http://www.sundaytimes.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,7034,17822298%255E2761,00.html
With defined rules for life and a strong sense of community, Islam is attracting many Perth converts.
Axel Cremer used to turn heads when he’d roar up to prayer time at the Rivervale mosque on his Harley-Davidson motorcycle.
try{if(command.toLowerCase()==”ebinteraction”)gEbStdBanners[0].handleInteraction();}catch(e){}“When I first turned up, I freaked them out,” the 50-year-old reticulation company director said. “They’d see someone in black leather flying down the road, who stopped, then all of a sudden took all the leather off and walked into the mosque in Islamic clothing. Now they know me and miss me when they don’t hear the bike.” Mr Cremer, whose Muslim name is Mohammed, is one of hundreds of West Australians who have converted to Islam in recent years, despite the stigma surrounding the religion that has grown since the 9/11 terror attacks. Local converts say they number about 200, among about 20,000 Muslims in WA from more than 70 countries in the Middle East, Africa, Asia and eastern Europe. Nationwide, numbers increased about 40per cent between 1996 and 2001, according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, mainly because of migration. Converts say that in Islam they have found clearer answers to questions of spirituality than in Christianity, a stronger sense of community and rules to live by. “There are guidelines for everything. It shows you how to do the right thing, to be nice to people,” said Mr Cremer, a former Catholic. “The Bible does this as well, but it has been translated too much, it has been tampered with too much. “And one major difference with Islam is there is no hierarchy above me, no priests, no bishops, no Vatican. “Imams (holy men) lead you in prayer. But beyond that it’s just you and Allah. You’re talking directly to God, that simplifies things.” Mr Cremer was also attracted to rules such as Muslims donating a percentage of their annual income to the poor. The fact that Islam was a lifestyle rather than a weekend event was appealing too, because it advocated morality in all areas, including politics and work, where he believed morality was sorely needed. The southern suburbs father of four, who migrated to Australia from Germany 22 years ago, said his Indonesian wife triggered his “reversion” in Jakarta seven years ago. Muslims believe people revert, not convert, because they say everyone is born Muslim. But Mr Cremer said he became enthusiastic about Islam while researching the religion before his marriage