Zoroastrianism

Patron Saint: Guy Williams.

It is almost gone and only persists among the Parsees in India. It was the imperial Persian religion, had a check under Alexander the Great but made a comback under the Sassanians until supplanted by Islam. It arose about the 6th Century BC and waxed and waned with the fortunes of Persia.

Feeding their dead to the vultures may seem kind of weird, but it's probably not as bizarre as the U.S. habit of pumping them full of chemicals and putting them in a box underneath a stone statue of a baby with wings.

The predecessor of Christianity. That gives it a negative rating to start with.

Be careful, Christian types. Alot of concepts from this religion are used in Christianity. Which ones, you ask? Only the Messiah, last judgment, heaven and hell, Satan, and some other ones that aren't quite so central to Christian beliefs. Tread lightly. UPDATE: I guess some doubt my info or don't like what I'm saying. Judaism, which Christianity is rooted in, intermingled with Zoroastrianism during the Babylonian Captivity. There is an influence there whether or not anyone wants to talk about it. The concepts I mentioned were not spoken of until this time and this fact is not in dispute.

Zoroastrianism is the father of Judaism and the grandfather of Christianity. It just goes to show your elders know best.

An earlier proponent of the Good vs. Evil dichotomy, this religion had a very strong influence on Christianity,and is worth studying to understand the historical and cultural context that Christianity came from.

I just recently learned about this religion. It sounds interesting!

One of God's revelations to mankind. Would you stop believing in Moises because Jesus came after him? Ever heard of progressive revelation? Do you love the light or do you love the lamp it comes from? Would you turn away from the light that comes from a different direction? Is a rose only beautiful in a specific garden but no more in another one? Does a star shine only in one part of the sky? Zarathustra's teachings were adapted to his time and place and are still relevant today Good thoughts, good words, good deeds. Zarathustra is also considered to be a Manifestation/Messenger of God not only by around 200,000 Zoroastrians around the world but also by around 6 million Baha'is, which doesn't stop the latter from believing in Moises and Jesus either. But that's another beautiful story...

all i know of this religion is that freddy mercury(aka Faruk Bulsara, a persian) was one, and that he had a zoroastrian funeral that consisted of avery long proscession with Tons (literally) of flowers. And also that the magi mentioned in the christian bible may have been zoroastrians. gotta go 50/50 on this one.

You need Jesus.

its obvious that most of these christian dimwits know nothing of this religion. hence the ignorant comments. much less blood on its hands than christianity

Perhapse this religion was truly divinely inspired. It is beleived that the three magi to bring gifts to Jesus were Zoroastrian, looking for their savior who they beleived was to come. So, if they also think that Jesus is the Savior then I'm not going to argue. However, I do not know enough about this religion to give it a full 5 stars, but it is interesting and definately worth learning more about.

More of the same humanistic works religion. What can I do to get into heaven? Whatever happened to God's plan? Didn't He already make provisions for us through His Son Jesus?

going,going,gone!

Hey don't speak badly about what you don't know, ZOROASTRIANS DO ACCEPT NEW-COMERS IN THEIR RELIGION, for more info visit: www.zoroastrianism.org, www.avesta.org, www.zoroastrian.cc When you are talking about this religion and people you have to read a lot of books about it. WESTERN, EASTERN. (originals)... some christians,muslims... they do write wrong things about it because this religion had influenced to their thinking of LIFE also, practically and mentally this is the best way to realize the LIFE,yourself,GOD=POWER<not man>,this religion lead you to EDUCATION. First MONOTHEISTIC,>>> Ushta Ahura Mazda >>good thoughts,good deeds...

never heard of it

I find it odd that you can not convert. I know there are dating services out there for Zoroastors, but they can't marry outside their religion. It's hard enough finding that one special person, so imagine trying to find him or her out of a group of maybe 300,000 people worldwide.

I did find a websight seeking converts and I doubt very much Fredy Mercury was one of them. Iranians (meaning Aryan) did have very early records claiming to be Aryan and blond. Founded c600BC in Persia by the Prophet Zoraoster. & includes belief in the afterlife, a strong ethical code. God or Ahra Masda (Wise Lord, of life, truth, light, creation, time, fate and univeral spirit) created the universe in about or before the 67th Century BC in the spiritual relm only, as well as creating two great twin spirits or gods "Spenta Mainyu' (good spirit, prince of light) and "Ahriman/Angra Manyu' (The Devil, prince of darkness) who choose, lieing, darkness, death & distruction, and is asisted by six archfiends & hords of lesser demons which he created to distroy all that is good. The Good Spirit joined Ahrua Masda to become 'Ormazda' protected by 6 (or 7) archangels (gods) & other angels. 3000 years later 'Ormazd' created the material universe. Man was given free will to decide whos side he stood for, by his actions, deeds, words, and lives between the continus fight between the Spirit of good and that of evil, the good ultimately prevails. Early to mid 2000's (third millinion AD) each millinion will be ruled by a Messiah who is the direct decendent of Zoroaster. The third will raise the dead & lead mankind in the final battle that will end in the distruction of 'Ahriman' and his hosts at the end of the universe round about 5400AD. The religion was forced on Amarta taking Shamens of Hindu influence and was right wing expantionist. It had a branch in Rome (Mithraism). They were converted to Islam by force. Some fled to India where they are known as the Parsies (Fire worshiping Persians). Their priests were called Magi (as the three wise men, Casper the black Indian died in Syria returning home) and were believed to be able to levitate but the scripures that enabled them to do so were lost. There holy scriptures is the 'Avesta' and thay practiced prayer magic and astrology. This Western religion is called pagan by the other three. now down rating God and upgrading other gods. A dying religion.

Nope not even close. Augustine was a Manichean which is a derivative of Zorastrianism.

I tend to agree with AryanDan to a certain extent and he seems to be the most informed. Yes, Zarthosht and the Buddha were Aryan. And yes, its the anti-Aryan sentiment in today's society that has prevented this religion from being publicized. And we want to keep it that way. And the fact that we do not accept converts is true too. And I will let TheFreak speak for me in that regard. But I beg to differ on the ascertation that the Aryans were blond. We have never been blond. Let me begin here: Zoroastrianism is an Aryan faith. It first began on the Steppes of Russia as Mazdaism 7,000 years ago. The religious practices were given to idol worship and the belief in many "gods", and run by the Magi. Zarthosht (Zoroaster to the Greeks), was born around 3,000 BC (yes, three thousand) years before Christ. And he preached the worship and belief in one God "Ahura Mazda" or the "Lord Wise" if literally translated. The Aryans at the time were nomads who traveled the region in search of food for themselves and their cattle and sheep on the freezing Steppes. Fire was discovered during that period of the Stone Age and the nomads carried fire around in pots and kept it on a slow burn at all times because lighting fire in cold weather was extremely difficult. For that reason, today's Zoroastrians keep the holy fires eternally alive. These Aryans were already settled in that part of the world when tribes of invading Norsemen came to the Steppes and the Caucasian mountains, firstly to get away from the cold, and sometimes to settle in the relatively warmer climate. They would carry off the booty back to the Scandinavian lands, but more importantly they took back IDEAS. They learned agriculture, animal husbandry and other life saving practices from the Aryans. Many Norsemen settled in the lands they had come to invade, and that's how their mummies were found in that region. And as AryanDan says, the Aryans were noble people. They welcomed those Norse folks who came in peace and helped them adapt to their way of life. You will see parallels in the terrain and climate in places like Afghanistan, Turkemanistan and northern Iran and the Nordic lands in Scandinavia. And that's why we see blond and blue eyed people in that part of the world. Hope I have been able to shed further light on this subject concerning my faith.

cannot be accepted as religion

they don't accept converts,this religion will be like dinosaurs-EXTINCT

really confusing.

out of date and doesn't make sense!

The prophet Zoroaster was Aryan as was Siddhara Guatama. This fact is suppressed knowledge in today's time of oppression. Since no one else is likely to inform the people of this, I have taken up the cause. For it is better to know the truth than lies or nothing at all. Also, the similarities between Zoroastrianism and the teachings of Jesus are remarkable. It is believed that Jesus studied under this religion and that of India (Hinduism and Buddhism) as well. And both Hinduism and Buddhism were founded by Aryans. For a long time now, modern day anti-Aryans have tricked the masses into believing Aryans were not the tall Blond Nordic types who lived all through out the Near East, but those lies no longer hold any weight since actual Nordic mummies have been pulled from the ground in that region. And records of the Chinese also support the fact that Aryans (Nordics) lived in the Near East. The word Aryan is Sanskrit for "the Noble Ones" and indeed the ancient Aryans were truly noble, being the founders of Hinduism, Buddhism, and Zoroastrianism. More can be said about this fascinating subject, but if one has never been introduced to these ideas before, their long held anti-Aryan conditioning will prevent open understanding.

A very strange, yet pretty tolerant, religion. After all, Freddie Mercury was a Zoroastrian, so they had to be at least somewhat tolerant. They have one god, who's name is something like Ahura Mazda, and two spirits of good and evil. What is wrong with any of this, I ask? Sure, they may have a few fundamentalists, but don't most religions? And as CastleBee says, they don't accept converts, but I can't say I blame them. Who knows if anyone can be trusted? Take care, everyone!

I remember hearing something to the effect that one or all of the three wise men were of this faith. Since I basically had no idea what it was about, I thought I would check at Webster.com (I love this website). Their quick definition was as follows: "A Persian religion founded in the 6th century B.C. by the prophet Zoroaster, promulgated in the Avesta, and characterized by worship of a supreme god Ahura Mazda who requires good deeds for help in his cosmic struggle against the evil spirit Ahriman." The apparent sudden influx of Zoroastrians (or their supporters) on this page seems even more amazing when you consider that I also read they don't accept converts.