Interesting observation, Gilbert

Submitted by Archimedes2 (Canada), Jan 19, 2009 at 18:08

I don't doubt that conversions to Christianity play a role there under the surface, but I would conjecture that they are an exacerbating factor rather than a mitigating one. Not because Christians are prone to violence but because of the extreme reaction of Islamic communities when there are large numbers of conversions. These may be "secret" conversions, as you suggest, but if they are as widespread as you indicate then the phenomenon is certainly well-known to the religious muslim leaders in these areas, and their response will not be one of moderation; rather the opposite.

One way to judge the degree to which this factor plays out is to examine the frequency of violence against "murtads" or "apostates" in thos community. That would more-or-less tell the story. That is not to say that encouraging muslims in these areas to consider alternative ways to pursue their belief in God and living a righteous life (such as Christianity) is a bad idea; only that the fallout when this happens further illustrates the problematic nature of these enclaves. If there are large numbers of such conversions one must take into account the safety of those who have made the leap, and the surrounding society must be cognizant of the nature of the possible reactions of the community and be prepared to deal forthrightly with it.

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