This piece from February is yet another in a seemingly endless series of articles designed to make non-Muslims feel guilty about being suspicious of Islam. The full-length piece features a series of converts to Islam telling their sad stories of how they supposedly faced prejudice — in Britain, where Islam is chic and pandered to by government and media — after they found their new religion. What makes it grotesque is that the converts who really face prejudice, in the UK and around the world, are not those who embrace Islam, but those who leave it. A sampling:
Uganda: Imam arrested in murder of convert from Islam to Christianity
Uganda: Muslim in-laws poison mother of 11, convert from Islam to Christianity
Yemen: Muslims murder two converts from Islam to Christianity
Bangladesh: Islamic State claims murder of convert from Islam to Christianity
Sudan: Muslim relatives of convert from Islam to Christianity burn his house down
“Execute her,” says brother of Sudanese convert from Islam to Christianity
Even in Italy, Christian converts from Islam live in fear of reprisals
Europe: Muslim migrants converting to Christianity fear being killed by Muslims
Norway: Two Iranian converts from Islam to Christianity stabbed, called “kuffar”
And yes, this happens in the UK as well:
UK: Muslims attack convert from Islam to Christianity with pickaxe
When is the Independent going to do a feature on those converts and the difficulties they face?
“What it’s like to convert to Islam – when everyone thinks you’re a terrorist,” by Adam Withnall, Independent, February 10, 2016:
Peter was an atheist, happily married in what he believed to be a very loving, caring, thoroughly non-religious relationship.
He believed that his wife and family prided themselves on tolerance and free discourse, and people’s right to do and think what they wanted as long as that didn’t unfairly impinge on the rights of others.
But when Peter converted to Islam, and in spite of his keeping it low-key with no real outward displays of his faith, his “very open-minded” partner could not live with the change and divorced him, leaving him heartbroken.
This is one of the most moving stories heard by Professor Yasir Suleiman for Cambridge University’s new study into the reasons men in Britain have for becoming Muslims, and the challenges they face.
“This was a very hard story to listen to,” Professor Suleiman told The Independent, “because it shows that sometimes our commitment to tolerance, and to giving people the freedom to believe what they want, when tested is found wanting.”
Peter (not his real name) was one of 50 men taking part in the 18-month project at Cambridge’s Centre of Islamic Studies, and his case highlights the kinds of prejudice felt by almost all new converts in Britain today.
Professor Suleiman said one of the most significant findings of his study was the extraordinary range of different routes people took to come to Islam.
Many found faith through an interest in music, architecture, food or art, he said. Some converted following “revelatory dreams”, others after meeting someone they loved, and one even became a Muslim himself despite having never met another Muslim in his life.
“We are in an age of modernity, where secularity is the dominant social and political framework for living our lives,” Professor Suleiman said. “And within that, Islam is seen to be oppressive, to be violent, to be out of tune with the rationality of the modern world.”
“Yet in spite of the dominance of this secularity, there are still these very interesting, very intelligent people who find that faith gives them answers, that they are willing to head in that direction – and they find their home in that journey is Islam.”…

Jay Boo says
We need very well vetted double-agent informers and convert pretenders for a contingency plan of counter attack to swiftly assassinate their top leadership when they attempt to do the same in order to slow Islam’s momentum.
Ivan Bogdanov says
Crikey J_POO!!!. You want to try that again in English? Your words are English words but the collective sum is more gibberish than concept. What nationality are you J_POO? My guess is Vulgarian…I mean Bulgarian.
What happened to your amigo Fill_Itsarski? You chappies have a break-up?
More later…..
Jay Boo says
I knew my anti troll sonar would flush trolls to the surface for easy pickings.
Dive
Dive
Dive
Run & Hide before the depth charges of truth come after the troll I Ran Bogdanov
Ivan Bogdanov says
Deep, J_POO, deep.
More Later……
Robeaver says
Exactly. Well said. Quisling verses Quisling.
Marty says
In the UK the only men who convert to islam are petty criminals who want
to get up to the big league, & i doubt mohammedans would trust them.
Indeed, to prove their sincerity, they may have to undertake suicide operations.
My dearest hope is that jihadist preachers -walking, amplified, cesspits who attract
large crowds of moronic mohammedans – are subject to close scrutiny by our
security services.
Just as scientists studying assorted contagions may leave out assorted
forms of sewage to see what kind of rats etc are attracted.
DFD says
I think that’s good news, it shows that people are becoming more and more aware of Islam. Pity though the lady could not pull him back.
Unless it was a “poor misunderstood Muslim” weepy story. Sounds a bit like it.
Christianblood says
(Independent: UK converts to Islam face suspicion and prejudice).
islam is an evil cult of death, hate, discrimination, prejudice, slavery, stoning, beheading, suicide-bombing, crucifixion and genocide. islam is 100% evil and demonic
and the rest of humanity should come together and fight it.
DFD says
I’ll be darned. Who would have thought of that.
Jay Boo says
The Independent link shows no sympathy for the neglected ex-wife who decided that being a piece of property in a cloth cage was not a life for her.
Berengaria says
Britain’s leaders are just as corrupt as the other Western Leaders, including the US. Yes, it’s “Chic” to be Muslim in America too, & pays financially, which is a core reason to follow MoHamHead.
Our Corrupt local officials are bloated with new-found wealth & oh so sanctimonious about it. It will give our officials new incentives to help the “Chic” Muslims.
DFD says
Hi All,
here’s a bit of news from the *REAL UK*,
================================
by: Britain First
——————–
Dear …. “DFD”….,
Britain First held its second day of action in the town of Leicester yesterday, once again drawing much support from the patriotic public.
Around 4,000 leaflets and newspapers were shifted in the town during six hours of campaigning.
Once again, the unwashed turned up from the local university and Socialist Workers’ Party, all Britain-hating soap-dodgers.
Just like last Saturday, many locals and ethnic minorities (especially Indians) came and stood voluntarily with our activists, leading to the hippy students calling them “traitors”!
Then, for no apparent reason, the police crowded around party leader Paul Golding and arrested him!
He was held in custody for around 5 hours.
The police strategy was to remove him from the town centre, hoping that our activists would follow, which they didn’t.
Paul was arrested for breaching his bail conditions that were imposed around five months ago by Luton Police.
Luton police said in court that these bail conditions were only applicable until the end of March.
Paul hasn’t observed these spurious bail conditions for over 8 weeks and hasn’t been bothered by Luton police since.
However, Leicester police took the opportunity to cart him off when he was away from the main body of activists.
When he was booked in at Leicester police station, they re-arrested him for “assault” due to an “allegation” from one of the leftist freaks that were in the town centre! After a few hours in a stinking police cell, he was released without charge, “no further action” on all counts!
It was obviously an attempt to scupper our day of action in the town centre. Then, just to be spiteful, about half an hour before they knew they were going to release Paul, the police informed our awaiting activists that they were holding him until Tuesday. All our regional teams then went home.
Then Paul was released into Leicester with no money, no phone and no contact numbers, completely unable to do anything thanks to the police lies.
This was an unnecessary piece of spiteful malice on the part of Leicester police. When Paul appealed to the police for help, a snotty custody officer told him they cannot help him and told him to sort it out himself. “It’s your fault for getting arrested,” he said. After walking around in the dark in Leicester with no funds, no phone and no numbers, Paul managed to find help and got himself out of his predicament.
(( Are you only going to sit on your hands and do nothing about the increasingly desperate state of our country?
https://www.facebook.com/robertspencerJW/
Join Britain First as a member for as little as £2 per month, you will receive a membership badge, a membership card, a free newspaper and a welcome letter.
If you haven’t taken the plunge yet, I implore you to join up today.
Less than 50p per week is not going to “break the bank” and you have a duty to defend your people and nation.))
Jayda Fransen
Deputy Leader
DFD says
Small error:
the https://www.facebook.com/robertspencerJW/
should not be in there/above article. Don’t know how that ended up in there. Sorry about that.
EYESOPEN says
Paul Golding should sue them for false arrest!
Jack Holan says
It would certainly be appropriate to conduct the exact opposite study where Muslims have converted to Christianity and the challenges they’ve faced (like staying alive). Also, Dr. Suliman can eat crow that people raised with strong Islamic beliefs can one day change when not living in a society that will put them to death for it
CeltictotheBone says
I’m “open-minded”. That very quality makes me analyse everything that I’m open-minded about. My open minded analysis of islam resulted in me recognizing it as the most evil ideology that humans have devised.
His partner was correct in ditching the idiot.
Panmelia says
Celtic, you are spot on and express my reaction exactly.
That boo-hoo-hooey story in the “Independent” demonstrates that this failed ‘newspaper’ (now reduced to appearing online only because not enough people bought the hard copy) is anything BUT independent in its approach. Its title has always been a misnomer as I discovered the first time I read it, having good antennae for left wing dribble disguised as ‘factual’ reporting.
I think this piece of islimeic propaganda is a complete disgrace. Did they try to interview the wife who left this dhimmi idiot ‘heartbroken’ and hear her point of view? Perhaps she was heartbroken watching her ordinary English bloke brainwashed by a demonic cult that promotes hatred and murder in its ‘holy book’.
This naive fool need his head examining, or perhaps he needs the koran plus haditha read out slowly in English and its implications explained to him carefully by someone who’s not a taqqiya-spouting imam.
He and other converts to islam in the UK must expect to be regarded as having a low IQ and the only sympathy they deserve is the kind given to those with ‘special needs’.
Guy Macher says
So if I become a Nazi and keep a low profile, people should just live with my choice? People who willingly embrace Islam are either evil or no smarter than unbuttered toast.
Huck Folder says
Professor Suleiman:
“…OUR commitment to tolerance,
and to giving people the freedom
to believe what they want,
when tested is found wanting.”
Speaking as a mohammedan, nu?
Citations: “The Book of Hate™”.
“We are in an age of modernity,
where secularity is the dominant
social and political framework
for living our lives,”
Professor Suleiman said.
“And within that, Islam is SEEN to be
[not ‘appears to be’!] OPPRESSIVE,
to be VIOLENT, to be OUT OF TUNE WITH
THE RATIONALITY OF THE MODERN WORLD.”
Has he here not SLANDERED
mohammedanism, and quite egregiously?
Can we read from that last item, that
the totalitarian evils of mohammedanism
were IN TUNE with the ancient world?
“Yet in spite of the dominance of this secularity,
there are still these very interesting, [weak]
very intelligent people who find that
faith gives them answers, that they are
willing to head in that direction – and they
find their home in that journey is Islam.”
“Yet in spite of the dominance of this secularity,
[and the TERRORISM and MURDER
against APOSTATES] there are still these
very interesting, very intelligent people
who find that faith gives them answers,
that they are willing to head in that direction –
and they find their home in that journey is Christianity.”
Is that not a thousand times more dangerous
for those enlightened ones, LEAVING A CULT
for a RELIGION, than for those
JOINING A CULT?
Lizzy says
‘Many found faith (I’m assuming here we’re talking islam as that is the topic) through an interest in music, architecture, food or art,’
Music and art? Is that so? I get the impression islam is not big on music or art. Architure? Well, I have seen on TV architecture loving islamics smashing ancient architecture to smithereens. Does that count?
As for the food. If you like everything doused in curry paste, yes I’ll give you that.
Robeaver says
Yes lizzy. That age ended a long time ago, reinforced by mo
OP says
Precisely. Perhaps that dying cat wailing from loud speakers appeals to them. I read recently that music along with art and theater is disallowed in Islam. Nothing fun or interesting the article said as life is a serious business and not to be enjoyed. Except sexually of course. For men anyway.
mortimer says
The following quote from Yasir Suleiman is a hoot: “very intelligent people who find that faith gives them answers”.
Islam is obscurantist, self-referentially incoherent, unhistorical, unphilosophical, misogynistic, uncompassionate and ‘ruthless’ to outsiders, predatory, genocidal, totalitarian, inbred, pedophiliac, amoral, anti-fun, discriminatory, opposed to the arts, retrograde, supremacist, vigilantist, morbid and sadistically brutal. How could a ‘very intelligent’ person resist joining this Death Cult Islam, when it obviously has so much going for it?
The only appeal of Islam can be it’s hypnotic ability to develop the Islamic Stockholm syndrome in a person, turning a once-nice, considerate human into a heartless, sociopathic supremacist.
mortimer says
What “Peter” has not yet realized, but will realize, is that Islam requires he turn a sociopath (Mohammed) into his god. Worshipping the amoral and opportunistic con-man Mohammed turns every Muslim eventually into a an opportunistic, amoral con-man.
Guest says
“Islam is seen to be oppressive, to be violent,to be out of tune with the rationality of the modern world.”
That’s because it is.
dumbledoresarmy says
Yep. Exactly.
a fool says
they don’t even trust one another, how could they trust someone else who was never part of them?
Angemon says
Do they? Did this “journalist” read the minds of everyone or something?
Was his wife an atheists as well?
“Unfairly impinge on the rights of others”. Hold that thought.
Demsci says
Yes, I get your gist, Angemon. Thanks for this analysis, it did me good.
Dr Suliman cites a number of “extraordinary” reasons for converting INTO Islam. And I would be interested to hear it from converts, but …. I like to say: ” Cherchez la Femme”!!! Can we be sure that the convert in question did NOT have a dalliance with a Muslima? And once converted he of course find the advantages and evidences in favor of his new faith!
In my experience a beautiful Muslima is a powerful incentive to convert to Islam, as there simply is no other way to “get her”. Witness the mixed couples, where almost invariably the one that changed the religion is the non-Muslim.
About that tolerance; that is the ONE big difference between Democratic and Islamic countries. I find it so arrogant of people like Dr Suliman to ONLY look at democratic countries and chastise them for lack of tolerance.
He should be so ashamed for his choice of religion that is itself so very intolerant, up to and including having a deathpenalty for apostasy.
It’s the same arrogance Syrian refugees display; demanding tolerance for their religion, as if that religion is not itself very intolerant. And frightening for real tolerant people.
So it would behoove the Syrian refugees to at least try to be sensitive and say; no, no, no, we want to strengthen the secular, tolerant society and will help you against all intolerant people. Better yet, send the intolerant people among you to where we came from and let us take their places.
But then I wake up and my dream is over.
No, the Syrian refugees arrive here with headscarves on! Strengthening, in bulk, not all of course.
The intolerant Muslims already here who have done nothing that could make them more trustworthy for democracy and have adamantly maintained an intolerant belief,
yet now demand from us that we take in more intolerants and pay the bills. It is mindboggling how they can be so arrogant, so demanding. It can only be because of those well intentiond but foolish political corrects who help them.
The only silver lining I see is that at least big swathes of Westerners finally seem to rediscover what makes their own culture so worthwhile.
Angemon says
Demsci posted:
“I like to say: ” Cherchez la Femme”!!! Can we be sure that the convert in question did NOT have a dalliance with a Muslima? And once converted he of course find the advantages and evidences in favor of his new faith!
In my experience a beautiful Muslima is a powerful incentive to convert to Islam, as there simply is no other way to “get her”. Witness the mixed couples, where almost invariably the one that changed the religion is the non-Muslim.”
Indeed. And the children are expected to be brought up as muslims.
Also, you mention the “Syrian” “refugees”. It seems the recent Angry Birds film has some… ahem, not very subtle undertones:
Concerned Indian says
Moral of it is:-Don’t convert to become zombies.Be proud of your British+ Christian /non-Muslim status.No matter whatever disappointments you face in life,which prompt you to convert.Conversions only solve the financial problem .
But I would certainly like to know what attracts them to Islam.
R Cole says
Notice these major news outlets stay well away from stories – rather – horror stories of those leaving Islam!
Even as millions have told the same story – to report that if you go into Islam – you and your family might face threat on leaving – would be ‘racism’!!
And the trouble is if you go to the Islamic world and say as we are told in the west – it’s racist/Islamophobic to suggest one can’t leave Islam – in moderate Muslim countries like Morocco – you would be expelled and in others – like Saudi Arabia – you might be jailed or worst.
This so called PC ‘understanding’ of Islam presented by many newspapers might get you the death penalty in some parts. I suppose the Independent would lead the campaign to free you!!
::
PC Islam
Remember many newspapers have signed an agreement as to how Islam should be reported on. There is little difference to how news was reported on under communist regimes. A former leader of an East European country said the same thing himself – of PC.
billybob says
“it shows that sometimes our commitment to tolerance, and to giving people the freedom to believe what they want, when tested is found wanting.”
So let’s see… I think he is saying here that one of our “Western values” is our commitment to tolerance and if we deny that, we are hypocrites, but it was not conceded by anyone that it is a key feature of our open society to tolerate a religion that is diametrically opposed to Western values!
Yes we are open to other religions and cultures in the West, but it is a matter of degree. We are built from a mix of cultures, but they originated from a Judeo-Christian base, and were augmented by people from all over the world who contributed from their own cultures where they found a resonance in those foundational values such as: rationalism, self-criticism, the disinterested search for truth, the separation of church and state, the rule of law, equality before the law, freedom of conscience and expression, human rights, and liberal democracy – to name a few.
Common sense informs me that there are limits to our tolerance of other religions. I would suggest that we are not tolerance of religions or ideologies that are diametrically opposed to our most basic shared values such as liberty, democracy, and individual worth, nor should we be expected to be!
I would suggest that the supremacist values of Islam with its Sharia Law are diametrically opposed to Western values as noted above. Openness to Islamic values would require subjugation of our own. We would have to discard them!
Veka Fitzfrancis says
The ‘open-minded’ partner was right to dump him – he goes and converts to the only religion where she is supposed to be less than him and he can have three more wives? I’d drop him like the bad habit he is too.
OP says
That was my first thought as to Islam’s appeal to our Peter.
jayell says
Funny that they never seem to think of that. I believe that the consensus among these paragons of inverted virtue is that they’re happier here where they can practise their religion freely. As if they couldn’t back in one of the muslim countries they came from. Which is why these countries are called ‘muslim countries’, because they’re controlled by islam so that everyone can practise islam freely. So these people come to a.non-muslim country so that they can practise their religion freely. And make everyone else here practise their (muslim) religion freely, even if they don’t want to, because it’s not a muslim country and everyone can practise their religion freely. I think there’s something wrong with rhis argument.
BW022 says
Why is this news?
If two atheists got married and one later converts to Christianity… do you think it unlikely that that marriage might end? Is that proof of bigotry? If two Catholics get married and one converts to evangelical Protestantism… more or less likely to end the marriage? Two Jews… one goes Buddhist?
News flash… the atheist may not have married a Christian in the first place. The Christian might not marry a Buddhist. Is this bigotry… or just that fact that people marry those who share similar world views and religions to start with.
Religion is one of the determining factors in selecting a spouse. If you are an atheist… you don’t believe that there is any reason to believe in God. Fine. You can be open minded in looking for evidence, listening to religious people try to present evidence, etc. However, you presumably assume that your world view is correct… there isn’t an God and anyone who thinks so is basing their belief on insufficient evidence.
Now… you marry another atheist. They then switch to (pick any religion). Well… obviously they are doing so based on insufficient evidence. They are believing something based on explanations which obviously doesn’t convince you. So… how can you possibly respect your spouse for believing this stuff? And of course Islam is the least convincing of the major religions since it has everything that Judaism, plus Christianity, plus all the stuff of Islam added.
If an atheist asks their spouse… Do you really believe that a flying horse took Mohammed to heaven?… What possible answer can they give which you can still respect them? If they had a convincing argument… you’d wouldn’t be an atheist — you’d join Islam yourself or else be an agnostic. Same with do you believe that Moses parted the Red Sea? or Jesus came back from the dead? And add the fact that they flip-flopped, deceived you, are going to teach your children this nonsense, etc.
That a person of one world view wouldn’t want to be with someone who switches world views… isn’t news. It is reality. Happens all the time.
Mirren10 says
”But when Peter converted to Islam, and in spite of his keeping it low-key with no real outward displays of his faith, his “very open-minded” partner could not live with the change and divorced him, leaving him heartbroken.”
Good for you, love. I’d have done exactly the same. 🙂
jewdog says
There’s less interest in what happens to Muslims, especially the ones in Muslim countries, because they’re less like us Westerners. It’s human nature to identify more strongly with people like themselves.
Bob says
Have you thought of putting that suggestion to Cameron who once lost control of his mouth and proclaimed the UK to be a Christian country, but does less than nothing to back those words, rather appeasing the islamic take-over enthusiasts.
Demsci says
Right, Chances are that she, or her family and friends, know a lot more about Islam, than he does.
And what misery could ensue, especially where the children are concerned.
And then they portray HER as the intolerant!
BC says
If he was happily married with a famaily why do he convert to a faith he must have know would jeopardise
all that. He was obviously not happy and looking for something to solve his problems.
I think people who convert to Islam must be very naive and uneducated in what Islam is really about
BC says
If he was happily married with a familly why did he convert to a faith he must have know would jeopardise
all that. If ge really loved his wife he would not have doen something to drive her away.He was obviously not happy in himself and looking for something to solve his problems.
I think people who convert to Islam must be very naive and uneducated in what Islam is really about
Sorry for typos
Baucent says
” his “very open-minded” partner could not live with the change and divorced him, leaving him heartbroken.”
No mention made whether he had requested changes from his “open minded wife”.
John A. Marre says
They should face suspicion and prejudice, because too many converts realize that their new religion tells them to kill innocent people.