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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=jsteele][quote=Anonymous]

[b]Well, the sentence of stoning of a woman accused of adultery and the killing of gay Iranians in Iran do show a certain lack of ethics or at least an insensitivity to humanity. Muslims from other countries, even non-Arab countries still follow the same Islam as the Arab Islam. But Iran seems to have deviated and created their own interpretation of Islam. They revere mullahs (like the Ayatollah). They inflict injuries on themselves as a show of love and loyalty toward Ali. Can you explain why they deviated so much from the Arab Islam? Is it because of their hatred of Arabs? [/b][/quote]

I don't think it is fair to hold the entire nation guilty, or to specifically hold our visitor from Iran guilty, for something in which he/she probably didn't participate. There is a thread in the forum about three recent attacks against LGBT individuals in DC. I don't think you would enjoy being confronted in an Iranian forum about why Americans attack gays so frequently (or why our state governments suddenly seem determined to inspect vaginas). As to your second question, it deals with the difference between Shia and Sunni Islam. There are also Shia Arabs who also observe Ashura with self flagellation. The Shia/Sunni split has its origin the line of succession to Muhammad and is not a strict Arab/Persian split.

[/quote]

Jeff, the thread was created to discuss the show Shahs of Sunset and whether it accurately depicts Iranian culture, belief, and behaviors. Reza, a character on the show, said it is very, very hard for homosexuals in Iranian society. Sammy, another character, said Reza would have been killed if he were still living in Iran. All but one character, Asa, are extremely wealthy and very superficial and materialistic. Asa mentioned on the show also that religiosity/spirituality or that moral compass is lacking among the Iranian wealthy. So the questions I'm asking all relate to the subject of this thread and what the show's characters have themselves brought up. I get that we now have a visitor from another country on DCUM, you want them to feel welcomed, and you want to encourage international participation on DCUM too,  but then what kind of dialogue are we permitted to engage in and what kind of questions are we permitted to ask our visitor?

And I have visited many other countries where I have indeed been asked tough questions about U.S. international and domestic policies. People from other countries as just as curious about America as we are about them.

To our visitor: I know the Shia or Shi'ite sect is popular in Lebanon and in other countries too. But the self punishment or flogging is not seen in other countries besides Iran, is it? I have not seen large murals of Ayatollah's in other countries as I have seen in Iran either. [/quote]

Yes, it is celebrated in the same way in Lebanon and Iraq.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/1890541.stm (Warning: It's bloody).
http://arabia.msn.com/news/middleeast/afp/2011/december/11074941/millions-flood-iraq-shrine-city-for-ashura-rituals.aspx[/quote]

[b]Okay I viewed the first one. I know you warned me that it's bloody. I could have taken that. What I could not take is the picture of the woman hitting what appeared to be a three year old boy on the head and seeing his bloody head and face. I wasn't warned about that and it upset me greatly. It's one thing to commit self flagellation in the same of your religious interpretation but another to have it be done by an adult to a very young child. I understand it's an important day of mourning in the Shi'ite sect but sorry my feeling is that this just goes too too far. There are not many in the international community I think that would find this acceptable or tolerable, even for the sake of diplomacy. 
I could not finish reading the article or view the second link because I was too upset!!![/b][/quote]

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