Democratic Apostasy: The Martyrdom of Abdul Rahman

Breakpoint with Charles Colson ^ | March 21, 2006 | Charles Colson

[Mr. Silverback]

Since October 2001, approximately three hundred Americans have been killed and another eight hundred have been wounded in Afghanistan. The overthrow of the Taliban was about more than denying a base of operations to al Qaeda—it was also about liberating the people of Afghanistan from a brutal theocracy.

All of this makes recent news from Kabul all the more ironic—and outrageous.

Abdul Rahman is on trial for his life in a Kabul court. His crime? Converting to Christianity.

According to reports, Rahman converted to Christianity sixteen years ago while working for a Christian group that helped Afghan refugees in Peshawar, Pakistan. When he returned to Afghanistan in 2002, he tried to regain custody of his daughters from his parents. They referred the matter to the police, and his conversion came to the attention of Afghani authorities.

While the Taliban no longer rules the country, conversion from Islam to another religion, called apostasy, is still punishable by death. The prosecutor offered to drop the charges if Rahman converted back to Islam, but Rahman refused. According to the prosecutor, Rahman “said he was a Christian and would always remain one.”

That fidelity could cost Rahman his life if the judge decides that his “attack on Islam” meets the requirements of apostasy.

The irony is inescapable: This is the country that we rid of the Taliban because of its religious oppression. This is the country in which we have spent at least $70 billion to establish a free democratic government. This is the country whose freedom cost us three hundred American lives and eight hundred casualties. And this is the country that is preparing to execute a man for becoming a Christian after he witnessed other Christians caring for his countrymen.

Is this the fruit of democracy? Is this why we have shed American blood and invested American treasure to set a people free? What have we accomplished for overthrowing the Taliban? This is the kind of thing we would expect from the Taliban, not from President Karzai and his freely elected democratic government.

I have supported the Bush administration’s foreign policy because I came to believe that the best way to stop Islamo-fascism was by promoting democracy. But if we can’t guarantee fundamental religious freedoms in the countries where we establish democratic reforms, then the whole credibility of our foreign policy is thrown into serious question. I hope the president and the administration can recognize what a devastating setback Rahman’s execution would be to the cause of democracy and freedom.

But just in case they don’t, we had better tell them. While Abdul Rahman is prepared to be a martyr, it is our solemn obligation before God to protest as loudly and strenuously as we can. You need to both call and e-mail your elected representatives and the White House. You need to tell them that Abdul Rahman’s execution must not take place. You need to let them know that “democracy” worth the name must include protection of the most basic human right: freedom of conscience and belief.

Otherwise, places like Afghanistan, whoever is in charge, are nothing more than brutal theocracies and will always remain so.

Take action:

Contact your representative and senators (Capitol switchboard: 202-224-3121) and President Bush (e-mail president@whitehouse.gov or call 202-456-1111), and urge them to take action to prevent the execution of Afghan Christian Abdul Rahman.

Contact the Afghan Embassy in Washington:

2341 Wyoming Avenue, NW Washington, DC 20008 (202) 483-6410

[Mr. Silverback]

SKYBIRD SKYBIRD DO NOT ANSWER

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[Mr. Silverback]

Yep, you're a real double-bacon genius burger, newbie.

You know, I could quite easily demolish your silly tuchis...but arguing with a person who claims to be a conservative and compares the President of the United States to Kim "Juche Fruit" Jong Il...well, that would violate the following rule:

"Never argue with an idiot. He will drag you down to his level and beat you with experience."

And boy, you've got a lot of experience!

Now, take a midol, send some money to Voice of the Martyrs, and quit yer whining, newbie.

[Proctor]

You know, I could quite easily demolish your silly tuchis...

No - you are a liar because if you could you would not have attempted to get me banned because you were gobsmacked by my post and had no reply.

I don't care how embarrassed the president feels - I will do all I can to advocate for this Christian in a land sacred American blood was shed to free from tyranny.

[Mr. Silverback]

On his Special Report last evening, Brit Hume stated that there was nothing in the Koran that would support the death sentence of Abdul Rahman. I was surprised that he was so ignorant about the teachings of Islam...or has the PC disease infected even Hume now?

Many Westerners are unaware of the doctrine of abrogation. They don't know that some Koranic verses replaced earlier ones...so they approach the text by reconciling conflicting stuff rahter than realizing that one verse is in force and the other is as dead as a doornail.

I don't get on people for having trouble with this. It's hard for people to believe that a billion people are following the same religion and some of them want to be Americans and some others want to kill us all. Of course, the thing is, they aren't following the same religion, any more than I, Fred Phelps and the gay bishop from New Hampshire are all real Christians.

[Proctor]

awww Mr. Silverback, poor misunderstood Islam!

Does the Christian gay bishop call or death to the unbelievers and apostates? No? Wow - even watered down Christianity ain't half bad.

[Mr. Silverback]

No - you are a liar because if you could you would not have attempted to get me banned because you were gobsmacked by my post and had no reply.

Wrong answer. Just a short list of things you got wrong:

Misquoted me/showed a total lack of reading comprehension.

Claimed I don't care about my brother Abdul Rahman's fate (why do you think I posted the article, newbie?)

Ignorant of Bush's excellent record on persecution and human rights issues.

Laughably implied that someone would be embarassed because he liberated 50 million people and it wasn't 100% perect.

Compared the President of the United states to Kim Jong "Juche Fruit" Il, which is sort of like comparing Mr. Rogers to John Wayne Gacy.

Generally acted like a hateful dweeb.

Apparently decided you're an expert on who's who and what's what after a whole big 12 days at FR. Did I mention the word "newbie?"

I will do all I can to advocate for this Christian in a land sacred American blood was shed to free from tyranny.

And the Academy Award for Best Supporting Drama Queen goes to...

Like I said, you assume a lot. You don't know me or what I stand for. Heck, I don't think you know the manufacturing specs of your colonic terminus. But I know this: If you take one of these...

...you'll be much easier to deal with.

[Mr. Silverback]

Exactly what I meant. The only avenue left is prayer and regardless of the results he is still a winner.

A crown awaits for he who endures to the end.

[Mr. Silverback]

Ah, the double-bacon genius burger posts before engaging his brian again! It must be nice to live in your world, where any assumption you make about another poster magically assumes the status of a proven fact.

My example of Phelps and the gay bishop was to show the wide range of differing opinion by apostates within a religion. Both are well outside orthodox Christianity, but both claim to be Christians, and really good and special Christians at that. In the same way, the Koran could be nothing but "Kill every infidel" or nothing but "play nice with everybody" and there would still be morons who claimed it said the opposite. My comment was not meant to excuse any behavior by Islamists or any Muslims, or legitimize their faith in any way, and if you knew your butt from a hole in the ground, you might have guessed that.

Still haven't taken that Midol yet, have you?

[Proctor]

My comment was not meant to excuse any behavior by Islamists or any Muslims, or legitimize their faith in any way

I did not write that in any way shape or form above.

We are in a war to the death with these types and we should have had enough with covering the backsides of politicos.

[Mr. Silverback]

I agree that the Islamofascists will be defeated in the end by Christianity rather than Demcracy itself.

However, let's not forget that when Osama picked targets, he picked a symbol of modernity and commerce (WTC), a symbol of the mechanism that enabled millions to practice democracy (Pentagon) and nightclubs (Bali). Churches aren't on the list, neither is the Vatican or the Crystal Cathedral. The radicals fear modernity more than they fear the Gospel, because deep down they know modernity will give people too much time and room to think about the fraud they've been sold at the mosque.

[Proctor]

Tony Perkins at the Family Research Council raises the unpleasant question Bush evaded and no one in the White House press corps bothered to ask: "How can we congratulate ourselves for liberating Afghanistan from the rule of jihadists only to be ruled by Islamists who kill Christians? ... President Bush should immediately send Vice President Cheney or Secretary Rice to Kabul to read [Afghan President] Hamid Karzai's government the riot act. Americans will not give their blood and treasure to prop up new Islamic fundamentalist regimes. Democracy is more than purple thumbs."

Personal insults don't embolden one's argument - they tend to weaken it.

[Mr. Silverback]

I did not write that in any way shape or form above.

Hmmm...what you wrote was...

awww Mr. Silverback, poor misunderstood Islam!

...so you are either a liar or a really bad writer.

We are in a war to the death with these types and we should have had enough with covering the backsides of politicos.

Hey, I've got a great idea...what if you were to go around and convince people Islam is a bad thing by insulting them when they don't agree with you, and by assuming that if they don't already agree with you, it's not from a lack of knowledge or perspective, it's because they are wimps who want Christians to die. Base it all on assumptions you have no business making, leap to conclusions...just go nuts and be as big a jerk as possible. That should win over a lot of people!

Oh wait, I see you had that idea already. Take a Midol, Shirley.

[Larry Lucido]

Is this why we have shed American blood and invested American treasure to set a people free?

I am so sick of this STUPID question. No, Mr. Colson, American troops did NOT go to Afghanistan to liberate it and establish democracy. To the extent that these may have happened, it is a SIDE benefit.

American troops went to Afghanistan to destroy the Taliban because they were harboring Bin Laden and providing bases for Al Queda. Period. American troops went to Afghanistan to protect Americans and American soil.

And that is why American troops are staying.

[Proctor]

I did not insult you in the least - I downgraded your reply - but I did not throw one personal insult at you nor will I do so now in reply to the personal insults you directed against me again.

[Larry Lucido]

See #33. It isn't about Abdul Rahman. It's about Americans, period. Sheesh, you'd think Abdul Rahman would have been better off 4 years ago. I can't believe what passes for analysis these days.

[Mr. Silverback]

Personal insults? If that ain't the pot calling the kettle "black."

Appealing to authority isn't a strong argument either, Midol Man. And you're still assuming I have an opinion on this case that I do not have.

And yes, you are still either a liar or a very bad writer.

[Mr. Silverback]

You came in here and started sklinging stuff around based ofn false assumptions, and now you try to claim you're acting honorably. Nice try. Either apologize or shut up, because I ain't buying.

[Sometimes A River]

Glad you're waking up Chuck.

Islam cannot be "democratized."

[Mr. Silverback]

Sheesh, you'd think Abdul Rahman would have been better off 4 years ago.

Exactly. Some people hate the President, and will rewrite any event in afghanistan and Iraq to his detriment.

Yes, it is all about Americans...but we should still pull Abdul's fat out of the fire if we can.

[Larry Lucido]

but we should still pull Abdul's fat out of the fire if we can.

Exactly, and the ability to do that is a fringe benefit of our presence. Five years ago, no one would have ever heard of Mr. Rahman. Ten years ago, the only way Mr. Rahman would have had a chance if if he was a scientologist and John Travolta was getting ready to play Clinton in an upcoming movie.