Ashamed to be Persian???Help!!?

Question

My cousin and I got into a big argument the other day because she told me that I was ashamed to be Persian. She said this because I never go to mosque and I don't speak Farsi.

But here's the story:

My grandparents on my mother's side were from Iran, but they imigrated to Guatemala and that's where my mother and my cousin's father were born. My grandma is Iranian Christian and my grandpa muslim. Then when my mom was like 15, they moved to the U.S. My cousin's dad married an afghan muslim and my mother married a guatemalan/dominican catholic. And my mother's family was really mad at her, and I actually didn't even meet them until I was like 12.

So I grew up only with my dad's side of the family because of that. And my mom didn't speak Farsi very well due to the fact that she was born in and grew up in Guatemala and there aren't any Persians there. So they talked to me only in Spanish and English while I was growing up, they didn't teach me Persian. Also, I grew up Catholic, because that's my dad's religion.

So anyway, now my cousin tells me that I'm ashamed, but I don't feel like I am because I just wasn't raised with the Persian traditions. And even though I don't consider myself muslim I still go to mosque sometimes.

So, I don't know. What do you guys think? Do you think I'm ashamed?

Answer 1

just tell her the situation like you laid it down to us. she sounds very ignorant she should listen to you.

Answer 2

plz don't ashamed on urself.

Answer 3

I absolutely do not think you should feel ashamed. The only person I can see should feel ashamed in this story is your cousin!

You have an extremely colourful family history of which you should be proud. Your cousin has no right to judge you whatsoever. Only God can do that and you do not sound at all like a bad person to me anyway!

Please google a short piece called Desiderata. It should help you with these issues. Best wishes. UK

Answer 4

It's not your fault that you weren't raised with Persian traditions because you didn't raise yourself, your family did. It's almost like me, I'm Christian but i dont go to church, big deal!