“Be wary of ‘worshipers’”

I read with interest the exchange in your letters column concerning the Tajik Zoroastrians ("Be wary of ‘worshipers,’” Readers’ Forum, Parsiana, March 2002 onwards).

It seems the priests have appointed themselves to a position like the head of the Zoroastrian Church during Sassanian times, and we all know how fast the complicated official clerical structure was swept away when the Muslims invaded Persia. I realize a community of 75,000 in a vast one billion plus population is extremely small, but quality is more than quantity if we have the same spirit as during the time when Zarathushtra was alive. Over the vast span of time the Mazdayasnian religion has existed, I fear the spirit has weakened substantially, leading both to ignorance and materialism, though there are hopeful signs.

To reverse the decline, I suggest that these actions be implemented:

•all Zoroastrian organizations from the most traditional to Jafarey’s group of "liberals” be united

•only the Fasli calendar be followed

•understand that Ahriman and his spiritual subordinates do exist and need to be resisted

•realize that darkness, animals that hunt at night, etc are not "Ahrimanish” but part of Ahura Mazda’s natural order

•recognize that Zoroastrianism is of Aryan origin and accept all those of Aryan descent (in whatever region their descendants exist today) who want to become Zoroastrian

•revise and simplify all invocations in the Khordeh Avesta; revive roz/mah prayers, now missing

•teach Avestan and its alphabet so we can read and understand prayers in the original language without translations.

Rev DAVID BROCK

Portland, Oregon, USA