Readers' Forum
A Zoroastrian ‘cult’
While simple arithmetic will fairly accurately predict the future Parsi population figures, on the assumption that the current definition of a Parsi continues, should not this be countered by the spread of Zarathustrian principles and philosophy via stories for children, books at the school and graduate level, in clubs, etc? Graduate students of philosophy, in particular, could add something so vital, relevant and simple to their bookshelves, along with Socrates, Plato, Ludwig Wittgenstein, Friedrich Nietzsche, Jean Paul Sartre, etc.
A Zoroastrian "cult” would emerge, influencing the shape and content of civilizations and nations.
Religion and Parsi community matters may continue as at the moment. No conversion would be involved, just accepting principles of belief and behavior that protect and respect all of nature, life, women and animals. In short, all that is good.
Under such a cult, fire temples would remain, but libraries would grow, as would equitable laws and governance. Philanthropy would flourish, with doing good for others being preferred to self-gratification.
After all, many like me have learnt to be better citizens and individuals by reading and digesting the Bhagavad Gita, Koran Sharif, the Bible, the Talmud, etc. In my view, in all religions the prophets, as we now call them, were reformists at heart, preaching codes of conduct, values and ethics.
So, although ‘Z’ is the last letter of the English alphabet, it could be the first letter of a movement that brings understanding, peace, brotherhood and, a love of all nature. Where do we begin? How and when? NAWSHIR D. KHURODY
ndkhurody@gmail.com
A Zoroastrian "cult” would emerge, influencing the shape and content of civilizations and nations.
Religion and Parsi community matters may continue as at the moment. No conversion would be involved, just accepting principles of belief and behavior that protect and respect all of nature, life, women and animals. In short, all that is good.
Under such a cult, fire temples would remain, but libraries would grow, as would equitable laws and governance. Philanthropy would flourish, with doing good for others being preferred to self-gratification.
After all, many like me have learnt to be better citizens and individuals by reading and digesting the Bhagavad Gita, Koran Sharif, the Bible, the Talmud, etc. In my view, in all religions the prophets, as we now call them, were reformists at heart, preaching codes of conduct, values and ethics.
So, although ‘Z’ is the last letter of the English alphabet, it could be the first letter of a movement that brings understanding, peace, brotherhood and, a love of all nature. Where do we begin? How and when? NAWSHIR D. KHURODY
ndkhurody@gmail.com
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