These converts could have had it worse. Shi’ite Islam, like Sunni Islam, prescribes the death penalty for apostasy:
Shaykh al-Kulayni narrates a sahíh (correct) hadith from `Ammãr as-Sãbãti who said: I heard (Imam) Abu `Abdullãh (as-Sãdiq) (a.s.) saying, “A Muslim from among the Muslims who renounces Islam and rejects the prophethood of Muhammad and considers him untrue, then verily his blood is lawful (mubãh) for anyone who hears that from him, his wife is to be separated from him the day he became murtad [apostate], his wealth will be divided among his heirs, and his wife will observe the `idda of a widow (i.e., four months). The Imam is obliged to kill him, and not ask him to seek forgiveness.” (Furu al-Kãfi, vol. 7, p. 257)
The Islamic Republic of Iran might not carry out this sentence in the absence of the Imam, but they’re not likely to be lenient and kind to the converts, either.
“Tehran: over 250 years in prison for ‘Christianity’ in 2024,” by Dario Salvi, Asia News, January 21, 2025 (thanks to The Religion of Peace):
Milan (AsiaNews) – A combined total of more than 250 years in prison in 2024 alone. An increase of about six times from the previous year, confirming a repressive framework that has been progressively escalating over the past five years against the minority. The climate of denominationally motivated persecution, or at least violations of the religious freedom of Christians taking place in the Islamic Republic is confirmed by data from a report (click here to read it) relaunched by Article18, a website specializing in documenting abuses and limitations in the area of worship. The study, released these days, was conducted with the collaboration of other leading personal freedoms NGOs including Open Doors, Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW) and Middle East Concern and paints a picture that is cause for “deep alarm.”
Escalation of condemnations
The activist groups’ report confirms that there is a “sharp regression ‘ in religious freedom in Iran, in line with the authorities’ escalating crackdown linked to the protests that erupted following the death of Mahsa Amini at the hands of the morality police. A finding also emerged in reports by the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom, which call for reclassifying the Islamic Republic as a “nation of particular concern (Cpc)” for its “systematic and egregious violations.”
In the year just ended at least 96 Christians, mostly converts from Islam in a nation with a large Shiite Muslim majority, were sentenced to a total of 263 years in prison, compared to 22 Christians sentenced to a total of 43.5 years in 2023. According to the report’s authors, the reason for the substantial increase is related in part to the “sharp spike in arrests in the second half of 2023, which required judicial treatment” in the months following when the sentencing verdicts came in.
Adding to this, however, is the significant increase in individual sentences to long prison terms, with five Christians receiving sentences of at least 10 years in jail and, in at least one case, up to 15 years. In all of these cases documented in the report titled “The Tip of the Iceberg” (to draw attention to the fact that many other cases go unreported) there were charges related to the faith practiced or religious activities related to worship….
mike says
If Islam is so great why do they threaten people who convert with jail or death
this story tells you all you need to know
Islam is not a friendly religion for most people
Joe Scott says
Gormless islam…
gravenimage says
Joe, I wish Islam were no worse than gormless…
James Hoagland says
As of today my commentary will designate Iran thus: Islamic Shia Republic of Iran (ISRI). This clarification is important at this point in time.
James Hoagland says
This is the way and the essence of the Islamic Shia Republic of Iran (ISRI). All those who do not follow this ideology are destined for a barbaric social status and death. Cannot fathom how any decent society based on a true moral basis cannot condemn and detach itself from such a backward and hate filled regime.
Rarely says
Of course it’s absolutely abhorrent based on how most societies have evolved but certainly reminiscent of the Reformation and Counter-Reformation when Christianity was no less intolerant.
Maybe islam will evolve — if the rest of the World can wait that long.
somehistory says
You, and many others, have the mistaken idea that “Christianity reformed.”
Christianity never was meant to force anyone to follow “The Way.” Jesus taught His followers by example….and there was no time when He forced anyone to follow Him; and He didn’t murder anyone, nor persecute anyone, for not following Him.
And He gave instructions for His disciples to follow. The True ones followed.
Misguided fools and idiots, claiming to be Christian, went against what Jesus commanded and gave Christians a bad name….the True ones have never deserved.
Rarely says
Not for one second am I suggesting that Jesus preached intolerance.
However, many of those who claimed Him have gone to extremes — never more so than during the Reformation and Counter-Reformation during which intolerance was the rule of the day and resulted in many deaths and injustices. The “rivalries” inside islam today and its intolerance brings up memories of historical similarities,
somehistory says
What I have written…..is still True; Christianity has never *reformed* because those people who went about murdering….burning Bible translators at the stake, etc., persecuting any who disagreed, were not Christian.
So Christianity had no need of a “reformation.” And islam never will “reform.” It is what it is….evil from satan the devil, arch enemy of Christ and Christians.
Calling what occurred in Christendom centuries ago a “reformation” of Christianity, is a big fat lie. Christianity is what it is and has been from the beginning when it was known as “The Way.”
People may have been able to make changes in what they did, but that didn’t change Christianity.
Rarely says
I didn’t invent the term “Reformation”. It is used in history to refer to the period in Christianity, beginning with Luther, when various Protestant groups separated from the Catholic Church. It was a very violent movement.
The Catholic Church’s response, known as the “Counter-Reformation” was even more violent.
They all claimed to be Christians and that they had “The Way” and that the others were all heretic. Lots of killing.
Sound familiar?
somehistory says
Well at least, you know they never had Jesus’ approval….and His is what counts.
It’s a lame argument to try to compare Christianity and islam as if they are the same.
And I’m fully aware you didn’t coin the word….but it’s still a lie. A lie of long-lasting.
It should have been nipped in the bud long, long ago.
Christianity has never been “reformed”….there was never a need and it would have been a stupid idea to try to improve on Perfection in the Way to get to God and receive His blessings.
Stupid people have tried to change it, get rid of it and used mockery when nothing else was working. But, after all these years, Christianity still exists….unchanged from 33 CE.
Rarely says
somehistory
I’m not trying to compare Christianity with islam. I’m simply pointing out that religious intolerance is not just the exclusive property of islam and has been rampant at different times in the history of Christianity as well.
The Reformation saw the creation of various Protestant offshoots in an atmosphere of great turmoil and violence. Religious tolerance was hardly the word of the day and “infidels” were treated no better then than islam treats them today.
Hopefully islam will evolve to being more tolerant although there is little evidence that this could happen. At least Christianity preached love and compassion in spite of everything while islam preaches war and conquest.
somehistory says
Rarely,
You are just not understanding my point. It doesn’t matter which group…Catholic or Protestant…is claiming to be Christian if what they are doing, preaching, allowing, etc. is not in line with Jesus Christ and what He commanded.
People can be wrong; people can be right. If wrong, they can see and *reform*….or as the Bible says, “Put on the new personality.”
But Christianity cannot go ,and has not gone, through a “reformation.” There is no need nor way to reform what is Perfect; and what Jesus taught is “Perfect.”
Those people in the past who murdered others in the Name of Jesus, were profaning His Name. as they went against what He preached and commanded His followers to do. They were not Christian any more than mozlums are.
If people could see and understand that, they’d realize that all of the evil has one source….satan the devil….and all of it is just as bad as the other.
gravenimage says
Agree–Christianity itself never taught violent conversion or death for apostacy–would that yiu could say the same of Islam.
Billy says
Islam is totalitarian and terroristic against Christianity and against ALL Non-Muslims as taught in Islam’s. Quran. Allah does not love the Non-Muslims because they refuse to become a Muslim; hence, there is NO PEACE with Muslims(Quran 3:32; 49:14-15). Despite what Muslims say, being a Non-Muslim is a seditious act, a criminal act, against Islam and Sharia, Islamic Law, because Qur’an 8:39 says, “And engage in war with them[Non-Muslims] until there will not be sedition and the religion will be completely to Allah…”
Islam is a MUSLIM TERRORIST ORGANIZATION against all Non-Muslims as taught in the Quran(Quran 8:12; 9:29,41,111; 49:15 and more). More specifically, Islam is a Muslim Terrorist Ideology and Criminal Organization of discrimination, segregation, supremacy, genocide, polygamy, deceit, hatred, incitement, sedition, rape, terrorism, and violence against all Non-Muslims as taught in the Quran. Fundamentally, Islam is a Terrorist Criminal Enterprise. The FRUIT of Islam is continual WAR, terrorism, discrimination, and violence against all Non-Muslims; this FACT must be taught and broadcast to the general public to prohibit Islam, its Mosques, and its Schools. Also, Islam is an Antichrist System terrorizing Israel, Christians, and Non-Muslims. Plus, there is NO EQUALITY UNDER THE LAW in Islam or in Islamic Law(Quran 98:6-7; 9:29 and more). In Sahih Bukhari(V6,B60,N80), Abu Huraira narrates, “‘You(Muslims) are the best of peoples ever raised for mankind.’ means, the best of peoples for the people, as you bring them[Non-Muslims] with chains on their necks till they embrace Islam[see Quran 3:110].” See also Quran 69:30-32; 3:151.
Non-Muslims CANNOT have peace with Islam and its Muslims because Islam and its murderous god, Allah, demand a continuous, Muslim war against unbelievers where Non-Muslims are CRIMINALS under Islam as Allah in Qur’an 8:39 says, “And engage in war with them[Non-Muslims] until there will not be sedition and the religion will be completely to Allah…” HENCE, NON-MUSLIMS MUST MAKE ISLAM, ITS MOSQUES, ITS SCHOOLS, ITS ORGANIZATIONS, ETC. ILLEGAL UNDER THE LAW. Similarly, Islam and its many Organizations must be identified and publicly declared to be MUSLIM TERRORIST ORGANIZATIONS for their funding, teaching, and support of terrorism, violence, and discrimination against Non-Muslims(eg. Quran 9:5,29,111 and more).
Islam promotes a terroristic, Muslim war against unbelievers when Allah in Qur’an 49:15 says, “Surely the believers are only those who believed in Allah and his messenger. They do not doubt, and they performed JIHAD with THEIR MONEY AND THEIR LIVES for the sake of Allah. Those are the truthful.”
Deceitful Allah promises Heavenly Paradise to Muslims for acts of Muslim killing in a terrorist war against Non-Muslims and hypocrites when Quran 9:111 says, “Surely Allah has purchased from the believers[Muslims] their souls and their money so that they may have the garden[Heavenly Paradise]. They engage in war for the sake of Allah, so they kill and are killed…”
Edward Amos Brandwein says
Doesn’t the Pope anything to say about this?
somehistory says
that evil creature would likely tell those converts not to go about upsetting the mozlums.
James Lincoln says
Yes, somehistory.
Pope Francis is an “evil creature” who is destroying Catholicism.
Certainly, judging by his words and actions, an antichrist…
Beneath the Veil of Consciousness says
And the whores in our government allows these followers of aass murdering child molester set up hate centers anywhere they wish.
Beneath the Veil of Consciousness says
*mass
Gamaliel says
You might be better off dead than in an Iranian prisons. I’ve read gruesome stories about those prisons.
gravenimage says
Islamic Republic of Iran sentenced converts to Christianity to a total of over 250 years in prison in 2024
………………………………..
Sick stuff. At least they were not murdered outright, I suppose…