First Zoroastrian temple in Kurdistan opens

[MD]

http://rudaw.net/english/kurdistan/270920162

As great as this is, I expect a violent backlash from Islamists in the region as happened previously in Tajikistan.

 

[The Emperor of Mankind]

Hooray! Hopefully this marks the beginning of a religious sea change in the area. May the Kurds embrace the warmth & light of the Good Religion once again!

 

[The Emperor of Mankind]

The kids look as though they really didn't want to be there though, ha.

 

[The Emperor of Mankind]

http://rudaw.net/english/kurdistan/270920162

As great as this is, I expect a violent backlash from Islamists in the region as happened previously in Tajikistan.

What happened in Tajikistan? I'm looking but can't seem to find anything.

 

[Augustus]

As great as this is, I expect a violent backlash from Islamists in the region as happened previously in Tajikistan.

There have been some Kurds promoting a 'return' to Zoroastrianism as a direct response to IS's brand of Islamism.

They felt they no longer had any desire to remain part of the religion that they viewed as motivating the destruction of their homeland.

Article about it here:

http://www.juancole.com/2015/06/abandoning-zoroastrianism-disgust.html

 

[The Emperor of Mankind]

There have been some Kurds promoting a 'return' to Zoroastrianism as a direct response to IS's brand of Islamism.

They felt they no longer had any desire to remain part of the religion that they viewed as motivating the destruction of their homeland.

Article about it here:

http://www.juancole.com/2015/06/abandoning-zoroastrianism-disgust.html

Good to see that after a year they've got their first temple. Hopefully this spreads and Zoroastrianism becomes a positive force for the Middle East. With luck the Kurds will find positive reasons to join the faith and not just do it because it's not Islam.

 

[MD]

What happened in Tajikistan? I'm looking but can't seem to find anything.

http://www.academia.edu/9389288/Co-...jik_Claims_to_Zarathushtra_and_Zoroastrianism

'The political dimension of Rahmon’s pro-Zoroastrian stand has not been lost on his Islamist opponents. Rudaki Behdin, the founder of Anjoman-e Mazdāyasnāwho actively encouraged Tajiks to convert to Zoroastrianism, was assassinated in June 2001 during a period when the Tajik government was playing up Zoroastrianism as part of the celebrations commemorating ten years of Tajik independence. His killer, possibly an Islamic radical, was never caught.

A few months later the Tajik Minister of Culture, Abdulrahim Rahimov, who had spoken publicly in favour of Zoroastrianism on many occasions, was also assassinated. Given the timing of these murders, it is difficult not to see them as part of a violent reaction against the Tajik government’s attempt to promote Zoroastrian identity as a bulwark against political Islam in the country.'

The author is a Canadian professor of Iranian studies.

 

[The Emperor of Mankind]

Or at least tolerate a religion to exist which is different from their own.

Historically speaking, Zoroastrians have been very good at that. They've tolerated the presence of Christians, Hellenes, Egyptians, Babylonians and other populations worshipping their indigenous gods under the rule of the Persian Empire (with a state Zoroastrian religion) at one time or another. However today's Kurdish Zoroastrians will more often than not be coming to the Good Religion from a faith which is violently intolerant of minorities, which has a hard time dealing with dissenting opinions and which conditions its adherents to not question too much. That will inevitably have an affect on how today's Zoroastrian converts in Kurdish society react to others.

Also, some are leaving Islam because of their disgust at what Islamic State are doing, or because of how Islam in general urges Muslims to behave towards non-Muslims. That will colour how these new converts view Islam as well as other religions.

 

[The Emperor of Mankind]

I wish Zoroastrians and Islamic Kurds both, peace. They have seen enough of violence. Iraq should have been divided into three countries after Saddam.

That wouldn't have helped. Turkey would more than likely have invaded & annexed the newly formed Kurdistan.

 

[The Emperor of Mankind]

http://www.academia.edu/9389288/Co-...jik_Claims_to_Zarathushtra_and_Zoroastrianism

'The political dimension of Rahmon’s pro-Zoroastrian stand has not been lost on his Islamist opponents. Rudaki Behdin, the founder of Anjoman-e Mazdāyasnāwho actively encouraged Tajiks to convert to Zoroastrianism, was assassinated in June 2001 during a period when the Tajik government was playing up Zoroastrianism as part of the celebrations commemorating ten years of Tajik independence. His killer, possibly an Islamic radical, was never caught.

A few months later the Tajik Minister of Culture, Abdulrahim Rahimov, who had spoken publicly in favour of Zoroastrianism on many occasions, was also assassinated. Given the timing of these murders, it is difficult not to see them as part of a violent reaction against the Tajik government’s attempt to promote Zoroastrian identity as a bulwark against political Islam in the country.'

The author is a Canadian professor of Iranian studies.

That's such a shame but indicative of the depths to which people will sink to keep minorities in their place.

 

[MD]

That's such a shame but indicative of the depths to which people will sink to keep minorities in their place.

Indeed.

 

[ShivaFan]

Great news! And I hope to also see like temples grow here in the USA. May the Kurds be blessed with many such temples.

 

[The Emperor of Mankind]

Great news! And I hope to also see like temples grow here in the USA. May the Kurds be blessed with many such temples.

I'd love to see a few popping up here in Scotland as well. That's probably a bit of a pipe dream since I don't think we actually have any Zoroastrians here.

 

[Electriceclectic]

There have been some Kurds promoting a 'return' to Zoroastrianism as a direct response to IS's brand of Islamism.

They felt they no longer had any desire to remain part of the religion that they viewed as motivating the destruction of their homeland.

Article about it here:

http://www.juancole.com/2015/06/abandoning-zoroastrianism-disgust.html

Interesting! I heard one Peshwara commander say, asked about IS's atrocities being claimed as a religious faction of Islam, and the fact that he was a Muslim too his response was . It makes me feel like giving it up !

Bu I had thought a basic Kurdish distinction was their religion, which did not have Zoroastrian roots ? I had not know there were Kurdish Zoroastrians ? I suppose they are 'ethnically Kurdish' ?

In any case, I think they need their own religion and Zoroastrianism as well. And more assistance while they do our dirty work with IS for us !

And reward and protection after its done !

Both Zoroastrians and Kurds have a proud history of women being brave warriors and defending against injustice .

 

[InquisitiveScholar]

I am not gonna lie, this makes me really excited. I mean it is terrible that people are converting out of disgust and disillusionment with their current faith. However I cannot hide my optimism and hope that the people will see how awesome Zoroastrianism really is.

Interesting! I heard one Peshwara commander say, asked about IS's atrocities being claimed as a religious faction of Islam, and the fact that he was a Muslim too his response was . It makes me feel like giving it up !

Bu I had thought a basic Kurdish distinction was their religion, which did not have Zoroastrian roots ? I had not know there were Kurdish Zoroastrians ? I suppose they are 'ethnically Kurdish' ?

In any case, I think they need their own religion and Zoroastrianism as well. And more assistance while they do our dirty work with IS for us !

And reward and protection after its done !

Both Zoroastrians and Kurds have a proud history of women being brave warriors and defending against injustice .

Acutally yes, there were a number of famous Zoroastrian leaders who were Kurdish. The Justinid dynasty, that is the anglicized name mind you, was a Kurdish dynasty that ruled the county of Gilan in the 790's. They were Zoroastrian originally, but eventually they converted to Islam to save themselves from conquest by the surrounding Islamic nations.

 

[The Emperor of Mankind]

Interesting! I heard one Peshwara commander say, asked about IS's atrocities being claimed as a religious faction of Islam, and the fact that he was a Muslim too his response was . It makes me feel like giving it up !

Bu I had thought a basic Kurdish distinction was their religion, which did not have Zoroastrian roots ? I had not know there were Kurdish Zoroastrians ? I suppose they are 'ethnically Kurdish' ?

The Kurds are a closely related to Iranian peoples and so they probably arose from the group of cultures that influenced early Zoroastrianism.

In any case, I think they need their own religion and Zoroastrianism as well. And more assistance while they do our dirty work with IS for us !

They have both Yazidism and Yarsan as Kurdish faiths

 

[The Adept]

Seems appropriate for the Kurds.

 

[The Adept]

Original article seems to have been moved here: Hopes for Zoroastrianism revival in Kurdistan as first temple opens its doors