Yousef Nadarkhani has been freed

I know the guy has a heretical view of Jesus, which in my view makes him just as pagan as any Muslim in Iran.

Nevertheless, I am happy he has been freed. No one should go to jail just for having a different religious belief.

Now hopefully, nobody kills him at his home.

Here it's the link, if you want to confirm:

CSW has been informed that Yousef Nadarkhani, the Church of Iran pastor  sentenced to death for apostasy, has been released and is at home with his family.
According to reliable sources, during court proceedings that took place today, Pastor Nadarkhani was acquitted of apostasy,  but found guilty of evangelizing Muslims. He was sentenced to three years imprisonment for the latter charge, but released because he had already served this time.
Pastor Nadarkhani was arrested in his home city of Rasht in 2009 soon after questioning the Muslim monopoly of religious instruction for children, which he felt was unconstitutional. He was sentenced to death for apostasy in 2010, a decision that was upheld by the Supreme Court in 2011.  Although the  Iranian penal code did not specify death for apostasy, a constitutional loophole allowed judges to refer to Shari’a law and authoritative fatwas to justify such a sentence. Today the pastor had been expected to face new charges for unspecified crimes, but was instead released.
CSW’s Chief Executive, Mervyn Thomas said, "CSW is delighted to learn of Pastor Nadarkhani’s release after a long incarceration. We commend the Iranian judiciary for this step, which is a triumph for justice and the rule of law. While we rejoice at this wonderful news, we do not forget hundreds of others who are harassed or unjustly detained on account of their faith, and CSW is committed to continue campaigning until all of Iran’s religious minorities are able to enjoy religious freedom as guaranteed under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, to which Iran is party.”

Marketing Martyrs: Does Iranian Pastor's Theology Impact Advocacy on His Behalf? | Christianity Today

Marketing Martyrs: Does Iranian Pastor's Theology Impact Advocacy on His Behalf? | Christianity Today

Read the whole story. Interesting that we were told first that he was an orthodox christian. Well, it's still bad that he is threatened to be put to death due to his beliefs.

Christians are persecuted in Muslim lands

This news has been going on for a while, but the martyrdom of this Christian pastor in Iran, looks like it's closer than ever:

A U.S. human rights group says it has received troubling reports that Iran may have issued an execution order for an Iranian pastor, who was sentenced to death because he refused to recant his Christian faith and return to Islam.

“At this point, we can confirm that he is still alive,” Jordan Sekulow, executive director for theAmerican Center for Law and Justice, told msnbc.com Wednesday evening.

 This is troubling, and calls us to pray for pastor Youcef Nadarkhani, and that his family can get out of Iran, so they won't be persecuted as well.

But of course, we can't expect the amount of grief from Christians as when Whitney Houston died. Christians have forgotten how their faith was forged, and that real heroes like pastor Nadarkhani, die without a wall post commemoration in their walls. Shame on you.

I have signed the petition, will you sign it too?

If you click this link, you will be helping make your voice counted to save the life of Pastor Yousef Nadarkhani, an Iranian who is being threatened of execution for the charge of blasphemy.

I urge you to unite with other Christians, and through this petition, and through prayer, to help save the life of this man of God.

Luis Alberto Jovel