In Australia on Sunday there was a report on the ABC that there is much disquiet in Morocco over what some Islamic leaders are calling it the new Christian crusade – the campaign by hundreds of western evangelicals to convert Morocco's Muslim population to Christianity.
Morocco is officially 99 per cent Muslim, and the Government has strict penalties for those convicted of trying to shake people's faith.
Those Moroccan Muslims who do convert to Christianity face ostracism and even jail.
The ABC’s Middle East Correspondent Mark Willacy compiled this report in the cities of Rabat and Casablanca.
MARK WILLACY: It's a drizzly Sunday morning in Rabat, but inside Jean Luc Blanc's church the congregation is radiant. But there's something missing. Singing out from the pews the faces are all black – Christians from sub-Saharan Africa passing through Morocco on their way to Europe. Among them there is not a single Moroccan.
Protestant Pastor Protestant, JEAN LUC BLANC says : Well, because all Moroccans are Muslims, or a few of them are Jews. They're not allowed to go to church.
MARK WILLACY: Jean Luc Blanc is well aware of Morocco's strict laws preventing Muslims converting to Christianity. And he knows that if a Moroccan was to attend his Sunday service it would lead to trouble.
JEAN LUC BLANC: There is no religious freedom in Morocco. That's a fact. The Moroccan individual is not allowed to change from one community to the other one. Well, it's a kind of apartheid in a way, religious apartheid.
MARK WILLACY: Despite the law and the threat of prison some Moroccans have changed faiths.
YOUNES: I was reading my Bible, I find peace. I've never regretted that I choose this way.
MARK WILLACY: 29-year old Younes converted to Christianity along with his parents.
He says the punishment for abandoning Islam isn't confined to the law.
YOUNES: I know one guy, he came into my home at four o'clock in the morning, knocking on my door. When I opened the door to him, he said my father threw my clothes outside the house and he told me never come back. Another guy I know, also, he was, his father, he swear to not eat with him, talk to him, until he quit the house. I think this is what's painful for the people to change. It's mainly the pressure from the families.
MARK WILLACY: Morocco is proud of its Islamic faith. Along Casablanca's Cornish towers the Hassan II Mosque, its minaret soaring more than 200 metres into the sky. The Vatican's Saint Peter's Basilica could fit inside the mosque's central prayer hall. Here Islam doesn't just impose itself on the skyline, but also on the national psyche.
Morocco’s Secretary of State. ABBAS EL FASSI: Islam gives freedom to other religions to practice. But we do not accept other religions coming here to try to convert Muslims.
MARK WILLACY: Some Muslim Imams have openly called for Moroccans who accept Christianity to be killed. Convert Younes says he's already been warned that he must re-embrace Islam.
YOUNES: Some guys with the beard, they came to me, they tried to convince me and tell me you need to go back to Islam.
MARK WILLACY: There is a real fear here that the evangelicals will only serve to unleash a wave of Islamic extremism – a backlash against Western outsiders seeking to convert the faithful.
Morocco’s Secretary of State. ABBAS EL FASSI: This is not a question of evangelicals or Islamic extremists. Put simply, having evangelism in a Muslim country is against Islam, because the Christians target the weak and vulnerable.
MARK WILLACY: Even Christian pastors like Jean Luc Blanc fear that evangelical crusaders could provoke a reaction from guardians of the Muslim faith.
JEAN LUC BLANC: Well I am a bit afraid of really the consequence of that kind of action in Morocco, because I am afraid that Moroccan authorities… well just Islamists can react in a bad way because of that.
MARK WILLACY: For now an uneasy calm exists between Morocco's Muslim guardians and the new Christian crusaders. But the future of this calm rests on just how successful the evangelical campaign of conversion manages to be.
Note from our editor:
Here is a list of other stories on evangelical work in Morocco;
Teaching English or Evangelising?
German Evangelist Flees
Evangelists Target Morocco
Smuggling Bibles
New Christian Crusade in Morocco
Tags: Morocco, Fès, Crusade, Religion
11 comments:
Salam Hujaina,
I read El Glaoui's post with interest. It worries me that Christian evangalist should come to Morocco and try and convert Moslems. Especially at this time in world politics, I feel it is a provocative act and while I respect their right to talk about their religion, I think they should not break the laws of Morocco. Morocco is an Islamic country and will never be anything else. I would not allow a Christian Crusade in Morocco.
You don't want to give christians their rights in muslim countries but you want muslims to have their right given in christian countries? Fundamentalism of no matter what kind is dangerous and wrong. And christians talking about their religion is not a crusade. But it sounds like you are the one on a crusade. You sound like you are afraid of them? They have a right to their religion just like you have a right to your religion.
Don't you agree?
Salam Kalila,
I absolutely agree with you. Freedon of speech, freedom of religion, freedom of association are basic human rights. I disagree with the christian fundamentalist evangalism however.
I also said fundamentalism of any kind is wrong. But who is deciding what is fundamentalist? You see the American government calling every muslim a fundamentalist. We scorn them when they do that. Arent you doing the same now with the christians? People must be very careful not to put labels on others or to generalise. People that speak out for their faith are not always fundamentalist. It doesnt matter what faith.
Hi every body
Well I'll try to put my pont of view.
At these days, i think those things happening are relly not a problem. moslim convertin to christianity or even to judaism and vise versa. It's the 21 century (I guess so ;-) )
it alla depends on the faith of every one. You know the absolute freedom to do what u want ? that's what It must be. So we can know really who is the true muslim and those just livin a "moslim" life.
Les défits sont enormes. et pour les relever il faut enlever les mask et laisser chacun dire ce k il a ds la tete. Islam is facing a very big danger and it must relly ONLY ON THOSE WHO ARE REALLY READY TO DEFEND IT. No need to see people chaging the side in the middle of the big war.
If Mr Younes is not in need of ISLAM, than ISLAM is not in need of him nor need if any one else who is not worrying about it.
Peace
Thank you for your posts. It is an intrusting discussion as to what is "fundamentalism". I must say I do find the Christian right evangelical movement to be a concern not just in Morocco but in any country.
Right on! It was the religeous right in America who pushed for the war(crusade) against Iraq. And they are every bit as dangerous as any other fundamentalists
Keep on Blogging.
Kalilia I agree. When I talk of problems with christians it does mean fundamentalists. Salam.
And thank you for the link it is very welcome!
Hi all,
My name is Amine i'am a muslim ,i do support freedome of religion ,also i support freedom of missionary work but its got to be in a designated areas like churches,senagogs,mosques,there are millions of people converting to islam in the west in the passed few years ,thanks to the missionary services and thanks to the tolerant british government ,I think the muslim community has its basic human right so we like to see our christian brothers to have there basic human right in morocco.
Hi. I believe that a culture of tolerance is one where people have the right to access information about all religions, convert to any religion and then share (in an attitude of love and respect)their religion with others when invited to do so. People then have a genuine freedom to hear the different views out there and make a choice. As a Christian I would be happy with that level of scrutiny and individual choice without any need for legislation to prevent Christians hearing about other religions in order to prevent them from choosing to convert. I am sure that those of other faiths would have equal confidence to not to have to legislate to protect their religion ?
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