Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
commercialism, Iran and the US stand at opposite extremes. Back home, just about every-
where we look, we are inundated by advertising encouraging us to consume. Airports are
paid to drone commercials on loud TVs. Magazines are beefy with slick ads. Sports stars
wear corporate logos. Our media are shaped and driven by corporate marketing. But in
Iran, Islam reigns. Billboards, Muzak, TV programming, and young people's education
all trumpet the teachings of great Shia holy men…at the expense of the economy. Con-
sequently, many in Iranian society tune into Western media via satellites and the Internet,
and barely watch Iranian media. Iran's youth are very Web-savvy.
Despite all of this, when it comes to religion, I was surprised by the general mellow-
ness of the atmosphere in Iran compared to other Muslim countries I've visited. Except
for the strict women's dress codes and the lack of American products and businesses (be-
cause of the US embargo), life on the streets in Iran was much the same as in secular cities
elsewhere. In fact, ironically, despite the aggressively theocratic society, the country felt
no more spiritual than neighboring, secular Muslim nations. During my visit, I didn't see
spiny minarets and didn't hear calls to prayer—a strong contrast to my visit to Istanbul
during Ramadan (described in chapter 6).
While the focus of my trip was on the people rather than the politics, Iran's theocracy
makes civil rights concerns unavoidable. Civil liberties for women, religious minorities,
and critics of the government are the mark of any modern, free, and sustainable demo-
cracy. I believe that, given time and a chance to evolve on their cultural terms, the will of
any people ultimately prevails. But in Iran, that time is not yet here. For now, this country
is not free. (And no one here claims it is—locals told me, “Iranian democracy: We are giv-
en lots of options…and then the government makes the choice for us.”) A creepiness that
comes with a “big brother” government pervaded the place. Every day during my visit, I
wondered how free-minded people cope.
While the Islamic Republic of Iran's constitution does not separate mosque and
state, it does allow for other religions… with provisions. I asked Seyed if people must
be religious here. He said, “In Iran, you can be whatever religion you like, as long as
it is not offensive to Islam.” Christian? “Sure.” Jewish? “Sure.” Bahá'i? “No. We be-
lieve Muhammad—who came in the seventh century—was the last prophet. The Bahá'i
prophet, Bahá'u'lláh, came in the 19th century. Worshipping someone who came after
Muhammad is offensive to Muslims. That is why the Bahá'i faith is not allowed in Iran.”
I asked, “So Christians and Jews are allowed. But what if you want to get somewhere
in the military or government?” Seyed answered, “Then you'd better be a Muslim.” I ad-
ded, “A practicing Shia Muslim?” He said, “Yes.”
