The problem with vultures

Dear Zaneta

Since there are now thousands of Zoroastrians living in areas of the world where there are no wild vultures to begin with (like Sweden where you and I reside), we need alternative Zoroastrian burial methods anyway. I would even go as far as to say that we should refer to these practices as corpse disposal methods and not burials since this is what they are. Or else we need to eliminate the idea of the dead body as an unhealthy dirty thingand start practicing burials proper. After all, the current Zoroastrian corpse disposal practices are not Gathic although I do believe they are good traning for a comunity to view a dead body as "only a dead body" as opposed to the detailed burial practices of other religions and cultures involvning "sacred bodies".

Ushta
Alexander

2011/5/29 Zaneta Garratt
Here is a modern problem that is caused by our unhealthy environmental practises- It is indeed sad that there are so few vultures today in Bombay and that the trials to preserve these beautiful birds are not as successful or quick as they should be since powerful chemicals, now banned, have damaged the vultures and folk have tried to raise them in captivity-I sincerely hope that folk will continue to try to bring these birds back to the environment as they are very much needed to clean up the countryside but, since at the moment the progress is so slow, as far as I understand, would not Freeze Drying be an alternative burial method that does not pollute water, fire nor earth?