Thousands of honor killings occur every year, according to the United Nations. They go largely ignored by the mainstream media. But a recent case is putting honor killings in the public eye for the first time. American Thinker writes about a young woman who is living in fear of being murdered by her father because of her conversion to Christianity. American Thinker has more:
The unassuming and previously unknown Rifqa Bary, has now become, arguably, America’s most conspicuous apostate from Islam to Christianity. Truncated, grossly warped media depictions of her plight demonstrate that the American chattering classes remain stubbornly unwilling to even acknowledge, let alone confront Islam’s malevolent doctrinal intolerance, ignoring Magdi Allam’s plaintive appeal.
Rifqa Bary is a 17 year-old Sri Lankan native who was living in New Albany, Ohio (a suburb of Columbus) until recent dramatic events precipitated her flight to Orlando, Florida. An excellent student and High School cheerleader, Rifqa apostasized from Islam, clandestinely practicing Christianity for some 4-years by her account. Hard evidence, i.e., a FaceBook webpage captured by Pamela Geller — consistently ignored by the media, including Fox News — clearly documents that she was a professing Christian over two years ago, at any rate.
Here’s a video of the girl explaining her fears:
August 26, 2009 at 1:27 am
Some time recently there was a documentary produced by the BBC about former muslims in Britain who had converted to Christianity and who were facing these kinds of threats. There were statistics cited including that up to 36% of British Muslims believed that apostates should be killed, and the reporter walked into muslim bookstores and purchased books that had been printed in the UK that included such things as statements that apostates needed to be put to death.
Let's pray for these new christians and for the people persecuting them.
God Bless,
August 26, 2009 at 6:39 am
Subvet, I'm not aware that any authority has offered a reconciliation.
Mine would be that the person casting out devils was not a schismatic or a heretic, and must have assented to the Catholic doctrine (since he was doing these things in Christ's name). If he had rejected the ministry of the apostles or the teaching of Christ, surely Our Lord would not have suggested he would be saved.
"For he that is not against you, is for you" is certainly a teaching compatible with invincible ignorance. Anyone who would reject the church or fail to enter it could be said to be "against" us.
August 26, 2009 at 4:25 pm
Re: "This is the exact opposite of the approach that a faithful Catholic would have."
One needs to be faithful to the Truth first before being faithful to the Catholic Church; because, Jesus is the Truth.
e.g. A priest rapes a child. One who is faithful to the institution accuses the child of lying, excuses the priest and urges the community to move on. One who is faithful to the Truth contacts the media and the police to keep the other children safe – even at the detriment of the institution.
August 26, 2009 at 6:45 pm
You've compared the Magisterium to a rapist. What more needs to be said?
The teaching authority of the Church is not contingent on human goodness. The Pope, along with every bishop, could be a grave sinner and it would not diminish their authority to interpret and define Catholic doctrine. The truth of the faith and one church of Christ are inseparable.
August 26, 2009 at 7:51 pm
Not the Magisterium but some groups within the Church who rape the truth and tell others that it was the child's fault.
cfr. http://www.catholic.org/featured/headline.php?ID=635
There are, however, a considerable number of “traditional” Catholics, (known as “Feeneyites” in that they are followers of the late Fr. Leonard J. Feeney and his rigorist and thereby erroneous interpretation of extra ecclesiam nulla salus) who deny Baptisms of blood and desire. They often cite various quotations (mostly out of context) from early Popes, saints, and councils to “confirm” their erroneous position that Baptism of blood and Baptism of desire are false teachings.
Yet a historical examination demonstrates that Baptism of blood and/or desire was taught by such early Church fathers as Iranaeus, Tertullian, Cyprian, Cyril of Jerusalem, John Chrysostom, and Augustine, and also by the Council of Trent. And the teaching of Baptism of desire was reaffirmed by Pope Pius XII in his 1943 encyclical Mystici Corporis and by the Vatican’s Holy Office in 1949. Hardly could it be said that this teaching was “invented” by the Second Vatican Council!
August 26, 2009 at 8:35 pm
I'm just glad she converted at all! If her conversion is true and is deep, then sooner or later she will become curious about the Church that Christ formed on Peter the rock and will come home:). As one person above said, those who thirst for knowledge of Christ will one day thirst to know of the fullness of the Church He established. Hopefully through our prayers she will be led home.
This girl is a miracle of the Holy Spirit and a fine example of courage in our time. God bless her!