Malkin: A Christian on Trial (Faces Death in Afghanistan for rejecting Islam)

MichelleMalkin.com ^ | 3-19-06 | Michelle Malkin

[cgk]

A CHRISTIAN ON TRIAL

By

Michelle Malkin

  ·   March 19, 2006 09:47 AM

This story deserves much more attention than it's getting. Via VOA News (hat tip: Doug at Below the Beltway):

An Afghan man who recently admitted he converted to Christianity faces the death penalty under the country's strict Islamic legal system. The trial is a critical test of Afghanistan's new constitution and democratic government.

The case is attracting widespread attention in Afghanistan, where local media are closely monitoring the landmark proceedings.

Abdul Rahman, 40, was arrested last month, accused of converting to Christianity. Under Afghanistan's new constitution, minority religious rights are protected but Muslims are still subject to strict Islamic laws. And so, officially, Muslim-born Rahman is charged with rejecting Islam and not for practicing Christianity.

Appearing in court earlier this week Rahman insisted he should not be considered an infidel, but admitted he is a Christian. He says he still believes in the almighty Allah, but cannot say for sure who God really is. "I am," he says, "a Christian and I believe in Jesus Christ."

Rahman reportedly converted more than 16 years ago after spending time working in Germany. Officials say his family, who remain observant Muslims, turned him over to the authorities. On Thursday the prosecution told the court Rahman has rejected numerous offers to embrace Islam. Prosecuting attorney Abdul Wasi told the judge that the punishment should fit the crime.

He says Rahman is a traitor to Islam and is like a cancer inside Afghanistan. Under Islamic law and under the Afghan constitution, he says, the defendant should be executed. The court has ordered a delay in the proceedings to give Rahman time to hire an attorney. Under Afghan law, once a verdict is given, the case can be appealed twice to higher courts.

This is the first case in which the defendant has admitted to converting and is refusing to back down, even while facing the death penalty.

Here, via the Middle East Times, is the "evidence" against Rahman that may lead to his execution:

Supreme court judge Mawlavizada on March 19 holds a Bible that belongs to Abdul Rahman, who converted from Islam to Christianity. (REUTERS)

What do Afghan President Hamid Karzai and President Bush have to say about the monstrous possibility that Rahman may be executed for professing faith in Jesus Christ and possessing a Bible?

So far, nothing.

[angkor]

You don't like "uppity" conservative women who fearlessly speak their minds, I take it?

Malkin was wrong on the DP World deal, and her followup defenses were factually very thin, in fact almost nonexistent (certainly no journalistic balance).

I don't begrudge her for being against it in the beginning, because I also was alarmed for about 24 hours.

That is, until I examined the facts which Malkin apparently had no time to do (quoting the equally fact-averse Frank Gaffney is not in itself "a fact").

[georgia2006]

""You don't like "uppity" conservative women who fearlessly speak their minds, I take it?""


My problem with Malkin is here seemingly inexhaustable ability to be outraged..he blog last week featured the litle 7 year old racist kid who read a poem at school...who cares????

[iluvlucy]

"The one great exception is Islam."

The Old Testament just may clue us into why this is so.

Oh yes by the way most of those countries that are presently Muslim were Christian before the invading Muslim armies arrived. Egypt, Libya, Tunisia, Algeria, Morocco, Palestine, Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, Turkey and some parts of Iran were all Christian before 635.

The OT Prophets has a few words about the future of some of these places.

[FreeReign]

He says Rahman is a traitor to Islam and is like a cancer inside Afghanistan. Under Islamic law and under the Afghan constitution, he says, the defendant should be executed.

Malkin should give more than the prosecuting attorney's opinion on what the Afghanistan Constitution says.

What quotes does she supply from the Afghanistan Constitution?

So far, nothing.

[Eastbound]

"Somehow, that has got to change."

Yes. I think it will change when it becomes their heart's desire. I look for an Islamic women's movement to lead the way.

[Chi-townChief]

... inexhaustable ability to be outraged."

That's more of a liberal trait. Here in Illinois, our two 'rat senators, The Dickhead and his bootlicking sidekick Obama, are outraged ALL the time. They don't do much of anything but, man, are they outraged !!!

[FreeReign]

You don't like "uppity" conservative women who fearlessly speak their minds, I take it?

I can't speak for the poster you addressed your remarks to but is it possible to criticize how Malkin reports a story without the sexist card being thrown out?

[Borax Queen]

Bump

[jla]

The Hamiltonian Brigade

Persona Non Grata

Peggy Noonan
Ronald Reagan
Bruce Bartlett
William F. Buckley
Editorial staff of National Review
Phyllis Schlafly
Duncan Hunter
Mike Pence
Steve Forbes
Michelle Malkin

[dagnabbit]

Malkin chooses to speak up against the garbage of Jihad in it's various forms, from 7 year-old muslim hate clowns to Muslims torturing a French Jew to death, to the obviously still barbaric society that is Afghanistan.

Kudos to her.

[georgia2006]

i dont think the 7 year old was a muslim.

[AmishDude]

How is her commentary on this story "shrill"?

Bush's fault.

[Hound of the Baskervilles]

"Is that your goal in life...to avoid ever becoming 'schrill"? If this situation doesn't demand becoming shrill then what does??"

I bet if the guy had converted from Muslim to Hindu Michelle Malkin would not be nearly as shrill.

[Eagles6]

Of course, how silly of me.

[Stellar Dendrite]

lol!

[DuncanWaring]

If you can't, Doug from upland probably can.

[WhistlingPastTheGraveyard]

"We should invade their countries, kill their leaders and convert them to Christianity."

This country doesn't even have the stomach to handle a war with 2,500 casualties. What makes you think we have the strength or the will to do what is actually necessary?

It's not that I disagree with your solution. I just have no faith in the American people to fight for their own survival.

[DuncanWaring]

" We should invade their countries, kill their leaders and convert them to Christianity. " -- Ann Coulter.

Wasn't there a "barbeque their goats" in there somewhere?

[The Lion Roars]

i am not sure about the authenticity of the news. is this in the taliban controlled area or the area controlled by the afghan government. the latter needs all the help it can get to prevent the talibs from gaining ground.

[cgk]

Her father is muslim, which makes her muslim.

From a previous Malkin article "I pledge allegiance to my black people":She recites her verses not only in English, but also in fluent Swahili and Arabic (she attended the Islamic Darul Arkam School in Mount Vernon).....precious little Autum -- groomed by her single father, Batin Ashante, a Nation of Islam poet/activist -