The AP has a good story out today about the Mandaeans, an ancient Gnostic sect in Iraq/Iran that follows the teachings of John the Baptist. Like other religious minorities in the troubled region, the Mandaeans are finding new life here in the U.S.
From the story:
“After more than 2,000 years of practicing their Gnostic faith almost entirely in Iraq and Iran, some Mandaean-Americans fear their ancient beliefs may fade in the U.S. unless they can agree on a cultural course that keeps traditions intact while dealing with the pressures of American society.
“The world’s roughly 60,000 Mandaeans have been coming to the United States in small numbers for several decades. Surges occurred at the outbreak of the Iraq-Iran war in the 1980s, after the Gulf War in the early 1990s and after the 2006 bombing of Iraq’s al-Askari Mosque, which set off sectarian violence.
“Now, an estimated quarter of the population is in refugee camps in Jordan and Syria, while 10,000 remain split between Iran and Iraq. The remainder are scattered from San Antonio to Sydney. Several thousand are thought to live in the U.S., according to Mandaean-American leaders, but no formal totals are kept.”
We reported on the Mandaeans back in 2007. The AP also has a little sidebar on where the Mandaeans are settling in the U.S.
