Hamas Leader's Son Converts to Christianity, Moves to California

First it was the Palestinian President practically blaming Hamas for the violence in Gaza. Then an Iranian newspaper had to be shut down, because it 'accidentally' said the same thing. Now, the son of a Hamas founder says that Hamas isn't nice: and he's converted to Christianity.

Islamic Terrorism: Unintended Consequences?

Mosab Hassan Yousef is the son of a founding member of Hamas. He was raised 'right,' and believed that violence was okay, if it was against Israel.

Then he served a stretch in an Israeli prison, and had a chance to talk with senior Hamas members. He didn't like what he learned. For one thing, Hamas leaders torturing Palestinians didn't quite seem right.

Yousef converted to Christianity: and stopped supporting Hamas. He's living in California now, having left faith, family, and homeland behind.

Yousef doesn't seem to be a gung-ho supporter of Israel. He said, " 'It's not about Israel, it's not about Hamas: it's about both ideologies.' "

I hope that he's being careful about staying alive, considering what happened to Theo Van Gogh, and almost happened to the publisher of "The Jewel of Medina."

Yousef seems unconcerned. He noted that his ideas and opinions are out now, and can't be killed. As for what happens to him, he said, "they can kill my body, but they can't kill my soul."

Yousef: The Son Who Learned Too Much

We'll never know what would have become of Mosab Hassan Yousef, if he hadn't had an opportunity to learn about Hamas on his own. As it is, he ran into one of biggest threats that an extreme, narrow, belief system faces: information. Yousef learned that Hamas tortured its own members: and apparently had learned that this wasn't a good thing to do.

If more people get exposed to facts, as Mosab Hassan Yousef did, and start thinking, terrorist organizations of all sorts may find it hard to find competent supporters.

"Mosab Hassan Yousef Leaves Islam"

YouTube (August 16, 2008)
video 2:33

Related posts:

• "Iranian Newspaper Calls Hamas Terrorists, Gets Banned"
  (December 31, 2008)
• "Palestinian Leader Condemns Hamas: That's Something You Don't Hear Every Day"
  (December 28, 2008)
• "Why I Call "Knights in Support of the Invasion" Islamic"
  (December 20, 2008)

In the news:

• "Son of Hamas Leader Gives Glimpse Into Terror Organization"
  FOXNews (January 2, 2008)
• "Son of Hamas leader speaks out"
  FOXNews (August 11, 2008)
  video 2:50

---

Excerpts:

"...Yousef, son of Sheikh Hassan Yousef, one of the most influential leaders of the militant group, said the organization betrays the Palestinian cause and tortures its own members...."

"...Yousef, 30, said he realized the true nature of Hamas and radical Islam during a stint in an Israeli prison. He renounced his Muslim faith, left his family behind in Ramallah and converted to Christianity.

" 'Islam is not the word of God,' said Yousef. 'If you want to be offended it's your problem. But you know something? Go study. Think for a second that I might be right. So wake up, look at your path, see where you're going. Are you really going to heaven with 72 virgins after you kill yourself and kill another 20 people?/..."

Related posts, on Islam, Christianity, Religion, Culture and the War on Terror.

---

Update (January 4, 2009)

Thanks for the Micro-Review and Link!

Another blog (The Unreligious Right) included this post in today's "Hot 5 Daily".

Since one micro-review sometimes deserves another, The Unreligious Right is "The opinions of a highly opinionated right-wing atheist" - according to the blog's header.

Read the blogger's profile, though, and you find that "...Most on the left will consider me a right-winger. Many on the right see me as a RINO¹, or a moderate....If you just want to spout a bunch of talking points, and think anyone who doesn't share your assumptions is insane or evil, please go elsewhere."

I probably wouldn't agree entirely with the blogger's assumptions about the nature of reality and humanity's place in it, since he describes himself as an athiest. I'm a devout Catholic (if you think you know what those people are like, you might find this blog interesting - A Catholic Citizen in America Following Catholic beliefs and practices in America: One man's experience).

UNRR / David seems to be thinking about his beliefs and what's happening in the world - instead of letting his endocrine system determine his reactions. I wish I could add The Unreligious Right to the blogroll here, but The Unrelgious Right doesn't seem to have enough focus either on the War on Terror, or on what I see as the major underlying issues. So, this micro-review will have to do.

---

¹ In this context, RINO is almost certainly an acronym for "Republican in Name Only."