“Errors in prayers books”

I returned from my tour of duty on my ship two days ago and saw Nawshir Mirza’s response by my views on "Errors in prayers books” (Readers’ Forum, Parsiana, February 7, 2016).
I lay no claim to any brilliance in matters religious nor am I "self-besotted.” I thank him for calling me a scholar (not sarcastically, I hope). I lay no claim to being a scholar either.
I humbly request him to tell me what Prof Ervad Manek Fardoonji Kanga says on the subject of baj (silently recited) portions of our kalaams (stanzas). I will need to struggle to find out if he refuses to share this information with me and more importantly with readers of this magazine.
Let us stop arguing and get ahead in our pursuit of knowledge. I will be indebted to him. It would be nice to meet him sometime, make his acquaintance and immediately remove some erroneous notions about me by making him a friend.
CYRUS S. MEHERJI
Calcutta
cymeher@gmail.com

Thank Ahura Mazda there exists a forthright, brave and honest scholar, Farrokh Vajifdar (pictured), who is willing to speak up and set right a wrong — and thanks yet again that there is a publication like Parsiana willing to disseminate his erudition and educate the readers — hoping a folly can still be corrected.
I have been following the correspondence on "Errors in prayer books” for some months now and am amazed that there should be such extreme divergence of views and interpretations on our scriptures. It appears from Vajifdar’s assessment that the "teaching priest and Cyrus Meherji” are completely uninformed, if not misinformed, with gaps (if not lapses) in historic references given by them, interspersed with mysticism along with miraculous vibrations (the writer till date believes in it too) referred to, having absolutely no place in our good religion! Some perceived astrological significances also written about previously have been systematically trashed and exposed as "grossest deception” by the good Vajifdar. He not only castigates them but gives proof of his arguments, which is sadly missing in all the previous spurious exhortations.
What does all this mean to persons like me who are seeking the true essence and goodness of our religion? Realistically and practically, it appears we are not being taught our scriptures correctly. There is just no scholar on Zoroastrianism or learned dastur around to do it. Where do vibrations, mysticism and astrology have their bedrock in scriptural authenticity? Where can we find scriptural references? Can any interpretation be accepted? Should it? If teachers are teaching younger minds should they not take great care before they perpetrate and perpetuate their individual interpretation to yet another generation?
It appears to me a sad reflection on the reality of our religious knowledge. And the whole religious education system appears totally vitiated by the inexcusable silence of the "vada” dasturs. Do they support or denounce mysticism, for example? Do they not find any necessity whatsoever to clarify doubts of the general laity? But then again are they capable of it?
I express my wholehearted appreciation of Vajifdar’s brave castigation of these spurious teachings. I wish and pray that there is clarity regarding where scriptural references and truths take precedence over specious individual interpretations and whims.
NOSHIR H. RUSTUMJI
rustumji_9@hotmail.com