I, for one, can honestly say that The Qur'an changed my life.
Picture the scene.

It's 1993, and, as we've discussed before, a young Devil In Tights is still scurrying hither and thither trying to gain acceptance from his peers.

He's had the right haircut (but, curse his stupid straight hair and his double crown, it just won't part in the centre like everyone else’s - no matter how much effort/Silvikrin is put in to it), has finally pestered his Mum in to allowing him an Umbro jumper - heck, he even wears white socks instead of the requisite grey.

His journey from class geek to something-approaching cool has been a bumpy one thus far. Only that morning he got a detention for hitting Andrew Frame in Geography (his protestations of "he hit me first, sir!" going entirely unnoticed). But, slowly and surely, he has progressed from the front row to that most holiest of grails:

The back row.

It's RE now. A soft touch. Mrs. Davies is a loser, we'll be OK. I'm sat next to Steve - the guy all the girls want. That means I, by association, might get his cast-offs.

And that's OK because, y'know, I'm not much to look at.

Mrs. Davies enters the room. She says that today we're learning about Islam. She shows a copy of The Qur'an. She tells the class some of its history, what it means to Muslims, how they live their lives by it. She talks, at some point, about the Shi'ites (using, of course, the English adjective describing Shia Islam).

It was at this point that The Qur'an changed my life.

Because I laughed. Not a so-quick-she-couldn't-hear-it giggle. Not even a snigger. A full-on, hearty, belly-laugh. A guffaw, if you will. Think Brian Blessed, but without the subtlety. Shi'ite! Sounds a bit like SHIT, doesn't it? That's HILARIOUS!

In an instant, I found myself in the Headmaster's office. Thenceforth, I was excluded from Religious Education, and so was allowed to do Drama instead. This gave me a form of escape, some release. I began concentrating, found the fun in learning again. Eventually, in the fullness of time, I realised that I could be so much more than I was setting myself up to be, and I studied. I passed my GCSE's, and took myself away to college. I met like-minded people, and passed my course with a distinction. I took a year out, and then went to Uni. Where I flourished and three years later was awarded a BA (Hons) in Theatre (Acting). I had various rubbish jobs, but now I've got a job I love, I'm getting married next year, and one day I hope to have little Devils of my own.

And all because of The Qur'an.

(I hope none of this caused offence to Muslim people! Please let me know if I've been wildly rude!)
( Devil_In_Tights the *real* DiT!, Fri 16 May 2008, 16:01, 8 replies)

Behead the Devil in tights!

( Bert Monkeysex is waiting for the mods to delete him, Fri 16 May 2008, 16:03, closed)

I am Danish...
Does that help? ;P
( Devil_In_Tights the *real* DiT!, Fri 16 May 2008, 16:07, closed)

*proclaims jihad on DIT*
*bums his embassy*

Allah akbar!
( Bert Monkeysex is waiting for the mods to delete him, Fri 16 May 2008, 16:10, closed)

Awe, Bert...
I didn't know you cared!

*looks away coyly*
( Devil_In_Tights the *real* DiT!, Fri 16 May 2008, 16:23, closed)

It's not that I care, DIT,
I'm just not very fussy.
( Bert Monkeysex is waiting for the mods to delete him, Fri 16 May 2008, 16:26, closed)

@Bert
I read that as "bums his embassy".

Guess you'd better jihad me too...
(The Empress it seems you CAN polish a turd!, Fri 16 May 2008, 16:30, closed)

@Bob
It does say 'bums embassy'! I did it deliberately, because burns and bums look so similar in this font anyway.
( Bert Monkeysex is waiting for the mods to delete him, Fri 16 May 2008, 16:36, closed)

refuge
I wonder if Salmon Rushdy would be willing to share his hiding place?
(andythepieman Is surfing the waves of indifference on, Fri 16 May 2008, 22:58, closed)