Canada and the World
Current Events with a Canadian Perspective
Last update
21 June 2011
Zoroastrianism
WHEN
The religion was founded by the Persian prophet Zoroaster, also known as Zarathustra. There seems to be some disagreement about the date of Zoroastrianism’s creation.
Conservative Zoroastrians assign a date of 6000 BCE to the founding of the religion; other followers estimate 600 BCE. Historians and religious scholars generally date Zoroaster’s life sometime between 1500 and 1000 BCE on the basis of his style of writing.
A. Davey
Faravahar is one of the main symbols of Zoroastrianism; it is believed to show Fravashi (the guardian spirit).
FOLLOWERS
The religion is in serious decline. According to Laurie Goldsteinin the New York Times (September 6, 2006) “While Zoroastrians once dominated an area stretching from what is now Rome and Greece to India and Russia, their global population has dwindled to 190,000 at most, and perhaps as few as 124,000, according to a survey in 2004 by Fezana Journal, published quarterly by the Federation of Zoroastrian Associations of North America.”
The faith once counted as many as 50 million followers.
Membership is restricted to those with both parents belonging to the faith. Because conversion to Zoroastrianism is generally considered impossible, the numbers in India have been steadily decreasing at the rate of 10% per decade since 1947.
Some groups, mainly in Delhi and outside India, have been pushing for the acceptance of converts, but the concern of the majority in Mumbai is that their religious and cultural heritage will be lost.
BELIEFS
At the centre of Zoroastrianism is the struggle between good and evil with humans having the choice as to which side they will support. This makes believers responsible for their fate after death in Heaven or Hell.
Even bad people don’t go to Hell for eternity; it’s seen as a sort of reform school where people are punished so they can learn to change their ways. When all have reformed, the devil and his works are destroyed, Heaven and Earth become one, and everyone can live with God.
Moral and physical purity is central to all aspects of Zoroastrian worship. Because
life and work are part of worship, there should be purity in everything -
Fire is considered sacred, and God the Creator, Ahura Mazda, is believed to be present when the ritual flame is worshipped at home or in the temple.
It is believed that there will be a second universal judgement; a time when the dead will be raised and the world cleansed of unnatural impurity. The ultimate victory of good over evil is guaranteed. This predicted happy ending makes Zoroastrianism one of the most hopeful religions.
Most importantly, people are supposed to be joyful; they are urged to enjoy life and help others to do so.
SACRED TEXTS
The Zend-
Sources used in this series
Religions in Canada, Directorate of Human Rights and Diversity, Government of Canada.
The Encyclopedia of World Religions, Robert S. Ellwood (ed.) Facts on File, 1998.
Religion for Dummies, Rabbi Marc Gellman and Monsignor Thomas Hartman, For Dummies Publishing, 2002.
Religious Tolerance, Ontario Consultants on Religious Tolerance
Religion, CBC Montreal
© Canada and the World, June 2011
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EARTH-
Zoroastrianism is a religion that developed among farming people. For this reason, among the Parsees who practice the religion in India, a burial ritual has developed so as to avoid contaminating the soil.
Bodies are placed in stone towers, called Dakhmas, that are open to the sky. The shroud is slit open and vultures swoop down to dispose of the remains.