Zoroastrianism - The World of the Wise Lord [Religion of the Persian Empire]

Persian Journal ^ | May 21, 2005 | Nazar Khan

[goldstategop]

The Zoroastrians are nearly extinct in Iran because they cannot seek out converts and so increase their numbers and influence. Today, they exist as as a small sect in their old homeland and a couple of thousand in India known as the Parsees. Zoroastrianism is the oldest monotheist faith after Judaism and its doctrines influenced the religions that followed in its wake.

(Denny Crane: "Sometimes you can only look for answers from God and failing that... and Fox News".)

[dread78645]

Says who? I am open to learn more.

Isaiah 45:

1 Thus saith the LORD to his anointed, to Cyrus, whose right hand I have holden, to subdue nations before him; and I will loose the loins of kings, to open before him the two leaved gates; and the gates shall not be shut;
...
3 And I will give thee the treasures of darkness, and hidden riches of secret places, that thou mayest know that I, the LORD, which call thee by thy name, am the God of Israel.
...
13 I have raised him up in righteousness, and I will direct all his ways: he shall build my city, and he shall let go my captives, not for price nor reward, saith the LORD of hosts.
...

This is Yahweh, revealing that King Cyrus of Persia will free the people of Israel, and build his city.

Ezra 1:

2 Thus saith Cyrus king of Persia, The LORD God of heaven hath given me all the kingdoms of the earth; and he hath charged me to build him an house at Jerusalem, which is in Judah.

That's Cyrus of Persia, King in accordance with his god Ahuramazda, after he conquered Babylonia. He then gave the Jews permission to return to Palestine. Afterward he built the first Jewish Temple.

[dread78645]

He is the counterfeit seed, not the true seed.

"Beware the man who has read only one book."

[shibumi]

Ping for later reading - thanks for posting.

[Lloyd227]

I have read, although I cannot substantiate, that the "Magi of the East" who came to worship the newborn King were Zoroastrians.

If true, this implies to me that they had something on the ball and knew enough to know the wonderful instance that had been visited on man.

This alone would be enough to cause some respect for them in history.

Cheers,
Lloyd

[dread78645]

... but the deceased are picked clean apart by the local vulture. It is part of the Parsi death tradition apparently.

The soul has left the body; so they'd dispose of the body (a corrupt shell) in the way that's least disruptive to nature, as they see it.
In India, it's the "Silent Towers" and vultures, old Persia had "Gardens of the dead" and feral (and holy) dogs. In cities from Galatia down through Palestine would boil the body and store the bones in jar(s) called a ossuary.

[Celtjew Libertarian]

Genesis 14:18-20 reads:

18 And Melchizedek king of Salem brought forth bread and wine; and he was priest of G-d the Most High.

19 And he blessed him, and said: 'Blessed be Abram of G-d Most High, Maker of heaven and earth;

20 and blessed be G-d the Most High, who hath delivered thine enemies into thy hand.' And he gave him a tenth of all.

Considering Zoroastrianism appears to predate Judaism, it's possible that Melchizedek was Zoroastrian... In any case, he was of some religion that predated Judaism and believed in God.

[Lloyd227]

Interesting (post 27). Thanks

[Max in Utah]

From:
The Towers of Silence, 1870

The Tower selected for the child's burial was one in which other members of the same family had before been laid. The two bearers speedily unlocked the door, reverently conveyed the body of the child into the interior, and, unseen by any one, laid it uncovered in one of the open stone receptacles nearest the central well. In two minutes they reappeared with the empty bier and white cloth. But scarcely had they closed the door when a dozen vultures swooped down upon the body, and were rapidly followed by flights of others. In five minutes more we saw the satiated birds fly back and lazily settle down again upon the parapet. They had left nothing behind but a skeleton. Meanwhile the bearers were seen to enter a building shaped like a huge barrel. There, as the Secretary informed me, they changed their clothes and washed themselves. Shortly afterwards we saw them come out and deposit their cast-off funeral garments on a stone receptacle near at hand. Not a thread leaves the garden, lest it should carry defilement into the city. Fresh garments were supplied at each funeral. In a fortnight, or at most four weeks, the same bearers return, and with gloved hands and implements resembling tongs, place the dry skeleton in the central well. There the bones find their last resting-place, and there the dust of whole generations of Parsis commingling is left undisturbed for centuries.

[Charlespg]

rather that then mad mo's Allah

[Mr. Jeeves]

Q: How did the Star Trek crew get to the Zoroastrian Temple?

A: They drove in Uhura's Mazda.

~rimshot~