Have You Noticed How Many Notorious Islamic Extremists Are Converts?

[naomi24]

I have and the psychology of it intrigues me. After a quick google I found this link which I posted in ‘News’ earlier. I thought it might make interesting discussion here.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/belief/2013/may/24/islam-converts-woolwich-attackers-extremists

Not to make light of it, but in a way it reminds me of ex-smokers who often seem far more aggressively inclined than anyone else towards those who haven’t kicked the habit.

[Zacs-Master]

I sometimes wish I was edukated. Then again.

[DaisyNonna]

Have noticed how many extremists of any religion are men.

[jim360]

I don't know how general a pattern it is or not, but I've certainly noticed this myself. Need to do more reading into it.

[naomi24]

Zacs, ha ha! Be grateful for small mercies. ;o)

[Zacs-Master]

That's what I tell mrs Z.

[naomi24]

Zacs, Ah, I see. In that case a 'Confessions' thread might be in order! ;o)

[Zacs-Master]

Apologies Naomi, I shall depart your intalektual thread and beggar of back to CB whence I came from.

[FredPuli43]

True of all converts. Example: a friend converted to Judaism when she decided to marry her husband. She runs the most 'correct' home in London; all right, it's not how the Stamford Hillbillies, strictly Orthodox live, but she's not into shaving her head ! But she knows every single festival, however obscure, she builds a little tent on the roof on one day (no, I don't know that one either), she has separate dishwashers (fairly normal) and is more frum (correctly devout) than her husband.

Converts are converts to become as much of the religion as possible, because it's their choice. They have not merely been brought up in it.

[tonyav]

Ah yes the old born again sort of thing.

[naomi24]

Fred, exactly - and it happens often.

[douglas9401]

It's the zeal of the convert, a lot to prove for being late to the partay.

[wildwood]

I am not in any way defending Islam, but sometimes I think those 'converted' extremists might only have joined to give them a cause for violence, not unlike the football hooligans.

[naomi24]

Wildwood, it's a thought, and I'm sure in some cases a valid one .... but to become a suicide bomber? To forfeit your life? It never seems to occur to them that those telling them to do it ... don't do it themselves....

[SpikeyBush]

Indeed wildwood, I sometimes believe the root cause of a lot of violence in Northern Ireland is that one would have to travel a fair distance from Ulster to see a Millwall match.

[jomifl]

Converts have chosen islam so are a bit overzealous and probably obsessive too(otherwise why would they bother). People born into islam are just ordinary people who mostly keep their heads down (literally)and try to avoid getting into trouble with their peer group.

[askyourgran]

That was a good link, it explains quite well how extremism could be brought about. Young muslim men in this country may feel the need to show their solidarity with their native country by using those extreme measures to express themselves. The clerics should be stopped from preaching such hatred and turning young minds. Problem, how does one disarm them?

[naomi24]

Radical Islam doesn’t appear to be concerned with ‘native’ countries. Whatever the nationality of its supporters, they are all united in supporting one single cause – radical Islam.

[beso]

Many who convert to Islam do so as part of a wholesale rejection of the dominant paradigm in the society where they live.