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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, Members of the Zoroastrian faith who reside in Texas |
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are gathering in Austin on March 5, 2025, to celebrate Zoroastrian |
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Day at the State Capitol; and |
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WHEREAS, Founded by the prophet Zarathushtra in ancient Iran |
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more than 3,000 years ago, Zoroastrianism is one of the world's |
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oldest monotheistic religions; Zoroastrianism flourished as the |
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imperial religion of three Persian empires, the Achaemenid, |
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Parthian, and Sasanian, during which times it was the dominant |
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religion of an area spanning from Turkey to China; and |
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WHEREAS, Today, there are an estimated 100,000 to 200,000 |
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Zoroastrians worldwide; embracing the sacred text Avesta as the |
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foundation of their faith, they are defined by their belief in |
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truth, righteousness, charity, beneficence, respect and care for |
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the environment, and the triumph of good over evil, and they have |
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played a long-standing role in fostering interfaith dialogue and |
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understanding; and |
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WHEREAS, The Zoroastrian community in North America, which |
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numbers over 25,000 followers, includes those who arrived from the |
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Indian subcontinent, who are known as Parsis, and those who came |
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from Iran in search of religious freedom; more than 1,100 |
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Zoroastrians reside in Texas, with the largest populations being |
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found in the Greater Houston area and North Texas; adherents in the |
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state represent a wide range of professions, and they include small |
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business owners and well-respected community members; and |
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WHEREAS, Encompassing a rich and diverse religious |
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tradition, Zoroastrianism inspires its worshippers to lead |
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virtuous lives through their words and deeds, and the Lone Star |
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State is enriched and strengthened by the many contributions of |
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members of this faith who call our state home; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 89th Texas |
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Legislature hereby recognize March 5, 2025, as Zoroastrian Day at |
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the State Capitol and extend a warm welcome to those who are |
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visiting Austin in observance of this occasion. |