From yahoo.com –> Western & Islam religions clash

This article is about a man, Abdur Rahman, who lives in Afghanistan and converted from Islam to Christianity. He is now on trial for apostasy (converting from Islam) and if convicted, will be facing the death penalty. Westerners are up in arms because of this while Muslims defend that it is a part of their faith and culture.

Personally, I am conflicted. How are we to go into a country, remove its government in which we view these laws to derive from, and say that the laws of Islam are no longer to be followed or be literally interpreted? Islam has been in this country for hundreds of years and their culture is based on it. In America, our culture and country were based on freedoms (including religion) but that is not so for Afghanistan.

Being a Christian, I am at a loss about the persecution of this man. James 1:2-3 (NIV) says “Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance.” Shouldn’t we be joyous that Abdur is facing this? I look to him and say that he must truly know God through Jesus Christ if he is not willing to give up Christ and return to Islam to avoid these proceedings. My instincts say that we must remove him from this peril but my faith says that we should stand with him in whatever fashion we can so that through it, God may be glorified.

Many of the European media have been commenting on the situation. Their cry is against the possibility of the death penalty or being institutionalized in a psychiatric hospital not against the freedom of religion. Europe itself does not see hold a high value on the freedom of religion but believes religion should be downplayed into a corner of one’s personal life but not involve one’s entire being.

Now I am not one for “religion”; the ceremonial acting out of different acts to “appease” God, but I am for knowing God in an intimate way which I have found to be through Jesus Christ which does involve one’s entire being.

So for you out there that call yourselves followers of Christ I ask: If you were Abdur, would it be a joy to be in this situation or would you reject Christ for the sake of temporal safety.

For those of you that are not followers of Christ I ask: Where do your values come from? How can you look at a culture that is different than your own and say it is “barbaric” without being hypocritical or superior?