“Activate AIMZ”

I wish to add to the discussion and to clarify some of the comments attributed to me in the item "Activate AIMZ” (Events and Personalities, Parsiana, August 7, 2009). It was a pleasure to meet a group of women so dedicated to continuing propagation of their Zoroastrian faith and traditions as members of the Association of Inter-Married Zoroastrians (AIMZ). Despite some philosophical differences, there was a friendly and polite exchange of ideas.

I would like to set out my position on Zoroastrianism. I have been accused of being "very orthodox” by the liberals, and a "closet liberal” by the orthodox. In fact, I consider myself to be a moderate Zoroastrian, one who is opposed to extremists on both sides of the religious spectrum. I find the doctrines of the Khshnoomists and the Jafareyites equally distasteful. Being in the center makes it easier to accept that which is correct and reject that which is wrong. I have been equally critical of both extremes and, as a result, I am one of the very few who has the dubious distinction of being removed by both from their respective internet user groups.

With respect to the issue of intermarriage (which is the central focus for AIMZ) — my personal opinion is that the child of either Zoroastrian parent should have the right to be brought up as a Zoroastrian. My definition of a Zoroastrian would be: "The child of any one Zoroastrian parent, and any one Zoroastrian grandparent, and who has had its navjote performed by a Zoroastrian priest who has been initiated as a navar/maratab.” For the child’s sake, there should be no question of distinguishing between the sex of the Zoroastrian parent.

But meeting the requirements of this definition is not all it takes to being a Zoroastrian. Unfortunately, most Parsis believe that simply performing the navjote of their child is sufficient to fulfill their parental religious obligations. What is lacking, in both the parent and the child, is an understanding of the religion, its history, texts, doctrines and traditions. These can only come through education.

Zoroastrianism has never been a congregational religion, one where we gather regularly for joint or communal worship, where we pray together, hear religious lectures and have an opportunity to discuss issues. We do not even have formal religious education classes for our children. It appears that for many of us religion came through osmosis rather than through formal education.

In North America, great strides have been taken in children’s religious education. Many associations hold regular "Sunday Schools” where the kids gather and are taught the elements of our religion. I will here step out on a limb and state that the middle-school kids in Houston, Texas, would probably know more about the religion than many of the adults in Bombay. Knowledge of our religion goes well beyond just "good thoughts, good words and good deeds.”

Many people ask: Why should we pray in a foreign language, in words that we don’t know? The answer is simple: Find out what they mean. There are plenty of books which give us the translation and meanings of our prayers — just pick one up and read it. The internet also has much of this information — and it’s for free. Educating ourselves is simple if we have the will to learn.

The fault lies not in a lack of resources and opportunities to learn, but in our apathy. We are dying as a community not only because of our low birth rate, not because our males and females are intermarrying, but because the 30-something parents know so little about the religion and their children will know even less. There just is not a critical mass of practicing Parsi Irani Zoroastrians (PIZ) to continue to feed communal growth.

Unfortunately, again (in Bombay), those who have organized and put in an effort to conduct religious education classes have been much maligned and rejected by the more affluent. I have volunteered to AIMZ president Meher Amersey to conduct adult religious classes for their members when I am in Bombay, and look forward to being taken up on that offer.

Being a PIZ means not only being educated in religious beliefs and tenets, but in practicing and living a Zarathush­trian life as well. How many of us say our prayers and do our kusti daily? How many keep a divo or other form of light burning in our homes? How many celebrate the gahanbars? How many regularly sponsor jashans, know the significance of muktads? Children learn from their parents — when they have no opportunity to see the parents practice the religion they remain ignorant of the customs and traditions. The best advice that I can give to intermarried PIZs is to actively practice the religion as your children are growing up. Educate them, make them participate in all religious ceremonies and festivals. They will learn by seeing you; then they will follow and practice what you do.

Now the issue will be raised: How can we take them to an agiary when they are not permitted to enter?

AIMZ advocates challenging those who refuse the right of entry to such children. I humbly disagree. Why would any one even want to enter a place where one is not welcome? To force the issue? Yes, perhaps. But that creates acrimony and ill will. As I suggested at the meeting, AIMZ should concentrate on building their own fire temple, into which like- and open-minded people are welcome. There is historical precedence for just such a situation. At first the Shahenshahis and Kadmis both fought ferociously — in fact, there were street battles and some individuals were even killed — over the calendar issue to decide which side was right and which was wrong. The matter was solved relatively peacefully when a Kadmi fire temple was consecrated. One side did not have to intrude on the other, and the other did not feel intruded upon. Peace returned to the community. A similar vicious disagreement was peacefully resolved in Houston when both the liberals and the orthodox decided to hold separate muktads, at the same time, in two separate locations in our community center. What is wonderful is that now after the prayers on the weekends participants from both groups get together for a joint lunch. No fighting, no acrimony — just peaceful fellowship.

So what if you cannot go to an agiary? Create your own sacred space in your home — find a corner where you can place a divo, put up a picture of Zarathushtra and keep your prayer book there, place a small afarganiyu and burn some sukhad and loban, and most important, pray there daily — along with your children. This is what many in North America, where we have no agiaries, are doing.

I am for equal treatment for children of both genders. There is a historical rationale for patrilineality in the religion. In fact, this is practiced by the priestly class — the sons of priests can become priests even if the mother is a behdin. What I tried to explain, in a limited amount of time, is that there is a long history for this patrilineal tradition in Zoroastrian culture, going back some 3,500 years or more, and it is also found in most of the Indo-European cultures. Trying to examine ancient Aryan and Indo-European culture of that period through 21st century CE glasses can only lead to a distorted assessment of that period. Whether PIZs find patrilineality acceptable or unacceptable is irrelevant. What is an indisputable fact is that there is a long tradition of patrilineality in the Aryan culture and in the Zoroastrian religion.

Where the most controversy and difference of opinion occurred at the gathering was over the issue of conversion. I stated that I was against conversion. Several ladies openly disagreed with me, but then again, several also came up to me after the meeting and, in an aside, mentioned that they agreed with my concerns over accepting converts.

In conclusion, if I might offer one last piece of advice to the women of AIMZ: Forget the slights and the insults. Reacting emotionally to them will not help your endeavor. However, act on your instinctive urge to preserve your religion, heritage and traditions. But before acting, educate yourselves, so that when you decide on a course of action you are doing so from a position of knowledge. Knowledge is the key to responsible action.

SAROSH J. H. MANEKSHAW

Houston, Texas, USA

manekshawconsulting@swbell.net