"We will not deny our faith!"

ASSIST News Service (ANS) - PO Box 609, Lake Forest, CA 92609-0609 USA

Visit our web site at: www.assistnews.net -- E-mail: assistnews@aol.com

Tuesday, August 11, 2009

Christian Women Pressured to recant Faith in Christ

By Michael Ireland

Chief Correspondent, ASSIST News Service

TEHRAN, IRAN (ANS) -- In a dramatic session before the revolutionary court in Tehran Sunday (Aug.9), two Iranian Christian women on trial for 'apostasy' were pressured to recant their faith in Jesus Christ.

Elam Ministries (www.elam.com/articles/Urgent-Prayer ) says that although great pressure was put on them, both women declared that they would not deny their faith.

Maryam Rustampoor (27), left, and Marzieh Amirizadeh (30) were told to recant their faith in Christ. (Photo courtesy of Elam Ministries).

Elam Ministries reports that Maryam and Marzieh were originally arrested on March 5, 2009 and have suffered greatly while in prison, suffering ill health, solitary confinement and interrogations for many hours while blindfolded.

In its report, Elam Ministries says: "On Saturday, August 8, Maryam and Marzieh were summoned to appear in court on Sunday, August 9 in order to hear a verdict on their case. The chief interrogator had recommended a verdict of 'apostasy.' However, when they arrived, no verdict was actually given. Instead, the court session focused on the deputy prosecutor, Mr Haddad, questioning Maryam and Marzieh about their faith and telling them that they had to recant in both verbal and written form. This made it clear that in the eyes of the court, Maryam and Marzieh's only crime is that they have converted to Christianity."

According to the Elam Ministries account of what happened in the court room, Mr. Haddad asked the two women if they were Christians. "We love Jesus," they replied. He repeated his question and they said, "Yes, we are Christians."

Mr. Haddad then said, "You were Muslims and now you have become Christians."

"We were born in Muslim families, but we were not Muslims," was their reply.

Mr. Haddad's questioning continued and he asked them if they regretted becoming Christians, to which they replied, "We have no regrets."

Then he stated emphatically, "You should renounce your faith verbally and in written form." They stood firm and replied, "We will not deny our faith."

Friends, what were YOU doing on Tuesday?

Are you ready to stand up for YOUR faith in Jesus Christ?

How deep IS your faith?

Are you in the Word of God so that the God of the Word is in YOU?

This is an amazing display of TRUTH in reality.

Be ready or get ready.

Standing firm in Jesus, Ele