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Helen - Testimony of Leaving Islam
(Personal information:
Country of origin: Iraq, Gender: Female)
I was born an Iraqi Muslim and grew up in a moderate Muslim environment hearing the horror stories about hell, endless torture and burning, angels on both sides of your shoulders - one is writing your good deeds and the other bad deeds, and other magic things that are hard for a logical human mind to accept. I remember when I was in Primary School sitting down in the classroom in terror, thinking to myself: What if judgment day is tomorrow? What if judgment day is next hour and I would go to hell? It’s a total brain poison for little children.
In my early teens, I started wondering more and more. I read ( asma2 allah ilhusna) and started wondering: Why would god praise himself so much? God shouldn’t be a show off; he can't be vain! Also I must mention a few things that put me off most at that time. One of them is the inheritance law - which gives male siblings twice as much as female siblings. I thought that was extremely unfair. Also the four-marriages for men that is allowed in Islam, Islam's violence in punishment (cut this, chop that etc.).
I started being pretty sure that Islam is a fake. Muhammad did it the profit. He fooled everyone. So I started to explore different options to myself. I explored Christianity, went to Sunday school to learn more. I found no lasting peace, only the same magical stories, heaven / hell and so on. So finally I decided that I better find a different path for myself. I wanted to use my own brain to examine facts and weigh them. I came to a conclusion that there is no God: male or female God. If there was something, it might be a higher power. I traveled to Japan a few times and I explored Buddhism. They have always emphasized to me that Buddhism is not a religion. It’s a WAY OF LIFE. That description set very well with me. And I started learning more.
I started meditating to clear my mind and create peace within. I started to have a peaceful approach to situations in life. And I grew a lot of compassion towards people with negative attitude. My hope for everybody is just to use your own mind/brain to examine all facts that are presented to them. Don’t be afraid to challenge ideologies that have been taught to you since you were born. If there is a GOD... He/She would be very happy to see the human race use their minds, with which He/She has endowed His/Her human creation most richly. He/She must be fascinated, not infuriated, by the fact that the brain He/She has given to human beings may even question His/Her existence and logically analyze things to unravel the truth of the Universe, including Himself/Herself.
Ask you self: If there is god What would he/she do? I am sure he/she is not in need for people to wash up and pray for him 5 times days to praise him/her. He/She would rather have them do some thing positive to improve their lives: plant a tree, clean the house or send flower to a sick friend and so on. Ask your self. Don’t be afraid. God is not watching you. God is in you.
Source: http://wikiislam.net/wiki/Helen_(former_Muslim)
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Tatsuhiro - Testimony of Leaving Islam
(Personal information:
Country of origin: Malaysia, Gender: Male)
I left Islam due to the fact that the Quran contradicts humanity and science itself, plus historical accounts of Islam conquests on other nations were horrible, and the historical accounts according to the Al-Hadith is terrifying towards women. Some Hadiths were quoted in a way that during Muhammad's conquest to spread Islam, not only were his wives lawful for him to engage in sexual activities but also the "spoils of war": captive women who were made a slave, whose husbands died in the war to oppose Muhammad's regime. Praying 5 times a day to a God that gives you the silent treatment, performing pilgrimage in a "holy land" where hundreds died due to the mass of people coming from all around the world in only one specific month of a year (not being able to breathe in the crowd plus being trampled upon by thousands of pilgrims who doesn't care if there's a human being underneath their feet) and fasting for half a day every day in a month which decreases metabolism and could pose serious health risks is not the way I want to live my life. And I don't want to engage in a sexual activity with 70 virgin women after I'm dead.
Before I left Islam I have done an extensive journey towards apostasy, and that started with comparing Islam with Christianity and Judaism. I've read all the holy books from all these monotheistic religions, and found out that although the Torah and Gospels has it own flaws, Quran wasn't excluded from it's own flaws as well, which led me towards studying other religions such as Hinduism and Buddhism. Somehow Buddhism caught my attention since it was regarded a "free-form" religion in which different people from different cultural or religious background is able to observe its teachings in a different manner but end up having the same goal, and is the most "neutral" religion in terms of interfaith dialogues. And for some practitioners of Buddhism it was regarded that Buddhism isn't just a religion but it could also be a teaching which makes it a "free-form". And as I observed meditation in Buddhism, it makes me a better person by having myself visualize my past mistakes and at the same time I visualize what kind of person I wanted to be - and it's better than praying 5 times a day, asking for forgiveness on the sins we have previously done and end up becoming the same person doing the same mistakes over and over again.
As for now my current situation in Malaysia, especially when my father is a Malay Muslim, I had to keep my practices all to myself and only my non-Malay non-Muslim friends know of my religious practices. I had to practice my devotions without setting up an altar which is fine for me, but since I was born a Muslim and having a Muslim name I find it a burden for me when the Malaysian government imposes Islamic Sharia law onto me (I can't go on a date at a secluded beach/sleep in the same hotel room with a female partner although no sexual activities involved/eating during daytime of Ramadhan), plus when travelling internationally I might be a victim of foreign country's airport security imposing unnecessary security background checks on me. And my application for a name change was also rejected by the National Registration Department of Malaysia for no reason, I'm guessing it's because they don't want Malay Muslims to remove their Islamic identity although no public acts of apostasy was present.
I hope I'm not openly criticizing Islam. Modern Islam has its good side, same thing as modern Christianity and Judaism. Even Buddhism had undergone modernization so that certain practices could be made relevant to the modern world. Even scientists agrees that if a newer theory proves the older one wrong therefore the older theory should be discarded. I wish everyone reading my testimony to think over on what's best for yourselves.
Stupidity is a sign of ignorance. Acceptance in the other hand should always be a relevant one.
Source: http://wikiislam.net/wiki/Tatsuhiro_-_Former_Muslim
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Windfall (former Muslim)
(Personal information:
Country of origin: Turkey, Gender: Male)
Letter to Ali Sina
Dear Mr. Ali Sina,
Please feel free to publish this message on your website as another personal story; the story of Windfall's transformation. I have been here with you (or more precisely, against you) for almost a year. And this really was the great experience and the great journey. Thank you Ali and all participants for that. You can confirm that I wholeheartedly debated and argued with you personally and all others who left Islam. I believe, I was challenging in this affair.
From my own side, I tried to answer your challenges too. I did all my best to defend Islam and beat the kafirs down. However, from the other side, I was debating on Islamist forums too. In doing this, I had only a pure idea in mind to 'save Islam from the fanatic bastards, who have been speculating with the great Islam. I am very tired and sick of this, and I do not want get into details of these debates with the Islamists.
But one thing I can confirm now HOW STUPID I WAS. This beast with the name ISLAM cannot be saved. At one point, I returned back and read some of your (Ali Sina) posts and also answers to me. I understood that you are not a materialist and I think I am able to comprehend what you believe in. There was a Turk, Imameddin Nasimi, one of the leaders of the Hurufi movement of dervishes many centuries ago. He wrote in his poem:
Mende sighar iki djahan, Men bu djahana sighmazam. Haqq menem, Bashqa haggi men bulmazam.
Translation: Two worlds can easily fit into me, But I myself cannot even fit into this world. I am the Truth, There is no other truth to look for outside of me.
The sick Muslim Ulemas killed this enlightened person as a Kafir. Islam followed the path of other violent religions such as Christianity and Judaism. But you are 100% right. These two faiths completely transformed within the last centuries. They are no more violent and dangerous. Christians and Jews are mostly peaceful citizens of their countries who appreciated democracy and freedoms.
Ali Sina, you are really a very enlightened person. I will try to follow your way. And I am saying bye-bye to Allah. I can not express even a 10% of what I feel now. The only thing I can say about myself is that there is now another Kafir joining you, Ali. I am sorry for leaving the Forum, but I decided, as you said, 'to look for Buddha in myself. To find peace, to find a refuge for my wounded soul.
Keep doing what are you doing and sorry guys if I gave you a hard time.
Maybe one day I'll return.
Yours truly,
Windfall.
Response from Ali Sina
Dear Windfall,
Your soul is not wounded. You have broken the shell of faith and now you are born in a world of lights and understanding. It is natural to feel weak and beaten up. But that is the birth throe. Nothing to worry about! Soon you will find your strength; your fledging wings will become strong and will take you to worlds you could not have imagined before. I think you have found the truth. The truth is within you. You do not need a guru, a master or a teacher. You are the guru, the master and the teacher.
Welcome to the world of enlightenment. I do not cancel any account. You are welcome to use it in future if you like. My suggestion is do not go away. Stay around and let us help others. If all of us who break our fetters do the same, we free this world from the prison of hate and ignorance and make it a paradise literally. After all we are Humanity. We are part of one another and we are responsible for each other. We are no more Muslims but Muslims are part of us. Our job is to make them see this too. We must win them over and make the unity of mankind a reality. The alternative is too painful for everyone.
Source: http://wikiislam.net/wiki/Windfall_(former_Muslim)
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We don't know how much seconds we have, we don't know what will happen, and we don't know what to do, we are careless about it just because we are following some careless people, they don't even know that they don't know the problem, but they have answers, and If we trust them we will be one of them, If we don't trust them then we can see what is really there, that there are more problems than answers, then we can start to find answers. If we are lucky enough we will find the answers, or we will find some proofs or facts which will help us to find the answers, but we don't know that we can find it or not, but if we try hard we can find some proofs or facts, which will give us energy and confident to find the answers, If we can't find good proofs or facts then something is wrong with the our research (eg: practicing a religion), then we have to do many researches, however if we stop finding the answers or research, we are careless.!
How to Meditate: http://arguments-on-buddhism.blogspot.com/p/how-to-meditate.html
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Ex-Muslims come out as a group in Sri Lanka
A group of individuals, who chose to leave the religion they were born to – Islam, owing to different reasons, joined as a group to form ‘Ex-Muslims of Sri Lanka’ (EMSL), two days prior to bidding farewell to the year 2016. Coming out to the public for the first time in Sri Lanka’s history as the very first organisation for those who left and wish to leave the religion of Islam was formed on 30 December 2016 at an undisclosed location closer to the country’s commercial capital, Colombo.
Meeting for the first time as a group, almost all its members from a handful of unidentified individuals, made use of the gathering to hold the inaugural General Meeting of the EMSL. The members belonged to almost all age categories from both genders, made it a point to share their individual experiences and why they chose not to follow the religion they were born to and becoming faithless in the religion. The members were screened and selected after their responses through the social media campaign which took months.
“It’s very disheartening to see how human values are gradually being brought to a dishonourable state by those who follow Islam with great devotion. Most of our members were serious followers while some even preached the religion, but with what’s taking place around lately, in the name of a superior power, we had to make this choice. For many of us, the decision was hard, to leave the religion we were born to, while some have always followed a middle path, which we believe is the best way of life,” one of the pioneer members, who wished to remain anonymous due to safety reasons, stated.
Formed for reasons that are genuinely human, the EMSL members point out that their individual struggles as followers or servants of an unseen divine power and strong, tradition beliefs and practices, are over. The EMSL structuring as a group is based on few vital reasons, to help and counsel those who chose to come out from the belief, make them aware that they do not have to face lashes or pay the price by being beheaded and help create a better environment for those who still follow the faith sans extremism.
“Extremism is a cancer for any religion. Islam has reached an intolerable level, globally and locally. We, as a group do not intend to fight against any of those elements or go against those who counter us, in the same form. We wish to move on, live peacefully and let others of all ethnicity enjoy the same privileges of a free and fair life.”
The EMSL hope to come out with resolutions, which they feel is important in the name of humanity and broad-mindedness. The group comes out at a juncture when racial issues have been gradually escalating between Muslims and other religious groups after the end of the three-decade-old ethnic war in 2009. Most countries in the world have come out with groups of former Muslims, and in Sri Lanka, it is considered as the very first time that such a group came out in public. The EMSL unanimously passed 11 resolutions to forward it to the Government of Sri Lanka, media and the general public for the understanding, knowledge, consideration and action. The resolutions would be shared to the media in due time.
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