Islam vs. Democracy

Can Christians Influence Both?

In March of 2006, an Afghani man faced the death penalty for having converted to Christianity from Islam.  This story captured our attention for a number of reasons: it challenged us politically and spiritually.  Allow me a few paragraphs to highlight various issues and implications of this story.

The Arrest

Abdur Rahman, aged 40, returned to Afghanistan in 2002, after spending 15 years overseas, in both Pakistan and Germany.  Mr. Rahman converted to Christianity in Pakistan, while serving as a medical aid worker.  He returned to Afghanistan seeking custody of his children from their grandparents.

A relative, acting out of an alleged personal vendetta, reported Mr. Rahman’s conversion to the police.  Abdur was arrested, yet refused to renounce his Christianity and return to Islam.  The punishment for “apostasy” in Islamic law, upon which Afghanistan’s constitution is partly based, is the death penalty.

The Protest

The outcry from Western leaders reverberated around the world: George Bush, the US President, vowed to use political leverage against Afghanistan; John Howard, the Australian Prime Minister, threatened to withdraw Australian peace-keeping troops from Afghanistan; the British, Canadian, Italian, and German governments all publicly voiced their concern.

The Dismissal

Wakil Omari, spokesman for the Afghanistan Supreme Court, told a French newspaper that the court decided not to pursue its case against Abdur Rahman after hearing testimony that he was mentally disturbed.  This ‘testimony’ came from his relatives and his daughter.  Religious tolerance and freedom of conscience appear to have been forgotten.

This story is a powerful reminder of the potential impact of clashing worldviews, in this case including Western democracy, Islam, and Christianity.  Who will rise up on the world scene to help negotiate between worldviews? perhaps even influencing all parties, whether political or religious, towards the kingdom of God?

Oil and Water

The Muslim worldview is divided on the issue of applying the death penalty to converts from Islam.  While the Qur’an states, “Let there be no compulsion in religion” (Surah 2:256), it also encourages holy war against non-believers: “Fight [the Unbelievers] on until there is no more tumult or oppression, and there prevails justice and faith in Allah altogether and everywhere [...]” (Sura 8:38-39).

The constitution of Afghanistan attempts to reflect Islamic law, while respecting human rights.  Prosecutors charged Rahman based on Article 130 of Afghanistan’s constitution, which covers crimes not explicitly identified.  Yet, Article 7 of that same constitution entrenches respect for international treaties signed on behalf of Afghanistan, as well as for the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

While self-appointed spokespersons for Islam regularly portray a ‘soft’ commentary on Islam as a peaceable religion, the fact is that from the inception of the first Muslim community –at Medina, under Mohammed– Islam has been promulgated ‘by the sword’.  Consider that by the time of Muhammad’s death, on 8 June 632, ten years after his ascendency in Medina, he and his followers had united the entire Arabian peninsula under his leadership, and had started to expand into the areas now known as Syria and Iraq.

I believe that it is safe to say that the view of Islam being aggressive toward non-Muslims is the predominant interpretation worldwide.  Even Mr Anwarzai, Afghanistan’s ambassador in Canberra, declared that the death sentence for apostasy was in accordance with Islamic law.

The Church

How might the Church become involved in such affairs?  Consider first that the Church is the extension of God’s election of Israel.  As such it accepts, and often fulfils, the covenants between God and Israel, the prophecies, and the commandments directed towards them.  Thus, the Church is to be “a blessing to all nations” (Genesis 12:2-3), “a light to the nations” (Isaiah 42:6), and a servant to the nations (Jeremiah 29:7).  As such, the mission of the Church is to work with God to reconcile the world to Himself.

Christian witness can and must be directed towards influencing the development of the world’s great religions as much as towards influencing governments for peace, equality, etc.  A shining light in the various protests was that of Pope Benedict XVI, who called upon the Afghanistan president to dismiss the charges: “I am certain, Mr President, that the dropping of the case against Mr Rahman would bestow great honour upon the Afghan people and would raise a chorus of admiration in the international community [... dropping charges] would then contribute in a most significant way to our common mission to foster mutual understanding and respect among the world’s different religions and cultures”.¹ The Roman Catholic pontiff attempted to influence the positive development of Islam towards values of God’s kingdom.

Jesus indicated that his followers will be given opportunities, in both positive and negative contexts, to witness for Christ before the rulers of this world (Matthew 10:18).  Will we likewise be ready, as per 1 Peter 3:15-16?

The story of Abdur Rahman is troubling but inspirational.  This convert to Christianity returns to his home, in a country aggressively opposed to non-Muslims, in order to restore his family.  During his arrest, he bravely asserts, and refuses to renounce, his faith in Christ Jesus, even though he will likely face the death penalty.  It is hard to imagine that such situations can exist in our contemporary world.

Unfortunately, our world is rife with sin and corruption.  While I applaud the outspoken efforts of our own Prime Minister on behalf of Mr. Rauman, I am saddened that even those efforts towards righteousness pale in light of alleged mixed agendas.

The followers of Jesus must stand up and speak out against all sin and corruption, in whatever form that takes, even if political, societal, or religious.  But let us do so with the aim to be a blessing, a light, and a servant of humanity, so as to guide and influence everyone and every system towards the kingdom of God.

[published in The Australian Christian 26 May 2006]