Religion Converting In My Country

My boyfriend is a Muslim and all this years I never agreed to marriage is due to this country's rule on his religion. In Australia, when my friend denounce Islam it's ok. (he's original a Muslim) When he told me I was so surprise because I have never heard such thing as a Muslim change religion in my country. That was many years ago and I was younger but by then my boyfriend and I were already together.

In my personal view, the main reason I don't want to get marry is because I don't want to be convert to Islam. Why should I when I have no faith in the religion. I'm a Christian and in this country only Islam is compulsary to be of same religion (Islam) before one married. In Christian, it's not encourage but it's not compulsary to be converted to a Christian if you're a Buddist. Furthermore, there are so many unclear area in Islam that I fear the religion as a convert. I respect the religion's method of teaching on simple way of life but it ends there. Maybe if I was in Australia, I don't mind convert as I know I have a choice but here, I don't.

I read in the news where a convert who didn't practise the religion anymore have problem when they pass away or when it concerning their will. These 2 things are very important to me and it makes me have less confident in converting. Now, my mind is there's no way I'm going to convert. Recently, our Bar Council held a forum on this issue. For a person like me, this is a good platform for people like me to find answers. Most of us are unclear what will happen to us if thing turn sour. As you know, marriage in this age and time is so different than our grandparents and parents time. It's just a paper. Divorce rate is getting higher each year. I don't have the figure but I have more and more friends who are either single mom or divorced. Mind you, these are all educated people with strong mind and personalities.

However, the forum was being critiscise by Muslim quarters and government. I understand is a sensitive issues but isn't it about time we take things out from under the carpet in 2008? We are no longer in 1954 or 1969. Or is it our mentality hasn't grow according to time? There are so many grey area that I don't know and I have the rights to understand it before I make a decision. But how can I make the right decision if I don't know the pros and cons? I know people will tell me marriage is for lifetime but what if it doesn't? As an educated person, I prefer to know all my options. I believe the forum started as a way to help whose who are in the situation. Yes, it is very sensitive but how about those who are affected? Don't they deserve an answer or assistance? Yet, when the forum was on, Muslim were protest outside to stop it. I personally feel this is very selfish. Those who protest are not convert. Have you see any convert protest? It's time to be more open minded or we will be left behind like some of the countries is middle east. If forum is too big of an issue, there should be a neutral department where people like me can go and seek advice. It should have experts from 3 main religions where I can ask questions and seek answers. What I want is when I go to a meeting room, there will be an expert in christian and Muslim together with me in a room and discuss about my path and future, the pros and cons and what I can do if things didn't go well. Can my children follow me? Last I heard in 2000, children must follow Muslim family. That means my children can't follow me? People like me have a lot of questions but no way to find the answer. No point asking my boyfriend because he can'e give me answers.