' Churches, synagogues, mosques and Zoroastrian temples'

Well as well as getting lots of nasty comments from idiots who believe that Muslims all have three heads, its great to get some interesting and positive comments,

Many people seem unaware that the Saudi strain of Wahbism is regressive and intolerant but there is plenty of tolerant forms of Islam.

I think a lot of the critics of Islam are mirroring, projecting US cultural and military domination on Islam, now I am not of course endorsing the present government in Iran either but I think the point below is very well made.

I am tempted to run a week of pro Islam blogging, one source interestingly is the Economist, not on the left and pretty pro US imperialism but every now and then they run some beautiful articles on Islam.


thanks Shayan

Shayan has left a new comment on your post "Boycott Switzerland! Minaret ban vote goes wrong w...":

I'm Iranian. In Iran we have more than 600 churches and I don't know how many synagogues, but quite a lot! We also have Zoroastrian temples and even Hindu temples in the South-Eastern part. Churches, synagogues, mosques and Zoroastrian temples have stood side by side for thousands of years without any problem, and without the slightest objection from people! Many of the more than 600 churches in Iran were built in modern times, and some even after the 1979 revolution! The Churches, synagogues and Zoroastrian temples even receive funding from the fundamentalist theocracy!

I have heard some people saying "If we can't build churches in their countries, then why should they be allowed to build mosques in our countries?" Well, this is not entirely correct. The only Muslim country that forbids churches or other non-Muslim places of worship is Saudi Arabia! Saudi Arabia is heavily influenced by the most radical and extreme school of Islam, invented by a Saudi man some 250 years ago: Wahabism! It is this kind of Islam which has become rooted in Pakistan and Afghanistan after the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan! But in virtually all other Muslim countries churches are allowed and exist as well.

And even if they were not allowed, why would a society that claims to be free, democratic and tolerant want to lower itself to the level of Saudi Arabia? If they do that, then how can they be any better?

I'm not even religious, but I will not set my foot on Swiss territory as a visitor, nor will I any longer buy any Swiss products! There must be a high price to pay for intolerance and violating the rights of people! I no longer hold a good view of Switzerland! I didn't know that 30% of the Swiss people vote for the racist right-wing extremist party! I was shocked to learn that this party is the biggest political party in their country! I used to have a very positive view of Switzerland, but no longer!