Practise Your Religion of Birth
PRACTISE YOUR RELIGION OF BIRTH
By Neville Sorabji Gandhi (nevillebawa@gmail.com)
Many Religions having different Customs, Traditions and Rituals are being practiced on this earth. All the religions have more or less common teachings of Goodness and Virtues. I am not comparing any one religion to the other because each of them has its own set of rules and followers. In absence of religions, the world would have been different, perhaps akin to a dark jungle.
I am particularly concerned about our own Mazdayasni Zarathushti Religion that is being misunderstood and misconstrued of late. A few members having malafide intentions are misleading our brethren who are either disinterested or careless towards practising the religion.
It is recorded in history that our ancestors fled Iran to save our religion and to preserve its sanctity for generations to follow. But recently it is observed that a few heterodox Parsis with the help of a few Juddins are trying to distort the teachings of our Holy Prophet Asho Zarathushtra. The print media and even Television and Internet are being used to mislead the people and consequently give a bad name to our Community. Our Community is known for Quality and Not Quantity and has Pioneers in almost all the fields and Industries. Parsee Zarathushti Community is known for its Peace Loving Attitude and is also well known for Philanthropy. Our community despite being small in number has earned reputation that is unsurpassed. Our ancestors practised Mazdayasni Zarathushti Religion with Sincerity and Dedication. However there is a change in the thinking of +today’s generation. Most of our brethren are concentrating in acquiring materialistic achievements and seldom try to fulfill spiritual and religious duties.
Recently there have been write-ups in the Press by our very own Parsis openly propagating and supporting Conversion and Mixed-marriages. People have started defying and negating our Holy Scriptures to suit their choices. Our community has survived for thousands of years because our ancestors righteously followed the religious scriptures by marrying within the community and never converting people from other faiths. Our Ethnicity and Parsipanu has been maintained by Sincere Religious Practices.
Faith is the foundation of any religion. One must have Faith in the religion of birth. Our religion will survive for many more years if we continue to lead our lives according to the Tenets of our Religion.
MAY PAK DADAR AHURA MAZDA BLESS US WITH WISDOM TO CHOOSE THE RIGHT PATH.
Sir,
I totally support you views on religion. However, I do not agree with your views about materialistic view. Most of the Trustees and the rich Industrialists in the Parsi Community take care of interest of their rich class. Most of members belonging to the middle class and lower middle class of Parsis are outright discriminated by these rich Parsis and also by members of the other communities with much glee. Do these middle class and lower middle class Parsis not have a right to fair remuneration compared to the steep cost of living. Most of the schemes for these people are only on paper and these people are the most disadvantaged lot in India. They are treated with disdain by other communities and also by rich Parsis. Of what use is such a religion and community which does not care for its people. These rich people do Philanthropy (cosmopolitan) in todays world for getting photographed and not for Philanthropy itself. It is a hopeless situation for these people and they logically consider themselves most unfortunate to being born in this religion.
Piloo,
While I understand and agree with your thoughts on how the middle class and lower middle class Parsees reside in today’s society, whether in India or outside of India and I certainly empathize with that, it is not wise to think for these group of people that misfortune has befallen on them, just because they’re born in our religion. One can witness the very poor people in other religions and I bet not all of them would think that way. To blame a religion because of your misfortune is perhaps the reason why you are unfortunate in the first place.
Neville in his article has made some very strong points that most Parsees should take heed of. Remember – Faith can move mountains – Keeping a staunch faith in Ahura Mazda and Zarathost Saheb will make things better for any Parsees, regardless how poor they are.
God Bless You.
Ervad Jal Dastur
Canada