Church leaders must wait before baptizing asylum-seekers, says Danish Minister for Culture & Church

A good number of Muslim migrants who fled from the Middle East have converted to Christianity during their stay in Denmark, and many more are waiting in line. This has caused some to think that they have done or are intending to do this in order for them to have better chances of being allowed to stay in the country.

In light of the increasing controversy, Bertel Haarder, the Minister for Culture and Church, advised priests to wait until the refugees' asylum cases are processed before baptising them.

"It's for their own good and to spare them from being accused of doing it in order to get asylum," Haarder said, as quoted by the CPH Post. "It's a case I will bring up with the bishops and at the upcoming bishops' council."

In a poll conducted by the Church of Denmark of 100 priests across the country, it was revealed that from December to February, at least 110 asylum-seekers have converted to Christianity. Carsten Ørum Jørgensen of Nørrelandskirken in Holstebro was one of the priests who baptised many asylum-seekers. He conducted the sacrament to 31 individuals since December.

"This is a completely new situation and one that has also taken place in several areas," he told DR Nyheder, as quoted in another CPH Post report. "I think something happens to people who have been forced to flee and who experience terrible things. They're looking for a greater meaning to their existence. For an alternative to the evil they have witnessed."

More than 300 people seeking asylum in Denmark are currently preparing for baptism.

According to the report, in 2015, 55 applicants said they were apostates, thus they were likely to be persecuted in their respective countries. These cases were processed by the refugee council Flygtningenævnet, with 31 initially rejected but were reprocessed following the applicants' conversion to Christianity. Residence was ultimately granted to 42 of them.

While many refugees may be wishing to get into the country known for human rights and development, the Danish government has enforced stricter measures to discourage refugees from seeking asylum. According to The Huffington Post, these measures, including an anti-refugee ad placed in Arabic newspapers, are deemed as harsh and controversial.