The Story That Won’t Go Away…
The big story on Christian social media today is a Washington Post article describing how Franklin Graham pressured Naghmeh Panahi to reconcile with her (then) husband Saeed Abedini despite his continual abuse.
In 2016 I was allowed to interview Saeed and tried to get him to address the (then) fresh allegations against him.
He basically just repeated what he had been told to say by his handlers and refused to answer many other questions I posed to him about the discrepancies in the various narratives we had been given about his captivity and release.
I had developed sources that had provided me hard evidence that much of the story we had been fed was pure fiction….but he refused to even hear most of my questions on those matters.
My biggest takeaway from that interview was that I’d had more intelligent conversations with sundry tree stumps than were possible with Saeed Abedini.
This was a man with an enormous ego and a small IQ with predatory instincts and powerful handlers.
It also confirmed to me that the whole incident would go down in history as one of the biggest scams ever perpetrated on the American Christian public, a position I still hold today.
Do I believe that Abedini was an abusive husband?
Yes.
Do I believe that Franklin Graham and Jay Sekulow wanted to keep it quiet for the sake of the gravy train?
Yes.
Panahi’s story is being framed as representative of spousal abuse issues in evangelical churches…and there are things we can glean from her on that topic.
Evidently, all the other questions that many of us had about the Saeed Abedini story are now supposed to be consigned to the dustbin of ancient history…but some of us still remember…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cSdvKw8aeqk
Panahi’s testimony from the recent “Restore” conference.
Michael, thank you for addressing this then AND now!
Thanks, GMan…
Ah here I am on a preaching and friend visiting tour and I’m interrupted by rumors of my supposed support of an abuser. I’m buried in love, friends, and Jesus fellowship only to discover I’m the object of a lapsed believer’s scorn over my handling of a high profile abuser narrative.
I wake early and read here and discover the source of my indictment. This old war story.
Liars lie. Victims lie. Abusers lie. We all get in the web of lies. We believe lies and become associated with the lies.
I decided to let it lie.
My abdication of antisocial media continues — in peace.
Good for Naghmeh!
I applaud her courage and resourcefulness.
Dread,
We all supported the Abedinis…until we couldn’t.
People don’t know the half of this sordid tale…
I feel so conflicted about this story because SHE was the one that convinced us ALL that he was a godly man, a man used mightily by God. SHE spoke all over at churches and fooled us all and then suddenly changed her story. Most of us got taken in and I know I felt like a fool for all the FB posts of “Save Saaed” that she encouraged me to post. Saying all that… I believe her now, but this whole thing disgusts me and I don’t trust any of the players today.
” I don’t trust any of the players today.”
Me neither. If we stopped paying attention to them, they would eventually realize the collapse of their echo chamber and perhaps move on to something other than feeding their needy [false] self.
But today she and Graham are both BIG time speakers in their specific venues. Go figure.
I led the parade here in advocating for his release.
Knowing what I know now…I would have suggested they keep him.
We got sold a slate of lies …and I feel awful about it.
I think we all feel awful about it.
Nonnie,
I agree. I feel bad about this. I told my church about this, asked them to pray for Abidini’s release. I can’t think of any thing other than this story was hyper-sensationalized….. perhaps the old adage if its too good (or too big) to be true………
I guess we can be consoled that we erred on the side of love and grace and are trying to get it right.
I know that I still cringe a bit, when I read about some conference or church that is propping up any of the characters in this story.
The victims are all thriving on their victimization. That is the great religion of the day. Then there’s the religious and political beasts and their aggrandizement.
I speak of the preacher and the lawyer. They too carry on.
We are all compelled by these lamb dragons. We are all seduced and intimidated into their ways.
Dread,
I’m going to write on this soon…I’m old and won’t hear the yowling that follows…
Michael
I welcome it.
This one reveals so much about the time in which we find ourselves. So lost and so confused.