Afghani Government Fully Exercising its Independence

[evanft]

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=10000080&sid=ajRykyxTDX_k&refer=asia

U.S. Is `Closely' Watching Trial of Afghan Christian (Update1)
March 21 (Bloomberg)

The U.S. is ``following closely'' the trial of an Afghan man who converted to Christianity and may face the death penalty under the country's Sharia law, State Department spokesman Sean McCormack said.

The Afghan authorities should ``conduct this trial and any proceedings that lead up to it in as transparent a manner as possible,'' McCormack said at a briefing yesterday in Washington, according to an e-mailed transcript. ``Freedom of worship is an important element of any democracy.''

The man on trial was arrested two weeks ago when his family reported him to the police after his conversion, Agence France- Presse cited Afghan Supreme Court Judge Ansarullah Mawlavizada as saying March 19. Afghanistan's Sharia law provides for capital punishment for any Muslim who converts to another religion and refuses to revert to Islam, AFP cited the judge as saying.

A death sentence handed down by the judge would be the first such punishment for a religious conversion since the ousting of the Taliban regime in the U.S.-led war on terrorism in 2001, AFP reported. The Taliban militia's strict interpretation of Islamic law included keeping women out of society by banning them from working and preventing girls from getting an education.

``These are issues, as Afghan democracy matures, that they are going to have to deal with increasingly,'' McCormack said. ``There is in Afghanistan some differing interpretations of the Afghan constitution.''

The trial of the man began last week, Mawlavizada said two days ago, according to AFP.

 

[PittsburghAfterDark]

Dual edged sword wouldn't you say?

If we don't care, we've established a tyrranical Islamic/Sharia state and see nothing wrong with it.

If we care we're imposing our values on a society not like our own.

 

[evanft]

Oh, I was gonna call this a ROP Update, but decided that was kinda played out.

 

[mykevermin]

There are certainly aspect of Islamic statism that are totally ed up. This is clearly one of them.

 

[alonzomourning23]

[quote name='PittsburghAfterDark']
If we care we're imposing our values on a society not like our own.[/quote]

Not considering moral implications, societies you mentioned usually collapse without appropriate military force there to prop them up. Though, that tends to create more resistance.

 

[PKRipp3r]

i wonder what Hamas thinks about this?

 

[bmulligan]

[quote name='alonzomourning23']Not considering moral implications, societies you mentioned usually collapse without appropriate military force there to prop them up. Though, that tends to create more resistance.[/QUOTE]

Not if they all want to live under islamic law. Funny thing about democracy is that the majority gets to decide what the rules are. We may think it's ed up, but I'm sure most of them think it's god's will to have your head lopped off if you believe in Jesus.

Does our society depend on a millitary force to keep it intact ? No, we rely primarily on the collective morality of men who don't kill each other. we punish transgressions between men. Over there they depend on people to please god so that nothing bad will happen to any of them. They punish transgressions against god.

 

[alonzomourning23]

[quote name='bmulligan']Not if they all want to live under islamic law. Funny thing about democracy is that the majority gets to decide what the rules are. We may think it's ed up, but I'm sure most of them think it's god's will to have your head lopped off if you believe in Jesus.

Does our society depend on a millitary force to keep it intact ? No, we rely primarily on the collective morality of men who don't kill each other. we punish transgressions between men. Over there they depend on people to please god so that nothing bad will happen to any of them. They punish transgressions against god.[/quote]

That was my point. Imposing our will on a society where the people choose to behave differently doesn't work.

From what I've heard, Karzai will essentially have the final say here. He's too concerned with international opinion to allow it I believe. Considering it seems to be a decision of conservative afghanistan (and since conservatives still dominate the courts), it's not as if he's facing a country united in wanting the guy executed.

 

[shieryda]

[quote name='alonzomourning23']That was my point. Imposing our will on a society where the people choose to behave differently doesn't work.

From what I've heard, Karzai will essentially have the final say here. He's too concerned with international opinion to allow it I believe. Considering it seems to be a decision of conservative afghanistan (and since conservatives still dominate the courts), it's not as if he's facing a country united in wanting the guy executed.[/quote]

The Christian is ed if his trial gets thrown out:

"He is not crazy. He went in front of the media and confessed to being a Christian," said Hamidullah, chief cleric at Haji Yacob Mosque.
"The government is scared of the international community. But the people will kill him if he is freed."
Raoulf, who is a member of the country's main Islamic organization, the Afghan Ulama Council, agreed. "The government is playing games. The people will not be fooled."
"Cut off his head!" he exclaimed, sitting in a courtyard outside Herati Mosque. "We will call on the people to pull him into pieces so there's nothing left."