Snarky Sermon on the Blog

Today's Lesson: There's free, and then there's true freedom

Sixteen years ago, the Afghan government jailed a man who converted to Christianity. Lately, we've been reading stories about the true believer's imminent execution. After some major sabre rattling, today's news is one of those things that makes you go hmmm:

AP Afghan Court Drops Case Against Christian

By DANIEL COONEY, Associated Press Writer 16 minutes ago

KABUL, Afghanistan - An Afghan court on Sunday dismissed a case against a man who converted from Islam to Christianity because of a lack of evidence, and he will be released soon, an official said.

Lack of evidence? Evidence of what? That he converted to Christianity... Or a lack of evidence that being a Christian is reason enough to execute someone in Afghanistan?

Under Afghanistan's new & improved constitution, "No law can contradict Islam and the values of the Constitution." That's why...

Preachers in Kabul Urge Execution of Convert to Christianity

By ABDUL WAHEED WAFA
Published: March 25, 2006

KABUL, Afghanistan, March 24 — Preachers used Friday Prayer services to call for the execution of an Afghan Muslim who converted to Christianity, despite growing protests in the West. The conversion of the man, Abdul Rahman, 15 years ago was brought to the attention of the authorities as part of a child custody dispute.

The Bush administration and European governments have strongly protested the case as a violation of religious freedom. But Mr. Rahman has drawn a strong reaction in Afghanistan, too, and for many hardline clerics, there is no greater offense than apostasy.

One speaker, Maulavi Habibullah, told more than a thousand clerics and young people gathered in Kabul: "Afghanistan does not have any obligation under international laws. The prophet says, when somebody changes religion, he must be killed."

I have a feeling that Afghanistan's newly freed Christian was probably physically safer in prison than he will be on the streets. After all, religious zealots and their interpretation of the Prophet, roving bands of Talibani, and heavily armed "coalition" forces could prove just as potentially deadly as his jailers and judges.

Thus Endeth Today's Sermon.

Go forth today, knowing that being released from prison does not equate true freedom.

And a "lack of evidence" has never stopped a zealot (that I know of). Beware those who would be your social and religious judge and jury.

I mean it, damn it!


So you think you know Delilah?
Judges 16:19-- And she made him sleep upon her knees; and she called for a man, and she caused him to shave off the seven locks of his head.