More proof of that proposition:
Almost everyone knows about the magi, the "wise men from the East" who herald the birth of Jesus with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh.
But few realize that these three kings of Orient are not Christians or Jews, but Zoroastrians -- members of an ancient faith that not only survives to this day, but holds its national convention next week -- Tuesday to Saturday -- in San Jose.
Noting that the "three wise men" receive special attention at Christmastime for obvious reasons, Lattin writes:
And that's just fine with Silloo Tarapore, a Zoroastrian Sunday school teacher who lives in Lafayette.
"We're OK with it,'' said Tarapore, who was busy this week preparing for the upcoming 13th annual North American Zoroastrian Congress.
"Zoroastrians are so used to being a minuscule cultural minority that things like that don't bother us at all.''
Tarapore estimates that there are about 900 Zoroastrians in Northern California, mostly immigrants from India and Iran. Worldwide, fewer than 200, 000 people consider themselves followers of the Prophet Zoroaster.
It's my understanding that today's Zoroastrians do not proselytize. So it's likely that the religion will die out completely after several more generations if that policy continues.
Except in California, of course, where old religions and world-improvement schemes never die out entirely.
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