Monday, July 14, 2008

Compass Direct News : IRAN - EX-MUSLIMS DETAINED FOR ‘APOSTASY’

Compass Direct News : IRAN - EX-MUSLIMS DETAINED FOR ‘APOSTASY’: "IRAN: EX-MUSLIMS DETAINED FOR ‘APOSTASY’
Police interrogate converts to Christianity about faith, political activity.

ISTANBUL, July 9 (Compass Direct News) – Iranian authorities have detained two converts to Christianity in the southern city of Shiraz for eight weeks on suspicion of “apostasy,” or leaving Islam. In Iran, apostasy is a crime that can be punishable by death.

Mahmood Matin, 52, and Arash Bandari, 44, remain imprisoned in a secret police detention center known by its address, Sepah Street 100, located in the center of Shiraz since their arrest on May 15 (previously reported as May 13).

A draft penal code under discussion in Iran’s parliament this month may make the death penalty obligatory for those who leave Islam or use the Internet to encourage others to do so."
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BHT was crusing the Baltic and met many fine people among the 3000+ travelers on board. It seems all have political opinions and are not afraid to express them. I usually travel in Christian circles so hearing Jews, Hindus and Atheists express their attitudes toward Islam was interesting. All these people come from "tolerant" positions and teachings. They superimpose this tolerance on Islam, feeling that man is basically good and therefore tolerant inherently. Christians contrarily believe man is fallen and needs redemption and is anything but tolerant in persuasion. Well, Jews sort of believe this as well but finding a practicing Jew is difficult. The ones I meet fall more into the Agnostic realm.

I ran into one opinionated and arogant Brit who pontificated ad nausium on his familiarity of the Koran and how peaceful (and I suppose tolerant) was Islam. So I decided to do a little Koran reading upon my return. Section 9 of the Koran is very revealing but I am not done with the entire entire book. And when we view issues like the ones in the above post, hardly rare, thier actions are lining up with their words.

I wonder if the average Muslim reads his own book? Or are they like average Christians and know very little of the actual text of their most sacred writings. It could be an eye opener for both parties.

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