Posted on 06/18/2004 3:25:42 PM PDT by freedom44
FYI
Well, their marriage rule is really taking a bite out of their numbers.
I heard about a reform movement that encourages marriage to the outside.
When in power the Shah of Iran consistently met with Zoroastrian Magi [Priests] to encourage them to increase their numbers, but that all went to the trash can with the Islamic Republic.
"but that all went to the trash can with the Islamic Republic."
Along with most everything else
Not exactly monotheistic; they only worship one god, but they believe in the existence of two-- Ahura Mazda (the good guy) and Ahriman (the bad guy).
Ahriman (the bad guy) or Aura Mainyu, is the origin of Satan, or The Devil.. ( That "other" bad guy )
And, IIRC, the concept of a Heaven and a Hell came from Zoroaster as well..
Later to be adopted by those "other" monotheistic religions..
I'm not so sure they actually worshipped Ahriman, as much as acknowledged his (it's? ) existence and influence on the lives of humanity..
Zoroastrian friends have told me they don't and have never worshipped the devil figure in the faith and therefore the religion is monotheistic.
Note his blue eyes, light skin and straight nose. Persian is an Indo-European language and modern-day Persians are at least partially descended from Indo-European invaders who swept out of Europe, passed through the Middle East, conquered India, and, I think, some swung back into what we now call Iran. Up until WWII, Iran was called Persia. I think that the name "Iran" is derived from "Aryan."
I knew an American woman married to a Parsee from India.
The Good Guy
But if they intermarried with Islamics that would do the same thing. Too bad but the Persian people are a conquered people --- conquered by their Arab masters who forced the Arab religion on them.
It's interesting that the magi or wise men in the Bible were likely Zoroastrian priests or astrologers --- followed a moving star all the way to Jesus.
bttt
I've always wondered if Mazda got it's name from Ahura Mazda.
The Mystery of the Three Kings
Matthew describes the three men, not as kings, but as wise men or 'Magi'. Historic writings reveal that the Magi were priests who later became the religious masters of ancient Persia - which lies to the east of Israel.
Deep beneath the busy streets of Rome in the catacombs, there is evidence to support this theory - early Christian art depicts the Three Kings in the typical dress worn by ancient Persians.
The Magi were highly respected people, advisors to kings and great astrologers. They followed a prophet known as Zoroaster and this ancient mystical religion, which still exists today, also believed in the coming of a Messiah.
Searching early Christian manuscripts, the programme discovers that Zoroaster predicted the birth of Jesus and that Magi legend believed the birth of a son to Zoroaster would be announced by a star.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/pressoffice/pressreleases/stories/2002/12_december/06/mystery_threekings.shtml
The followers of the Three Stooges make their annual pilgrimage to the temple of Nyuk-Nyuk.
If you have any knowledge of Iranian history, relate this coming storm to the fate of the Bahai many years ago. Fanatic Islamicists are a blood-thirsty lot.
The Islamics know that the moon god of the Arabs isn't really the natural religion for the Persian people whose nature is more tolerant and peaceful and intelligent. Plus the Persians aren't really that fond of Arabs even though they could not defend their country against them and have lived under their influence and domination for centuries now. The religions of the Persian people have to be stomped out --- or they will replace Islam and the Arabs lose some of their power in the Middle East.
I have done a great deal of reading about this religion, including some of the Avesta and Pahlavi literature in translation. I have never come across any specific reference to the birth of Jesus.
The religion does speak of the birth of Saoshyant, which is not really an individual, but a group of saintly workers. There will be three Saoshyants born of virgin mothers at the end of three, consecutive millenia. They will all work to bring about righteousness in the world, leading to the final triumph of goodness over evil at the end of the world. The first one is Ukhshyat-ereta, the second is Ukshyat-nemah, the third is Soshyos, the Saoshyant proper.
If the program found a Christian manuscript talking about Zoroastrianism, interpreting Saoshyant as Jesus, then this would be a continuation of the Christian practice of understanding all other religions as prefigurations of Christian truth, pointing to Christ. After all, that is how Christmas got started, demonstrating the continuity between pagan religion and Christianity. The early church saw the birth of the Sun god as a preparation of the Gentiles and brought this holiday to its true meaning and fulfillment as birth of the true Light, which was Christ.
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