My testimony – in few words: Having been born of Mandaean’s humble and illiterate parents, who lived in the city of Ahwaz (formerly ‘Alnasiriya’) – Iran (Persia), I was brought up & raised as a Mandaean. I was very often acted as an “ashkanda” (witness) to my, once, bearded father, on slaughtering the unblemished male sheep. Neither my parent, nor I knew anything of the Sabaeen Mandaean religion. We used to copy, without asking, other people, in some religious duties, such as multiple baptisms. These were performed in the Karoon River that split the city of Ahwaz in half. We used to submit to the unlimited orders of our spiritual superiors during feasts, eating Halal food…etc, but blind folded. We dare not ask any questions! I cannot consider myself as a very educated person, but was granted two degrees from two British colleges, and an advance certificate from a technical establishment in Russia. These lead me to serve many long years as a seafarer, and as an educator. According to Sabaeen Mandaean’s religious law, a man must bear a male child; otherwise he is considered a defile, even if he has many daughters. That is why, many Mandaeans, which goes for spiritual leaders also, used to marry more than one wife. When my wife and I got married, and for reasons of not her own, we could not have our own children. When we had settled in our new country I approached our embassy, asking, if all possible to adopt children from our country. We were refused. Many long years later, when I studied Mandaism more than a decade and a half, and submitted my thesis in the USA and India, only then did I realize that adoption in Mandaism was forbidden. When, finally decided to adopt two male children, one of whom was from Sarandeeb (now Sri Lanka), the relationship of our relatives and those close to us was rock bottom. We were left bone dry, not knowing what to do in a very strange country. We took the opportunity in approaching a Ginzabri (status of high Mandaean’s religious sheikh) on his arrival from Iran, asking him if he could baptize our adopted children, so as to be part of our Mandaean’s communion. We were shocked when we were told that these innocent children were defiled, and to be taken to any other religion but not Mandaism. The reason given, they were not Sabaeen Mandaeans. Because of that statement, we were sickened to the bone. Many years later, during the course of long studies, I found out, from the Mandaean’s books, and according to the mythology, that our people were living in Serandeeb (Sri Lanka) nearly half a million years, from Adam, to Ram, to Sharbeel, and Noah epoch, when the great flood occurred. If my people, according to their history, were living in Serandeeb, how come they do not accept those originally from that country? I call this a discrimination!!!. Not to let our children go astray, we decided to take them to a church. We learnt much later it was Baptist church. Believe me, it was not because we were religious, on the contrary, neither of us we favored going to a church. The first day, thirty odd years ago, we met those humble, small group of Christians, whom we found in them the true, and unconditional love. It was not ordinary human love, but love that I could not describe, nether comprehend. That was our first time that we enter a church. We did not know what to do. Having shown their Christian hospitality to us, we were given the Bible as a gift. My wife and I started studying the Bible. Mind you, not for the love of it but to find out the mistakes in it. We used to meet with their pastor, a very wise, humble man, and others, two or three nights a week, very often passing midnights, hammering them with our multiple questions. This went on for four years. During those innocent four years, many of our “worldy” thoughts and deeds started disappearing. We found out that man does not need religion, with its complex rules and regulation, very often too difficult to obey, but rather, need communion with the Creator God in faith. Man can not save himself by any deed, no matter what. Only God Himself can redeem man from his destructive life. The question was, and still is, for many, how could God redeem fallen humanity?. The Gospel of John presents Jesus as the eternal Word of God, who “became a human being and lived among us”. It is written: “Before the world was created, the Word already existed; he was with God, and he was the same as God. From the very beginning the Word was with God. Through him God made all things; not one thing in all creation was made without him. The Word was the source of life, and this life brought light to mankind..” (Bible New Testament. John:1:1-4) We believe that the Word, who became flesh, came to restore life that was destroyed, and made man anew. God is very merciful, and at the same time very just. He, the Word, who became a human (in Jesus), came to earth so as to redeem for Himself fallen man. For the same reason, He came to take the punishment of death upon Himself, instead of man. It is not surprising for us, Mandaeans, to see for ourselves, this truth. If we do check the books (ie: Ginza Rabba, Drashat ed Yahya, Diwan Haran Gwaitha..), concerning redemption of fallen man, we see the person of the Saviour very clearly in the names of Manda Ed Hayyii and Anush Uthra, whom, if we compare the spiritual meaning indicate the Divine Redeemer, Jesus. Having gone through four years of transformation through the divine teaching of the Word, we had decided to follow the True and Living Messiah, who had come to give us life in abundance, and above all, life eternal. Many had accused us of changing religions. On the contrary, if we knew that Christianity is a religion we would have remained in the old one. What difference does it make? Christianity is not a religion, it has never been and shall never be one; it is way of life. The Lord says: “I am the way, the Truth and the Life”. Amen We thank God for the transformation of our lives. God says to man, “Give me your heart”. We thank God for everything in our lives. Although we were few converted at the start, we are many now, and in many parts of the globe, some teachers of the Word, some evangelists, some serving the Lord in their own environment, but all working, freely in His field. Thanks be to God almighty. Amen It is an opportunity, if I may, to encourage all people, especially ours, the Mandaeans to search the books, theirs and compare it to the Holy Bible, where they will find life in abundance. ,I encourage everyone to read this humble research book “Mandaeans Mysteries Revealed” that covers many missing links that many were not aware of. God bless you all very much. May you find peace in yourselves, with others and with God Himself. We love you all and pray for you. Dr. George Harbi Khadar
Posted on: Wed, 03 Jul 2013 11:50:34 +0000
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