Posted on 03/24/2008 10:16:51 AM PDT by NYer
ITALIAN editor and critic of Islamic extremism Magdi Allam, who converted to Catholicism from Islam and was baptised by Pope Benedict XVI, today branded his former faith as intrinsically violent.
"I had to do this (abandon Islam)", Allam wrote in a long letter to the Italian daily Corriere della Sera.
"Beyond ... the phenomenon of extremists and Islamist terrorism at the global level, the root of evil is inherent to a physiologically violent and historically conflictual Islam," wrote the Egyptian-born journalist, who says he has received death threats and is under police protection.
One of seven adults baptised during an Easter vigil yesterday evening, Allam, 55, is an editorial writer and deputy editor at Corriere.
Regarding a combative tone that has made him famous in Italy, Allam wrote: "Over the years my spirit has been freed from the obscurantism of an ideology that legitimises lies and deception, violent death that leads to homicide and suicide, blind submission to tyranny."
He described Catholicism as "an authentic religion of Truth, Life and Freedom".
By baptising Allam in the public ceremony, the Pope "sent an explicit and revolutionary message to a church that until now has been too cautious in the conversion of Muslims ... because of the fear of being unable to protect the converted who are condemned to death for apostasy," Allam said.
"Thousands of people in Italy have converted to Islam and practise their faith serenely," he wrote.
"But there are also thousands of Muslims who have converted to Christianity who are forced to hide their new faith out of fear of being killed by Islamist terrorists."
Allam adopted the Christian name of Cristiano (Christian), not a common name in Italy.
(Excerpt) Read more at news.com.au ...
“This is just silly and incorrect. If it werent for the translations of St.Jerome and the authority of the Catholic Church, the Protestants and non-denominationals wouldnt have had a basis from which to alter the Bible they now read daily.”
There were copies of the New Testament Books coming out of Antioch of Syria (the Acts 13 Antioch) and the Byzantine region soon after the Apostles’ work, that were never under the clutches of anything you might believe was Catholicism. These texts, copied by common but able believers, went principally in a northwest direction and on up into Europe.
Yeah, yeah, I know that the RCC teaches that all churches were at one time Catholic, and the beginning of the Catholic Church was Matthew 16:18, and all that jazz. None of that is either historically or biblically correct.
It’ very easy to find the Reformers kind remarks about other Catholics, becuse they were Catholic. Just as Calvin thoughtAugustine was the cat’s pajamas.
My point is that he who casts the first stone should not be surprised when stones get cast back at him. Let the muslims forswear world conquest and let them embrace peace and then there will be peace. Nothing we do will ever bring about peace with them unless we surrender to them.
“If you didn’t find the Gospel of Christ in Christ’s Church, well, I don’t know what to say.”
I came to learn that the Gospel is right in the Bible. And when I trusted the finished work of Christ as all sufficient for the salvation of my soul, and Christ put me into His Church. I am in Christ’s Church (1 Corinthians 12:12,13; Ephesians 1:17-23; etc.)
Then you defame millions of Catholics.
> Then you defame millions of Catholics.
Mate, I am convinced that he is being offensive on purpose, for reasons known only to him. Possibly for attention, possibly because there are no cartoons for him to watch, and just possibly to be obnoxious: like the teenage brat who thinks it’s fun to gobble down a large tin of baked beans and fart loudly in a crowded elevator, all day.
If the latter — and I suspect it is that — nothing less than a cork jammed in a strategic place will make him stop.
Whatever you do, don’t light-up, or he stands the risk of becoming The Human Bottle Rocket — then he’ll get lots of attention indeed, which is the other thing he probably craves.
That would be fun for a while — until he upsets enough people to get Zotted. Which raises another possible explanation: perhaps he is a Troll.
One way or another he is proving himself to be a tiresome bore and I don’t intend reading his Catholic-bashing drivel anymore.
In life there is nothing so droll as one whose sole ambition is to strive to be a Bore.
It may be free speech but it offends even me. And I ain’t even a Catholic. So I am going to exercise my right to ignore anything further from him, and rejoice in the good news that was otherwise communicated in by this thread.
I think those who belong to Christ are recognized by this, that they give you the hand of fellowship and try to live by the Commandments, including the one most violated in these forums --- the one about not bearing false witness against a neighbor.
I'll ping you over from time to time when I want the pleasure of hearing from a fair-minded man.
And concerning some of our bottle-rocket brethren--- well, see my tagline.
ok
I am simply putting out a challenge to Catholics themselves. Whereas over my 52 years, many people, I’m sure concerned about my soul (for which I have been grateful) have handed me a piece of literature, and/or deliberately approached me hoping to present the Gospel of Jesus Christ to me, not one has been a member of the Roman Catholic Church.
If a Roman Catholic adherent, therefore, uses the phrase, “Gospel of Jesus Christ,” I am curious about the definition a Roman Catholic might give me.
Why would a Roman Catholic ever be upset about a non-Catholic insisting on some precise definition. Can any Roman Catholic define the “Gospel of Jesus Christ” to me in, say, half a page?
(JL) “Yes, that was the conclusion I came to, Catholics dont know what to say about the Gospel of Jesus Christ. “
(Pyro7480) “Then you defame millions of Catholics.”
If a non-Catholic does not want to join the RCC or observe the RCC’s regimen of sacraments, does official Roman Catholic dogma allow that such a one may still be received by the Father of Jesus Christ, through Christ?
If one can not see how bread can literally become flesh by some pronouncement of a priest, and wine become blood, and so will not accept that doctrine, can such a one still be saved and enjoy God and His Heaven?
Does the Roman Catholic Church, in its official dogma, insist that salvation of the soul is through the Roman Catholic Church (or some element therein/thereof)?
I am interested to know REALLY, HONESTLY, the official position and see it stated. I am not interested in recent soft remarks made recently to me suggesting (I believe in error) that the “Church can recognize the ‘sacraments’ of other churches, etc.” In error, Unless the statement was was made in reference to some special dispensation the Vatican has made with regard to, say, the Coptics, the Eastern Orthodox Catholics, and other such.
I still believe that nothing in Roman Catholic dogma has changed in essence since Trent. I still believe, from all I can find to read, that the Roman Catholic Church still must officially deny that no-one who does not recognize a supreme authority for the RCC can not be saved, and are actually still accursed in the OFFICIAL eyes of the RCC.
And I don't believe I am exaggerating at all.
“Hippocleides cares not!”
> But now dont risk giving the impression that the (snip!)
LA LA LA
LA LA LA
LA LA LA
LA LA LA
(Hippocleides is not Catholic. Hippocleides cannot hear you. And Hippocleides still cares not!)
Thankyou for your kind words!
> I think those who belong to Christ are recognized by this, that they give you the hand of fellowship and try to live by the Commandments, including the one most violated in these forums -— the one about not bearing false witness against a neighbor.
I agree with you on that. I don’t understand why some folk go out of their way either to insult or convert other folk on the FRee Republic to their way of religion. It’s spooky and it’s rude.
This was a great thread until it got hijacked.
> I’ll ping you over from time to time when I want the pleasure of hearing from a fair-minded man.
(grin!) Thanks, I will look forward to that!
> And concerning some of our bottle-rocket brethren-— well, see my tagline.
(big grin!)
> Can any Roman Catholic define the Gospel of Jesus Christ to me in, say, half a page?
Hippocleides cares not! For as we ALL know, the Gospel is “the Good News of the Name of God and the Kingdom of our Lord Jesus Christ”, and you will hear plenty of both in any Catholic church. Why waste half a page on mindless debate, when there are even more verses to the “I Don’t Care” Ode yet to be sung?
CHORUS:
LA LA LA
LA LA LA
LA LA LA
LA AL LA
WE DON’T CARE
TELL YA MATE
WHY DON’T YOU EE-
-VAP-POR-RATE
‘COS WE DON’T CARE
CHORUS
WE DON’T CARE
IT’S A SIN
COUNTING ANGELS
ON A PIN
WE JUST DON’T CARE
CHORUS
WE CAN GO ON
ALL NITE LONG
WITH THIS NEVER
ENDING SONG
I JUST DON’T CARE
CHORUS
HYPPOCLEIDES
NESTOR’S SON
WILL SING UNTIL
THE SETTING SUN
WITH VERSE TO SPARE
CHORUS
THRU THE NITE
THRU THE DAY
I’LL SING ‘TIL
YOU GO AWAY
I DON’T CARE
CHORUS...
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