why do the Druze not accept converts?

[Theweirdtophat]

I don't know too many that do not and will not accept converts. I know of the Druze who do not but I never understood why they don't.

Some might think that because they keep secrets, they are up to no good. But some might think that because they do keep secrets they are trying to prevent bad people from knowing

Why does one have to be born a druze in order to know exactly what they practice?

 

[LuisDantas]

I suspect they simply see no reason to pursue converts. Some things are difficult to explain without being raised into a culture.

It probably helps that they seem to have arisen in Muslim cultures, with all the consequences that entails.

 

[Theweirdtophat]

I don't know if their culture is so difficult to explain, so much as they want to preserve it as much as they can.

But if they would want the world to be enlightened, how could they do it without converts?

 

[Triscuit]

Zoroastrians do not accept converts either. The bloodlines are part of their belief system; purity maintenance.

 

[LuisDantas]

I don't know if their culture is so difficult to explain, so much as they want to preserve it as much as they can.

Did I imply otherwise? I did not mean to.

But if they would want the world to be enlightened, how could they do it without converts?

Given their discretion, one must assume that they do not feel any particular need to clarify their beliefs to outsiders. Do you know otherwise?

 

[YmirGF]

I don't know too many that do not and will not accept converts. I know of the Druze who do not but I never understood why they don't.

Some might think that because they keep secrets, they are up to no good. But some might think that because they do keep secrets they are trying to prevent bad people from knowing

Why does one have to be born a druze in order to know exactly what they practice?

A mildly interesting question, but more importantly why would anyone ever seriously want to become a Druze? They certainly don't have much worthy of celebrating.

 

[Theweirdtophat]

Zoroastrians do not accept converts either. The bloodlines are part of their belief system; purity maintenance.

I heard there were different branches and groups that would accept converts? Didn't they spread a lot in Persia?

I would think for any religion to start, don't they need converts to start it? They tend to do a lot of secret practices. Why keep it secret, I don't know.

 

[GoodbyeDave]

The Druze are said to have closed their faith to converts in the eleventh century, although some historians says that the Jumblat family didn't convert until much later. They believe in reincarnation and I think the view is now that only a Druze will come back as a Druze.

Nothing worth celebrating? How about treating women with respect and not forcing others to convert, for a start?

As for the Zoroastrians, the Indian ones (Parsees) will not accept converts, but the Iranian ones generally will.

 

[Theweirdtophat]

The Druze are said to have closed their faith to converts in the eleventh century, although some historians says that the Jumblat family didn't convert until much later. They believe in reincarnation and I think the view is now that only a Druze will come back as a Druze.

Nothing worth celebrating? How about treating women with respect and not forcing others to convert, for a start?

As for the Zoroastrians, the Indian ones (Parsees) will not accept converts, but the Iranian ones generally will.

Most Muslims don't go around force converting everyone they see. Most religions in general don't do that. If that was true, wouldn't every Muslim majority country be 100% Muslim if they were that xenophobic.

Most religions will accept converts. Why would you not accept converts to your religion when you first start it?

 

[LuisDantas]

Most religions will accept converts. Why would you not accept converts to your religion when you first start it?

Because converts have expectations that may not be within one's intent to meet, I would assume.

 

[Shia Islam]

I don't know too many that do not and will not accept converts. I know of the Druze who do not but I never understood why they don't.

Some might think that because they keep secrets, they are up to no good. But some might think that because they do keep secrets they are trying to prevent bad people from knowing

Why does one have to be born a druze in order to know exactly what they practice?

I suspect that this is because they have their roots in Shia Islam..
Although Shia Muslims are very active in calling others to convert to Shia Islam, they have always been persecuted by the extreme Sunnis..

Many Shiites have reacted to this persecution by turning to seclusion..

 

[GoodbyeDave]

Most Muslims don't go around force converting everyone they see. Most religions in general don't do that. If that was true, wouldn't every Muslim majority country be 100% Muslim if they were that xenophobic.

Christianity
Public pagan worship prohibited in the Roman Empire by Theodosius
Saxons forcibly converted by Charlemagne
Pagans persecuted in Scandinavia by Olaf Tryggvason
Crusades against the pagan Balts
Forcible conversion of Native Americans

Islam
Forcible conversion of Jews by the Almohads
Enslavement and conversion of Christian boys by Turks
Forced conversion of Hindus in Afghanistan in the 19th century

As for every Muslim country being 100% Muslim,
Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Mauritania 100%
Afghanistan, Algeria 99%
Pakistan, Turkey 97%

 

[Theweirdtophat]

Christianity
Public pagan worship prohibited in the Roman Empire by Theodosius
Saxons forcibly converted by Charlemagne
Pagans persecuted in Scandinavia by Olaf Tryggvason
Crusades against the pagan Balts
Forcible conversion of Native Americans

Islam
Forcible conversion of Jews by the Almohads
Enslavement and conversion of Christian boys by Turks
Forced conversion of Hindus in Afghanistan in the 19th century

As for every Muslim country being 100% Muslim,
Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Mauritania 100%
Afghanistan, Algeria 99%
Pakistan, Turkey 97%

You know there were some nations that willingly adopted it, right?

 

[GoodbyeDave]

You know there were some nations that willingly adopted it, right?

Yes: Iceland, where the decision to convert was taken democratically. Otherwise, "voluntary conversion" means "the king and his followers converted and forced it on everyone else".

 

[Loverofknowledge]

I am Druze and one of the main reasons we do not GENERALLY allow converts is that the time to allow this has not yet come. Until that time comes, the faith has been kept secret. We believe knowing the truth and existing outside of that truth is a greater sin than to be ignorant of it in the first place. That is the reason our faith is not known at this time. A comment that the Jumbalatts were converted in more recent times is true. I am ignorant to the reason why though.
There are many misconceptions about the faith because of the inherent secrecy and lack of public knowledge. For example a misconception is how old our faith is. I will not get into the details but if you investigate, the believers of the shroud of Tarun was used to wrap the body of Jesus after his death. I am not claiming the shroud is THE shroud that wrapped the body of Jesus. I am claiming the blood analyzed was 2000 year old Druze blood. We are older than that but that alone will discount the current claim of how old the faith is.

 

[Ryan Mullins]

I am Druze and one of the main reasons we do not GENERALLY allow converts is that the time to allow this has not yet come. Until that time comes, the faith has been kept secret. We believe knowing the truth and existing outside of that truth is a greater sin than to be ignorant of it in the first place. That is the reason our faith is not known at this time. A comment that the Jumbalatts were converted in more recent times is true. I am ignorant to the reason why though.
There are many misconceptions about the faith because of the inherent secrecy and lack of public knowledge. For example a misconception is how old our faith is. I will not get into the details but if you investigate, the believers of the shroud of Tarun was used to wrap the body of Jesus after his death. I am not claiming the shroud is THE shroud that wrapped the body of Jesus. I am claiming the blood analyzed was 2000 year old Druze blood. We are older than that but that alone will discount the current claim of how old the faith is.

If you do not GENERALLY accept new converts, then under what conditions would you do so?

I was born into a Christian family and became so devoted to Christ that I experienced full immersion and temporary annihilation in the light during intense and passionate prayer. I now speak into my mental mirror and receive answers in response. I have spent the last decade voraciously seeking everything to do with Gnosticism and have considered joining a Sufi order, but ever since I learned of Druze, I could not shake the conviction that I am meant to become one of you.

There is no religion for me amongst the people I live with. It's just me and my higher self. But everything he says has been leading me closer to you.