This morning in church my pastor mentioned Dr. Yousef Nadarkhani, a Christian pastor in Iran. Yes I know, is there such a thing? Well, perhaps not for much longer.
Yousef is condemned to die for the crime of being a Christian and protesting the fact that his son was forced to study the Koran in school. He has been in prison for about 18 months. Last week Iran’s Supreme Court upheld the death sentence issued by a lower court last September.
My pastor mentioned this in connection with July 4th weekend, as a reminder to celebrate the freedom we enjoy to worship (or not) in the mode we see fit.
Here in “the Great Satan” as Muslims refer to the good ole’ USA, Muslims have more freedom of religion than they would in Shi’ite Iran. However, Muslim countries like Iran allow no such freedom for adherents of other religions. Coincidentally, Palestinians who live in Israel enjoy more freedom and opportunity than those who live in the “Palestinian Territories” of Gaza and the West Bank.
Christianity and Judaism promote and thrive in freedom. Islam believes it can only survive in tyranny and oppression. It’s no coincidence that Communism must live in tyranny and oppression, while capitalism thrives in freedom. The contrast between the Berlin Wall, built to keep citizens from escaping Communism and rickety boats desperately coming to America from Cuba and even Vietnam is stark.
It is also no coincidence that America, with its freedom and opportunity, has an overwhelmingly Christian heritage. While Christians have wielded swords in past centuries, real Christianity woos adherents with love, not force.
American Christians are praying for Dr. Nadarkhani, but except for a miracle or his recanting Christianity, he will join the ranks of Christian martyrs going back 2000 years.
