{"id":6287,"date":"2013-02-17T09:58:10","date_gmt":"2013-02-17T14:58:10","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/monkeymind\/?p=6287"},"modified":"2013-02-17T09:58:10","modified_gmt":"2013-02-17T14:58:10","slug":"protecting-iran-from-the-buddhists","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/monkeymind\/2013\/02\/protecting-iran-from-the-buddhists.html","title":{"rendered":"Protecting Iran from the Buddhists"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<\/head>

\"\"<\/a>
\nI see that Iran has officially banned the sale and, presumably, ownership of Buddha statues.<\/p>\n

People of the Book<\/a> and Zoroastrians have some sort of official protection, but not Buddhists. And, even though, I gather from the news stories<\/a>, these statues are mostly purchased as decorative items, they are no longer to be tolerated.<\/p>\n

Someone might become a Buddhist, I suspect they suspect.<\/p>\n

And heaven forfend\u2026<\/p>\n

Or, at least the religious authorities will\u2026<\/p>\n

I understand. They have to be careful, or people might notice there are all sorts of ways to wisdom.<\/p>\n

And who knows what would happen if people figure that out\u2026<\/p>\n