tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-67167133141661382352024-03-16T10:41:42.919-07:00The Cross In The Deserta discussion page sharing the good news of Jesus with MuslimsRandy L. Noblehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06956587505268014443noreply@blogger.comBlogger189125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6716713314166138235.post-55422368132476184162024-03-08T19:05:00.000-08:002024-03-08T19:05:28.354-08:00"In defense of her honor."<p> <span style="font-size: medium;">Writing the tragic story of Reyhaneh Jabbari was an incredible honor for me to scream loudly to the world about the horrific injustice that was done to this beautiful Iranian woman!</span></p><p><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-family: courier; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">“</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">I, Reyhaneh Jabbari, am 26 years
old. With a hanging rope in front of my eyes, that I am not afraid of, I write
to tell the tale that I lived...<o:p></o:p></span></span></i></p><p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">I want to tell you everything that
I said in court, which they did not understand, and everything that I cried out
under torture, which was not heard. Everything that I screamed out while I was
brutally kicked by four forceful interrogators, who regarded themselves as
“Almighty.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></i></p><p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">“Perhaps someone in this world
would hear my cries and feel my pain…”<o:p></o:p></span></span></i></p><p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"> </span></span></i></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Arial Black",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Lucida Sans Unicode";">Reyhaneh Jabbari<o:p></o:p></span></p><p>
</p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">(Prison
letter #1)<o:p></o:p></span></p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/RODAAX5zpuY" width="320" youtube-src-id="RODAAX5zpuY"></iframe></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjywpYz1tM6_4BBwT7fWvQDKdO71I6PsaeJ2E9psKBNTjrmpGpSl-ulk7xFIQC-fZpu2EV3gFB8mlL7wzAng6bn_wQteUtGkevYWitnfneXl6Imt46CcpkOe4wgBdr-FyEtCodp-TXjWlcfSNqGoXtjxTHgxiCu_vk-JHA8pZD6JiYVSmhJfBHC2W6xipAB/s812/in%20defense%20of%20her%20honor.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="812" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjywpYz1tM6_4BBwT7fWvQDKdO71I6PsaeJ2E9psKBNTjrmpGpSl-ulk7xFIQC-fZpu2EV3gFB8mlL7wzAng6bn_wQteUtGkevYWitnfneXl6Imt46CcpkOe4wgBdr-FyEtCodp-TXjWlcfSNqGoXtjxTHgxiCu_vk-JHA8pZD6JiYVSmhJfBHC2W6xipAB/w320-h213/in%20defense%20of%20her%20honor.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Reyhaneh on trial, December 2008.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /></div><br /><p><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-weight: bold;"> </span><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span><span style="font-family: georgia;">In the Persian language, names have specific meanings
that relate to life. The name, <i>“Reyhaneh,”</i>
means, “<i>flower, fragrance.”</i>
Ironically, my name, in the English language, <i>“Randy” </i>means, “<i>defender.”<o:p></o:p></i></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><i><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span></i><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">I don’t believe that it’s
a coincidence that I am writing this blog for Reyhaneh. I am not merely writing
out of sympathy. It is much bigger than that! I believe I have the “<i>God-ordained”</i> task to live up to the
meaning of my name. I want to be a <i>“defender,”
</i>a defender of Reyhaneh’s honor as a woman. Reyhaneh was the helpless victim
of a man’s uncontrollable sexual advances and she did what any honorable woman
would do by defending herself. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"> In Iran,
the unfortunate reality is that women are the property of men, in a society
that elevates the status of a man because of the Sharia Law. According to the
Quran, <i>Men are superior to women and the
testimony of a woman is only worth half that of a man’s” </i>(Surah 2:282,
Surah 4:34)<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"> Reyhaneh
grew up in this kind of culture and because she defended her honor against a
former intelligence agent, her fate was sealed. The Iranian Regime would do
everything in its power to protect the reputation of a government man, which
meant that Reyhaneh had no hope of surviving, but instead would be sacrificed
on the altar of convenience so that the Sarbandi name would not be tainted.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"> Right before
her execution, the Regime brought in cameramen and reporters to pressure Reyhaneh
into changing her story.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"> <i>“Just say he did not try to rape me!”<o:p></o:p></i></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><i><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span></i><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">In the midst of great
pressure to preserve her life, Reyhaneh refused to lie and compromise the
truth, but instead she stood strong and tall as a majestic mountain and looked
in the face of her accusers and responded, <i>“
I will not lie!”<o:p></o:p></i></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><i><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span></i><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">The reason I chose the
name, <i>“a beautiful fragrance” </i>as the
subtitle of my book is because Reyhaneh exemplified and lived up to the meaning
behind her name. She was a beautiful fragrance of honor, kindness, mercy, and
courage. She forgave her interrogators shortly before her execution and showed
kindness and compassion to the many women political prisoners who came from
destitute and filthy walks of life.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"> This blog is about a remarkable, extraordinary and inspiring woman who suffered greatly
at the hands of an evil dictatorship and illuminated a dirty prison with the
beautiful fragrances of her wonderful character.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p>
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"> It is my honor and pleasure to be a voice for her honor!</span></span></p>Randy L. Noblehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06956587505268014443noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6716713314166138235.post-797520908039248132023-12-04T13:46:00.000-08:002023-12-04T13:52:33.309-08:00"Hey, you who are silent, the next Mahsa will be yours!"<p> *<span style="color: red;">This is the latest blog written by my dear Iranian friend, Paymaneh Sabet. Paymaneh is an Iranian journalist and human rights activist living in exile in Malaysia, forced to leave her homeland by a dictatorship government that would sentence her to life in prison for speaking out</span></p><p><span style="color: red;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="color: red;"><br /></span></p><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 9.0pt; margin: 9pt 0in 0in; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="color: #111111; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-ligatures: none;"> The next Mahsa will be yours<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 9.0pt; margin: 9pt 0in 0in;"><span lang="EN-MY" style="color: #111111; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-ligatures: none;">“</span><span style="color: #111111; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-ligatures: none;">Hey, you who are silent, the next Mahsa will be
yours.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 9.0pt; margin: 9pt 0in 0in;"><span style="color: #111111; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-ligatures: none;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 9.0pt; margin: 9pt 0in 0in;"><span style="color: #111111; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-ligatures: none;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 9.0pt; margin: 9pt 0in 0in;"><span style="color: #111111; font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span><span style="color: #111111; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-ligatures: none;"><b></b></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1dSxoQMDpcbHbpTVwRxcAqaltESccERzl32fHXOOF5FwuqzqjpsHbU5pijW2QzbiF10X9j_6qh98Zbg4MxK04GhENw7P3HQ5kVAb2B14YVX6fk0q8dvcSPyMtX7IpZdTHl6Dq8k1XFFvYC63OJfmKWtIqS9Jj3ES_YM1IxYal3nXVlp3X4501AYbj_YFH/s680/Mahsa%20Amini.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="680" data-original-width="680" height="211" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1dSxoQMDpcbHbpTVwRxcAqaltESccERzl32fHXOOF5FwuqzqjpsHbU5pijW2QzbiF10X9j_6qh98Zbg4MxK04GhENw7P3HQ5kVAb2B14YVX6fk0q8dvcSPyMtX7IpZdTHl6Dq8k1XFFvYC63OJfmKWtIqS9Jj3ES_YM1IxYal3nXVlp3X4501AYbj_YFH/w211-h211/Mahsa%20Amini.jpg" width="211" /></a></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><b><br /> This
was the slogan that Iranians chanted in the streets after Mahsa Amini, a young
woman, was brutally killed by the morality police in Iran. Her death sparked a
wave of protests and outrage among the Iranian people, especially women, who
have been suffering from oppression and violence for decades under the Islamic
regime. In this article, I want to tell you why the world should not ignore the
plight of the Iranian people and why we should stand with them in their
struggle for freedom and dignity.<o:p></o:p></b><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 9.0pt; margin: 9pt 0in 0in;"><span style="color: #111111; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-ligatures: none;"><b> I
was born and raised in Iran; a country that has been ruled by a dictatorship
since 1979. I have witnessed many atrocities and injustices committed by the
regime against its own people. I have seen many of my relatives, friends, and
fellow citizens being arrested, tortured, executed, or exiled for expressing
their opinions, beliefs, or desires. I have seen many women being harassed,
beaten, or killed for not obeying the strict dress code or for demanding their
rights. I have seen many children being deprived of education, health care, or
a bright future because of poverty, corruption, or sanctions.<o:p></o:p></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 9.0pt; margin: 9pt 0in 0in;"><span style="color: #111111; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-ligatures: none;"><b> I
have also seen many people who chose to remain silent or indifferent to these
crimes. Some of them were afraid of the consequences of speaking out or taking
action. Some of them were selfish or greedy and cared only about their own
interests or benefits. Some of them were ignorant or naive and believed that
the regime would change or reform itself. Some of them were hopeful or
optimistic and thought that things would get better someday.<o:p></o:p></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 9.0pt; margin: 9pt 0in 0in;"><span style="color: #111111; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-ligatures: none;"><b> But
they were all wrong. The regime did not change or reform itself. It became more
brutal and oppressive. Things did not get better. They got worse. The fire that
the regime had ignited in Iran spread to other countries and regions. The
regime supported terrorist groups and militias in Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, Yemen,
Gaza, and elsewhere. The regime provoked conflicts and wars with its neighbors
and rivals. The regime threatened the security and stability of the whole world
with its nuclear ambitions and ballistic missiles.<o:p></o:p></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 9.0pt; margin: 9pt 0in 0in;"><span style="color: #111111; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-ligatures: none;"><b> The
fire that the regime had ignited in Iran also burned many of those who had
remained silent or indifferent. The next Mahsa was Kian, a young boy who was
shot dead by security forces while he was returning home from his grandmother’s
house in his father’s car. The next Mahsa was Armita Gheravand, a teenage girl
who was attacked to death by three women who were paid by the regime to enforce
the hijab on other women. Also, there were others before Mahsas. Neda
Agha-Soltan, a university student who was shot dead by a sniper while she was
watching a peaceful demonstration.<o:p></o:p></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 9.0pt; margin: 9pt 0in 0in;"><span style="color: #111111; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-ligatures: none;"><b> The
next Mahsa could be anyone. It could be you or your loved ones. It could be me
or my loved ones though I lost my beloved cousin Saeed Tahmasebi and his lovely
wife on Ukraine plane 20 days after their wedding, the couple who were not even
living inside Iran.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It could be anyone
who cares about human rights, democracy, justice, peace, and love.<o:p></o:p></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 9.0pt; margin: 9pt 0in 0in;"><span style="color: #111111; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-ligatures: none;"><b> That
is why I decided to speak up and take action. That is why had no choice but seeking
asylum after I was marked and threatened by the members of Iranian embassy here
in Malaysia. The asylum that has not been granted to me after 10 years as the
UN is still pending my case for being an Iranian. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That is why I write books, blogs, and articles
for radio programs to expose the crimes of the regime and to support the
Iranian people. That is why I urge you to do the same.<o:p></o:p></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 9.0pt; margin: 9pt 0in 0in;"><span style="color: #111111; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-ligatures: none;"><b> Do
not remain silent or indifferent to the plight of the Iranian people. Do not
let the regime get away with its crimes. Do not let the fire that the regime
has ignited in Iran burn you or your loved ones.<o:p></o:p></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 9.0pt; margin: 9pt 0in 0in;"><span style="color: #111111; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-ligatures: none;"><b> Stand
with the Iranian people in their struggle for freedom and dignity. Support
their demands for human rights, democracy, justice, peace, and love. Put
pressure on your governments to stop dealing with the regime and to impose
sanctions on its leaders and their children. Help the Iranian refugees and
activists who are living in exile or under threat.<o:p></o:p></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 9.0pt; margin: 9pt 0in 0in;"><span style="color: #111111; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-ligatures: none;"><b> <i>The
next victim will be your if you do not act now.<o:p></o:p></i></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 9.0pt; margin: 9pt 0in 0in;"><span style="color: #111111; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-ligatures: none;"><i><b> The
time to act is now.<o:p></o:p></b></i></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 9.0pt; margin: 9pt 0in 0in;"><span style="color: #111111; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-ligatures: none;"><i><b> The
time to stand with Iran is now.<o:p></o:p></b></i></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 9.0pt; margin: 9pt 0in 0in;"><span style="color: #111111; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-ligatures: none;"><b><i> </i>But the regime does not want you to stand with Iranians. The regime wants you to be
distracted and divided by its plots and provocations. The regime wants you to
forget about Mahsa and the Iranian people. The regime wants you to focus on the
conflicts and violence that it has created or fueled in the region and the
world.<o:p></o:p></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 9.0pt; margin: 9pt 0in 0in;"><span style="color: #111111; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-ligatures: none;"><b> The
regime is behind the chaos and bloodshed that is happening in Israel and Gaza.
The regime is supporting Hamas and Islamic Jihad, two terrorist groups that are
firing rockets at Israeli civilians and causing death and destruction. The
regime is also inciting hatred and violence among Palestinians and Israelis,
who have been living together peacefully for years. The regime is exploiting
the suffering and anger of the people to advance its agenda and interests.<o:p></o:p></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 9.0pt; margin: 9pt 0in 0in;"><span style="color: #111111; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-ligatures: none;"><b> The
regime is also behind the attacks and threats that are targeting innocent
people in Europe and America. The regime is sponsoring or inspiring terrorists
and extremists who are carrying out bombings, shootings, stabbings, or
kidnappings. The regime is also spreading propaganda and misinformation to sow
discord and distrust among the people and their governments. The regime is
trying to undermine the values and principles that are shared by the free and
democratic nations.<o:p></o:p></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 9.0pt; margin: 9pt 0in 0in;"><span style="color: #111111; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-ligatures: none;"><b> The
regime is doing all this to divert the attention of the world from its crimes
and failures. The regime is doing all this to weaken the resistance and
solidarity of the Iranian people and their supporters. The regime is doing all
this to escape the accountability and justice that it deserves.<o:p></o:p></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 9.0pt; margin: 9pt 0in 0in;"><span style="color: #111111; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-ligatures: none;"><b> Do
not fall for the regime’s tricks and traps. Do not let the regime deceive you
or divide you. Do not let the regime make you forget or ignore Mahsa and the
Iranian people.<o:p></o:p></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 9.0pt; margin: 9pt 0in 0in;"><span style="color: #111111; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-ligatures: none;"><b> Remember
Mahsa, Remember Armita. Remember their courage and sacrifice. Remember their
voice and message. Remember their slogan: Hey, you who are silent, the next
Mahsa/Armita will be yours.<o:p></o:p></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 9.0pt; margin: 9pt 0in 0in;"><span style="color: #111111; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-ligatures: none;"><b> Remember
Mahsa and Armita, and stand with Iran.<o:p></o:p></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 9.0pt; margin: 9pt 0in 0in;"><span style="color: #111111; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-ligatures: none;"><b> Stand
with Iranians before it is too late!</b><o:p></o:p></span></p><span style="color: red;"></span><p></p>Randy L. Noblehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06956587505268014443noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6716713314166138235.post-22235486181097311572023-11-05T06:39:00.004-08:002023-11-05T06:58:45.928-08:00"Hasti Panahi, Awaken!"<p> </p><p>"<span style="color: #2b00fe;">Open your mouth with a mighty decree, I will fulfill it NOW, you'll see. The words that you speak, so shall it be!"</span></p><p><span style="color: #2b00fe;"> </span> (Psalm 81:10, The Passion Translation)</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"> <span style="font-family: arial;"><b> </b></span></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>Every Sunday evening, I meet with my Christian friend, Heather on the internet and we spend up to two hours praying for the oppressed people in Iran, especially women, who are specifically targeted by the Morality Police for refusing to wear their hijab. Since September of 2022, we had been very busy praying and being a voice for Iranian women, after the unjust murder of 22 year-0ld Mahsa Amini, who was beaten while in custody for wearing an improper hijab. Her death sparked the #<span style="color: #ff00fe;">Woman,life,freedom</span> uprising in Iran, which by January of 2023 had already claimed the lives of over 700 peaceful protesters and the arrest and torture of thousands of others.</b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><b> During one of our prayer sessions in January of 2023, I distinctly remembered sharing with Heather, the tragic story of a young Iranian school girl, who had been severely beaten in the head by security forces while at school. 16 year-old, Hasti Hossein Panahi, was confronted by the school principal and shown a video of her taking part in an anti-government protest rally and ripping up a picture of the Supreme Leader. A few minutes later, Hasti and her classmates were taken away from the school to an undisclosed location and reportedly beaten by security forces. Hasti suffered severe brain trauma and lapsed into a coma. The doctors told her family that she had very little chance of recovery. It was at the same time in January that hundreds of young school girls had been rushed to the hospital suffering from some unusual type of toxic poisoning. It was suspected that the government was behind their deliberate poisonings, since videos of the schoolgirls protesting against the Supreme Leader, had been uploaded to the internet and now The Islamic Republic of Iran was exacting revenge on them!</b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><b> As Heather and I began praying, I cried out to God to heal Hasti and miraculously awaken her out of her coma!</b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><br /></b></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBT8-qFAJac7rUUQze6hhQ_fkIoFsLyrIIp8AHbyK4GTPMsy4GRepJTCo1KcB3RHViIYMhzoqlIUwEebFHuCgVJ7EP0YzH1y8vPkfPy9SVjvpISY72_EoYgi8I2SUMQxAz4TDgx966R2T72D2DDLNTspVGy5JJGg1_8JeIFmfqj88motKpUfDrUKeAYuVv/s680/Hasti%20%232.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><b><img border="0" data-original-height="606" data-original-width="680" height="285" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBT8-qFAJac7rUUQze6hhQ_fkIoFsLyrIIp8AHbyK4GTPMsy4GRepJTCo1KcB3RHViIYMhzoqlIUwEebFHuCgVJ7EP0YzH1y8vPkfPy9SVjvpISY72_EoYgi8I2SUMQxAz4TDgx966R2T72D2DDLNTspVGy5JJGg1_8JeIFmfqj88motKpUfDrUKeAYuVv/w320-h285/Hasti%20%232.jpg" width="320" /></b></a></span></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVEfhyMTxfpp6X7T3Mp4YPVluyEm8CdfxVzVkc4cL-gWqk4v7BRa11l1Y33QqMSt5WnStIdPvHvO8pFm2jeH-DfIfEQzJXivwvA2A34LfCup2RwffHDl498D8MktoGr77IKKPu6UPAUWqqCQvHuiMoh51eSEAcT112VuIPVEh2aACq3frOFl6M7dmzTFhW/s943/Hasti%20%231.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="943" data-original-width="943" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVEfhyMTxfpp6X7T3Mp4YPVluyEm8CdfxVzVkc4cL-gWqk4v7BRa11l1Y33QqMSt5WnStIdPvHvO8pFm2jeH-DfIfEQzJXivwvA2A34LfCup2RwffHDl498D8MktoGr77IKKPu6UPAUWqqCQvHuiMoh51eSEAcT112VuIPVEh2aACq3frOFl6M7dmzTFhW/s320/Hasti%20%231.jpg" width="320" /></a></b></span></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><br /> The powerful promise of Psalm 81:10 echoed in my mind during my prayer time and I clearly remember declaring, "Awaken Hasti, awaken! I speak life unto you. Awaken from your coma!" God promises us in Psalm 81:10 to "Open your mouth with a mighty decree, I will fulfill it now, you'll see. The Words that you speak, so shall it be." </b></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><b> <i> The powerful promise of Psalm 81:10 gave me incredible boldness to decree Hasti's healing and confidently expect that she would awaken from her life-threatening comatose condition.</i></b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><i> </i>Months passed by and there were no updates about Hasti's condition. Heather and I continued to meet and pray for her recovery. In March of that same year, I published my newest book, entitled, "Uprising: We are the Revolution," that told the tragic stories of young Iranian women who had been killed by the government for peacefully protesting in the streets. Being a voice for the oppressed women of Iran is the passion of my life and I wanted to educate readers about their daily struggles for freedom under a dictatorship government.</b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><b> The last news item that I had read about Hasti's condition was that the doctors sadly informed her family that she was brain dead and had no hope of recovery. But doctors don't have the final word! When doctors say there is no hope, that's when Jesus steps in and declares, "I am writing your story, dear Hasti. I will have the final say. I am writing the next chapter of your life and no demonic force in hell can stop your miracle!"</b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><b> Three months after our passionate prayer for Hasti's recovery, Jesus miraculously awakened Hasti from her coma! You cannot begin to imagine the absolute joy that Heather and I experienced when we read the incredible news! Hasti emerged from her coma after six months and was released from the hospital in a wheelchair. She is unable to move her arms and legs because of the severe brain injury, but Heather and I know that God is not finished with Hasti's miracle. We are overwhelmed with joy at what God has done in response to our decree, one January night, when we cried out in prayer, "Hasti awaken!" God didn't revive Hasti from a life-threatening coma to leave her confined to a wheelchair for the rest of her life. We are praying and fully expecting our great God to finish writing Hasti's miraculous story, by raising her up out of her wheelchair so that she can finish school. Our prayer now is that God will open a door for Hasti and her family to escape from Iran and find a host country with a doctor that will treat her for her paralysis. No 16 year-old girl should have to live under such oppressive conditions with the fear of being beaten for not wearing a hijab when she goes out publicly. The young women of Iran are now under video surveillance by the government and small business owners will be shut down if they allow them to inside without wearing a proper hijab.</b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><b> I regularly use Psalm 72 when praying for my dear Iranian friends. Psalm 72 is a powerful promise that God will rescue the oppressed when they cry out to him. Verse 12 declares that "He will redeem them from oppression and violence, for their lives are precious to him," (New Living Translation.)</b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><b> Hasti's life is precious to our compassionate God. He has not finished writing her story. He has a plan and purpose for her life and very soon, Heather and I expect that we will hear the amazing news that she can finally walk again!</b></span></p>Randy L. Noblehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06956587505268014443noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6716713314166138235.post-46641701165508238172023-05-21T19:49:00.001-07:002023-05-21T19:49:33.464-07:00Toomaj Salehi: Truth teller, a voice that cannot be silenced.<p> </p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Heather Joy, my co-author from our book, "Uprising: We are the revolution," writes a powerful plea to be a voice for imprisoned Iranian rapper, Toomaj Salehi.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination: none; text-align: center;"><u><span style="font-family: "Segoe UI Symbol",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI Semibold"; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Toomaj Salehi<o:p></o:p></span></u></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination: none; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Segoe UI Symbol",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI Semibold"; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Truth-teller: a voice that
cannot be silenced.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination: none; text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: "Segoe UI Symbol",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI Semibold";">“If
you’re not in the fight {for freedom} with us, then don’t bother<o:p></o:p></span></i></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination: none; text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: "Segoe UI Symbol",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI Semibold";">fighting
for my release.”<o:p></o:p></span></i></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination: none; text-align: center;"><u><span style="font-family: "Segoe UI Symbol",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI Semibold"; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">Heather Joy<o:p></o:p></span></u></p><p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-family: "Segoe UI Symbol",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI Semibold";"> </span></i></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Segoe UI Symbol", sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic;"> </span><span style="font-family: arial;"><i style="font-size: 11pt;"> </i><b>T</b></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>oomaj woke up at the sound of his
alarm. It was 8am in the beautiful city of Isfahan. Toomaj pulled back the
covers, went to his closet, and picked out his outfit for the day. Then, he
walked to the bathroom where he brushed his teeth and took a shower. Fifteen
minutes later, he put on his clothes and walked to the dining room. He pulled
out one of the chairs from the dining room table and put on his favorite pair
of sneakers. Toomaj grabbed his keys and wallet before heading out to his day
job where he worked as a welder at a metal factory. Although Toomaj was a
top-notch employee and enjoyed the company of his fellow co-workers, his truest
passion is music. His rap lyrics speak of the injustice and oppression that
Iranians have suffered under such a corrupt and notoriously wicked regime. <o:p></o:p></b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b> </b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b> In addition to his musical career, Toomaj
has maintained a strong social media presence. When you listen to his words, he
makes you think about things from a different perspective. It is not surprising
that Toomaj has a large following and thousands continue to be inspired by him.
He is a strong leader and has a compassionate heart. I personally believe, deep
in my heart, that Toomaj has a prophetic calling upon his life. He has yet to
discover it but in due time, he shall step into it. On his personal accounts,
he sought to bring encouragement to his fellow Iranians. He would stress the
importance of unity and caring for one another. One day, I randomly stumbled
upon one of his videos, and in it, Toomaj proclaimed that <i>“this country is ours; it belongs to the people.” </i>I decreed these exact words!!! What a prophetic
confirmation to the things that the Lord has spoken to me, concerning Iran and
her precious people! The land of Iran has been prophetically claimed for good
things! Like Toomaj, many Iranians are trailblazers<u>,</u> who are forging a
new path towards freedom. Behind the
scenes, I believe that the Living God is creating a new future for the Iranian
people that is more glorious than what is seen in this current season of
turmoil.<o:p></o:p></b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b> </b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b> As a prominent figure with a significant
platform, media outlets would request interviews with him and Toomaj would
often discuss the plight of his nation, the barbarity that Iranians have
suffered and continue to endure, and ways in which people {or other nations}
can stand in solidarity and press {with international pressure} for regime
change. In one of his interviews with a Canadian news outlet, when asked about
his thoughts regarding the regime, Toomaj boldly stated, “We are dealing with a
mafia that is willing to kill the entire nation to keep their power, money, and
guns.” Yet the regime has continued to fail in their efforts to silence Toomaj.
Stretching all the way back to 2021, he would have encounters with security
forces who wanted to confront him on the basis of his rap lyrics. <o:p></o:p></b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b> </b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b> The following year, they subsequently
arrested him on January 12, 2022, charging him with <i>“activities of
propaganda, and inciting the Supreme Leader.”</i> Toomaj’s sentence would be
deferred for 6 months and he would be released on bail as his supporters
condemned his arrest. During that six-month period, Toomaj was summoned to
court but he skipped his court date to write another song entitled, “Tanabe
Daar” {Gallows Noose} Toomaj continued to create more song lyrics and conduct
more interviews until he was arrested on September 12, 2022. The IRGC traveled
to the province of Chaharmahal {in Isfahan} and barged into Toomaj’s home,
placing handcuffs on his wrists and shoving him outside to one of their vans.
He faced the same charges but they would not stand. Nine days later, on
September 21, 2022, the outcry of his supporters combined with increased
international pressure led to his release, though it would be short-lived.
After the unjust murder of Mahsa Amini, Toomaj joined his fellow countrymen in
the streets. Between his rap lyrics, and joining the protests, the IRGC tried
to paint Toomaj as a terrorist, saying “<i>he’s
a leader of the riots, and he incites violence.” </i>I posit that the regime is
fearful of truth-tellers like Toomaj. He is a leader but not in the way that he
has been painted. Just a month later, Toomaj was re-arrested on October 30,
2022. They blind-folded him, placed handcuffs on his wrists, and shoved him
back into one of their vans. The state
media claimed that Toomaj was fleeing the country in order to tarnish his
reputation even further and paint him as not only a terrorist but a coward. <o:p></o:p></b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b> </b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b> Toomaj is no coward; he would not abandon
his fellow Iranians as they continue to fight for freedom. After all, freedom is not a crime!<o:p></o:p></b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b> On November 26, 2022, after he had been
sitting in a prison cell for some time, the Revolutionary Court held Toomaj’s
trial behind closed doors where he would face a different set of charges. His
lawyer was barred from seeing him or providing any sort of legal defense.
Instead, Toomaj was charged with “<i>Moharebeh”
</i>{enemy of God} and corruption upon the earth. He is in imminent danger of
being executed. As of this writing, his family has not heard from or spoken to
Toomaj since his latest arrest. He is currently being held in Dastgard Prison
where he has undergone severe physical and psychological torture. It has been
over 100 days since Toomaj was placed in solitary confinement and he has
wavered in and out of consciousness since the start of his sentence. His body
has been wracked with pain. At this point in time, they have broken his ribs,
making each breath nearly unbearable. They have broken one of his legs, leaving
him unable to walk. Other injuries include a broken nose and fingers. Toomaj
has also lost his eyesight in one eye. He has gone on a hunger strike to
protest the unjust and downright cruel ways in which the regime continues to
treat political prisoners.</b></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3lVzO8lO4LkvqjKHKME5IJUIUO2EoMNcidEdrpGSlE24vXJmnmN0U5cyRv4OjLShAtgFOwlOMH45EZ5ryt_OYqOS4VyQZpiRypKD76ie-D25csjIx1pWahZOaAg7EAHEM5_0jDKsnCsPdYHrZJAUNCKeUZr5aZxGz6fQn35e3u0X6iz0A_Vgn7kQ4lg/s960/Heather%20and%20Toomaj.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="960" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3lVzO8lO4LkvqjKHKME5IJUIUO2EoMNcidEdrpGSlE24vXJmnmN0U5cyRv4OjLShAtgFOwlOMH45EZ5ryt_OYqOS4VyQZpiRypKD76ie-D25csjIx1pWahZOaAg7EAHEM5_0jDKsnCsPdYHrZJAUNCKeUZr5aZxGz6fQn35e3u0X6iz0A_Vgn7kQ4lg/s320/Heather%20and%20Toomaj.jpg" width="320" /></a></b></span></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><br /> <o:p></o:p></b></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b> </b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b> Security forces have denied Toomaj from
receiving any level of medical care, of which he is in urgent need. They are
doing everything they can to break his spirit but he continues to be strong in
the face of it all. To fight for his life and not back down from speaking the
truth, it must be noted that psychological torture is no joke. Though he is a
freedom fighter and has a strong will to survive each hardship that is thrust
upon him, he is also a human being. Toomaj is struggling with the battle going
on in his mind. The mental scars he carries will require much healing. Toomaj
knew the risks but he has always stood his ground. He exemplifies courage and
truth is important to him. Do not believe any false confessions that the regime
would seek to extract from him and use as another means to promote fear. I do
not believe that he would compromise the truth. In this age and hour, every
evil thing will be exposed and brought to the light. For close to four decades,
the regime has set themselves up as “God.” However, in the {ongoing} fight for
freedom, the people's courage and their bravery speaks more powerfully.<o:p></o:p></b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b> </b></span></p><p>
<span style="font-family: arial;"><b> Join
in this fight for freedom, for freedom is worth fighting for. <i>Be Toomaj’s
voice</i>, as he has been a voice for the voiceless and has inspired positive
change all over the world. As for
this regime, they are being exposed for everything that they are and for
everything that they stand for. Their time will soon come to an end!</b></span></p>Randy L. Noblehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06956587505268014443noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6716713314166138235.post-41571139708267419652023-04-16T14:45:00.004-07:002023-04-16T14:47:54.042-07:00"A history of the Hijab Law in Iran."<p> </p><p>An excerpt from my book, "Uprising: We are the revolution."</p><p><br /></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh98wNaTiORSE98eGO5CwyBQotVXLhr2J5eVbX9rx0lwS-5j9ImYUo-rL8ThO_UbA03PkQr1TQtT_atOHyMLLaMFvKMR85gDCtszJIhUoz5Id6AfOzXCkqLKCie7fu_wW8DSwJQewww9q9nKmQSKw4nWTfM12E8EU1wFv95E_D6gu-OYejs-4tFDiOSWA/s369/Hijab%20Law.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="270" data-original-width="369" height="234" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh98wNaTiORSE98eGO5CwyBQotVXLhr2J5eVbX9rx0lwS-5j9ImYUo-rL8ThO_UbA03PkQr1TQtT_atOHyMLLaMFvKMR85gDCtszJIhUoz5Id6AfOzXCkqLKCie7fu_wW8DSwJQewww9q9nKmQSKw4nWTfM12E8EU1wFv95E_D6gu-OYejs-4tFDiOSWA/s320/Hijab%20Law.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination: none; text-align: center;"><br /></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination: none;"><span><span face="Segoe UI Symbol, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><span style="font-size: 11pt;"> </span>“What you’re seeing today is not something
that just happened. There’s been a long history of women protesting and defying
authority in Iran.”<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination: none;"><span><o:p><span style="font-family: arial;"><b> </b></span></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination: none;"><span><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The brutal and unjust murder of Jina Mahsa
Amini by the morality police has a long history behind it. In order to
understand and put into context the oppressive treatment of women by the
present Iranian government, it is necessary to take a brief historical survey
of the evolution of the Hijab Law in Iran.</b></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination: none;"><span><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><i>Tihara Qurrat al- ‘Ayn</i> was one of
the first women to unveil, questioning the political and religious orthodoxy in
Iran. Tihara was a poet and religious scholar for the Bahai faith. She was very
outspoken against the restraints placed on women and during a Babi conference
in 1848, she unveiled before a congregation of men during a lecture. Her
opposition to the treatment of women and her involvement within the Bahai
faith, landed her in prison in 1852.</b></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination: none;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><i><span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“You can kill me as you like, but you
cannot stop the emancipation of women</span></i><span>,”
Tahira proclaimed, realizing her death was imminent.</span></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination: none;"><span><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In August of that same year, Tahira was
first woman to be executed on the grounds of “corruption on earth.” She was
strangled to death by her own veil, thrown in to a shallow well, and stoned to
death at the age of 35.<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination: none;"><span><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><o:p></o:p></b></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination: none;"><span><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><br /></span></b></span></span></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination: none; text-align: center;"><span><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>********************</b></span></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination: none; text-align: center;"><span><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><br /></b></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination: none;"><span><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The first real challenge to the
conservative religious establishment in Iran came by <i>Reza Shah</i>, General
of the Persian Cossack Brigade, and recognized as the first Shah of the House
of Pahlavi. He introduced social, economic, and political reforms, replacing
Islamic Law with modern Western laws. It was under his reign that Iran became a
constitutional monarchy. Striking out against the establishment, Reza Shah
banned Islamic clothing, separation of the sexes, and the mandatory veiling of
women. In 1936, he implemented “Kashf-e-hijab,” a reform that was aimed at
weakening the conservative/traditional religious system. The law stated that if
a women wore a veil in public, the police had the right to remove it. The Shah
regarded the hijab as a sign of “backwardness” and went so far as compelling
men to wear western costumes and hats. The religious establishment was outraged
at the new reforms and declared that the unveiling of women was a mortal blow
to their values and power.</b></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination: none;"><span><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In 1941, when Reza Shah went into exile,
the ban eased, allowing women to return to their traditional ways of dressing.</b></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination: none;"><span><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Shah’s son, <i>Mohammed Reza Shah
Pahlavi</i> was also greatly influenced by western culture. In 1963, he
introduced a series of reforms, called, “The White Revolution.” One of the laws
implemented gave women the right to vote. Four years later in 1967, women were
finally granted equal rights in a male-dominated society. The age for marriage
was raised from 13 to 18 years of age. This also angered the religious
establishment. The Ayatollah Khomeini, who had been exiled by the Shah, began
preaching the concept of an “Islamic republic,” through books and cassette
tapes. His sermons and teachings began to take root in the
conservative/religious establishment, causing uprisings, and demonstrations by
thousands of people. Unable to cope with the growing protests, and death
threats, like his father before him, the Shah and his family were forced into
exile in January 1979. This immediately opened the way for the Ayatollah
Khomeini to return from exile in Paris and on February 1, he was greeted by
millions of supporters in Tehran to begin the Iranian revolution.</b></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination: none;"><span><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Ayatollah immediately reversed all of
the reform policies of the Pahlavi Dynasty. Beaches and sports became
“sex-segregated.” Women were no longer allowed to serve as judges and the
Islamic Clothing Law was re-instituted.</b></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination: none;"><span><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>On March 8, 1979, International Women’s
Day, tens of thousands of women marched into Tehran, protesting the veil law.
Three thousand women gathered in Qom, the religious city and residence of
Khomeini. The women boldly marched into the city without wearing their veils,
chanting, <i>“We didn’t’ have a revolution to go backwards.”</i><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There were also 15,000 protesters who
gathered at the Palace of Justice for a three-hour sit in, presenting a list of
demands, including the right of choice to dress, equal civil rights with men,
and no discrimination in the political, social, and economic arenas. However,
the new Ayatollah refused to listen!</b></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination: none;"><span><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In July of 1981, The Hijab law was passed
and veiling in public became mandatory. Two years later, The Islamic punishment
law was instituted stating that if a woman was caught unveiled in public, she
would be sentenced to 74 lashes. Every reform of freedom that had been
instituted by the previous Shah, had been completely abolished by the Ayatollah
Khomeini. The oppression of women had begun, and they would be ruled by Islamic
law from the cradle to the grave.</b></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination: none;"><span><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Under the presidency of Ahmadinejad in
2005, the Morality Police was established, which would begin patrolling the
streets searching for offenders of the Hijab Law. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Iranian government recently has upgraded
their efforts to prosecute women violators by implementing new technology using
facial recognition. Now women are receiving citations in the mail for hijab
violations even though they have not had any physical contact with law
enforcement. Iran’s national identity database, which was built in 2015 by the
Cyber Police, contains facial scans for national ID cards. This database is
being used to identify and catch veil law breakers as they travel to shopping
malls and peruse the streets of Tehran.</b></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination: none;"><span><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In August of 2022, President Ebrahim Raisi
introduced additional hijab and chastity restrictions. Women who violated the
law can now lose access to banks, public transportation, and other essential
government services. Repeat offenders can spend years in prison for refusing to
veil publicly. This new technology is a policy shift that relies less and less
on informants and physical contact with Morality Police. Digital surveillance
had become the new tactic to keep track of “veil violators.” The government is
using their new technology to enforce their gender apartheid. In 2020, women
began receiving text messages in their car, reminding them to wear a veil or be
arrested. The facial recognition technology reduces the presence of police,
especially cutting down on the brutal clashes between citizens, as in the case
of Mahsa Amini. Facial recognition technology comes directly from the Chinese
camera and artificial intelligence company, known as Tandy, Tandy is one of the
largest security camera manufacturers in the world.</b></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination: none;"><span><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For over 43 years, the women of Iran have
suffered greatly under a government dedicated to oppressing their human rights.
From the ban on attending sports events to riding bicycles, women have reached
their limit. They are rising from the ashes of discrimination. This is now
their revolution!<o:p style="font-size: 11pt;"></o:p></b></span></span></p><br /><p></p>Randy L. Noblehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06956587505268014443noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6716713314166138235.post-27870720856984497792023-01-24T08:17:00.004-08:002023-01-24T08:31:12.082-08:00"Hadis Najafi: Preparing for battle."<p> </p><p>An excerpt from my upcoming book, "Uprising: We are the revolution."</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Segoe UI Semibold",sans-serif" style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 107%; mso-effects-shadow-align: center; mso-effects-shadow-alpha: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-angledirection: 5400000; mso-effects-shadow-anglekx: 0; mso-effects-shadow-angleky: 0; mso-effects-shadow-color: black; mso-effects-shadow-dpidistance: 4.0pt; mso-effects-shadow-dpiradius: 4.0pt; mso-effects-shadow-pctsx: 0%; mso-effects-shadow-pctsy: 0%;"> <span style="font-family: arial;"> </span><u><span style="font-family: arial;">Hadis Najafi</span><i><o:p></o:p></i></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><i><span face=""Segoe UI Semibold",sans-serif" style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 107%; mso-effects-shadow-align: center; mso-effects-shadow-alpha: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-angledirection: 5400000; mso-effects-shadow-anglekx: 0; mso-effects-shadow-angleky: 0; mso-effects-shadow-color: black; mso-effects-shadow-dpidistance: 4.0pt; mso-effects-shadow-dpiradius: 4.0pt; mso-effects-shadow-pctsx: 0%; mso-effects-shadow-pctsy: 0%;"> <span style="font-family: arial;"> “Preparing for battle”<o:p></o:p></span></span></i></p><p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 107%; mso-effects-shadow-align: center; mso-effects-shadow-alpha: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-angledirection: 5400000; mso-effects-shadow-anglekx: 0; mso-effects-shadow-angleky: 0; mso-effects-shadow-color: black; mso-effects-shadow-dpidistance: 4.0pt; mso-effects-shadow-dpiradius: 4.0pt; mso-effects-shadow-pctsx: 0%; mso-effects-shadow-pctsy: 0%;"> </span></i></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3dk4VG_6vXrAbM8QU0kFmjSLOsNv8tsikpwvIU0TFD35zzSHpbIBIJSnXdPt0kYjSC1jbAXHG-qL3E89H6WFZOGsmRLDTq9IYbEkmIUhtX07r8HFJ3GSmNVF5N2qXDEmO2b4rPmJB5yqTVncjRMrwsOBuH3FYIZl3oWWzvuHAEu3YYjvV22rVggvJBA/s1140/New%20Hadis%20photo.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="712" data-original-width="1140" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3dk4VG_6vXrAbM8QU0kFmjSLOsNv8tsikpwvIU0TFD35zzSHpbIBIJSnXdPt0kYjSC1jbAXHG-qL3E89H6WFZOGsmRLDTq9IYbEkmIUhtX07r8HFJ3GSmNVF5N2qXDEmO2b4rPmJB5yqTVncjRMrwsOBuH3FYIZl3oWWzvuHAEu3YYjvV22rVggvJBA/s320/New%20Hadis%20photo.jpg" width="320" /></a></i></div><i><br /></i><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><i><span face=""Segoe UI Semibold",sans-serif" style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 107%; mso-effects-shadow-align: center; mso-effects-shadow-alpha: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-angledirection: 5400000; mso-effects-shadow-anglekx: 0; mso-effects-shadow-angleky: 0; mso-effects-shadow-color: black; mso-effects-shadow-dpidistance: 4.0pt; mso-effects-shadow-dpiradius: 4.0pt; mso-effects-shadow-pctsx: 0%; mso-effects-shadow-pctsy: 0%;"> </span></i></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Segoe UI Semibold",sans-serif" style="line-height: 107%; mso-effects-shadow-align: center; mso-effects-shadow-alpha: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-angledirection: 5400000; mso-effects-shadow-anglekx: 0; mso-effects-shadow-angleky: 0; mso-effects-shadow-color: black; mso-effects-shadow-dpidistance: 4.0pt; mso-effects-shadow-dpiradius: 4.0pt; mso-effects-shadow-pctsx: 0%; mso-effects-shadow-pctsy: 0%;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: georgia;"> </span></span><span style="line-height: 107%;"><b> <span style="font-family: arial;">Hadis Najafi ended her shift at the Takata
Fast Food Restaurant at 5 pm and clocked out. It had been a very busy afternoon
as the lead cashier in one of the most popular cafes in the city of Karaj. The
city of Karaj lay nestled up against the majestic foothills of the Alborz
mountain range, a distance of just six miles from the capital city of Tehran.
Karaj city was a haven for young students studying art and medical science at
Azad University. For Hadis, being a student was not her passion in life. Instead
she was a dedicated “social media geek.” She loved to display the latest
fashions on her Instagram account and treat her fans to Persian dancing on Tik
Tok. Politics and religion didn’t interest her. She spent her money investing
in VPN, to overcome the filtering of the internet, so she could talk to her
friends online every night. The Islamic Republic of Iran along with the help of
the cyber police had blocked the major social media platforms, Facebook,
Twitter, Telegram, You tube, etc. The only way to overcome the government
censorship was to purchase the virtual private network app. <o:p></o:p></span></b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b> As Hadis left the restaurant and stepped
out onto the sidewalk, she looked carefully in both directions, to see if she
could spot the Morality Police Van and then ripped off her hijab and threw it down
on the ground. <o:p></o:p></b></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b> “I hate that damn thing!” Hadis muttered
to herself. <o:p></o:p></b></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b> This evening, Hadis was not her cheerful
self. She was not in a good mood. The tragic death of Mahsa Amini had tormented
her mind all day. Dealing with impatient customers paying for their meals and
complaining about the prices had pushed her to the limit. She wasn’t in the
mood to listen to them, especially when a young Kurdish girl had been beaten to
death by the Morality Police. Hadis had never been outspoken or political, but
tonight was different. Every time she gazed at the picture of Jina Mahsa on her
cell phone, lying comatose in a hospital bed, she couldn’t hold back the tears.
Deep down in her soul, she felt an irresistible urgency to see justice for
Jina. Hadis felt it was her duty to humanity to be Jina’s voice and scream
loudly at the government ‘s unjust murder of an innocent young woman.<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>
Hadis arrived at the bus stop and broke away from the crowd of people
for a few moments. She quickly speed-dialed her friend Farzad.<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b> “Dorood, Farzad (Faris for hi) Chetori?”
(Farsi for, “How are you?”)<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b> “I’m good. You just get off work, Hadis?”<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b> “Yes. I’m on my way home. Listen, I wanted
to tell you. I am going to join the protest tonight. I heard they will be out
on Eram Boulevard.”<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b> ”Hadis, are you crazy? You’ve never been
political.”<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b> “I know. I know,” Hadis replied, stepping
onto the arriving bus, “But I have to do this for Jina. I believe we must be
her voice. Women have got to rise up and let this damn government know that we
will not be oppressed anymore. We have the right to wear what we want to wear!”<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b> “Please be careful, dear friend,” Farzad
cautioned Hadis.<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b> Hadis clicked off her cell phone and
relaxed back in her seat, taking a deep breath. Tonight, was Wednesday, September
21. Wednesday was her usual night for doing live Persian dancing for her fans
on Tik Tok, but that would have to be postponed. She would celebrate with her
fans later, but tonight was reserved exclusively for Jina. “Justice for Jina”
was weighing heavily on Hadis’s mind and nothing was going to stop her!<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b> </b></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>
*****************<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b> </b></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b> </b></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b> Hadis walked through the front door of her
home, exhausted, but energized to go back out. She decided to change her
clothes and grab a quick bite to eat before joining the protest. As soon as she entered the kitchen, her mother
noticed her flowing blonde hair draping down over her shoulders and a
frustrated look in her brown eyes.<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b> “Where is your hijab, Hadis? Didn’t you
wear it today? You must be so careful
now these days.”<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b> Hadis flopped down in a chair at the
kitchen table and grabbed an apple to eat.<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b> “I threw that damn thing away. I hate it!’
Hadis answered back while munching on her apple.<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b> Mrs. Najafi sat down at the table across
from Hadis with a worried look on her face.<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b> “Hadis! Don’t say that! You worry me! Look
what happened to that Kurdish girl just last week!”<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b> Hadis sat down the apple in front of her
and stared back intently at her mother.<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b> “That’s why I threw my hijab away, mom. I
did it for Jina. I did it for every Iranian girl. We are tired of being
oppressed and told what to do!” Hadis shouted back, banging her fist on the
table.<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b> Mrs. Najafi sat quietly and took a nervous
deep breath. There was no arguing with her daughter. She was much too free-spirited
and independent. Hadis quickly stood up from the table and dabbed her lips with
a napkin.<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b> “I must go out tonight, dear mother. There
is going to be a protest on Eram Boulevard. I need to go for Jina.”<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b> Mrs. Najafi rubbed her hand across her
forehead and bowed her head in fear for a few moments. Then she stood up and
hugged Hadis.<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b> “I understand Hadis. But I am so worried. I
am so afraid. It is so dangerous.”<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b> Hadis gave her mother a reassuring look
and kissed her softly on the forehead.<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b> “I must do this, mom. I will be careful. I
promise I won’t stay out very long.”<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b> Hadis left the kitchen and hurried into
her bedroom. She quickly changed into a pink tank top and put on a fresh pair
of blue jeans. She flopped across her bed and turned on her cell phone. The
first picture that appeared was that of Jina Mahsa Amini, sitting in her living
room last year, in front of a chocolate cake, celebrating her 22<sup>nd</sup>
birthday. Hadis smiled. It was one of the happier moments for Jina. Hadis was
also 22 years old, just like her hero, who was cruelly murdered just a week
before her 23<sup>rd</sup> birthday. Tears filled her eyes. She blew a kiss
toward the picture on her cell phone screen.<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b> “Tonight, I will be your voice, dear Jina
and I won’t stop shouting until you get justice!”<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b> </b></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b> </b></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>
***************<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b> </b></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b> </b></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b> <i>“Death to the dictator! Woman, life
freedom!”<o:p></o:p></i></b></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b> The angry loud shouts of protesters
filled the cool night air on Eram Boulevard.
It was just a few minutes before 8 pm as Hadis turned on her cell phone.
She aimed the camera toward the protesters filling the streets. Just up ahead
she noticed a bonfire in the center of the street and watched several women setting
their headscarves on fire. Running swiftly toward the scene, Hadis began
narrating the live video she was creating for her friends.<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b> “This is a scene of women burning their
hijabs,” Hadis shouted out loud in laughter. “You go girls!”<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b> In the distance she heard sirens and more
angry shouts of protesters chanting. Tonight, she felt energized and unafraid.
She had never been to a protest before. Hadis remembered back to 2019 when more
than 1500 peaceful protesters were gunned down in the streets. At that time,
she vowed to never be political and just mind her own business. But all of that
suddenly changed with the death of Jina. Tonight was personal. Tonight, she had
to make a stand for the women of Iran. She regretted for being so selfish and
passive a few years ago, but that had all changed.<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b> Passing a local hardware store, Hadis
paused, catching her breath and spoke directly into her cellphone continuing to
film the protest.<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b> “I hope in a few years, when I look back,
I will be happy everything has changed for the better. I like to think that
when I think back about this a few years later, I’ll be pleased that I joined
the protest.”<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b> A few women, following close behind her,
began chanting, “Woman, life, freedom.” They were carrying signs with a picture
of JIna Mahsa Amini. At the bottom of the sign, it read, <i>“We are all Mahsa.”</i>
Hadis was excited to see that that two young men were in the crowd of women
chanting along with them. It was so encouraging for her to see men involved in
the uprising and defending the rights of women.<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b> Suddenly, the sounds of security forces
yelling for protesters to halt or they would shoot, startled Hadis. Beads of
sweat began rolling down her face. She took an angry deep breath and vowed once
again to not be afraid. Putting her cell phone in her pants pocket, Hadis stood
still for a moment. She tied back her blonde hair into a ponytail and twisted a
rubber band around it to hold it into place. An exhilarating feeling of courage
surged through her body. Tying back her hair was like preparing for battle.
Tonight, Hadis was making a bold statement to the government that she refused
to comply with the man-centered Hijab Law. This was her hair, her body, and no
man had the right to control it or tell her what to do.<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b> The security forces began clashing with the
protesters and beating some in the heads with their batons. Instead of cowering
in fear, Hadis closed her eyes and in her mind’s eye, she remembered back to
her favorite movie, “Braveheart.” She could see the chilling scene, where
William Wallace was laying across a torture rack and the King pleading with him
to recant and beg for mercy. She smiled, remembering the famous last shout from
William Wallace’s lips, when he screamed, “Freedom!”<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b> </b></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b> <i>The first shot terrified Hadis!</i> She
clutched her abdomen in excruciating pain. A barrage of shots immediately
followed the first one, sending frightened protesters scrambling for cover.
Hadis collapsed backwards on the hard pavement, struck by five more bullets in the
neck, chest, and face. The beautiful blonde freedom fighter lay dead on the
street in a massive pool of blood. She had made her courageous last stand on
Eram Boulevard in the city of Karaj, unafraid and unashamed to die as a martyr
for freedom in the never-ending struggle against the gender apartheid in Iran.<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b> </b></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b> <o:p></o:p></b></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>
*****************<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b> </b></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b> A few days after her tragic death, a video
surfaced showing a young woman tying back her blonde hair and preparing to join
the protest in Karaj. The video was attributed to Hadis, just seconds before
she was fatally shot. Although there is some controversy concerning the video
being actually that of Hadis, nevertheless, it had been unanimously attributed
to her as showing the final seconds of her life.<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b> Security forces refused to hand over
Hadis’s body to her family at the hospital until they signed a pledge stating
that she died of natural causes. Devastated over her tragic death, a family
member, who was a member of the Basij (Iranian paramilitary) was finally
granted permission to make a formal identification of the body. He verified
that it was indeed Hadis and was horrified upon examination, that she suffered
at least 20 gunshot wounds in her body at very close range.<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b> Mrs. Najafi, even though being warned by
security not to speak publicly about her daughter’s death, declared, “My
daughter was murdered for hijab, for Mahsa Amini. She wanted to keep Masha’s
name alive. Mahsa is also my daughter and all those killed are my children. She
died for Mahsa. She sacrificed herself for Mahsa.”<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b> Shortly after her death, Hadis’s sisters,
Afsoon and Shirin, published her photos and told people that she was shot,
defying the government ban.<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b> </b></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b> *****************<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b> </b></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><span style="line-height: 107%;">
</span><u><span style="line-height: 107%;">Reflection</span></u><span style="line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b> </b></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><span style="line-height: 107%;"> </span><span style="line-height: 107%;">Hadis Najafi,
bravely took to the streets, understanding the great risk, and proudly declared
her right as a woman, to display her beauty, rejecting the mandatory Hijab Law.
She died for the right to choose, the freedom to say no to a dictatorship
government. In the last seconds of her life, she spoke up for Mahsa Amini and
all Iranian woman, when she tied back her hair and faced the firing squad.<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b> Jesus proclaimed in John 10:10:<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b> <i>“The thief does not come except to
steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and
that they may have it more abundantly.”<o:p></o:p></i></b></span></span></p><p>
<span style="font-family: arial;"><b><i><span style="line-height: 107%;"> </span></i><span style="line-height: 107%;">For more than 40 years, The Iranian people,
especially women, have suffered greatly at the hands of a corrupt and
controlling government. They have had their dignity stolen, their freedom
suppressed, and their lives destroyed by satanic forces. Jesus, as the good
shepherd, who desires to gently lead and guide us, declares that the thief of
our souls, Satan, has as his core mission to kill and destroy us. In contrast,
Jesus promises to protect and provide for his people. His mission is to bring
us life and life to the fullest. He came to bring you true hope and freedom. He
promises to remove the shackles of your oppression and give you a life filled
with meaning and purpo</span><span style="line-height: 107%;">se.</span></b></span></p>Randy L. Noblehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06956587505268014443noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6716713314166138235.post-18619329445344178442022-10-02T19:47:00.002-07:002022-10-02T19:49:58.246-07:00"Randy. Please be our voice. They're killing us!"<div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-size: medium;"><i>"Randy. Please be our voice. They're killing us!"</i></span></div><div><i><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><br /></span></i></div><div><i><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><br /></span></i></div><div><i><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><br /></span></i></div><div><i> </i></div><div><i> <span style="font-family: arial;"><b> </b></span></i><b><span style="font-family: arial;">I was relaxing in the break room at Chick Fil A just a few minutes before the beginning of my shift, when I received a voice message on Telegram. I noticed it was from my Iranian friend, Mahdis w</span><span style="font-family: arial;">hom I hadn't heard from in a very long time. I immediately opened it up to listen to the message and was completely</span><span style="font-family: arial;"> unprepared for what I was about to hear. In a trembling voice racked with tears and desperation, Mahdis pleaded with me from the other side of the world:</span></b></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><b> <i> "Randy. Please be our voice. They're killing us! They're killing both young and old. Please be our voice!"</i></b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><i><b><br /></b></i></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><i> </i>Chills ran up and down my spine. Tears filled my eyes. I was gripped by an intense feeling of urgency. I banged my fist down on the table in frustration. The lives of my Iranian friends were in danger and I wanted to be there right now to stand by their side and fight with them! For the last ten days, brave young women joined by men, in more than 110 cities across Iran, had taken to the streets, outraged over the senseless brutal death of Mahsa Amini. The Morality Police had arrested her on September 13 for not wearing her hijab properly and showing too much hair. They explained to her brother that she was being transported to a detention center in Tehran to be re-educated on the Islamic dress code. A few hours later she was pronounced "brain dead" at a hospital, lapsing into a coma. The official explanation was that Mahsa had suffered a heart attack, but bystanders had witnessed her being beaten in the head as she was being forced into a police van.</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><b> The cruel and unjust death of Mahsa Amini had sparked a revolution with thousands of Iranian men and women taking to the streets outraged and demanding freedom from a dictatorship government. I had been very busy on my Facebook page, posting stories and videos in support for my dear Iranian friends. I had also reported on their plight and struggles for freedom on my blog talk radio program, "The Cross in the Desert." I immediately sent back a voice message assuring Mahdis that I would be her voice and the voice of all Iranians. I pleaded with her to be careful and told her that I would be praying for her safety.</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><b> <i>"Randy, please be our voice."</i></b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><b> I cannot adequately express into words, the awesome responsibility of being their voice. It is the passion and the driving force of my everyday life. It is the reason that I write their stories in my self-published books. I will never forget the incredible story that Mahdis shared with me a few years ago right before the Persian New Year in Iran. She recalled a frightening incident one day at school when she was just a little girl. The teacher had sternly warned all of the girls in the class that they had better wear their hijabs according to Islamic law or if not, that on judgment day, <i>"Allah would dangle them over the fires of hell by their hair!"</i></b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><i><b><br /></b></i></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><b> Growing up in Iran, as a child, this was the picture of God that Mahdis had been taught. God was not a god of mercy or love, but rather a god of fear and retribution that couldn't wait to punish his disobedient children. You could hear in her trembling voice, that same little girl, now terrified and pleading with me to support them. </b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><b> </b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><b> I bowed my head in prayer for Mahdis and remembered the awful story that I had read the day before about the tragic death of another young Iranian girl. Seventeen year-old, Nika Shakarami, had bravely joined the protest in the streets and never returned home. Ten days later, her parents were told to come and see her lifeless body in the morgue. Nika's nose had been smashed in and her skull crushed. A few days earlier, twenty-year old Hadis Najafi is seen on a video tying back her blonde hair in protest and marching down the streets of Karaj only to be shot six times and killed for the crime of wanting freedom. As I remembered these horrifying stories, I was gripped with the fear of that same tragedy happening to my dear friend Mahdis. </b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>I could not bear the thought of that tragedy for another second, so I reluctantly got up from the chair to begin my job.</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><b> There is nothing more important to me in my life than being a voice for my Iranian friends. I'm not doing this for money, fame, or popularity. I do it because I love them. I do it because the Bible admonishes me to be their voice for freedom.</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div><b><span style="font-family: arial;"> <span style="color: #800180;"><i>"Open your mouth for the mute, for the rights of all who are unfortunate and defenseless. Open your mouth, judge </i></span></span><span style="color: #800180; font-family: arial;"><i>righteously and administer justice for the afflicted and needy."</i></span></b></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><i><span style="color: #800180;"><b> </b></span></i></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><i> </i>(Proverbs 31:8-9)</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><b> Being silent in the face of injustice, cruelty, and the slaughter of human life, is an egregious sin that lacks any sense of humanity or compassion. It was the great German pastor, Dietrich Bonhoeffer, who courageously defended the church during World War II and was unafraid to stand up against Hitler. He rebuked the weak and afraid, proclaiming,</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><b> <i>"Silence in the face of evil is itself evil: God will not hold us guiltless. Not to speak is to speak. Not to act is to act."</i></b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><i><b><br /></b></i></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><i><b><br /></b></i></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><i> </i>If Bonhoeffer were still alive today, I believe he would raise an accusing voice toward the mainstream media for their silence and ignorance when it comes to the human rights of the Iranian people. They are willingly silent in the face of evil! We need a prophetic voice that will be unafraid to confront the evil of silence and to confront the self-centered governments of this world who have economic ties with the Islamic Republic of Iran, lining their pockets with profits while ignoring their desperate cries. The Biden Administration is a prime example of sinful appeasement for the sake of a legacy.</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifNiClGdhfjQdSDsdKv1lmdFtWN3-PPjOPk9t4pPjxsatt8iNHJE8JJlx8Gm2KIvZIjcTkEBEYJYmDTfmvvs3F6lsSfWCaZaPmZSoEoJfJLZ9BAJzRoX-I-2PHFX_xjo2Og9qv3aRULk3QAH25m3mCgYkRGO1JVE2vQ3MrBZ6CpfAlwhFWpYPoBGIXVw/s799/Picture%20for%20blog..jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="397" data-original-width="799" height="159" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifNiClGdhfjQdSDsdKv1lmdFtWN3-PPjOPk9t4pPjxsatt8iNHJE8JJlx8Gm2KIvZIjcTkEBEYJYmDTfmvvs3F6lsSfWCaZaPmZSoEoJfJLZ9BAJzRoX-I-2PHFX_xjo2Og9qv3aRULk3QAH25m3mCgYkRGO1JVE2vQ3MrBZ6CpfAlwhFWpYPoBGIXVw/s320/Picture%20for%20blog..jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />They are willing to sit down at the table across from this terrorist regime and renegotiate a nuclear deal instead of rebuking them for their oppressive policies against innocent people, and speaking up for human rights. President Biden wants to have a legacy behind his name, like Barak Obama did in 2015, when he gave billions of dollars of sanction relief money to the Iranian government that was spent on furthering terrorism in the Middle East.</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><b> I refuse to be silent in the face of evil. Right after work, I messaged Mahdis back on Telegram, promising her that I will never back down and never give up until she can walk down the streets of Tehran one day without fear under a new government of freedom and democracy.</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><b> I want you to hear the desperate voice of Mahdis with me! I want you to feel the fear, the panic, and frustration tearing at her soul. It is only when we together raise our voices and bring awareness and condemn the evil, that Iranians have any hope for a bright future, a new tomorrow, where the shackles and chains of a dictatorship are finally torn away from their hearts and minds.</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><i> Speak up for those that cannot speak for themselves. </i>It is our humanitarian duty. It is our calling.</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></div>Randy L. Noblehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06956587505268014443noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6716713314166138235.post-25231383450174137842021-09-28T14:31:00.009-07:002021-09-28T15:02:54.897-07:00"Submission doesn't mean that I'm your slave!"<p><span style="font-family: arial;"> My latest blog is an excerpt from my book, <i>"Broken yet beautiful: Rising up from their ashes."</i></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Women are rising up and becoming bolder, speaking out against psychological and physical abuse that is running rampant in the church. This is completely unacceptable that the "Bride of Christ" should treat its women in such a horrific way. One of the hot button issues in the church is the doctrine of submission that has been twisted in an abusive way treating women like a doormat. I pray that this article will breathe life and bring freedom to oppressed women that in most cases remain silent and afraid.</span></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI Semibold";">“</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; line-height: 115%;">Don’t get drunk with
wine, which produces depravity. Instead be filled with the Spirit in the
following ways: Speak to each other with
psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs; sing and make music to the Lord in your
hearts; always give thanks to God the Father for everything in the name of our
Lord Jesus Christ; and<i><u> submit to each
other out of respect for Christ.</u></i>
For example, wives should submit to their husbands as if to the Lord. A
husband is the head of his wife like Christ is the head of the church, that is
the savior of the body. So, wives submit to their husbands in everything like
the church submits to Christ. <i><u>As for
husbands, love your wife just like Christ loved the church and gave himself for
her…….”</u></i></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Segoe UI Semibold", sans-serif" style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: small;"> </span></span>(Ephesians
5:18-25 CEB ve</span><span face=""Segoe UI Semibold",sans-serif" style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">rsion)<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Segoe UI Semibold",sans-serif" style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Segoe UI Semibold",sans-serif" style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Segoe UI Semibold",sans-serif" style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 115%;"><span face="Segoe UI Semibold, sans-serif" style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span> </span><span> Submission
is a term that has been greatly misused by the church, resulting in control and
abuse against women. It has been manipulated out of context to elevate one
person over another, wrongly putting a woman in inferior subjugation to her
husband. It’s very important from the very outset to give a Biblical definition
to the word, <i>submission.<o:p></o:p></i></span></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span></i><span style="line-height: 115%;">Submission
does not mean obey! The Greek word for obey is <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">hupakoe</i>, (meaning, listen or hearken to.) In contrast, the Greek
word for submission is <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">hupotasso, </i>(meaning,
to get under, lift up, or put in order.)<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>It
is very enlightening to discover the German translation of the word submission,
refers to the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">sharing of tasks, to
support.</i> A perfect way to sum up what Biblical submission means in context
is, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">the Christian grace of voluntarily
yielding one’s preferences to another.</i><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 115%;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></i></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> P</span>aul
points out in verse 21, “<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">submit to each
other out of respect for Christ.”<o:p></o:p></i></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 115%;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></i></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"><i> </i>Thi</span><span style="line-height: 115%;">s verse
describes submission as volitional, submitting to each other in order to
reflect the character of Christ. When Paul used this “hot button” word,
submission, he was giving Christians a way of coping with a culture that was
hostile to Christ. In the ancient world, women did not have an abundance of
rights. They were not considered equal to men. When Paul commands husbands and
wives to submit to each other, he was teaching a new and revolutionary concept. </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"> This concept was contrary to the household codes of Paul’s day in both Rome and
Greece. Wives in the ancient culture were little more than possessions of the
husband. Slaves had no rights except what their masters gave to them.
Therefore, when Paul commands, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">“husbands
love your wives just like Christ loved the church and gave himself for her,
(verse 25) </i>he was giving a command that went competently contrary to the
accepted norm of the day. In the ancient household codes, the husband acted as
the Lord and had the final word in everything. For Paul to tell the husband to
love his wife, was a revolutionary new idea! This was a patriarchal society and
the concept of partners in a marriage voluntarily submitting to one another was
shocking!</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /><span style="line-height: 115%;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQ070gSjXHSDX2VWKXzggbwXVUG6IxgeAR6bF2bwsdbMUWVz3VjAWAMW629imY8BZ61jwL26UIm5MNqHDKTxUykmGuyu91n6VYhzcfhmGshEnzjCacGPeyuRJvpAD-xWVLGWx4C9AGxo6t/s642/submission.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="428" data-original-width="642" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQ070gSjXHSDX2VWKXzggbwXVUG6IxgeAR6bF2bwsdbMUWVz3VjAWAMW629imY8BZ61jwL26UIm5MNqHDKTxUykmGuyu91n6VYhzcfhmGshEnzjCacGPeyuRJvpAD-xWVLGWx4C9AGxo6t/s320/submission.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>When
interpreting Paul from a true Biblical context, submission is not something the
wife does to her husband in a subordinate position, but rather submission is
embraced voluntarily, rather than forced. Submission is done out of love for
Christ and each other. </span></span><span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">It is purely a</span></span><span style="font-family: georgia;"> relationship concept! Women are not to be
treated like a doormat. It is not a matter of who is in charge! Submission is a
metaphor for mutual love and devotion. The relationship between spouses is an
“echo” of the relationship between Christ and the church. Therefore, </span><i style="font-family: georgia; mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">submission is an act of sacrificial love
between two partners!</i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span></i><span style="line-height: 115%;">Ephesians
Chapter 5 speaks of being filled with the spirit. If the marriage partners are
both filled with spirit than they will be subject to each other and clothed in
humility. There is a mutual respect for one another. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">True submission has nothing to do with the giving up of one’s rights. </i>Referring
back to the Greek word, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">hupotasso, </i>submission
in context means, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">“to support, uphold,
cooperate, and giving in.”<o:p></o:p></i></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span></i><span style="line-height: 115%;">This
meaning paints a beautiful picture of husbands and wives supporting one another
in the spirit of love and unity. Christ is the real “spiritual head,” with whom
all authority rests. Marriage has never been meant to be a power struggle with
the idea of one person being in charge. Instead, the male and female are meant
to exist in a covenant commitment to each other, in which <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">the two become one through mutual love, support, and respect.<o:p></o:p></i></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span></i><span style="line-height: 115%;">At the
heart of submission is the deliberate surrender of power. Our motives for such
submission to one another is <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">“out of
reverence for Christ</i>” (verse 21) The prime example of this is Jesus in the
incarnation, when he voluntarily relinquished his power in becoming one of us
and died in our place, (Phil. 2:5-8) <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">We
imitate him by letting go of power and exercising humility in our
relationships. <o:p></o:p></i></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"> In
the ancient patriarchal society, the image of the husband was one of being in
control and in charge. Here in Ephesians Chapter 5, Paul challenges that false
concept with the truth of God’s word. He elevates the wife and charges the
husband to love her sacrificially. It was a radical new concept for that day.
Unfortunately, the traditional understanding of submission being taught today
is more reflective of the ancient culture rather than what the Bible teaches. </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: georgia;"> The church needs to return to the Biblical model of submission which is one of </span><i style="font-family: georgia;">voluntarily yielding to one another in
respect and devotion!</i></p><br /><p></p>Randy L. Noblehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06956587505268014443noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6716713314166138235.post-2349973635910951362021-09-14T14:02:00.004-07:002021-09-14T20:55:11.150-07:00"The long slow death of Afghan women under Taliban rule."<p> </p><p><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><i>For twenty years Afghan women have had a real taste of freedom. But now all of that has drastically changed! What will their fate now be once again under the oppressive rule of the Taliban?</i></span></p><p><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-family: georgia;"><i><br /></i></span></p><p><br /></p><p> <span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">When the U.S. Military finally pulled out of Afghanistan on August 30, 2021, they not only abandoned billions of dollars worth of valuable equipment that became a gift for the enemy, but they also left behind thousands of American citizens, including Afghan women. For twenty years, Afghan women had enjoyed a new life of freedom where they could go to school, have regular jobs, vote in elections, and be a productive part of society without the stigma of being treated as second class citizens.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p><i><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">However on August 31, 2021, "all of that drastically changed!"</span></i></p><p><i><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></i></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"> The Taliban marched into villages and cities and once again assumed their oppressive power. Christians immediately became targets of their terrorism and were hunted down and executed on the spot if Bibles were discovered on their cellphones. Women feared for their lives and began dressing once again in full length burqas in order to escape from being beaten or killed. Despair filled their hearts as they realized that their jobs would soon be terminated and they would become prisoners in their own homes. Reports began circulating claiming that the Taliban were going to be more lenient this time and give more rights to women. However that rumor was soon put to rest when a local female police officer that was six months pregnant was executed in front of her children and husband!</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"> In the midst of this unforgivable nightmare and chaos created by the incompetent Biden Administration, the State Department publicly admitted their shock that the new Taliban Government did not include any women!</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><i> "We have made clear our expectation that the Afghan people deserve an inclusive government," </i>a State Department spokesperson proclaimed.</span></p><p><i><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"> Are you kidding me? Do you really believe that a group of terrorists care about some politically correct inclusion? Do you really believe that they will change the rules of Sharia Law to accommodate women? What planet are you living on?</span></i></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"> The so called rumors of a <i>gentler, kinder</i> Taliban are completely false!</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"> Women will not be permitted to work. Girls can no longer go to school or leave their homes without a male escort. "<i>You're not in Kansas anymore, Dorothy!"</i></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"> Veteran war correspondent and reporter Lara Logan, a regular guest on Fox News,</span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi211KWBNYmHmvP8qvi3CxNxJuFjKOeKXYyyH6CPzxNgBUnBCAOxv_vgv2cvGOpCLexIqtbC64PAcHDRvdFDwfPj3zckQkwa4upLkqlouXJG273O8-1rm2B17k7duUqTqW7uloEYHUqw_K8/s620/Afghan+women.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="388" data-original-width="620" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi211KWBNYmHmvP8qvi3CxNxJuFjKOeKXYyyH6CPzxNgBUnBCAOxv_vgv2cvGOpCLexIqtbC64PAcHDRvdFDwfPj3zckQkwa4upLkqlouXJG273O8-1rm2B17k7duUqTqW7uloEYHUqw_K8/s320/Afghan+women.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"> believes that The Taliban will put a small number of women in prominent roles such as doctors in order to create a false image to the media that they have really changed. For people like Secretary of State Anthony Blinken, who holds out the possibility that the new government will recognize the "basic rights of its people, including women and girls," this new image will be very believable. He will swallow it "hook, line, and sinker!"</span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"> "<i>It's a long slow death if you are unlucky. If you're lucky you'll just be slaughtered quickly,</i> Lara Logan says with tears in her eyes. "This is what life is like for women under Taliban rule."</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"> Is there any hope for the Afghan women? Are they really destined to be like sheep taken out to be slaughtered?</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"> I am a person of prayer. I believe in the power of prayer. I have seen God do amazing things for my Iranian refugee friends in response to the prayers of many people. The Bible teaches that God is committed to the welfare of the oppressed. He is a God that rescues the broken and hurting because human lives are precious to him.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"> Psalm 72:12-14, is a beautiful little, but powerful psalm promising deliverance to the oppressed:</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p><i><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"> "He will rescue the poor when they cry to him; He will help the oppressed who have no one to defend them.</span></i></p><p><i><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"> He feels pity for the weak and the needy and he will rescue them. He will redeem them from oppression and violence, for their lives are precious to him."</span></i></p><p><i><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></i></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><i> This is the God I know! </i> He hears the cries of the oppressed and will deliver them. He understands the suffering of the Afghan women, because he took on human flesh in Christ and lived among us. During his earthly ministry, Jesus showed compassion and love toward women. He lifted them up from the gutters of discrimination. When Muslim women discover Jesus in the gospels and see how he treated women, they are willing to leave Islam in order to follow him.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><i> Afghan women are not alone.</i> God sees their plight and when we pray, He will act! He hasn't changed. His character of mercy and compassion remains the same. He is a God of irresistible love that wants to lavish his goodness and mercy on us when we pray. The lives of Afghan women are precious to Him!</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><p><br /></p>Randy L. Noblehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06956587505268014443noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6716713314166138235.post-59309326744483730572021-02-12T10:59:00.008-08:002021-02-12T19:28:09.313-08:00Mojdeh Fard, "I gave up everything to follow Jesus."<p> </p><p><span style="color: #cc0000;">Mojdeh Fard's dramatic conversion from a strict Shia Islamic family to Christianity demonstrates the incredible power of the gospel in the heart of a true seeker. For a young Muslim woman in Iran to convert to another religion carries the most serious of consequences. Hadith 9:57, quoting the prophet Mohammed declares, "<i>Whoever changes his Islamic religion, kill him!"</i></span></p><p><span style="color: #cc0000;">Despite the risk to her own life and the ridicule of her family, Mojdeh bravely accepted the consequences.</span></p><p><span style="color: #cc0000;">Here is her incredible story!</span></p><p><i><br /></i></p><p><i><br /></i></p><p><i> <span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></i><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>I was born in the city of Qom, Iran's holiest city, the seat of Shia Islam, into a very strict Muslim family. As a child, I loved the Prophet Mohammed, the Imams, and all of the Islamic rituals. Religion was at the center of my life. I pursued Allah with all of my heart in order to gain the righteousness required for salvation. In my quest to prove my worthiness to Allah, I surrounded myself with books and immersed myself in the daily rituals. I loved to read books and being at the library had literally become my second home.<br /></b></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><b><span> The school where I attended was holding a contest for its students to learn the laws of Islam, the laws for purity and cleanliness, and how to perform our daily prayers. I was very excited to participate in this contest and show my classmates how well I understood our religion, so I began reading many books on this subject. </span><br /></b></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><b><span><span> When a Muslim wants to study the traditions of Islam on rituals of </span></span>cleanliness, washings and preparations for prayer, the <i>Hadith </i>is the best source for this, since it contains the sayings and actions of the Prophet. I began reading the <i>Hadith</i>. I was zealous to learn and understand the rituals. I wanted to not only please my teacher, but my family as well. During my intense study, I came across a quote from the Prophet Mohammed, that would change my life forever! In Islam, a Muslim is to worship only Allah. <i>To worship or prostrate oneself before anything else would be considered blasphemous. </i>In commenting on the Muslim duty of worship, the Prophet made a very interesting observation:</b></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><b> "<i>Had it been permissible that a person may prostrate himself before another, I would have ordered that a wife should prostrate herself before her husband."</i><br /></b></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><b><i> </i>(Narrated by Ibn Maajah (1853) and Al-Bayhaqi)</b></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><b><br /></b></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><b><span> When I first read this saying of the prophet, I was shocked. I couldn't believe it was true! My first reaction was "this is unfair" for any Muslim woman to have to endure. This obscure quote in the Hadith was the beginning of my intense research into the rights of women in Islam.</span><br /></b></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><b> After researching the Hadith, I next consulted the Quran and came across another quote that I was unaware of. It was found in <i>Surah 2:282</i>. The context of this Surah was the testimony of women in court cases about a financial debt.<br /></b></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><b> "<i>But if two men are not there, let there be <u>one man and two women,</u> as witnesses from among those acceptable to you."</i><br /></b></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><b><i> </i>I was outraged! I felt that this chapter in the Quran was belittling to women. It required two women to equal the testimony of one man. A woman's testimony in court only equaled half that of a man's. I concluded that a woman's worth is only half that of a man's. <i>Women are less than men in Islam! </i><br /></b></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><b><i> </i>My research had ignited a passion deep inside me for justice. I firmly believed that that there should be equality between men and women in Islam. All of my life, I had believed that this equality already existed, but now I knew the truth! For the first time in my life, I was unhappy with my religion. It seemed so unjust. I was now on a quest to find out the truth about Islam, so I began studying the history of Iran and was shocked to discover that Muslims had killed many Iranians when they refused to convert. I immediately realized that my ancestors didn't become Muslims by choice but rather by force. I became so angry at this injustice!<br /></b></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><b> I remember one night listening to a podcast teaching the history of Iran and how Muslims killed my people because they refused to convert. This was a defining moment in my journey for the truth. I could no longer accept or tolerate this injustice. In Shia Islam, we have a specific tradition in our prayer time where a person prostates himself by placing his forehead down upon a small piece of clay. In anger and frustration, I stomped down with my foot on this piece of clay shouting, <i>"I can no longer be a Muslim anymore!"</i><br /></b></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><i style="font-weight: bold;"> </i><b>I began investigating other religions, in particular, Zoroastrianism, which was one of the pivotal religions in early Persian history. The more I studied, the more dissatisfied I became. I felt hopeless and very depressed and made a conscious decision that God probably didn't exist. I remember praying, </b><i style="font-weight: bold;">"God, if you exist, please show yourself to me. If not, then I will be sure you don't exist!" </i><b> For four years, I had no belief in God, but my family maintained their religious zeal, forcing me to still do my prayers. During this time, they forced me to go on my Hajj pilgrimage to Mecca which is a required of every Muslim at least once in their lifetime. They did this hoping I would repent and return to Islam. Unfortunately their plan didn't succeed. I still didn't find God there!</b><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><b> In 2009, during the violent election protests, when Iranians took to the streets speaking out against a rigged election, we finally decided to buy a dish and begin watching satellite tv. We were tired of just watching the government version of the news and wanted to understand what was really happening in the world. My brother and sister and I discovered the Christian channel and began watching a pastor on a daily basis who was speaking out against Islam. While he was critical of Islam, he always made sure that he gave a positive view of the God of Christianity. When he said, <i>"God is Love,"</i> my heart was warmed inside me. The statement, <i>"God is Love," </i>was a revolutionary, life transforming statement for me! I had never heard that in Islam! I had been reading the book, "The five love languages," by Gary Chapman and this statement by the pastor reinforced within me just how important the subject of love was! Next the pastor proclaimed, <i>"Jesus is Lord! </i> I thought to myself, "<i>That is very beautiful." </i>As I continued watching this Christian program, I realized that my depression was starting to leave. For the first time in four years, I was emerging from my pit of hopelessness and was beginning to feel at peace once again. At the end of his sermon, the pastor invited the people watching to believe in Jesus and asked them to repeat a prayer. In my heart, I repeated this prayer along with him. I felt that Jesus was very good. I believed in Jesus, but still didn't believe in God.<br /></b></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><b> I didn't have a Bible. I wanted to understand more of what the Bible taught and after watching the movie, "The Jesus Film," based on the gospel of Luke, I was very hungry and thirsty for the truth. Watching this movie together with my brother and sister was an incredible turning point in our lives. Our relatives and families immediately noticed the differences in our lives. Now we were totally happy and full of joy. <i>"A light had invaded the darkness in our lives chasing away the hopelessness and despair." </i> I was careful not to share my new found faith with my parents right away. But as I began studying the Bible, I realized that this was no longer an option for me.<br /></b></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><b> "So everyone who acknowledges me before men, I will also acknowledge before my father who is in heaven, but <i><u>whoever denies me before men, I will also deny before my father who is in heaven."</u></i></b></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><b> (Matthew 10:32-33)</b></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><b><br /></b></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><b> Telling my parents about becoming a Christians was a big step of faith for me. My mother became outraged, screaming that I must return to Islam, but I gently informed her, "<i>I can't go back mom. I can't deny Jesus!" </i>My mother disowned me and my father stopped financially providing for my studies at the university. I was now forced to scrape up coins for a taxi fare.<br /></b></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><b> While at university, I began sharing my faith with my a couple of my friends and they told me that they were eager to watch the Christian channel on satellite tv. However, my zeal to share was met with harsh consequences. One day, I was called to the office of intelligence. They wanted to ask me some questions. My friends had warned me that they expect you to support Islam and the Supreme Leader. I replied to my friends, <i>"I believe in Jesus. I will not deny him. That is my red line!"</i><i><br /></i></b></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><b><i> </i>I sat nervously before a lady who began interrogating me:<br /></b></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><b> <i>"We heard that you are evangelizing, spreading other religions in our university. We heard you are promoting Christianity or Zoroastrianism."</i><br /></b></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><b><i> </i>I took a nervous deep breath. I firmly believed that God had spared me from a very dangerous confrontation. The lady who was interrogating me <u>had paused</u> after mentioning Christianity and then added Zoroastrianism. This provided me a convenient way of escape.<br /></b></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><b> <i> "Yes I have been studying </i><i>Zoroastrianism</i>, I replied, <i>but I did not convert to it."</i></b></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><b><i> </i>Unfortunately, the interrogations didn't end there. Next they called my father into their office and confronted him about my behavior.</b></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><b> "<i>Your children have converted to Christianity. Aren't you ashamed of that?"</i><br /></b></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><b><i> </i>My father was shocked and taken by surprise. He nervously stuttered and replied:</b></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><b> <i> "Oh no. They are researching. They are not sure."</i><br /></b></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><b><i> </i>The Interrogator didn't believe his story and firmly warned him:<br /></b></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><b> <i> "Either you return them to Islam or we will do it ourselves!"</i></b></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><b><i><br /></i></b></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><b> I was now in a very serious life crisis. I knew it was not possible to practice my Christian faith in Iran. It was far too dangerous. Desperate for a new life, my brother and sister and I escaped from home fleeing toward the border of Iraq. When we called to inform our parents, they begged us to come back and promised to make things better. We reluctantly returned, but nothing ever changed. We knew we were constantly under surveillance. My parents had lied to us. They confiscated our passports and locked the doors. Once again we managed to escape in the night, leaving home without our passports and without shoes, we traveled by taxi and bus, crossing the border into Iraq. We became ayslum seekers and for the next six years, we had no ids, no passports, and no jobs. Even the Christian church in Iraq refused to believe our stories. They didn't trust us. This was heartbreaking! It was then that I realized the reality of my commitment to Jesus.<i> I had given up everything to follow Jesus!</i> I had left behind my family, my law career, and all of my friends. I had no money, no job, all I had was Jesus. But that was all that I needed, Jesus was everything that I needed.<i> He was the treasure of my heart.</i><br /></b></span></p><p><span><span style="font-size: medium;"><b> Yet, God was faithful! He rewarded my suffering. He honored my uncompromising commitment to him. An international church finally agreed to sponsor us and after six long and grueling years, we finally found a new home in Canada.</b></span></span></p><p><span><span style="font-size: medium;"><b><br /></b></span></span></p><div><span><span style="font-size: medium;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/S8jvfdDtoqY" width="320" youtube-src-id="S8jvfdDtoqY"></iframe></div><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrohoWu-S2r4oIi1VM7-fwSkCbrQn1Dt244SHF70zKedN9oWz7yikawsAX3Jx3d1YkSkQEZLsa6uHsDNzWssJ45DxAPC17jhHgqodH3WW-71jpZ7UopfDRasjP02QA12m3HlMlWqGtv6fi/s1600/Mojdeh+2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="777" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrohoWu-S2r4oIi1VM7-fwSkCbrQn1Dt244SHF70zKedN9oWz7yikawsAX3Jx3d1YkSkQEZLsa6uHsDNzWssJ45DxAPC17jhHgqodH3WW-71jpZ7UopfDRasjP02QA12m3HlMlWqGtv6fi/w155-h320/Mojdeh+2.jpg" width="155" /></a></div><span> </span></span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span><span><span style="font-size: medium;"><div><span><span style="font-size: medium;"> <b> It has not been easy, but Jesus has kept his word. He has never forsaken me. I gave up everything to follow Jesus, but I gained the greatest love of my life. Jesus is so precious to me. He is worth every trial and tribulation and I would do it all over again to follow him</b>!<br /></span></span></div><div><span><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></div><br /><b><br /></b></span></span></div>Randy L. Noblehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06956587505268014443noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6716713314166138235.post-52274202709628618252021-01-08T18:37:00.004-08:002021-01-08T19:17:16.606-08:00"What Iran taught me about stolen elections." (Marziyeh Amirizadeh)<p> <i>This is a powerful article written by my dear Iranian friend Marziyeh. She writes from firsthand experience living in Tehran during the 2009 bloody presidential election protests in which many Iranians were killed and imprisoned. Marziyeh's message challenges us to stand up and fight for our freedoms or risk having them taken away forever!</i></p><p><i><br /></i></p><p><i><br /></i></p><div class="kvgmc6g5 cxmmr5t8 oygrvhab hcukyx3x c1et5uql ii04i59q" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-size: 15px; margin: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto"><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span><span style="font-family: arial;"><span> </span><span><b>Millions of Americans went to the streets on January 6th because they believed that their votes were stolen. They came to stand with President Donald Trump who was fighting for them to show their unity and objections to the Fraud and corruption. It is so sad and heartbreaking to see how some innocent and brave Americans lost their lives during the peaceful protest in DC. It is so disappointing to see how the peaceful protest turned violent through a predetermined conspiracy. Unfortunately, most of the Republican leaders (RINOS) who were chosen by we the people, in order to be our voice, not only stabbed the President in the back, but also betrayed the people who are paying them to work for them and to be their voice. They also ignored the voice and the blood of those innocent Americans who were demanding the integrity of the election, for the sake of their own benefits. In addition, some religious leaders who were strongly showing that they stand for Christian values changed their words and now decided to stand and support those who are destroying God’s values with their corrupt policies. </b></span></span></div><div dir="auto"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b> <i>These leaders shamelessly call their betrayal ‘unity and democracy’ while ignoring the opinion of millions of Americans. </i></b></span></div><div dir="auto"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><br /></b></span></div></div><div class="o9v6fnle cxmmr5t8 oygrvhab hcukyx3x c1et5uql ii04i59q" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b> The peaceful protest in DC on Wednesday reminded me of the Iranian Green movement that arose after the 2009 presidential election in which the protesters demanded the removal of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad who took office by cheating. Thousands of peaceful protesters came to the streets to show their objections to the fraud and cheating in the election. The Government shot many people in the streets, tortured and killed hundreds more in prisons.<i> I was in Evin prison at that time, fighting for my Christian faith and values. </i>I witnessed how many people were imprisoned and tortured for protesting the election fraud. When the Iranian government turned the peaceful protest violent and started killing protestors, the Iranian people asked for help from the United States. They were chanting <i>“Obama are you with us or with them?</i>” ‘Obama’ in Farsi means, <i>He is with us; O (he) ba (with) ma (us). </i>Despite people’s hope and expectations, Obama stood with the criminal regime in Iran. He not only failed to help the Iranian people who were fighting for their freedom, but he later made the worst deal in history with Iran (JCPOA), shook the bloody hands of Mullahs, and transferred thousands of dollars into the pockets of the criminal Mullahs which was used to expand terrorism in the Middle East. Iranian people will never forget such betrayal by Obama. He is the most hated president among a majority of Iranians for his foreign policies toward Iran and for his support of the criminal Islamic republic regime in Iran. </b></span></div><div dir="auto"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><br /></b></span></div></div><div class="o9v6fnle cxmmr5t8 oygrvhab hcukyx3x c1et5uql ii04i59q" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b> Dictatorships like the Islamic republic regime in Iran never care about people’s voice or their choice; they make decisions for their people and suppress any objections. Dictators like the monstrous leadership in Iran always resort to force or fraud to gain political power and maintain it through the use of intimidation, terror, and suppression of basic civil liberties. They also employ the technique of mass propaganda through their fake news in order to sustain public support. </b></span></div><div dir="auto"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><br /></b></span></div></div><div class="o9v6fnle cxmmr5t8 oygrvhab hcukyx3x c1et5uql ii04i59q" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b> Ignoring the voice of millions of Americans who showed their objections to cheating, fraud, and corruption is truly an act of a dictatorship. Closing their eyes to the blood of those innocent heroes who were murdered, with their voices never having been heard is the same thing that happening in dictatorships such as Iran. Democrats and the RINOS did not bring unity, but caused more division, disappointment, and caused people to lose trust in each of those who betrayed them. People will never forget. </b></span></div><div dir="auto"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><br /></b></span></div></div><div class="o9v6fnle cxmmr5t8 oygrvhab hcukyx3x c1et5uql ii04i59q" style="background-color: white; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><span style="color: #050505;"> </span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidrQvx5o0njG1b27ADW-8AK4CIuY0BWm-S19BlC4a73sDtH4Mc5tY78ovJqtGZzAQyMniWrHrpr5isTd-MiJg58Zz6bdirlBe8vOq_jNVmoi6WirrY049q1x2byhNLtFmOEuNjuBXtIQnv/s504/Marziyeh+blog+picture..jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidrQvx5o0njG1b27ADW-8AK4CIuY0BWm-S19BlC4a73sDtH4Mc5tY78ovJqtGZzAQyMniWrHrpr5isTd-MiJg58Zz6bdirlBe8vOq_jNVmoi6WirrY049q1x2byhNLtFmOEuNjuBXtIQnv/s504/Marziyeh+blog+picture..jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjy7TKS1O2oXCfp93yozhJJ6io8Kvs7fJxAhlHRfuV_9RscJO6ecCF39ZFcX1rbmcPzkdAQ7_TW99jSdG2504IQIw6SxL26uGE4dGIL33OsVOmBjyZkJfWUkf0UVRK4QcP9FGwkp-sBg45/s920/Marziyeh+blog+picture+3.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="613" data-original-width="920" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjy7TKS1O2oXCfp93yozhJJ6io8Kvs7fJxAhlHRfuV_9RscJO6ecCF39ZFcX1rbmcPzkdAQ7_TW99jSdG2504IQIw6SxL26uGE4dGIL33OsVOmBjyZkJfWUkf0UVRK4QcP9FGwkp-sBg45/s320/Marziyeh+blog+picture+3.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="504" data-original-width="482" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidrQvx5o0njG1b27ADW-8AK4CIuY0BWm-S19BlC4a73sDtH4Mc5tY78ovJqtGZzAQyMniWrHrpr5isTd-MiJg58Zz6bdirlBe8vOq_jNVmoi6WirrY049q1x2byhNLtFmOEuNjuBXtIQnv/w306-h320/Marziyeh+blog+picture..jpg" width="306" /></span></div><span style="color: #050505;"><br /> True democracy is when the leaders hear the voice of millions of people, try to bring clarification, and prove the integrity of the election to those who believe that their vote was stolen. Bringing Joe Biden to the office without considering the voice of millions of people and resolving the issue of fraud is a true dictatorship system not a democracy. Millions of Americans will never trust their leaders anymore. </span></b></span></div><div dir="auto" style="color: #050505;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><br /></b></span></div></div><div class="o9v6fnle cxmmr5t8 oygrvhab hcukyx3x c1et5uql ii04i59q" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b> True leaders are those who hear the voice of their people, stand with them and fight for righteousness; those who risk their own safety and benefits to fight corruption, not cover it up: those who always stand for the truth no matter what the consequences may be. </b></span></div><div dir="auto"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><br /></b></span></div></div><div class="o9v6fnle cxmmr5t8 oygrvhab hcukyx3x c1et5uql ii04i59q" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b> President Trump is one of the greatest presidents in the history and I will always respect him. He is a true leader who has never been appreciated by the many people of whom he has served. </b></span></div><div dir="auto"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>When persecution comes to the United States, which I see it very close, many will regret and appreciate those who truly fought for them. May the Lord open the eyes of those who are in power and who ignore the truth for the sake of their own benefits. </b></span></div><div dir="auto"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><br /></b></span></div></div><div class="o9v6fnle cxmmr5t8 oygrvhab hcukyx3x c1et5uql ii04i59q" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b> This is my opinion and I do not let anybody lecture me if I am right or wrong. My true leader is Jesus Christ who taught me how to be bold, tell the truth, and stand for the righteousness even at the cost of losing my own life.</b></span></div></div><p><i><br /></i></p><p><i><br /></i></p><div class="kvgmc6g5 cxmmr5t8 oygrvhab hcukyx3x c1et5uql ii04i59q" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;"> <i style="background-color: transparent;"><span style="color: white;"> our freedoms from being stolen!</span></i></div></div>Randy L. Noblehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06956587505268014443noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6716713314166138235.post-28848762371944234772020-11-09T18:52:00.000-08:002020-11-09T18:52:16.178-08:00"What Iran taught me about corrupt elections," (Marziyeh Amirizadeh)<p> </p><div class="kvgmc6g5 cxmmr5t8 oygrvhab hcukyx3x c1et5uql ii04i59q" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">Please take a few minutes to read what my dear Iranian friend Marziyeh Amirizadeh wrote about our election. She made some incredibly good points that all of us need to reflect on. Marziyeh understands the beauty of our country's laws and freedom and how important it is to fight for them everyday!</div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">Why? Because in 2009 she was on death row in Tehran for distributing Bibles!</div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></div></div><div class="o9v6fnle cxmmr5t8 oygrvhab hcukyx3x c1et5uql ii04i59q" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto"><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span><span style="font-family: verdana;"> <b>I moved to the United States in 2011 and proudly became an American citizen in June 2016. I love this beautiful country and its amazing people. This country and its people have given me so much, and I hope I can do something in return. As you know, these days all the news is about the election; many people remain shocked and confused about the results of this election, despite all the propaganda by the fake news media which try to deceive people that Joe Biden is the winner of the election. I feel responsible to write this to every one of you who believe in Jesus and His power, to assure you who is the true winner of this election, and the chosen President of the United States; not only by majority vote but also by God. </b></span></div><div dir="auto"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><br /></b></span></div></div><div class="o9v6fnle cxmmr5t8 oygrvhab hcukyx3x c1et5uql ii04i59q" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b> Since the Iranian Revolution in 1979, elections in Iran are a symbolic game. The people of Iran don’t have any role in electing a candidate to represent them. Whoever the Supreme Leader of Iran, the criminal Khamenei, decides to be the president of Iran will only be in power as a delegate who follows the rules of Khamenei. It is obvious that while a dictator like Khamenei rules over Iran, the Iranian people will not have a fair election and the opinions of the Iranian people or the ballots do not matter. Most people in Iran do not approve of the Islamic Republic, but they have no power to change this system. Iranians have no hope for the future of their country, or the elections, until this regime is no longer in power. The people of Iran long to be free from this oppressive regime and have a free and democratic country. Iranians do not want the criminal Ayatollahs and hope that one day they will have a righteous government and experience true freedom. </b></span></div><div dir="auto"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><br /></b></span></div></div><div class="o9v6fnle cxmmr5t8 oygrvhab hcukyx3x c1et5uql ii04i59q" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b> In 2009, during the presidential election, I was in prison for my Christian faith. I witnessed and heard how many innocent people were arrested, tortured, and murdered only because they were protesting against election fraud in Iran. The violence against peaceful protesters was terrible and beyond imagination. </b></span></div><div dir="auto"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><br /></b></span></div></div><div class="o9v6fnle cxmmr5t8 oygrvhab hcukyx3x c1et5uql ii04i59q" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b> In 2016 after I became a US citizen, I was very excited that as an American I could vote for the first time. I never had the experience of voting in my own country because, as mentioned above, evil and criminal Mullahs, who have captured the country for over forty years are in power and I never voted for those evil people. In 2016, I was very excited that in the United States I could vote for the candidate I wanted and there would be no cheating or fraud in the election. </b></span></div><div dir="auto"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><br /></b></span></div></div><div class="o9v6fnle cxmmr5t8 oygrvhab hcukyx3x c1et5uql ii04i59q" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b> Four years ago, I decided to vote for Donald Trump, but because of the toxic news media I got confused and did not know who I should vote for. Then I prayed and asked God to show me who He wanted me to vote for. Since I gave my heart to Jesus, God speaks to me through my dreams and reveals truths and events before they happen. This is the way that God communicates with me, guides me, and helps me make right decisions. After my prayers about the election I had a dream in which God showed me Donald Trump as the chosen President of the United States. God revealed to me how Trump would bring great changes to this country. After that dream, I became sure that Trump was God’s chosen President.</b></span></div><div dir="auto"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><br /></b></span></div></div><div class="o9v6fnle cxmmr5t8 oygrvhab hcukyx3x c1et5uql ii04i59q" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b> However, since 2016, President Donald Trump has been attacked nonstop by democrats and even wrongfully impeached. Despite all the attacks he stood firm and fought for this country and the American people. This year again before the election, more than a month ago, God gave me another dream. He showed me how Joe Biden would cheat in the election and try to steal people’s votes. After that dream I knew the fraud would happen soon. The night of the election again, the Holy Spirit woke me at 3:00 am to pray for the election and for the President. Nowadays, Joe Biden who is the true loser of this election with the help of the fake news media is trying to show himself as the winner of the election. </b></span></div><div dir="auto"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><br /></b></span></div></div><div class="o9v6fnle cxmmr5t8 oygrvhab hcukyx3x c1et5uql ii04i59q" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b> I believe that Joe Biden is not the winner but is a big loser. In my eyes there is no difference between him and what the Islamic Republic does in the elections in Iran. What he did reminds me of the system of elections in Iran. Recently, the supreme Leader of Iran (the murderer of thousands of innocent people) has mocked the liberal democracy and the US elections on Twitter: “The situation in the US & what they themselves say about their elections is a spectacle! This is an example of the ugly face of liberal democracy in the US. Regardless of the outcome, one this is absolutely clear, the definite political, civil and moral decline of the US regime.” I believe Joe Biden learned a good lesson from his friends and supporters in the Islamic Republic regime how to deceive people and take the power. The fake news and the social media also are trying to cover the big fraud for him and tell us that Biden is the chosen President by the will of the people and is the true winner of the election. </b></span></div><div dir="auto"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><br /></b></span></div></div><div class="o9v6fnle cxmmr5t8 oygrvhab hcukyx3x c1et5uql ii04i59q" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b> I wrote this in order to tell each one of you who voted for the President Donald Trump that now is the time to be united and support the President in this battle. The United States is a country governed by law not by fraudulent and corrupt people. Therefore, let us not be disappointed or give up on this election and stand with the President in his battle against the corrupt people. This is not only his battle, but everyone who believes in the truth and in God’s will. Don’t allow the fake news to decide for you and to determine the future of this country.We should all pray on our knees for the President and for the future of the US. Let us show the world the true power of God and His miracles through the mighty name of Jesus. As a country under God, we must stand for righteousness together, and not accept the fraud and the cheating. </b></span></div><div dir="auto"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><br /></b></span></div></div><div class="o9v6fnle cxmmr5t8 oygrvhab hcukyx3x c1et5uql ii04i59q" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b> We have to teach dictators like Khamenei in Iran, what the rule of law and true democracy means: that in a democratic country like the United States, fraud and cheating has no place and even if this happens, it can be peacefully set right without people being arrested, tortured or murdered.</b></span></div><div dir="auto"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5WDVZ36ajcC2amz7o5dX2__cOHZAx7_bb6x2JwVZkLGSKHmMAXItVQjHoEYb2Oa2vT-gnc5-mW478Ty130ivaK6JPyHWK3tc0HI3Nlalhh2MueKqFudc8QaHqP_I7MXHVGF3_-nYGebFO/s1440/Marz+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1440" data-original-width="1080" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5WDVZ36ajcC2amz7o5dX2__cOHZAx7_bb6x2JwVZkLGSKHmMAXItVQjHoEYb2Oa2vT-gnc5-mW478Ty130ivaK6JPyHWK3tc0HI3Nlalhh2MueKqFudc8QaHqP_I7MXHVGF3_-nYGebFO/s320/Marz+1.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEjh0l6yRWQIqntycjOs3xppcFru6gmK36lJS5T7AHyiwvQs7s7Y2Jva0adFW0LTVbgBHf2m0UCtW-tBWaA3aczJZusDJ7BGjUi-Hw-Dq_9INTol5rBOlHVRSZKNGhg9DamteAYluxf-Cw/s600/Marz+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEjh0l6yRWQIqntycjOs3xppcFru6gmK36lJS5T7AHyiwvQs7s7Y2Jva0adFW0LTVbgBHf2m0UCtW-tBWaA3aczJZusDJ7BGjUi-Hw-Dq_9INTol5rBOlHVRSZKNGhg9DamteAYluxf-Cw/s320/Marz+2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /> </b></span></div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></div></div><div class="o9v6fnle cxmmr5t8 oygrvhab hcukyx3x c1et5uql ii04i59q" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;"><i>Romans 8:28</i></div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;"><i>“and we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.”</i></div></div>Randy L. Noblehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06956587505268014443noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6716713314166138235.post-87873536721525158282020-09-22T09:58:00.007-07:002020-09-22T15:14:42.854-07:00Rojina: "A light in the darkness of Turkey."<p> </p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"> <b>"It has been a very long and difficult eight years in Turkey as a refugee. Most of the day I am depressed, thinking about all of my friends back in Iran. I miss them so much! I cannot see them or visit them at school. The memories of my childhood have nearly faded away in the chaos of my life! My teenage years have all but been forgotten! I miss the birthday parties with all of my dear friends. I miss not having my own room, where I can relax and be alone. Instead of remembering the few happy times that I had growing up, all I think about every second of every day is, "<i>How will I pay the rent and my bills? There are no jobs for me here. It is like living hell on earth in isolation because of the virus.</i></b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><i><b><span> Living in isolation gives me hours to think and ponder about my life. I want to share with you how this all began.......</span><br /></b></i></span></p><p><b> ************</b></p><p><b><br /></b></p><p><b> <span style="font-family: helvetica;"> I remember being miserable as an eight year-old child in school. I was forced to read the Quran and pray. I hated wearing the black manteau! It was like a coat that you had to wear which included the scarf or hijab that covered your hair. I hated this clothing! One day I got so furious that I tore off this silly clothing and left school. My teacher chased after me shouting, <i>"Don't do that! You are behaving like a sinner!"</i><br /></span></b></p><p><b> <span style="font-family: helvetica;">Life at home was not any easier for me. My mother, Parisa was miserable. She had no peace. She felt lost inside. Her parents had pressured her into reading the Quran and she felt no joy in doing this. My mom had the difficult task of being a single parent after divorcing my father. We were both searching for meaning and purpose in our lives.</span><br /></b></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><b><span> One day our neighbor Roya visited us. She could see the misery and despair in my mother's eyes. Roya was a Christian but because of fearing the government, she was careful not to intrude too much into our lives. She knew we were Muslims. However that memorable day, she decided to reach out to us. Roya recommended that we watch Mohabat TV. Mohabat TV was a Christian channel beamed into Iran on the satellite. It featured programs about the Bible and Jesus. She also gave my mom a Persian New Testament and asked to her to read it. She agreed.</span><br /></b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><b> One night my Mom had an incredible dream. In her dream she was visited by Jesus. He burned a symbol of the cross on her arm and said, <i>"This is going to be painful. Being a Christian will not be easy!"</i><br /></b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><i><b><span> Parisa woke up frightened. Beads of sweat were rolling down her cheeks. When she gazed at her left arm, she panicked! There was a burn spot on her arm just like in the dream!</span><br /></b></i></span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><b><i> </i>She immediately showed her arm to Roya and Roya took a picture of it. She sent it to her pastor. A few days later the Pastor visited our home and prayed for my mom. That was the day that she accepted Christ as her savior and became a Christian.</b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><b> I immediately recognized the dramatic change in my mother's life. She was no longer angry. As a Muslim she was always angry and never happy, but now she was calm. Her change in behavior was like heaven for me! The Pastor gave me a children's Bible and instructed me to read the story of Jesus. I remember how different Jesus was compared to Mohammed. Jesus was kind and compassionate. As a Muslim, all I ever remembered was anger and violence. I never knew what true love was. One story in the gospels made a big impact on my life. The night before his crucifixion when the soldiers came to arrest Jesus, Peter becomes angry and cuts off the ear of Malchus, one of the servants of the High Priest. However Jesus rebuked him and instead healed the servant's ear. <i>I was so impressed by the kindness that Jesus showed his enemies! This story touched my heart and changed my life! At the age of eight years old, I asked Jesus into my heart and became a Christian!</i></b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><b><i> </i>After becoming a Christian, one of the first things I wanted to do was to share how Jesus changed my life with my friends at school. However my mother warned me not to do it. For a Muslim to change their religion in Iran is very serious. They can be imprisoned or put to death. . I was so excited about my new found faith and I wanted to tell everyone! As soon as I got home from school, I turned on the Christian music. I played it loud. It filled my heart and mind with so much joy. One of my favorite hobbies is painting. I would make paintings of the cross and decorate the walls of my room with them! For the first time in my life, I was so happy!<br /></b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><b> However, my happiness ended whenever I entered through the doors of the school. I was so frustrated that I could not share my faith with my friends.I had to pretend that I still liked Islam and wear that stupid hijab! One day I told my teacher that I couldn't take it anymore. I explained to her that I was now reading the Bible. The teacher was astonished and immediately contacted my Mom. She warned her that I must change my behavior or else be expelled from school! My mom took me aside and gently persuaded me to be patient and to obey my teacher. I reluctantly agreed. I was a <i>straight A</i> student at school. I excelled in all of my studies, but the day the teacher found out that I was reading the Bible, she began lowering all of my grades to a C. <i>The living waters of happiness that I had found in Jesus was slowly drying up from the persecution at school.</i><br /></b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><i><b><span> I will never forget one of the darkest times of my life. When I was 11 years old I was sexually abused. </span><br /></b></i></span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><b><i> </i>My Uncle had a friend who was a math teacher. He would often come over to our home. He knew that I was struggling in school. So he offered to help me with math and my mother agreed. He was a Muslim and knew that we were Christians, but seemed not to be offended or disturbed by our faith. Whenever my mom left me alone at home, this Muslim man would instruct me in my studies. However, for a solid year, he did more that tutor me in math!. He began touching me, putting his hands all over my body. I was terrified! I didn't know what to do! He would stare intently into my eyes and warn me,<i> "If you tell your mother, I will report you to the government!"</i><br /></b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><i><b><span> All I knew how to do was to pray and cry out to Jesus...and Jesus answered my prayer!</span><br /></b></i></span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><b><i> </i>We loved meeting with other Christians in our home. We were part of a house church movement meeting secretly for fear of the government. We played our music loud in celebration and raised our voices loudly in prayer at every meeting. One day the police came to our house while we were on vacation. Fortunately we were not there. When we returned home, our pastor told us that we must immediately leave and go to Turkey. We were in danger of being arrested. Instead of going to Turkey, my mom took us to a small town named Miandoab where we hid out from the government for a year and a half. It was then that I realized that Jesus had answered my prayer. He had allowed the police to come to our house so we had to move. When we moved, the sexual abuse ended. It was the last time I would ever see that Muslim man. <i>I was finally safe and protected. The nightmare had ended!</i><br /></b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><i style="font-weight: bold;"> </i><b>In 2013, we finally moved to Turkey after an undercover agent came to our home looking for my mother. We sold everything that we had and left our homeland. It is so sad to say good bye to the people that you love just to find freedom. We lived for two months in Istanbul with my mother's friend Afsaneh. As refugees, we were prohibited from getting jobs, so my mother secretly opened up a bakery at home and began selling delicious pastries to all of the Iranian tourists. We desperately needed a place to live and one of my mother's friends connected us with an Iranian man. The Iranian man agreed to help us find a place. This was one of the worst mistakes that we ever made. This man became controlling and abusive. He demanded money from us for the rent, groceries and bills. It was like living back in Iran. Then one day, he tried to sexually abuse me. Horrible memories of abuse flooded my mind from when I lived back in Iran. He tried to kiss me but I resisted. He even tried to sexually abuse my mom. We quickly packed up our few belongings and left!</b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><b> A year after living in Turkey my mother received her first interview with the UNHCR in Ankara. Her interviewer was a Muslim woman. For five or six hours, my mother explained why she became a Christian. She shared with her the incredible dream and how Jesus had changed her life forever. Unfortunately she was rejected. The interviewer didn't believe her story. We found out later that unless we had documents about our baptism that the immigration board would continue to reject us.</b><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><b><span> Living in Turkey as refugees was extremely difficult. Struggling to provide money for rent and food and waiting forever to be interviewed took a toll on us emotionally. It was during this time that I spent most of the day praying and gazing at the beautiful gold cross that I proudly wore around my neck. I was comforted whenever I gazed upon the cross. However, wearing my cross necklace in public brought much conflict and persecution to me. I was harassed by many young </span>Muslims, but I refused to hide or cover up my necklace. I loved Jesus. I was unashamed to wear it. I told every person that I met that, "<i>This is who I am. I am a Christian. I love Jesus! </i>One day while at the shopping market, the owner saw the cross around my neck and threw me out of his store. He scolded me and said,</b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><b> "<i>You are a sinner. You need to return to islam. You are going to hell!"</i><i><br /></i></b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><b><i> </i>I was never afraid to share my faith In Jesus. I would always look at my cross and proclaim,<i> "Jesus is with me all of the time. I have no fear."</i><i><br /></i></b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><b><i> </i>This personal declaration of faith that "Jesus was always with me" proved to be an incredible reality that saved my life!<br /></b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><b><span> In 2018, I was finally offered a job in a hotel working as a translator, selling suites to customers. I waited for hours to speak with the manager. It was almost 2 am in the morning. I had no way home and there were no taxis. Finally the manager appeared and offered to drive me home. I sat in the back seat. I remembered feeling very nervous. Something didn't feel right. Something was wrong. A few minutes later, he pulled the car over and asked me to sit in the front seat next to him.</span><br /></b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><b> I said, <i>"No," </i>feeling uneasy and afraid. "<i>Are you scared?</i>" he asked me.<br /></b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><b><span> A few minutes passed by and he forced me into the front seat next to him. I was terrified. My mind was filled with the horrible memories of being sexually molested years ago in Iran.</span><br /></b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><b> <i> "Are you a Christian?"</i> He asked me, <i>"Don't you ever have sex?"</i><br /></b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><b> My whole body was trembl<i>ing. I grabbed my cell phone, but couldn't get a signal to call my mom. "No I don't have sex,"</i> I replied, my voice trembling, "<i>That's a sin before marriage."</i></b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><i><b><span> I looked down at my necklace and nervously began praying, mumbling the words, crying out for Jesus to save me!"</span><br /></b></i></span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><i><span><b><span> He began to put his hand on my legs, when suddenly his cell phone rang. It was his wife! She demanded to know where he was! His wife became my angel. He finally drove me home and said he would see me again the next day, but I never went back!</span><br /></b></span></i></span></p><p><b><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><i><span><span><span> </span></span></span></i></span></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><i><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0o450vQZbcN48cP66BLBCzscyVCP_j_02dfsZ9hKW-n18ts8V0w-S311yiw48ryJt5byzI0QR1UbxRn16kCCDEt7Xre6hmqX0LqezhiTyTCfh0J827NmnmeR3_fj8vtv_vHwjiMUQ0W4v/s1254/Rojina+2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1254" data-original-width="802" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0o450vQZbcN48cP66BLBCzscyVCP_j_02dfsZ9hKW-n18ts8V0w-S311yiw48ryJt5byzI0QR1UbxRn16kCCDEt7Xre6hmqX0LqezhiTyTCfh0J827NmnmeR3_fj8vtv_vHwjiMUQ0W4v/s320/Rojina+2.jpg" /></a></i></span></b></div><b><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><i><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJFXjMm1fdvIDwCD0vnUDorvuV1y05J6ijTFaYbd4z6LZJwvtIpCgf8Np4rUKEEC3NcCVEIxY1YAIM1krkKX_OaixOpK_qvbs_vhKa9QOptdTIPg-qAlvXP1eyer6n4ceusgXBz0h4QkeY/s1280/Rojina+1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="910" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJFXjMm1fdvIDwCD0vnUDorvuV1y05J6ijTFaYbd4z6LZJwvtIpCgf8Np4rUKEEC3NcCVEIxY1YAIM1krkKX_OaixOpK_qvbs_vhKa9QOptdTIPg-qAlvXP1eyer6n4ceusgXBz0h4QkeY/s320/Rojina+1.jpg" /></a></div><br /></i></span><i style="font-family: helvetica;"> </i></b><p></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><i><span><span><span><b><br /></b></span></span></span></i></span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><b><i> </i>That is my story so far. I turned 22 this year.</b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><b> It's been another long day in the city of Yalova, Turkey. Another long day in isolation, but as I think back to when I was eight years old and remember the day that Jesus came into my life, I am no longer depressed. Deep down in my soul I am grateful. I have joy. I know that Jesus is always with me. He will never leave or forsake me. He has a special purpose for my life. I am holding onto my faith in Jesus. I can honestly confess to you that if I wasn't a Christian I would have ended my life a long time ago. But thank God, I didn't. In the midst of turmoil, I have peace. I have peace because I know God has a purpose and plan for my life.<i> He has made me a light in the darkness of Turkey.<br /></i></b></span></p><h1 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><i><span> </span></i></span></h1><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><i><br /></i></span></p>Randy L. Noblehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06956587505268014443noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6716713314166138235.post-70475420895327548722020-09-15T12:07:00.001-07:002020-09-16T11:31:46.532-07:00Leila Hassanian: "Waiting to die in Turkey."<div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div> <b><span style="font-family: verdana;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_aBdWwBTVXJJSzE4E2rOs7_zHReywk2SiiAE57rFulc4y7AzScncW0JXrlJLhEbO_8bbgG-5kakcNyJU7n0ho5gNuIW0MFbgdUopBsCd0qhU6kyCj1MQVRWZ6UuIJKOSQsSYSUu7cYN8P/s640/Lila.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="640" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_aBdWwBTVXJJSzE4E2rOs7_zHReywk2SiiAE57rFulc4y7AzScncW0JXrlJLhEbO_8bbgG-5kakcNyJU7n0ho5gNuIW0MFbgdUopBsCd0qhU6kyCj1MQVRWZ6UuIJKOSQsSYSUu7cYN8P/s320/Lila.jpg" /></a></div><div><b><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></b></div><br /> My name is Leila Hassanian: I was born into a tribal family in the southern part of Iran. I was the second child of parents who had been waiting for many years for the birth of a son. My birth disappointed them. My father was the eldest son of the tribal family. He was desperate for the birth of a male child in order to carry on the family legacy and establish his name.</span><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></b></div><div><span><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><br /></b></span></span></div><div><span><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b> <i>"No one was happy with my birth. Even my own grandparents were sad."</i><br /></b></span></span></div><div><span><i><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><br /></b></span></i></span></div><div><span><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><i> </i>It wasn't until four years later that they were blessed with a birth of a son. That's when the celebration began and the dark clouds of sadness were lifted from their lives. During my childhood and adolescence, all of the family attention was focused on my brother and no attention was ever given to the girls.<br /></b></span></span></div><div><span><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><br /></b></span></span></div><div><span><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><span> At the age of 20, I became the victim of a forced marriage. My father chose my husband and my marriage was a disaster from the very beginning. My husband was not pleased with me. Very soon afterwards we fled to Turkey to become refugees and that's when my life became almost unbearable! There was no love and communication in our marriage. I couldn't get a job and I suffered day and night under the harsh control of my husband. I became very depressed and although I sought counseling and therapy for relief, I couldn't find any help. Unable to sleep at nights because of the stress, I began taking sleeping pills. The Immigration office refused to give me any help for my marital problems and so one night I escaped to Ankara.</span><br /></b></span></span></div><div><span><span><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><br /></b></span></span></span></div><div><span><span><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><span> I applied for a divorce at a court in Ankara and after a week, the Immigration office deported me back to the same city that my husband was living in. They detained me and placed me in a larger central detention center where I suffered miserably for 60 days. I could not prove to the courts that my life was in danger if sent back to Iran and so I am currently in danger of being deported.</span><br /></b></span></span></span></div><div><span><span><span><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><span> I have no ID cards, no interviews with the UNHCR, no human rights in Turkey, and I am forced to work 12 hours a day earning only $1.00 an hour! While I'm at work, I am the constant target of sexual and psychological harassment from men.</span><br /></b></span></span></span></span></div><div><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><span> </span><br /></b></span></span></span></span></span></div><div><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><span> However in the midst of all of the darkness and despair, I have found hope in Jesus. I am busy studying the Christian faith with other Iranian-Christians. For the first time in my life, I have a real peace in my heart. Please pray for me and be my voice. If I'm deported back to Iran, they will deal harshly with me as a Christian. I will surely be imprisoned for the rest of my life.</span><br /></b></span></span></span></span></span></span></div><div><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><br /></b></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div><div><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b> <i>"Be my voice in Turkey. I don't want to die!"</i></b></span><br /></span></span></span></span></span></div>Randy L. Noblehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06956587505268014443noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6716713314166138235.post-73613571823550396922020-09-14T20:13:00.001-07:002020-09-14T20:13:49.193-07:00Afsaneh: Forty years a slave to Sharia<p> </p><p> <span style="font-family: verdana;"> <b>A young girl or woman living in Iran in the 21st century will quickly understand what it means to be a second class citizen. She has experienced the true meaning of disgrace and humiliation in a country where her value has been reduced to the size of man's left testicle.</b></span><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><br /></b></span></p><p><span><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><span> My name is Afsaneh Rostami and I am that woman! I am 40 years old struggling to survive with hopes and dreams for my son's future. I am a single mother with the difficult task of raising him all alone in a male-dominated culture without any support from my family.</span><br /></b></span></span></p><p><span><span><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b> I have been fighting my entire life against a corrupt system of <i>"anti-woman Sharia laws"</i> that devalues and disgraces a woman and treats her like a sexual slave. The longer that I live, the more that I realize that there is no hope in the darkness. My family forced me to marry at an early age and I had a child when I was just a young teenager. Very soon afterwards I was divorced not understanding the true meaning of love and marriage. My family separated me from my son declaring that I was unfit to raise him. For eight long years I was prevented from seeing him because of my gender under existing Islamic law.<br /></b></span></span></span></p><p><span><span><span><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><span> I had to escape in order to find hope and freedom. I stayed awake every night crying because I was unable to hold my son in my arms. Desperate and afraid, I escaped from my family who wanted to kill me because I didn't fit the role model of an Islamic woman.</span><br /></b></span></span></span></span></p><p><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b> <i>"I have not lived for 40 years. I have been miserable and unhappy. I have not danced for 40 years. I am tired......"</i><br /></b></span></span></span></span></span></p><p><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><i> </i>I finally arrived in Turkey to seek refuge in a safe country but my pain has doubled since my arrival. I have no income so I had to find a job, but unfortunately refugees are not allowed to work in Turkey. They are prohibited from obtaining a work permit. When the Turkish police discovered that I had a job on the "black market" I was arrested and my residence card was revoked. After living in Turkey for eight years, the government has given me a deportation notice despite being accepted by the UNHCR. If I am deported back to Iran the government will execute me because I am political activist.</b></span></span></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><br /></b></span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b></b></span></span></span></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjt3c764ViEGrU7eFB1PeMQF0z4aI711Ajl5iojdN6YWM7L6-eJX0cJsBTq-JFz9JygjZ0GHuvu6AW7RzJyGUMJSz9vHyq7ge1Q5Cj5exGL76DADy5fWII9dY5GqXdggrREAbcPPiPnG0R6/s441/afsaneh.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="441" data-original-width="441" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjt3c764ViEGrU7eFB1PeMQF0z4aI711Ajl5iojdN6YWM7L6-eJX0cJsBTq-JFz9JygjZ0GHuvu6AW7RzJyGUMJSz9vHyq7ge1Q5Cj5exGL76DADy5fWII9dY5GqXdggrREAbcPPiPnG0R6/s320/afsaneh.jpg" /></a></b></span></div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><br /><br /></b></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><span><span><span><span><span> Iran was once a civilized country but with the Islamic Invasion centuries ago and the Revolution in 1979 that caused the Shah to be exiled, now my beloved Persian nation is filled with death, destruction, and poverty. When the Shah was in power, the face of Iran was changing into a western secular nation that had gender equality and freedom. But when Khomeini seized power, Iran was transformed into a theocratic nation with the iron-fisted rule of Islamic Mullahs. They have suppressed our freedom-seeking heroes, scientists, and </span></span></span></span></span>educators, silencing their voices. The government is killing our youth out in the streets because of their peaceful protesting. They are imprisoning and executing our sons, our daughters, and our young women, simply because they want freedom and the right to make choices.</b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b> Now that you've read my story, I only have one request of you. Please be my voice! If I am deported, I will no longer have a voice. For forty years, I have struggled and fought in a culture that hates freedom and hates women. I haven't danced in 40 years. <i>Please be my voice so that I can dance again!</i></b><br /></span></p><p><span><span><span><span><br /></span></span></span></span></p>Randy L. Noblehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06956587505268014443noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6716713314166138235.post-17272495740264603142020-09-05T07:46:00.002-07:002020-09-05T21:58:57.326-07:00"A Lion in Persia: The assassination of Dr. Ardeshir Hosseinpour."<p> </p><p><br /></p><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span face="" style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 107%;"> </span><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b></b></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZCAE40hwIjhSeoiGDM2GxlbyWtjALDd93v1uVPd69Iuz7SIw67SYnozwvADOE639y7zU513qZ_8SYkk5sLWxo2jJLDh60z9aPDvNK5g40NwYdRaRLG5tDFAxYd84tFtiJJueLAXYUHkAb/s1620/Ardeshir+2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1620" data-original-width="1080" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZCAE40hwIjhSeoiGDM2GxlbyWtjALDd93v1uVPd69Iuz7SIw67SYnozwvADOE639y7zU513qZ_8SYkk5sLWxo2jJLDh60z9aPDvNK5g40NwYdRaRLG5tDFAxYd84tFtiJJueLAXYUHkAb/s320/Ardeshir+2.jpg" /></a></b></span></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6SCrLG7oKLmmTdtYY0B-jI-2RGzvY0ViZ39lhyN4VYcihTy-hb8RmPqcHgXDhi_0ju_WLxspTSAS5i6jcJS7RPcGuw9TrobQ0x2gGWR3X4PqIbUx3070XiESa8feOujCwLeRhNeWDN59M/s1080/Ardeshir+3.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="883" data-original-width="1080" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6SCrLG7oKLmmTdtYY0B-jI-2RGzvY0ViZ39lhyN4VYcihTy-hb8RmPqcHgXDhi_0ju_WLxspTSAS5i6jcJS7RPcGuw9TrobQ0x2gGWR3X4PqIbUx3070XiESa8feOujCwLeRhNeWDN59M/s320/Ardeshir+3.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /> The bright rays of sunrise gently peeked across
the horizon in the city of Shiraz, Iran. Sara awoke early as was her custom and
grabbed her cell phone from off the table next to her bed. She speed dialed her
husband’s number and then patiently waited for him to pick up.<o:p></o:p></b></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><i>No
answer</i>…her call went into voice mail.<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Sara
dialed once again, now sitting up in bed, anxious for her husband to answer.
Ardeshir should have been up by now, preparing to dress and head out to his
class at the university to teach.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He had
a very predictable routine and Sara knew it by heart. They had only been
married for just twenty-five days after being in love for a year and a half.
Her teacher and class professor had gone from being her university sweetheart
to her young and handsome husband. <o:p></o:p></b></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><i>Once
again, no answer</i>…. her second call went into voice mail.<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>By
now, Sara was feeling frustrated and a little worried. If she had been with him
at their new apartment, the night before, calling him on the cell phone would
have been unnecessary. Ardeshir had insisted that she remain at home with her
sick father and Sara reluctantly agreed.<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>As
she threw on some clothes in a haste, Sara continued calling her husband, and
still there was no answer<i>. Maybe he overslept, or maybe there was problems
with the cell phone or the wifi</i>. Their new apartment was in disarray. Many
items still remained unpacked and sleeping on the floor had become a routine
until they both managed to find the time to purchase a new bed to sleep on.<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><i>The
phone continued to go into voice mail.<o:p></o:p></i></b></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><i><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span></i><span style="line-height: 107%;">Sara
was now fully dressed. As she stood in front of the mirror to adjust her hijab,
she could feel her heart racing in her chest. She remembered back to the last
conversation that they had together. Ardeshir mentioned that he was supposed to
meet with two men to discuss some scientific issues. The meeting would take
place later that night at their apartment. She grabbed her purse and class
books and paused at the front door, taking a deep breath. It was only a
ten-minute drive from her father’s house to their apartment. Sara phoned for a
taxi. She decided to go first to the university. Ardeshir would most certainly
be there for the early morning 8 am class. His students would be waiting inside
for him.<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Arriving
at the university, Sara quickly entered through the front door. She immediately
noticed that the students had gathered in the hallway impatiently waiting for
Ardeshir’s arrival. <i><o:p></o:p></i></b></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><i><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span></i><span style="line-height: 107%;">Sweat
rolled down Sara’s cheeks. Fear gripped her heart. She began running toward
their apartment that was only ten minutes away from the university. Upon
arriving, she nervously inserted the key into the lock of the front door.<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><i>“Ardeshir,
Ardeshir</i>,” She nervously cried out as she continued to twist the key into
the lock.<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>The
door finally opened and immediately she was greeted with a blast of hot air in
her face.<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>The
first thing she noticed was the roar of the furnace running on its highest
setting. Sprawled out in front of the bedroom door was Ardeshir covered up to
his neck in a blanket. It was highly unusual for Ardeshir to be sleeping with a
blanket over himself and the furnace turned up on high. He disliked the heat
and never slept with a blanket.<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Sara
raced over to her husband. He must have overslept and didn’t hear his cell
phone ringing. She knelt down beside him and began shaking his body with her
right hand.<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><i>“Honey.
Honey, wake up, it’s me, Sara. Ardeshir! Ardeshir!”<o:p></o:p></i></b></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Ardeshir
didn’t move. He was unresponsive. Sara violently shook him once again.<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><i>“Ardeshir!
Ardeshir. Please wake up. Wake up!”<o:p></o:p></i></b></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="line-height: 107%;"><o:p><span style="font-family: arial;"><b> </b></span></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><i><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span></span></i><span style="line-height: 107%;">***************<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><o:p><span style="font-family: arial;"><b> </b></span></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>For
the last 14 years, since his mysterious death on January 15, 2007, Mahboobeh
Hosseinpour has been a powerful voice for her brother, refusing to accept the
government’s official version that Ardeshir’s death was accidental. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The government concluded that his death was
the result of gas poisoning and then they invented a number of possible
scenarios, including heart disease, a jealous lover, and finally an
assassination plot conceived by Mossad and carried out by Israeli spies.<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Mabi
( Maboobeh) refuses to accept any of these scenarios. Instead she has been busy
launching a campaign to get the truth of her brother’s death out to the media,
but has run into a brick wall of fear and political correctness. The BBC never
returned any of her emails and VOA Persian rejected her story for fear of
consequences from the Iranian regime. Since Mabi is an activist for regime
change in Iran and a loyal supporter of the Pahlavi Dynasty, the media has
boycotted her story. They are opposed to women like Mabi who are dedicated to
the Shah.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The media understands that accusing Iran of
assassinating their top scientist strikes at the heart of the Islamic Republic,
exposing them as a cruel and oppressive government. The world cannot and must
not know the real story of what goes on behind the iron curtain of the Islamic
Republic of Iran!<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>In
October of 2010, Mabi traveled from Iran to the American Embassy in Nairobi,
Kenya. She stayed for 55 days, late into the month of December, pleading with
the security officers to contact Washington and put pressure on Iran. She
explained the tragic story of how she believed her brother was assassinated
because he refused to enrich the uranium stockpile to 20 percent which far
exceeded the legal limits. <o:p></o:p></b></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“<i>Please
contact the State Department and tell them my story. Iran can’t be trusted with
their nuclear ambition,”</i> Mabi insisted, “<i>If the United States puts more
sanctions on the government, it could lead to another revolution and the people
can overthrow this evil regime!”<o:p></o:p></i></b></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><i><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span></i><span style="line-height: 107%;">Unfortunately,
Mabi’s desperate pleas fell on deaf ears. Instead of the Obama Administration
putting more tough sanctions on Iran, they had empowered and enriched the
Mullahs with more than 150 billion dollars in sanctions relief money in a July
2015 nuclear deal. <i>Obama and Biden had betrayed the Iranian people</i>!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In 2009, they had both refused to listen to
the cries of Iranian protesters during the bloody presidential election
uprising and now in 2015 they were celebrating a dangerous deal that would
eventually allow this evil regime to develop nuclear weapons!<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><o:p><span style="font-family: arial;"><b> </b></span></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>*******************<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><o:p><span style="font-family: arial;"><b> </b></span></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><o:p><span style="font-family: arial;"><b> </b></span></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Ardeshir
Hosseinpour was born on December 21, 1962 in Tehran during the Yalda
Celebration which is the longest night of the year. Iran was a prosperous
nation at the time under the leadership of the Shah<i>, Mohammed Reza Pahlavi</i>
who had recently implemented important reforms known as the <i>White Revolution</i>,
one such reform granting women the right to vote. In 1962, Iran was a very
secular and free culture without the oppressive religious restrictions that
were to come later. Women were not required to wear a veil when going on
publicly and the sexes were not segregated. Life under the Shah was a
celebration of diversity and freedom.<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Ardeshir’s
name had been specially chosen by his father, Nasrollah to commemorate national
pride. The name Ardeshir, literally in Persian means<i>, “holy king.”</i><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ardeshir’s parents wanted to instill on their
children the richness of Persian history pushing back the influences of Islam
from the 7<sup>th</sup> century. Their family book was <i>“the book of Kings,”</i>
written by the famous Persian poet, Ferdowsi, who preserved the Persian
language, history, and mythology from being erased by the Arabs.<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>From
his early childhood, at the age of seven, Ardeshir had aspirations of becoming
a scientist. He loved nature and was very concerned about the environment and
the diseases that were cutting the short the lifespan of his people. At the
time of the Revolution in 1978, Ardeshir was 16 years old and busy pursuing his
scientific endeavors. His mind was not occupied with Khomeini and his vision
for a new Iran. Instead he was concentrating on mathematics and physics. He had
a vision to transform the environment of Iran and construct a pipe system for
irrigation changing the desert into a forest eco system.<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Aredeshir’s
early life was filled with outstanding achievements. By the age of 19 he had
earned the highest degree in Martial arts, the black belt. While serving in the
army, he received an award for braveness and leadership. After his tour of duty
in the war with Iraq, Ardeshir continued to pursue his educational career by
earning four degrees in <i>electronics, engineering, computer, and metalogy</i>.
He went on to earn a Master of Science degree in Physics and his Phd in Atomic
Physics. His outstanding achievements enabled him to become one of Iran’s top
nuclear scientists specializing in uranium enrichment.<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>From
the time he was recognized as one of Iran’s top nuclear scientists, he had been
under government scrutiny and surveillance. Mabi, Aredshir’s sister, explains
the various reasons that led to his assassination in 2007.<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“<i>They,
the government, was very jealous of his intellect. Ardeshir was a handsome man
and for that reason alone, the Mullah’s hated him. They would always complain
about him wearing sunglasses, believing that it would tempt women. They
complained about his shirtsleeves being too high up on his arms revealing too
much skin. This of course is because of the extreme dress code in Iran.”</i><o:p></o:p></b></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>However,
the number one reason for the government assassinating him was because of his
opposition to the Bushehr nuclear site. Ardeshir was invited to tour this site
and he spoke out against its usefulness to the government.<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><i>“It’s
not useful. It’s not that important. It’s too old and too expensive and not
good for national interest.”<o:p></o:p></i></b></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><i><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span></i><span style="line-height: 107%;">Ardeshir’s
objection enraged the government.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When
he refused to enrich the uranium to 20% which was beyond the legal limit, this
act of defiance sealed his fate. The government hated his moral character. His
morality, kindness, and honesty put him at odds with the Mullahs. One of his
favorite rituals before teaching class was to quote from the Persian poet,
Ferdowsi. He never quoted from the Quran and in the eyes of the government,
that act alone was treasonous.<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>With
tears in her eyes from the years of pain and anguish, Mabi explains what she
believed happened on the night of his assassination on January 15, 2007. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ardeshir received a call while speaking with
his wife Sara and was instructed to meet with some important officials alone
later on at his apartment. He urged his wife to stay behind and take care of
her ailing father. Ardeshir then drove alone back home. Neighbors reported
seeing him pacing back and forth on his balcony at 3 am. waiting anxiously for
his meeting. Mabi believes sometime later when Ardeshir retired for the night,
that government agents climbed atop his apartment building and dropped
poisonous pellets down through the chimney. They waited a few minutes and then
entered his apartment, turned up the heater, and laid a blanket across his
body. They wanted to give the appearance that Ardeshir fell asleep and died as
a result of gas poisoning from a malfunction with the heater. However, when the
heater was later inspected it was found to be functioning perfectly!<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s
been ten years since Mabi traveled to Nairobi and urged the officers at the
American Embassy to contact the Obama Administration about her brother. She
warned them not to trust Iran. Her plea fell on deaf ears. Instead they forged
ahead with a disastrous Nuclear deal in 2015 and appeased the Mullahs with over
150 billion dollars in sanctions relief money which they used to finance their
terrorism. <o:p></o:p></b></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Now Vice President Joe Biden is running for president against Donald
Trump. NIAC has already pledged their support behind the vice president and the
Islamic Republic of Iran is backing him. If Biden becomes President it will be
a disastrous return to appeasing the Mullahs of Iran and a deadly return to the
Nuclear deal which will certainly empower them toward the development of a
nuclear weapon.<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Mabi
has dedicated her life to tell the world the truth about really happened to her
brother. She is a passionate human rights activist that is a powerful voice for
the plight of all Iranians. <i>Ardeshir must not be forgotten! His story and
his legacy must be told to every media outlet around the world. His death must
not be in vain. </i>He stood brave and strong against the dictatorship
government in Iran to prevent them from developing nuclear weapons. <i>We must
do the same!<o:p></o:p></i></b></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b> </b></span><span face="" style="font-size: 10pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p></p>Randy L. Noblehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06956587505268014443noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6716713314166138235.post-28778887518557491162020-06-04T13:00:00.001-07:002020-06-04T18:23:44.601-07:00"Like lambs to slaughter."<br />
The November Uprising in Iran was the bloodiest confrontation betwen the government and protesters since the 1979 Revolution. Over 1500 peaceful protesters were executed by a dictatorship government. This article will appear in my new book, <i>"Shout Freedom: The desperate cry of </i><br />
<i>Iranians."</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "segoe ui semibold" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 66.0pt 395.25pt;">
<span style="font-family: "segoe ui semibold" , sans-serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span><b> </b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 66.0pt 395.25pt;">
<span style="font-family: "segoe ui semibold" , sans-serif; line-height: 107%;"><o:p><b><br /></b></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 66.0pt 395.25pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 66.0pt 395.25pt;">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><b><span style="font-family: "segoe ui semibold" , sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">F</span></b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>riday, November 15, 2019
is a day that Iranians will not soon forget! The government announced that is
was hiking the gas prices by more than 200 percent! The new fuel tax outraged
Iranians who were already struggling to make ends meet in a desperate economic
situation burdened by the U.S. sanctions. Refusing to comply with the
oppressive new regulations, Iranians took to the streets in massive protests
across 200 cities and towns, demanding their rights and confronting the sins of
the regime, shouting, <i>“Death to the dictator!”<o:p></o:p></i></b></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 66.0pt 395.25pt;">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b><br /></b></span></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 66.0pt 395.25pt;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b><i><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span></i><span style="line-height: 107%;">Supreme
leader Ali Khamenei summoned his inner circle after watching the massive
uprising and gave a stern command to them, <i>“The Islamic Republic is in
danger. Do whatever it takes to end it. You have my order!”<o:p></o:p></i></span></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 66.0pt 395.25pt;">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b><br /></b></span></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 66.0pt 395.25pt;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b><i><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span></i><span style="line-height: 107%;">What
transpired after the Supreme Leader’s command, resulted in one of the bloodiest
episodes since the Islamic Revolution of 1979!<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 66.0pt 395.25pt;">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b><br /></b></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 66.0pt 395.25pt;">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>In order to conceal their
savagery, the government shut down the internet nationwide to confuse the
protesters and hide from the world, the evil they were about to do. The IRGC,
(Iran Revolutionary Guard) descended upon the innocent, peaceful protesters,
intending to crush the revolt, and began shooting them in the head and heart.
In the end, after two bloody and violent weeks, over 1,500 Iranians lay dead in
the streets and hospital beds, 17 of them young teenagers, and 400 of them
women! Over 4,000 had been wounded and 7,000 arrested. The IRGC had
successfully carried out the direct orders of the Supreme Leader, sparing no
mercy! Bodies of protesters were later found floating in rivers, while the
wounded lay critically injured in hospital beds, some snatched up by security
forces, and immediately dragged away to prison. </b></span></span><br />
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b><br /></b></span></span>
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b> After the internet was finally
restored, the world saw shocking videos of the military perched high above the
roofs of apartment buildings and shooting directly into the crowds of peaceful
protesters. Families of the victims were denied access to their loved one’s
bodies and were told by security that they must <i>first pay for the cost of
the bullets</i> that had killed their sons or daughters! <o:p></o:p></b></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 66.0pt 395.25pt;">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b><br /></b></span></span>
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b><br /></b></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 66.0pt 395.25pt;">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Supreme Leader Khamenei
described the protesters as, “<i>thugs and hooligans</i>,” while Assembly of
Experts official, Ahmad Khatmai, speaking at a Friday prayer on November 22,
called them “<i>saboteurs waging war against God</i>,” declaring that, “<i>execution
by hanging for the leaders of the riots are certain!”<o:p></o:p></i></b></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 66.0pt 395.25pt;">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b><br /></b></span></i></span>
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b><br /></b></span></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 66.0pt 395.25pt;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b><i><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span></i><span style="line-height: 107%;">The
innocent protesters, discouraged and despaired over the economic chaos, had
taken to the streets, most of them in a peaceful manner, simply to let their
voices be heard, demanding relief from the oppressive tax hikes. Some of the
protesters were unfortunately caught in the line of fire while performing acts
of kindness. One such innocent victim was 34-year-old Ameneh Shahbazi, a
housewife and mother residing in the city of Karaj. Ameneh left home on Sunday,
November 17 to buy medicine only to be thrust into the chaos of the protests.
She noticed a man near her had been shot and immediately responded to give him
first aid. Removing her hijab, Ameneh began wrapping it around his wounded leg,
when suddenly she was shot in the back of the head. Her body was withheld from
the family for two days until they agreed that that no special ceremonies would
be performed at the graveside and no interviews given to the media.<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 66.0pt 395.25pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 66.0pt 395.25pt;">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>***********<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 66.0pt 395.25pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 66.0pt 395.25pt;">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><i>“We had been engaged
for three days. They were the best days of my life. We were to marry on January
16, but they took my Mesyam away from me! I wish that I were dead, too!”<o:p></o:p></i></b></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 66.0pt 395.25pt;">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b><br /></b></span></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 66.0pt 395.25pt;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b><i><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span></i><span style="line-height: 107%;">A
devastated and tearful, <i>Samieh Shirdel</i>, will never experience the joy of
that special wedding day. The IRGC made sure of that! Meysam was shot in the
abdomen on Saturday, November 16 in Karaj City, near Tehran, on his way home
from work. Samieh last spoke to her fiancé at around 5 pm and informed him
about the chaotic protest situation. The situation was so dangerous that cab
drivers refused to take on passengers, which forced Meysam to walk home. It was
on his way home, that Meysam was fired upon. His friends rushed him to the
hospital from the repair shop where he worked as a mechanic. His hands were
still greasy from work as he lay struggling for his life in a dirty hospital
bed.<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 66.0pt 395.25pt;">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b><br /></b></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 66.0pt 395.25pt;">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Meysam was in excruciating
pain. His body was black and blue. His eyes were puffy. Samieh visited him the
next day. It was two days before his 28<sup>th</sup> birthday. The fatal bullet
had cut through his intestines and damaged his spine. Four days later Meysam
died from his wounds. This unjust tragedy came at time when the couple were
experiencing the happiest moments of their lives.<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 66.0pt 395.25pt;">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b><br /></b></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 66.0pt 395.25pt;">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“<i>The memories of those
days are all that I have left</i>,” Samieh tearfully explained.<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 66.0pt 395.25pt;">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b><br /></b></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 66.0pt 395.25pt;">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>The evil regime had been
successful in crushing the protests and also crushing forever the lives of so
many innocent young children and women, who will never see the reality of their
dreams come true. Their dreams of freedom and democracy ended with a stern
reminder that The Islamic Republic of Iran is an iron-fisted dictatorship that
forbids the exercise of free speech. <i>Like lambs led to the slaughter</i>,
the peaceful protesters had been brutally murdered by a government intent on
controlling their minds and hearts from the cradle to the grave. However, the
world will never forget their cause, and I will never stop being their voice!<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 66.0pt 395.25pt;">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b><br /></b></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 66.0pt 395.25pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8AbJSxad6TUITlSobl4h3tnsYTuxRL1ekI613FROa0SakeToMFphmFEQuF6TZ37R7SVJtPp6Zb8OITTBfmgalr_CpM85ElgYA38cqZ6GzvkjDpW7RGXfpWniKmxtTenDF9wRFBqOB713C/s1600/protest+new+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8AbJSxad6TUITlSobl4h3tnsYTuxRL1ekI613FROa0SakeToMFphmFEQuF6TZ37R7SVJtPp6Zb8OITTBfmgalr_CpM85ElgYA38cqZ6GzvkjDpW7RGXfpWniKmxtTenDF9wRFBqOB713C/s320/protest+new+1.jpg" width="320" /></a></b></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 66.0pt 395.25pt;">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><o:p><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b><br /></b></span></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 66.0pt 395.25pt;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><i><span style="line-height: 107%;">“Lambs to slaughter. Sons and
daughters<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 66.0pt 395.25pt;">
<i><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Tears are
falling. We haven’t forgotten.<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 66.0pt 395.25pt;">
<i><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Lambs to
slaughter. Made to order.<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 66.0pt 395.25pt;">
<i><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b> Tears are falling.
We haven’t forgotten you."</b></span></span></i></div>
<i></i>Randy L. Noblehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06956587505268014443noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6716713314166138235.post-20313645000589477692020-03-19T18:40:00.000-07:002020-03-19T18:44:12.123-07:00Shima and Dariush, "Exiled to Turkey."<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuOPIXALXo9W1RhEAGR2n0Tbwkzbne-L4f9uQsh-9F1smAKACvYWXpjB7tj875tt5ftTFCR9-YN1FryLhCQv4LT5EbWeLAt2sJu5xiFZyJPBNNx6PZFNr7NFAtUfFcuwos6uoJH4pKtPmM/s1600/Shima+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="951" data-original-width="1080" height="281" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuOPIXALXo9W1RhEAGR2n0Tbwkzbne-L4f9uQsh-9F1smAKACvYWXpjB7tj875tt5ftTFCR9-YN1FryLhCQv4LT5EbWeLAt2sJu5xiFZyJPBNNx6PZFNr7NFAtUfFcuwos6uoJH4pKtPmM/s320/Shima+1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> </span><b><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">I</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">'m Shima Babaei,
a 24-year-old Iranian human rights activist. I was arrested several times by
the security forces for my peaceful activities and sentenced to six years in prison.
At the present time, I’m living in Turkey as a refugee with my husband Dariush
Zand, who is also a human rights activist. Unfortunately, we have both been
forced to leave our country for our safety.</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> I was in the first year of
my high school when the bloody election protests of 2009 began in Iran. I was
fifteen years old at the time. My father, who has an extensive background of
arrests and torture due to his activism, had recently been arrested once again,
after the interrogators forced his friend to confess to them about his
political activities.<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> My father had been in
solitary confinement for four months and was severely tortured. During those four months, we had been
deprived from visiting him. Watching him suffer had a huge impact on me. I
became familiar with the meaning of the words, <i>injustice, oppression, and
torture. </i>His imprisonment determined the path for the rest of my life. <i>I
knew I could no longer be silent. I must stand up against oppression! </i> My activism began with writing anti-government
slogans on the walls of my school. When I turned 17, I was outraged when
watching the films of those killed in the 2009 protests, especially the death
of <i>Neda Agha-Soltan. </i>I was so inspired by her courage that I wished that
I could die like her in order for my country to gain freedom.<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> I remember that the first
time I went with a friend to the gravesites of those killed in the 2009
protests, we were immediately arrested by government agents. We were
interrogated for several hours and then transferred to Evin prison. They found
out about my father’s background and forced me to sign a pledge to never engage
in these activities again and then they released us.<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> A few weeks later, I
decided I could not abide by this pledge and had to continue speaking out. I
began attending the meetings of political activist <i>Atena Daemi. </i> Atena was very outspoken against forced child
labor and the death penalty. Unfortunately, our meetings were raided by
government agents and five of my best friends were arrested. However, since I
was employed at the time and unable to attend all of the meetings, I was very
fortunate to escape arrest.<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> My first official
detention took place in 2016. I was transferred to solitary confinement by the
Revolutionary Guards and subjected to several days of intense interrogation and
psychological torture. Due to intense pressure by the Media, I was released.<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> My last arrest by the
Ministry of Intelligence took place in 2018. I was transferred to Evin Prison
and kept in solitary confinement. My husband, Dariush had also been arrested
and sent to prison by security forces. Upon my arrival to prison, a prison
officer demanded me to remove my clothes and get naked. When I resisted, she
violently ripped my clothes off and gave me a pair of dirty prison garments to
wear. One of my biggest problems in prison was insomnia. They refused to give
me any drugs, but toward the end they began injecting me with an unknown drug
that caused me to be extremely ill.<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> During the interrogations
I was blindfolded and only allowed to raise it up from covering my eyes in
order to write down the answers to their questions. I was in Ward 2A and every
morning after breakfast I was escorted to the detention room for another 10-hour
day of grueling interrogations. During my eight-day imprisonment, I was
interrogated for 80 hours by the IRGC (Iran Revolutionary Guard) After my
temporary release, I was summoned to the IRGC’s Provisional Bureau twelve times
and interrogated face to face for three to four hours at a time. Fortunately, I
was not physically beaten, but my interrogator would severely kick the base of
the chair I was sitting on and strike me in the head with his pen, demanding me
to write out my confession of political activities. After my release I couldn’t
trust anyone and became paranoid that security guards were eavesdropping on my
conversations. I isolated myself from people at this time and became depressed
because of the trauma I had endured.<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> **************<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> I could see myself sitting
in the cold and in the darkness, waiting for my husband to be released from
prison. I anxiously paced back and forth in the waiting room and suddenly saw
my father rushing towards me. I saw intense sadness in my mother’s eyes as she
extended her hand toward me. I looked down and saw myself handcuffed and began
running in fear. <i>I gasped for breath and suddenly awoke. </i>Darius was
tugging at my clothes, struggling to wake me up from my nightmare!<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> <i>“The smuggler is here.
We must go!”<o:p></o:p></i></span></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><i><b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></b></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i><span style="line-height: 107%;"> </span></i><span style="line-height: 107%;">I
forced myself to get up because of my husband’s urgings, but I didn’t want to
go! I was hoping someone would come and say, “<i>You can both stay in Iran.
There is no danger for you!” </i>All I wanted to do was hug my mother and cry,
but reality set in and we both quickly left with the smuggler. <o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> The smuggler had to leave
us in the border mountains of Iran and Turkey and we were arrested by border
guards. This was the darkest trial of my life. I had resisted leaving my
homeland and now once again I had been arrested. After five days we were both
handed over to the Immigration Police. Dariush and I were separated. For one
month, I couldn’t eat and became violently ill. The horrifying reality of being
deported back to Iran took a heavy psychological toll on me. It was because of
the Islamic Republic that we had been banned from education, tortured and
arrested. Our lives had become a living hell!<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></b></span></div>
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> Finally, after six months, we were
released and agreed to seek asylum. However, now we have become second class
citizens in Turkey and forced to find work on the black market. We have no idea
how long our stay in Turkey will be. There are many Iranians presently living
here and sometimes it takes up to four years before they can find a country
that will sponsor them. The Islamic Republic of Iran has made us prisoners.
Darisuh and I are fighting every day to tear down the walls of this big prison
and achieve freedom.</span></b></span>Randy L. Noblehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06956587505268014443noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6716713314166138235.post-71215355900080377202020-03-06T13:11:00.000-08:002020-03-06T13:11:19.774-08:00Atena Daemi: "I stand for life and humanity."<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 66.0pt 395.25pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 107%;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 107%;"> </span><span style="line-height: 107%;"><b> In Iran,
remaining silent is what the evil regime prefers every slave of the
dictatorship to abide by. However, one such brave woman refuses to obey this
requirement and her name is Atena Daemi. Atena is well known for her <i>“anti
execution</i>” campaign and this is one of the reasons that she is treated so
harshly by the government!<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 66.0pt 395.25pt;">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 66.0pt 395.25pt;">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Atena stands strong for
life and humanity, which is the total opposite of this “culture of death!” She
is passionate about fighting for women’s rights, children’s rights, and for the
vulnerable victims suffering on death row. Even while in prison, she is busy
writing letters to the government protesting against the inhumane conditions
and letting her voice be heard all over the internet.<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 66.0pt 395.25pt;">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 66.0pt 395.25pt;">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Atena’s father was
alongside her when she was sentenced in the Islamic’s court of justice. Her
father Hosein wrote, <i>“I’ll never forget when they brought Atena to court!”<o:p></o:p></i></span></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 66.0pt 395.25pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 66.0pt 395.25pt;">
<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></i><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Judge Moghiseh: <i>“Are you against
execution?”<o:p></o:p></i></span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 66.0pt 395.25pt;">
<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></i><span style="line-height: 107%;">Atena:
<i>“Yes, I am against execution."</i></span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 66.0pt 395.25pt;">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Judge Moghiseh: <i>“It’s
none of your business. We execute whoever we want! And those human rights
people can’t stop us!”<o:p></o:p></i></span></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 66.0pt 395.25pt;">
<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></i><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Atena: “<i>One day you will answer for those
innocent people you hang. And that day is coming soon!”</i></span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 66.0pt 395.25pt;">
<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><i><br /></i></span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 66.0pt 395.25pt;">
<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span></i><span style="line-height: 107%;">Judge
Moghiseh expelled Atena from the courtroom and sentenced her to 14 years in
prison.<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 66.0pt 395.25pt;">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 66.0pt 395.25pt;">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>For more than 41 years,
this evil regime has terrorized and murdered its own people. Atena has refused
to remain silent, trying to restore hope and freedom to her homeland. In her
never-ending battle against this dictatorship, Atena has also been fighting a
personal battle of her own. She has been diagnosed with multiple sclerosis,
while also suffering with persistent dizziness and numbness in her right eye.
The medical physician in Qarchak Prison requested that she be given an MRI to
confirm his diagnosis and the prison officials vehemently denied his request.
In addition to her recent suspected illness, Atena has also been suffering with
high blood pressure, kidney stones, and gall bladder problems brought on by
hunger strikes. Atena, now 31, has been behind bars since 2016, serving a
seven-year prison sentence for meeting with the families of political
prisoners, criticizing the Iranian regime on Facebook, and condemning the 1988
mass execution.<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 66.0pt 395.25pt;">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 66.0pt 395.25pt;">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Atena’s parents are deeply
concerned about their daughter and have been publicly outspoken to the
international communities, begging human rights defenders to be her voice. Her
mother longs for the day when she can once again hug her daughter in a free
Iran. Atena also longs for the day when her homeland will be free from gender
apartheid and its rules, and where women will once again be respected instead
of being treated like second-class citizens. Hosein Daemi knows how courageous
his daughter is and that she will never give up in the fight.<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 66.0pt 395.25pt;">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 66.0pt 395.25pt;">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><i>“Atena is strong and
she will not give up against her oppressors!”</i></span></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 66.0pt 395.25pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><i><br /></i></b></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYFO_Si-Zw7xQOioQdu5OwLh2xEzGmSxPyttv0vVabtK-_kr30Fc8Tlb1uQ6sbBRmdW1-99Bw93v0sxcqTMG80GjAWz0xGj2uE-NbXGvU6Ril5EXwXxKOQUGpVwLkNVYkhwBWR0ijt-yPE/s1600/New+Atena+picture+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="501" data-original-width="720" height="222" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYFO_Si-Zw7xQOioQdu5OwLh2xEzGmSxPyttv0vVabtK-_kr30Fc8Tlb1uQ6sbBRmdW1-99Bw93v0sxcqTMG80GjAWz0xGj2uE-NbXGvU6Ril5EXwXxKOQUGpVwLkNVYkhwBWR0ijt-yPE/s320/New+Atena+picture+2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 66.0pt 395.25pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><i><br /></i></b></span><span style="line-height: 107%;"><b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i></i></span></b></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXasE4Awr9bEIzisihEnVNZ3WQlP8PsCwwPQmJoxmcReT1gP5a8cDwD51OJRcWx80GW9nCtncnIno52k8s4VgT-sDw4X23G0JoprneyftR92GQpk31ww185jqYtrejxq4_hm3NtIPvYoK8/s1600/New+Atena+picture.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="510" data-original-width="930" height="175" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXasE4Awr9bEIzisihEnVNZ3WQlP8PsCwwPQmJoxmcReT1gP5a8cDwD51OJRcWx80GW9nCtncnIno52k8s4VgT-sDw4X23G0JoprneyftR92GQpk31ww185jqYtrejxq4_hm3NtIPvYoK8/s320/New+Atena+picture.jpg" width="320" /></a></i></span></b></div>
<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><o:p></o:p></i></span></b><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 66.0pt 395.25pt;">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><i><b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></b></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 66.0pt 395.25pt;">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><i><b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></b></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 66.0pt 395.25pt;">
<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span></i><span style="line-height: 107%;">Despite
all of her chronic health issues, Atena continues her fight against a
dictatorship government. She has not lost her hope and envisions a free Iran on
the horizon.<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 66.0pt 395.25pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 66.0pt 395.25pt;">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“<i>These arrests,
detentions, threats, and intimidations are the sacrifices we need to make to
gain our freedom and rights…..We should never stop resisting or standing up
against oppression. No victory comes easily, and no injustice lasts forever!”<o:p></o:p></i></span></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 66.0pt 395.25pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 66.0pt 395.25pt;">
<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span></i><span style="line-height: 107%;">Atena
is shouting freedom while in chains. Do you hear her desperate cry? Stand with
this fearless human rights defender and be her voice. Don’t take your freedoms
for granted. We have a responsibility to stand in solidarity with those who
suffer<i>. It is our duty to humanity!<span style="font-size: 10pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></i></span></span></b></div>
<br />Randy L. Noblehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06956587505268014443noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6716713314166138235.post-15549813343706824992020-03-03T08:54:00.001-08:002020-03-03T09:00:46.097-08:00"Freedom without Jesus is just another wall."<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjh0yXHBDHcw8xqfz3yPza1Cn5dJvFVDK5zY5Uf1YuvebuPvmJFJmRqQFaMUWkM5Qy9mVBcZiFKnoKYRfM4fBvBZyBBOfVpSwISkLEWlAIoev6t-f4FTyxSFyVomzQjKeynRFS7i0OOeP5M/s1600/Berlin+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="310" data-original-width="474" height="209" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjh0yXHBDHcw8xqfz3yPza1Cn5dJvFVDK5zY5Uf1YuvebuPvmJFJmRqQFaMUWkM5Qy9mVBcZiFKnoKYRfM4fBvBZyBBOfVpSwISkLEWlAIoev6t-f4FTyxSFyVomzQjKeynRFS7i0OOeP5M/s320/Berlin+1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSTytRuO-h00VtuTepTfa4HKZeSbLBQLGhMYVSoT3T3IafYsJeZ3SsHDlwQq9J3vxOFuJEHh1opkx1cBaDO2ZezfOitRJQk1JUGMvcDgDZRwETO9KEieK66MKgFI2NSascoWyDx2rnMXDy/s1600/Berlin+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSTytRuO-h00VtuTepTfa4HKZeSbLBQLGhMYVSoT3T3IafYsJeZ3SsHDlwQq9J3vxOFuJEHh1opkx1cBaDO2ZezfOitRJQk1JUGMvcDgDZRwETO9KEieK66MKgFI2NSascoWyDx2rnMXDy/s320/Berlin+2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen="" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/3J-h63ey9ls/0.jpg" frameborder="0" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/3J-h63ey9ls?feature=player_embedded" width="320"></iframe></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 66.0pt 395.25pt;">
<span style="font-family: "segoe ui semibold" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 107%;"> </span><span style="line-height: 107%;"><b>On June 12,
1987, President Ronald Reagan gave a powerful and memorable challenge to the
Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev as he proudly stood in front of the Berlin Wall
to a cheering crowd<i>, “Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall!”<o:p></o:p></i></b></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 66.0pt 395.25pt;">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><i><b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></b></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 66.0pt 395.25pt;">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Two years later, on
November 9, 1989, Reagan’s challenge became a reality! The concrete barrier of
the cold war that had separated communist East Berlin from the West collapsed
as thousands of people in mass droves crossed to the other side in jubilant
celebration<i>! Communism had finally collapsed and freedom had arrived. There
would no longer be a death strip between the East and the West. No more machine
guns, no more guard dogs. </i>Although it would take another two full years
before the complete physical demolition of the wall was complete, the
celebration had begun! The death of Communism was now a reality!<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 66.0pt 395.25pt;">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 66.0pt 395.25pt;">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><i>Freedom</i>….This
powerful seven-letter word has been the passionate driving force in the hearts
of humanity for thousands of years and has caused the death of millions of
people fleeing oppression. This seven-letter word is one of the most precious
words in the English language, one of the most powerful words on the lips of
those giving their lives to be free from dictatorship governments.<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 66.0pt 395.25pt;">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 66.0pt 395.25pt;">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Christian artist, <i>Wayne
Watson,</i> reflecting on the historical fall of the Berlin Wall, composed a
thought-provoking song on the subject of freedom, that causes us to think
deeply about what true liberty really is. The chorus of the song gets right to
the point about what Wayne believes true freedom really is……<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 66.0pt 395.25pt;">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 66.0pt 395.25pt;">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"><i> "Freedom. People cry for freedom. </i></span></span></b></span><br />
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"><i> But freedom without Jesus is just another wall.</i></span></span></b></span><br />
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"><i> Oh-oh. Freedom. Give the people freedom.</i></span></span></b></span><br />
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"><i> But give the people Jesus or they got nothing at all."</i></span></span></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 66.0pt 395.25pt;">
<b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span></i><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 66.0pt 395.25pt;">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Wayne
is challenging us to think about what true freedom really is. Millions of
people celebrated the destruction of a physical wall that tore down the
barriers of an oppressive political philosophy that had kept them in bondage
for many years. Humanity was no longer bound by the chains of a dictatorship
that enslaved them to a government that ruled their lives from the cradle to
the grave. Now people were finally free to believe and think for themselves. <i>Surely
this is what true freedom is all about!<o:p></o:p></i></span></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 66.0pt 395.25pt;">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><i><b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></b></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 66.0pt 395.25pt;">
<b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span></i><span style="line-height: 107%;">Two
thousand years before the historic collapse of the Berlin Wall, another
powerful and life-changing speech was given to a mass of people. Jesus stood
before his disciples and a crowd of religious leaders and made an astounding proclamation.
He declared:<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 66.0pt 395.25pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 66.0pt 395.25pt;">
<b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span><i><span style="line-height: 107%;">“And you will know the truth, and the
truth will set you free!”<o:p></o:p></span></i></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 66.0pt 395.25pt;">
<i><span style="line-height: 107%;"><b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></b></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 66.0pt 395.25pt;">
<b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span></i><span style="line-height: 107%;">Jesus
also taught about freedom and the impact it would have on our lives. However,
we need to look closely at the kind of freedom that he was speaking about.<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 66.0pt 395.25pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 66.0pt 395.25pt;">
<b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><i>Jesus said to the
people who believed in him, </i></span><i><span style="line-height: 107%;">“You are truly my disciples if you remain faithful to my
teachings. And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”<o:p></o:p></span></i></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 66.0pt 395.25pt;">
<i><span style="line-height: 107%;"><b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></b></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 66.0pt 395.25pt;">
<b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“</span></i><i><span style="line-height: 107%;">But we are descendants of Abraham,” </span></i><i><span style="line-height: 107%;">they
said</span></i><i><span style="line-height: 107%;">. “We
have never been slaves of anyone. What do you mean, “You will be set free?”<o:p></o:p></span></i></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 66.0pt 395.25pt;">
<i><span style="line-height: 107%;"><b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></b></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 66.0pt 395.25pt;">
<b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Jesus replied, </span></i><i><span style="line-height: 107%;">“I tell you the truth, everyone who
sins is a slave of sin. A slave is not a permanent member of the family, but a
son is part of the family forever. So, if the Son sets you free, you are truly
free.”<o:p></o:p></span></i></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 66.0pt 395.25pt;">
<i><span style="line-height: 107%;"><b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></b></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 66.0pt 395.25pt;">
<b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span></i><span style="line-height: 107%;">Notice
carefully, the reaction of the religious leaders. In Jewish heritage, being a
part of the great patriarchal family of Abraham conferred a very special status
on an individual. The religious leaders were astonished at what Jesus had just
told them. Being in the family of Abraham gave them great dignity and value. <i>How
can Jesus dare to question that heritage</i>? They believed they were truly
free. There was no corruption and bondage to break free from!<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 66.0pt 395.25pt;">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 66.0pt 395.25pt;">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>However, Jesus points
directly at the heart of their problem, which is also our problem. <i>Slavery
to sin. </i>The Pharisees and the Scribes looked pure and clean on the outside.
They loved to boast about their own righteousness and spirituality. In their
eyes they were perfectly obedient to God’s Law and they constantly looked down
on the masses of other people. <o:p></o:p></span></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 66.0pt 395.25pt;">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 66.0pt 395.25pt;">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>The outward image of true
freedom can be very deceptive. That image of freedom was celebrated on a fall
day in November when the Berlin Wall collapsed, but as Wayne Watson aptly
points out in his song, <i>“Freedom without Jesus is just another wall.”</i> <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The physical wall has been demolished but
there is another wall, the wall within our souls, that is still holding humanity
in bondage. That bondage is the death grip of sin! <o:p></o:p></span></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 66.0pt 395.25pt;">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>The human heart is in the
death grip of sin until it is set free and the chains are broken by the power
of Christ. Physical freedom is not enough. Humanity can celebrate freedom from
oppressive governments when they fall, but <i>“Freedom without Jesus is just
another wall.” </i><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 66.0pt 395.25pt;">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></b></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 66.0pt 395.25pt;">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Jesus offers us a freedom
that no government of the world can ever give us. It is a freedom that breaks
the power of corruption and sin in our hearts. It is a freedom that opens our
eyes to what it means to have a living and vibrant relationship with the God of
the universe! It is a freedom that allows us to dream big and experience a life
of true joy beyond anything we can imagine or think! As a Christian author and
a human rights activist for Iranians, I have a passion to be a voice for their
freedom. It is my pleasure to fight for their human rights and write books to bring
awareness to the world about their plight for freedom and justice. However, I
have a very important responsibility to make sure that I also persuade them of
a freedom that transcends the oppression of physical governments. <i>The Gospel
is the true freedom that every Iranian needs.</i> It is the power of the gospel
that breaks the chains of sin and liberates us from the inward corruption that
is keeping us in bondage.<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 66.0pt 395.25pt;">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 66.0pt 395.25pt;">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>I will never stop speaking
out for my Iranian friends. I will always email government leaders and be a
voice for political prisoners on death row, demanding their freedom. All of
this is good and absolutely necessary! But I must balance out my passion with
the truth of God’s Word. Jesus said, “<i>And you will know the truth, and the
truth will set you free</i>.”<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 66.0pt 395.25pt;">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 66.0pt 395.25pt;">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b> This is the true freedom
that humanity needs. We can never be truly free until the <i>“walls of sin</i>”
are torn down in our hearts.</b><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<br />Randy L. Noblehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06956587505268014443noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6716713314166138235.post-61234571240142632652020-02-20T14:13:00.000-08:002020-02-20T14:13:37.903-08:00"A Revival of National Socialism?"<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOSVpEvPLBwSVUhUk0CS0K81rJNDVAIBlKblbD_J7G-f_Ry3qM-2s0DcHPYcUnRA34lW_optjEa8D1_TEEVkZKl8-T7qikqW5RrVO_LPW2JwPsoIdwuuDTbbOOPSZ-hZrGykIL0F8tI1Th/s1600/white+rose+new+1.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="538" data-original-width="1024" height="168" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOSVpEvPLBwSVUhUk0CS0K81rJNDVAIBlKblbD_J7G-f_Ry3qM-2s0DcHPYcUnRA34lW_optjEa8D1_TEEVkZKl8-T7qikqW5RrVO_LPW2JwPsoIdwuuDTbbOOPSZ-hZrGykIL0F8tI1Th/s320/white+rose+new+1.png" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipFtmZb5foUqxcDSvUhL-xioNhYg_FW0RmfKcGjseswphLWnG15SwwAew3zpCdBWA42qxHq_9wGDcOPPvkrFBBneR3UgFcVCbA0qLht4fco1McxaSxUQtiUeQ699mDOM_PvzvCZ27jRX2z/s1600/White+Rose+new+2.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="838" data-original-width="1600" height="167" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipFtmZb5foUqxcDSvUhL-xioNhYg_FW0RmfKcGjseswphLWnG15SwwAew3zpCdBWA42qxHq_9wGDcOPPvkrFBBneR3UgFcVCbA0qLht4fco1McxaSxUQtiUeQ699mDOM_PvzvCZ27jRX2z/s320/White+Rose+new+2.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Segoe UI Semibold", sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span><b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> I love going to the movies, especially
on the opening night of a film when it first hits the theaters. One such night was Friday, August 3, 2018,
when the controversial political thriller, <i>“Death
of a nation,” </i>premiered across the country. Conservative filmmaker and
author, <i>Dinesh D’Souza, </i>had produced
an “in- your-face” documentary responding to the bogus criticisms of President
Trump being a racist, fascist, and white supremacist. The first few opening
minutes chronicled the Liberal media’s meltdown on Election night, where they
whined, complained, and twisted themselves into pretzels trying to explain the <i>Trump Avalanche</i> that had buried Hillary
Clinton. What followed was <i><u>the left</u></i>
throwing a temper tantrum with violent protests and dubious attempts to
discredit Trump and thwart the will of the people.</span></b><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">D’Souza</i>
then proceeded to answer the accusations against Trump being a racist by
demonstrating from history that the real party of racism were the Democrats.
When it came to Fascism<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">, D’Souza</i>
revealed how Roosevelt admired Mussolini embracing his economic principles of
an industrial act to help America recover from the Great Depression. However,
the main thrust of the film was to show how Hitler implemented his core
strategies by studying the Democratic Party.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>One such principle was creating a racist state in Germany. Hitler
implemented the Nuremberg Laws of 1935 against the Jews, taking his cue from
the Democrats of the American South and their segregation laws against blacks.
The law against racial intermarriage between Jews and Germans was taken
directly from the Democratic playbook. Hitler also borrowed from the anti-human
philosophy of Planned Parenthood founder <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Margaret
Sanger’s sterilization laws</i>, which he used in euthanizing social
undesirables such as gypsies and the mentally retarded. Margaret Sanger is of
course an icon of Liberals, admired and praised by Hillary Clinton.<o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>As the movie drew to a dramatic
conclusion, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">D’Souza </i>asked the
all-important question<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">, “How do we fight
the tyranny of the Left?”</i> The answer to his own question left me
mesmerized! <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">D’Souza</i> introduced the
brave and heroic efforts of<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"> Sophie Scholl
and the White Rose</i>. Sophie was a 21-year-old university student who joined
forces with her brother to peacefully protest against the racist dictatorship
policies of Hitler through the publication of anti-Nazi leaflets distributed
all over Germany. In the end, they were both arrested and executed.<o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">This
part of the film left me breathless</i>. I always know when I’m supposed to
write about a particular topic, because it begins to burn in my soul and ignite
my passions, and it’s all I can think about for days. However, what I was
watching frightened me and caused me to wonder <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">was D’Souza trying to tell conservatives how dangerous this fight
against progressive democrats and their socialist agenda is going to become?<o:p></o:p></i></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><br /></b></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Sophie and her brother Hans,
including the other members of the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">White
Rose</i>, were engaged in a very dangerous struggle against the demonic
ideology of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Hitler’s National Socialism</i>.
Hitler wanted to create a pure Aryan Race and restore the greatness of Germany
that had been stolen by their loss in World War I and the limitations imposed
by the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Treaty of Versailles</i>.<span style="font-family: ""Georgia",serif; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI Semibold";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span>He
blamed all of the economic and socials woes on the Jews and Communists and was
determined to rid Germany of their influences. The White Rose spoke out against
racism and discrimination, and the evils of Hitler that silenced freedom of
speech and unfortunately in the end, the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">anti-God
philosophy of National Socialism</i> put to death the courageous voices of Hans
and Sophie.</b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0px;">
<span style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b> Is
this the price we conservatives will have to pay today in our culture where it
seems like the philosophy of National Socialism is once again rearing its ugly
head up from the ashes?</b></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0px;">
<span style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><br /></b></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;"> Extremist
progressives inside of the Democratic Party are pushing a socialist agenda
aimed at swaying our country away from its roots of capitalism. Bernie Sanders,
who has announced his candidacy for president in the 2020 election, along with
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Representative for</span><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;">New York’s 14<sup>th</sup>
district, have been busy promoting redistribution of wealth, attacking
corporations, and devising plans to economically and environmentally transform
our country. However, history has demonstrated the utter failure of socialism.
All one has to do is look at the Soviet Union and Venezuela to see the
devastating results of adopting this corrupt philosophy. Socialism is one step
away from Communism and there are no “free lunches” but instead a system where
the State becomes your god and an elite few rules from the top down. This is
exactly what happened in Germany in 1933, when Hitler plunged the National
Socialist German Worker’s Party (The Nazis) into the political spotlight and
ascended the throne to become its Chancellor and Fuhrer. It all began with
promises of economic transformation and ended up with total control over the
mass media, over free speech, and demonization of any other political
viewpoint.</span></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0px;">
<span style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><br /></b></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;"> Progressives
frighten me! They are adopting principles, viewpoints, and ideas once held sacred
by the Nazi party. Minnesota </span><i style="text-indent: 0.5in;">Rep. Ilhan
Omar</i><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;"> and Michigan</span><i style="text-indent: 0.5in;"> Rep. Rashida Tlaib</i><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;">,
have both displayed contempt for the Jewish people with their anti-Semitic
remarks since being elected to Congress as Muslim Americans. When their
anti-Semitic attitudes were challenged by other conservatives, The Democratic
Party refused to hold them personally accountable. It is a well known fact that
the Democratic party has never been a true supporter of Israel, but instead
always rushes to defend the Palestinian cause. Liberals have always embraced
Islam in their so-called politics of diversity. The Nazis understood the
connection between Islam and Anti-Semitism very well! </span><i style="text-indent: 0.5in;">Mohammed Amin al-Husseini</i><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;">, the grand mufti of Jerusalem,
broadcasted anti-Semitic messages from Berlin with Hitler’s approval from 1941
until the end of World War II. Al-Husseini was also a close ally of Hassan
al-Banna, the Muslim Brotherhood’s founder. </span><i style="text-indent: 0.5in;">The
parallels could not be clearer! The extremists of the Democratic Party are a
close ally to the Nazi’s in their anti-Semitic behavior toward the Jew.</i></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0px;">
<i style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><br /></b></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0px;">
<span style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><i> </i>Promoting
the destruction of human life beyond abortion, Oregon Gov. Kate Brown, endorsed
for re-election by Planned Parenthood, signed legislation allowing mentally ill
patients to be denied food and water unless that patient issued an advanced
directive before becoming debilitated. Previously only caregivers with the
power of attorney could make such a decision.</b></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0px;">
<span style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><br /></b></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;"> In
January, Oregon Democrats introduced another bill expanding the state’s law
governing medically assisted suicide to include any patient with an incurable
disease or intolerable pain. These laws parallel the same logic of The Nazi’s
euthanasia program to eliminate those they determined were unworthy of life,
like the mentally ill, the elderly, and the disabled. The </span><i style="text-indent: 0.5in;">Aktion T4 program</i><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;">, initiated by Hitler in 1939, was responsible for
the death of more than 70,000 human beings from starvation, lethal injection,
and gassing.</span></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0px;">
<span style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><br /></b></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;"> Another
powerful parallel to Nazism played out by </span><i style="text-indent: 0.5in;">the
progressives</i><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;"> is their obsession with identity politics and the treatment of
oppressed groups. Democratic Socialists view women, African Americans, Latinos,
Muslims, and gays as needing special protection from Whites, Christians, and
capitalists. Ironically the Nazi’s viewed </span><i style="text-indent: 0.5in;">“the
Aryans</i><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;">,” the superior race, as also needing special protection from, Jews,
socialists, and capitalists.</span></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0px;">
<span style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><br /></b></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;"> The
chief propagandist of Hitler was </span><i style="text-indent: 0.5in;">Joseph
Goebbels</i><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;">. He was in charge of fashioning the media to broadcast a specific
narrative to the German people that promoted the Fuhrer’s agenda and portrayed
him as a master military leader even when the war was being lost in Stalingrad.
In the same way, liberal elites control the thinking of much of the media today
and the moment a conservative rocks the boat with a different opinion, </span><i style="text-indent: 0.5in;">he or she is demonized and silenced with
smear tactics, reminding them of the rules for political correctness</i><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;">!</span></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0px;">
<span style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><br /></b></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;"> I
believe our culture is ripe for a terrifying revival of National Socialism much
like the political climate in pre-war Nazi Germany. The example of Sophie and
Hans Scholl, used by D’Souza, in </span><i style="text-indent: 0.5in;">“Death
of a nation,”</i><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;"> is a wake up call for me. If Hans and Sophie were both still
alive today, I know they would be tirelessly and courageously fighting against
the intolerance, racism, and the identity politics of the left.</span></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0px;">
<span style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><br /></b></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0px;">
<span style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b> They didn’t
worry about their own personal safety, but instead they put the dignity,
values, and freedom of the German people above themselves and fought day and
night to awaken them to the horrible realities happening before their very
eyes. A social and political transformation is happening before our very eyes,
too! Like Hans and Sophie, we cannot be silent. We need to awaken to the
reality that our blood-bought freedoms are at risk! They are being resisted and
challenged by extremists who don’t love our country but instead love the power
and prestige they receive from deceiving millennials with empty promises that
will poison their souls.</b></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0px;">
<span style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><br /></b></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0px;">
<span style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b> The very last words of Hans and Sophie before their execution was, <i>"Long Live Freedom!"</i></b></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<br />Randy L. Noblehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06956587505268014443noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6716713314166138235.post-59228346016145849352020-02-08T18:24:00.000-08:002020-04-22T08:11:42.320-07:00Mary Mohammadi: "I refuse to keep silent in Iran." <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhn5Y0QINB9Qau00mlAkFJoWajih-DAjrsQJaSAlTE1ohbb7mKNK3MY6LG7n-m6r4X0VVhGa-1NJXMEPUp7ZUhGSkBZ4DjcfgHMljx9O1-Kw8KH_TDG54EBkETfHuJIoVmS1dFYK-3sWlhB/s1600/Mary+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="810" data-original-width="1080" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhn5Y0QINB9Qau00mlAkFJoWajih-DAjrsQJaSAlTE1ohbb7mKNK3MY6LG7n-m6r4X0VVhGa-1NJXMEPUp7ZUhGSkBZ4DjcfgHMljx9O1-Kw8KH_TDG54EBkETfHuJIoVmS1dFYK-3sWlhB/s320/Mary+2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5EYSCaDemBp8aLgz8ahFXKJR1DVurA89yLBek5PiUeFmoCO4avBBAaeDT2DMk2hVb2gB2hmKxYZ4OMQt8hMDk4Ec5eLM88GXA2vu786eo7yU0QmratG2FXdkslTx6kHzNEVmMSCt9f9Jb/s1600/Mary+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="737" height="217" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5EYSCaDemBp8aLgz8ahFXKJR1DVurA89yLBek5PiUeFmoCO4avBBAaeDT2DMk2hVb2gB2hmKxYZ4OMQt8hMDk4Ec5eLM88GXA2vu786eo7yU0QmratG2FXdkslTx6kHzNEVmMSCt9f9Jb/s320/Mary+1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<i> <b> "I am ready to return to prison if necessary, in order to fight for the rights of Christians."</b></i><br />
<b><i> </i> (Mary Mohammadi-Interview Article 18, December 2019)</b><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 14.2667px;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span> <b> I</b></span><span style="line-height: 14.2667px;"><b> can vividly remember the last message that I received from my Iranian friend Mary on her Telegram account just two days before her arrest. I had just finished dressing and was late to work, but stopped for just a moment to read her message. It was a petition she wanted me to post on my Facebook protesting against the film on Netflix that portrayed Jesus as a homosexual. I smiled and nodded my head, <i>“That is my friend, Mary</i>,” I mumbled to myself, <i>“She is so outspoken and dedicated!”<o:p></o:p></i></b></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; line-height: 14.2667px;"><i><b><br /></b></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><i><span style="line-height: 14.2667px;"> </span></i><span style="line-height: 14.2667px;">Right below the petition was a question, <i>“Randy, how do you feel and react about the death of Soleimani as a Christian?”<o:p></o:p></i></span></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; line-height: 14.2667px;"><i><b><br /></b></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><i><span style="line-height: 14.2667px;"> </span></i><span style="line-height: 14.2667px;">I was pleasantly surprised by Mary’s thoughtful question. It had been just a few days since President Trump had given the order for a drone missile strike on the jeep carrying Iran’s top military General which had instantly killed him. I carefully pondered Mary’s question and then began texting her back:<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; line-height: 14.2667px;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; line-height: 14.2667px;"><b> <i>“I am happy for you and for all Iranians, that this terrorist can no longer kill people. However, I’m also saddened because even God does not take pleasure in the death of the wicked. He desires that unbelievers repent, because if not, He knows they will spend eternity in Hell apart from Christ.”<o:p></o:p></i></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; line-height: 14.2667px;"><i><b><br /></b></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><i><span style="line-height: 14.2667px;"> That was the last message I had sent Mary</span></i><span style="line-height: 14.2667px;">……<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; line-height: 14.2667px;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; line-height: 14.2667px;"><b> One week later, On January 16, while browsing the internet, I came across a story from <i>Article 18</i> that sent shock waves through my whole body. The article explained that Mary Mohammadi had been arrested in Azadi Square in Tehran on January 12, during the time when thousands of Iranians were protesting the downing of the Ukrainian jet airliner. It was unknown at the time where she had been taken.<o:p></o:p></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; line-height: 14.2667px;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; line-height: 14.2667px;"><b> I dropped my cellphone in my lap and bowed my head in prayer. A few minutes later, after composing myself, I quickly began sharing Mary’s story on my Facebook pages requesting urgent prayer.<o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; line-height: 14.2667px;"><b> ************<o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; line-height: 14.2667px;"><b> <o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; line-height: 14.2667px;"><b> I had become good friends with Mary over a year ago through my Iranian friend Mehnoush. She shared her incredible story and I knew right away that it would be featured in our new book, <i>“Dear God, please bring freedom to Iran.”</i><o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; line-height: 14.2667px;"><i><b><br /></b></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; line-height: 14.2667px;"><b> In 2017, at the age of 17, Mary converted from Islam to Christianity. In Iran, that is a very dangerous thing to do! Converts face arrest, imprisonment, and sometimes even the death penalty. <i>That is exactly what happened to Mary</i>. She was arrested, interrogated, and put in Evin Prison for six months. During that time, her interrogators, psychologically abused her and tried to force her to recant her faith and return to Islam. <i>Mary stood firm in her convictions and refused!<o:p></o:p></i></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; line-height: 14.2667px;"><i><b><br /></b></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><span style="line-height: 14.2667px;"><i> </i>A</span><span style="line-height: 14.2667px;">fter her release in May of 2018, Mary refused to keep quiet about her faith. She began a ministry on her Instagram account entitled, <i>“Campaign KHMA.”</i> The campaign was dedicated to religious freedom in Iran and featured videos and articles from Christians and human rights activists all over the world. For the next several months, Mary would send me articles for the campaign that had been translated from Persian into English and asked me to proof check the spelling. I happily agreed, knowing that her campaign was sending a powerful message to the world supporting Christians in Iran. I remember that during Easter I recorded a worship song at my church for her campaign. Mary wanted to feature Christian worship videos to her audience showing the joy of true worship in churches that were free from arrest and imprisonment. Mary’s campaign on Instagram truly challenged my Christian faith and my commitment to Christ. Her courage deeply touched my heart and reminded me to not take for granted my freedom to worship as a Christian.<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; line-height: 14.2667px;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; line-height: 14.2667px;"><b> In December 2019, for the second time in a year, Mary was expelled from University in Tehran. A few days later she gave an interview to <i>Article 18. Article 18</i> is a non-profit organization in London, dedicated to the protection and promotion of religious freedom in Iran and advocating on the behalf of persecuted Christians. Mary was asked whether she believed her Tweets supporting Christians may have led to her expulsion from university.</b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; line-height: 14.2667px;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; line-height: 14.2667px;"><b> “<i>Of course, </i>Mary declared<i>, all the activities, statements, and any action taken by members of minority groups, and activists, especially those living in Iran, is constantly monitored by the Islamic Republic. Any such activism could lead to being denied a right, and my recent tweets may have made the authorities even more determined.”<o:p></o:p></i></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; line-height: 14.2667px;"><i><b><br /></b></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; line-height: 14.2667px;"><b> On the day of her arrest, Mary had been very busy on Twitter, tweeting support for Christians in prison in Iran, and criticizing the government for misleading the people about their involvement in shooting down the Ukrainian Jet airliner. <i>Shortly</i> after tweeting, Mary disappeared! The security forces converged on the crowd of protesters In Azadi Square and promptly arrested my dear friend.</b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; line-height: 14.2667px;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 14.2667px;"><b> </b></span><b>According
the HRANA ( Human rights activist news agency) in a story published on February
12, 2020, at the time of her arrest, Mary was severely beaten by male and
female agents and then transferred to Vozara Detention center, where she
continued to be abused and physically assaulted. The beatings were so severe
that the bruises on her body were visible for more than three weeks. Before her
interrogation at Vozara, Mary was forced to sit outside in the bitter cold in
front of the toilets. Officers demanded that she answer thirty questions but
Mary refused until a lawyer was present<span style="font-size: 10pt;">.</span></b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 10pt;"><b><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></b></span>
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><b><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span>At the time of this writing, HRANA,
(Human rights activists’ new agency) published a report on the internet that
Mary Mohammadi has been detained in Qarchak Prison, in the south of Tehran.
<i>Qarchak Prison</i> has a reputation of being, <i>“hell on earth</i>.” It is
one of the most dangerous and filthy women’s prisons in Iran, housing more than
2,000 women with very limited access to showers, toilets, and decent food. It is a dangerous environment for rape,
murder, and torture. Her bail has been set at 30 million Tomans (equivalent to
2,250 in U.S. money) and her family has managed to raise the money. </span></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; line-height: 14.2667px;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; line-height: 14.2667px;"><b> I was devastated when I read where my dear friend Mary is being imprisoned at! Mary’s whole life has inspired and challenged my Christian faith. Her heart’s desire is for herself and all Christians in Iran to have the freedom to worship without fear of arrest and imprisonment. Reflecting on her courage and refusal to keep silent in one of the most dangerous places on earth to be a Christian, causes me to ask all of us a very important question!<o:p></o:p></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; line-height: 14.2667px;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; line-height: 14.2667px;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; line-height: 14.2667px;"><b> Where is your church? Is it safely inside four walls and padded pews? Or is your church “outside of the box” among the broken and helpless, where it is dangerous, risky, and inconvenient? The church in the west is far too insulated from the real world. We are safe, protected, and, in some cases spoon fed pep-talk sermons that are guaranteed to get us out on time for the start of a major sporting event on Sunday.<o:p></o:p></b></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; line-height: 14.2667px;"><b><br /></b></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; line-height: 14.2667px;"><b> In contrast, <i>Mary’s church</i> is located on the cold, dark broken concrete floors of a disease infested prison filled with drug dealers and prostitutes. A prison that has a reputation of beating and torturing, and even raping its prisoners. For the last several weeks I have been fervently praying that God would protect and strengthen my dear friend and give her boldness to be a light in the darkness of Qarchak Prison. Later this week, I was overwhelmed with joy when I watched in a video, President Donald Trump mention Mary’s captivity during the 68<sup>th</sup> Annual National Prayer Breakfast in Washington DC. President Trump said,<o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; line-height: 14.2667px;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; line-height: 14.2667px;"><b> <i>“Weeks ago, a 21-year-old woman, who goes by the name of Mary, was seized and imprisoned in Iran because she converted to Christianity and shared the gospel with others.”<o:p></o:p></i></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; line-height: 14.2667px;"><i><b><br /></b></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><span style="line-height: 14.2667px;"><i> </i>M</span><span style="line-height: 14.2667px;">ary’s incredible story has reached the White House, and President Trump, who is a strong voice and supporter of the Iranian people. If it was possible to talk face to face with my dear Iranian friend, this is exactly what I would say to her:<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; line-height: 14.2667px;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; line-height: 14.2667px;"><b> <i>“Mary, I am so inspired and proud of your incredible courage! This government is very afraid of you! They arrested you because they are afraid of you, Mary. They are afraid of who you are and what you represent. You represent Christ and this government fears Christianity. Islam is dying inside of Iran, while Christianity is growing by leaps and bounds!<o:p></o:p></i></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; line-height: 14.2667px;"><i><b><br /></b></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; line-height: 14.2667px;"><b> They’re afraid of you Mary because you are a woman and a woman is leading the masses of Iranians to find their hope in Jesus instead of Mohammed. Don’t give up the fight, Mary! They will never stop or destroy you! Jesus will never leave or forsake you. He has promised that the gates of hell cannot prevail against the church and your mission is guaranteed to succeed. Your prayer for Iranians to have the freedom to worship will most certainly one day come true!”<o:p></o:p></b></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><i><span style="line-height: 14.2667px;"> </span></i><span style="line-height: 14.2667px;">Soon after being elected President of Iran in 2005, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad publicly pledged to Iranians<i>, “I will stop Christianity in this country!”<o:p></o:p></i></span></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; line-height: 14.2667px;"><i><b><br /></b></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; line-height: 14.2667px;"><b> Since that public speech, millions of Iranians have converted to Christianity and are secretly meeting in house churches, unafraid and unashamed to be called by the name of Christ. The fastest growing church in the world is the underground church in Iran. In her last interview before her arrest, Mary said, <i>“I hope one day all Christians in Iran will be able to have a place to praise God without security guards.”<o:p></o:p></i></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; line-height: 14.2667px;"><i><b><br /></b></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; line-height: 14.2667px;"><b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> Mary, I promise to <i>support you, speak for you, and pray for you</i>, to see your vision of a free Iran come true!</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 66.0pt 395.25pt;">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>*Editor’s
update…..<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 66.0pt 395.25pt;">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><br /></b></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 66.0pt 395.25pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b> On February 27, 2020, I was overjoyed to read the news that Mary had been released on temporary bail from Qarchak Prison. With the recent outbreak of the coronavirus sweeping across Iran claiming the lives of hundreds of people, the government stepped in and began releasing prisoners whose sentences were less than five years and those that tested negative for the virus. Mary was one of them! I will never forget a few days later that we connected on Telegram. I texted Mary anxious to know how she was doing and asked her how she was feeling. Mary quickly texted back with a very positive reply.</b></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><br /></b></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>“I am fine, dear. Jesus and Christians are behind me! </b></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><br /></b></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><i> </i><i>I was not surprised by her answer. Mary has always maintained a very positive and hopeful attitude through all of her struggles. She explained to me that Qarchak Prison was a horrible experience, very dangerous, and that the food was awful!</i></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><br /></b></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b> However, there was one more hurdle to overcome. Mary had to return to court a few days later and face the judge. She told me that she believed she would be sentenced and that it “was her duty to go to prison and stand up for Christians in Iran.”</b></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><br /></b></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b> Mary’s attitude toward a possible future sentence really surprised me at first, but after a few moments, I understood why she felt that way. Being a voice of hope for Christians in Iran is her passion. She feels that its her duty to represent them even if it means that she will have endure more suffering. I told Mary I would pray for her and we ended our conversation.</b></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><br /></b></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b> Monday, March 2 at 2 am my time, I received a text from Mary on Telegram. She explained to me that her court date had been postponed because the Judge was suffering from the coronavirus! I literally screamed for joy, hopefully not waking up my wife Becky, asleep in the other room! I texted Mary back with tears of joy in my eyes, telling her how happy I was that God had answered all of our prayers. </b></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><br /></b></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b> Mary must return to court on Tuesday, April 14, probably after the coronavirus has subsided. At the time of this writing, thousands of Iranians have been infected with the virus, and many have died due to the incompetence of the government. Mary is resting comfortable at home uncertain of her future but determined to continue being a voice for Christians in Iran. Mary challenges and inspires my Christian faith. She is in the hands of a sovereign, loving God who promises his people a “hope and a future.”</b></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><br /></b></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b> “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future.”</b></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b> (Jeremiah 29:11)</b></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><br /></b></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b> No matter the outcome, I am trusting in the Lord that he will use Mary for his glory, whether in captivity or in freedom. Mary is not afraid. She is also trusting in God for the future of her life. She has submitted herself into his sovereign care and awaits her return to court. One thing is for certain. Mary refuses to keep silent in Iran. She will never stop, “shouting freedom!”</b></span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><br /></b></span></i>
<i><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>*Update.....</b></span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><br /></b></span></i>
<i><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>On April 21, 2020, The judge gave Mary a suspended prison sentence of 3 months and one day, plus 10 lashes. Mary will begin serving her sentence on April 21, 2021 due to the deadly outbreak of the coronavirus which has infected all of the major prisons in Iran.</b></span></i></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 66.0pt 395.25pt;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; line-height: 107%;"><i> </i> </span></span></div>
</div>
Randy L. Noblehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06956587505268014443noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6716713314166138235.post-76025779253359044972020-01-14T08:10:00.002-08:002020-01-14T08:10:37.186-08:00Soheil Arabi: The crime of posting on Facebook<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhK4oaNwQK4JT5emfO_QL_I82-NESbaKmlZMyP4865MLt7-65GMRyX1UEjbnkJO6L6uiKm5_y2pRQcN702VYjoYCYNkTJKb0Wj-ZnJmIGmoXQ4gK11TCAT6uQmosK2so3Pqx6mnFguAQscE/s1600/Soheil+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhK4oaNwQK4JT5emfO_QL_I82-NESbaKmlZMyP4865MLt7-65GMRyX1UEjbnkJO6L6uiKm5_y2pRQcN702VYjoYCYNkTJKb0Wj-ZnJmIGmoXQ4gK11TCAT6uQmosK2so3Pqx6mnFguAQscE/s320/Soheil+2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Segoe UI Semibold",sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-no-proof: yes;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Segoe UI Semibold", sans-serif; line-height: 107%;"> F<b>or
most of us who live in the West, making a daily post on Facebook is a freedom
and a luxury that we take for granted. In the Islamic Republic of Iran, there
is no such freedom and luxury. First of all, Facebook is banned and for an
Iranian to log into his account, he must first use VPN to bypass the filter.
However, the President and Supreme Leader have no such restrictions. They have
active Facebook accounts that they use on a daily basis. The hypocrisy is very
obvious. If you are an active member of the government, then Facebook is not
illegal for you.<o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Segoe UI Semibold", sans-serif; line-height: 107%;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Segoe UI Semibold", sans-serif; line-height: 107%;"><b> In November of 2013,
Soheil Arabi logged onto his Facebook account. Like many other Iranian bloggers,
he was zealous to speak out against the government. He had a few things to say
about his disdain for the religion of Islam. Facebook would become his platform
to speak his mind that day. It wasn’t long after his post, that the Cyber
police, who monitor the activities of Iranians on Facebook, came across his
post. Soheil was immediately arrested and charged with “insulting the prophet,”
and being critical of the government. The charge of insulting the prophet
carried with it the death penalty, but after months of intense pressure from
the international community, the sentence was dropped. The new charges against
Soheil resulted in<i> seven and one half years in prison, two years of
religious studies to prove his repentance, and a two-year ban from traveling
abroad.<o:p></o:p></i></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Segoe UI Semibold", sans-serif; line-height: 107%;"><i><b><br /></b></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><i><span style="font-family: "Segoe UI Semibold", sans-serif; line-height: 107%;"> </span></i><span style="font-family: "Segoe UI Semibold", sans-serif; line-height: 107%;">In August of 2017, Soheil began a hunger strike, protesting
the harassment and detention of his wife, Nastaran. Six days later, he broke the
strike, after his wife was finally released from IRGC detention to answer
accusations regarding contacts with the foreign media. However in a letter from
prison on August 24, Soheil resummed his hunger strike after discovering that
his wife and relatives continued to be harrassed. In his letter from prison,
Soheil explained the desperation of his situation:<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-family: "Segoe UI Semibold", sans-serif; line-height: 107%;"><b> “Our phones are tapped,
online accounts are hacked, relatives are threatened and my wife is
interrogated and persecuted. Stop torturing and harassing my love. It is all my
fault. Yes, I am to blame."</b></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-family: "Segoe UI Semibold", sans-serif; line-height: 107%;"><b><br /></b></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-family: "Segoe UI Semibold", sans-serif; line-height: 107%;"><b> </b></span></i><b><i><span style="font-family: "Segoe UI Semibold", sans-serif; line-height: 107%;"> </span></i><span style="font-family: "Segoe UI Semibold", sans-serif; line-height: 107%;">Soheil was outraged because of the tactics of the IRGC
(Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps) creating websites and publishing slander and
lies about him. Both he and his wife had filed a formal complaint to put an end
to their tactics. The IRGC had threatened to also put Nastaran in prison.</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Segoe UI Semibold", sans-serif; line-height: 107%;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Segoe UI Semibold", sans-serif; line-height: 107%;"><b> Arash Sadeghi and Golrokh
Iraee are very close friends with Soheil. Speaking out on his behalf, Golrokh
wrote an open letter calling into question the legitimacy of his arrest and
demanding his immediate release.<o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Segoe UI Semibold", sans-serif; line-height: 107%;"><b> <i>“Soheil has been behind
bars for years without having committed a crime! He is held captive by a
vengeful system that has no tolerance for dissenting views.”<o:p></o:p></i></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Segoe UI Semibold", sans-serif; line-height: 107%;"><b><i><br /></i></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><i><span style="font-family: "Segoe UI Semibold", sans-serif; line-height: 107%;"> Golrokh</span></i><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Segoe UI Semibold, sans-serif;"> went on to explain, </span><i><span style="font-family: Segoe UI Semibold, sans-serif;">“Soheil was first detained on
a misunderstanding that devolved into a blasphemy charge. After spending years
behind bars and nearing the end of his sentence, they tore his family apart and
now another case file emerges, and yet another prison sentence is leveled
against him. After compounding his suffering with a ban on visits from his
daughter, they now want to do with him what they did with Ajang Davoudi and Gholamreza
Kalbi, exile him to the middle of nowhere, remove him from public memory, and
let his existence perish onto the abyss.<o:p></o:p></span></i></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><i><span style="font-family: "Segoe UI Semibold", sans-serif; line-height: 107%;"> </span></i><span style="font-family: "Segoe UI Semibold", sans-serif; line-height: 107%;">In a desperate effort to get him out of prison, Soheil’s
mother, Farangis, began working very
hard behind the scenes and was eventually imprisoned for a few months and then
released on bail. Farangis ironically is one of Mehnoush Bakhtiari’s friends.
She has informed Soheil of Mehnoush’s human rights activities on his behalf and
he responded with overwhelming gratitude. Long hours of interrogation, hunger
strikes, tortures, and beatings has been the horrible daily experience for
Soheil. His interrogators have spared no mercy. They crushed one of his
testicles and prevented him from being transferred to the hospital in order to
continue their torture.<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Segoe UI Semibold", sans-serif; line-height: 107%;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Segoe UI Semibold", sans-serif; line-height: 107%;"><b> The next time that you log
into your Facebook account and freely speak your mind on a post, <i>remember Soheil
Arabi.</i> He is no different from you. His desire was to also speak his mind
and he has severely paid for it!</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />Randy L. Noblehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06956587505268014443noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6716713314166138235.post-72471829665727778202019-10-19T18:13:00.001-07:002021-03-12T07:08:55.626-08:00Blue Girl: A blazing torch for freedom<br />
<br />
<i>"We move through the world like</i><br />
<i> shooting stars across the sky.</i><br />
<i> Splitting through the darkness</i><br />
<i> Putting the light into their eyes."</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i><br /></i>
<i><br /></i>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAz3mcEiYuhadcjke7yibKjEOBB_Ot9BuWPkZVX5_mA8mYewfRY27qCGnpy6lYZhWddfz8lmApFPBwqEDDFfV-36O8Lh8pMOF8BjNhGeqfaoD7RTYPS2J53zw_1VM-HdRXryz1eCw2nesO/s1600/Sahar+8.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="431" data-original-width="474" height="290" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAz3mcEiYuhadcjke7yibKjEOBB_Ot9BuWPkZVX5_mA8mYewfRY27qCGnpy6lYZhWddfz8lmApFPBwqEDDFfV-36O8Lh8pMOF8BjNhGeqfaoD7RTYPS2J53zw_1VM-HdRXryz1eCw2nesO/s320/Sahar+8.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1KBR3YxlqLyQIR6P-T0-PPGdZWupbTeHeALXJMH3ud8Rw6Wj1WcsIthEF6LVXVJicngMngtD0ud4mihPS6SIRnITYHDjwBCDdETFbd8p20GpBWKX0j1n-ir_HORjhOpaGfcg6r07yUAER/s1600/Sahar+7.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="463" data-original-width="681" height="217" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1KBR3YxlqLyQIR6P-T0-PPGdZWupbTeHeALXJMH3ud8Rw6Wj1WcsIthEF6LVXVJicngMngtD0ud4mihPS6SIRnITYHDjwBCDdETFbd8p20GpBWKX0j1n-ir_HORjhOpaGfcg6r07yUAER/s320/Sahar+7.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen="" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/cPtMgsN8Tpo/0.jpg" frameborder="0" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/cPtMgsN8Tpo?feature=player_embedded" width="320"></iframe></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 66.0pt;">
<span face=""segoe ui semibold" , sans-serif" style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span>A soft cool breeze
gently blew across Sahar’s face. Spring was in the air! Nowruz, the Persian New
Year, was just nine days away and the celebration was about to begin. However
today, Sahar had far more important things on her mind. Today was Tuesday,
March 12, 2019 and Sahar was about to attend her first soccer match in Tehran!
Her favorite soccer team, Esteghlal was playing United Arab Emirates and she
couldn’t wait to stand up with thousands of other young fans and loudly scream
and cheer them on to victory.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 66.0pt;">
<span face=""segoe ui semibold" , sans-serif" style="line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 66.0pt;">
<span face=""segoe ui semibold" , sans-serif" style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Sahar stopped a few
hundred feet from the entrance to Azadi Stadium and watched a huge crowd of
people hurrying inside anxious to get to their seats. She took a nervous deep
breath and then adjusted the blue wig covering the top of her head. Removing a
mirror from the pocket of her gray overcoat, she carefully examined her
face. <i>Did she really look like a man? Had she removed all traces of make-up on her
face? Would she get through security?<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 66.0pt;">
<span face=""segoe ui semibold" , sans-serif" style="line-height: 107%;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 66.0pt;">
<i><span face=""segoe ui semibold" , sans-serif" style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span></i><span face=""segoe ui semibold" , sans-serif" style="line-height: 107%;">Quickly
shoving the mirror back into the pocket of her overcoat, Sahar took another
deep breath. Beads of sweat coming from the wig trickled down her face. She
nervously wiped the sweat away and continued walking, trying to blend in with
the crowd in front of her. She had never done anything like this before. She
had heard the stories of many women, desperate to see a soccer watch, and
dressing up like a man to sneak inside.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 66.0pt;">
<span face=""segoe ui semibold" , sans-serif" style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Sahar gazed up at the sign
hanging above the entrance that read, <i>Azadi Stadium.</i> She chuckled out
loud to herself, <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 66.0pt;">
<span face=""segoe ui semibold" , sans-serif" style="line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 66.0pt;">
<span face=""segoe ui semibold" , sans-serif" style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><i>“Azadi Stadium? What
kind of name for a stadium is that? Azadi in Persian means freedom, but that’s
a lie! There is no freedom for women in this stadium. They are forbidden!”<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 66.0pt;">
<span face=""segoe ui semibold" , sans-serif" style="line-height: 107%;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 66.0pt;">
<i><span face=""segoe ui semibold" , sans-serif" style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span></i><span face=""segoe ui semibold" , sans-serif" style="line-height: 107%;">Ever
since the Revolution in 1979, when Iran was transformed from a secular state,
into an Islamic Republic, men and women became segregated classes of people.
Women could no longer hold government jobs and were forced to be veiled when
going out publicly. Men became the dominant class and women were reduced to
second class citizens. Even though it was not officially written into code,
women could no longer attend stadium events alongside of men because of the
discriminatory teachings of Sharia Law. The government now ruled their lives
from cradle to grave and human rights and freedom no longer existed!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 66.0pt;">
<span face=""segoe ui semibold" , sans-serif" style="line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 66.0pt;">
<span face=""segoe ui semibold" , sans-serif" style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><i>Yet that didn’t stop
Sahar</i>. She was not afraid of what the government could do to her. Today she
was proudly wearing blue, the official team color and she was determined to be
the loudest cheering fan in the whole stadium! Attending a soccer game in
Tehran was the absolute dream of her life and nothing could stop her today.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 66.0pt;">
<span face=""segoe ui semibold" , sans-serif" style="line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 66.0pt;">
<span face=""segoe ui semibold" , sans-serif" style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>A smile beamed out across
her face as she neared the entrance. In her mind’s eye, she visualized herself
standing way atop the stadium gazing down at the playing field, surrounded by
thousands of fans, all of them men, cheering loudly into the air as Esteghlal
scored their first goal of the game. Chills and goosebumps broke out all over Sahar’s
body as she saw herself having the greatest time of her life.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span face=""segoe ui semibold" , sans-serif" style="line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 66.0pt;">
<span face=""segoe ui semibold" , sans-serif" style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Pulling her cell phone out
of her pocket to show the security guard her ticket, Sahar once again took a
deep breath and relaxed arriving at the entrance. She presented her cell phone
to the ticket patron when suddenly two security officers surrounded her. One of
them reached on top of her head with his hand and pulled off her blue wig.
Sahar dropped her cell phone in shock. Her heart began racing in her chest</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 66.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><i>“You are not a man!”</i>
the guard screamed back at Sahar. “<i>You are an impostor. You are under
arrest!”</i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 66.0pt;">
<span face=""segoe ui semibold" , sans-serif" style="line-height: 107%;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 66.0pt;">
<span face=""segoe ui semibold" , sans-serif" style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>In an instant, Sahar’s
world had been shattered. Her dream of attending her first ever soccer game was
no longer a “child-like” reality, but had now been transformed into a horrible
nightmare!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 66.0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 66.0pt;">
<span face=""segoe ui semibold" , sans-serif" style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>*************<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 66.0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 66.0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 66.0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 66.0pt;">
<span face=""segoe ui semibold" , sans-serif" style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Monday, September 2, had
finally arrived. Sahar had dreaded this day for months but realized she had to
keep her court date or face more jail time. After finding out she had been
arrested, Sahar’s parents were extremely angry and reluctantly paid the
expensive bail for her freedom. They were loyalists to the government and
warned her to fully comply with the law or risk staying in jail forever. They
refused to bail her out for a second time.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 66.0pt;">
<span face=""segoe ui semibold" , sans-serif" style="line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 66.0pt;">
<span face=""segoe ui semibold" , sans-serif" style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Sahar entered the court
building and walked up to the front desk. A lady dressed in a full chador that
covered her body and hair greeted her, asking what her reason for coming was.
When Sahar explained that she had been summoned to court, the lady politely
informed her that the judge had postponed the case for family reasons and she
was scheduled to return another day. The woman looked closely at her paperwork
and then looked intently into her eyes.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 66.0pt;">
<span face=""segoe ui semibold" , sans-serif" style="line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 66.0pt;">
<span face=""segoe ui semibold" , sans-serif" style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><i>“You realize mam, that
your case is very serious. You are charged with going out publicly without a
hijab and impersonating a man to attend a soccer game. If you are convicted you
will have to spend six months in jail and maybe even two years!”<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 66.0pt;">
<span face=""segoe ui semibold" , sans-serif" style="line-height: 107%;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 66.0pt;">
<i><span face=""segoe ui semibold" , sans-serif" style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span></i><span face=""segoe ui semibold" , sans-serif" style="line-height: 107%;">The
thought of being imprisoned for six m</span><span face=""segoe ui semibold" , sans-serif">onths and caged like an animal was
horrifying to Sahar. The woman’s warning cut through her soul like the blade of
a sharp knife. Sahar grabbed her chest in fear as anxiety pains shot through
her. She had heard the horror stories of women being raped and sexually
assaulted by prison guards. She was well aware of the deplorable prison
conditions where there was no medical assistance and no access to a lawyer for
many months. Sahar understood how women were treated like animals and sexual
objects, and the thought of even spending one day in prison for the crime of
being a woman in Iran was absolutely repulsive and unacceptable to her.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 66.0pt;">
<span face=""segoe ui semibold" , sans-serif"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 66.0pt;">
<span face=""segoe ui semibold" , sans-serif" style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Racing out the front door
in fear, Sahar knew exactly what she had to do. There was no turning back.
Living as a woman in Iran was no longer an option for her. Today would be her
last day of living under fear and oppression. Her friends had urged her to just
hang in there a little longer. <i>Freedom and democracy would soon come to Iran</i>.
<i>The daily protests in the streets and all over the cities were having a
drastic effect on the government</i>, her friends claimed<i>. The government
cannot last much longer under the pressure of sanctions and the violence in the
streets. <o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 66.0pt;">
<span face=""segoe ui semibold" , sans-serif" style="line-height: 107%;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 66.0pt;"><i><span face=""segoe ui semibold" , sans-serif" style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span></i><span face=""segoe ui semibold" , sans-serif" style="line-height: 107%;">However,
Sahar had lost all hope. Today had been the last crushing blow of despair that
she could endure. She raced around the corner and arrived at a gas station.
Purchasing a small plastic container, she filled it full to the top with
gasoline. The owner gave her a concerned look and decided instead not to interfere
into her personal business.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 66.0pt;">
<span face=""segoe ui semibold" , sans-serif" style="line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 66.0pt;">
<span face=""segoe ui semibold" , sans-serif" style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Sahar rounded the corner
onto a busy side street filled with people walking to their early morning jobs.
The loud noise of honking horns in the traffic-filled streets and the screaming
voices of angry motorists didn’t bother her like before. She had become deaf to
the chaotic sounds of Tehran. The world had suddenly become dead to her. She
had no feelings anymore. She was now totally numb and indifferent to life
itself. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 66.0pt;">
<span face=""segoe ui semibold" , sans-serif" style="line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 66.0pt;">
<span face=""segoe ui semibold" , sans-serif" style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Stopping in the middle of
the sidewalk, Sahar took an angry deep breath. Tears streamed down her face.
Her hand trembled at she unscrewed the cap off of the plastic container of
gasoline. She closed her eyes and at once she saw herself inside of Azadi
Stadium surrounded by <i>thousands of happy, jubilant fans cheering on
Esteghlal. For a brief moment, Sahar managed to smile.</i> Right now, at this
moment, she was living the dream of a lifetime visualizing the thrill of
attending her first soccer game. <i>Yet the thrill was short lived</i>. It was
all just a cruel nightmare that had died six months ago. There was nothing left
to live for now. All hope had died on the day that she was arrested. Sahar knew
being a woman in Iran was a hopeless and cruel existence and she didn’t want to
be a part of it anymore. Despair had sucked every last bit of life from out of
her soul. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 66.0pt;">
<span face=""segoe ui semibold" , sans-serif" style="line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 66.0pt;">
<span face=""segoe ui semibold" , sans-serif" style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Sahar raised the plastic
container over her head and began saturating her body with gasoline. A few men
on the street stopped and gazed with concern at her. As she lit the match, a
young woman raced toward her realizing what she was about to do.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 66.0pt;">
<span face=""segoe ui semibold" , sans-serif" style="line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 66.0pt;">
<span face=""segoe ui semibold" , sans-serif" style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><i>“Stop! Stop! Please……”<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 66.0pt;">
<span face=""segoe ui semibold" , sans-serif" style="line-height: 107%;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 66.0pt;">
<i><span face=""segoe ui semibold" , sans-serif" style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span></i><span face=""segoe ui semibold" , sans-serif" style="line-height: 107%;">But
before the young woman could finish her sentence, Sahar touched her clothes
with the match and was immediately engulfed in flames. <i>Sahar had never in
her life felt anything like this before</i>! The scorching hot burning pain
paralyzed her entire body. She could barely utter a word. The pain and
suffering was indescribable and yet she didn’t regret what she had done for a
second. A young man raced toward her, but Sahar immediately warned him in a
shrieking voice.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 66.0pt;">
<span face=""segoe ui semibold" , sans-serif" style="line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 66.0pt;">
<span face=""segoe ui semibold" , sans-serif" style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><i>“Leave me alone. I want
to die! Leave me alone!”<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 66.0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 66.0pt;">
<i><span face=""segoe ui semibold" , sans-serif" style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span></i><span face=""segoe ui semibold" , sans-serif" style="line-height: 107%;">Sahar
was rushed to a hospital in Tehran. Her whole body was covered with third
degree burns. Seven days later on September 10, 2019<i>, “Blue girl</i>” died
from her severe injuries.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 66.0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 66.0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 66.0pt;">
<span face=""segoe ui semibold" , sans-serif" style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 66.0pt;">
<span face=""segoe ui semibold" , sans-serif" style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>*******************<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span face=""segoe ui semibold" , sans-serif" style="line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 66.0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 66.0pt;">
<span face=""segoe ui semibold" , sans-serif" style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>The tragic news of Sahar’s
death was heard all over the soccer world. There was outrage and sadness. Her
favorite team, Esteghlal held a moment of silence before their training
session, in memory and tribute to “Blue Girl,” affectionately called, because
she dressed herself in the team colors. The Iranian soccer team issued a public
statement that was recorded on video:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 66.0pt;">
<span face=""segoe ui semibold" , sans-serif" style="line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 66.0pt;">
<span face=""segoe ui semibold" , sans-serif" style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“<i>The tragic death of
our beloved child, Ms. Sahar Khodayari, has caused much sadness and regret for
Esteghlal. We offer our condolences to you and your relatives.”<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 66.0pt;">
<span face=""segoe ui semibold" , sans-serif" style="line-height: 107%;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 66.0pt;">
<i><span face=""segoe ui semibold" , sans-serif" style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span></i><span face=""segoe ui semibold" , sans-serif" style="line-height: 107%;">Thousands
of sad supporters gathered on the very spot where Sahar committed
self-immolation and held a candlelight vigil in prayer. There were hundreds of
flowers laid at the sight and one hand written note declared, <i>“You won’t be
forgotten Blue Girl.”<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 66.0pt;">
<span face=""segoe ui semibold" , sans-serif" style="line-height: 107%;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 66.0pt;">
<i><span face=""segoe ui semibold" , sans-serif" style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span></i><span face=""segoe ui semibold" , sans-serif" style="line-height: 107%;">The
FIFA (International governing body for football) outraged at Sahar’s senseless
death publicly called on Iranian authorities <i>to “ensure the freedom and
safety of any women engaged in the legitimate fight to end the stadium ban for
women in Iran.”<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 66.0pt;">
<span face=""segoe ui semibold" , sans-serif" style="line-height: 107%;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 66.0pt;">
<i><span face=""segoe ui semibold" , sans-serif" style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Amnesty International</span></i><span face=""segoe ui semibold" , sans-serif" style="line-height: 107%;">
loudly spoke out against the unjust tragic death of Sahar condemning the
oppressive rules against women in Iran.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 66.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 66.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“<i>Her only crime was
being a woman in a country where women face discrimination that is entrenched
in laws and plays out in the most horrific ways imaginable in every area of
their lives, even in sports!”</i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 66.0pt;">
<span face=""segoe ui semibold" , sans-serif" style="line-height: 107%;"><i>'</i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 66.0pt;">
<i><span face=""segoe ui semibold" , sans-serif" style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span></i><span face=""segoe ui semibold" , sans-serif" style="line-height: 107%;">Thousands
of Iranians took to Twitter tweeting their outrage with the hashtag <i>#BlueGirl</i>.
One such outrage tweet came from Magdalena Erickson, a soccer player for
Chelsea’s women’s team in Londo</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 66.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 66.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><i>“Today our hearts bleed
blue for Sahar Khodayari. Now it’s time for everyone in Iran to be allowed to
attend every football match together! RIP Blue Girl.”</i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 66.0pt;"><i><span face=""segoe ui semibold" , sans-serif" style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"><br /></span></span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 66.0pt;"><i><span face=""segoe ui semibold" , sans-serif" style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span></i><span face=""segoe ui semibold" , sans-serif" style="line-height: 107%;">World
renowned human rights activist, Emadi Baghi, also took to Twitter in support of
Sahar declaring:</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 66.0pt;">
<span face=""segoe ui semibold" , sans-serif" style="line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 66.0pt;">
<span face=""segoe ui semibold" , sans-serif" style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><i>“Tehran’s Azadi Stadium
should be renamed, “Sahar-e-Azadi.” <o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 66.0pt;">
<i><span face=""segoe ui semibold" , sans-serif" style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>For forty years, we’ve
called that stadium Azadi. Azadi means freedom, but there is nothing in common
between the stadium and the real meaning of that word!”<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 66.0pt;">
<i><span face=""segoe ui semibold" , sans-serif" style="line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 66.0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 66.0pt;">
<i><span face=""segoe ui semibold" , sans-serif" style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span></i><span face=""segoe ui semibold" , sans-serif" style="line-height: 107%;">On
October 10, 2019, caving into the international outrage and pressure from the
FIFA, the government of Iran allowed women to purchase 3,500 tickets and attend
the world cup final against Cambodia. It was the first time in 40 years that
women were allowed inside. However, this was nothing more than a publicity
stunt, damage control for the rebuilding of a public image, giving the watching
world the impression that Iran was finally respecting women, when in reality
there was nothing in writing to lift the ban. It was all about image and yet
for a few hours, it appeared that some measure of justice was finally given to
the memory of Sahar.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 66.0pt;">
<span face=""segoe ui semibold" , sans-serif" style="line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 66.0pt;">
<span face=""segoe ui semibold" , sans-serif" style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><i>Rival Sons</i> is a
very popular American rock band that wrote a powerful song entitled, “Shooting
stars.” The chorus of this song has a haunting and incredible melody, that
although not intended to be a tribute to Sahar, yet is describes something very
ominous of her courage and personality. <o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span face=""segoe ui semibold" , sans-serif" style="line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 66.0pt;">
<span face=""segoe ui semibold" , sans-serif" style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“<i>We move through the
world like shooting stars across the sky. Splitting through the darkness.
Putting the light into their eyes.”<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 66.0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 66.0pt;">
<i><span face=""segoe ui semibold" , sans-serif" style="line-height: 107%;"><o:p><br /></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 66.0pt;"><span face=""segoe ui semibold" , sans-serif" style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>In just a few verses, I
can see the face of Sahar and everything that she stood for. She lived a very
brief life and died at the young age of 29. She was like a shooting star. Here
for just a few moments in time, but those few moments forever changed the
world. With courage and conviction, she set herself on fire and became a
blazing torch for freedom. <i>She bravely stood up to the darkness of oppression
</i>and because of that, the world paused from their chaotic life and for a few
brief moments listened to her message. Sahar was crying out in desperation,
engulfed in the agonizing flames, <i>putting the light into their eyes.</i> In
the final moments of her life, <i>Blue Girl</i> screamed loudly in her
suffering and set the world on fire. She shouted freedom from a busy street in
the middle of Tehran to tell the world that there is something terribly wrong
and cruel going on in Iran.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 66.0pt;">
<span face=""segoe ui semibold" , sans-serif" style="line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 66.0pt;">
<span face=""segoe ui semibold" , sans-serif" style="line-height: 107%;"> We must never forget this courageous woman who
refused to keep silent about the gender apartheid in Iran. It was not just
about a soccer game. It was about life itself! <i>Blue Girl</i> was a shooting
star and in an agonizing instant of flames engulfing her body, the blazing
light of truth shined out from her whole being in protest against the cruel and
unjust discrimination of Iranian women.<span style="font-size: 10pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<i></i>Randy L. Noblehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06956587505268014443noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6716713314166138235.post-74964654668803687842019-10-12T09:14:00.001-07:002019-10-12T09:14:27.892-07:00"40 years of bloodshed and betrayal."* Here is a sneak preview from the preface of our new and upcoming book, <i>"Shout Freedom: The Desperate Cry of Iranians."</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i><br /></i>
<i><br /></i>
<i><br /></i>
<i><br /></i>
<i><br /></i>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Segoe UI Semibold", sans-serif; line-height: 107%;"><b><span style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span>P</b>resident
Trump turns on his cellphone. He takes a deep breath and carefully organizes
his thoughts. Then he logs onto his <i>Twitter Account. Tweeting </i>is his
ultimate passion in life! By using Twitter, Trump can easily bypass the “fake”
media and talk directly to the people without his words being spun or twisted.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Segoe UI Semibold", sans-serif; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Segoe UI Semibold", sans-serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Today
is an historic day for the Iranian government. It is the 40<sup>th</sup>
anniversary of the Islamic Revolution. A massive celebration at Azadi Square in
Tehran has just concluded. It is 9 pm in Tehran and 11:58 am in Washington,
D.C.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Segoe UI Semibold", sans-serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Being
a voice for the Iranian people and their human rights is an important priority
for Trump. Unlike his predecessor, Barack Obama, who forged a “legacy making”
deal with the corrupt government and funneled over 150 billion dollars
enriching the Mullah’s pockets, Trump instead wants freedom and democracy for
all Iranians. Shortly after he came into office, he tore up the disastrous
nuclear deal and put the government on notice that there was a<i> new sheriff
in town!</i> During the uprisings of 2018, Trump displayed his solidarity with
Iranians on Twitter. On January 3, 2108, just a few weeks after the uprisings
began, Trump went to Twitter and pledged his loyalty to Iranians by tweeting:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Segoe UI Semibold", sans-serif; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Segoe UI Semibold", sans-serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><i>“Such respect for the people of Iran as they try to take back their
corrupt government. You will see great support from the United States at the
appropriate time.”<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Segoe UI Semibold", sans-serif; line-height: 107%;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-family: "Segoe UI Semibold", sans-serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span></i><span style="font-family: "Segoe UI Semibold", sans-serif; line-height: 107%;">In
a few short sentences, Trump had made a solid connection with the people of
Iran. He made it very clear that their freedom and human rights was his
priority. Iranians have never forgotten during the bloody and violent election
protests in 2009, how President Obama turned his back on them. They could be
heard chanting loudly in the streets, <i>“President Obama, are you with the
Iranian people or with the Mullahs?<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Segoe UI Semibold", sans-serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>However,
today, <i>Monday, February 11, 2019, 11:56 am,</i> President Trump took to
Twitter and sent a completely different message to The Iranian people. A
message of hope and not betrayal.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Segoe UI Semibold", sans-serif; line-height: 107%;"><o:p><br /></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Segoe UI Semibold", sans-serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><i>40
years of corruption. 40 years of oppression. 40 years of terror. The regime in
Iran has produced only “40 years of failure.”<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-family: "Segoe UI Semibold", sans-serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>The
long-suffering Iranian people deserve a much brighter future.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-family: "Segoe UI Semibold", sans-serif; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-family: "Segoe UI Semibold", sans-serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span></i><span style="font-family: "Segoe UI Semibold", sans-serif; line-height: 107%;">Earlier
that day, in the misty and cold rain, thousands of government loyalists of all
ages had proudly gathered in Freedom Square to celebrate the 40<sup>th</sup>
Anniversary of the Islamic Revolution. There was the usual chanting of <i>death
to America </i>and the burning of U.S. and Israeli flags. At 11:15 am,
President Rouhani took to the stage and gave a 45-minute inspiring speech
touting the accomplishments of the Islamic Republic and declared that the
country was <i>stronger and life was much better than it was under the Shah’s
monarchy.<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Segoe UI Semibold", sans-serif; line-height: 107%;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-family: "Segoe UI Semibold", sans-serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Really Rouhani?<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-family: "Segoe UI Semibold", sans-serif; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-family: "Segoe UI Semibold", sans-serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span></i><span style="font-family: "Segoe UI Semibold", sans-serif; line-height: 107%;">Almost
a decade earlier on June 15, 2009, a sea of angry Iranians swarmed into Freedom
Square, in the largest demonstration since the Revolution, demanding that the
presidential election be annulled. Ahmadinejad had been re-elected, winning
over Mousavi. Iranians responded with an emotional meltdown shouting election
fraud. For several long, bloody days of violent confrontations, riot police and
Basijs clashed in the streets. There were thousands of arrests and hundreds of
deaths as Iranians burned motorcycles in a desperate struggle for freedom of
speech and fair elections.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Segoe UI Semibold", sans-serif; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Segoe UI Semibold", sans-serif; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVy_RBHeiu-BoncLckzUy03-Uov1WN9__K2Do1iNLB8vLb7bpInZbJklWF0MRxj7jEL5Pyrn3KrTa7dRUmEGTRZGnKX0LAtDYcYwElT4oq7ClkmDRaBrKgbbEF8FVG1NvLxxACgPGPT-Mg/s1600/Democracy+3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="1500" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVy_RBHeiu-BoncLckzUy03-Uov1WN9__K2Do1iNLB8vLb7bpInZbJklWF0MRxj7jEL5Pyrn3KrTa7dRUmEGTRZGnKX0LAtDYcYwElT4oq7ClkmDRaBrKgbbEF8FVG1NvLxxACgPGPT-Mg/s320/Democracy+3.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Segoe UI Semibold", sans-serif; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEje06RXOJcfaeahPf156be4_FMIdlmDVKQzYurjzC6PRUWhQpE-FJjvbZJtLocptnXxVFmUs7KWNPLwsp_WfhB3l0GBeuzRnoBRG4-ASoX3YxC9A0g86l4EoYW3CqNLkiCnv0sfqE_pW4oo/s1600/democracy+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="675" data-original-width="1200" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEje06RXOJcfaeahPf156be4_FMIdlmDVKQzYurjzC6PRUWhQpE-FJjvbZJtLocptnXxVFmUs7KWNPLwsp_WfhB3l0GBeuzRnoBRG4-ASoX3YxC9A0g86l4EoYW3CqNLkiCnv0sfqE_pW4oo/s320/democracy+2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Segoe UI Semibold", sans-serif; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Segoe UI Semibold", sans-serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Loud
chanting and angry voices shouted, <i>“Where is my vote and death to the
dictator</i>” day and night in Freedom Square. Since 1971, when the Azadi
Square was formally dedicated, there have been famous rallies, protests, and
gatherings. Under the Shah, there were peaceful gatherings celebrating freedom
and the good life. Then in February 1979, the dark clouds of oppression rolled
over the city of Tehran and the square became the sight of millions of deceived
Iranians welcoming the Ayatollah Khomeini and his new Islamic government. Since
then, inspectors have discovered that there are defects beginning to form in
the famous “Y” shaped tower. The stones are cracking and water is dripping from
the ceiling. The walls of the famous structure have begun peeling. Freedom
Square is beginning to deteriorate! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Segoe UI Semibold", sans-serif; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Segoe UI Semibold", sans-serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Like
the walls of the famous tower, the soul of all Iranians are cracking underneath
the enormous pressure of a dictatorship government. For forty years they have
suffered ungodly oppression. They are desperate for freedom. <i>Can you hear
their cries for freedom? They are shouting freedom and the question is, are you
listening? What will your response be</i>?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Segoe UI Semibold", sans-serif; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Segoe UI Semibold", sans-serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> These are the voices, the loud cries</span> of many Iranian political
prisoners, refugees and artists. These are their stories of the many long years of injustice, death, and
oppression. They have suffered bloodshed and betrayal. They cannot withstand
another 40 years of death and oppression. They are longing for humanity to hear
their voices and stand with them. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-family: "Segoe UI Semibold", sans-serif; line-height: 107%;"><o:p> Will you stand with them?</o:p></span></i></div>
<i></i>Randy L. Noblehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06956587505268014443noreply@blogger.com1