(More Bible Studies Available @ www.marktabata.com)
It is written:
Obadiah 1:11-In the day that you stood on the other side—In the day that strangers carried captive his forces, When foreigners entered his gates And cast lots for Jerusalem—Even you were as one of them.
Christians who refuse to stand up for victims and who refuse to speak against evil are accounted as guilty before God. Recently, I learned that thousands of Christians in America who have legally come to the United States as persecuted refugees are being sent back to Afghanistan. There they will be greeted by a country of angry and vicious people whose religion teaches them to torture and kill anyone who leaves Islam. This is not right!! Christians need to speak up!!
I am encouraging you to write an email to your state representative. God bless you and keep you well.
From The Desk Of
Mark Tabata (Gospel Preacher)
Resident Of Corbin, KY
Regarding Deportation Of Christian Refugees From Afghanistan
April 19 2025
To The Office Of Kentucky Senator Rand Paul
Senator Paul,
Tomorrow (Sunday April 20 2025) marks the day that millions of people around the world will gather together in order to celebrate the Easter holiday, on which the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead is remembered. This factual event of history (1 Corinthians 15:1-8) reminds us of the love of God that brings joy to lost humanity, even in the darkest of times. Indeed, we are reminded that between Good Friday and Easter Sunday, there was a Saturday of gloom and sorrow when it seemed that all hope had been lost. In many ways, that fear and hopelessness is now being felt around our country: and there are many people who need reassurance that their situation is not beyond remedy.
To what am I referring?
Just yesterday, I received the sad news that thousands of Christian refugees who had previously fled legally to the United States from Muslim dominated Afghanistan are being ordered to return to the country from which they had fled (https://www.christiandaily.com/news/why-is-america-deporting-them-afghan-christians-have-3-days-left?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAR4nNFSykd5P9UX_8bsl4upGWxI5b9IB-Iciye5rPPAIBkTM4L3kZEcesZs4RA_aem_EgTQKGp-wVqDKs4t0rUHJg). There is absolutely no valid reason provided for this order of deportation. These are law abiding refugees who have followed every immigration policy that our country has asked of them. It appears that this is simply another decision that follows in the same inhumane and vengeful pattern of decisions carried out by our current President. While Christians pray for President Trump (as we do all Presidents according to the Bible mandate-1 Timothy 2:1-4), we must also speak out against wickedness. God’s Word mandates that not only do we speak out against wickedness, but we also are to speak up for and do what is in our power to help those who are victims of abuse. Both Old and New Testaments of the Holy Bible speak of this.
For example:
Isaiah 1:17-Learn to do good; Seek justice, Rebuke the oppressor; Defend the fatherless, Plead for the widow.
Proverbs 31:8-9 (NLT)-Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves; ensure justice for those being crushed. 9 Yes, speak up for the poor and helpless, and see that they get justice.
Jeremiah 22:3-Thus says the LORD: “Execute judgment and righteousness, and deliver the plundered out of the hand of the oppressor. Do no wrong and do no violence to the stranger, the fatherless, or the widow, nor shed innocent blood in this place.
Jeremiah 22:16-He judged the cause of the poor and needy; Then it was well. Was not this knowing Me?” says the LORD.
Zechariah 7:9-10-Thus says the LORD of hosts: ‘Execute true justice, Show mercy and compassion Everyone to his brother. 10 Do not oppress the widow or the fatherless, The alien or the poor. Let none of you plan evil in his heart Against his brother.’
Matthew 25:34-46-Then the King will say to those on His right hand, ‘Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: 35 for I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in; 36 I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me.’ 37 “Then the righteous will answer Him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You drink? 38 When did we see You a stranger and take You in, or naked and clothe You? 39 Or when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?’ 40 And the King will answer and say to them, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.’ 41 “Then He will also say to those on the left hand, ‘Depart from Me, you cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels: 42 for I was hungry and you gave Me no food; I was thirsty and you gave Me no drink; 43 I was a stranger and you did not take Me in, naked and you did not clothe Me, sick and in prison and you did not visit Me.’ 44 “Then they also will answer Him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to You?’ 45 Then He will answer them, saying, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to Me.’ 46 And these will go away into everlasting punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”
James 1:27-Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world.
1 John 3:18-My little children, let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth.
Sir, we know what will await these Christians who are being deported. The nature of Islam as revealed in the Muslim holy book, the Quran, testifies to this brutal reality. Muhammad himself believed that he was under the influence of Satan and demonic forces as he received his “revelations” in a terrifying supernatural encounter. Respected researcher Norman Geisler has eloquently pointed out:
“One of the most widely respected modern Muslim biographer, Muhammad Husayn Haykal, speaks vividly of Muhammad’s plaguing fear that he was demon possessed: Stricken with panic, Muhammad arose and asked himself, ‘What did I see? Did possession of the devil which I feared all along come to pass?’ Muhammad looked to his right and his left but saw nothing. For a while he stood there trembling with fear and stricken with awe. He feared the cave might be haunted and that he might run away still unable to explain what he saw. [74, emphasis added] Haykal notes that Muhammad had feared demon possession before, but his wife Khadijah talked him out of it. For “as she did on earlier occasions when Muhammad feared possession by the devil, so now stood firm by her husband and devoid of the slightest doubt.” Thus “respectfully, indeed reverently, she said to him, ‘Joy to my cousin! Be firm. By him who dominates Khadijah’s soul I pray and hope that you will be the Prophet of this nation. By God, he will not let you down’” (ibid., 75). Indeed, Haykal’s description of Muhammad’s experience of receiving a “revelation” fits that of other mediums.”. (Norman Geisel, Baker Encyclopedia Of Christian Apologetics, 505 (Kindle Edition); Grand Rapids, Michigan; Baker Books)
Many former Muslims acknowledge these frightening origins of Islam. For example:
“Muhammad was deathly afraid of the source of the revelation, believing at first that he was possessed by an evil spirit, or jinn…Remember that the tortured prophet repeatedly believed himself to be demon possessed…Third, later revelations became more and more eccentric. At one point Muhammad claimed to speak to the dead. Questioned about the incident by his novice disciples, the prophet replied, “[The dead] hear me no less than you do, except that they are unable to answer me.” (Ergun Mehmet Caner & Emirr Fethi Caner, Unveiling Islam: An Insider Look At Muslim Life And Belief, 311-377 (Kindle Edition); Grand Rapids, Michigan; Kregel Publications).
Speaking of jihad (holy war) within Islam, the Quran exhorts Muslims in the following ways. Muslims should slay the unbelievers where they find them (Sura 2:19); they must not make friends of the infidels (Sura 3:28); they must maim and crucify infidels if they criticize Islam (Sura 5:33); they must behead and terrorize those who believe in Scripture other than the Quran (Sura 8:12); they must kill infidels at every opportunity (Sura 9:5); and they must punish the unbelievers with garments of fire, hooked iron rods, boiling water, and melt their skin and bellies (Sura 22:19).
Regarding how these thousands of Christian men, women, and children will be treated when they are deported back to Afghanistan, there is not much question. The following excerpt is from a book written by a former Muslim who became a Christian and a public conversation that he had regarding this very subject.
“In 2009, David Wood and I received invitations to the Islamic Society of North America’s annual convention, themed “Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness” and held over the Fourth of July weekend in Washington, DC. We registered to attend, eager to hear the messages and mingle with the Muslim attendees. We watched lectures on the history of the Quran and the status of women in Islam, we met with acclaimed Muslim scholars, and we even interviewed one of the conference organizers. Although we thought there was a great deal of misinformation, there is no doubt that the organizers and speakers were very hospitable and sincere about their messages. Many of my Muslim childhood friends and acquaintances were at the conference, and I made awkward attempts at reconnecting with them. Two such friends, both former members of the Ahmadiyya sect who had become Sunni Muslims, were willing to join David and me for dinner after the conference. Talking over halal Chinese food, the four of us discussed a full range of topics, but what sticks out in my mind is our conversation about apostasy. “What do you think,” I asked one of my friends, “about the punishment for leaving Islam?” I was curious because my friend, a former Ahmadi, had come from the most peaceful sect of Islam, whereas the Sunni Muslim punishment for apostasy is a violent death. “There’s no question here,” he began. “The Prophet (SAW) made it abundantly clear that apostates must be killed for leaving Islam.” 1 His serious tone gave no hint of ambivalence. “I agree that he did,” David piped in, “but come on! You can’t really think that people should be killed for their beliefs? I mean, this is the twenty-first century. People believe in freedom of worship.” My friend did not budge. “Leaving other religions is fine, but people should be killed for leaving Islam. Yes, there is freedom of worship here in America. Since it is illegal to kill apostates, American Muslims are bound by the law of the land and cannot kill former Muslims. But in Muslim countries, apostates can and should be killed.” I could not believe what my friend was saying. I had to challenge him just a little more to see how serious he was. “So if we were in a Muslim country right now, would you kill me?” Matter-of-factly, without malice or sarcasm, he responded, “Yes, I would kill you right now. It is the command of the Prophet (SAW).” There was pin-drop silence at the table as everyone waited for me to respond. “Well then,” I laughed, “I praise God we’re not in a Muslim country! God bless America!” The blunt attempt at humor moved the conversation along, but his words remain emblazoned in my mind.” (Nabeel Qureshi, No God but One: Allah or Jesus? (with Bonus Content): A Former Muslim Investigates the Evidence for Islam and Christianity, 134-135 (Kindle Edition): Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan)
Senator Paul, I ask you to please make a stand against the immorality of President Trump’s decision to send these thousands of men, women, and children to a likely death at the hands of followers that brought this great nation to it’s knees on 9-11. I do not know what legal means of recourse are available to you , but I urge you to please avail yourself of them. We continue to pray for our President’s repentance and salvation, as well as for the furtherance of the Good News of Jesus to every land.
With Deepest Respect,
Mark Tabata (Gospel Preacher)
The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit, be with you all. Amen.