Rand Paul calls for defense of Christians

Please Read the article to see the acceptance of violence against civilians survey numbers, it is astounding!

http://www.wnd.com/2013/11/rand-paul-calls-for-defense-of-christians/?cat_orig=faith

WND EXCLUSIVE
Rand Paul calls for defense of Christians
Senator cites those 'killed by followers of radical Islam'

Read more at http://www.wnd.com/2013/11/rand-paul-calls-for-defense-of-christians/#F7IzLG4ShHVJB5Dd.99

Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., is leading an effort by politicians and human rights groups to push the United States government to make the fight against Christian persecution a policy priority, including increased pressure on Iran to free American pastor Saeed Abedini.

In a bipartisan move, 23 U. S. senators have sent President Obama a letter asking him to step up pressure on Iran to release Abedini, held for being a Christian since September 2012.

In a statement, the American Center for Law and Justice said the letter is further evidence of the Senate’s commitment to Abedini’s freedom.

“Led by Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, the letter calls Pastor Saeed’s transfer a potential ‘death sentence’ and urges President Obama to immediately speak out for his freedom. Now nearly a quarter of the U.S. Senate is urging action from the U.S. government on Pastor Saeed’s behalf,” ACLJ said.

In a recent speech, Paul said he believes there’s an all-out war against Christianity, and he wants the U. S. government to focus on fighting against persecution.

Paul told WND in an interview that the people can play a major role in bringing the issue to the government’s attention. He said his first goal is to raise awareness of the issue.

“It’s important to acknowledge that there is a problem. There have been many deaths in a couple of dozen of countries of Christians who were killed by followers of radical Islam,” Paul said.

“These Muslims are seeing the cause for their actions to be based on their interpretation of their religion.”

Paul said 9/11 was also a negative turning point in dealing with the reality of Islam’s role in persecution.

“After 9/11, I think there was an effort [to] downplay the role of religion in these acts of terrorism. It seems to be in surveys … that 10 to 15 percent of the people in these countries believe in violence against civilians. This makes a fairly significant number of Muslims, 50 to 100 million people worldwide who believe in violence,” Paul said.

He also pointed to a survey done after the 2005 subway bombing in London that found some 100,000 Muslims who believed that violence against civilians was justified.

“There was another 400,000 who didn’t completely condone it, but they were sympathetic. That’s worrisome,” Paul said. “It’s also something that Christians need to be concerned with and moderate members of Islam also need to speak out against this.”

Paul mentioned the shooting of Malala Yousafzai, the 16-year-old girl shot by the Taliban.

“She’s not a Christian, but at the same time it’s worrisome that their religion would try to kill a girl who simply wants to go to school,” Paul said.

“So yes, we do need to speak out about it as a first step.”

The senator said he has focused on restricting foreign aid as one way to fight persecution.

“We also have some debate on money we send to foreign countries. I’ve tried on several occasions to have some amendments on foreign aid, to put restrictions on the foreign aid,” Paul said.

“We shouldn’t be sending foreign aid to countries that commit persecution against Christians, to countries who say that a Christian can be put to death for blasphemy or conversion,” Paul said.

He noted that as with Abedini in Iran, conversion from Islam to another religion is a major issue.

“If you’re a Christian who converted from Islam, the punishments are significantly more severe, more than if you were born as a Christian,” Paul said.

The senator, considered by many to be a rising star in the Republican Party and a potential candidate for the Oval Office in 2016, says the bipartisan letter is not the first Senate attempt to free Abedini.

“We’ve tried adding some language to some bills to provoke President Obama into action on Pastor Saeed Abedini, who in the last couple of days has been moved to an even more severe prison in Iran,” Paul said.
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Read more at http://www.wnd.com/2013/11/rand-paul-calls-for-defense-of-christians/#F7IzLG4ShHVJB5Dd.99