Situation Critical

November, in some Canadian churches, has been designated as a month of prayer for the persecuted church. It's appropriate, then, to highlight the plight of just one of many thousands of cases of persecution around the world. I have written before of the case of Pastor Saeed Abedini (right), a U.S. citizen in prison in Iran for his faith.

His situation has become even more critical in recent days. According to reports from The American Center for Law and Justice (ACLJ), Abedini has been moved from Evin Prison in Tehran to Rajai Shahr Prison in Kara. This prison has been described as "the place prisoners go to disappear."

A Dutch diplomat, Loes Bijnen, described the prison like this: "Rajai Shahr is the place where political prisoners who are seen as a nuisance, are stowed away. Going to Karaj is a severe punishment. Once in there one stops to be a human being. One is put out of sight, even of human rights activists and the press. In Rajaï Shahr, political prisoners have to share cells with dangerous criminals like murderers, rapists and drug addicts who don't hesitate to attack their cell mates. They have nothing to lose: many of them are condemned to death anyway. Murders or unexplained deaths are a regular occurrence." 

Coming, as it does, in the midst of an anti-West backlash in Iran, Pastor Saeed's life is in real danger. There is a petition that has been launched in the U.S. to ask President Obama to intervene to bring about a resolution to this situation. If you are a U.S. citizen, please consider signing it. Jay Sekelow describes this as a "life or death situation" and thinks that there may be 24-48 hours to save Saeed.

If you are a believer, it's time to pray. Persecution is nothing new. The Apostle Paul wrote numerous letters during his time in prison, finally giving his life at the hands of a Roman executioner. He said, in his letter to the Colossians, "Remember my chains." It's very easy for us, living in the free world, to blithely go about our daily affairs, never giving a moment's thought to Christians around the world suffering for doing what we so often take for granted.

Whether it's a Pakistani Christian falsely accused of blasphemy, a Christian in China or Vietnam in jail for being a part of an unregistered church, or a Christian in India, beaten for their faith, they ought not to be forgotten. So take a few moments today to pray for those living under the threat of violence and death. How should we pray? Paul, in his letter to the Ephesians, wrote "Pray also for me, that whenever I speak, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it fearlessly, as I should."  

Pray for strength and courage for those undergoing persecution. Pray that they would remain faithful. Pray that they would be delivered and that the Gospel message would continue to go forward. Pray for God's presence in the middle of their trial. Pray for their families as they suffer in other ways. Pray for those working through various means to bring about relief and/or release for the prisoners. Pray for government officials who would be in a place to make a difference. Finally, pray that God would keep your heart soft to the needs of others and that they would never have to stand alone.

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A Picnic - Or A Pilgrimage?




 

No Justice for Abedini

(Photo: American Center for Law and Justice)

 

 

Last month Naghmeh Abedini (see photo) celebrated her ninth wedding anniversary alone at home in the U.S., while her husband, Saeed, suffered in Iran's notorious Evin prison. He has been in prison since he was arrested in September 2012 while building an orphanage.

His crime was supposedly "endangering national security," but it is quite obvious that Abedini is being held for his work as a Christian leader. While he is not the only Christian imprisoned for his faith in the Islamic Republic of Iran, he is probably the most noteworthy, if only because of his American citizenship.

Reports from sources in Iran indicate that Saeed has been tortured and beaten. Then he was denied medical care as the Muslim doctors who were called refused to treat him. Yet President Barack Obama remains strangely silent, leading to a call for action from Franklin Graham, head of Samaritan's Purse. “Many in the international community are expressing outrage over this blatant example of religious intolerance,” said Graham, who also heads the international relief organization, Samaritan’s Purse. “I ask that our government do the same and demand that Pastor Saeed Abedini be released and allowed to return home to his wife and family in the United States.”

We, in the West, have little to no idea of the horrifying experience many Christians go through in many parts of the world. Iran, China, Pakistan, Egypt, Nigeria and many other nations have been the site of incredible injustices as followers of Christ have been falsely accused, beaten, tortured, imprisoned and often murdered. According to Philip Yancey, "Human rights organizations claim that more Christians were martyred in the twentieth century than in all the rest of history combined."

Christian Freedom International has provided a map and information on their website detailing the worst offenders (the five I listed above made the Top 10 offenders list). While I highlight the plight of Abedini, most Christians in these countries suffer silently, unknown and out of the minds of all but their family and friends. High profile cases like Saeed's often result in release because of political pressure - I hope that happens in this case. Last year we were talking about Youcef Nadarkhani, who was freed, then re-arrested, then freed again; then arrested again. He is currently free, for who knows how long.

Regardless, as a follower of Christ, I must constantly remind myself to pray for those who are being persecuted for their faith. The Apostle Paul, no stranger to persecution, wrote to the church in Colosse from prison and concluded his letter this way: "I, Paul, write this greeting in my own hand. Remember my chains. Grace be with you." (Colossians 4:18) 

Around the world today, hundreds of thousands of Christ-followers would say the same - "Remember my chains." As those privileged to live in one of the freest countries on the planet, we ought to do all that we can to promote the cause of justice for those unable to speak for themselves. Become informed, and use whatever influence that you may have to bring pressure to bear on those who can make a difference. And pray. As John Wesley said, "You can do more than pray after you have prayed, but you cannot do more than pray until you have prayed."

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Why is Youcef Nadarkhani Free?

While I was on vacation, I heard the news that Pastor Youcef Nadarkhani had been released from the Iranian prison that held him captive for three years. That was September 8th. This was great news for the many people, including myself, who've been praying for his release since we heard of his plight. But why is he free, I was asked? We prayed, tweeted, and petitioned, but why now?

There are a lot of different factors at play here and, while this event means the world to Nadarkhani and his family and friends, it does not change the fact that people are being held in prison for their faith around the world - including still in Iran. In fact, some would say that Pastor Youcef may be in greater danger now than he was when he was being held in prison. It is all too common for Christian leaders to simply "disappear" one day and never be seen or heard from again.

The official word out of Iran was that Nadarkhani was acquitted by a court in Rasht after having been sentenced to death for abandoning Islam. He was, however, convicted of evangelizing among Muslims, a crime with a 3 year prison sentence - time he had already served. So he was released. But why now? And why the about-turn after repeated appeals that failed and even resulted in the imprisonment of his lawyer? I don't pretend to know the answers, but here are some talking points.

• Iranian Prime Minister Ahmadinijad will be speaking at the United Nations in New York on September 26th. It makes sense that Iran would want to get this high profile case out of the news before his appearance. Nadarkhani's cause has been taken up by numerous world leaders and Iran can use all the good P.R. they can get. On the other hand, Iran has not shown much concern for international opinion.
• It may be that Iranian leaders simply wanted to put an end to the public attention Youcef's case has been drawing, and they didn't want the negative attention his execution would bring. They were able to save face by convicting him of evangelizing among Muslims. Again, hopefully this does not result in a less formal or less public form of Islamic "justice."
• There may have been disagreement among Iranian leadership as to what to do with Nadarkhani. His lawyer, Mohammad Ali Dadkhah, argued in court that Iran, as a signatory to several international treaties, was required to allow freedom of religion.The idea that Iran allows for freedom of religion is a joke, not only in Iran but in any nation using Sharia law. 

The bottom line is that we really don't know the official machinations that resulted in Youcef's release. We do celebrate and rejoice with him and his family regardless and I do look at it as an answer to prayer. He has stated his intention to continue with his pastoral ministry, so I cannot believe that his troubles are over. Perhaps now, though, attention can turn to others who are suffering a similar fate as Nadarkhani was.

According to CIA's World Factbook, Christians, Jews and Hindi face relentless persecution. And according to the American Center for Law and Justice (ACLJ), the group largely responsible for bringing public attention to Youcef's case, another Pastor, Farshid Fathi, has been locked up in Iran’s Evin prison since December 2010 for what the ACLJ describes as practicing his Christian faith.

He was distributing Bibles in Iran's language of Farsi, and thus was accused of  “actions against national security.” The prison is notorious for its horrid conditions, physical and psychological torture, violent interrogations and sleep deprivation. He is one of many Iranian Pastors paying a high price for his faith.

What is the answer? I don't know. What I do know from history is that the church has often grown the most during times of persecution - witness the initial growth of the early church after persecution broke out in Jerusalem. In fact, throughout history, persecution in some form or another has been the norm. The church in Iran has been experiencing "explosive growth" says Open Doors, a ministry serving the persecuted church. While we must continue to pray for the wrongfully imprisoned, and work and speak out for justice, always remember that God often uses the most difficult situations to advance His Kingdom.

Pastor Youcef Nadarkhani (c) embracing his wife and children after being released from prison near Rasht, Iran, on Saturday, September 8. Photo: Church of Iran for BosNewsLife

In a letter to his church from prison, Pastor Youcef wrote, "Let us remember that sometimes the leap of faith leads us towards some impasses. Just as the Word led the sons of Israel leaving Egypt toward the impasse of the Red Sea. These impasses are midway between promises of God and their fulfillment and they challenge our faith. Believers are to accept these challenges as a part of their spiritual course." I admire his faith and thank God for his freedom.


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1000 Days In Jail

Many years ago I had opportunity to visit a childhood friend in Kingston Penitentiary, one of Canada's most notorious prisons. It's not a nice place. I've never been imprisoned. For that I'm thankful. I don't know how I'd handle it - being deprived of my freedom, an enforced separation from my family and loved ones.

I particularly don't know how I'd handle it if I were imprisoned unfairly, like Pastor Youcef Nadarkhani. This Pastor marks 1000 days in an Iranian prison today. His crime? Converting from Islam to Christianity. Not only is he in prison, but he is on death row. In the Iranian system, once convicted, you can be taken at any time and executed. It is likely only the attention of the Western media that is keeping the Iranian "justice" system from carrying out the sentence.

The latest word that we have is that the Iranian courts have set a new trial date for him, the reason is uncertain. Speculation is that they will change the charges to something relating to threatening national security in order to deflect attention away from the religious persecution. Nadarkhani is only the most visible of those suffering for their faith in Iran.

Remarkably, in the midst of great persecution, there have been more conversions to Christianity in the past 15 years in Iran than in the previous 300 years. This is according to RZIM, which regularly ministers in the Middle East. There have been many stories of Muslims having visions which lead them to convert to Christianity.

At a recent conference, Christian Iranian leaders felt lead to commit themselves to share the Gospel with 5 new people every day. One couple was traveling across Iran and stopped to fill up their gas tank. They had shared the Gospel with 4 people. There was an armed man who looked menacing, leaning against the wall of the gas station. The wife looked at her husband and said, "there's number 5." He responded in the negative and cast doubts on her sanity. He pumped and paid for the gas then got in the car to leave.

As they pulled away, she once again told him "that is number 5." He said to her, "would you like a dead husband?" She said, "I'd rather have a dead husband than a coward for a husband!" Like any of us would do, he turned the car around and went back. He took a Bible from the car and walked over and presented it to the man. He began to weep. In a vision, he said Christ appeared to him and told him to come to this place and wait - someone would come and give him the book of life. He had been waiting for two days!

The point is that the Gospel will not be stopped. Nadarkhani's response when he was asked to recant to save his life was simple: "I cannot!" His situation, and that of thousands of Christians imprisoned worldwide, is a silent rebuke to lukewarm Christians everywhere. Jesus didn't call us to go to church when we feel like it, as if that made us Christians. He said, "Take up your cross, and follow Me!"

Remember Youcef Nadarkhani and his family today - and take the time to pray for him and his family, as well as suffering Christians around the world. Pray that where the Gospel message is banned, doors of opportunity would be opened. And pray for yourself, that you would be faithful to bloom where you have been planted.

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Iran Arrests Nadarkhani's Lawyer

Nadarkhani lawyer Mohamed Ali Dadkhah

For those of you who haven't been following this story, Youcef Nadarkhani is an Iranian Pastor who was arrested 2 and 1/2 years ago for the crime of converting to Christianity. He was convicted and has been sentenced to death. His lawyer, Mohamed Ali Dadkhah has been his voice to the rest of the world, fighting to keep his story public. He has just been arrested.

He has been charged with "Incitement Against the Regime," basically for his continued defense of Nadarkhani and other Christians like him. This leaves not only this Pastor, but a number of others as well, without representation. We are reminded that since all appeals have been exhausted, Nadarkhani, who has a wife and two small children, can be taken and executed at any time.

It is a dangerous time to be a Christian in Iran at this point in history. It also shines a light on the reality that, around the world, thousands of people yearly will give their lives for the sake of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. When faced with the repeated opportunity to recant his faith and live and return to his family, he has consistently stated that he will not.

The American Center for Law and Justice (ACLJ) has been at the forefront of the efforts to see Nadarkhani released, but will be greatly hindered by this latest arrest. Please continue to pray for Youcef Nadarkhani and his family. The video below gives more details of the latest developments.


 

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Iranian Pastor Sentenced to Death - Update
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Islam & Christianity

Recent events have brought the clash between the Muslim and the Christian cultures to the attention of at least some of us who have been watching. Currently 35 Ethiopian Christians are being held in jail in Saudi Arabia for having a prayer meeting in a private home. They've been there for over two months and are now being threatened with deportation. As well, this week there was a pronouncement by the Grand Mufti of Saudi Arabia calling for the destruction of all churches on the Arabian Peninsula. Pastor Youcef Nadarkhani continues to wait on death row in Iran for the crime of converting to Christianity. Add to this the ongoing persecution of Christians in Egypt, Iraq, Pakistan, Sudan, Nigeria etc... and it becomes clear that this is more than just a trend.

I thought it might be informative to share some interactions between Ravi Zacharias and a Muslim student. Ravi is one of the greatest apologists for the Christian faith in the world today and is especially good at cutting through the clutter to speak to the heart of the issue. What are the differences between Islam and Christianity? How do Muslims view Jesus? How do we determine who is right? These presentations are a good staring point, even if the quality may be somewhat
lacking. Feel free to comment.





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Top New Posts for February 2012

Here are the top three blog posts for the month of February, based on readership. I'm always open to feedback, so let me know what you think. I've added links to new articles if you're interested.

The most read article is an ongoing story about Iranian Pastor Yousef Nadarkhani. He is sitting in an Iranian jail facing a death sentence that could be carried out at any time.

Iranian Pastor Conviction Is In - Death
Here's a related article: Iran to lynch Pastor Yousef Nadarkhani: Say nothing, do nothing




The second most popular article was from the sports world, speaking of the new phenom Jeremy Lin. Jeremy has taken the NBA by storm, helping to rescue the failing New York Knicks season and vaulting them into a playoff spot. His openness about his Christian faith has drawn the inevitable comparisons to Tim Tebow of the NFL.

Is Jeremy Lin the next Tim Tebow?
Here's a new article all the way from the UK: Jeremy Lin: How good is he?





Finally, the third article in the list is a subject that I'm afraid won't be going away anytime soon. It's about the "Gendercide" that is taking place in our world, eliminating millions of baby girls. We have assumed that this is an issue for China and India maybe, but surely not us. Sadly, as you'll  read, in the "civilized" West, women are aborting their babies now solely because they're girls. Inform yourself.

 "Gendercide" - A Deeper Look
Here's an article on the topic from The Economist: Gendercide






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Following Up - The Latest News

Here are a few recent blogs that I've written with links to articles I've found that provide a deeper look. I hope that some of you find it helpful.

Iranian Pastor Conviction Is In - Death
The first is an update on Pastor Yousef (Youcef) Nadarkhani, the Iranian Pastor sentenced to die because he refused to recant his Christian faith. Click on the picture for the original article, a link to a newer article is posted below the picture.

http://www.crosswalk.com/news/execution-imminent-for-iranian-pastor.html

Why the abortion issue won't go away
The second blog is a piece I wrote to give a synopsis of where we stand in Canada on the issue of abortion. This has been, and will continue to be, a hot and uncomfortable topic in Canada and deserves more attention. Again, click on the picture for the original article, and the link beneath for related articles with updated news.

http://www.theinterim.com/features/mp-urges-parliamentary-debate-on-status-of-unborn/

http://www.evangelicalfellowship.ca/page.aspx?pid=7669

 

The War on Women

The final story is related to the last piece, but different. It's the current worldwide trend toward "gendercide." It's becoming common to do sex selection testing during pregnancy only to abort if the baby is found to be female. Canada has become one of the places to go because of our lax laws and new technology. The new article is about a revealing report out of the UK. Again, click on the picture for the original article and the link below for the updated one.

http://www.lifesitenews.com/news/undercover-sting-uk-abortion-clinics-performing-illegal-abortions-no-questi?utm_source=LifeSiteNews.com+Daily+Newsletter&utm_campaign=ad8ddede4b-LifeSiteNews_com_Canada_Headlines_02_23_2012&utm_medium=email



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Iranian Pastor Conviction Is In - Death

Yousef Nadarkhani has received the final verdict from the highest Iranian Court, according to sources close to the Pastor. He has been sentenced to death for the crime of converting from Islam to Christianity.

Christians worldwide have been following his case for over two years as the 34 year old Pastor and father of two has been told repeatedly to recant his Christian faith or to face death. He has consistently maintained that he has no intentions of turning his back on his faith, regardless of the consequences. He can now be taken any time and killed without prior warning, or it could be dragged out for up to two years.

According to reports from the American Center for Law and Justice (ACLJ), Iran may use the current international turmoil as an excuse to kill Nadarkhani, letting the world know that they answer to no-one.

The ACLJ recently launched a Twitter campaign to publicize Nadarkhani’s case, asking participants to dedicate a daily tweet to “Tweet for Youcef,” stating the number of days he has been imprisoned (currently 863) and ending the tweet with “ViaOfficialACLJ,” sending readers back to the organization’s website where they could learn more about his case.

Here is the real face of fundamentalist Islam, there is no mercy for those who would dare convert from Islam. No religious liberty here. The difference with this case is that this Pastor was actually charged and had a trial. More often than not, in countries like Iran, Christian converts are simply murdered or "disappear," never to be seen again.

This case draws attention to the plight of Christians in many parts of the world who are facing extreme persecution, places like Pakistan, Sudan, Nigeria, Egypt, China and many others. Most cases are unreported as attention is diverted to the political firestorm taking place in the Arab world. We are reminded of the words of the Apostle Paul in Colossians 4:18 - "Remember my chains."

If you are a Christian, please pray for Yousef Nadarkhani; his wife and children. Take a few moments, as well, to spread the word. He deserves to have his story heard by as many as possible. There are links to more detailed articles below.

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Iranian Pastor Sentenced to Death - Update

Those of you following this story will recall that Pastor Yousef Nadarkhani has been condemned to death for apostasy because he converted from Islam to Christianity. When news of this travesty created protests from other nations, Iranian officials claimed that he was to be executed for sex crimes. This was obviously fabricated since none of this was mentioned in the court proceedings. Revealingly, he was recently given another chance to walk away - by denying his Christian faith.

Pastor Yousef recently refused to state that the Muslim prophet Muhammad was a messenger sent by God, despite the fact that it would have secured his release. On December 30, local authorities said they would release the pastor if he agreed to make the statement, but he rejected the offer and remains in prison awaiting a final decision on his case. The request violates article 23 of the Iranian Constitution, which states that no one should be molested or taken to task simply for holding a certain belief.

The pastor at the Church of Iran was arrested in Rasht in 2009, and in September 2010, he was tried and found guilty of apostasy and sentenced to death. He was made three similar offers in 2011 where recanting his faith would have saved his life, but he refused each time. His case was eventually referred to Iran's Supreme Leader. Unconfirmed reports indicate that the case may have been passed on to the head of the Iranian judiciary, delaying execution for up to a year to allow time to convince the pastor to renounce his faith. (Source: Christian Solidarity Worldwide)

This Pastor is one of many Christians around the world who are facing imrisonment, torture or even death for their faith. Another such case is that of Asia Bibi of Pakistan, a Christian wife and mother sentenced to die for allegedly committing blasphemy against Islam. She says she has forgiven those who are persecuting her. She recently told a Pakistani journalist, who asked her a list of questions prepared by an American journalist, that she spends her time praying and fasting for her family and other persecuted Christians.

Asia is confined to a cell and is allowed to go outside 30 minutes each day. She sees her two daughters and husband one hour each week. Asia told her interviewer that one of the prison workers recently tried to strangle her, and she must prepare her own food since it is feared she will be poisoned if workers in the prison prepare it. Life for All is supporting her family and has hired a lawyer to try and overturn the conviction. She says she is hopeful that she will be released, but there is a bounty of about $8,000 offered by the Islamic clerics to anyone who will kill her. Asia says she is content that her future is in God's hands and she will accept His will. (Source: VOM-USA, Atlas Shrugs)

When I read of these, and so many others like them, I am reminded of what the writer of Hebrews wrote in Hebrews 11:38 - "...the world was not worthy of them." It is a challenge for we Christians living in relative ease to stand with our brothers and sisters in Iran, Iraq, Pakistan, Sudan, Nigeria and a host of other countries where claiming the name of Christ can get you killed.

There are at least three things all of us can do at a minimum. 1. Be informed. Subscribe to news feeds like VOM, because, Lord knows, you certainly won't hear the whole story from the mainline media. 2. Pray. We are Christians. The Bible tells us to pray for those who are suffering, and also for those doing the persecuting. Remember that at one time the Apostle Paul, perhaps the greatest of all Christian missionaries, was a persecuter of the church. Pray that the church would advance in spite of the persecution and that those facing challenges would have courage and know God's peace. 3. Spread the word. Use whatever means and networks you have at your disposal to let others know what is happening. Don't let these brave men and women stand alone.

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Iranian Pastor Sentenced to Death - Part 2

Are you a Christian? If so, how firm is your faith? If you were stood up before a tribunal of powerful men and ordered to deny your faith or face death, what would you do?

It sounds like a scene from the days when Christians were fed to the lions in the Roman Colosseum, but sadly, the last hearing for Iranian Pastor Youcef Nadarkhani was to take place today. He has had two opportunities to recant his faith in Jesus Christ; this is his third and final opportunity. His crime? He is a Christian pastor in Muslim Iran. Worse yet, his parents were Muslim and he does not adhere to Islam.

I don't know why I have not heard about this through conventional news sources. That seems typical in a time when Christians are being persecuted and put to death for their faith around the world. Most often, In Iran, Christians are simply murdered and their killers never brought to trial. In this case, Iranian authorities seem to want to set an example.

Watch the video below, and take some time to pray for Pastor Youcef.



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Iranian Pastor Sentenced to Death

Some of you may have been following the news out of Iran regarding Pastor Yousef Nadarkhani. He was arrested for apostasy and convicted - sentenced to death. Upon appeal to the Supreme Court it appeared that the death sentence had been overturned. However, the joy at that news was short-lived as the conditions for that change were revealed. The pastor must recant in order to have his life spared. Those who know him well express the belief that he will die rather than recant. For an interesting take on the original arrest, go to this article. The following is a story by Amy Kellogg I look forward to hearing that Canada also steps up to the plate in defense of religious freedom in Iran.

Iranian Pastor Sentenced to Death Could Be Executed if He Doesn’t Recant, Says Verdict
By: Amy Kellogg

Iran's Supreme Court says an evangelical pastor charged with apostasy can be executed if he does not recant his faith, according to a copy of the verdict obtained by a religious rights activist group.

Christian Solidarity World says Iranian-born Yousef Nadarkhani, who was arrested in 2009 and given the death sentence late last year, could have his sentence suspended on the grounds that he renounce his faith.

Those who know him say he is not likely to do that, for if he were disposed to giving it up, he would have done it long ago.

If Nadarkhani does not recant, his fate is unclear. It’s believed his case would then be remanded to lower courts in Iran.

Recently the U.S. State Department issued the following remarks: “We are dismayed over reports that the Iranian courts are requiring Yousef Nadarkhani to recant his faith or face the death penalty for apostasy, a charge based on his religious beliefs. If carried out, it would be the first execution for apostasy in Iran since 1990. He is just one of thousands who face persecution for their religious beliefs in Iran, including the seven leaders of the Baha’i community whose imprisonment was increased to twenty years for practicing their faith and hundreds of Sufis who have been flogged in public because of their beliefs.”

Christian and human rights groups say apostasy isn’t even codified in Iranian law.

“From a human rights perspective, you can’t criminalize someone’s choice of religion, much less execute them for that,” says Hadi Ghaemi, executive director of the International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran.

Nadarkhani, from Rasht, on the Caspian Sea, converted to Christianity as a teenager. He is reportedly an effective pastor, who has converted an unknown number of people from Islam to Christianity.

Some believe he has about 400 people in his church.

Iran has ancient Armenian and Assyrian churches. The Evangelical Church of Iran is relatively new, church officials tell Fox News, a product of the legacy of Anglican missionaries who were in Iran in the last two centuries. Even after the Islamic Revolution, Iran been fairly tolerant of the older Armenian and Assyrian orders, which date back to the early days of Christianity, but has been less accepting of Evangelical conversions.

Firouz Khandjani, a spokesman for the evangelical Church of Iran, lives in exile in Eastern Europe. He fled Iran for Turkey for security reasons, but says even in his new homeland he's not safe, and was informed he could be targeted by Iranian agents in Turkey.

Khandjani says a sort of “soft persecution” began after the Revolution, with Christians generally losing many civil rights, including access to top jobs in the country, but has increased since President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad took office in 2005.

Khandjani himself was arrested and released 18 years ago. But he says about 40 people have been arrested, many of them also released, since Ahmadinejad became President.

“I can’t say Ahmadinejad is persecuting us, but the hard-liners around him are. The leadership needs hard-liners to permit them to do what they want. They need their support.”

It is hard to get a number on how many Evangelical Christians there are in Iran. It is not a large number in this country of 70 million, but reportedly, the numbers continue to grow. The International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran estimates there may be 4,000. Khandjani believes the number to be as high as 200,000. Many of them watch evangelical television stations beamed into Iran from the United States.

Ghaemi says, “Most churches in Iran operate with some degree of secrecy. They operate in homes. People take their batteries out of their cellphones and leave them at the door. They show up at random times so as to avoid the appearance of a crowd filing in. The current government sees them as a threat.”

Ghaemi says there had been a tacit agreement between the Ministry of Intelligence and the Church of Iran, whereby if worshippers were open, and told the Ministry where they were going, the government would leave them alone. The government appears to have broken that “gentlemen’s agreement.”

Firouz Khandjani said the church wanted to be out in the open, and had asked to have physical churches in which to operate under the previous presidential administration.

“It was in the time of Khatami. We believed it was possible. He was more open to minority groups, but unfortunately, he didn’t have the will. We had believed in him.”

A court in Shiraz, Iran, recently released a group of Christians who had been arrested for subversion. The court ultimately ruled that they were just exercising their right to practice their religion. Human rights advocates say the higher courts should follow their example.

Sources say while the Iranian regime doesn’t look fondly upon conversion, it is proselytizing that really rankles them.

Khandjani made a plea to America.

“The U.S., which is fighting for freedom, has to take care of this situation. This is the 21st century. We are not a military group. We want to worship God, according to the Gospel, and being persecuted is not acceptable.”

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