PB sure does a lousy job of communicating with the Muslims. And if they were keeping that quiet why did I know about it?
“The Vatican newspaper L’Osservatore Romano denied that the baptism had been played up, saying it was kept secret until just before the ceremony. It described the baptism as a papal “gesture” to stress “in a gentle and clear way, religious freedom.”"
Next, I presume, the Pope will be publicly celebrating people leaving the RCC to also stress religious freedom.

Read on another blog on B’net that Allam is married to a Catholic and wasn’t a practicing Muslim anyhow. So the fact that he decided to convert probably wasn’t too hard for him. However I think Benny 16 was flaunting it by doing it during Easter weekend, for the media. I saw it on one of the news broadcasts. Not a wise political move on Benny 16′s part. He claims to be trying to “make peace” with the Muslims, but the way he baptized Allam wasn’t exactly quietly. Wonder if anyone else was baptized? No one has said.
Way to go, Benny!

Pagansister, to answer your question yes 6 other individuals were baptized by the pope easter Sunday. Admittedly, being baptized by the pope is a bid deal yet I feel [that as the gentleman in question was non-practicing Muslim; spiritually joining his wife as a practicing Catholic] he gave his wife a most precious personal gift that should be between the two of them and not the whole world. No man even a true and practicing Muslim could do less than this to honor his wife in this way. Therefore if he was given the honor to be baptized by the Holy father himself this commitment was sanctioned by one even higher.
Blessings
ruapeach

Ah, moslems and christians, just a bunch of bean counters.

Thank goodness Catholicism is such an historically peaceful and nonviolent religion. Allam should feel right at home there. LOL

This is simply one more example of B16′s insensitivity. It also betrays his strategy of self-importance, as if this is something HE did himself. His ego must be incredibly fragile in order to require so much stroking and soothing. One the other hand, I know many many priests, nuns and lay workers in the Roman Catholic Church who actually DO the work and neither seek nor accept accolades or attention. It is to they that I look for inspiration and partnership in ecumenical ministry. I like that we are different and do not thrive on the moments when one group’s loss is another group’s gain.

PB said Allam’s baptism showed “freedom of religion”. It does. When a person takes a new religion, in place of one he no longer uses that is his choice and if the unused religion users are unhappy with that that is their problem if they want to make it one, and not as in this instance, Allams’, or Pope Benedicts. I agree with a former poster Easter was a perfect time to start anew with his Catholic wife and family in unity with God.

The notion of this baptism at Easter being intentionally inflammatory shows remarkable ignorance of these commenters’ world about them. Every diocese, every parish, every RCA sponsor makes a “run” on Easter baptisms. A catholic friend of mine was involved in four in his own church. Plus, put it together – why WOULDN’T a new Christian choose Easter as the time for “rebirth?” This is all so simple.

The mention of freedom of religion is valid in that, at least in theory I understand Muslims can be slated for death if they opt out. I don’t think that’s happening much in the western world but I wouldn’t bet it’s not happening in some Islamic countries.
I’m not expert enough to say such things are not also theoretically possible in Christianity or Judaism, and of course they happened under the RCC and likely some of its protestant offspring in the bad old days but we don’t hear about them happening now and I can hope they don’t.
Of course if some of the most fanatical religionists, who are uncomfortably close to high ranking Republicans, had their way it would no doubt start happening again at a tree near your neighborhood.

nnmns–
Let’s not forget the millions exterminated in the name of the great atheistical religions of Marxism-Leninism and Maoism.

Typically Muslim– someone leaves their religion and instead of examining his criticisms of their religion to see if he has any valid points, or just saying “Good riddance!” they whine and blame someone else of persecuting them, etc. When can we expect riots and attacks on Catholics to start?

Actually the practice as it was begun was to baptise on Pentecost. Because there were so many coverts (we are talking more than a millinea ago) they also baptised folks on Easter. Ever increasing numbers resulted in changes in the practice.
I have no issue with baptising anyone on Easter, or any other day. The concern is the scorekeeping attitude – one more for US, one less for THEM. It is this attitude that creates chasms between groups that would do much better if they were opening doors.

“…the great atheistical religions of Marxism-Leninism and Maoism.”
The keyword here is- “religions”. Yes, you are correct HistoryChick, commi’s were very religious: claimed economical & agricultural ‘miracles’, ‘heretic’ hunts of their own constituents, ‘eternal’ revolution, and absolutely no skepticism.
Thanks to the slow pace of science- christians, moslems and jews did not have machine guns, rpg’s, land mines, tanks, planes, missiles, barbed wire, bulldozers, etc., etc., etc. in the 4th to 18th centuries.

HC, unconscionable numbers of people died under those regimes but I’m not convinced it was because they didn’t believe in atheism; more likely because they were considered inconvenient for the economic system being imposed. But while we’re quoting horrors let’s not forget the Christianity-inspired Holocaust.
I did not intend to start the conversation along this well-worn path, just to point out Islam has such strictures and Christianity has denied freedom of religion in the past. And I don’t know what the situation is/was with Judaism but they’ve had few opportunities to exercise the kind of control the most rabid of them might want to.

I, for one, am getting tired of Muslims whining and moaning about being discriminated against and plumping for special treatment. Seems to me Islam is getting plenty of attention these days, and if it is predominantly negative, perhaps the reason lies in the behavior of Muslims, not others.

Thanks,ruapeach, for the information about the number of others baptized by the Pope.

In the absence of freedom, competition invariably arises to inhibit oppression. So why not show a little team spirit already? GO TEAM ISLAM!
As for me I choose to believe Good Friday more accurately commemorates the day of ascension than Ascension Thursday. Ain’t freedom grand?