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Home Page > Blogs > News blogs > Periscope > Liam Neeson has the full right to embrace Islam if he wants -- His wife's death has led to a search for life's meaning

Periscope by Niall O'Dowd

Liam Neeson has the full right to embrace Islam if he wants -- His wife's death has led to a search for life's meaning

Posted on Wednesday, January 25, 2012 at 10:07 PM

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Liam Neeson's public embrace of Islam has certainly landed him in the middle of a steaming controversy.

The Irish Hollywood star told the London Sun that he was considering adopting the religion because of his experiences in Istanbul while filming where he found the calls to prayer and beauty of its historic mosques very moving.

I know Liam Neeson somewhat as we serve on the American Irish Historical Society board together and we often meet in Irish circles in New York.

He is as normal as a Hollywood superstar could be, courteous and genuine to a fault.

But there is no question that life dealt him a savage blow in March 2009 when his wife Natasha died tragically after a minor ski accident in Canada.

I had last seen them together at the American Ireland Fund dinner in New York where they were such a striking handsome couple and clearly in love.
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The death left him devastated. I remember meeting him long after it had occurred and he still seemed deeply shocked by what had happened.

It is understandable that after such an awful occurrence, which left him a widower with two young kids, Liam Neeson would question life's certainties and the received wisdoms we all take for granted.

His interview with the Sun was also notable for his statement that he was constantly searching for proof of God's existence and seeking out the latest books on religion.

It is clear from his hectic work schedule that he threw himself into his work after his wife's tragic passing. Hardly a month goes by that we don't see him in some movie or other.

But at a deeper level clearly he is searching too which is what he was saying in the Sun interview.

If Islam and its tenets gives him some insight and comfort well then why not embrace it?

The religion gets a bad rap in the west -- there are tens of millions who practice a moderate form of it that is no more militant than Catholicism.

Lest we forget the mote in our own eye let's not forget the crusades where Muslims in massive numbers were put to the sword by invading Catholic armies.

Liam Neeson is still on a quest no doubt, so we should not be surprised when he reaches some different conclusions along the way.

Unless we have walked in his shoes and suffered the unbearable loss he did we are in no position to pass judgement on his choices.

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103 Comments

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RthrBHistCorr | Apr 24, 2013, 09:01 PM EDT

Once again we trot out the Crusades which occurred 9 Centuries ago to justify 21st century Islamic violence. By that logic we should still respect bleeding with leaches as an accepted medical practice

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civilrights65 | Apr 18, 2013, 04:56 PM EDT

My partner and I live in the United States. Please tell me which Muslim countries we may safely travel to as a gay couple. On the other hand we may be legally married in Catholic Spain and Catholic Argentina. The Church has very little influence to keep gays from safely traveling and have acceptance even in strongholds such as Poland and Italy.

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proudtobemuslim | Mar 11, 2013, 08:52 AM EDT

i just want to say to all those that think Islam is full of violence and hate you're completely wrong . Islam is a peace loving religion , you shouldn't judge this religion by what the media shows you. Find out what islam is truly about and you'll see the truth from the lies. If Liam Neeson decides to convert to Islam , may Allah help him in his quest to find the truth.

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snakehips | Feb 15, 2013, 11:53 AM EST

As an American of Irish descent, my nation and it's values allows for Freedom of Religion. Let's face it my Religious Heritage; Roman Catholicism, has been low on spirituality and high on scandal and dysfunction as of late. So, who can blame Neeson for a search of pure spirituality and ritual, especially in light of his recent tragedy?

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Sara123 | Oct 13, 2012, 12:47 PM EDT

"Islam on the other hand(Quran/hadith)teaches that all must be converted to Islam by any means. The Quran says: "Take no jew or Christian as friend..." "Slay the infidel..."(non Muslims)... Now the so-called millions of radicals follow the Quran." In reply to this I can truthfully tell you that this is not true, since I have read from the Quraan. Islam is a religion of peace. The Prophet even ordered to treat people of all religions with tenderness. PLEASE stop making up things.

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kaydog1 | May 22, 2012, 05:00 PM EDT

"Ken", "Esmerelda", "Bythebay" - if you are three separate people jumping on this old article in minutes of each other - love him all YOU want. He's an American actor now, playing to American audiences, actually taking roles where he pretends to fight terrorists (!) - ironic, eh? Each person I've spoken to about his 'conversion' has been shocked and mystified at such a thing - it's pretty much 100% negative reactions. I'm trying to spread the word, 'cause while I love him as an actor, I can't see him the same way NOW, knowing just WHAT he's chosen to embrace (see my earlier post). I'm not keeping his secrets, mate. Another ironic fact - if Liam now changes his mind and wants to leave "the religion of peace", he will be an apostate and the holy koran would call for his execution, and that's just FACT, not 'demonization" "KenEsmeraldaBythebay".

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Bythebay | May 21, 2012, 03:06 PM EDT

Liam Neeson's religion is no one's business except his own. Neeson is an American living in the US, born in Ballymena, Northern Ireland UK, went to the US over 20 years ago. Who cares what religion he wishes to join. Certainly makes no difference to Ireland.

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Bythebay | May 21, 2012, 02:57 PM EDT

Springfield9, the US killed more people than any other, civilians in Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Kosovo, Vietnam, Laos, Lebanon,Libya, Korea, Japan - where you murdered and scarred millions with your A bombs..... You're the killers.

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Bythebay | May 21, 2012, 12:16 PM EDT

Ken from Dublin, well said and thank you for sharing the perspective from Ireland. The blatant demonizing of Islam is unconscionable. What is also so horrific is the so-called self-proclaimed "Irish Americans" who preach their supposed persecution because of their Catholicism have no hesitation whatsoever doing it to those who practice Islam. Shame on them.

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kaydog1 | May 17, 2012, 07:13 PM EDT

'ESMERALDA', you should have opened your comment with the old Groucho Marx quote: "Who are you going to believe, me, or your own lying eyes?"

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Esmeralda | May 17, 2012, 10:49 AM EDT

Only narrowminded people think Islam is about terrorism and killing people.Maybe Liam Neeson's embracing Islam will teach many of Irish Central's readers and commentators a thing or two about open-mindeness. What the man does is his private choice anyway. Is this online newspaper a tabloid?

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Springfield9 | May 16, 2012, 01:52 PM EDT

LIam ...time to wake up. Islamist are killing more people than the old IRA,

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kaydog1 | May 16, 2012, 10:33 AM EDT

Which particular "beauty" draws Liam to islam, then? It seems that not a day goes by that one does not read of islamofascists plotting to blow up innocents, like the Times Square Bomber targeting children coming out of "The Lion King", merely because they were Western children, or episodically throwing sulfuric acid into the faces of Pakistani and Afghani schoolgirls, simply because they dared to attend a school - maybe this inspires Liam. Perhaps Liam was inspired by the mobs that rushed out to murder unarmed UN medical services personnel in Afghanistan after a pastor threatened to burn a Koran ten thousand miles away in Florida, or maybe it was watching islamists saw the head off the still-living Daniel Pearl - maybe this has inspired Liam. Of course, it's always possible that the idea of women being executed as adulterers for the "crime" of being the victim of gang rape, along with the iconic image of the terrified woman being half-buried in the ground in preparation for stoning in Iran - maybe this is the beautiful mystery that calls out to him. I could go on, but I wish him Wisdom. I hope he finds his peace there.

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PiperMac52 | Feb 07, 2012, 01:22 AM EST

The fact is that Catholicism is growing exponentially in Asia and Africa. It has lasted 2000 years (as Christ promised..."It will endure until the end of time"). the precepts of Catholicism, or Christianity in general has brought civilization to most of the free world. Christ says: The greatest of all commandments is love thy neighbor as thy self. Do not judge the religion by those who have perverted it. Islam on the other hand(Quran/hadith)teaches that all must be converted to Islam by any means. Force is acceptable, even encouraged. The Quran says: "Take no jew or Christian as friend..." "Slay the infidel..."(non Muslims)... Now the so-called millions of radicals follow the Quran. Those moderates do not. I suggest reading an English version of the Quran to be informed. Better yet just look at any Islamic state. There is NO freedom or democracy. Barbaric Sharia law is enforced, women are stoned, hands are cut off for stealing etc. Wake up people. You are being deceived by the great deceiver .

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abhainn | Feb 01, 2012, 08:06 AM EST

The fact that Islam, in the hands of most practitioners, is no worse than Catholicism is hardly a recommendation. Irish people in growing numbers have seen right through Catholicism, and no longer use it. Mass-going and vocations have crashed, in a well-established trend.

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