A Cry For Prayer And For A Phone Call

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This article is a cry for prayer and an urgent request for our president to make a phone call. Miriam Ibrahim was released from a Sudanese prison a few months ago in a situation that seemed absolutely hopeless until the world came to her defense. This time the country is Pakistan, a country that receives millions of dollars each year from America. If President Obama would tell the government of Pakistan that it would lose this money from now on if any harm comes to their prisoner, Asia Bibi, a Christian, her scheduled hanging would almost certainly be forgotten about and she would be released.

What is Asia Bibi’s crime that has caused a death sentence? In 2010, Asia was imprisoned for speaking “a derogatory word” against the Islamic prophet Mohammed during a heated discussion with some Islamic women over a pot of water.

In 2011, the Governor of Punjab, Salmon Taseer, and minorities minister Shahbaz Bhatti, were both murdered because they dared to protest Pakistan’s blasphemy laws and Asia’s trial proceeded without them.

The American Center for Law and Justice says the BBC did a great job in helping to bring about the release of Meriam Ibrahim. Now the BBC is hoping to do the same for Asia Bibi. They gave these following details of what happened before Asia was arrested:

Asia Bibi’s troubles began in June 2009 in her village of Ittan Wali, a patchwork of lush fields and dusty streets. Hers was the only Christian family living there. She was picking berries along with a group of Muslim women when an argument developed over sharing the water.

Several days later, this same group of Muslim women declared that Asia had insulted the Prophet Mohammed. At that point, a mob of Islamists went to Asia’s home. She ran out the door and they chased her. When they caught her, they put a noose around her neck so that they could hang her. Instead she was rescued by the police but she was immediately thrown in prison. At her trial she was judged guilty and is now the first woman sentenced to hang in Pakistan under its Shariah blasphemy laws. Her case has also been tried before Pakistan’s Supreme Court, who has declared her guilty as well. Without a miracle, or a phone call from our president, she has no chance at all for a reprieve.

Asia Bibi is the mother of five children. She absolutely denies ever having spoken any insult at all against Mohammed. But for the past four years, she has sat alone in a prison cell while her husband and children have been continually harassed by the entire town. Several times Muslims have threatened that Asia’s family will die too for her blasphemy.

Asia Bibi

Jay Sekulow, head of the American Center for Law and Justice, said “We’ve been fighting through our international affiliate, the European Centre for Law and Justice and its partner in Pakistan. These blasphemy laws in Pakistan are despicable and Shariah law has been a part of this country for many years. We have had a number of these outrageous charges thrown out of court. The violent attack on this Christian wife and mother cannot stand. Like the case of Meriam Ibrahim, who is now free, for whom the world stood together as one voice, they need to do it again to condemn Pakistan’s barbaric violation of Asia Bibi’s human rights. She has done nothing wrong and the trumped up charges were made merely because she is a Christian. She must not be executed for her faith in Christ.”

The ACLJ will have a petition on the Internet to be signed by you and asking for Asia Bibi to be released. Please do sign it. It will matter. If your Google her name – Asia Bibi – you’ll find several other petitions that you can sign. Use the social media yourself to rally your friends into action to save Asia Bibi’s life. And continue calling the presidential opinion line – 202-456-1111 – and urging President Obama to use his power to pick up his phone and tell Pakistan to release her.

No, Mr. President, Islam and Christianity are not at all the same. It’s time for your phone to ring off its hook until you phone Pakistan and demand the release of Asia Bibi. Do you have the moral fortitude to make such a call as the president of the United States?

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

To not defend someone who is in your power to defend is like watching a child being brutally beaten and simply continuing to watch.

A Cry For Prayer And For A Phone Call