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Ghost Dog

(16,881 posts)
8. Also sprach Zarathustra
Wed Jul 2, 2014, 03:57 PM
Jul 2014
Zoroastrianism /ˌzɒroʊˈæstriənɪzəm/, also called Zarathustraism, Mazdaism and Magianism, is an ancient Iranian religion and a religious philosophy. It was once the state religion of the Achaemenid, Parthian, and Sasanian empires.[1] Estimates of the current number of Zoroastrians worldwide vary between 145,000 and 2.6 million.[2]

Zoroastrianism arose in the eastern region of the ancient Persian Empire, when the religious philosopher Zoroaster simplified the pantheon of early Iranian gods[3] into two opposing forces: Spenta Mainyu (Progressive mentality) and Angra Mainyu (Destructive Mentality) under the one God, Ahura Mazda (Illuminating Wisdom).[4][5]

Zoroaster's ideas led to a formal religion bearing his name by about the 6th century BCE and have influenced other later religions including Judaism, Gnosticism, Christianity and Islam.[6]..

/... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zoroastrianism


See also: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thus_Spoke_Zarathustra
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