The religious movement of Zoroastrianism

Rochd Othmane

Dr. Connell Monette

HUM 2306

May 2nd, 2018

The religious movement of Zoroastrianism

        Zoroastrianism is one of the oldest the world has known, more precisely it is the oldest Monotheistic religions. It is older than Judaism, Christianity and Islam. One may hear or be said that Zoroastrianism is the source of the three main religion we know, the religions of the book or commonly defied as the Abrahamic religions. Zoroastrianism and the monotheistic religions have may similarities that induce anyone willing to know more about it into false affirmations.

        The religious movement of Zoroastrianism is very criticized and have been defined as one of the most controversial religious topic to be discussed. The information available about the religion are not found in other sources than the book written by its founder.

The term Zoroastrianism is derived from the name of its founder, Zoroaster which claimed to have seen God in revelation where he received the teachings and ideas that must be taught to people and to be followed by them.

        The religion appeared in a region where polytheistic religion has been there for a while, so the acceptance of one and only god was hard to believe. That is why the religion of Zoroastrianism itself is sometimes called monotheistic and sometimes polytheistic. This is due to that fact that Zoroaster taught his followers that God has many representatives on earth in order to fight the evil forces that try disturb the peaceful life of its creation. (Alverson, 2013).

In this term paper, Zoroastrianism would be first described through its history, and by counting the life of its founder Zoroaster; moreover, the beliefs and practices that this religion claim that has to be followed for one to be a Zoroastrian.

History of the religion

        Zoroastrianism was founded by the prophet Zoroaster 3500 years ago by the prophet Zoroaster. the religion see its roots seeded in ancient Persia which is Iran today. (Kammer 1). No one could precisely define the exact dates when this religious movement appeared but they could determine the period. In fact, the religion took place before the three Abrahamic religion, also called the religion of the book. Researchers and archeologists have found evidences that proves that the religion took place approximately between 1200 and 1500 BCE. (Urubshurow )

        The religion lacks a lot of information and evidence to support it; besides the uncertainty about the dates there are also confusions about the place of birth of the founder. Zoroaster is said to be born either in the north region of Iran or in the south of Afghanistan during the age of bronze. The religion has been greatly influenced by the Hindu and Hinduism and by the culture of the region which was Indu-Iranian culture.

        The founder is called Zoroaster, it is the Greek translation of Zarathustra; moreover, he is also called Zarathusti in Persian and called Zarathost by the Hindu. (Alverson, 2013). He was a priest and a beloved father; in fact, he had six kids, three sons and three daughters. In addition, the father of Zoroastrianism rejected the religion of its time and was against their practices because the rituals that were overdone. He was opposed to animal sacrifices and the use of hallucinogenic plants. (Alverson, 2013).

         Zoroaster left his home by the age of twenty and has had a divine revelation by the age of thirty where he claimed to have met "Vohu Manah" what we know today the archangel Gabriel and has received a message from him. According to Zoroaster, the Vohu Manah or as presented by Zoroaster as the good spirit explained to him and taught him about the evil spirit and six others spirits that play with humans lives; moreover, he also taught him about the wise spirit or "Ahura Mazda"wich refers to God we know today but at that time it refered to the Wise spirit. (Alverson, 2013).

        The only reliable source of information where one can find information about the early life of the prophet Zoroaster is in the book where he wrote his thoughts. the book called the "Guathas" was written by Zaraoster himself and contains seventeen hymn. The book was written in "Avesta" and in verse following a pure poetic style of writing; in fact, the book was written in "Avestan" which is classified as an old Iranian language. Avestan was the language spoken and written by the Spitaman clan and the other tribes living in the same region. Even though most of the hymns are sang, the "Guathas" are to be red. The Guathas are composed as told before in seventee hymns, those hymns are classified into chapters which are divided into five major sections as follow: the first section is Ahunavaiti Gatha; the second one is Ushtavaiti Gatha, the third one is Spenta Mainyu Gatha, the fourth is Vohu Khshathra Gatha, Vahishto Ishti Gatha at last Airyaman isha Gatha. (Boyce, M. 1996).

        At the time of the age of Bronze religions were for the majority polytheistic, meaning that people who were from polytheistic religion were worshipping many gods. Zoroaster was a priest and introduced to its community his ideas and thoughts about one and only one God but in beginnings it did not work well for him as he has converted only one person which happen to be his cousin. (Urubshurow 77)

        Zoroastrianism is to be taken as the prehistoric era of the faith, it was essentially the preparation to welcome the three monotheistic religions. Zoroaster struggled to covert people and to convince about his ideas; for instance, the first and only person to be converted to Zoroastrianism is the cousin of Zoroaster named Maidhyoimanha. Zoroaster based his teaching and his philosophy on the concepts of darkness ad light, truth and lie, and good and evil. (Boyce, M. 1996).

         The Zoroastrian prophet decided to leave his home land to preach his teachings elsewhere; finally, he found a place where he was respected and welcomed, also where his thoughts and concepts have been embraced by a whole kingdom and became a religion. The king Vishtaspa and his queen Hutosa were ruling over Bactria; moreover, they have adopted his ideas and made his religion the official one of their kingdom. It said that the prophet and founder of Zoroastrianism died in his last seventies but again no one is sure about the dates of birth and death of the prophet or of the religion. (Urubshurow 77)

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