In the country of Iran, where innocent Christians are persecuted for their faith in their Messiah, Jesus Christ, Pastor Youcef Nardarkhani, once again stood in the Assize Court in Iran, only to be unjustly sentenced to death for a right that we as Americans sometimes take for granted; freedom of religion, and freedom of speech. This Pastor spoke out against a governmental decision made for the country in contest for his religious belief in the Holy Bible.
The government is enforcing an ordinance that not only neglects the natural-born rights of a person, but is maliciously intolerant of others belief in Christ Jesus. The inadequate ordinance forces everyone to be taught the Quaran- the Islamic religious book, in order for everyone to conform and be on one accord according to their corrupt justice system and customs. In the previous weeks, the pastor's trial was held, but the verdict has not been reached yet. Why does this man have to be executed for something that is technically not a crime?
What we see as injustice in our American society is unfortunately not recognized as the same in Iran. Because he is a Chrisian, his family has been placed in jeopardy. If the court rules in their favor of carrying out the execution, this case will be the first known "judicial " sentence based on a persons' religion or belief in Iran in over 2 years. Of course, he is not the only Christian to undergo brutal persecution similar to this. The insolence of Islamic radicals or believers have arrested over 80 Christians since 2010. This is only the beginning, as we know that as we continue living on in this world, the pesecutions will increase.
This is an outrageous crime considered to be "legal" on the Iranian scale. Of course, I oppose this ruling, and even the mere fact that this christian pastor was put on trial for a non-violent crime. It would be understandable if the Iraninan pastor performed some acts of violence against the government, but even so, he is defending his beliefs in the Holy Bible. The Quaran is totally opposite of his beliefs in the bible, and I agree with what he has done.
