Jordan: “The Mosque of Jesus”

Note: I don’t want them to build “Jesus’ mosques”. I want them to respect people who don’t think he is a prophet announcing Muhammad but the Son of God. This is absolutely useless, from my point of view.

Image via Wikipedia

A mosque named after the central figure of Christianity is to become a milestone of interfaith coexistence in Jordan. Both Muslim and Christian leaders expressed their satisfaction when the Mosque of Jesus Christ was opened some time ago. The place of worship was inaugurated in the town of Madaba, 30 km south of the capital, Amman.

“This is a message to the world that Muslims consider Jesus Christ as their prophet, because he informed humanity beforehand that the Prophet Muhammad was coming”, said the imam of the mosque, Belal Hanina. “And this also proves that Islam is a religion of tolerance and has nothing to do with extremism”.

Hanina explained how Christians and Muslims have lived in peace for a long time and have nurtured fraternal ties in this area of the Hashemite Kingdom, an ardent supporter of interfaith dialogue. Christians account for 10 percent of the residents of Madaba and 5 percent of Jordan, which has five and a half million inhabitants.

From Vatican Insider.

UK: Christian peer questions the government’s role in Pakistan

Image via Wikipedia

A Christian peer\’s speaking out about the persecution of minorites in Pakistan. Lord Alton has asked a question in the House of Lords inquiring what the government is doing to support the religious in the country.

via Christian peer questions the government\’s role in Pakistan | Premier.org.uk, Current News.

Very interesting link: it has lots of information about the persecution that Pakistani Christians are suffering.

Related articles

• Pakistan: Muslim think-tank denounces persecution against Christians (teaandpolitics.wordpress.com)
• Pakistan: Christians demonstrate to call for the release of kidnapped Anglican pastor (teaandpolitics.wordpress.com)
• Pakistan: Court Acquits 70 Muslim Radicals of Burning 8 Christians Alive during 2009 Gojra Massacre (teaandpolitics.wordpress.com)
• Pakistan: Christians are forbidden to eat in restaurants (teaandpolitics.wordpress.com)

UK: Afghan man who converted to Christianity attacked

Image via Wikipedia

Sher Ahmadzai hit the victim, who was known to him, with a metre-long plank of wood in a street in Radford. Another man then started punching and kicking the fallen man in the face.

Nottingham Crown Court heard that the victim, who was also part of the Afghan community, had converted from Islam to Christianity after claiming asylum in the UK. “This did not sit well with the defendant,” said prosecutor Paul Stimson, adding, “That culminated in the assault in October last year in Hartley Road”. Ahmadzai did not admit any cultural or religious motivation, but admitted causing actual harm and a separate offence of arson. He has been sentenced to 12 months for the assault.

More here.

Pakistan: Court Acquits 70 Muslim Radicals of Burning 8 Christians Alive during 2009 Gojra Massacre

Pakistan’s fundamentalists are rejoicing following the acquittal verdict. The country’s Christian minority is “under shock” because, this time as well, the massacre of innocent victims done in the name of the infamous blasphemy law will go unpunished. The justice system also shows its powerlessness vis-à-vis extremists who can carry out heinous crimes with total impunity, whilst the government remains silent. Meanwhile, a Muslim religious leader publicly says that Christians “deserve” to be murdered.

A Pakistani anti-terrorism court acquitted 70 people who, in various roles, were involved in the Gojra massacre of August 2009 (see Fareed Khan, “Eight Christians burned alive in Punjab,” in AsiaNews, 2 August 2009). The anti-Christian violence broke out following blasphemy allegations. During a wedding, a group of Christians supposedly burnt pages of the Qur‘an, a pretext used to strike at the religious minority.

More here.

Background: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8.

Every five minutes, a Christian is killed in the world

Massimo Introvigne. Image via Wikipedia

Every year 105,000 Christians are killed because of their faith.

This shocking figure was disclosed by Italian sociologist Massimo Introvigne, representative of the OSCE (Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe) on Combating Intolerance and Discrimination against Christians, at the “International Conference on Inter-religious dialogue between Christians, Jews and Muslims,” sponsored the Hungarian presidency of the European Union (EU) in Gödöllo, near Budapest.

“Every five minutes”, Introvigne said in his speech, “a Christian is killed for his faith.” The figure does not include the victims of civil wars, or wars between nations, but only the people put to death because they are Christians.

“If these figures are not cried out to the world, if this massacre is not stopped,” Introvigne continued; “if it is not recognized that the persecution against Christians is the first worldwide emergency with regard to religious discrimination and violence, dialogue between religions will only produce wonderful symposia but no concrete results.”

More here.

Algeria: Christian sentenced to 5 years in prison after sharing faith with neighbour

Siagh Krimo, an Algerian Christian, was sentenced to five years in prison on May 25 after he shared his faith with a neighbor. Krimo was sentenced under the nation’s blasphemy law, which prohibits actions that “insult the prophet [Muhammad] and any of the messengers of God, or denigrate the creed and precepts of Islam, whether by writing, drawing, declaration, or any other means.”

That “moderate” Algeria…

(I’m sorry for not posting… and I hope I can return shortly… 😉 ).

Pakistan: court orders government not to change blasphemy law

Asia Bibi

The Lahore High Court has ordered the Pakistani government not to change the nation’s blasphemy law before the court hears the appeal of Asia Bibi, the Christian mother who was sentenced to death for blasphemy after she refused to convert to Islam.

Terrorist organizations associated with the Taliban have issued a fatwa against Shabhaz Bhatti, the Catholic layman and cabinet minister who is leading a commission that will consider changes to the nation’s blasphemy law.

Shaheryar Gill, a Pakistani Christian who serves as associate counsel for the American Center for Law and Justice, shed light on the effects of the blasphemy law.

“You see, 20 years or more of the blasphemy law in Pakistan has instilled in people that punishment for insulting Islam is death,” Gill said in a recent interview. So, rather than going to the court, people have taken the law into their own hands.”

via Catholic Culture : Latest Headlines : Pakistan: court orders government not to change blasphemy law.

Shahbaz Bhatti

I want you to read two interviews, with the Minister of Minorities, Shahbaz Bhatti, who speaks about his hope of changing the blasphemy law, the death threats against him and asks the Pope and the faithful to pray for him:

Threats and intimidation follow one after the other. I take them all seriously, however, my life mission is to protect religious freedom, minority rights, justice and equality. I will continue to do so without hesitation.

…I am deeply religious, and the Pope’s words are very important in my life. I thank him for his closeness and solidarity with the Christians in Pakistan. His solace encourages me to witness to the faith in my life, despite the difficulties. I ask the Holy Father and all the faithful of the world to pray for me.

Asia Bibi's husband with two of their daughters

Fides.org also interviewed Asia Bibi’s husband:

Today we are leading a threatened life: we are being targeted by extremist groups, and we fear for our lives. We are ready to leave for Italy or for America, as soon as Asia is freed.

…Thanks to the Masihi Foundation we are going through all the necessary legal steps for Asia’s case and for our protection. The President and the Government are interested in our case, realizing that Asia is innocent and they have expressed concern, but they are under pressure from extremist Islamic groups.

It’s interesting that this family have to hide from violent gangsters but those guys who threaten them don’t have to.

Background:

1. Pakistan: Christian woman sentenced to death for blasphemy.
2. Pakistan: your signature to save Asia Bibi.
3. Asia Bibi: Pope appeals for “full freedom“.
4. Pakistan: Asia Bibi NOT pardoned, protests are announced in case she is.
5. Pakistan: Both Minister of Minorities and Punjab Governor threatened by Islamists over Asia Bibi’s release.
6. Pakistan: Taliban-linked cleric offers $5,800 reward for anyone who kills Asia Bibi.
7. Pakistan: Taliban-linked cleric offers $5,800 reward for anyone who kills Asia Bibi (II)

Egypt: House Converted Into Mosque Overnight In Egypt to Prevent Church Services

In an effort to end any hope of the Coptic Christians using the Church of St. Mary and St. Michaels in Talbiya for prayer services, the Giza Governorate converted overnight a house facing the church into a mosque.The new so-called “Ekhlass” mosque was converted secretly Thursday evening when a cloth sign was hastily hung outside a 4 story house. It was used on Friday morning, when over 3000 Muslims prayed there, despite the presence of a large mosque on the other side of the bridge, not far from the new mosque. It was reported that the owner of the house, which is still under construction, donated it.

“Of course the new mosque did not have to get a building license, local council or state security permission, as is the case with churches,” said Coptic activist Mark Ebeid.

Due to the minimum distance required by law between a church and a mosque, Copts view this conversion of the house into a new mosque “as a trick on the part of the government to make the completion and use of St. Mary’s Church an impossibility.”

“We are devastated,” said a local Copt. “This church cost the poor people 7 million Egyptian pounds, which we collected by having to go without a lot in our homes, and there comes the governor and state security, angry because we built a dome and destroy it, kill our children, leave others maimed and the rest in prison for a very long time.”

Church building in Egypt is still partly governed by the Haayoni Decree of 1856, when Egypt was under Ottoman rule. After gaining independence in 1922, Egypt abolished all laws except for the Hamayouni Decree, which required the permission of the king or the president to build a church. In addition, in 1934 the Interior Minister, Al-Ezaby Pacha, issued a decree that stipulated 10 conditions that must be met prior to issuance of a presidential decree permitting the construction of a church. The conditions include the requirement that the distance between a church and a mosque be not less than 100 meters and the approval of the neighboring Muslim community. Additional considerations or conditions are the number of Christians in the area and whether or not the proposed church is near the Nile, public utility or a railway.

via House Converted Into Mosque Overnight In Egypt to Prevent Church Services.

Absolutely shameful. Of course, this happens without a word from major MSM or communication broadcasting companies, which of course, would shout Islamophobia at any moment. And what about Christianphobia?

Background:
Egypt: Islamists lay siege against Coptic church in Giza, 1 Christian killed.
Egypt: Security Used Live Ammunition on Christian Coptic Protesters, 4 Killed.
Egypt: Wounded Christians from Talbiya attack, mistreated at state hospitals

Pope prays for hostages in Sinai Desert

Pope Benedict XVI

I would like to watch this on the news. It’s shameful this is not being really reported (at least here, it isn’t):

Campaigners have welcomed the intervention by Pope Benedict XVI on behalf of refugees from Eritrea, Ethiopia, Somalia and Sudan who are being held hostage in the Sinai Desert by people traffickers.

Hundreds of refugees from the Horn of Africa have been held for months on the outskirts of a town in the Sinai Desert in purpose-built containers, where Bedouin people traffickers are demanding payment of up to US$8,000 per person for their release, though the hostages had already paid US$2,000 for passage to Israel.

On 1 December Christian Solidarity Worldwide, Human Rights Concern Eritrea, Agenzia Habeshia and EveryOne Group issued a joint appeal for urgent international intervention in the plight of the refugees, who are currently being held in degrading and inhumane conditions, bound by chains around their ankles and denied adequate food and water. The appeal details extreme methods of torture suffered by the refugees, including electric shocks, to force friends and families abroad to make the payments. The women in the group, who have been separated from the rest, are particularly vulnerable to severe abuse.

During his Angelus address on Sunday, Pope Benedict XVI invited pilgrims “to pray for all situations of violence, intolerance, suffering in the world, that the coming of Jesus may bring consolation, reconciliation and peace. I think of the many difficult situations, such as the continuous attacks that occur in Iraq against Christians and Muslims, the clashes in Egypt where there were deaths and injuries, the victims of traffickers and criminals, such as the drama of the hostages, Eritreans and of other nationalities, in the Sinai desert. Respect for the rights of all is the prerequisite for peace. Our prayer to the Lord and our solidarity can bring hope to those who are suffering.”

via Pope prays for hostages in Sinai Desert on Independent Catholic News.

Ethiopia: Christian sentenced to three years in prison for defacing Qu’ran

This is an update of this story. It is not even clear he actually defaced the Qu’ran, even if imprisoning someone for defacing it would be so unjust and stupid. But I as said, it’s even worse: it isn’t even proved that he actually did what he is accused of (and condemned afterwards):

A Christian in Ethiopia’s southern town of Moyale was sentenced to three years in prison for allegedly desecrating a Qur’an, church leaders said. Tamirat Woldegorgis, a father of two and member of the Full Gospel Church, was arrested in early August after a Muslim co-worker in the clothes-making business the two operated discovered Tamirat had inscribed “Jesus is Lord” on some cloth, area Christians said. His business partner later accused him of writing “Jesus is Lord” in a copy of the Qur’an, although no evidence of that ever surfaced. Tamirat was sentenced on November 18 and transferred to Jijiga prison, a source said. Jijiga is the capital of Ethiopia’s Somali Region Zone Five, which is governed by Islamic principles. Tamirat’s transfer there puts his life in great danger, a church leader said. The church is concerned about Tamirat’s condition.

via The Voice of the Martyrs Canada :: Christian accused of defacing Qur’an :: Providing Information and Support for Persecuted Christians.

Uzbekistan: Christian group has their religious books confiscated by State

Uzbekistan has confiscated Christian books from a youth group returning from Kazakhstan. An Uzbek customs official told Forum 18 that the confiscations were “not confiscation, but temporary removal.” Customs officials claimed that a court would decide what would happen to the literature. Believers said that a customs official swore at them, saying “We are the bosses here, and we will do what we like. If we need to, we’ll lock you away.” Officials refused to provide copies of Confiscation Certificates, and the group was held for nine hours before being released.

In other incidents, the head of Ukraine’s Baptist Union has been denied entry to Uzbekistan, and another Christian has been denied permission to leave — no reasons were given for either action. Additionally, two foreign religious websites have had access blocked from within Uzbekistan. These actions appear to be part of a policy of isolating religious believers from their fellow believers in other countries.

via The Voice of the Martyrs Canada :: Christian books confiscated :: Providing Information and Support for Persecuted Christians.

Read also Uzbekistan: Country report.

Officials claim that Uzbekistan is a Muslim country and Islam is primarily controlled from inside its state-run structures. Other religious communities are required to officially register. Police make surprise visits to churches and forcibly close those who cannot immediately produce registration papers.

Pakistan: Taliban-linked cleric offers $5,800 reward for anyone who kills Asia Bibi (II)

 

Maulana Yousef Qureshi, center

Photo: MSNBC.

Video: The Religion of Conquest.

Background: I.

The lawyers are trying to expose the false testimonies some witness gave at Asia Bibi’s trial.

On related news, another man, a Muslim this time, has been also accused of blasphemy:

Muhammad Amin, a Pakistani blogger in the city of Bahawalpur, province of Sindh. The young man had posted material considered blasphemous to the Prophet Muhammad on his blog and exchanged it with a friend, who was also charged. A police officer noticed it by chance, and thus the complaint and the arrest were triggered.

Iran: Court Sentences Converted Christian Pastor To Death By Hanging For Apostasy

This is an update of this story:

A detained pastor of a major network of Christian house churches in Iran will be executed by hanging for “apostasy”, or abandoning Islam, according to translated court documents seen by Worthy News Wednesday, November 24.The 11th Chamber of The Assize Court of the province of Gilan said Iranian pastor Yousef Nadarkhani had proved his “apostasy” by “organizing evangelistic meetings and inviting others to Christianity, establishing a house church, baptizing people, expressing his faith to others and, denying Islamic values.”

Nadarkhani is “an apostate [and] will be executed by being hung…Somehow his soul is taken from him,” the court wrote.

He was arrested after protesting against the enforced reading of the Koran, viewed as a holy book by Muslims, to Christian children including his own. His wife Fatemeh Passandideh was released October 11 by a court in Gilan province, after she was detained on similar apostasy charges, Christians said.

In comments accompanying the death sentence, the court claimed Nadarkhani confirmed he converted to Christianity from Islam, despite possible execution. “Even in his last defense…when he was asked [by the prosecutor] ‘from the age of puberty until the age of 19, what religion have you had?’, he replied… ‘Since I was born in a Muslim family I was Muslim until I converted to Christianity at the age of 19‘.”

via Holger Awakens: Iranian Court Sentences Converted Christian Pastor To Death By Hanging For Apostasy.

I hope Obama, Zapatero, Ban Ki-Moon at al will also raise their voices to protest this huge abuse of Human Rights.

Yeah, I know, it’s Iran. 🙄 I’m sure this is not the last man killed because of his faith in Iran. And this will be an example for other backwards bastards to sentence more people to death by this “crime”.

I’m sure the islamophiles that some times end up here, will say that, “well, this has nothing to do with Islam, this is just a very “conservative” country”. As if all conservatives would defend killing apostates.

There is no mention of death penalty for apostates in the Qu’ran, though there are several verses about “those who break their oaths“ in which something very similar is stated:

009.012
YUSUFALI: But if they violate their oaths after their covenant, and taunt you for your Faith,- fight ye the chiefs of Unfaith: for their oaths are nothing to them: that thus they may be restrained.
PICKTHAL: And if they break their pledges after their treaty (hath been made with you) and assail your religion, then fight the heads of disbelief – Lo! they have no binding oaths – in order that they may desist.
SHAKIR: And if they break their oaths after their agreement and (openly) revile your religion, then fight the leaders of unbelief– surely their oaths are nothing– so that they may desist.

009.013
YUSUFALI: Will ye not fight people who violated their oaths, plotted to expel the Messenger, and took the aggressive by being the first (to assault) you? Do ye fear them? Nay, it is Allah Whom ye should more justly fear, if ye believe!
PICKTHAL: Will ye not fight a folk who broke their solemn pledges, and purposed to drive out the messenger and did attack you first? What! Fear ye them? Now Allah hath more right that ye should fear Him, if ye are believers
SHAKIR: What! will you not fight a people who broke their oaths and aimed at the expulsion of the Messenger, and they attacked you first; do you fear them? But Allah is most deserving that you should fear Him, if you are believers.

009.014
YUSUFALI: Fight them, and Allah will punish them by your hands, cover them with shame, help you (to victory) over them, heal the breasts of Believers,
PICKTHAL: Fight them! Allah will chastise them at your hands, and He will lay them low and give you victory over them, and He will heal the breasts of folk who are believers.
SHAKIR: Fight them, Allah will punish them by your hands and bring them to disgrace, and assist you against them and heal the hearts of a believing people.

Wikipedia says:

The medieval Sunni schools of Islamic jurisprudence were unanimous in holding that apostasy by a male Muslim is punishable by death, differing only on whether to execute the apostate immediately or grant the apostate an opportunity to repent and thus avoid penalty. They also differed on the punishment of a female apostate: death or imprisonment until repentance.^[2] Abu-Hanifa and his followers like the jurist Sarakhsi refused death penalty for women^[3] supporting jail for them till re-embracing islam. The four major Sunni schools of Islamic jurisprudence (Madh’hab) differentiate between harmful apostasy and harmless apostasy (also known as major and minor apostasy) in accepting repentance.^[4]

In mainstream Islam, many contemporary scholars oppose any penalty for apostasy: Gamal Al-Banna (brother of the founder of the Muslim Brotherhood),^[5][6] Hamza Yusuf,^[7] Yusuf Estes,^[8] Jamal Badawi,^[4] Javed Ahmad Ghamidi,^[9] Hassan al-Turabi, Shafi`i Grand Mufti Ali Gomaa,^[10][11] Shabir Ally,^[12] and Maliki jurist Abu al-Walid al-Baji and Shi’a Grand Ayatollah Hossein-Ali Montazeri,^[13] They have either completely opposed any penalty for apostasy, or believe that penalty can only be applied when apostasy is coupled with attempts to harm Muslim society.^{[14][15][16][17]}

So, not all of them oppose it. In this case, they can support it, because Nadarkhani was actually “harming Muslim society”, while he was preaching and speaking about Christianity and was, as the documents say, “denying Islamic values“.

PS: By the way., Montazeri‘s opinions are not important for the Ayatollah’s: he was a dissident, who was kept under arrest in his home till his death last year, after which there were severe riots, all over Iran.

Afghanistan: Trial of convert to Christianity delayed

Sayed Mussa’s trial has been delayed… again. He still doesn’t know what he has been accused of:

The trial of an Afghan convert to Christianity was delayed from Sunday to possibly as early as sometime this week, depending on when officers figure out how to judge the case.

…

Under the Afghan constitution, there is no law that bans religious conversion. As a result, officers are currently deciding if Musa should be tried under sharia law.

Sharia or Islamic law says a convert from Islam can be punished by death.

via Afghan Convert’s Trial Delayed; Faces Possible Death Penalty | Christianpost.com.

Background:

1. Afghanistan: former Muslim may get death penalty for conversion.
2. Afghanistan: trial of convert to Christianity will be held next Sunday.

Pakistan: Both Minister of Minorities and Punjab Governor threatened by Islamists over Asia Bibi’s release

Asia Bibi

As I have posted earlier, the Minister of Minorities is Cristian:

Pakistan’s religious parties have come down heavily against the government led by the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP). They are also critical of Punjab Governor Salman Taseer for his “unIslamic” attempts to obtain a pardon and exile for Asia Bibi in the United States. They have called for his immediate removal from office and punishment. Various Islamic organisations have held demonstrations and rallies against the government and the country’s “secular” lobby, accusing Mr Taseer of being part of an “international conspiracy” to change the blasphemy law.

Shahbaz Bhatti

…Minority Affairs Minister Shahbaz Bhatti is set to meet President Zardari today to hand him the Asia Bibi report. Bhatti denied rumours that she had already been released.

He said that the pardon should be granted very soon, adding that Asia Bibi would be at risk because extremists have threatened to kill her.

“There is a shared willingness to amend it [the blasphemy law] to avoid its distorted use against minorities,” he said. “We must build a consensus in favour of its abolition, but that is not easy to do politically.”

If Ms Bibi is freed, extremists have threatened Mr Bhatti as well. “I am not afraid of these threats,” he said. “I am ready to sacrifice everything for the justice that I believe in.”

via PAKISTAN Asia Bib report to Zardari, but Islamist parties threaten Minister Bhatti – Asia News.

Well, he should be prepared for what’s coming, we should be prepared to pray and God bless us all, specially Pakistani Christians. I know that saying that is fairly rare in Europe, but these guys are threatened with death, and they really merit our support, whatever their religion.

Background:

1. Pakistan: Christian woman sentenced to death for blasphemy.
2. Pakistan: your signature to save Asia Bibi.
3. Asia Bibi: Pope appeals for “full freedom“.
4. Pakistan: Asia Bibi NOT pardoned, protests are announced in case she is.

Bangladesh: “Jews and Christians are true evils” and “it’s a divine task to kill them”

Enchanting…

Selim Panni, claims himself to be ‘Imam-uz-zaman‘, by placing him just behind the prophet of Islam. He terms working women as and women in politics as ‘prostitutes‘ and gives his own ‘Islamic Code‘ for men to marry any number of wives. His interpretation is, “women are created only for sexual pleasure of men and this is their only task”.

Selim Panni projects Jews and Christians as true evils and preaches killing them or raping female members of Jewish and Christian societies as “divine task”. He also teaches his followers to wage any type of offensives on the West.

He believes in theory of hate speech and poisoning the minds of innocent people with his self-made imaginary statements and stories, which are aimed at creating tremendous hatred in the minds of Muslims against Christians and Jews. He calls upon Muslim in waging Jihad [Holy War] against Jews, Christians and the Western world, for the ‘sake of Islamic revival and establishment of HuT rule’.

via Sri Lanka Guardian: BANGLADESH: Hizbut Towhid linked with LOT and Al Qaeda.

Hizbut Towhid was founded by Bayejid Khan Panni aka Selim Panni, after Bangladesh forbid its previous group: Hibz-ut Tahrir.

Found.

Pakistan: Asia Bibi NOT pardoned, protests are announced in case she is

This is an update of this story:

Federal Minorities Minister Shahbaz Bhatti will present Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari with a report on Asia Bibi, the Christian woman sentenced to death for blasphemy by a court in early November after more than a year in prison. “Innocent” is the conclusion of the minister’s investigation. “I will hopefully submit my report to the president on Wednesday and recommend to him to grant pardon to Asia Bibi,” The Dawn quoted him as saying.

The situation is tense in and around Ferozewala this morning when a private channel broadcast news about the imminent release of the accused Christian woman. People gathered near the district prison in Sheikhupura to find out whether the information was true or not. Prison officials denied the claim, saying that Asia Bibi was still in her cell.

Presidential spokesman Farhatullah Babar told AsiaNews that the president would vet the request for clemency when it arrived.

“Requests for clemency come to the president through appropriate channels. The request will be examined once it is received. For now, I cannot comment on the issue,” he said.

In Nankana, local lawyers have decided to go on strike as a sign of protest against a statement made by Punjab Governor Salmaan Taseer, who said that Asia Bibi was innocent.

…

(…) Pakistan’s religious parties are putting pressure on the president not to grant Bibi a pardon. They have threatened street protests across the country if President Zardari signed the clemency petition.

via PAKISTAN Asia Bibi is innocent, minorities minister says in report to President Zardari – Asia News.

Pakistani “Minorities Minister”, Shahbaz Bhatti, himself a Christian, is supporting Asia Bibi.

Some days ago she spoke in a press conference with the province’s governor and stated that “I didn’t blaspheme against Mohammed. We all recognise him as the last prophet“, something striking if we consider that she had previously told the judge that she”preferred to die as a Christian than to live as a Muslim“. She also had claimed she was raped before being taken into police custody. I would like to know how she has been treated, if she has been tortured, menaced or anything else.

I hope she is released. But I am not the lest optimistic about the state in which she is going to be released. Blasphemers and apostates are killed in prison or after they have been released, as punishment for their sin.

Related: FB page in support of Asia Bibi.

Why hasn’t Obama addressed the Christian persecution in Muslim countries?

In Obama‘s worldwide undeniably pro-Muslim sermons, the plight of the persecuted Christian church goes unmentioned. Not once has Obama called to task the mujahedin who systematically murder and deny both Jews and Christians the respect Barack demands the world bestow on the religion of his youth.

Take Iraq, for instance. Recently, 53 Iraqi Christians were murdered in a church raid by militant Muslims in Bagdad. “Gunmen identifying themselves as members of the Islamic State of Iraq … broke through [a] cathedral’s security wall, took 100 worshipers hostage and shot the priest. Most of the victims died hours later when the attackers detonated suicide vests as security forces raided the building.”

The subjugation of Iraqi Christians is so unrelenting that since the start of the war in 2003, 1.3 million Christians have diminished to what is now estimated at below half a million.

If religious tolerance is what drives Barack Hussein Obama, then why has he failed to mention the brutal persecution of a faith to which he purportedly adheres?

Read it all. It’s really worth the time.

Afghanistan: Trial of convert to Christianity will be held next Sunday

This is an update of this story:

An Afghan national, in prison since May because of his religion, will be put on tried this Sunday. However, he has been denied legal counsel. Local sources say no one knows what charges will be laid against him when he goes before a judge.

The authorities arrested Said Musa, 45, on 31 May, a day after a local station, Noorin TV, broadcast images of Christians praying after being baptised. This was followed by a wave of arrests against Christians in what local sources describe as a manhunt. Apparently, Said Musa is the only Christian to go on trial.

Leaving Islam for another religion is a capital offence under Afghanistan’s Islamic law, despite the fact that the Taliban lost power in 2001.

In June, the authorities forced Musa to abjure his Christian faith publicly, on television, but still kept him in prison without informing him of the charges against him.

In prison, Musa said he was a follower of Jesus, local sources report.

Last month, Musa was able to get a letter out, addressed to the world’s Churches, to US President Barack Obama and the chiefs of NATO forces in Afghanistan.

In it, he wrote that he was “physically and verbally abused” by his captors and other prisoners at Ouliat Prison in Kabul.

He alluded to the lack of justice he faced, saying that the prosecutor had given the judge a false report about him and had demanded a bribe.

Local Christians, human rights observers and religious freedom monitors fear that Musa might be made an example to show that Sharia rules in Afghanistan rather than international agreements.

via AFGHANISTAN Afghan Christian to go to trial on Sunday for his faith – Asia News.

Well, if that’s the case, what are we waiting to give Afghanistan back to the Taliban? I really hate them, but it the things are just the same, why are we spending so much lives, money and effort there?

Egypt: Muslims Attack Christians over Romance Rumors

Muslim-Christian tensions broke out on Monday in southern Egypt, where a Muslim mob stormed a Christian neighborhood in the mixed city of Abu Tesht and set fire to several homes. The arson attack followed rumors that a Christian man was romantically involved with a young Muslim woman.

None of the town’s Christian residents were hurt in the mob attack. Police were sent to the area to restore calm.

The Christian man and Muslim woman who became the subject of rumors after being seen walking together have been arrested. Police say they will investigate.

Last year a Christian man was accused of raping a Muslim girl. The alleged assault led to Muslim demonstrations and ultimately to violence, when six Christians and one Muslim guard were murdered at a church.

via Egyptian Muslims Attack Christians over Romance Rumors – Defense/Middle East – Israel News – Israel National News.

More here.

More here.