"Said was terrified of his father, who under no circumstances wanted a Christian for a son." Sounds as if his father was a misunderstander of Islam! After all, everyone knows that there is no death penalty or any other penalty for apostasy in Islam! Isn't that right, Dr. Bassiouni? Mr. Kruse? Ms. Heagney?
"Italy: Moroccan would-be convert 'hangs himself,'" from AKI, December 3 (thanks to C. Cantoni):
Civitavecchia, 3 Dec. (AKI) - Prosecutors are probing the death of a 22-year-old Moroccan immigrant who wanted to convert from Islam to Catholicism. Said Bouidra was found hanged in the central Italian port city of Civitavecchia outside Rome late Wednesday.Bouidra's family was reported to have bitterly opposed his decision to convert to Catholicism and to had threatened and beaten him.
Earlier on Wednesday he had tried to drown himself in the sea but had been saved by Italian paramilitary 'Carabinieri' police and port officials, news reports said.
Prosecutors will investigate why he was allowed to discharge himself from a local psychiatric hospital where he was admitted after he tried to drown himself.
They will also look at claims by Bouidra's friends that he had told them members of his family had threatened and savagely beaten him over his planned conversion.
"Said was terrified of his father, who under no circumstances wanted a Christian for a son," said Civitavecchia's local councillor for social services, Chiara Guidoni.
"To get away from the pressure he was facing, he had talked about going to France to join the Foreign Legion," she added.
Bouidra was popular figure in Civitavecchia and was known to members of the city council as he had volunteered for Italy's civil protection agency.
He assisted victims of the devastating 6 April earthquake in the central Abruzzo region.
"He came to the town hall on Monday to ask for help," opposition councillor Vittorio Petrelli was cited as saying.
Last month Bouidra scaled a lighting post at the nearby coastal town of Santa Marinella's football stadium and threatened to throw himself off, the local TeleCivitavecchia TV station reported.
"After all, everyone knows that there is no death penalty or any other penalty for apostasy in Islam!"
True, Robert! ...and there is no love or freedom of religion in Islam, either.
"Said was terrified of his father, who under no circumstances wanted a Christian for a son."
I mean, what kind of a father tells his son that? ...and he's probably glad that his son is dead. What a vile thing to say to your own son.
Is there still a French Foreign Legion?
Bouidra was popular figure in Civitavecchia and was known to members of the city council as he had volunteered for Italy's civil protection agency.
He assisted victims of the devastating 6 April earthquake in the central Abruzzo region.
.......................
Said Bouidra sounds as though he would have made a good European citizen—patriotic and concerned about his fellow Italians.
Not so his father, who would have killed his son for becoming a Christian—likely in ways more brutal than that which Said used to take his own life.
I hope we don't find more cases like this in the West—but, sadly, I would hardly be surprised if we do. The West has to do more to protect those at threat from Islam.
Rest in peace, Said Bouidra.
This is an excellent example why we should be upset at Christian leaders-Roman Catholic, Anglican, Orthodox, protestant, et al. Right now in the West, there are millions of Muslims who are ripe for evangelizing. These Muslims are no longer 'protected' behind the walls of Sharia law in their Muslim lands and live in places where Christians can openly attempt to convert them. Some of these Muslims can see the fundamental flaws within Islam and want something better and its not the souless socialist secularism promoted by liberals. Some Muslims would convert, some wouldn't. It wouldn't eliminate the problems with Muslims or Islam, however, it would lessen the tensions between Muslims and non-Muslims and maybe, just maybe give Europe and the West time to get its house in order.
It's an amazing opportunity that Christian leaders are squandering away.
God bless you Mr. Bouidra and may you rest in peace.
Note, I posted before editing and I should have stated one comment this way, 'however, it would lessen the demographic 'time bomb' between Muslims and non-Muslims and maybe, just maybe give Europe and the West time to get its house in order.' Sorry for any confusion.
I don't know why this reminds me of a Richard Thompson song title - "Did she jump or was she pushed?".
Poor man. I would have thought that the Italians he had helped (like the civitavecchia counsilor quoted)might have found a way to help.Perhaps they have not noticed the invasion underway in Italy,seeking to turn Italy into something resembling my home town,London.Or the pakistani father and son recently arrested for financing the 9-11 attacks in their country. Italy awake!! I promise to pray for young Said though. Perhaps,I hope, his story will help to improve everyone's understanding of this malignant problem.
Are the parents citizens? If not, deport them. And then work on legislation that will make threatening anyone physically, in any way, for leaving a faith, for whatever reason, will be a crime punishable by a long prison sentence or, at the discretion of the judge (since we can't keep paying for Muslims in prison), forfeiture of property and, in the case of those whose ties to Italy do not go back more than a generation, deportation. This is the only way to modify behavior of Muslims in the Western midst, or if it is not to be modified, to rid the country of those who commit these crimes, and to take back the property that many of them accumulate while being beneficiaries of the many generous benefits that Western welfare states, funded by Infidel taxpayers, have created.
My thoughts exactly.
Another slightly weirdly appropriate song title is another by Richard Thompson: Dad's gonna kill me' about a soldier serving in Iraq (Dad being short for Baghdad)
JamesTheFin,
My usual recommendation for Islam is derisive laughter but I want to concur with you. Only, I think it is we "in-the-street" Christian citizens who need to be doing everything we can to encourage and support people leaving Islam for Christianity. The good news is that Muslims are leaving Islam for Christ Jesus by the hundreds, every day. But to me, that's not fast enough. I think we need to ADVERTISE, loud and long in terms that Muslims can understand. AND I think we need to create agencies for support and communications tools for encouragement and information (1-800-BEA-KAFIR). And, I think you're right! Thanks for bringing this forward.
Like you, I'm inclined to suspect Foul Play.
I hope the Italian authorities will investigate the exact circumstances of the death with all due diligence. (I wonder whether there has been an autopsy? I understand Islam doesn't like such things).
From the sound of it, this young man was under intolerable stress; it is striking that even at age 22 he was so frightened of his father (and, I would guess, of all the other Sharia Enforcers in the wider Muslim 'community'). At the same time, he seems to have sincerely shown an intention of charity and civility.
One would hope that even if he cannot receive a Christian burial, his Catholic friends among the good citizens of Civitavecchia may be able to organise some kind of memorial.
tanstaafl and dumbledoresarmy,
I just got up from a nap, and maybe that's why my brain is so slow. I pondered this article for about ten minutes, wondering at the weakness of a grown man, and about his not having a whole bunch of new friends to support him, while he was on the "outs" with Daddy.
Of course he was murdered. It's the only thing that makes sense, as he was going to join the Catholic church, which frowns upon suicide. Said Bouidra would have known that.
Said's father undoubtedly knew it, too, and killed his son in such a way as to deny his burial in consecrated ground.
The latter part sounds so Islamic, to me...
Islam....the religion that makes you want to die...one way or the other...
Yes, there is still a French Foreign Legion and it is an excellent organization. You can find several You Tube videos that explain the modern French Foreign Legion, requirements to join, and how to apply.
Actually, Abscedere, Tanstaafl, and Dumbledore's Army—on further consideration, I believe you are correct. The poor man was most likely murdered for contemplating leaving Islam.
Talk about a martyr! This guy qualifies!
May you rest in peace, Jesus loves you.
I think that the Italians, like many others
still don't realize that they're being
invaded.
Hopefully, the cross banning, the Swiss vote
and now this news story will begin to wake
some of them up.
A few hours ago, I read a rant on YouTube from
a Muslim living in Georgia, USA who "Hates White
People" because he claims that the local zoning
board turned down a request to build a mosque.
I don't know if the guy is telling the truth.
It would be interesting to find out.
so very sad:( may he rest in peace!
sorry i hit submit to quick. What video was that on? I live in Georgia and I would like to know what kinda crazies we got around here.
For Said Bouidra
Four chants from Taize.
- Lord remember me, when you come into your kingdom
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HoX8EYgnO4c&feature=related
- Bless the Lord, O my soul/ who leads me into light.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OGEjKV6eDxY&feature=related
- Nada te turbe (nothing will trouble you).
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=go1-BoDD7CI&feature=related
And since this poor young man will not receive a Christian burial, I am sure the late much-beloved and loving Brother Roger of Taize will not mind if something from his (Brother Roger's) farewell is invoked for Said.
-Behuete mich, Gott (protect me, O God)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y9fxDgd2lXs&feature=related
This last clip is one beautiful vision of that community, the community of the coinherence - not the formless mindless blob of the Ummah suffused with rage and fear and hate, but instead an endless open conversation of love - to which Said longed to be joined, and for desiring which, he was - most probably - murdered.
Oh by the way, I mailed my Christmas card to Rifqa Bary today. I my be tired and cold but I have a warm feeling inside. Don't miss your chance to do your duty and get a warm fuzzy feeling even if it only lasts untill the next horror story.