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Dr. Jose
Luis Abreu
was born in
Venezuela in
1956 where
he received
his
schooling.
He obtained
his Bachelor
and Masters
degrees in
Agriculture
from
Universities
of
Southwestern
Louisiana
and
California
State
University,
Fresno
respectively.
Back in
Venezuela
Dr. Abreu
completed an
MBA and a
Ph.D. in
Management
at Rafael
Urdaneta and
U.R.B.E.
Universities.
His Ph.D.
research was
conducted in
“The Ethical
Dimensions
of
Management.”
Dr. Abreu
has been
attracted
to Zarathushtrian
religion and
is the
current
director of
Latin
America
Spenta
University
Foundation
and a member
of the
California
based
Zarathushtrian
Assembly in
addition to
his other
professional
activities.
Jose Luis
and his
wife,
America
Noriega are
actively
raising
their two
children
Andreina and
Jose Luisito.
In August
of 2000, Dr.
Abreu
published a
book
entitled “The
History of
Ethics and
Its
Zarathushtrian
Origins” in
English and
Spanish.
The
Venezuelan
Experience
with the
Zarathushtrian
Teachings
Author,
Dr. Jose
Luis Abreu
-
Who
deserves
to be
taught
the
Zarathushtrian
teachings?
-
Which
organizations
deserve
to
receive
the
Zarathushtrian
teachings
and
which do
not?
-
Are
there
any
persons
or
organizations
that
should
not be
offered
the
teachings
of
Zarathushtra?
-
If given
organizations
are
perceived
as evil,
should
one stay
away and
not
teach to
them the
Zarathushtrian
message?
Can a
Zarathushtrian
meet
with
them?
-
If
meeting
certain
people
affects
my image
… even
in that
case,
should I
meet
them to
teach
the good
religion?
-
Who
chooses
the
person
or
organization
that can
have
access
to the
Good
Religion?
…By the
way…
What is
evil?
-
How
should I
react
before a
different
opinion
if that
opinion
comes
from a
Zarathushtrian
person
and I
think
the
person
is very
wrong?
-
I am
right…He/She
is very
wrong…
How do I
teach
what is
right?
By being
serene
and
understanding,
or by
being
offensive?
Lately I
have
dedicated my
life and
efforts to
propagate
the
teachings of
Zarathushtra
in an
environment
that is
completely
different to
the
environment
in the place
in which
Zarathushtrianism
was born.
This has
been a
unique
experience
and I thank
Ahura Mazda
because both
the
experience
and having a
wonderful
family have
made my life
valuable.
The treasure
of knowledge
that I am
given by the
writings of
Zarathushtra
has opened
the door to
a new
dimension of
understanding
and love for
my
companions
on this
beautiful
planet. I
have learned
that hate
should not
have a place
in my heart
under any
condition.
If it tries
to enter my
life, I have
the power to
expel it.
Such a power
is inside
me: It is
the power of
Good Mind (Vohumana),
Serenity (Aramaity)
and
Righteousness.
Zarathushtra
did not just
speak of a
message.
Rather, his
own actions,
conduct and
behavior
provided the
greatest
message. In
this same
way, with
our actions,
we can give
our
messages.
Thus, we may
teach more
people
through our
behavior
than by
reading the
Gathas to
them. Our
behavior is
sometimes
the most
powerful
motivation
that leads
people to be
curious and
take up
reading the
message.
According to
my own vivid
experience
in
Venezuela, a
person does
not become a
Zarathushtrian
instantly.
Of course
not…! And I
do not think
anybody
does! I
think that
to become a
Zarathushtrian
is a
life-long
commitement.
What often
happens is
that we
decide to
become
Zarathushtrians,
and then our
“training”
takes all
the years of
our lives.
So, how do
we choose
the person
who can
become a
Zarathushtrian?
I personally
do not
choose
anybody. My
belief is
that no one
chooses
anyone. For
me,
everybody is
born with
freedom of
choice.
Regardless
of what they
believe, in
all cases I
love my
parents, my
family and
my friends
just the
same. Every
person has
the right to
choose his
own
thinking.
This reminds
me of a
passage in
the Gathas:
“…each man
and woman,
for his or
herself,
selects
either of
the two
principles.”
(Song 3.2)
Suppose
hypothetically
the world
were divided
in two:
Zarathushtrians
and non-
Zarathushtrians
(or
Righteous
and
Not-Righteous).
Even in this
case,
Zarathustra
would alert
us so,
“...I, whom
the Wise
Lord knows,
come to you
all as the
leader of
the two
parties, so
that we may
all live in
accordance
with
righteousness”.
(Song 4. 2)
The Gathas
state with
clarity the
condition of
free-will as
established
since the
beginning of
creation:
"O Wise One,
at the
beginning,
You, through
Your mind,
fashioned
for us the
living
world,
conceptions
and
intellects,
put life in
the physical
frame, and
gave deeds
and words,
so that one
makes his
choice
through free
will".
(Song 4.11)
In
Venezuela,
if not
elsewhere as
well, the
foundation
for the
propagation
of
Zarathushtrianism
is being
built on
respect for
the freedom
of choice of
Venezuelans.
Based on
this
freedom, the
traditions,
the culture,
the values,
the customs,
the beliefs
and the
feelings of
every person
are treated
well and
with
respect.
Zarathushtrian
values
should never
be imposed
on a people
or persons
because
these values
are
cultivated
internally
by the
individual.
Without this
internal
cultivation,
a person
would
immediately
reject the
imposition.
Externally,
we can only
give
guidance to
a person.
This is the
reason that
made
Zarathushtra
say these
words to
Ahura Mazda:
"... Do
enlighten my
inner-self
with this
doctrine".
(Song 11.7)
The person
who is
propagating
the seeds of
Zarathushtrianism
will find
different
types of
people,
different
profiles.
He/She
should be
ready to
plant the
seeds under
favorable
conditions
and also
with adverse
conditions.
Planting the
seeds should
be a natural
process
instead of
an
aggressive
one. The
seeds of
propagation
lie in our
words and
actions. If
our external
behavior,
our words
and actions,
are wise;
some seeds
will find a
place in the
mind of the
people
surrounding
us.
To respect
other
religions
and
doctrines, I
will not
mention
their names
in this
writing. But
let’s say
that one of
our friends
belongs to
another
religious
group. What
do we do to
encourage
his/her
interest in
Zarathushtrianism?
Well, the
first thing
is to act
righteously
(Asha), with
a good mind
(Vohumana)
and with
serenity (Aramaity),
and of
course
reflecting
radiant
happiness.
With these
ingredients
taught by
Zarathushtra
as necessary
for our
mission,
people will
have an open
mind and
open hearts
to listen to
what we have
to say.
Let’s see
how God
considers a
good mind
and serenity
give people
their
freedom of
choice, and
give us a
simple
formula for
propagation:
“… Serenity
is Yours, …
wisdom of
mind is
Yours, which
has given
the world
the choice
(freedom of
choice) to
go either to
a settled
person, or
to the one
who is not”.
(Song, 4. 9)
It is
necessary to
first
accomplish
an
inner-propagation.
By
cultivating
Zarathushtrian
seeds with
success
within
ourselves;
then only
after that
can we move
on to
propagating
the message
to others.
Once we
realize and
respect the
laws that
govern the
universe,
then we can
learn to
transmit our
insight to
others by
using the
right means
(good
communication,
for
example). It
is in the
Gathas, and
it is not a
strategy we
need to
invent:
“Lord, one
who listens
and realizes
the truth,
becomes a
life-healing
wise person.
He controls
his tongue
to express
the right
words when
he wills.
He, O Wise
One, through
Your radiant
light,
proves good
to both
parties”.
(Song 4.19)
Thus, from
song 4.9, we
may infer
that we
realize the
truth
ourselves
first, and
then we can
heal other
people’s
lives, using
good and
gentle
words, and
without
bias.
In the
message of
Zarathushtra,
we can find
a plan for
the
propagation
of the good
conscience,
and also the
means to
accomplish
the plan are
shown. This
is revealed
by the
Gathas in a
beautiful
stanza:
“Indeed,
Wise One,
this reward
is given to
those, who,
in their
choice of
physical
life, truly
serve the
community of
the fruitful
world with
their deeds
of good
mind, and
God, promote
Your plan of
wisdom
through
communal
righteousness”.
(Song 7.14)
The stanza
can be
complemented
by another
stanza that
explains the
means for
promotion:
“Wise God,
You grant
good to both
these
parties
through the
progressive
mentality by
means of
fire --
light,
warmth and
energy --
because with
the growth
of serenity
and
righteousness,
it shall
convert many
a seeker”.
(Song 12.6)
There is
more
information
about the
means of
promotion in
the
following
stanzas,
where the
three
principles
of good
mind,
serenity and
righteousness
are
considered
important:
“The person
of good
intellect
says that
the deeds of
good mind
must be
maintained.
He knows
that
progressive
serenity is
the true
product of
righteousness.
All these,
Lord Wise,
are means of
promotion in
Your
dominion”.
(Song 7.10)
“The
person who
belongs to
progressive
serenity,
promotes
Righteousness
with his
intellect,
words,
deeds, and
conscience”.
(Song 16.21)
It has been
asked: To
whom should
the
propagation
of
Zarathushtrianism
be
addressed?
And… how
should it be
done? At
least in
Venezuela,
we just
simply
follow the
teachings of
Zarathushtra
himself on
how to
promote the
message.
However, the
mission is
not easy
because many
obstacles
are found.
Among
obstacles
are:
-
A lack
of
literature
in
Spanish
-
Insufficient
funds
-
A lack
of time
dedicated
to
propagation
by the
first
missionaries.
-
The fear
of
people
to
change,
and
-
The
absence
of an
adequate
infrastructure.
When I get
to the
matter of
obstacles, I
always
remember
what Ahura
Mazda told
Zarathushtra,
and it is
just as if I
were hearing
it from
ancient
times:
“I
realized
You, God
Wise, to be
progressive
when I was
encircled by
it through
good mind,
and when I
first
learned from
Your words
that it
would be
difficult
for me to
teach people
the devotion
to practice
what You
told me is
the best”.
(Song 8. 11)
Regardless
of
obstacles,
as
Zarathushtrians
we have a
responsibility
for
rehabilitating
the world,
for rescuing
the world
from wrong
dimensions.
This is the
justification
for our work
in the
promotion of
the message.
It is
necessary to
stress that
violent
behaviors
and
polemical
discussions
will lead
nowhere in
our
promotion of
the good
conscience.
No one will
listen to
the message
if we try to
deliver
information
in an
aggressive
way. It is
amazing to
see how
Zarathushtra
also warns
us on this
delicate
point:
“Put down
fury, check
violence,
you who wish
to
strengthen
the
promotion of
good mind
through
righteousness,
because a
progressive
man is
associated
with this…”.
(Song 13.7)
In
Venezuela,
we do not
look at the
name of
people or
the name of
their former
organizations.
Instead, we
start to
promote the
Good
Conscience.
We look at
the people
as human
beings, and
we look at
the human
side of
organizations.
We look at
the people
in their
organizations,
and we look
at their
eyes, hug
them and
call them
friends.
When this
authentic
friendship
is
established
among us,
then we
introduce
our friends
to another
fine friend:
“Zarathushtra”.
We do not
look at
another’s
traditions,
cultures,
values, and
beliefs as
obstacles.
We look at a
person’s
infinite
potential to
become great
Zarathushtrians
and
universal
citizens in
a lifetime.
The
Venezuelan
experience
has tried to
use the
model or
plan
formulated
in the
Gathas. We
have a
small, solid
and growing
community,
which is
expanding in
several
states. We
have social
and academic
programs
that are
modest in
comparison
to the needs
of our
entire
society. A
few children
and some old
people are
given help
and
assistance
to get food,
medicine or
toys. Some
young people
are granted
scholarships
to attend
school. Some
people are
studying
Zarathushtrian
values at
academic
levels.
Surely, in
the future,
our dreams
of building
a more ideal
society will
come true.
At least, we
are going to
give a try
to
participating
in God’s
Plans.
Perhaps some
day we will
even have a
Venezuelan
Fire Temple,
a place
where
Venezuelans,
Latin
Americans,
and people
from
everywhere
and without
distinctions
of cultures
or
traditions,
will meet.
Another of
our dreams
is to have a
solid
educational
institution
where we can
teach the
universal
values of
the doctrine
of wisdom.
As stated in
the Gathas:
“Let
those, who
have joined
You in
action,
assemble to
hear You,
because You
are the Lord
of true
speech with
words of
good mind.
Of these
words, Wise
One, You are
the foremost
promulgator”.
(Song 16. 3)
By the way …
whoever is
evil, he/she
still has
the
potential to
become a
Zarathushtrian…!
This
statement
was not
formulated
by
Venezuelans,
it was the
very
Zarathushtra
who said:
“Mazda,
they shall
be taught
how to
deliver the
wrong into
the hands of
righteousness”.
(Y 3.8)
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