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"From Nowruz till Nowruz, the Philosophy of Iranian Zoroastrian celebrations and ceremonies’
Iran Book News Agency ^ | 6.04.2011 | Nowruz

Posted on 04/08/2011 12:47:46 AM PDT by Cronos

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An interesting book just out. I'm surprised that it is being published in Iran..
1 posted on 04/08/2011 12:47:49 AM PDT by Cronos
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To: odds; All

ping


2 posted on 04/08/2011 12:53:33 AM PDT by Cronos (OPC teaches covenant succession - their kids are saved regardless whether they are Christian or not)
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To: odds; All

ping


3 posted on 04/08/2011 12:53:41 AM PDT by Cronos
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To: Cronos

I wonder what Achmadinejad and the Ayatollahs in Iran think about Zoroastrianism. On the one hand it’s an infidel religion, but on the other it’s part of what separated Persia from the rest of the Arab world and made it distinctive. I could imagine them taking some kind of pride in that. Or maybe not: I know they’ve driven Farsi underground, and if they are that contemptuous of the classical language of Persia, they probably feel the same about its religion.


4 posted on 04/08/2011 1:00:56 AM PDT by Yardstick
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To: All; caww
Nowruz -- New year.

Zoroastrianism dates back to 1700 BC (or 700 BC, it's kind of vague) and is named after the prophet Zoroaster

It is one of the oldest monotheistic religions (though the worship is focussed on one god, it is a dualistic religion in the sense of equal forces).

Zoroaster was born in what is now Azerbaijan and his religious beliefs arise from indo-irani beliefs

Proto-Indo-Europeans had 2 "families" of gods -- in the most primitive form, among the Nordics, these remained, as the Aesir and Vanir.

Among Indo-Iranis these two families were the Daevas/Devas and Ahuras/Asuras

Among the Indics, the devas were slowly elevated post the Vedic times to the higher supernatural beings, to the only gods and the Asuras were first bad supernatural beings and then post Christian influences (Christianity came to India in the 1st century with St. Thomas) the Asuras were relegated to demonic status as in present day Hinduism

Among the Iranics, the opposite happened -- the Ahuras ("s" in Indic languages becomes "h" in Iranic, hence the people who lived on the Indus river are Sindhis in India and were the ones from whom the term Hindu derives) were elevated and daevas just remained as gods of the hearth (like that other Indo-European race, the Latins who called their daevas as "genus")

Zoroaster came along and said one should only worship Ahura Mazda (the God of Light) who is the only good God. Aingra Mainyu is his opposing number and mankind fights alongside Ahura Mazda against Aingra Mainyu

Zoroastrianism introduced the idea of angels too as distinct entities -- and this lead to the devolution in the form of Yazidism where they believe that God left the earth to the care of 12 angels, led by the Peacock Angel (Melek Taus)

5 posted on 04/08/2011 1:04:54 AM PDT by Cronos
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To: caww
Yazidiism along with Mandaens and Manichaenism, Druze and Allawis are fascinating studies in how communities co-mingled beliefs to their central tribal identities

The Yazidis are Kurds (or Medes as they were), an Irani people. They retained their version of Zoroastrianism through the persecutions by Islam (Moslems consider them devil worshippers)

The Mandaens revere Adam, Abel, Seth, Enosh, Noah, Shem, Aram and especially John the Baptist as the founders of their religion and consider Moses, Jesus and Mohammed as false prophets -- these guys seem to be descendents of Abraham and may very well be some of the "lost tribes". They believe in strong dualism too, like the Zoroastrian belief (unlike the Yazidis who believe there is no "satan" and good and evil reside in each person). Of course the fact that they consider the founders of Judaism, Christianity and Islam as false hasn't really helped them be liked :)

Druze seem to be a syncretism of Abrahamic beliefs mixed with Platonic and the Allawis are Gnostics imho.

6 posted on 04/08/2011 1:11:59 AM PDT by Cronos
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To: Yardstick

I think I’manutjob and the Ayatollies are in two minds, like the rest of Iran. But they should rightly fear Zoroastrianism capturing the hearts and minds of patriotic Iranis


7 posted on 04/08/2011 1:19:47 AM PDT by Cronos
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To: Cronos

How does John the Baptist fit in for the Mandeans? Seems like he has nothing to do with Adam and Enosh and those other early Old Testament guys.


8 posted on 04/08/2011 1:29:20 AM PDT by Yardstick
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To: Cronos

Wouldn’t that be a nice solution—for a Zoroastric revival to sweep the Middle East!


9 posted on 04/08/2011 1:35:33 AM PDT by 9YearLurker
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To: Yardstick

Persians are not arabs, and neither are Turks or Aghanis.


10 posted on 04/08/2011 1:59:37 AM PDT by kabumpo (Kabumpo)
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To: Cronos

Thanks for all your pings Cronos. Been very busy. Will read them over the w/end.

Here is a good website I came across about 3 yrs ago. Has some pics too. It covers Norooz as well as other Zoroastrian celebrations (compares how Moslem vs Zoroastrian Iranians celebrate Norooz). Tho, it isn’t as thorough as the book you’ve mentioned.

http://www.heritageinstitute.com/zoroastrianism/nowruz/nowruz3.htm#table_i


11 posted on 04/08/2011 2:03:05 AM PDT by odds
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To: Cronos

Fascinating, thank you.


12 posted on 04/08/2011 2:05:24 AM PDT by kabumpo (Kabumpo)
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To: Cronos

BTW, just noticed something fromt he Article: “The Sixth day of Farvardin (April 26th)” is actually 26th March.


13 posted on 04/08/2011 2:06:46 AM PDT by odds
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To: Yardstick; caww
I'm not really sure -- the Mandaens are very secretive about their religion, even their real numbers are unknown as they pretend to be whatever is the majority religion (for valid reasons as they are generally always persecuted).

All that is known is that their founder is hailed as John the Baptist who takes the role of quasi messiah it seems for them.

They have their own versions of the Torah and Apocalypse and a lot of oral tradition

altogether a very interesting sect to read about.

As an additional, though Christian read it's interesting to read the history of the Assyrian Church of the East/Chaldean Catholic Church.

14 posted on 04/08/2011 2:06:46 AM PDT by Cronos
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To: Yardstick

Perhaps not, but J the B has always been my favorite biblucal figure.


15 posted on 04/08/2011 2:08:04 AM PDT by kabumpo (Kabumpo)
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To: kabumpo; Yardstick
Good point -- though I think yardstick meant to say that the Persianness is what distinguishes the Iranis from the Arab world.

Even the "arabs" are not really mostly Arab. Syrians, Iraqis are mainly descendents of Aram or Assyria. Egyptians are Copts in origin, north Africans are Berber and Yemenis are southern Arab (the same states as the kingdom of Sheba). the true Arabis are the nejd bedouins.

16 posted on 04/08/2011 2:09:31 AM PDT by Cronos
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To: Cronos
I was wrong about my point above. I take this corrective text below from the wikipedia article
In Zoroastrian tradition, the malevolent is represented by Angra Mainyu (also referred to as "Ahriman"), the "Destructive Principle", while the benevolent is represented through Ahura Mazda's Spenta Mainyu, the instrument or "Bounteous Principle" of the act of creation. It is through Spenta Mainyu that transcendental Ahura Mazda is immanent in humankind, and through which the Creator interacts with the world. According to Zoroastrian cosmology, in articulating the Ahuna Vairya formula, Ahura Mazda made His ultimate triumph evident to Angra Mainyu. As expressions and aspects of Creation, Ahura Mazda emanated the Amesha Spentas ("Bounteous Immortals"), that are each the hypostasis and representative of one aspect of that Creation. These Amesha Spenta are in turn assisted by a league of lesser principles, the Yazatas, each "Worthy of Worship" and each again a hypostasis of a moral or physical aspect of creation

17 posted on 04/08/2011 3:43:19 AM PDT by Cronos
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To: 9YearLurker
Wouldn’t that be a nice solution—for a Zoroastric revival to sweep the Middle East!

It would be, but I doubt it would affect the "arab" world as it would be too alien

I can see Iranis, Azerbaijanis, Kurds, Baluchis, Uzbeks and Tajiks returning to Zoroastrianism and maybe some Pathans (though whether the Pathans were ever Zoroastrians as opposed to tribal religions is a moot point)

Egyptians had a movement called Pharoahnism in the late 1800s which idealised Egyptian past and was moving towards Copt history but for some reason (I don't know enough) the Moslem Brotherhood instead arose and became the motive force along with secular Baathists.

Among the Imazhighen (berbers)in north Africa there is a movement away from Islam which they see as a force trying to forcibly "arabize" them. We ought to push this sentiment.

18 posted on 04/08/2011 3:47:28 AM PDT by Cronos
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To: odds
Thanks! posting this from the link you gave http://www.heritageinstitute.com/zoroastrianism/nowruz/nowruz3.htm#table_i
The Nowruz spread (sofreh in Persian) in Zoroastrian homes has seven (haft in Persian) items beginning with the letter "sh" or "sheen". Therefore it called a haft-sheen spread or table. The seven items are:
  1. Sharab or wine
  2. Shakar or sugar
  3. Shir or milk
  4. Shireh or syrup
  5. Shahd or honey
  6. Shirini or candy
  7. Shir-berenj or rice-pudding

The number seven represents:

19 posted on 04/08/2011 3:57:05 AM PDT by Cronos
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To: odds
The Bahá'í Faith also recognizes Naw-Rúz as the beginning of the new year. I think it is a very good time to begin a new year. It corresponds to the vernal equinox - the first day of Spring - and in that way symbolizes a new beginning.

Bahá'í Naw-Rúz

20 posted on 04/08/2011 5:21:45 AM PDT by reg45
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