Posted on 12/12/2002 10:27:35 AM PST by LinnKeyes2000
Lutheran Refugee May be Deported
A Montreal refugee from Iran and a member of Ascension
Lutheran Church (LCMS) faces deportation from Canada
because a judge says she is not a Christian.
About two years ago Nassibeh Hajm-Ebady arrived in Canada
for refugee protection. She had lived in Islamic Iran
where Christian converts are imprisoned or executed.
Once in Montreal, Nassibeh joined a non-deniminational
church were she was baptized. She received Christian
instruction and joined Ascention Lutheran Church.
At the immigration hearing earlier this year her pastor,
the Rev. Harold Ristau, was called as an expert witness
to verify Nassibeh's Christian faith. The final
judgement concluded that Nassibeh was not a Christian
and she was not offered an appeal. "Is it now the
role of the government agencies to test the validity
of church practicer and a person's confession of faith?"
questions Ristau.
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