Why isn't there a Zoroastrian page?

[Óttar]

Parsis in India and Pakistan number 70000. Worldwide it's about 15000. Most Zoroastrians live elsewhere.

Adapt or die is too simple to look at it. Zoroastrians in Iran will GLADLY help those willing to convert. However, after what's happened over 1500 years, they don't allow people at their festivals, so people can't really learn about the religion. It's the fear that's beuilt in over 1500 years. You can't blame us. I mean even in today's Iran a couple were excuted for "being Zoroastrian" and the murder of Kasravi. Most Zoroastrians in Iran remain to themselves because of this and don't go seeking converts. Can you really blame us though?

None of that changes the fact that Parsis don't accept converts. This has been attributed to centuries of orthodox Brahmin influence, but even Hinduism accepts 'converts' to an extent.

[Randommembr]

Gold star arguments, there, folks, or is it gold ca..., well, anyway, nice going.

You have anything to contribute? Any knowledge about Zoroastriansim? Want to learn more?

[Randommembr]

None of that changes the fact that Parsis don't accept converts. This has been attributed to centuries of orthodox Brahmin influence, but even Hinduism accepts 'converts' to an extent.

2 problems with your statement.
1) Your reasoning is incorrect. The reason we don't allow converts is because we made a promise to the King of Gujarat not to try to spread our religion and live in peace by ourselves.
This tradition has STILL stuck.
2) parsis DO allow converts in the West. Some priests still don't, but lost are happening right here in Toronto by Parsi priests themselves. Even more so in the US. Again, we like to keep to ourselves even in the West. We don't go seeking converts like many other religions do. If people want to convert and learn about our religion(outside of Iran and India and Pakistan), we'd GLADLY help them and the priests will even help with the conversion process.

Do you want to learn more? I can help you.

[Longbowman]

There are 5000-10000 UK Zoroastrians. If you have a sub for Islam(despite not really being a European religion) there should be one for the OG religion too.

There are 3 majority-Muslim European countries if you don't include Turkey.

If we have a Zoroastrian subforum, should we have a Taoist one? A Hindu one?

That said, despite the obvious fact that Zoroastrianism has nothing to do with Europe (even Buddhism has more, looking at Kalmykia and ancient Greece) whereas Christianity, certain branches of Paganism both extinct and revived, Islam and Judaism obviously do, I would relish the chance to learn more about it. But it's not European.

[Randommembr]

There are 3 majority-Muslim European countries if you don't include Turkey.

If we have a Zoroastrian subforum, should we have a Taoist one? A Hindu one?

There IS a Hindu one. Exactly my point though If this a "European community"(that was the comment I replied to), why is there a Hindu community but not a Zoroastrians one?

Why is there no forum for the religion that literally influenced every other major monotheistic religion almost?

[Óttar]

2 problems with your statement.
1) Your reasoning is incorrect. The reason we don't allow converts is because we made a promise to the King of Gujarat not to try to spread our religion and live in peace by ourselves.
This tradition has STILL stuck.

I find it hard to believe that Parsis would still honor a promise made to a Guju raja more than 1,000 years ago. I read an article about marriages and deaths in a dwindling Parsi community and it seemed to me that their reluctance to accept converts was based purely on being a closed, endogamous community. Given the sheer religious diversity in India, I find it hard to believe that at least a sizeable number of Hindus wouldn't have wanted to convert to the religion at some point over a millennium.

2) parsis DO allow converts in the West. Some priests still don't, but lost are happening right here in Toronto by Parsi priests themselves. Even more so in the US. Again, we like to keep to ourselves even in the West. We don't go seeking converts like many other religions do. If people want to convert and learn about our religion(outside of Iran and India and Pakistan), we'd GLADLY help them and the priests will even help with the conversion process.

That may be true, but Parsis on the Indian subcontinent have shown themselves to be especially reluctant to accept converts.

[Longbowman]

There IS a Hindu one. Exactly my point though If this a "European community"(that was the comment I replied to), why is there a Hindu community but not a Zoroastrians one?

Why is there no forum for the religion that literally influenced every other major monotheistic religion almost?

I suppose, why not. But then, why not also Mandaeanism, Yazidism, Shabak, Shinto, whatever else.

[Randommembr]

I suppose, why not. But then, why not also Mandaeanism, Yazidism, Shabak, Shinto, whatever else.

ALL the religions you mention (except Shintoism) are based loosely of Islam or Christianity or Zoroastriansim.

Which religion was the original? Which religion influenced (more like set the entire basis) almost every other religion since? Exactly....

Seriously look at the similarities for yourself. Way of praying, stories etc.

[Longbowman]

ALL the religions you mention (except Shintoism) are based loosely of Islam or Christianity or Zoroastriansim.

Which religion was the original? Which religion influenced (more like set the entire basis) almost every other religion since? Exactly....

Seriously look at the similarities for yourself. Way of praying, stories etc.

Mandaeanism isn't really based off Christianity, it's a sister religion. It's based off Judaism. Which, incidentally, predates Zoroastrianism.

[Randommembr]

I find it hard to believe that Parsis would still honor a promise made to a Guju raja more than 1,000 years ago. I read an article about marriages and deaths in a dwindling Parsi community and it seemed to me that their reluctance to accept converts was based purely on being a closed, endogamous community. Given the sheer religious diversity in India, I find it hard to believe that at least a sizeable number of Hindus wouldn't have wanted to convert to the religion at some point over a millennium.


That may be true, but Parsis on the Indian subcontinent have shown themselves to be especially reluctant to accept converts.

That is the reason. Its become tradition and culture and disrespecting culture/ promises is considered wrong.
Questioning this is considered wrong.
Really, it's the same in all cultures. All of them honor culture and tradition a bit too much.
Parsis did borrow a bit from Hinduism(sarees) but our entire religion is very very very different.