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Zoroastrianism

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Founded by Zarathustra, 1500 - 600 BCE (date unclear) in Persia (Iran) (the name of the religion comes from the Greek version of the prophet's name: Zoroaster)

A prophet, receiving revelation from God like prophets of other Near Eastern religions. A revelation recorded in a Holy Book:

• The sacred text is called the Avesta

• the most important part of which is the Gathas - the words and hymns of Zarathustra himself.

• Gathas are to the Avesta as the Gospels are to the New Testament or the Torah to the Hebrew Bible.

Teaching and converting others from the polytheistic tradition of ancient Persia to this first true monotheism.

Conversion of King Vishtaspa marked the success of this new religion.

From 6th cent. BCE to 7th cent. CE, Zoroastrianism was the major religious influence in Persia (until Islam came on the scene).

By 900 CE migrated to India (Bombay area) to escape Muslim domination.

Today hardly 100,000 Zoroastrians remain, mostly in India where they are called Parsees (after the area - Pars - they came from [today the Iranian language of Farsi gets it name from the same source]).