US condemns Iranian pastor's conviction

Source: God Discussion

Religious persecution of Christians in Iran is a sad fact, despite its "tolerant" stance in the public eye. Iran is a signatory of the United Nations' Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and the country wrote in freedom of religion into its constitution.

It's a case of "do as I say, not as I do," in the Republic of Iran when it comes to Youcef Nadarkhani, who is slated to be executed for apostasy (for which he was arrested in 2009)–for attempting to convert Muslims to Christianity, and for being unwilling to renounce his faith. The United States has condemned Iran's conviction of Nadarkhani, saying:

Pastor Youcef Nadarkhani "has done nothing more than maintain his devout faith, which is a universal right for people," a White House spokesman said in a statement. "That the Iranian authorities would try to force him to renounce that faith violates the religious values they claim to defend, crosses all bounds of decency and breaches Iran's own international obligations."

If Nadarkhani is put to death, he will be the first to die for the "crime" of apostasy (which is not on Iran's legal books, but punishable in religious texts and fatwas) in 20 years. It is a continuing saga of Christian persecution in which stories like these come out of Iran, according to the International Business Times:

"The reality is as a Christian you don't have the rights of other Iranians. The actions and the basic policy toward evangelicals go against the rhetoric that they use for the country," David Yeghnazar, the U.S. director of Iranian church organization Elam Ministries, told the IBTimes.

"Here we are in 2011 and we're talking about a man being killed for his beliefs. We need to ask Iran how they can be willing to break the charter they've signed and their constitution. The government must answer to the people," Yeghnazar said.

Despite Christianity's protected status in the country, in the last six months of 2010 at least 202 people were arrested for their religious beliefs, according to Elam. Additioanally, at least 100 more have been detained so far this year.

Last December, a group of 25 Christians in Tehran were arrested the night after Christmas by plainclothes security officers. About half were freed after an interrogation, while the others remained in custody without legal representation.

"Unfortunately early this morning the authorities came to our homes. They arrested us and many other believers. I want to ask you to pray for us. We are sure God will never leave us or forsake us. God bless you. Sorry for giving you bad news over Christmas, but I believe God will do something for us," one of the detained said in a voicemail to a friend.

Yet it seems Iran is trying to save its public face-the tolerant face of the UN Universal Declaration of Human Rights. FoxNews stated in a report that the state media of Iran is unbelievably saying Nadarkhani is not being put to death for apostasy, but for rape and extortion:

"His crime is not, as some claim, converting others to Christianity," the deputy governor of the Gilan province, Gholomali Rezvani, told Fars, the semi-official state news agency.

"He is guilty of security-related crimes."

The Fars comments were part of a larger Iranian media push to counter reports that Nadarkhani was facing execution for refusing to recant his Christian faith.

“We’re trying to determine if this is the state-controlled media throwing it out there,” said Jordan Sekulow, Executive Director of the American Center for Law and Justice (ACLJ).

“There’s been no mention of any other charges than apostasy in trial documents.”

In a ruling from the Iranian Supreme Court, translated into English by the ACLJ, Nadarkhani was sentenced to execution by hanging for, “turning his back on Islam” and “converting Muslims to Christianity.”

As JohnThomas Didymus reported in August on GodDiscussion, "according to a July 15 report by the Baptist Press news, Iran's supreme court pronounced a verdict of death sentence on an Iranian subject to revision only if he renounces his Christian faith."

This is something that Nadarkhani does not seem poised to do. In a letter written last year from prison, he exorted his Christian brothers and sisters to keep the faith, in spite of persecution, much like the Apostle Paul wrote when he was in prison:

Have we not read and heard: Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it. Many attempt to flee from their spiritual tests, and they have to face those same tests in a more difficult manner, because no one will be victorious by escaping from them, but with patience and humility he will be able to overcome all the tests, and gain victory.

Therefore in the place of Christ’s followers, we must not feel desperate, but we have to pray to God in supplication with more passion to help us with any assistance we may need.

According to what Paul has said: In every temptation, God himself will make a way for us to tolerate it.

O beloved ones, difficulties do not weaken mankind, but they reveal the true human nature.

It will be good for us to occasionally face persecutions and abnormalities, since these abnormalities will persuade us to search our hearts, and to survey ourselves.

So as a result, we conclude that troubles are difficult, but usually good and useful to build us.

Dear brothers and sisters, we must be more careful than any other time.

Because in these days, the hearts and thoughts of many are revealed, so that the faith is tested.

May your treasure be where there is no moth and rust.

I would like to remind you of some verses that we nearly discuss everyday, (Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.) but as long as our human will has priority over God’s will, his will will not be done.

As we have learned from him in Gethsemane, he surrendered his will to the father, “My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will.”

What we are bearing today, is a difficult but not unbearable situation, because neither he has tested us more than our faith and our endurance, nor does he do as such. And as we have known from before, we must beware not to fail, but to advance in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, And consider these bumps and prisons as opportunities to testify to his name. He said: If anyone is ashamed of me and my words, the Son of Man will be ashamed of him when he comes in his glory and in the glory of the Father and of the holy angels.

As a small servant, necessarily in prison to carry out what I must do, I say with faith in the word of God that he will come soon.”However, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?”

Discipline yourself with faith in the word of God. Retain your souls with patience. For there is no man that doeth any thing in secret, and he himself seeketh to be known openly.

May you are granted grace and blessings increasingly in the name of Lord Jesus Christ.

Yusef Nadarkhani

Lakan Prison in Rasht