My heart breaks for this poor man, it really does. However, I can't help but feeling that he has no one to blame but himself -- no matter what his convictions are. I would say the same about any Rabbi who went into Iran to make conversions. I am not hard-hearted, I swear. But people have to use their intelligence, for heaven's sakes. It's like if a person walked naked into a pit of crocodiles. He would get eaten alive and it would be horrible. But you would still have to say "what did you expect?"
And I hate to say this, too. But if Iran bombs Israel, I would be devastated. But I'd also have to say, "What did you expect?" WE KNOW WHAT EVIL WE'RE DEALING WITH IN IRAN. The pastor had to have known also. I'm not saying that it makes his jailing right. And we should put as much pressure on Iran as possible in order to effect his release. But he has to bear some responsibility for going to Iran in the first place. No?