americanatheists

Why Are American Troops Dying to Defend State Bullying On Behalf of Religion?

The case of an Afghanistan man who converted from Islam to Christianity and now faces a possible death sentence is a sign of a bankrupt, short-sighted and timid foreign policy regarding secularism and personal freedom, an Atheist public policy group charged today.

Abdul Rahman, 41 could be the victim of statutes in the Afghanistan constitution which establish Islamic Shia law. Some mullahs and religious experts are calling for his execution. President Bush, U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan and other political leaders have concern.

American Atheists President Ellen Johnson said that Rahman’s case shows the bankruptcy of current U.S. foreign policy in the region.

“The blood of American men and women is being spilled as part of an incoherent and even timid foreign policy which, in the case of Afghanistan, replaced one group of faith-based bullies – the Taliban with a constitution that establishes Islam as the law of the land,” said Johnson. “And I wonder how Mr. Bush would react if a citizen of Afghanistan became an Atheist and openly exercised freedom of conscience to reject religion altogether.”

Dave Silverman, Communications Director for American Atheists, said that the country needs to do more to promote secularism and total freedom of conscience in both domestic and foreign policy. “If someone wishes to be religious and doesn’t impose their faith on other people, fine. And if they wish to switch religions, or exercise freedom FROM religion, that right needs to be vigorously protected as well.”

“If we don’t protect this basic freedom, the efforts of all our American men and women who fought the Taliban will have been in vain.”