Despite its reputation for religious intolerance, the Middle East
has long sheltered many distinctive and strange faiths: one regards
the Greek prophets as incarnations of God, another reveres Lucifer
in the form of a peacock, and yet another believes that their
followers are reincarnated beings who have existed in various forms
for thousands of years. These religions represent the last vestiges
of the magnificent civilizations in ancient history: Persia,
Babylon, Egypt in the time of the Pharaohs. Their followers have
learned how to survive foreign attacks and the perils of
assimilation. But today, with the Middle East in turmoil, they face
greater challenges than ever before. In Heirs to Forgotten
Kingdoms, former diplomat Gerard Russell ventures to the distant,
nearly impassable regions where these mysterious religions still
cling to survival. He lives alongside the Mandaeans and Ezidis of
Iraq, the Zoroastrians of Iran, the Copts of Egypt, and others. He
learns their histories, participates in their rituals, and comes to
understand the threats to their communities. Historically a
tolerant faith, Islam has, since the early 20th century, witnessed
the rise of militant, extremist sects. This development, along with
the rippling effects of Western invasion, now pose existential
threats to these minority faiths. And as more and more of their
youth flee to the West in search of greater freedoms and job
prospects, these religions face the dire possibility of extinction.
Drawing on his extensive travels and research, Russell provides an
essential record of the past, present, and perilous future of these
remarkable religions.
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