Posted on 03/27/2006 12:43:48 PM PST by Dark Skies
KABUL, Afghanistan, March 27, 2006 — - The case of Abdul Rahman, the Christian convert who faced a potential death penalty in Afghanistan, may have shocked Americans, but for thousands of Afghans, it was a glimpse of what could await them.
Rahman is expected to be released and shuttled out of Afghanistan before any trial can resume, which would ease pressures on Afghan President Hamid Karzai. Diplomats and human rights workers say the backdrop to the case is a political struggle between Karzai, a U.S.-backed reformist, and conservative Muslim clerics ideologically close to the Taliban.
Getting Rahman out of the country will not solve the larger issue, though. Rahman is not the only Afghan to embrace Jesus Christ, and the thousands of other Christians in Afghanistan are praying that his case will open a window onto their plight.
ABC News got a glimpse into their secret world, where Christians meet quietly in small prayer groups. Some estimates put the number of Afghan converts at 10,000 or more.
Yet more than four years since the United States ousted the Taliban, Christians still have to meet in secret, unmarked churches. They run small publishing houses and secret cultural centers, quietly receiving funding from Christian groups abroad.
One man, who serves as a local pastor, says converts in Afghanistan know they face the gravest consequences if caught.
"We live in constant fear," he said. "Everyone is afraid."
Many even have to hide their adopted faith from their families. That was what got Rahman in trouble, say other Christians who knew him. His relatives turned him in after he read the Bible to his two daughters.
Christians had been hopeful the U.S.-backed government would make life easier, but so far it hasn't helped much.
"President Karzai has no power to help us. He is just like a symbol," the pastor said.
Another Christian, whose house was raided four months ago by police looking for his Bible, feels lucky they never located evidence of his adopted faith.
He says the United States needs to do more to ensure basic freedoms are enshrined in the new Afghanistan.
"I am thankful to the U.S. for removing the Taliban monsters," he said, "but it is America's responsibility to bring real democracy here."
Officials said Rahman was being held in a high-security prison, located just outside the capital of Kabul, for his own safety, while squabbles continued over how to proceed with his case.
What it all comes down to is that we are fighting a War Against Sharia.
I'm sympathetic to thhis plight...but how does this guy figure? We've made it possible for democratic principles to be established by the Afghan people...but they have to take it themselves, we can't bring it.
Right!
And since Sharia is the "will of allah"...we are at war with the islamic allah.
Its legal to be an idiot in the United States..
There are those who will risk their lives for their beliefs.
I hope the man finds a safe haven in another country.
Perhaps the Vatican can intervene on his behalf and bring him to Italy.
"Another Christian, whose house was raided four months ago by police looking for his Bible"
I'm glad that could never happen here in the U.S.. Of course, the government can now takes churches for eminent domain. But I'm sure they will never come for our Bibles.
When has the last Christian been killed by this State [current or previous]?
Same is true of China from the 1930's and before.. Christians meeting in houses and open places.. and Taiwan even more.. Watchman Nee(chinese christian) shares some on that.. When NOT organized as a religion and organization.. Government has a hard time traceing it.. There are multi-millions of christians in China far far more than in orthodox religious organizations.. which communism has always controlled.. like in Russia.. and other places..
Don't have any info on that.
China should be about 20% Christian sometime in the next fifteen years. It is growing exponentially.
Indeed. Thanks for the ping!
"Mr. Rahman has asked for asylum outside Afghanistan," U.N. spokesman Adrian Edwards said. "We expect this will be provided by one of the countries interested in a peaceful solution to this case."The announcement came hours after hundreds of clerics, students and others chanting "Death to Christians!" marched Monday through an Afghan city to protest the court's decision to toss out the case.
Well, I can't totally blame the clerics.
They probably have been watching CNN since the fall of the Taliban, and realize
now that they are just misunderstood and persecuted by all "The Crusaders".
I won't be shocked if some talking head talks about OUR cultural insensitivity
toward Islamic mores in this controversy.
Heck, if a Taliban official can get into Yale...they must not be such bad
guys after all...
(end sarcasm)
This is where the real Christians are....
imo
Never say "never"... Look around you, things are changing daily, even hourly... It is difficult to be certain of what will occur next week, let alone further down the road of time...
the infowarrior
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