To many people, the United States of America is ‘the land of the free’, a land where individuals have liberty to stand or fall by their own efforts and importantly for Americans,one where a particular religious belief system is not imposed on its citizens. Because of that culture of liberty, America has often been the destination of choice for those seeking refuge from theocracy or religious oppression and many groups have found sanctuary in the USA and have subsequently become good American citizens. These citizens normally appear to have little problem in cherishing their own religious freedom whilst respecting the rights of others to believe differently.

But there is one group of Americans who do not have full religious freedoms, that have to hide for fear of violence and who often suffer under the weight of enormous threats. I’m talking about America’s ex-Muslims. Unlike almost any other religious or philosophical group it is the ex-Muslims who have to skulk around in shadows, fearful of what being exposed as an apostate will do to themselves and their families.

In this thought provoking and intelligently written piece, Andy Ngo of the National Review magazine talks to some American ex Muslims about life as an apostate from Islam where the punishment for leaving the faith is often death.

Mr Ngo said:

In April, a defiant group of self-identified “apostates” convened in downtown Portland, Oregon, to revel in the joys of brew culture, bacon burgers, and atheism. Nine ex-Muslims from several states in the region gathered for a local meeting of the Ex-Muslims of North America. EXMNA is a nonprofit that provides support to individuals who have left Islam. Some of its members have faced disownership and death threats from family members for renouncing their religion.

EXMNA is a nonprofit that provides support to individuals who have left Islam. Some of its members have faced disownership and death threats from family members for renouncing their religion.

Chapter gatherings across the United States and Canada are closed-group meetings for safety reasons. Individuals who wish to join the organization go through a screening process to authenticate their identities, explained Sarah Haider, who co-founded EXMNA in 2013. “Unfortunately, it is not paranoia that requires us to be careful,” Haider said. “In the Muslim world, we are openly persecuted and regularly meet grisly ends. In the Western world we are safer, but even here open meetings can be a big risk.”

It should utterly disgust Americans and all other decent people that here are people who want the freedom to choose what they do or do not believe, yet even in America they are having to have closed meetings, such is the fear of Islamic violence that may be meted out to them for leaving Islam. It shows quite starkly the violence that is inherent in Islamic theology and culture. I can’t help but be moved by the stories of these ex Muslims who find a brief moment of freedom and solace in these meetings but later have to return home to a life of religious oppression and cultural expectations.

Some of the stories of some of those who are involved with the American ex Muslim movement are harrowing, including tales of people who have to pretend to pray, or who face being parted from lovers and forced into arranged marriages. These people deserve much better than the ideology of Islam is giving them. They deserve to be safe and free to make up their own minds about belief and not have to hide in corners always looking over their shoulders. These people fleeing from violent religious oppression deserve much, much better than this constant fear.

Read the entirety of the Mr Ngo’s National Review piece via the link below:

http://www.nationalreview.com/article/447851/ex-muslims-meeting-private-even-america