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High profile Muslim convert quits Catholic Church
The Tablet ^ | 3/25/2013

Posted on 03/25/2013 9:08:05 AM PDT by Brian Kopp DPM

High profile Muslim convert quits Catholic Church

25 March 2013

Magdi Cristiano Allam, an Egyptian-born Muslim whom Pope Benedict publicly baptised at Easter five years ago in St Peter's Basilica has announced that he is leaving the Church because it has taken too soft a stand against Islam.

"My conversion to Catholicism, which came at the hands of Benedict XVI during the Easter Vigil on 22 March 2008, I now consider finished in combination with the end of his pontificate," Mr Allam wrote on Monday in the right-wing Milan daily, Il Giornale.

The 61-year-old journalist and right-wing politician has long been an Italian citizen. He said he had pondered his decision to leave the Church for some time. However, he affirmed that the "last straw" was the election of Pope Francis, which he said was proof that the Church is "troppo buonista" - excessively tolerant.

"The 'papolatry' that has inflamed the euphoria for Francis I and has quickly archived Benedict XVI was the last straw in an overall framework of uncertainty and doubts about the Church," he wrote.

"The thing that drove me away from the Church more than any other factor was religious relativism, in particular the legitimisation of Islam as a true religion," he said. Mr Allam said Islam was "an intrinsically violent ideology" that had to be courageously opposed as "incompatible with our civilisation and fundamental human rights". "I am more convinced than ever that Europe will end up being subjugated to Islam just like what happened beginning in the seventh century on the other side of the Mediterranean," he warned.

The journalist's baptism in St Peter's Basilica was a highly guarded secret until the day it occurred. Mr Allam said Archbishop Rino Fisichella, head of the Pontifical Council for the New Evangelisation, "personally accompanied" him to accept and be instructed in the Catholic faith. His godfather and confirmation sponsor was Maurizio Lupi, a high-ranking member of the Forza Italia party founded by former Italian prime minister, Silvio Berlusconi.


TOPICS: Catholic; Current Events; Islam; Religion & Culture
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To: Dr. Brian Kopp
It appears that Allam's primary concern is to be associated with a potent and effective vehicle for confronting Islam. That's not a great reason to become Catholic although it may be a praiseworthy temporal objective. The Church has confronted Islam at various points in history and may well do so again but we're here for one reason; the salvation of souls. It's the Church's job to light the road to salvation and to provide us with the spiritual means to walk that road. Those who join the Church for reasons not directly related to this project will eventually fall by the wayside, as it appears Allam has.

As those of us who've been tortured by 50 years of post-Vatican II lunacy can testify, one carries these crosses and perseveres, sure in the faith that the Church is the bride of Christ, despite the human vicissitudes which constantly beset it.

21 posted on 03/25/2013 10:04:33 AM PDT by marshmallow (.)
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To: Zionist Conspirator

Everything I’ve seen with Catholic dialoguing seems to be with the purpose of promoting mutual respect and ultimately leading people to see the truth of the Catholic Church.


22 posted on 03/25/2013 10:07:41 AM PDT by Free and Armed (Playing leap frog with a unicorn and compromising with liberals--both have a similar end result)
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To: Alex Murphy
March 25, 2013

Magdi Allam Leaves Catholic Church Over Its Dhimmitude

Andrew Bostom

EXCERPT:

In a profoundly symbolic gesture (hat tip Tundra Tabloids), which epitomizes the Catholic Church's abject dhimmitude, high-profile Muslim convert to Christianity Magdi Christiano Allam, has renounced his Catholicism because of what he terms the Church's weakness toward, and legitimation of, Islam.

Allam, who will remain a Christian, reiterated his belief that Islam is inherently violent, to both its own votaries, and non-Muslims, and criticized The Church for lacking "the vision and courage to denounce the incompatibility of Islam with our [Western] civilization and fundamental rights of the person."

When Benedict XVI himself oversaw Magdi Allam's public Easter 2008 conversion from Islam to Christianity, in St. Peter's Basilica, the intrepid Mr. Allam clearly enunciated Islam's defining bellicose intolerance, while extolling the Pope's moral courage...

23 posted on 03/25/2013 10:20:08 AM PDT by Brian Kopp DPM ("Miserando atque eligendo")
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To: Free and Armed
Everything I’ve seen with Catholic dialoguing seems to be with the purpose of promoting mutual respect and ultimately leading people to see the truth of the Catholic Church.

Lol! Are the Church's "dialogue partners" told that? Do the leaders of the Jewish Community in Rome know that the Pope "dialogues" with them in order to convert them to Catholicism? Then why are they participating? Do you think they would if the Catholic Church were honest about why it participates in "dialogue?" So since they are participating are they being misled or lied to by the "one true church?"

All the same, the only religion that has ever compromised in all these dialogues has been the Catholic Church itself, which incorporates almost every liberal criticism into an internal change of some sort (only the first eleven chapters of Genesis being "mythology" seems to be non-negotiable).

Exactly how do the idols of the Assisi prayer gatherings teach hindus and animists about "the truth of the Catholic Church?"

24 posted on 03/25/2013 10:26:16 AM PDT by Zionist Conspirator (Ki-hagoy vehamamlakhah 'asher lo'-ya`avdukh yove'du; vehagoyim charov yecheravu!)
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To: stuartcr
As long as the Church recognizes any religion other than itself, isn’t that relativism?

Not a all. The Church can recognize that other religions contain elements of Truth but are incomplete. Here is how C.S. Lewis sees it as explained in "Mere Christianity":

I have been asked to tell you what Christians believe, and I am going to begin by telling you one thing that Christians do not need to believe. If you are a Christian you do not have to believe that all the other religions are simply wrong all through. If you are an atheist you do have to believe that the main point in all the religions of the whole world is simply one huge mistake. If you are a Christian, you are free to think that all these religions, even the queerest ones, contain at least some hint of the truth.

25 posted on 03/25/2013 10:32:16 AM PDT by HerrBlucher (Praise to the Lord the Almighty the King of Creation)
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To: Zionist Conspirator

I can see that Catholic theology, scholarship, and practice is not your area of expertise, my friend. Remember that everything Christians do is for the purpose of bringing the truth to others, whether a Christian is engaged in direct apologetics or simply befriending and reaching out to those around them, that others may see the light and love of Christ in them.


26 posted on 03/25/2013 10:40:03 AM PDT by Free and Armed (Playing leap frog with a unicorn and compromising with liberals--both have a similar end result)
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To: marshmallow
Catholics “dialog's” with Islam, so far as I've noticed, seem to entail “Catholic” liberal academes accepting large sums of cash from Saudis for promoting “tolerance,” while ignoring islamist oppression and violence and dissing anybody who complains about it. I do hope Francis has a better idea.
27 posted on 03/25/2013 10:44:56 AM PDT by Missouri gal
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To: HerrBlucher

Aren’t those elements of truth what they are all relative to?


28 posted on 03/25/2013 10:54:02 AM PDT by stuartcr ("I have habits that are older than the people telling me they're bad for me.")
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To: Dr. Brian Kopp

Once again, another day, another topic to be discussed ONLY after the lying left first defines the terms of the debate.

Not everything is a religion. Certainly this 6th century sand monkey creation of pig sperm, Mo-ham-mud and his devil allah should never be in a debate about religion.

A debate about hate cults, death, destruction, pedophilia, beheadings, refusal to become civilized, sure. Those would be rational topics to debate Is-Slime.

Once we allow Is-slime the cloak of religion, then no rational debate can take place as the entire actions of these vermin defy rational thinking.


29 posted on 03/25/2013 10:57:02 AM PDT by Wurlitzer (Nothing says "ignorance" like Islam!)
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To: Zionist Conspirator

Also, I apologize if the first sentence in my last comment sounded condescending. Regarding theology and what you referred to in bringing up Genesis, I would recommend reading some Catholic apologetics on that, as that is not my area of expertise. I simply offer my opinion regarding how Christians ought to look at ecumenical dialogue. Take care.


30 posted on 03/25/2013 10:57:24 AM PDT by Free and Armed (Playing leap frog with a unicorn and compromising with liberals--both have a similar end result)
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To: stuartcr

We may have a misunderstanding on what relativism is. As I understand relativism, there is no absolute Truth and that each of us can have our own personal truth even though it conflicts with someone else’s idea of truth. For instance, one person may believe that Jesus was never bodily resurrected and another believe that he was. Under relativism they are they are both correct as per the concept of “my truth, your truth.”

The Church recognizes elements of ABSOLUTE Truth in other religions, such as Monotheism, the afterlife, etc.


31 posted on 03/25/2013 11:18:26 AM PDT by HerrBlucher (Praise to the Lord the Almighty the King of Creation)
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To: Zionist Conspirator
Before Vatican II, the sole purpose of inter-religious dialogue was Christian unity. Since Vatican II most ecumenism has been false ecumenism. And that's just fine with 99.9% of the Church's "dialogue partners."
32 posted on 03/25/2013 11:54:22 AM PDT by Brian Kopp DPM ("Miserando atque eligendo")
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To: HerrBlucher

ok


33 posted on 03/25/2013 12:48:07 PM PDT by stuartcr ("I have habits that are older than the people telling me they're bad for me.")
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To: Free and Armed
I can see that Catholic theology, scholarship, and practice is not your area of expertise, my friend. Remember that everything Christians do is for the purpose of bringing the truth to others, whether a Christian is engaged in direct apologetics or simply befriending and reaching out to those around them, that others may see the light and love of Christ in them.

Do the Catholics' "dialogue partners" understand this from the outset, or do they lie to them "for Chr*st?"

Or maybe it's the Catholic laypeople who are being lied to by super-liberal, super-ecumenical clergy and theologians?

34 posted on 03/25/2013 1:22:45 PM PDT by Zionist Conspirator (Ki-hagoy vehamamlakhah 'asher lo'-ya`avdukh yove'du; vehagoyim charov yecheravu!)
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To: Da Coyote

WITHIN 10 YEARS?!

Aren’t we at war with Islam right now? Who in hell are our troops fighting in Afghanistan and other places in the world since 2001?

Wake up America!


35 posted on 03/25/2013 1:23:14 PM PDT by 353FMG ( I do not indicate whether I am serious or sarcastic -- I respect FReepers too much.)
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To: Free and Armed
Regarding theology and what you referred to in bringing up Genesis, I would recommend reading some Catholic apologetics on that, as that is not my area of expertise.

We're way past having to do that, pal. I've been there and know from personal experience.

If Genesis 1-11 is "unscientific," then so are the numerous "miracles" that have been violating the laws of nature since that time. Plus there's the little matter of calling G-d a liar when He says something happened and the "one true Church" says it didn't.

36 posted on 03/25/2013 1:24:48 PM PDT by Zionist Conspirator (Ki-hagoy vehamamlakhah 'asher lo'-ya`avdukh yove'du; vehagoyim charov yecheravu!)
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To: Cicero

“....the Pope says what he really thinks about Islam, then they get killed at a higher rate than they already are.”

.
So how can the Pope have a dialog with muslims?


37 posted on 03/25/2013 1:26:02 PM PDT by 353FMG ( I do not indicate whether I am serious or sarcastic -- I respect FReepers too much.)
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To: Dr. Brian Kopp; Free and Armed
Before Vatican II, the sole purpose of inter-religious dialogue was Christian unity. Since Vatican II most ecumenism has been false ecumenism. And that's just fine with 99.9% of the Church's "dialogue partners."

You might ought to get back to your co-religionist Free and Armed on that. He seems a trifle confused.

38 posted on 03/25/2013 1:26:19 PM PDT by Zionist Conspirator (Ki-hagoy vehamamlakhah 'asher lo'-ya`avdukh yove'du; vehagoyim charov yecheravu!)
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To: Dr. Brian Kopp

We’ll see how many churches are built and maintained in Turkey, etc. during Francis’ papacy.


39 posted on 03/25/2013 2:13:28 PM PDT by OldNewYork (Biden '13. Impeach now.)
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To: Zionist Conspirator

Sounds like you are confused about how Catholic theology, as well as a chip on your shoulder. Good luck with everything.


40 posted on 03/25/2013 2:28:03 PM PDT by Free and Armed (Playing leap frog with a unicorn and compromising with liberals--both have a similar end result)
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