and there it is...
Posted on 03/23/2008 11:25:41 AM PDT by Free ThinkerNY
Muslim Converted By Pope Says Life In More Danger
March 23, 2008
By Philip Pullella
VATICAN CITY (Reuters) - An outspoken Muslim author and critic of Islamic fundamentalism who converted to Christianity at the hands of Pope Benedict said on Sunday he realized he was in greater danger but he has no regrets. ADVERTISEMENT
"I realize what I am going up against but I will confront my fate with my head high, with my back straight and the interior strength of one who is certain about his faith," said Magdi Allam.
In a surprise move on Saturday night, the pope baptized the 55-year-old, Egyptian-born Allam at an Easter eve service in St Peter's Basilica that was broadcast around the world.
The conversion of Allam to Christianity -- he took the name "Christian" for his baptism -- was kept secret until the Vatican disclosed it in a statement less than an hour before it began.
Writing in Sunday's edition of the leading Corriere della Sera, the newspaper of which he is a deputy director, Allam said: "... the root of evil is innate in an Islam that is physiologically violent and historically conflictual."
Allam, who is a strong supporter of Israel and who an Israeli newspaper once called a "Muslim Zionist," has lived under police protection following threats against him, particularly after he criticized Iran's position on Israel.
His conversion, which he called "the happiest day of my life," came just two days after al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden accused the pope of being part of a "new crusade" against Islam.
(Excerpt) Read more at news.yahoo.com ...
So, are you suggesting it should all be “hush/hush” lest we make these muslims mad? I, for one, am not willing to surrender to these murder-crazed moon god worshippers in that way. I respect and honor the courage of both the Pope and the new convert. And I hope (no doubt, in vain) that the West will finally wake up and realize that islam itself must be destroyed and stop dancing around with this “it’s just the extremists” nonsense.
To make fundamentally different world views obvious and undeniable?
Spot on!
Agreed. Throughout history, the confrontation between mohammedans and Christians (historically, Catholic and Orthodox), where Christians stood firm in their beliefs and fought, violently, to route the mohammedans, we’ve mostly succeeded. The only thing they understand is brute force, and we better be ready to use it, either on the battlefields of the Middle East or in the streets of the West. There is no other way, in the end. It has been shown over and over again during the past 1,400 years. If we believe in Christ, and fight to keep a Christian West in place, we will win. If we believe in anything but Christ, then I’m no longer convinced. We can not show fear to these barbaric thugs at any level, regardless of what our political and elite classes profess (notice I said political, not religious, however the Head of the Anglican Church performed a tremendous blunder recently). People need to more fully understand the history of this relationship and it sure as hell ain’t being taught in the public schools in the West. Make sure your children understand what Islam was, is and always be; a totalitarian system of combined religious and political tyranny with no tolerance for others, except slavery or death. Nothing has changed.
How odd an observation, the article I read said the conversion was kept quiet right up until one hour before the public ceremony.
As for me, I believe in freedom of speech anyway, and that includes any Church which desires to announce a conversion. The good that will come from announcing this muslim's conversion to Christianity on Easter Sunday is rather obvious to most Christians, namely, that even those poor souls who have been utterly corrupted by the bloody dictates of Islam have hope for salvation through Christ.
I guess the Pope forgot to discuss the issue with you before the ceremony. Next time I'm sure he'll give you call and ask for your opinion first, / sarcasm.
and there it is...
Well, this man is a prominent journalist in Italy. Part of our Catholic tradition is to welcome adult converts during Easter (or Palm Sunday) Masses. This one just also happened to involve the Pope. It’s the islamic world that has problems with it and their problems shouldn’t change our traditions. This decision was made to do it in the usual way in spite of the risk of reprisal.
Speaking only for myself, I want islam mocked, defied and crushed out of existence.
I hope the current Pope will be to Islam what the previous Pope was to communism.
So, maybe if you’re really, really nice to them, they’ll agree to kill you last.
Muslims riot in streets; FATWA issued! Film at 11.
Someone’s got to prove that Dhimmitude doesn’t work everywhere. How appropriate, how beautiful that it gets nowhere in the Vatican. Very proud today of both parties.
One side of me agrees absolutely, but the other side says the enemy can be beaten without (specific) violence. The USSR fell without a shot. Brains, courage, prayer—and probably not in that order.
Yes, he seems to be willing to meet Islam head-on. Might be the only world leader I see doing that. Underneath his quiet, academic exterior is a courageous Church-Militant soldier.
Battle of Lepanto was fought by the Pope and some few who understood that Islam was on the move into Europe. Many leaders were caught up in local skirmishes, many more were afraid of a direct confrontation, but a few realized exactly what was going on and faced it head-on.
Perhaps this is human nature.
An act on the long path to knock the extreme muslims and thier silent supporters out of the 7th Century. The religion is in need of reformation, away from murdering.
Ah, TCats ... the past 100 generations of people mindful of the Judeo-Christian ethic is what has created this place where it is no longer an "athletic contest."
Realty TV aside, a state of war as in physical "athletic" war is a state of much of the globe's population, and as it happens, those are areas that have not found or followed the Judeo-Christian ethic that is the founding of Western civilization. It's taken for granted by ... a whole lotta people, probably because the Judeo-Christian ethic doesn't kill you or tax you or punish you if you don't profess yourself a submissive Christian. You don't have to believe, you just have to adopt the ethic. Do unto others, etc. The teachings of Christ, the very wise Old Testament. It works. People do pretty well, living in freedom and carrying on with free will, creating prosperity and advancement. It's a pretty good model for human behavior, and it guided the men who wrote the Constitution.
This is a Judeo-Christian nation. It respects human dignity and free will and rejects slavery and marrying 9-year-old-girls and such. I'd say converts were pretty important. And I remember at all times that what sets us apart is that we're Judeo-Christian because it works. Islam would have us submit. There is a war, it is religious, and we should all be ready to grab our religious warrior gear.
My single post on this thread doesn't indicate otherwise does it? If so, it is a gross misunderstanding.
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