Government-friendly Iranian Media Publishes Anti-Christian Cartoon

By Michael Ireland
Senior Correspondent, ASSIST News Service

IRAN (ANS) -- When Kurt Westergaard, the Danish caricaturist published two drawings of Mohammad, the prophet of Islam, in the Jyllands-Posten magazine, he incited such an anger and claims of insult against the sacred beliefs of Islam that Muslim fundamentalists plotted not only to assassinate him, but also orchestrated massive public protests around the world against the author and the Danish government.

According to www.Mohabatnews.com , the Iranian Christian News Agency, from 2007 onward the condition of this Danish man "became so intolerable and dangerous that he was unable to go anywhere without ample security protection afforded to him by the Danish government."

Mohabatnews.com says Westergaard received the Fatwa, or a decree of death, and a reward had been announced for his murder. In a final showdown in 2010, a 29-year-old Somali national attacked him at his home and attempted to kill him with an axe.

The anti-Christian cartoon published in the Iranian publication Javan.

Mohabatnews.com states: "After the publishing of these offensive caricatures in 2007, the Iranian government leaders and their affiliates, in an attempt to reassure the world community of their presence in the political arena of Islamophobia, decided to take advantage of the situation and masterminded a massive public rally and march by the military elements that resulted in the burning of many homes and public buildings.

The news site says: "The results of all these intentional unrest was the burning of the building and flag of the Danish embassy and the declarations of threats against the East and the West."

It continues: "Starting from Seyed Ali Khamenei to the street corner mullah, they all postured against the drawings of these two caricatures by the Danish artist and defended the prophet of Islam. They were claiming that the West is conspiring to use tools like those offensive caricatures to attack and discredit the sacred beliefs of Islam and its followers."

Now, after 4 years, Mohabatnews.com says "the tide has turned" and the Iranian publication, Javan -- which is a mouthpiece of the Guardian Militia, headed by Yadollah Javani - "has published similarly offensive depictions of Christ and Christians that had they been published in the West, they would have raised their protests and Islamic zeal and would have 'dealt with this sacrilege' in the most appropriate manner."

Mohabatnews.com says the drawings that appeared in mid-June 2011 "are not meant to express the comic and humorous style of the Javan magazine. Rather, it is a tool used by the government to attack and discredit Christianity."

It stated: "The publishing of two anti- Christian caricatures by the Javan Newspaper, a media organization affiliated with the Pasdaran (The Guardian) Militia, is not meant as a humorous depiction, but a direct insult on the Christian beliefs and practices."

The news site says: "In one of these depictions a sub-titled is added that describes the repentance of a gypsy-style wanderer, which is a direct insult and undermining of Christ and all that Christian ministers.

It adds: "It is interesting that the sub-title continues by claiming that the work of the Christian ministers has lost its luster and momentum. It appears that this particular caricature is the story of a wandering pastor who has become hopeless and tired of preaching 'Repent!' and has a complaint against the public."

The website concludes: "Perhaps it is fitting to appeal to the publishers of this anti-Christian magazine and recommend that they listen to the 'Repent!' message of the wandering pastor and join him on his Christian bandwagon by receiving Christ in their heart as Lord and Savior."

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** Michael Ireland is Senior Correspondent for ANS. He is an international British freelance journalist who was formerly a reporter with a London (United Kingdom) newspaper and has been a frequent contributor to UCB UK, a British Christian radio station. While in the UK, Michael traveled to Canada and the United States, Albania,Yugoslavia, Holland, Germany,and Czechoslovakia. He has reported for ANS from Jamaica, Mexico, Nicaragua, Israel, Jordan, China,and Russia. Michael's volunteer involvement with ASSIST News Service is a sponsored ministry department -- 'Michael Ireland Media Missionary' (MIMM) -- of A.C.T. International of P.O.Box 1649, Brentwood, TN 37024-1649, at: Artists in Christian Testimony (A.C.T.) International where you can donate online to support his stated mission of 'Truth Through Christian Journalism.' Michael is a member in good standing of the National Writers Union, Society of Professional Journalists, Religion Ne wswriters Association, Evangelical Press Association and International Press Association. If you have a news or feature story idea for Michael, please contact him at: ANS Senior Reporter

Letter-writing Campaign Shows Support for Iranian Pastor Awaiting Death Sentence

By Michael Ireland
Senior Correspondent, ASSIST News Service

RASHT, IRAN (ANS) -- While Pastor Youcef Nadarkhani remains in an Iranian prison awaiting re-examination of his case on charges of apostasy sometime in September, ASSIST News Service has received word that so far 1,444 letters have been sent in order to encourage to him.

Jason DeMars of Present Truth Ministries (www.presenttruthmn.com  ) says that until Nadarkhani's case is reconsidered by the lower court, "it is critical that we continue in prayer for him, that God's purpose would be accomplished through him."

Pastor Youcef Nadarkhani (Photo courtesy Present Truth Ministries)

Nadarkhani faces execution by hanging, unless he recants his faith in Jesus Christ.

"We are receiving reports that he is standing firm and strong in his faith, even encouraging those who are discouraged, exhorting them to trust in the Lord," DeMars said.

He continued: "It is also recommended that we continue to send encouraging letters to him using Voice of the Martyr's program, 'Prisoner Alert.' Please do not include money or any other type of gift. The prison guards will take these things for themselves. The letters do not always get through to brother Youcef, but they include scripture and encouraging words, so even if only the prison guards read them, you may be planting a seed of the Word of God in their hearts.

"Also, it lets the Iranian government know that this brother is not forgotten, and that thousands of people are praying for him and are concerned about his welfare."

If you go to www.prisoneralert.com  you will see Pastor Youcef's profile. You can email Iranian officials politely requesting his immediate release, and, more importantly, you can send an encouraging letter to him in prison.

Please forward this email to your friends and ask them to take action on behalf of Nadarkhani.

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** Michael Ireland is Senior Correspondent for ANS. He is an international British freelance journalist who was formerly a reporter with a London (United Kingdom) newspaper and has been a frequent contributor to UCB UK, a British Christian radio station. While in the UK, Michael traveled to Canada and the United States, Albania,Yugoslavia, Holland, Germany,and Czechoslovakia. He has reported for ANS from Jamaica, Mexico, Nicaragua, Israel, Jordan, China,and Russia. Michael's volunteer involvement with ASSIST News Service is a sponsored ministry department -- 'Michael Ireland Media Missionary' (MIMM) -- of A.C.T. International of P.O.Box 1649, Brentwood, TN 37024-1649, at: Artists in Christian Testimony (A.C.T.) International where you can donate online to support his stated mission of 'Truth Through Christian Journalism.' Michael is a member in good standing of the National Writers Union, Society of Professional Journalists, Religion Ne wswriters Association, Evangelical Press Association and International Press Association. If you have a news or feature story idea for Michael, please contact him at: ANS Senior Reporter

Pakistani Muslims Convicted for Beating Christian to Death

Court gives life sentences to three men who killed merchant for refusing to convert to Islam.

By Jeff M. Sellers

 

LOS ANGELES, July 22 (Compass Direct News) – Three Muslims convicted of killing a Christian in Pakistan’s Punjab Province for refusing to convert to Islam last year have been given life sentences, according to attorneys for the European Centre for Law and Justice (ECLJ) in Pakistan.

 

The Sessions Court in Mian Channu on July 7 convicted Ghulam Rasool, Amjad Iqbal and Kashir Saleem of torturing and killing Rasheed Masih on March 9, 2010, and sentenced them to life in prison, which in Pakistan is 25 years. The court also ordered each convict to pay 100,000 rupees (US$1,153) to Masih’s family. A fourth suspect, Muhammad Asif, was acquitted. 

“The ECLJ also plans to file an appeal in the Lahore High Court concerning the acquittal of the fourth defendant,” said Asif Aqeel, director of the Lahore-based, ECLJ-supported Community Development Initiative. “The callous treatment by the police presented lots of challenges in proving that Masih was killed by the defendants. However, extensive work by our legal team in Pakistan and in the United States resulted in a conviction for the three defendants in this case.”

 

Masih’s family said they were grateful to ECLJ attorneys for assisting the court in making its judgments.

 

Aqeel said Masih’s brother, Asi, said that Muslim businessmen were jealous of Rasheed Masih’s success as a potato merchant in Mian Channu, Khanewal district because he was a Christian. When the 36-year-old victim met with the defendants at their farmhouse to discuss business on March 9, 2010, they asked him to convert to Islam. When he refused, the four Muslims beat him to death with iron rods, Aqeel said.

 

A bystander informed Asi Masih, who said he then called police.

 

Police officers along with the victim’s brother found Masih smeared with blood. They rushed him to a hospital, but he died on the way after stating to police that he was tortured by Rasool and his accomplices, Aqeel said.

 

Police, however, denied that Masih ever gave such a statement and refused to charge or arrest the defendants, Aqeel said. A large number of Christians blocked an intercity highway and demanded that the killers be arrested. Police conceded after the Christian community’s five-hour protest.

 

The Rev. Iqbal Masih of the Mian Channu Parish of the Church of Pakistan told Compass last year that Rasheed Masih was a devoted Christian, and that both he and his brother Asi had refused the Muslims’ pressure to convert to Islam. The Muslims had been threatening both brothers for six months before the murder, according to Asi Masih.

 

An autopsy by Tehsil Headquarters Hospital Mian Channu revealed 24 wounds on the body of Masih, according to a copy of the report obtained by Compass.

 

The European Centre for Law and Justice, headquartered in Strasbourg, France, is an international Non-Governmental Organization dedicated to the promotion and protection of human rights in Europe and worldwide.

 

www.compassdirect.org

 

END

 

*** Photos of Rasheed Masih at his funeral are available electronically. Contact Compass Direct News for pricing and transmittal.

 

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Copyright 2010 Compass Direct News