Muslim Clerics call for beheading

[Scarecrow]

http://www.cnn.com/2006/WORLD/asiapcf/03/23/afghan.christian.ap/index.html
KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) -- Senior Muslim clerics are demanding that an Afghan man on trial for converting from Islam to Christianity be executed, warning that if the government caves in to Western pressure and frees him, they will incite people to "pull him into pieces."

In an unusual move, U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice telephoned President Hamid Karzai on Thursday seeking a "favorable resolution" of the case of Abdul Rahman. The 41-year-old former medical aid worker faces the death penalty under Afghanistan's Islamic laws for becoming a Christian.


This to me is a prime example of what is wrong with that whole region. This man has done nothing to warrant death despite the ramblings of those in that religion. Please someone tell me again how Islam if for peace and tolerance because I am just not seeing it with this. And these are those much spoken of radical extremists calling for this hanging either.

It is hard to believe that any lasting peace between the west and the Muslim led areas of the world will be created so long as this is the attitude.

The US should just bring this man here where he can enjoy religious freedom.

[odessit19]

http://www.cnn.com/2006/WORLD/asiapcf/03/23/afghan.christian.ap/index.html


This to me is a prime example of what is wrong with that whole region. This man has done nothing to warrant death despite the ramblings of those in that religion. Please someone tell me again how Islam if for peace and tolerance because I am just not seeing it with this. And these are those much spoken of radical extremists calling for this hanging either.

It is hard to believe that any lasting peace between the west and the Muslim led areas of the world will be created so long as this is the attitude.

The US should just bring this man here where he can enjoy religious freedom.

It's all the same, and unfortunately many people will still tell all of us that this is a miniscule representation of the muslim community and even if they are right, this small % of muslim community is doing and speaking out for the rest of the muslims because we can't hear or there is nothing to hear from the moderate side.

[Nanbawan]

Here we go again...Where to start ? :rolleyes:

[PanchoM]

This is unbeleivable ! , They are begging for aid with one hand and with have a sword on the other hand !.

[nutbar]

Bush supports the Afghan government, does he not?

[dawgpound2]

Here we go again...Where to start ? :rolleyes:


Uh, excuse me? Rolling your eyes at a story about a man who will die for his beliefs due to an oppressive society, and you roll your computer screen eyes? You need to look in the mirror!

Pray for this man! It is insanity.

[Scarecrow]

Bush supports the Afghan government, does he not?

Yes he does. It is also fair to point out that this law predates the current govt. And this is the law of the land in Saudi Arabia as well. This is where I give credit to Iran because they do not endorse this barbaric practice.

It is this intolerance that keeps a barrier between the west and the east.

[Nanbawan]

Uh, excuse me? Rolling your eyes at a story about a man who will die for his beliefs due to an oppressive society, and you roll your computer screen eyes? You need to look in the mirror!

Pray for this man! It is insanity.

To clarify : it was not about this particular story but the fact that whenever something screwed up happens (usually in Afghanistan or in Pakistan), the discussion always end up blaming Islam as a whole and Muslims everywhere for it.

Of course, this story is insane. It shows that a country can actually go backwards on certain issues even during a period of relative peace.

Kabul in 1977 :

The new part of the city reflected the connection to the modern world with the likes of Mercedes cabs, small hotels, offices, a trattoria, and women in contemporary dress (even knee length skirts!). Many Afghans who had the means were educated in Europe and spoke many languages-including of course English-and were engaged in business throughout the world.

http://www.womeninphotography.org/archive08-Oct01/gallery/f2/Images/AfghaniGirlsWarfield.jpg

http://www.womeninphotography.org/archive08-Oct01/gallery/f2/wipinews.html

Amélie (http://www.dailymotion.com/search/guignols/video/27385) from Kabul...

[Nanbawan]

It is this intolerance that keeps a barrier between the west and the east.

Well, sure, some of our citizens have to pretend they're tolerant in our system...To be more precise, we certainly don't have blatantly intolerant policies, or at least not to that level. That shouldn't be a handy excuse to prevent us from tackling remaininig issues at home though.

[Iceblink]

Don't worry. Everything is ok. Remember. This is Afghanistan. We fixed it already.

[YankBastard]

PRESIDENT DENOUNCES AFGHAN DEATH SENTENCE FOR SMART FELLA WHO CONVERTED TO THE ONE AND ONLY TRUE VERSION OF GOD

Officious White House Transcript

THE PRESIDENT: This morning, I was briefed on the situation of a certain Abdul Rahman: an Afghaniac guy who is being sentenced to death for no other reason than having the good sense to wake up and stop buying that moon god nonsense and walk with the one-and-only true Lord Jesus Christ. As such, I find this death sentence "deeply troubling."

After all, it's not like my staff doesn't have enough to do destroying the environment and inciting global furor without having to answer thousands of e-mails from Southern evangelicals named "Sue Beth" and "Tommy Joe" who think Abdul is an adorable brown-skinned puppy dog who the Green Berets should be air-lifting to the safety of America – so long as he doesn't try to buy a house within fifty miles of their gated communities.

As any über-Christian flag-waver here in the United States will tell you, America's founding fathers – who also invented FREEDOM® – were Christian; meaning that America was built upon Christian principles. So it only stands to reason that whenever America kills and bombs a country into FREEDOM®, that means THEY TOO are automatically built on Christian principles! So how can Afghanishland kill a guy just for flipping Moohammed the bird? That would be like executing a Texan for converting from veganitarianism to barbecueism!

Frankly, I am just a little embarrassed that the Afghanistazis can't grasp that – and as such are clearly not appreciating the full scope of the Christly awesomeness that is FREEDOM®.

Fortunately, since the Afghafarian government has its lips clamped firmly on America's cash teat, I am pretty confident that we can get this official death sentence squashed. As such, I have directed Dr. Rice to inform Hammid Karzai that my tongues-talking base is all hot and bothered about this, so if he wants to keep his U.S. Special Forces security detail, he'd better see to it that Abdul isn't executed. After all, it's not like poor Abdul is some Houston negro dealing dimebags! Back when I was governor, I used to fry them all the time! (Laughs.)

Of course, now that Abdul is a bona fide symbol, any steps our puppets take won't help him with the string of fatwahs that are sure to come from all of Afghanistan's Muslamiac-flavored Pat Robertson types. Because man, once you get those loony-birds whipped up, you are living on borrowed time, brother. (Laughs.) Truth is, I think old Abdul had better team up with Salman Rushdie and get a sweet timeshare on the moon!

In closing, let me just say that this is another one of those times when us guys in the politics game have to spew a lot of mush-mouthy diplomatic double-talk. Specifically, I want people to hear me state on the record that false religions like Islam are "beautiful" and "peaceful." And I will make it a point NOT to mention how firmly I believe that every last person who actually buys into that mumbo-jumbo WILL suffer eternal agony and torture for all eternity at the hands of my loving God.

Thank you, and God Bless America.

[DoyleG]

To clarify : it was not about this particular story but the fact that whenever something screwed up happens (usually in Afghanistan or in Pakistan), the discussion always end up blaming Islam as a whole and Muslims everywhere for it.

Of course, this story is insane. It shows that a country can actually go backwards on certain issues even during a period of relative peace.

Kabul in 1977 :



http://www.womeninphotography.org/archive08-Oct01/gallery/f2/Images/AfghaniGirlsWarfield.jpg

http://www.womeninphotography.org/archive08-Oct01/gallery/f2/wipinews.html

Amélie (http://www.dailymotion.com/search/guignols/video/27385) from Kabul...

This was, of course, before the Communists came in and tried to ram their values down the Afghans throats.

[Kamran]

stuff like this are common among most US allies in region but they just don't get any airtime... meanwhile the whole world is angry at Iran for detaining a Swedish (I think he was Swedish) for taking pictures from Iranian navy facilities in Qeshm Island... :rolleyes:

[Dr. Wankler]

This was, of course, before the Communists came in and tried to ram their values down the Afghans throats.

Which was roughly contemporaneous with the Carter administration, on the advice of Zbigniew Brzezinski, funding a group of anti-Communist muslims who later became the Taliban. Your point?

[YankBastard]

Convert leaves Afghanistan
Abdul Rahman, an Afghan man who converted from Islam to Christianity, left Afghanistan on March 29, and Italy said it granted him asylum and expected him to arrive soon.

"To the mullahs....don't wait up for me!"
http://snsimages.tribune.com/media/photo/2006-03/22675406.jpg

[Scarecrow]

stuff like this are common among most US allies in region but they just don't get any airtime... meanwhile the whole world is angry at Iran for detaining a Swedish (I think he was Swedish) for taking pictures from Iranian navy facilities in Qeshm Island... :rolleyes:

Hmmm haven't heard anything about that, you should start a thread on it since this thread has nothing to do with Iran.

[Revolt]

The poor sap was released from Afghanistan and is in Italy. Thank goodness.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060329/ap_on_re_as/afghan_christian_convert;_ylt=AiEXj2CsysLAzBitH0D9MUSs0NUE;_ylu=X3oDMTA3b2NibDltBHNlYwM3MTY-

Meanwhile, our model democracy isn't looking so great these days. At least the Afghanis are our reliable puppets.


The Afghan man who faced the death penalty for converting from Islam to Christianity received asylum in Italy Wednesday, despite requests by lawmakers in Afghanistan that he be barred from fleeing the conservative Muslim country.

Abdul Rahman arrived in Rome days after he was freed from a high-security prison on the outskirts of Kabul after a court dropped charges of apostasy against him for lack of evidence and suspected mental illness.

...

Conversion is a crime under Afghanistan's Islamic law. Rahman was arrested last month after police discovered him with a Bible. He was brought to trial last week and faced the death penalty for converting 16 years ago while working as a medical aid worker for an international Christian group helping Afghan refugees in Pakistan.

Under heavy international pressure by the United States and other nations that helped oust the hard-line Taliban regime and provide aid and military support for Karzai, Rahman was released from prison Monday.

President Bush and others had insisted Afghanistan protect personal beliefs. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice called Karzai last week and appealed for a "favorable resolution" of the case.

Afghanistan's new parliament debated Rahman's case Wednesday and demanded he be barred from leaving the country. But no formal vote was taken on the issue.

Some 500 Afghans, including Muslim leaders and students, also gathered at a mosque in the southern town of Qalat, in Zabul province, to demand the convert be forced to return to Islam or be killed.

"This is a terrible thing and a major shame for Afghanistan," Zabul's top cleric Abdulrahman Jan said.

Germany, where Rahman once lived, praised the Italian move.
"This is a humanitarian signal and we welcome it," German government spokesman Thomas Steg said.

[Rostam]

Yes he does. It is also fair to point out that this law predates the current govt. And this is the law of the land in Saudi Arabia as well. This is where I give credit to Iran because they do not endorse this barbaric practice.

It is this intolerance that keeps a barrier between the west and the east.

I have a point to make but just a bit of background:
Prior to arrival of the Brits in the region and the Indies, Persia had a huge cultural, economic and military influence across ME, Central Asia and Indian subcontinent, Othaman Empire, such as the Persian language was the official administrative, educational and high class language. By the time Brits arrved, Persia had lost some of its power & zeal from the Safavid Dynasty, and a lot of Persian hegemony was replaced by Brits, including change of official language. and later, Afghans, thru the help of Brits, revolted and sought independence from Persia/Iran. As this happened, all these countries started to suffer and get weaker, and some fully colonized by the Brits. The point I want to make is that the downfall was not only economic but also cultural decay had followed the economic decay. So, a lot of this is not really directly derived from Islam, but rather their own ignorance. The practice of any religion is very much a function of local culture, specially for Islam which has a huge following across all continents.
As for Iran, we never had that kinda cultural savagery, rather we became victim of it at least 3 times.

[Scarecrow]

I have a point to make but just a bit of background:
Prior to arrival of the Brits in the region and the Indies, Persia had a huge cultural, economic and military influence across ME, Central Asia and Indian subcontinent, Othaman Empire, such as the Persian language was the official administrative, educational and high class language. By the time Brits arrved, Persia had lost some of its power & zeal from the Safavid Dynasty, and a lot of Persian hegemony was replaced by Brits, including change of official language. and later, Afghans, thru the help of Brits, revolted and sought independence from Persia/Iran. As this happened, all these countries started to suffer and get weaker, and some fully colonized by the Brits. The point I want to make is that the downfall was not only economic but also cultural decay had followed the economic decay. So, a lot of this is not really directly derived from Islam, but rather their own ignorance. The practice of any religion is very much a function of local culture, specially for Islam which has a huge following across all continents.
As for Iran, we never had that kinda cultural savagery, rather we became victim of it at least 3 times.

Thank you for the post. I agree that religion is a function of the local culture.
I agree, Iran has been more of a victim of that cultural savagery then a propagator of it. I know I do not give Iran much credit, but on this I do, and while I do not agree with what Arm-an-ass said about wiping Israel off the map, it is true that Jews are allowed to practice and live in peace in Iran, although I do understand that they are not allowed to be as active or are limited in Govt. You can tell me more about that though as I am not 100% certain on what they can or can't do in that regard.

[Mel Brennan]

...and a Christian President and Prime Minister call for bombing and shooting and invading and occupying. IOW, sickos call for murder. Thanks for the update.