DISCUSSIONS ABOUT ZOROASTRIANISM
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# 33) Q: I realy am intresed to know this first religion in the world, but I want to know
how much this religion got its idea frome Mitraism and what is its idea about the other religions, like Islam or others.  Thanks a lot.

A: Mithraism, is not as old as Zoroastrianism. Mithra was but one god among many gods to the Aryans, both Iranian and Indian. It was only much later that Mithra appears independently.  In the Latter or Younger Avesta, also called New Avesta, he returns as a Yazata, after Zarathushtra kicked him and all other gods out. Yet, while some conservatives do claim Mithra as a
Yazata (Something like an angel), in truth, he is called god and indeed a high god, like unto Mazda in the Latter Avesta.  It is more like what Mithraism borrowed from Zoroastrianism, but from what I can tell it had nothing to do with the original teachings.

As to Islam, it is well known that one of Mohammed's companions was supposedly either a renegade   Zoroastrian Mobed, or a son of one, (There are diffferent stories). Whaterver the case, there is patent influence on Islam. The Five Daily  Prayers were practiced by Zoroastrians for thousands of years before Islam. Certain Hadiths also seem to have borrowed from the Avesta:  that is why some of them talk about the Sarat or Serat bridge, which is basically the Chinvat Peretu of the Gathas.

Much of early Islamic architecture and literature was also of Persian origin. Indeed some believe that parts of the Mijrah ( Mohammed's Night Journey) are borrowed from the Later Avestan book Arda Viraf Nahmeh, which has many similarities, with the Mijra story.

Shiite Islam specially seems to have borrowed extensively from the Avesta and many of its saints and  Hidden Imans etc sport qualities that made them almost identical to latter Zoroastrian Amesha Spentas and Yazatas.

As to what is our idea of other religions. During Zarathushtra's time He thought of religions as tools for man to get the right conception or idea about God and His nature. Later on, while for most of Zoroastrian history, other rel;igions were respected and their followers tolerated,. Mazdayasna
(The  Worship of Mazda) was thought of as: " Of all religions that are, have been, or will be, this ( Mazdayasna) is the Greatest, Best and Sublimest."

Finally, during Sassanian times, all different Zoroastrian sects were persecutted and so were Manicheiism, Christianity ( Only at certain times) and Buddhism. However, there was a large Christian minority, which was able to worship more or less in freedom and several Emperors married Christians, who also held important positions in the Empire.

In general, Zarathushtra would probably say of todays religions that those which strive to establish good ( as defined by Mazda) and opposed wrong, would be acceptable and all others would not.. Certainly, Zartoshtis today, admire the tolerance of Cyrus and while they would demand freedom of choice to apply to religious choice, they would not think to impose their beliefs on any one.

# 34) Q: I wonder how you harmonize the concept of free will of man with the sovereignity of Mazda. Do you believe in any kind of predestination or fate? If you do, doesn`t that somehow contradict the idea of free will?

A: There is no harmonization needed. Mazda gave free will. His "sovereignty" does not depend on man.. He is Sovereign, indeed, Great Sovereign (Ahura) by nature, but by nature also, he is All Good and benignant to all the living and deals with man as a partner, an ally. indeed, as a soul mate, ( urvato) in the making.

Mazda is no Tyrant  and does not need to show off his might, by going into a temper tantrum . His being All Good precludes treating, his creation as serfs or slaves (Koine Greek Doulos means slave, even though the Bible translators try to pass it off as servant)

As to predestination , there is none. Man can choose as he wills, in Mazda Universe, however, if his choices go against the Natural Order (Asha, basically meaning Right) one will reap the bad consequences of his or her choice. Of course free will might suffer from circumstances but over all is
still with man and indeed the implication is that over time all circumstances will balance out.

# 35) Q: I found the site's remarks rather disturbing in particular the way in which it disrespected other belief systems in a way that would make people like Pat robertson proud. a Zoroastrian Fundermentalism perhaps??

Also the anti-semetic remarks seem to point to a writer more driven by an animosity for their former beliefs then by Positive love for the Good din. Zoroastrianism as a believer myself can be good or evil depending on the people who practice it.

It is a faith with certain rituals laws and beliefs, and Ahura Mazda does have punishments laid out for those who trancend the laws of what is good. we can if we choose to reinterprete that in a moden age and not in the literal sense perhaps Zarathustra would have imagined, but we cannot pretend
that this faith was allways some pure ethical faith, with an absent God not caring when people prayed or even how.

A: Instead of making blanket accusations, I would ask the writer, what specifically is he referring to? There is not one Anti-Semitic remark in the whole site, let alone in the discussion pages. The writer might refer to the common reference to Semitic Religions, which is one of the very proper ways of defining Abrahamic faiths, like Islam, Christianity, Bahai and Judaism. They are Semitic  faiths, that cannot be argued. They were born to Semitic peoples in a predominantly Semitic area of the world!

If the writer is not out to stir trouble  himself, I would like him to point out, where to espouse Zoroastrian Fundamentalism,  specifically and with in context quotes, so that we might see what he is referring to. But perhaps this self confessed Zoroastrian would show us, just where does Zarathushtra tells us about certain rituals and  laws. And  pray tell! Just where Mazda is shown, by Zarathushtra, as opposed to unknown composers of the Latter Avesta, punishing us, or setting out punishments for us. I would really like to know, since in the Gathas , none of these things appear.

As to an ethical faith and pretending . You may pretend as you  wish, we on the other hand translate Zarathushtra according to well known and accepted Philological methods. Certainly  there are issues among translators in Mazdayasna, just as there are issues in other faiths ( Notice for example the
proliferation of  Bible versions in Christianity and the controversy over
the inerrancy of the King James etc). However, one ought not to classify as animosity what one obviously does not like, based on perceptions that one cannot back up. Neither can one reasonably assume,  just  because one believes and in spite of the rather clear evidence of the Gathas themselves, that Zarathushtra's message was not ethical, that that is necessarily so.

But what really astonishes me about this writer, is the incredible misperception he has about what this site says. Never mind the, on the sly, accusations about racism and fundamentalism. Where, oh where, does this writer come up with such utter pablium and misstatement as: "with an absent God not caring when people prayed or even how."

Where do we claim , sir, that Mazda is an absent God? Where do we say that he does not care? Where do we teach it is not necessary to pray? AND where do we say that he does not even care how we pray? What site are you talking about? For certainly it is not this one. Or are you just a out and about to vent spleen , innuendo, misinformation and venom? If you are not,  then quote our racist statements,  our  animosity to other religions , our fundamentalism, our Absent God and do not forget our teaching, that Mazda, who is called in this site and in the Gathas Benignant to all the living, does not care.

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