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April 22, 2007

Italy: Muslims Beat Christian Convert

This is more of a story within a story. The Pope, Benedict XVi has been on a tour of Italy over the weekend. Today, he visited the burial place of St. Augustine (ex-Manichaean, formerly Bishop of Hippo in North Africa, the author of "City of God", "Confessions" etc) in Pavia, southwest of Milan. He said mass for 20,000 people in a field beside a river. Augustine had died in Algeria in the 5th century AD, and his remains had been brought to Pavia for reburial.

What concerns me is his visit yesterday to the "shoe-capital" of Italy, Vigenavo in the north of the country. He was given a gift of 15,000 pairs of shoes, with an extra pair of burgundy loafers for his own use. The other shoes, a gift from the city's shoemakers, were to be distributed among the poor.

According to Reuters, an incident occurred on Friday which was said to have marred his visit to this city near Milan. A Moroccan man, who had become a convert to Christianity, had been beaten up by Muslims, according to Italian media. The man's condition was serious enough to warrant hospital attention.

The Pope received a letter from representatives of the city's Muslim community, praising him. The letter stated that Muslims were committed to "a common path of understanding and reciprocal respect... We too participate in the joy and feasting of those who see in you an important and strong guide for their personal, social and religious lives."

That a former Muslim should be attacked by other Muslims for apostasy is hardly surprising. Italy last year gave refuge to a Christian convert from Afghanistan called Abdul Rahman (now Joel), after 500 clerics ordered that he should die for abandoning Islam.

Italy's Muslims share the same prejudices as other Muslims around the world. One of Islam's favorite prejudices is anti-semitism. On April 4, Italian news agency AKI reported that a Muslim candidate for the local council in the marble-producing city of Carrara, Tuscany, underwent abuse from other Muslims.

Saida Tazi, who is of Moroccan origin, was insulted for supporting Simone Caffaz who was running for the post of mayor, for the rightwing Forza Italia party. Mr Caffaz is Jewish.

Saida Tazi said: "I have been insulted by some Muslim fundamentalists because I support a Jewish candidate but I am proud of my choice because I am against fanaticism. am a practicing Muslim but I believe Caffaz is an excellent politician and for this reason I support him. I am unhappy about the way in which left-wing parties have administered this city in the past decades."

Posted by Giraldus Cambrensis at April 22, 2007 7:20 PM

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