Rome, Italy, Nov 6, 2005 / 22:00 pm
According to the director of the Inter-religious Council in Russia, Roman Silantyev, in the last fifteen years two million Russian-born Muslims have converted to Christianity, while only 2,500 Russians have converted to Islam.
In an interview published by the magazine Itogi, Silantyev said, “This phenomenon of Christianization is due not so much to the positive results of a successful missionary campaign as to the influence of Russian culture and its Christian roots.”
The Kath.net news agency indicated that the converts are mainly individuals who were born into a Muslim family but did not necessary practice the faith. “On the other hand, those who really follow Muslim values and regularly attend a mosque rarely abandon their religion,” Silantyev noted.
Terrorism is another reason for the increase in conversions, he added. “After each terrorist attack, thousands and even hundreds of thousands become Christians,” resulting in an almost 50% drop in the Muslim population in certain regions.