Confessions of a Rebel: "Why I Strayed"

The following is a free translation of a post written by Dutch-Iranian refugee and Leiden University lecturer, Afshin Ellian, published earlier today in Elsevier - a confession, as promised: "Why I strayed".


In the name of the merciful and forgiving Allah,

Hail to the Great Khomeini, the spirit of Allah, the sword of imam Ali, et cetera;

Hail to the Great Leader Khamenei, the righteous and clever shepherd of this people, et ectera;

Hail to Mohammed, the last, most beautiful and, yes, the cleverest Prophet of all time, and his many women and concubines, et cetera;

Hail to the martyrs, their brave (benefits eligible) family members, asses and goats;

Brothers and sisters,

While I stem from a family of godfearing people I have betrayed you, Islam, and Islamic Iran multiple times. Some of my family may have drank scotch, but that was the fault of the Shah, who was destroyed by his infidelity. In spite of the fact that I have participated in the greatest wonder in the history of Islam - the Islamic Revolution - I became a Leftist and resisted the laws of Allah. What infamous behavior! Please judge me if you will, but pray for my damned soul.

- Caption: Hat Tip "Difficult Images" - 

Emprisoned, thanks to the efforts of the brothers of Intelligence, I discovered that prayers and recitation of the Koran could be beneficial to my sinful spirit. I fear I cannot divulge how the brothers have pressed that insight upon me. But I can tell you that it hurt. With this I mean of course, that the truth hurt. Of course the brothers haven't laid a finger on me. Allah may do so in the future. Because without Allah's pain there is no salvation. "Allah is merciful", promises the Koran.

Although when I was nineteen I learnt that the roads of Marxism, neo Marxism, Leftist totalitarianism, and all other forms of Leftism lead nowhere, I didn't see the light of Allah and the imam Khomeini.  I even rebeled against the Stalinists, which is the reason I had to take refuge in the west.

Why didn't I see the light of the Prophet Mohammed? Had infidelity blinded me at a tender age? Why didn't I see at the age of nineteen that the road to truth leads not to Amsterdam, but to the Ewin Prison? Please, judge me!

While I have had time and space to read the Koran and return into the warm embrace of the Islamic state, I chose the road of incredulity. I started reading the works of a number of Jewish philosophers, Hannah Arendt and Karl Popper. Isn't that odd? Why did I remain a little Leftist? Why didn't I see the absolute truth of the true Islamic regime? Please, judge me!

When I saw in Afghanistan how rotten the Soviet Union was, I chose an even more corrupt civilization, namely Western liberal democracy. In those days the immortal imam Khomeini wrote an open letter to the last Soviet leader and invited him to convert to Islam. He warned the Soviet leader not to choose liberal civilization. I should have scrutinized the letter more closely, but I didn't. Instead I studied the books of Spinoza, also a Jew. Please, judge me!

As I arrived in Europe at twentythree I should have realised the superior quality of Islamic civilization. Women walking the streets half naked! That alone should have brought me to my senses. Alas, it didn't happen. The West adores male as well as female gods. They call that the freedom of conscience. The liberty to insult the most holy and dear they call the freedom of expression. And then there's equality among men and women, hetero sexuals and gays. I've befriended gays. Yes, it's terrible. How can I explain this to Allah and his armed angels? I can't. Please, judge me!

As I was studying law and philosophy I should have seen that the godless Europeans know nothing of such fields. The fact alone that in the Netherlands the trial of a murderer can take over four years proves the irrationality and the injustice of the system.

According to the laws of Allah such a trial should be short and forceful. In a case of murder witnessed by two men and four women, the perpetrator must be killed. If so inclined, he can be hung from a crane. And if the state decides not to prosecute, the victim's family members have the right to claim the life of the assassin.

An unfaithful spouse may be simply stoned to death. If they'd only do that in Europe, women wouldn't roam the streets half naked and act like harlots. And philosophy? What has Martin Heidegger taught me? The fundamental question of the meaning of life is an error. In reality the vital question is the meaning of death and life after death. I am so shamed! Please, judge me!

I'd learnt of course that the Prophet had warned us against Jews. Even the good ones, the ones with the other voice, had warned me. But I befriended them anyway. No,  this is really too serious to reiterate. I must be punished. Please, judge me!

Although I knew that the Western media are the enemies of Islam and the Islamic state, I started collaborating with them. Elsevier, a Dutch newspaper, The Wall Street Journal and Der Spiegel are all in the enemy tank. The Editors work for the intelligence services. They are executing the Zionist plan against Islamic Iran. Shame! Please, judge me. I deserve the severest punishment. No need to pray for me.

The camera was switched off. I asked the interrogator: "Was that okay?" "Almost, we have to do it again, because I want you to talk with a western accent. And this confession comes across as far too romantic: say you worked at NATO. The audience needs to hate you. Cut the crap about the Left. Everyone was Leftist at the time, I was. You have to prove you're a spy", said the nice inquisitor. Another brother said: "Mention the names of the Editors-in-Chief".

"But I forgot", I exclaimed at once. "No problem", exclaimed Saied Mortazawi, the Officer of Justice at the Revolutionary Court of Tehran. "You'll remember fast enough after fifty lashes". The lights went out.

- Filed on Articles in "Ellian Blogs" -