Is Zoroastrianism a monotheistic or polytheistic religion?

Answer 1

No, Parsis (Zoroastrians) believe in one supreme deity named Ahura Mazda. They also believe in an equivalent to the Christian idea of Satan, named Angra Mainyu. Adherents of Zoroatrianism believe that these two figures are almost as powerful. Ahura Mazda is believed to be more powerful. Zoroastrianism's moral tenants are based on the idea that followers must choose a side in this battle of good and evil. This battle is always tilted in Ahura Mazda's favor. Think of it like the Harlem Globetrotters. Although it's always a good game, the home team always comes out on top.

Answer 2

No.

Yes, Zoroastrianism is a monotheistic religion, in that it holds the belief that there is one Creator of all of creation, Ahura Mazda, Lord Wisdom. To understand this, one has to turn to the Gathas, the oldest of Zoroastrian scriptures. These are versified utterances by Zarathustra, which were orally handed down through several generations before being committed to writing somewhere between the 3rd century BC. to 4th century AD.

In the Gathas, Zarathustra converses with Ahura Mazda, and clearly, through various verses, he describes Ahura Mazda as the first and the last, the Father of Righteousness, or one verse says "at the beginning there were these twins, renowned in conflict......" this meaning at the ethical level Zoroastrianism could be considered dualistic. Although a single deity, Ahura Mazda, is God, uncreated and creator of everything and the goal of all worship, there is an opposing force/idea/mentality, false gods daevas, whom Zarathustra condemns, and attributes all evil, deceit and lie, death and decay. In Zoroastrianism evil is not a fallen angel, but an opposing force that is the cause of all evil, decay, destruction and deceit.

Thus, Zoroastrianism is a monotheistic religion, but dualistic at the same time. It is certainly not polytheistic, as there are absolutely no other deities of equal status as Ahura Mazda, other 'subordinate' spiritual beings are angels, supportive of Ahura Mazda, and opposed by the forces that form the evil support base of Angra Mainyu, the Evil Mentality.

Unfortunately, the tendency to swing towards polythiestic worship was strong amongst the Iranian peoples, so at the political level, during the several centuries of Persian Imperialism, we have several rock inscriptions of Persian kings where statements were relatively commonplace, like "The Gods that are...."

But at the core scriptural levels, the in the entire Avesta, Zoroastrianism's huge body of scriptures, there is no deviation from the worship of Ahura Mazda and His Yazatas, angelic beings that support Him, there is absolute condemnation and rejection of false deities and gods.

The dual forces of good and evil are not in conflict perpetually, or forever. Zarathustra as prophet, envisions a time in the future when, with the advent of the Soshyant, the entire creation of God will be rid of evil and stand renewed for all eternity. Evil, Angra Mainyu, the Evil mentality will be annihilated and the forces of good, with Ahura Mazda and His yazatas, angels, will rule for eternity.

In the light of this, monotheism is strongly affirmed, with the forces of darkness, the cause of all evil and decay, utterly destroyed in a prophetic vision, and God having absolute, but enlightened, rule over the entire creation, forever.

Answer 3

Yes. Zoroastrianism has a main god called Ahura Mazda and a strong secondary evil god called the Angra Mainyu. Zoroastrianism is monolatrous, however, meaning that only one god is worshiped - Ahura Mazda.

Answer 4

NO. Zoroastrianism is a monolatrous henotheistic faith. This means that there are multiple divinities with powers not completely constrained by other divinities, but only one of these many gods is worshiped. Angra Mainyu, also called Ahriman, is the Zoroastrian equivalent to the Devil and has enough power to create (usually used for evil) and to challenge (although not defeat) the primary god Ahura Mazda, also called Ormuzd.

Conversely, in monotheistic faiths, the antagonist lacks serious creative or punitive powers without God's permission.

Answer 5

Judaism was and is monotheistic. The Zoroastrians, however, believed (and believe) in two gods, not one. The Jewish Sages who redacted the Talmud in the early centuries of the Common Era lived in Babylonia, witnessed the practices of the Zoroastrians, and recorded this fact (Talmud, Sanhedrin 39a). In addition, Zoroastrianism is unlike Judaism in that:

• its deity is not immanent
• it believes in worship through intermediaries, who are themselves "worthy of worship"
• evil has its own creator, Angra Mainyu or Ahriman, which had always existed
• some of its adherents believe in a self-creating universe
• some modern scholars see it as a form of pantheism
• it has "fire-temples," with worship in the presence of flame
• its adherents are not required to marry within their faith
• some Zoroastrians dispose of their dead through ritual exposure to the open sky, while some others cremate the dead
• dogs are considered sacred
• such creatures as snakes, ants and flies were "not created by the creator of good"
• it includes a virgin birth, in which its messiah will be conceived without sexual penetration.

Compare: What do Jews believe God is like?

Answer 6

it was false because Zoroastrianism was monotheistic

Answer 7

Zoroastrianism is monotheistic. They believe in the God of all Goodness.

Answer 8

Ahura Mazda is the only God of Zoroastrianism, there is a prophet called Zoroaster .

Answer 9

No. They are both monotheistic religions.