There have been a couple of wierd marriage stories in the news lately. I recently mentioned the one about the couple who shoplifted food to have at their wedding reception. Last week I covered the story about the guy who got killed on his wedding night riding on an ATV with his brother.
Third Place this week goes to: Couple Steals Copper to Pay for Wedding. They cut copper wire from more than a dozen utility poles to try and raise $1000.00 to rent a hall to get married in. In the end, they only netted $18.00 for the copper and they got arrested. A nice, romantic Justice of the Peace ceremony would have probably been easier.
How about this headline out of Saudi Arabia? This was good enough for Second Place this week: Saudi King Revokes Lashing Sentence for Female Driver. The original headline said that a Saudi woman was going to receive 10 lashes for being caught driving. That is lashes as in with a whip. In the year 2011. This story got so much press in the non-Muslim world that the king felt that it would hurt the Saudi’s reputation if this sentence was carried out. Granted, driving with a sheet over your head is dangerous but I don’t think it rises to the level of deserving lashes. If these people want us to respect their religion and culture, it might be a good idea if they left the middle ages.
And speaking of Islam, how about this weeks’ Story of the Week: Iranian Pastor Sentenced to Death: Pastor Nadarkhani Refuses to Convert. This story has generated world-wide interest. The White House, Speaker of the House Boehner, and many civil rights groups have called for Pastor Youcef Nadarkhani’s release. Not surprisingly, Islamic groups and the United Nations have remained silent.
This is the exhange in the courtroom between Pastor Youcef and the judge who has condemned him to death:
When asked to repent, Nadarkhani stated: “Repent means to return. What should I return to? To the blasphemy that I had before my faith in Christ?”
“To the religion of your ancestors, Islam,” the judge replied, according to the American Center for Law & Justice.
“I cannot,” Nadarkhani said.
At this writing, there is no news as to whether or not the execution has been carried out. Please pray for him and his family (pictured above). Pastor Youcef is a true hero of the Faith and our brother in Christ. I’m humbled by his sacrifice and inspired by his devotion to Christ.
