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Pastor Youcef Nadarkhani: Christian hero.

By: Griffin@griffinelection (Diary)  |  September 30th, 2011 at 08:57 AM  | 

RESIZE: AAA

Pastor Youcef Nadarkhani is a Christian pastor AND Iranian citizen.  He is facing execution for his belief in Jesus Christ under Iran’s Sharia law.  In order to avoid the death penalty he was asked three times to recant his fate.  Three times he replied, “I cannot.”  He was arrested for preaching the gospel to Muslims. 

There are two issues to address here.

First, this man is a hero and an inspiration to all Christians.  He is a modern day Stephen.  How many Christians would stand up in the face of the death penalty like this?  He could have denied Christ with his mouth but still believed in his heart and be released.  But, as the apostle Peter eventually realized, that is not true Christianity.  I encourage everyone to quickly pray to our God, the God of Isaac, Abraham and Jacob, the God that sent his Son Jesus Christ to Earth to die for our sins, for the release of this man and for his family. 

Second, I am proud of our Congress and our President for calling for the release of this man.  All Americans, even Ron Paul can agree that it should be America’s role to stand up for those who cannot stand up for themselves when it only takes a speech rather than boots on the ground.  Likewise, Speaker Boehner has courageously called for his unconditional release.  Representative Randy Forbes (R-VA) of Virginia also called for his released among dozens of other representatives. 

Whether he lives or dies, I hope Youcef Nadarkhani causes us all, myself included, to double down our efforts as a Christian in this world.

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  • kestrel

    Iran is said to have issued a verbal reversal of Nadarkhani’s death penalty, but this means nothing until it’s in writing. The statement may have been spread intentionally by the Iranian Secret Service “so that the media stops talking about this.” — Jordan Sekulow, here:
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QfC3ChW46T4&feature=related

    Sekulow also points out that even if there’s a formal reversal, Nadarkhani may still face life in prison or another evil fate such as being released “and then killed because he wouldn’t be protected by the security forces, which has happened in Iran before to high profile defendants like this” (as in a Pakistani case that Mr. Strang, above, mentions in his piece.)

    I don’t recall where I read the following, but someone has pointed out that Sec. Hilary Clinton should make a stronger statement, calling for the unconditional release of Nadarkhani, as did John Boehner, and that the president ought to do likewise, rather than relegating the issue to Jay Carney. (Where’s the Talker-In-Chief when we need him?)

    Some congressmen in addition to Boehner, who have issued statements are James Lankford (OK-5), Randy Forbes (VA-4), Trent Franks (AZ-2) (all linked at http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/religious-right-now/post/working-to-save-the-life-of-a-christian-pastor-in-iran/2011/09/30/gIQApnLd9K_blog.html), and Jim Jordan at the RSC site. There may be others. Thank you to all who have done so.

    Sekulow asks that everyone spread Nadarkhani’s story to friends and family. “That’s what this regime can’t stand.”

    • funwithknives

      Where are the Christians pointing out how “Accepting” and “Diverse” Shia Muslims are in Iran?
      In Smithsonian “Flight Journal” {Most recent edition} there is a feature about the Tata family and how they (and 11,000 others like them) were forced to come to India’s Gujarat province, due to the fact Zoroastrians were forced to leave Iran, or be ostracizes or worse. Now there are essentially none.
      Look to this history and similar, and see that ‘no other’ is tolerated in Islamic countries once It/Islam has a majority rule.
      Hey Barry-OHH!, still think ALL countries are EXCEPTIONAL? Iranians would cage You in about 5 minutes, and your naive’te would vanish.
      I will keep this gent in my thoughts and am Contacting both my senators and congressman. Will Levin,Stabenow and Peters do/say anything? How Exceptional are they ?

  • paulplantowin

    They say the terrorists are not true examples etc. – how do they defend this?
    Pray for the man they want to kill – pray for them too. They are in darkness.

  • conservativecurmudgeon

    I cannot fathom how I would endure this Test of Faith. So much would swim before my conscience– one hopes I would pass, but I have a dank, weak feeling that I am no Saint Paul or Steven. At least, not yet.

    God give Mr. Nardarkhani strength. What a magnificent, magnificent human being. What a Christian Witness. Would that all of this Nation could hear his story, see his strength, his courage. We are honored to watch a modern day Maximilian Kolbe in the trenches of martyrdom.

    • kestrel

      I can’t help wondering if this man will be an Iranian version of Rev. Laszlo Tokes, the Christian pastor whose resistance to the Ceau?escu regime began the Romanian Revolution that caused the fall of the Iron Curtain there in 1989. At least it’s another step in that direction.

      The Iranian regime keeps digging in deeper. They are now manufacturing fictional charges against Nadarkhani, including rape and extortion.
      http://aclj.org/iran/iran-takes-note-efforts-save-pastor-spreads-lies

      Meanwhile, both Govs. Romney and Perry have called for Nadarkhani’s release, as have many other U.S. officials.
      http://aclj.org/iran/congressional-support-pastor-youcef-nadarkhani-grows

      Incidentally, CC, I expect Nadarkhani would decline to be called a magnificent human being, rather, just an ordinary man with a magnificent God. (Even Rev. Billy Graham has said that his own first question to God in person will be,

      • kestrel

        It slams both Iran and Obama

        • acat

          Curious cat wonders whether Cain or Romney have any statements on Iran to compare.

          Mew

          • kestrel

            from Cain. Romney’s statement, as well as the rest, are linked at:
            http://aclj.org/iran/congressional-support-pastor-youcef-nadarkhani-grows
            Compare away. (After you finish your phonics course, or whatever.)

        • snowshooze

          That would have been it.
          Not Mubaruk.
          Not Quadaffi.
          Just the right shove, in the right direction, with a fairly small investment my have pushed that country over.

  • lineholder

    thank you so much for writing this piece. Even though our nation is facing so many challenges right now, we have much to be grateful for.

    Thanks for the reminder. This pastor, his family, and all Christians who face similar persecution will be in my prayers today.

  • Repair_Man_Jack

    Iran will pay for this one day. It will be set back to rights.

  • westcoastpatriette

    .

  • R. Clayton Strang

    The author is 100% correct! Christians need to wake up to what is going on in the world and fight against it’s happening here in America!

    I just posted a similar piece today, with a little different bent to it.
    http://www.redstate.com/rcstrang/2011/09/30/a-question-of-faith/

  • irishgirl

    Thanks for the reminder. All Christians should pray for this man and his family. His courage shames me, but also inspires. Please post any updates.

  • kestrel

    This was the first that I’d read or heard about this.

  • rightwingmom52

    who deserves our prayers. May God bless and comfort his family and have mercy on his captors who show none themselves.

  • runner12

    I am praying for this man to be released and for his family. We have many problems in this country, but we still live in the greatest nation on earth and we are blessed to have the freedoms we do. Hearing stories like this remind me of how much I take for granted.

  • Doc Holliday

    they need to get him release or else.

  • http://www.examiner.com/x-1597-Charlotte-Law--Politics-Examiner Mike gamecock DeVine

    nt

  • appealtoheaven

    They have a major melt down because some nut wants to burn a Koran, yet won’t hesitate to hang a Christian.

    This a religious war precisely because they said so.

  • weyland

    n/t