Zoroastrianism

1. Zoroastrianism By: Ahmed,Wynne,Flora,Laurie

2. Key beliefs + practices, rituals, ceremonies • Beliefs: • 2 gods: Ahura Mazda – good god; more powerful • Angra Mainyu – evil god, less powerful • Ahura vs. Angra – battle of good and evil for 12000 years • This belief can also explain the theological question: If god is good, then why is there evil? • Time is divided into 3 different ages: those of creation, the current era of good and evil, and the coming era (punished ones, and heaven after death) • The seven creatures: This world is made up of 7 creations: • -         Sky • -         Water • -         Earth • -         Plant • -         Animal • -         Human • -         Fire

3. Wedding Ceremony • Dressed in white • Reading from the Qur’an • Bride, bridegroom and guardians sign a contract • Celebrate after service is around 3-7 days • At the service, two scarves (white) are held over the couple’s head • It is then sewn together so they will stay together forever • At that time, 2 crystallized sugar cones are rubbed together for a sweeter and better marriage.

4. Ritual of Death • Dead bodies would be taken up to a rocky place with high walls, called a dakhma; its round, and in open air, away from the people at the community, so the dead body would not be distracted when the sun rays and animals consume the dead body. • What is left of the body is then collected and placed in a well at the middle of the dakhma • This is done because they believe that your body should be given back to the earth • Arguments: bad for anything (the smell + the air) • : Population difference. Too many people die for the vultures to consume. • Today, a funeral is held which includes: washing the body, and putting on a sudreh.

5. PURIFICATION RITUAL • Wash hands • Tying and untying the kusti which reciting prayers just to remind themselves of the worlds: “good thought, good words, good deeds” • PRAYERS • Zoroastrianism does not expect you to pray a specific number of times, you pray whenever you want, as well as however you want • You pray facing the sun, because that is a source of light. • Worshipping together as a community can happen during a navjote, or any seasonal festivals. • Usually, you pray several times a day. • Purification is strongly emphasized

6. Navjote • Community celebration of the entrance of a child into the world of Zoroastrianism • Navjote starts at home, with everybody around, a Zoroastrian priest will say prayers to get the child ready for the occasion • Takes a sacred bath (nahn) • Parents may rent a hall for ceremony; child walks down the hall, greeted by her mother who is holding a coconut and an egg. The mother walks around the child 7 times, then breaking the coconut and the egg. • Gets escorted to the stage, prayers are said with the use of items such as rice or flowers to represent something good. • Child is then given a sudreh and a kusti • Both has to be worn everyday, and in a certain way, when trying on the kusti, prayers or certain words must be said: “Good thoughts, good words, good deeds”

7. Interesting facts about Zoroastrianism ·It is believed that Zoroastrianism is the oldest religion, dating back 3,000-6,000 years. ·        Around 2,500 years ago, the ancient Persian Empire was Zoroastrian and the ruins of it. ·        Zoroastrians were forced to convert to Islam by the Arabs who invaded Persia back in the 600s, and they killed those who didn’t. ·        Some people escaped to other countries, and secretly practiced Zoroastrianism in Iran.         It consists of nearly 140,000 Zoroastrians in the world today.         Some say that Ontario has the third largest population of Zoroastrians. Zoroastrians mainly gather at Darbe Meher at Bayview and Steeles Avenues in Toronto.