A popular Twitter account labeled as "a source of celebrity news" has posted a short video featuring a young Saudi man as he talked about his conversion to Christianity, stirring public debate.
Saudi Convert to Christianity Getting Married in an Orthodox Church Sparks Online Controversy مقطع متداول لشاب من جده يُعلن بأنهُ مسيحي ولا يتبع الدين الإسلامي! pic.twitter.com/GYxfL2iyts
— WHR (@whrumor) July 18, 2021
The 30-second video shows the young man whose name wasn't referred to as he responded to questions from a number of people who watched his live streaming, calling on them to stop attacking him and his religion; Chritisiniaty.
The young man who speaks the dialect of Saudi's second-largest city; Jeddah said that the only reason he talks about religion is that people attack his beliefs.
In the comments following the viral video, most online commentators attacked the young man and called on Saudi authorities to punish him, especially that Saudi laws still punish leaving Islam by death.
Meanwhile, a number of social media users condemned attacks on the young man, urging them to respect his choice and his freedom of belief.
إحترام الأديان والتعايش معها رهييب من المسلمين تحت التغريدة وبرضه بسألو ليش عندكم اسلاموفوبيا ??لو بالعكس مسيحي دخل الإسلام كان هللو وباركو وما خلو مستحيل يستوعبو إنه عادي في أديان غيرهم بالكوكب والأرض مش الهم https://t.co/h72eomoYHo
— RO.OZ? (@Rooz755) July 18, 2021
Translation: "It's mindblowing how much respect Muslims show to other religions. Look below this tweet. And they wonder why there is Islamophobia. If this was the other way around and a Christian converted to Islam they'd be celebrated. There is no way they can understand that there are other religions on earth except for them."
In recent years and thanks to social media platforms, more people from GCC countries are announcing changing their religious beliefs than in the past, especially ones who have been able to leave their communities and live abroad.
