Anyone Seen the Pope?

The case of Abdul Rahman, the Afghan man who has proclaimed his Christianity and been arrested for it, is fascinating on many levels. The legal precedents for the fledgling Afghan judicial branch will be established. The "conflict of cultures" and which path the new government of the old caliphate will choose. Some may even see it as a test case for the Afghan government as a whole- will they submit to the West, and prove they are puppets of George Bush, an illegitimate government established by an infidel interloper? Or will they stick with the Islamic jihadists, and "chop him into tiny pieces" as his jailers have inferred, thus proving the hopelessness of trying to bring 20th century consensual government to a people hitherto living under 8th century sharia? By branding him mentally disturbed, dropping the charges, and allowing him to seek political asylum, they seem to have skirted all these tough issues. If these issues are not settled by dialogue today they will, as history shows us, be settled by a future generation with more force.

We have heard many Islamic clerics weigh in on the matter, but where in the name of Jesus Christ are all the Christian leaders of the world? Don't get me wrong, at best I am by anyone's' definition a bad Christian, but is the Pope going to step up and go to bat for his Man? Buddhists and Hindus right next door in India have been butchered in the name of Allah (peace be upon him), they could show a sign of solidarity against intolerance by welcoming with open arms a fellow infidel. Reverend Jackson? Pat Robertson? Why won't any Christians help a brother out? Come on, I have put a few bucks in the basket they pass around, can't the Vatican at least offer to pay this guy's airfare outta Kabul?

I hope it is for the reason I believe it is for, and not the reason I fear.

I believe it is because these faux God brokers are actually just politicians in disguise, with all the pratfalls of common politicians, only unelected. (OK, so the Pope is at least elected.) They are savvy enough to realize it would be foolish to hinge their bets on so risky an outcome. I hope they are so personally wrapped up in defrauding Americans that they fail to notice Abdul Rahman at all. But what I fear is much worse. They are much more willing to kill and die for Allah than we are for our Western ideals.

If the Pope can't stand up, we are all dhimmi now.