Why does christianity sound so similar to zoroastrianism?

Question

Both religions rely on a creator, with two lesser deities or spirits, one representing good, one representing evil. Isn't it possible that the zoroastrians from persia influenced jews from judea and the two religions mixed to form christianity?

Answer 1

I wrote a paper on Zoroastrianism for one of my classes, and here is the section on the Influence of Zoroastrianism on Christianity and Judaism. You can find the whole paper online at http://www.pathsofdevotion.com/zoroastrianism/zoroastrian_apocalypse.html


The striking similarities between Zoroastrianism and the Judeo-Christian traditions would be hard to miss. The question of influence is not an easy matter to resolve however, because Zoroastrian writings are extremely difficult to date. Many of the writings relevant to the issue were not written down until well after the advent of Christianity. But the ideas contained in the writings almost certainly are much older, being based on oral traditions. Therefore many scholars argue that Judaism and Christianity were indeed influenced by Zoroastrian ideas.

Norman Cohn presents the case that the prophet Zarathustra was a great innovator, the first to consider that time was progressing towards a final culmination when the world would be perfected. The idea of hell also seems to have occurred first to Zarathustra. Other ideas that are easy to identify already in the Gathas (which most likely go back to Zarathustra himself) are the sharp distinction between the benevolent Supreme Lord and his evil opponent, the expectation of a resurrection of the dead, a final judgment with rewards and punishments, and the idea of a savior.

Cohn points out that before contact with the Persians, these ideas were not present among the Israelites. The Jewish people looked quite favorably on the Persians, who let them return from Babylonian exile and rebuild their temple in Jerusalem. By this time, Israel's prophets had already foretold that Israel would regain its sovereignty and live in peace under a reestablished Davidic monarchy. So it was not such a stretch for them to accept some of the Zoroastrian teachings about a future renovated world. These ideas certainly became more and more appealing when the Jewish people faced the tyranny of Antiochus IV Epiphanes. Many Zoroastrian ideas become visible in the book of Daniel which most likely dates to the time of the Antiochan persecution. Herein, there is a resurrection of the dead, a judgment, and the reward of eternal life. Some of the chapters in Daniel are actually written in the language of the Persian Empire and even contain several Persian loan-words. In chapter 2, Nebuchadnezzar dreams of a statue with a head of gold, breast and arms of silver, belly and thighs of bronze, legs of iron, and feet of iron mixed with clay. Daniel interprets the image for Nebuchadnezzar as representing four periods. A similar vision is described in a Zoroastrian work which Cohn argues to be far older than the book of Daniel. In the Zand-i Vohuman Yasht, Zarathustra sees a tree with branches of gold, silver, steel, and iron mixed with clay, and these too are explained as being representative of four periods.

Cohn makes a compelling case for Zoroastrian influence on other Jewish works, including 2 Maccabees, 2 Enoch, and certain Dead Sea Scrolls. Florentino Garcia Martinez is another scholar who concludes that the Qumran community which produced the Dead Sea Scrolls was most likely highly influenced by Persian ideas. Qumranic angelology and demonology show signs of such influence. A fragment from Cave 4 mentions "the bridge over the abyss." This bridge has no precedent in the Hebrew Bible, but it seems to be a clear reference to the Chinvat Bridge, which in Zoroastrianism, is a bridge which the soul of the deceased must cross on his or her way to heaven or hell. It stretches over an abyss and the wicked fall down into it. The sharp dualism of the Persians seems to have infiltrated into Jewish thinking in the Tractate of the Two Spirits and The Scroll of the War of the Sons of Light Against the Sons of Darkness. Those works also contain other elements that seem to come from Zoroastrian apocalypticism.

The sect of Judaism that would become Christianity was also highly influenced by Zoroastrianism. In the book of Matthew, the baby Jesus is visited by magi, which are Zoroastrian priests. In early Christian artwork, the magi were clearly depicted as wearing Persian outfits. In Matthew 7:6, Jesus says, "do not throw your pearls to pigs." Cohn shows that this was a Persian saying. Other concepts in the book of Matthew make much sense when seen in a Zoroastrian light. It tells of the resurrection of the dead and the wicked being thrown into a furnace of fire, thus cleansing the world for the righteous to live in the kingdom of God. Jesus himself in Matthew has a very similar role to the Saoshyant.

In the book of Revelation, chapter 16, frogs are depicted as demonic spirits. This seems peculiar coming from a Jewish perspective. But it makes perfect sense from a Zoroastrian perspective. For Zoroastrians, frogs were not created by God, but by the wicked Angra Mainyu, and they are evil. Other parallels between Revelation and Zoroastrian ideology are equally striking.

Answer 2

U will also recall that due to islamic persecution, Irani Zoroastrians had to run away from Persia, & take shelter in India. Hindu King In Sanjaan Gujerat offered them shelter & land. They repaid this kindness through producing greatest philonthropists, scientists, musicians & Industrialists, who have changed the face of Modern India.
As an Indian, I salute these Godly parsee Zoroastrians.

Answer 3

Their significant similarities R as follows-- a million. both dont enable conversion from different religions into their fold, R satisfied to maintain their flock, 2. both worship panch maha drawwyas-- proothwi, aapa, teja, waayu & aakash , 3. both believe in philonthropy & charity without selfishness, merely as area of dharma, 4. both suffered on the fingers of Muslim followers, in Persia & in India resply, 5. both produced international popular geniuses, 6. both R patriotic.

Answer 4

Very similar.

See the Book of Zoroaster- one of the source books for the Bible
http://one-faith-of-god.org/old_testament/sources/zoroaster/zoroaster_0010.htm

In fact Jesus himself in his Nazarene/Gnostic writings points this out, much to the hatred of the Sadducees and the Pharisees.

No wonder, when they created christianity to subvert the message of jesus they hate anyone mentioning the fact you raised.

Answer 5

Zoroastrianism took ideas from Judaism and Eastern Dharmic religious traditions in its origins. That's why it seems similar to Christianity.

Answer 6

All religions have something in common. You'll have to dig deep to prove that particular claim, but it's entirely possible.
Now to leave the field to the rabid fire-and-brimstone folk...

Answer 7

All religions have something in common. All paths lead to the same destination (eventually).

Answer 8

It's simple...

All "anity's" sound the same to me...

It's like putting the phrase..."My Way or the Highway" after a "Word-ism..."

From now on, I want everyone to worship JackZen-anity...(our sermons are musical, danceable, fun, different every week, and show us practical ways to help other people without anything green coming out of our wallet)
And only people who "actually" need help will be helped...
And the President of our charity doesn't have a salary...they do it for free...like a "charity..."

Answer 9

What an original observation. Been around here long?

Answer 10

Are you new here? This issue has been addressed over and over and over and over and over ...

It's late and I don't have the patience to search and copy and paste. You should do a search on a question before asking.

((((YAWN))))

Edit: Cripes, you've been around six months and are a level 5 and have never seen this question? Wonders never cease.