If you want to get an idea of the view of moderate clerics in Afghanistan to Mr. Rahman’s conversion to Christianity, read this quote from a report in the Jerusalem Post (HT: ASullivan):
Senior Muslim clerics said Thursday that Rahman must be executed and if the government caves into Western pressure and frees him they will incite people to ‘pull him into pieces.’ Four senior clerics interviewed by The Associated Press in their mosques in Kabul agreed Rahman deserved to be killed for his conversion.
‘He is not crazy. He went in front of the media and confessed to being a Christian,’ said Hamidullah, chief cleric at Haji Yacob Mosque.
‘The government is scared of the international community. But the people will kill him if he is freed.’
‘He is not mad. The government is playing games. The people will not be fooled,’ said Abdul Raoulf, cleric at Herati Mosque. ‘This is humiliating for Islam. … Cut off his head.’
Raoulf is considered a moderate cleric in Afghanistan.
Doggie's Breakfast 
Perhaps it is through Mr. Rahman and others like him that the Lord will draw more to him–in the first, second and third centuries, there were MANY martrys who died proclaiming the faith. Some in America have raised the same political issues, rather than focusing on what Mr. Rahman is proclaiming. We Americans did, after 9/11, go in and help reform that country, but make no mistake–the Muslim faith and Sharia law has DEEP roots in that culture.
God, in His good pleasure, will use this as He will. But prayers for God to maintain the faith and courage of Mr. Rahman, no matter what the Lord does, are definitely in order.
Thanks for the reminder, Dan. It’s easy ot pontificate and not to pray!
The case was mentioned in the Telegraph today…
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/opinion/main.jhtml?xml=/opinion/2006/03/25/do2502.xml&sSheet=/portal/2006/03/25/ixportal.html
It does seem strange but as Dan says, the Church seems to flourish under persecution. It’s probably because there, the Christians really are taking up their crosses. It is also amazing how privileged we are as believers in the west…all we face is a little derision and yet we’re still pretty rubbish at proclaiming the gospel (I speak for myself here)