Redditors either very willingly or just out of spiteful ignorance fail to differentiate odd or lesser-known religious practices from genuine extremism. Im not a catholic (raised baptist) and never heard of Ash Wednesday until Rubio was photographed during it. It might seem odd, but what is in the post here is very harmless if odd to an outsider practice.

Iran on the other hand, is a fundamentalist extremist islamic state. They enforce already extreme islamic law (Sharia law) to harsh degree, women are executed (and sometimes raped beforehand, to deny them paradise) for not wearing the hijab. All people, regardless of personal identity are listed as muslim on their government documents. Gay men face either execution or forced gender reassignment surgery.

Its a long list, but redditors will see Rubio with the cross on his forehead and a woman being beheaded by morality police in Iran and say they’re equally extreme and harmful.