RNA – Ayatollah Sayyed Yousef Tabatabaeinejad, the representative of the Friday prayer leader in Esfahan province, met with the recently appointed Primate of the Vicar of Jazirah, Supreme Archimandrite Sipan Kechijian, the representative of the bishop and the religious leader of Armenian Apostolic Christians in Esfahan and Southern Iran.
The Shi’ah cleric noted the good relations between various religious groups, including Christians, in Iran and said that these good relations and the peaceful coexistence of religions provides fertile ground for research on religion.
He referred to the November 8th election in the United States and the disclosures made by the candidates, Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump, about the performance of each candidate and added that these individuals want to be leaders of the whole world, while they’re caught up in corruption and obscene acts in this unjust country. “Christianity is being manipulated by the leaders of the West,” he added.
Referring to the respect toward the Prophet Jesus and Mary in the Holy Quran, Ayatollah Tabatabaeinejad added that it’s unfortunate that these people say that they’re Christians because Christianity is religion is a religion of love.
“They don’t know that the Prophet Jesus abandoned worldly desires and even abandoned those acts that were allowed for him such as married because he saw that most of the people had been caught up in worldly and sensual matters,” he said.
He stressed that such individuals have no religion and don’t believe in God or any prophet and are traitors to Christianity and stressed that it’s necessary to explain this issue to the people and the international community.
Ayatollah Tabatabaeinejad added, “Unfortunately, we see that some Muslims also act in this manner. They say ‘we are Muslims’ but don’t practice Islam.”
During the meeting, Fr. Kechijian conveyed special greetings from Aram I, the Catholicosate of the Great House of Cilicia.
Father Kechijian added that if the officials of other countries thought like the leaders of Iran countries like to do, certainly the world would full of peace and tranquility.
The Christian cleric also expressed surprise at the statements made by Trump and Clinton in the lead up to the American election and expressed regret that they are considered Christians and said, “These individuals speak in the name of Christianity but don’t know the true Christianity. We pray that their evil plots fail and we ask God to give them wisdom to know how to walk in God’s way.”
He also called scholars the role-models of society and individuals who deliver the good news to the people who demonstrate logical thinking.
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