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Churchwork
08-08-2006, 07:06 PM
Zoroastrianism, Zoroaster: Religion thought to be founded about 600 BC in Persia (present day Iran). According to legend, Zoroaster received enlightenment by the Daitya river when, at age 30, he received a vision of Vohu Manah (“Good Thought”) who took him into the presence of lord Ahura-Mazda. Lord Mazda taught Zoroaster the “true religion,” rejecting magic and idol worship and promoting belief in heaven, hell, a devil (Angra-Mainyu) and one true god. Later followers, however, worshipped Zoroaster in addition to Mazda. Good Lord Mazda and evil Angra Mainyu are seen as equal in power. Teaches enlightenment and salvation by works, including fire worship and partaking of the hallucinogenic haoma (soma in India).
http://www.religioustolerance.org/zoroastr.htm


"the present world where good and evil are mixed. People's good works are seen as gradually transforming the world towards its heavenly ideal;"
This false teaching is not unlike that of post-millennialism that somehow the tares will turn into the wheat but that is not what Jesus said in the parable of the weeds (Matt. 13.24-30).


Zoroastrians do not generally accept converts. One has to be born into the religion. This belief is disputed by some members.
Of course God of the Bible does not teach such silliness.
Also dualism is not Christian,
In theology, the concept that the world is controlled by two opposing forces, i.e., good and bad, God and Satan. In Philosophy the idea that the world consists of two main components: thought and matter. It is one thing to say this but if you say this, and then call Jesus Christ a liar, then you really don't believe this at all, and are just mouthing words, since Christ is the ultimate good. He is blameless.
I am sure there is lots of other goofy things. Satan will try to copy the preceeding of Christ, there is no doubt about that.
Here is some more things different about zora that are unlike Christianity:
-Arising out of the polytheistic traditions of ancient India and Iran (Christianity is originating from God the Father, God the Son, God the Spirit).
-dividing the Universe into two camps, each ruled by the Good God or the Evil Spirit. This is called "cosmic" dualism. (God does not divide the world up into two camps, nor is God of the Bible the universe. God is all-knowing, omniscient, omnipotent. God is separate from the universe. God created the universe, but He is not the universe).
-Zoroastrians believe that after life on earth, the human soul is judged by God as to whether it did more good or evil in its life. Those who chose good over evil go to what Zarathushtra referred to simply as the "best existence," or heaven, and those who chose evil go to the "worst existence," or hell. Zoroastrianism was one of the first religions to give the afterlife a moral dimension. (Christianity differs in that salvation is not by works, but by accepting the work of another, the sacrifice of of God through His Son. Salvation therefore, can never come from self. Those saved in the OT period were saved by a looking onto the cross, and those saved since the cross were saved subsequent to the cross. That is redemption, nothing from self).
- Zoroastrianism also believes in the progress of sacred time, and the eventual end of time. The belief is that the collective good acts of humanity will slowly transform the imperfect material world into its heavenly ideal. At the end of time everything and everyone will be purified, even the souls in hell
- so hell is not eternal (Again, you can know zoro is not the God of the Bible, since God of the Bible says hell is never transformed into good; it is eternal separation from the saved. Also the Bible does not teach a transforming of the tares into wheat, which is a false teaching of post-millennialism. The real reality, God shows, is the one whereby Christ has to return for if He doesn't we will all wipe each other out without His return. Also, time continues on and on. There is no indication it stops in the Bible. Major differences, so much so you know zoro is not God of the Bible, If one does not think hell is eternal they can sin all they want so they think.).
-The motto of the faith is: GOOD THOUGHTS, GOOD WORDS, GOOD DEEDS (the Bible says men have all kinds of ideas what they consider godo thoughts, good words and good deeds through the deceptive "good self", but the noble and ignoble will not save one iota; only God's substitution can save since only Christ is perfectly able to save. Amen.)
- By thinking good thoughts (again, this is just a new-age teaching of the soul, but God says you don't think good thoughts deep down inside really, nor can you, because without God's life by His Holy Spirit it is impossible. You are fallen and a sinner. Your efforts and good works are futile. Amen.).
- This is a practical and world-affirming faith, that does not hate the world nor dwell on sin and guilt (Satan is the god of this world, so that would make sense that zoroians does not hate this world. It does not even realize it dwells in sin and guilt. Just saying good words that it does not, does not mean it does not. For saying good thoughts is akin to brainwashing yourself, but yet you are not forgiven since God has not forgiven, by calling Him a liar. How fooled zoro is. Zoro is the cult of cults of mindlessness).
-The best current book on Zoroastrianism is THE ZOROASTRIAN TRADITION by Farhang Mehr, published by Element Books, 1991. A widely available translation of the Gathas is by the Belgian scholar Duchesne-Guillemin, translated from the French by Henning. This is a little red book in the "Wisdom of the East" series, published by Charles E. Tuttle Co, Inc., 1992 (a book of Satan).