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Zoroastrianism is one of the world's oldest continuously practiced religions, based on the teachings of the Iranian-speaking prophet Zoroaster. In Zoroastriani

Zoroastrianism is one of the world's oldest continuously practiced religions, based on the teachings of the Iranian-speaking prophet Zoroaster. In Zoroastrianism, the purpose in life is to become an ashavan (a master of Asha, the life force) and to bring happiness into the world, which contributes to the cosmic battle against evil. Zoroastrianism's core teachings include: Follow the Threefold Path of Asha: Humata, Huxta, Huvarshta (Good Thoughts, Good Words, Good Deeds). Charity is a way of maintaining one's soul aligned to Asha and to spread happiness. The spiritual equality and duty of men and women alike. Being good for the sake of goodness and without the hope of reward. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zoroastrianism https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zoroastrianism

discreteevent 5y ago
I've been to the fire temple in Yazd and there was an inscription on the wall. I don't remember the details but the main gist of it was about remaining open minded and welcoming new ideas. I'm not sure if this is a core tenet of Zoroastrianism or if it was a local thing but I don't know of another ancient religion with that emphasis.
- db1234 5y ago
  "आ नो भद्राः क्रतवो यन्तु विश्वतः" - Rig Veda. May good thoughts come us from all sides. Full context can be found here https://hinduism.stackexchange.com/questions/36196/context-and-meaning-for-a-rig-veda-mantra https://hinduism.stackexchange.com/questions/36196/context-a...
sydthrowaway 5y ago
There is also a link between Zoroastrianism and the ancient Vedic religion. They probably were the same before a schism led by Zoroaster.
- deleted 5y ago
  [deleted]
- RcouF1uZ4gsC 5y ago
  > There is also a link between Zoroastrianism and the ancient Vedic religion. There are probably elements in both coming from even more ancient Indo-European religions. I wonder if you could also find similarities with German and Greek deities as well and try to reconstruct a proto-Indo European religion.
  - _dt_ 5y ago
    There's been quite a lot of research into this area, I think its super fascinating. Wikipedia has a good page on it (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Proto-Indo-European_mythology https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Proto-Indo-European_mythology) but there's also a many interesting books
    - nextaccountic 5y ago
      Hello, does this include the Sumerian and Babylonian religions? I am asking because Aphrodite can be traced back to https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Astarte https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Astarte and then to Ishtar / https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inanna https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inanna
  - zozbot234 5y ago
    Some intriguing elements have been reconstructed. For example, the myths of a primeval, world-nurturing cow from Norse mythology tell us that the cow-worship element in Vedic religion must be ancient indeed.
- KorematsuFred 5y ago
  The most ancient book of India is Rigveda. The first of Vedas. Exact timing is up for debate but could be easily 5000+ years old. I think in one of the early chapters the book describes a war, a war of 10 kings it is called. Leaving the mystical elements aside this war would shape future of India and Persia going forward. The historians I know believe that this war is not pure fiction but rooted in truth. In this war 9 Persian tribes unite to finally destroy the one king on India's western border (modern day Pakistan). All those tribes are named and it turns out all except 2 still exist in modern day Iran. The defeat of Indian king is certain except that Persians make a terrible mistake, they try to cross a shallow river to pursue Indian king and a sudden cloudburst in mountains wipes off majority of the army. Persians see this as Gods favouring Sudas, the Indian King, Indian King Sudas believes this to be the doing of his God Indra. Defeated Persians walk back. It is a long journey and by the time they reach home their numbers are low and moral is broken, one of those tribes would split further to become the modern day Zoroastrianism. World's first monotheistic religion. Technically, Zoroastrianism is at direct conflict with Hinduism and yet both religions have thrived side by side in India and average Hindu has very positive opinion of Parasi people (Zoroastrianism). Examine the language of both religions. In Sanskrit Asura means evil people (demon), in Persian Asura becomes Ahura which means Lord. I have always felt that Parasi and Hindu communities are exceptional example of how religious groups with opposite viewpoints can live next to each other and peacefully.
  - yumraj 5y ago
    > I have always felt that Parasi and Hindu communities are exceptional example of how religious groups with opposite viewpoints can live next to each other and peacefully. I think the primary reason for this is that neither religion has a concept of converting someone to their religion. Same is true for Judaism, and probably for most ancient religions. As no one was actively trying to convert the other person, wars were fought over territory and resources, and not over who had better gods. It is only when proselytizing became a requirement did we start seeing religious wars.
    - kleton 5y ago
      The Zoroastrians who became Gujarati Parsis made an agreement with a Hindu ruler to be allowed in as refugees, as long as they do not proselytize or allow conversions to Zoroastrianism. Previously, it was not a strict ethno-religion.
- Ar-Curunir 5y ago
  That model is a bit too simplistic. Right now our best model is that Vedic Aryans we’re the vanguard, facing pressure from Iranian to their back, and so they expanded eastwards, probably picking up Vedic characteristics as they passed through the BMAC culture
selimthegrim 5y ago
AFAIK a lot of Armenian church vocabulary is actually Parthian-origin (pre-300s AD) Zoroastrian terms repurposed.
deleted 5y ago
[deleted]
beebeepka 5y ago
Is there a popular religion that is not completely centered around humans? I find these whole "happiness" and "charity" concepts fake and disturbing. As in good deeds = making other humans happy or whatever. Yah, I am not big on religion.
- pmoriarty 5y ago
  "Is there a popular religion that is not completely centered around humans?" I don't understand what you mean by "completely centered around humans". Judaism is centered around worship of God, who is not human... but like every other human religion the worshipers themselves are human, so I guess in the sense that it has human worshipers it is "centered around humans".. is that what you mean? "I find these whole "happiness" and "charity" concepts fake and disturbing" Why do you think they're fake? "As in good deeds = making other humans happy or whatever" What's the problem with that?
  - beebeepka 5y ago
    Don't know about Judaism. Best I could manage was about an hour of the old testament. Had to give up after the 1000th WTF moment. What really pissed me was the insistence that god > hebrews > other humans> animals. What utter junk
    - notsureaboutpg 5y ago
      Do you think that all humans and animals are equal? It's obviously untrue by any objective measurement. Even human beings are not equal by any objective measurement. Only through a religious lens is there a concept of equality between human beings. That either through their suffering or service to others do they gain over others who have more status, power, etc. than them. Without that balancing factor, the world is bleak and stratified.
    - Juliate 5y ago
      As for anything that old, there's a huge lot of context (cultural, religious, geographic, contemporary, societal) that informs what was written and all the understandings around it (be it religious or cultural). You're totally in your right to be skeptic. Yet, one hour of your time reading a part of it without introduction or reference may not be how you will gain anything from it (whatever the gain would be, confirmation/deepening/deconstruction of your skepticism).

discreteevent 5y ago

I've been to the fire temple in Yazd and there was an inscription on the wall. I don't remember the details but the main gist of it was about remaining open minded and welcoming new ideas. I'm not sure if this is a core tenet of Zoroastrianism or if it was a local thing but I don't know of another ancient religion with that emphasis.

db1234 5y ago
"आ नो भद्राः क्रतवो यन्तु विश्वतः" - Rig Veda. May good thoughts come us from all sides. Full context can be found here https://hinduism.stackexchange.com/questions/36196/context-and-meaning-for-a-rig-veda-mantra https://hinduism.stackexchange.com/questions/36196/context-a...

sydthrowaway 5y ago

There is also a link between Zoroastrianism and the ancient Vedic religion. They probably were the same before a schism led by Zoroaster.

deleted 5y ago
[deleted]
RcouF1uZ4gsC 5y ago
> There is also a link between Zoroastrianism and the ancient Vedic religion. There are probably elements in both coming from even more ancient Indo-European religions. I wonder if you could also find similarities with German and Greek deities as well and try to reconstruct a proto-Indo European religion.
- _dt_ 5y ago
  There's been quite a lot of research into this area, I think its super fascinating. Wikipedia has a good page on it (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Proto-Indo-European_mythology https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Proto-Indo-European_mythology) but there's also a many interesting books
  - nextaccountic 5y ago
    Hello, does this include the Sumerian and Babylonian religions? I am asking because Aphrodite can be traced back to https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Astarte https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Astarte and then to Ishtar / https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inanna https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inanna
- zozbot234 5y ago
  Some intriguing elements have been reconstructed. For example, the myths of a primeval, world-nurturing cow from Norse mythology tell us that the cow-worship element in Vedic religion must be ancient indeed.
KorematsuFred 5y ago
The most ancient book of India is Rigveda. The first of Vedas. Exact timing is up for debate but could be easily 5000+ years old. I think in one of the early chapters the book describes a war, a war of 10 kings it is called. Leaving the mystical elements aside this war would shape future of India and Persia going forward. The historians I know believe that this war is not pure fiction but rooted in truth. In this war 9 Persian tribes unite to finally destroy the one king on India's western border (modern day Pakistan). All those tribes are named and it turns out all except 2 still exist in modern day Iran. The defeat of Indian king is certain except that Persians make a terrible mistake, they try to cross a shallow river to pursue Indian king and a sudden cloudburst in mountains wipes off majority of the army. Persians see this as Gods favouring Sudas, the Indian King, Indian King Sudas believes this to be the doing of his God Indra. Defeated Persians walk back. It is a long journey and by the time they reach home their numbers are low and moral is broken, one of those tribes would split further to become the modern day Zoroastrianism. World's first monotheistic religion. Technically, Zoroastrianism is at direct conflict with Hinduism and yet both religions have thrived side by side in India and average Hindu has very positive opinion of Parasi people (Zoroastrianism). Examine the language of both religions. In Sanskrit Asura means evil people (demon), in Persian Asura becomes Ahura which means Lord. I have always felt that Parasi and Hindu communities are exceptional example of how religious groups with opposite viewpoints can live next to each other and peacefully.
- yumraj 5y ago
  > I have always felt that Parasi and Hindu communities are exceptional example of how religious groups with opposite viewpoints can live next to each other and peacefully. I think the primary reason for this is that neither religion has a concept of converting someone to their religion. Same is true for Judaism, and probably for most ancient religions. As no one was actively trying to convert the other person, wars were fought over territory and resources, and not over who had better gods. It is only when proselytizing became a requirement did we start seeing religious wars.
  - kleton 5y ago
    The Zoroastrians who became Gujarati Parsis made an agreement with a Hindu ruler to be allowed in as refugees, as long as they do not proselytize or allow conversions to Zoroastrianism. Previously, it was not a strict ethno-religion.
Ar-Curunir 5y ago
That model is a bit too simplistic. Right now our best model is that Vedic Aryans we’re the vanguard, facing pressure from Iranian to their back, and so they expanded eastwards, probably picking up Vedic characteristics as they passed through the BMAC culture

selimthegrim 5y ago

AFAIK a lot of Armenian church vocabulary is actually Parthian-origin (pre-300s AD) Zoroastrian terms repurposed.

deleted 5y ago

[deleted]

beebeepka 5y ago

Is there a popular religion that is not completely centered around humans? I find these whole "happiness" and "charity" concepts fake and disturbing. As in good deeds = making other humans happy or whatever. Yah, I am not big on religion.

pmoriarty 5y ago
"Is there a popular religion that is not completely centered around humans?" I don't understand what you mean by "completely centered around humans". Judaism is centered around worship of God, who is not human... but like every other human religion the worshipers themselves are human, so I guess in the sense that it has human worshipers it is "centered around humans".. is that what you mean? "I find these whole "happiness" and "charity" concepts fake and disturbing" Why do you think they're fake? "As in good deeds = making other humans happy or whatever" What's the problem with that?
- beebeepka 5y ago
  Don't know about Judaism. Best I could manage was about an hour of the old testament. Had to give up after the 1000th WTF moment. What really pissed me was the insistence that god > hebrews > other humans> animals. What utter junk
  - notsureaboutpg 5y ago
    Do you think that all humans and animals are equal? It's obviously untrue by any objective measurement. Even human beings are not equal by any objective measurement. Only through a religious lens is there a concept of equality between human beings. That either through their suffering or service to others do they gain over others who have more status, power, etc. than them. Without that balancing factor, the world is bleak and stratified.
  - Juliate 5y ago
    As for anything that old, there's a huge lot of context (cultural, religious, geographic, contemporary, societal) that informs what was written and all the understandings around it (be it religious or cultural). You're totally in your right to be skeptic. Yet, one hour of your time reading a part of it without introduction or reference may not be how you will gain anything from it (whatever the gain would be, confirmation/deepening/deconstruction of your skepticism).