Last week, my good friend George Watkinson, the vicar of St. Mark’s Church, asked me to share the story of my life, my conversion to Christianity, and the transformation that occurred within me at the church. Today, I wrote this story on my website and will also share it at the church.
I was born in Iran in an open-minded Muslim family. I loved reading books since I was a child. I especially liked historical and scientific books. Since I was a child, I worshiped God like a Muslim, but when I became a teenager, my view of Islam changed.
I started reading historical books about religions. And I read the history of the prophets. I found out what Muhammad did. What crimes did Muslims commit especially in Iran? You may have heard that Muhammad had more than 12 wives, one of whom was 6 years old and dozens of slave girls. Yes, you heard right! Islam is not against slavery.
Iranians were Zoroastrians before Islam. When Muslims invaded Iran 1400 years ago, they enslaved Iranian men and women. They used Iranian women as sex slaves.
If you remember what ISIS did to Syria and Iraq. They followed exactly the Islamic laws that were written in the Quran, the religious book of Muslims.
I was confused, I was still a teenager, but I knew that I hated Islam. I started researching about other religions. Finally, I decided to search for God in science. If we look at the creation of the world, if we look at a flower, if we look at the growth of a tree, and if we look at a human body, we can understand how kind and powerful God is.
I went to university and studied psychology, which I loved since I was a teenager. At that time, I concluded that to have a healthy lifestyle, I need principles that give meaning to my life. As a result, I implemented three principles of Zoroastrian belief in my life. Good thoughts, good words and good deeds.
Oh, I remembered this. I have been in love with technology since I was a teenager, and one of the things I did was programming, designing and developing websites.
After graduating from the university, I worked in the field of web and as a psychologist I was engaged in the treatment of mental disorders. After a couple of years, I became famous in Iran and was known as Mr. Psychologist because I started a psychology website called Mr. Psychologist.
It was two years ago that I met Mona and we lived together for two years, although we were not married, and this is very dangerous in Iran, because if the Iranian government finds out, you will be arrested and after being flogged, you will be sent to prison. As if we are in a thousand years ago!
My meeting with Mona was the best event of my life. I love her with all my heart and this love grows every day.
We decided together to get married and leave this country and finally, this decision happened and we came to England.
Church
I felt very lonely after immigrating, my language was weak because I had only started learning the language for two months and I had no friends here. One Sunday, I was bored and told Mona that I am going for a walk. She said that today is Sunday, and you can go to the church where you always wanted to see how it is.
I started walking and I remember listening to Frank Sinatra’s song, when I wanted to go back home, I heard the sound of the church bell, I came and took a look at the church board, and then I decided to come inside. Everyone greeted me with kindness and it was very pleasant for me. On that day, I also participated in the first church ceremony. I remember sitting next to Ruina.
The next week I asked Mona to come with me and that’s how we came to church every week.
Becoming a Christian
I always try to check everything with logic and science. I don’t accept anything simply. It was the same with becoming a Christian. I had many questions that I tried to find answers to, but the most complicated question for me was about sin and why so much emphasis is placed on human sinfulness in Christianity. I believed that when we are born we are not sinners at all and being sinners is a choice. The conversations I had with George and David did not lead me to reach a conclusion. As a result, I was not ready to become a Christian. On the other hand, I was afraid. I was born in an Islamic country. Islamic law says that anyone can become a Muslim, but no Muslim is allowed to convert. If a Muslim wants to change his religion, he should be executed as an apostate. Well, I was afraid to become a Christian and return to Iran, of course, I am still afraid.
But how did I find the answer to my questions and what happened that I became a Christian? I had a dream months ago and I couldn’t find a meaning for it. We interpret dreams in psychoanalysis, but it was difficult for me to interpret this dream.
I dreamed that three swords were hanging from an apple tree with white, red and black ropes. I woke up and I was scared so I texted George because I didn’t know who I could talk to.
At that time, I told George that I think there are two meanings for this dream. One is that in psychoanalysis the sword is a sign of power and sexual power, and the second is that three swords mean emotions, thoughts and behavior, and if someone has the power to control these three If he has it, he will be a strong and calm person
But what does this have to do with the story of my becoming a Christian? I was reading Genesis 3:23-24 which says:
So God drove the man out; and at the east of the Garden of Eden He [permanently] stationed the cherubim and the sword with the flashing blade which turned round and round [in every direction] to protect and guard the way (entrance, access) to the tree of life.
Genesis 3:23-24
After about two months, I remembered the three swords. At that moment, I came to believe that those three swords are symbols of Father, Son and Holy Spirit. and sin What about sin? This section is referring to the issue of sin. As I said, I believed that human beings are not born as sinners. But after reading this part, I remembered schizophrenia. Some mental disorders, such as schizophrenia, have genetic causes, which means that they can be passed on to the next generation. Sin is a behavior that can be learned and transferred. So we see that a person can be a sinner by default, but by choosing the right path, he can be forgiven.
After months of attending church as a Christian, I now share a few points with you. First, the church is a big family. You may not be blood relatives with the people you see at church, but these people form part of your family, and together you are a church. Without its members, a church is nothing more than a building. It is us who give it spirit and meaning. We must love each other as we love ourselves.
Being Christian is not just a label. Many people are born to Christian parents but are never Christians themselves. Being a Christian should be evident in our behavior and mindset. We must practice our faith in our actions.
Some believe that transformation only occurs once or twice in a person’s life, but I believe that transformation should happen daily for us, depending on our efforts. We must strive to be better each day than the previous one.