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 Quran
• 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 couples 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 didnt.
•         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.