2 replies to this topic

[abdullahfath]

Salaam alaiykum,

bismillah al rahman al rahim

I have found time and again talking to fellow reverts over the internet a growing number of reverts in Dixie and it does seem quite intriguing to me. In fact I could honestly say out of all the reverts I speak to or see online for every 1 from the north or the west or what have ya there is like 2 or 3 that are from Dixie. I am trying to figure this out though because I have noticed another trend which is that one of the countries with a growing number of reverts is Mexico!

The only thing I can think of that Dixie and Mexico might have in common which could be contributing to this is that unlike other areas people in Dixie and Mexico (for the most part) are very religious and take their worship of God seriously and seek after him in every aspect of their life although they unknowingly fall short. And with the increase in education and availability of the internet areas that were more poor and with less resources such as Dixie and Mexico are able to obtain information that they never had before.

Has anyone else noticed this trend or have any thoughts on this?

[Nightingale]

Well, considering my location and so forth, I'd agree in one respect on that. I haven't paid attention to numbers or trends as such from that angle, but it wouldn't surprise me. As you said, here in the South, religion is a way of life. Now, that can be good and bad.

The bad part is that religion can be twisted here, quite easily. Just look at all the ways Southern Baptist pastors keep getting in the news for the wrong reasons. Look at Jimmy Swaggart. Look at the KKK.

The good part is also simple. When people seek to draw close to God, invariably they can and will do so. It is up to them to recognise the truth of it, but I believe that when God draws you near and opens your eyes, the truth is there to plainly see. And anyone who has traveled throughout the South would understand considering the number of churches around. The other part I like is that when I can, I tend to hang out in coffee shops (even though I hate coffee) near the VCU campus most of the time. Several of us will be reading, writing, doing whatever and then all of a sudden a debate about religion and/or politics will break out. From my time in the northern US, this wouldn't be tolerated nearly as much as it is here.

I also think the good thing is that VCU has an agreement with universities in the Middle East (and a satellite campus in Doha, Qatar) which helps bring Islam into the conversation quite well. And I can foresee more reverts coming from those conversations insha'Allah.

[abdullahfath]

Yes and I have heard about the large Islamic community of Virginia.

As for the KKK and all them well that seems to come with the territory doesn't it? Whenever there are people sincere about religion you have people twisting it around misusing and misrepresenting it. Look at the Middle East and the several groups that claim to represent Islam but we know they don't really represent Islam anymore than the Klan represents Christianity.

It would be interesting if someone ever got the statistics on this but I have noticed in the news too with many reports of masjids being attempted to be built in Dixie. And then news channels doing stories on Muslims in the U.S. and then doing the story in the south.