http://www.labelmaker2600.com/
Posted on 08/12/2007 9:55:01 AM PDT by george76
An Egyptian Muslim who converted to Christianity has gone into hiding, facing death threats after he launched an attempt to get official recognition of his change of religion, an unprecedented step in this conservative Islamic nation.
An Islamist cleric has vowed to seek Mohammed Hegazy's execution as an apostate, his family has shunned him, and Hegazy raised a storm of controversy when pictures of him posing for journalists with a poster of the Virgin Mary were published in the newspapers.
Hegazy said he received death threats ... he lives with his wife, who is also a convert from Islam and is four months pregnant. He would not say where the apartment was located.
"I know there are fatwas (religious edicts) to shed my blood, but I will not give up ...
The issue of conversion is an inflammatory one in Egypt, which is majority Muslim but has a large Christian community estimated at about 10 percent of the 76 million population...
"I started readings and comparative studies in religions," he said. "I found that I am not consistent with Islam teachings. The major issue for me was love. Islam wasn't promoting love as Christianity did."
After his conversion was discovered, police detained him for three days and tortured him, he said. He was harassed several more times... though he was finally released without charge.
Last year, he was finally baptized at a Coptic Orthodox Church, he said. Soon after, he married his wife, a Muslim named Um Hashim Kamel who had converted several years earlier, taking the name Katarina. She too had been ostracized by her family.
(Excerpt) Read more at iht.com ...
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After his conversion was discovered, police detained him for three days and tortured himReligion of Peace Police
Just remember we give Egypt a couple of BILLION dollars a year in aid; and they owe us billions more (most of which from time to time we ‘forgive’, meaning they don’t have to pay it back).
I think we ought to be able to express our disapproval of the persecution of the religion of a good number of our taxpayers, WHO JUST MIGHT DECIDE TO SEND THEIR MONEY ELSEWHERE if this doesn’t stop.
The poor Copts have really taken it on the chin since the Islamic Brotherhood came to power... not that things were all coming up roses before that, either, but...
The Islamic Brotherhood is an underground group. They are repressed by Mubarak. The kidnapping, rape, and forcible conversion of Coptic Christian women is SOP in Egypt. Freedom of conscience and religious toleration are not Islamic values.
I doubt it, as much as it would be good. We can’t even get people to stop shopping at Chinamart.
I’m sure that’s not what the headline writer meant — no one (other than a tiny minority of militant Muslims) has views that are that twisted.
The headline is confusing
I agree. The poor convert isn’t responsble for the death threats nor is his conversion. The responsbility for the threats lies with those who are making them and we all know who that is.
Yes, I agree we shouldn’t be giving money or even doing business with a country that persecutes people of ANY religion. No more Egyptian-made towels and other goods. Hit them in the pocket-book.
“Gomaa’s comments were sharply criticized by Muslim conservatives, who said he was opening the door for Muslims to leave their faith.”
So what’s wrong with someone leaving a particular faith if they come to realize they don’t like it? People are wanting to leave the Muslim faith because they’re starting to see the light that it’s not all about love- as in loving even those who hate you- as Christianity teaches.
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