, and was, in fact, one of the things that enabled Irish and Italian immigrants to apply that structure to other parts of their lives and succeed in the United States. Hispanic Catholics were, like the Irish and the Italians, "cultural Catholics," and never really had to think about their religion until they got to a place that was not majority Catholic.

Unfortunately, for Hispanics, this coincided with a truly awful period in the Church (still ongoing, alas) where they were offered no structure, no faith, no nothing. Well, unless you count Fr. Bob leering at their sons...

I'm Catholic, and I can tell you, it's pretty depressing. Had the Church stayed the course and had these people lived as practicing Catholics, none of this would be happening. For one thing, José's mother wouldn't have been chasing various "boyfriends" around the country, and it would be clear who his father was (judging from the article about him, I guess this was up for grabs).

Ideas do matter. Practice does matter. If the truth of Christianity is not preached, people will go elsewhere in their search. And the Evil One is ready and waiting to draw them into Islam.

[monkeyshine]

That's what I thought. I think the RCC is a good church and a good religion. Like many religions, I guess they have been "watered down" too in the various parishes. But it's not what one immediately thinks of when one thinks of RC. If you don't like the structure of RC, then why not become an Evangelical or Lutheran or some other form of Christianity? Why the appeal to Islam?

There are Jewish synagogues without the slightest semblance of Judaism in the worship, except for maybe the symbolism of things. In my view this type of deconstructed religion leaves one wanting.

[Jorge]

And not a single one of them Knew Jesus Christ to begin with.

I have to agree. The New Testament Apostles more or less say the same thing of those who turn away from the faith...that they never really were Christian to begin with.

[Jorge]

Ideas do matter. Practice does matter. If the truth of Christianity is not preached, people will go elsewhere in their search. And the Evil One is ready and waiting to draw them into Islam.

That's right. And a sure signs that the Evil One has made a convert is hatred of God's covenant people Israel.
The Bible tells us how Satan hates and tries to destroy Israel in the end times.
It's awful to see the blind misguided people he is dragging down with himself.