In the US, we have a free society. The only people labeled as “extremists” are jihad terrorists and those who dare to speak about the motivating ideology behind jihad terrorism.
“Tajik pastor charged with singing ‘extremist songs’ released from prison after 2.5 years,” by Samuel Smith, Christian Post, December 22, 2019 (thanks to The Religion of Peace):
A pastor in Tajikistan has been released from prison over two-and-a-half years after authorities raided his church, according to advocacy organizations.
Tajik Pastor Bakhrom Kholmatov of the Good News of Grace Protestant Church in Khujand was sentenced in July 2017 and accused of “singing extremist songs” in church and “inciting religious hatred.”
Police raided Kholmatov’s church and harassed the congregation in April 2017.
The Ireland-based persecution advocacy group Church in Chains reports that in the wake of the raid, several church members lost their jobs or faced repercussions.
The organization reports that the 43-year-old pastor was arrested and later charged for possessing a book of worship songs and Josh McDowell’s book More Than a Carpenter.
Kholmatov, who has a wife and three children, was released about three months before his sentence was set to expire.
“I’d like to express my huge gratitude to all the people who supported and prayed for me, my family and my church,” Kholmatov said in a statement shared by Church in Chains. “All these three years I felt your prayers, they helped me to stand, they helped my precious wife and children, they helped the members of my church who were left without a pastor, then kicked by the authorities out of our building.”
According to Church in Chains, Kholmatov served most of his sentence in Yavan Prison, over 200 miles away from his home.
Tajikistan has for years been listed by the U.S. State Department as a “country of particular concern” that has engaged in or tolerated “systematic, ongoing and egregious violations of religious freedom.” Tajikistan’s CPC designation was renewed by the State Department on Friday….
Lightship Chaplain says
What, did he sing a song saying Jesus is Lord? Extremism is decide by relativism and beleifes nowadays, and is not based in truth any longer!
Lightship Chaplain says
“beliefs” – sorry
keith says
This is the sort of incident that you her about and go,,NO WAY!,,this is a beat up.
Unfortunately, it appears to be true.
gravenimage says
Tajikistan: Christian pastor imprisoned for 2.5 years for the crime of “singing extremist songs”
The organization reports that the 43-year-old pastor was arrested and later charged for possessing a book of worship songs and Josh McDowell’s book More Than a Carpenter.
…………………..
In other words, he was *singing hymns*. The idea that hymns “incite religious hatred” is of course grotesque.
More proof that just being non-Muslim is a crime in Dar-al-Islam.
Tajikistan in 98% Muslim.
Infidel says
And despite the population being Sunni, rather than Shia, it’s more closely aligned w/ Iran. This country, which is an imaginary country, traces its history to the Samanid rulers of Iran, under whom Iran converted from a Zoroastrian to a Muslim country. Only one thing: the Samanids were Sunni, whereas Iran became Shia later under the Safavids.
But despite those differences, Tajikistan looks at Iran for inspiration, just like the other stans look to Turkey or Estonia looks to Finland
Lydia Church says
Heaven is filled with angels and Christian saints singing God’s praise, the God of the Bible, so the songs will be filled with Biblical Christian concepts! And while we are still here, I will be among the earthly choir singing those songs! And that regardless of any persecutions they can drum up. And they’d be many, as satan hates it when folks sing God’s praises, which explains yet more about islam…
European pagan says
What is ‘extremist song’? There are really beautiful modern Christian songs. They should listen to them sometimes 😉