63 replies to this topic

[AlwaysChangingHisUserName]

As-Salaamu Alaykum,

I am an American citizen that has lived nowhere else in my entire life.  I hear a lot of things about Iran on the news and the like, but I want to hear about Iran from people who have much better knowledge than I do.  People that live in Iran, have lived there, or live on countries where the reality is shown a bit more.

What I know so far: Shi'a majority, speak Persian, have two leaders (president Ahmedinejad and a supreme leader), and have nuclear facilities.

That is honestly all I really know, and I would love to learn more.  I have seen pictures of Iran, and it is one of the most beautiful places I have ever seen.  I strongly question some of the things the media says about Iran over here.

[Propaganda_of_the_Deed]

Watch this.

[Freeurmind]

Amazing People
Rich Culture and History
Amazing Cities : My Favorite place has to be Kish island, I love the head

Only down side is we have a Bad government :/

[AlwaysChangingHisUserName]

Freeurmind, on 26 May 2012 - 01:54 PM, said:

Only down side is we have a Bad government :/

Really?  What do most Iranians think about the govt?  From reading on this website (shiachat), I get the impression that Iranians (and non) LOVE Ayatollah Khamenei and President Ahmedenejad.  What would you like to see improved upon or changed?  Is IRI better than the rule of the Shah?

[Freeurmind]

Abdul Alim, on 26 May 2012 - 05:27 PM, said:

Really?  What do most Iranians think about the govt?  From reading on this website (shiachat), I get the impression that Iranians (and non) LOVE Ayatollah Khamenei and President Ahmedenejad.  What would you like to see improved upon or changed?  Is IRI better than the rule of the Shah?

Lol shiachat is kinda biased source, and I doubt anyone here lives in Iran.

Well right now we need major reform, in every aspect ... Elections with Real candidates would be a start

IRI is a very corrupt and hypocritical government

The government speeches may seem good, but im sure even if you watch a saddam speech he seems like a just ruler, but the reality is the opposite.

Well I really cant say who is worse between the shah and IRI, they are both bad in different ways, they both persecute, imprison and kill people, but in different ways and to different people.
The difference is IRI does it in the name of religion which is worse

[1472Maryam]

Salam alaikum,

There are many people in Iran who support the current government and many people who do not.  It all depends who you talk to.

[A true Sunni]

Freeurmind, on 26 May 2012 - 05:50 PM, said:

Lol shiachat is kinda biased source, and I doubt anyone here lives in Iran.

Well right now we need major reform, in every aspect ... Elections with Real candidates would be a start

IRI is a very corrupt and hypocritical government

The government speeches may seem good, but im sure even if you watch a saddam speech he seems like a just ruler, but the reality is the opposite.

Well I really cant say who is worse between the shah and IRI, they are both bad in different ways, they both persecute, imprison and kill people, but in different ways and to different people.
The difference is IRI does it in the name of religion which is worse

Imporatant to specify . Are you Iranian, do you live in Iran, are u Sunni or Shia.. By this each person can then judge ur statements accordingly.

[John Al-Ameli]

So u want to learn to become shiite and learn about iran

....

[alisayyed]

Quote

Well I really cant say who is worse between the shah and IRI, they are both bad in different ways, they both persecute, imprison and kill people, but in different ways and to different people.

you cannot compare saddam/shah to IRI,
By stating that the govt is corrupt , do you mean everyone at the govt is corrupt? in fact, being religious stops people from being corrupt. One very important point is that the leaders at the very top are not corrupt,hence this in itself shows a great potential for progress.

Corruption is prevalent , but it will be reduced eventually.( the measures taken for privatization come to my mind ).
Sanctions have slowed down progress, but once they are removed , you can be almost certain that the economic growth will be high.

some news agencies (govt's admittedly) , which can be helpful for information are : farsnews and irib.

Edited by alisayyed, 26 May 2012 - 09:13 PM.

[AlwaysChangingHisUserName]

RoAcHy, on 26 May 2012 - 08:26 PM, said:

So u want to learn to become shiite and learn about iran

....

Yes.  I want to learn about Shi'a Islam, because I have a strong feeling that it is more correct than Sunni.  I want to learn about Iran because I know very little about it, and it seems a lot of people on here are from Iran or support Iran.  Iran, as a country, has very little to do with religion.

[Endless Emotion]

Freeurmind, on 26 May 2012 - 05:50 PM, said:

Lol shiachat is kinda biased source, and I doubt anyone here lives in Iran.

Don’t generalize people, I've recently moved to Iran and currently live in Tehran!
Before moving my studies here I thought it would be a nice adventure and actually looked forward to it, to live in a Shia country!
but the reality is horrible! most of the ''LIBERAL'' students in my class are westernized, they drink, party and have relationships outside of marriage...
and if they know u're foreign they'll ask u to do Muta'a  marriage! Tehran is so corrupt and full of FASAD and racism.. .
I regret thousand times that I came here... what I've learned about Shia in western community was much useful...

Anyway Abdul Alim, my advice to you, if u would like to know more about Shia Islam talk to Iranians from Qum or Mashhad!
They are nice people and knowledgeable...

w. salam

[aliasghark]

Propaganda_of_the_Deed, on 26 May 2012 - 12:54 PM, said:

Watch this.

This documentary is good in parts, and the guy seems mostly honest. There are a few weird parts though where he is pretty superficial, sometimes stubbornly so (for instance his framing of the Iran-Iraq as a Sunni-Shia war, and not revealing that Saddam was sponsored by the west, claiming Iran isn't a democracy out of nowhere, and that Imam Khumaini was oppressive without justification; perhaps he had to fit it to a standard western audience's prejudices).

Here's another documentary, I think he's an European:

[Freeurmind]

A true Sunni, on 26 May 2012 - 07:33 PM, said:

Imporatant to specify . Are you Iranian, do you live in Iran, are u Sunni or Shia.. By this each person can then judge ur statements accordingly.

Im Iranian, I live between Iran and the UK .. My parents live in Iran

Endless Emotion, on 27 May 2012 - 05:50 AM, said:

Don’t generalize people, I've recently moved to Iran and currently live in Tehran!
Before moving my studies here I thought it would be a nice adventure and actually looked forward to it, to live in a Shia country!
but the reality is horrible! most of the ''LIBERAL'' students in my class are westernized, they drink, party and have relationships outside of marriage...
and if they know u're foreign they'll ask u to do Muta'a  marriage! Tehran is so corrupt and full of FASAD and racism.. .
I regret thousand times that I came here... what I've learned about Shia in western community was much useful...

Anyway Abdul Alim, my advice to you, if u would like to know more about Shia Islam talk to Iranians from Qum or Mashhad!
They are nice people and knowledgeable...

w. salam

Why do you think that is ? My family in iran is less religious than my family outside .. The people have back lashed against a corrupt government that has forces religion onto them
In the shahs time it was hard to find non religious muslims.

[Shervin]

Abdul Alim, on 26 May 2012 - 11:40 AM, said:

As-Salaamu Alaykum,

I am an American citizen that has lived nowhere else in my entire life.  I hear a lot of things about Iran on the news and the like, but I want to hear about Iran from people who have much better knowledge than I do.  People that live in Iran, have lived there, or live on countries where the reality is shown a bit more.

What I know so far: Shi'a majority, speak Persian, have two leaders (president Ahmedinejad and a supreme leader), and have nuclear facilities.

That is honestly all I really know, and I would love to learn more.  I have seen pictures of Iran, and it is one of the most beautiful places I have ever seen.  I strongly question some of the things the media says about Iran over here.

Well what exactly do you wanna know?

Btw if you wanna see more of Iran, I recommend watching PressTV's docs about Iran.

Edited by Shervin, 27 May 2012 - 09:42 AM.

[Nima]

Freeurmind, on 27 May 2012 - 07:31 AM, said:

Im Iranian, I live between Iran and the UK .. My parents live in Iran


Why do you think that is ? My family in iran is less religious than my family outside .. The people have back lashed against a corrupt government that has forces religion onto them
In the shahs time it was hard to find non religious muslims.

HAHAHA. Your are kidding now, right?...


You REALLY mean that those who are not religious under the IRI, were "real muslims" under the shah?

[Endless Emotion]

Freeurmind, on 27 May 2012 - 07:31 AM, said:

The people have back lashed against a corrupt government that has forces religion onto them
In the shahs time it was hard to find non religious muslims.

since when were those ''LIBERAL'' Iranians satisfied with any government that ruled them???
once a famous professor in Tehran uni. told us ''I admit that we Iranians are bad at working in groups and there's no unity between people in our country'' AFARIN- khodeshun ham midonand!
Syed Ali is doing good by keeping them in control, give those liberals to mush freedom and they'll turn every corner in Tehran to cabaret and disco.. as if it is not enough with the underground rock parties! usch!

[Freeurmind]

Nima, on 27 May 2012 - 10:12 AM, said:

HAHAHA. Your are kidding now, right?...


You REALLY mean that those who are not religious under the IRI, were "real muslims" under the shah?

No, it was their parents
Now its their children

Just like in egypt, 50 years go barely anyone wore a hijab in the major cities, now everyone wears one....

Edited by Freeurmind, 27 May 2012 - 11:45 AM.

[Aarash_Australia]

Iran is a diverse and complicated country.

You'll find people who love the West, people who love Khomeini, people who love the Shah.... you'll find atheists, Muslims, Christians, democrats, liberals, conservatives, fanatics, everything...

[Maxim]

Endless Emotion, on 27 May 2012 - 05:50 AM, said:

Don’t generalize people, I've recently moved to Iran and currently live in Tehran!
Before moving my studies here I thought it would be a nice adventure and actually looked forward to it, to live in a Shia country!
but the reality is horrible! most of the ''LIBERAL'' students in my class are westernized, they drink, party and have relationships outside of marriage...
and if they know u're foreign they'll ask u to do Muta'a  marriage! Tehran is so corrupt and full of FASAD and racism.. .
I regret thousand times that I came here... what I've learned about Shia in western community was much useful...

Anyway Abdul Alim, my advice to you, if u would like to know more about Shia Islam talk to Iranians from Qum or Mashhad!
They are nice people and knowledgeable...

w. salam

And what about crime? Is safe to live there?

[Freeurmind]

Endless Emotion, on 27 May 2012 - 11:31 AM, said:

since when were those ''LIBERAL'' Iranians satisfied with any government that ruled them???
once a famous professor in Tehran uni. told us ''I admit that we Iranians are bad at working in groups and there's no unity between people in our country'' AFARIN- khodeshun ham midonand!
Syed Ali is doing good by keeping them in control, give those liberals to mush freedom and they'll turn every corner in Tehran to cabaret and disco.. as if it is not enough with the underground rock parties! usch!

what about the freedom to think and express your opinions ?
Freedom does not jsut mean to party and drink ..

[repenter]

Freeurmind, on 27 May 2012 - 03:39 PM, said:

what about the freedom to think and express your opinions ?
Freedom does not jsut mean to party and drink ..

Freedom also doesn't mean you can say whatever you like whilst ignoring effects it has on a society or individual. Freedom is a vague word defined differently from religion to religion, society to society and country to country.

[Freeurmind]

repenter, on 27 May 2012 - 04:13 PM, said:

Freedom also doesn't mean you can say whatever you like whilst ignoring effects it has on a society or individual. Freedom is a vague word defined differently from religion to religion, society to society and country to country.

Exactly !!
but freedom to express opposition to the government ? A very corrupt government may I add
Dont get it twisted I personally support Ahmadinejad but not khamenei, mousavi, rafsanjani etc ..

[shiaaliibrahim]

Aarash_Australia, on 27 May 2012 - 12:35 PM, said:

Iran is a diverse and complicated country.

You'll find people who love the West, people who love Khomeini, people who love the Shah.... you'll find atheists, Muslims, Christians, democrats, liberals, conservatives, fanatics, everything...

A rational non-hating response from you.  I am surprised but pleased.

[Al-Englisi]

Freeurmind, on 27 May 2012 - 04:34 PM, said:

Exactly !!
but freedom to express opposition to the government ? A very corrupt government may I add
Dont get it twisted I personally support Ahmadinejad but not khamenei, mousavi, rafsanjani etc ..

You obviously dont follow Iranian politics.

Almost every other day on the radio or news websites, there is someone criticizing the government, most lately about their failure to properly address the economical/financial issues, and also for Ahmedinejads governments failure to meet a number of the promises his government had made in regards to the industrial sector, or even in terms of the subsidies plan.

The government is fiercely criticized by every tom, john and harry. University students who oppose the system used to hurl abuse at the president when he would come in to teach. One of the biggest political issues right now is the lack of co-operation between the 3 branches.

If you mean 'freedom to oppose' the system of Wilayat al-Faqih, then yeh, they rightly so dont have the freedom to openly do that.

[repenter]

Freeurmind, on 27 May 2012 - 04:34 PM, said:

Exactly !!
but freedom to express opposition to the government ? A very corrupt government may I add
Dont get it twisted I personally support Ahmadinejad but not khamenei, mousavi, rafsanjani etc ..

You haven't been following Iranian news have you..................