Charles, I’m incredibly proud. For the first time in more years than I can remember it felt as though Canada was a world player. Our men and women are making a difference over in Afghanistan—they’re putting their lives on the line, standing up for our country—and finally, a Canadian leader went down into the ‘trenches,’ so to speak, and acknowledged their commitment. Bravo Mr. Harper!”
This is typical of the kind of e-mail I have received on the prime minister’s recent trip to Afghanistan. I have no trouble saying “Bravo Mr. Harper.” But I wonder whether the bravo of our citizens should be conditional. Should we expect the Afghan government to allow Abdul Rahman to live as a free man, even though he is a Christian?
The story may not be as important as the political contest that Belinda Stronach is in with Bob Rae. But since we are committing the lives of our sons and daughters to Afghanistan, should we demand that their government treat Abdul Rahman and the rest of its citizens with some Canadian common decency?
Rahman was born a Muslim 42 years ago. He left Afghanistan when he was a little boy and while working with a Christian aid organization converted to Christianity. He moved back to Afghanistan three years ago. Strike 1. He moved in with his father and shared with him the fact that he had converted to Christianity. Strike 2. Running afoul of the law, he came into contact with the police. They found in his possession a green-coloured Christian Bible. Strike 3.
In a country that Canadian troops are now sworn to defend, Sharia law is the code. While the dreaded Taliban may not be in charge of the courts, the men who wear the robes of Afghan justice aren’t the kind that Spencer Tracy represented in the movies. Judgment at Kabul is nothing like Judgment at Nuremburg, except for one thing. The sentence for serving Jesus may be the same as for serving Hitler.
Judge Ansarullah Mawlavezada, knowing that he has a western audience paying at least a thimble of attention, makes a point of saying that he respects all religions. He says that he does not support the dreaded Taliban’s enforcement of Sharia law. This was the crowd that amputated limbs in a soccer stadium in Kabul that is now, mercifully, being used for soccer. The lucky sinners got amputations. Others were beheaded. Some of those others were women who made the mistake of not walking several steps behind their husbands or making the mistake of going shopping without being escorted by their husbands or the even bigger mistake of secretly teaching their daughters to read.
The judge wants you to know that he is not the beast that the Taliban would want him to be. Nevertheless he says to the court, “If Rahman doesn’t regret his conversion to Christianity, the punishment will be enforced on him and the punishment is death.”
While we are saying bravo to the prime minister for supporting our troops and while many are talking about the guts the prime minister displayed in flying into a combat zone, might we ask Mr. Harper to send one simple message to the government of Afghanistan?
“We Canadians are not prepared to shed one more drop of blood to support your government if the sword of your government draws the blood of Abdul Rahman.”
Standing up for Canada means standing up for Mr. Rahman’s choice to worship his Lord.
God bless Canada and our prime minister.
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