
BY A STAFF REPORTER
ORANGE, CA - The Zoroastrian Association of California held an Interfaith celebration focused on “Renovating our World with Good Thoughts, Good Words and Good Deeds,” jointly with the World Interfaith Network and the Unity-and-Diversity World Council at the ZAC Center here on February 19. The purpose was to promote the...
ORANGE, CA - The Zoroastrian Association of California held an Interfaith celebration focused on “Renovating our World with Good Thoughts, Good Words and Good Deeds,” jointly with the World Interfaith Network and the Unity-and-Diversity World Council at the ZAC Center here on February 19. The purpose was to promote the...
spirit of unity within diversity, which was amply portrayed by the large number of speakers who were part of this celebration.
Emcee Meher Amalsad ably conducted the proceedings with wit and humor. The celebration was organized by Zarrir Bhandara who initiated the event with the chanting of a Zorastrian prayer. Perinne Medhora, committee member warmly welcomed the attendees, followed by a hymn sung by Bhandara, the ZAC priest,.
The list of speakers was impressive. Starting with Reverend Leland Stewart, Founder and Central Co-coordinator of the Unity and Diversity World Council who happily noted that there were more people in the audience than in the past.
He was followed by Bishop Obispo Juan Carlos Mendes of Centro Cristiano Bet-El in South Gate. He is a leader of social justice and has retired as Superintendent of Public Schools in Los Angeles and has been a pastor for the last 32 years.
Dr. Ardeshir Anoshiravani, talked about good destroying evil and how in Persian, Angre (angry thoughts) is destroyed by Spenta (good thoughts) The Baha’i faith, founded in the 19th century, followed with a speech by Farhad Shahriary who talked about the love of humanity and read paragraphs written by Baha’u’llah the founder of the Baha’i faith who said “The world is but One Country and Mankind its Citizens.” The Brahma Kumari’s World Spiritual Organization, was represented by Liza Haddad who also spoke of how “We, God’s children, all belong to one global family.”
Homi Gandhi,the current president of the Federation of Zoroastrian Associations of North America is the honorary president of Religions for Peace International World Council and was treasurer for Religions for Peace USA Council. He talked of the tenements of the Zoroastrian religion - Good Thoughts, Good Words and Good Deeds.
The Hindu faith was represented by Dr. Rini Ghosh, president of the South Coast Interfaith Council. Ghosh talked of the Vedanta’s Advaita philosophy which talks of “Chidananda Rupa Shivoham Shivoham” which means, “I am not the body, I am not the mind, I am pure consciousness, I am eternal Bliss.”
Islam was represented by Duaa Alwan, the co-founder of the Muslim Speakers Network and a board member of the Islamic Shura Council of Southern California. She spoke about a very prominent quote by Prophet Muhammad which says, “Love for others what you love for yourself.” Erica Wilson, from Unity and Diversity World Council and a retired professor of Comparative Religions, stated that she believed that science and religion are totally connected. As a student of quantum physics she was always interested in similarities of all religions of the world. Susanna Foo Rios, worked for the Church of Scientology for 18 years. She talked of how Scientology is reaching out and helping others in their time of need. Wilma Striebeck who has studied all different religions since childhood talked of reaching the same goals through different methods by different faiths. Bhandara, took the floor and talked about the main theme - Good thoughts, Good words, and Good Deeds - and how if everyone followed these three principles, the world would be living in peace and harmony. He spoke of the super power of good and positive thoughts and if we used the supernatural powers within us, we could make the world a more positive and better place. Each of the representatives, lit a candle from one main candle, thereby demonstrating that a candle does not lose anything by assisting in lighting another candle!
Emcee Meher Amalsad ably conducted the proceedings with wit and humor. The celebration was organized by Zarrir Bhandara who initiated the event with the chanting of a Zorastrian prayer. Perinne Medhora, committee member warmly welcomed the attendees, followed by a hymn sung by Bhandara, the ZAC priest,.
The list of speakers was impressive. Starting with Reverend Leland Stewart, Founder and Central Co-coordinator of the Unity and Diversity World Council who happily noted that there were more people in the audience than in the past.
He was followed by Bishop Obispo Juan Carlos Mendes of Centro Cristiano Bet-El in South Gate. He is a leader of social justice and has retired as Superintendent of Public Schools in Los Angeles and has been a pastor for the last 32 years.
Dr. Ardeshir Anoshiravani, talked about good destroying evil and how in Persian, Angre (angry thoughts) is destroyed by Spenta (good thoughts) The Baha’i faith, founded in the 19th century, followed with a speech by Farhad Shahriary who talked about the love of humanity and read paragraphs written by Baha’u’llah the founder of the Baha’i faith who said “The world is but One Country and Mankind its Citizens.” The Brahma Kumari’s World Spiritual Organization, was represented by Liza Haddad who also spoke of how “We, God’s children, all belong to one global family.”
Homi Gandhi,the current president of the Federation of Zoroastrian Associations of North America is the honorary president of Religions for Peace International World Council and was treasurer for Religions for Peace USA Council. He talked of the tenements of the Zoroastrian religion - Good Thoughts, Good Words and Good Deeds.
The Hindu faith was represented by Dr. Rini Ghosh, president of the South Coast Interfaith Council. Ghosh talked of the Vedanta’s Advaita philosophy which talks of “Chidananda Rupa Shivoham Shivoham” which means, “I am not the body, I am not the mind, I am pure consciousness, I am eternal Bliss.”
Islam was represented by Duaa Alwan, the co-founder of the Muslim Speakers Network and a board member of the Islamic Shura Council of Southern California. She spoke about a very prominent quote by Prophet Muhammad which says, “Love for others what you love for yourself.” Erica Wilson, from Unity and Diversity World Council and a retired professor of Comparative Religions, stated that she believed that science and religion are totally connected. As a student of quantum physics she was always interested in similarities of all religions of the world. Susanna Foo Rios, worked for the Church of Scientology for 18 years. She talked of how Scientology is reaching out and helping others in their time of need. Wilma Striebeck who has studied all different religions since childhood talked of reaching the same goals through different methods by different faiths. Bhandara, took the floor and talked about the main theme - Good thoughts, Good words, and Good Deeds - and how if everyone followed these three principles, the world would be living in peace and harmony. He spoke of the super power of good and positive thoughts and if we used the supernatural powers within us, we could make the world a more positive and better place. Each of the representatives, lit a candle from one main candle, thereby demonstrating that a candle does not lose anything by assisting in lighting another candle!