Choosing Religion

But These Are Written ^ | FRIDAY, MARCH 28, 2008 | Carrie from But These Are Written

[Ottofire]

Choosing Religion

Muslim converts to Catholicism:

The Muslim-born journalist baptized by Pope Benedict XVI at the Easter Vigil said he wanted a public conversion to convince other former Muslims not to be afraid of practicing their new Christian faith.

Why did he convert?

“While he moved definitively away from Islam five years ago, Allam said it was Pope Benedict's teaching that convinced him to become a Catholic.

’He has said the basis for accepting a religion as true is how it accepts the basic rights of the person, the sacredness of life, freedom, choice (and) equality between men and women," Allam said.’”

Well, I guess if you are just looking for “religion”, that’s a reasonable method for choosing.

Posted by Carrie

[Ottofire]

’He has said the basis for accepting a religion as true is how it accepts the basic rights of the person, the sacredness of life, freedom, choice (and) equality between men and women," Allam said.’

So the only difference between Catholicism and Islam to this new convert is window dressing civil rights issues? What about a re-birth into Christ? What about picking up your cross? What about repentance and salvation?

If this is the basis for choosing a religion for this man, he is unfortunately a false convert and he better get the Gospel told to him.

[Iscool]

He could just as well have converted to Republicanism...It’d be a little safer and he could sleep in on Sundays...

[joebuck]

"He has said the basis for accepting a religion as true is how it accepts the basic rights of the person, the sacredness of life, freedom, choice (and) equality between men and women," Allam said."

Creating God in his own image.

[Gumdrop]

I would not put too much interpretation of his motives for becoming a Christian based on a few words printed in a news article. The news media is bored with anything about faith, and about Christianity specifically. I suspect that the man was really stating that he saw in Christians a good example of equality and respect for all people. He was impressed by this. We should never underestimate the good accomplished by the witness of good Christians; nor the bad outcomes from sinful living done by supposed Christians.

From everything we see and hear about Pope Benedict XVI, I am certain that this new convert from Islam was well catechized, and fully understands the implication of conversion, the belief in Jesus as the Son of God, Lord and Savior. He would have to accept the Holy Trinity, et al..

[CTrent1564]

I agree with your statement. There is a great article with detailed accounts of Magdi Allam’s conversion story posted at the Asiatimes (www.atimes.com) front page article from 26 March, 2008. One quote from that article will suffice:

“The miracle of the Resurrection of Christ has reverberated through my soul, liberating if from the darkness of a tendency where hate and intorance in before the “other”, condemning it uncritically as an “enemy”, and ascending to love and respect for one’s “neighbor”, who is always and in any case a person; thus my mind has been released from the obscurantism of an idelogy which legitimizes lying and dissumulation, the violent death that leads to homicide and suicide, blind submission to tyranny—permitting me to adhere to the authentic religion of truth, of life, and freedom. Upon my first Easter as a Christian I have not only discovered Jesus, but I have discovered for the first time the ture and only God, which is the God of Faith and the God of Reason”

Now, does anyone think that the secularlist left-wing media is going to quote a statement like that. Furthermore, it seems both Pope John Paul II’s encyclical “Faith and Reason”, which is a philosophical encyclical, and Pope Benedict’s Regensberg lecture, a serious Theological lecture, both influenced Mr. Magdi Allam.

God bless Mr. Allam and God Bless Pope Benedict

[NYer]

’He has said the basis for accepting a religion as true is how it accepts the basic rights of the person, the sacredness of life, freedom, choice (and) equality between men and women," Allam said.’

So the only difference between Catholicism and Islam to this new convert is window dressing civil rights issues? What about a re-birth into Christ? What about picking up your cross? What about repentance and salvation?

Nothing like skewing the facts. Rather than quote from some obscure religion forum, let's review the actual words used by Magdi Christiano Allam.

Providence introduced me to practicing Catholics of good will who, by virtue of their witness and their friendship, gradually became a point of reference on the level of their certainty of the truth and solidity of values. First there are my many friends of Communion and Liberation, chief among them Fr. Juliàn Carròn; ordinary religious like Fr. Gabriele Mangiarotti, Sister Maria Gloria Riva, Fr. Carlo Maurizi, and Fr. Yohannis Lahzi Gaid; the rediscovery of the Salesians thanks to Fr. Angelo Tengattini and Fr. Maurizio Verlezza, culminating in a renewed friendship with rector major Fr. Pascual Chavez Villanueva; to the embrace of other prelates of great humanity like cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, the bishops Luigi Negri, Giancarlo Vecerrica, Gino Romanazzi, and, above all, Rino Fisichella, who personally accompanied me in my spiritual journey of accepting the Christian faith.

But undoubtedly the most extraordinary and meaningful encounter in my decision to convert was with pope Benedict XVI, whom I admired and defended as a Muslim for his mastery in presenting the indissoluble bond between faith and reason as the foundation of authentic religion and of humane civilization, and to whom I adhere completely as a Christian in order to be inspired with new light in the fulfillment of the mission that God has reserved for me.

Ahhh ... there it is ... he heard and responded to the voice of Peter's successor.

The Story of a Convert from Islam – Baptized by the Pope at St. Peter's

[NYer]

Ping!

[ELS]

There is a great article with detailed accounts of Magdi Allam’s conversion story

Magdi Allam Recounts His Path to Conversion

[annalex]

Thanks.

[RobbyS]

Now, does anyone think that the secularlist left-wing media is going to quote a statement like that.

No. he is going to reduce it to what is meaningful to him, which is the pale image of God's law which is "the rights of man."