Should Zoroastrians accept converts?

[Surya Deva]

I recall a story that I heard in a film called Parzania, a very good film which deals with the Gujurat riots in 2002, telling it from the perspective of a Parsi famiy living during the riots(I think it's a true story) Anyhow, the Parsi mother is telling her children a story to her children, who refuse to identify themselves as Hindu - "Were not Hindu, were Parsi!" and the mother recounts how the Parsi's came to India. When the Parsi's were being persecuted by the the Muslims, the Parsi's fled to India in huge numbers. The king at the time overwhelmed by the exodus was going to refuse entry to them, but the Parsi's told them a metaphor to convince him that they should let them in. They said just as one dissolving sugar in milk does not destoy the milk, but only mixes into the milk and sweetens it, likewise we Paris will mix with your people and sweeten your culture. Thus how the Parsi's became a part of Indian culture and contributed to it.

I think most of the Parsis living today are living in India. There is no fundamental conflict between Hinduism and Zoroastrianism, thus I don't know of any conflicts that have taken place between Hindus and Parsi's, I think they have co-existed with each other peacefully. In fact there is a very strong link between the Persians and the Indians historically, they may well have been part of the same culture and religion originally.

I admire Persia very much and would like to learn more about Zoroastrian and its ideals which are familiar to me as a Hindu, but I would like to learn more about its practices, beliefs and history. I really wish this great religion does not get extinguished, but I am hopeful that within the womb of great India, the Parsis are in a very safe place.

 

[Aupmanyav]

The parsis are in a safe place. But many migrate to other countries. Conversion to christianity, late marriage, and no population increase threatens them.

They were brothers to Indian Aryans. Avesta mentions Hapta-Hendu (Sapta Sindhu - North-Western India with its seven rivers) as the fifteenth homeland of Aryans created by Ahur Mazda. The people of Avesta are reported to have left Hapta-Hendu because of heat and pernicious fever. This makes me think that the people of Zoroaster had come to Sapta Sindhu region.

Apart from belief in God (I am an atheist hindu), I find the philosophy attractive.

 

[Ahura]

zoroastrianism has been seen to not accept converts and others say its OK. if there are not people who will convert then the religion will die. im sure Ahura Mazda didnt teach zarathushtra about himself if he wanted the religion to die. to me its borderline stupid to say "NO CONVERTS". its religious suicide.