why Islam?

3pm prayer
Originally uploaded by parisdelhi

a friend's question: what was it in Islam that made you join IF you weren't born into it??
my response: Indeed I was not born into Islam. I was born into Unitarian Universalism, a religion whose defining belief, as I understand it, is that "the only legitimate authority on religious matters is the individual." This religious heritage left me with a lot of freedom, which would make one ask why I would practice such a strict religion as Islam but the reason is that I believe that there is a golden logic behind good spiritual practices and that one can find that golden logic through a book or through trial and error. In fact I think that many of Islam's practices follow that golden logic and could be adopted by a man living by himself in the forest never having seen the Coran because there is a logic behind good spiritual practices that the quiet and attentive mind can discover by itself. To answer the question then, I chose to practice Islam because of the regular praying habits, i find praying at least 3 times a day, as the nomads do here combining the 1 and 3 pm and 6 and 7 pm prayers, is essential to developing healthy mental habits and I believe that healthy mental habits are the basis for an intentional and rational existence and I believe that an intentional and rational existence is key to allowing what is in your heart and mind to healthfully enter into the world in a controlled way that allows what is in your heart and mind to become a constructive force and not a destructive force (as comes with uncontrolled emotions). This is the primary reason that I have chosen to practice Islam: the ability of a regular prayer schedule to create healthy mental habits key to leading a good existence.
my response cont'd in a later discussion:
I must say, that I have attempted to surrender my heart and mind to the truth and I must say that I am above all attached to the truth and I see that Islam can guide well toward the truth, but above all, above any given religion I am attached to the truth.