The Muslim population in Northern Virginia is enjoying explosive growth, (no pun intended). Rocky and I went for a drive on Sunday and saw three new mosques. One has been around for ages but the others were new. Many of the converts seem to be studious looking, elegantly dressed middle class white women striding to class or to downtown DC offices. This is striking. For most of my life American Muslim converts were guys who found the Nation of Islam in prison, or young impressionable guys who got all emotional after reading The Autobiography of Malcom X.
Why would an American woman convert to Islam? Do they not know about female circumcision or the child brides or what happens to women who show too much skin in Saudi Arabia or any skin in Taliban controlled land? Did they read too many sheikh romance novels? I'm guessing that none of them has ever heard of Betty Mahmoody or read Camen bin Laden's book.
I wonder if these women are the same sort who spent the 60s hanging around some guru in California or if they're just rebelling in some way? Perhaps they never met a Christian alpha male before and the confindence and command of a Muslim man swept them off their feet. It's odd and interesting and rather like discovering that a skunk has walked into your kitchen through the doggie door.
Oh Mary help of Christians, pray for your silly daughters.
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