F Schmidt:
If you are reading this, I assume that you are an atheist who recognizes that modern culture is a disaster and that Islam is a morally promising alternative. Your problem is that you cannot accept Muslim beliefs. I will address this problem.
First I will address atheism. Atheism means believing that there is no god. The problem with this is that most atheists don't have a coherent definition of god, and to take a position on the existence of something that you haven't properly defined is simply silly. The main attribute of god that atheists object to is that is god is supernatural. Yet pantheists define a god that is not supernatural. I believe that the Old Testament idea of God is not supernatural either. The definitions of "god" found in dictionaries reflects the Christian nature of our society, not the historical use of the concept of god. A more reasonable definition of god is a global force or set of forces that cannot be described scientifically. For example the forces that shape human history can be considered god if you believe that history is shaped by a consistent set of forces. Because people are unsatisfied with concepts that aren't described and explained, god has historically been described through personification and explained as supernatural. But these are not necessary attributes of god. The key point of the idea of god is that just because one cannot describe a force mathematically or explain the mechanism of the force doesn't mean that the force doesn't exist. Forces that cannot be described or explained (yet) are still real and must be respected. This is the concept of god. The concept of monotheism is that there is one consistent set of forces that applies across time and space. This consistent set of forces we call the one God. This concept makes science possible. It also makes it possible to study history to determine which moral systems worked. If you accept what I have written so far, then you are no longer an atheist. You can now honestly say that you believe in God, but that your view of God differs from the Muslim view. This is a big step forward, big enough to allow you to participate in a mosque without fundamental conflict.
The next step is to honestly consider Islam. It is only fair and reasonable for you to consider Islam with an open mind. You should attend mosque regularly. There will certainly be people there who will explain to you why they think you should accept Islam. Consider what they say. And read the Quran. As you gain understanding of Islam, it will become clear to you whether or not this is something that you can believe. If you can accept Islam, then you are done, no need to read more. But if you can't accept Islam, continue reading.
Even if you can't accept Islam, you should still support Islam because it is the only major moral force in the world today. As a believer in monotheism, you are still closely aligned with Islam. To fit in, avoid undermining the beliefs of Muslims with pointless debate. Instead, focus on areas where you agree. I also recommend that you do daily prayer at home. The purpose of prayer is not to benefit God, but to benefit yourself by reminding yourself of the importance of religion. I do one 4-repetition prayer in the Muslim form each day. Doing daily prayer will prevent you from feeling like a hypocrite in the mosque, and will make prayer in the mosque more natural.
If you find yourself in this position, as a non-Muslim attending mosque and supporting Islam, then I hope you participate in this forum. There aren't many of us and we can give each other advice.
But the main thing is to take the first 2 steps above. Reject atheism and start attending mosque. Do not be intimidated by Islam, and don't settle for being part of degenerate modern culture.
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