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Faith

Christian Pastor Pens Emotional Letter to Wife Detailing Horrific Abuse in Notorious Iranian Prison

Mar. 23, 2013 1:50pm

In January, TheBlaze first told you about Pastor Saeed Abedini, an American citizen imprisoned in Iran on charges that he was evangelizing in the militantly-Islamic country. Since his detention began, the faith leader’s situation has worsened.

It’s well documented that Iranian prisons are horrific in their treatment of inmates, with rampant abuse. In a letter to his wife, Abedini shared some of the physical and mental abuse that he has sustained while being held at the notorious Evin Prison in Tehran.

According to the letter, the pastor has been denied medical treatment because of his faith. This has resulted in pain, discomfort and mental anguish.

“The nurse would also come to take care of us and provide us with treatment, but she said in front of others ‘in our religion we are not suppose to touch you, you are unclean. Baha’i (religion) and Christians are unclean!’ She did not treat me and that night I could not sleep from the intense pain I had,” Abedini wrote in his note to his wife Naghmeh.

Pastor Saeed Abedini Details Harsh Treatment in Iranian Prison in Letter to Wife

Pastor Saeed Abedini and his kids (Photo credit: ACLJ.org)

Perhaps the most moving portions of the letter recap on the pastor’s own inability to recognize himself amid the changes that his face and body have gone through as a result of the harsh conditions. Equally moving was the pain Abedini observed in his parents’ eyes as he saw how worn down they had become as a result of resiliently — yet unsuccessfully — fighting for his release.

But the most surprising sections of the letter focus on forgiveness, a concept that would be difficult for most to fathom, considering the unpalatable and dangerous situation that the pastor finds himself in. Yet, he spends a portion of the letter outlining his love for Naghmeh and talking about the essential forgiveness that is often necessary in life.

“I forgave the prison doctor who did not listen to me and did not give me the medication that I needed. I forgave the interrogator who beat me,” he wrote. “Every day when I would see the interrogator and for the last time when I saw him, I forgave him. I smiled at him and with respect shook his hand and I said my goodbye.”

Read the entire letter below:

Hello to my dear love and wife,

When I saw my family for the first time behind the glass walls, I could see my mom four meters away. As she approached me and saw my face, she broke down and could not get closer. She was crying. I understood what she felt because after weeks of being in solitary confinement in Evin Prison, I also got to see my face in the mirror of an elevator that was taking me to the prison hospital. I said hi to the person staring back at me because I did not recognize myself. My hair was shaven, under my eyes were swollen three times what they should have been, my face was swollen, and my beard had grown.

It was a few days ago when one of my family members, with weary eyes and after running around for 15 weeks in trying to get me out of prison, said that my dad says every single day that “this week I will get my son out of prison.” But this does not happen and he is not able to get me out of prison. In that instant I looked into the wrinkled and tired eyes of my dad. I could clearly see that he had ran around for months and he had no more strength left in him. It was very hard seeing my family in such a situation.

You, my wife, on the other side of the world, alone with the kids. Alone and worried. My family here in Iran, being interrogated, tired and under so much pressure.

With the loud voice of the prison guard, our visitation had ended and they put covers over our eyes and we returned to the dark room void of any natural sunlight.

I started praying for my family. My dear Naghmeh. You are the love of my life. I am always in love with you.

Dear Naghmeh, I have been stung so many times that I have become full of poison. This is an Iranian saying. A lot of people say that they have been stung by so many people that their whole being is full of poison like a poisonous snake. It means that we have been bitten by the snakes of this world so many times that, that all of the poison has collected in us and that we are like the poisonous snake. But if we sting anyone, we will die. This Iranian saying is full of spirit of revenge and unforgiveness and every time I would hear this in Iran, I would get very sick hearing it.

A few days ago they brought a young war veteran who was disabled in 80% of his body in my cell. He had been put in solitary confinement with his horrific condition. And this had made him very mad and he kept saying “why did they do this to me? I gave my whole life for their sake. See what they have done to me!!!” And when he would get very mad he would say “I will take my revenge!”

I spoke to this young man until 4 in the morning. I spent time with him and spoke to him to forgive. When we don’t forgive, we drink the poison ourselves and then wait for the other person to die. And we take the knife that has hurt us and we stab ourselves with it again! And this is the will of the evil one who wants to destroy us.

But when we forgive, we pour out the poison of the enemy and of the devil and we don’t let the poison stay in us and we don’t let the poison make us into poisonous snakes! So that we don’t become like the person we despised and who persecuted and tortured us.

Maybe you ask, what is the secret of being so happy in such a hard situation?

Forgiveness and a change of attitude. When we forgive, we become free and we become messengers of peace and reconciliation and goodness. And whoever stings us, we can take into our embrace and love them. And in this dark and evil time, we can live full of love and full of peace and full of joy and shine like the stars! Glory be to His Name.

I forgave the prison doctor who did not listen to me and did not give me the medication that I needed. I forgave the interrogator who beat me. Every day when I would see the interrogator and for the last time when I saw him, I forgave him. I smiled at him and with respect shook his hand and I said my goodbye. The minute I forgave them and loved them, that second I was filled with unspeakable joy. I saw in the eyes of the interrogator that he had come to respect me and as he was leaving, he could not look behind him. Love is as strong as death.

We have to get rid of the poison in our body because if we don’t, we will die. We have to get rid of both poisons; first the poison of the snake that bit us and also the poison in us that was created by that bite. We can get rid of the first poison by forgiveness and we can get rid of the second poison by humility, by dying to ourselves, and allowing the band-aid of love and goodness to replace the empty place of the wound. So that we are not a tool of darkness and revenge, but that we can be light and love and a vessel of forgiveness and we can be transformed in the process.

Surely you have someone in your family, city, work or environment that have become like poisonous snake who have bitten you and tried to make you poisonous. So, forgive them and use the antidote of love and be Victorious!

One of the chances of forgiveness came when I was blindfolded and a guard was holding my hand guiding me. He asked “what are you here for? What is your crime?” I said “I am Christian Pastor.” All of the sudden he let go of my hand and said “so you are unclean! I will tell others not to defile themselves by touching you!” He would tell others not to get close to me. It really broke my heart. The nurse would also come to take care of us and provide us with treatment, but she said in front of others “in our religion we are not suppose to touch you, you are unclean. Baha’i (religion) and Christians are unclean!” She did not treat me and that night I could not sleep from the intense pain I had. According to the doctor’s instructions, they would not give me the pain medication that they would give other prisoners because I was unclean.

I could not fall sleep one night due to the pain when all of a sudden I could hear the sound of dirty sewer rats with their loud noises and screeches. It was around 4 in the morning. It sounded like laughter in a way.

Even though many would call me unclean and filthy and would not even want to pass by me and they had abandoned me and they were disgusted to touch me because they were afraid that they would also become unclean, but I knew that in the eyes of Jesus Christ, and in the eyes of my brothers and sisters, I am like the sewer rat, beautiful and loveable – not disgusting and unclean – and like the rats I can scream with joy within those prison walls and worship my Lord in joy and strength.

The Joy of the Lord is my strength. Amen.

As previously reported, the American Center for Law and Justice has said that Abedini was sentenced by Judge Pir-Abassi – known as the “hanging judge” — for “threatening the national security of Iran through his leadership in Christian house churches.”

(H/T: Christian Post)

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Comments (58)

1 2
  • SilentReader
    Posted on March 24, 2013 at 12:28am

    God bless this man and give him the strength to bear whatever comes his way. It is heart-wrenching to read his letter.

    Report this comment

    SilentReader  
    • 2Taxed
      Posted on March 24, 2013 at 4:35pm

      Agreed. His letter brings to mind Paul’s prison epistles. They have had world-wide impact for 2,000 years. I hope this letter has impact within and beyond Iran on the power of forgiveness and the Hope that is one’s for the asking.

      Report this comment

      2Taxed  
  • AllAmericanGirl22
    Posted on March 23, 2013 at 10:41pm

    Absolutely heartbreaking. God Bless him and his family. Dear Lord, please save this man.

    Report this comment

    AllAmericanGirl22  
  • Wichita1
    Posted on March 23, 2013 at 10:10pm

    Sign Petition http://aclj.org/iran/save-american-pastor-iranian-abuse-imprisonment

    Secretary of State John Kerry has released his first public statement urging that Pastor Saeed – a U.S. citizen – be “immediately released.”

    Report this comment

    Wichita1  
  • CharlestonJohn
    Posted on March 23, 2013 at 7:28pm

    Godbless this man he has a heart for Jesus.

    Report this comment

    CharlestonJohn  
  • veritasnonconformus
    Posted on March 23, 2013 at 6:50pm

    this letter must be fake, because muslims are peaceful, and tolerant, bush, and obama both said so!

    Report this comment

    veritasnonconformus  
    • Diggs
      Posted on March 24, 2013 at 12:36pm

      Yet Muslims complain of the treatment that they receive at Guantanamo Bay. It is nothing compared to the way they torture Christians in their prisons. It claims to be a friendly religion, but if you refuse to believe in allah then you will be tortured and even beheaded. Just goes to show you which religion is actually friendly. Christians need to wake up and start taking this country back (in non-violent ways of course) from those that are trying to make Christians go in the closet (so to speak).

      Report this comment

      Diggs  
  • RAMJR
    Posted on March 23, 2013 at 6:26pm

    More and more of our brothers and sisters are facing this hatred and apostate of the fake standing of Baal-alah (Satan).
    As Christian the standing in love is called for. Not in ignorance, acceptance or compromise, but in standing with Gods Holy Bible and Word. The ONE TRUE GOD!
    Right now thousands of Muslims, who have never known Jesus, are being confronted and converted through the love of Jesus. Our standing cannot change, and we cannot stand in hypocrisy.
    Our words, our actions and our hearts have to add up to the love, tough love many times, that Jesus gave.
    The brutal treatment of this brother, who stands to the point of internal bleeding and other immoralities this religion embraces, while praying and forgiving the weakness of this fake religion really is and the immorality and hatred that sustains it. God be with him.

    Report this comment

    RAMJR  
  • Dushman Kush
    Posted on March 23, 2013 at 5:39pm

    This stunningly stupid infidel is precisely where he belongs. ALL infidels will leave the Lands of Islam. Allahu Akbar !!!

    Dushman Kush  
  • DSTSS2010
    Posted on March 23, 2013 at 5:12pm

    Pray for the wicked, for all the pains of this World are but the blink of an eye compared to a eternity of damnation.

    Report this comment

    DSTSS2010  
  • Kiba
    Posted on March 23, 2013 at 4:47pm

    Man, when are people going to realize that you don’t go to places like that? I mean really. To think an American could go to someplace like that and get away with something is pretty stupid. Sorry but Im sick of hearing about this stuff, stay the hell out of those Godless middle eastern litter boxes.

    Report this comment

    Kiba  
    • burnteye86
      Posted on March 23, 2013 at 5:00pm

      Would you have told Jesus the same thing before he came to this sewer called Earth?

      Report this comment

      burnteye86  
    • vendingdude
      Posted on March 23, 2013 at 6:34pm

      burn – you mean He created a sewer for His children and then His Son volunteered to come to a sewer? Wow.

      Report this comment

      vendingdude  
    • john vincent
      Posted on March 23, 2013 at 7:55pm

      -vend

      So I create a work of art, a masterpiece as it were, people enjoyed it, for years————–but………..
      a miscreant walked up to it and sliced it to pieces;

      according to your thinking, it is my fault for the destruction of my creation, but wait…….I cloak the villain, feed him, and make him an adopted son. What do you think this person will do with his life since he experienced true mercy? I could have punished him, but I forgave him, without a cause.

      I’m thinking you will find an insult here somehow, and I can overlook it, but please do not further disparage this good man (the pastor) who actually lives a life of faith.

      Report this comment

      john vincent  
  • cessna152
    Posted on March 23, 2013 at 4:18pm

    I’m guilty for passing over this story for months now. This is not only a fellow American but a brother in Christ. He’s doing the work that we fear….we fear of offending someone but he risked his life for the glory of God. Jesus we pray for peace and joy to him, his family and everyone he comes in contact with….they will see something that he has, that is Jesus and they’ll want it as well! That is our prayer…

    Report this comment

    cessna152  
  • midnightvelvet
    Posted on March 23, 2013 at 4:16pm

    How did this letter get out without being censored, or at all?

    Report this comment

    midnightvelvet  
    • Bangstick
      Posted on March 23, 2013 at 4:51pm

      Don’t worry. It will be used as evidence when they go to execute him.

      Report this comment

      Bangstick  
    • RAMJR
      Posted on March 23, 2013 at 9:13pm

      It was written on scraps of newspaper, that he got to his mother and father visiting him, that live in Iran. With almost 180 days of imprisonment, and just the week the very first time any connection to this administration took a verbal stand for this American. It underscores the difficulty of getting any information from Iran about his condition out. He was helping build an orphanage in Iran.

      Report this comment

      RAMJR  
  • bornagaincowgirl
    Posted on March 23, 2013 at 4:08pm

    Wow, wow, wow. Praise be to God. Glory to His Name. Blessed be the Name of the Lord. God is glorified in His people and this brother, even in the midst of the most horrible situation, will not bow down to the enemy or give him any ground. May God and His Kingdom be expanded and may God have His will accomplished in this prison and in the country of Iran. Glory to God.

    Report this comment

    bornagaincowgirl  
    • texanpatriot
      Posted on March 23, 2013 at 4:44pm

      If my people who are called by my Name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my Face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sins and will heal their land.

      We who claim to be Christians have so much work to do to overcome evil in this world.

      The Lord know that this Pastor is a shinning light on a hill!

      Report this comment

      texanpatriot  
  • Grannie4news
    Posted on March 23, 2013 at 4:04pm

    I pray that everyone who reads this will pray for this man to live to return to his family here in Idaho. Share this story and ask others to pray. The power of prayer is great and the more the better. I would pray that I would have the faith of this man in the same situation. A situation, that the rate this nation is
    going downhill with the Marxist, just might be one we could likely face here on our own land in the future. That, my friends, should be a very sobering thought.

    Report this comment

    Grannie4news  
  • LeadNotFollow
    Posted on March 23, 2013 at 4:01pm

    Christianity is under attack throughout the World.
    Take a stand for the Lord. You must not be lukewarm in your faith.

    Report this comment

    LeadNotFollow  
  • The-Monk
    Posted on March 23, 2013 at 3:59pm

    There is something wrong here.

    I really don’t think the prisons in Iran let the prisoners send letters like this or any at all.

    I’d like to know how it got out. Until then…. Humans can be so cruel to each other. : (

    Report this comment

    The-Monk  
    • AquamanSucks
      Posted on March 23, 2013 at 4:31pm

      Monk,
      “Humans can be so cruel to each other” : (

      So true my brother. We see it more everyday.
      I can only hope that I have what he has if it is ever needed.

      I was staying away from this but his letter really hit me.

      As for why the letter got passed. I think it is a form of torturing his family. Which in turn tortures him even more.

      Report this comment

      AquamanSucks  
    • The-Monk
      Posted on March 23, 2013 at 4:35pm

      Hi AquamanSucks,

      If its purpose is to torture the family it might not be completely accurate.

      Report this comment

      The-Monk  
    • Rayblue
      Posted on March 24, 2013 at 1:34am

      Indeed, the letter would be deemed “unclean” as it came from the unclean hand.
      Gloves would not even ward off the offense and allah would strike them down without compunction for having the poor judgement to actually touch the offensive material. If this pottery age mental state is not to be believed, then the practice is to screw with the mind of the Christian. But I don’t believe the modern muslim has the capacity to utilize even this in an effective manner. So it should be the former. “Lo Monk”…

      Report this comment

      Rayblue  
  • LeadNotFollow
    Posted on March 23, 2013 at 3:59pm

    B. Hussein Obama remains silent on the subject of Pastor Saeed Abedini, an American citizen.

    Report this comment

    LeadNotFollow  
    • IOWAGIR
      Posted on March 25, 2013 at 6:25am

      That pOS will help the blind sheik(?) before he helps an Amercan, especially one of Christian faith.

      Report this comment

      IOWAGIR  
  • autisticmama
    Posted on March 23, 2013 at 3:50pm

    Precious Lord protect this man.

    Report this comment

    autisticmama  
    • Anamah
      Posted on March 23, 2013 at 4:12pm

      Iranian government is corrupted and barbaric. They are idiotic Nazis, and I hope they are going to be punished and facing Justice. Gross sadism and intolerance their lunacy is too much even for Iranian people. A disgrace on earth.

      Report this comment

      Anamah  
  • AquamanSucks
    Posted on March 23, 2013 at 3:33pm

    I see so few comments on this. I have to believe that it is for the same reason I have taken so long to comment.

    As I read this I began to feel so bad for this man yet respect him beyond belief.
    I thought about being imprisoned, beaten and abused. Away from my wife and children for my belief alone. All he has to do is deny Christ and he would probably be set free.

    I will pray for him and his family. I will also pray for myself because I can not be sure that I would not break if I were in his position.

    Today we all sit in front of our computers in the comfort of our home saying what we want, as this man is being slowly killed for his belief.

    It makes me feel guilty and blessed at the same time to even be able to type this.

    Really don’t know what else to say.

    Report this comment

    AquamanSucks  
  • shorelineliz
    Posted on March 23, 2013 at 3:22pm

    (Philippians 1) Paul and Timothy, servants of Christ Jesus, To all the saints in Christ Jesus who are in Philippi, with the bishops and deacons: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. I thank my God every time I remember you, constantly praying with joy in every one of my prayers for all of you, because of your sharing in the gospel from the first day until now. I am confident of this, that the one who began a good work among you will bring it to completion by the day of Jesus Christ. It is right for me to think this way about all of you, because you hold me in your heart, for all of you share in God’s grace with me, both in my imprisonment and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel. For God is my witness, how I long for all of you with the compassion of Christ Jesus. And this is my prayer, that your love may overflow more and more with knowledge and full insight to help you to determine what is best, so that in the day of Christ you may be pure and blameless, having produced the harvest of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ for the glory and praise of God. I want you to know, beloved that what has happened to me has actually helped to spread the gospel, so that it has become known throughout the whole imperial guard and to everyone else that my imprisonment is for Christ; and most of the brothers and sisters, having been made confident in the Lord by my imprisonment, dare to speak the word with greater boldness.

    Report this comment

    shorelineliz  
  • clipper
    Posted on March 23, 2013 at 3:10pm

    To everyone who sees this please share with all of your friends. This will not be seen on the 6PM news. Share with as many people you can. May God bless Pastor Abedini.

    Report this comment

    clipper  
  • keaton
    Posted on March 23, 2013 at 3:04pm

    Abedini was sentenced by Judge Pir-Abassi – known as the “hanging judge” — for “threatening the national security of Iran through his leadership in Christian house churches.”
    So true. Abedini is a threat to the corrupt Iranian regime. Praise God for that.

    Report this comment

    keaton  
  • media-bias-steals-elections
    Posted on March 23, 2013 at 3:01pm

    Muslims reject the gospel, it is no sin to leave them? This is just like the Democrats saying, you don’t have health insurance, you are unclean? You have your prisons, we have ours? Americans have chemical prisons? We don’t have a problem with insurance companies, what we do have a problem with, is mandating that people either pay them, or get treatment from these organizations, especially when the top leadership of the country is convinced the planet is in danger from our presence?

    We don’t want our employers paying for this stuff, we are not slaves, we want to be paid fair wages so that number 1, we can take care of ourselves so that we do not need medical care, and number 2, what money remains after we take care of those expenses, we set aside for emergencies?

    No where in the bible is the word “retirement”?

    Muslims will come to Jesus as he calls them, we do not have to go to them after they reject him? Employers and employees will reject the gospel of the Democrats?

    Report this comment

    media-bias-steals-elections  
  • bdandsl
    Posted on March 23, 2013 at 2:59pm

    Why hasn’t obama and this admin done anything?! Oh, that’s right, he’s a Christian.

    Nothing to see here, folks. Now, move along.

    Report this comment

    bdandsl  
  • IMCHRISTIAN
    Posted on March 23, 2013 at 2:19pm

    What a man of God. All our president thinks when it come to nuclear problem is we are doing our best with sanctions. He did nothing for the people when they were protesting. He does nothing when we protest the paying of contraceptives and abortions. He divides people. He spends our money and losses in investments. Now who is the man of real strength our president or the man that loves and stands by the Word of God. God will judge.

    My thoughts and prayers are for Pastor Abedini and his family. May you find peace and comfort always in the Word of God. I will pray for you each day until your release.

    Report this comment

    IMCHRISTIAN  
    • brother_ed
      Posted on March 23, 2013 at 2:58pm

      @IMCHRISTIAN

      Well said.

      Obama, and his cohorts (including the trolls on this site) twist the word of God to fit their agenda.

      They misquote, misinterpret and misuse scripture in order to confuse.

      They are the real ‘wolves in sheeps clothing’ we are warned about.

      He has a different agenda that can only be discerned by those whose ‘eye is single to the glory of God’.

      Keep praying, keep doing good, keep calm and continue to point out his hypocrisy.

      Remember that those who still support him – other than his base of 20-30% – are only those who haven’t seen the light, yet.

      I, for one, will continue to shine my beacon from the hilltop – with malice toward none and love for all.

      This man may be our ‘Tunisian fruit vendor’…thanks Blaze for getting his story out and exposing Iran as part of the ‘axis of evil’.

      Report this comment

      brother_ed  
  • marssnw
    Posted on March 23, 2013 at 2:04pm

    Its outrageous it has taken Kerry and rest of the political world so long to speak out on behalf of this brave man. Its not as if our relationship with Iran could get much worse. As we read this, Iran plots with North Korea on our destruction. No doubt, Obama will be America’s undoing, and Israel is the only country with enough common sense to realize that we will never be friends with radical Islamist who wish to cut off all of our heads. You would think the feminist and the gay community would be willing to speak out against countries like this, but there is nothing but silence.

    Report this comment

    marssnw  
    • canadianlady
      Posted on March 23, 2013 at 2:40pm

      G a y s are not going to defend Christians, not in this universe.

      Report this comment

      canadianlady  
    • Walkabout
      Posted on March 23, 2013 at 3:09pm

      canadianlady

      You are about 95% correct give or take a few. If you took the readership of Joe Jervis’s blog you would be 99.9% correct.

      He (user name Joe-Jervis) has posted here no more than several times to see what was happening outside his echo chamber or for $#its & giggles. He appears more frequently at WND.com

      As his blog has a fair amount of traffic, I would take it as a good representation of the community. Still overall it is not 99.9%. There are some “gay” or gay-friendly churches.

      Report this comment

      Walkabout  
    • marssnw
      Posted on March 23, 2013 at 3:23pm

      You are right Canadian Lady. I’m amazed at their stupidity. They bash Christians, but will not speak out against those that would cut off their heads because of their homosexuality. Feminist will not speak out against those that would take every single right they have in America. I just find it hypocritical of these groups.

      Report this comment

      marssnw  
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