And he may have to, since the West appears to lack the will to compel the Afghans to forsake Sharia in favor of a recognition of the dignity of the human person that is taken for granted outside the Islamic world. From Reuters, with thanks to Sr. Soph:
ROME (Reuters) - An Afghan man who faces a possible death sentence for converting from Islam to Christianity has told an Italian newspaper he is ready to die for his new faith.``I don't want to die. But if God decides, I am ready to confront my choices, all the way,'' Abdur Rahman was quoted as saying in Sunday's La Repubblica.
The Italian newspaper conducted the interview by sending Rahman written questions via a human rights worker who visited him in jail outside Kabul.
Rahman, 40, could be hanged if found guilty of apostasy, which is punishable by death under Sharia (Islamic) law). His trial is due to start in a few days.
Rahman said he would defend himself in court as no lawyer would want to. He also said he did not want to leave Afghanistan, a possible option if he is allowed to go free.
When asked if he would go abroad, he said: ``Perhaps, but if I flee again that would mean my country hasn't changed. It would mean that they have won, our enemies. Without human rights, without respect for all religions, the Taliban have won.''...
Rahman said he converted to Christianity after leaving Afghanistan 16 years ago. In Pakistan he worked for a humanitarian organization where Catholics told him of their faith. ``I read the Bible and it opened my heart and mind,'' he said.
When Rahman returned to Afghanistan after working in Germany, the wife and two daughters he had left behind 16 years earlier reported him to the authorities, saying he forced them to read the Bible and recite Christian prayers, something he denies.
``It's not true. When I returned, I explained the choice I had made,'' he said. ``It wasn't a provocation. They saw I wasn't praying with them and that I was reading the Bible. They asked me and I told the truth. I had become a Christian.
``I have done nothing to repent, I respect Afghan law as I respect Islam. But I chose to become a Christian, for myself, for my soul. It is not an offence.''
Click on the "returned to Afghanistan" link above. Was Abdul Rahman actually deported by the Germans? (Thanks to CaNN).
Infidel Pride:
“Although Brahma is the creator in the Hindu trinity, this is the first time I've read of him being worshipped, or even a statue to him. He rarely is.”
You are right – I know only 2 temples in India, dedicated to Brahma. Unusual for a “creator”.
As for Thailand, this statue (Pra Prom) has been considered as part of Thai-Buddhist tradition, rather then Hindu. It is also revered by many other Buddhists, especially Chinese.
Many traditions in every religion go even against the main stream ideology, but still kept and impossible to get rid of.
The killing is wrong, but in every civilized society we make distinctions: first and second degree, crime of passion, self defense ect.
I find it hard to belief that the damage to the statue was not premeditated. If the actual perpetrator is mad, he was used as a tool like the suicide bombers.
It is well known in Thailand what Pra Prom signifies to people and how important it is to Thai economy. Several thousands tourists cancelled trips to Thailand, resulting in millions of dollars loss to the economy. Thais are very superstitious people and bad times for Thailand and Thais was predicted before attack on Pra Prom. This attack now viewed by Thais as a very bad omen especially when it coincides with our political crises.
Thailand is at war. Only Iraq and Afghanistan have more casualties. The killing of the muslim should be considered as killing during the war and not just a usual crime.
I am not a superstitious person. I am not religious either. I do not have respect for any religion or religious views, but I know that attack on Pra Prom was a strike against every Thai (Atheist, Buddhist, Christian or Jew, yes there are a few Thais who are Jewish).
Tradition sometimes is more then religion and that is why to my surprise I am deeply sadden by the incidence.
So may be it is not always wrong to kill?
Hammer_Time.
The reason I was not “explicit” and did not address your arguments is because though I do not agree with some of your views, I feel that you are more an ally then an adversary.
I did state in my previous posts why 20th Century Christianity is not terroristic and Islam is. This is a big problem with this site that it is difficult to follow anybody’s views as a thread usually lasts for 24 hours. I wish I could get all your posts and some other people to read and make notes.
I noticed and liked your “door-to-door salesmen” bit and mine “eating with any of them” just continued your line. May be it was not clear enough. Lack of explanation is the sign of respect.
I do not like people who know better without any reason to be put down the table. In Thailand we have many Christian missionaries, explaining to semi-literal Thais that Christianity is right and Buddhism is wrong. I have nothing, but contempt for those people. All of them I met are also semi-literate, have very little knowledge of Christianity and even less about Buddhism. Confronted with uncomfortable for them questions, they usually become angry and put a label on you. Intelligence is substituted by fanaticism.
“But I think my distinction between peaceful and lethal persuasion is valid, especially nowadays.” No argument, it is valid. I just think we have to oppose any religious persuasion with different means of cause.
There is one God only.
There is a God (Father), a human (Son) and the illuminated spirit (the Holy Spirit).
A true, truthful and genuinly compassionate faith isn't a necessarily based on any church or any kind of outer manifestations, rather than
inside (life of) one of us all, and we all - within our free will of course - are capable of act (within our limits) like Jesus Christ,
within our actions, feelings and eventually our thoughts also. When the foundation of human is harmonic within all levels, it also reflected to
the outside world.
However, a true faith and knowledge can be based also other religious doctrines, if they are'nt any kind of against a free will of humans- so within practicing there isn't any kind of doctrines against genuinly love and peace or any kind of abnormal demands- like killing another people for no real reason- like Islam teach for its followers, and eg. celibacy commitment of priests of Roman Catholic Church.
I would like to send my best hopes to Mr. Abdul Rahman, and to all mankind for shaping the actions of future for better and genuinly compassionate
tomorrow. God bless us all.
It doesn't matter if the govenment lets Rahman go or not he's not going to leave the country so he is a dead man walking.
Learjet, you and your ideological friends are the mirror image of the Muslims.
They are incapable of accepting criticism, failure or responsibility. They can't because they are perfect and always right (and Right).
And they also have the same basic social values and agenda.
Will the muslims see what real martyrdom is? Dying for one's faith, but no murdering anyone else.