In favor of executing Christians

On the one hand, I certainly hope we can rescue the fellow who is about to be executed in Afghanistan for becoming a Christian. We must try to do so. And we are also mandated to seek converts.

On the other hand, it would be a great tragedy for the integrity of the Afghan conscience for them to put fear of the USA, or (worse) desire to be liked by world opinion leaders, ahead of what they conceive to be God's command. As long as they are not convinced that the Quran permits converts to live, they must seek to kill him.

Hopefully, that tradition can be reinterpreted from within to permit conversion. But if not, I suggest that we must be careful to use methods to protect converts which do not involve getting the Afghans to pledge allegiance to something above Allah (e.g. international human rights). To think that one has betrayed God should make one sick unto death, a fate clearly worse than martyrdom.