Zoroastrian News - اخبار زرتشتیان

INTRODUCTION

Zoroastrianism is one of the world’s oldest monotheistic religions It was founded by the prophet Zoroaster (or Zarathustra) in ancient Iran approximately 3500 years ago. For 1000 years Zoroastrianism was one of the most powerful religions in the world. It was the official religion of Persia (Iran) from 600 BCE to 650 CE. It is now one of the world’s smallest religions with around a quarter of a million followers worldwide. There are 4000 Zoroastrians living in Britain.

OVERVIEW

Zoroastrians believe there is one God called Ahura Mazda (Wise Lord) and He created the world.

Zoroastrians are not fire-worshippers, as some Westerners wrongly believe. Zoroastrians believe that the elements are pure and that fire represents God’s light or wisdom.

1. 1. Ahura Mazda revealed the truth through the prophet, Zoroaster.
2. 2. Zoroastrians traditionally pray several times a day.
3. 3. Zoroastrians worship communally in a Fire Temple or Agiary.
4. 4. The Zoroastrian book of Holy Scriptures is called The Avesta.

The Avesta can be roughly split into two main sections:

The Avesta is the oldest and core part of the scriptures, which contains the Gathas. The Gathas are seventeen hymns thought to be composed by Zoroaster himself. The Younger Avesta - commentaries to the older Avestan written in later years. It also contains myths, stories and details of ritual observances.

Zoroastrians are roughly split into two groups:

~The Iranians

~The Parsis

Zoroastrian beliefs about God

Zoroastrians believe in one God, called Ahura Mazda (meaning ‘Wise Lord’). He is compassionate, just, and is the creator of the universe. God is worshiped as supreme. Zoroastrians believe that everything he created is pure and should be treated with love and respect. This includes the natural environment, so Zoroastrians traditionally do not pollute the rivers, land or atmosphere. This has caused some to call Zoroastrianism ‘the first ecological religion’.

Ahura Mazda is:

Omniscient (knows everything)

Omnipotent (all powerful)

Omnipresent (is everywhere)

Impossible for humans to conceive

Unchanging

The Creator of life

The Source of all goodness and happiness

ALSO…

Zoroastrianism should be regarded as quasi-dualistic, rather than (as sometimes described) wholly dualistic, since it predicts the ultimate triumph of Ahura Mazdah. This god may be represented in the form of the pure natural substances that he has created, notably fire but also water and earth. The special veneration shown to fire and its use in religious ceremonies has led to the erroneous belief that the Zoroastrians were fire worshipers. The care taken to avoid contaminating these natural substances led to great elaboration of the purification ritual.