Conversion is a sin

The protagonists and antagonists of conversion in our community each have their own viewpoints and neither side is able to prove the other wrong. The debate on whether our religion permits conversion or not will carry on ad nauseum ad libitum. Let us take a look at the doctrine of conversion per se.

The dictionary meaning of "convert” is to change or turn from one religion to another; to change from a sinful to a holy life. "Conversion” is explained as a change from one religion to another; the conscious change of heart in a repentant sinner.

Why would anyone want to convert? Is it because he/she is not happy with his/her religion and is looking for a "change from a sinful to a holy life”? Or is it because his/her religion/community is not happy with him/her and has ex-communicated the individual? If the individual is not acceptable to his/her religion of birth why should we accept such an individual into ours?

It would be interesting to find out why Joseph Peterson sought conversion to Zoroastrianism. Was it because he was not happy with his own religion, which we can presume was Christianity? Or was it a conscious change of heart in a repentant sinner? Has Peterson followed the practices of our religion since his conversion? Does he still wear the sudreh and kusti and say his prayers, as all Zara­thushtis are required to do? Or does he continue to visit the church and participate in all the religious functions/ceremonies like a normal Christian would? These are pertinent questions to which we must have answers from those who took it upon themselves to accept him into our religion.

In my opinion the debate on conversion has surfaced once again after the Minorities Commission report on the adverse demographic status of the Parsis in India was discussed at a meeting held in Bombay at the State Guest House, Sahyadri a few months ago. We can therefore safely assume that the liberals have a single point agenda in propagating the theory of conversion — to increase the Parsi population. They are not concerned with the spreading of our religion. They only seek increase in the numbers irrespective of the quality of the newly converted Zarathushtis.

Swami Dayanand Saraswati paid our community compliments when he recently stated: "Look at the Parsis, they do not convert, so there is no problem. Why don’t others do the same thing? Conversions destroy our culture (The Times of India, March 4, 2008).”

To covert an individual from one religion to another is intrinsically unethical and sinful.

Cmde MEDIOMA BHADA (Retd)

mrbhada@hotmail.com