LoneLiberal (former Muslim)
| |||||||||||||||||||||
Testimony of Leaving Islam
My story begins in the Islamic Republic of Pakistan. Soon after I was born, my parents called in a mullah to chant azaan into my ear. I was labeled a Muslim even before I had reached the mental maturity to realize what that term really implied.
At some point, I was always aware of the many moral and scientific problems in Islam, but like all practising Muslims, I chose to ignore them. I didn’t say anything the day I learned that Islam allows a husband to beat his wife if she “misbehaves”. I remained silent when I found out that a religion, which so fiercely attacks homosexuality, has no problem condoning slavery (sure there are rules about treating slaves with respect, but that does not make the ownership of human beings a morally sound practise). When I read in the Quran that stars are missiles to drive away satans, I did not burst into laughter.
But I suppose the final jolt that pushed me out of the religious circle was a horrific piece of news I received in October, 2009. The 3-year-old daughter of a fellow surgeon at the hospital where my parents (both doctors) work, had been raped and murdered by a crazed servant. It was that moment when an image popped up in my head; an omnipotent being sitting on a barcalounger, munching popcorn while watching some poor mother’s baby getting raped. And this being says, “Ah, I’ll get the guy later on the judgment day. Right now, let him have his fun!”
That’s when I lost it. God is “most compassionate, most merciful”, says Islam. I pictured the maniac driving a kitchen knife into the girl’s neck and found neither “compassion” nor “mercy” in that image. I realized that even if, by some insane coincidence, such a god does exist, it would be unethical of me to bow down to it. For I’m a believer of a wise saying, “Evil is merely the absence of good”.
But don't get me wrong! I’m not angry at God. One can’t be angry at something that doesn’t exist. Any person who likes to think logically (and has not been completely brainwashed by religious teachings) can easily see that there’s no reason to believe in God. It’s much more plausible to say that the universe came into existence on its own than to believe that an omnipotent being popped up on its own and then He created the universe.
Add Your Testimony | Other Apostates | Core Article | Qur'an, Hadith & Scholars | Resources | Helpful Hints
