A Prisoner of Tehran Looks Forward a Prisoner Of
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Spring 2013 | Volume 23 | Number 2 Religion Inside this issue Yuengert But What if They’re All Republicans? • Deavel Sentimental Hearts and Invisible Hands • Gregg A Catholic Revolutionary • Liberty Liberal Tradition Margaret Thatcher • Sirico & Creative Destruction A Prisoner of Tehran Looks Forward An Interview with Marina Nemat A Journal of Religion, Economics, and Culture Editor’s Note turmoil and change we are seeing in the Declaration of Independence. the Middle East. The “In the Liberal Tradition” figure is Andrew Yuengert offers the feature Margaret Thatcher (1925 – 2013). piece “But What if They’re All Repub- Thatcher is one of the leading conser- licans?” He argues that a politicized vative political figures of the 20th Catholic episcopacy damages the century. Acton awarded Thatcher the Catholic Church’s social witness. “The Faith & Freedom Award in 2011. She question at issue here is not whether I was interviewed by R&L in 1992. agree with the political stands of the I don’t normally mention “Double- Bishops (I sometimes agree with, and Edged Sword” in the editor’s notes, sometimes reject, their specific policy For many Americans, the iconic images but at a time where many would proposals), but whether they should of the Islamic Revolution in Iran in agree that there is a level of spiritual be acting on behalf of the Church in 1979 are forever etched in the mind. erosion in the West, I felt it appropri- these specific ways,” says Yuengert. The hostage crisis where 52 Ameri- ate. The Scripture selected from Ephe- cans were held in captivity for 444 David Paul Deavel reviews a new sians (3:7-11) might be one of the days in Iran dominated American book by James Otteson on Adam most beautiful passages ever written media and politics. Less known is the Smith. Otteson’s work is part of the by the Apostle Paul. His missionary imprisonment and suffering of thou- Bloomsbury series “Major Conserva- work was responsible for carrying the sands of Iranians. Marina Nemat was tive and Libertarian Thinkers.” Deavel Christian faith to the Western world. arrested at age 16 and spent two years points out that this book strikes a The message transformed societies, as a political prisoner in Tehran. blow against many of the ideological culture, and kingdoms, changing the Nemat was tortured and came very misconceptions surrounding Smith. heart of men and the trajectory of the close to being executed by the regime. West. It is always good to return to This issue offers an excerpt from Samuel Her memoir of her life in Iran, Prisoner our roots and the foundation of our Gregg’s Tea Party Catholic, which is de- of Tehran, was published in 2007 and work to understand who we are as servingly receiving a lot of attention. is an international bestseller. She was God’s people. a keynote speaker at Acton University The article focuses on Charles Carroll of in 2013. In her interview, she pro- Carrolton and his commitment to liberty. vides insight and clarity regarding the Carroll was the only Catholic signer of Editorial Board Contents Publisher: Rev. Robert A. Sirico A Prisoner of Tehran Looks Forward: Executive Editor: John Couretas Interview with Marina Nemat .............................................. 3 Managing Editor: Ray Nothstine But What if They’re All Republicans? Graphics Editor: Peter Ho Andrew Yuengert ............................................................. 4 The Acton Institute for the Study of Religion and Liberty promotes a free Sentimental Hearts and Invisible Hands: society characterized by individual liberty and sustained by religious principles. David Deavel ...................................................................... 8 Letters and requests should be directed to: Religion & Liberty; Acton Institute; 98 E. Fulton Street, Grand Rapids, MI 49503. For archived issues or to A Catholic Revolutionary: subscribe, please visit www.acton.org/publicat/randl. Samuel Gregg .................................................................. 10 The views of the authors expressed in Religion & Liberty are not necessarily those of the Acton Institute. Acton FAQ ......................................................................... 11 © 2013 Acton Institute for the Study of Religion and Liberty. In the Liberal Tradition: Margaret Thatcher .................. 14 Cover Photo: IRAN-DEMO-KHOMEINY. Demonstrators hold a poster of Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, in January 1979, in Teheran, during a demonstration against the shah; Jan 1, 1979. Column: Rev. Robert A. Sirico .......................................... 15 Photographer: AFP/Stringer. Credit: AFP/Getty Images. © 2013 AFP 2 Religion& Liberty A Prisoner of Tehran Looks Forward An Interview with Marina Nemat Marina Nemat was born in 1965 in Tehran, ask Elie Wiesel if he was inspired, he allowed to get a job. You become quite Iran. After the Islamic Revolution of 1979, she might get upset. isolated and in the meantime your com- was arrested at the age of 16 and spent more munity, your family, they expect you to I wish I could be inspired to write a than two years in Evin, a political prison in be normal and you expect yourself to be book, but when some people write mem- Tehran, where she was tortured and came very normal because life goes on. oirs, they write because there has been close to execution. She came to Canada in 1991 - some serious trauma in their life. Serious and has called it home ever since. Prisoner of And that is the scenario you fit yourself trauma causes something that nowadays Grand Re Tehran is a memoir of her imprisonment and into, you pretend to be normal, you act is called “Post life in Iran and is an international bestseller. Traumatic Stress In 2007, Nemat received the inaugural Human Disorder.” PTSD, Dignity Award from the European Parliament, unlike what some and in 2008, she received the prestigious may think, is not Grinzane Prize in Italy. In 2008/2009, she was limited to soldiers an Aurea Fellow at University of Toronto’s who come home Massey College, where she wrote her second from war zones. book, After Tehran: A Life Reclaimed. When I was re- Nemat regularly speaks at high schools, univer- leased from prison sities, and conferences around the world and sits after two years, on the Board of Directors at CCVT (Canadian two months, and Centre for Victims of Torture) as well as on ad- 12 days of impris- Marina Nemat giving her keynote address titled, “Finding Christ in an visory boards at ACAT (Action by Christians for onment between Iranian Prison,” at this years Acton University. the Abolition of Torture). She delivered the the ages of 16 and keynote address at Acton University in 2013. 18, I was suffering from PTSD. normal, you behave normally for as long Photo of Photo of Nemat also teaches memoir writing, in Farsi as you can maintain that charade. I Post Traumatic Stress is basically a silent and in English, at the School of Continuing maintained it for many years until we killer and it is often worse when the so- Studies at University of Toronto. She was re- finally left Iran, went to Canada, landed ciety is not ready to recognize it, which cently interviewed by managing editor Ray in Toronto with $200 in our pockets and is often the case for non-soldiers. When Nothstine. when we got there, I had a child who you are put in prison because you were was ill. We had to get jobs. We had to ——————————————————— a danger to national security, it’s a differ- start making money. We had to take care ent story. So when I came out and my R&L: Marina, why did you write Prisoner of our family. My family was too busy family sat at the dinner table with me of Tehran, what really inspired you to write surviving and then in 2000, I brought and talked about the weather and the this account? my parents to Canada with me and they community and avoided what happened had avoided talking about the past. I at any cost, that had a deep impact. If Marina Nemat: I find when people ask avoided talking about the past. me what inspired me, it doesn’t speak to you’re walking down the street and my experience. J.K. Rowling was inspired these people don’t make eye contact In 2000, my mother became ill with can- to write Harry Potter or Jane Austen was with you, you’re not allowed to go to cer and I sat by her bedside and looked at inspired to write Pride and Prejudice. If you school, it has an impact. You’re not even her and I realized I didn’t know this continued on pg 12 SummerSpring 2013 2005 | |Volume Volume 23 15 | |Number Number 2 1 3 But What if They’re All Republicans? By Andrew Yuengert Bishop © luoman. Image from www.istockphoto.com Bishop © luoman. Image from “But what if they’re all Republicans?” my helps your side in some policy argument, discrete in their political advocacy – that Catholic friend exclaimed at the conclu- then you know exactly what I mean. their campaigns for specific policies erode sion of a brief exchange over the American their authority to teach the principles of Bishops’ recent initiatives in defense of Matters are not helped by the fact that the CSD, and reduce their effectiveness in religious freedom. The Bishops’ campaign U.S. Bishops actively advance a specific inspiring the faithful to change society was provoked by recent HHS regulations political agenda in Washington. On the for the better in line with that teaching. I which force Catholic institutions to violate day I am writing this (May 10) the Bish- cannot reject outright the obligation of Catholic moral teaching by offering con- ops’ website urges us to support House Bishops to take specific positions on po- traceptive and abortifacient coverage in Bill 4128 (“The Conflict Minerals Trade litical issues – to support or oppose bills employee health plans.