Post by sciwriter on Jan 20, 2006 15:03:03 GMT -7
Read the article and listen to video clips at the site which show that Christians, Jews and Muslims in Iran today are compatible. BTW Iran buys spare parts for its military hardware from USA & Israel, and sells carpets to Uzbek Jews in Israel for global distribution. This is done through third parties. Also, the Arab countries will be neutral in a war between Iran and USA & Israel due to the Arab-Iranian conflict. So don’t be afraid. Carl:
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hotzone.yahoo.com/b/hotzone/blogs2276
'We Are Citizens of this Country'
Posted by Kevin Sites
on Wed, Jan 18 2006, 8:23 PM ET VideoAudioPhoto Essay:
hotzone.yahoo.com/b/hotzone/blogs2276
'We Are Citizens of this Country'
Posted by Kevin Sites
on Wed, Jan 18 2006, 8:23 PM ET VideoAudioPhoto Essay
In Iran, an Islamic theocracy, Christians and Jews occupy an unusual place.
But it's not necessarily uncomfortable.
TEHRAN -- From the choir loft, a haunting aria rises and falls through an air
thick with ceremony and incense. At the altar, candles illuminate a large
painting of the Madonna and Child. It is nearly midnight on New Year's Eve, yet
it is standing room only at St. Sarkis Church in downtown Tehran.
Here some of the faithful from an estimated population of 100,000 Armenian
Christians in Iran come to celebrate the end of one year and the beginning of
the next.
The Armenians say they've been in Iran for hundreds of years. Many were brought
by force, enslaved by Persian ruler Agha Mohammad Khan during his wars in the
Caucasus.
But now many claim Iran as their own.
"We identify ourselves with Iranian society and nationality because Armenians
have been living here for centuries and centuries," says Bishop Sebouh
Sarkissian of the Archdiocese of Tehran. "Sometimes they call us religious
minorities -- a word I've never liked, even hated, because we are not a
religious minority. We are citizens of this country."
Citizens who, some say, have more privileges under the Islamic government than
even Iranian Muslims.
In the Armenian Club near the church, a more festive New Year's celebration is
under way. Dozens of couples twirl around the floor, their hands held high in
the traditional style of Armenian dance, with live music performed by a band
brought in from Armenia specifically for the occasion.
One man tells me, pouring a glass of Johnny Walker Red whisky over ice, "We have
M0ore freedoms than even the Muslims. They would never be able to do this."
Christians are allowed to have alcohol in their homes and sometimes for holiday
celebrations, but for the Muslim population it's strictly forbidden.
Others at the party agree, saying they don't face discrimination in Iran and can
even travel more freely, usually to Armenia and to the United States.
One woman is more circumspect about life for Armenians in Iran. "We have a
little hole here in Iran," she says, "but we're very good at filling it with
happiness."
* * *
Iran also has a Jewish minority, which at its peak numbered about 80,000.
Shortly after the Islamic Revolution, many immigrated to the U.S. and some to
Israel, leaving a community of about 25,000 today.
Still, it is the largest Jewish community in the Middle East, outside of Israel.
At the Jewish Community Center in Tehran, Dr. Unes Hammai-Lalehzar says the
Jewish population has had its ups and downs, but he doesn't believe there's any
discrimination from the general public.
I ask him about the yarmulke he's wearing and if he is comfortable wearing it in
public.
"Most people here don't even know what this signifies," he laughs. "No, it's not
a problem."
But I ask him if there's been any change in the climate since Iranian President
Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's recent remarks both questioning the Holocaust and calling
for Israel to be "wiped off the map."
He's clearly uncomfortable with the topic and says my questions are getting
political. But I press him on it.
"As far as daily life goes here, there hasn't been an impact on us," he says,
"We don't see any difference in our lives. But maybe others feel differently."
He continues, saying the Iranian government has made a clear effort to
distinguish between Zionism and Judaism.
"Zionism is a political party that enjoys Jewish symbols and ideals, but it's
not the same thing," he says. "The law that is being enforced in Israel is not
Jewish law, it's not religious, its anti-religious."
In the nearby synagogue, David Zakaria, who owns a rubber factory, agrees.
"His comments were directed more to Israel as a political entity," he says of
President Ahmadinejad. "I'm connected to Israel religiously, it's the Holy Land,
but not politically."
But even with that religious connection, Iranian Jews, along with the rest of
the population, are not permitted to travel to Israel.
And while they say they don't face discrimination from their fellow Iranians,
Jews here can't be considered for jobs as teachers, unless they are teaching
members of their own community. Government jobs, even junior level positions,
are also off limits.
At least on the surface, the dominant Shia Muslim population seems, if anything,
curious about their countrymen in the religious minority.
Back at St. Sarkis Church on New Year's, Muslims Bahrehman Shaker and Jawad
Dae-Zadeh have both brought their families, 20 people in all, to witness the
0Christian celebration, even though they don't know anyone in the Armenian
community.
"We just wanted to see," says Shaker. "We've been to [Christian] New Year's
before in Australia with fireworks, but this is very different."
"We want to share their happiness," says Dae-Zadeh, "and congratulate them on
their Christmas."
____________________________________________________
hotzone.yahoo.com/b/hotzone/blogs2276
'We Are Citizens of this Country'
Posted by Kevin Sites
on Wed, Jan 18 2006, 8:23 PM ET VideoAudioPhoto Essay:
hotzone.yahoo.com/b/hotzone/blogs2276
'We Are Citizens of this Country'
Posted by Kevin Sites
on Wed, Jan 18 2006, 8:23 PM ET VideoAudioPhoto Essay
In Iran, an Islamic theocracy, Christians and Jews occupy an unusual place.
But it's not necessarily uncomfortable.
TEHRAN -- From the choir loft, a haunting aria rises and falls through an air
thick with ceremony and incense. At the altar, candles illuminate a large
painting of the Madonna and Child. It is nearly midnight on New Year's Eve, yet
it is standing room only at St. Sarkis Church in downtown Tehran.
Here some of the faithful from an estimated population of 100,000 Armenian
Christians in Iran come to celebrate the end of one year and the beginning of
the next.
The Armenians say they've been in Iran for hundreds of years. Many were brought
by force, enslaved by Persian ruler Agha Mohammad Khan during his wars in the
Caucasus.
But now many claim Iran as their own.
"We identify ourselves with Iranian society and nationality because Armenians
have been living here for centuries and centuries," says Bishop Sebouh
Sarkissian of the Archdiocese of Tehran. "Sometimes they call us religious
minorities -- a word I've never liked, even hated, because we are not a
religious minority. We are citizens of this country."
Citizens who, some say, have more privileges under the Islamic government than
even Iranian Muslims.
In the Armenian Club near the church, a more festive New Year's celebration is
under way. Dozens of couples twirl around the floor, their hands held high in
the traditional style of Armenian dance, with live music performed by a band
brought in from Armenia specifically for the occasion.
One man tells me, pouring a glass of Johnny Walker Red whisky over ice, "We have
M0ore freedoms than even the Muslims. They would never be able to do this."
Christians are allowed to have alcohol in their homes and sometimes for holiday
celebrations, but for the Muslim population it's strictly forbidden.
Others at the party agree, saying they don't face discrimination in Iran and can
even travel more freely, usually to Armenia and to the United States.
One woman is more circumspect about life for Armenians in Iran. "We have a
little hole here in Iran," she says, "but we're very good at filling it with
happiness."
* * *
Iran also has a Jewish minority, which at its peak numbered about 80,000.
Shortly after the Islamic Revolution, many immigrated to the U.S. and some to
Israel, leaving a community of about 25,000 today.
Still, it is the largest Jewish community in the Middle East, outside of Israel.
At the Jewish Community Center in Tehran, Dr. Unes Hammai-Lalehzar says the
Jewish population has had its ups and downs, but he doesn't believe there's any
discrimination from the general public.
I ask him about the yarmulke he's wearing and if he is comfortable wearing it in
public.
"Most people here don't even know what this signifies," he laughs. "No, it's not
a problem."
But I ask him if there's been any change in the climate since Iranian President
Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's recent remarks both questioning the Holocaust and calling
for Israel to be "wiped off the map."
He's clearly uncomfortable with the topic and says my questions are getting
political. But I press him on it.
"As far as daily life goes here, there hasn't been an impact on us," he says,
"We don't see any difference in our lives. But maybe others feel differently."
He continues, saying the Iranian government has made a clear effort to
distinguish between Zionism and Judaism.
"Zionism is a political party that enjoys Jewish symbols and ideals, but it's
not the same thing," he says. "The law that is being enforced in Israel is not
Jewish law, it's not religious, its anti-religious."
In the nearby synagogue, David Zakaria, who owns a rubber factory, agrees.
"His comments were directed more to Israel as a political entity," he says of
President Ahmadinejad. "I'm connected to Israel religiously, it's the Holy Land,
but not politically."
But even with that religious connection, Iranian Jews, along with the rest of
the population, are not permitted to travel to Israel.
And while they say they don't face discrimination from their fellow Iranians,
Jews here can't be considered for jobs as teachers, unless they are teaching
members of their own community. Government jobs, even junior level positions,
are also off limits.
At least on the surface, the dominant Shia Muslim population seems, if anything,
curious about their countrymen in the religious minority.
Back at St. Sarkis Church on New Year's, Muslims Bahrehman Shaker and Jawad
Dae-Zadeh have both brought their families, 20 people in all, to witness the
0Christian celebration, even though they don't know anyone in the Armenian
community.
"We just wanted to see," says Shaker. "We've been to [Christian] New Year's
before in Australia with fireworks, but this is very different."
"We want to share their happiness," says Dae-Zadeh, "and congratulate them on
their Christmas."
