“Why I opt for cremation”

On reading "Why I opt for cremation” (Readers’ Forum, Parsiana, April 21, 2014) I felt a sense of helplessness. Are we out to destroy ourselves? Like the Akbar and Birbal story, there are more blind people than those with sight. To add to this, the writer Zarin Mistry says, "Meaningful change can come about only when we have the wisdom and courage to face reality.” This statement is right; but what reality are we talking about? Have we worked out any statistics on all the causes that divide us?
If burial/cremation is what one seeks, so be it. Why fight over the clergy? Pick up your Avesta and pray. No one can stop you from doing that. If spouses from other faiths wish to convert all they need to do is pray before a self-lit fire at home and follow the tenets of the religion. Why do they need to enter an agiary?
What percentage of non-Parsi spouses and children from such marriages really wish to convert, if not for the benefits that the community can avail of? Zoroastrians who really love and care for their religion should try to marry within the community. If they themselves do not care for our religion, how can one expect non-Parsi spouses and children to do so? Only when we feel the pain that our ancestors underwent will we never think of marrying out, or remain unmarried. If we put the religion above our own self, we will certainly plan to have two or three children.
Let us follow the live and let live policy. Regarding the change that some seek with little knowledge, how can we fight for rights while conveniently forgetting our divine duty? We certainly do not have the right to undo all that our revered ancestors did to save the religion.
ARMIN DUTIA MOTASHAW
Ahmedabad
armindutiamotashaw@gmail.com