Still Zionist but no longer Muslim: Magdi Allam

Pope Benedict XVI has decided to baptise a former Muslim, Magdi Allam, in an über-publicised ceremony on Easter, a few days ago. A move criticised by various voices, including Muslim scholars engaged in high-level interfaith dialogue, such as Aref Ali Nayed (interviewed here, in Islamica Magazine).

The Vatican’s lame response was that “the gesture aimed to promote religious freedom”.

Pffffffffwhahahahaha!! Bullshit!!

I think this gesture goes beyond simple provocation. Pope Benedict is indeed quite anti-Muslim, but he was making here a big, big statement - amusingly enough the best explanation I can find is on a conservative evangelist blog, “Per Christum”. A statement to Muslims, to Christians, to Evangelists as well as to their targets. Smart move, Pope.

Of course we have to see who the convert in question is, and why his conversion is so noisy.

So the bloke was born and raised in Egypt, moved to Italy in 1972, and is a journalist - currently deputy editor of the Corriere Della Sera - known to be staunchly anti-Muslim, pro-Zionist, etc. The man wrote a number of (sometimes quite inflammatory) books, including his autobiography in 2007, strangely titled “Long live Israel” (Viva Israele) in which he wrote that "Israel - along with Pope Benedict XVI - represents the residual hope for Western civilization, which, more than other civilizations, embodies the sacredness of life and personal freedom." Yep, he’s that extremist. Quite an interesting case of Ayaan-Hirsi-Ali-ism, with a little less brain.

In 2006 he received the Dan David prize from Tel Aviv Uni, for “his ceaseless work in fostering understanding and tolerance between cultures”. I guess insulting one culture and pledging allegiance to another is the TAU definition for ‘understanding and tolerance’?

For him, “Europe is already a bastion of Islamic extremism. (...)This bastion exists thanks to a widespread network of mosques, Koran schools, financial bodies and charitable institutions linked to the Muslim Brotherhood”. And he sees that moderates voices aren’t heard “Because they're afraid. They're a minority and they're afraid.”

I personally think the guy is a fart and that we shouldn’t give him any attention at all. I almost feel sorry for him, since his conversion - which, I am sure, came from belief at least as much as politics, if not more (and I honestly wish him happiness with his new faith) - was instrumentalised by the Vatican to send a message.

And as a matter of fact, I’m glad he converted - that would stop the ludicrous vouching of his opinions as a critic of Islam as an ‘insider’, and would prevent newspapers from sensationalist titles like “Muslim, Italian and Zionist” as Haaretz did.

I wish he’d renounce his Egyptian citizenship, if he hasn’t done yet, because I frankly don’t even want to have that in common with him.