Jeremy Taylor
Active Member
This topic has probably been discussed before, but I was just wondering if it is possible to convert to any branch of traditional Zoroastrianism?
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"Can you convert to Zoroastrianism? The official answer, which is given by the Parsi priestly hierarchy in Bombay, and supported by a large number of traditional Zoroastrians, is NO. In order to be a Zoroastrian, you must be born of two Zoroastrian parents. One is not enough." http://www.pyracantha.com/Z/convertz.html
But I do not think it is fair.
However, Zoroastrians in the West are more than willing to accept converts. Whether or not said converts will be accepted by all Zoroastrians is going to depend on the individual Zoroastrian.
But is this traditional Zoroastrianism in the West you are talking about or is it a liberal variety? Obviously, anyone can go around calling themselves a Zoroastrian, but can they practice traditional Zoroastrianism and be accepted by any remotely traditional Zoroastrian community?
Zoroastrianism would not want conversions by compromising on faith. But then, change is the way of the world, you can't blame the Anglican Church.
Well, I can. It is one of the reasons I'm now an ex-Anglican. The admission of women priests and bishops in the Anglican Church was based almost entirely on contemporary ideas about sexual equality and interchangeability and not in perspectives deeply based in traditional Christianity principles, authorities, and beliefs. But that is a topic for another time, I think. My main point was I was interested in those Zoroastrian groups allowing conversion were doing it from traditional Zoroastrian principles and not some modern need to be inclusive.
It has nothing to do with faith, the Parsis in India did it to maintain our 'purity', even though genetic studies haven shown we have significant Gujarati blood.
There were no Zoroastrians in the Persian empire before Zoroaster, it was all through conversions. Iranian Zoroastrians don't convert because of centuries of genocides.
Traditions are meant to be broken if they defy logic and the true tenets of the religion.
I'm a Zoroastrian, there is no traditional or liberal Zoroastrianism. Just the true faith. If you live in the West you will be more welcome by the Iranians and younger Parsis. However, I went to a prayer last month and there were several Half white/ half Zoroastrian children as well as non Ethnic Parsis.
We all recognize that the only way the religion will survive in the future is if we focus less on the ethnic aspects and more on the religious part.
I do not think there are women priests in Zoroastrianism, Zoroaster was from a clearly patriarchal society. Of course, it was not that women were not respected, but their domain was home. You might find that actions of some of the younger Zoroastrians do not confirm to what Zoroaster had said. But young people are like that everywhere. What I would suggest is a more thorough study of Zoroastrianism.I wanted to belong to a Church that allowed women priests and bishops, but only one that did so because of a perspective eminently grounded in traditional Christian beliefs, authorities, and ethos ..
I do not think there are women priests in Zoroastrianism, Zoroaster was from a clearly patriarchal society. Of course, it was not that women were not respected, but their domain was home. You might find that actions of some of the younger Zoroastrians do not confirm to what Zoroaster had said. But young people are like that everywhere. What I would suggest is a more thorough study of Zoroastrianism.
I do not think there are women priests in Zoroastrianism, Zoroaster was from a clearly patriarchal society. Of course, it was not that women were not respected, but their domain was home. You might find that actions of some of the younger Zoroastrians do not confirm to what Zoroaster had said. But young people are like that everywhere. What I would suggest is a more thorough study of Zoroastrianism.
Not to detract from the Op but its rare for me to meet a Zoroastrian, do you mind if I ask you some questions as well? I promise to be on my best behavior:angel2:
I'm a Platonic universalist and perennialist. I feel that I need to practice a living, divine tradition, as Zoroastrianism seems to be. I was considering the faith, amongst others, but I wanted to make sure that conversion was allowed, as I had heard it was not. And I wanted to make sure those communities that do allow it do so from a perspective deeply based in the historic Zoroastrian faith and Scriptures and beliefs, and not just based on modernist or whatever principles that take no account of this historic faith if it is contrary to them.
To use the Christian terms again as an analogy, it is like I wanted to belong to a Church that allowed women priests and bishops, but only one that did so because of a perspective eminently grounded in traditional Christian beliefs, authorities, and ethos and not one that did so because of secular modernist principles of sexual equality that it held to whatever the religion actually says on the matter - as is the case in contemporary Anglicanism, for example.
If I join Zoroastrianism, or any other faith, I wish to practice the historic, traditional faith and not to join a community compromised by modernism. So, I wished to get a clear picture. I think what is being said is there are in fact Zoroastrian communities that allow conversion for valid historic or traditional reasons, and not either simply just to keep the religious alive or to appease modern ideas of inclusiveness. I just wanted to be very careful that, that is in fact what is being said.
Go ahead
I am sincerely sorry about that. Sure, your explanation will be the best. I am non-Zoroastrian with interest in your faith for the reasons which perhaps you already know. It is good to know that there are female priests in Zoroastrianism. Vedas too mention some 30 female hymn writers, but later the study of Vedas was prohibited for women.As a non Zoroastrian I am perplexed that you push your own interpretation as correct and deny mine as 'young people not following Zoroaster'. There are female priests, they're called mobedayars.