Islam Revert

Dec 20th, 2008, in News, by

A teenage Australian girl from sunny Queensland finds Islam in Lampung and becomes a revert.

Kim, or Kimi, otherwise known as “KimDonesia” (Kim + Indonesia), a 17 year old Australian from Queensland, the Sunshine state, once lived in Lampung, southern Sumatra, for six months, accompanying her step-father who worked for a sugar company, Gula Putih Mataram (GPM).

While in Lampung she says she studied Islam, and was moved by the passionate devotion of the people there to the religion, and finally fell in love with it, particularly the sound of the call to prayer.

After moving back to Australia she converted to the faith, or reverted as she would have it. Here she explains, in rather good Indonesian, how she came to live in Indonesia in 2007:

In this video she explains her religious journey – from Wiccan moon worshipping, to nothing in particular, to Islam – she even has the pronunciation right, Islaaam, – and how living in Lampung and talking to the people there was one of the keys to her decision to throw her lot in with Allah.

Youtube Mission

Kimdonesia has in the short time since her conversion this year produced dozens of Islamic dakwah (missionary) videos on Youtube, and has a bit of a following among some Indonesians, at http://www.youtube.com/user/KimDonesia.


549 Comments on “Islam Revert”

  1. BubblyBlue says:

    To Kim.

    I myself is a Christian, seeing you converting to Islam is a very interesting matter for me, but I will never try to “take you back” to Christian as Islam is what you re believe in right now.

    I am working in a company where I am surrounded by Moslem people, I also have recently one staff converting from Moslem to Christian (and before, there are also some people who convert from Christian to Moslem too). My colleagues who are Moslems were very upset and they talk about how stupid this person is (the one who convert from Moslem to Christian), they have this conversation in front of me. As a Christian, of course, I don’t want to lie to myself, I am glad that she convert to Christian, but I also don’t want this matter in the end will become a problem among my staffs and colleagues. Then I told them, the more you say bad things about this person who converts to Christian, the more you give bad name to Islam, so its better for all of us to try to respect others’ decision, as I also respect yours Kim.

    One thing that you should try to learn, as this might be a quite hard time for you as there are so many people giving their critics to you, is that you have to respond to them wisely, not using your emotional thoughts or ego, remember to stay humble, that’s the point.

    Honestly, your sentence : “People like you are the reason there are wars today. IGNORANT people like YOU” shocked me a little bit, because if you remember, we as a human cannot judge people like this, and your sentence above, is a judgment sentence, but I consider it as your emotional thought so… also for all of us here, let us not make war because of these difference, we all human are the same, the creation of God, that we believe in ONE God, that’s the point. God Bless!

  2. Elijah says:

    @all
    I don’t feel that quoting a non-Muslim would make anyone consider Islam as the religion of choice, because after all they themselves implicitly considered Islam the work of a human being rather than a Divine inspiration-which I, however, feel it to be, deep inside my heart. But if someone is willing to beg to be listened, shouldn’t others listen?

    Annie Besant, wrote in ‘The Life and Teachings of Muhammad’ :
    “It is impossible for anyone who studies the personality of the great Prophet of the Arabs, and come to know how this prophet he used to live, and how he taught the people, but to feel respect towards this honorable prophet; one of the great messengers whom Allaah sent”

    George Bernard Shaw, the British playwright said:
    “The world is in dire need of a man with the mind of Muhammad; religious people in the Middle Ages, due to their ignorance and prejudice, had pictured him in a very dark way as they used to consider him the enemy of Christianity. But after looking into the story of this man I found it to be an amazing and a miraculous one, and I came to the conclusion that he was never an enemy of Christianity, and must be called instead the savior of humanity. In my opinion, if he was to be given control over the world today, he would solve our problems and secure the peace and happiness which the world is longing for.”
    When Holy Prophet SAW was disappointed by the attitude of those who disbelieved him, even those of his family, this verse was revealed.

    18:6 Thou wouldst only, perchance, fret thyself to death, following after them, in grief, if they believe not in this Message.

    @AAB
    51:55 yet go on reminding for, verily, such a reminder will profit the believers.

    @Lairedion
    I apologise if I made you feel as if I am trying to convince you. But I am happy to listen that you believe that: it is our deeds and acts which produce both good and bad results, because while reciting the The Holy Quran, I was moved by the following verses.However, if this doesn’t make you feel good, as well, I wouldn’t repeat my mistake.

    99:7 Then shall anyone who has done an atom’s weight of good, see it!
    99:8 And anyone who has done an atom’s weight of evil, shall see it.

    67:2 He Who created Death and Life, that He may try which of you is best in deed: and He is the Exalted in Might, Oft-Forgiving;

    @Hayley
    You would find many more things that would stun you about Islam as long as you believe about Islam what you learn from others. Your Muslim boyfriend seems to know not much about Islam himself, because for an ideal Muslim marriage is the beginning of friendship not its culmination. It may sound a bit preachy to you, but for a practising Muslim it matters.

    For now, I would like to share some verses of The Holy Quran with you.

    49:6O you who have attained to faith! If any iniquitous person comes to you with a [slanderous] tale, use your discernment, lest you hurt people unwittingly and afterwards be filled with remorse for what you have done.

    Your Muslim boyfriend would be pleased to listen to this verse.

    24:30 Tell the believing men to lower their gaze and to be mindful of their chastity: this will be most con­ducive to their purity – verily, God is aware of all that they do.

    @Rob
    Brother, the Islamic concept of human nature doesn’t imply the conclusion you have reached at. It only implies original goodness against original sin.

  3. Farah says:

    Good…

    I respect any other people beliefs.
    I think its easier to a christian woman to convert to moslem than a man.

    … ever know a man who want to convert then decline because later find out he have to circumcise as followed action after syahadah.. (sigh)… he love the skin.. what can i say !!

    I know theres been writing about circumcision here. Sorry.. this is just remind me of that…

  4. Aluang Anak Bayang says:

    @ BubblyBlue

    You leave her alone. She is fine by me. Being only 17, it is cool to be a rebel. I doubt very much if Kim can hold onto her islamic faith by age 21. I was a Javanese neo-nazi when I was 15, having an admiration for Hiltler. My young nephew collected anything samurai. He had a arsenal of swords to arm a small army! We just laughed at him. As one aged, you grew out of it.

    Any bule who convert at ripe old age raised eye brows. It ain’t cute no more. It amazes me that someone who claimed to be able to read arabic would see miracle in divine instruction for hoky poky toilet etiquette such as “you put your left foot in, your right foot out” amongst others. Barry has yet to reveal what took him in that direction instead of just saying Islam is the true faith.

    BubblyBlue, the person to worry about is Barry.

  5. Elijah says:

    @BubblyBlue

    I appreciate that you feel the shock caused by impolite words.

    You can disagree with me but what I have observed is that those Christians who convert to Islam tend to be more practising Christians that those Muslims who convert to Christianity. However, as Bible says

    Ecclesiastes 12:13

    Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man.

    We , muslims,consider our Prophet Peace Be Upon Him the fulfilment of the prophecy.

    John 16:13

    But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come.

    neorient@gmail.com

  6. Aluang Anak Bayang says:

    @ Elijah

    Unbeknown to you, the impolite words were oozing from your filthy evangelistic mouth. Who in IM cares about christian hellelujah or islamic allahuakhbar verses. They all belong to the middle east. Unless the middle eastern so-called prophets can come up with something close to Javanese’s Pralembang Joyoboyo, they ain’t nothing but conmen.

  7. mike says:

    AAB: quit bringing these Javanese craps man ! What is it that you do that is so great anyways ? You just happened to be born in Java, and now Java is full of corruptors stealing all the money from their own people ! I am sorry but Javanese culture is NOT all that, I just can’t see why you are so proud of being part of them ? You’re a joke dude !

  8. Lairedion says:

    Elijah,

    It is possible for you to form your own opinion in stead of relying on fairy tales from desert cults?

    You said:

    it is our deeds and acts which produce both good and bad results, because while reciting the The Holy Quran, I was moved by the following verses.However, if this doesn’t make you feel good, as well, I wouldn’t repeat my mistake.

    That’s my main issue with Believers/Submitters. Slapping you in your face with ayat-ayat, refusing to take responsibility and always pointing to Big Daddy in the Sky. We see Muslims and Christians warring and referring to their books to justify their acts. Cowardish and lame.

    It takes simple common sense to understand and realize that it is our deeds and acts which produce both good and bad results.

    You said earlier:

    “The extinction of race consciousness as between Muslims is one of the outstanding achievements of Islam and in the contemporary world there is, as it happens, a crying need for the propagation of this Islamic virtue.”

    A.J. Toynbee, Civilization on Trial, New York, 1948, p. 205.

    By underlining this quote I only can view a hidden desire for a worldwide caliphate where diversity in cultures and ethnics no longer matter.

    “A people without the knowledge of their past history, origin and culture are like trees without roots” – Marcus Garvey

  9. Aluang Anak Bayang says:

    @ mike

    Please state your ethnicity and religion. And what you doing in Indonesia?

  10. mike says:

    AAB: if I answer all your questions, you will come up with new “sophisticated” comments that are full of bias and stereotypes. Let’s just say, i am someone who are sick of labels. Cultures, ethinicities, religions, big deal ? what matters is our each contributions to the society. We all should continously promote good and prevent evil !

  11. Aluang Anak Bayang says:

    @ Mike

    Do we know each other before? They are valid questions?

    Ethnicity – because Javanese is the majority and well-liked. Need to know what ticked you.

    Religion – if you are not moslem, we don’t need your opinion.

    We all should continously promote good and prevent evil !

    What actually are you flogging here, may I ask?

  12. mike says:

    AAB: What ticked me off is your statements : ” Unless the middle eastern so-called prophets can come up with something close to Javanese’s Pralembang Joyoboyo, they ain’t nothing but conmen.”

    You’re saying that your people are better than the prophets ? this is definitely NOT true.
    I have no idea why you have so much pride with Javanese ? What goods have they done to society? name me some !

    You are making so many generalizations, and in reality most generalizations are false !
    Javanese is not the majority… that’s only in your small world. The majority of the people in this world are believers : Jews, Christians and Muslims. Atheists will always be a minority for a simple reason : all creations such as the Sun, the Moon, the Stars , the Sky, the Human body, the Laws of Physics, the Laws of Chemistry, the Plants, the Animals, etc. indicate that there is a Creator.

    And, one more thing: quit trying to be fancy, is not moslem, but muslim !

  13. BubblyBlue says:

    *glug* … me? peace! :p

  14. diego says:

    +1 for AAB.

    We don’t need semitic / middle-eastern mumbo jumbos. They’re only for the arabs and the jews (and also their inspiration for killing each other). We should stay clear from that, and get on with our cultured and civilized life, together with other nations.

  15. Aluang Anak Bayang says:

    @ Mike from the Big World

    Re:

    Javanese is not the majority… that’s only in your small world. The majority of the people in this world are believers : Jews, Christians and Muslims. Atheists will always be a minority for a simple reason : all creations such as the Sun, the Moon, the Stars , the Sky, the Human body, the Laws of Physics, the Laws of Chemistry, the Plants, the Animals, etc. indicate that there is a Creator.

    I will be nice to you if you can answer this:

    And how do you know the creator had chosen some conmen in the Middle East and not the Javanese?

  16. mike says:

    AAB: conmen exist in every corner of the world buddy. I hate to bring this up, but what do you have to say with the riots of May 1998 where lots of innocent ethnic chinese were killed ?

  17. Rob says:

    Elijah…

    What conclusion on human nature? I am not sure that I was even alluding to any idea of original sin or original goodness.

    My second comment on this thread was a response to a question about whether I believed all people were born Muslim.

    Anyways…

  18. Hayley says:

    In Indonesia, a Christian can marry a Hindu, a Hindu can marry a Buddhist, a Buddhist can marry a Christian… and so on… this ‘mixed marriage’ rule applies only to Islam. I am not blaming it on Islam, I just find it strange and was simply asking the question….

  19. Pakmantri says:

    @Hayley,

    Why don’t you check yourself, here is the Indonesian marriage law (Undang Undang Perkawinan Indonesia): Undang-Undang Perkawinan Indonesia 1974

    I don’t see anything that you said in there. I think you’ve been had by your boyfriend. 😀

    Salam.

  20. Hayley says:

    Pakmantri – thanks for the link. My Indonesian is still a little rusty so I will look at it with some help 🙂
    And, thanks for your concern, but I haven’t been ‘had’ by my boyfriend – this information did not come from him but from many Western people I have met in Bali in the same situation that have converted to Islam in order to be able to marry in Indonesia.

  21. Rob says:

    Hayley…

    Pakmantri beat me to “submit” button. Indonesian law does not permit inter-faith marriages in Indonesia.

    With a little research you will find that inter-faith couples wed overseas. Generally, provided the marriage is legal in the jurisdiction in which it is conducted it will be recognized here.

    Can inter-faith marriages happen in Indonesia, Yes! You will find examples of this happening as well.

    Nevertheless, the statement that Hindus can marry other faiths except for Islam in Indonesia is false. I know this for a fact as my wife is Hindu and I converted to Hinduism in order that we could be married legally in Indonesia. I make no comment on the fairness or lack thereof of the law and its enforcement. I merely provide this personal example as one of how the law works and to refute your claim that Christians can marry Hindus.

    The reasons for the provisions can be debated and this might include some to and fro about removing any confusion over what religion any children of the marriage should be and to remove potential conflict for the marriage or it might simply be covert (or not so covert) Islamization of Indonesian law. Whatever the case may be this is a separate debate from the one about the marriage law as it pertains to the bride and the groom being of the same faith.

    Cheers.

  22. Hayley says:

    http://www.expat.or.id/info/interreligiousmarriages.html

    Thanks for your advice Rob!! The article I posted above is where I had been seeking some of my information.
    Rob, living in Bali I have met many Christian Bule that have married Balinese Hindu but have not converted…. how is this so?? Not saying what you have said is wrong, but, it does happen here?

  23. Aluang Anak Bayang says:

    @ Mike

    I am asking a question and you are avoiding it. If you can’t answer my last question, here are a few more straight forward ones. Why is Pralembang Joyoboyo any less truth than the quran and the bible? Have you read our Javanese sacred book? How can you easily dismiss the Javanese or other nationals like the Indian or the Chinese, and concluded that the creator choses prophets from the Middle East? You sneaky brainless bigot, you were born either a moslem or a christian, and decide that your parents got them right. You can’t think out of the square, can you?

  24. mike says:

    AAB: who is the author of your book ” Pralembang Sontoloyo, i meant Joyoboyo” , your Javanese sacred book teach you to judge who is conmen, and who is not? I am not going to waste my time reading it, but thanks for the offer !

    Ohhh, so your parents didn’t teach you this book ? You learned it on your own ? wow, you need to learn something new bud.

  25. diego says:

    +1 for AAB.

    Go AAB, let’s get rid of abrahamic-zombies from indonesia.

    To my understanding it has caused so much damages worldwide (inlcuding indonesia), except maybe in India, Japan, China, and South Korea.

  26. mike says:

    Diego: are you announcing to the world about your stupidity ? go to your room !

  27. diego says:

    Nope. I’m just saying what I believe. What’s so special about abrahamic religions? All I see is: hell / heaven stories, some stories about disputes between middle eastern tribes / families, I mean, nothing that makes me think would elevate one’s level of conciousness. It’s just like a mish-mash of stories, bed time stories maybe, with little to none substance. And each one of the them claim to have the entire truth / privileges (choise people? final prophet? bwahaha), and they’d kill others for that (and some people are also crazy enought trying to “decipher” some divine “codes”… yeah, right). What a pointless religions.

  28. diego says:

    mike Says:
    December 29th, 2008 at 11:40 pm

    AAB: conmen exist in every corner of the world buddy. I hate to bring this up, but what do you have to say with the riots of May 1998 where lots of innocent ethnic chinese were killed ?

    Oh! Not again! Dragie? Is that you, behind a new nick “mickey”? So cute.

    Why the hell are you bringing up (agaaain) this “indo-chinese ‘pogrom’ in 1998 by poor-lazy-stupid pris” here? What’s the relevance? And how does that answer the original question posed by AAB to you? Geesh.

  29. Lanang says:

    @ Hayley, Pakmantri, BubblyBlue

    To us, the mixed religion issue is not important. We both try to lead our lives as good, honest people, which to us is more important than following the same religion.
    The thing that is a shame however is that Indonesia does not legally permit us to marry – because I am not Muslim. Is this to give people little choice but to convert??

    It has nothing to do with Islam, the government just wanted to prevent later dispute in your marriage because of difference in religions and to prevent confusion from the kids.

    My colleagues who are Moslems were very upset and they talk about how stupid this person is (the one who convert from Moslem to Christian), they have this conversation in front of me. As a Christian, of course, I don’t want to lie to myself, I am glad that she convert to Christian, but I also don’t want this matter in the end will become a problem among my staffs and colleagues.

    For some, or for most?, it’s projected in a way as if it has something to do with Islamic ideology, Pakmantri. I sometimes find it annoying if a person converts, to any religion howsoever, it’s often noted as a sign of one’s defeat and another’s victory. I never get the idea of converting and to-be-converted all for the sake of both self and communal gratification, and I never will. The spiritual state is fluid, dynamic, evolving. It serves, not to be served, even to a degree where it lacks the concept of ambition itself.

    Hayley, you might find this post useful:
    http://www.indonesiamatters.com/1395/mixed-religion-marriages/

    Legal issues are small matters compared to everything else in (interfaith) marriage.
    And did he ask you to, Hayley? I’ve known couples ended up in quarrels where one says: Hey, I never did ask you to convert. And the other goes: Oh God, can’t believe I’ve sacrificed everything for this. Etc. If they’re willing to be honest with themselves, it’s simply an ego conflict. Religions are being made as scapegoats, which will worsen when antagonizing situations such as told by BubblyBlue is occurring.

    Aside from religious or legal issues in Indonesia, can you see your future husband as your Rock of Gibraltar? Can he provide you his guidance, strength and wisdom, and willing to be receptive to yours? Because you’re dealing with both interracial and interfaith marriage, and as you can read from comments on this forum, it’s going to be a rough ride ahead — if both of you haven’t come prepared.

    In my opinion however, obstacles are existent in all kinds of marriage, not particularly in interfaith ones. The only thing religiously crucial and worth evaluating about it is to know that, as women, we carve out wife’s and mother’s prayers right from the heart, not from ideologies — call this moral obligation, whatever. Other than that, it’s just politics, which is quite insignificant at the end of the day, when you’re both in your 80ies, all wrinkled and gray, dying together on bed.

    I’m rambling. Good luck.

  30. MishMash says:

    You sneaky brainless bigot, you were born either a moslem or a christian, and decide that your parents got them right. You can’t think out of the square, can you?

    The same goes for you. What right do you have to accuse the ones in the middle east as con men? Who’s to say Joyoboyo was not a conman?

    Well at least the Abrahamic religions are infinitely more successful, by any indicators than Joyoboyo’s (had to Wikipedia to even know what it was).

    Though a cynic like Diego can argue that perhaps the conmen from middle east were far better than the ones from Java.

    However if you allow yourself to be open to ideas AAB. Then perhaps …. maybe…..

    Hmm based on his previous posts …. im predicting a condescending, insult laced refute from AAB, that goes along… Java great this, Java great that (insert random stereotypes) (insert “facts”) and so forth. That sums up to: I’m right. You’re an Idiot. Full stop.

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