Pity the poor Afghans…
There has been a Christian presence in Afghanistan since the first century. According to Eusebius’ record, the apostles Thomas and Bartholomew were assigned to Parthia, which included north western Afghanistan, and India.
[Source: Forward in Christ Magazine]
But it doesn’t appear that there will be one much longer ~
According to the U.S. State Department, there’s not a single Christian church left in Afghanistan. The last public one was razed in March 2010.
No wonder the country is #3 on Open Doors World Watch List of persecuted Christians. In Afghanistan, “conversion from Islam is considered apostasy and is punishable by death under some interpretations of Islamic rule in the country.”
Just a few weeks ago, the head of the Afghan High Peace Council was blown up by an exploding turban. And tragically, last summer a team of 10 eye medics was killed in a remote area of the country; 8 Christian aid workers and their 2 Afghan helpers. ~ Motive for Aid Worker Killings in Afghanistan Still Uncertain.
Motive? They weren’t Muslim. That’s all the motive the “Religion of Peace” needs.
For those responsible for these deaths, killing Christians is a higher priority than the welfare of their own people. The team were members of the International Assistance Mission (IAM). Since 1966, that organization has provided eye care and medical help to more than 5 million Afghans. An IAM spokesman said at the time of the murders: “Our faith motivates and inspires us – but we do not proselytize. We abide by the laws of Afghanistan.”
The deaths of the medical team followed on the heels of a call by an Afghan parliamentary secretary (in June 2010) for the public execution of Christian converts. As an International Christian Concern (ICC) regional manager said at the time:
“It is absolutely appalling that the execution of Christians would be promoted on the floor of the Afghan parliament. Khawasi’s statement sounded a whole lot like the tyrannical manifesto of the Taliban, not that of a U.S. ally. American lives are being lost fighting terrorism and defending freedom in Afghanistan – yet Christians are being oppressed within Afghan borders. This comes after billions of U.S. dollars have been invested in the war effort, and millions more have been given in aid. The U.S. government must intervene to protect the religious freedoms and human rights of all Afghans.”
They say they are… well, according to the State Department report, released last month, the United States continues to promote religious freedom in Afghanistan. And a mighty fine job they’re doing. In a country that no longer has even one Christian church, apparently all they’ve been promoting is the freedom of Muslims to practice Islam.
More than 1,700 of our military personnel have died in Afghanistan since the U.S. first went into that country 10 years ago. A large percentage of them were undoubtedly Christian.
Our military commanders, particularly our Commander-in-Chief, are longer inclined or determined to prosecute this war. It’s past time to stop sacrificing our young men and women for what now appears to be a lost cause. Without godly leaders, we can’t win against this foe.
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But we can still pray:
Almighty God, our heavenly Father, who in thy goodness hast caused the light of the Gospel to shine in our land; Extend thy mercy, we beseech thee, to the nations of the world that still walk in darkness. Enlighten the Moslems (and the leaders of our republic) with the knowledge of thy truth; and grant that the Gospel of salvation may be known in all lands, that the heart of the peoples may be turned unto thee, through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen ~ The Book of Common Prayer ~
