God doesn’t judge Yazidis based on how often we pray or go on pilgrimages. We don’t have to build elaborate cathedrals or attend years of religious schooling in order to be a good Yazidi. Rituals, like baptism, are performed only when the family has enough money or time to make the trip. Our faith is in our actions. We welcome strangers into our homes, give money and food to those who have none, and sit with the body of a loved one before burial. Even being a good student, or kind to your spouse, is an act equal to prayer. Things that keep us alive and allow poor people to help others, like
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