I know many many Iranians who would "convert" to Zoroastrianism today if they could without repercussions, my entire immediate family and I included. We have actually discussed it, and my father says the only reason he hasn't is so his brothers won't get in trouble with the Iranian government. My mother sometimes introduces herself as Zoroastrian so that crazy Pakistanis will leave her alone if she eats bacon.

Most of these Iranians I know are sick of Islam and want to have nothing to do with it, but they are stuck with the 'Muslim' label. More each day are beginning to realize how much of a foreign entity Islam really is to Iranian culture. Their impulse to convert to Zoroastrianism is based on some nationalist tendencies and not wanting to be associated to Islam, rather than an actual conversion in beliefs. They ask themselves 'if I'm not a Muslim then what religion am I?' and the only answer that sounds reasonable is Zoroastrianism.

I don't know if there are millions, and I doubt if it's possible to count, but easily thousands upon thousands. If there were ever a chance to openly do so in Iran, I'm certain it would pick up momentum and become a major phenomenon.

But what kind of Zoroastrians would these Iranians be? I don't think very good ones. Not terrible, but not very good. It would be mostly a superficial label they would want to apply to themselves, and otherwise they want to carry on with life as usual.

I've thought about this quite a bit. it was at first depressing to hear about the non-acceptance of converts. But it's probably best if there is in fact a separate No-Zartoshti identity for these Iranians, as opposed to them trying over-running the old communities en masse.

Personally, I can't believe in supernatural deities and creation myths. I find myself very much invested in Truth, and I want to discover and believe only what is true, not what is convenient or what feels good. In Zoroastrianism I see the only religion that places Truth on as high a pedestal as I think it deserves to be. I would not be a good Zoroastrian today in the proper sense. But in my own mind I see many parallels between what I think is right and many aspects of the religion, and I feel a deep affinity towards it. I've finally realized I don't need others to consider me a Zoroastrian, and there's no reason for me to intrude on others' communities and make them uncomfortable. I am Zoroastrian in the only way that makes sense to me, in valuing the Truth and the Good above the Lie, and I actually don't care if others disagree. No one can stop me from reading the texts myself, and that's all I want.