IQNA

Freedom of Religion in US, Baseless Assertion

12:19 - February 09, 2013
News ID: 2493741
American officials claim to be supporting freedom and democracy while the world is witnessing their biased conduct vis-à-vis Muslims, an American Muslim convert said.
Monica Witt told IQNA that the US officials’ dual policies contradict what they claim.
She regretted that the United States, a country that claims to be supportive of democracy and freedom does injustice to its Muslim population.
“As someone who served in the US army for years, I expected that after embracing Islam, my right to choose a religion and my beliefs would be respected. However, a US army member becoming Muslim was not something they could stand. They are afraid of such individuals.”
She said when in the army, she had no knowledge of Islam. “I was a Christian, though I was not a religious person and never went to church… during my mission in Iraq, I decided to learn more about the people’s beliefs and religion. I believed it would help me to better confront the enemy. I got a copy of the Quran and started reading it.”
Monica Witt said learning about Islam was a wonderful experience that put her on a new and very different course. “Reading the Quran impressed me so much that I would have never imagined. I became so interested in the Quran that I studied it every night. I realized that despite what the US military had told us, Islam is not a violent and aggressive religion.”
The American orientalist said acquaintance with Islam brought about a spiritual revolution in her life.
“Becoming Muslim and wearing Hijab used to be inconceivable for me, but the more I read the Quran, the stronger would be my resolve to embrace Islam.”
She referred to the extensive propaganda against Iran and Islam in the US, saying that the American people are under the influence of the propaganda and that her relatives and friends were not happy with her becoming Muslim.
Monica Witt noted that it was not easy to announce she wanted to convert to Islam so she left the army and started studying the major of Middle East Studies to have more opportunity to know her new path.
After a while she received an invitation from a friend in Iran and came to the country last year to embrace Shia Islam.
She described her trip to Iran and becoming Muslim as the best event in her life.
Monica Witt also said that despite all the anti-Islam propaganda and Islamophobia, there is a growing trend of conversion to Islam and Shi’ism in the world.
She was in Tehran last week to attend the 3rd International Conference of Hollywoodism.
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