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Politics, Religion

How Can Anyone Be Surprised

06.15.09 | 2 Comments

Iranian Hostage Crisis, 1979

The thing that is most surprising to me about the recent election in Iran where the incumbent hardliner won re-election is that anyone would be surprised about the outcome. I mean, come on, this regime in Iran is not exactly known for concepts like democracy or even making decisions based upon data (see Islamic Republic – if it ain’t in the Koran it ain’t happening.)

So there’s all this news coverage spewing all over on this subject and I find myself asking “why is anyone surprised and why is this news?” When the Ayotollah dies and isn’t replaced, then we can see if any real change is possible in Iran. While religious nutjobs run the country, things aren’t going to change without armed revolt.

I have no enmity toward the Iranian people (in fact, some of the most interesting, intelligent, kind, and capable people I know originally hail from Iran – often they’re more oblique indicating they’re from Persia.) Indeed, I hope for their sake, they are able to reach some reasonable accord between their own collective free will and religion. It’s just that the situation that has recently played out had zero promise of that happening.

It’s up to the people of Iran to figure this out and if we’re smart, we’ll stay out of it whilst that happens. The rule of unintended consequences you know…Meanwhile, present-day Iran provides good example of why to keep church and state separate.

2 Comments




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