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| 19th Century Parsis |
for his own diametrically-opposed philosophy.
Mercury was born Farrokh Bulsara into a Parsi family originally from the Gujarat region of India. According to Wikipedia, the modern Parsis (aka Parsees) descended from a group of Zoroastrian Persians who fled Iran in the 10th century due to religious persecution. A hotly-contended, and non-legally-binding,
1909 ruling states that Parsis must either be fully descended from the original Zoroastrian Persian immigrants and still profess faith in
that religion, or be Iranians who profess the Zoroastrian religion, or be the children of Parsi fathers by “alien mothers who have been duly and properly admitted into the religion.” Many believe that this ruling is in violation of some basic equality tenets.
Zoroastrianism, based upon actual teachings of the ancient Persian prophet Zarathustra (Zoroaster in Greek), has also been called the “Good Religion.” According to Ali A. Jaferey, Zarathustra presented a “progressive monotheism.” Ahura Mazda is the “creator, sustainer, and promoter of the universe,” and has fashioned a joyous world which is guided by the “Primal Principles of Life.” These are presented in Zarathustra’s Gathas (scriptural poetic verses) - and include discernment, righteousness, benevolent order, tranquility, divine intuition, and conscience. In fact, Zarathustra named this religion “Good Conscience.”
A far cry from Nietzsche’s “death of God” and “superhuman” immorality…
And Freddie Mercury? May he rest in the blessed peace of which Zarathustra spake.
Resources
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freddie_Mercury#CITEREF.22Linda_B.222000
http://www.zoroastrian.org/articles/The_Good_Religion_and_Zoroastrianism.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parsi
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thus_Spoke_Zarathustra
Copyright March 28, 2011 by Linda Van Slyke All Rights Reserved
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