Islam, the Bible, Apologetics, and Religious Conversion

Talking with my 12-year-old daughter (who has never met a Muslim--we live in a small town with no mosques) about Muslims...

Malea: You know Muslims??

Me: One of my best friends in graduate school was a Muslim.

Malea: How were you friends??

Me: We had a lot in common with respect to a lot of things that were important to us.

Malea: Did he become a Christian?

Me: Actually, "Did she become a Christian?"

Malea: OK.  Did she become a Christian?

Me: No.  Her whole family was Muslim.  Imagine what it would be like.  Your whole family is Christian and you suddenly think that Christianity might be wrong.  Imagine what it would take to convince you that everyone you know, love, and respect is wrong about your most fundamental beliefs.

Malea: That's a whole different scenario because we have a Book that tells us about Jesus.

Me:  Well, every religion has a book.

Malea: Do Muslims have the Bible?

Me: Not exactly.  Their main book is the Koran.

Malea: But we have proof.

Me: But they'll say the same thing.

Malea: Dad, are you saying that you don't believe in Christianity?!

Me: No.  I'm just saying that changing one's fundamental beliefs is complicated and it involves more than having proofs.