Ayatollah Khamenei boycotts Chahar Shanbeh Soori

[Michael]

Chahar Shanbeh Soori is a 3000 year old festival that unites all Iranians together. Regardless if you are Christian, Muslim, Jewish, Zoroastrian, Buddhist, Sunni, Shia, Arab, Persian, Kurdish, Caucasian, African, whatever - ALL Iranians celebrate this festival.

Well, all but one, that jack off Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Sunday urged Iranians to dismiss their ancient traditions (which involves fire jumping and preparing a special feast). It'd be like Obama asking Americans not to celebrate the 4th of July. Here's what Khamenei had to say: These [Ancient Zoroastrian Celebrations] have no basis in Islam, and can [therefor] cause "harm and corruption," so for Iranians "It is appropriate to avoid [celebrating] it".


This festival hearkens back to the days of the ancient Persian Civilization. It's a multicultural celebration - a Festival for ALL Iranians.
What an INTOLERANT JACK OFF this Ayatollah Ali Khamenei is. Can you imagine the Dali Lama doing something like this? No way.


Then guess what he did. That turd has now LEGALLY Banned The Reform Party. Iran's largest pro-reform political party. Keeping the pressure he sent dozens of government-goones over to the home of Mahdi Karroubi, one of the main opposition leaders, on Sunday night, shouting slogans against him and vandalizing his property by writing DEATH THREATS in black spray paint on his house.

 

[GeoffP]

Hehe. Ye olde "corruption" accusation. Gotta love that playbook.

 

[Michael]

I know a lot of Iranians, Persians and Kurds mainly, and they seem to think this weekend is going to be another big rallying cry for freedom. Hence the crack down.

What's the most interesting is that the guys and girls I know are from the elite class. Which is why they can live outside of Iran. They attended the top high schools and Universities where brainwashing was the deepest. Love of the Ayatollah and the Islamic Republic was paramount. But, by the end, say the last years of education, many would rip out the mandatory picture of the Ayatollah from their school books.

There's little doubt this generation will eventually dump the whole idea of an "Islamic" republic. But, with the mess the State is in, they'll need to build from the bottom all the way up. If it's at all possible - something I wonder about.

 

[Michael]

Timehttp://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,1972786,00.html

Ayatullah, Nasser Makarem Shirazi, called the first day of Nowrooz a "superstitious act and baseless. Pious and sensible Muslims will stay away from it."

This celebration of Persia is superstitious ..... .... ... superstitious :bugeye:

Oh, THAT'S rich.

*Later that day Shirazi turned and prayed towards the magical moon rock held in Mecca 3 more times.*



Said an attendee who asked to remain anonymous: "This isn't something that the government can take away from us. We've [the citizens] been doing this for 3,000 years. They [corrupt government] should just accept it."

 

[GeoffP]

Quite so.

 

[S.A.M.]

Umm, how DARE he uh...boycott?

How evil of him? :bugeye:

 

[GeoffP]

And on what basis did he boycott it, Sam?

Speaks volumes, doesn't it?

 

[S.A.M.]

You mean, his opposition to the Reform Party using a 3000 year old festival as a political rally?

Maybe he believes in separation of religion and state?

All the Parsis in India seem to have let go of it easily enough.

Its only in Iran that they are still celebrating Chahar Shanbeh Soori

 

[scifes]

i agree with what he did.
seems like a lot of his iranian people agree with him too.
if michael doesn't like it, he can jump off a cliff.

 

[S.A.M.]

i agree with what he did.

Which is what exactly? He didn't jump over fire? Seems like the kind of festival where you might want to avoid political riots.

 

[Michael]

You mean, his opposition to the Reform Party using a 3000 year old festival as a political rally?

If you read the article you will see the the now illegal Reform Party did exactly the opposite and did NOT call for a political rally. The reason being that they also need to play their Religious Bigots Card - unfortunately that's how you get support in a monotheistic society (see GW Bush Jr).

 

[Michael]

It should be noted that the leader sets the example: What kind of example was jerk-off trying to set? Why? Also, this jerk isn't elected and there is NO separation of religion and State in Iran. It's the Islamic Republic for Christ's sake.

 

[S.A.M.]

If you read the article you will see the the now illegal Reform Party did exactly the opposite and did NOT call for a political rally. The reason being that they also need to play their Religious Bigots Card - unfortunately that's how you get support in a monotheistic society (see GW Bush Jr).

Depends on what the majority in any society wants. How many religious parties in China? Communist parties in the US? Calling on people to oppose the politicising of a festival is hardly a big deal when compared to the cold war or the way that the Falun Gong are treated.

If you read the article you will see the the now illegal Reform Party did exactly the opposite and did NOT call for a political rally

So it worked. Maybe the Ayatollahs action prevented riots, mayhem, unnecessary violence and deaths. Isn't that preferable?

 

[GeoffP]

You mean, his opposition to the Reform Party using a 3000 year old festival as a political rally?

Maybe he believes in separation of religion and state?

...he does?

Ayatullah, Nasser Makarem Shirazi, called the first day of Nowrooz a "superstitious act and baseless. Pious and sensible Muslims will stay away from it."

:shrug:

All the Parsis in India seem to have let go of it easily enough.

...and? Why should they? Is this preferable somehow?

Its only in Iran that they are still celebrating Chahar Shanbeh Soori

Again: and so what? Are the Iranians backward somehow? Ancient traditions suddenly not so important? Your position on these matters seems to flip every so often. The cynical would suggest there was a pattern to it.

 

[scifes]

Which is what exactly? He didn't jump over fire? Seems like the kind of festival where you might want to avoid political riots.

no, he actually dared to try and do what is better for his people, without seeking mr.michael here and asking for his approval.

BAD LEADER!! INTOLERANT LEADER!! CORRUPT LEADER!!:spank:

 

[Bells]

You mean, his opposition to the Reform Party using a 3000 year old festival as a political rally?

People should be free to celebrate it if they so choose without his telling them to boycott it.

Maybe he believes in separation of religion and state?

So, he should resign from his position immediately!

All the Parsis in India seem to have let go of it easily enough.

Good for them. Iranians, it seems, have not and enjoy their cultural heritage and wish to celebrate it.

Its only in Iran that they are still celebrating Chahar Shanbeh Soori

The horror.. the horrorrrr..

 

[S.A.M.]

Again: and so what? Are the Iranians backward somehow? Ancient traditions suddenly not so important?

You tell me. Are they backward? Do you think the reform party wanting to use a traditional festival for political purposes is better for tradition? Or has the Ayatollahs call to boycott the misuse of the festival which led to the reform party backing out of a political rally, better for tradition?

Are you in favor of hijacking festivals for political propaganda or not?

 

[GeoffP]

no, he actually dared to try and do what is better for his people, without seeking mr.michael here and asking for his approval.

BAD LEADER!! INTOLERANT LEADER!! CORRUPT LEADER!!:spank:

Excuse me: how is boycotting a religious festival dating back thousands of years better for his people? Let's examine that. Even if you called it a reformist meeting - which, as Michael points out above, it isn't - how is boycotting even that "better for his people"?

Do you mean it's religiously better?

You tell me. Are they backward?

:bugeye: Nooooo....now you tell me: are they backward?

Do you think the reform party wanting to use a traditional festival for political purposes is better for tradition?

Mike already pointed out that it wasn't about that. What are the reform party even for? Do you know?

Or has the Ayatollahs call to boycott the misuse of the festival which led to the reform party backing out of a political rally, better for tradition?

Well, let's examine his call, shall we?

Ayatullah, Nasser Makarem Shirazi, called the first day of Nowrooz a "superstitious act and baseless. Pious and sensible Muslims will stay away from it."

Huh. Well, those are some very political reasons he gives for not going.

Are you in favor of hijacking festivals for political propaganda or not?

Obviously not. Are you in favour of shutting down ecumenical religious celebrations that highlight pre-Islamic traditions? :shrug:

 

[GeoffP]

It should be noted that the leader sets the example: What kind of example was jerk-off trying to set? Why? Also, this jerk isn't elected and there is NO separation of religion and State in Iran. It's the Islamic Republic for Christ's sake.

Well put.

 

[GeoffP]

So it worked. Maybe the Ayatollahs action prevented riots, mayhem, unnecessary violence and deaths. Isn't that preferable?

Oh? Who would be committing the violence and mayhem? I thought the festival was about jumping over fires, essentially. (Pardon the jibe.) Who is planning on the violence part, exactly?