A Comprehensive Analysis of Zoroastrian Ethics: Beliefs and Practices

This essay delves into the core tenets of Zoroastrian ethics, examining its foundational principles and practices within the context of its religious beliefs. It explores the significance of good thoughts, right words, and good deeds as central themes, illustrating how these principles are applied in daily life and passed down through generations. The essay analyzes the role of Ahura Mazda, the supreme deity, and the concept of equality, emphasizing the importance of righteousness and ethical behavior. Furthermore, it discusses the religious underpinnings of Zoroastrian teachings, including the significance of the Avesta scriptures and the three core principles of Hukhata, Humata, and Havarashta. The essay also examines how Zoroastrians practice their faith, including worship rituals and the emphasis on purity. Overall, the essay provides a comprehensive overview of Zoroastrian ethics and its impact on the lives of its followers.

Running head: CHRISTIANITY
Zoroastrian ethics
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Introduction
Ethics refers to the standards and behaviors that human beings regard as acceptable
before the Supreme being. Consequently, every society has specific criteria of regarding a
behavior as moral. Behaviors seen as ethical in one society may not apply to another society. For
example, some communities believe in female circumcision while the same action is unethical in
another society. Zoroastrian is one of the religions that have strong ethics they accept in society.
The ground on which a given society distinguish the good from evil determines how people will
judge the community or the religion. Zoroastrian have simple expression. They comprise right
words thoughts and deeds. In this assignment, it will look into the Zoroastrian ethics. Some of
the subtopics that this assignment will elaborate contains of the foundation of Zoroastrian ethics,
how they are passed to the generations, its meaning in practice and the religious foundation of
the teachings.
The foundation of the Zoroastrian religion
Zoroastrianism is a traditional Islamic region that is found in Persia currently known as
Iran according to Chan & Ananthram, (2017). It is one of the oldest monotheistic religion to be
established in Persia. However, religion is famous in India where the citizens call it Parism. The
founder of the faith was called Zoroaster. He was a prophet in the ancient country of Persia in
1700BC. However, many scholars differ in the period the prophet began agitating for the
religion. Prophet Zoroaster has a controversial life story. From history, it was noted that he, was
born to a young virgin woman. Compared to the ordinary children who cry at the time of birth
prophet Zoroaster on his side laughed making his birth a unique one. The prophet performed
various things that shocked people right from the time of birth to his youthhood. Some of the
activities he took part in were healing performing miracles and wading of evil.

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On the other hand, when Zoroaster reached his youth, he realized that everyone in Persia
depended on his or her god. After, analysis ng the situation, he concluded that polytheism was
not benefiting people in the country but causing a lot of confusion. The prophet decided to
mediating people to find a solution to the situation. He came with the idea of Ahura Mazda who
was the now the God who could control all the gods in Persia. Mazda, the supreme God, chose
Zoroaster to inform people the real God at the time there was the rivalry between Angra Mainyu
and Ahura Mazda according to Luhrmann, (2017). People could decide what is best for them,
and this the time the Zoroastrian religion came into action among the people of Persia.
The ethics of the Zoroastrian religion.
After the establishment of the religion under prophet Zoroaster, many people believed in
Ahura Mazda as their god. There were specific teachings the belief could follow. The theme of
this religion was good thoughts, right words and good deeds. Some of the behaviors that this
religion maintained included speaking nicely keeping a peaceful state of mind keeping Ahura
Mazda in power and doing good deeds. Apart from the above practice, there are other specific
morality and ethics that the religion believes in as they operate. They include.
a. God’s helper
In every religion whether Christianity Judaism or Islam there is the idea of having a
God’s servant and alongside members who owe God as the supreme being. When it comes to
Zoroastrianism the concept of God’s servant is incorporated with God’s helper and other
members who take the responsibility to assist the God who is Ahura Mazda achieve his goals.
Instead of praising God and believing that he will answer in heaven this community may have
another god on earth who assist them reach their mighty God in reference to Hinnells, (2017).

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b. Equality
Equality is another crucial aspect in the list of standards this religion observes.
Zoroastrianism religion considers everyone equal before God. Even though the members of the
faith may have some visible differences every member get the same treatment. For instance, the
issues of gender, race and the economic class do not determine the kind of treatment that an
individual deserve. However, the only ticket that may prove that an individual may be better than
another person is the level at which the person has maintained righteousness. The people who
strictly follow Ahura Mazda needs like doing good every time and to everyone may have a high
standard of justice.
The Zoroastrian culture emphasized the ethics and the morals of the members of the
society. Even though there are various challenges and temptations in life, every member of this
religion should ensure that he or she lives the best version of life as required by the rules of
society. The religion expects an individual to be conscious of what they do in life by ensuring
they disagree with any action that may lead them to evil life according to Hinnells, (2016). Apart
from that everyone should follow the footsteps of their leader Ahura Mazda who is always
righteous.
How the ethics of the Zoroastrian religion passed from one generation to another.
According to Kiel, (2016), Zoroastrian religion is a group of believers who believe in
ethics. It is important that these standards are passed from one generation to another to ensure
that integrity is maintained in society. However, the community have various ways of moving
ideas from one group to another. One of the ways is constant teaching. The parents bring their
children to the church. These children are taught about the god Ahura Mazda and what he

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requires everyone to do. For example, every child would know that everyone should ensure
integrity speak well about others and do every best thing in the eyes of the god. The second way
has signs and symbols that have a specific meaning to the people. For example, the god’s helper
can write specific instruction a rock that the coming generation would read every time. The signs
would remind them about integrity doing good and making the best choices in life in reference to
Writer, (2016).
The meaning of Zoroastrian ethics in practice
Harvey, (2016) argues that Zoroastrians believe in purity. For instance, people should do
good to others, maintain the integrity and follow the footstep of their God. The meaning of such
deeds is that people who believe in God should always be like their God. When it comes to
worship in church, the religion does emphasise ritual worships but mainly focus on maintaining
the ethical standards they have established in the church. The followers can decide on how they
conduct worship. However, most members pray several times a day. They are not restricted by
their leaders on when and how to pray, but it is a personal decision.
Consequently, during the Zoroastrians prayers, they mainly focus on praising their God, Ahura
Mazda. They believe that the Lord has done for them several good deeds and he deserve praises
during the worship. They mainly face the fire, a source of light or sun when it is day time while
they are making their daily prayers. The source of light represents their God Ahura Mazda, and
the light is a sign of energy that the lord has to the followers according to Patell, (2016). From
the behaviors of these believers, it is evident that they are strict in what they do. For instance,
during the religious rituals, they emphasize on purification of the members. After purification,
the members believe that their environment mind and bodies are clean and pure before their lord.
Their devil is Angra Mainyu who was competing with Ahura Mazda during the establishment of

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the religion. By cleaning their environment, body and mind, they are satisfied that they have
defeated their enemy. Their temples are filled with a source of the fire. The symbol fire shows
that they are ready to fight their evil any time it shows up. In many occasions, no vent can
proceed in the temples or the ritual places without the members lighting the fire.
The religious foundation of the Zoroastrian teachings
The religious teaching of this religion was based on their scriptures. They had a scripture
known as the Avesta. Avesta had the lessons that control how the members of this religion
operate. It was written in Persian language but later translated to many other languages. The
scriptures emphasize the ethical behaviors of the members. For example, how they can live with
other people in society and counter their enemy.
On the other hand, the teachings in these scriptures are based on the three principles which
include:
a. Hukhata- it refers to good words when one is communicating to another person the words
the person is using should be friendly.
b. Humata- it represents good thoughts; the moral behaviors of the members should abide by
those of their lord. If Mazda says that certain behavior is not acceptable in society, everyone
should follow the steps and should not deviate.
c. Havarashta- it represents good needs among the members of the society, the intention of
everyone’s action should be moral.
The above three principles control the teachings of religion. It is like a law to the
members of the community. When children are introduced in the religion, they are taught these

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three principles, and they commit them in prayers. It shows that they believe in the teachings of
the Zoroastrian teachings and their lord should help them master the teachings. However, it is
also important to note that the other person who influences what the religion has in their teaching
is their Lord Ahura Mazda. Members believe that their earthly Lord is connected to the God of
even and what he says is the right thing that members need to follow.
Conclusion
Zoroastrian is one of the groups of religion that emphasize on the ethics of the members.
Even when one is praying or making rituals, the first behavior they must maintain the
observation of the ethics. Even though this religion had an enemy, they continued to spread in
other parts of the world like India. They believe in various aspects of life. For example,
Zoroastrian tradition believes that even after the death of a member the persons' soul continue to
roam around the world in the certain number of days under the care of Sraosha, one of their
angels. At the time of death, they do not perform the traditional burial or cremate the body. They
take the body to the highest point like a tower where the body is exposed to the sun. The action
ensures nobody goes against the direction given by Ahura Mazda but maintain purity.

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References
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multi-faith study of ethical virtues and mindsets. Journal of Business Ethics, 1-27.
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