[UPDATE: CAIR CALLS FOR RELEASE OF AFGHAN CHRISTIAN. Bravo, Ibrahim. I applaud your rejection of Muhammad’s words baddala deenahu faqtuhu — “If anyone changes his religion, kill him” (cf. Bukhari vol. 9, bk. 84, no. 57). I await your explicit and definitive renunciation of this dictum for all times and places, and similar renunciations of the principle violent jihad and the goal of of Sharia supremacy even if advanced by peaceful means. You can send them to me here as always, to director@jihadwatch.org.]
Ibrahim Hooper of the Council on American Islamic Relations, that great warrior for civil rights, has so far been mum about Abdul Rahman, the man who faces death in Afghanistan for converting to Christianity.
Come on, Ibrahim. How hard can it be to issue a statement condemning the traditional Sharia provision of death for apostasy as an infringement of the freedom of conscience, which I am sure you must accept as part of your overall moderation and acceptance of Western pluralism, no? Ibrahim? Ibrahim?
And why, by the way, did Rice and Hughes not ask him to address this issue?
“Islamic Advocacy Group Silent on Afghan Apostasy Trial,” from CNSNews, with thanks to Olivia:
(CNSNews.com) – What does the Council on American-Islamic Relations have to say about the trial of an Afghan Muslim who may get the death penalty for converting to Christianity? Nothing so far, noted a conservative, pro-family group.
“Ibrahim Hooper of the Council on American-Islamic Relations so far has been silent,” the Family Research Council said in an email message on Tuesday.
“Hooper is usually quick to decry any anti-Muslim slight. By not speaking out against this outrageous action, CAIR is dealing with the issue,” said FRC President Tony Perkins.
CAIR, in an email message of its own on Tuesday, did not mention the case of Abdul Rahman, who converted to Christianity 16 years ago. The judge hearing Rahman’s case was quoted as saying that Rahman could face the death penalty if he refused to return to Islam.
Some of CAIR’s leaders, along with other Muslims, met on Tuesday with Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, Under Secretary of State for Public Diplomacy Karen Hughes and top officials of the National Security Council. But the meetings focused on outreach efforts to the Muslim world and “how to address growing levels of Islamophobia in the West,” CAIR said….
“The judge in Rahman’s case soothingly assures us that all will be forgiven if he renounces his Christianity because ‘Islam is a religion of tolerance.’ Really?” asked Perkins.
Perkins is particularly upset with comments made by White House spokesman Sean McCormack, who said on Tuesday, “Freedom of worship is an important element of any democracy and these are issues as Afghan democracy matures that they are going to have to deal with increasingly.”
Said Perkins, “Religious freedom is not just ‘an important element’ of democracy; it is its cornerstone. Religious persecution leads inevitably to political tyranny. Five hundred years of history confirm this.”
Perkins has said that President Bush should send Vice President Cheney or Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice to Afghanistan to read the Afghan government the riot act.
“Americans will not give their blood and treasure to prop up new Islamic fundamentalist regimes,” he said earlier this week.
Oh yes we will, unless there are some drastic changes.