Political positioning behind religious appearances

Every government has four systems: political, cultural, economic, and social. These systems are closely intertwined. The political system provides space for the cultural system, and the cultural system, in turn, provides space for the political system. For over five hundred years, the cultural system in Iran was controlled by the clergy. They determined behaviors and customs—what was forbidden, permissible, disliked, and recommended—and their pronouncements were accepted by all. After the Islamic Revolution, a significant shift occurred. Despite initial opposition from Imam Khomeini, the clergy took a political stance, heavily intervening in shaping the new political landscape and setting behavioral and organizational standards. No administrative employee was permitted to shave their beard, wear jeans and short sleeves, and so on. Women were required to wear the hijab, the style prevalent in the 19th century, in government offices and institutions. Because people's livelihoods were tied to their outward behavior, hypocrisy became widespread, and the superficial aspects of character were exposed. A man might drink alcohol in a bar, rinse his mouth, and then enter the family circle. This time, under the Islamic regime, he drinks at home and washes his mouth to enter society undetected. Thus, corruption has moved from the outside to the inside of the home. This duplicitous situation has also caused children to suffer from intellectual and ideological disintegration, unable to distinguish right from wrong. This continues to this day. In other words, people are no longer who they appear to be. Most embezzlement has been, and continues to be, committed by this same visible group of charlatans. Attention should be focused on assigning responsibilities based on individuals' ability, experience, and commitment, not on charlatans with religious authority who have unfortunately added the term "loyalty" to this process. The removal of the clergy from the pillars of political power in Iran and their return to their original, established position is another necessity. There is no political, administrative, economic, military, or sporting sphere in the country without the presence of a large number of religious figures who, due to their lack of knowledge, have burdened the political, cultural, economic, and scientific systems without any tangible impact. This transformation was replicated in Iraq, and for two decades, political Islam (Sunni and Shiite) failed to govern the state. Hypocrisy and appearances were the most prominent features of this system in a country that hosts the largest religious celebrations and possesses dozens of religious channels, while it languishes under a thick shadow of corruption that is considered the highest in the world. A political class that is corrupt to the point of being cursed positions itself behind slogans, rituals, worship, and appearances. The relationship between religious appearances and politics has always been a dialectical one, and it has often transformed into a conciliatory relationship that leads to the achievement of personal and sectarian interests. It may also be an exploitative relationship in which politicians exploit religion and its figures to achieve their ambitions and goals and to pacify the people. It may also be a relationship of conflict and intersection between them, as has been the case throughout history.