Jihadi Du Jour: Challenges of Christian Converts From Islam

Answering Pope Benedict's call for Muslim/Christian dialogue? Lets get some things straight...

ROME - Converts from Islam to Christianity pose a challenge for governments to ensure freedom of religion -- and their witness is also a challenge to the Church itself.

So says Giorgio Paolucci, editor in chief of the Italian Catholic newspaper Avvenire. He has written a book with Lebanese journalist Camille Eid, Avvenire's Mideast correspondent, entitled "I Cristiani Venuti dall'Islam" (Christian Converts from Islam), which gathers the testimonies of Muslims residing in Italy who have converted to Christianity.

"The book seeks to bring to light an iceberg," says Paolucci. "Whereas Westerners who convert to Islam are very well known -- they go on television, are invited by the most popular programs, are presidents of the most famous Muslim associations and have no problems of visibility -- we have sought out people who, by the very nature of their experience, have problems in making known what they have experienced, though they are very happy with what has occurred."

From an interview with the author

Q: What are the conclusions you have drawn from [your] research?

Paolucci: The book throws out three challenges: It challenges Islam to recognize religious freedom; it challenges the civil authorities to guarantee that freedom; and it challenges us, "lukewarm" Christians, to rekindle love of Jesus.

As is written in Article 18 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, approved in 1948, the right to religious freedom is the foundation of every civil society. It is legitimate that the Muslim communities present in our country request protection of their religious rights but, precisely because of this, they must recognize the same right to those who freely wish to convert to another religion.

From this point of view, the Italian civil authorities must guarantee the right and practice of religious freedom. It is not right that a convert from Islam must live clandestinely, go to a church that is 30 kilometers from his home because he is afraid that the Muslim community will punish him.

The third to be challenged is the Church, because those converts are part of the new springtime of Christianity, in a country in which Catholicism has often become an embellishment. During the research, [co-author] Camille Eid and I were impressed by the freshness and courage of these converts from Islam, who said to us: "You do not realize the great treasure you have -- Jesus Christ has revolutionized our life."

Please read the source article for some great conversion stories and more details on the book.

We can only hope and/or pray that Muslims will be willing to at least accept if not to meet these challenges.

***UPDATED*** How's this for a dialogue icebreaker: Cleric: Criticizing Islam threatens peace.

Labels: Christianity vs Islam, Italy, Pope Benedict XVI, religious choices, Turkey