Welcome to Gaia! ::

I know some of us are from different backgrounds, and some reverted from Christianity or other beliefs.

So, I know you acknowledge the difference between Islam and other beliefs.

I hope you can share with us why you choose to be a Muslim. Why Islam differs from other religion.

I also don't know enough about Judaism, to be honest. Other than the fact that, if it is at all possible to become Jewish, it's not very easy razz

For me, a very important difference between, for example, Christianity and Islam is the matter of accountability. I could never get my head around the fact that all your sins are forgiven already by the death of Jesus (as), if you accept him. Because then, what happens with the sins you commit afterwards? Are you not accountable for them? The "guaranteed spot in heaven" I don't understand. But feel free to explain it to me =) I'd love to understand.

Instead, in Islam, you are accountable for all your actions. If you converted to Islam, you are held accountable for all your actions *after* accepting Islam, those you committed before are forgiven simply because you did not know you were not supposed to/did not know Islam and you cannot be held accountable for breaking rules you don't know.

Beyond this, God is indeed very merciful, in the sense that he weighs our good deeds heavier than our bad ones to tip the scale in our favour. Yet an important part of being forgiven for a sin (if that sin hurt/disadvantaged someone else) is seeking *their* forgiveness as well and repaying the damages done.

It's such a beautifully holistic system that, to me, promotes justice and doing good.

I say current because I believe that the Gospel and the Torah were earlier revelations by God, before He revealed the Qur'an. But it's well known that the Bible was changed over time. It was edited, translated, and the parts of the message was changed.

This was very important for me =)