Zoroastrian Resource Thread

[Corthos]

it can be incredibly hard to find information on Zoroastrianism. Not only that, but a lot of the time the information is outdated, inaccurate, or just plain contradictory. I feel there needs to be a thread where people can more easily access information on Zoroastrianism. So, let's make our own archives of information! I'll start things off:

The Zarathushtrian Assembly - A website that includes a translation of the Gathas by Ali A. Jafarey along with the original Avestan words and a breakdown for every stanza: http://www.zoroastrian.org/

Zarathushtra - A wonderful Gathic Zoroastrian site filled with info including a plethora different translations of the Gathas: http://www.zarathushtra.com/

FEZANA - Great info mostly covering traditional Zoroastrianism including a translation of the Avesta: http://avesta.org/

Here's an interesting video about Gathic Zoroastrian philosophy if you have an hour to kill.

If anyone else comes across something informative or interesting, feel free to post it here! I will post more as I come across things. =)

 

[Corthos]

Zoroastrians - A cool resource website with everything from news articles to recipes. It's open for ALL Zoroastrians (regardless of religious views) to use, and is updated frequently: https://zoroastrians.net/

Zoroastrianism Restored - A website with an interesting take on Gathic Zoroastrianism. It covers many of the basics, and is very comprehensive. Some may disagree with it's content, though, and it hasn't been updated for quite some years (some links don't work): http://www.tenets.zoroastrian-fire-temple.com/

Lord of Wisdom - Non-profit organization with a lot of Gathic Zoroastrian info, and the proceeds from their sales (and donations) go towards charity: http://www.lordofwisdom.com/

The World Zoroastrian Information Center - An Irani based Zoroastrian website that is unaffiliated; it discusses various aspects of Zoroastrianism from several viewpoints. Very interesting and informative: http://w-z-info-c.page.tl/Home.htm

 

[matthew_/!/]

Never even heard of lordofwisdom.com and I thought I'd seen them all. Thank you very much

 

[Corthos]

North American Mobeds Council - Here are interesting lectures I came across based on Traditional views: http://namcmobeds.org/video/

Traditional Zoroastrianism - A Parsi Zoroastrian website; controversial, but informative:http://tenets.parsizoroastrianism.com/

Here is a fresh perspective on Zoroastrianism based on atheism. Some might find it valuable. =)

 

[Corthos]

Here's a channel that has some interesting videos, but the channel owner seems to be a fan of funkadelic visual/audio filters. XD None the less, he just uploaded a video after 3 years of inactivity, so I will be look forward to seeing if he will upload more! Here's a cool little mantra/prayer he does. =)

Here are another youtube channel that's updated frequently; however, the videos aren't in English more often then not. Regardless, there are some great videos in that channel!

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNHNI-ErspZVWHYK6-Arttw

 

[1137]

All I want to know is what's special about the peacock. Which resource should I dig in to?

 

[Corthos]

All I want to know is what's special about the peacock. Which resource should I dig in to?

Peacock?...

Are you talking about the peacock angel of the Yazidi religion (which has elements of Zoroastrianism, among other religions), or the significance of the peacock in Zurvanism (an ancient denomination of Zoroastrianism)?

I can't say I'm an expert in either (since the peacock doesn't really have much to do with modern Zoroastrianism, as far as I know). Here's what Wikipedia has to say...

Melek Taus, the Yazidi peacock angel:

Melek Taus (Kurdish: Tawûsê Melek‎), also spelled Malik Tous, translated in English as Peacock Angel, is one of the central figures of Yazidi religion. In Yazidi creation stories, God created the world and entrusted it to the care of a Heptad of seven Holy Beings, often known as Angels or heft sirr ('the Seven Mysteries'), preeminent of which is Tawûsê Melek, the Peacock Angel.[1]

Like many aspects of the secretive Yazidi religion, Tawûsê Melek is subject to varied and ambiguous interpretations. The Yazidi Book of Revelation (Ketêbâ Jelwa), an early twentieth-century text written by non-Yazidis but based on Yazidi oral tradition,[2] is purported to contain the words of Tawûsê Melek; it states that he allocates responsibilities, blessings and misfortunes upon humanity as he sees fit and that it is not for the race of Adam to question his choices.[2]

Since the late 16th century,[3] Muslims have accused Yazidis of devil worship due to the similarity between the Quranic story of Shaitan and the account of Tawûsê Melek's refusal to bow to Adam. Whereas Muslims revile Shaitan for refusing to submit to God and bow to Adam, believing that his defiance caused him to fall from God's grace,[4] Yazidis revere Tawûsê Melek for his independence. Accusations of devil worship fueled centuries of violent persecution, which have led Yazidi communities to concentrate in remote mountainous regions of northwestern Iraq.[3] The Yazidi taboo against the Arabic word Shaitan (الشیطان) and on words containing the consonants š (sh) and t/ṭ have been used to suggest a connection between this Tawûsê Melek and Shaitan,[2] although no evidence exists to suggest Yazidis worship Tawûsê Melek as the same figure.[5]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Melek_Taus

Zurvanism Peacock Myth:

Zurvanism's principal feature is then the notion that both Ahura Mazda (MP: Ohrmuzd) and Angra Mainyu (Ahriman) were twin brothers, with the former being the epitome of good and the latter being the epitome of evil. Further, this dichotomy was by choice, that is, Angra Mainyu chose to be evil: "It is not that I cannot create anything good, but that I will not." And to prove this, he created the peacock.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Angra_Mainyu

 

[LampunHenki]

I discovered this website: The Occidental Temple of the Wise Lord
I think that they teach Gathic Zoroastrianism from the western point of view. I haven't been interested in Zoroastrinism before, but they have kindled a flame of interest in my heart.

 

[MD]

I discovered this website: The Occidental Temple of the Wise Lord
I think that they teach Gathic Zoroastrianism from the western point of view. I haven't been interested in Zoroastrinism before, but they have kindled a flame of interest in my heart.

Yea they are looking at it from a Western perspective and in a response to the general exclusion traditional Zoroastrian communities exhibit. Whatever Zoroastrian communities exist in the coming centuries will be more along the lines of the former than the latter, who are diminishing.

 

[InquisitiveScholar]

Yea they are looking at it from a Western perspective and in a response to the general exclusion traditional Zoroastrian communities exhibit. Whatever Zoroastrian communities exist in the coming centuries will be more along the lines of the former than the latter, who are diminishing.

A more accepting Zoroastrian community is good, the faith was highly accepting in it's youth, only after the Muslim invasions did it become much more close off to others.