Posted on 09/28/2020 5:45:40 AM PDT by Cronos
...“To Zoroastrians, fire is the physical form of God’s energy. It’s in all Zoroastrian rituals,” Mr. Bhandara explains. “We say that the fire has warmth and light. Light is a metaphor that cuts through the darkness of ignorance, bringing one face to face with the truth of the divine.”
...The supreme deity in the faith is Ahura Mazda. Zoroaster, or Zarathustra in ancient Persian, was actually a prophet after whom the religion came to be known among Westerners.
Cyrus the Great, founder of the first Persian Empire circa 550 B.C., was a Zoroastrian. While Persia served as an incubator for the faith, a group of followers migrated to India following the seventh-century Muslim conquest. They thrived there. For more than 1,000 years India and Iran were the two areas most closely associated with Zoroastrianism, but that’s changing. Indian Zoroastrians began arriving in the U.S. and Canada in the 1960s and ’70s in relatively large numbers, while Iranian Zoroastrians came after the 1979 Islamic revolution.
(Excerpt) Read more at wsj.com ...
At that time there was still a lot of leftover influence from when Israel was captive. Remember that the prophet Daniel spent a lot of time with Cyrus, who allowed the Hebrews to return to the land. There was likely records of the prophecies of Daniel, among others, that the Persians were aware of, as well as a Jewish remnant there.
There is a sizable Zoroastrian community here in Houston, mostly Iranian. They do not like the mullacracy, and have contacts with dissidents in Iran. The Shah’s son has stopped by a number of times, and is highly respected.
I think the US should cultivate Zoroastrians for the singular reason that they were formerly the Iranian upper classes and have a serious mutual hatred with the Shiites ruling Iran.
They also used to be the leadership of the Iranian army in opposition to the Soviet Union.
An anecdote: After the revolution, a Zoroastrian general’s daughter got very ill and had to be taken to a hospital, which was run by Shiites. They initially refused service to her, at which time the general pointed out that his unit was field artillery and parked just outside of that city. So unless they treated his daughter, and pronto, he was going to order his unit to level that hospital.
They got the hint and treated her promptly.
I’ve read that many knowledgeable people believe that both the biblical ‘Maggie’ as well as the prophet ‘Balaam’ were likely Zoroastrian.
As I recall from college, Zoroastrians are monotheistic.
yea .... that should have been ‘Maggai’ as opposed to ‘Maggie’.....
yea .... that should have been ‘Maggai’ as opposed to ‘Maggie’.....
That is the generally accepted belief based on the scant biblical evidence we have of them.
"As I recall from college, Zoroastrians are monotheistic."
Their religion isn't strictly monotheistic, as it also has elements of dualism, with elements of henotheism and polytheism. In it's modern practice it's a pretty broad and loose religion with several variations.
I believe Captain Ahab of the good ship PEQUOD was delving into this religion before the White Whale showed him the error of his ways. Some of his hidden harpooners were.
Auto Correct is a harsh and unforgiving god.
Re ancient gods:
Ahh, Yes... I remember those days well; we sacrificed many a screaming snow tire on the altars... the streets ran black with melted rubber ... and the sound of big block engines roaring in defiance...
I long for a return to “the old ways”....
Pinto... the Bastard Son of Vega...
“RX7” ... the Seventh of his line...
... And J.C.Whitney Catalog was our ‘hymnal’..................
JC Whitney.... Peace be upon him...
I was also an early devotee of the Hollyatus Carburatorus Venturi... the “Holy Quad”, as we referred to them...
There were Vestal Virgins involved, my friend, and the stories I could tell... but man, were they ... gassy...
Freddie M. was a Parsee, not an observant Zoroastrian.
It obviously involved Hookers..................
Re Hookers:
Umm... well... maybe just a little... :^) ....
It was ‘exhausting’................
Remember them well... had a set on my 71 Mach 1... with side pipes. Cop magnet...
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