Mission Leader

The link at the end of this post takes you to a NY Times article about the imprisonment of two Afghan followers of Jesus. Both remain imprisoned solely for Faith in Jesus Christ.

In Feb 5, 2011’s NY Times, RAY RIVERA published a straightforward article about the predicament of Afghanistan’s dependence upon the West for it’s own freedom from the oppression of the Taliban, while remaining ambiguous on religious freedom for Afghan citizens.  Currently at least two Afghan Christians remain in prison with no ability to receive representation. These two men are followers of Jesus Christ, despite the fact that their government oppresses and imprisons those who adopt faith in Jesus as God and Savior of all who repent of their own sins and believe in Him, confessing Jesus as Savior and Lord. Afghans view Jesus as a prophet, but not as the one True God, in whom eternal forgiveness can be found.

The dilemma for the two Afghan prisoners of faith, Sayed Mussa and Shoaib Mosawi is that they waste away in Afghan prisons, refusing to denounce their faith in Jesus as the Messiah, in spite of what seems to be a guaranteed death sentence for leaving Islam. Apparently these two men would be freed if they denounced their faith.  Afghanistan has signed the International Human Rights Agreement guaranteeing religious freedom, yet their civil law seems to conflict with their equally potent Sharia (religious) law. Sharia, according to some experts demands death for these two “apostates” or anyone who leaves Islam for a faith other than the one handed down to them from their parents. So, in fact, religious freedom is being put to the test in Afghanistan.  These two men did NOT ask for this situation. They didn’t appeal to the government for the right to be Christians. Both were simply practicing their faith when the government stepped in.

Mussa recently wrote a letter in which he declared his willingness to die for his faith. So what do we as Christians do? Particularly, those of us who live in a land that provides us the opportunity to change our faith as many times as we wish? I will not attempt to play God for you by offering an answer to that question for you. I’ll speak for myself.

I must pray for these two men and others like them, as if they were my own brothers, my own children, or my earthly father. These are OUR family of faith. As God hurts for them, I must hurt for them.

I must reflect on my own faith?  Do I really believe? Do I actually follow Jesus to the point that He asks? Am I truly obedient in my freedom?  I have no government inflicted prison walls closing in on my faith. So am I exercising the freedom gifted to me by God?  So how far should I travel, to what extent must I restrict my own leisure in order to extend God’s gift to others who don’t know faith in Christ? Lord help me to walk by faith, truly living as a follower of Jesus, truly sharing my faith with others. Help me to extend water to the thirsty, and freedom to the imprisoned. Lord help me to live obediently for you, by you, and with you. Lord forgive me for failing to do so.

Is there anything else that I can do for Mussa and Mosawi? That’s a difficult question and I’m looking for guidance on the appropriate answer. Too much attention may complicate matters for these two men. Yet doing nothing seems insensitive and uncaring, even inhumane.  I await the advice of those wiser than me who are closer to the situation.

I did chose to publish this post, because a circulation (NY Times) much broader than mine, has gone public about the information. I prayerfully pass it on to the readers of MissionLeader.com.

Read the Article in NY Times

Now is a good time to pray for Christians living in Muslim countries like Pakistan and Afghanistan. During the coming week, some believers could be condemned to death simply for being a follower of Jesus.

See the CNN reports below.

Family waits to see if mother, accused of blasphemy, will be hanged

Itan Wali, Pakistan (CNN) — In this village in Pakistan’s Punjab province a tearful 12-year-old girl ponders if the Pakistani government will soon hang her mother.

“Whenever I see her picture I cry,” Isham Masih told CNN. “I want my mother back. That’s what I’m praying for.”

This month a Pakistani court sentenced Isham’s mother, 45-year-old Asia Bibi, to death, not because she killed, injured or stole, but simply because she said something.

Prosecutors say Bibi, who is a Christian, broke Pakistan’s strict blasphemy law by insulting Islam and the prophet Muhammad, a crime punishable by death or life imprisonment according to Pakistan’s penal code.

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Afghan Imprisoned, faces Trial for Conversion to Christianity

From Matiullah Mati for CNN:

An Afghan Christian, detained for months for allegedly converting to Christianity from Islam, could face trial as early as next week – and could face a potential death penalty, officials said Sunday.

Said Musa was arrested by Afghan Interior Ministry intelligence authorities near the German Embassy in Kabul because of the allegations, said Qamaruddin Shenwari, director of the Kabul courts’ north zone. The exact date of his arrest is not known.

The case against Musa has not yet been finalized, said Mohammad Najim Hamidi, director of public security at Zone 3 of the Kabul courts. He could face trial next week if the case is prepared by then, Hamidi said. It was earlier thought Musa’s trial would begin on Sunday.

The Afghan Constitution does not mention converting from one religion to another, so the judge will take Islamic law into account, officials said.

“According to Afghanistan’s constitution, if there is no clear verdict as to whether an act is criminal or not in the penal code of the Afghan Constitution, then it would be referred to sharia law where the judge has an open hand in reaching a verdict,” Shenwari said.

Under sharia law, converting from Islam to Christianity is punishable by death.

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