Good news! The case against Abdul Rahman has been dismissed, according to a news story on MSNBC,
Afghan Christian convert’s case to be reviewed. If this is true, this is wonderful news.
The downside may be the reaction of conservatives in Afghanistan where the new government of Hamid Karzai may find itself under increasing pressure from some in its own ranks. This is a chance for moderate Muslims to show their true intentions to be peaceful, to break the stranglehold of Islamic fundamentalism on their faith and country, and take a giant step forward. Doubtless this will be a difficult thing, especially in Afghanistan, but it is a necessary thing.
As Christians, we also need to watch carefully for those who would use force for spiritual goals. We need to be open and ready for dialogue with our neighbors. In other words, we need to make sure that we exemplify the kind of behavior we are asking for from others.
[...] Let me be clear about this: I’m not painting all Muslims with the same broad brush. At a minimum, common sense and the law of averages say that there must be Muslims who believe in the necessity of choice just as there are whack-job Christians who use a perverted view of their religion to justify their anti-Christian actions. However, I have yet to see any video on the internet of Fred Phelps kidnaping homosexuals and sawing off their heads. The bottom line is that there are those who seek to promote their religion by the use of force. [...]