> > I'm not sure, but your suggestion seems to be that "quit[ting] > drinking and smoking", "doing namaz religiously", and going to a > temple every Friday is anti-"progressive". Why? "He avoided hanging > out with us" seems to have more of a chance of being deemed > un-progressive, but then I'd have to get to know you and your buddies > better to take a call on that. > While this old friend has the right to do as he wants as long as he's not harming others, there is, in spirit, a difference between, "I want to do something different because it means something to me, but I still respect your right to be you" versus, "We are better than you, we act in this way -- I cannot be with you because you are unclean infidel." The latter much more condusive to intolerance and feeling ok in harming "outsiders" and I think there are a small number of provacateurs who use that to get folks to take that step. Or to feel it's ok to beat up Hindus celebrating a cricket win (I can think of few more banal things to evoke violence than professional sports). The fact is beating up anyone for that reason is criminal and should be prosecuted. I don't care what the mentality is behind it.
I don't know much about folks "finding religion" as Muslims, but I can tell you from experience that some "Born-Again Christians" become insufferably patronizing and smugly superior-acting after their transformation -- apparently oblivious to Jesus' teachings on humility and loving others. And cut themselves off from those not of the same beliefs, and shed their "sinful" habits. Meh, if it makes 'em happy, let 'em. But if they think they can violate others rights because of their pious position, well, they've got another thing coming...
