FRESH ALLEGATIONS
Responses by Amalsad & Jafarey
RESPONSE BY MR. MEHER D.
AMALSAD
Subj:
COMMOTIONS of FEZANA Motions - Overhaul or Do Not Vote At All
Date: 8/26/00
1:23:58 AM Pacific Daylight Time
From: BABAMEHER@prodigy.net
(meher d amalsad)
To:
jalnb@earthlink.net (Jal Birdy), jalnb@mediaone.net
CC: (-- 110 persons --)
Let us focus on creating a community of substance instead of a community of existence.
May Ahura Mazda Be Pleased
Dear Fellow Zarathushtis:
As you decide to vote on the IZA and ZAGNY motion, I would like you read the following true story about a man who transformed the consciousness of the world in the 20th Century.
The story speaks for itself. However, after the story I have a few questions for Ervad Jal Birdy as well as you all to respond and ponder as you choose to make the right decision to affirmatively support these two motions.
Please keep in mind that the Zarathushti community is an intelligent community. Each individual attending the WZC2000 is endowed with the wisdom to decide whose presentation they will or will not attend.
No single person or organized committee should be allowed to dictate that to the community.
We have elected presidents not kings.
It’s time for the kings to shape up or ship out.
Please reflect on, not deflect from ....... your purpose as you cast your affirmative vote to support these two motions.
These motions will transform, not deform our community. SO GO FOR IT.
In the spirit of love and light to you all.
Meher Amalsad
In the 1930’s many christian clergy flocked into India to convert the millions who were oppressed as untouchables.
The christian clergy stood on street corners loudly denouncing Hinduism and proclaiming the virtues of christianity.
Months went by without a single convert accepting the offer.
Being frustrated one priest asked Gandhi: “After all the oppression and discrimination that the untouchables suffer under Hinduism, why is it they do not offer to a better life in christianity.”
Gandhi replied: “When you stop telling them how good christianity is and start living it, you will find more converts than you can cope with.”
These words of wisdom apply to all religions of
the world.
We want to shout from roof-tops the virtues of our beliefs and not translate
them into our lives.
Let us translate our prayers into our lives, just not in our minds.
Dear Ervad Jal Birdy:
This letter is not written in the spirit of opposing your viewpoints or proposing the so-called modern viewpoints, but in the spirit of accepting the gracious offer that you have offered to the community.
You have stated that:
a.. We are being asked to vote on motions, which if passed, will endorse and encourage an individual who, by his conversion policies, is putting the lives of thousands of Parsi- and Iranian-Zarathushtis living in Islamic countries in unnecessary jeopardy. We at TMZA do not wish to be a party in taking such a risk. We do not want the life of a single co-religionist to be jeopardized in this way. (The protest letter received from the Karachi Parsi Anjuman Trust Funds bears witness to this fact. If anyone wants to see this letter please let us know.)
As you know that I am from Karachi and happen to know the Trustees of the Karachi Parsi Anjuman Trust Funds.
Could you kindly mail me a copy of the above quoted protest letter from the Karachi Parsi Anjuman Trust Funds. I would also like to know which Trustee signed this protest letter and whether it was unilaterally signed by one Trustee or the entire Board of Trustees including the Chairman.
Also, in the past there has been a mention that our brother Zarathushtis in Iran are in similar danger.
I would also like to have a copy of an official document from your file that verifies and substantiates that claim about Iran.
Also at the Houston AGM on February 4, 2000, TMZA Compliled a Global Protest document openly claiming that it had collected 5000 authentic signatures from protesting Zarathushtis.
Unfortunately, I was unable to procure a copy of those 5000 signatures from either the FEZANA or the WZC2000 files. No FEZANA or WZC2000 officials seem to have such a monumental document on record.
Thus, I would truly appreciate if you can kindly provide me a copy of those 5000 authentic signatures.
Also, out of those 5000 protesting signatories, how many of them are officially registered to attend the WZC2000.
You wrote:
These words sound good but they are really quite
hollow. Let us remind IZA about the deal that was struck by their friends with
the “Traditionalists” at the February WZC2000 meeting in Houston. At that
time it was agreed that Mr. Jafarey’s name would be withdrawn if the names of
several Traditionalist speakers (Ervad K. N. Dastoor, Prof. James Russell, Prof.
Boyd and Behram Atashband) would be withdrawn also. This was agreed to after
much discussion and negotiation between the track chairs present (including Dr.
Anoushiravani representing the Zarathushtra’s Vision Track Chair) after which
their unanimous decision received the Executive Board’s blessing. The final
slate of speakers was subsequently announced to all concerned.
It is deploring to learn that DEALS were made by Zarathushtis to satisfy their personal agendas and egos.
Who gave the traditionalist or the modernist the right to make DEALS on behalf of the community?
Who gave the traditionalist or the modernist the right to GAMBLE with the spirit of HUMAN DIGNITY?
Who gave the traditionalist or the modernist the right to SACRIFICE the right of respected people like Ervad K.N. Dastoor to speak and be heard.
You are an Ervad and you knowingly and willfully allowed that to happen to another Ervad who is probably the age of your father. A man who has dedicated 60 plus years towards serving our community.
Ervad Saheb, Are we organizing a Zarathushti Congress or playing Russian Roulette.
Have we stooped to a community of dealers and wheelers?
What is going to be the next step?
I look forward to your prompt and meaningful response and I thank you in advance for mailing me the requested above mentioned documents ASAP.
May you ALWAYS be blessed in ALL-WAYS
In the spirit of love and light to you and your
family.
Meher Amalsad
* * * * * *
COMMENTS BY ALI A. JAFAREY
Ervad Jal Birdy has spoken again, this time
formally as the “Vice President, TMZA [One wonders why the President abstains
from writing]. His letter, a response to the Iranian Zoroastrian Association (IZA),
has been adequately replied by Mr. Meher D. Amalsad, who has raised a few
questions and I am sure, many are anxious to read the responses. However, Ervad
Birdy has, as usual, taken a few shots at me, and as we shall see, one a very
cheap one.
(1) FEZANA VOTING RULES INEDIQUATE: He
says: <<This is NOT a "Right to Speak" issue at all. It is a
matter of publicizing the views of the so-called Jafarey
"Fundamentalists", at the risk of wiping out the faith and beliefs of
the miniscule Parsi-Zarathushti community. These "Fundamentalist"
views are devised mainly to make the Zarathushti religion more palatable to
disgruntled Iranian Muslims and others, who are being wooed by them. Of course,
if the "Fundamentalist" leader himself is barred from participating in
a World Zarathushti Millennium Congress, they lose face so they dare not let
that happen at any cost.
The issue before us is therefore crucial to the
survival of our worldwide Parsi-Zarathushti community and let no one tell you
otherwise. FEZANA voting rules are grossly inadequate to deal with an issue of
such importance to our community. We are giving below some of the reasons why
Zarathushtis in general and Parsi-Zarathushtis in particular should call on
FEZANA to withdraw the motions from being voted on until voting procedures
and/or the constitution is overhauled and agreed to by all Associations.>>
(2) THE JIBING JAB:
<<…devised mainly to make the Zarathushti religion more palatable
to disgruntled Iranian Muslims and others, who are being wooed by them.>>
One wonders at the depth of the knowledge of an almost 40-year Incantational
Priest who is the President of the North American Mobeds Council and the
Vice-President of the Traditional Mazdayasni Zoroastrian Anjuman! “Traditional
Mazdaysni Zoroastrianism, Islam, Christianity and few other religions are all prescriptive
orders and share many prescriptions and proscriptions. The Good Religion of the
Gathas is “reflective.” There one is told what to do and what not to
do. Here one has to “Listen the best with his/her ears, ponder with a bright
mind,” and translate his/her “Well-thought Thought – Humatem Mano”
into “Well-Spoken Word – Hukhtem Vacho” and “Hvarshtem
Shyaothanem – Well-done Deed.” It is far easier for <<disgruntled
Iranian Muslims and others>> to switch over to similar “do’s and
don’ts” and changed the name. This similarity is one of the main reasons
Christian and Baha'i missionaries find it easy to convert Iranian Muslims to
their faiths.
The Good Religion of Zarathushtra has to be
studied, accepted and chosen. The Assembly TEACHES and watches first and
when satisfied, accepts the person. It is not switching over from one train for
another! I wish instead of blindly following what Mr. Khojeste Mistree has
written in his FALSE allgation, the Ervad Saheb should employ his own talents to
make a JAB not JIBE.
(3) THE CONFESSION: <<miniscule
Parsi-Zarathushti community>> and <<Zarathushtis in general and
Parsi-Zarathushtis in particular.>> So, according to him, there more than
one faction in the Zoroastrian community and they hold different views! He
speaks only on behalf of Parsi-Zarathushtis, and obviously he means only the
“Traditionalists of his views” and not the Ilm-i Khshnumists, the Pundolies
and definitely not the Parsi Reformists. Good!
He uses “Parsi-Zarathushtris” for four times
in his letter. And in his latest letter of 27 August, he proposes <<This
motion should ask for FEZANA members to vote to condemn Dr. Ardeshir
Anoshiravani for this horrendous display of exclusion of IDEAS and to ask for
his immediate resignation, or failing which, his immediate removal from the
WZC2000 EB...... >> With Dr. Ardeshir Anoshiravani, Vice-Co-Chair of WZC
EB and the Track Master Dr. Mehrborzin Soroushian, both Iranians, put
aside, EB would become a “pure Parsi party.” He would achieve his goal: Turn
World Zoroastrian Congress into a Parsi-Zarathushti Congress.
A desperate Motion but will it make a motion at all?!
If so, will debarring some and making the
Congress only a <<Parsi-Zarathushti>> of the Ervad Saheb’s views
help bring the community together? Or will a face-to-face meeting to
“agree to disagree” and yet tolerantly “co-exist” would help
“ecumenize” the community split by the repetitive crywolf?
(4) PLAYING WITH FIRE:
<<We are being asked to vote on motions, which if passed, will
endorse and encourage an individual who, by his conversion policies, is putting
the lives of thousands of Parsi- and Iranian-Zarathushtis living in Islamic
countries in unnecessary jeopardy. We at TMZA do not wish to be a party in
taking such a risk. We do not want the life of a single co-religionist to be
jeopardized in this way.>>
The HOLLOW HOAX and the FALSE ALARM
repeated again and again and never seconded by any Zoroastrian Iranian
authority.
Yes, it could pose a danger should the
repetition of HOAX continue. It could give an idea to a terrorist gang in
an Islamic country to harm the <<miniscule>> but wealthy community.
This will NOT happen in Iran because both the Zartoshti community and the
Government are quite vigilant. And every Iranian, from the topmost Ayatollah to
the vendor in the street respects Zoroastrianism and has a soft corner for
Zoroastrians. Again, I WARN, if something like this happens in any other
Islamic
country, it would be only because of this HOAX circulated by the Traditionalists
for their vested interests. Instead
of venerating the Holy Fire, the now desperate Traditionalist leaders, lead by a
priest, are playing with fire.
If conversion could have posed a danger to the
lives of the converting communities in Islamic countries and even India, then
the Christians and Baha’is should have been wiped out because to this date
thousands and thousands of Muslim Iranians have been converted by both the
faith, particularly in North America.
(5) CHEAP SHOT: <<We are being
asked to vote on motions, which if passed, will endorse the actions of an
individual who has caused and allowed his followers to insult the customs and
traditions of Parsi-Zarathushtis in the most abusive and degrading terms. (TMZA
cannot bear to quote or reproduce the contents of a letter posted on the club-z
alias by one "Mr. Eruch Irani", a crony of Mr. Jafarey, on September
7, 1996.>>
First let me make it crystal clear. Ervad
Jal Birdy might call and/or consider his colleagues as his
<<cronies>>. I have my co-religionist Zarathushtrians only as my Behdin
companions. All of these companions
who contribute to the two Z-Lists, go by their OWN names and never by fake ones
or cowardly hide behind others to feed the uproar-mongers. These companions are
responsible persons and never use vulgar and foul language.
I remember one Mr. Eruch Irani who was as quick
in his immediate responses as were the Traditionalists in those days,
particularly the abusive Poras H. Havewalla
(who, fed by Traditionalist leaders, priests and scholars, continues his
uproar of mounting lies). I do not know Mr. Erach Irani and he has/had no
connection whatsoever with the Zarathushtrian Assembly or any of its members. I
was not a member of “club-z” and have no knowledge of what was going on the
club-z. Ervad Birdy seems to know it well and has maintained a good record of
the Club postings.
(6) BE BRAVE TO BOYCOTT: A <<deal
… was struck by their friends with the "Traditionalists" … that
Mr. Jafarey’s name would be withdrawn if the names of several Traditionalist
speakers (Ervad K. N. Dastoor, Prof. James Russell, Prof. Boyd and Behram
Atashband) would be withdrawn also.>> Talking of a secret Deal! One
has only to imagine the price the Traditionalists agreed to pay to debar me!!
Driven by desperation!!!
I would still have each of the “debarred”
and more of the Traditionalist to speak on occasion. They are good exponents of
the Traditions and Customs of the <<Parsi-Zarathushtis.>> The
international audience will hear the Messages by both the sides. Interesting to
know that Professors Russell and Boyd are considered as
<<Traditionalists.>> And those not in favor of a speaker or bitterly
against him/her, may well boycott the session and quietly leave
the hall in protest when he/she stands to speak. Debarring him/her from speaking
and forcing the audience not to listen to him/her is cowardice.
Boycotting is bravery.
(7) INVITATION: <<Mr. Jafarey
openly announced on the Internet that he did not invite any Traditionalist
speaker to take part in the program at his 10th anniversary celebration last
March.>> When did he make the announcement? The person who could give a
reference of a posting made by Mr. Irani on <<September 7, 1994>> avoids
to give the date of a supposed announcement only a few months ago! Why??? Letting
a lie fly!
Or is it a gesture that should the Assembly
invite the Traditionalist scholars, Ervad Birdy and his colleagues [and if he
prefers to call them <<cronies>>] attend the seminars? If yes, I
hereby invite them to participate as speakers at the next Assembly seminar.
(8) TO BE LEFT ALONE: <<… The
ordinary Parsi-Zarathushti, or "Traditionalist" as he/she is often
called, does not want to interfere with how others practice their religion all
they want is to be left alone to practice their own faith the way they have done
for the past countless centuries, without harassment or ridicule.>> That
warrants to hold a pure Parsi-Zarathushti Congress. Participation in the World
Zoroastrian Congress means tolerating others also.
(9) WIN-WIN TO WIN: <<The key to
ending this divide is in Mr. Jafarey’s hand. This situation would disappear
overnight, resulting in a win-win situation for everyone, if Mr. Jafarey were
only to take a leaf out of the Dalai Llama’s book. If he is half the leader
that his friends make him out to be, he would firmly decline any invitation to
attend the conference, in favor of preserving peace and harmony in the
community. That will be an acid test of his leadership.>>
Heads I win and Tails you lose!!! Who created
the situation? Jafarey was not in the picture at all when the Traditionalists --
Priests, scholars and the “Back-seat Drivers" – allocated all the key
positions to themselves. It was the guilty conscience that reminded them that
the first blow will be half the battle, and made them to frantically move to
prepare the 26-page “A Global [sic] Protest” to debar Jafarey from the
Congress. The backlash was a surprise. It is growing into a severe
backache.
Now they are requesting Jafarey <<to take
a leaf out of the Dalai Lama’s Book … by declining any invitation to attend
the conference>>! Yes, Heads I win and Tails you lose!!!
How about the Traditionalists to take that
“leaf” out and improve the worsening situation they have created for
themselves and others? Jafarey is not guided by the Dalai Lama. He has the
Seventeen Sublime Songs of Zarathushtra, which never guide any person to
compromise with “Wrong – Druj.”
(10) CHALLENGE: I have been reading
papers and making speeches at Zoroastrian gatherings, from the World Zoroastrian
Congresses through Seminars to friendly meetings, in Tehran, Yazd, Kerman, and
Shiraz in Iran, Karachi, Lahore, Rawalpindi and Quetta in Pakistan, and Bombay,
Pune and Delhi in India since 1960’s. I have conveyed only the Message of
Zarathushtra to a listening audience and expounded Zoroastrianism at scholastic
deliberations. Any evidence that I have hurt the sentiments of the audience
and/or any record and recollection that one person or more stood up in protest?
Any ugly scene whatsoever? If not then all the uproar we have been having is by
a few rumormongers on the Internet and the Traditionalist Parsi press.
If invited, I will again speak on the Message of
Zarathushtra, this time under the title of
“ZARATHUSHTRA’S VISION.” And let us see who enjoys the talk
and who gets offended. That is a challenge.
Let me ask the Traditionalists a question to
conclude this posting: What makes you FEAR if Jafarey faces and addresses the
very people whom you have already well informed of all you have in your 26-page
packet and more in other writings and postings? Would you be brave enough
to give the real reason? IS IT THE *DREAD* FROM BEING AUTOMATICALLY
PROVEN WRONG? ISN’T IT?
Ali A. Jafarey
28 August 2000
* * * * * *
LINKS:
To Return to the Relevant Original
Allegation, CLICK
Fresh Allegations
TABLE OF CONTENTS and Their Links
Introduction & the Gist of "The Plain Reality Behind The Intricate Falsity"
Analysis of the 26-page "Global Protest"