March 29, 2006
Rahman Free and Safe at Last
To update RustyÂ’s post here we have good news. AP is reporting that Abdul is safely out of Afghanistan.
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To update RustyÂ’s post here we have good news. AP is reporting that Abdul is safely out of Afghanistan.AP via Yahoo :KABUL, Afghanistan - An Afghan man who had faced the death penalty after converting from Islam to Christianity left Afghanistan Early Wednesday, according to a foreign legal expert closely connected to the case.
The official, who declined to be identified due to the sensitive nature of the case, said Abdul Rahman, 41, had been flown out of Afghanistan, but it was unclear to where.
Italian authorities said Wednesday that they had granted asylum to Rahman, who faced the death penalty for converting to Christianity.
The Italian authorities said Rahman could arrive in Italy as soon as Wednesday. Now he is reported to have arrived in Italy. Good news indeed. If we work hard we may be able to gain more freedom for Christians in Muslim nations. This man is only one of many who face persecution and death.
""If we ever forget that we're one nation under God, then we will be a nation gone under."Just as correct now as ever. Credit is also due the Catholic Church, Pope Benedict and the nation of Italy for their hard work. Also to Afghanistan for moving one step closer to freedom. Hat Tip : memphis761 for Reagan quotes."No arsenal, or no weapon in the arsenals of the world, is so formidable as the will and moral courage of free men and women."
- Ronald Reagan
Posted by: Howie at
10:52 AM
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1
Great! Something good happens for a change. Hallelujah!!!!
Posted by: n.a. palm at March 29, 2006 11:21 AM (LIokd)
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According to the Italian Prime Minister Mr Berlusconi, Abdul Rahman has arrived in Italy yesterday and is staying at a top secret location. Thank God for that!
Posted by: enzo at March 29, 2006 11:34 AM (7BIKb)
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>>>top secret location
gee, I wonder why. Perhaps it's all those buddhists and hindus who want him murdered.
Posted by: Jesusland Carlos at March 29, 2006 11:39 AM (8e/V4)
4
Well, he is a threat, after all...
Exposing the 8th century mullahcracy that apparently runs Afghanistan when the World's flashlight isn't shining on them could be... bad for business.
Posted by: heldmyw at March 29, 2006 12:23 PM (LvGT1)
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It's good to know that he's out of Afghanistan safely. However I don't think the country has taken a step towards freedom. Rahman was only spared because of international pressure. As with many of these cases, he was informed on by someone holding a grudge. What may very well happen now is that these cases will no longer be reported to the Afghan authorities but rather straight to the clerics who'll take swifter, quieter action.
Posted by: Graeme at March 29, 2006 12:41 PM (wSwVN)
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Oh Graeme you are so right. I wish you weren't. At least the government took a small step in this case at great risk. We'll see what the reaction is. This case worked out left and right, free nations standing together like the cold war. When we do that we have a good chance to get things done. When I was younger people from Soviet nations were news seeking asylum. I feel we can do the same now against a different form of oppression.
Posted by: Howie at March 29, 2006 12:53 PM (D3+20)
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Well, now that the Christian right has landed their poster boy, letÂ’s see what theyÂ’ve gotten in the bargain (lifted from the current edition of Time)
"The picture painted by the local police who arrested him shows a candidate not quite ready for family values. Rather, a portrait emerges of a deadbeat dad with psychological problems who couldn't hold down a job, abused his daughters and parents and didn't pay child support.
From Colonel Mohammed Saber Monseffi, the chief crime officer at the 15th district police station in Kabul, after Abdul Rahman was brought in for questioning after a domestic dispute turned violent late last month, "He told me, 'I'm a Christian,' and I said that is not of any interest to me. I asked him why did you beat your father, why did you beat your daughters?"
From his teenage daughters Mariam and Maria, aged 13 and 14 "He behaves badly with us and we were threatened and disgraced by him. He has no job and has never given me a stitch of clothing or a crust of bread. Just his name as a father."
A statement by his mother Ghul Begum reads: "We brought up his children and for eight years he didn't come home."
This is THE Christian?
Posted by: Cosmos at March 29, 2006 01:14 PM (UHKaK)
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So Cosmos will be the first in line to "Tear him to Pieces". These statments also come from those who seek to have him killed. Nothing more Nasty or less credible than statements during a family dispute.
Posted by: Howie at March 29, 2006 01:30 PM (D3+20)
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Also these kids were five and six a lot of ideas can be put in a younsters head in eight years.
Posted by: Howie at March 29, 2006 01:33 PM (D3+20)
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OK welcome to all christians fleeing Islam !! let's see about 1 million in Dafur will we welcome them to our shores ? I think there may be quite a lot of Christians facing persecution in muslim countries that would like to leave. This would be a good time since we are about to grant a massive amnesty anyway.
Posted by: john Ryan at March 29, 2006 01:34 PM (nkDPg)
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Howie:
I'm not advocating tearing him to pieces or having him killed; I'm just pointing out the simple truth that it pays to bone up on inconvenient facts before making someone your hero. If blogs are really about truths the pointy-headed MSM refuses to shed light on, then you gotta be able to live with both edges of the sword.
P.S. If this guy were a Christian who donned a turban and converted to Islam, would anyone here be quite so relieved that he'd escaped persecution?
Posted by: Cosmos at March 29, 2006 01:40 PM (UHKaK)
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Rather than take them all we could advocate for freedom and take those we can take. I guess the lefties would rather not stand up fof their values. Attacking the right has become such a habbit they have forgotten their roots.
OH and I'm not conservative Christian as you imagine. I'm a moderate Christian Reagan Republican with conservative Democrat parents from a rural conservative Democratic district. I know the real Democrats and they would like to drop the nutso part of the party like a hot rock.
So cosmos solution would be to leave him as his redemption is false he is disqualified from salvation or our help because of his past. just becuase we took up his cause he is our "poster boy or hero". So what's the deal? Is it because the right wanted to help him it must be a farce? If the left were fighting as hard for his freedom they would crow all day long. Jealousy is an ugly thing we have outdone them at thier own game and rather than say good job they attack as usual.
Posted by: Howie at March 29, 2006 01:44 PM (D3+20)
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Cosmos,
Would he have the problem if he converted back to Islam? No we wouldn't, he'ld go back home and resume his life. We wouldn't be hearing about it.
Posted by: Marcus Aurelius at March 29, 2006 01:52 PM (ffPYG)
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Cosmos, the point is that he was going to be put to death for converting. That is maybe an inconvenient fact, but a fact nonetheless. If he's a lousy dad then his wife has a right to divorce him even under Sharia law. It's quite easy I hear. If he abused his family then jail him for that abuse; not call for his death because he converted from Islam.
He's not anyone's "hero", but he is a symbol of everything that's wrong in the Middle East. You first sounded more like you were advocating for his dire situation because he's an asshole and insinuated that we would defend his social behavior. Last I heard there was nothing even in the UN Charter that advocates death for being an asshole.
This is information that should be known, if true, but no one here has relegated him to "hero" status. Even assholes are allowed to walk free.
Posted by: Oyster at March 29, 2006 01:57 PM (rGS2g)
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Oyster: Had he been given over to the Mullahs they would attack us for supporting a bad government. Damned if you do damned if you don't, typical.
Posted by: Howie at March 29, 2006 02:01 PM (D3+20)
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No question, death is a little, er, harsh for being an asshole; but did you read the main post I was responding to?
My God, this guy was made out to be a combination of Nelson Mandela and Ghandi, "suffering for his beliefs." Of course I dont' think the guy should be put to death for being a deadbeat and a dick to his family. But let's not deify -- or vilify -- the man any more then neccessary to make our points, shall we? Again and again, I'm told this is the failing of the MSM ... and here it show up on the blogosphere's doorstep!
Posted by: Cosmos at March 29, 2006 02:12 PM (UHKaK)
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Yawn.
Posted by: Howie at March 29, 2006 02:16 PM (D3+20)
18
The most interesting thing you've said in weeks.
Posted by: Cosmos at March 29, 2006 02:18 PM (UHKaK)
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I still don't see how you say I deified the man, whine to yahoo or AP. I don't blog to please anyone but Rusty and myself so that dart missed the target altogether. Nice try.
Posted by: Howie at March 29, 2006 02:27 PM (D3+20)
20
Well, good luck with that then.
Posted by: Cosmos at March 29, 2006 02:37 PM (UHKaK)
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Thanks, and sorry but please show me what I wrote that upset you. He has become a symbol. I am glad he's free as I've followed this and done several posts on him. So if I'm giddy that he made it out it's because I feared what might have been. I'll not be sorry for being happy about the outcome.
Posted by: Howie at March 29, 2006 02:49 PM (D3+20)
22
My opinion, regardless of his family life, still stands. We fight for the right of our fellow citizens to continue to enjoy freedom of speech and religion no matter how vehemently we disagree or how disguted they may make us feel, but it doesn't mean we would relegate any of them to a status of more than a fellow human. I think you misread Howie's intent. We are all gleeful that he is free from the threat of death. Just as relieved as we were of the CPT hostages who might have well just slapped us in the face. It still doesn't diminish the seriousness of what they were faced with.
Again, I appreciate your wanting to impart that information, but it doesn't change anything.
Posted by: Oyster at March 29, 2006 02:56 PM (rGS2g)
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Nah, I'm not upset. at all, just didn't want to keep beating it. I was just trying to make the point that this guy is, by at least a few accounts, pretty shaky in the Christianity department -- turns out Rahman is kind of an asshole, just like the rest of us. So instead of setting this story up as a "Christian Escapes" tale, let's celebrate the fact a guy that needed help got it. Probably a pretty find point anyway!
Posted by: Cosmos at March 29, 2006 03:11 PM (UHKaK)
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Fair enough.
Posted by: Howie at March 29, 2006 03:17 PM (D3+20)
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>>>>before making someone your hero.
We didn't make him our hero. YOU made him our hero! lol!
Posted by: Jesusland Carlos at March 29, 2006 03:20 PM (8e/V4)
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Welcome any Michelle Malkin readers. Holy cow, I'm giddy now baby! Thanks to Michelle for the linky linky as well.
Posted by: Howie at March 29, 2006 03:35 PM (D3+20)
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Cosmos: you don't want to set this story up as a "Christian escapes" tales because Rahman is apparently far from perfect - I don't think anyone has set this up as a Christian story.
Rahman was going to be put to death for apostasy - apostasy meaning the renunciation of the Muslim faith. His conversion to Christianity was sort of icing on the cake, or salt in the wound, depending on how you look at it.
This is about freedom of religion in Afghanistan. Did we fight and "win the war" in Afghanistan so that the new government could turn around and do exactly what the Taliban did - forbid people do believe what they want to believe?
Rahman's story has a happy ending because freedom of religion prevailed. But will it be just an exception because of all of the media attention? Will the Muslims ever lay off and just allow people to have their own beliefs?
Posted by: Heroic Dreamer at March 29, 2006 03:42 PM (aH6Zf)
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Three thoughts; I wouldnt' say freedom of religon prevailed; rather this fellow was allowed to leave. There is still no freedom of religion in Afghanistan. Secondly, I would disagree that we have won the war in Afghanistan. Fighting continues, Al Queda is still floating around, and according to some, regaining footholds in areas they had access to under the Taliban. Thirdly, no, the most extreme Muslims -- including Islamic governance -- will probably not lay off because they are, well ... extreme, dangerously literal interpreters of the Koran.
Posted by: Cosmos at March 29, 2006 04:35 PM (UHKaK)
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A collection of negative analysis statements - yet no conclusion is offered?
Have a lil' courage - say it - run, surrender, quit, give up, its hopeless, we're beaten, etc.
Having a difficult time taking a stand stand?
Posted by: hondo at March 29, 2006 05:33 PM (StM4D)
30
Cosmos: I agree with you on all three points in the comment directly above.
But what point are you making earlier when you complain that Rahman is being "deified," or that he is a Christian poster boy etc.? And that he is unworthy of being a poster boy?
He is in many ways just a bit player in the larger story of freedom v. tyrrany. His story is one where his freedom to believe escapes the death sentence. In this sense, it is a step in the right direction.
Posted by: Heroic Dreamer at March 29, 2006 05:36 PM (aH6Zf)
31
I'm glad Rahmann's safe, but I wish that it had been the U.S. that stepped up and offered asylum...
Posted by: Lonevoice at March 29, 2006 07:18 PM (utb8z)
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