Posted on 08/05/2014 5:58:14 AM PDT by Cronos
THE Iraqi and American authorities are rushing to arrange airdrops of food and water to the Yazidis as tens of thousands of followers of the secretive religion flee fundamentalist gunmen who took over the Iraqi town of Sinjar on August 3rd. A Yazidi elder reached by phone said they were trying to climb high enough into the nearby mountains that members of the Islamic State would not follow.
..Yazidis consider themselves a distinct ethnic and religious group from the Kurds with whom they live (and who consider them Kurdish). Their religion, which combines elements of Zoroastrianism with Sufi Islam and beliefs dating back to ancient Mesopotamia, says God and seven angels safeguard the world. One called Malak Tawous, represented on earth in peacock form, was flung out of paradise for refusing to bow down to Adam. While the Yazidis see that as a sign of goodness, many Muslims view the figure as a fallen angel and label the Yazidis as devil-worshippers. Given the Yazidi belief in reincarnation, even moderate Muslims have a difficult time accepting the faith of their compatriots.
Today the faith has as few as 600,000 adherents worldwide, with as many in exile as in Iraq, Iran, Turkey and Syria where it has been rooted for centuries. The religion incorporates a strict caste system, determining who can marry whom within the community (marriage outside is banned). At their main temple in Lalesh, religious elders with conical wool felt hats framed by long braids hold court while young men tend fires. At a recent ceremony marking the start of the year 6,764 of their calendar, Yazidis on pilgrimage from Europe and Australia climbed barefoot up a mountain to visit the tomb of a 12th century saint, holding aloft candles to symbolise the victory of light over darkness.
(Excerpt) Read more at economist.com ...
The Yazidi have long complained that neither Iraq's Arabs nor Kurds protect them. In 2007, in what remains the most lethal attack since the American-led war in 2003, suicide bombers driving trucks packed with explosives attacked a Yazidi village in northwestern Iraq, killing almost 800 people. Persecuted for centuries including under the Ottoman Empire, the Yazidi have always taken refuge in mountains and the caves in times of trouble. This time they might not have communities to which they can return.
Ping
Sounds a lot like the Christians Lucifer, same sin anyway.
bttt
Well your question can be split into 3:
1. are there still Zoroastrians? Yes -- in India, Iran, the US, Canada and Australia with the largest community of 70,000 in India. They are in Kerman province in Iran
2. Are there zoroastrians in Iraq? I don't know -- I guess a few, not more than a couple of hundred, all among the Kurds (an Irani people)
3. Are these people the Yazidis Zoroastrians? Well, not quite. Some kind of syncretism.
The Yazidi (also Yezidi, Êzidî) are a Kurdish ethno-religious community, representing an ancient religion that is linked to Zoroastrianism. They live primarily in the Nineveh Province of northern Iraq.
Additional communities in Armenia, Georgia and Syria have been in decline since the 1990s, their members having emigrated to Europe, especially to Germany.
The Yazidi believe in God as creator of the world, which he placed under the care of seven holy beings or angels, the chief of whom is Melek Taus, the Peacock Angel.
Melek Taus (Persian: ملك طاووس), or the Peacock Angel, is the Yazidi name for the central figure of their faith.
In the Yazidi belief system, God created the world, and the world is now in the care of a Heptad of seven Holy Beings, often known as Angels or heft sirr (the Seven Mysteries). Preeminent among these is Tawûsê Melek (frequently known as "Melek Taus" in English publications), the Peacock Angel.
The reason for the Yazidis reputation of being devil worshipers is connected to the other name of Melek Taus, Shaytan, the same name the Koran has for Satan.
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I had never heard of these people or their faith, though I HAD heard of Zoroastrians.
The Hindu faith has some 330 million different deities, so I am NOT surprised at this. The Kurds are something else.
Thanks, I learned something new today.
These aren’t Hindus
I know.
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From Google: Aryan
The earliest epigraphically-attested reference to the word arya occurs in the 6th century B.C. Behistun inscription, which describes itself to have been composed "in arya."
As is also the case for all other Old Iranian language usage, the arya of the inscription does not signify anything but "Iranian". The region Aria as depicted by Waldseemuller in 1507
The term Aryan originates from the Sanskrit word ārya, in origin an ethnic self-designation, in Classical Sanskrit meaning "honourable, respectable, noble."
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I think Hitler borrowed that "purity garbage" from them.
Since original sin became the onus of us children of God, there has been no innate purity of ANY human soul.
Sanskrit was the original written language of INDIA. India is a very, very old culture too.
Cloudmountain is correct. Yazidis are a Kurdish ethno-religious group. Their religion has a strong Islamic influence together with aspects of Zoroastrianism, and pagan practices & beliefs.
>>>”They are in Kerman province in Iran”<<<
In Iran, mostly in Kerman and Yazd provinces. Although you can find Zoroastrians in other Iranian provinces too. By the way, Yazd province of Iran is Not related to the term “Yazidis” or a Kurdish ethno-religious group called “Yazidis”.
Those from Yazd province of Iran are called “Yazdis” not “Yazidis”. I know it can be confusing. But it important to clarify and differentiate.
About Yazidis, more recent info & very interesting. Sending it from my mobile so hope the link works. Some references & terms need to be clarified if you aren’t fully familiar with some aryan pagan & seemingly zoroastrian concepts mentioned there —http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/blogs-magazine-monitor-28686607
In formal costume the men wear thobes and ghutras, just like the Saudis.
But quite a few words mentioned are clearly Iranic or Persian. Kurds are Iranian people too. Words such as Pir, Yazada in turn Izad - they're definitely old Persian and also used in Zoroastrianism. But more so Mithraic (aryan pagan), the religion common among Aryans (by extension Persians/Kurds/other Iranians) before Zoroaster/Zoroastrianism.
It fairly clear they've strong Islamic influence (perhaps culturally more so than linguistically). Not so sure about links to Christianity or Judaism. Though, it can be that their religion evolved over time, beliefs & practices were modified or added.
Nestorian (Church of the East) is mentioned; that's the ancient church dating back to the Sassanid period in Iran (pre-Islam). Cronos probably knows about the Nestorian influence.
I can't figure out the "Peacock Angel" & how it's related to Satan or Lucifer as others associate the two. There is no such thing in Zoroastrianism or even in Mithraism. The closest I can think of is a mythical bird called "Simorgh" (equivalent of Phoenix); though has nothing to do with the devil.
Yazidism is definitely a mish mash of different religions. I was trying to find out more last night; some strange concepts & beliefs.
Prayer for Iraq
O God, who art the unsearchable abyss of peace,
the ineffable sea of love, the fountain of blessings
and the bestower of affection,
who sendest peace to those that receive it;
Open to us this day the sea of thy love
and water us with plenteous streams
from the riches of thy grace
and from the most sweet springs of thy kindness.
Make us children of quietness and heirs of peace,
enkindle in us the fire of thy love;
sow in us thy fear;
strengthen our weakness by thy power;
bind us closely to thee and to each other
in our firm and indissoluble bond of unity:
Syrian Clementine Liturgy (in: For all God’s people; p. 73)
Litany for Iraq
For lasting peace in this ancient land – From you, O Lord.
For wisdom and compassion for all in authority – From you, O Lord.
For comfort for families separated or bereaved – From you, O Lord.
For the release of captives – From you, O Lord.
For safety and security for minority communities.
For refreshment for the weary and healing for the sick – From you, O Lord.
For continuing faithfulness of the ancient churches of this land – From you, O Lord.
For tenacity of spirit for small Christian groups – From you, O Lord.
For the mutual enrichment and support of those of different Christian traditions – From you, O Lord.
You, Lord of all, we confess;
You, Lord Jesus, we glorify;
For you are the life of our bodies
And you are the Saviour of our souls.
The response in the litany and this hymn both come from the Chaldean liturgy. The ancient hymn celebrates Christ the source of resurrection in all situations of death and deprivation. (in: With All God’s People, p. 21, 22)
From Anonymous:
Father God, Our Savior and King,
We come to You in despair over the evil being done to our Middle East Christian brothers and sisters. We ask that You would put Your hand of protection upon them and that You would sustain them as You did the Israelites in the desert. Lord, cause our brothers and sisters to cry out to You for help and show them the peace that only You can give in answer to their needs. In their darkest moments, Lord, keep them, strengthen them, and comfort them. When they despair that no one is coming to help them, Lord, reveal Your glory and restore their souls.
We ask you these things in the blessed name of Your precious son, Jesus Christ.
Amen.
Also, the above statement makes no sense & is invalid to justify ISIS' attempted genocide of Yazidis.
Yazid 1 per above quote from the BBC article/link, was a Sunni & 2nd Caliph after Mohmmad's death in Sunni tradition. He beheaded Hussein (the 3rd Shia imam) who was Mohammad's grandson, son of Ali ibn talib the 1st Shia imam.
Shi'ites in Iran & Arab world revere Hussein, especially during Ashura mournings. So, it makes no sense for ISIS, who are essentially Sunni (ok, mostly Salafi but still Sunni), to hate Yazid & therefore Yazidis, even if there were a link between the two!
True enough.
bookmark for myself: chaldean liturgy ping
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