Zarathushtra, a messenger or a philosopher

                  By Maziar August 1999
               Edited; May 2013

   In contrast to most major religions of the world, which are based on “faith”, Zarathustra’s doctrine is based on logic. His philosophy was so far ahead of time that a large number of Zoroastrian scholars, in different periods of time since its foundation, have fallen into the trap of the “newer is better” mentality. Whenever a new ideology or philosophy (mostly religious) came into perspective, in order to keep up with the “progress”, they injected a few of those ideologies into Zarathushtra’s doctrine. Unfortunately, this practice has changed the foundation of the Zoroastrian doctrine.

     It is interesting to know that with the advancement of science in last few centuries, many of those so-called newer progressive philosophies and hypotheses were proven wrong. This not only discredited the religions that introduced those hypotheses, but it also tarnished the image of Zoroastrianism for being influenced by it.

It is very encouraging to see that efforts are being made to purify Zoroastrianism from these influences by returning strictly to the Gothic doctrine (Zarathushtra’s writing), which coexist with science.

     According to the Gathas  all the laws of nature combined together will create a force, or an intelligence. Zarathustra calls this intelligence Hasty-e Kherad, or Ahura Mazda in Avestan language, which determines and maintains the world order. He named this world order “Asha”, meaning "truth", or "law" in Avestan (the mother thong of Zarathushtra).

Zarathushtra did not have supernatural power, nor did he claim to have one. After he chose seclusion and observed the nature for ten years, he came to understand that there is an order that is governing the world not a supernatural being that people of that era used to believe. He called that world order “Asha”. 

    

     According to the Gathas, the universe is dynamic; the universe is constantly progressing in accordance with the laws of nature. And Zarathustra urges his followers try to understand Hasty-e Kherad and to keep up with the progress through strive for knowledge.

If the universe is dynamic and in constant progress, then that means if we go back in time, the universe must have been in more concentrated and a more simpler form, and eventually had a simple beginning.

      Edwin Hubble  the American astrophysicist, in early 20th century mathematically proved that the universe is constantly expanding at a rapid rate. Based on this finding, Hubble and many other scientists concluded that the universe had a beginning, and theory of Big Bang was born.

In recent years, after more than half a century of research since Hubble's finding, scientists were able to calculate the speed of the expansion of the universe and estimated its age at about 13 billion years.

According to Big Bang theory galaxies and stars are constantly interacting and forming new galaxies, stars, and planets (dynamic universe).

     Professor Stephen Hawking, Dean of the School of Astrophysics and mathematics at Cambridge University, concluded in his famous book “A Brief History of Time and Space” that our universe was formed at the time of the Big Bang along with all the laws of nature. He further indicates that these laws have remained the same through the present time without any changes or interference. He also stated that if god had created the universe, he had done it at the time of the Big Bang and left it alone since. Meaning if there is a god, it has no effect on the order of our universe.

     As we can see, these scientific findings are in complete agreement with Zarathustra’s doctrine of the formation and progressive nature of the universe (dynamic universe). Based on this reasoning, I am in disagreement with those Zoroastrian scholars who refer to Zarathustra as a “messenger” instead of a philosopher. The term “messenger” in our society reflects to the theory of creation by Abraham.

According to Abraham universe is static; supposedly some times after the Big Bang, god had interfered in the order of the universe and created humans and other creatures within six days. Then, because Adam and Eve disobeyed the creator, God exiled them from heaven and excommunicated them and consequently he had designated “messengers” in order to keep in-touch with humans. A few sects believe that he then went to bed and will wake up on seventh day.

    

     In my opinion, the term “messenger” that does not fit into Zarathustra’s thinking, has been adopted by a few Zoroastrian scholars to keep up with the so-called “progress”-- The progress that has been proven wrong by science over and over again.

      I believe Zarathustra is a philosopher who introduced a doctrine, along with finest set of ethics to humanity in accordance and coexistence with science, without resorting to superstition.

He campaigned against Magies (the religious leaders of his time) and said “all gods are lies” and he never referred to Ahura Mazda as a god. In Avestan language, ahura means universe and mazda means intelligence. In some parts of Gathas he referred to it as Mazda Ahura as well (intelligence of the universe). In other word, it is the intelligence that exists within every matter that makes our world “dynamic” which is constantly producing, (not creating as Abrahamites came to believe). 
In other word, the two Avestan words; Ahura and Mazda has been used by Zarathushtra to describe a situation that exists in our universe but the god enthusiasts had interpreted it as a god. 
Ahura Mazda is not a god and Zarathushtra was a naturalist and was against all gods. 
Again, the two words; Ahura and Mazda, put together, describe a situation not an entity.

This makes Zarathushtra unique among philosophers as well as among religion originators. The term “messenger” not only does not fit with Zarathustra’s thinking but, in my opinion, will harm his position in human history.

Why I adamantly believe that Zarathushtra was a naturalist.

When one reads The Gathas (the parts that was written by Zarathushtra himself) one can conclude that Zarathushtra believed that; there is an order (Asha) in the universe that governs our world and he said that nothing can change or stop that order, meaning none-existing of supernatural entities or entity to interfere with that natural order.

He also reinforces that belief by instructing his followers; in order to understand the structure and configuration of the natural world (Ahura Mazda/Mazda Ahura, meaning intelligence that exists in our universe), one must strive for knowledge.

When one reads the above statement by Zarathushtra, one can figure out his line of thinking which is based on logic and scientific principle not myth.

With above in mind, if I read an article by a scholar who claims that Zarathushtra was a prophet of some god and used to believe in heaven and hell et. et., would it be logical for me to believe that claim?

By the same token, if I read "Origin of Species" and learn about Natural Selection by Charles Darwin and then read an article by a scholar who claims that Darwin was a religious man, should I believe that claim? Of course not.

Please read my other articles regarding Zarathushtra on this blog.
Please read my other articles on this subject:

http://maziaraptin.blogspot.com/2012/02/thus-spoke-zarathustra.html

http://maziaraptin.blogspot.com/2012/07/true-zoroastrianism-i-am-none.html

http://maziaraptin.blogspot.com/2012/07/are-present-day-zoroastrians-actually.html

Thank you.

 Maziar

پارسی زبانانِ گرامی: برای آشناشدن با برخی ازدگرگونیهای نا درست که موبدانِ زمانِ ساسانی در "فرهنگِ فلسفیِ ایرانی" ایجاد کرده اند را در ویدیوهای زیر از پرفسور منوچهر جمالی ببینید.

Vedio#4

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WUBjwV-gsEI

Vedio#5

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ALyxCKb8pm0

Vedio#6

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sfAfokh30R8

Vedio#7

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YgGovNviBZA

Vedio#8

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3n7Dif6xBs0

Link bellow: Professor Kaykhosro Irani explains the "philosophy of Zarathustra"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3s1t0hrl4pE

To The god cravers of the world:

GOD IS DEAD

Belief in god has created so many miseries, not just for humans but for animals as well.

Throughout the human history, innocent animals have been slaughtered as sacrifices in billions. Innocent humans have been tortured, maimed, murdered, and displaced in millions and millions because you thought that your god is better than your victim’s god. Such a waste!

Such a misguided people you are! You and your gods, from Enn, Enlil, Zeus, and Apollo to Jehovah and Allah you all make me sick, I despise you.

Above; Enlil

< Enlil the chief god of Sumer with wife             

< Zeus

And The lesser gods: 

>As Nietzsche has said god is dead 

Yes we killed God by curing the sick, by planting kidney, heart, liver, etc. in patient’s body to keep him/her alive; the patient that your god had decided to kill.

We killed god with theory of “Natural Selection”, by excavating fossils, by inventing all kinds of gadgets that god did not want us to have. It began with the invention and manufacture of first stone tool by an unknown person over two million years ago. Since then we constantly and steadily have been choking god to death. To me and 25% of people on Earth god is dead but unfortunately it is still breathing inside the mind of other 75%, what a pity.  

Please read the followings on the subject of god and religion:

http://maziaraptin.blogspot.com/2012/02/is-it-creation-or-evolution.html

http://maziaraptin.blogspot.com/2012/02/law-of-nature.html

http://maziaraptin.blogspot.com/2012/02/are-organized-religions-necessary.html

http://maziaraptin.blogspot.com/2012/02/there-is-no-need-for-religions.html

http://maziaraptin.blogspot.com/2012/02/concept-of-babb-in-shiagary.html

http://maziaraptin.blogspot.com/2012/07/evolution-of-eye-few-weeks-ago-i-wrote.html

http://maziaraptin.blogspot.com/2012/02/unethical-social-values-of-modern-man.html

http://maziaraptin.blogspot.com/2012/02/wrong-hypothesis.html

http://maziaraptin.blogspot.com/2012/02/why-civilizations-rise-and-fall.html

A few verses of Koran that all Muslims should know

So many misguided people have claimed that “neither the basic texts of Islam, nor accepted Muslim practice condones terrorism or killing of civilians”.

The above statement is not true. Killing civilians, including women and children was normal practice throughout the history of the Islamic movement. The practice started from the very beginning, based on the verses of the Koran as follows:

Koran 17:16-17

When we decide to destroy a population, we send a definite order to them who have the good things in life and yet transgress; so that Allah's word is proved true against them: then we destroy them utterly. How many generations have we destroyed after Noah? And enough is thy Lord to note and see the Sins of his servants.

Koran 21:11
How many were the populations we utterly destroyed because of their inequities, setting up in their place other peoples.

Koran 58:5

Those who resist Allah and His Messenger will be crumbled to dust, as were those before them: for we have already sent down Clear Signs and the Unbelievers will have a humiliating Penalty.

Koran 44:43-50

Verily the Tree of Zaqqum will be the food of the sinful. Like molten brass it will boil in their insides, Like the boiling of scalding water Seize Ye Him and drag him into the midst of the blazing Fire Then pour over his head the penalty of Boiling Water.

Pouring boiling water on the victim’s head was recorded throughout history. On April 20, 1998, in Ulhampur, India, over 30 innocent Kashmiri Hindu men, women, and children were burned alive in accordance to this verse.

Koran 5:33 The Punishment for those who oppose Allah and his messenger is: Execution or Crucifixion or the cutting off of hands and feet from opposite sides or exile from the land.

Koran 5:33 was specifically devised for those who did not believe in Allah. The cutting off of arms from the elbows and legs from the knees from the opposite sides was devised to inflict maximum pain to the victim since  each side of the elbows and knees have different types of nervous system hence they would feel different pain.

Thousands of Iranians were executed in this fashion early in Islam’s reign in Iran. Two most famous people that were executed according to the above verse were:
Babaak Khorramdin in 224 Islamic year and Bayazid Bastami, an 81 year old philosopher whose crime was introducing his version of evolution to his students. He was executed in 261 Islamic Lunar Calendar (9th century AD).

The above verses are an excerpt from “The Meaning of Holy Quran” by Abdullah Yusuf Ali of Egypt.

Please read:

http://maziaraptin.blogspot.com/2012/02/is-it-creation-or-evolution.html

http://maziaraptin.blogspot.com/2012/02/law-of-nature.html

http://maziaraptin.blogspot.com/2012/02/are-organized-religions-necessary.html

http://maziaraptin.blogspot.com/2012/02/there-is-no-need-for-religions.html

http://maziaraptin.blogspot.com/2012/02/concept-of-babb-in-shiagary.html

http://maziaraptin.blogspot.com/2012/07/evolution-of-eye-few-weeks-ago-i-wrote.html

http://maziaraptin.blogspot.com/2012/02/unethical-social-values-of-modern-man.html

http://maziaraptin.blogspot.com/2012/02/wrong-hypothesis.html

http://maziaraptin.blogspot.com/2012/02/why-civilizations-rise-and-fall.html

“Evolution of the Eye”
By Maziar Aptin July 2011
Updated October 2013

                                         

A few weeks ago I wrote an article titled “Is it Creation or Evolution!”

http://maziaraptin.blogspot.com/2012/02/is-it-creation-or-evolution.html

 I recently received the latest issue of “Scientific American” magazine. In that; an article titled “Evolution of The Eye” attracted my attention. It was written by Trevor D. Lamb who is an investigator in the department of neuroscience at the John Curtin School of Medical Research and in the ARC Center of Excellence in Vision Science at Australian National University in Canberra. His research focuses on the rod cone photoreceptors of the vertebrate retina.

After reading the article, I was happy to see that his finding confirms my opinion about the evolution that; all living things, including humans, have started from microorganism billions of years ago.

We all know that the planet Earth was formed about 4.6 billion years ago. Trevor Lamb, in his article indicates and I quote; “We humans have an unbroken line of ancestors stretching back nearly four billion years”.

Lamb continues: “Around a billion years ago simple multicellular animals diverged into two groups: One had a radially symmetrical body plan (a top, side, and bottom side no front or back), and the other- which gave rise to most of the organisms we think of as animals- was bilaterally symmetrical, with left and right sides that are mirror images of one another and a head end. The bilateria themselves then diverged around 600 million years ago into two important groups: one that gave rise to the vast majority of today’s spineless creatures; or invertebrates, and one whose descendants include our own vertebrate linage. Soon after these two lineages parted ways, an amazing diversity of animal body plans proliferated- the so-called Cambrian Explosion that famously left its mark in the fossil record of around 540 million to 490 million years ago. This burst of evolution laid the groundwork for the emergence of our complex eye.”

Lamb indicates that about 600 million years ago, (about 60 million years prior to the Cambrian Explosion), a shellfish type creature, living in the bottom of the ocean, out of necessity, had developed a light sensor to distinguish between night and day. That light sensor gradually evolved into a primitive vision organ and finally to eye.

The above finding has confirmed Charles Darwin’s argument about evolution of the eye. 

Darwin argued that “The human eye could have evolved from a simple light-catching patch of tissue of the kind that animals such as flatworms grow today. Natural selection could have turned the patch into a cup that could detect the direction of the light. Then, some added feature would work with the cup to further improve, better adapting an organism to its surroundings, and so this intermediate precursor of an eye would be passed down to future generations. And, step-by-step, natural selection could drive this transformation to increased complexity because each intermediate form would provide an advantage over what came before.”

This discovery is very important in regard to argument of “evolution vs. creation”.  Last decade or so the creationists, by recruiting a few religious scientists and paying them lavishly, started claiming that the eye which is the most complicated organ could not have evolved by itself but must have had an "intelligent designer". Now this discovery will put an end to such claim.  
  

To read the rest of Lamb’s article about “Evolution of the Eye” please refer to “Scientific American” July 2011 issue, page 64. You could go on their website;   http://www.scientificamerican.com/

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Some scientific info about origin of life:

How the life began on Earth

 

Three Domains

Current understanding of early evolution is that life (based on an analysis of the RNA in their ribosomes) split into two domains one of which later split into two. Hence there are now three domains, called Bacteria, Archaea and Eukaryotes, related as follows:

Possible relationships between three main domains of life

Note that the Bacteria and Archaea appear very similar to each other and very different from more advanced Eukaryotes, so Bacteria and Archaea are often grouped together under the heading prokaryotes. Biologists think that the Archaea are perhaps older than the Bacteria.

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Archaea 3.9  Bya ? (Billion years ago)

Based on their structure and biochemistry we believe the earliest cells were similar to the living Archaea (which used to be called the Archaebacteria). Archaea are probably living fossils, similar to the earliest cells.

 *****

Bacteria 3.5  Bya?

In some of their chemistry, Archaea resemble more advanced cells which we will meet later (eukaryotes). But there is another domain of simple, single-celled organisms which resemble them in size and shape, the Bacteria.

It seems that early cells divided into these two domains, and while the Archaea remain fairly specialized, the Bacteria, have diversified and now form the largest domain of prokaryotes.

The oldest fossil Bacteria found so far are in rocks from Western Australia dating from the Archaean 3.5 billion years old.

These are the simplest cells we find on Earth today, called bacteria (sometimes called germs). Note that one of these is called a bacterium.

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Photosynthesis 3.5 Bya

Bacteria began to trap sunlight and use that energy to make food, such as sugar. This process is called photosynthesis, meaning “constructing with light”. This was a great leap forward. Sunlight-using bacteria appeared soon after the first cells did, about 3.5 billion years ago, and sunlight has been the main source of energy for all life ever since. These bacteria are called blue-green bacteria or cyanobacterias (and sometimes wrongly called blue-green algae).

Many blue-green bacteria can also “fix“atmospheric nitrogen. In Southeast Asia, nitrogen-fixing blue-greens often are grown in rice paddies, removing the need for nitrogen fertilizers.

Blue-greens are important in our story for several reasons:

►    they were probably the first bacteria which could perform photosynthesis, so leading to the great oxygen poisoning of 3 billion years ago

►    they formed a symbiosis with fungi to create lichen, which was probably the first living thing to live on land

***********

How photosynthesis works

A cell uses sunlight to create sugar

As they captured sunlight energy to make sugar so carbon dioxide and water were taken in, and oxygen was given out. This oxygen had a huge effect upon the whole world.

Today we obtain almost all of our food from plants, or from animals which have eaten plants, and so it might be interesting to know a bit about how photosynthesis works. It is a fascinating story of molecular changes.

*******

Paleoproterozoic Era 2.5 to 1.6 Bya

The Paleoproterozoic (“old first life”) was a time when the continents finally stabilized, with modern land forms becoming recognizable.

This was the time of the most dramatic change ever in the nature of the Earth’s atmosphere.

Bacteria able to make use of sunlight for energy continued to grow, resulting in the great oxygen poisoning.

This might also have been the time when larger and more advanced cells (eukaryotes) first appeared.

******

Great Oxygen Poisoning 2.4 Bya

During the next 1.7 billion years the Earth’s environment changed dramatically. Up to this point, the atmosphere has been rich in hydrogen compounds such as ammonia and methane gas. Any iron which happened to reach the Earth’s surface remained shiny and bright. But everything changed when blue-green bacteria began to release oxygen.

Once photosynthesis by blue-greens began to release oxygen, iron minerals in the rocks and oceans of the Earth began to combine with the oxygen and turn brown -- the world began to rust. Gradually the whole chemistry of the Earth was changed.

By 1.8 billion years ago all the minerals in the rocks and oceans had rusted. Now the oxygen made by blue-green bacteria began to collect in the atmosphere, which began to change into the air we know today. Never since has the world seen such a drastic change.

This had a terrible effect upon most bacteria. Oxygen attacked many of life’s molecules, combining with them, changing their structure and giving out carbon dioxide and heat. It is the process we call burning. Burning can happen quickly, as in a fire, or slowly, as when a cut apple goes brown.

The new oxygen slowly burnt the proteins and chromosomes inside the bacteria and most of them died in the Great Oxygen Poisoning (also called the Great Oxygenation Event or the Oxygen Catastrophe) of about 2.4 bya, most but not all. Some anaerobes hid away in places where there was no oxygen, such as in the mud at the bottom of swamps. They managed to survive in any place without oxygen, and we still find them living there. These are the anaerobic bacteria which make dead matter putrefy, giving off bad smells.

The Ribosome

The ribosome is central to the process of life. In life today, ribosome occurs both as free particles within cells and as particles attached to membranes inside cells. A ribosome is made of about 40% protein and 60 % nucleic acid. It is composed of four nucleic acid molecules and about 70 different proteins.

Ribosomes are very numerous in a cell and account for a large proportion of its total nucleic acid. 

Viruses

A virus has no ribosomes, water molecules or cell membrane. It cannot build any proteins itself, so it is not a living thing, but it does contain genetic material, either DNA or RNA, which it can inject into a living cell.

Some viruses inject DNA into a cell which is taken into the cell’s chromosome. Others inject RNA which is either used by the cell’s ribosomes to create new protein or converted first into DNA. Viruses which cause the latter process are called retroviruses.

Once inside the chromosome, the new DNA begins to give out messages for making new viruses. The host cell is thereby turned into a factory for making new copies of the virus.

When it is full of viruses the cell bursts open, sending out millions of viruses to infect more cells.

A virus seems like a totally destructive thing, killing cells without doing any good. Usually this is true, but viruses can carry useful genes from one cell to another. Genetic engineers use viruses for this reason.

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Origin of Viruses

Nobody is sure how viruses began. The existence of very large viruses (megaviruses) which contains enough genes to encode about one thousand proteins, more than most bacteria, suggests that they were originally cells which lost the ability to reproduce on their own, adopting instead a parasitic way of life.

However the existence of bacterial spores suggests that perhaps they evolved into viruses.

A Brainstorming Forum for the Future Iranian Government

Hello my fellow Iranians; my name is Maziar Aptin. I am anticipating that soon the present regime of Iran will fall and a secular system of government will replace this 7^th century AD mentality regime. I am hoping; now that the Iranians have seen the real Islam with its “Shariat” law enforced, the future constitution of Iran will keep religion strictly and positively out of any and all public affairs.

 In an article that I wrote couple moths ago titled; “There is No Need for Religion”, I made a suggestion; what should go into the future constitution of Iran which “strive for knowledge” was one of them.

As you all well know Iran used to be the front runner in science and technology until the disastrous “Arab Attack” of 7^th century AD came about. Consequently Iran has fallen behind 1,300 years, actually 1,400 years because the last 50 to 100 years of Sassanid was disastrous by itself. 

With above in mind, we have a great deal of catching up to do, especially in the field of science and technology and also in standard of living. So; I came up with this idea to create a forum that all Iranians, old and young like me (ha, ha, ha,), to participate in this brainstorm forum which would help the future government of Iran to devise a constitution and system of government with policies and projects that would expedite the catching up and passing by the advanced countries of the world. Is this too ambitious! Not really, we can do it because the talent is there.  At the moment we Iranians are using our talent in an immoral and unproductive way. We must change the direction, starting with right kind of constitution.

I am too lazy to create my own website for this task. Consequently I am sending this to those Iranians who have website to consider if they want to participate in creating this forum on their website and print magazines. That way everyone could post or mail their suggestions and the readers could offer their own views and counter suggestions. As we go; we could devise a system to store all visionary suggestions and save them for presenting to the future revolutionary government of Iran. I do not want this to be an exclusive to any one particular site. The more sites the better because more people can participate.

 I will start with my own suggestion; “Embryonic stem cell research”. Countries such as Switzerland and Singapore, with limited natural resources, have chosen a financial marketing system which put them in a highest bracket in the world, in terms of income.

With above in mind we need to find a field in which other countries, so far, have not mastered in a serious way. Embryonic stem cell research is not a new thing but most countries, including the US have religious issues with it. That will give us a great advantage. We could pass a law in which it makes embryonic stem cell research not just legal but facilitates the stage for the investors around the world to participate and the scientists around the world to move to Iran in taking advantage of our liberal laws. For instance; it should be legal for women selling their egg for growing embryonic stem cell, etc.

What is Embryonic Stem Cell! 

The embryonic stem cells grow in female's embryo and are completely blank cells which could be programmed in the lab to be converted into any specialized cell that is needed. For instance organs such as kidneys could be manufactured in the lab and transplanted to the patient. Or nerve cells, bone cells, etc. could be repaired by converting the embryonic stem cells into any specialized cell then injecting it into the patient. Mastering such a technology would be mach more valuable than hitting a gold mine.

Stem cells are in all of our body and lives, but are far more potent in a fetus than in an adult body.

This type of research not just strengthens the country’s scientific basis but will bring in income in multifaceted ways including; patients pouring-in from all over the world, tourism, selling of invented medical products all over the world and more. We could also set a ground work for scientific research in many other fields by bringing businesses and universities together for joint research in different area of science and technology. In short; to remedy the 1,400 years of stagnation; education is number one necessity for the nation and again it must go into the constitution to be taken seriously.   

True Zoroastrianism

I am a none-Zoroastrian born Iranian. I have done years of research about Zarathushtra by reading books and essays written by Zoroastrian Iranian, non-Zoroastrian Iranian, as well as European scholars and came to the conclusion that Zarathushtra was not a prophet nor he claimed to be one. He did not start any religion either. He was against religion and campaigned against it all his life. The Zoroastrian religion that we see today was created by the Magies (Pre Zoroastrian Priests) after his death.

I recently have found out that a research has been done by another Iranian in IPC (Ahreeman X), who came to the same conclusion that Zarathushtra was a philosopher not a prophet. Please check his site for detail. “Iran Politics Club”

The reason that I am writing this letter is that Iran at this time is on a cross road of her long history and needs our help. As a writer, I feel that I have a responsibility toward my country of birth and must do my share of duty to the best of my ability and I am sure that all Iranian patriots would like to do their share in any way that they are able to, including passing this article to friends and relatives.

Iran is on a cross road because about 1,400 years ago the multifaceted irregularities in the latter fifty years of Sassanid dynasty including; constant multilateral unnecessary wars, high taxation, religious and political persecutions, and political instability within the royal family had caused the empire to rot within to a point that like a gigantic tree rotted from inside waiting to collapse by a slight sandy wind blowing from the southern desert.

Group of opportunistic nomad barbarian Arabs invaded Iran, after murdering, raping, looting, and burning they forced the survivors into accepting their primitive religion.1300 years ago the Islamists have deceived the original survivors telling them that Islam is a religion of peace, compassion, and social Justice and the trend continued till three decades ago when the Islamic law, "Shariat" has replaced the modern western laws and also the mullahs became the administrator of the said law.

As a result the people of Iran have seen the real Islam first hand and realized that the religion of "peace, compassion, and social Justice" that was promised and, supposedly, being enforced by the Islamic trained administrators is not a religion of peace, social justice and brotherly love but a primitive law which was designed for primitive seventh century nomads of the Arabian peninsula.

An example of Islam "religion of peace"; Quran orders peace within the believers only. But under the "Jihad" principle,(one of the main five) War against non-believers and torture killing them is the sacred duty of every Muslim with promise of key to the heaven's gate as a reward.

Even among believers, as the history indicates, political assassinations and war among the elites for power has started from the very beginning and constant sectarian wars have been going on throughout the history of Islam.

An example of Islam and its "Compassion"; Shariat is a law-book based on the verses of Quran. For capital punishment there are dozens of verses in Quran that orders beheading, stoning, and torture-killings of condemned or the victim whose crime could be only not-believing in Allah. For lesser crimes; again barbaric acts of slashing in public and chopping limbs are common.

An example of Islam and Its "social justice": women are not allowed to vote, apply for divorce, must submit to the husband's wish of not only bringing another three women home as wives but he could legally have sexual relations with forty more women (Siqeh), as short a time as 15 minutes, as long as four months (legal prostitution AKA Temporary Marriage). Further more the children resulting from Siqeh have no rights what so ever including zero child support from the father, zero inheritances, also they are given the title of  Haramzadeh (bastard) which that title by itself deprives them from certain social rights with a stigma attached. As far as the child is concerned, his father was just a sperm downer. What a Just law!

With above in mind, at least for the last decade or so, numerous intelligent Iranians have either converted to other religions, became agnostic, or atheist. But there are the silent majorities who are unhappy with Islam, for verity of reasons, but are unable to make their final decisions and need the leadership of their fellow Iranians.

The silent majority in every society need a hero or someone to worship or depend on. The leadership cannot expect to do this task only through education. Taking away Mohammed, Ali, Hussein, etc from that class of people and not to offer any alternative is not realistic.

In my opinion the alternative for these people need not to be another religion. It could be a national hero who is able to offer an ethical guideline which could constitute the basic principle of the constitution of the future secular Iran. Let those classes of people, in their private times, believe-in whatever they please but give them a constitution based on Aeen verses Din; doctrine verse religion.

We need a constitution with unchangeable clauses of ethical principles such as;  Andeesheyeh Neek Goftaar-e Neek, Kerdaar-e Neek, abandonment of lies, flattery, and deceptions, strive for knowledge, and so on. Just getting rid of mullahs will not solve the main problem of Iran. Ousting mullahs is only the firth step. The main problem of our country is the culture of slavery (Lies. Deceptions, Flattery, etc) which is instilled in us due to passed dictatorial regimes and over nine centuries of occupation by Arabs, Turks, Mongols, and Turkmens. Please read; "Culture of Slavery" on this blog.http://maziaraptin.blogspot.com/2012/02/aculture-of-slavery-ancient-iranian.html

Most people of Iran, from any religion, have great deal of respect for Zarathushtra but do not care for the religious part of it.

For that reason we must, through research, discover the true identity of Zarathushtra then let people of Iran to know the truth about the greatest philosopher of all times. In that case his doctrine, free of religious tone and ideology could be accepted by the "silent majority" of Iran as Aaeen placed in the constitution. Please read my articles; “Thus spoke Zarathushtra”, and also “Zarathushtra a messenger or a philosopher”. Also please read my article, on the same subject, "There is no need for religion". Click bellow:

http://maziaraptin.blogspot.com/2012/02/thus-spoke-zarathustra.html

http://maziaraptin.blogspot.com/2012/07/zarathushtra-amessenger-or-philosopher_10.html

http://maziaraptin.blogspot.com/2012/07/are-present-day-zoroastrians-actually.html

http://maziaraptin.blogspot.com/2012/02/there-is-no-need-for-religions.html

                        The book of Avesta          October 23, 2011

Belongs to all Iranians

Avestan alphabet

The seventh century invasion and subsequent conquest of Iran by the Arabs have created a misconception, among non-Zoroastrian Iranians, that the book of Avesta is the holy book of the Zoroastrian religion. The Zoroastrians do not have any holy book like torah, bible, and Quran that exist in Abrahamic religions.

Prior to the infamous invasion of the barbarians in 7^th century AD Avesta, a very thick book written in chronological order, used to belong to all Iranians regardless of their religious beliefs. Avesta, the oldest known book, is not all about religion but it also contains the recordings of just about everything important concerning the day to day activities of the Aryan people in most areas of Iranzamin.

The original date, when the Book of Avesta began to come to existence is not known. Sometimes in a distant passed the Aryan people had started recording their important day to day events including their migrations, the condition of the weather, where they used to live and seasonally migrated, the performance of an important individual including any new ideas expressed, invention presented, etc. .

Consequently the Book of Avesta could be said; is an Aryan people’s almanac. In it; you can find calendar, weight and measures, date of migrations, occurrence of droughts, floods, etc. as well as religious beliefs of different religions that existed among the Aryans from thousands of years prior to  Zarathustra's birth to thousands of years after his death.

Considering that all humans of the passed were obsessed with the existence of supernatural beings the Aryans were not any exception. They; like their Sumerian cousins, used to believe-in multiple gods.

All their beliefs, along with the method of ceremonies and other activities involved would be recorded in the Book of Avesta which have made the books’ religion sections of the recordings a greater portion of that book.

In a very thick book of thousands of pages, the section that “Gathas” the writings of Zarathushtra was recorded is located somewhere in the middle and is consisted of only a few dozen pages.

It may surprise you that a great majority of today’s average Zoroastrians do not know what Gathas is while Gatha is the only section of the Avesta that has anything to do with Zoroastrianism.

With above in mind the Book of Avesta is more a history book of the Aryan people than anything else that the Arabo/Islamic regimes have made people to believe it is. Consequently the book belongs to all Iranians regardless of their religious belief. Daghighi and subsequently Ferdossy had used that book for writing the great book of Shahnameh  which consists of the history of the Aryan people from the time that they were hunters/gatherers, living in caves and wearing animal skins, to the Pishdadian era, and finally to the majestic periods of the Meds and the Achaemenid.  

It is true that the present day Zoroastrian call Avesta their sacred book. This had started after the Arab invasion. The Arabs used to murder all people who were not "Ahl-e Ketab" (Without sacred book).

When the Arabs were calling the Zoroastrian "Moshrek" and  slaughtering  them Salman Parsi the Iranian dissident who was allied with the Arabs, in order to stop the massacre, talked to Omar and told him that Zoroastrian believe in god. Omar replied; if they do believe in God, they should have "Ketab". Salman improvised and said; Avesta is their "Ketab". It was at this time that Omar made his infamous statement:
"Killing all Iranians is neither possible nor in the interest of the Arabs. From now-on the Iranians must work hard so we eat well and their children must work hard so our children can live in prosperity". Then he ordered not to kill Zoroastrians but set their "Jazzieh" (Extra tax) higher than other non-Muslims.

From that point-on the Zoroastrians had to call Avesta their sacred book to stay alive.