A Weblog About Everything and Nothing!

Am I changed?

2011-12-26T22:16:00.000-08:00

I was taking a look upon my old posts and discovered that I've been very radical. Sometimes I've used fallacies in my arguments too. I think I've changed and see everything from relativity point of view. For example, I've written very bold about Islam and Muslims. But if I want to be more realistic, I should open my eyes because bigotry is like double-edged sword.
Anyhow, I've changed and I'm not that person anymore.

What made me to write again after awhile?

2011-12-26T21:26:00.000-08:00

I was not here for a long time and did post anything. The reason is that I'm engaged with some so-called scientific experiments! But today something strange happened and reminded me that I have a weblog here!!!
I asked a good friend if he could find the PDF version of "The Biology of Religious Behavior". He told me that unfortunately he couldn't and sent me a link of my own weblog in which I had reviewed this book!!!
The amazing thing is that I never thought this new friend and the author of the book to be familiar with my weblog and this post. I'm wondering what a small world it is. Speechless!!!

p.s. Fortunately, now I do have the book and would write a review if I have the opportunity to read it.

Where am I write now?

2011-10-26T14:58:00.000-07:00

I'm engaged with writing under my real name in science. Busy right now and I hope I come back someday again.

An asshole who has used my virtual identity

2011-10-26T14:47:00.000-07:00

Its interesting. I never considered that my virtual identity amaze someone to steal and use it for himself :)) Its interesting that he has uploaded a photo of himself (a young guy whose appearance is far different from me). He has copy/pasted one of my articles under that name :))
check him out here.

Why I am not a Muslim

2010-11-11T09:49:00.000-08:00

It’s the name of a book, written in 1995 by Ibn Warraq, Pakistani religious critic. The name is homage to Bertrand Russell’s “Why I Am Not a Christian”. Unfortunately, many Muslims are unfamiliar with this informative book. It’s the criticism of an ex-Muslim on Quran and Islam.
Some years ago it was translated to French and Persian, but I doubt its Arabic translation. By the way, majority of Iranian Muslims are unfamiliar even with the existence of such a book.

Below are some excerpts from book. If its not yet translated to Arabic, I believe there is an emergency to do so.

The first paragraph of the introduction:

I was born into a Muslim family and grew up in a country that now describes itself as an Islamic republic. My close family members identify themselves as Muslim: some more orthodox, others less. My earliest memories are of my circumcision and my first day at Koranic school—psychoanalysts may make what they wish of that. Even before I could read or write the national language I learned to read the Koran in Arabic without understanding a word of it—a common experience for thousands of Muslim children. As soon as I was able to think for myself, I discarded all the religious dogmas that had been foisted on me. I now consider myself a secular humanist who believes that all religions are sick men’s dreams, false—demonstrably false—and pernicious.”

From Preface:

I am not a scholar or a specialist. I certainly do not lay claim to originality; I lean heavily on the works of real scholars. I present to the reader in a more digestible form what I have culled from their works. I have quoted extensively, and where I have not quoted, I have paraphrased, all with the proper acknowledgments in the notes and bibliography. There is hardly an image or thought that I can claim to be my own creation. If some critic were to dub this work “an extended annotated bibliography” 1 would not be offended.

From The Origins of Islam:

The most important stages in [Islam's] history were characterised by the assimilation of foreign influences, . . . Its founder, Muhammad, did not proclaim new ideas. He did not enrich earlier conceptions of man’s relation to the transcendental and infinite. . . . The Arab Prophet’s message was an eclectic composite of religious ideas and regulations. The ideas were suggested to him by contacts, which had stirred him deeply, with Jewish, Christian, and other elements.
“Ignaz Goldziher”

From Problems of Sources:

The Prophet Muhammad died in A.D. 632. The earliest material on his life that we possess was written by Ibn Ishaq in A.D. 750, in other words, a hundred twenty years after Muhammad’s death. The question of authenticity becomes even more critical, because the original form of Ibn Ishaq’s work is lost and is only available in parts in a later recension by Ibn Hisham who died in A.D. 834, two hundred years after the death of the Prophet.

The Zaynab Affair (pp. 99-100)

One day the Prophet set out to visit his adopted son Zaid. Zaid had been one of the earliest converts to Islam—the third, in fact—and he was very loyal to his foster father, who in return held him in high regard. Zaid was married to Zaynab bint Jahsh, a cousin of the Prophet. By all accounts—and this point is very important for our story—she was very beautiful. On the day concerned, Zaid was not at home, but Zaynab, rather lightly clad, and hence revealing a great many of her charms, opened the door to the Prophet, and asked him in. As she hastly prepared to receive him, Muhammad was smitten by her beauty: “Gracious Lord! Good Heavens! How you do turn the hearts of men!” exclaimed the Prophet. He declined to enter and went away in some confusion. However, Zaynab had heard his words and repeated them to Zaid, when he returned home. Zaid went straight to the Prophet and dutifully offered to divorce his wife for him. Muhammad declined, adding, “Keep your wife and fear God.” Zaynab now seemed quite taken with the idea of marrying the Prophet, and Zaid, seeing that Muhammad still yearned for her, divorced her. Still, fear of public opinion made Muhammad hesitate: after all, an adopted son was in every respect equal to a natural son; therefore, such a union would have been seen as incestuous by the Arabs of his time. As always, a revelation came to him in time, enabling him to “cast his scruples to the wind.” While Muhammad was sitting next to his wife Aisha, he suddenly went into one of his prophetic swoons. When he had recovered, he said, “Who will go and congratulate Zaynab and say that the Lord has joined her to me in marriage?” Thus
we find in sura 33.2—33.7 and 33.37-33.40:

God has not given to a man two hearts within him. . . . neither has He made your adopted sons to be as your own sons. . . . Let your adopted sons go by their own father’s name. This is more just with God. And it is not for a believer, man or woman, to have any choice in their affairs, when God and His Apostle have decreed a matter. . . . And remember, when you said to the person whom God has shown favor, and to whom you also have shown favor, “Keep your wife to yourself, and fear God” and you did conceal in your soul what God was about to reveal and you did fear [the opinion] of men when you should have feared God. And when Zaid had settled concerning her to divorce her, we married her to you, that it might not be a crime in the faithful to marry the wives of their adopted sons, when they have settled the affair concerning them. God’s bidding must be performed. Muhammad is not the father of any man among you, but he is the Apostle of God, and the seal of the Prophets.

The most natural and immediate reaction to the preceding account must surely be that of the Prophet’s own wife, Aisha, who is said to have remarked wittily on this occasion, “Truly your God seems to have been very quick in fulfilling your prayers.”

Criticism of Joseph and Zulaikha in Arabic by Ahmed Zidan

2010-11-11T09:48:00.000-08:00

After Islamic revolution in Iran, beside math, biology, physics, chemistry and etc., a new subject introduced to the middle and high school programs. That was and still is obligatory and all the children should learn it: The Arabic course!
This course is almost the worst thing that students experience in their school life, mostly if you don’t want to go after humanity sciences. If you also want to be a physician, biotechnologist, computer engineer or any other thing, you should learn and pass those all Arabic courses. And because there is no usage of Arabic in the society, everyone hates the courses. That’s a really big problem in Iranian schools!

I myself was not so good at Arabic in school and like other guys always thought what the benefit of learning Arabic is. That is a big question that always stuck in students’ brains. The system justifies that “it’s the Quranic language and we as Muslims should know it”, and sometimes they exaggerate its importance as the most important international language. But it’s always the case: students don’t like it.

I, myself as an Iranian student learnt Arabic and passed it in school and also university (it is also obligatory at universities). I always tried to translate stories, hadith or quranic verses into Persian in my exams, and I was not so bad at it. But the interesting thing that I always never thought about was that if someday my words be translated into Arabic!!!

I should thank Ahmed Zidan, my sweet friend and editor-in-chief of MidEastYouth Arabic, who spent his valuable time to translate one of my articles that has been published on MEY in English. When I was at school, really never thought one day my words be translated to Arabic and I’m thankful to Ahmed for letting me have this awesome experience; Thanks you Ahmed.

The article is an criticism on story of Joseph and Zulaikh!

The English article: part one and two.
And thanks to Ahmed, the Arabic version of article is now available.

Ramadan, month of starvation!

2010-11-11T09:44:00.000-08:00

Ramadan Mubarak!

Ramadan comes every year and goes and its nothing more than a starvation month for Muslims. At nights, they jam food of any kind too much and at day they lie under air conditioners, cuz they cannot do anything more and snore as a pig till the sunset. If they move they’d be hungry!!!

It’s nothing than a starvation to Muslims. They do their sins and all the wrong attitudes again. They’re really funny. They’ve forgotten the first cause of fasting; they ignore thousands of hungry human beings suffering in Africa and any other places but they know something well: how to pretend they’re good guys to their Muslim fellows by fasting!!!
They rob, bribe, spoil others rights, tell lies, say insults, hit others, rape women, kill human and animals, lie to each others, while they’re at fasting! Allah enters them in heaven! Amen!

And then its Iftar time (the breaking fast time); they again start jamming too much and it circles a month. The efficiency of society sucks! And they think fasting is good for their health, but they don’t know how hard they’re wrecking their kidneys and stressing their body metabolism. Muslim physicians try to justify that fasting boost health, but it really sucks; it’s nothing than a stress to body!

Ramadan came; month of starvation; month of inefficiency; month of laziness!

Ramadan Mubarak to you all!

Call to Muslim Facebook Users!

2010-05-24T02:05:00.000-07:00

Everyday numbers of Muhammed cartoons on Facebook page “Everybody Draw Mohammad Day – May 20th, 2010” increases and at one side it bothers Muslims who are against Muhammed depiction and at the other side encourages those who like the event. Muslims are offended by Facebook as they say themselves. I see here and there they call for “Boycott of Facebook”. I wonder why every Muslim stays in Facebook. I think they’d better leave it and boycott it.

If you love your Muhammad the rasul of Allah, then why don’t you leave Facebook and boycott it? Isn’t it that you’re slaves of capitalism not Allah’s? If you are a true slave then go and delete your page and let those infidels continue their nasty way to the Hell. Don’t you believe Allah knows who is wrong and who is right? How you wanna answer Allah in the other world; you’re just increasing your weight of sins by staying and supporting “Satanic Networks”. I’m afraid you’re more than addicted and obsessed to the Facebook that you simply ignore Allah and Muhammed, isn’t it?

Hate Breeds Hate

2010-05-24T02:04:00.000-07:00

When someone shows intolerance in something to someone and at the other side scares him too, then the other guy gets encouraged to repay; it’s natural.

Imagine you’re at school. There is a big guy there who is strong and is not a tolerated guy relatively to other classmates. He scares you and you don’t even dare to ridicule him. In resting times he beats and kicks other guys and threatens them.
One day a courageous classmate draws big guy on the blackboard. The big guy becomes angry and beats him madly. It makes a bad atmosphere in the class for few months. Everyone talks about that event and everyone fears with an inner hatred. But it’s just like a fire under coal. It grows day after day and reveals itself someday.

This phenomenon also happens in other communities and has happened lately. Let’s call it Muhammad’s depiction controversy!

“Everybody Draw Mohammad Day – May 20th, 2010” was not unexpected. It would be started somehow. And I believe it grows day by day because of an inner hatred that exists in non-muslim community against Islamic fundamentalism. That’s what Muslims did to themselves.
Allah in Quean mentions Muhammad as another human being like us. And I don’t think he is holier than Jesus or Moses who are depicted freely.

Say, (O Muhammed) “I am no more than a human being like you….” 18:110

Why I love Islamic regime of Iran!

2010-05-10T21:04:00.000-07:00

When I go to coffee shops and see boys and girls are sitting there and just want to show themselves off there, I laugh inside and praise the coffee shop owner. Because he has understood youth stupidity and knows how to abuse them. They pay huge on ice creams, orange juices and even mineral water; just to show off.

When I see those books that says for example “Be a great cook in 24 hours”, “how to becoming rich in 24 days”, “how to be a great manager in three steps”, “how to influence and seduce opposite gender in one day”, “how to become computer expert in one month” and etc. I laugh again! Because the writer has understood people stupidity: he knows that everyone wants everything instantly; then his book sells! I praise writer’s intelligence.

When I see bunch of people who believe in a god called Allah, prophet called Mohammad, religion called Islam with so many Imams, I again laugh! That’s not because of their belief, but because of their stupidity. Then I praise Iranian Islamic regime since it has understood where people’s stupidity exactly is and are enjoying it. Everyone should praise such intelligence, and that’s why I love them.

That reminds me Niccolò Machiavelli. And I believe it’s the best government and regime for these people. Enjoy it guys!

Damn AIDS

2010-05-08T14:03:00.000-07:00

Have you ever had concern about the infection with HIV? That’s terrible. Suppose you find someone in virtual social communities, e.g. Facebook. You date an attractive person and you both are into each other. You have no backgrounds about the other person and still are trying to attract him/her since you like the other person.

Suppose you invite her to your place, she accepts and after awhile you can’t stop yourselves. You go further and further and can’t imagine how much she is also into you and accepts everything. So you do a try and you find her receptive but this finding costs you 30 seconds of unprotected sex. After passing about one minute you discover you should have used protection! You use the protections then after.

Moment passes by and after one week you wake up in your room and feel that your neck lymphatics are swollen. Oh god, what the hell is with me? What should I do? You know that one of the primary symptoms of AIDS is swelling of lymphatics. And you know you can’t do anything till at least one month to see if you are infected or not. And about that girl, you ask if she had any intercourses before and she denies. You have no cues to figure it out.

That’s the matter of Life and Death and you can’t get your mind off it. Damn AIDS. You can’t imagine how easily one can be infected with AIDS.

The Biology of Religious Behavior

2010-05-08T14:02:00.000-07:00

Jay R. Feierman author of The Biology of Religious Behavior: The Evolutionary Origins of Faith and Religion has edited 15 essays in one volume about the evolution of religious behavior. Its not the first book that exposes religious mechanism of brain or its genetic make-up. But I think its the first one that explains the religious Behavior.
Today I read Hiram Caton’s book review on this book and found it amazing,

The key religious attribute is submission in the sense of Make-Thyself-Small, well illustrated by the Muslim prayer posture (pp. 76, 81). Prayer, he proposes, is the origin of religion (p. 81). Dominance and submission, Feierman notes, are a behavior expressed by widely across vertebrate and invertebrate species; hence they would have been well established in Homo sapiens prior to its specialization as prayer. What were the conditions that prompted selection for prayer?

You can read the rest here. I think its a great book to read and invite you to do so, if you are a middle eastern too!

We all would die because of Allah’s earthquake, in next 2 days!

2010-04-24T15:28:00.000-07:00

Hojatoleslam Kazem Sedighi said “Many women who do not dress modestly … lead young men astray, corrupt their chastity and spread adultery in society, which (consequently) increases earthquakes”.
He is a senior Iranian cleric who says women who wear revealing clothing and behave promiscuously are to blame for earthquakes.
Iran is one of the world’s most earthquake-prone countries, and the cleric’s unusual explanation for why the earth shakes follows a prediction by President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad that a quake is certain to hit Tehran and that many of its 12 million inhabitants should relocate.

Jen McCreight, in her weblog, offered a suggestion:

I have a modest proposal.
Sedighi claims that not dressing modestly causes earthquakes. If so, we should be able to test this claim scientifically. You all remember the homeopathy overdose?

Time for a Boobqauke.

On Monday, April 26th, I will wear the most cleavage-showing shirt I own. Yes, the one usually reserved for a night on the town. I encourage other female skeptics to join me and embrace the supposed supernatural power of their breasts. Or short shorts, if that’s your preferred form of immodesty. With the power of our scandalous bodies combined, we should surely produce an earthquake. If not, I’m sure Sedighi can come up with a rational explanation for why the ground didn’t rumble. And if we really get through to him, maybe it’ll be one involving plate tectonics.

If I had boobs, I could join; now I can help to boost the Boobquake in the other way ;)
If you got boobs, you can join on this facebook page and challenge religious insane claims with a little humor and science ;)

Muslims Threaten To Kill South Park Creators

2010-04-24T15:21:00.000-07:00

Revolutionmuslim.com says:

We have to warn Matt and Trey that what they are doing is stupid and they will probably wind up like Theo Van Gogh for airing this show. This is not a threat, but a warning of the reality of what will likely happen to them.

Just watch the video and see how tolerant Muslims are.

A good day comes

2010-04-24T15:19:00.000-07:00

Soroush Lashkari, better known with his nickname, Hichkas (No one), is an Iranian rapper. His lyrics are about society, poverty and resistance against foreigners. He is an underground well-known artist inside Iran.
After 2009 post-election riots in Iran, he sang a song called “a good day comes”. I heard it yesterday and liked to share it with you. So down here I translated the lyric and here is the link to download the song.

A good day comes in which we wouldn’t kill each other, won’t see others in wrong way,
To be friend with each other and put our hands on others shoulders, yeah, like childhood at school,
None of us is unemployed and we are constructing Iran,
To avoid exhaustion of labor, I put the brick and you the cement this time.
After this bloody rain, finally there would be the rainbow;
Henceforth the sky won’t be cloudy of the stones; the runnel water won’t be red like tulips;
Muezzin, say the Adhan, god is great, oh mama say prayer for us tonight.

Insofar as I remember, this land always has been calling “a good day would come”,
In which there is no riots that day and in people crowds instead of damn we give confection to each others;
We’re all frisky and everything’s alright, we miss only those friends that aren’t among us,
Blood stays in the veins and doesn’t experience sky and asphalt, it won’t be poured and won’t be clotted, no mother mourns on her youth grave,
houses are not shelter and outside war, oh I’m ruined within like Bam or like the Hiroshima after bomb, I don’t know, I’m burning and singing, maybe you think I’m crazy, but a good day comes, I know it.

Indeed, when a good day comes maybe nothing would be left of us but the grace,
Nothing is unsecure and corrupted, everything is safe, worms poke us and we are departed, he he (laughs).
Sky, O, so beautiful; beside the grave is green, is grass. No brain wants to flee, if you be patient everything is solved, foreigners’ hand is off the land; don’t say “oh, there is a long way till tomorrow”.
If I weren’t there tomorrow I want you to promise me to give every solider a rose
Henceforth no bird is in the cage, no liberal wife is a widow,
My daughter, your father is coming home, yeah, set the dinner’s table.

A good day comes

Urgent help for a Potential Apostate (Part One)

2010-03-26T06:53:00.000-07:00

Tonight I was surfing the net, found something interesting (for me but may not for you) and I thought it would be great if you help some skeptics to figure themselves out.

Someone who has called himself “Potential Apostate” wants an urgent help. I believe there are many “Potential Apostates” out there that Muslims should help them to find the right path. So jump in:

Below are the questions that disturbed me and no one offered a sensible answer. Even Islamic sites filtered my questions and emailing them turned futile. Through your site, I would like to have answers of the following questions from Muslims, as they have closed all doors for debate and discussions. Face to face conversation is like a suicide. Please allow me to ask these questions from the medium of your site. All Muslims are welcome to leave comments below or email me at nothing.buttruth@yahoo.com. Here’re my questions to Muslims:

Q1. Why would God want his creation to not ask, questions, criticize, debate or experiment ideas that he gave us? This can only happen to cover up lies. This is the reason why we can’t question clergy about things like What’s the proof that God exists and what’s the proof that Muhammad is the prophet of God. Seems like a great deceit to make sheep out of humans. Only truth can stand the fierce scrutiny and criticism and still stand tall.

Q2. Why would God make religions appear only in poor, illiterate and desert areas? 1400 years ago, Greek were more scientific and progressive, why religion didn’t appear there instead? I tell you why. Because Muhammad could have only mislead the gullible, ignorant and poor people. In fact, his first followers were actually poor. Rich and literate people thought of him as crazy. Even today, if I go to a illiterate village and proclaim myself as a big saint, millions will follow me. That’s how easy it is to make stupid people more stupid. That’s why you don’t see new religions forming in Europe.

Q3. If there is Science in Islam, why didn’t God tell us how old the Universe is, how old Earth is, whether it is round or flat, how long it took for it to cool down, how Life began, how Life evolved? It seems that Allah knew only things that were already known at that time by the Greek and ancient scientists and philosophers. If I start a religion today, I wouldn’t forget to add an ayat, “And thou will not spread mischief in the earth which took us fifteen billion years to make. There are altogether eleven dimensions, yet the unbelievers deny our signs.” Ridiculous!

Q4. Why Abrahamic religions, specifically Islam is exclusivist? How can a truth be confined to some people and not others (people living in other places, other times etc. can’t be all wrong). Buddhism on the other hand is not exclusivist like Islam. Buddha even said don’t believe me, don’t believe your holy books, don’t believe what people say, but believe only what’s true to your heart and mind, because truth can only come from inside, not outside (outside = scriptures, prophets, gods).

Q5. Why would God care about whether people believe in him or not? The creator of the universes and each and every atom in them, can’t be so narrow minded, arrogant or stupid. Because arrogance means ‘covering up negative feelings about self’ and genuine God would rather be full of self-esteem than arrogance. God’s name being ‘Al-Mutakab-bir’ is beyond me.

If no Muslim can answer my questions above within one month, I would consider all my accusations along with my questions as true and would proclaim my apostasy (Period).

Peace!

You can write your answers down here to discuss it. Maybe we can help him.

And I Cried!

2010-02-13T15:11:00.000-08:00

Oskar Schindler: This car. Goeth would have bought this car. Why did I keep the car? Ten people right there. Ten people. Ten more people.
[removing Nazi pin from lapel]
Oskar Schindler: This pin. Two people. This is gold. Two more people. He would have given me two for it, at least one. One more person. A person, Stern. For this.
[sobbing]
Oskar Schindler: I could have gotten one more person... and I didn't! And I... I didn't!

Download the theme!
.
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Another Criticism on Joseph and Zulaikha Story: A Scientific Approach

2009-12-15T13:23:00.000-08:00

I wrote an article one year ago and claimed that the psychology used in the story of Joseph and Zulaikha is not true! I claimed that women in fest couldn’t fall in love with Joseph at the first glance and cut their hands. This claimes was based on many psychological books that I had had read but no experimental investigation addressed.
Many read the article (in my Persian weblog and here) and some said I’m right; some girls and women agreed and said they can’t fall in love instantly. And some (mostly men) disagreed and said it is written in Quran, so you’re wrong!

Six month ago I found an article in accordance with this subject, which title was “Adaptive attentional attunement: evidence for mating-related perceptual bias”. Evolution and Human Behavior 28 (2007) 28– 36.
The article assesses both sexes attention to both female and male subjects. Here is excerpt from article:

“Findings from the current study suggest that the attention of perceivers is captured at an early stage of visual processing by female physical attractiveness. Both male and female observers were relatively inefficient at disengaging their attention from attractive female targets. This bias emerged very quickly—within the first second of visual processing.”

“The current findings are consistent with the possibility that men and women have their attention captured by attractive women because such a bias could serve functions aimed at satisfying particular mating goals.”

“No attentional bias was observed for attractive male targets. The current findings are therefore consistent with evolutionary theories suggesting that physical attributes related to judgments of attractiveness play a relatively larger role in determining a woman’s value as a mate, compared with a man’s”

Once again I should say Yahweh in Bible and Allah in Quran weren’t aware of female psychology, unfortunately.

"Kismet" a new instrumental song by WaqoW

2009-11-29T02:55:00.000-08:00

WaqoW is a Classical-Folk Metal band from Iran, and lately has released its new single, called "Kismet". You can listen this song on Last.fm or iLike.com.

Arian Band on World Food Programme

2009-11-26T05:37:00.000-08:00

Arian Band, is the most successful and popular pop band in Iran. They have released four successful studio albums and are highly valued in Iran. Lately they've donated parts of their profit to "United Nations World Food Programme". They've also released a related video clip.

You can download the song here, and download the video here.
Watch the video clip:

Shahin Najafi, Iranian creative rapper

2009-11-24T11:51:00.000-08:00

Shahin Najafi, an influential Iranian rapper has released his first solo album “Illusion”. He is the most prominent Persian protesting rapper. His main lyrical topics are society, politics and religion. According to Wikipedia, he studied sociology in university but failed to obtain a degree, because he felt that he learns more from society than classrooms. Since four years ago he is resident in Germany. He expresses in his songs is not happy with this forced immigration.
Iran youth are familiar with his songs when he was in collaboration with “Tapesh 2012” band since more than one year ago. They released many influential singles together. He protested in his songs against religious governments, poverty, sexism, censorship, drug addiction and suppression of women rights.

Now quitted the band, Najafi released his first studio album “Illusion”. The album is great. Its most lyrics are against religious government. Also has a song called “When God is Sleeping”, about raping and burning Tarane Mousavi in custody by Islamic jailers, after Iran’s last election riot. He had also a single about Neda Agha-Soltan, a girl who was shot is Tehran’s street in post-election riots.

In this album he sings a song for his niece, Sarina. This song is very impressive, so I translated lyric here. You can also download the song from here.

"You’re asleep in your bed and are comfortable, your eating and sleeping have schedule.
You go to school and have a high chance in life, you can’t dismiss it, take it easy, uncle.
You have a good father that protects you, a mother that her heart beats with yours.
You’ll grow and see how life burns a man out, take it easy, uncle.
Uncle, be proud of what you’ve got, life is like paint and pen, and you’re a painter.
The way you paint it, it becomes so, …

Uncle, learn to experience everything, but in some ways there’s no turning back.
Beware of the hands that you shake with, beware of werewolves.
Give your naked body to whom presents you his naked soul.
Be careful of your soul virginity, this hymen can’t be sewed again.
If you don’t learn and know, would be deceived easily, take your head up and don’t be tamed.
Don’t say you have scarf and it limits you, this way you make yourself limited,
Life means prison which you define your freedom, is it possible to thread a mountain, uncle?

Sarina, Come and see your uncle, the flower that he’s grown now is a thorn,
Sarina, my story is always sad, Sarina, Sarina, Sarina.

Don’t scowl to the girl, who has a flower and wants to sell you,
Don’t turn your head around, and don’t say she differs from you, absolutely she does,
She’s a worker child from downtown; poverty, fear and darkness are along with her.
Her father is a junkie, see her face, see the trace of her father’s cold hand.
She is just nine and is not in school, she’s tasted the bitterness of labor.
The flower which fades in the hand of customer, the flower that you buy with bitterness,
That is not a flower to her, it’s a morsel, and it’s a guarantor to not be beat and be punished at home.

Don’t ask whose fault is it, one day you would know, don’t ask since the story is too long,
Earth is full of people who work but some had money, the obsessives
Those who have built palaces of labor of the workers; and many died on these ways.
If you say these things to others, they would laugh at you, since obscenity becomes usual to man,
But you paint your story, painter; let others be themselves, you be yourself.

Sarina, Come and see your uncle, the flower that he’s grown now is a thorn,
Sarina, my story is always sad, Sarina, Sarina, Sarina."

Singing Quran in a musical style!

2009-11-21T14:21:00.000-08:00

“Oy” which means ouch, is the name of third studio album of Iranian controversial musician, Mohsen Namjoo’s. In his new released album he sings “Shams” song once again.

“In 2006 he was sentenced in absentia to a five-year jail term for allegedly ridiculing the ash-Shams ,a sura of Quran in the song named "Shams" by Iranian judicial system. The conviction took place in spite of his formal apology. Later Namjoo claimed that he will perform an orchestral version of this song in Venice. He also sang this song in Oy album as a single.” – Wikipedia

Song is very cool, if you’re a Muslim. That’s new way of singing Quran, I believe, which you haven’t heard before. You feel strange and if you’re a Muslim, you may experience some kind of dissonance.
Enjoy the Song. Buy the Song or download here!

Wall Street Journal

2009-11-09T19:52:00.000-08:00

Wall Street Journal, is a new political website that covers also news on Middle East. Check it out here. It seems the name (Wall Street JOURNAL) dosent mean a Journal as we suppose: You cannot publish your articles! But still is a good source of news!
Check out and enjoy.

Mohsen Namjoo, Iranian talented musician! Prison?!!!

2009-07-20T22:48:00.000-07:00

Mohsen Namjoo, is an Iranian song-writer, singer, and musician who has sentenced to five years prison! He is an innovator Persian musician that has changed Persian traditional music. I've heard some has called him "Iran's Bob Dylan"! He's a music talent.

He has sentenced to prison while he is not in Iran fortunately because of singing a Quranic verse! Just it.
And that's the way I. R. Iran appreciates its artists.
I believe he's at Vienna right now. He's been deported from university once, and now from country. He's a tough guy and that's better for an intelligent, I believe.

Download the song which sentenced Namjoo to five years of prison!

Learn More:
* The Washington Post
* RightWingBob

Some other Namjoo songs:
Zolf bar baad (Hair on air)
Jabre Joghrafia (Geography Constraint)
Sim-e Band (Speaker Cable)
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Rest in Peace King of Pop

2009-06-25T23:53:00.000-07:00

I really liked him and still like him. He was of those artists that the world owes to. He changed many standards.
It was very hard for me when I heard his death today, the death of King of Pop. I still don’t believe!

Rest in Peace,

Love, se.x and hate Dilemma!

2009-06-23T03:33:00.000-07:00

Excerpt from "Annie Hall":

After that it got pretty late, and we both had to go, but it was great seeing Annie again. I... I realized what a terrific person she was, and... and how much fun it was just knowing her; and I... I, I thought of that old joke, y'know, the, this... this guy goes to a psychiatrist and says, "Doc, uh, my brother's crazy; he thinks he's a chicken." And, uh, the doctor says, "Well, why don't you turn him in?" The guy says, "I would, but I need the eggs." Well, I guess that's pretty much now how I feel about relationships; y'know, they're totally irrational, and crazy, and absurd, and... but, uh, I guess we keep goin' through it because, uh, most of us... need the eggs.
.

Music always heals what Religion destroys!

2009-06-21T07:10:00.000-07:00

Music always heals what Religion destroys!

I strongly believe that external function of religion is not to unite the human beings, but to discriminate them into two groups of insiders and outsiders. Here the challenge starts, leading to wars.

My proofs and arguments on this topic are very long, maybe in future I write a whole issue; but I wanted to introduce a beautiful song called “There must be another way”, which aired for the first time at Eurovision 2009 Contest.

Lyric is in three languages of English, Arabic and Hebrew. Beautiful song and lyric to unite Jews and Arabs, and to heal the wounds that religion harrows and creates.

Watch here: watch?v=RN8B1xvCxI0
Click here for lyric with translation.
.

Civil unrests; Iran and Moldova

2009-06-21T01:11:00.000-07:00

Today, I tried to set my mind free from Iran’s protests and riots, after a depressive night. Last night many were shot by riot police and died in Iran, CNN reports about 150; but I believe its more than that. Last night was not good for me; was a depressive night.

Today, I tried to listen to music to get a little rid of news. Since I’m really into folk music, especially Balkan’s folks, I played a song from Eurovision 2009 Contest called Hora din Moldova or Dance from Moldova. I really like this song.
This song made me curious to discover where and how Moldova is. I reached Moldova by Wikipedia out. The thing was amazing was Moldovan protests against parliamentary election result like Iran two months ago! Also situation was like Iran but in lesser extent.

Wikipedia:

"The 2009 civil unrest in Moldova began on April 7, 2009, in major cities of Moldova after the results of the 2009 Moldovan parliamentary election were announced. The demonstrators claimed that the elections, which saw the governing Party of Communists of the Republic of Moldova (PCRM) win a majority of seats, were fraudulent, and variably demanded a recount, a new election, or resignation of the government.The protesters organized themselves using an online social network service, Twitter, hence its moniker used by the media, the Twitter Revolution or Grape revolution."

I wanted to know more about Moldovan wine, but I learned more about its civil unrests! I believe I’m trapped in politics!

Google's Persian translator sucks!

2009-06-19T13:32:00.000-07:00

Today, Google launched its Farsi to English and vice versa translator option in Google Translate.
Farsi (Persian) language is very different of English in statement structure. The most obvious difference is the position of verb in statement.

For example:
In English: Today is a good day to study.
This statement in Farsi: Today, day a good to study is.

Google translator can't translate this phenomenon and even sometimes omits the verbs, both in English to Farsi and Farsi to English.

Another problem is Farsi's words multiple meanings. Google translation can't understand what does these words in the context mean. In Farsi, a word can have many meanings related to the statement context.

By the way, Google's English to Farsi translation is much better than the opposite which is bullshit I believe.

A brief analysis of Iran: One week after 2009 presidential election

2009-06-19T04:13:00.000-07:00

I believe after Ali Khamenei speech today at friday pray, Iran's election policy has become determined. Since he is the supreme leader of Islamic Republic of Iran and many who living in Iran believe in him as their guardian, I believe Iranian civil movement which has appeared these days in opposition and riot with Mir-Hossein Mousavi as its leader, will have no result.

In this week I was really engaged with political events in Iran and followed it precisely. Many things have changed in Iran which is not comparable with last week. In government it seems to be a crack or a gap between politicians. This gap has always been existed but in this week it showed itself and made all the people aware of it, which was unprecedented.

Now in Iran everyone knows what is happening between politicians and after thirty years in Islamic Republic government (and somehow in Iran's history), it’s the first time this obscurity in politics is fading away! I regard this and believe Iran won't be the same; it’s a great jump. I respect this.

What is happening in Iran: Iran communicative situation

2009-06-17T03:55:00.000-07:00

Iran is facing the hardest times and unfortunately there is no communication in this country. Yahoo Mail, Gmail, AOL and many other hosts are not accessible and their pages can't be open! Internet speed is low!

In Tehran all mobiles has been inactivated and no one can use them (its about 7-8 days). SMS centers all around the country has been inactivated for 7-8 days. All communicative websites such as Facebook.com, Youtube.com, Twitter.com and etc. has become filtered and are not accessible with proxies.

Making the world aware of what is taking place by government in Iran is very hard in this situation. You may know that no foreign media is coverging at this moment, all have been expelled.
Loging in all weblog hosts are also unavailable, so no one can even write what is happening on their weblogs.
Cities have no news about other cities! No one knows what is happening in Iran. BBC Persian TV is not available in Iran, just VOA. VOA is the only way Iran can be heard within Iran. World cant see what is happening inside Iran!

All I want is her lips!

2008-11-15T05:16:00.000-08:00

There is not so much information on internet about band, Nexx. But I’m really into its singer, the way she sings the song “Synchronize Lips” and especially the lyric she utters. I suggest it cuz all I want is her lips and it is better than wine ;)
Here is the download link.

Joseph and Zulaikha story criticism: Difference between male and female psychology!

2008-10-26T10:57:00.000-07:00

These days, IRIB is broadcasting a movie serial about Joseph (Yusuf), called “Joseph, the Prophet”.It’s the story of Joseph, a man who is known as a prophet in Judaism, Christianity and Islam. Many have also tried to find him in pharaohs’ dynasties as a real person, but haven’t been much successful. Many have attributed Yuya, the courtier of eighteen dynasty of Egypt to Joseph. Although he has many characteristics of Joseph but there are some impediments which won’t let to conceive him as Joseph.But it’s not what I wanted to mention. In this story we learn about Zulaikha affections toward Joseph and her efforts to sedu.ce him which fails. After this story being revealed all around the empire, and everyone condemned Zulaikha, she manages a fest with noble women being invited in to justify herself. She gives each an orange and lets the Joseph to reveal himself. Here all the women cut their hands since they can’t prevent looking at him.
I’m not a girl, nor a relationship expert. But I know the different chemistry of affections in two genders of male and female. These are different. Women can’t fall in love instantly and become insane by just seeing a male! It’s not important how beautiful he may be, but that’s not the way a woman falls in love. Maybe she likes his beauty and confirms it in an instant observation, but cant becomes spelled and so much fascinated, falling in love.
This love (by observation) just exists in male gender. We all know many stories about men who are fascinated in a woman instantly by observation and they crash the car, bang to the wall, fall in canal and can’t help themselves. If you’re a male, there’s no usage for more explanation. For example listen to James Blunt great song ‘You’re Beautiful’, which describes a particular falling in love situation: seeing a beautiful woman in street with his man passing by and falling in love with her!
It’s hard to believe for a woman to conceive that many women in this story have fallen in love in this manner (if you’re a man, you can’t understand it, so don’t dispute). These attractions work just for men whom are evolutionary, physiologically and psychologically different.Then one may conclude this story (Joseph and Zulaikha) has been written by a male or who hasn’t been aware of female psychology! What do you think?

The Ten Commandments and James Hetfield

2008-10-09T01:16:00.000-07:00

Last night I was watching “The Ten Commandments” once again and thinking how righteous pharaoh was! And how cruel Yahweh is! In every part of story Yahweh cheats and revenges in worst possible ways; but pharaoh acts and talks more logical. Sometime Yahweh can’t understand who is on his side or not, then his people should paint blood on their door for this omniscient to understand whose first born child should be died! Again after Jews exodus, we understand these people who had suffered many years and are really righteous, when they’re near Sinai mountain, after forty days, they turn to some vicious sinful beasts! That’s a great change and I believe is not possible in reality, but just in myths! And again cruel Yahweh punishes them for forty years of wandering because of forty days of sinning! What a justice!
But today I don’t want talk about bible and its myths; I wanna talk about influence of this movie on James Hetfield, lead singer and guitarist of American heavy metal band of Metallica. After watching this movie, under its influence he wrote “Creeping Death” lyric and played it for about more than twenty years. This lyric is an explanation of this movie and he believes in this conquering of slaves over masters which isn’t a noble idea in Nietzsche’s philosophy. But now after more than twenty years, he has changed his ideology and now believes in that Nietzschean philosophy and in song “The End of The Line” from Metallica new album, “Death Magnetic”, says “Slave becomes the master, needs more and more”. This change is interesting and realizable!

I'm back again!

2008-10-07T09:23:00.000-07:00

Many things had happened lately and I wasn’t here to write about them for awhile. But I’ve been engaged with my Persian weblog and writing again in my mother-tongue was joyful for me. Some good news was my matriculation for M.S. course. Since matriculation in Iranian universities (esp. state universities) isn’t very simple; that was an honor for me.
Lately, I’ve got a belief that politics and writing about it, doesn’t satisfy me very much, since I’m not a political guy (mentioned before). And I believe Music, Science and Philosophy make me happier! Then I think I won’t write political anymore like what I’ve done a little here and in a huge expense in MidEastYouth.
I don’t think that I will write here regularly; but I’ll write here since now about everything comes in my mind.

Regards,

The Truth Behind '300' (the movie)

2008-08-05T02:10:00.000-07:00

For many Iranians the cinematic movie '300' may come as a shocking revelation. But to those of us who came up through America's school system, the 'Battle of Thermopylae,' which is what the movie '300' is based on, is as familiar as George Washington's fabled "cherry tree" episode.

The Battle of Thermopylae was of course written by the classical Greek author, Herodotus, who lived in the Persian city of Halicarnassus. His book, 'The Histories' became part of Western folklore only recently. It was not until about 1850 that America embraced Herodotus as the leading authority on Persian history.

Before 1850, however, the West had a very favorable impression of the Persian Empire. That's because the West's main source for Persian history was the Bible and the 'Cyropaedia,' written by another Greek author named Xenophon.

But the Cyropaedia glorified the monarchy of Cyrus The Great, and in the wake of two bloody revolutions fought by America and France to liberate themselves from their own monarchies, a major campaign began, around the mid 19th century, to promote democracy throughout the rest of Europe, and Herodotus was the perfect propaganda tool.

Herodotus was a democratic groupie and was quickly ushered in as the "Father Of History." Around 1850, his 'Battle Of Thermopylae' came to symbolize the West's struggle for democracy against the powerful forces of Persia's monarchy.

The story is easy to buy into: 300 brave Spartans saved Western democracy from 2.7 million evil Persians. But aside from the fanciful numbers which need decimal-point adjustments, this whimsical tale has far graver consequences than a mere biased account of history.

The 'Battle Of Thermopylae' has been the single most powerful wedge, which has divided East and West for over 2 millennia. In a time when East and West should be reconciling their differences, along comes the movie '300' to drive that wedge even deeper.

What is most disturbing about this movie is not that it lacks historical accuracy. It is not that Xerxes, the Grandson of Cyrus The Great and loving husband of Esther, is shown as an oversized drag queen. It is not even the outdated racist cliché of casting the Persians as Africans and the Spartans as white, blue-eyed 'Chippendale dancers,' when in reality the roles may well have been reversed.

What is so distressing about this movie is the realization of the tremendous power Hollywood wields in determining a people's identity. It is the same nightmare Native Americans endured during the whole 'cowboy-movie' genre.

But for those who are quick to dismiss '300' as a fleeting fantasy flick aimed at the insignificant, 17 to 24 year-old male video-gamer, think again. First there was Alexander, now '300,' next could well be the 'Battle Of Marathon,' another one of Herodotus's glowing accounts of ancient Persia.

Herodotus is accepted blindly by virtually all Western demographics. Even the New York Times is not immune. Here is how it described the Persians in its April 20, 2004 issue about the Battle Of Marathon: "the defeat of a ruthless state (Persia) that had enslaved much of the known world from the Balkans to the Himalayas." - William J. Broad, (NY Times)

"the ancient Greeks defeated the Asian invaders (Persia) and saved Europe in what scholars call one of the first great victories of freedom over tyranny" - William J. Broad, (NY Times)

What stretches the limits of hypocrisy is that there isn't a single shred of archeological evidence that the Persians ever owned slaves. Yet we know that slavery was an integral cornerstone of Greek society. Aristotle's manifesto even sanctions it. Persia, which was once a haven for runaway slaves from Egypt, Greece, and later Rome, is today branded as a slave-hungry empire by cultures which were built on slavery!

What makes Herodotus's propaganda so difficult to refute is that it is peppered with facts. But in reality, it is a desperate diatribe. Perhaps his biggest ploy is his attempt to equate democracy with freedom. These two words are used virtually interchangeably throughout his book. And the West has swallowed it hook-line-and-sinker.

But America's founding fathers knew better. They implemented many safeguards to protect freedom from the pitfalls that mired Athenian democracy. Even Winston Churchill said, "Democracy is the worst form of government except for all the others which have been tried."

Democracy may well be the best form of government. But what makes America great is not so much democracy, as it is its Bill Of Rights. And this is exactly what made Persia Great. Democracy can often lead to tyranny by the majority as was the case in democratic Athens, where women, slaves and foreigners did not have the right to vote.

In monarchic Persia, however, women enjoyed a level of gender equality unmatched even to this day, and slavery was not practiced. The fact is, Persia's monarchy was more free than Athens' democracy, all because of Persia's Bill Of Rights. No one exemplifies Persia's freedom better than Herodotus himself. He describes Athens as the bastion of freedom, yet he chose to live in Persia.

Xenophon, on the other hand, who actually lived in Athens, reminisces enviously about the monarchy of Cyrus The Great.

Herodotus claims Persia had enslaved most of the known world, yet we know Herodotus was not a slave. He traveled freely throughout the empire, openly criticizing it.

Why did Herodotus not live in Greece? Because Persia - the empire he is so quick to demonize - afforded him the very freedom to publish his scathing report of it. People want to live where their god-given rights are protected, regardless of whether its democratic or monarchic.These god-given rights were first drafted into law by the founder of the Persian empire, Cyrus The Great. In fact, ancient Persia may well have served as the blue print for America's Bill Of Rights.

Both Thomas Jefferson and James Madison, the architects of America's Constitution, were great admirers and owned several copies of Xenophon's Cyropaedia.

Today, no other country resembles ancient Persia as closely as does the United States. If any country should sympathize with, rather than celebrate, Persia's quagmire in Greece, it is the United States. Few events in history mirror America's war on terror as closely as Persia's war on Greece.

The Greeks had been carrying out terrorist attacks on Persian holdings for years. They had attacked Persian cities, set fire to Persian temples, disrupted key trade routes, and pirated merchant ships crossing the Bosphorus. They incited rebellions inside Persian provinces, but perhaps most abhorrent to the Persians was the ease by which the Greeks broke their treaties and betrayed Persia's trust.

Rather than resort to violence, however, Persia tried to keep the Greeks in check by financially supporting Greek politicians who were "pro-Persian," much the same way America fights its proxy wars. But what finally triggered Persia's wrath was an act rarely mentioned in the West, though well documented, even by Herodotus (7:11).

Persia's 9/11:

In 498 BCE, Athens carried out a terrorist attack on Sardis, a major Persian city, which made 9/11 seem like child's play. Aristagoras, an Athenian, set fire to the "outlying parts" of Sardis trapping most of its population "in a ring of fire." (Herodotus 5:101)

More innocent civilians died at the hands of Aristagoras than Osama bin Laden could ever hope to kill. And just as most of the world supported America's retaliation against Al Qaeda, so did it rally in support of Persia's attack on Athens.

The Spartans were not even targets of Persia's attack, until they violated a universal protocol by killing a Persian messenger who Herodotus claims was asking for Sparta's submission but in reality was probably sent by Persia's king, Xerxes to convey the same message America sent to the entire world after 9/11: "you're either with us, or against us."

The Spartans were Greek Jihadists who lived only to die. They were by all accounts ruthless savages who murdered Greek slaves known as "Helots" just for sport, cultivated a culture of thievery and rape, and practiced infanticide, as the movie '300' rightly points out in its opening scenes. Sparta was not even democratic. It was an oligarchy at best. Despite knowing all this, the West continues to hail the Spartans as the saviors of Western democracy.

Yes, the Spartans died fighting a foreign invader. But so do countless terrorists. Yet few would consider them "good guys." Those who do are then not much different from Westerners who cheer for the Spartans.

Persia was drawn into a protracted war against terror, much the same way the U.S. was. Cheering for the Spartans merely because they were underdogs, is like cheering for Osama bin Laden today.

The Power Of Film:

History is no longer written by the victors, it is written by filmmakers. Most minority groups in America have come to realize this fact and are quick to bankroll films that communicate their stories to the rest of the world. Perhaps the movie '300' was a necessary wake-up call for the Iranian/Persian community to support responsible filmmakers, who report history with honesty and integrity.

Alex Jovy's epic movie about Cyrus The Great could have done wonders for the Iranian image (http://www.chahayagroup.com/). But Alex Jovy's movie today sits idle due lack of money. My documentary film about Cyrus The Great has languished for a mere want of $400,000 (www.spentaproductions.com/cyruspreview.htm).

Iranians are the most affluent minority group in America. If they set their mind to it, they could set the historical record straight virtually overnight. Until then, their history will be written by the likes of Zack Snyder.

Cyrus Kar

Source: Spenta Productions

Baha’i Holy Places on UNESCO World Heritage Center

2008-07-16T02:51:00.000-07:00

Last week, 8 July, UNESCO World Heritage Center, inscribed 21 new places as world heritage places on its list. Among them, was Baha’i Holy Places in Haifa and Western Galilee. It’s a great event for Bahai’s, at one hand for their holy places being inscribed and for Israelis at the other hand, to have another Heritage Place on their land. Maybe it brings Israelis and Iranians a little together; maybe not!

The Bahá’i Holy Places in Haifa and Western Galilee are inscribed for the testimony they provide to the Bahá’i’s strong tradition of pilgrimage and for their profound meaning for the faith. The property numbers 26 buildings, monuments and sites at 11 locations in Acre and Haifa, associated with the founders of the faith, among them the Shrine of the Bahá’u’lláh in Acre and the Mausoleum of the Báb in Haifa. It also includes houses, gardens, a cemetery and a large group of modern buildings in the neoclassical style that serve for administration, archives and a research centre. 1

And also Armenian Monastic Ensembles in Iran inscribed among those new UNESCO World Heritage Places; an honor for my land.

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1. UNESCO World Heritage Center

Basir Seerat, An Afghan Photo Journalist

2008-07-03T02:05:00.000-07:00

Wandering in blogosphere, led me today to Afghan’s weblogs which were really interesting. Of those, was Basir Seerat’s photo weblog.

He is 26 years old who has B.A in directing theater and cinema. Also is photo journalist for Human Rights in Afghanistan. He had made some art works in filmmaking, photography and calligraphy.

I found his photos interesting and like you to check him out in Basir Seerat weblog here and here.

Chris de Burgh in Iran!

2008-06-02T03:42:00.000-07:00

You may know Chris de Burgh or not. But if you do not know, he is an Irish song writer singer and musician. He’s got astounding popularity in some countries such as Germany, Norway, Iran, Lebanon and Brazil, according to Wikipedia.
By the way Iranian go crazy for his songs and everyone knows him inside Iran! The cause is not clear why there is such a thing; at least I do not know.
Lately, Arian band which is an Iranian famous pop band, has invited him to perform together. Last week, Chris de Burgh has been in Iran to record a song with Arian and also prepare for his Iran tour. It’s the first western act in Iran after 1979 revolution, according to Wikipedia.
He, in press conference in Tehran said:" This has been a dream of mine since I was a little boy (to visit Iran)....I am not here for any political reasons. “

Arian new album has just released and has a song featuring Chris de Burgh. That song is a new version of “The Words I Love You” from his 2004 album, “The Road to the Freedom”. This song is like “Lebanese Nights” that he had performed with Elissa, that Lebanese singer.
And I believe this song is going to be a hit in Iran. Watch it here:

My Persian Weblog!

2008-06-01T15:13:00.000-07:00

Yes and yes! I did it again and after writing just in english for one year, I turned to Persian! But I will keep writing in english too.
If you are Persian, you can check my persian weblog out: A Weblog about Everything and Nothing!

My German Weblog!

2008-05-05T03:08:00.000-07:00

I will write my posts also in German and you can enjoy if you are a Deutsch!
But because I'm not a professional in German, then these posts will be a translation of my english one!
Check it out here: Ein Weblog über Alles und Nichts!

When Nietzsche Wept

2008-04-29T14:20:00.000-07:00

‘A novel of obsessions’ is another name for Irvin Yalom’s novel ‘When Nietzsche Wept’ in 1993. I’d always liked to read this book, but never had enough time to spend on novels. Since I’ve never liked novels because of their fictions and having no usage in life - even historical novels – then I’ve never read many.
But I had always liked to understand what this novel is about, as Nietzsche’s name was a stimuli on this book!
Two days ago, I was wandering in a bookstore and looking for new books. Suddenly, I saw the title “When Nietzsche Wept” by Irvin Yalom. That wasn’t new. When I saw it again in front of me, there was no escape this time and I decided to buy and read it.
That night, I started to read and just finished it in less than 30 hours today; a non-stop reading.
That was really interesting for me, because it was a novel of facts and fictions about four influential characters of 19th century in human history.
Yalom, describes these characters how they really were. He has good understanding of Nietzsche’s philosophy at one hand, and knowledge of psychology at the other hand. Plus a little fiction, he describes situation of four characters in 19th century: Josef Breuer (an eminent physician and physiologist who discovered Herring-Breuer reflex in respiration and ear ability of balancing), Friedrich Nietzsche, Sigmund Freud and Lou Salome (poet and author). Then, I believe this book will help both who wants to know about philosophy of Nietzsche as a beginner and who wants to know about psychology in late 19th.

Also this book will help those who have obsessions about love, aging, and hopelessness through Nietzsche philosophy and psychology. This book is a treat-novel, I believe.

But I dont like its title, because Nietzsche and his philosophy of life always had been more stronger than weeping! And somehow I feel Yalom mocks Nietzsche here. By the way, it really deserves to be read.

Iranian Blogosphere Tests Government’s Limits

2008-04-22T15:04:00.001-07:00

A study has been conducted over the last year by the Berkman Center to analyze Iranian blogosphere for impact of new communications media on democracy and democratization in Iran.

Bloggers are not permitted to criticize the Islamic system itself, Ms. Kar said, but they are far freer than writers for newspapers or other news media.
“These Web logs are very effective,” she said. “They create conversation. Not just about elections or democracy, but about cinema, theater, arts, literature. These fields are very important for changing that society.”

Source: New York Times

Iranian Underground Music Festival (TAMF) Launched

2008-04-08T17:42:00.000-07:00

As you may know or not, after Islamic revolution in Iran, music became banned and something vicious! Pop singers left the country and started to continue their carrier at LA and it became Iranian wave of music in America. But after a while, Iranian Traditional music became legitimated as revolution supreme leader, Ayatollah Khomeini allowed such a music to be. Then they let just those music which had legitimating through “what they like” supervision!
I don’t want to go through Iran’s music scene but this is still the same to some extent.

In 2002 TehranAvenue website started an underground music festival through internet for those talents that never had chance to air their music. That was a revolutionary act. It named UMC (Underground Music Competition).
In 2004, the second festival launched as TAMO (Tehran Avenue Music Open). These two festivals were really competitions and had winners! But in 2005, they launched the third music festival, which wasn’t a real festival as TAMF 2005 (Tehran Avenue Music Festival). You can still listen to the this festival musics and enjoy’em as they are still available online!
Finally the last festival, TAMF 2008 launched some days ago:

“What is known — to the West — as the Middle East is a sensitive zone of political instability, putatively governed by strongmen and opportunists. Compared to an Africa steeped in impoverishment, a European Union spiring for superiority, a Far East spreading its power and might far and wide, and a US recovering an innocent identity, the ME is a strategic point of contention and Iran an important actor in this geopolitical puzzle, guiding and fomenting political precariousness: Oil, Persian Gulf, and Nuke Reality.
But our country has more than layers of oil, natural gas, or traces of uranium; it has a young population, always in the shadows, and talents that represent it in the artistic and cultural domains. They remain unique in a world dominated by globalized fads and fashions. These talents are hidden to the outside world as well as to the governmental structures and private institutions that operate within the country, all of which make their peculiarities even more significant.
It is in this sensitive political context that the 4th TehranAvenue Music Festival convenes, introducing alternative music produced by Iranian bands, music that is not informed by commercial pressures from the outside nor explainable by trends that their counterparts in other countries are following.
We at TehranAvenue have walked the margins for the past 6 years, trying to bridge the gap that separates subcultures from the society at large. In this, we have tried to listen more than arbitrate, to present music without judging its content. The intention was for those who listened to it, to form their own ideas, for people in the know need to find its values, give it values, “evaluate” it, for music critics to offer their own interpretations, etc.
Our objective remains the same. We continue to disseminate content in various forms and formats (images, sound, words and recently video), without any other pretense than doing what we consider to be right. TAMF is just another voice. It speaks only to a small constituency, though it aims to reach out, form partnerships, contribute to popular culture, and draw inspiration from it.
What more to say, then, than we will continue to be there, taping into this rich layer, which we think more valuable than any oilfield or uranium stock, and remaining true to our ideas and principles. In all this, we must first and foremost thank musicians for this other vein.”

p.s. I did participate in this festival under band name, Waqow.

The poor man who stood against a world

2008-04-03T08:34:00.000-07:00

These days there is a discussion over a film, named ‘Fitna’. I didn’t watch this movie myself but I read here and there to figure it out. In short I should say its nothing more than a try to induce Islam world again, after a well inducing by anti-islamic cartoons. Movie doesn’t even worth to watch as it has nothing to present just a man’s hatred, anger or maybe fear.

Fortunately, world responsed to this seed of hatred well. Prime Minister of the Netherlands came with a reaction on behalf of the Dutch government. [1] The Centraal Joods Overleg (Central Jewish Committee) condemned the film for reinforcing prejudices by implying that all Muslims are terrorists. [2] Also United Nations Secretary-General issued a statement on March 28: “I condemn, in the strongest terms, the airing of Geert Wilders’ offensively anti-Islamic film. There is no justification for hate speech or incitement to violence. The right of free expression is not at stake here. I acknowledge the efforts of the Government of the Netherlands to stop the broadcast of this film, and appeal for calm to those understandably offended by it. Freedom must always be accompanied by social responsibility.” [3]

Singaporean deputy prime minister, Australia’s minister for foreign affairs, The Iranian minister, The United Arab Emirates’ foreign minister, Pakistan, Jordan, Qatar, Saudia Arabia, Yemen, Indonesia, The European Union’s Slovenian president, Norway, The EU foreign ministers and many more have condemned the ‘Fitna’ movie as a Fitna (disagreement and division among people) and an obvious attempt to generate discord and hatred between faith communities.

Poor Geert Wilders, have you ever thought about the results and reactions of your movie? I explain them.
These attemps have no results but inducing Islam world hatred and opposition against what you may call freedom of speech. These acts will strong Islam world and stick them all to their belief stronger than before.
It will flame the fire of terror all around the world and specially in Europe and Holland as you’ve experienced it with those cartoons. The world would be an insecure again. Your economical situaion goes bad as Islam world would ban trading in the first move.

Your act wasn’t intelligent because you proposed nothing related to reasoning and was all irrational!And also wasn’t freedom of speech as UN Secretary-General declared because it has no social responsibility. Then have I legitimation to declare that Christianity world slaughtered Jews through Nazism? And entitle Christianity with Genocide?

But I think there was another reason for you to air ‘Fitna’: becoming famous by a night!

Lets make the world a better place. Why did you forget the next verse of Quran below?

“If they seek peace, then seek you peace. And trust in God for He is the One that heareth and knoweth all things.” Quran, 8.61

Lately, I was trying to find a solution beyond religion adherence, Esra trys to set Kareem free with that Campaign. MEY and other associated websites are trying to make the world a better place. You know why? Because Middle Eastern Muslims are still seeking for peace, love and better life. But what about you, the people who have alleged freedom of speech? Spreading the seed of hatred!
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1. (Dutch) Government’s reaction to Wilders’ film
2. Verklaring Centraal Joods Overleg over de film FITNA
3. NO JUSTIFICATION FOR HATE SPEECH OR INCITEMENT, SAYS SECRETARY-GENERAL; IN STRONG CONDEMNATION OF ‘ANTI-ISLAMIC’ FILM

A philosophical approach to find a solution beyond religion adherence (part three): Borderline Between Ethics and Religions

2008-03-29T16:31:00.000-07:00

Finally, I forced myself to write the third part of this approach; because as I am going more through this, it’s getting harder to set up the solution and it’s the essence of any argument. And the major reason was laziness!
Summary of two prior parts:
1. Based on many factors that affect our life, we pick an ideology and we stick to it. Maybe some other factors affect our life and in the middle of way we change to a better one. Then everyone has a right to choose his/hers, stick to it and NO One should blame him/her for that ideology and selection. (Part One)
2. Since our ideologies are personal, then positive and negative (preaching and blaming) approaches are the same and not only is useless to change a mind, but also would make the rivals annoy! (Part Two)

As we look behind at the history we see always there have been honest and righteous people among every cultures and religions and at the same time vicious ones among them. For example, there have been many virtuous Christians in Middle Ages when many were vicious and tortured human beings in that era. And also today we see that there are many nice Christians among our societies. So one may ask if Jesus teachings were vicious in Middle Ages but is not now.

When you walk in Muslim societies you always face some nice people with all respect, respecting each other and also respecting you as the stranger. Sometimes you find them very nice to you that you’ve never seen that before. And also if you look at history you’ll find Muslim societies to be great, rich and well armed with knowledge in Middle East and North Africa when Christianity was torturing the Christian world in Middle Ages.
But these days when you turn your TV on, you can watch arresting Muslims for some terrors here and there! Another question is also what happened to Mohammad’s teachings? Was it great in the Middle Ages and suddenly turned to something vicious in 21st century?

I can go for many ideologies now with this simple argument. But I stop here to go through deeper.

There are criminals always among us and it’s a truth that we can’t ignore. Every criminal has his reasons why he does such a thing. It is not our aim here to go through why criminals appear in societies. But there are always injustices behind these criminals.

Bad situations make those criminals and we can find them in every society with any ideology and religion. Jews have criminals among them, Hindus have, Muslims have, Christians have, Bahai’s have and etc.

First Conclusion: As evolving the criminals is due to social and ethical topics; then we can’t conclude these manners to be religious! The influence of our ideology is not what makes us criminals or nice guys!

My first conclusion may seem to be a little strange, so I explain it more:
By referring to common sense between human beings and what we know as universal ethics (what is good for all of us and what is bad), ethics is beyond religion; because I assume here the ethics to be universal but not the religion! (There are many religions between human societies but not many ethics.)
And because vicious and virtuous always had been in human societies and it doesn’t depend on which religion they had practiced, then it is an ethical issue and is not related to religion. We know many religious one that their wickedness has also misused religion as an instrument to reaching his wicked goals. And also that religion has been an instrument to a virtuous one to bring goodness out.

Second Conclusion: We cannot attribute a criminal will to religion that he bears its name with. And also there are nice guys among them that we don’t mention as the symbol of that religion. The influence of our ideology is not what makes us criminals or nice guys! That’s the influence of our social and political situations. Then let’s draw a borderline between ethics and religions!

Survival Strategies: Cooperation and Conflict in Animal Societies

2008-03-26T15:59:00.000-07:00

In Nowruz (Newruz) holidays, Persian new year holidays, I started a new book and finished it tonight about evolution and natural selection, entitled “Survival Strategies: Cooperation and Conflict in Animal Societies” by Raghavendra Gadagkar, 1997.
In this book he explains why species show altruism to each other and where it really begins. He explains how cooperation would survive them and how even conflict is a way to survive.
He covers this attitude from insects through fish and birds to mammals. Then he explains why behavior is based on genes and also provides a solution for altruism to be effected by Natural Selection, genetically. It is also amazing when he describes the insect’s worlds, their social structures and their behaviors.

This book helped me much as I am lately into human being wills in social life based on their selfishness!
I suggest this book to who is into evolution and social topics. Book has not been written very hard to understand (it is very scientifically but it simplifies the science for common readers) and is for everyone to read and understand.

Dont miss it.

Expelling the Intelligent from the ‘Expelled’

2008-03-25T14:42:00.000-07:00

There was a new story about Intelligent Design vs. Darwinism lately and it has also sounded the blogosphere; story of expelling an intelligent biologist, PZ Myers, from Expelled movie!
“Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed” is the title of new documentary film claims that educators and scientists are being persecuted for their belief that there is evidence of “design” in nature. It claims that “Big Science" allows no dissent from the scientific theory of evolution, and blames the theory for a range of alleged societal ills. 1
This film would be released on April 18, 2008. 2

Expelling PZ Myers from theater sounded even more when he wrote the story in his famous weblog Pharyngula and it became hottest topic throughout the blogosphere on Monday, March 24th (http://www.blogpulse.com/) according to BlogPulse, a service of Nielsen Buzzmetrics. There were also over 800 results on Technorati (http://www.technorati.com/). Read hear and here for the next events.

The movie has been criticized by several of the interviewees, including biologists PZ Myers and Richard Dawkins and NCSE head Eugenie Scott, who say they were misled into participating by being asked to be interviewed for a film named Crossroads on the "intersection of science and religion", with a blurb which described the strong support that had been accumulated for evolution, and contrasted this with the religious who rejected it, and the controversy this caused. Then they have cheated on scientists. 3
Also today, Richard Dawkins has written an article entitled ‘Lying for Jesus?’ about this fraud on his website.
Here is the story and about 120 links (till the time I am writing this post) that coverage it: PZ Myers Expelled, Gains Sainthood

By the way, although evolution is unequivocally accepted by the scientific community, [4,5] it is not because it is dogma, but because of the overwhelming evidence for evolution. The science community rejects intelligent design not because it is associated with God, but because it is not scientific and instead is pseudoscience. And also intelligent design is not a credible scientific challenge to the modern theory of evolution for explaining the complexity and diversity of life on earth. 3

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1. Cornelia Dean. "Scientists Feel Miscast in Film on Life’s Origin", The New York Times, September 27, 2007. Retrieved on 2007-09-28.
2. New mutation in Darwin debate - Entertainment News, Weekly, Media - Variety
3. Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed
4. "99.9 percent of scientists accept evolution" according to Finding the Evolution in Medicine
5. One 1987 estimate found that more than 99.85% of almost 500,000 US scientists in the earth and life sciences supported evolution over creation science. As reported by Newsweek, "By one count there are some 700 scientists (out of a total of 480,000 U.S. earth and life scientists) who give credence to creation-science, the general theory that complex life forms did not evolve but appeared 'abruptly'." (Keeping God out of the Classroom, Washington and bureau reports, Larry Martz and Ann McDaniel, Newsweek, CIX (26): 23-24, June 29, 1987, ISSN 00289604)

I Hated the Politics but Hate No more: My Last Publishes on MEY

2008-03-09T07:14:00.000-07:00

I never liked politics and somehow I hated that. I’m not a political guy but don’t know how these days I was in the middle of these discussions! I never believed in politics as science because I believe we can’t put politics into rules and everyone may propose his rules!
These days I was trapped in such a thing here and here! I had no good feeling about myself; it’s an admission! I’ve disrupted myself and blame me! I even didn’t published them on this weblog as I didn’t liked that!
I give up anymore political; maybe I get involved with some kind of philosophical approaches as I enjoy, next time!

CORRIGENDUM:
I thought about this topic through these days and found out that nevertheless I’m not a political guy (but have a great policy), I should not give up; I should struggle and put in the politics! Then I’ll stand and kick it too! I never surrender!

A philosophical approach to find a solution beyond religion adherence (part two): Preaching or Blaming

2008-03-05T03:03:00.000-08:00

In part one, we came to figuring out that if we are adherent to a specific ideology or religion, then it’s the way we enjoy the most and it’s due to our feelings and our tastes! It is personal!
And our feelings and tastes had some environmental influences that make us different from each other! Then when we look at each people’s life factors, we can easily find out why he/she is adherent to that specific ideology!
And we understood we should not blame each other for what they believe in; because they have picked that over some factors that have influenced their life. Then Live and Let Live!

Here we come to another conclusion that blaming and preaching are like a two-sided coin! If I’m a preacher of my ideology, I am trying to make my viewpoint and ideology dominant and tell other’s are not valuable enough to believe in! Then I am blaming others indirectly!
If someone doesn’t want to change his mind and is a great adherent to his ideology; then I am a stupid and wasting my life. My achievement is no more than upsetting my rival and blaming!

Some people have tendencies to stick to their first ideology that they’ve got in life; some have tendencies to go through every ideology to pick a better one or better ones!

Conclusion: Since our ideologies are personal, then positive and negative (preaching and blaming) approaches are the same and not only is useless to change a mind, but also would make the rivals annoy!

p.s. You may ask, then how should we guide communities to a better ideology or ethics! Check the upcoming part!

A philosophical approach to find a solution beyond religion adherence (part one): Religion and se.xual aro.usals

2008-03-02T04:24:00.000-08:00

I’ve always wondered why people become religious and religion adherent. Sometimes I tried to have conversations to find out and sometimes I was in the middle of religion related or religion philosophy discussions and debates to have my conclusions; in school, with every people I meet, through university and even in blogosphere! But never ever I had convinced them and never have been truly convinced! The best achievements, always is some doubts that I do more than the rivals!

Some days ago I read Esra’s article on bashing Islam and found it helpful to bring out my new viewpoint about religion related subjects!

As many societies tried to learn (but not middle eastern) that religion is some personal achievement of life that one should have his own. Some “live and let live” act! Here comes an example:

Finding a partner and a lover is something related to our tastes! When a man finds a woman fit for him to start a life in association, he may have some factors to pick his lady from bunch of women around. He may concentrate on some traits due to his life, his family ideology (what they appreciate), family and social influences, social and cultural situations and some many more factors; e.g. being nice, beautiful, aware, kind, coy, hot, se.xy, having good mothering ability, rich, famous, family position … and every traits that brings out his love and is an aro.usal to go after her (You can find yours and add them to traits list)!

And that’s the same when a girl wants to find his partner. But she is not into a coy or shy guy Then she is going after some confident, strong, famous, rich, kind, se.xy, hot and whatever that is an aro.usal for her. And when she wants marry him, she picks him beyond her premises: Social and cultural influences and limitations, family will and her way of goodness that she has learned in her life (definition of goodness for her).

Then he/she had his/her lady/man and will live his/her life with her/him happily for ever!

But some in the middle of way find out that he/she wasn’t the match. They leave each other and maybe try to find a better one that suits!

First Question: Should we blame each other because of how our partners are? If mine isn’t very nice, should you blame me and say, “hey dude, your chick is an ugly one, then you’re a stupid”? If your husband isn’t rich, should I blame you and say “when you’re husband is poor, then you are a stupid”?

Answer: As we all know, picking our partners depends on what we FEEL and FIND good for ourselves! It depends on what is tastier for us and it also depends on some factors about how our life has been, where we’ve been grown and what we have experienced in our life!

In the case of ideologies that’s the same story!
When you birth in a Jewish family that’s your first premise! When you loose your family and home in Iraq terrorism acts, that’s another big influential premise! When you live in Middle East, that’s another fate! When you are born in a Norwegian rich family, that will lead to another form of experience! Your father was Bahai and you’ve been born in Iran, that’s another experience!Some may have some great and fine lives, then they are living different paradigm than those haven’t.

I don’t want to count more situations that effect on your ideological life; but they made you to become an adherent in a special ideology! That’s it!

But maybe in the middle of your life you find out that fits you not and you deserve a better one! What you do is to just pick a better one if you FEEL there is a better one! That’s it!

Second Question: Should we blame each other because of how our ideologies are? If mine is Islam, should you blame and bash me and say, “hey dude, your religion is supporter of terrorism (by referring to Jihad or some other fundamentals), then you’re a terrorist”? If you are an atheist, should I blame you? If you are a Christian should I say “why you are Christian when god revealed us the holy book Quran”?

Answer: Again it depends on the factors that have influenced our life and are influencing it right now. I’m adherent to my ideology because I found it useful! Or I changed because I found mine to be useless and found a better one; Just it!

Life of a Child is more than a Forest, Border and Religion!

2008-02-08T15:22:00.000-08:00

We’ve lived our life in hysteria as Middle Eastern youth; but maybe hadn’t something to call disaster. Bad or good, we’ve grown up with some bruises that might’ve influenced our life in the way of our own countries wars or our neighbors.
Today Afghan, Iraqi and Palestinian children are suffering and it seems it doesn’t matter too much to United States leaders and even their people!

Patrick Cockburn in his new book, The Occupation: War and Resistance in Iraq once said: “There was no reason why Saddam Hussein should not be defeated with the same ease as the Taliban. His army was a rabble, his heavier weapons, such as tanks and artillery, obsolete and ill-maintained. Iraq was exhausted by its eight-year war with Iran between 1980 and 1988, the humiliating defeat in Kuwait three years later and the thirteen long years of UN sanctions. If Bush and Blair had truly believed the Iraqi leader possessed the military strength sufficient to pose a threat to the Middle East through weapons of mass destruction, they probably would not have attacked him.”1

The 2003 war not only created the conditions for further health decline, but also damaged the ability of Iraqi society to reverse it". Women, children and the elderly are the most vulnerable. Children in particular because of their not fully developed immune system. In its report of last November, the Norwegian-based Fafo Institute for Applied Social Science found that acute malnutrition among Iraqi children between the ages of six months and 5 years has increased from 4% before the invasion to 7.7% since the US invasion of Iraq. In other words, despite the 13-years sanctions, Iraqi children were living much better (by 3.7%) under the regime of Saddam Hussein than under the Occupation. Officials from the institute, which conducted the survey with the UN Development Program and Iraq's Central office for Statistics and Information Technology, revealed that the Iraqi malnutrition rate is similar to the level in some hard-hit African countries. 2

UNICEF in 2005 called for priority attention to be paid to the needs of Iraqi children, saying the "loss of so many innocent children is unacceptable".
"Iraq's recreational areas, as well as its schools, must be respected and protected as safe havens where children can play and learn without fear," Roger Wright, UNICEF Representative for Iraq, said in a statement.
"Children's lives, health and psychological well-being are increasingly suffering as a result of Iraq's ongoing conflict and displacement," Wright added. "Protecting and supporting Iraqi children must be the first responsibility of everyone, no matter what the circumstances." 3

Does United States president, George W. Bush understand? I don’t think so! He is insatiable and can’t see the region to be in peace!

Although he did not explicitly mention Senator John McCain, President George W. Bush on Friday sought to unify the Republican Party behind its eventual nominee, describing the election of his successor as president as a stark ideological choice.4

And in the case of John McCain, he is the greatest fan of continuing war in Middle East and especially in Iran. "More wars" could prove to be the oddest of all presidential campaign slogans. Especially if it works!

Presidential candidate John McCain shocked observers on Sunday when he told a crowd of supporters, "There's going to be other wars. ... I'm sorry to tell you, there's going to be other wars. We will never surrender but there will be other wars." 5

Just watch McCain: War with Iran is more reality than hypothetical on youtube.com

Oh, God, this John McCain is a dead stupid! Just read his aims as the upgoing president here: John McCain for President! I believe he wont be less than Hitler in Middle East! Someone should stop this mad man, somewhere!

I cant understand these republicans and they also cant see humanity!

Chris De Burgh has a beautiful song called The Simple Truth (a Child is Born) that I suggest everyone to watch here (youtube.com):

“A child is born on a battlefield,
A soldier boy falls to his knees,
And a woman cries in joy and pain,
When will we all live in peace again?

A child is born where the wild wind blows,
In a country torn from the south to the north,
And a family runs from day to day,
When will we see our home again?

When will we see that simple truth,
That the only thing that's worth a damn,

The life of a child is more than a forest,
The life of a child is more than a border,
Could ever be;

A child is born in the desert sun,
A tiny life has just begun,
And a mother cries for her hungry babe,
When will I feed my boy again?

A child is born to an ordinary home,
East or west, it could be anyone,
But we all want to know,
Will my child survive to see the day,
When we will be secure again?

When will we see the simple truth,
That the only thing that's worth a damn,

The life of a child is more than a forest,
The life of a child is more than a border,
The life of a child is more than religion,
The life of a child is only a heartbeat from eternity,
We must believe, for the sake of humanity,
We must believe...

For the sake of humanity, we must believe.” 6
-----------------------------------
1. http://www.alternet.org/waroniraq/43412/
2. http://www.countercurrents.org/iraq-hassan020405.htm
3.http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/IRIN/3f2dbfeee9455694e3e0b55a7ca4a176.htm 4. http://www.iht.com/articles/2008/02/08/america/repubs.php
5. http://rawstory.com/news/2007/Buchanan_McCain_win_means_war_with_0128.html
6. http://www.lyricstime.com/chris-de-burgh-the-simple-truth-a-child-is-born-lyrics.html

Antony Flew, Richard Dawkins and Gerald Schroeder on Atheism and Theism

2008-01-30T14:07:00.000-08:00

As the series of my commentary debate with “The Recliner Commentaries” grew up, I brought it on here. It discusses Antony Flew, Richards Dawkins and Gerald Schroeder’s Atheism and Theism views:

Note: I’m not here advocating Atheism or Theism or someone’s opinions, but try to find some truth beyond Science and Religion conflicts! I advocate the truth; if you think that I’m wrong, then jump in and make your discussions!

“The Recliner Commentaries” wrote a quote by Antony Flew from Flew's new book, “There is a God; How the world’s most notorious atheist changed his mind”, that is not the case. But I posted a comment about Flew’s turning from atheism to some beliefs (maybe theism):

“We know that Flew changed his ideology from not being believer (atheist) to being to some extent believer that he doesn’t really know what it is himself! He might have been fanaticized in the complexity of genetic codes and its interesting world! But we should be more aware! Let’s see what’s happening!

Everyone would be amazed of the complexity of the hardware that has been used in computers! To whom that they know nothing about electricity, such as gardeners, barbers, nurses, biologists and philosophers, it is every complex and interesting; but what about an electronic engineer?

Have you ever wondered about a heart surgery? Or some brain surgeries that we don’t understand what the surgeons are doing? Aren’t surgeons some kind of gods to us? Haven’t you been interested in the leader who sits Apollo’s on moon by some devices from earth?And this is the same as a biologic subject that is common to biologists and amazing for engineers and philosophers! Isn’t it?So some things are obvious in the eye of their professionals and amazing, fantastic and complex to another! Isn’t it?

It is the case of Dawkins as an evolutionary biologist and Flew as a philosopher!When Flew says that I’m interested in complexity of DNA or something like this, his reasons are of not knowing DNA, its complexity and its origin; nothing else!Let’s see the truth!

We are all humans coming in this planet and die in this planet! We do not know about after death and it would be a tragedy for us to be finished in this way! Everyone wants to be! Being continuous! Can you suppose to not being here tomorrow? It is something sad that makes everyone to convince himself that there is another life and maybe some creator that rules the unseeing world!!!I’m not here to say that Flew feared of dying with a tragic end, but MAYBE when he felt confused about DNA or something like this, he turned to a believer easier and doesn’t want to listen to biologists such as Dawkins! Maybe!Even in this case, he is a Pantheist, not a believer in God, but in science! And he mentions that there are some orders or arrangements that are complex!

By the way his approach wasn’t very intelligent to me! I’d appreciated a better one; it didn’t satisfy me!I’ll write a post about this on my weblog and please inform me of your probable answer to mine!”

Then he wrote me back:

“Since you seem to dismiss Antony Flew because he is a philosopher rather than a scientist, let's discuss a scientist.

Gerald Schroeder is a scientist with a Ph.D. from MIT--one of our countries most prestigious scientific institutions. Here are some execrpts from one of his books (note: he's not writing here for scientists but so average readers can understand):

"When a specific protein is needed by a cell, a chemical messenger is sent from the outer cell, through a pore in the nuclear membrane, into the nucleus. How the messenger knows to go to the nucleus remains a mystery. This messenger finds the needed chromosome (one of the twenty-three pairs), locks onto that chromosome, and moves along, nucleotide by nucleotide, until it comes to the specific sequence of bases that marks the beginning of the gene that codes for the desired protein.

At this stage, the signaling molecule changes shape, and in doing so allows—or causes—and enzyme called DNA-dependent RNA polymerase (I’ll call it RNA-P) to join the action.

The RNA-P opens the helix, reads each nucleotide base, selects the correct complementary base from among the four types floating in the intracellular slurry, concurrently selects…the molecules that make up the spine of the lengthening strand of mRNA being manufactured, trailing behind the RNA-P, joins the just-selected base to the spine, takes the portion of DNA that has just been read and reseals it to the parallel DNA strand which it was separated, opens the portion of DNA to be read next, reads it, and continues the juggling act til it reaches a coded stop order…And RNA-P does this manufacturing at fifty bases a second…Keep in mind,
this entire sequence is performed by molecules reading molecules, molecules selecting molecules, molecules walking along with other molecules.

Don’t project too much brain power or body power into this system. It’s not little people in there. It’s simply molecules that somehow seem to act like little knowledgeable people, as if they had a wisdom of their own. Which they do (192-199).

This is only one small part of a much more complicated process thattakes place in what was once called the “simple cell.” At one time scientists used to imagine that, given enough time (billions of years) simple cells couldevolve by themselves purely by chance or natural selection. The kicker here is that “it all developed so very rapidly, almost simultaneously with theappearance of liquid water on earth. We have absolutely phenomenal complexity,not after billions of years of evolution, but at the very beginning of the entire process (193-194)!"

End Schroeder quote.

Scientists once thought in terms of the evolution of a simple cell. Now we know that there is no such thing as a simple cell. The very simplest cell known to man--the eubacteria, Mycoplasma genitalium, contains 580,000 nucleotid pairs per haploid genome. It if far more complex than the computers you mentioned. But computers were designed and assembled by intelligent designers. You apparently want me to believe that incredibly complex organiaisms like Mycoplasma genitalium just somehow evolved by chance or natural selection?

Flew, Schroeder and many others are now pointing out that this is scientifically impossible.

It is only the blind faith of atheism, the dogma of Darwinism, and the self-appointed high priests of the scientific establishment that keeps people hanging on to the myth of naturalism.”

And here are my Answers to his:

Dear Dennis:
I think we should dismiss Flew’s philosophical views since his life was full of atheism arguments and proves, not for proving theism!
It seems the greatest task that Gerald Schroeder has done in his life was his PhD in MIT! Since I haven’t found anymore information about him on net! And he has also written some books defying Old Testament god! That’s great because I haven’t written a book!

But beside his valuable tasks, when he says and finds the Six Days of Creation that has been mentioned by Yahweh, the main Schroeder's idea for matching science with religion, first of all we should have it in mind that science has proven that the order of days that are told in Bible is absolutely false!

Second, there was not just a BigBang, but BigBangs! As you may know in the case of BigBang, all the universe matter condenses, then bangs, distributes and again condensational period comes! So it seems that applying just six days (who has told that day equals period; but we assume these words are the same for the sake of God) to creation process while unordered is again false! Maybe god has forgotten what before the last BigBang was or he (or she) might not even knew the other BigBangs before creation of earth and human being on it!As a scientist, Gerald Schroeder might knows this rule! But he dismisses and says I matched the universe steps to Yahweh tales! (if we assume that these tales are accurate!)

Third, when he is about to find a solution of matching Biblical tales to science, its more accurate to explain these tales by Erich Von Daeniken, the writer of “Chariots of Gods”, or maybe Alan Alford with his book, “Gods of New millennium”! These theories of alien gods haven’t been rejected yet and ease Schroeder’s toils of matching Biblical tales to science!

Fourth, there are vast of creational scientists that have better arguments than Schroeder’s! Again that mistake is at work: Schroeder seems to be wondered and confused by the complex world of DNA, as he can’t truly understand it! It is obvious from the way of his approaches to cellular science!

Fifth, Schroeder’s reason as you said isn’t scientific and as I say is not original and some irony; and this way of writing makes no light on this debate and isn’t helpful!

Sixth, as we talked about Antony Flew and I told that he don’t know what is going on about DNA and its complexity, for showing you his confesses about not well knowing science, I refer to some of his quotes from “The Turning of an Atheist” article:
“In his letter of Jan. 2, 2005, Flew says that if the "so confident, atheist polemicist Richard Dawkins" tells him that Schroeder is wrong, he will admit that Schroeder is wrong. But he assumes that Dawkins accepts Schroeder's arguments, since Dawkins "made no reference to your article." It's truly odd: Flew says he believes that since Dawkins failed to cite the graduate student Richard Carrier attacking Schroeder, then Schroeder's scholarship is likely sound. In other words, if Flew was misled, he can blame Dawkins, who holds an Oxford professorship in the "public understanding of science" yet failed to inform his public that Schroeder was a crank. Nonetheless, Flew promises Carrier, he is prepared to reject Schroeder. Flew once believed that Genesis might be scientifically accurate, but "as it is not, that's that. I am rather sorry.”

Again it seems that Flew isn’t into Schroeder’s claims and he changes his mind and belief by a blowing wind!

It seems that Dawkins wasn’t able to answer Schroeder here; but actually he has answered these creationists in his books abundantly! Richard Dawkins book, “Climbing Mount Improbable” is a great explanation to these wondere- of-life-complexity creationists, that I offer you to read!

And finally as you used some of Schroeder’s quotes, I do the same from Richard Dawkins last book “God Delusion” to explain Schroeder being fault:

“The process by which plants, whether tiny pimpernels or massive wellingtonias, acquire the energy to build themselves is photosynthesis. Watchtower again: ' "There are about eventy separate chemical reactions involved in photosynthesis," one biologist said. "It is truly a miraculous event." Green plants have been called nature's "factories" - beautiful, quiet, nonpolluting, producing oxygen, recycling water and feeding the world. Did they just happen by chance? Is that truly believable?' No, it is not believable … Creationist 'logic' is always the same. Some natural phenomenon is too statistically improbable, too complex, too beautiful, too awe inspiring to have come into existence by chance. Design is the only alternative to chance that the authors can imagine. Therefore a designer must have done it. And science's answer to this faulty logic is also always the same. Design is not the only alternative to chance. Natural selection is a better alternative. Indeed, design is not a real alternative at all because it raises an even bigger problem than it solves: who designed the designer? Chance and design both fail as solutions to the problem of statistical improbability, because one of them is the problem, and the other one regresses to it. Natural selection is a real solution. It is the only workable solution that has ever been suggested. And it is not only a workable solution; it is a solution of stunning elegance and power.
What is it that makes natural selection succeed as a solution to the problem of improbability, where chance and design both fail at the starting gate? The answer is that natural selection is a cumulative process, which breaks the problem of improbability up into small pieces. Each of the small pieces is slightly improbable, but not prohibitively so. When large numbers of these slightly improbable events are stacked up in series, the end product of the accumulation is very very improbable indeed, improbable enough to be far beyond the reach of chance. It is these end products that form the subjects of the creationist's wearisomely recycled argument. The creationist completely misses the point, because he … insists on treating the genesis of statistical improbability as a single, one-off event. He doesn't understand the power of accumulation.” (120-121)

“In Climbing Mount Improbable, I expressed the point in a parable. One side of the mountain is a sheer cliff, impossible to climb, but on the other side is a gentle slope to the summit. On the summit sits a complex device such as an eye or a bacterial flagellar motor. The absurd notion that such complexity could spontaneously self-assemble is symbolized by leaping from the foot of the cliff to the top in one bound. Evolution, by contrast, goes around the back of the mountain and creeps up the gentle slope to the summit: easy!” (121-122)

In his books, he gives very creative examples about the gradual Natural Selection that creationist should pay attention.

“The creationists are right that, if genuinely irreducible complexity could be properly demonstrated, it would wreck Darwin's theory.
Darwin himself said as much: 'If it could be demonstrated that any complex organ existed which could not possibly have been formed by numerous, successive, slight modifications, my theory would absolutely break down. But I can find no such case.' Darwin could find no such case, and nor has anybody since Darwin's time, despite strenuous, indeed desperate, efforts. Many candidates for this holy grail of creationism have been proposed. None has stood up to analysis.
In any case, even though genuinely irreducible complexity would wreck Darwin's theory if it were ever found, who is to say that it wouldn't wreck the intelligent design theory as well? Indeed, it already has wrecked the intelligent design theory, for, as I keep saying and will say again, however little we know about God, the one thing we can be sure of is that he would have to be very very complex and presumably irreducibly so!” (125)

End Dawkins quote.

Flew should read these lines to figure out that Schroeder is again one of that fanaticized scientists and is WRONG and is a crank!

Ok, if we assume that god has created the complex universe (in six days) as we, the intelligent and complex-minded creatures did computers, and god created complex and intelligent universes with complex and intelligent human beings in it (we assume as you said, every complex and intelligent being needs a creative and intelligent designer), then which complex and intelligent entity did create complex and intelligent God? And you apparently want me to believe that incredibly complex designer like God just somehow evolved by chance? Doesn’t he need more complex designer?

I don’t know why Schroeder and other creationists can’t see much deeper in the Natural Selection and Darwinism! Just try it for the sake of bringing good reasons!

p.s. I’m ready for any discussion and discussions make me happy ;)

Here are some valuable articles criticizing Schroeder:
1. Not a very Bigbang about Genesis
2. Confronted with critique, Schroeder lost voice
3. Flew, Schroeder, Varghese: What a company!

Bush; The Greatest American Idiot !

2008-01-16T00:37:00.000-08:00

What is Bush doing and what’s his goal by his Middle East trip at the end of his presidential period?What was his gift to Middle East? Is he the bringer and prophet of Middle East peace? What did he do with his Human Rights statements here and there?
Can you remember the axis of evil? Here they are: Iran, North Korea, and Iraq!
Bush claimed that he was preparing to open a new front in the U.S global “war on terrorism”. Bush declared, “Iraq continues to flaunt its hostility toward America and to support terror”. Announcing that he would possibly take action to topple the Iraqi government, he claimed, “The Iraqi regime has plotted to develop anthrax, and nerve gas, and nuclear weapons for over a decade”. 1
Ok, they invaded and occupied Iraq for Mass Destruction Weapons that never existed, in 2003! They changed their claims from Mass Destruction Weapons to Trends in Global Terrorism, with any regard to how much suffering and pain they’d brought to Iraq!!!
In the case of Iran, he focused on uranium enrichments and nuclear power without any clues! Iran became the great sponsor of terrorism and should’ve been baned from everything! Maybe Bush feeled Satan of Bible and Iran the same; if he reads bible!
And what about Palestin and Israel? He did nothing to solve their conflict and as before, defied Israel against Arab (Islamic) counteries!What was US gain on Afghanistan? What was the destiny of Taliban? Doesn’t it still exist?
After these all now we see Bush’s trip to middle east? Whats his goal? Does he want to excuse for being the bringer of suffering and pain for middle east for eight years? Or still accuses Iran for nothing?Who cares about him? About his repeating statements?

I always liked Green Day’s “American idiot” song! It’s something that comes from within; when people who are living a society criticize their country, it would be more accurate than what others may say (i.e. politicians, media and other governments)!

In my last post I referred to Marilyn Manson article that criticizes United States sad situation of governing; their media and propaganda.

To Bush: "Its better go home, dear Bush and be the bringer of peace for your own! Who do you wanna cheat? You had nothing just suffering and pain for middle east; you the greatest American idiot!"

Here is another example of these criticisms that is proposed by Green Day! Yes, the American Idiot! Check it out:

Watch it at youtube.com: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M5mjN32G1iI

“Don't wanna be an American idiot.
Don't want a nation that under the new media.
And can you hear the sound of hysteria?
The subliminal mindfuck America.

Welcome to a new kind of tension.
All across the alien nation.
Everything isn't meant to be okay.
Television dreams of tomorrow.
We're not the ones who're meant to follow.
Convincing them to walk you.

Well maybe I'm the faggot America.
I'm not a part of a redneck agenda.
Now everybody do the propaganda.
And sing along in the age of paranoia.

Welcome to a new kind of tension.
All across the alien nation.
Everything isn't meant to be okay.
Television dreams of tomorrow.
We're not the ones who're meant to follow.
Convincing them to walk you.

Don't wanna be an American idiot.
One nation controlled by the media.
Information nation of hysteria.
It's going out to idiot America.

Welcome to a new kind of tension.
All across the alien nation.
Everything isn't meant to be okay.
Television dreams of tomorrow.
We're not the ones who're meant to follow.
Convincing them to walk you.“

And more about Bush stupidity:
Bush is an idiot - Anti-Bush Strikers and Shirts
Idiot Son of an A**hole and he is our president - Nice clip ;) I liked it!
Is Bush an Idiot - Watch at youtube.com
The Bush is an Idiot Camp grows - Read and enjoy!
bushtheidiot.com check the news!

I don't like the media, but the media likes me!

2008-01-09T16:00:00.000-08:00

I’ve just read an article by Marilyn Manson tonight that criticizes media and US’s sad situation of governing! (1)

After sentencing his music and ideology as the motivation of shooting at a high school by two boys in 1999, he wrote an article discussing some of his intentions, defying himself and criticizing US government!

I found it great and suggest everyone to read. Here is some part of article:

“It is sad to think that the first few people on earth needed no books, movies, games or music to inspire cold-blooded murder. The day that Cain bashed his brother Abel's brains in, the only motivation he needed was his own human disposition to violence. Whether you interpret the Bible as literature or as the final word of whatever God may be, Christianity has given us an image of death and sexuality that we have based our culture around. A half-naked dead man hangs in most homes and around our necks, and we have just taken that for granted all our lives. Is it a symbol of hope or hopelessness? The world's most famous murder-suicide was also the birth of the death icon -- the blueprint for celebrity. Unfortunately, for all of their inspiring morality, nowhere in the Gospels is intelligence praised as a virtue.

A lot of people forget or never realize that I started my band as a criticism of these very issues of despair and hypocrisy. The name Marilyn Manson has never celebrated the sad fact that America puts killers on the cover of Time magazine, giving them as much notoriety as our favorite movie stars. From Jesse James to Charles Manson, the media, since their inception, have turned criminals into folk heroes. They just created two new ones when they plastered those dipshits Dylan Klebold and Eric Harris' pictures on the front of every newspaper. Don't be surprised if every kid who gets pushed around has two new idols.
We applaud the creation of a bomb whose sole purpose is to destroy all of mankind, and we grow up watching our president's brains splattered all over Texas. Times have not become more violent. They have just become more televised. Does anyone think the Civil War was the least bit civil? If television had existed, you could be sure they would have been there to cover it, or maybe even participate in it, like their violent car chase of Princess Diana. Disgusting vultures looking for corpses, exploiting, fucking, filming and serving it up for our hungry appetites in a gluttonous display of endless human stupidity.

When it comes down to who's to blame for the high school murders in Littleton, Colorado, throw a rock and you'll hit someone who's guilty. We're the people who sit back and tolerate children owning guns, and we're the ones who tune in and watch the up-to-the-minute details of what they do with them. I think it's terrible when anyone dies, especially if it is someone you know and love. But what is more offensive is that when these tragedies happen, most people don't really care any more than they would about the season finale of Friends or The Real World. I was dumbfounded as I watched the media snake right in, not missing a teardrop, interviewing the parents of dead children, televising the funerals. Then came the witch hunt.

Man's greatest fear is chaos. It was unthinkable that these kids did not have a simple black-and-white reason for their actions. And so a scapegoat was needed. I remember hearing the initial reports from Littleton, that Harris and Klebold were wearing makeup and were dressed like Marilyn Manson, whom they obviously must worship, since they were dressed in black. Of course, speculation snowballed into making me the poster boy for everything that is bad in the world. These two idiots weren't wearing makeup, and they weren't dressed like me or like goths. Since Middle America has not heard of the music they did listen to (KMFDM and Rammstein, among others), the media picked something they thought was similar. …

… In my work I examine the America we live in, and I've always tried to show people that the devil we blame our atrocities on is really just each one of us. So don't expect the end of the world to come one day out of the blue -- it's been happening every day for a long time.” 1

p.s. And its a picture showing Manson with his new girlfriend, Evan Rachael Wood, a young actress!

----------------------------------------
1. http://www.wickedland.com/manson/news/manson-article.html

WaqoW contributed TehranAvenue Music Festival (TAMF)!

2007-12-25T06:55:00.000-08:00

WaqoW is my side project that has been contributed new TehranAvenue Music Festival (TAMF). Its genre is fusion of Classical-Folk Metal.
A song called "Time" has been sent to this festival and WaqoW will be on air for the first time through TehranAvenue.
Check it out!

p.s. I'll be back here in a month, friends. cheers!

Psycho-Holiday

2007-09-09T12:17:00.000-07:00

I think I won’t write here for a while; maybe some months! I have so many ideas for writing but I’ve got better work to do and it encourages me not to write! And there’s another cause that make me not to write: I have pain in my neck and it’s due to sitting too much at computer! Sometimes it kills me!
Writing and reading weblogs, keeping yourself update to the events and leaving comments is a time-cost activity that don’t let me do some other favors!
Another problem is so many books that are there waited to be read! Some are waited three to four years!

I need some kind of psycho-holiday to set my mind free, I think. It’s better to stay far from philosophy, religion, and fundamental questions that disturb mind!
One of my good friends, Reza, once told me why many people don’t want to think about fundamentals, for example philosophy (philosophy is asking about fundamentals). He told me thinking is mind disturbing! Everyone likes to be in peace with his mind and escapes from any subjects that disturb his mind. So maybe it’s why people fear of thinking.

Anyway, I won’t be here but I’ll check comments; so yours are welcome.
Regards,

Salem; Cries from Israel

2007-08-25T02:37:00.000-07:00

Salem is a successful black metal band that is worldwide known to every Heavy Metal fan!
They sometimes create oriental riffs that everyone would understand their hometown is situated in Middle East! Their melodies are really nice!
One thing interesting about their lyrics is that the trace of religion could be found everywhere! They sing some religion and politic related songs! And sometimes they use Psalm as the source of making lyric!

The band has many creative lyrics and I choosed “Coming end of reason”. that’s about War and destruction!
(Download the song here)

Show the world and your masses

blood of the butchered you have slain

Behold, the coming end of reason

Death is a better way of life

Throw yourself at the mercy

of the dead who seek revenge

When blood is seen in heaven

God knows his creature's gone insane

Find no shelter from their wrath

Hate will lead you underground

Mark of glory-quite mind

Brain dead leaders, out of line

You heed to words of the demented

Used as puppets in their play

of lies, hate and destruction

True dark ages abomination

And this one is some Anti-War act, Called "Collective Demise":

In the eyes of death

there is no difference

between me and you

And though you feel hatred

our mortality bounds us, bonds us

My days are fragile

I am at a lost

with the knowledge of our impending end

impending end

The weapons we bear

are the symbolsof our collective demise

Devised by our kindred

as an emphasis to our unknown doom

This song is about Jewish situation in middle east, their suffer of becoming united and everyday fear of terror, that is called “Broken yet united”.
(Download the song here)

Broken, not united

You see the disguise

Broken, not united

See where we've come

with our collective hate

We leave behind

ideals of a dying generation

Slip away

Berated not refined

God's gift to mankind

Broken yet revised

See where we've come

Broken, not unite

We keep dry

under the rain of terror

Broken, not united

Bread and blood is life

You see through the lies

Broke your nest and found

a peaceful haven

Turn it upside down

We keep dry

under the raining terror

Children die

to fuel the flame of hate

Broken yet united

Some Unwillings answers to Divine Will

2007-08-23T00:39:00.000-07:00

Me and Mohammad have started a debate about Quran and ways of its understanding! Mohammad wrote me his answer about my last post and tried to answer me with four questions. So read that and then here is my answers:

1. As all we know, god is the omnipotent and could do as he will (if we assume that god is a HE). So he would reveal his Divine Will in any form, one can imagine. Therefore he was the best in sending his will to his prophet (I mean the language, way of speaking and etc.). We believe that God can speak our language better than us, because we believe he is the omnipotent! So he did his best! And he understood us his Divine Will. So the Divine Will seems to be what were told in Quran!
Then questions such “How did Mohammad (PBUH) understand that Divine Will” seems not to be correct.
Here I use these kind of verses:
“The only duty of the messenger is to deliver God’s message” 5:99 (also in 5:92, 16:35, 16:82, 24:54, 29:18, 42:48, 64:12)

2. Ok, you may still say that no one (Prophet, Imams and people) could understand Divine Will. Therefore its not humans fault to understand; its god’s disability to explain his will clear! Isn’t it?

3. As I said above, God did his best to tell us his Divine Will, and if there are different views and understanding, he wanted so! HE made us to have many points of view by sending such a book! (it seems that we have an agreement here.)
But I give an example: Nietzsche was a metaphoric philosopher; I mean in his way of writing! So his idealogy from one point of view created the Nazi and that idealogy from another point of view turned out good looks to life! Both from one idealogy (isn’t interesting?)
Ok, being metaphor is nice? Doesn’t metaphoric speaks make troubles? (the question starts another long way, that I don’t wanna continue more.)

4. You asked “Is today’s Quran equal to the Quran revealed to Mohammad?”; if its not, so its not holly thing anymore! And we can say nothing more about!
Lets see what we want to say. If you would say that some verses in Quran that may seem to make trouble, is not what really told in the Quran that revealed to Mohammad, then we cant count on Quran as a source of inspiration anymore! It turns to just an old book!

Dear Mohammad:
I don’t know how much should we continue on this subject, but I, as a muslim cant understand some of our fundamental rules of Islam as you can see in these posts! And still no one could’ve answered! But there is one thing that I believe in: Thought and believe eveything using my Thought!
These are some unending discussions and debated that I think would never be finished and there is no clear answer! It just make us tired I think!
But if you still try to ask questions I think I should answer cuz I promised you so! But I don’t feel very well when I speak this way, because both of us are muslims and it may hurt us! I don’t want to make you annoying, cuz I’ve got such a good friend like you!

Lets open our eyes: if someone is a great believer would never find error in his belief. And if someone is doubtful in his belief, he would! Their discussions seems to have no end!
You are that believer and I’m that doubtful!

Quran vs. Quran

2007-08-20T16:11:00.000-07:00

As you may know or not, I’ve started a debate with Mohammad about Quran and its anti-jewish view! I told that the holly Quran may be the source of enmity of muslims toward jews and it made many political problems as Allah has made them the enemies of muslims. Mohammad gave me an answer about that verse (sureh) that I refered to and wrote that we should interpret it (interpret the Quran). It made me to answer him that we cant accept the interpreters views, because as Allah says, Quran is for everyone with any understandings! Then he wrote me back another answer to explain why we need interpreters to understand Quran better!

Now here I am and want to answer him. At the first beginning I wanted to write a little in philosophical ways that,
1. Who are the interpreters? Aren’t they humans with human mind? Ok, they’re professionals but still human! And human is not free from mistakes! So should we rely on their cognitions as truth? Maybe we can but maybe not! I’m not sure that they’re immaculate from sins and mistakes!
2. What should we say if Quran is not simple and is complicated? Should we say that Allah couldn’t have speak better in normal ways that everyone could understand (if we still believe that Quran is for everyone)? If Allah wanted us to understand, well, there’s no need for interpreters; and if don’t want us to understand, its another story!
3. Two theories are possible: We are stupid or Allah couldn’t talk better! If we cant understang Quran well, it is related to our stupidity and Quran is fine. Or if we cant understand Quran well, Allah didn’t want us to know!
In the latter situation, so why did Allah send Quran for human beings? He could send prophets and interpreters to tell us, anytime he will and there was no need for a book! So what’s the use of Quran for us? To have it in our home and watch it? And clean its dust and use it for abnormal manners (passengers kiss it and pass under it; put it in our new home in front of mirror; put it in front of car’s shield as a protector and etc.)? And anytime we want to read it, read one interpreter’s views to explain it?
I cant accept these all.

I wanted to write more philosophical stuffs to explain why we shouldn’t always rely on interpreters but our own minds. But fortunately I asked Fariborz from mideastyouth.com to read my posts and send me his comments and he gave me his great answers that no one could deny, because he used quran to explain the problem.1

I write the whole thing here that everyone could read:
“And why for reading and understanding Quran, you don’t need anything else but Quran itself, the answer lies in Quran:

The Quran is totally sufficient for the genuine believer for the following reasons:

1) The Quran is not in need of an annex since it is complete:
“The word of your Lord is complete in truth and justice” 6:115

2) The Quran is not in need of an explanatory supplement since it is clear and is not ambiguous:
“A.L.R. These are the signs of the clear book” 12:1
“We have made it (the Quran) easy to understand and in your own tongue (language) may you take heed.” 44:58

3) The Quran is not in need of a correction manual since it is perfect and harbours no contradictions:
“A.L.R. This is a book whose verses have been perfected” 11:1

4) The Quran is not in need of a step by step guide since it is fully detailed:
“Shall I seek other than God as a source of law, when He has revealed to you this book fully detailed?” 6:114
And the Quran commands all Muslims to follow the Quran Alone, this command is found in numerous verses, the following are examples:
“These are God’s revelations that We recite to you truthfully. In which Hadith other than God and His revelations do they believe?” 45:6
“Shall I seek other than God as a source of law, when He has revealed to you this book fully detailed?” 6:114
And the Quran confirms that the only duty of Muhammad is to deliver God’s message, and not to teach any other teachings:
“The only duty of the messenger is to deliver God’s message” 5:99 (also in 5:92, 16:35, 16:82, 24:54, 29:18, 42:48, 64:12)

The Quran also confirms that Muhammad was commanded not to teach any other teachings, otherwise he would incur severe punishment from God:
“It (the Quran) is a revelation from the Lord of the universe. Had he (Muhammad) uttered any other teachings, We would have grabbed him by the right, and We would have severed his Wateen (Major artery of the heart), none of you could have helped him.” 69:43-47

Muhammad was made to swear that the only revelation he received from God was the Quran.
The following verse confirms that all what is known as (Hadith Qodsy) are lies that the prophet is innocent of:
“Say (O Muhammad) what is of the greatest testimony? Say: God is the witness between me and you, and this Quran has been inspired to me, that I may warn you and whomever it reaches” 6:19”

see also Quran, Jew and Pagans
-------------------------
1.http://www.mideastyouth.com/2007/08/10/religion-is-the-enemy-of-civilization

Allah; the idealogist of Arab-Jewish wars?

2007-08-18T16:26:00.000-07:00

Dear reader:
It’s an answer to one of my thoughtful friends, Mohammad! He wrote me his answer for I thank god for the Suffering. If you wanna join, please read it and then Mohammad’s view about it!

Dear Mohammad:
First of all I should refer to one of your posts “Anti-Semitism vs. Anti-Zionism” and your deep understanding about Islamic-AntiZionsit idealogist as you said you lived with! But here you say something else that for example if someone is anti-zionist, well, he is not really an anti-jewish!!!
But lets see, aren’t we that say, ”hey, don’t shake hand with jews, cuz they’re unclean (Najes)”? What do we really feel about Israel? Don’t we know all the Israel citizens unclean and Islam’s enemies? What do we really think about them?
I don’t believe if someone is anti-zionist to be a jewish-friendly!

(I’ve got few jewish friends and not only shake hand with them but also kiss’em everytime I see them and never fell unclean! Cuz they’re just very good guys and nothing else!)
anyway I just wanted to say that you’ve changed your mind in twe posts!

Second; as all we know, Quran is not just for interpreters, its for everyone, everywhere and everytime! Isnt it?

1. So the first thing that a normal mind (an ordinary mind) will find is not really the interpreters achievements to separate two different groups in a tribe (in jews)!
I, as a person should have my achievements and you, yours! So seperating a tribe to twe, still makes no sense to me! And will not to many others (maybe just to one or twe interpreters!), if you believe that Quran is for everyone! And I still believe Quran wasn’t for interpreters to tell us what it says! Its for you, me and everyone who opens it!

2. So lets see the problem as a matter for everytime (a forever fact)!
It may really doesn’t matter to todays muslims or jews that what happened between Islam’s prophet and a jewish tribe 1400 years ago! Now its really important to us to find rules in Quran and use it to have a better life! If it was a personal enmity that Islam’s prophet and his followers had with a jewish tribe, it still makes no sense if we consider all those other jewish tribes at that time were bad things! Is it?
And it still makes no sense if we consider that jewish are bad guys in whole the earth and human kind history! Is it?

So what should we do now? Is god still the idealogist of Arab-Jew wars or not?

Nietzsche and Marilyn Manson

2007-08-13T13:52:00.000-07:00

In some posts, I wrote about Nietzsche and his SuperHuman’s (Übermensch) Moralities and his (Superhuman) being over Slaves.
Tonight I heared Marilyn Manson’s old songs accidently and also “The Beautiful People”. This song is very impressive and has an awesome video clip (watch it at youtube.com).
But its lyric reminded me Nietzsche’s morality! Nietzsche was the first one who called himself an Antichrist and Marilyn Manson’s album is named “Antichrist Superstar”; Manson is a real antichrist superstar, I believe!

Manson says: “Lyrically, it is intertwined with the Antichrist Superstar album's overarching theme, a semi-narrative examination of the Nietzschean Übermensch.” 1

lyric discusses two major themes: what Manson refers to as "the culture of beauty", and that culture's connection to Friedrich Nietzsche's theory of master-slave morality — the song's "weak ones", who are "always wrong", are oppressed by and "justify [the existence of] the strong" (the so-called beautiful people). 2

“Within this context, "The Beautiful People" deals explicitly with the destructive manifestation of the Will to Power: "There's no time to discriminate", sings Manson, "hate every motherfucker that's in your way". A strong anti-capitalism sentiment stems from exploration of Nietzsche's view of master-slave morality ("It's not your fault that you're always wrong / The weak ones are there to justify the strong") along with its connection to Social Darwinism.” 3

Lyric is creative, so read and enjoy it:

The Beautiful People 4
by Marilyn Manson

I don't want you and I don't need you
don't bother to resist, I'll beat you
It's not your fault that you're always wrong
the weak ones are there to justify the strong

the beautiful people, the beautiful people
it's all relative to the size of your steeple
you can't see the forest for the trees
you can't smell your own shit on your knees

Hey you, what do you see?
something beautiful, something free?
hey you, are you trying to be mean?
if you live with apes man, it's hard to be clean

there's no time to discriminate,
hate every motherfucker
that's in your way
the worms will live in every host
it's hard to pick which one they eat most

the horrible people, the horrible people
it's as anatomic as the size of your steeple
capitalism has made it this way,
old-fashioned fascism will take it away

----------------------------------------------------
1. Marilyn Manson (interview). College Music Journal, October, 1997.
2. Wikipedia.org
3. D. Damon, The Beautiful People.
4. www.lyricsdoman.com

I Thank God for the Suffering!

2007-08-05T15:09:00.000-07:00

Cradle of filth is a british Black Metal band that has a song called “Thank God for the Suffering” from their 2003 album, “Damnation and a day”. This song is very nice and I like it; but I’ve never been thought about its validity. Why should we thank god for the suffering? What does it mean? Isn’t god the source of grace?
As we know, Iran’s political situation is not very well in sight of the world. United state and Israel are against Iran; Canada and Europe don’t like Iran to some extent; Arabs hate it and United Nations wants it to become timid!
As we know again, this world’s view has made the internal situation worse that everyone suffers from economical, political and social situation; mostly the economical.
So why these all happen?

One of Ahmadi Nejad’s sentences was enough to turns these all: “Israel must disappear from the map” !!! This made Israel and America angry and they enforced Europe and UN to finally stand against! Because they feared of Iran’s nuclear attack to Israel.
Where did really Ahmadi Nejad find this sentence and philosophy?

It wasn’t Ahmadi Nejad’s words himself. It was posed by Ayatollah Khomeini for the first time as an idealogy and Ahmadi Nejad just repeated Islamic Revolution leader’s words. I’ve read this in one of his books.
So how did Ayatollah Khomeini get that Idealogy? From which source he talked that way? What was the base of his idealogy?

Allah in Quran, the holly muslim’s book, in the Food sureh (5:82) spake that: ”Thou wilt certainly find the most violent of people in enmity against the believers to be the Jews and the idolators; and thou wilt find the nearest in friendship to the believers to be those who say, We are Christians. That is because there are priests and monks among them and because they are not proud.” 1,2

I couldn’t have believed when I read it for the first time, so I read three different translations in persian and two in english! That was right and my eyes finally accepted these sentences! Does God really wants Muslims against the Jews? Isn't this idealogy that today makes us suffer? God, the idealogist of Crusades and Arabs-Israel wars?

So should I thank God for the Suffering?!!

p.s. To who believes in Islam (is muslim) or not: If my cognitions are wrong, please inform me. I cant solve the problem in other way and Allah’s words means these to me! Maybe I cant understand Quran well; So please make me aware.

Read Anti-Semitism and Anti-Zionism from My Diaries for more.

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1. Quran 5:82
2. download 5:82

Brain Drain reflections

2007-08-04T15:23:00.000-07:00

I’d never liked the politics, and never had posted about it on my weblogs. But its interesting when you find some uses your ideas in politic manners! I don’t care what for they use my thoughts if they regard copyright (as they did).
I’ve just added a counter to my weblog tonight and found out that some addresses had linked to this weblog. Following them, I found out they are political things!
My post on Brain-Darin seemed interesting for them as ApnaAvenue, Global Voices, Holy Land Abduction and some others referd to.
The latter one is an Israel related weblog that starts its post with:”There is no need for a preemptive war in Iran. The evil regime will fall of its devices.”
Everyone would use for their purposes and I did too. So live and let the live!

More explanation on Morals: An answer to a friend!

2007-07-30T13:07:00.000-07:00

Due to my last post about morality, Mohammad wrote a post discussing my post! I appreciate every debate and discussion.
He criticized me in 3 approaches that I think you’d better read it at his weblog before continuing.
My answers are in three parts, too:

First of all I refer to the Nietzsche’s imagination about Nobles that is not well understood by Mohammad. Nobles in the eyes of Nietzsche are the same as his SuperHuman (Ubermensch). As everyone who is familiar to Nietzsche’s superhuman who thinks, speaks and rules from height of his will to power (Wille zur macht), noble is not who that enjoys poor people suffering.
His definition of noble or superhuman is something complex and cannot achieve simply and you should read about it. Sometimes his SuperHuman are as lions that never kill for their hunger. The noble due to its definition is who that forgive and is free!
Here I refer to Oxford dictionary definition for noble: “having fine personal qualities such as courage, honesty and care for others”.
I should tell you that Nietzsche’s noble is somehow greater than just noble, and he refers to nobles who are on the peak of the moralities, powers and wills; The SuperHuman! SuperHuman is more than noble!
I think it was a misunderstanding that posed.

Now I explain and answer mohammad with his examples:
Nobles are somehow like lions, they rule as a ruler and as a powerful that its will is over everything: they kill when they think its better to kill and they forgive when a mighty should forgive. I refer to the moralities of Duke and Duchess in europe and Khan in our old culture; who they were and how did they act.
Again I should say that noble is not who that have more money and money makes not a man, the noble!
Mohammad said: “we can find too many events to show that when a man feels powerful, he may kill too many others just for his joy”. He is right but as he said when a MAN feels powerful not a Noble! So he is not completely right!

Second, I should write about Mohammad’s non-equality view about species:
He wrote that: “If People are naturally different from Animals (which I think it is so), then the rules governing each one's society should be different.”
I don’t agree with the non-equality between human being and every species and I’ll explain further why I don’t (maybe in this post, maybe not)! So the rules governing each one’s society is not different, because:
As we know the Mother Earth resources are limited and every species are trying to gain their ecological niches (plural of nich). For example in a lion society because of limited resources, a male lion will fight to achieve the kingdom and females. The other males will die! Why did they die? Because they were poor! This is the rule, this is the morality and the law of Nature.
This struggle in nature is obvious and no one can dismiss. In human societies as every species that Mother Earth contains, the story is the same:
Lack of resources for everyone and the powerfuls just can achieve.

Third; these things that we talked about in these posts, are not Nietzsche’s view about morals and we are now far from them. No one can understand him well, until he studies Nietzsche himself! I think after knowing his ideas, you could have your answer about why poors created these moralities that we call it against the Nature’s Law!

p.s. I’ll be happy if there be any debate and debate makes me joyfull!

Morality: Priority of Nobles over Slaves!

2007-07-20T15:32:00.000-07:00

One good friend, Mohammad , asked me how did Nietzsche’s philosophy of moralities convinced you; as he has read my post on morality. I think I should explain my cognitions and thoughts about Nietzsche and Plato philosphies (What I’ve understood of those).
At the beginning I suggest everyone to read the Nietzsche’s “On the genealogy of the morality” for better understanding with the persian translation of Mr. Dariush Ashuri. It’s a real great damn thing; don’t miss it.

Nietzsche about poor people or slaves says: “I’ve mostly laughed of watching poor people who had imagined themselves nice (good and graceful) because of their weaknesses”1.
He refers to poors explanations for their weaknesses.

And Plato mentions that: “Poors, dependent on their benefits define the qualities (attributes) of what is good and what is bad. They cant see someone is for example more wealthy than they are. And this is because of their disability of being wealthy and is because of disability in collecting the money.
Of this disabilities (disabilities like this), they want an equality. They think its cheat or injustice when their neighbors are more wealthy, because they are aware of their disabilities. So they want the Equality!
But if a man be enough strong, he will destroy all these bonds and will destroy everything that is against the nature’s laws! … but because most of people cant achieve this ability, they blame the strong men because they want to hide their disabilities; so everything over the normals (more wealth, more abilities and etc.) is disagreeable and unbecoming! … they only agree the equality and justice because they are disable”2.

Plato refers to Nature’s law and says that priority of poors is against the nature’s law. Its one of another things that I agree with as biology, zoology and evolution knowledge explain!
You know, there is one law in nature that which species is powerful, can survive and there is no mercy for poors! Everything (every speices) that you could’ve imagined in nature as a living being accept this rule and law but one: the human being!

Its why Plato says that if a man be enough strong, should destroy all the bonds and laws that are human related and is not natural; human made rules and laws, its pseudo!
Some may think that its not on morality to act as nature and we should be human, cuz human is over nature!

I don’t really believe in it. Human being is a part of nature.
Maybe you never agree and understand; Ok, well, we assume that human being is over nature, but in human history the story is the same: The powerfuls rule the poors and history is always written by winners! We can also see it in other fields, not just morals, such as politic, knowledge, economy and everything you think about. The more stronger, the Better!

p.s. I think this post could’ve been a good explanation for the priority of noble’s morals over slaves!

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1. Nietzsche, F. W., Also Sprach Zarathustra,
2. Durant, W.J., The Story of Philosophy,

Graveyard Classics

2007-07-15T08:55:00.000-07:00

One of my favorite Death Metal bands is Six Feet Under with the vocal of Chris Barnes. His voice is impressive as a Death Metal vocalist. I think there’s no one’s voice horrible than Chris Barnes in all the Death Metal genre.
In their “Graveyard Classics” album that released in 2000, they played covers from many classic rock and metal bands such as AC/DC, Iron Maiden, Venom, Exodus, Sex Pistols and etc.
The playlist is as below:

1.Holocaust (Savatage)
2.TNT (AC/DC)
3.Sweet Leaf (Black Sabbath)
4.Pirahna (Exodus)
5.Son Of A Bitch (Accept)
6.Stepping Stone (Sex Pistols)
7.Confused (Angelwitch)
8.California Ueber Alles (Dead Kennedys)
9.Smoke On The Water (Deep Purple)
10.Blackout (Scorpions)
11.Purple Haze (Jimi Hendrix)
12.In League With Satan (Venom)

I really love this album, its awesome; hearing such a great songs with the music of SFU and voice of Chris Barnes. But recently I’ve understood they’ve released the “Graveyard Classics 2” with complete cover of AC/DC 1980 great album “Back in Black” in 2004. It should be interesting! I have 5 of 8 Six Feet Under’s studio album yearning the last three (not having the “Graveyard Classics 2”, “13” and “Commandment”).
SFU Official Website

Morality

2007-07-14T02:34:00.000-07:00

Friedrich Wilhelm Nitzsche’s book named “On the Genealogy of Morality” is one of his interesting books that I’ve ever read. In the first treatise of three in this book, “The Good and Evil, The Good and Bad”, he speaks about the morality of nobles against the slaves! And shows us that nobles will is over everything.

When I read it two or three years ago, I thought that something is wrong with this book and didn’t accept Nietzsche compeletly but I believed in it as a hypothesis: Our moral could have rooted in non-moralities. The Superhuman will to do on his will was not compeletly correct in my view as nietzsche didn’t explained it explicit I think.

But last week when I was reading Socrates (or plato’s himself) views about morality (what the best government is and what the justice is) I understood the idea of priority of nobles over slaves and that it was mentioned by Socrates for the first time!1
This time I got the point and now I think the Nobles are prior than Slaves in morals, justice and governing (and are prior in everything)!

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1 Durant, W.J., The Story of Philosphy,

Brain-Drain in Iran

2007-06-15T01:35:00.000-07:00

Changing blog language to something except your mother tongue, reminds me the Iranian Brain-Drain! The Brain-Drain is not always physically by going abroad, sometimes can occur by changing your writing language.
If you suffer from internet censorship and want to have freedom of speech, there’s no obligation to write in your language and better to escape as fast as you can from this sad situation. No one should feel regret or put himself in difficulty when you understand what did Ayatollah Khomeini the leader of Islumic Republic revolution On Oct 13 of 1979 said:
"They say there is a brain drain. Let these decayed brains flee. Do not mourn them, let them pursue their own definitions of being. Is every brain with - what you call - science in it honorable? Shall we sit and mourn the brains that escaped? Shall we worry about these brains fleeing to the US and the UK? Let these brains flee and be replaced by more appropriate brains. Now that they (the Islamic Republic) are filtering, you are sitting worried why they are executing [people]? Why are you discussing these rotten brains of [these] lost people? Why are you questioning Islam? Are they fleeing? To hell with them. Let them flee. They were not scientific brains. All the better. Don't be concerned. They should escape. [Iran] is not a place for them to live any more. These fleeing brains are of no use to us. Let them flee. If you know that this is no place for you, you should flee too." 1

What else should say? The words are so clear. Don’t regret and set yourself free.
One may say it seems that I am inviting everyone to Brain-Drain. And I say, YES! The Bloging situation really suffered me, eveyday living without freedom of speech makes me upset, and there is no hopeful situation. Everyday it becomes worse. Who could have imagined Mahmoud Ahmadi Nejad as the upcoming president?

It makes the estimate 150,000 yearly Brain-Drain in Iran and makes Iran the highest in Brain-Drain in 90 measured countries as International Monetary Fund ranked in 2006. 2
Brain-Drain costs $50 billion or more yearly for Iran. 3 So high cost!
Just look at Modern Iranian Scientist, Scholars and Engineers list who are now in abroad to understand its importance.

P.S. I’ve written three posts about internet censorship and blog changing language successively. It shows how much I suffer:

Evolvability, The Selfish Gene
Blog writing with another language!

Evolvability, The Selfish Gene

2007-06-09T08:41:00.000-07:00

As Richard Dawkins defined “Evolvability” in 1989 in his famous book “The Selfish Gene”, it means the ability of an organism to adapt to environment based on its genetic potentional.
When I got the idea of changing my bloging language from Persian to English as an alternative to escape from censorship, this word clinked in my head: Evolvability!
Maybe I am adapting to my environment (environment without freedom of speech) based on my abilities.

Dawknis, in his book, defines another word “meme”, that sounds like gene. I do not know much about it because I don’t have “The Selfish Gene” book, but he refers to meme as a method of culture inheritance, something like gene inheritance.
He says that we inherit cultures, religions and beliefs the way an organism inherit a gene and a phenotype; it has its mutations, combinations (translocations) and etc.
I found this idea so interesting and don’t know if this book has been translated to persian or not. Anyway, I’ll search for its english version in internet too and if I found, I will upload it here for anyone who is interested in.
Take care,

Blog writing with another language!

2007-06-09T00:21:00.000-07:00

Hi,
I’m an Iranian blogger that suffer from Iranian Internet censorship with four years bloging and two censored blogs. In Iran we call censorship, filtering!
I had been nominated for Iranian Best 100’s weblogs Award three years ago and became one of them, nevertheless they censored my weblog because I used an Iranian writer name in my weblog that government of Islamic Republic knows him as an Antisemitic-AntiIslam writer.
After that I started my second weblog and renewed links and friends. After a while I had my seocnd weblog like the first one popular. After one another year I had tried to write a post about Sex in persian literature. Internet censorship in Iran is not systematic and because of one another word (sex) my second weblog again became censored!
I’ve become desperate and finished bloging for a while, but recently a new way shook my mind: writing in another language with speech freedom! therefore, last night I decided to start my first english weblog.
I’m not an English expert, but I wanna try to write my thoughts in english and improve it. So, if you found literaturaly mistake or something like this, please inform me. I’ll appreciate your comments.
Thanks,