Polimom is dismayed, and saddened, by the Christian convert in Afghanistan who is on trial for daring to reject Islam. Unfortunately, I’m not surprised.
What does continue to catch me off-guard is the complete failure of so many people – including those who lead the charge for democracy into the world of Mohammed – to understand what they’re dealing with.
“Rejecting Islam is insulting God. We will not allow God to be humiliated. This man must die,” said cleric Abdul Raoulf, who is considered a moderate and was jailed three times for opposing the Taliban before the hard-line regime was ousted in 2001.
And that’s a moderate. The hard-liners think he should be “pulled apart”, and they plan to “call on the people” to do so.
Polimom keeps waiting for the loud popping sound of heads collectively coming out of the sand, but reading that George Bush is “alarmed” and John Howard finds it “appalling” implies an unmet expectation. Evidently, the West still doesn’t get it. Islam is not just a religion for Muslims; it is Life itself. Furthermore, their way is the only way and their god is the only god.
“God’s way is the right way, and this man whose name is Abdul Rahman is an apostate,” he told about 150 worshippers.
To Polimom, though, this is the most disturbing aspect of the entire situation (first link above):
But Said Mirhossain Nasri, the top cleric at Hossainia Mosque, one of the largest Shiite places of worship in Kabul, said Rahman must not be allowed to leave the country.
“If he is allowed to live in the West, then others will claim to be Christian so they can, too,” he said. “We must set an example. … He must be hanged.”
It just doesn’t get any clearer than that, does it?