Iran in Thirst for Truth and Freedom
As Iran's Islamic dictatorship and social, political and economic unstable situation, many Iranians began to oppose the current regime and cry for freedom and justice, Relgion Journal reported on 29.
Many Iranians oppose the hard-line clerics who control the judiciary, the police and the unelected bodies that hold ultimate power. Also they are disappointed with their president Mohammad Khatami's unstable and failing reforms in social, political and economic fields.
In addition, many university students demonstrate in the steets for legitimacy of Iran's regime. During the demonstrations , many students were beaten by impeding police and militants, who support Iran's hard-line supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
Get Our Latest News for FREE
"Today we're sitting on a keg of gunpowder. Anyone who want to play with this fire will be burned," said Saeed Razavi Faqih, one of the student leaders.
Sammy Tippit, a famous evangelist described this situation as the "Iran's desire for freedom, ready to explode."
"Iranians are anxious and thirst for freedom. This is unlike from any other Muslim country in the world," he told Religion Journal. He said he's not politically involved but is concerned about these Iranians.
An Iranian-American pastor said "the greatest evangelist in Iran was Ayatollah Khomeini. This is the person who showed people what Islam really is," and "Khomeini, the late revolutionary partriac, put a bad taste in the general population for Islam and people are searching for answers."
Lee De Young, of the Christian ministry Words of Hope told Mission Network News, "If Khomeini's revolution is undone or discredited by the people's will, then the psychological repercussions throughout the Islamic world will be enormous."
Tippit began his ministry in Iran in 1998 when he joined 10 Christians who walked around Tehran, Esfahan and other Iranian cities with prayer for the country.
He said Iranians have many satellite dishes which is illegal to possess. "This means that people are thirsty for information from outside. Because it is illegal to have them, people use them only at night."
Tippit also asked Iranian-American pastors in US to help missions by using media. Therefore Tippit's four books were translated into Farsi and distributed to Christians in Iran. Also he made training sessions for church leaders of Iran.
Moreover, after he was impressed by the Iranians' anxiety toward information, he started broadcasting Christian programs by satellite into Iran.
Channel One, a Persian language satellite television station in LA, became popular in Iran. The New York Times said it broadcasted for 24 hours about the recent protests held in Tehran.
Tippit assessed this eagerness for freedom and justice as a precious mind which can be turned to the hearts anxious for the truth.
"There's a hunger for truth and freedom. We believe Christianity can offer both of them," he said.
In fact, Chrisitianity is growing fast in Iran. Many believers gather underground. "As a result of the rapid growth of churches now, Christians need more leaders to keep the churches go on."
"It is very important that Christians in the world should help these people so that there would be a mighty spiritual awakening in Iran," Tippit emphasized.
