Afghan Christian Beheaded

This is not the man mentioned in the post below but still a real Afghan Christian

I needed to share this blog post with everyone because it is unreal. As an American, it is so easy to hide behind your own world & ignore reality. I mean, we've got our own problems to worry about right? But what America needs is MORE awareness....it is IMPORTANT to know that this type of gruesome oppression to religious minorities (not just Christians) actually happens in the year 2011! 

Awareness will motivate people to pray- but there is also MORE you can do than just praying! There's a link at the top of this blog that can help you find out what you can do to support widows of martyrs, communities that have been destroyed due to persecution, & support pastors in discipleship. 

We know persecution will not end because Jesus said it WILL happen. 

“All this I have told you so that you will not fall away. They will put you out of the synagogue; in fact, the time is coming when anyone who kills you will think they are offering a service to God. They will do such things because they have not known the Father or me. John 16:1-3

The following is not my blog but a copy (the link is below). Please pray....not just for the persecuted church but that Jesus would save those doing the persecuting. 

*BLOGGER is not properly aligning my text for some reason. Please click the link for the original article if you can't see my entire post. 
Original Article HERE

And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and [I saw] the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received [his] mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years. Revelation 20:4

Do not be afraid of what you are about to suffer. I tell you, the devil will put some of you in prison to test you, and you will suffer persecution for ten days. Be faithful, even to the point of death, and I will give you life as your victor’s crown. Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches. The one who is victorious will not be hurt at all by the second death. Revelation 2:9-11

“Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. ¹² Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you. Matthew 5:11

Many will say to Me on that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name and driven out demons in Your name and done many mighty works in Your name?And then I will say to them openly, I never knew you; depart from Me, you who act wickedly [disregarding My commands]. Matthew 7:22-24

Graphic Video: Brutal Beheading in Afghanistan

A decade ago, it was not uncommon for beheadings captured on video to be released by the Taliban, usually a warning to the West to stay out of Afghanistan’s internal affairs. The now-too-familiar executions began with a recitation of Quranic verses, then a jolt to the victim’s neck and a slow severing of the head with a small and sometimes dull knife, and finally ended with a chant of “Allah Akbar” or “God is great” while blood flowed from the decapitated corpse. Some notable killings included Wall Street Journal reporter Daniel Pearl in Pakistan in 2002 and U.S. defense contractor Nick Berg in Iraq in 2004.

Recently, President Obama announced a pullout plan that will begin reducing troops this year, just one indication that the U.S. mission in Afghanistan is closer to completion and the ability for the Taliban to carry out their brutal beheadings has been somewhat constrained. 

Yet, all the while, Afghan Christians have been warning ICC that without a U.S. presence inside Afghanistan, they will be left defenseless and slaughtered if their religious identity becomes known. Their pleas for protection took on new urgency in early April when another video, this time a blatant warning to Afghan converts to Christianity, was smuggled out of the country by an Afghan Christian and immediately sent to ICC. “Please watch this and forward it to the world so they know how serious it is in Afghanistan to be a Christian,” a leader of the Afghan Christian refugee community in Delhi wrote to ICC.

In the two-minute video, believed to be filmed early this year, four Afghan militants who claim to be the Taliban behead a Christian man named Abdul Latif in Enjeel, a village south of the town Herat. The men, wearing explosive belts and kaffiya head scarves to cover their faces, pin Latif to the ground under their feet while he cries for mercy. “For God’s sake, I have children,” Latif pleads. The militants go on to announce his fate. “Your sentence [is] to be beheaded. Whoever changes his religion should be executed.” A blade is then thrust into Latif’s neck. Once decapitated, his head rests on top of his chest while the militants proclaim “Allah Akbar.”

We have decided to make this video available to the public due to the urging of our Christian contacts in Afghanistan who asked that it be forwarded to the world so that they would understand “how serious it is in Afghanistan to be a Christian.”

 The video is not intended to shock or exploit, it is simply intended to honor the wishes of Christians in Afghanistan and show the horrifying reality that many believers face around the world today for their faith in Christ. 

We have attempted to describe what you will see if you choose to watch this video in the paragraph above, so please understand that before you press play. If you do not wish to watch the video, a translated transcript has been provided below the video.

WARNING: The following video is extremely graphic and shows a man being completely

decapitated with a blade. Nothing is censored or cleaned up. Do NOT watch this video if you are

unprepared or unwilling to see that level of real violence.

Full translation of video:

Victim: For God’s sake, I have children. [He repeats this sentence many times]. 

I serve your religion. I serve you, my dear brother, ask me first. 

Let me speak, then kill me. Ask me once. I serve you. I have children.

Talib 1: Reading a verse in Arabic:

 "In the name of Allah, peace be on the leader of all human beings, 

and the high priest of all holy warriors, Mohammad, peace be upon him."]

 All praise be to our creator, almighty Allah, who helped 

and blessed the Holy Warriors of the Alfateh Movement. 

The Holy Warriors of Qenahat belonged to the Afghanistan Islamic Emirates, 

so we can implement the commandment of Allah on this infidel 

whose name is Abdul Latif from 

the (Zefareh/Zekhareh/Sefareh) village 

of the Enjeel District of Ancient Herat Province, 

so that he is punished according to his wrong deed. 

He is punished according to the commandment of Allah as a warning to other infidels.

 [A verse is recited from the Quran: "Holy and Almighty Allah says,

 'You who joined with pagans, cut their head.'"]

 You’re sentenced to be beheaded.

 [A verse is recited from the Hadith:

 "Mohammad (peace be upon him) says, 'Whoever changes his religion (converts), should be executed."]

 Praise and peace …….. Allah Akbar, Allah Akbar, Allah Akbar (God is great)!

Victim: I ate your leftovers, please leave me. I ate your leftovers, please leave me. [Victim is beheaded.] 

All Taliban: Allah Akbar, Allah Akbar, Allah Akbar!

Talib 2: Come to this side.

Talib 2: Why didn’t you behead him from the backside?

Talib 3: Go away.

Talib 4: Bring the notice (execution order) and hang it on the wall. Allah Akbar, Allah Akbar.

All Taliban: Allah Akbar, Allah Akbar!

Talib 4: Glory and honor to Allah, His messenger, and all believers (Muslims).

 This is the infidel. 

This is the infidel. [shouting in Arabic].