美国部分白人女性皈依伊斯兰教评析

An Analysis on the Conversion of White American Women to Islam

进入21世纪,美国白人女性改宗皈依伊斯兰教的人数呈不断上升趋势,其原因有基于对基督教和伊斯兰教的主观理解,有基于对美国妇女权益保护问题与《古兰经》女性权益思想的比较,有基于对伊斯兰教苏菲派在美国灵活传教和实践方式的认可,以及认为可从伊斯兰教中寻得某种心理慰藉。美国各界对改宗现象看法不一,接受者认为这是个人选择自由,而批评者则认为这是一种对文化乃至种族的背叛。笔者认为,改宗反映了部分白人女性对美国一些所谓的主流价值观的不满,如忽视女性自然特性的男女绝对平等观等。但是,改宗并不能解决人们面临的众多现实问题,按照马克思主义对宗教功能的评价,改宗不过是在寻求一种新的精神麻醉替代品而已。美国白人女性改宗背后的社会文化问题,值得人们进一步思考。

Since the beginning of the 21st century, the number of white American women converting to Islam has been on a constant rise. The reasons for their conversion are based on： （ 1 ） subjective understanding of Christianity and Islam ; （2） making a comparison between the protection of women＇ s rights and interests in the United States and the ideas of women＇ s rights and interests expressed in the Quran ; （3） accepting the flexible religious practices of the Sufis in the United States; and （4） believing that they could seek some kind of psychological comfort from Islam. Within the American society, views on religious conversion vary. Those accepting conversion believe this is a freedom of personal choice, while those opposing it hold such an act as a cultural or even racial betrayal. The author deems that conversion reflects dissatisfaction of some white women with the so-called ＂mainstream＂ values in the U. S. , such as the view of absolute equality between men and women that i^nores the natural characteristics of women. However, conversion does not solve many of the realistic problems people face. According to a Marxist evaluation with regard to the function of religion, conversion is simply a way to seek a new alternative to mental anesthesia. Behind the conversion of white women, the social and cultural problems in the United States deserve our further reflection.