Update IV (3/27): If you’ve never visited IMAO, you must stop by. Frank J. and his contributors are hilarious. (And their podcast provides much-needed comic relief, too.) Frank lightens the mood with this funny and spot-on “editorial” about Christianity.
Update (3/26) III: On this Lord’s day, Abdul Rahman’s life is spared. A giant step toward civilized society for Islam. Even so, Christ said:
“Be on your guard against men; they will hand you over to the local councils and flog you in their synagogues. On my account you will be brought before governors and kings as witnesses to them and to the Gentiles. But when they arrest you, do not worry about what to say or how to say it. At that time you will be given what to say, for it will not be you speaking, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.
“Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child; children will rebel against their parents and have them put to death. All men will hate you because of me, but he who stands firm to the end will be saved. When you are persecuted in one place, flee to another. I tell you the truth, you will not finish going through the cities of Israel before the Son of Man comes.
…
“So do not be afraid of them. There is nothing concealed that will not be disclosed, or hidden that will not be made known. What I tell you in the dark, speak in the daylight; what is whispered in your ear, proclaim from the roofs. Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. (Matthew 10: 17-23; 26-28)
Update II (3/24): To see pictures from the rally, visit Josue Sierra, Mary Katharine Ham, photos on Flickr (via Jeff Harrell), Cam Edwards…
———————————————————————————————————————————
Michelle Malkin e-mailed:
Hope you can make it to the Support Abdul Rahman event tomorrow outside the Afghan Embassy in Washington DC from noon to 1pm. Many religious activists and bloggers will be joining us–and in addition to honoring Rahman, it is also an opportunity for people of all faiths to come together and celebrate a precious cornerstone of Western civilization: religious freedom.
Best,
Michelle
I told her I couldn’t go (very important appointment I shouldn’t miss). 
The rally for Abdul Rahman will take place at the Afghan Embassy in DC tomorrow at noon:
Friday March 24
Noon to 1pm
Outside the Afghan Embassy
2341 Wyoming Ave NW.
Washington DC
Contact info for the embassy.
Reminder: “Christians, unless you live in the Middle East or Africa or anywhere Muslims rule, it’s doubtful that you’ll be murdered for believing in Christ, but remember the saints who are. Pray for them to remain strong and encouraged. Ask God to give them a calm heart and mind, knowing that he can use even evil for his divine purpose.”
Cam Edwards and Michelle will be there. Other posts: Karen of Scottsdale, Sister Toldjah, Josue Sierra, Raymond B., Evangelical Outpost, Lorie Byrd (and here), Bill Frist, California Conservative…
If you plan to go (or blogged about Rahman today) let me know so I can link. This blog swarm seems more political than spiritual. Are Christian bloggers buzzing about this?
Sources:
- Afghan News (with link to a video)
- Rice Calls Karzai on Christian Convert’s Fate
Update (3/24): More bloggers!
We need some good lawyers ove there, this is out of hand.This story is just too outrageous. It shows how racist and discriminatory it still is over there. Hey lets outsource more American jobs to this country and others just like it. The Afghani man being prosecuted will most likely be sentenced to death based on the allegation of converting from Islam to Christianity. The Afghani courts back this up, the Afghani government backs this up, does America really want to send funding to a country whose administration allows this? How can anyone support a nation where it is a capital punishment crime to practice your religion of choice?
Raymond B
http://www.voteswagon.com
Comment by Raymond B — 03.23.06 @ 5:30 pm
I’ll be there. http://latinoissues.blogspot.com/2006/03/christianity-in-afghanistan-abdul.html
Comment by Josue Sierra — 03.23.06 @ 5:34 pm
And THIS is what happens when Christianity and Islam mix, when Islam/Sharia is the basis of your government…
I fully support Abdul Rahman and his choice to be a Christian, I wish I was able to attend but D.C. is out of my overnight driving area…
Good luck to ALL that attend…
Comment by TexasFred — 03.23.06 @ 6:07 pm
Support Abdul Rahman Rally- details
La Shawn Barber has more info on the “Support Abdual Rahman” rally that is taking place tomorrow at the Afghan Embassy in DC, in case anyone is interested in attending. I wish I lived closer to DC so I could attend things like this. I do…
Trackback by Sister Toldjah — 03.23.06 @ 6:27 pm
Dan from Cerulean Sanctum had this about 3 days ago.
So the political blogs might be a little behind if they’re picking it up now.
Comment by Rob — 03.23.06 @ 8:01 pm
The political blogs were on it days ago, too. (I guess you could call me a political-faith blogger). I blogged about it on Monday:
http://lashawnbarber.com/archives/2006/03/20/former-muslim-asked-to-deny-christ-or-die/
Comment by La Shawn — 03.23.06 @ 8:04 pm
Abdul Rahman — Needs Our Prayers
I sent an e-mail to the Afghan Embassy in Washington, DC expressing my concern for this man’s situation. …
Trackback by The View from My Chair — 03.23.06 @ 8:10 pm
I’ll try to make it.
Comment by Bucktown — 03.23.06 @ 9:42 pm
~ “This man must die!”
Those are the cries of of senior Muslim clerics in Afghanistan referring to Abdul Rahman, the Afghan who converted from Islam to Christianity, insisting that he be executed, according to FOX-News
Trackback by Patricia Ann's Pollywog Creek Porch — 03.23.06 @ 10:03 pm
Being in Dallas, I’m not going to be able to attend, but I’ll be there in spirit. Hope there’s a huge turn out!
Comment by rich glasgow — 03.23.06 @ 10:31 pm
May God bless you for your work, La Shawn.
Comment by Stingray — 03.23.06 @ 11:10 pm
Abdul Rahman Picks Up Steam
Said Tony Perkins, “Religious freedom is not just ‘an important element’ of democracy; it is its cornerstone. Religious persecution leads inevitably to political tyranny. Five hundred years of history confirm this.”
Trackback by Church and State — 03.24.06 @ 12:36 am
Persecuted Baptist Pastor
The story of a persecuted believer in Afghanistan is getting much publication. It should. For a collection of related links, see here and here. The lesser publicized story is about a Reformed Baptist pastor who was just recently released from…
Trackback by Pensees — 03.24.06 @ 4:12 am
Afghan Judge stubbornly resists efforts to save Rahman
From the New York Times… The judge presiding over the prosecution of an Afghan man facing death for converting from…
Trackback by Danny Carlton -- alias "Jack Lewis" — 03.24.06 @ 6:53 am
La Shawn:
Congrats to bloggers - even NPR has got your attention over the Rhaman affair.
NPR actually got it right today - over another similar case - in Yemen, journalists who merely worked for a company that showed Mohammed cartoons are facing a death sentence; even if they are acquited, they (ahd Rhaman as well) are likely to be killed “in the street”.
But NPR got it right - this is NOT about religion. It is about a Government who plays attorneys against Christians against Mullahs for political gain, and to “cover” for more important issues - unemployment, chaos, corruption.
If it wasn’t about Christians, it would be about cartoons - politicians need an “issue”.
Comment by Frank Zavisca — 03.24.06 @ 7:57 am
Hey L,
I blog everyday about Christian persecution over at http://www.persecutionblog.com . In fact, yesterday I did a full report on what Voice of the Marytrs is saying about this, including a 2 minute podcast from the VOM director of news services, Todd Nettleton. Check it out.
Comment by Stacy L. Harp — 03.24.06 @ 8:49 am
Hi LaShawn,
Mike’s Noise has several items about Abdul Rahman. Start here:
http://mikesnoise.typepad.com/noisepage/2006/03/abdul_rahman_a_.html
… and scroll down.
Thanks,
Michael Laprarie
Comment by Mike — 03.24.06 @ 10:56 am
Maybe we could trade him for that SUV driver in North Carolina? Although I read somewhere that they don’t want him to be sent out of the country - something about “if we send him out of Afghanistan, everybody will convert to Christianity so that they can leave”…which raised the question - can’t they leave now? Are there laws preventing Afghanis from leaving Afghanistan?
Comment by suek — 03.24.06 @ 12:11 pm
Abdul Rahman
Several blogs continue to keep tabs on Abdul Rahman including La Shawn Barber, and Michelle Malkin
Trackback by Fire and Hammer — 03.24.06 @ 3:32 pm
Until I read this over @ LaShawn Barber’s “Rally for Abdul Rahman at Afghan Embassy” I had been following along, but hadn’t given it much comment-worthy thought.
Pingback by truegrit — 03.24.06 @ 4:21 pm
I see Stacy Harp already mentioned Voice of the Martyrs-http://www.persecution.com/
a wonderful organization. I have posted about Abdul Rahman on my site, and will do so again. If nothing else, his arrest-not for being a Christian, but for being a traitor to Islam-is bringing the persecuted church back to the publics consciousness.
Comment by Doug — 03.25.06 @ 12:57 am
Isn’t it telling…
thousands came out to support law breakers and covetousness (illegal immigrants wanting the infamous American Dream)and less than 100 came out for this rally….
there’s definitely no question as to where many American’s “treasures” lay
Comment by Renee — 03.25.06 @ 10:58 am
Check the videos (one of Cam Edwards doing his takedown and another of a statement by a rep from East Turkistan) at http://ageofhooper.blogspot.com along with other photos.
Comment by ldca — 03.25.06 @ 1:10 pm
Keep praying for Rahman’s release!
Earlier I posted about Abdul Rahman, the Christian facing death in Afghanistan. There has been a LOT of movement on this since that post. Tel Chai Nation trackbacked here from their post on this subject. La Shawn promotes a rally Michelle participated …
Trackback by Everyday Thoughts Collected — 03.25.06 @ 6:08 pm
I don’t see this as a big step forward. We have the sway, at this time, given the support and protection that we afford President Karzai, to bring about the release of Mr. Rahman. That’s all we’ve done, had one man released. It will take protection and probably exile to keep the man alive for more than a few hours after he’s actually released, though. There are just too many Muslims, including clerics, that believe that he should be killed for his ‘crime’. Someone will surely dispatch Mr. Rahman in the same manner that they dispatched Theo van Gough and would love to dispatch Salman Rushdie.
When the Afghans remove the law under which Mr. Rahman was being charged and then enshrine such religious freedom of conscience into their Constitution, then I will consider a giant step forward to have been taken.
Comment by Craig R. Harmon — 03.26.06 @ 5:40 pm
A side-step is all, and with the soldiers of many countries present too. I won’t expect much when the soldiers leave and the conflict between Article 18 of the UN Universal Charter of Human Rights sits uncomfortably side by side with the necessities of Islamic law. I’d bet that freedom of religion will be interpreted to mean the freedom of Muslims to carry out the death penalty for converting out of Islam and the freedom of Christians and Jews to practice the religion of their births.
Comment by Dan Goorevith — 03.26.06 @ 8:56 pm
Silent Approval of the Violence
When we see injustice in the world and we are silent about it, we are giving it our approval. In subtle ways we support the injustice by not speaking out in some way. Maybe it is our fears of speaking out on the injustice, bu…
Trackback by Replace the Lies With TRUTH — 03.26.06 @ 9:58 pm
The Voice of the Martyrs - News
Lashawn Barber has an interesting article as well as a reminder to pray for all those around the world who are daily persecuted for thier faith.
Trackback by Skilletfan-My first blog — 03.26.06 @ 10:47 pm
I have to admit the man’s courage is astounding.
I wonder how the early church spread and I hear this story of a man who is willing to die for his beliefs confronting those will kill for their beliefs.
There is a difference.
Comment by McAristotle — 03.27.06 @ 12:27 am
I pray for a hedge of protection around Abdul Rahman. My heart is heavy for this man’s life. I did catch the end of a Fox & Friends interview with a representative from an Islamic group (I missed all of the identifying information)in which he called for no harm to come to this man in any way for becoming a Christian.
I am glad to hear this person on Fox, but it is being reported that the people of Rahman’s country want to kill him if he is not executed.
Islam is a religion of peace!!! Not in Afghanistan or most Islamic countries for that matter.
Comment by Bev — 03.27.06 @ 9:19 am
What did Bush expect in encouraging democracy in this area of the world?
The people hate Israel. The people hate Christians. The people hate America.
What good is there in Islam if Christ is not there?
They want Israel wiped off of the face of the earth.
They dont want peace unless Israel is gone.
If you do not believe, you will be killed.
They deny the deity of Christ.
What does a born again Christian have in common with a Muslim?
They are Islamic. Look, the Palestinians elected Hamas. Hamas? The ultra-terrorist organization.
They freed this one christian. And thank God they did. But how many christians have been killed for their faith who did not get on the news and after Karzai was put in power? Who knows…
Just seeing how this played out reminds me that these are definitely the last days…
Comment by lukeNC — 03.27.06 @ 10:05 am
I have a question that I have not heard brought up in any media, on this or any other blogs, by people I’ve discussed this with, etc. I’m not claiming 1 side of this question or the other, I really just want to know everyone’s honest answer.
If this man once believed in the religion of Islam then he knew their laws regarding apostasy, right? If it’s been 16 years since he converted and 3 years since he moved back to Afghanistan, he had 13 years to think about what the consequences would be, right? So what possessed him to move back? If he moved back to do “God’s work” and convert others then I can understand how he felt that was a justifiable reason, but that’s about the only good reason I could think of. Has anyone else heard this question brought up and/or have an opinion on it?
Comment by Thomas — 03.27.06 @ 10:34 pm
Ahhh…such a religion of peace…
Recently Tony Blair commented about the war on terrorism. He said that, “This is not a clash between civilizations, it is a clash about civilization…” As I witness (and is affected by) the decline of Western Civilization, I do not concurrently see the advancement of so-called Middle Eastern Civilization. By the way, what exactly does it mean to be civilized? Right now, I am not seeing civilization being demonstrated by either the West or the Middle East. While the West is struggling to find its face in the mirror, to realize who it really is (remember the dignity of man, freedom of thought, private property, belief in God, free market economy, freedom of religion, limited government), the culture of Muhammad is once again, attempting to subjugate the planet with its ethnocentric and self-righteous brouhaha. Can anyone spell A-P-P-E-A-S-E-M-E-N-T. Anyway, thanks for the numbers, chess, art and oil. We appreciate these genuine contributions. However, you still have quite a ways to go if you are attempting to replace the West [however immoral it may be (and it is!) ] with the ways of Muhammad. I’d rather not go back to the 7th century, even though times were so simpler then. We had better redefine “civilization” (by lowering the standards to include our madnesses - hedonism along with postmodernism) or start acting really civilized.
Comment by Wakin' Up! — 03.28.06 @ 12:55 am