Ideas of Zoroaster, by Theme

[Persian, fl. 900 BCE, Prophet and hymn-writer, also known as 'Zarathustra'. Dates unsure.]

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29. Religion / B. Monotheistic Religion / 1. Monotheistic Religion

7598	Zoroaster and the Hebrew prophets evolved different versions of monotheism
	Full Idea: Zoroaster and the Hebrew prophets evolved different versions of monotheism.
	From: report of Zoroaster (The Gathas (seventeen hymns) [c.900 BCE]) by Karen Armstrong - A History of God Ch.1
	A reaction: This seems to be the consensus on the origins of monotheism, which places the development much earlier than the appearance of the idea in Greek philosophy.

29. Religion / B. Monotheistic Religion / 3. Zoroastrianism

7472	Zarathustra was the first to present a god who is an abstract concept
	Full Idea: Zarathustra's achievement was for the first time to present a god who is an abstract concept - he broke with the tradition of a pantheon of gods.
	From: Zoroaster (The Gathas (seventeen hymns) [c.900 BCE]), quoted by Peter Watson - Ideas Ch.05
	A reaction: The more abstract the gods become, the harder it is to challenge their existence.

20672	Zoroastrianism saw the world as a battle between good evil gods
	Full Idea: Zoroastrianism saw the world as a cosmic battle between the good god Ahura Mazda and the evil god Angra Mainyu.
	From: report of Zoroaster (The Gathas (seventeen hymns) [c.900 BCE]) by Yuval Noah Harari - Sapiens: brief history of humankind 12 'Battle'
	A reaction: Hm. This contradicts the impression I had gained that it was monotheist.