Posts Tagged ‘rifqa bary’

Rifqa Bary to return to Ohio…or Sri Lanka

Friday, October 16th, 2009

You may recall, from a couple of months ago, the case of Rifqa Bary, the 17-year-old Christian convert who ran away from her Muslim parents in Ohio to stay with the minister of a Florida megachurch, claiming her parents would murder her for being an apostate.  Her parents assure authorities she is in no danger, but a judge ordered her placed in foster care in Florida for the time being.

Now the courts are saying she’ll be placed in foster care in Ohio, but only if her parents can provide evidence that they maintain legal immigrant status.  If they can’t–and so far they haven’t–the whole family may end up being deported back to Sri Lanka!

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The latest on Rifqa Bary

Friday, August 21st, 2009

As I reported a few days ago (see “An interfaith Springer moment“), Rifqa Bary is a 17-year-old, Sri Lanka-born girl from Ohio who converted from Islam to Christianity and ran away to Florida to live with the Reverend Blake Lorenz, pastor of the non-denominational Global Revolution Church.  Rifqa says she will be subject to “honor killing” if she’s returned to the custody of her parents.  Rifqa’s parents say their daughter can practice whatever religion she wishes, and that all they want is for her to come home.

A Florida judge is set to make a ruling on Rifqa’s case today, but the consensus among experts is that she will be returned to the custody of her parents. [Note: The judge ruled that she must stay in foster care in Florida for now, but this obviously isn't the end of it.]

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An interfaith Springer moment

Sunday, August 16th, 2009

Hmmm…well, this is a bit like watching a fight on Springer.  It’s interesting to watch but I have no idea who to root for.

As reported by the AP in an article titled Runaway Christian convert claims life is in danger,” 17-year-old Rifqa Bary of Columbus, Ohio claims to have converted from Islam to Christianity.  She fled to Orlando, Florida to stay with the Rev. Blake Lorenz, pastor of the Global Revolution Church.  Rifqa apparently came into contact with Lorenz via an online chat room.

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