India’s vanishing Parsis

[Abii]

Is this a way to connect to your glorious past or to move away from a forced religion??

Different reason for everyone. For my family, and me personally, it's the fact that we HAVE ZEROOOOOOOOOOOO belief in Islam. It's shocking how little we know and care about Islam. From my father's generation down, nobody in the family (and I mean nobody, cousins, cousin's cousins etc...) has any love for Islam nor do we even bother learning anything about it. My parents lived in Iran for 4+ decades, most of the years spent under a theocratic Islamic regime, without even knowing how to pray. My parents probably can't even name the prophets. So when you mix this with the regime that we have, conversion becomes many things: salvation, protest, nostalgia about the past...

 

[scorpionx]

glorious !!! yes they r warrior race

Swords are not the only tool on path of glory,my friend.

 

[DarkPrince]

Swords are not the only tool on path of glory,my friend.

in ancient times... it was bhaijaan

 

[angeldust]

@ angeldust and VSDOC (vsdoc plz PM me about this once your ban is lifted), I've been thinking about converting for a whole now, but the fact that the Iranian govt would still consider me a muslim has always been a huge let down. I know it sounds insane, but I truly have ZEROOOOO belief and interest in Islam. When I know that I'm part of the figures the Iranian govt shows to the world about the number of muslims in Iran and when I realize that my Iranian papers will still identify me as muslim, I get put off, or I did in the past. Now I try to look to the future and I realize that democracy will come to Iran before my time on this earth is due. Than all those that have secretly converted or want to convert can make it official in Iran.

Anyway, can one of you guys help me with the books I need to buy to understand the faith? I don't want it to be purely symbolic, I want to learn, and I'm sure I wouldn't be allowed to convert without knowing the religion anyway. I know that there are a lot of Iranians who have converted here in North america, and in fact my mom knew one of them, but they haven't been in contact for a long time. Years ago she wanted to give me a couple of books to read but I declined. I'm ready now, so what should I read? There are a ton of historical books and Zoroastrian related stuff in our house, but I don't want history and an anthropological observation of the community, I want the real deal. Is there a holy book?

Of course there is a Holy Book brother. It belongs to you as much as to me. Its the Pak Khordeh Avesta.

Most of the Indian translations were initially into Gujarati, and now there are English ones to.

Please Google for Khojeste Mistry. He is one of the leading experts on the faith and gives talks all over - especially in the US, Canada, Australia etc.

Of course I will help you with books. It will be an honor.

First, why don't you learn our prayers and what they mean? Ashem Vohu is so powerful that there have been many instances of multi religious meets where priests of other religions have claimed to be powerfully moved by its intonation. As well as unexplained physical phenomena like glasses shaking and shattering with the powerful vibrations.

Believe in it and pray it. That is the start of your faith.

I can send you a lot of stuff, but this may not be the right platform to do it.

I am sure we will work something out. (this is for our holy atash, not a troll flame!)

 

[indushek]

glorious !!! yes they r warrior race

It is not only being warriors u know, i mean there is lot more to Iran or Persia than wars. Their culture and heritage, the hold they had on the world their relations with other countries etc. Its not just because of wars but also the contribution of the race to world and humanity as a whole.

 

[Developereo]

Go to an Iranian college and make friends with a couple of Iranians till they feel comfortable around you. You will meet Iranians for the first time then

You, and many of the Iranians on this forum, represent the vocal elite that Hamid Dabashi describes. I have never denied the existence of your group, or the fact that you may adopt Zoroastrianism -- you, personally, have admitted as much before -- but that does not mean that "Iran" as a country will revert to anything. I also know, as Dabashi describes, how much you guys hate Turks, Indians and even the silent heartland of Iran, whom you condescendingly dismiss as brainwashed sheep. You guys will accept Arabs as equals before you accept Parsis (OK, maybe not that extreme!).

I accept that you guys are much more visible on the net, on campuses and in global media, but you don't represent the silent heartland of Iran. The reason I know that is because I have known literally hundreds of Iranians first hand over several years, from all walks of life, not just internet warriors, so I know exactly what I am talking about.

Of course, as long as the Indians here feed your appetite for anti-Arab, anti-Islam rants, we will see the expected response.

 

[indushek]

Different reason for everyone. For my family, and me personally, it's the fact that we HAVE ZEROOOOOOOOOOOO belief in Islam. It's shocking how little we know and care about Islam. From my father's generation down, nobody in the family (and I mean nobody, cousins, cousin's cousins etc...) has any love for Islam nor do we even bother learning anything about it. My parents lived in Iran for 4+ decades, most of the years spent under a theocratic Islamic regime, without even knowing how to pray. My parents probably can't even name the prophets. So when you mix this with the regime that we have, conversion becomes many things: salvation, protest, nostalgia about the past...

It happens i mean here in my neighborhood i have seen people convert to Christianity but still they hold on to Hindu customs because overnight u can't become something else just because u rub oil and drink water.

Good luck with your quest, may the god see that u emerge a strong human with great moral values.

 

[Abii]

Of course there is a Holy Book brother. It belongs to you as much as to me. Its the Pak Khordeh Avesta.

Most of the Indian translations were initially into Gujarati, and now there are English ones to.

Please Google for Khojeste Mistry. He is one of the leading experts on the faith and gives talks all over - especially in the US, Canada, Australia etc.

Of course I will help you with books. It will be an honor.

First, why don't you learn our prayers and what they mean? Ashem Vohu is so powerful that there have been many instances of multi religious meets where priests of other religions have claimed to be powerfully moved by its intonation. As well as unexplained physical phenomena like glasses shaking and shattering with the powerful vibrations.

Believe in it and pray it. That is the start of your faith.

I can send you a lot of stuff, but this may not be the right platform to do it.

I am sure we will work something out. (this is for our holy atash, not a troll flame!)

It's past midnight here. I've copied your post and saved it and I know my homework for tomorrow. Honestly it's this easy to start increasing the number of zoroastrians. I'm thinking about documenting my journey and releasing it once it's all over (sort of like a how to guide for other Iranians). Can't believe nobody has done this before!

 

[indushek]

You, and many of the Iranians on this forum, represent the vocal elite that Hamid Dabashi describes. I have never denied the existence of your group, or the fact that you may adopt Zoroastrianism -- you, personally, have admitted as much before -- but that does not mean that "Iran" as a country will revert to anything. I also know, as Dabashi describes, how much you guys hate Turks, Indians and even the silent heartland of Iran. You guys will accept Arabs as equals before you accept Parsis.

I accept that you guys are much more visible on the net, on campuses and in global media, but you don't represent the silent heartland of Iran. The reason I know that is because I have known literally hundreds of Iranians first hand over several years, from all walks of life, not just internet warriors, so I know exactly what I am talking about.

Developreo i believe all religions preach the same thing that is to believe in and celebrate god and the life given to us and finally to reach him.

Whatever happens to Iran regarding Religion let us hope that it will not be violent and the country progresses well.

It's past midnight here. I've copied your post and saved it and I know my homework for tomorrow. Honestly it's this easy to start increasing the number of zoroastrians. I'm thinking about documenting my journey and releasing it once it's all over (sort of like a how to guide for other Iranians). Can't believe nobody has done this before!

If u don't think i am intervening in ur personal matter, i have an advice for you and i give this to you as a fellow internet chatter. The euphoria one has when sets on a journey newly dies down slowly as reality strikes hard. Particularly in religious matter where it is 90% personal and 10% communal it is even hard. Go slow and do it only if u perfectly and absolutely believe it, after reading and thinking well.

I am sorry if i offended u, and good luck once again.

 

[ALOK31]

Prakrit originated from Sanskrit. Your national language Urdu originated entirely in India.

agree with u.
Middle Indo-Aryan languages (Middle Indic languages, sometimes as Prakrit) is a group in the Indo-Aryan branch of the Indo-Iranian languages. Middle Indo-Aryan languages are the descendants of the Old Indo-Aryan languages such as Vedic, Epic Sanskrit and Classical Sanskrit, and the predecessors of the Modern Indo-Aryan languages such as Hindustani (Hindi-Urdu), Oriya, Bengali, and Punjabi.

Middle Indo-Aryan languages - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

[Abii]

You, and many of the Iranians on this forum, represent the vocal elite that Hamid Dabashi describes. I have never denied the existence of your group, or the fact that you may adopt Zoroastrianism -- you, personally, have admitted as much before -- but that does not mean that "Iran" as a country will revert to anything. I also know, as Dabashi describes, how much you guys hate Turks, Indians and even the silent heartland of Iran. You guys will accept Arabs as equals before you accept Parsis.

I accept that you guys are much more visible on the net, on campuses and in global media, but you don't represent the silent heartland of Iran. The reason I know that is because I have known literally hundreds of Iranians first hand over several years, from all walks of life, not just internet warriors, so I know exactly what I am talking about.

lmao, dude you're so ignorant.

you're acting like this is Zambia and internet was invented yesterday for it to be accessible only by some elite class lol. Iranians on the net come from all walks of life and all social classes. Go to shiachat.com and you'll see hundreds of FIERCELY religious Iranians. In Iran you go to prison if you even claim that you're not a practicing muslim, let alone to ask for your right to convert. Iranians NEVER talk openely about religion and if somebody asks, they will not answer before trying to change the subject. Outside Iran they are open.

I've shown you statistics of Iranian Americans and their religious beliefs. Those stats represent millions of voices. Only 4/10th of those that responded called themselves muslims. Now who the hell are you to tell us who we are and what we know???

Do you think me, or other anti Islam Iranians, would ever spend 10 minutes in real life with you??? Of course you don't know many of us because we don't accept people like you in our circles. Last week my brother threw a party and there were 50 Iranians in our house, not a single one was even remotely muslim. People socialize with people they like. Some of us "vocal elite" would turn around just to avoid eye contact with the religous folk. Of course you don't know that many Iranians of my kind. How many times have you been to such parties to know people like us?

This is in Tehran and hundreds of these parties are thrown every day in every Iranian city










http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=675568&page=195

 

[Black Widow]

goood .......




persian is also the language of parsi and muslims etc ..do u know the non-muslim baloch in iran ????btw my hazrat muhammd saw father name was hazrat abu talib,grand father name was abu mutalib ,grands of grand father name was hashim ,grand mother name wasfatima binte amir ,nana name wahab ,nani birhah,first prophet was hazrat adam ,jibreel is angel,mikayel ,izrael.are angels......who were they ?/off course muslims but i was talking about the sub continent .......jews and christian also came on thier time in sub -continent .....

LOL! Its just your belief.

1. Persian was language of Parsi, When Parsi converted to Muslim, they kept speaking it. Just bcoz Muslims use persian language, its not Islamic language..
2. I don't know family tree of Prophet but I know one thing, there were no Muslims before 0610 AD. Infact when Prophet was born (in 570 AD) there was no Islam.
3. Except Koran, nothing is truely Islamic, everything was taken from existing culture. Infact the god name "Allah" was also taken from local pagan gods...
4. If today Europe converted to Islam and they speak english, will english become Islamic language.???

 

[Abii]

Developreo i believe all religions preach the same thing that is to believe in and celebrate god and the life given to us and finally to reach him.

Whatever happens to Iran regarding Religion let us hope that it will not be violent and the country progresses well.



If u don't think i am intervening in ur personal matter, i have an advice for you and i give this to you as a fellow internet chatter. The euphoria one has when sets on a journey newly dies down slowly as reality strikes hard. Particularly in religious matter where it is 90% personal and 10% communal it is even hard. Go slow and do it only if u perfectly and absolutely believe it, after reading and thinking well.

I am sorry if i offended u, and good luck once again.

thanks for bringing it up actually. I don't believe in god and never will. But I know that zoroastrianism can be a way of life. I have no problem accepting the good things a religion teaches and forgetting about the useless stuff. My interest in the religion is as much about zoroastrianism itself as it's about leaving Islam, forever.

 

[angeldust]

It's past midnight here. I've copied your post and saved it and I know my homework for tomorrow. Honestly it's this easy to start increasing the number of zoroastrians. I'm thinking about documenting my journey and releasing it once it's all over (sort of like a how to guide for other Iranians). Can't believe nobody has done this before!

Abii, listen carefully to what I say here, because I may or may not get the chance of telling you this again.

Zoroastrianism does not belong to Parsi priests and Mobeds and Dastoors.

It belongs to and is the birthright of Zoroastrians.

All Persians are Zoroastrians first, regardless of what faith they may currently practice.

It is YOURS to take back.

You WILL face resistance from within our faith. Do not let that deter you.

For every one ultra conservative psycho amongst us who will insist you be cleansed before coming back, there will be 10 like me and vsdoc who will welcome you back into our fold and our hearts.

You need to reach out because our faith does not reach out. We are not into the numbers game.

But once you do, you will be helped every step of the way.

Remember, to summarize, you are Zoroastrian.

No priest can tell you otherwise. And over time, we will ensure that there will be priests to formalise your investiture back into our ancient faith.

Please tell this to other Persians as well. Start attending the ZYA meets in all the major cities (Google ZYA or ZYNG). You will hardly realize who is Parsi/Iroon or who is Iranian (minus the language of course).

 

[Abii]

Abii, listen carefully to what I say here, because I may or may not get the chance of telling you this again.

Zoroastrianism does not belong to Parsi priests and Mobeds and Dastoors.

It belongs to and is the birthright of Zoroastrians.

All Persians are Zoroastrians first, regardless of what faith they may currently practice.

It is YOURS to take back.

You WILL face resistance from within our faith. Do not let that deter you.

For every one ultra conservative psycho amongst us who will insist you be cleansed before coming back, there will be 10 like me and vsdoc who will welcome you back into our fold and our hearts.

You need to reach out because our faith does not reach out. We are not into the numbers game.

But once you do, you will be helped every step of the way.

Remember, to summarize, you are Zoroastrian.

No priest can tell you otherwise. And over time, we will ensure that there will be priests to formalise your investiture back into our ancient faith.

thanks for this post. The "top dogs" of every religion are like dictators. During the Sassanid dynasty, zoroastrianism was being shoved down everybody's throat like Islam in Iran today. There was a lot of persecution done against minorities like Armenians (and they have documented these). I believe Zoroastrianism has a lot of good things to teach me and I will one day call myself a Zoroastrian. If the mullahs can't stop us, nobody can

I was just reading that the most elite zoroastrian priest in South Africa died a few years ago and now they don't even have a priest anymore. Those people that are against conversion need to wake up.