Posted: Jun 14, 2017 4:39 am
Cito di Pense wrote:
I don't think you can draw such facile conclusions from the patterns of life in repressive Islamic theocracies. Wood is talking about conversions to Islam outside those societies, but he does not support his thesis with anything but anecdotes. Try to keep your eye on the ball, instead of using random youtube videos to confirm your prejudices.
What he is saying is not only applicable to outward conversions (converting people from outside), but also inward conversions (converting those who are already Muslims). There are people who consider themselves as Muslims, but they are not so pious, not always practicing all the rituals. They don't always pray 5 times a day, they don't always fast during the fasting month, etc. They are also those who are already practicing, and they become even more hardcore in their religious practice. In women, you can see them upgrading their veils. Initially, the hair is covered, then the nose and mouth, and then the eyes. In men, you can see them growing longer and longer beard, and perhaps also darker forehead.
I think if you wanted to, you could find data to support the hypothesis that later-generation Muslims in non-Islamic societies tend to be less devout than their parents or grandparents. Again, Wood (evidently a Christian) is stalking the spectre of conversion.
Supposing you could find that data, would you agree that that's only a minority of the case since most Muslims live in an increasingly Islamic environment?