Ayatollah Khamenei boycotts Chahar Shanbeh Soori

[GeoffP]

I'm still wondering why this EVENT is relevant

What has it affected? Or whom?

I think you mean the proposed boycott, not the event itself. As for whom religious pressure on it affects: well, why the big deal about airport scanning? Who does it affect?

Has anyone prevented anyone from jumping over any fire?

Give them time.

Everyone is entitled to their opinion. Like the fires burned every year for Holi, I think such festivals should be opted out of, if only for environmental concerns. I feel the same way about people who use too many Christmas lights.

You fundamentally misunderstand: the festival isn't being "opted out" of, but rather "squeezed down on" using religious pressure and guilt. Given the history of Zoroastrians in Iran, this should be a warning bell.

Meanwhile, most Iranians are Muslims. So they are essentially celebrating a non-Muslim festival. Thats actually commendable of them

Yet you belittle criticism directed at those who would eventually work to end the festival, which is not so commendable.

 

[Bishadi]

As for the rest, let me know when expressing an opinion equals outlawing freedom of speech.

when the opinions are held as law to such an extent they can abuse any within their little domain.

 

[S.A.M.]

What would happen if all the Iranians stopped celebrating the festival just like the Zoroastrians in India?

 

[GeoffP]

Who knows? Who cares? Is it more relevant to you than the festival itself?

 

[quadraphonics]

Was the security presence for the festival or for the political rally, which could have led to violence?

The security presence is for prolonging dictatorship through force.

The way I see it, he's doing his job.

And doing it poorly. Hence the repression and resistance there, and criticism here.

As for the rest, let me know when expressing an opinion equals outlawing freedom of speech.

When the opinion in question is that certain political speech should not be allowed, and is backed with state violence.

 

[S.A.M.]

Who knows? Who cares? Is it more relevant to you than the festival itself?

Who cares? None of the Zoroastrians I know. But apparently, Muslim Iranians do.

Which is why, they still had the jumping over fire and fireworks, regardless of what their spiritual leader who apparently dictates all their opinions and actions globally said. How could that happen? They even burned images of the old Ayatollah in some of those fires and all they received in exchange was... a condemnation. From both the government and the reform parties.

And this merits a discussion on sciforums

/shakes head

 

[Michael]

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

Oh come on. There are many MANY holy holidays where people come out onto the streets and celebrate in Iran. This was targeted as "superstitious" because it's non-Islamic and based on Zoroastrianism. Which ironically is one of the few holidays in Iran that ALL Iranians celebrate.

THAT says something doesn't it.....

I personally put a bunson burner on the lab floor and defiantly hoped over it three times!

Happy Persian New Year

 

[S.A.M.]

Well then, that should take care of Chahr Shenbeh for this year/

I'm surprised they haven't scrapped all the Zoroastrian holidays yet. I wonder what it means to celebrate two new years, one of which isn't even remotely relevant.

 

[GeoffP]

Who cares? None of the Zoroastrians I know. But apparently, Muslim Iranians do.

Which is why, they still had the jumping over fire and fireworks, regardless of what their spiritual leader who apparently dictates all their opinions and actions globally said.

It wasn't dictum, Sam: merely a representation of the ongoing pressure against the festival.

How could that happen?

Simple. Insufficent pressure applied against the festival. "Pious Muslims shouldn't go". Etc. As if there were something even remotely immoral about it. It strikes me as very likely that more still will be applied. But, this is nothing new. Too bad the celebration isn't something as solid as a harmful statue that could be blown up.

They even burned images of the old Ayatollah in some of those fires and all they received in exchange was... a condemnation. From both the government and the reform parties.

And?

And this merits a discussion on sciforums

/shakes head

In some aspects of the discussion, we certainly agree.

 

[GeoffP]

I personally put a bunson burner on the lab floor and defiantly hoped over it three times!

Happy Persian New Year

Hehe. And to you, sir.

 

[Michael]

Too bad the celebration isn't something as solid as a harmful statue that could be blown up.

Exactly....