Christian convert in Austria fears Islamic retaliation, says baptism could be his death sentence

Austria has seen an increase in the number of Muslims converting to Christianity. However, these new Christians could be at risk of possible retaliation from the Islamic community.

According to a report by Kurier, the Archdiocese of Vienna receives five to 10 requests for conversion each week. Eighty-three adults were approved for baptism in Vienna in 2016, and Friederike Dostal of the Austrian Bishops' Conference estimates that about half of them were Muslims, primarily from Syria, Afghanistan, and Iran. This is a rise from one-third in 2015. A further rise is expected in 2017 since there has also been an increase in the number of refugees in the past months.

Breitbart says that the Austrian Catholic Church knows what these converts could face if radical Muslims find out that they left Islam -- the penalty for apostasy, based on the Sharia law, is death.

"In Austria, it was once very safe for converts, that has changed due to the strong migration movement," said Dostal, saying that refugee quarters can also be unsafe.

An elderly Afghan man, who prefers to use his Christian name Christophe for fear that using his real name could compromise the safety of his family, is waiting to be baptized in a church in Vienna by the end of the year.

"This could be my death sentence," he told Kurier, as translated using Google Translate.

It takes a year to prepare a person for baptism in what is called Right of Christian Initiation of Adults, explained Breitbart, and they spend these months learning more about the faith and church rituals. At the same time, this helps the church and the Asylum Court determine if a person seeking asylum is truly a Christian. Conversion does not mean automatic asylum, however. The risk of persecution one could face in their home country after they have left Islam is considered by the courts, but each case is individually examined.

Christophe has lived in Austria since 2012. He said that while he was still in Afghanistan, a friend from Pakistan brought him a Bible, which he read daily, albeit in secret and only in his home. He was arrested by the Taliban, but he managed to escape and eventually found his way to Austria.

"Although I was a Muslim, but did not feel connected," he narrated of his time as a youth. "Even at school I began to look for alternatives. Christianity for me is the religion of humanity. Jesus I admire his life and suffering."

Christophe told the Austrian publication of what he believes: "Christianity is the true religion. There is no turning back for me."