Many readers of this blog will be heartened to hear that two young women jailed in Iran in the notorious Evin prison for the crime of converting to Christianity have been told that they will be released today.
Thank you for your thoughts, prayers, letters, contributions, and assemblies. Thank you for spreading the word in every way that you could. Thank you to Christian ministries who work to shed light on the plights of Christians imprisoned, tortured, and murdered for no other cause than their Christian faith. One of these is Voice of the Martyrs, which keeps track of persecuted Christians worldwide. Another is Elam Ministries, which serves Christians in the Iran region. It has been important to let Iranian officials know that many eyes are watching for Maryam and Marzieh's safe release.
Maryam and Marzieh are not completely out of the woods yet. They are being sent home, but they are in poor health and will be required to return to court. So keep praying and keep your eyes on them.
Even as we celebrate the return of Maryam and Marzieh to their homes, we have not forgotten about Rifqa Bary, an even younger woman, a mere 17 years old, who is being held in virtual house arrest in the state of Ohio. Rifqa's crime? None, but she came to fear for her life when her parents and their mosque learned that she had secretly converted to Christianity three years before and fled to the Florida, which, after a number of hearings, sent her back to Ohio. Not yet returned to her parents, not permitted to attend school, and not permitted telephone conversations with her friends, Rifqa waits in foster care for the state to decide her fate.Rifqa's supporters, who include a number of Christian converts from Islam who share her fear for her safety, as well as friends and relatives of girls who were victims of so-called "honor killings," will be assembling in Columbus, Ohio today to let American officials know that eyes are looking out for Rifqa's safety, too.
Read about the Rifqa Rally at Atlas Shrugs and Jihad Watch, and be there if you can. If you can't, a call to Ohio Governor Ted Strickland (contact info here) can help a young person enjoy the freedom of religion which so many Americans were willing to guarantee with their lives, their fortunes, and their sacred honor.
If Rifqa's freedom of religion cannot withstand the forces of Islam in courts here in the United States, it certainly will not bode well for the rest of us.
Hat tip: Freethemm.com
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Related posts:
- Meditation: Rally for Christian Convert, Rifqa Bary
- Meditation: Progress for Maryam & Marzieh
- Rifqa Bary Meets Hamlet. Result: Alas or Huzzah?
- Judge Keeps Rifqa Bary Temporarily in Florida--Again
- Meditation: 187 Candles Plus 1, Updates on Maryam, Marzieh, and Rifqa
- Mediation: Londoners Hold Prayer Vigil for Maryam and Marzieh
- Aqsa, Amina, Sarah, Rand
- Meditation: Will Florida Protect the Lives and Speech of Christians?
- Meditation: Maryam and Marzieh Face Death But Refuse to Renounce Christianity
- Meditation: Pray for the Release of Maryam and Marzieh
- Maryam and Marzieh: Convicted of Being Christian
This is terrific news!
ReplyDeleteI am concerned, however, that perhaps one of the reasons they may have been released is their poor health in Evin prison and the Iranian Govt. unwilling to deal with the bad PR. I really hope I don't read about one or both of them dying at home in a few months.