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| 6 | 7 | | R E S O L U T I O N |
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| 7 | 8 | | WHEREAS, Members of the Zoroastrian faith who reside in Texas |
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| 8 | 9 | | are gathering in Austin on March 5, 2025, to celebrate Zoroastrian |
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| 9 | 10 | | Day at the State Capitol; and |
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| 10 | 11 | | WHEREAS, Founded by the prophet Zarathushtra in ancient Iran |
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| 11 | 12 | | more than 3,000 years ago, Zoroastrianism is one of the world's |
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| 12 | 13 | | oldest monotheistic religions; Zoroastrianism flourished as the |
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| 13 | 14 | | imperial religion of three Persian empires, the Achaemenid, |
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| 14 | 15 | | Parthian, and Sasanian, during which times it was the dominant |
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| 15 | 16 | | religion of an area spanning from Turkey to China; and |
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| 16 | 17 | | WHEREAS, Today, there are an estimated 100,000 to 200,000 |
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| 17 | 18 | | Zoroastrians worldwide; embracing the sacred text Avesta as the |
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| 18 | 19 | | foundation of their faith, they are defined by their belief in |
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| 19 | 20 | | truth, righteousness, charity, beneficence, respect and care for |
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| 20 | 21 | | the environment, and the triumph of good over evil, and they have |
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| 21 | 22 | | played a long-standing role in fostering interfaith dialogue and |
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| 22 | 23 | | understanding; and |
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| 23 | 24 | | WHEREAS, The Zoroastrian community in North America, which |
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| 24 | 25 | | numbers over 25,000 followers, includes those who arrived from the |
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| 25 | 26 | | Indian subcontinent, who are known as Parsis, and those who came |
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| 26 | 27 | | from Iran in search of religious freedom; more than 1,100 |
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| 27 | 28 | | Zoroastrians reside in Texas, with the largest populations being |
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| 28 | 29 | | found in the Greater Houston area and North Texas; adherents in the |
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| 29 | 30 | | state represent a wide range of professions, and they include small |
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| 30 | 31 | | business owners and well-respected community members; and |
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| 31 | 32 | | WHEREAS, Encompassing a rich and diverse religious |
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| 32 | 33 | | tradition, Zoroastrianism inspires its worshippers to lead |
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| 33 | 34 | | virtuous lives through their words and deeds, and the Lone Star |
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| 34 | 35 | | State is enriched and strengthened by the many contributions of |
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| 35 | 36 | | members of this faith who call our state home; now, therefore, be it |
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| 36 | 37 | | RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 89th Texas |
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| 37 | 38 | | Legislature hereby recognize March 5, 2025, as Zoroastrian Day at |
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| 38 | 39 | | the State Capitol and extend a warm welcome to those who are |
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| 39 | 40 | | visiting Austin in observance of this occasion. |
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