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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[darthmandible]

How could you not embrace teh Religeon of Peace???? sarcasm.

[Crazieman]

Religion of peace alert

[bikepacker67]

Where oh where is NuConvert to justify this TROP atrocity?

[2banana]

Masih said, APMA reported, “You can kill me but cannot convert me.”

How many Americans would have the same courage...?

[winner3000]

The religion of hate. I judge islam by its fruit. Its fruit is horrible.

[West Coast Conservative]

[TSgt]

Precisely the reason why I have a bumper sticker on my truck that says, "Religion of peace my ass…"

[nuconvert]

Why would I justify it?

If you knew anything about me, you'd realize that was a ridiculous thing to say.

[rdb3]

How many Americans would have the same courage...?

In this case, being an American would have meant nothing. This man's faith carried him. Think of Steven in Acts 7.

[onedoug]

“You can kill me but cannot convert me.”

"...Thou will be with Me in Paradise...."

[bikepacker67]

If you knew anything about me, you'd realize that was a ridiculous thing to say.

All I could possibly know about you is contained within your postings on this board.

And it seems you turn up as an apologist for TROP.

[nuconvert]

"an apologist for TROP."

Care to explain what you mean by that?

[bikepacker67]

Sure... you seem to empathize with Muslim scum.

[nuconvert]

And what do you mean by "muslim scum"?

[cookcounty]

There is so much of this that goes on, but neither AP or Reuters will report it because to get access to restricted muslim countries (most of the Arab world), it's a pre-requisite to ignore most if not all anti-western bigotry and violence. And if impossible to ignore, leave plenty of space to blame it on the Jews.

[nuconvert]

Would this be some of the "muslim scum" you're referring to? Cuz I'm afraid I'm guilty of empathizing with them.

[bikepacker67]

Just what I said.

[bikepacker67]

Those poor women in those pictures have been brainwashed by their sexually insecure male co-cultists.

[nuconvert]

Do these fingers belong to some of your "muslim scum", too?