To Kill a Christian Pastor

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Similar to other highly publicized human rights cases out of Iran, the details of the story have been muddled, in part deliberately caused by the Iranian regime through its state-controlled media. In an effort to distract the media, the Iranian government denied that the charge against Nadarkhani was apostasy, or leaving Islam, and even alleged that he was being held for rape and extortion.

Nadarkhani was arrested in October 2009 and was tried and found guilty of apostasy by a lower court in Gilan, a province in Rasht. He was then given verbal notification of an impending death-by-hanging sentence.

In December, his lawyers appealed the decision, and the case was sent to Iran’s Supreme Court, which by June stated that it upheld the lower court’s decision of execution, provided it could be proven that he had been a practicing Muslim from the age of adulthood, 15 in Islamic law, to age 19, the time when he converted.

In September, the lower court ruled that Nadarkhani had not practiced Islam during his adult life but still upheld the apostasy charge because he was born into a Muslim family. The court then gave Nadarkhani the opportunity to recant, as the law requires a man to be given three chances to recant his beliefs and return to Islam.

Nadarkhani refused.

Apostasy is punishable by death in Shariah law. Article 225 of the Iranian penal code states, “Punishment for an Innate Apostate is death,” and “Punishment for a Parental Apostate is death.”

Under this law, a Muslim who converts to Christian is called a mortad, meaning one who leaves Islam. If the convert attempts to convert others, he is called a mortad harbi, or a convert who is waging war against Islam. Death sentences for such individuals are prescribed both by fatwas, or legal decrees, and reinforced by Iran’s penal code.

All religious minorities in Iran, including Bahais, Zoroastrians, Jews and Christians, have faced various forms of persecution and political and social marginalization throughout the regime’s 30-year reign. But the government saves its harshest retribution for those who have abandoned Islam.

Experts credit international support of Nadarkhani in keeping him alive. Christian advocacy groups and human rights organizations have mounted numerous global campaigns and petitions against the Iranian government.

If Nadarkhani’s life is spared, it will be because of the international attention the case has received. Yet, what about the others who are not as fortunate to have multiple petitions, Facebook groups and international organizations championing their causes?  What about the many who remain vulnerable to the regime’s wrath because they are Christian or Bahai, attended a protest or wrote poetry expressing the yearning for freedom?

In light of recent IAEA reports exposing Iran’s ongoing nuclear ambitions, the regime’s human rights cases become only a sideshow of its ideological and nuclear war against the free world.

While our voices are seldom heard in Washington when we petition our administration to stop its futile attempts at negotiation with or sanctions against Iran’s regime to try to impede its nuclear agenda, we have seen that our actions and voices are being heard as we defend the rights of innocent individuals like Nadarkhani.  At the same time, our attention and focus should again be turned toward our biggest ally against the Iranian regime — its people.

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  • Geneww

    Where is our State Department? Where is the 'peace lovers' of the UN and our news media?
    God still is in control and answers prayer. Pray for all Judeo-Christians in Muslim dominated communities and countries. They understand 'trails and tribulation' yet find strength to stand firm.

  • voted against carter

    ' TAQIYYA '
    Do your own research about it if you don't know what this means.

    i s l a m IS EVIL. PERIOD.

    i s l a m strives for world domination.

    The q u r a n commands m u s l i m s to exercise jihad.

    The q u e r n commands muslims to establish s h a r i a h law.

    The q u e r n commands m u s l i m s to impose i s l a m on the entire world.

    i s l a m is NOT a religion, it IS a totalitarian ideology.

    i s l a m IS and has remained a death cult from its beginnings.

    i s l a m wants to dominate all aspects of life, from the cradle to the grave.

    s h a r i a h law is a law that controls every detail of life in a i s l a m i c society.

    From civic- and family law to criminal law.

    It determines how one should eat, dress and even use the toilet.

    Oppression of women is good, drinking alcohol is bad.

    The core of the q u r a n is the call to j i h a d.

    J i h a d means a lot of things and is a r a b i c for battle.

    i s l a m means submission, there cannot be any mistake about its goal.

    i s l a m and freedom, i s l a m and democracy are not compatible.

    They are opposite values.

    m o h a m e d 's "wife" was six years old.

    That makes m o h a m e d a P E D O P H I L E!!!

    And you want to base a "R e l i g i o n" on this a z s -holes rantings?

    Are you INSANE?

    • StephenD

      Dude, change the record will ya? ENOUGH of your "copy and paste" posts. You become a noise maker instead of a positive influence.

      • mongoose

        If these are only cut and paste points ——

        which of them are untrue

        • StephenD

          Mongoose, I didn't say any were untrue. What does that have to do with it? I recall as a child hearing of the Apostle Paul who admonished a woman going before them shouting to the crowds to "listen to these men of G_d." Why would he have done so? Because they end up making a mockery of what he was attempting to accomplish. Be honest, as soon as you see this SAME POST in another article you scroll past it. It has become a distraction. That doesn't mean it is untrue. Neither was what the woman said before Paul untrue.

      • kathryn

        I enjoyed the list – a great pocket reminder of what people are dealing with in other parts of the world. And pray it will not be "coming to your neighborhood soon".

  • StephenD

    “In 2009, Nadarkhani went to local officials to complain about Islamic indoctrination in his school district, arguing that his children should not be forced to learn about Islam.”
    How long before this stuff is prevalent in the US?

    Oh wait…never mind. I forgot we already have textbooks in Texas and Speakers on Campuses, not to mention new TV shows whitewashing Islam in America.

  • Anne White

    Christians must pray that he will be protected from the fire of temptation and delivered from the evil of men whose minds are enslaved to darkness.

  • Theophile

    Lest we forget, this war on God's word has been going on for some time: http://www.gutenberg.org/files/22400/22400-h/2240
    Even in the US, liberty has become god, umm.. liberty from seeing God's commandments, or hearing God's "intolerant" positions on human behavior, and sin…. that is.

  • ObamaYoMoma

    Christians and all non-Muslims are not just violently oppressed and systematically persecuted in Iran. They are violently oppressed and systematically persecuted in all Islamic countries, including the two we are stupidly propping up.

  • Amused

    Where's the POPE ? Where's Amnesty International ? Where's the Christian body in the U.S. ?
    What if we jailed Christians for converting to islam ?

  • tanstaafl

    The only way evil can succeed is through the silence of the righteous.

  • Michael

    I home America bombs Iran to kingdom Kong they deserve it for treating people like this.