Lessons we can learn from
Iran June 22, 2009
Preface: I am a
Christian saved by Grace and that says it all. It is important for
that statement to preface any observations I may make regarding the body
politic that is the USA.
In the aftermath of the recent Iranian
elections we have seen the images of a people making an attempt to reclaim
their basic human rights. In the process of selecting a leader the
vote was taken and the results were challenged. The ruling entity,
the Guardian Council is attempting to quell a nationwide protest as this
entry is being crafted.
As a matter of background in April of
1979, the Islamic Republic of Iran was formed following the revolutionary
overthrow of the monarchy of Shah Reza Pahlavi. In the resulting
vacuum the Grand Ayatollah Khomeini established the Islamic Republic of
Iran as a theocracy with the Muslim beliefs, traditions, and the religious
tenets of the Koran at its core. For over three decades the people
of Iran have slavishly followed this government and its repressive ideologies.
The disaffection for the Theocracy has
fairly recently become evident only within the last half of this past decade.
Estimates on population demographics are trending toward an increasingly
younger populace. Approximately 25% of the population is age
15 or younger and roughly 70 percent are under the age of 35.
Typically, succeeding generations in
a society or country that are trending younger tend to be a bit more liberal.
They are more willing to expand freedoms that are either severely restricted
or eliminated by the religious “supervisors” of their country. History
would tell us that a repressive society in the modern era generally has
a relatively short shelf life when compared to history.
This is especially true if the populace
is allowed to witness news from other parts of the world. Iranians
can access news from around the globe via the internet and other sources,
and can see the glaring contrast between themselves and democratic countries.
The result has been a growing resistance to the status quo as the younger
generation desires the same opportunities and privileges available in so
many western societies.
Here in the United States the religious
right/moral majority/neo-cons continue to seek a return toward a more legalistic
and conservative approach toward the enactment or interpretation of our
laws. In fact, I believe that some in the conservative movement would
just as soon create an American Theocracy based mainly on the Bible as
the foundation.
I have read the Constitution, and studied
it as a requirement for my college major in Political Science. I
have also read a large amount of case law and Supreme Court opinions to
gain a greater perspective of how our law works. That said,
by no means would I set myself out as a Constitutional Law authority such
as is President Obama.
Nonetheless with those studies in my
background I have a great deal of difficulty siding with even my own Church
with regard to the law. The immediately previous blog states my position
clearly enough. My religious beliefs should not be imposed on someone
else based on that portion of the First Amendment which reads in part “Congress
shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion; or prohibiting
the free exercise thereof;”
If a Biblical tenet is used a foundation
for a law, then functionally that is wrong. Mind you our democracy
is based in the Social Compact and those being governed must concur with
the governance.
So what can we learn from the events
in Iran? Hopefully it will be that we continue to avoid becoming
a nation governed by any religious principle be its origin be the Bible,
the Torah, or the Koran.
Here is a recent article
that discusses the Iranian Theocracy
http://www.newsweek.com/id/202979
