Introduction to Religion Humanities 215.02 February 27, 2013 Targeted Question #2

Question #2 February 27

Zoroastrianism Rooted in Nomadic, Indo-Europeans, 3000 BCE 1st & 2nd Wave of Traveling Tribes 600 or 1200 BCE ~ Zarathushtra Dualism: Good & Evil; Light & Dark

“God, Zarathushtra taught, was the wholly Good Creator of all things “God, Zarathushtra taught, was the wholly Good Creator of all things... of the spiritual and material worlds... He is in no way responsible for evil in the world; this comes from the Destructive Spirit (Angra Mainyu) whose nature is violent and destructive.” ~p. 244

King Cyrus of Persia Allows Jews to Return in 538 BCE The Book of Job Psalm 139 Isaiah 45 581 BCE 538 BCE

One day the heavenly beings came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan (the Accuser) also came among them. The Lord said to Satan, “Where have you come from?” Satan answered the Lord, “From going to and fro on the earth and from walking up and down on it. The Lord said to Satan, “Have you considered my servant Job? There is no one like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man who fears God and turns away from evil. Then Satan answered the Lord, “Does Job fear God for nothing? ... Stretch out your hand now, and touch all that he had, and he will curse you to your face (Job 1:6--11).

I form light and create darkness, I make weal and create woe; I the Lord do all these things (Isaiah 45:7). _____ If I say, “Surely the darkness shall cover me, and the light around me become night,” even the darkness is not dark to you; the night is as bright as the day, for darkness is as light to you (Psalm 139:11--12).

On the Boundaries of Rome Persian Influence Over A Wide Swath of Territory Prior to Conquests of Muslims in 633 CE, Zoroastrianism Reigned Supreme On the Boundaries of Rome

First Part of Q. According to Zarathustra, What is the nature of the relationship between Good & Evil?

Read the following passages from the Bible, and then write a response to the question, How might the world view of Zoroastrianism have affected the social, cultural and political contexts in which these verses were originally written? “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God... All things came into being through him, and without him not one thing came into being. What has come into being in him was life, and the life was the light of all people. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it” (The Gospel According to John, Chapter One, Verses 1--5). “Everyone who commits sin is a child of the devil; for the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The Son of God was revealed for this purpose, to destroy the works of the devil. Those who have been born of God do not sin... they cannot sin... The children of God and the children of the devil are revealed in this way: all who do not do what is right are not from God, nor are those who do not love their brothers and sisters” (First Letter of John, Chapter Three, Verses 8--10).

Let’s Talk. What are the options when religions focus on Good & Evil Let’s Talk... What are the options when religions focus on Good & Evil? Not well? Why?

Postmodernism & Existentialism For Friday Targeted Question #3 Postmodernism & Existentialism Small Group Research