Zoroastrianism

Introduction

There are numerous features that are similar in Judaism, Christianity and Zoroastrianism. The history shows that the beliefs of the Zoroastrianism are reflected and affirmed in the subsequent teachings of the Christianity and Judaism. The Babylonian empire at conquered the Jews in 586 BCE. Similarly, their temples were destroyed and a fair proportion of the Jewish populations were carried off into exile. The captives represented the upper class, educated and the royal families well. The Babylonian captivity continued for almost 50 years. Babylon was conquered by the Persian king Cyrus who instantaneously freed the Jews and also announced that the Jews will be allowed to return to their homeland. The Cyrus not only freed the Jews but he also helped them to rebuild their temples at the Jerusalem. The policy of the Cyrus was not only motivated by his religious beliefs but also it was his statesmanship as it is believed that the people who are treated in a good manner are less likely to rebel.

However, when the Jews were freed all of them were not willing to return to their homes. During the period of exile most of the Jewish population was established in Mesopotamia, they settled there and engaged not only in business but politics as well (Ekeya, 1990). As most of the Jews did not go to their homeland, so they also carried the key posts afterwards with the consolidation and expansion of the Persian Empire.

Zoroastrianism and Judaism

The first contact between the Jewish culture and the Persian culture were made after the exile of the Jews. This is also found in the bible that the Jewish thinking changed after the exile. The question here than arises is that were these changes were the result of the shocks of the exile or due to the mixing of the ...