Iranian Ex-Muslims

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- ElToro
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Iranian Ex-Muslims
OP - January 31, 2015, 02:00 PM

During my studies in Germany and my exchange semester in Denmark I met a lot of Iranian students. What I realized about them is really ALL the students I met were Atheists.
The first I realized that was when I ate with two Iranian students at McDonald's (was already some years ago):

I watched one Iranian girl eating and said "oh you know that the burger you eat is with bacon?!"
She: "so what? Are you a Muslim?"
Me: (totally shocked): "yes, of course. Are you not?"
She: "and you believe that all this"
Me: "Yes"
She: "so why are you eating at McDonald's?"
Me: "Why not? Important is to believe, everything else are just details. Wait do you also not believe (to the other Iranian guy)?"
He: "No, many intellectual students in Iran aren't believing."

That was the first time I met Ex-Muslims and that I saw that it is possible to leave your religion.

During my studies I met some more Iranian students and what they had all in common was that they were Atheist. This aroused my interest. Also the Ex-Muslim Community leaders in Germany are Iranian.

The question, which I always kept in my mind was why the Ex-Muslim community is so strong in Iran? Was it just a coincidence that all the Iranians I met were Atheist? I have never met a Afghan, Pakistani, Arab or African Ex-Muslim (expect in this forum of course). Only some Turkish, but even in Turkey is still very unusual to leave your religion.

My own idea was that in the past during the time of the Shah Iran was very open and western oriented. This changed with the Islamic revolution. But afterwards many people stayed secretly secular.
- serena
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Iranian Ex-Muslims
Reply #1 - January 31, 2015, 02:03 PM

Many iranians in London that I know are very westernised.
- serena
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Reply #2 - January 31, 2015, 02:13 PM

I think and what I discussed with my iranian friends that because religion always been iumpoed on them in Iran. so when the come out of there in west they just adjust to new life style very quickly.
- ElToro
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Reply #3 - January 31, 2015, 02:24 PM

Yes, but isn't that the same case with many other Muslim countries?
- serena
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Reply #4 - January 31, 2015, 02:26 PM

I think your point makes sense about shah of Iran
- TheDashingRabbit
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Reply #5 - January 31, 2015, 06:00 PM

The iranians I've encountered in uni are pretty non religious as well.

In my opinion a life without curiosity is not a life worth living
- Nikolaj
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Reply #6 - January 31, 2015, 10:09 PM

I once heard what should be an Iranian saying

"Before the revolution we partied in public and prayed at home
Now we pray in public and party at home"

YIMV (Your Iranian May Vary). Southern Teheran is know for being (politically) religious. The northern part, not so much. An Azeri friend from Tabriz (North-West Iran) says that people in that area aren't particular religious. Booze everywhere. There is a huge covert import from Turkey of booze.

However plenty of pro-regime Iranians - and even some converts - live abroad as well. And reportedly they spy on anti-regime Iranians.

But yeah - if I meet some random Iranian there is a good chance they are not Muslim.

Danish Never-Moose adopted by the kind people on the CEMB-forum
Ex-Muslim chat (Unaffliated with CEMB). Safari users: Use "#ex-muslims" as the channel name. CEMB chat thread.
- ElToro
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Reply #7 - February 01, 2015, 12:21 AM

Thanks, interesting to know. The quote is quite popular at Iranians. I heard it before.
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