PAKISTANI CHRISTIAN BEATEN AFTER REFUSING TO DENOUNCE HIS FAITH (Muslims and non-Muslims)

ASSIST News Service ^ | April 28, 2005 | Jeremy Reynalds

[underlying]

By Jeremy Reynalds
Special Correspondent for ASSIST News Service

PAKISTAN (ANS) -- After refusing to renounce his Christian faith and embrace Islam, a Pakistani man was seriously beaten.

According to a news release from the All Pakistan Minorities Alliance (APMA), Shahbaz Masih, 29, worked as a driver for the Muslim family of Mir Hussein. Masih’s hard work and honesty earned the trust of his employer. However, that offended a number of area Muslims, APMA reported.

On the evening of April 23, Masih was captured by a group of eight armed Muslim men. They brought him to a farm house outside his village. Masih’s captors told him to embrace Islam if want to live, otherwise he would be killed. Masih refused and tried to escape, but the men overpowered him, tied his hands behind his back and placed a rope around his neck.

Masih said, APMA reported, “You can kill me but cannot convert me.” Hearing this, Masih’s captors pistol whipped him. There was no one there to hear his cries. When Masih lost consciousness, the Islamics thought he was dead. They called Hussein to remove his body.

Hussein informed Masih’s family members, who along with other villagers went to the farmhouse where they found the still unconscious man, bleeding profusely. Masih was immediately taken to an area hospital, where after regaining consciousness he recounted his experience.

APMA staff members talked to Masih and prayed for him while he was in hospital. They told him they appreciated his courage for being a bold witness for Jesus Christ.

According to the news release from APMA, police have yet to arrest anyone for the beating. APMA alleged local police have “intentionally misstated and ignored some (unspecified) important facts.”

APMA said the organization strongly condemns Masih’s “brutal torture” and has asked that law enforcement authorities immediately arrest those responsible.

Shahbaz Bhatti, APMA Chairman, said in a news release, “(Please) pray for the recovery and good health of Shahbaz Masih and spiritual strength of the believers in the area.”

A news release from the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan – HRCP – (www.hrcp-web.org/P_releases.cfm#)  said the country is experiencing a systemic failure to prosecute lawbreakers.

That failure, the news release read, is resulting in “sectarian murders and extremist outrages being reported from across the country .... The collapse of the rule of law in the State and the license given to persons of violence to take matters into their own hands now threatens to reduce society to chaos. Growing intolerance has already led to numerous deaths, while the failure to act against those guilty of such acts can only encourage a still more rapid descent into a state of complete lawlessness, where might reigns supreme and right has no place.”

APMA reported that the violence against Masih is not the first incident where there have been allegations of attempted forced conversion to Islam.

In April 2004, according to APMA, Javed Anjum, 20, was “brutally tortured” by the students of an Islamic school and forced to embrace Islam. He was taken to hospital where he died about a week later.

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According to the World Evangelical Alliance (www.worldevangelical.org/persecute/persec_pakistan_ii_28oct03.html) , “APMA is a coalition representing Pakistan's non-Muslim religious minorities (Christian, Hindu, Sikh, Balmeek, Bheel, Maingwal, Zoarastrian, Bahai and Kelash communities). Using advocacy and lobbying, APMA “raise(s) minorities’ issues and concerns with the government authorities, parliamentarians, human rights organizations and media.”

APMA, the World Evangelical Alliance statement continued, is assisting many victims of “discriminatory laws and blasphemy laws and also supporting and protecting victims of terrorist attacks of Islamic militants especially since 11 Sept. 2001 ... APMA is struggling to protect and ensure religious freedom in Pakistan.”

The objective of the HRCP (www.hrcp-web.org/objectives.cfm),  according to its web site, is to further human rights in the country.

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[LAURENTIJ]

Those same fingers would be wrapped around knives to rip off infidel heads if they had a chance, and you know it.

[Alouette]

Is this article about women voting in Iraq? No, it's about Muslims kidnapping a Christian man and threatening to kill him if he doesn't convert.

Do Christians, Jews or Hindus kidnap Muslims and threaten to kill them if they don't convert? No, only Muslims do this.

Would you agree that the kidnappers are scum?

[nuconvert]

And do you think this soldier and his buddies think they're helping to protect & secure freedom and democracy for "muslim scum"? Do you think that's their attitude? Do you think that's what they're fighting for?

[nuconvert]

"Would you agree that the kidnappers are scum?"

Of course they are. And so is the Iranian regime. And that's why I've been a regular and worked with DrZin on his thread for almost 2yrs. I guess you hadn't noticed.

[26lemoncharlie]

I am an American. Period. The question I ask is would the Muslims in th eUS Protect and Defend the Constitution. The US Constitution states that our unalienable rights come from God, purely a Judeo/Christian point and not Allah!

We are Infidels according to the Muslim religion, and we are to be killed if we will not accept Islam and Allah? We prefess and protect ALL of the roghts of people to practice their religion. So will the Muslims in the US do thier duty?

So far we know of one Muslims Marine who probably deserted and one US Army muslims soldier who murdered some of his comrades in the name of Muslim religion.

I don't know who Dr. Zin is nor do I know anything of you. Are you an American or are you here just visiting on an expired visa?

[LAURENTIJ]

And she died because she was being born into an islamic society.

Just because some kid dies due to someone yelling 'allahu akbar' and blowing her up doesn't make me think islam an acceptable idealogy to keep existing.

[D-fendr]

I believe the biggest problem is the Wahabbi sect. It's the state religion in Saudi Arabia and exports it's hateful version of muslin nationalism, jihad and all the rest.

There actually are muslims who teach tolerance of other religions - sufis for example. There was a large funeral and memorial for a sufi leader in Saudi recently - quite a event. Long article in Weekly Standard on it.

It might be wise for us to look to strengthen these as we weaken Wahabism..

[26lemoncharlie]

Maybe be it seems that HATE spreads faster than understanding and reason. Especially the religious hatred which, I don't believe will ever be resolved except by God.

[D-fendr]

I'm not expert, but I believe the hate versions have gotten a tremendous advantage by the rulers of the ME countries.

I'm somewhat hopeful that their chickens have come home to roost with the recent spate of violence against their governments.

One of OBL's biggest targets - if not his biggest is the House of Saud.

[RaceBannon]

No, She is not. I have spoken to her on the phone personnaly.

And just because she has compassion on people who might be muslim does not mean she endorses Islamikazis

[Dustbunny]

Islam, the faith of Satan.

[nuconvert]

"Are you an American or are you here just visiting on an expired visa?"

Lol. Yeah. I've been visiting on an expired visa for over 40yrs.
Actually, my ancestors have been here since the 1600's. That American enough for you?

[nuconvert]

Thanx, Race

[nuconvert]

"Maybe be it seems that HATE spreads faster than understanding and reason"

It certainly seems to spread fast around here.

[nuconvert]

"the biggest problem is the Wahabbi sect"

Exactly

[26lemoncharlie]

Well, I gues you could say that! One thing for sure the "PULSE" of the people on FR is fast and furious. Your Muslim friends should take note of this, because regardless of what or how weak and stupid they may think we are, the American People will only be pushed so far.

[RaceBannon]

no sweat

[nuconvert]

Though I've certainly met some stupid Americans, I don't have any "Muslim friends" who think we're "weak and stupid".

[Gritty]

"Embrace our Religion of Peace, or we'll murder you!"