Essay On Persecution Of Religion In Iran

Rulers, Revolution, Regime: Persecution of Christians in Iran

During the course of the centuries, Christianity has both flourished and declined in the Persian region. The flourishing, initiated by the first leaders of the Christian Church, has dissolved over time and has become oppressed by other beliefs and faiths, specifically Islam. Blood, sweat, and tears of many persecuted Christians saturate the arid lands, which Islamists primarily inhabit. Many of those Islamists live in direct antipathy to the Christian minority. The current Supreme Leader of Iran, Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei, once said that “their (Christians) goal is to weaken the (Islamic) religion within the society” (“The Cost of Faith” 15). Many Iranians also feel this way, and have certainly not accepted the existence of a Christian minority within their country gently. From the Islamic conquest in the 7th century, to the Islamic Revolution in 1979, Iranians have not let up on their subjugation of Christians. Indeed Christianity has witnessed various forms of deterrents to their religion, from the modern day imprisonments and executions to the ancient ways of leaders such as Shapur II, who would have them burned or fed to animals (Price 1). The government of Iran has acted severely towards Christians, subjecting them to harsh consequences for not turning from their religion, such as prolonged imprisonment and even ex-judicial killings. Despite all of this, many Christians living under these harsh conditions persevere and Christianity still receives new followers. Christianity in Iran has suffered and continues to suffer at the hands of a militant Islamic regime, and although this is nothing new, it receives little publicity in the West, something...

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...have apostatized from Islam, and who actively proselytize. For nearly two millennia, starting with the Sassanians in the 2nd century and extending to the current Islamic regime, Christianity has been a main target of the state. In recent decades the Iranian regime has actively attempted to destroy the Church of Iran, and root out all Christianity from their country, but they have desperately failed, as the church continues to grow to this day. Yet the United States and countries of the West do not address this issue nearly enough, or take any action against it. The persecuted should not be ignored, and the persecutors should face punishment and justification for what they have done. If the silent majority who oppose the persecution of the minority would simply let their voices be heard and insist on engaging those who oppress, the world would be a better place.