Misc

Sorry

  but it is hard to symathize with this gullible dumb ass poor , ignorant woman who has eight children and is walking  day after day ,  with a broken hand and wounded feet to see ( AGHAYE GHARIB) . 

     (Emam Reza ) would not have been "Ghareeb" , if he had kept hiss damn ass in the arabian penninsula and had not come to invade Iran . A dead Arab buried in gold and silver .She says she has brought  a bag of walnuts with her to distribute among the people in "Zarih".

     these are the type of people the regime relies on for it's survival . I realized some commenters  are trying to be politicaly correct . We need to get over and beyond political correctness and tell it as it is .

emil

your words might fall on deaf ears.  i keep re-iterating that i'm not against religion or religious people.  i'm against fleecing poor people in the name religion, and using that money (or other funds) to repress people in the name of religion.  but some people hear only things that they'd like to hear.

Obama;

You have no clue to see the difference between faith, superstitious and exploitation of naive  people in name of God, religion by bunch of ruthless Akhonds. 

You are writting long comments but you are not saying much...This is a comment section, you got to keep it short and to the point..

From your picture I can see you still have got a long way to grow up... 

Obama and souri

Thank you for your eloquent elaboration and breaking it down for us. Nice Job.

Iran_e_azad

No offense Bro, But i am inclined to think that the fact that you are not there collecting the gobs of cash that is being thrown or dumped in those shrines, is beginning to piss you off in a major way. Again, No offense, But to make the declaration that This has nothing to do with our culture (as if you are the one and only iranian in the world who has authority in making that determination) Takes the meaning of "uneducated... Brainwashed.. Desparate....uninformed" to a whole new level.

Besides you could not have possibly been to all democracy marches in order to say for sure you have not see her or those like her that young man were not in attendance.

Ghose nakhor... Nobate shoma ham mirese :)

Emil

If that is the case, then i suggest you guys start a new social network on the internet and consider employing those of us who are looking for work. Savab dare:)

Iran_e_Azad

This is exactly our culture, put your fantasies about what Iranian culture is or was to one side and accept the reality. Majority of believers are not as devoted as she is, but she represents the Iranian psyche nevertheless. Imam Reza in her mind is the collection of good and kindness. Fairness and justice that she may not see in her daily life,is attributed to that Imam. That is our culture, we are a sentimental nation.We did have love for holy figures before Islam and we did expect theirprotection whilst waiting for the savour.

It's pity as you said that the deep beliefs of these people in forces ofgood is abused by akhonds, although I am not sure if they would care much abouther walnuts. 

Common decency

I do believe that common decency is a tenet of humanity. So for me the thought of ridiculing this lady who wears her heart on her sleeve is just beyond imagination.

It is very unfortunate!

It is very unfortunate that our people are so superstitious and naïve!  This has nothing to do with our culture!

Our culture is EIDE NOOROOZ, KOOROSHE KABEER, HAFEZ, SADI AND FERDOSSI NA EMAME REZA!

This was brought to us and forced on us by a bunch of Arabs!  Nobody knows how an Arab guy name emam Reza ended up in Mashhad about 900 years ago?

Nobody knows for fact if anybody is even buried there. The way I see that shrine, it is simply, a money depository for the MOLLAS who are taking advantage of bunch uneducated, brain-washed, uninformed and desperate people.

These people are probably throwing hundreds of thousand of dollars in to this shrine on daily basis, and Mollas like Khamenei, Tabasi, Janati and Mesbahe-Yazdi are collecting them every day and are making their bank accounts fatter and fatter.

I wished they would have taken this long walk for democracy and free Iran.  No Wonder………!

Check out this clip, to see some of our culture!

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=d-dv4GA4nac&feature=PlayList&p=1B209DC8B362F7D4&playnext=1&playnext_from=PL&index=25

I'd feel safer w/ these people than you if I am lost in desert!

some of you so called well educated people are really full of yourselves, thinking you know it all, and you are the correct ones since you live here and got couple of degrees!

This guy "mahmoudg" calls them KHAR, the other calls them stupid etc! Did you ever take any class in having manners? Do you know anything about the true persian/iranian culture? if you do, why are you so rude and insulting to other people?

Like this guy EMIL, which sounds like a jewish name, keeps trashing islam! Who do you think you are and with what authority and knowledge you think you have the right to insult? Just writing one ususal line of insulting isalm! It seems that the limit of your knowlede.

I have no problem people questoning anything in a civilized way, but cussing, belittering a religion that 1.5 billion people believe in is purely insensetive and ignorant Mr. EMIL! Have some manners! May be if you had some religion, you would behave differntly. 

Religion is not about logic, it is about faith! (I lost mine long time ago courtesy of IRI.) Why do you love someone? If you try to anaylze it logically, you would never love anyone! Why do you love Iran? However, if you ever fall in love, you would know how that guy feels and wouldn't question it so much.

these are naive, innocent, generous people who have a lot of love their heart! God is in their heart! May be you can learn something from them! Learn about devotion and loyalty, selflessness, donation and purity of heart and love for your fella human being. Yhese are the same people who have saved Iran from her enemies over thousands of years. 

Faith gives these people hope and reason to live. And you want to take it away from them calling the KHARS! How disappointing to see some of you so arraogant, thinking that you are better than them! By calling these people the names that you deserve yourself, you are trying to make yourself feel superior and smart! That alone shows how un-persian you are! Show some understanding and compassion.

Diversity of land, people, religions, cultures, races etc, is the most beautiful human experience! Look at it negatively, you'll miss the beauty. You don't have to agree on everything in this world. Respect the differences. Belive and let believe!

Ari, love your coolness and class! Souri and peres you got it right!

آفرین سوری

This is part of our cultur

A part that we don't want to recognize!

You all talk about the old lady and seem to wanting to forget about the young boy who'd walked for 8 days!

Those people are part of our nation. Some of you call them "Mellat e Olaagh"........I call them Mellat e man!

This is it, Want it or not! You don't like it? Then change the people first!

To almost everybody in this blog

If you can't tolerate these people's belief, then how dare you talk about freedom, democracy, human rights and by
the same token, attacking oppression, imposition, corruption and dictatorship. You are hypocrite, judgmental and phony.

KouroshS...

Yes the crazy guy (Imam zaman), at the bottom of the well, has got access to Internet...he is sending me E-mails, asking for money...

divaneh

Well, I was away for far too long and I can't give you an accurate account. But here is my impression.

Yes they were a minority. Clearly divided by generational gap. But I couldn't see 'opposition'. There was an 'evolution'. I suspect this lady would have taken a simple hiking in her village instead of this march, if the modernity and secularism process was not interrupted 30 years ago. But people with these deep beliefs were not 'opposed' to the change that was going on. Rather, they were embracing it. My point is that there was no friction and disapproval toward modernity (except for traditional 'establishment'). Grandmother was fully aware that her 'old fashion' style of faith won't survive but she was not bitter about it. She was just trying to transfer the 'essence' of her understanding of faith to her grandchildren to be carried out in their own way... and hope for the best.

The friction came, for the most part, from the urban bunch. A total lack of respect toward rural people (we still hear 'dehaati' as an insult in some comments in IC) with a sense of superiority, feodal style. The origin of the reaction in my view was there not the other way around.

As a kid, I remember vividly going 'Shomal' for our summer holiday and even then, it was shocking to me seeing these Tehrani women in bikini walking around Baazaar of Baabol, while Azaan was broadcasting from local mosque.

We failed our rural people. Not the other way around. And we failed them by lack of modern values not because of it.

Vattan

you are funny! :-)

In Aghaya Gharibe ya gharibeh Cheh Haly dadeh be in Madar bozor

Madar in Aghaya gharibe rou tou nemedony- Hameh chi medeem vaseyah aghaya Gharib ya gharibeh

"

.

The Pahlavis, all mullahs, and all public figures associated with the Green Movement  must disclose the source and the amount of their wealth/income.

How many in your family?

Benross, I can also think of a few people in our extended family with that level of devotion but they are the minority. I can think of more people living in villages who would criticise such beliefs.

Yes, she is pure and she is full of good intentions. She seems to practice her religion away from politics, and that makes her a good secular person.

shahabshahab

Well. Thanks for that compliment bro.

You have really made everyone's day here, i am sure.

pers66

Thank you. very much and i am honored.

I must say that i also learned so much today discussing this topic. I hope we can all continue be a tremendous and collective source of inspiration and knowledge to one another.

see you soon on another thread:)

Good for Jomhouri Eslami!

A long as these innocent people follow the system IRIB will be in power. The idea is to keep them busy with supersitition and Imamzadehs. They walk because they feel their Mecca is in Mashahd. Their rich Imam will only be happier if they come and bring some moey or gold for him.

Good for IRIB that knows the Iranians are for the most part idiots and can be used. Keep promotig this life style and you will be in power for 500 years.

Benross, I have been thinking about this tape and I am glad

that you wrote what you wrote. When she breaks down in tears from the weight of her love for Hazrate Reza there is something powerful there.  This woman (in this tape) is the antithesis to IRR she is about elements that IR has no clue about.

khoda hefzet knoeh madar!

be kheir bashi

This lady could easily be an

This lady could easily be an extended family member of mine that I couldn't know but wouldn't be surprised at all. This is to say how familiar she looks to me.

Does it expose a cultural side of our society, mostly rural but not foreign to urban subculture either? it absolutely does. And I find it rather beautiful than embarrassing. I feel at home with these people.

If you have noticed, there was absolutely no political expression in her whatsoever... because there is none. This is how rural Iran lived its faith way before Islamic revolution and by watching this video, I was somehow relieved that IRI, after 30 years could not touch that..., that purity of faith.

At least, IRI could not touch HER, and that, is pleasure in itself for me.

As for our struggle for secularism and freedom of expression, this has nothing to do with that lady. Leave her out of it. She is just lovely.

btw, about that 'walking' thing, don't try to dramatize it too much. You go for hiking, you go for a picnic, while enjoying the fresh air and the nature and boosting your spirit... this is more or less the same thing.

Kourosh,

My hat goes out to you my friend.

I’ve enjoyed reading your posts and many debates today,

I must say I admire your patience, tolerance and ethical manner in communicating with different views, round after round…must admit you have inspired me. ;)

You have been a great example of the type of tolerance I wish for.

My sincere compliments.

P.

only if

Only IF,

We[I] who claim to be the voice of progressive had the devotion of these people.

Theory vs. Practice.

-YT 

P/S dorood

Ari

At first i thought it was shajaryan the senior, But i know for sure i am wrong. Beautiful song .

 I see what you mean now:)

Thanks for the Al exchange:)

KoroushS

Also, "irrational" is used in the literal sense, as in "not derived from truth axioms using the methods of logic."  Perhaps "non-rational" is a better term, but most take it to mean "irrational" anyway.

Emil jaan

Why does that bother you so much? Are you receiving harrasing emails and letter from chamkaran?

Ari

I don't agree with "god going out of buisness" idea.  I don't even think that is the case in many european countries. It just does not happen.  It is not even the case here in the states, and yet this is by and large a Secular society. Besides, by using the term "irrational" you have already well on your way of starting a conflict.  If i am understanding you correctly, and you are in fact leaving it up the person to choose the brand, then calling that choice irrational defeats your purpose in its entirety. How is this  showing to your fellow iranian that you respect the choice he or she has made for themselves and for their own lives? 

Prophets declare all humanity and all creation a work of art, albeit with god being the master of it all.

Art is peaceful? All forms of Art? In a collective sense of the word? God can be peaceful too, If you stop listening to jihadists and focus on the non-politicized aspects, sermons delivered by mollahs on a menbar in masjids.

I find it difficult to see how art can solve such problems as abortion, women's right. etc.

KouroshS

2. Art is peacful. Monet and Manet followers don't butcher each other. In fact appreciating one enhances the understanding of the other.

3. Religions are built for thousand year life spans, relying heavily on tradition for stability. This is why they are now in a tizzy over rapid changes like women's rights, gays, abortion, etc. Whereas art not only stays current, it actually tries to see ahead of the curve.