Mixed messages
Afghani Christian Abdul Rahman has had the case against him dropped due to "lack of evidence" -- which I suppose is better than decreeing him insane. However, it doesn't hold a lot of promise for religious freedom in that country.
In fact, if all you read is the headline, you'll probably miss the fact that Rahman is still in prison.
On Sunday, he was moved to a notorious maximum-security prison outside Kabul that is also home to hundreds of Taliban and al-Qaida militants. The move to Policharki Prison came after detainees threatened his life at an overcrowded police holding facility in central Kabul, a court official said on condition of anonymity because he is not authorized to speak to the media.
Gen. Shahmir Amirpur, who is in charge of Policharki, confirmed the move and said Rahman had also been begging his guards to provide him with a Bible.
So, the case against him has been dropped, but it still looks an awful lot like he's been convicted of something.
But the real laugher in the story is this:
Some Islamic clerics had called for his execution, saying Rahman would face danger from his countrymen if he were released.
Danger? Like what? Execution? The clerics from the religion of pieces want the Christian killed because if he's released he'll be killed?
The logic is ... interesting.
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What were we thinking when we thought we could bring democracy to this area? It seems to me that freedom of speech (cartoons) and freedom of religion are essential to any true democracy.
You can have a debate on Iraq, but I think that we were left without much of a choice when it came to Afghanistan. I'd like to believe that even Al Gore would've invaded Afghanistan after 9/11 -- and what alternative government should we've put in power there? A friendly dictator? A military junta? Surely you wouldn't want us running a puppet government like Russia attempted to in the '80s?
If you see a better solution, then I'm all for it.
If the Shia faction eventually dominates in Iraq and I'm guessing they will since they are in the majority, then we will have similar Christian persecution there.
I was all for going into Afghanistan to root out the terrorists, but not to nation build. I even supported the attack on Iraq when I believed they harbored weapons of mass destruction, but I thought the goal was to destroy the weapons not bring democracy to the entire Middle East. By the way, what is our current goal in Iraq, is it achievable, and do the majority of the American people support it?
"I was all for going into Afghanistan to root out the terrorists, but not to nation build."
So.. since the terrorists were almost ideologically the same as the de facto government, what were the other options again?
FWIW, this type of thing is going on all over the world, ever day. In almost every other case, no one gets a look from the western press.
No good options with regard to Afghanistan, but my point, which was obviously not clear, is that the Middle East is not fertile ground for democracy and we are in way over our heads if we think we can impose it.
I know there is Christian persecution throughout the world, but I suspect that if foreign governments were trying and condemning to death in their courts converts to Christianity, the western press would cover it. I am willing to be convinced otherwise if you know of any examples.
BTW, once again, what is our goal in Iraq? What is victory? Is it achievable?
There are christians being incarcerated and sometimes killed by governments in Iran, Vietnam, China, North Korea and others. I am not completely sure of the legal process so I can't directly answer you. (I can't link VOM directly.) There are also major cackdowns on church activities in Belarus, Cuba and many of the former USSR -stan republics.
The wonderful (no pun intended) thing is, that in the face of this persecution the church is growing in all those countries.
Stuff like this isn't hard to find:
"24 House Church Leaders are still missing following a police raid"
http://www.chinaaid.org/english_site/press_release_detail.php?id=167