Understanding Islamic Religion and Culture

Islamic Religion and Culture
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Rick Steves, a travel guide and a renowned documentarist, through his 55 minutes long documentary, reveals some interesting facts about the culture-rich Iran, particularly the Persian culture and the Islamic religion that is highly intertwined. This paper outlines some of the important revelations that one may gain from the documentary regarding the Persian culture and the Islamic religion dominant in southwest Asia. These include the legislation of morality and segregation of women, the blending of politics and religion, and the culture-rich work of art.
One of the major striking differences between the Islamic State of Iran and the western culture is the country’s belief in morality. How values have been upheld in this country is on another level, to the extent of restricting some of the activities that some countries consider the fundamentals of democracy. According to Rick, the Islamic State of Iran has "legislated morality, such as no alcohol, no casual sex. As far as many parents are concern here, it is family values.” (10:47). The strong belief in morality probably fuels the heightened segregation of the female gender and even the imposing of a strict dress code on women while in public. Even in worship places or schools, males and females do not intermingle, and a public display of affection is not tolerated. The segregation can be as petty as the structuring of doorbells for the male and female gender. Despite recognizing that the segregation and restriction imposed on the female gender is unfair in the eye of the western people, the Persian people of Iran seem less bothered. They strongly believe in it as the basis of morality.
Politics ...