Vesta, The Roman Goddess of Heart and Fire Essay Example for Free

Vesta, The Roman Goddess of Heart and Fire Essay Vesta is the Goddess of Heart and Fire. Being one of the most popular gods/goddesses of Ancient Rome, she symbolizes â€Å"the continuity of the life of the State† (Johnston, par. 488). Being a people of deep religious feeling (Hamilton 45), the ancient Romans embraced gods and goddesses like Vesta into their everyday lives, as they gained in statute and dignity before the eyes of gods and men. Every ancient Roman family has the personification of Vesta in their home, as she is one of the family’s own gods and goddesses. Vesta is among the gods/goddesses who were â€Å"never worshipped in temples, but only in the home, where some of the food at each meal was offered to them† (Hamilton 45). For this reason, Vesta appears to be one of the most lived gods and goddesses of Rome, protecting the heart of the family in order to gain stability, prestige, and dignity. This paper revolves around Vesta, the Roman Goddess of Heart and Fire, and how the Vestal Virgins appear and relate to the ancient Roman state. After examining the dense issue of how Vesta and the Vestal Virgins appear and relate to the people, it shall be proposed that the appointing of Vestal Virgins do not indicate Ancient Rome’s affinity or high respect with the females in general. Instead, it proposes that females can have an opportunity of having the highest honor within the community if she is true to her duties and her chastity. This proposition is supported by the idea that: first, Vestal Virgins carry one of the heaviest responsibilities associated with their social position, and if they are true to it, then they get one of the highest honors; second, Vestal Virgins carry one of the heaviest sacrifices associated with their social position, and if they are true to it, then they get one of the highest honors; third, Vestal Virgins carry one of the heaviest punishments associated with their social position, but if they are true to it, then they get one of the highest honors. Main Text Vestal Virgins Carry One of the Heaviest Responsibilities Vestal Virgins were associated to possess strong spirits and powers in the ancient state of Rome. As priestess of the goddess Vesta, they carry one of the heaviest responsibilities, as they keep the ‘sacred fire’ in the altar aflame and lingering. As stated in the recent page, this act symbolizes â€Å"the continuity of life of the State† (Johnston, par. 488), and this makes it very necessary for the state and the village. Having to protect the ‘home fires’ of the people, Vestal Virgins keep homes stable and flourishing as well, as daughters of the households assist them in tending fires, and then gain stability and permanence. In the process, the virgins would have to be of noble origin. The College of the Vestal Virgins is composed of 18 members, with 6 members working at a time (Fowler, par. 3). Originally, only the upper class blood were traditionally allowed to be included in the college, but later on, it was approved that daughters of patriarchs and freedman were allowed to join the college (Fowler, par. 3). Handpicking physically ideal girls who were 6-10 years of age and had two living parents (Fowler, par. 3), they were sworn to celibacy to serve the first ten years of their Vestal life learning priesthood, the next ten years applying what they learned of priesthood, and the last ten years of priesthood teaching to the new Vestal Virgins what they have learned. Vesta and her Vestal Virgins carry the crucial role of keeping the family and state intact and thriving, though in a metaphorical way. Vestal Virgins Carry One of the Heaviest Sacrifices Vestal Virgins carry one of the heaviest sacrifices in the ancient state of Rome, as they lived their whole lives in total celibacy, chastity and purity. At the end of their term—which is exactly 30 years—these women were allowed to get married. However, as stated by Fowler (2006), â€Å"[m]any retired Vestals decided against marriage† (par. 4). This is because, according to the Roman tradition, wives were supposed to be under the dominion of their husbands. Having to live almost all of their lives getting prime seats in Roman theaters, attending luxurious dinners and parties, or having the permission to vote†¦ being under the power of a man would be very difficult; thus, they spend the rest of their lives being single. Another significant responsibility of Vestal Virgins appears during the celebration of Vesta—the feast called ‘Vestalia’, which is an â€Å"annual ritual in honor of their patron goddess, Vesta† (Fowler, par. 6). As stated by Fowler (2006), every June 7-15 of the year†¦ â€Å"[T]he doors of the Temple of Vesta opened to the mothers of the families of Rome who brought offerings of food to the goddess. The Virgins also prepared special food offerings at this time. This occasion was the only time of year that the doors of the temple were opened to the public. † (par. 6) In vowing for a powerful position for women in the Ancient Rome, such as being a Vestal Virgin, the religious and political rank carried with it heavy sacrifices and forfeits. Vestal Virgins Carry One of the Heaviest Punishments Lastly, Vestal Virgins carry one of the heaviest punishments in Ancient Rome. Aside from the forfeit and sacrifices that were mentioned above, the virgins carry a chastisement if they failed to comply with their responsibilities in keeping the fire of the family and state aflame. This spells death and disaster when the member breaks the vow of celibacy, with the execution being given by means of the following strategies: first, by being buried alive; second, by being thrown into the Tibet River; third, by being publicly whipped (Fowler, par. 5). Aside from her failure to keep her celibacy and chastity, another grave destruction for a Vestal Virgin is when she fails to keep the ceremonial fire inside the Temple of Vesta. It is, indeed, an appealing way of life, as dictated by Fowler (2006, par. 4)†¦ but the responsibilities are grave and the punishments are nothing but life threatening. Conclusion Vesta and her Vestal Virgins relates and serves to the families and state of Rome by doing the following: first, by keeping the sacred fire aflame and burning; second, by keeping the home fires stable and flourishing; third, by sacrificing to a life of chastity and celibacy; fourth and final, by keeping the feast of Vestalia alive within the state. However, as the life of Vestal Virgins reflect one that is full of responsibilities, sacrifices, and punishments†¦ it is evident that the appointing of Vestal Virgins does not indicate Ancient Rome’s affinity or high respect with the females in general. Instead, it proposes that females were given the chance to live a life that only the males were given privilege in the ancient world. If she remains true to her word, her chastity, and her responsibility, then she gains all the respect, dignity and power that only a few citizens were able to obtain. It is true that ancient women of Rome were more privileged in 700 B. C. , but still, life and existence are always at stake. It was 37 years after the founding of Rome that Romulus—one of its founders—was said to have disappeared in a thunderstorm (Bingley, par. 1). Having no king, Numa Pompilius was elected as king of the state, who then appointed priests, pontifices, flamines, the Salii†¦ and the Vestal Virgins who, since then, took charge of fire and water (Dio 3). Bibliography: Bingley. â€Å"Numa Pompilius. † 4 March 2004.Suite101. com. 13 May 2007 http://www. suite101. com/article. cfm/ancient_biographies/106541. Brelich, Angelo. â€Å"Vesta. † The Journal of Roman Studies 40. 12 (1992): 150-151. Burriss, Eli Edward. Taboo, Magic, Spirits: A Study of Primitive Elements in Roman Religion. New York, NY: Macmillan, 1931. Dio, Cassius. â€Å"Fragments of Book I. † Roman History. Cambridge, Massachusetts: Loeb Classical Library, 1914. Exovedate. com. â€Å"Timeline: Ancient Rome. † N. d. 13 May 2007 http://www. exovedate. com/ancient_timeline_one. html. Fowler, Robin. â€Å"Vestal Virgins of Rome: Privileged Keepers of Rome’s Home Fires. † Ancient History. 7 May 2006. Suit101. com. 13 May 2007 http://ancienthistory. suite101. com/article. cfm/vestalvirginsrome. Hamilton, Edith. â€Å"Part 1: The Gods, the Creation, and the Earliest Heroes. † Mythology: Timeless Tales of Gods and Heroes. Boston, New York: Warner Books, 1942. Johnston, Harold Whetstone. â€Å"Chapter 15: The Roman Religion. † The Private Life of the Romans. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Scott, Foresman and Company, 1932.

Book VIII of John Miltons Paradise Lost Essay -- VIII Milton Paradise

Book VIII of John Milton's Paradise Lost As Book VIII of John Milton’s Paradise Lost begins, the â€Å"new-waked† human Adam ponders the nature of the universe and the motion of the stars (ll. 4-38). When Adam has finished his speech, Milton takes the opportunity to describe Eve, who is listening nearby. We find Eve reclining in the Garden, but with grace, not laziness: â€Å"she sat retired in sight,/With lowliness majestic from her seat† (41-42). This â€Å"lowliness majestic† is the central phrase to understanding Eve’s character—she is both humble and glorious. Everything that beholds her is captivated by her â€Å"grace that won who saw to wish her stay† (43). Even in this paradise, every other beautiful creation is drawn to Eve. She walks among the â€Å"fruits and flow’rs,† and they all light up in her presence (44-47). In line 44, Milton replaces â€Å"the† with â€Å"her† to describe these fruits and flowers, indicating that they be long to her--she is like a mother to all things that â€Å"bud and bloom† (45). He even uses the term â€Å"her nursery† to describe Eve’s relationship with the Garden, signifying that Eve nurses the growing things like she would her children (46). As their mother arrives, the plants all perk up: â€Å"they at her coming sprung/And touched by her fair tendance gladlier grew† (46-47). Eve is beyond beautiful—not only does all creation adore and marvel at her, in her presence, each created thing is renewed. Her glory is found in her outward appearance and her ability to bring things to life, while her humility is in her character. Contrast Eve to the witch-queen Jadis in C.S. Lewis’ Chronicles of Narnia. Both are exceptionally beautiful and possess a sort of magic—Eve to bring things to life and Jadis to destroy them. However,... ...e in the relationship. Certainly Adam could speak wisdom to the animals in the Garden, but he speaks to Eve because she is his equal. She is the one to whom Adam prefers to relate his thoughts, simply because he is enchanted by her. In a sense, she is his â€Å"only listener†Ã¢â‚¬â€the only listener for him. Eve has the choice of how she will receive wisdom, but â€Å"Her husband the relater she preferred/Before the angel, and of him to ask/Chose rather† (52-54). Not only does Adam choose Eve to relate his thoughts to, but she chooses him to relate wisdom to her. Though there are only two humans in Paradise, Milton presents the relationship of Adam and Eve as one of choice. Both partners could get what they need from other sources, but they choose to receive wisdom and respect from one another instead. The fulfillment of their needs is more enjoyable in the context of love.

What is Substance Abuse Counseling

I am just starting to learn about the dynamics of substance abuse counseling. At this point, early on in my learning, I understand it to be a practice of advocacy to assist those persons with various levels of addiction in relation to drugs, alcohol and chemical dependency to a road of recovery. Substance abuse counseling identifies he source of the addiction through assessments and screening tools and offers solutions to the client.A substance abuse counselor's duty is to offer autonomy by giving advice and resources that will assist in getting clean, not to convince or to persuade them on which route to take in the road to recovery. Substance abuse counseling offers many levels of resources for recovery, in relations to addictions and illnesses that derive from or caused by the addiction, analyzing psycho and mental health, and referring them to appropriate professionals that can assist them tit the recovery process and helping them to understand how to get better.WHEN: Substance a buse counseling would be appropriate when a client indicates a need to recover from an addition or dependency. The counselor determines what course of action to take through a series of assessments and screening instruments. Counseling would be ideal as well for persons that are court-ordered to attend counseling. At this point, the courts have determined there Is an addiction or dependency issue that was derived from satellites that took place with the client prior to appointing this treatment.Counseling Is needed when a client asks for resources In relation to addiction recovery and other crawls that derive from addiction or dependency, such as family Issues, health Issues and challenges that affect the client's quality of life that were directly or Indirectly stemmed from the challenges of their addiction or dependency. A counselor would counsel because they have a desire to assist a client to recover from their addiction. My interest in assisting those with challenges of addicti on drives me to work hard to find solutions that will aid the client in recovery.Counseling is used as a tool of advocacy for clients that are in the recovery process. It has been a very effective avenue of treatment and is used because it helps to not only identify the source of the problem, but also how to recover from the problem, also to address the various areas that are connected to the root problem which is addiction. Counseling is beneficial, because of its wide scope that targets all areas of the clients problems. The referral service that counselors provide not only helps the problem, but also the other problems that derive from the core reason the client s there, which is the addiction or dependency.I'm sure there are things in this essay that may not be 100% correct when it comes down to the dynamics of counseling and â€Å"What it is†, â€Å"When we counsel† and â€Å"Why we counsel†. I believe I only have the minimal understanding of what substance abuse counseling is, but I am very determined to learn more and become fluent in its language, its debt of resources and how to effectively counsel someone. My goal is to be that bridge for someone that is addicted or dependent to a person that is completely recovered.I have high interest in this field because I have a desire to make a difference. I understand that I must continuously educate myself with knowledge in the field so that I can be the most effective resource for the client. I am learning that Counselors use a lot of tests, assessments and screening tools to determine the best course of action for the client. I think the most challenging portion of learning how to counsel is remembering what tool applies to what situation. I am sure as time progresses and I learn more about counseling and the dynamics of counseling, it will become more familiar.

Iranian Holocaust Denial - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 7 Words: 2143 Downloads: 7 Date added: 2019/04/26 Category History Essay Level High school Tags: Holocaust Essay Did you like this example? Phillips, Iran’s International Holocaust Cartoon Contest epitomizes the country’s trend of Holocaust denial and delegitimization of Iranian Jewry. Founded on nationalistic and anti-Zionist notions, the modern state of Iran has maintained antisemitism since its post-Holocaust conception. Ayatollah Khomeini, founder of The Islamic Republic of Iran, asserts that Jews are surrogates of Western imperialism, at fault for displacing Palestinian Muslims . Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "Iranian Holocaust Denial" essay for you Create order Another ?Shiite 1 religious leader ?Ayatollah Ali Khamenei commented in his official 2014 Nowruz address, â€Å"the Holocaust is an event whose reality is uncertain and if it has happened, it’s uncertain how it has happened.† Iran’s International Holocaust Cartoon Contest serves as a hallmark of antisemitism 2 and Holocaust denial in Iran and has vast implications for present-day Iranian Jews. Following the Holocaust, the former Persian Empire which had been a safe-space for Jews rapidly turned to antisemitism and persecution of its Jewish citizens, the new Islamic Republic of Iran making public its anti-Zionist and anti-Jewish views. Persian Government during the Holocaust: Seeds for Modern Antisemitism The Persian government’s role during the Holocaust was integral in modern Iran’s turn towards antisemitism. The present-day Iranian government actively retains information about the Holocaust from its people, including Persian history during World War II, despite its devastating consequences. The modern government intentionally spreads false information in order to bolster Holocaust denial. On International Holocaust Remembrance Day 2016, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei released a video titled â€Å"Holocaust: Are the Dark Ages Over? on his website, questioning the Nazi mass slaughter of more than six million Jews during World War II. He commented, No one in European countries dares to speak about the Holocaust, while it is not clear whether the core of this matter is clear or not. Even if it is a reality, it is not clear how it happened. Speaking about the Holocaust and expressing doubts about it is conside red to be a great sin. If someone does this, they stop, arrest, imprison, and sue him. This is while they claim to be the supporters of freedom. This is the ignorance that exists in today’s world. The modern government’s overt denial of the Holocaust takes its roots in Persian involvement during World War II and creates a milieu for antisemitism to flourish within the country itself. Before the Holocaust, Persian Jews held religious autonomy, economic opportunities, and significant political rights, the government even pronouncing that Persian Jews were to be 5 viewed as fully assimilated Persian citizens. Although Nazi ideology insisted on racial inferiority of the inhabitants of the Middle East and directly targeted the Persian people, Reza Shah leaned 6 in sympathy towards Germany because of the country’s lack of interference with Persian legislature in the past. German and Persian governments bolstered one another and by 1940–41, 7 nearly half of all Iranian imports came from Germany and 42% of all Iranian exports went to Germany. Nazi ideology and antisemitism caused Persian upset. Germany worked to spread the view that 9 Hitler could be seen as the Shiite Messiah, sent from God to destroy the Jews and Communists. 10 Hitler was compared to the Prophet Mohammed, Persian propagandists portraying Prophet Mohammed’s clashes with Jewish tribes to Persian and German hostilities toward Great Britain and the Soviet Union. Occupied by Great Britain, Persia struggled to maintain its land-holdings and legislature. Following the 1942 Tripartite Treaty of Alliance between Persia, the Soviet Union, and Great Britain the latter two promised to withdraw from Persian territory within six months of the end of the war. Persian then effectively withdrew its support of the Axis Powers. Iran’s declaration of 12 war on Germany in 1943 ended with instability within the Iranian sociopolitical economy, Persians blaming their suffering on the ‘reason’ for the war in the first place: the Jews. Modern Iranian A ntisemitism and the International Holocaust Cartoon Contest In the modern Middle East, antisemitism has acquired social acceptability under the guise of historical between Muslims and Jews. Because the Islamic Republic of Iran contains the 13 largest Jewish community in the Middle East outside of Israel, its government and local citizenry both claim that it could not be anti semitic, while simultaneously administering blatantly antisemetic legislation and fostering a largely anti-Jewish milieu. 14 The modern Iranian Government plays a crucial role in media distortion and Holocaust Denial. Leaders from Ali Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, who opened an Iranian Al?Quds Day rally dismissing the fact that six million Jews died during World War II as â€Å"Zionist propaganda† , to 15 Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who met with French Holocaust denier Roger Garaudy, author of â€Å"The Founding Myths ? of Modern Israel† in which he details â€Å"the myth of the six million† Jewish 16 victims , the roots of Iranian antisemitism stem from its government. Changes within Iranian 17 political or religious administration have not significantly affected antisemetic views or distortion of the Holocaust by the state, but rather Holocaust denial has been a constant thread throughout modern Iranian history. The Holocaust cartoon competitions are a crucial piece of religious propaganda directly overseen by Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. In 2006, an Iranian government-aligned newspaper Hamshahri? sponsored The International Holocaust Cartoon Contest, which announced its intent to analyze â€Å"Western hypocrisy on freedom of speech.† Although publicly portrayed as a 18 reaction to Western cartoons of the Prophet Mohammed, the contest worked to scaffold anti-Zionist agendas and was intended both to inflate Holocaust denial and to condemn and deny legitimacy to Israel. ?Hamshahri?, a propaganda-?oriented institution financed by the city of Tehran, received almost one thousand, one hundred and ninety-three submissions from more 19 sixty countries around the world. 20 Social representations of Jews and Israel are constructed around denying the Holocaust and framing â€Å"Nazi-Zionist Ideology.† The contest’s anti-Semitic overtones present a one-sided 21 version of the Israe li-Palestinian conflict and of Jewish history, and has the potential to implicate negative views of Jews in Iran. In support of the contest, Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif asserted that there exist some Holocaust deniers who do not harbor â€Å"racial hatred,† and 22 that the displaying of Holocaust-denying cartoons does not necessarily concern execration towards the Jews. In 2016, Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif asserted that the Iranian Government did not endorse the 2006 contest and that no governmental permission was necessary in order to have held it, aiming to separate the religious and legislative institutions from its antisemitism. 23 However, the Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance later released a statement that it bolsters any event or program that serves to â€Å"enlighten people about the Holocaust,† implying its 24 affiliation with the contest. The same year, another exhibition opened in Islamic Propaganda Organization in Tehran, featuring one hundred and fifty cartoons from the 11th Tehran International Cartoon Biennial. Despite some Iranian cartoonists denouncing the 2006 and 2016 exhibitions as propaganda tactics, Iranian groups and civilians have been silent as a whole. 25 Although the contest spokesperson claimed that the objective of the contest was to criticize â€Å"inconsistent freedom of expression† in c ountries that support Zionism† , the purpose 26 of these contests was to deny Holocaust and bolster antisemitism operating under direct orders of Supreme Leader Khamenei. In charge of arranging the 2016 competition, Masoud Shojayee Tabatabayee insisted that the goal of the competition was â€Å" not to confirm or to deny the Holocaust† despite stating the reason for the 2006 competition was â€Å"to show that the Holocaust is a big lie for the occupation of Palestine.† The submitted cartoons themselves fall into six 27 distinct categories (see descriptions of cartoon winners in appendix): Fabricating a present-day Holocaust committed by Israel Portraying Zionism as comparable to Nazism Claiming Israel appropriates the Holocaust to justify killing Palestinians Depicting the Holocaust as a myth to legitimize the founding of Israel Representing the Holocaust as a myth in general Rendering that the West fabricates ideas of freedom of speech These cartoons serve as propaganda, intentionally portraying overt hate-speech as fact. Depictions of Jews and Israel in the muslim World has been constructed, according to Joel Kotek, over centuries as â€Å"antisemyths,† which he defines as myths constructing a false â€Å"evil† nature of Jews. 30 This propaganda is permanently institutionalized in the Islamic Republic of Iran because it serves many sociopolitical functions. Firstly, it helps to unite citizens in hatred towards a specific group of people instead of mobilizing against unpopular Iranian leaders. Secondly, the Iranian Constitution itself allows for distortion of media. Its preamble and article 175 justify, The mass ? communication media, radio, and television must serve the diffusion of Islamic culture in pursuit of the evolutionary course of the Islamic Revolution†¦ the appointment and dismissal of the head of the Radio and Television of the Islamic Republic of Iran rests with the Leader. This allows for indoctrination of government-run radio, television, and press, allowing for propaganda to permeate Iranian media. Cartoons as propaganda allow the government to avoid responsibility while also permitting manipulation of a medium used to exaggerate reality. In his piece ?Israel in the Iranian Media: Demonizing the ‘Zionist Regime’?, Rusi Jaspal describes â€Å"Social Representations Theory† in specific relation to understanding social thinking, communication and behaviour 32 surrounding Jews and the Holocaust in Iran. In general, social representations can be described as views or practices regarding a given object, creating a common reality within a society. Furthermore, he argues that delegitimizing social representations of Jews in Iranian media create a negative social â€Å"reality,† further cultivating Iranian antisemitism. The cartoons of the International Holocaust Cartoon Contests intentionally manipulate 33 popular social representa tions of Jews in Iran to exacerbate pre-existing antisemitic views. For 34 example, Tallil Abdellatif draws a smiling Jew drawing the blue lines of a concentration camp uniform. Another cartoon by Ebrahim Azad illustrates a line of Palestinians walking into an 35 incinerator, depicted as a head wearing a large hat with a Star of David . These cartoons portray 36 the Holocaust as a fabricated event, attempting to legitimize the Holocaust as a hoax. 37 Additionally, the frequent depiction of Jews as Nazis and of Zionism as comparable with Nazi ideology stem from the false believed of an international conspiracy to the construct the â€Å"Holocaust myth.† Even cartoons which do depict the Holocaust as a reality illustrate it as a 38 tool for â€Å"Zionist for evil and aggressive purposes, which is consistent with the threat representation.† The fuel for these representations comes from an already prevalent social 39 representation of Jews as falsifying their suffering. De spite the fact that some of the cartoonists are not Iranian, submitting their works to a government-funded contest fuels the Iranian ideological discourse surrounding Jews and the Holocaust. The Islamic Republic of Iran’s endorsement of the contest, scaffolded by its ability to partake in propaganda efforts, created the perceived need to publicize antisemitic â€Å"views† internationally. This goal was met through international participation, publicity, and dissemination of cartoons. Iran after The International Holocaust Cartoon Contest Iran continues to be an international cite for Holocaust deniers and antisemites. A conference held to discuss the legitimacy of the Holocaust was sponsored by the Iranian government, the head of the Iranian Foreign Ministry’s Institute for Political and International Studies Rasoul Mousavi beginning the conference by praising the â€Å"opportunity for scholars to discuss the subject away from Western taboos and the restriction imposed on them [Holocaust deniers] in Europe.† Among the conference’s attendees were David Duke, white-supremacist 40 and former Ku Klux Klan leader, and Georges Thiel, a French writer who has been prosecuted in France over his denials of the Holocaust. Bendikt Frings, a German psychologist, commented 41 on the conference, â€Å"we are forbidden to have such a conference in Germany†¦ All my childhood, we waited for something like this.† Displayed on the walls within the co nference were photos 42 of dead camp prisoners, with captions asserting that the victims died of typhus. ?Following the conference, Ladan Boroumand, an Iranian exile, discussed Iranian denial with Daniel Greene of the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. She says, What totalitarian regimes do is to—and this is what makes them extremely devastating—is they look at you and say, You are not. Or, You are something else. Or, This event didnt exist. This power, that is only Gods power. If a regime, or some people, think they are God, they can have the right to make you animals or human. They can create you or kill you. And this is unbearable. So the only thing you can do—and the most subversive thing you can do—is to tell the truth. This is devastating because each time you come back with the truth, you deny their prerogative of creating a fictitious world where they can say whatever they want. Boroumand describes Holocaust denial both as a foundation of neo-Nazi culture and intrinsic in the Iranian totalitarian regime. In their book ?Iranian Jews, ?Hasan Sarbakhshian and Parvaneh Vahidmanesh detail current Iranian antisemitism, documenting legislative discrimination, rhetoric, and a vastly diminishing Jewish population. Following ignored submissions of their report, the Culture Minister accused Sarbakhshian and Vahidmanesh of pro-Israel propaganda. They accused Vahidmanesh of converting to Judaism a capital crime under Islamic law and revoked their press passes.