ZOROASTRIANISM Began in Azerbaijan Iran Founded in 600

ZOROASTRIANISM

Began in Azerbaijan, Iran Founded in 600 B. C by Zarathushtra Practiced mostly in Iran ORIGINS

Zarathushtra Lived in Azerbaijan in Iran Religious reformer in Persia (modern day Iran) Known Spent as Zoroaster life teaching and preaching FOUNDER

Ahura Mazda Supreme deity, Creator, Lord of the Universe Leader of the Amesha Spentas Battles to rid world of evil and darkness Angra Mainyu Rival of Ahura Mazda Evil spirit of death and violence KEY FIGURES

Amesha Spentas (Beneficent Immortals) Seven divine beings belonging to Ahura Mazda Messengers/connection between God and man Help God and man fight Angra Mainyu for peace and justice KEY FIGURES CONT’D

Purpose: to help God make the world a better place to live There are two deities: - Ahura Mazda represents pure goodness - Angra Mainya represents pure evilness Deities are rivals Goodness is more powerful and prevalent but cannot abolish evilness. KEY BELIEFS

Have free will Those who do good can be peaceful and happy Belief system - Parallels good and evil tendencies within every person - Provides an answer to: If God is there evil in the world? good, why is KEY BELIEFS CONT’D

SYMBOL - FIRE Most important symbol Places of worship called Fire Temples Represents Is the divine forever burning in Fire Temple Three types of fires: - Royal fire in only four temples - Adaran fire in most temples - Dadgah fire in the home

Burial of the Dead Bodies of the dead given back to nature (sunlight and vultures dispose of corpse) Brought Rich to a Dakhma for Dakhma-nashini and poor died in same manner = people equal in the eyes of God. KEY PRACTICES

Worship Takes 5 place at fire temple daily prayers or hymns said before fire KEY PRACTICES CONT’D

600 B. C. : Zoroastrianism spreads in Iran 640 B. C: The Arab Invasion 1000 B. C. : Aryans arrive in Iran from central Asia 1600 B. C. : Zarathushtra is born TIMELINE

936: Zoroastrians immigrated to Gujarat in India 1381: Mongol Ruler Timur Lenk invaded Iran killing thousands of Zoroastrians 1719: Afghan invaders massacre thousands of Zoroastrians in Kerman 1878: The first fire Temple is built in America TIMELINE CONT’D

1882: Jaziye (a kind of tax for non-Muslims) is abolished in Iran 1960: First World Zoroastrian Congress held in Tehran 1979: Religious freedom granted to Zoroastrians 1990: The Zarathushtrian Assembly is established in the United States TIMELINE CONT’D

# OF ADHERENTS IN THE WORLD World population of Zoroastrians is 150, 000 - 100, 000 in India - 17, 000 in Iran - 12, 000 in North America - 20, 000 outside of Persia and India

Contributed to major Western religions - Christianity - Judaism - Islam Important concepts - redemption, final judgment, life after death, Satan as God's enemy, resurrection, souls, heaven and hell INFLUENCE IN THE CENTURY ST 21

Jewish exile theory influenced by the post-Babylonian period in Small, noticeable religious community offers religious education classes, ceremonies, and receptions ST 21 INFLUENCE IN THE CENTURY CONT’D

Persian: - a group of people that mostly live in Afghanistan, Iran, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan Monotheistic: - A religion in which only one God is worshipped Jaziye: - A kind of tax for non-Muslims Parsis: - Indian community of practicing Zoroastrians Gabars: -Iranian community of practicing Zoroastrians KEY TERMS/DEFINITIONS

First monotheistic religion Pray at a Fire Temple and believe fire is the symbol of God, but they never pray to fire Prevalent in later monotheistic religions - Islam, Judaism, Christianity Themes such as good and evil, hell, and a messiah originated from Zoroastrianism World's oldest continuing non-judgmental religion INTERESTING FACTS