When the novel Prayers for the Assassin came out, there was one part of it that seemed most implausible: that Hollyweird celebrities would start to convert to Islam, and of course, since much of America worships Hollyweird, they would go "Baaa!" and follow along. The second part, of course, is very plausible. The first part seemed unlikely. First it was Liam Neeson's admission that he is "considering" converting to Islam in the January 26, 2012 New York Daily News:
“I was reared a Catholic, but I think every day we ask ourselves, not consciously, what are we doing on this planet? What’s it all about?” he has said. “I’m constantly reading books on God or the absence of God and atheism.”Somewhere I hope that some Catholic priest is asking himself, "How bad was my witness that little Liam is now looking for meaning in Islam, because he didn't find it here?"
Now I see the not terribly surprising news from AFP:
US filmmaker Sean Stone, son of Oscar-winning director Oliver Stone, converted to Islam on Tuesday in Iran, where he is making a documentary, he told AFP.
"The conversion to Islam is not abandoning Christianity or Judaism, which I was born with. It means I have accepted Mohammad and other prophets," he said in a brief telephone call from the central Iranian city of Isfahan, where he underwent the ceremony.Bad news for you, now "Ali" Stone: Islam is not one of those cafeteria plan religions, nor is Christianity or Judaism. All three make fundamental truth claims that are in conflict. Judaism and Islam deny that Jesus was the Son of God, and yet that is the core statement of Christian belief.
Ollie just doesn't want to be beheaded while he's over there. He'll be back to Hollywood Atheism when he gets home.
ReplyDeleteMore importantly than the theological incompatibility of the three Abrahamic religions (in terms, as you say, of not being able to Pick And Choose various bits between them), is the way that once you're a Muslim you don't get to convert back or accept "other prophets" (outside of the approved list in Islam, and all subordinate to Mohammed).
ReplyDeleteI suspect with Mauser that it might just be sucking up to the Mullahs while he's in Iran, but in any case he might be unpleasantly surprised by a fatwa if he ever publicly rejects Islam now.