Weekend Question 3: How Much of This Happens Without Getting Noticed?

In Afghanistan, Abdul Rahman won’t be executed for converting to Christianity, but may have to (read: probably will) leave the country:

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, officials said.

The announcement came as U.S.-backed President Hamid Karzai faced mounting foreign pressure to free Abdul Rahman, a move that risked angering Muslim clerics here who have called for him to be killed.

An official closely involved with the case told The Associated Press that it had been returned to the prosecutors for more investigation, but that in the meantime, Rahman would be released.

….. A Western diplomat, also declining to be identified because of the sensitivity of the case, said questions were being raised as to whether Rahman would stay in Afghanistan or go into exile in a foreign country.

The answer to the post’s question is “too much.”

S.O.B. Alliance member Interested-participant noted yesterday that the practice of “honor killings” is deeply ingrained in Muslim culture. The practice usually involves murdering women who somehow dishonor their families, and a subset of that grisly practice is killing women who convert to another religion when they marry non-Muslims. I-P’s post was about Turkey, a Mulsim-dominated yet supposedly secular nation. Reports of honor killings surface from time to time in European countries with Muslim populations.

A religion that wants to be recognized as legitimate in the 21st century has no place for such barbarism. Though Mr. Rahman’s life appears to have been spared with judicial fig leafs, perhaps this marks the beginning of a turnaround. I hope no one minds if I pray that this is the case.