I've been researching some stuff on wiki (always fun), and after stumbling through The Shadow, to Mithraism I came across this religion. I'm curious to learn more about it however--why isn't it still around, when was its downfall? To be honest it's one of the few religions I can look at and go "That makes sense", and I'm interested in learning more about it. Hopefully Mort and the like will be able to enlighten me.

Not only that but now I know why they called that movie Zarathustra--before the name didn't make ANY sense :p

Zoroastrians followed the teachings of a prophet named Zoroastor (hope I spelled that correctly) The religion was big around the times of the Greek and Roman Empire - it was one of the famed mystery religions. Zoroastrians were monotheistic. They believe(d) that there are two great and ancient powers -one good, one evil - struggling for ultimate control of the world. Zorrastrian theology reads that eventually the good force will win. Zoroastrians were also avid star gazers and astrologers - which would explain why when a rather large star appeared over Bethlehem around the time of Jesus's birth 3 of them decided it would be a good idea to follow it ( yeah - "We Three Kings" = 3 Zoroastrians) They arrived to pay homage to the little star creator when he was around 2-ish giving Christmas song lyricists endless, (but somewhat incorrect) material for songs. Also - point of fact - Jesus wasnt born in December - his "birthday celebration" was moved to the date of a huge pagan festival as a perk for all the many pagans who were forced to convert after Constantine.

Dualistic
The Zoroastrians believed in two gods, of equal strength unlike Christianity's God vs. Satan. Ahura Mazda was the god of good, and Angra Manyu (sp?) was the god of evil. Zoroastrians believed there was an ongoing, eternal struggle between good and evil, and the actions of men would influence the battle. They also believed that at the end of time Ahura Mazda would finally defeat the evil god and cast him down an infinite abyss.



edit: Also, I believe Zoroastrianism was at its most prominent during the time of the Persian Empire.

I thought there were still a few Zoroastrianists (or is that Zoroastrians?) left. I'm pretty sure they still exist in India, although I have a bad feeling I'm mixing it up with Jainism here. One or both of those are minority religions in India anyway.

All I know, is that Zoroastrianism heavily influenced Manichaeism (I'm pretty sure that religion is extinct now). Which in turn has heavily influenced modern day Chritianity thanks to the writings of Saint Augustus, a Manichaean convert.

There are "active" Zoroastrian temples in Iran and other places within the former bounds of Persia.

Aparrently there's a decent following in America too--mostly Parsis though. And they were monotheistic in that they thought there was only one true God--however dualistic in that there were two main powers. I like how there's a lot of freedom and openness in the religion, and I'm surprised to see that aparrently it and Judaism supposedly influenced each other heavily.

Touche

(I don't remember everything I learned about them ~ its been almost a year since I studied them)

My prediction: this thread won't get as long as the "Catholics..." one.

However more interesting this one may be?

I wish this forum allowed quote pyramids without serious work... It would make alot of threads better.

If I recall correctly from my theology studies, St. Augustin, in his spiritual turmoils before he became a Christian, tried out Zoroastrianism. He had been attracted by its really scientific approach to explaining the universe and to him it seemed like they had all the answers.

Their head doctor was said to know all the secrets of the universe and whatnot, and every time Augustin started asked complicated questions to his Zoroastrian priests, they would dramatically refer him to the head doctor.

He finally sought out this fellow, and, much to his diappointment and further disillusionment, found out that the dude was just full of cryptic nonsense and circular reasoning.

I think the Christian faith finally did it for him because the notion of holy mystery means that they know that there are things they do not and cannot know.

This sounds like a fun religion.

Where do I subscribe?

The name was too confusing. You can't follow a religion you can't pronounce.

O_o

... Zoe - row - a$s - tree - an - is - im?

or as Dictionary.com lists it: Zo·ro·as·tri·an·ism

Zorrotrannyism

There are still Zorastanians left, hell I know some of them, ye ol' fireworshippers*.

*I know they don't.

[QUOTE=Lord Kuat]There are still Zorastanians left, hell I know some of them, ye ol' fireworshippers*.

*I know they don't.[/QUOTE]
Yeah, but I'd honestly only heard it in passing before today, and never thought of it as a religion that was still going on.

I never even heard of it until this thread.

~140,000 followers.

The wiki says 180-250,000

"At the age of fourteen a Zoroastrian named Vilma ritualistically shaved my testicles. There really is nothing like a shorn scrotum... it's breathtaking- I highly suggest you try it."

-Dr. Evil

Ahura Mazda and Ahriman.

Doesn't it suck that the evil god or whatever is always doomed in scripture?

-I mean, the only winning evil I've ever heard of is C'Thulhu, but that's Lovecraft craziness, and you can't trust shifty-eyed Americans with cold blood. That's why I hate Geraldo Rivera.

Speaking of religions that make sense. Here's one that doesn't make a lick of sense and blows all others out of the water:

Discordianism

Or, perhaps, you'd wish to join a "John Dillinger died for us" society. They have the coolest mantra they use: "Lie down on the floor and keep calm".

I value Bokonism. You must all be my Karass, and thus JK is our Wampeter.
[edit]C'thulhu. There, the pattern remains unbroken.

-I will increase my post count ten-fold by the rising of the morrow sun! Or not.

Freddie Mercury from 'Queen' was a Zoroastrian.

This is what I remember, might not be 100% accurate, correct me if I'm wrong.

Ahriman == Angra Mainyu. Two different names for the same personification of evil and darkness. Spirit of Evil. Angra Mainyu is more comparable with the Christian devil and thus not really seen as a God.

Zoroaster (Greek translation?) or Zarathustra (Biblical translation?) lived around 600 BC and was one of the first to make a distinction between good and evil (dark and light). He promoted the idea idea for an ethical monotheism in ancient Persia. At the same timeframe Hebrew Prophets in Palistine promoted monotheism as well.

Zarathustra banned animal sacrifice and the use of drugs. He introduced the idea of individual salvation through the free choice of Ahura Mazda.

The religion spread quickly among the civilizations in between Messopotamia (Iraq) and India: Persia (Iran), Elam. With the expansion of the Persian Empire over Messopotamia, Syrria, Assyria, Arabia, Asia Minor (Turkey), Sinai, Egypt, current Afghanistan, Armenia, Azerbeijzjan, Pakistan, turkmenistan and parts of India. I can assume it spread there as well.