Blog Post 22- Ancient Western Religions

1.     It flourished in ancient Iran, which was known as Persia. It began to flourish during the Persian Empire, which was at the height of its power and influence during the 4^th and 5^th century.

2.     After Persia was conquered by the Greek general Alexander the Great in 328 BC.

3.     An angel called Good Thought appeared to him and brought him as a disembodied soul, before Aura Madam, the Wise Lord. He recognized him as the true God.

4.     The sacred text is the Avesta. The oldest material is the Gathas and was written by Zarathustra.

5.     Ahura Mazda, the wise Lord. The eternal and universal goodness, controlling the cosmos and the destiny of human beings. He is celebrated as the creator.

6.     The belief in universal forces of good and evil.

7.     The Lie is in Zarathustra’s theology the one God, Ahura Mazda, who is universal goodness. Depicted by Zarathustra as an evil, cosmic force.

8.     Truth and lie, between the beneficent spirit and the hostile spirit.

9.     Shortly after death, humans undergo judgment. This requires crossing the Bridge of the Separator, which goes over an abyss of horrible torment but leads to paradise.

10.  Centered on agriculture. Its ethical demands include such principles as caring for livestock and fields. Generally one is to lead and doing what is right.

11.  Combine a wide variety of features from the Zoroastrian tradition. They maintain the monotheism of its founder and continue to revere the Avesta as their sacred text. They are located in India.

12.  The lliad, Odyssey and Homer

13.  The gods have human attributes. No deity, not even Zeus, is all-powerful or all-knowing rather all the gods and goddesses have their own specific talents, functions and limitations. Their behavior is much more humanlike than godlike.

14.  He celebrated Zeus’ great power and wisdom. His works portray Zeus as ruling with order and justice. Example: the play Agamemnon explains human suffering as being a necessary part of the divine plan of Zeus.

15.  A shrine at which the revelations of a god are received, often through a human medium. Famous oracle is the Delphi. They came to the oracle to seek out wisdom.

16.  3 aspects of religions are 1.) Individuals choose to become initiates and went through some form of initiation ritual. 2.) experienced a personal encounter with the deity. 3.) Gained spiritual renewal through participation of the religion and with most mystery religions, hope for a better afterlife.

17.  Par excellence

18.  He is associated with the god of fertility, vegetation and specifically vine. He is depicted in Greek art with vines and grapes, and there are accounts of him miraculously turning water into wine.

19.  Practice of skilled athletics and the military arts.

20.  He believed that we know things in this life partly because we have experienced them in previous lives. Knowledge therefore is recollection.

21.  Wisdom lies in identifying oneself with the truth of the Forms, rather than with the changing and imperfect material world.

22.  Both were called Savior and the intimacy of worshipers’ relationship with Asclepius bore a strong resemblance to the relationship with Christ celebrated Christians.

23.  Supernatural powers that were ancient Roman equivalent of deities. They defined their gods vaguely.

24.  Zeus (Jupiter)

25.  Jupiter, Mercury, Venus, Mars, Neptune and Saturn.

26.  States would prosper if they had the favor of the gods “Pax Decorum”.

27.  Mithraism and Cult of Isis.

28.  Osiris was killed and hacked to pieces by his evil brother. His wife, Isis, found the pieces and mummified them, causing him to come back to life.

29.  Genius

30.  Because the emperor worship contradicted the Christian belief of monotheism.