Zoroastrianism at a glance

Zoroastrianism is one of the world's oldest monotheistic religions. It was founded by the prophet Zoroaster (or Zarathustra) in ancient Iran approximately 3500 years ago.

For 1000 years Zoroastrianism was one of the most powerful religions in the world. It was the official religion of Persia (Iran) from 600 BCE to 650 CE.

It is now one of the world's smallest religions with around a quarter of a million followers worldwide. There are 4000 Zoroastrians living in Britain.

Zoroastrians believe there is one God called Ahura Mazda (Wise Lord) and He created the world.
Zoroastrians are not fire-worshippers, as some Westerners wrongly believe. Zoroastrians believe that the elements are pure and that fire represents God's light or wisdom.

Ahura Mazda revealed the truth through the prophet, Zoroaster.

Zoroastrians traditionally pray several times a day.

Zoroastrians worship communally in a Fire Temple or Agiary.

The Zoroastrian book of Holy Scriptures is called The Avesta.

The Avesta can be roughly split into two main sections:

The Avesta is the oldest and core part of the scriptures, which contains the Gathas. The Gathas are seventeen hymns thought to be composed by Zoroaster himself.

The Younger Avesta - commentaries to the older Avestan written in later years. It also contains myths, stories and details of ritual observances.
Zoroastrians are roughly split into two groups:

The Iranians
The Parsis

History

Zoroaster

Zoroaster was born in Northeast Iran or Southwest Afghanistan and founded Zoroastrianism in approximately 1200 BCE.

Under Persian rule

Zoroastrianism survived in Persia (Iran) through several conquests and ruling empires.

The Parsis

In the 10th century a group of Iranians fled Iran as refugees in search of somewhere to practice their religion freely.

Beliefs

Humanity's place in the universe
Zoroastrian beliefs can be summed up by 'Good thoughts, good words, good deeds'.

God, Zoroaster and immortals

Zoroastrians believe in one God, called Ahura Mazda (Wise Lord). They believe that Zoroaster is the prophet of God.

Dualism

Dualism in Zoroastrianism is the existence of, yet complete separation of, good and evil.

Purification

Zoroastrians are not fire-worshippers, as some Westerners wrongly believe. Zoroastrians believe that the elements are pure and that fire represents God's light or wisdom.

Zoroaster placed less emphasis on ritual worship, instead focusing on the central ethics of 'Good Words, Good Thoughts and Good Deeds'.


Zoroastrian worship is not prescriptive. Its followers can choose whether they wish to pray and how.

Communal worship is usually centred around seasonal festivals (of which the Zoroastrians have many), but there are other opportunities for worshipers to gather, such as the Navjote, the initiation ceremony where a child is accepted into the Zoroastrian fellowship.

Prayers

Zoroastrians traditionally pray several times a day. Some wear a kusti, which is a cord knotted three times, to remind them of the maxim, 'Good Words, Good Thoughts, Good Deeds'. They wrap the kusti around the outside of a sudreh, a long, clean, white cotton shirt. They may engage in a purification ritual, such as the washing of the hands, then untie and then retie it while reciting prayers.

Prayers are primarily invocational, calling upon and celebrating Ahura Mazda and his good essence that runs through all things. Prayers are said facing the sun, fire or other source of light representing Ahura Mazda's divine light and energy.

Purification is strongly emphasised in Zoroastrian rituals. Zoroastrians focus on keeping their minds, bodies and environments pure in the quest to defeat evil (Angra Mainyu). Fire is seen as the supreme symbol of purity, and sacred fires are maintained in Fire Temples (Agiaries). These fires represent the light of God (Ahura Mazda) as well as the illuminated mind, and are never extinguished. No Zoroastrian ritual or ceremony is performed without the presence of a sacred fire.

i understand disposal of the dead posed a problem.what was the solution?

Good question. I was hoping that more people would offer their knowledge on this religion. I guess not many are interested in the end. I can research it and see what happened. There are no guarantees that I will find the answer.

That is when you wish you had such people like Professor Joseph Campbell who studies mythology and theology and gives fruitful stories of them.

We shall see what we will come up with

i know that the 'evil one' is called Angra Mainyu

i would take this belief than christianity anyday...!

if anything didn't christianity come from this belief????

I did research it.The solution was to lay there dead on stone slabs in selected holy sites where they could be devoured by animals.In this way they did not pollute the elements.
Tibet has a similar custom called a "Sky Funeral" in which the body is defleshed and the bones ground into meal all of witch is left for animals to consume.There reason differs how ever.Tibetans believe it is noble to offer your body as food.I've witnessed it.Gruesome does not Begin to describe it.

Yes, Christianity is a "heresy" of Zoroastrianism.

Certain Native American tribes also have a similar version of this. The body would be placed up on a stand of sorts and left to decomp and go back to nature on its own.

I've only just gotten into Zoroastrianism a bit, the past 3 weeks or so. I was doing some research on the Mithraic Aeon, of which seems a conglomeration of Greek, Zoroastrianism, and Mithraism.

facinating.please elaborate.

Below are some links. I had seen the image before as a statue, but had been dreaming about it over the end of last month into this month, so I started looking up more info.

http://www.sacred-texts.com/cla/mom/mom07.htm

http://www.abaxion.com/hnn03.htm