Pakistani Christians told: convert or die
posted at 9:13 pm on May 16, 2007 by Bryan
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I could crack open a 50 pound can o’ worms with this one, but I won’t. Worms are probably haram.
Christians in a Pakistani town beset by pro-Taliban militants sought government protection Wednesday, the eve of a deadline for them to convert to Islam or face violence.
About 500 Pakistani Christians in Charsadda, a town in the North West Frontier Province bordering Afghanistan, received letters earlier this month telling them to close their churches and convert by Thursday or be the target of “bomb explosions.”
Several Christians, a tiny minority in the predominantly Muslim country, have fled town and others are living in fear, community leaders said.
Some complained that police were not taking the threat seriously.
“Police say someone is joking with us by writing these letters,” Chaudhry Salim, a Charsadda Christian leader, said during a news conference in Islamabad. “They have deployed only two policemen at our churches … this is the kind of security we are getting now.”
Shahbaz Bhatti, a prominent Christian leader and head of the All Pakistan Minorities Alliance, said the provincial government, which is controlled by a coalition of pro-Taliban religious parties, would bear blame for attacks after the deadline.
They’ll bear blame or get credit? Depends on who you ask and when, most likely.
Man, this is just like the story I read yesterday about those Baptists who were threatening schools in Thailand.
Ah, my bad. Apparently they weren’t Baptists.
More than 3,000 policemen are on guard in about 1,000 government schools in Thailand’s Muslim south as the new school year begins on Wednesday. Seen as a symbol of “Buddhist” Bangkok, the schools – and the teachers – have been the preferred targets of the Islamic rebels fighting for independence of the Muslim majority southern provinces of Yala, Narathiwat and Pattani.
The last school that was attacked was an elementary school in Bangasod, in the district of Bannang Sata, in Yala, which was burnt to the ground last Sunday.
No one was killed in the incident but according to local news reports, at least 50 teachers have been killed in the three provinces since January 2004 and a total of at least 2,100 people have died in over three years of violence.
I know what confused me. Silly me. I was thinking about those violent Presbyterians. Nasty bunch, always threatening to wipe Israel off the face of the world and all.
Oh, darn it. I got it wrong again. I’m sorry. I don’t know what’s wrong with me tonight.
I really ought to just quit blogging right now. I can’t keep all these religions straight anymore. I mean, they’re all basically the same, right?
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From the religion of peace.
amerpundit on May 16, 2007 at 9:17 PM
The media always have an opinion and a bias, on all else. How come not on this?
Entelechy on May 16, 2007 at 9:25 PM
As a card carrying member of the Methodist Martyrs Brigade (the only one, BTW) you should know that if you do not convert, I’m going to type something really, really hurtful.
Oy vay!
TwinkietheKid on May 16, 2007 at 9:30 PM
It sure seems that if there is an armed conflict, either the Religion of Pieces™ or Marxism is involved.
steveegg on May 16, 2007 at 9:34 PM
Selective reporting from our news sources.
They say, “We’ll tell you what you need to know.”
I call it lip service.
Kini on May 16, 2007 at 9:36 PM
Yeah, all the same. All from the same Daddy, Abraham, right Mo?(pissbeuponhim)
Except one of the “children” went frickin crazy?
NO. The ‘black sheep’… he made up his adopted family and started killing people who didn’t believe his insane arse. Terror worked so well they bin doin it for 1400 years.
Why doesn’t someone stop it…for good? Never mind.
shooter on May 16, 2007 at 9:39 PM
Glenn Reynolds has the scoop on those violent christian sects.“There is no compulsion in religion.” – mohammed
~sha-zaam
locomotivebreath1901 on May 16, 2007 at 9:43 PM
Bryan, your point is very clear! After that minor dust up the other night, this story drives your point home. The same intimidation is happening in Lebanon, a CHRISTIAN country now over run by Persian and Arabs…
Zorro on May 16, 2007 at 9:54 PM
Yeah, all the same. All from the same Daddy, Abraham, right Mo?(pissbeuponhim)
HAHAHAHAHEHEHEHE
mjkazee on May 16, 2007 at 9:57 PM
Please don’t joke like that Bryan, there are some people that won’t know you are joking.
Maxx on May 16, 2007 at 10:02 PM
And the UN Human Rights charter guarentees freedom of religion…
so I’m sure the Co Chair… Iran… will be right out front in protesting this…
Romeo13 on May 16, 2007 at 10:03 PM
Islam sucks…
Exit question: Who would be opposed to arming these Christians?
Tim Burton on May 16, 2007 at 10:04 PM
Sadly, this sort of thing happens all the time, all over the world. We here in the tolerant West have no idea, no idea at all.
We have true martyrs in the world today, my friends, killed only for the crime of being Christian.
Bob's Kid on May 16, 2007 at 10:05 PM
Ahem… sorry about that Bryan… I should have read the next line first.
Maxx on May 16, 2007 at 10:06 PM
Let’s see… last time you brought this up we had close to 300 comments and HA was on the verge of a civil war. Allah, if you’re listening, Oh Omnipresent One, please ignore this post. Keep yourself busy by teaching your followers the fine art of bomb-making. Allahu Akbar!!
ulyses on May 16, 2007 at 10:13 PM
I wonder what Hitch would say about this?
JayHaw Phrenzie on May 16, 2007 at 10:16 PM
Sometimes juvenile sarcasm is just too much damn fun. And so I say to you ……………………..
heh.
Jaibones on May 16, 2007 at 10:19 PM
That it’s typical of Muslim fundamentalists. Contrary to popular opinion, Hitchens is under no illusions that Islam poses a greater threat than other religions right now.
Allahpundit on May 16, 2007 at 10:21 PM
Exactly what threat does any other religion pose ?
Maxx on May 16, 2007 at 10:26 PM
Oh no. Not again
ulyses on May 16, 2007 at 10:28 PM
They continue to keep people from becoming alcoholic objectivists.
Tim Burton on May 16, 2007 at 10:31 PM
None right now, except possibly for militant Hindus. They can be a little excitable too. Here’s the clip of Hitchens talking about Islam; I posted about it last month.
Allahpundit on May 16, 2007 at 10:38 PM
So much I want to say. All of it comes off as really snarky, and I’m pretty good at snark. All of it, except for this: get them armed, or get them to the West.
Krydor on May 16, 2007 at 10:44 PM
HA! Nice post Bryan!
Bad Candy on May 16, 2007 at 10:49 PM
Why does everyone think that these people are open to talks??? When the hell is the world going to wake up and realize the only way to deal with these people is to crush them and not make martyrs of them either in the process? Show them that when you go around bombing innocent civilians there will be no tolerance, no glory gained.
4shoes on May 16, 2007 at 10:52 PM
We Baptist can be vicious.. By golly we will ban you from our potluck dinners.
GoodBoy on May 16, 2007 at 11:10 PM
Oh boy! This is gonna be a fun thread!!
Joshua P. Allem on May 16, 2007 at 11:19 PM
Don’t forget us freewheeling evangelicals. We’ll cut back to a three song worship set instead of four. That’ll teach those unbelievers.
Mojave Mark on May 17, 2007 at 12:23 AM
Yeah… when I found that Onward Christian Soldier was no longer in the Methodist Hymnal…. well… the family pew hasn’t seen my butt since then.
Romeo13 on May 17, 2007 at 12:32 AM
Muslims have been slaughtering Jews, Christians, and whoever else won’t submit to them in the name of Mohammed (pig smegma be upon him) for 1300+ years. And it ain’t gonna stop anytime soon.
infidel4life on May 17, 2007 at 12:45 AM
Islam: The religion of cowards.
Always has been. Always will be.
Suicide is a form of cowardice. Suicide bombers are an extension of that. The cowardly males force women into subjugation because of fear. They bomb children at school because there will be no retaliation. They fly airplanes into buildings where people are working because they know that no one would be trying to defend them.
Just like the scum who prey on the ederly and the children.
Cowards. Every one.
Fogpig on May 17, 2007 at 1:20 AM
Convert or Die
Are they selling those stupid Tshirts too?
Bad Candy on May 17, 2007 at 1:36 AM
It should be on page 575. The song is clearly a metaphor, ya know…like jihad means struggle…only Christian.
Buck Turgidson on May 17, 2007 at 6:03 AM
Sorry to butt in. Maxx, I believe you misunderstood AP’s wording regarding Hitchens. I get the impression that you took AP’s comment to mean that Hitchens is not under the illusion that Islam is a greater threat. In actuality, his meaning was the opposite; that Hitchens was under no illusions (and therefore clearly understood) that Islam poses a greater threat.
Northeastern folks put their words together differently than others sometimes.
Romeo & Buck; I can guarantee you that a nice, independent, fundamental Baptist church will have Onward Christian Soldiers in their hymnals. And plenty of songs about The Blood, the Cross, and the Resurrection that have vanished from those of other groups.
Freelancer on May 17, 2007 at 7:27 AM
This is not some anomaly but rather a feature of Islam. It happenned in Lebanon, too. Where ever Islam goes, it makes war on non-Muslims. Where ever Islam is the majority, it suppresses and harasses the non-Muslim minority.
Take a look at the Middle East and North Africa. That used to be all Christian during the Roman Empire. When the Muslims conquered it all, eventually everyone was forced to convert or leave.
The best thing America could do is give these people guns to defend themselves against the Muslim aggressors. At least then they would have a fighting chance.
Tantor on May 17, 2007 at 9:31 AM
Did you and Allah settle your differences over the Instapundit thread with fisticuffs behind the HotAir mansion? I’ve been pleasantly surprised by the lack of atheist snarks on this one.
Romeo13, this is exactly the wrong approach. You should stay in place! Bring your thick Zondervan NIV study bible (the one without the trendy gender-inclusive re-writes) to every service and be seen reading it. Send away for some Asbury Seminary brochures and leave the in the narthex. Get three subscriptions to Good News magazine and leave the two spare copies in the office of your minister and district superintendant. At coffee hour, chat about the good work done by the Promise Keepers ministry.
For that matter, go read some of Wesley’s sermons. There’s a reason the man founded the evangelical movement. They are a very dense read, but are compelling and theologically relevant even 250 years after being written.
Don’t worry about being thrown out of the church after doing all of the above. I don’t think the Discipline has a clause for termination of “connection” due to excessive biblical fidelity. Not yet, anyway.
If you leave the congregation, it just lets the liberal revisionists cocoon inside a bubble where they think everyone agrees with them.
Anton on May 17, 2007 at 9:59 AM
Where is the condemnation of this violence from the “moderate” Muslim? Oh, wait, there is none.
I believe the “moderate” Muslim is a myth. If the Muslim is not actively supporting violent assault then they are providing passive support.
omegaram on May 17, 2007 at 10:49 AM
I have in front of me “Reading Lolita in Tehran” by Azar Nafisi. She details what Iran was like before the “Islamic Revolution” and how it is now, with women veiled, unable to hold jobs, subordinate to men, etc. and all I can think of is: “I don’t want that to happen here.”
Constant traction-Islam is applying constant traction, a “tug of war” contest with the rest of the world. And many on our side think it’s wrong to ‘get a grip’ on the rope.
Heaven help us all.
Doug on May 17, 2007 at 11:09 AM
Bryan,
I see the rile is still on! But I notice AP is a little low-key this time around. Tell us about your off-line discussion about this, guys. Inquiring minds want to know.
Look BP, I fully understand how this ticks you off. I have a VERY fundamentalist Christian background from birth on the field as a missionary kid to Bible student at Bob Jones Univ. I have spent much of my adult life gaining distance from the experience and re-examining my faith. Ultimately I’m confirmed in the belief that God is where ‘real’ comes from, and that there is no lasting reward to be found except in Him. (Krydor, all the background info should help you get a better fix on me.)
Despite my intimate understanding of the failings within the fundamental evangelical population I am absolutely certain it doesn’t include any movement with latent “Christian terrorist” aspirations. To suggest evangelicals are potentially violent – even just forcefully facist – is either a thoroughly vicious smear, or the grossly ignorant repetition of one.
I have had my own brother tell me that “fundamentalist christians are the biggest threat to our country today” (he’s apparently abandoned his claim to faith). So yeah, I too get pretty riled to hear that kind of spew.
BP, I agree with your prior assertion that when the left half of our country fixates on Christians as the source of their “danger” they are guilty of inattention to our true enemy. It takes profound narcissim to press their frantic fight against people who tell them it’s wrong to stick body organs where they don’t belong and to expect others to help them escape the consequences of having done so. And, meanwhile they defend or deny the thugs who would relish KILLING them for it. The same thugs who’ve openly vowed they’re coming for all of us.
If the left continues this pathologically selfish fight, they may ultimately commit us to national suicide. Yes, I get angry on a personal level over the false accusations against Christians, but I get even more angry that fellow citizens would rather destroy our society than come to their senses and truly defend it.
The Ritz on May 17, 2007 at 11:42 AM
The spread of Islam is taking place all over the world from within countries. You can see it taking hold in France and England and you can see signs of the future at Minneapolis-St. Paul airport.
One day, we will wake up to the same threat: Convert or Die!
It seems our democrat leaders have already decided it is better to convert! Tolerate Islam at your own peril!
There should be no tolerance for this type of threat!
If a Christian hears “Convert or Die” he must kill or be killed! It’s time we started supporting these poor souls instead of making light of their plight in this and other forums.
There should be outrage but there is only laughter.
SAD … very sad!
LonelyMassRepublican on May 17, 2007 at 11:59 AM
If believers don’t actively debunk the “Christians are dangerous” lie, here’s where we’re headed next.
The Ritz on May 17, 2007 at 12:55 PM
Independence from what, the schools?
Kevin on May 17, 2007 at 3:19 PM
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