Welcome Sandbad. The few Iranians I know are totally non-religious, which I did find weird as they grew up with the schooling that you talk of. So I guess you're right, it's a kind of vaccination.
Also, I kept wondering how, in the past ten years, their numbers have grown here in the UK. Are they here because of political asylum? They don't tell me for some reason. It's some kind of big secret. Or do they just not trust South Asian Muslims? Or do they look down on us? I sometimes get that feeling, or it could be that some of them that I know are just dicks.
I feel comfortable talking to them about how I feel about Islam, more than I would talking to a group of Pakistanis, but I still don't drink alcohol with them when they offer it.
Hi UberSlave, the thing is in Iran people has already experimented with political Islam in 1979 revolution with catastrophic results. I am not surprised after what the whole country gone through during almost 35 years of this theocracy so many are already disillusioned with Islam.
well, as for their relationship with south Asian Muslims I can't talk on behalf of all population - all what you say might be true for different persons but the reality is Iranians are fearful of Iranian government's secret police which in occasions assassinated Iranian political exiles by hiring Muslim hit-men of other nationalities. for example in below incident a guy from Lebanon was involved:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mykonos_restaurant_assassinationsAnd these events and assassinations are all within living memory so expect Iranians to be ultra careful when they talk to you about themselves. this ultra care and mistrust has become part of the culture actually.
in case of looking down on you - I can't again talk on behalf of whole population - but in my case I got rejected by an Asian girl for the second time just a few days ago!
so that's a prove for you that I the Sandbad in this forum don't look down on Asians otherwise why I wanted an Asian girl - and risking it for the second time!
Topic: Introduction - Sandbad