Free Saeed
Today, like every Wednesday, we will remember Saeed Abedini.
We do more than just remember, however…we stand with him by using our social media to advocate for his release.
We ask that you change your Facebook profile picture to his and that you “like”  the “Free Saeed” Facebook page and participate in some of the activities that promote his cause.
We ask…that you remember him and his family in prayer…and that you refuse to give up on efforts to secure his release.
I noticed that last week the mood seemed to be upon seeing Saeed as being justly incarcerated as a lawbreaker. While there were still sympathies for him there was content that indicated that he was knowingly disobeying the law. I was rather busy and unable to follow closely. I am not convinced that was the case.
No, Dreadly, not that.
The point was made that Calvary Chapel, the Church Organization he belongs to, has a done some things in their history and has some connections in their history that would lend to Iran drawing the conclusion they’ve drawn.
I don’t know if Saeed is guilty of spying or not. I hope he’s not. I hope he really was just there as a missionary…but it doesn’t matter what I think, it’s what Iran thinks…and some of the CC guys have been involved in things that would lend Iran to drawing the conclusion they have already drawn.
I sincerely hope Obama can cut a deal to bring him home…and I don’t think it’s a good idea to mix Church and State.
I sincerely doubt Iran has investigated CCs BG and that it influenced thier actions in jailing this missionary. Alex do u have any evidence that Iran based thier actions on CCS past actions. Or is this pure speculation?
Also how does this relate to mixing church and state? This is a president seeking release of an innocent man from a foreign prison
Polo, no Raul Ries. BG is a pimple on Raul’s rear-end. Raul is the leader of that crew.
Polo, some in CC getting mixed up with the Govt. is mixing Church and State.
Some church groups have acknowledged this fact and agreed not to do it, some in CC do it and that is why Saeed is imprisoned. Calvary Chapel does not have this policy:
“The National Association of Evangelicals (NAE) adopted a resolution at its convention last month condemning collaboration between missionaries and intelligence agency employees.
In 1977, the CIA was prohibited from the recruitment of journalists, academics, clergy, and missionaries. However, speaking before a Senate intelligence committee, CIA director John Deutch testified recently that the spy agency could waive the ban in cases of “unique and special threats to national security.”
The NAE has requested that President Clinton and Congress “correct this intolerable situation” of soliciting religious workers for covert activity. “For intelligence agencies to seek any relationship whatsoever with our religious workers must be unequivocally prohibited,” says NAE president Don Argue. Allowing such a loophole, Argue says, endangers missionaries as well as church, relief, community development, and refugee workers in politically sensitive areas.
The NAE resolution urges missions organizations not to provide information to any intelligence agency, although many already have such restrictions in place.
“Any foreigner living in a foreign culture already comes under a natural suspicion,” says Jerry Rankin, president of the Southern Baptist Convention Foreign Mission Board. “If this policy is reversed, it would totally erode the ministry of missionaries.””–Christianity Today
Perhaps he was sent out as a spy by the pastor of CC Boise
The CC – Spy – Iran story is really all in Alex’s head.
Let’s trade all the Guantanamo prisoners for Saeed – I’m tired of paying for their food and toilet paper.
Personally, I don’t think Saeed was spying, he is not a part of that faction of Calvary Chapel…but, again, it doesn’t matter what I think, it’s what Iran thinks…and that’s what they charged him with, unfortunately.
Some church groups have acknowledged this fact and agreed not to do it, some in CC do it and that is why Saeed is imprisoned. Calvary Chapel does not have this policy:
What evidence do u have for this blanket statement? Also what evidence do u have that CC missionaries have ever provided info to us intelligence agencies?
Ya, MLD, it never happens:
““In many countries of the world representatives of the clergy, foreign and local, play a significant role and can be of assistance to the U.S. through the CIA with no reflection upon the integrity of their mission,” CIA Director William Colby said in a letter to Sen. Mark Hatfield.”
Polo, I was a part of a Calvary Chapel “mission’s trip” to communist China in the mid-late 80’s. Our group smuggled bibles, cash and communications to Chinese dissidents. We met with them late at night in underground churches (not under the ground, just secret church groups).
We were operating under the Ries faction of CC.
There are sources who heard Raul Ries order hits on people that he retracted and then joked about it, they also heard him brag about being flown by helicopter behind Sandinista lines to “minister” to the Contras. Raul and Bob were flying to Colombia in the 90’s and doing “missions” work right during the time of Pablo Escobar, etc etc.
There are former Calvary Chapel pastors who have told me they smuggled cash to South America for Raul (they said they wore money belts to slip through customs) and they said this was a common practice.
Lt. General Jerry Boykin was a big part of the Iran/Contra and then Pablo Escobar…he is a regular at Calvary Chapel and has close ties. The Roger Oaklands observe that connection as some sort of other thing like Jesuit or something, no, it’s not that…it’s a church/military connection of a portion of CC and not some sort of grand conspiracy…just a dirty relationship among a faction that includes a few ex-druggies ex-military dudes masquerading as pastors that are usable by a faction within the military intelligence community.
It’s a dirty relationship. It is a mix of Church and State. I really think that’s why Saeed is jammed up right now, even though he is NOT a part of that CC faction.
Polo said, “Or is this pure speculation?”
It is speculation, but here is what we know:
1. Iran has charged Saeed with spying.
2. The Record includes many statements from US govt. officials that the CIA has in fact worked with missionaries and recruited them.
3. Smuggling stuff and meeting with dissidents does occur in CC…been there done that.
4. What several sources say about Raul and even Raul’s own words.
5. The Boykin connection/relationship in some parts of CC.
6. Iran charged Saeed with spying and they were already well aware of all of those things above (to a large degree) which is why they did what they did. This is not new info, it’s old info they knew about.
CC Boise is not a part of that faction. Saeed is likely not a spy.
The CIA has used churches and clergy in their work since the agencies inception.
What my sources tell me is not that Saeed was a spy but that both he and his pastor are very impulsive and prone to acting without completely thinking matters through.
Both points are utterly irrelevant.
The man needs to be released and our government should do all things possible to make that happen and the Body of Christ should be praying for divine intervention.
I think we need to separate mission work from spying. Smuggling bibles and donated cash into China to be given to pastors running underground churches is not intelligence work
“I think we need to separate mission work from spying”
Agreed.
“Smuggling bibles and donated cash into China to be given to pastors running underground churches is not intelligence work”
Agreed again, if that’s all it was. I was an underage teen told I was breaking the law for Jesus…and wasn’t privy to everything that was going on.
Thanks for all the clarification