American Taliban testifies against prison prayer ban

American-born Taliban fighter John Walker Lindh testified Monday that the U.S. government is forcing him to sin by denying his federally protected right to religious expression.

Lindh, who is serving a 20-year sentence for conspiring to kill Americans and aiding Afghanistan's Taliban government, said it's "absurd" that he and other Muslims housed in a highly restricted federal prison are prohibited from praying together daily.

Lindh, who was sentenced to Communication Management Unit at the Federal Correctional Institution in Terre Haute, Ind., follows a school of Islam that requires prayer five times a day and in a group if possible. He said it's sinful not to do so.

The 31-year-old's testimony came during the first day of the trial in a lawsuit that began in 2009. The initial complaint filed by Lindh and two other inmates against the prison warden states the government cannot ban daily group prayer without showing it has a compelling interest.

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johnstephano

They shold have given him the death sentence.
- Evermyrtle
  
  WHY? Why should they have given him the death sentence? Do you think you would be strong enough? Or is there another reason? Is it because he is not a Christian? That is a choice that GOD gave him. It is very easy to stand back here in a safe place and know exactly what we would do, unless we try to place ourselves in their place. Judging is very easy to do, but we need to remember that we will be judged with the judgment that we hand out. We are all sinners, none perfect except "THE SON OF GOD!"
  - Ken
    
    I disagree…God did NOT give him the choice of being a Islamist or a Christian…..God gave him the opportunity to believe in Him, the one true God – but he chose the wrong path. Don't blame his actions on God.
    - Evermyrtle
      
      If he chose the wrong path, he chose to be Islam. When anyone chooses to worship or accept GOD or man or anyone or anything else they are agreeing to the wages earned for that decision. If GOD did not give him the choice, then GOD made him a Islam. and GOD did not do that Someone has to be responsible for making us what we are, is it us, or is it GOD.
      Satan can steal us away from GOD but only if we are willing to go but we must be willing or GOD will not let us go.
      - Ithamar
        
        What ridiculous rationalizations! He chose to be a traitor against his own country, to go to a foreign land, join with murderous enemies of his country and strive to kill fellow citizens of the nation that birthed and reared him. The "wages" of his choice is the death sentence, the true wages recognized by every nation with a government appointed by God. The error in the judgment against him in carrying out his due reward of the death sentence was the result of a corrupt religious/philosophical/political blindness which has turned truth on its head. Your strange rationalizations are evidence of the same.
    - Myrtle
      
      GOD does choose for each of HIS creation to be Christians, he does not choose anyone to be a Islam worshiper, but neither does HE force us to HIS will. If HE did that we would be robots not humans. We choose to live for HIM or for Satan. After years of evil works we may be hardened to the point that we cannot tell right from wrong.
      
      I do not believe that GOD would allow us to stumble through life, never having the opportunity of knowing right from wrong. If I am right, HE does give us the chance to choose to do right or to do wrong, to live for HIM oar to go our own way.
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1357090716 Jerry Morgan

A person has to be pretty stupid to fall for the fake religion of Islam. It only takes a few minutes of research to learn the truth about it‘s idol worship.
- http://www.answersingenesis.org/ keyboardshark
  
  I agree to a point, Jerry, but the problem is, a person deciding to become a Muslim doesn't do so for logical reasons. They aren't thinking it through and then, after weighing the pros and cons, deciding that it makes sense. No, it is actually a satanic deception, whereby their minds are blinded by Satan, who then foments their hatred of the true God (Jehovah) of the Bible and His followers, which then leads them to the murderous, suicidal activities that make the headlines..
  
  Not that this gives a Muslim an excuse for their choice, but just that it is not an ordinary decision like deciding what color shirt to wear today. When it gets into the spiritual realm, it becomes much more complicated by the ongoing war between Satan and God. Another complication is that if you live in a Muslim nation, you are virtually forced to accept and practice Islam under the threat of death, so even if you realize that it is a bunch of hooey, you have few alternatives,
Evermyrtle

I do not believe he was forced to choose, He chose that to prevent the punishment they handed out, beating, jail, maybe even death, if he did not give in, but he chose. Many Christians today are facing death or deny CHRIST. Many will give in but some will stand strong in the face of whatever may come.. You may ask what would you have done in that case?. I pray everyday that GOD will give me what I need to stand strong, I cannot say if I will be strong enough, but with HIM holding my hand, I can do it.
BlueViolets

Not much of a god they worship if he only accepts prayers from groups and not individuals. However I do hope the court realizes that they don't want to pray together but plot together.
joshuasweet

Having worked in corrections I understand the reasons to keep them separated, security is the reason. He is allowed to pray, just not with others to plot and plan.