|
|
|
|
|
|
Devorah H. Bonomo, Ex-Catholic, USA
|
 
Description: How she found her way to God.
By Devorah H. Bonomo
Published on 07 Feb 2011 - Last modified on 31 Mar 2011
Viewed: 2431 (daily average: 5) - Rating: 4.9 out of 5 - Rated by: 10
Printed: 108 - Emailed: 4 - Commented on: 0
Category: Articles
> Stories of New Muslims
> Women
|
|
My journey to Islam began when I was only six
years old, it may seem odd, but it’s a fact!.I was born into a Roman Catholic home;
I received my Holy Communion and my Confirmation at six years old. In spite of
this, I was very different from the average Catholic. I only prayed to one God,
I refused to worship Jesus, may God praise him, or any other saint. Of course,
my parents thought it a bit strange, but they didn’t speak to me about this.
About a month before my confirmation, the priest
asked me a question and after I answered the priest asked me to pray to Jesus.
I remember looking up at him and telling him that I didn’t pray to Jesus, I
prayed to God! He went on to tell me Jesus was God, but I argued with him and
firmly told him that HE was not! The priest became infuriated and almost hit
me. Later that evening my parents received a phone call telling them I was a
rebel, a problem child and I had to find my own way! Nonetheless, the church
did do my confirmation, but I was excommunicated by the local Bishop and never
went to church again.
All my life I only believed in one God. I began
praying to Him at the age of three. Life went on and it was when I turned fifteen
that something interesting happened. We studied a course in High School called “World
Religions” and from the meager section in the textbook that spoke about Islam,
I knew from that moment that I wanted to be a Muslim. In my moment of joy, I
went to my history teacher and told him of my desire, but unfortunately he
talked me out of it and a week later showed me a very explicit film about the life
of a Muslim woman. After I saw it, I changed my mind. I then moved to my next
choice Judaism. I spoke to the same teacher and he was against this as well,
but he accepted the fact that this was going to happen sooner or later. After
this, I began to study Jewish books and began to familiarize myself with Judaic
history in secret. I knew that if my family found out, they would never accept
me.
As the years passed by, my interest perked and I
became ever more serious in my quest for knowledge, so at nineteen, I took my
first course in Reformed Judaism and was convinced this was the path I should
take in life. It was during my last year of college that I met a Rabbi in
Williamsport, Pennsylvania. After a meeting with him he said he would convert
me. At that time I still wasn’t sure, as I was still studying. I continued my
religious studies under him for three more years and in 1988 was converted or
at least I thought I was converted to Judaism. After the ceremony I was not
satisfied; something about this conversion felt wrong! I went home that evening
and read a book on Jewish Law and found out I wasn’t a Jew; the conversion was
a farce! I told the Rabbi what I read and he was shocked.
Two years later I met a Hassidic group in New
Jersey who were furious about the first conversion, and after another year of
study with them I was converted a second time, and this time in the correct method!
With that, my life began as a Jew. But did it? I was basically left to myself.
I was not treated well by these people and I kept leaving the religion and
would return, I was restless, and I felt that something was wrong. I soon
became very depressed about the people, the religion and was in a state of complete
confusion.
In 1999, I left Pennsylvania to move to
Budapest, Hungary. Here I tried again to fit in with the Jewish community, but
ran into even bigger problems.. I had to make a serious decision in my life
and it would have to come fast as I felt that I was losing God in my life. I finally
denounced the Jewish religion in 2010. I can honestly tell you in the 24 years
I spent in Judaism I never felt the joy I am feeling now. It wasn’t even joyful
at the end of my conversion ceremonies as I knew at the back of my mind that
something was missing. During the time I was a Jew, I used to read the Holy Quran
and compare it to the Torah, and I found the Quran made more sense to me.
In 2010 when I denounced the Jewish religion, I
knew what the next step was going to be, but after what I went through, I
wasn’t sure I wanted to ever get involved with another religion. I was even
losing hope in God. I started to doubt HIM and HIS existence, and became
depressed and confused again. My life went on in this way for a while. I
talked to a lot of people who told me I would find my way. I began again to
think strongly about Islam. I went out and bought my first Quran, and then bought
another that had a better translation; so here I was again at another crossroad
in my life. What to do?
One day I was walking down the street in
Budapest, and it came to me so suddenly I was stunned; I felt something stir in
my soul and I literally stopped on the sidewalk and looked up to God. I
thought I was going crazy, but I wasn’t. I truly believe that at that moment I
received a message from Allah. I stood there just looking up at the sky and
when it was over I began walking again, with a smile on my face and knew HE had
reached me! That’s when I knew I couldn’t give up on God because HE touched my
soul and I knew it was time to convert to Islam. As the weeks went on I asked
some friends on the internet for help and they were telling me how easy it was
to convert and what was expected of me. I couldn’t believe it, after spending so
many years of study to become a Jew, how could this be so easy? I kept on with
my research and found out that what I was told about conversion to Islam was
true.
On the evening of January 27th 2011, I was
feeling depressed and hopeless again. I felt it was never going to happen for
me. In this state of mind I went online and found IslamReligion.com, and there
it was in front of me and I couldn’t believe it! I remember saying to myself,
if you want this then do it now, and get out of this rut of being lost and
doubting God; and the next thing I knew was that I was online with an advisor
and it was happening! I became very emotional as the chat began and I must
confess I was trembling as well. The chat went on and the man called me and
before I knew it, I was a Muslim!
The first thing that happened was that I began
to cry, but these were tears of joy, a kind of joy I never felt before. After everything
was over I felt so many emotions, it was unbelievable and the happiness was
overwhelming. I knew from that moment on, I had finally, after so many years
of searching, found my correct path to God. In the days that followed the
happiness continued. When I went back to work the next Monday, my colleagues
were asking me why I was so happy? They wondered had something happened? And I
was able to say ”Yes”, I have found my way to God!
|
| Other Articles in the Same Category |
|
Category:
Articles
>
Stories of New Muslims
>
Women
|
|
Diane Charles Breslin, Ex-Catholic, USA (part 1 of 3)
|
|
Diane Charles Breslin, Ex-Catholic, USA (part 2 of 3)
|
|
Diane Charles Breslin, Ex-Catholic, USA (part 3 of 3)
|
|
Natassia M. Kelly, Ex-Christian, USA (part 1 of 2)
|
|
Natassia M. Kelly, Ex-Christian, USA (part 2 of 2)
|
|
Angel, Ex-Christian, USA
|
|
Penomee (Dr. Kari Ann Owen), Ex-Jew, USA
|
|
Aminah Assilmi, Ex-Christian, USA (part 1 of 4)
|
|
Aminah Assilmi, Ex-Christian, USA (part 2 of 4)
|
|
Aminah Assilmi, Ex-Christian, USA (part 3 of 4)
|
|
Aminah Assilmi, Ex-Christian, USA (part 4 of 4)
|
|
Steinmann, Ex-Secularist, UK
|
|
Akifah Baxter, Ex-Christian, USA
|
|
Kristin, Ex-Catholic, USA (part 1 of 2)
|
|
Kristin, Ex-Catholic, USA (part 2 of 2)
|
|
Noor, Ex-Hindu, UK (part 1 of 2)
|
|
Noor, Ex-Hindu, UK (part 2 of 2)
|
|
Viviana Espin, Ex-Christian, Ecuador
|
|
Lynda Fitzgerald, Ex-Catholic, Ireland (part 1 of 4)
|
|
Lynda Fitzgerald, Ex-Catholic, Ireland (part 2 of 4)
|
|
Lynda Fitzgerald, Ex-Catholic, Ireland (part 3 of 4)
|
|
Lynda Fitzgerald, Ex-Catholic, Ireland (part 4 of 4)
|
|
Zainab, Ex-Christian, USA (part 1 of 2)
|
|
Zainab, Ex-Christian, USA (part 2 of 2)
|
|
Sophie Jenkins, Ex-Catholic-Protestant, UK
|
|
Saumya, Ex-Hindu, India
|
|
Margaret Marcus, Ex-Jew, USA (part 1 of 5)
|
|
Margaret Marcus, Ex-Jew, USA (part 2 of 5)
|
|
Margaret Marcus, Ex-Jew, USA (part 3 of 5)
|
|
Margaret Marcus, Ex-Jew, USA (part 4 of 5)
|
|
Margaret Marcus, Ex-Jew, USA (part 5 of 5)
|
|
Indrani and Chandara, Ex-Hindu, Singapore (part 1 of 3)
|
|
Indrani and Chandara, Ex-Hindu, Singapore (part 2 of 3)
|
|
Indrani and Chandara, Ex-Hindu, Singapore (part 3 of 3)
|
|
Amber Acosta, Ex-Catholic, USA
|
|
Oum Abdulaziz, Ex-Christian, USA (part 1 of 4): Islam and Christianity
|
|
Oum Abdulaziz, Ex-Christian, USA (part 2 of 4): Jesus in Christianity
|
|
Oum Abdulaziz, Ex-Christian, USA (part 3 of 4): The Christian Bible
|
|
Oum Abdulaziz, Ex-Christian, USA (part 4 of 4): Conversion from Christianity to Islam
|
|
S. E. Levine, Ex-Jew, USA (part 1 of 2)
|
|
S. E. Levine, Ex-Jew, USA (part 2 of 2)
|
|
Noora Alsamman, Ex-Catholic, USA
|
|
Shariffa Carlo, Ex-Christian, USA
|
|
Diana, Ex-Mormon, USA
|
|
Amina, Ex-Christian, USA
|
|
Anne Collins, Ex-Christian, USA
|
|
Maria, Ex-Catholic, USA (part 1 of 2): Early Life Setup
|
|
Maria, Ex-Catholic, USA (part 2 of 2): Islamic Experience
|
|
Sana, Ex-Christian, Egypt (part 1 of 2): Questions of Childhood
|
|
Sana, Ex-Christian, Egypt (part 2 of 2): The Power of the Quran
|
|
Kätlin Hommik-Mrabte, Ex-Christian, Estonia
|
|
La Bianca, Ex-Christian, Australia
|
|
Sara Hermansson, Ex-Christian, Sweden
|
|
Gerda, Ex-Christian, Lithuania
|
|
Ologunde Sa, Ex-Atheist, India (part 1 of 4)
|
|
Ologunde Sa, Ex-Atheist, India (part 2 of 4)
|
|
Ologunde Sa, Ex-Atheist, India (part 3 of 4)
|
|
Ologunde Sa, Ex-Atheist, India (part 4 of 4)
|
|
Nichole Arel, Ex-Christian, USA
|
|
Haneefah bint Stefan, Ex-Christian, Sweden
|
|
Why Are Women Turning to Islam
|
|
My Muslim Husband
|
|
Linda Delgado, Ex-Christian, USA (part 1 of 2)
|
|
Linda Delgado, Ex-Christian, USA (part 2 of 2)
|
|
Aisha Canlas, Ex-Catholic, Philippines
|
|
Katherine Bullock, Ex-Christian, Canada (part 1 of 2)
|
|
Katherine Bullock, Ex-Christian, Canada (part 2 of 2)
|
|
Sally, Ex-Catholic, Philippines
|
|
Halimah David, Ex-Christian, USA
|
|
Iman Yusuf, Ex-Catholic, USA (part 1 of 4)
|
|
Iman Yusuf, Ex-Catholic, USA (part 2 of 4)
|
|
Iman Yusuf, Ex-Catholic, USA (part 3 of 4)
|
|
Iman Yusuf, Ex-Catholic, USA (part 4 of 4)
|
|
Melissa Riter, Ex-Christian, USA
|
|
Sariya Islam, Ex-Catholic, India
|
|
Jina Talang, Ex-Catholic, Philippines
|
|
Valerie Wright, Ex-Christian, USA (part 1 of 2)
|
|
Valerie Wright, Ex-Christian, USA (part 2 of 2)
|
|
Lana, Ex- Christian, Romania
|
|
Hagar, Ex-Christian, Brazil
|
|
Emily, Ex-Christian, New Zealand
|
|
Molly Carlson, Ex-Christian, USA (part 1 of 2)
|
|
Molly Carlson, Ex-Christian, USA (part 2 of 2)
|
|
Latasha, Ex-Christian, USA
|
|
Tina Styliandou, Ex-Christian, Greek
|
|
Aaminah Hernandez, Ex-Christian, USA (part 1 of 2)
|
|
Aaminah Hernandez, Ex-Christian, USA (part 2 of 2)
|
|
Khadija Evans, Ex-Catholic, USA (part 1 of 2)
|
|
Khadija Evans, Ex-Catholic, USA (part 2 of 2)
|
|
Aysha, Ex-Catholic, Hungary
|
|
Aisha, Ex-Christian, Australia
|
|
Amirah, Ex-Christian, USA
|
|
A former Catholic missionary, Burundi
|
|
Lynette Wehner, Ex-Catholic, USA
|
|
Karima Burns, Ex-Christian, USA
|
|
Jenny, Ex-Christian, Australia (part 1 of 2)
|
|
Jenny, Ex-Christian, Australia (part 2 of 2)
|
|
Phreddie, Ex-Christian, USA
|
|
Joanne Richards, Ex-Christian, USA
|
|
Marcela, Ex-Mormon, El Salvador
|
|
Karla, Ex-Christian, USA
|
|
Anja, Ex-Christian, Germany (part 1 of 4)
|
|
Anja, Ex-Christian, Germany (part 2 of 4)
|
|
Anja, Ex-Christian, Germany (part 3 of 4)
|
|
Anja, Ex-Christian, Germany (part 4 of 4)
|
|
Angelene McLaren, Ex-Catholic, USA
|
|
Laurel Hill, Ex-Christian, USA
|
|
Carla, a Former Roman Catholic (part 1 of 3)
|
|
Carla, a Former Roman Catholic (part 2 of 3)
|
|
Carla, a Former Roman Catholic (part 3 of 3)
|
|
Natasa, Ex-Catholic, Slovakia
|
|
Stephanie, Ex-Catholic, South Africa (part 1 of 6)
|
|
Stephanie, Ex-Catholic, South Africa (part 2 of 6)
|
|
Stephanie, Ex-Catholic, South Africa (part 3 of 6)
|
|
Stephanie, Ex-Catholic, South Africa (part 4 of 6)
|
|
Stephanie, Ex-Catholic, South Africa (part 5 of 6)
|
|
Stephanie, Ex-Catholic, South Africa (part 6 of 6)
|
|
Maria Luisa “Maryam” Bernabe, Ex-Catholic , Philippines (part 1 of 2)
|
|
Maria Luisa “Maryam” Bernabe, Ex-Catholic , Philippines (part 2 of 2)
|
|
Michelle, Previously No Religion, Canada
|
|
Audrey, USA (part 1 of 2)
|
|
Audrey, USA (part 2 of 2)
|
|
|
|
|
|
Online daily:
From to
(according to your computer time)
|
| |
Your Favorites |
 |
|
Your favorites list is empty. You may add articles to this list using the article tools. |
| |
Your History |
|
|
|
