Talk:Zoroastrian

Zoroastrianism originally with no real sacred text until the Gathas hymns but it did appear as one of the earlistic monotheistic faith which also expressed a distinction between good-vs-evil.

This distinction was also mentioned in the Old Testament story of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.

"Ahura Mazda" ("Wise Lord") is the uncreated, eternal, all-good, omniscient, and omnipotent supreme being, the creator of all that is good and the sustainer order (Asha). Ahura Mazda is pure spirit, associated with light, wisdom, and truth and does not create evil equated with darkness and remains its ultimate opponent.

Whatever the original intent or doctrine of Zorasteia was it clearly morphed over time into a state religion when the Sassanid (Sasanian) Persian Empire beginning in 224.

By the 7th century, Christianity might be the Church of the East ( called Nestorian), Syriac Jacobite (Miaphysite/Monophysite) churches, and some Chalcedonian communities aligned with the Byzantine (Eastern Roman) Empire. Christianity had been distinct for three hundred years as the "private religion" appointed by Jesus the Christ of Judea as the Messiah accepted by thousands of Jews, many descended from ancient Israel, and even gentiles. When Constantine legalized his version of Christianity a new psuedo Christianity began to function in the declining Roman Empire. While this new religion professed many of the same doctrines of Christ it was often heavily influenced, or spotted, by the financial support of the rulers of the world who exercise authority one over the other.

Zoroastrian Sassanid state often had conflicts with the Christian Byzantine Empire which often exacerbated Christian subjects/minorities during ongoing wars between these state. Dependence of the people upon support of the Sassanid and Byzantine governments for religious support weekend the social bonds of the people.

The Zoroastrian Sassanid king Khosrow II ( 590–628) and his Christian wife Shirin (Syriac Christian) often showered the Christian churches with gifts, property, and buildings as a benefactor of the Church, or at least the Monophysites who were Christians who believe that Jesus Christ has only one, primarily divine nature, rather than two distinct natures (divine and human) as defined by the Council of Chalcedon in 451. This support was a spot on some Christian churches and fueled sectarian debates which Paul warned against.

Byzantine-Sassanid War (602–628) produced a devastating conflict with some religious dimension because of these mixing of the responsibilities of religion with the power of the State.

Of course the Byzantine Emperor Heraclius propagandized the conflict as a holy war in part robing relics (the True Cross) in 628.

Khosrow, like the Sassanid ruler Shapur II (r. 309–379) began to persecute Christians, viewing them as potential fifth columnists aligned with his enemy.

The love of wealth overshadowed wisdom and tolerance surrendered to paranoia and persecution.

All became weaker enticing the emperialism of Muslim Arab conquest to come.