Mazdayasni people do NOT worship any prophet (we worship Ahura Mazda and Ahura Mazda only)!

Dear Ali

I don't understand this. Or lets put it this way, I truly and sincerely hope I have misunderstood your statement below.
You claim that Zarathushtra was "chosen" as ratu. Later ratus are "merely elected" So by whom was Zarathushtra chosen then if the "choice" is any different from an "election"???
What does the concept of a God-picked ratu have to do with Zoroastrianism in the first place?
Isn't this a Judaist-Christian-Islamic concept? Moses was chosen by Jehovah, Jesus was chosen by God (well, he even was God according to most Christians), Muhammed was chosen by Allah.
But what does this oncept of the God-picked prophet have to do with Mazdayasna, a religion that PREDATES the God-Prophet desert religions by at least 1,000 years??? Any such choice would in itself be the ultimate supernatural and superstitious act. And we do not believe in the supernatural, period.
Sp why on earth do we need to introduce such an alien concept into our beautiful faith through the backdoor? And what comes next? The active worship of Zarathushtra as a divinity???
I'm asking because this train of thought is deeply disturbing to me.
Can we please stop ascribing superhuman qualities to Zarathushtra? Can we please stop this tendency towards the worship of Zarathushtra himself? Can we please just go back to The Gathas and realise that Zarathushtra never claiemd any such thing? Zarathushtra was one of us, a fallible human being among fallible human beings. He was NOT holy! So why do we see pictures of the assumed Zarathushtra at some of our altars?
Those people who can not accept this, who want to worship Zarathushtra himself, should go and find another religion where they can worship a human being as much as they like. The world is full of bodhisattvas and saints. But such worship has no foundation whithin the Mazdayasna faith whatsoever.
Or have I completely misunderstood the quoted statement? Please tell me I have! Because a democracy can NEVER accept any God-picked prophets. A democracy is ALL about elections by other human beings. That is what the word means: Demos as in people. There is no theocracy involved in any democracy. Only mullahs in Qom can preach such nonsense. Period.

Ushta
Alexander Bard

Ali Jafarey wrote:

Dear Companions-in-Asha

Ushta!

In my "Ahu, My View," I have confined myself to the extant Avesta, and it is in this context that Zarathushtra is the only person to be chosen as Ahu and Ratu, while others are elected as Ratu for their relevant social units. While we keep in mind that Zarathushtra is first and foremost to be chosen as Ahu and Ratu, and others, because of the improved conditions that did not require an Ahu, were elected as Ratu.

We understand that Good Conscience is an ever-fresh, ever-practical way of Good Progressive Life. Therefore, if the circumstances warrant and a person is or persons are needed for resolving the retarding and damaging conditions, the people could elect the competent out of themselves. The Avesta does not forbid it. It is silent because the Divine Doctrine of Zarathushtra changed the entire atmosphere and we have an outstanding personality in Cyrus the Great, more than 1,000 years after Zarathushtra, to proclaim peace, tolerance, cooperation and equality among various nations forming a federation, a Fellowship.

I may add that during Zarathushtra's time, there existed wrongful persons, men and women, who had acquired the title of "Ahu -- Being (of higher status}" through force and exploitation of the oppressed people. And Zarathushtra exposes them as destructive to human civilization. (Song 5:11 = Yasna 32:11)

Let us work to establish the ideal Democracy of the Gathas throughout the world, stop war and violence, and promote peace and prosperity for all.

Ushta,

Ali A. Jafarey