International pressure got the hikers freed; theirs was a fashionable cause in the mainstream press and among prominent left-wing figures. Would Hugo Chavez, Archbishop Desmond Tutu, Cindy Sheehan, Noam Chomsky, and Sean Penn care to stand up for Yousef Nadarkhani's human rights?
An update on this story. "Christian Pastor Yousef Nadarkhani faces potential execution," by Jordan Sekulow for the Washington Post, September 27:
Just days after Iran released two Americans accused of spying, an Iranian court has upheld the apostasy conviction and execution sentence of Christian Pastor Youcef Nadarkhani.
The 11th branch of Iran’s Gilan Provincial Court has determined that Nadarkhani has Islamic ancestry and therefore must recant his faith in Jesus Christ. Iran’s supreme court had previously ruled that the trial court must determine if Youcef had been a Muslim before converting to Christianity.
However, the judges, acting like terrorists with a hostage, demanded that he recant his faith in Christ before even taking evidence. The judges stated that even though the judgment they have made is against the current Iranian and international laws, they have to uphold the previous decision of the 27th Branch of the Supreme Court in Qom.
When asked to “repent” by the judges, Youcef stated, “Repent means to return. What should I return to? To the blasphemy that I had before my faith in Christ?” The judges replied , “To the religion of your ancestors, Islam.” To which he replied, “I cannot.”
It is reported that Youcef was able to see his children for the first time since March and was in good spirits speaking of how he longed to serve the church upon his release.
Pastor Youcef will be brought to the court for two additional “hearings” on September 27th and 28th for the sole purpose of being called upon to recant his Christian faith. The ACLJ’s sources report that although Pastor Youcef’s attorneys will attempt to appeal the case, there is no guarantee that the provincial court will not act on its own interpretation of Sharia law and execute pastor Youcef as early as Wednesday.
Technically, there is no right of appeal, and under Iran’s interpretation of Hadith and Sharia law, Pastor Youcef is to be given three chances to recant. He has already been asked to recant twice, and will be asked to do so again Tuesday. If he does not recant his Christian faith, he could be executed at any time.
We are continuing to press for the international community to take note of Youcef’s situation and call for his unconditional release. We are also continuing to work with members of Congress and are urging the State Department to get involved to save the life of this Christian pastor.
There is still time to save this pastor’s life.
Adherence to any belief system usually has two components - faith and conformity. In Islam, as with communism, the forces of conformity are very strong and are imposed with murderous ruthlessness. Nevertheless, once the faith has gone, the habits of conformity will become an empty shell, which will eventually implode.
So we need to attack Islam on both fronts, by demonstrating that the spiritual benefits of the 'faith' are bogus - Islam is confidence trick set up by a ruthless megalomaniac - and also we need to decrease the benefits of conformity by increasing the costs and reducing the benefits of being a Muslim in the material world here and now.
Destroying and replacing Muslim beliefs
Islam may appear hard, but it is also brittle. A small crack anywhere in the structure can spread throughout. Islam claims that the Koran is the literal word of God, which was dictated to, but not written by, Mohammed.
So it's an all-or-nothing cult. Any fault in the Koran, or doubts as to the truthfulness of Mohammed, can cause the whole system to disintegrate. Muslims already subconsciously realise this, because they fly into tantrums whenever either Mohammed or the Koran is 'disrespected' . Under Sharia law any criticism or either Mohammed or the Koran is blasphemy which is punished by death.
This paranoid, hypersensitive defensiveness and outrage at criticism are not the reactions of a confident belief system, but of an information-control cult. http://crombouke.blogspot.com/2011/03/how-to-destroy-islam-non-violently.html
Matters of this kind don't appear Western diplomatic radar screens, to our disgrace, altough there is some talk of creating a Canadian ministerial position, called "Minister of Religious Affairs," that would specifically address minority religious rights abroad. Other Western governments should take note and follow suit.
Despicable. Islam is a threat to every person on the planet who believes in freedom. Islam is the enemy of peace, freedom, love, hope, intellect and compassion.
I can only imagine what the pastor went through during the chances to recant. The choice between submission and death. I hope that if miracles happen, he escapes somehow from both.
Return, “To the religion of your ancestors, Islam”?
In actuality, that would be Zoroastrianism (or possibly Judaism).
However, the judge is a Muslim. For him, there is only "one true religion," Islam, and everything that came before it is meaningless (from the age of ignorance of Islam, or jahiliyya).
In reality, Islam is ignorance.
And ignoring endemic Islamic depredations against other religions (not just Zoroastrianism, but starting with Arab polytheism and the Jews of Medina) is a sad (PC) reality, also born out of ignorance (wishful thinking, delusions, etc.).
Sura 9:33
"It is He (allah) who sent His Messenger (muhammad)
with guidance and the true faith (islam) to make it superior to other systems of belief (whatever the rest of humanity believes)."
No equality, tolerance, or peace in that ideological framework, as the case of the Muslim convert makes clear.
This story is huge folks.
If the good pastor is put to death, will the MSM report it even though it casts Islam in a decidedly negative light? Will CAIR and other Muslim advocacy groups be asked to comment upon such an atrocity?
Why do I suspect the answer to both questions will be no?
Because I'm jaded....and why wouldn't I be?
However, the judges, acting like terrorists with a hostage, demanded that he recant his faith in Christ before even taking evidence.
Ah, that famous impartiality on the part of the judge(s). :)) Just shows how Sharia would fit seamlessly with our secular law .... right Mr Rauf?
Clown!
Christian pastor Youcef Nadarkhani faces death for apostasy: Iranian theocracy in action
http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/news/tomchiversscience/100107950/christian-pastor-youcef-nadarkhani-faces-death-for-apostasy-iranian-theocracy-in-action/
IRAN: Next 24 hours critical to stop the execution of Pastor Yousef Nadarkhani
CSW is urgently calling for action on behalf of Pastor Yousef Nadarkhani who faces execution anytime from Thursday onwards after refusing to renounce his faith.
http://e-activist.com/ea-action/action?ea.client.id=88&ea.campaign.id=12209
These vermins should be treated as such. Close their embassies, close the UN, cut all ties with these animals, don't allow them to be treated in our hospitals, to use our internet, our technology and our freedom against us.
Submit to the Free World or else!
http://crossmuslims.blogspot.com/2010/06/deserve-victory.html
"Al Qaeda to Mahmoud Ahmadinejad: Stop saying we didn't do 9/11, you're just 'jealous'"
http://www.nydailynews.com/news/world/2011/09/28/2011-09-28_al_qaeda_to_mahmoud_ahmadinejad_stop_saying_we_didnt_do_911_youre_just_jealous.html
"Pastor Yousef Nadarkhani to be hanged in Iran - for converting to Christianity"
http://archbishop-cranmer.blogspot.com/2011/09/pastor-yousef-nadarkhani-to-be-hanged.html
Just like Daniel, Daniel in the lion's den
Just like Daniel, Daniel in the lion's den
Face to face with that hungry beast
Any day now you will be released
Face to face with that ugly throng
Two sentences noted in the Washington Post article:
"there is no guarantee that the provincial court will not act on its own interpretation of Sharia law and execute pastor Youcef as early as Wednesday."
and
"and under Iran’s interpretation of Hadith and Sharia law..."
What do you think Marisol? Is there room for doubt in plainly written words?
jim
Would the Organization of the Islamic Conference respond by expelling Iran from membership?
If they do not then the people of the world can conclude that the OIC is fully supportive of the imposition of the death penalty here. It is anecdotaly representative of mainstream Islam.
Here's another report on this case, from Australia's Herald-Sun.
http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/breaking-news/christian-pastor-in-iran-faces-execution-for-apostasy/story-e6frf7jx-1226151114178
Just for once, the Archbishop of Canterbury has actually spoken up on behalf of a persecuted Christian.
I would encourage those jihadwatchers who live within reasonable travelling distance of the Iranian embassy in their country, to consider a flash-mob rally.
JUST in case any of you muslim scum bag shit heads pop into this article...
THIS is martyrdom. Being killed for not turning your back on your belief is martyrdom. Blowing yourself (and others) up is suicide and murder.
mohammed and allah swim in and drink pig shit.
Islam is like the mafia - it doesn't matter if you were forced in, you cannot get out. And it you criticize the cult founder or cult, you must be killed.
Please pray for this man. If he dies, please pray for his soul. He did not suffer in vain.
If the Iranians execute this convert, Islam is dead.
Mark my words. This case is absolutely pivotal.
______________________________________________
It ought to be on the front page of every newspaper in the world.
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My prediction is that he will not be executed, but will be lashed 2 or 3 hundred times, then kicked out of the country.
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"We shall see", as the blind man says...
How great is a religion or ideology that would punish those whom would try to leave it?
My God gave me a free will, a free spirit, I am not a robot, nor a computer. However if I choose wrong from right then my punishment will come from my father in Heaven. Not men whom think they are my judge and jury, here on earth.
As a free man I may do as I want. Now if I choose to follow my Gods commandments, and the Holy Bible it was of my own free will.
In Islam there is no such thing as a free will. Muslims are told evrything they need to know. That is not freedom that is a dictatorship. A dictatorship that must force its members to do this, or to do that, will never know how many are truly following because they want to, or following out of fear.