Saeed Abedini is an Iranian American Christian pastor, famous for being imprisoned in Iran in 2012 based on allegations that he compromised national security, an incident that created international controversy; he was released in 2016 along with other American prisoners following international pressure. But although he is, indeed – and as opposed to most Americans who claim to be– a genuine victim of religious persecution, Abedini is also a loon, as well as a generallyshittyand abusive character. And of course, Abedini also believes thatChristians are persecuted in the US today, too, by Muslims, liberals, seculars and others ostensibly controlled by the free-roaming spirit of the Antichrist, a force that is apparently best defeated by rejecting globalism, nurturing nationalism and closing the borders.
During the 2016 election, Abedini was firmly opposed to a Clinton presidency, but not for more or less reasonable political reasons: “if a woman can’t be the head of a small group of people such as the family or church, how can she, Biblically, be the head of a country with millions of people?!” asked Abedini, and accused Clinton of being possessed by a Jezebel spirit that “is NOT from God, nor is it Biblical.” Nominally an advocate for complementarianism, Abedini hastened to add that he “believe in equality of women and men,” before, predictably, adding “but there are differences in how God orchestrated the leadership of our homes and life so that we can function in an orderly manner.” Of course, “orderly manner” should be understood in light of being uttered by someone who has plead guilty to domestic abuse charges.
Diagnosis: No, he shouldn’t have been imprisoned in Iran, but that doesn’t alter the fact that the guy is garbage. Not even the war-on-Christmas crowd seems to have given him much attention after his return, though, possibly because they might realize that he is, indeed, garbage and would come across as such if they gave him a microphone.