Following the fall of Afghanistan to the Taliban, any semblance of pluralism, including religious tolerance, has fallen as well.
We must not forget the Christian population of Afghanistan. The actual number of Christians is difficult to determine, as there are no official churches and Christians have historically faced hostility, leading them to worship largely in private. Now under the Taliban, who consider conversion from Islam apostasy punishable by death, Christians are bracing for targeted persecution. Still, we know there are approximately 10,000 Christians in the country. That’s a number small enough that the entire Christian population could be eradicated if the Taliban wanted.
Are we to rely upon the Taliban’s sense of mercy, the very existence of which is questionable?
The Biden administration has refused to provide Afghan Christians with special status similar to that given to others at risk. Unlike those who enter our nation illegally, most of whom are facing no persecution, Christian Afghans face true persecution from the Taliban government. Indeed, they face death.
Sadly, this is not the first instance of American ineptitude in regards to the Afghan Christian population. In 2008 the Department of Defense confiscated and destroyed Bibles shipped to Afghanistan for fear they might be used to evangelize Afghans. This is all while the State Department actively promotes radical feminism, Black Lives Matter, and the LGBT agenda. For the U.S. government, liberal evangelism is A-OK, but Christian evangelism is verboten.
Other countries have agreed to accept Afghan Christians, yet there are reports that the State Department has been blocking private efforts for Afghans to leave. Now that the U.S. military has left the country, private groups cannot operate without State Department permission and Taliban cooperation.
What now?
Peaceful demonstrators have been beaten in the streets and Christians are reportedly being threatened. Despite the Biden administration’s pleas, the Taliban do not regard inclusiveness in government as a priority. What is a Taliban priority is appointing to their Cabinet members of the Haqqani network, a U.S.-designated terrorist group. Sirajuddin Haqqani was appointed acting interior minister. He is wanted by the FBI with a $10 million bounty on his head.
The administration must speak out on behalf of Afghan Christians. It must be made known to the Taliban that they will not receive economic investment if they allow the Christian population to be persecuted. Many Muslim-majority countries, such as Malaysia and Jordan, as well as Afghanistan’s neighbors Turkmenistan and Tajikistan, at least recognize the right of Christians to exist. The Taliban must at the bare minimum follow the same standard or risk becoming an international pariah.
Pastor Samuel Rodriguez Jr. of New Season Church said that President Joe Biden “must regain control of the situation immediately and take responsibility for the overwhelming human cost imposed by this failure. Christians, pray.”
The good reverend is correct. Due to the disastrous way Biden left Afghanistan, we are now forced to find the least bad option. Our duty to our Christian brothers demands we not allow them to perish.
Ben Carson is the founder and chairman of the American Cornerstone Institute and the former 17th Secretary of the Department of Housing and Urban Development.
