Iran is murdering a pastor for being a Christian

[The Annoyed Man]

It is sad that they feel the need for a death penalty. However when you travel outside the US you are subject to the laws and court decisions of the host country and justice is not always the first concern. If christianity is illegal in Iran then he should not have been practicing it. I am not a biblical expert by any means but I believe the bible says something about obeying the laws of man.

NO, it doesn't. It says, very specifically with regard to paying taxes, "Render unto Caesar what is Caesar's" (Matthew 22:21).....and I am somewhat of a biblical scholar.

There is such a thing as human rights. They exist, whether or not a government honors and defends them. When our founders wrote of these rights, they said (depending on which individual founder said it) that they are either "God-given," or "given by Nature's God," or "natural rights."

Governments do not create rights. Rights existed before governments existed because they are given by God, or part of nature for those of an atheist bent, either of which predate the invention of human governments. To argue that a right does not exist is no different than arguing that electrons don't exist. They simply "are." The government of Iran chooses to contravene that which many other nations—even post-Christian secularist nations such as those of western Europe—recognize and protect to one degree or another. The mullahs who run Iran are not civilized men. Their puppet boy Ahmadinejad is an irrational tool. It doesn't matter that Christianity is against the law in Iran, which is a stoooooopid notion anyway. How do you outlaw the act of "being?" The knuckleheads in charge there are notoriously poor respecters of human rights. This is just another example of it.

The good news is that God is in charge. The crazy mullahs are bound for the eternal spiritual slag heap, a hot dry place that has all the charm of the interior of a fresh cow plop, unless they radically change their ways. If they carry out the murder of this Pastor, he will have been martyred for the faith. His reward will be higher than theirs.

PM

Responding to the PM right now....

[Bulldog1911]

I know he is Iranian and if he valued his life should have practised in private. My view on religion is different. I believe people should come to you,

Just want to share my thoughts on this. Not to start an argument or anything, but just to share what I believe. Being a Christian, this isn't the right approach. Jesus commanded his disciples(and us) to GO to all nations and preach the gospel. He didn't say sit around and wait for people to come to you. Honestly, I believe this is one of the biggest problems with the church today. People are silent. The fact is that Jesus is coming back one day, and if you haven't been born again, you won't be going with Him to heaven. As a Christian, it is our job to "sound the alarm" and let people know. This Pastor is doing that, and doing it in a country that desperately needs it(as does ours). He understands the risk, and is still willing to take the consequences. My prayers are with him and his family. This man is living out what Peter talks about in the new testament:
http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?se ... ersion=NIV

BTW isn't God the same God for Muslim, Jews, Christians

This is a whole other discussion, but There is only One True God. Isaiah 45:21 (Just one of many references I could give you)
Was it not I, the LORD?
And there is no God apart from me,
a righteous God and a Savior;
there is none but me.

I lost hope in religion(not god) a long time ago

I understand your view on "religion". If we wanted to we could start a "1911 Church". Or whatever you want to call your church for that matter, but the bottom line is to preach the Bible(which is God's Word).
2 Timothy 3:16-17 http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?se ... ersion=NIV

tool for control and money making

Sorry you feel that way, and there are plenty of reasons that you would. There are a host of "televangelist" that are just trying to get your money (not all of them, but a lot). That's why you pay your tithes to your local church. If you want to give above and beyond your tithes, go for it. Here is one passage pertaining to tithing:
Malachi 3:6-12
http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?se ... ersion=NIV

I know this was a long post, but there was actually more I wanted to say. Anyway, not trying to upset anyone, or be argumentative, but wanted to put this information outthere. I'd be glad to try and answer any questions anyone may have.

[mamabearCali]

yes I know he is Iranian and if he valued his life should have practised in private. My view on religion is different. I believe people should come to you, never knowing you are a christian because they see you are a better person and want to know how to be more like you.

Not how biblical Christianity works. The pastor is doing precisely what the word of God tells him to do. There are things that we should value above our lives.

BTW isn't God the same God for Muslim, Jews, Christians?

HIGHLY debatable. Having studied Islam at least in a minor way I can tell you that they do not view God in the same way that Christians do.

I just did the search on that and the religious community is at odds there also, So it is a mute point. I lost hope in religion(not god) a long time ago I see it as a tool for control and money making, not 100% but enough to discourage me away from it.

Can't help you there. Certainly there are some that abuse Christianity for their own gain. Believers need to stick together and that is what church is. Find a local church and contribute to that community. Do good there.

As a side note here is a joke I remembered my pastor telling when I was a kid.
3 religious leaders(insert your religions of choice) were standing and talking about how much of the church money goes to god.
The first guy says "I draw a circle on the ground then throw the money in the sky that which falls in the circle god gets."
The second guy says "I draw a circle on the ground then throw the money in the sky that which falls outside the circle god gets."
The third guy says "I throw the money in the sky that which god grabs god gets."

I heard that one on Short Circuit when I was a kid too.

[v-rog]

I believe this thread violates forum rule #11. Please correct me if I am mistaken, but this is a post that has explicit and implicit religious tones.

[Charles L. Cotton]

I believe this thread violates forum rule #11. Please correct me if I am mistaken, but this is a post that has explicit and implicit religious tones.

The whole thread doesn't but the recent posts do.

Let's get back on track; it's not about religion or the difference between religions. It's about threats to the U.S.

Chas.

[tbrown]

Let's get back on track; it's not about religion or the difference between religions. It's about threats to the U.S.

Chas.

I think the sentence is deplorable but I don't understand how Iran imposing the death penalty on one of its own citizens threatens the U.S.

[carlson1]

Let's get back on track; it's not about religion or the difference between religions. It's about threats to the U.S.

Chas.

I think the sentence is deplorable but I don't understand how Iran imposing the death penalty on one of its own citizens threatens the U.S.

They have been supplying weapons to those who killed over 3,000 souls on American soil. The radical Islam called those they murdered infidels. You can bet they will continue to try and kill more of us. So yes it is a threat to the America. Maybe you can understand that!

[Pug]

Let's get back on track; it's not about religion or the difference between religions. It's about threats to the U.S.
Chas.

I think the sentence is deplorable but I don't understand how Iran imposing the death penalty on one of its own citizens threatens the U.S.

Shi'a Islam (founded in Iran) is a radical socio-political system driven by religious zealots and extremists who are hell-bent upon the destruction of anyone who believes or practices a social, political and/or religious system or philosophy that differs from their prescribed and tighly controlled system of beliefs --- even if that person or persons is one of their own countrymen.

Does this pose a threat to the US? Absolutely it does! Radical Islam lies at the heart of the on-going 'war on terror' and no amount of politically correct denial or re-writing of history can change the fact that it is a war driven by an aberrant form of faith. Not all Moslems are violent, and not all Iranians are fans of the despot currently in power. But there can be no denying that Iran, as a radical and extrememly violent nation, sworn to the destruction of the US, Israel and all others "infidels" is a threat to all free people, including (and especially) Americans.

[mamabearCali]

You know you don't need religion to be a murderous despot. Examples Stalin, Mao, Polpot, Castro. These guys would likely be murderous nut-jobs no matter where they were from. Hardcore Islam is convenient and gives a covering of legitimacy to their insanity. It is used as an excuse to do their murderous deeds. However, because a religion is being used as an excuse to murder, it is very dangerous. It is quite easy to say fascism is BAD, communism is BAD, those who propagate them are our enemies! But things get tricky and dicey when a leading world religion is being used a shroud to cover really a fascist dictator. At any rate I am sorry for this pastor. I pray for him and his family, and I shall say that Iranian regime is a despot and brutal even to it's own.

[Heartland Patriot]

You know you don't need religion to be a murderous despot. Examples Stalin, Mao, Polpot, Castro. These guys would likely be murderous nut-jobs no matter where they were from. Hardcore Islam is convenient and gives a covering of legitimacy to their insanity. It is used as an excuse to do their murderous deeds. However, because a religion is being used as an excuse to murder, it is very dangerous. It is quite easy to say fascism is BAD, communism is BAD, those who propagate them are our enemies! But things get tricky and dicey when a leading world religion is being used a shroud to cover really a fascist dictator. At any rate I am sorry for this pastor. I pray for him and his family, and I shall say that Iranian regime is a despot and brutal even to it's own.

Good call!

[Ameer]

They have been supplying weapons to those who killed over 3,000 souls on American soil.

Iran did that? And instead of invading Iran, Bush invaded two of Iran's neighbors? Wow!

[speedsix]

They have been supplying weapons to those who killed over 3,000 souls on American soil.

Iran did that? And instead of invading Iran, Bush invaded two of Iran's neighbors? Wow!

...how pathetic...going on three years into the Kingdom of Obama...and some people still have to bash Bush...

[mlawler]

Similar case of Sharia law from Iran also....
A 17 yr old girl almost gets raped. One of her attackers drops a knife, which she uses to stab him. He dies. SHE gets sentenced to hang!! Amnisty International objects to the sentence only because she's 17.. How's that for messed up??

Islam is not a religion, it's a cult. Ask a Muslim why they do or believe something and the answer is 'Because Mohammad said....'

[speedsix]

PM

[carlson1]

They have been supplying weapons to those who killed over 3,000 souls on American soil.

Iran did that? And instead of invading Iran, Bush invaded two of Iran's neighbors? Wow!

Yes Iran did that and they are still doing that.