Why are most (overseas) Iranians secular?

[Hakim Khan Urgonai]

Out of nearly all Iranians I have met, only 2 identified as Muslims, the rest were agnostic or "not religious".

Even in Pakistan (Where I met most of them). I only saw a few elderly Iranian women wearing burqa/chador, but then again, they were representatives of the Iranian government and people, sent to Pakistan.

[Hakim Khan Urgonai]

Im guessing most of them are those who fled iran after the revolution

No, even recent Iranians in my hood act more Westernized than any other Middle Eastern/South Asian group.

[Friend]

Thats true

[khushal]

the shia beleifs are flawed like catholism. most catholics I meet especially that have gone to catholic school are also agnostics or atheists. When you have too much contradiction in a belief system, you are bound to lose followers and go to the complete opposite side.

I have seen the same pattern with Iraqi shia and afghan shia.

[Hakim Khan Urgonai]

the shia beleifs are flawed like catholism. most catholics I meet especially that have gone to catholic school are also agnostics or atheists. When you have too much contradiction in a belief system, you are bound to lose followers and go to the complete opposite side.

Yes, many Catholic school pupils become irreligious as adults.

[RevolutionThroughReason]

since most Pashtuns are hereditarily Sunni; how do you explain the abundance of secular Pashttuns?

[Hakim Khan Urgonai]

since most Pashtuns are hereditarily Sunni; how do you explain the abundance of secular Pashttuns?

That's easy.

1) Weak character possessed by athiests and such.
2) The desire to look modern in front of White people.

[Nima Khan Abdali]

That's why Iranians are more self-aware and Iran is more developed than the rest of the Mideast and South Asia. Secularism is a big treasure that one may have. One's belief is only between him/her and God. There's no need to demonstrate it among others. Not only Iranians overseas, but also most of the Iranians in Iran itself are secular and that's a very good thing. Perhaps it's the only thing that gives hope about the bright future of Iran.

Hakim khan accuses Iranians for being secular. I ask him, what has he gained for not being so? Being so-called religious is only a sign of show off, not the close proximity to God.

Note also that Iranians are more secular than you might think of. Of every 1000 Iranians that I have met, only one is not secular, and even this ratio will diminish.

Sitting in the West and living on Western welfare and furthermore, enjoying all of the advantages that a secular country grants, it is only most disgusting of some people here on this forum which behave like as being religious and an advocate for state of being religious.

Az man mishnawid berawid az chizha intori khelas beshawid.

Hear me and go get rid of this illness.

[Hakim Khan Urgonai]

Hakim khan accuses Iranians for being secular. I ask him, what has he gained for not being so? Being so-called religious is only a sign of show off, not the close proximity to God.

How is Iran so great? The people are miserable and only secular because of the government forcing inaccurate representations of Islam down their throats.

I am not religious per se, but I believe in God more than anything else.

[faye]

iranians are cool. i met some here, at a protest against the israeli attacks in gaza.
in the 70's when i went to iran and worked doing portraits there, they were friendly and sophisticated. i was safe with the men there. i loved the iranians i mixed with in tehran.

[Nima Khan Abdali]

How is Iran so great? The people are miserable and only secular because of the government forcing inaccurate representations of Islam down their throats.

I am not religious per se, but I believe in God more than anything else.

Iran is great and has always been so; moreover, Iran has always been parental to every nation around it. Iranians are not miserable: they have seen harder times than most of the world's nations but managed to stand still, in its course. Unlike your country of origin (Pakistan, India whatever) the map of Iran has not been drawn with ruler and pencil by "sur farangyan" as you call it. Also, Iranians have been secular before this government. Iranians have always been secular. I can prove it, but it will lead to another forum catastrophe and I will be banned again, so better I not. One more addition, any representation of Islam is inaccurate.

If you're not religious, it means that you're secular. But you are apparently not secular either (as you yourself also implied). So, what are you? A robot?

It's very good thing to believe in God. It's extremely bad not to believe God. But it's even worse to show it off.

[Hakim Khan Urgonai]

Iran is great and has always been so; moreover, Iran has always been parental to every nation around it. Iranians are not miserable: they have seen harder times than most of the world's nations but managed to stand still, in its course. Unlike your country of origin (Pakistan, India whatever) the map of Iran has not been drawn with ruler and pencil by "sur farangyan" as you call it. Also, Iranians have been secular before this government. Iranians have always been secular. I can prove it, but it will lead to another forum catastrophe and I will be banned again, so better I not. One more addition, any representation of Islam is inaccurate.

If you're not religious, it means that you're secular. But you are apparently not secular either (as you yourself also implied). So, what are you? A robot?

It's very good thing to believe in God. It's extremely bad not to believe God. But it's even worse to show it off.

First, there are a few questions:

Who has Iran been a parent to?

Iranians hate life in Iran and want to leave it, because of the government.

What hardships has Iran faced?

How is any representation of Islam inaccurate?

Secondly, I am not a 5 times a day praying Muslim, but that does not mean I am secular and yes, robot is close.

I do not care for good or bad, I care for whatever I want to.

[Nima Khan Abdali]

First, there are a few questions:

Who has Iran been a parent to?

Iranians hate life in Iran and want to leave it, because of the government.

What hardships has Iran faced?

How is any representation of Islam inaccurate?

Secondly, I am not a 5 times a day praying Muslim, but that does not mean I am secular and yes, robot is close.

I do not care for good or bad, I care for whatever I want to.

You lack the basic intellectual level, it's pointless to argue with you over the things that demand knowledge.

[Hakim Khan Urgonai]

You lack the basic intellectual level, it's pointless to argue with you over the things that demand knowledge.

Or maybe you are missing a very important point.

[randolph85]

persian nationalism, the bull**** idea that persians are better than they really are and them being bitter that they were conquered by arabs. ironically, shia persians are very anti arab.