Forgot about this thread sorry guys
Thanks to EVERYONE who answered, especially you
Muslimah nice to hear from the horses's mouth as it were and it seems as though you are our only resident muslim on this forum - thank you for being here.
The reason I asked the question in the first place was because not only was I trying to understand - I didn't want to be ignorant and talk about something I wasn't sure of - I also like to imagine myself in a worse case scenario.
Like if I find myself alone and lost in the middle of a desert, up to my neck in the middle of an ocean with only a raft of wood to keep my afloat, on top of the highest mountain where I'm shivering to death - you get the picture - would I still be able to call on God without me first having to have some thing like a band of beads, necklace, some oranment, the correct attire, worry about did I fast did I pray right? You see?
Now I've spoken to some hindus in the past and the converstion always ended up that if those things happend I would be able to call out to God, (I think it's Brahm sp? - could be wrong), which is suppose to be if you like the 'main' God.
But I was always left puzzled as to why if you can call out to him like that why would anyone want all the painted statues they have in the first place?
Same with mulsims - I think I'd be worrying all the time if I had prayed right, if I've the time and the inclination to learn arabic and so on.
Now if as you say there are no barriers to God, why then the praying five times a day at certain times in a certain way? You say it IS mandatory well that sounds like a barrier to me espcically with my scenarios ...