Zoroastrianism - Religion of the Persian Empire

MB Faith ^ | 6/25/05 | MB Faith

[freedom44]

GGG Ping.

[steve86]

Bookmark to read later

[freedom44]

ping

[marty60]

Very Interesting/ Makes India an intergral part of this fight against Islamofascism.

[freedom44]

Zoroastrianism doesn't really have anything to do with India - other than Iranians fled Arab persecution to seek refuge there after the Muslim invasion in 600 A.D. It may be the key to helping remove the radicals in controlling Iran because they are so far out of touch with their history and culture.

[CarrotAndStick]

Zoroaster taught a higher moral plane, where men attained virtue by good thoughts and conduct rather than by sacrifice. All of a man's good works are actually entered into the book of life as credits, and bad works as debits. If the total score is positive, the soul goes to heaven; if negative, hell. If the balance is close, the soul stays in an intermediate state until the final judgment. Sins could never be washed away, but just balanced out.

Zoroastrianism is a religion that developed in Iran from about the sixth century BC, generally ascribed to Zoroaster (Zarathustra), who was born in Iran '258 years before Alexander.' The date of Zoroaster's birth has been given variously as 6000 BC, 1400 BC, and 1000 BC, but Herzfeld accepts the traditional date, approximately, as now confirmed (Herzfeld, (570 - 500 BC); Jackson, 660 - 583 BC). Accordingly, Zoroaster was contemporary with other great religious personages, including Buddha, Confucius, Lao Tze, and several Hebrew prophets. That Zoroaster used Vedic materials found in early Hinduism can hardly be denied; that he was a polytheist like Darius, Xerxes, and others who were probably Zoroastrians (at least, their inscriptions pay homage to Ahura Mazda) seems most likely.

[A message]

historical reference ping

Thanks freedom44

[freedom44]

The Bible on Zoroastrian Cyrus the Great:

God calls King Cyrus of Persia by name before he is even born to serve Him

God Calls King Cyrus by Name
This is what the LORD says to his anointed, to Cyrus, whose right hand I take hold of to subdue nations before him and to strip kings of their armor, to open doors before him so that gates will not be shut: I will go before you and will level the mountains; I will break down gates of bronze and cut through bars of iron. I will give you the treasures of darkness, riches stored in secret places, so that you may know that I am the LORD, the God of Israel, who summons you by name. For the sake of Jacob my servant, of Israel my chosen, I summon you by name and bestow on you a title of honor, though you do not acknowledge me. I am the LORD, and there is no other; apart from me there is no God. I will strengthen you, though you have not acknowledged me, so that from the rising of the sun to the place of its setting men may know there is none besides me. I am the LORD, and there is no other. I form the light and create darkness, I bring prosperity and create disaster; I, the LORD, do all these things. "You heavens above, rain down righteousness; let the clouds shower it down. Let the earth open wide, let salvation spring up, let righteousness grow with it; I, the LORD, have created it. Isaiah 45:1-8

[freedom44]

Zoroastrian King Cyrus the Great in the Bible - liberation of 40k Jews:

King Cyrus allows Return of Jews from Iran to Israel
In the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, in order to fulfill the word of the LORD spoken by Jeremiah, the LORD moved the heart of Cyrus king of Persia to make a proclamation throughout his realm and to put it in writing:

"This is what Cyrus king of Persia says: "`The LORD, the God of heaven, has given me all the kingdoms of the earth and he has appointed me to build a temple for him at Jerusalem in Judah. Anyone of his people among you--may the LORD his God be with him, and let him go up.'" 2 Chronicles 36:22-23

[marty60]

As the Iranian people just found out. Nothing will rid Iran of the Islamofascist but force. They are like a plague of locast.

[FairOpinion]

Please FREEPMAIL me if you want on, off, or alter the "Gods, Graves, Glyphs" PING list -- Archaeology/Anthropology/Ancient Cultures/Artifacts/Antiquities, etc.

I will ping the GGG list until July 2, 2005, during SunkenCiv's temporary absence from the board.

If you see articles appropriate for the GGG ping list, please ping me.

[tahotdog]

Going from this religion to slammism has to be the biggest step downwards in human history.

[CarrotAndStick]

I see that you are familiar with the tenets of Zoroastrianism. It beats me why the Iranians converted enmasse to Islam. And since the same forces of Islam were as much dominant in Persia as much as it has been in Moghul India, I wonder why there was no mass conversion to Islam in India too. I'd love to hear from you about your views on the same.

The oppressive forces of Islam acting in both India and Persia circa the middle ages were so much similar, yet the outcome is so drastically different. I mean, if there were any people who had reasons to convert, the Indians probably had more, especially in light of the "caste" problem, that so many profess here as a "particularly rampant" problem (I do not disagree casteism is an evil, but differ in opinion with respect to its extent). Anyway, as a pragmatist, I am open for revision of my views.

It is sad that the Persians wrongly saw Islam as means of Deliverance, rather than the other faiths that they must have been aware of around the time.

[blam]

Thanks for picking up the slack.

[Ciexyz]

King Darius prayed to Ahura Mazda for success in his battles with Alexander the Great, who prayed to the Greek gods to grant him victory. History showed us whose gods were stronger.

[freedom44]

Darius was a monotheist - Greeks believed in many Gods.

[satchmodog9]

Due to the Arabs' invasion of Iran, which was cruel (_See Koran Sura 9 “Al Tauba “ Ayeh 5 and 29 and 123 ) , most Parsis left their own country, and emigrated to India in the ninth century. Even, at present time, if Iranians are asked about Zoroastrians identity, most of them will answer, those people are fire worshipers and like Jews and other pagans and Christians are unclean people ( See Koran Sura 9 Ayeh 28 ).

[nerdwithamachinegun]

pingalingadingdong!!

[Ciexyz]

Darius was a monotheist

Yes, he prayed to Ahura Mazda. Alexander prayed to a pantheon of gods, including new ones he encountered in the territories he conquered.