How kuch has this religion influenced early Judaism and early Christianity?
From the concept of the dualism between good and evil,heaven and hell,morality ,the coming of the messiah,even the three Magi that visited Jesus during his birth(which is what the Zoroastrians priests are called) i think this religion have influenced ours a lot more than we think. Could that be the case and the people just picked up these concepts (hense a man named Jesus claiming to be the messiah)? Coukd it be just a conincidence? Or could it be that the Zoroastrian faith is indeed a revelation from the same God the Isralites and us Christians have been worshiping?
It has influenced them great deal, Christianity more than Judaism. Particularly this notion of a war in heaven and a battle going on between good and evil forces – these are very Zoroastrian. I simply don’t believe in any of that.
You find it in a lot of fiction as well. Like the “Dark is Rising” series by Susan Cooper. It makes for good story telling, but it does not make for good or believable theology. In fiction I will scarf that stuff up. But it is entertainment not reality.
Now you are being silly. These concepts are in many religion and neither originate nor are exclusive to Zoroastrianism. The only one I will credit as coming to Christianity from Zoroastrianism is that of dualism between good and evil.
Heck they may well have been Zoroastrians, for that matter! But so what if they were?!?!
I have little doubt that God has communicated in different ways to many different cultures. And no this does not mean that all religions come from God – not even close. Nor does it mean that I am going to believe they are correct in what they believe – there is much that I do not, and that includes the Zoroastrian influences upon Christianity!
I would gently push back and say that similarity does not necessarily require that one came from the other. Dualism, such as in Zoroastrianism, usually states that good and evil are two equal and opposing forces battling to get the upper hand on each other. In Zoroastrianism this expressed itself in material dualism (spirit good, matter bad) and ceremonial dualism (X is clean, Y is unclean).
However in historic Christianity we see that the forces of evil are never presented as being of equal power to the Lord. Instead they are presented as defeated and destined for destruction. Additionally, ceremonial dualism is completely done away with. And as to material dualism, the incarnation puts those ideas well and truly to bed as far as I am concerned.
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Klax
(The only thing that matters is faith expressed in love.)
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That I like. That the incarnation puts those ideas to bed. Including the idea of fallen angels for me and all that goes with that. Including angels as created supernatural persons of course. Because if we allow them at all, just the universe makes that practically infinitely problematic. Let alone what eternity does. Evil is still real of course, it’s a function of our lack, especially in groups.
Since Zoroastrianism is one of the oldest religions along with Budhism id say the others took from there. If so feel free to prove me wrong. But these concepts are rooted to Zoroastrianism. Buddhism is different
Wrong. Satan is often called the adversery
Is the opposite of God since himself wanted to be in place of God.
Not to mention the attributes the writers of the bible gives him. Plus his names. Prince of air,the ruler of this world etc etc. Id say he has the same power as God. Or close to
Equal power ? Yeah sure. Although i prefer "controlled " better since he is created . Dont know why you think he needs to have qual sovereignty if hes the opposite but ok
I think the point being made is that Satan is God’s enemy but not God’s equal. God and satan are opposites and enemies in that one is all good and the other all evil.
However, they are not equal in power. God has authority over the very fabric of the universe, he can create, shape, and command matter and beings at will. Satan can only corrupt what has already been made by God and seduce beings into doing his will.
Satan is powerful but God is all powerful. God’s victory is assured as much as satan’s defeat is. It isn’t a fair fight.
We’ve been around this loop before, Nick. As the one making the claim (Christianity borrows from Zoroastrianism) the burden of proof lies with you to prove you are right not for us to prove you wrong. If a person cannot provide evidence to support a claim, then no counter argument is required.
Yep. And the implication is that evil is NOT in any way necessary – quite the contrary. That is the essence of good/evil dualism that you must have both for some reason.
Both of these are relatively new religions – only 2500 years old. Judaism and Hinduism are a LOT older.
Of course there is a difference between claims and evidence. Judaism and Hinduism claim to be 4000 years old. The claims for Zoroastrianism vary a great deal from 4000 to 2556 (200 before Alexander) years ago.
You are the one who is wrong. Satan means adversary but the adversary of humanity NOT the adversary of God. Even if Job is not historical, it nevertheless makes it clear that Satan is NOT traditionally considered the adversary of God!
It is the influence of Zoroastrianism in Christianity which has made Satan out to be an adversary of God. A notion which does not have universal support in Christianity – far from it.