The Persian influence of Zoraster and Mithra No understanding of the Mithraic myth would be possible without first understanding Persian Zorastrianism. According to E. W. West's translation of the "Gathas" (psalms), Zoraster lived from 660-583 BCE, although this is uncertain. The earliest scriptures are known as the "Avesta", which consists of the "Gathas" (psalms), Venidad (laws), and the "Yasts" (liturgies). During the Arsacid and Sassanian dynasties another literature emerged known simply as the "Pahlavi Texts." Much like Jesus, Zoraster began his active ministry at the age of 30 with a sacred baptism. John the Baptist's claim that he baptized with water, but the one who came after him would baptize with the Holy Ghost came straight from Zorastrianism. Like Judaism and Brahmanism, Zorastrianism was a form of priest state. Like Judaism and Christianity, the religion was monotheistic. However, unlike Christianity there was no soter. Zorastrian theology was totally based on the dualist cosmology of the Good Creator Ahuramazda, who created all that is good and the Evil Creator Angra Mainyu or Ahriman, who created all that is either evil or unuseful to humans, which included all of the physical world. The basic human conflict exists between the good spirit which is trapped throughout life in the evil body. This duality was carried over into Christianity mostly in the Epistles of Paul, but it does not exist in either Judaism or Buddhism. Worship of the Persian god Mithra, one of the pantheon of Zorastrian gods, actually originated among the Tamil people of Southeast India. Mithraism, always associated with the sun and the bull, began sometime in the 3rd century BCE. It grew out of its Zorastrian roots and absorbed a number of Chaldean traits including zodiacal and astrological symbolism. After the advent of Christianity it became Christianities most fierce competitor for converts. It was particularly popular among the Romans especially those in the military. The Roman Emperor Constantine was a worshipper of Mithra before his miraculous conversion to Christianity. However, Mithraism never became popular among the Greeks. It evolved out of the mysteries and contained many characteristics which were popular among religious followers including the sacrament of wine and bread and baptism not with water, but with fire much in the manner that John the Baptist claimed his successor would do. Central to the religion was the slaying of the bull which was done above a grating, much like in the worship of Cybele, where initiates were placed under a grating to be drenched by the blood of the bull which brought them salvation. However, its biggest shortcoming was its lack of a soter, savior figure, like Osiris or Jesus Christ. Mithraism retained the same dualistic world view as Zorastrianism, with the material world controlled by Ahriman (the devil) which Mithra had entered to try and reclaim for Ormazd (Persian god). Tarsus the reported home of Paul was a hotbed of Mithraism. In the Zorastrian myth Shemig-abu, who although she had never known a man would become pregnant with the first reincarnation of the Zorastrian Messiah Hushedar, at the age of 15. At the age of 30 in the Zorastrian 10,001 year of time, which corresponds to 371 CE, the sun was to stand still for 10 days and Hushedar was to ascend into the eternal light to confer with the archangels. So, the religion did envision a Messianic figure who much like Jesus was to be born of a virgin when she was 15 years old. Due to its intense nationalism, Zorastrianism could never be accepted by any people other than the Iranians. However, the Gospel Jesus borrowed much from this religion. Concepts like heaven and hell are not Jewish, but Zorastrian as are the savior born of a virgin mother, the belief in demons, the Messiah of moral justice based on the concepts of good and evil, and the vision of the final apocalypse are all Zorastrian. Continued Table of Contents