Afghan Facing Death Penalty for Conversion to Christianity

[BobVigneault]

This brings up an interesting question. If this were you, would you insist that you are sane and seek to have it proven that your faith is perfectly rational even though it may end in your physical death? Or do you accept pardon at the expense of bringing ridicule to your faith?

[Edited on 3-23-2006 by BobVigneault]

 

[mgeoffriau]

I hope that I would have the courage to accept death. I hope I would not disgrace my Savior.

Nevertheless, better men than me have failed that test -- Peter, among them.

 

[VirginiaHuguenot]

Top Muslim clerics: Convert must die - Religious leaders urge courts to ignore West, hang Christian

 

[VirginiaHuguenot]

From CNN (3/24/06):

An Afghan man possibly facing execution for converting from Islam to Christianity is expected "to be released in the coming days," a source with detailed knowledge of the case said Friday.

Word of Abdul Rahman's release comes after days of international pressure and the day before the Afghan Cabinet was scheduled to discuss the case of the 41-year-old father of two. On Thursday, top Afghan clerics urged Muslims to kill Rahman if the government freed him.

Speaking Friday to reporters in Mexico, U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said the U.S. government is working with Afghan President Hamid Karzai's government to free Rahman.

Karzai's government came to power after the 2001 U.S.-led invasion of Afghanistan toppled the fundamentalist Taliban, an oppressive regime notorious for publicly executing people like Rahman.

 

[VirginiaHuguenot]

From Associated Press (3/26/06):

KABUL, Afghanistan - An Afghan court on Sunday dismissed a case against a man who converted from Islam to Christianity because of a lack of evidence, and he will be released soon, an official said.

The official told The Associated Press that the case had been returned to the prosecutors for more investigation, but that in the meantime, Abdul Rahman would be released.

"The court dismissed today the case against Abdul Rahman for a lack of information and a lot of legal gaps in the case," the official said Sunday, speaking on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak publicly on the matter.

 

[VirginiaHuguenot]

Abdul Rahman is now a free man in Italy. But the Taliban and others in Afghanistan have called for a 'jihad' against the West because of his release.

 

[BobVigneault]

Yeah but the Taliban traditionally calls for a Jihad on every day of the week that ends with a 'y' already.