DR. LEO REBELLO'S RESPONSE TO LEADERS OF THE PARSI COMMUNITY

To Wapiz at wapiz@wapiz.com

Periodically you give full page advertisements in the Free Press Journal and I think in Jame Jamshed and Mumbai Samachar. My wife Kashmira (nee Baria of Cusrow Baug) and I read these with interest.

Apropos today's two-page advertisement in FPJ, we have following few relevant questions which please answer pointwise, accurately, briefly and clearly.

1.. Where does Zoroaster say that conversions should not be allowed? Quote his words, if any, directly. No boring circumlocution and quoting from dubious authorities.

2.. Forced conversions are indeed cancerous. But, why should you object if someone, like Joseph Peterson, voluntarily wants to convert to your 'superior' religion?

3.. Since 1983, how many more juddin Navjotes have taken place and have all these been conducted by Dr. Kersey Antia? If not, why is your tirade against him alone, especially since "he was trained at the M.F.Cama Athornan Institute at Andheri and was trained into a full-fledged priest with sound knowledge of our religion and history".

4.. If he has sound knowledge of your religion and history, as per the above quote, how can Khojestee Mistree debunk his Argument for Acceptance? This flawed blitzkrieg of WAPIZ is like
(a) HIV-AIDS racketeers NOT accepting the truth that HIV has not been identified;
(b) that it is an old chronic disease which was called Oja-kshaya in Ayurveda, Vettai Noi in Siddha and Al-Zabool in Unani; and
(c) insisting that ONLY carcinogenic anti-retroviral drugs will prolong life,
(d)while debunking other experts as quacks and only themselves as experts. I call such experts as one disease specialists, like you styling yourselves as true inheritors and protectors and others as despoilers.

5.. What happened to Adv. Bergis Desai who was leading a Reformist Group in the 70's and who, now I am told, is with WAPIZ? If it is true, how a Reformist became an Orthodox again?

6.. Some one called Shirin Mai (internet savvy granny) writes : "... There are seven Vada Dastoorjees at the present time -- All of them reside in India ONLY!! ... Others, anywhere in the world, are self styled and have no legitimate claim to such a title." Does this make any sense? Like Pervin Jehangir pointing out the difference between Vahujote and Navjote. Are the rituals more important or the principles?

7.. Parsi/Zoroastrians came to India (Sanjan in 785 AD). It is here that three conditions were imposed on your community by Raja Jadhav Rana, impressed by the 'sugar-dissolving-in milk' experiment. Accordingly, you have followed the 3 conditions set for your integration in India, namely, :
(a) Parsi women to wear saris;
(b) Your community to learn Gujarati while retaining your own language;
(c) Explain your religion for which your ancestors travelled this long distance with so much hardship.

Now tell us where your religion prohibits or the good king prevented you from conversion?

Besides, Kersey Antia is not alone in his averment that Conversions can be allowed in Zoroastrianism. Even Meher Master-Moos of Zoroastrian College advocates that voluntary conversions can be allowed. You will immediately jump saying she is not the authority. Cut the crap, answer the main question -- are conversions in Zoroastrianism prohibited or not? She was ready to convert me to Zoroastrianism, like Cardinal Simon Pimenta had sent a special emissary to suggest that I convert Kashmira to Christianity. Since we abhor any religion, we did neither,and got married under the Special Marriage Act, and we are quite happy for that.

Parsi Zoroastrians in India (and since they are concentrated in Mumbai) make so much noise even about entry of non-Parsis into their Fire temple, which no one else does. Because, a House of God should be open to all. You should also note that Fire purifies. Some of you saying that Holy Fire will be defiled if non Parsis are allowed in the Fire Temple is irrational and an insult to your Maker who has gifted you with Man's superior brain.

Your stand reeks of orthodoxy and you discriminate; because if a Parsi/Irani man were to marry a non-Parsi, the wife can stay in Parsi colony and children can have Navjot and other Zoroastrian ceremonies. But if a Parsi woman were to marry a non-Parsi she cannot perform Navjote of her children or stay in a Parsi colony. When India's secular Constitution guarantees gender and other equalities, this stand of yours amounts to discrimination and hence is bad in law. When King Rana's vision was to integrate you in India, to which your high priest agreed, why are you now creating your own decadent rules and causing obstruction to natural growth of culture and civilisation?

Be wise. Otherwise, like Dinosaurs you will soon be extinct !!!

With best wishes,
Dr. Leo Rebello
www.healthwisdom.org