Below is the first in a series of short form podcasts where Dave Lawton interviews Dr Stuart Robinson on his recent book, Prayer Power.
Podcast by Praxeis: Conversations as you Go
History Makers: A Life in Brief
A 15 minute interview on Vision Radio exploring the life and times of Dr Stuart Robinson.
Filed under Uncategorized
From Chaos to Catastrophe–Part 3
Shortly after the Taliban’s conquest of Kabul on August 15, 3 weeks later on September 7 2021 their presumed leader, Mawlawi Hibatullah Akhundzada declared that, “In future all matters of governance and life in Afghanistan will be regulated by the laws of the holy Sharia.” This confirmed their earlier July statement that under their rule all Christians must revert to Islam, leave the country or be killed.
Throughout the 14 centuries of Islamic conquest, although not all Muslim governments have always implemented these provisions of classic Islamic law, they are accepted as valid should the authorities choose to enact them. Clearly the Taliban government has signalled its intention to do so.
For Afghan Christians could an even worse situation be envisioned?
It is already emerging!
The United Nations Special Representative has advised the UN Security Council of an even more extreme movement gaining momentum in Afghanistan. They are an ISIS affiliate known locally as Islamic State–Khorasan Province (ISKP). In 2020 they launched 20 strikes. So far this year their attacks number 334. They contest Taliban rule. Their objective is to establish a Caliphate from Kazakhstan in the north to Sri Lanka and the Maldives in the south, from Western China in the east to Iran in the west.
In all of this Afghan Christians have only one option. Flee the country or stay in hiding and risk death. With the approach of winter, bereft of International recognition and any form of aid, starvation, ruin and death stalk the land.
In 1973 the Government of the day, worried lest Afghans were becoming Christians, sent in men and machinery to destroy the church built at President Eisenhower’s request. Before the demolition commenced a German businessman warned the Mayor of Kabul, “If your government touches the House of God, God will overthrow your government.”
The demolition was completed on July 17 1973. That same night the 227 year old monarchy was overthrown. One Afghan refugee later noted, “Ever since the government destroyed that CHristian church God has been judging our country.”
You might like to join in praying to God for mercy, for light to penetrate the darkness, till all the people are truly free.
Filed under Uncategorized
From Chaos to Catastrophe — Part 2
In modern history there is only one occasion when a foreign power has defeated this type of domestic insurgency. This was the British led fight against the communist uprising in Malaya in the 1950s. they won because they were able to seal the Malay/Thai border and in pre-independence Malaya, they also controlled government.
In Afghanistan the Afghan/Pakistan border was porous. Taliban fighters could withdraw to Pakistan for rest and relaxation to then return refreshed and reequipped for battle.
In terms of government control an attempt was made to import an alien form of Western democracy. In the process real power was surrendered in 2002. At a Loya Jirga (a type of tribal leaders’ consultation) to gain consensus, it was agreed that local chieftains would draw on central government allocations ensuring they would be the principle financial beneficiaries of government resources. The companion of the devolution of unaccountable power was, in Western terms, widespread corruption. While some changes could be effected, societal foundations would remain unchanged. Additionally the foreign forces were all from “infidel” nations. Sharia Law could never permit its continuance.
With expenses and military fatalities rising and diminishing hope of what Western politicians would regard as a good outcome, President Obama announced an American troop withdrawal. Advisors then persuaded him to “temporarily” increase America’s military commitment. President trump accelerated the withdrawal. President Biden set the final date to end the process.
In 2009 when American military authorities learned that some of their troops were carrying Bibles in the Pashtun language to give to local people the confiscated and burned every copy. To boost further the Karzai government’s Islamic credentials, in 2010 the International Security Assistance Command (INSAF) initiated a request for and publication of a fatwa (religious ruling) decreeing the death penalty for males leaving Islam. Local Muslim scholars were happy to oblige. The penalties were duly confirmed.
The four law schools of Sunni Islam–Hanafi, Malaki, Shafi’l and Hanbali together with the main Shia law school, Jafari, all prescribe the death penalty for apostasy. Apostasy is regarded as treason against the Muslim State and the world wide Ummah, i.e. all Muslims. Sharia provisions for sane apostate females are that they are to be imprisoned.
In INSAF actions were a vain attempt to demonstrate their determination not to disrupt anything relating to Afghanistan’s culture and religion. It was also an attempt to gain acceptance by contesting power brokers.
The smallest of the minority tribes in Afghanistan is the Shiite Hazara who are regarded as heretics by all other Sunni tribes. Thus, they and their distinctive mosques are frequently attacked, especially by the dominant Pashtuns among whom the Taliban were formed.
To be continued.
Filed under Uncategorized
FROM CHAOS TO CATASTROPHE–PART 1
D E C E M B E R 2 0 2 1
Ancient documents claim that the Apostle Thomas preached in the northern region of today’s Afghanistan in the first century. In 424 a bishop was located in Heart. By 585 dioceses were established in Kandahar, Balkh and other regions.
Muslim armies first entered Afghanistan in 642. Islam was adopted as the state religion in 1295. The Church was almost totally eradicated during the murderous reign of Timur (1336-1405). By the 20th century Christianity in Afghanistan was little more than a distant memory—a belief of foreign infidels.
Italy was the first country to recognize Afghanistan’s independence in 1919. It was rewarded by being permitted to build a chapel in its embassy complex. The construction was completed in 1933. Italy is in the process of moving its embassy to Qatar.
In 1959 in return for America granting permission for a mosque to be built in Washington, President Eisenhower asked Afghanistan’s King Muhammad Zair Shah, to permit a church to be built in Kabul for Christian diplomats. Permission was granted. On May 17 1970 the building was completed and dedicated as a “House of Prayer for all Nations”.
To fight against the Soviet Union’s invasion of Afghanistan (1979-1989) Mujahedeen commander, Mullah Mohammad Omar formed the Taliban. They had been strengthened by money and armaments supplied by Saudi Arabia and the USA. This was channeled through Pakistan. With the Soviet withdrawal the Taliban became one of a number of insurgency forces seeking to fill the power vacuum left in the Soviet’s wake. They succeeded capturing Kabul in 1996 and remained in power till the US led invasion of 2001.
The US invaded ostensibly to defeat Al Qaeda who was using Afghanistan as a terrorist training base. Al Qaeda’s leader, Osama bin-Laden, having been required to leave Sudan, had found a new base in Afghanistan from which to lead his fight against the USA. He was attempting to draw America into a war to drain it financially. The event of 9/11 in New York was the trigger for much of what followed. With the death of bin-Laden on May 2 2011, instead of declaring “mission accomplished”, America and its allies stayed on to fight an unwinnable Taliban insurgency.
To be continued.
Filed under Uncategorized
Interview with Global Interaction Director, Scott Pilgrim about the Importance of Prayer in Missions
Filed under Uncategorized
3rd Interview with Dave Lawton, Founder of Praxeis on Making Disciples in the Church
If you have listened to the previous two interviews then you won’t want to miss this one.
Filed under Uncategorized
Dr Stuart Robinson 
You must be logged in to post a comment.