Reasons Muslims Convert to Christianity A recent survey of 750 Christians who had converted from Islam revealed five common reasons why they choose to follow Christ. 1.   The lifestyle of Christians. Former Muslims cited the love that Christians exhibited in their relationships with non-Christians and their treatment of women as equals. 2.   The power of God in answered prayers and healing. According to the survey, experiences of God's supernatural work increased after their conversions. Often dreams about Jesus were reported. 3.   Dissatisfaction with the type of Islam they had experienced. Many expressed dissatisfaction with the Qur'an, emphasizing God's punishment over his love. Others cited Islamic militancy and the failure of Islamic law to transform society. 4.   The spiritual truth in the Bible. Muslims are generally taught that the Torah, Psalms, and the Gospels are from God, but that they became corrupted. These Christian converts said, however, that the truth of God found in Scripture became compelling for them and key to their understanding of God's character. 5.   Biblical teachings about the love of God. In the Qur'an, God's love is conditional; but God's love in the Bible for all people was especially eye-opening for Muslims. These converts were moved by the love expressed through the life and teachings of Jesus. (Source: Leadership Journal, Winter 2008, Vol. XXIX, No. 1, page 13) Addicts Are Aging In 2005, 184,400 Americans who were admitted to drug treatment programs (roughly 10% of the total) were over 50 years old, up from 143,000, (8%) in '01. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration foresees 4.4 million older substance abusers by 2020 vs. 1.7 million in '01. The numbers are "likely to swamp the current system," says agency executive Deborah Trunzo. (New York Times 3/7/08) Culture Shift--No Longer "15 Minutes of Fame" The Internet is setting a new standard for celebrity. Fame is no longer about getting "15 minutes"; it's about becoming famous to 15 people. The Internet allows the masses to wrest control of fame from traditional media, creating micro-celebrities with the click of a mouse, says David Weinberger of the Harvard Berkman Center for Internet and Society. Traditional celebrities live and die based on raw numbers: how many magazines mention them, how many television shows feature them, and how many people talk about them around the water cooler. Internet fame can be more intimate, Weinberger says, more of a personal connection between one and a few. Sometimes the content of a website becomes much more famous than the people behind it. Internet-circulated videos, photographs, catchphrases, or other concepts called memes are creating these cyber-celebrities.