I just read an interesting book called, Out of Islam. It’s an amazing peek into the real life difficulties of a Muslim becoming Christian. I am so accustomed to the freedom of religion in the United States (such as it is) that it is alien to me to read about the death knell that sounds for a converted Muslim.

The main character, Christopher Alam, grew up in a well-known Muslim family in Pakistan, his father was a general in the Pakistani Army. His step-mother was abusive and his father was distant and never pleased with anything Alam did, but when Alam chose Christ, his father eventually ordered his son’s murder. Alam managed to escape, through many miracles, and is now living in the USA preaching of his conversion with a family of his own.

Alam tried to explain how hugely it hurts the reputation of a whole family to have a converted child, and how in his culture family reputation is paramount. Still, I can’t fathom how a son can become worthy of murder. How a father can bring himself to order it and be willing to do it himself? To break the natural bond between father and son twists the very foundation of what it means to be human.

The man who baptized Alam was murdered for baptizing a Muslim. Murdered. And his murderers unprosecuted. Unfathomable.

Part of what made this book interesting to me is that I know of a man (a friend of my sister's) in Egypt who converted in his homeland, an African country, and had to flee the country before being murdered by his own family too. In this man's case, he was put in prison in Egypt for 14 years on a technicality (lots of Muslims don't like converted Christians) and had to find friends willing to put together $14,000.00 in order to be released even after 14 years of jail time.

The Muslim-Christian tension is a very real problem for many people. A problem that I don't ever consider--I am so out of that world. Thankfully, I am not part of that world. The freedom of religion I enjoy is a blessing that I don't appreciate enough.

This book was a good reminder for me.