Malaysia Muslim Mag Sorry for Offending Christians

March 6, 2010

Author: Sean Yoong

Source: Yahoo News

Wire Service: AP

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100306/ap_on_re_as/as_malaysia_muslims_in_church

A Malaysian magazine apologized Saturday for upsetting Christians after it published an article researched by two Muslims who pretended to be Roman Catholics and took Communion in a church.

The apology is likely to soothe frustrations among religious minorities who feel that overzealous government authorities and clerics are trying too hard to champion the interests of Islam and ignoring the rights of non-Muslims.

The Al Islam monthly magazine, which focuses on issues affecting Malaysian Muslims, acknowledged in a statement on its publisher's Web site that its article had "unintentionally hurt the feelings of Christians, especially Catholics."

Al Islam's article, published in May last year, was meant to investigate rumors that Muslim teenagers were being converted to Christianity in churches. The article said its two reporters had found no evidence of that.