I came across this religion as I've been studying accounts of angels in scripture. I'd heard of it before, that it was a religion in ancient Persia and related to Judaism, but I didn't look up too much into it until I found out this curious fact:

No more than three angels are mentioned by name in either the Old Testament or the New Testament. However, other religious texts mention many by name and Zoroastrianism shares the same angels as Christian texts. Some the same as Judaic but moreso Christian.

This is curious because Zoroastrianism wasn't very popular by the time Christianity rolled around. But, when you really look at it Christianity seems to parody Zoroastrianism a lot.

So, I found these links, incase any of you are interested:

http://www.religioustolerance.org/zoroastr.htm - This was the easiest to read and understand, but was also the most vague. It touches on all the major aspects of the religion but doesn't go into any depth.

http://www.zoroastrianism.com/ - Sort of a strange page created by Zoroastrians, so it's, of course, a slanted look. But, it's always good to get the other side of the story.

http://www.avesta.org/avesta.html - Kind of jumbled and hard to understand, but there's a lot of information on this page. I also found this on the page: http://www.avesta.org/zfaq.html and found it to be pretty illuminating.

http://davidwiley.com/religion.html - This is a collection of religious texts, sorted, online, including Zoroastrian texts as well as Old Testament Apocrypha and Pseudepigrapha, Bahai, Ethiopian, and lots of others. Really good site.

Cheers,

Lost

Yes, christianity "borrowed" many ideas from Zaroastronarianism. The most prominent concept being "angels".

Good research with the links.

quote:Originally posted by aTribeCalledSean:

Yes, christianity "borrowed" many ideas from Zaroastronarianism. The most prominent concept being "angels".

People who don't like Christianity are always talking about "borrowing"or even "stealing". I think they are mistaken.

Christianity, in my view, simply accepted a number of spiritual truths which it has in common with other religions. What is there about this that would need to be judged negatively ?

Islam talks about angels as well. Be a hero and claim that Islam "borrowed" or "stole" them from earlier religions.

So ? Are you going to do it ?

Everyone knows that religions evolve from other religions, but I'm not sure about the angels link because the Torah mentions angels several times so to borrow from Zoroastrarianism you would first have to borrow from Judaism, but that's not to say Judaism didn't take that idea in the first place.

quote:Originally posted by aTribeCalledSean:

Yes, christianity "borrowed" many ideas from Zaroastronarianism. The most prominent concept being "angels".

Good research with the links.

Yea, it's really interesting to see how all these middle eastern and mediterrainian beliefs and traditions permeated, altered, and created Christianity. I've been on a middle eastern religion kick lately, getting into Coptic scriptures. Shit, that stuff is facinating. Kind of makes you feel like a teenager on a Ouji Board. Cool stuff.

Cheers,

Lost

Islam "borrowed" many ideas from Zaroastrianism. The most prominent being the idea of "angels".

So that's why Freddie Mercury was so cool.

No Freddy Mercury was cool for a myriad of reasons beyond human comprehension.

Cheers,

Lost

Also the word Zoroastrianism starts with a "Z" and so does my real first name.

And that makes it extra cool.

O wait, that's Freddy Mercury.

Nevermind, I'm drunk.

Damn champagne.

*sniffles*

*coughs*

Okay, that's enough.

Cheers,

Lost

quote:Originally posted by aTribeCalledSean:

Islam "borrowed" many ideas from Zaroastrianism. The most prominent being the idea of "angels".

Could be.

quote:Originally posted by Aphelion Corona:

Everyone knows that religions evolve from other religions, but I'm not sure about the angels link because the Torah mentions angels several times so to borrow from Zoroastrarianism you would first have to borrow from Judaism, but that's not to say Judaism didn't take that idea in the first place.

Both the Torah and the Old Testament (which I think is actually the same book) mention angels.

The concept of angels is a pervasive one, if I am not mistaken you can also find them in far eastern religions, although in a different form. It shouldn't be surprising, if this is spiritual truth.

quote:Originally posted by LostCause:

Yea, it's really interesting to see how all these middle eastern and mediterrainian beliefs and traditions permeated, altered, and created Christianity. I've been on a middle eastern religion kick lately, getting into Coptic scriptures. Shit, that stuff is facinating. Kind of makes you feel like a teenager on a Ouji Board. Cool stuff.

Cheers,

Lost

Peshitta (http://www.peshitta.org)

Atour (http://www.atour.am)

quote:Originally posted by Uncus:

Both the Torah and the Old Testament (which I think is actually the same book) mention angels.

The concept of angels is a pervasive one, if I am not mistaken you can also find them in far eastern religions, although in a different form. It shouldn't be surprising, if this is spiritual truth.



Yes, among those being various random demons and good spirits, dragons, mystical beasts such as tigers and lion dogs, monkeys, etc.

I think it is a spiritual truth.

Or perhaps an ontological explanation for good fortune.

quote:Originally posted by Uncus:

Both the Torah and the Old Testament (which I think is actually the same book) mention angels.



It is usually accepted that the Torah is only the five books of Moses and is therefore not the same as the entire OT.

And I once remember being told that the Rabbis lectured about angels very late in Judaism's development so that people wouldn't get the wrong idea and worship angels instead of God. I dunno... it sounds like a nice story but I'm not sure it's true.