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The Greening of Islam

(New Republic) Abbas Milani - The Iranian Green Movement is a revolt against theocracy. Most of its adherents are young Iranians with little or no religious motivation. To varying degrees, thinkers and theologians identified with the democratic movement have been offering a new reading of Shiism that makes the faith more amenable to democracy and secularism. The most significant innovation - found in essays, sermons, books, and even fatwas - is the acceptance of the separation of mosque and state, the idea that religion must be limited to the private domain. The writer is Director of Iranian Studies at Stanford, where he is the co-director of the Iran Democracy Project.
2010-01-15 08:26:00
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