:sl:
First & foremost, my name's Houston. I'm 16-years-old, a Caucasian male & currently submitting to the suppositions of Agnostic theists — the view of those who do not claim to
know existence of God or gods, but still believe in such an existence. Born in Key West, Florida unto parents of disparate Christian denominations, I was more or less raised to believe in God, Jesus as the Son of God & Messiah & ultimately the didactics of the Bible. Fortunately, my parents did not make it a point in mine & my sibling's upbringing to instill a strict adherence to the Christian faith, & although we've currently various crucifixes & Christianity-influenced paintings that adorn the walls of our house, the atmosphere in which my parents compose themselves enables a pluralistic home-life.
In 3rd grade, I was enrolled in a private Catholic school where I had my first hands-on experience with a congregation of people ranging in ages from 4-years-old to 14-years-old that had been submitted to a rigorous & unfaltering belief in all things Biblical. Only 8-years-old or so, I found only one subject troubling, & that was Religion. Since I was able to talk, I've possessed a inquiring mind, always asking, "Why?" or "How?" & up until my first helping of Religion, those around me would often go to the utmost lengths to answer the questions I procured. Unfortunately this was not so in Religion. Questions were either looked down upon or prohibited all together. The only answers that were ever given to my questions ascertaining the reliability or validity of specific events, people or precepts were variations of, "God is omnipotent, omnipresent & omniscient, therefore all things Biblical are in turn irrefutable facts." & while I realize that faith is in large part a criteria in any religion, this answer & its variations have never sat well with me.
Starting earlier this year, I took it upon myself to in some way attain the religious texts of many, if not all, religions. I've taken this upon myself in order to find a religion & its inclusive belief system that makes the most sense to me, alongside making it a point to become knowledgeable of all the world's religions & their undermining standards. So far I've obtained the Bible (already had various versions lying around the house), the Book of Mormon & the Qur'an. I've flipped through both the Bible & the Book of Mormon, but have only recently
actually considered reading the Qur'an in-depth. What has interested me most about the Qur'an is that there are, to this day, two original copies of the revelations of Allah to the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), a feat no other divine book can boast, as well as the fact that the lineage & history of the Prophet (PBUH) is recognized.
Thus, I've come here to expand my knowledge of the Qur'an & the Islamic faith & hope to further myself in terms of what I believe in, since currently, I believe that divinities exist, but the lack of tangible proof ultimately makes it difficult for me to swallow what I'm being fed. I understand I lack faith, & that it is more or less the only prerequisite to fully comprehending & accepting the teachings of the Qur'an & obtaining the blessings & love of Allah, but it is not in me to have faith in something that is deficient of tactility. Therefore, I hope that a sense of faith can be instilled within in by you, the users of this board, or that in the least, you can guide me towards the acceptance of Islam into my religious sentiments.
:w: