Afghan Man On Trial For Becoming A Christian

Another story I, at least, hadn't heard much of until last night:

An Afghan man is being prosecuted in a Kabul court and could be sentenced to death on a charge of converting from Islam to Christianity, a crime under this country's Islamic laws, a judge said Sunday."

...

The prosecutor, Abdul Wasi, said he had offered to drop the charges if Rahman converted back to Islam, but he refused.

"He would have been forgiven if he changed back. But he said he was a Christian and would always remain one," Wasi said. "We are Muslims and becoming a Christian is against our laws. He must get the death penalty."

The United States is spending its treasure and risking the lives of its soldiers to help build up a government that executes people for converting to Christianity?

Some bloggers have been following the story. (I've been very busy lately and haven't been on top of my news and blog reading of late, which is why I missed it.) Sullivan quotes the judge in the case saying,

"We will invite him again because the religion of Islam is one of tolerance. We will ask him if he has changed his mind. If so we will forgive him."

My translation: Islam is tolerant, unless you change faiths in which case we'll kill you. I guess tolerance is the same all over the world.