Identity quest began when he was 19 years old. One night, intending to the kitchen and met with a black colleague. He asked his colleague was, "Can I keep vodka in the fridge tonight?". Not surprisingly, the meeting's what Michael's life drastically changed.
Black friends whom he met in the kitchen is a Muslim and he was the first Muslim ever met Michael. With a high curiosity, Michael invites black man talking about the Islamic religion. About all the things Michael ever heard like the five daily prayers, Jihad and the figure of the Prophet Muhammad.
Then, their friend named Wade, a Christian to join in the conversation. Be the three of them that night in dialogue with Jews, Christians and Muslims. "Turns out we found many differences and many similarities between the three religions," said Michael.
After that conversation, Michael's interest that during this dwell only on sex, drugs and partying to be changed. He began to wish to seek the truth, seeking God, seeking how to be a follower.
At that time, Michael said, he began by asking simple questions to himself as 'how the actual number of God?'. Michael thinks that God must have just one number. God will be stronger if only one. Because if God were two, if any one of them a different opinion then there will be conflict and dissension. "So I think that God is one," said Michael.
He also thought about God's existence and analyze the beliefs and convictions atheist-theist theist other. I remembered the wise words "Every design must have disainernya". Departing from the wise words, my eyes open that God exists. "I can not explain why, I can only feel it," says Michael.
New things are discovered, make him think that he should be responsible to comply with the Creator and that means he must embrace one religion. Another question was followed, 'where he will start? because of literally thousands of religions can and he needs to reduce that number. The first step that Michael did was to group the monotheistic religions and it is in line with his belief that God is one. He ruled out Buddhism and Hinduism from the list and circle the three monotheistic religions: Islam, Christianity and Judaism.
Because he was a Jew. Michael began studying Judaism first, starting from the concept of God, prophets, 10 the prohibition of God, Torah and the 'spirit of Judaism', the one thing that attract attention and make him hesitate. He thought, the idea of the 'Jewish spirit' is not universal because 'if a person is born as a Jew, that person had a Jewish soul and have become followers of Judaism. For Michael, the idea of such discrimination. He argues that all men are created equal. "Why would someone who was born in a particular religion should still embrace it even if someone was found that the beliefs espoused wrong?" That's the question that comes to mind Michael and he is not in line with the concept.
Another thing that makes him hesitate to Judaism, there is no clear concept of hell in Judaism. If that concept does not exist, why someone should do good or to sin? "If I'm not afraid of severe punishment, so why should I have morals," he thought.
Michael eventually left Judaism and Christianity switch study. This religion also made him resign because the concept of trinity in Christianity is the father, son and holy spirit. He argues, how can Christians mengklaik believe in only one God, if embraced the concept of the trinity.
He also considers the history of Jesus in Christian bizarre and absurd. In Christian doctrine, Jesus was the son of God who must be killed to save people from the "original sin" committed the Prophet Adam. In Christianity, Jesus died to atone for the sins of mankind.
The doctrine that makes him think that the Christian religion of all mankind was born as a sinner, one who has done wrong. That means, a newborn baby has been guilty of doing the wrong things. "The doctrine is strange. Because the sin of one man, then all humans must suffer. What moral message conveyed by such a doctrine? Thoughts like this do not get my logic," says Michael.
Michael then studied Islam. He found that Islam means obedience and surrender. Principle in Islam is one God, five daily prayers as a form of obedience to God, practice regular charity, fasting during Ramadan and the pilgrimage if they can afford financially. Concepts that make Michael is not too difficult to understand.
What did Michael learn about Islam there is nothing contrary to logic, including the holy book the Koran with the amazing miracles and teachings are timeless. Michael found the scientific facts that have been described in the holy book the Koran since 1400 years ago.
Of the many things that Michael learned about Islam through books and research. One thing that most attracted him was the word "Islam" which is used as the name of Islam is called several times in the Koran.
"From the studies I have done before, I do not find one kalipun word 'Judaism' is found in the Old Testament or the word 'Christianity' in the New Testament. I wonder why I did not find those two words in the two books!" said Michael.
He then thought more deeply to find the answer. Judaism says can be split into "Juda-ism". Likewise with Christianity can be cut into "Chris-ianity". Who is Judah? Judah is one of the leaders of the Jewish tribe. So the name of religion is taken from the name of Judaism. The same thing for Christianity which is derived from the name for Jesus Christ.
Michael finally came to the conclusion that Christianity and Judaism are not mentioned in scripture as both the name came from a human and not from God. While Islam is the name of religion comes from God.
"Therefore, Christianity and Judaism are not credible. At least from my perspective, the two teachings are not pure, illogical and incomplete," said Michael.
He continued, "Islam is the only name of religion that was mentioned in the Koran. It had a big meaning for me."
"I realize that I must follow the teachings of Islam. Then I chose to become a Muslim. I have found the truth. I was out of the darkness and found light ... the light of Islam," said Michael.
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