Why is so much news attention given to people who convert to Islam? I dont really see articles of people converting to Judaism, Buddhism, Christianity or any other religion except Islam. Perhaps the stories are there and I dont come across them, I dont know.
But why is there so much interest when someone converts to Islam? Some of the stories, they way they are written, seem apologetic. And the media outlets that report these things are often in “the West”. Is there a fascination of Islam, or what? Thanks.
Religious conversion to other faiths can still attract a lot of attention. I remember that there was a lot of media attention focused on Tony Blair when it was suspected that he might convert from Church of England to Roman Catholic.
Also, when celebrities become born-again Christians, it tends to attract attention too.
Conversions for intellectual reasons, by educated folks is the one which is usually publicized. We don't hear too many stories about a girl converting to Islam to allow her to marry her lover or hordes of lower-caste people converting to christianity to get rid of the title of "untouchables".
The reason they are publicized may vary. Some are publicized to present an intellectual argument on why Islamic faith is based on truth. Others depict a high-profile person converting, while some others are converted just to reassure the muslim ummah that their faith is being shared by more and more people every day.
^ That's probably because there's a good dose of it about, can't think why though...maybe ask some Sikh petrol station attendants I here they're philosophical sages on such matters, the ones left alive are anyway.