The Zarathushtrian Assembly is a Zoroastrian religious organization based in Los Angeles, California, founded in 1990. It is the most visible organized Zoroastrian body to actively welcome and teach non-Zoroastrians interested in the faith, a stance most mainstream Parsi and Irani Zoroastrian organizations reject.
History & Origin
Jafarey and the Assembly describe their teaching as a return to the core message of Zarathushtra own Gathas, distinct from later institutional Zoroastrian tradition, welcoming genuine interest from any background rather than restricting membership by descent.
Facts
Origins
FounderAli A. Jafarey, an Iranian-born scholar raised Muslim who adopted Zoroastrianism as an adult, founded the Assembly in 1990 with seven co-founders: A. K. Amir-Jahed, Darius Irani, Fatane Farid, Parimarz Javanshir, Parviz Koupai and William H. Brawner. 1 FoundedFounded 1990, Los Angeles, California, United States. 1 Controversy
Point in DisputeThe Assembly active welcome of converts is rejected by most mainstream Zoroastrian organizations. The World Zoroastrian Organization has stated it does not accept the conversion activities of the Zarathushtrian Assembly under Jafarey, reflecting a broader Zoroastrian consensus, formed after centuries of restriction under Islamic rule in Iran, against proselytizing or accepting converts. 2 Status
Current StatusActive, based in Santa Ana, California, led by a board of directors. 1 Classification
ActivityWorship and Religious Practice 2 Connections
Associated With
Current headquarters state (Santa Ana), distinct from the 1990 founding city of Los Angeles already on record; no Santa Ana entity is live in this atlas.
Source Zarathushtrian Assembly, "About Us"Zarathushtrian Assembly
The Zarathushtrian Assembly is based in Los Angeles, California, where it was founded in 1990.
Source Zarathushtrian Assembly, "About Us"Zarathushtrian Assembly
Belongs to Tradition
Rejected Here
The World Zoroastrian Organization has stated it does not accept the conversion activities of the Zarathushtrian Assembly under Jafarey.
Source Religion News Service, "Zoroastrians, Divided Over Conversion, Face a Shrinking Future," 2007Religion News Service
Originated In
Source Zarathushtrian Assembly, "About Us"Zarathushtrian Assembly
Sources
1. Zarathushtrian Assembly, "About Us"
Zarathushtrian Assembly, Zarathushtrian AssemblyAbout Us page, Who We Are section
Zarathushtrian Assembly was founded by a group of visionary Zoroastrians in 1990 to create a progressive platform for people of all backgrounds, regardless of current religious belief, world view, national origin, ethnicity, or personal interpretation of Zoroastrianism, to study the philosophy and teachings of Zoroaster (Zarathushtra), as taught in the Gathas (his thought-provoking mantras).
- Associated With: Los Angeles
- Associated With: California
- Originated In: United States, Stored founding-origin property on this entity, cited to this source: Founded 1990, Los Angeles, California, United States.
View the Source 2. Religion News Service, "Zoroastrians, Divided Over Conversion, Face a Shrinking Future," 2007
Religion News Service, Religion News ServiceReligion News Service article, on the Zarathushtrian Assembly and Jafarey
The group, founded and run by Jafarey, is the only one to actively offer information about the religion and to offer conversion _ a concept that has been taboo among Zoroastrians who felt that they should never covert others after their ancestors were forced into Islam.
Entity description, activity
is a Zoroastrian religious organization based in Los Angeles, California, founded in 1990.
- Critiqued By: World Zoroastrian Organisation
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