In a recent video posted on YouTube that has gone viral, two universal truths concerning the state of Iran is beautifully illustrated simultaneously:
The youth of Iran is vibrant, energetic, playful and longing for ways to express themselves…just like youth around the world.
The government of Iran is bent on squashing any form of individualism and expression of free thought, regardless of how innocent it may be.
All told, six young people were arrested for making a playful video to the popular song, “Happy.” Five have since been released, with the director of the video continuing to be imprisoned for his crimes.
Please join me in praying for the youth of Iran. Pray that the Lord will use them to transform Iran into a Christian nation in this generation. Pray that they will not lose heart, not lose hope and not lose their zeal for life in the midst of their dire circumstances.
This is a startling statistic, which is changing the face of Iran and has the potential to impact the entire Middle East. Let me explain.
An image from the Green Movement of 2009, led by Iranian youth to protest presidential election results
When I was a young college graduate, living in Iran during the Islamic Revolution of 1979, I was part of a generation that was demanding change. At the time, we did not know that we were exchanging something we perceived as bad, for something much, much worse than we could ever have imagined. Today, only 30% of Iran’s surviving population was even alive at that time. The overwhelming majority of the population knows nothing but the incredible persecution and oppression that they have experienced under a government that they never asked for and certainly do not want.
Perhaps this helps to shed some light on fact #5, The Mosques Are Empty. The younger generation has seen only a lifetime of misery and hopelessness, while the older generation has seen broken promises and a system that has failed them completely.
As a result of this youthful demographic, Iran has established itself as a top consumer and producer of social media in the Middle East, despite the fact that the government attempts to restrict Internet access and intimidate people from engaging with Facebook, Twitter, personal blogs and other forms of Social Media. However, as with all younger generations, Iran’s youth possesses technological savvy and continues to stay ahead of the government’s attempts to stem the tide.
You need only look at the Green Movement of 2009, when tens of thousands of young Iranians flooded the streets of Tehran to protest the presidential election results. The horrific shooting death of Nedā Āghā-Soltān was captured on a cell phone, uploaded to the Internet and viral within hours.
Pray for the youth of Iran, as they are the key to reaching the country for Christ.
It is with great excitement that I write the first post on my new Blog!
My prayer is that you will find this site to be a useful resource to better understanding Iran, it’s people and how the Lord is working there unlike any other time in history. Each week, I will post my personal thoughts related to Iran and the Middle East based upon my own experiences as a former Muslim who was born and raised in Iran, who later came to a saving knowledge of Christ and who has spent the last 35 years following the Lord’s calling to take the Gospel back to my countrymen.
I will be posting video entries, photos and relaying testimonies of brave brothers and sisters in Christ who are subjected to intense persecution and daily danger inside Iran as they seek to follow Him and make Him known. I will also comment on current events in Iran and the rest of the Middle East regularly.
Join me as we take a look at one of the least understood countries in the world. I think you will be surprised!
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