Topic of the Month - September 2008

[Admin]

What Does Faith Mean to You?

For many, faith and spirituality are important factors in life.

How do these terms fit in your life? What do they mean to you?

[Nasha]

Believing in faith is important, because even as life becomes unbearable and there are difficult roads you will come across, the knowledge and experience that you will get through the situation is very important. Not just in terms of getting through whatever comes your way, but in realizing the effect it has on a person.
For instance, you undergo a horrible experience that is life changing. The most important factor you must realize is that your faith kept you going and made you strong, and in future similar episodes, it is that same faith that will get you through the end of the day. For me, faith brings a smile to my face, makes me know I am not helpless, etc.
I know a lot of times when things go wrong and you cannot seem to find an explanation why, turning your back against your faith and giving up hope seems like a good option. I've personally been there. However, it only makes you miserable and getting out of that mindset takes time.
All I can say is, faith is important to each and every individual. Some embrace it. Others avoid it.

[Jimmy]

For me Faith is everything. It defines who I am as a human being and gives me a purpose in life. Its something to turn to when things arent going my way. Something to thank when things are. It gives me a feeling of belonging to something greater, something ancient. I often wonder who my Great great great 100x grandfather is, where I came from in Persia, who my ancestors were and the great things they did. Having faith I have come across small but meaningful miracles here and there and have had the pleasure of hearing my prayers answered time and time again, also being able to understand that when they were not answered it was for some greater good. As long as I can remember I feel that God has looked out for me and in my opinion has done more than his fair share to help me out, and in return I try my hardest put Him and my faith first in life and in everything that I do. The harder the times the more likely one is to give up praying, but on the contrary, thats when I pray the hardest...and it invariably helps.


I find it unfortunate and heartbreaking when some people claim that being a Parsi is a curse or trash talk their own community. I am damn proud of being a Parsi and Thank God for putting me in this awesome religion. I wish fellow Zoroastrians would share the same pride. Instead they sometimes turn to other faiths and non Zoroastrhian customs when there is so much of their religion that they have yet to uncover. The more I read about our religion the more I get fascinated and enchanted with it and its timeless ways, some of which are even intune with scientific principals. The more I read about our great forefathers, the more I hope that my generation will rise to the occasion and be the great people that their forefathers were.

For those of you who have ever looked deep into the warm glow of one of our holy Atash Behram/Agyari Fires, you too will realize that each have their own persona, and that they are so much more than a mere chemical reaction. Many find our prayers boring or unintelligible but have you ever had the good fortune to really LISTEN to a Priest with a good voice pray our verses which are millennia old? I mean listen with your soul and not with your ears, to hear the vibrations that the avesta produces and realize that there is not a language in the world that can match it. Just as your eyes would be happy looking at a masterpiece painting or landscape, or your ears would come alive as you listen to a symphony, your soul will come alive in the presence of such an instance. Yet our folks abroad say 'but we dont have a temple here!'. Close your eyes and pray the yatha ahu vario/kusti aloud in front of a divo with all your heart and you will have close to the same effect. Try it. Its only when people investigate these little miracles, and even the large miracles that occured in the name of our religion, only then will they realize that any attempts to reform it would be attempting to reform perfection.



Chhaiye Humay Zarthosti
O tokham Kyani! O jug mashoor!
O saoo sud goon ma sacchi ne bhurpoor!
Kayem rahi jalavjo shoobh tooj no jom
Abadi sathe jivjo Parsi kom!

O Kyani descendants! O world renowned!
O Truthful ones-where all virtues abound!
May ye live for ever and glorious fame befall
With perfection ever, O ye Parsis all!

[Roopkirani]

Faith is the sense of protection I feel when I put on my Kusti and pray. It's the calming effect I feel when I'm writing a difficult exam and take a moment to pray a few Yathaa Ahoo Vairyo. Faith is the trance I fall into when listening to the Dastoorjis pray during a Jashan. It's the satisfaction I feel when I'm able to pray in front of the divo.