Contributions to Western Thought

by Rohinton M. Riventa

Past President of the Federation of Zoroastrian Associations of North America, and Trustee of CPWR

Zoroastrian ideas have played a vital role in the development of Western religious thought. Some theological concepts shared by Zoroastrianism with Judaism and Christianity are:

• Belief in one supreme and loving God
• Heaven and Hell, resurrection, and final judgement
• Ultimate triumph of good over evil
• A strict moral and ethical code
• The Messiah to come for the final restoration
• The words satan, paradise, and amen^* are of Zoroastrian origin

The interchange of Zoroastrian thought with Judaeo-Christian ideology first took place when Cyrus the Great defeated the Assyrians and released the Jews from Babylonian captivity. They heralded Cyrus as their messiah, as prophesied two centuries earlier in Isaiah 45:1-3. The Old Testament is replete with references to the Persian emperors Darius, Cyrus, and Xerxes, all of whom were Zoroastrians.…

Zoroastrian rituals and prayers are solemnized in the presence of a flame. Scrupulously tended with sandalwood and frankincense, a flame is kept burning in the inner sanctum of every Zoroastrian temple, and often in Zoroastrian homes. Fire is revered as a visible symbol of the inner light that burns within each person. It is a physical representation of the Illumined Mind, Light, and Truth, all highly regarded in the Zoroastrian doctrine. Despite its prehistoric origins, Zoroastrianism has vehemently denounced idolatry in any shape or form.

The Fravashi or Farohar is the presence of Ahura Mazda in every human being. It is the Divinity in Humanity. It is the conscience. The Fravashi is immortal and does not die with the person, but lives on forever. The Fravashi is ever present to guide and protect the person. It is the duty of a person, in making the choice between good and evil, to seek guidance from his Fravashi.

Excerpts are from Followers of an Ancient Faith in a Modern World, by Rohinton M. Rivetna, published by the Federation of Zoroastrian Associations of North America (FEZANA).

*Note from the editor: some theories posit that "amen" is actually from the name of the Egyptian god Amun-ra, inherited by the Jews during their exile in that land.