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IRAN - Christian convert waiting for his apostasy trial asks for prayers
Asia News ^ | mAY 18, 2005

Posted on 05/18/2005 10:15:12 AM PDT by NYer

Tehran (AsiaNews/Compass) – Hamid Pourmand, a Protestant clergyman who was born a Muslim, was moved from Tehran’s Evin Prison in an armoured car two days ago, May 16, to his home town of Bandar-i Bushehr (southern Iran), where an Islamic court will hear charges of proselytising and apostasy against him. He could get the death penalty and be hanged.

Some of Pourmand’s relatives were allowed to briefly see him before his departure, but the prisoner was not permitted to speak with them. Witnesses say however that, gazing at them silently, he mouthed the words, “Please, pray for me.”

Reverend Pourmand, who converted to Christianity in 1980, is a member of the Assemblies of God. At the time of his conversion he was a colonel in the Iranian army.

On February 16, he was found guilty of keeping his conversion a secret from his superiors.

Under Iran’s Islamic law, non Muslims are not allowed to be in the army as officers.

Following the sentence he was thrown out of the army, lost his salary and pension and his family lost their home.

Now he is charged with proselytising and apostasy. The judges accuse him of being part of “an underground church for many years, a church through which many people have betrayed Islam and joined Christianity”.

In November 2004, the European Union formally complained against the Iranian authorities for Pourmand’s treatment calling his arrest and trial a “violation of religious freedom”.


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Constitution/Conservatism; Culture/Society; Foreign Affairs; Front Page News; Government; News/Current Events; Philosophy; Politics/Elections; War on Terror
KEYWORDS: christian; christianpersecution; convert; deathcult; iranianchristians; islam; pourmand; prayer
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To: NYer

Send lawyers, guns and money.


21 posted on 05/18/2005 11:46:54 AM PDT by UnbelievingScumOnTheOtherSide (Give Them Liberty Or Give Them Death! - Islam Delenda Est! - Rumble thee forth...)
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To: Mr_Bovinity; Land_of_Lincoln_John; Chgogal; EBH; evad; American in Israel; Grut; Bombardier; ...
Mr_Bovinity,

Will you pray for this man and can you explain why the rest of us must?

Warmest Regards,

Cornpone

22 posted on 05/18/2005 11:47:45 AM PDT by Cornpone (Aging Warrior -- Aim High -- Who Dares Wins)
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To: dennisw; Cachelot; Yehuda; Nix 2; veronica; Catspaw; knighthawk; Alouette; Optimist; weikel; ...

If you'd like to be on this middle east/political ping list, please FR mail me.


23 posted on 05/18/2005 11:50:40 AM PDT by SJackson (I don't think the red-tiled roofs are as sturdy as my asbestos one, Palestinian refugee)
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To: NYer

Prayers for our brother and his family.


24 posted on 05/18/2005 12:28:04 PM PDT by Paul_B
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To: NYer

This is horrible. Why doesn't Newsweek consider telling the world just how Muslims treat Christians in places like Iran?

I wonder how Muslims in this country feel about a Christian possibly being executed over his conversion to Christianity??

Prayers for the Pastor and his family.


25 posted on 05/18/2005 12:40:25 PM PDT by Pepper777
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To: NYer

Just remember: Liberals would love to make Christian proselytising illegal too.


26 posted on 05/18/2005 1:24:02 PM PDT by bourbon (quasi morientes et ecce vivimus!)
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To: jan in Colorado
Thanks for the ping Jan.

I am so thankful for the freedom we have - that we can worship our Lord without fear.  I pray that generations to come are blessed with this same freedom.

I pray whatever the outcome with this poor man and his family that the Lord's Will be done and that He is glorified in all things.

27 posted on 05/18/2005 1:28:58 PM PDT by TheTruthess (love Him - live in Him)
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To: Pepper777

We'll never hear in the MSM how Muslims in this country feel about it, because the whole thing is a non-issue to the MSM. After all, it's just a Christian being killed. It's not like we can blame Islam for this, they just have a different culture which we must tolerate and praise. [/sarcasm OFF]


28 posted on 05/18/2005 1:32:30 PM PDT by Romish_Papist (The times are out of step with the Catholic Church. God Bless Pope Benedict XVI.)
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To: NYer

So, they are offended if we dis the Koran, but this poor guy will die for his conversion to our Lord, mmmmm makes sense to me. */scarasm off


29 posted on 05/18/2005 2:00:20 PM PDT by stockpirate (Kerry & Democrats; supported, financed, trained, guided, revered, in favor of, Communists.)
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To: NYer; Cornpone
The Nero Caesars are still with us....
30 posted on 05/18/2005 2:05:23 PM PDT by Irish_Thatcherite (Orwellian Relativism: All philosophies are equal, but some philosophies are more equal than others.)
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To: NYer
Dear Mr Hamid Pourmand,

If they decide to murder you, please look up my Grandma. She makes a very very good lasagna.

God Bless,
Joe
31 posted on 05/18/2005 2:11:44 PM PDT by SaltyJoe ("Social Justice" begins with the unborn child.)
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To: jan in Colorado; USF

Thank you for the pings.

God bless this man and his family.

Surely the authorities will arrest his wife if he is found guilty.


32 posted on 05/18/2005 2:16:53 PM PDT by Bennett46 (Please pray for TexasCowboy)
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To: Captain Rhino

Yeah, didn't they complain about the Iranian born British woman too. And she was tortured to death.


33 posted on 05/18/2005 2:39:08 PM PDT by Americanexpat (A strong democracy through citizen oversight.)
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To: NYer

Prayers


34 posted on 05/18/2005 3:03:38 PM PDT by knighthawk (We will always remember We will always be proud We will always be prepared so we may always be free)
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To: NYer

In other news, Christians throughout Europe and America rioted over his mistreatment. Dozens were killed, and mosques by the hundreds were burned....


35 posted on 05/18/2005 3:05:28 PM PDT by Jim Noble (Resistance to tyrants is obedience to God)
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To: USF
Thanks for the PING, USF.

So, is CAIR holding a news conference on this?
I thought not.

Perhaps the Islamic "judges" are working part time in Canuckistan:

Man Convicted of “Hate Speech” for Flyer Warning of Harm from Sodomy

36 posted on 05/18/2005 3:24:04 PM PDT by Former Dodger ( "Insanity: Doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results." --Einstein)
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To: Former Dodger
So, is CAIR holding a news conference on this?

***Sound of crickets chriping***

I think they are busy passing out free Qurans still.

Psssst, I hear they are softer, more absorbent and bouncier than the old ones.

37 posted on 05/18/2005 5:46:53 PM PDT by USF (I see your Jihad and raise you a Crusade ™ © ®)
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To: USF
Psssst, I hear they are softer, more absorbent and bouncier than the old ones.

I can just see Mr. Whipple now, in the black uniform of an Iranian Ayatollah:
"INFIDEL! Do NOT SQUEEZE the Q'uran!"

38 posted on 05/18/2005 8:46:36 PM PDT by Former Dodger ( "Insanity: Doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results." --Einstein)
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To: USF
Im sure you realize who pays for those Qurans.

The government of Saudi Arabia

An American Expat in Southeast Asia

39 posted on 05/18/2005 8:48:48 PM PDT by expatguy (http://laotze.blogspot.com/)
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To: Slings and Arrows; Cornpone; SJackson; yonif; Happy2BMe; Simcha7; American in Israel; ...









If you'd like to be on or off this
Christian Supporters of Israel ping list,
please FR mail me. ~
  -  -
MikeFromFR ~
There failed not ought of any good thing which the LORD had
spoken unto the house of Israel; all came to pass. (Joshua 21:45)

Letter To The President In Support Of Israel ~
'Final Solution,' Phase 2 ~
Warnings ~
40 posted on 05/18/2005 9:30:11 PM PDT by Salem (FREE REPUBLIC - Fighting to win within the Arena of the War of Ideas! So get in the fight!)
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