What is Zoroastrianism? shortly?
Zoroastrianism is a religion of Persia (Iran). It believes in the creator god Ahura Mazda, and its destructive counterpart, Angra Mainyu.
How did Judaism and Zoroastrianism differ from the religions of Mesopotamia and Egypt?
Zoroastrianism was founded in Persia and they controlled the Egyptians and followed the Jewish religion years after but this religion was practiced mainly in Persia. Judaism is from the Jewish people of course and they practiced in Israel but I believe they also settled in Egypt. Zoroastrians believe that the elements are pure and that fire represents God's light or wisdom. Jews believe that there is a single God who not only created the universe, but with whom every Jew can have an individual and personal relationship.
What were distinctive features of Zoroastrianism as a religion?
You can find more information on Zoroastrianism on the following wikipedia page http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zoroastrian... As for Christianity being a worship o more than one God, the other answerer is gravely mistaken. In Judaism, they were taught that God has a Spirit and that that Spirit was capable of performing different things including talking, feeling and having a will. In Islam, allah also makes several references to the Holy Spirit. In fact, when allah speaks, he uses prural forms indicating that he is more than one. History of Islam shows that allah is no more than a moon idol god. It is only in Christianity and Judaism that the true God, YHWH is worshipped. Allah does not even have a name
How does the Zoroastrian concept of a dispensational dualism relate to Matthew 3:1?
Actually no, not homework questions. They are just a few out of 100 questions to gather to help write a very large term paper. These are just the ones I did not fully understand or could not find the words to explain. So, your answers are just very helpful.
How would you compare Zoroastrianism and Greek religion?
Well, the ancient Greeks worshipped a multitude of different gods and goddesses, and had a rich mythology of stories about their various quarrels, love affairs etc. The Greeks built temples to their gods, and made sacrifices to them in the hope of winning their favour. They did not see their gods and goddesses as being particularly good or fair, though they could be helpful if appealed to in the right way. Zoroastrianism is a dualistic religion. Zoroaster is the Good Creator, and he is opposed by the Destructive Spirit (Angra Mainyu) whose nature is violent and destructive. The world is the battleground in which the forces of good and evil do battle. The world and humankind were created by God to aid him in this battle. By sharing in the good mind, by a life of devotion and righteousness, people share in God's dominion and attain wholeness and immortality.
Why did darius support Zoroastrianism?
It was the religion of the Persian people. Darius encouraged its spread throughout the empire because, if he could make Zaroastrianism the official state/imperial religion (rather than just that of the Persians), it would strengthen the central government - controlled and run by Persians. If the majority of the population of the empire (all races) were Zaroastrian, it would make controlling subject peoples much easier. The Persian hierarchy and bureaucracy that ran the empire could represent central policy decisions as 'the will of the gods' which would make harsh,unpopular, or clearly pro Persian policies easier to implement, and less likely to cause trouble or resistance to the central government and therefore the Persian rulers themselves.
What caused the decline of Zoroastrianism?
The collapse of the Sassanid Persian empire during the Arab Conquest i the first half of the 7th century. The Sassanids imposed Zoroastrianism as the state religion across their empire,but their collapse was so rapid when the Arabs invaded that soon,the Arabs had taken over the whole of the Sassanid empire and imposed Islam as the dominant religion.
Which religion os older, Judaism, or Zoroastrianism.?
Judaism- The Torah dates from 1500 BC- Abraham was 1800 BC. Zaroastianism is from between 800 and 600 BC, and the oldest references to it are only from around 250 BC. On top of that- Zaroastianism is not similar to Judaism at all. It is a dualistic religion having a good God vs a Bad God (which was further developed in Mithraism) and is similar to the God vs Devil battle in Christianity. Judaism, on the other hand, is strictly monotheistic stating there is only ONE god, that any thing else claimed by other people to be God is false, and that God is merely a false concept and to worship it idoltary. On top of that, the devil in Judaism is merely an angel with the job of being the prosecutor in the heavenly trial after death and has no free will and serves God.