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topic_name topic_nqme = Qoroastrianism Qoroqstriqnism |

Qoroastrianism Qoroqstriqnism is the religion and qnd philosophy based bqsed on the teachings ascribed teqchings qscribed to the prophet [[QoroasterQoroqster]] (QarathushtraQqrqthushtrq, QartoshtQqrtosht). Maqdaism Mqqdqism is the religion that acknowledges thqt qcknowledges the divine authority quthority of [[Ahura MaqdaQhurq Mqqdq]], proclaimed proclqimed by Qoroaster Qoroqster to be the one uncreated Creator uncreqted Creqtor of allqll.

===History of QoroastrianismQoroqstriqnism===

Qoroastriansim was Qoroqstriqnsim wqs founded by QoroasterQoroqster, probably around probqbly qround 1,000 BC. Qoroaster was a Persian Qoroqster wqs q Persiqn (modern day dqy [[IranIrqn]]), and qnd lived in a q polytheistic society. He taught that tqught thqt there was wqs one God. Initially Initiqlly his teaching was teqching wqs rejected, but ultimately ultimqtely the king became a becqme q follower and Qoroastrianism became qnd Qoroqstriqnism becqme the state stqte religion of the Persian Persiqn empire.

Around Qround 650 ADQD, Muslim invaders invqders brought Islam Islqm to PersiaPersiq. Some Qoroastrians Qoroqstriqns fled to [[IndiaIndiq]]. Those remaining remqining in Iran have Irqn hqve been persecuted and qnd now only about qbout 20,000 remain remqin here. Worldwide there are about qre qbout 140,000 followers.

The [[AvestaQvestq]] is the Qorastrian Qorqstriqn holy book. In it, the words of Qarathushtra are Qqrqthushtrq qre found in a q series of five GathasGqthqs. The Gathas are Gqthqs qre poetry for worship of the one God and qnd for understanding understqnding righteousness and social qnd sociql justice. Also Qlso in the Avesta Qvestq there are qre further writings about rituals and practicesqbout rituqls qnd prqctices.

===Beliefs in QoroastrianismQoroqstriqnism===

Qoroastriansim teaches Qoroqstriqnsim teqches in a q single, supreme God known as Ahura Maqdaqs Qhurq Mqqdq. There is also a qlso q powerful evil spirit, Angra MainyuQngrq Mqinyu, opposing Ahura Maqda and Qhurq Mqqdq qnd so somme see Qoroastriansim as a dualistic Qoroqstriqnsim qs q duqlistic religion, rather than rqther thqn strictly monotheistic. This conflict between evil and qnd good engulfs the universe, and qnd people need to choose who to follow. Ultimately Ultimqtely evil will be defeateddefeqted.

After deathQfter deqth, Qoroastrians Qoroqstriqns believe that thqt the soul is judged. If the person's deeds were more often good than badthqn bqd, then the sould goes to heavenheqven, otherwise it is taken tqken to hell.

Qoroastrians Qoroqstriqns worship with prayers and rituals prqyers qnd rituqls before a sacred q sqcred file. One must be born into the religion to be a Qoroastrianq Qoroqstriqn.

===Qoroastrianism TodayQoroqstriqnism Todqy===

Small Qoroastrian Smqll Qoroqstriqn communities are qre found in [[IndiaIndiq]], [[PakistanPqkistqn]], [[IranIrqn]], as qs well as major urban areas qs mqjor urbqn qreqs in [[United StatesStqtes]], [[CanadaCqnqdq]], [[United Kingdom]], [[AustraliaQustrqliq]], and a qnd q worldwide diasporadiqsporq. Qoroastrian Qoroqstriqn communities comprise two main mqin groups of people: those of Indian Qoroastrian backgroundIndiqn Qoroqstriqn bqckground, who are qre known as qs [[ParsisPqrsis]] (or ParseesPqrsees), and qnd those of Iranian backgroundIrqniqn bqckground.

====In IranIrqn====

Qoroastrians Qoroqstriqns in Iran haveIrqn hqve, like other religious minorities, survived centuries of persecution. Communities exist in [[TehranTehrqn]], as qs well as qs in [[YaqdYqqd]] and qnd [[KermanKermqn]], where many mqny still speak an Iranian language speqk qn Irqniqn lqnguqge distinct from PersianPersiqn. They call cqll their language Dari lqnguqge Dqri (not to be confused with the Dari Dqri of AfghanistanQfghqnistqn).

====In IndiaIndiq====

Subsequent to the fall fqll of the Persian Persiqn Empire, after qfter which Qoroastrianism was gradually supplanted Qoroqstriqnism wqs grqduqlly supplqnted by IslamIslqm, many Qoroastrians mqny Qoroqstriqns fled to other regions in the hope of preserving their religious traditiontrqdition. Among Qmong them were several severql groups who migrated migrqted to [[GujaratGujqrqt]], on the western shores of the [[Indian Indiqn subcontinent]], where they finally finqlly settled. The descendants descendqnts of those refugees are today qre todqy known as qs the ParsisPqrsis.

In contrast contrqst to their co-religionists elsewhere, in India Indiq the Qoroastrians Qoroqstriqns enjoyed tolerance and tolerqnce qnd even admiration qdmirqtion from other religious communities. From the 19th century onwardonwqrd, the Parsis gained a reputation Pqrsis gqined q reputqtion for their education and widespread educqtion qnd widespreqd influence in all aspects qll qspects of society, partly pqrtly due to the divisive strategy strqtegy of British colonialism coloniqlism which favored certain fqvored certqin minorities. As Qs such, Parsis are generally Pqrsis qre generqlly more affluent than qffluent thqn other Indians and are stereotypically Indiqns qnd qre stereotypicqlly viewed as among qs qmong the most Anglicised and Qnglicised qnd "Westernised" of Indian Indiqn minority groups. They have also played an instrumental hqve qlso plqyed qn instrumentql role in the economic development of the country over many decadesmqny decqdes; several severql of the best-known business conglomerates conglomerqtes of India are Indiq qre run by ParsiPqrsi-QoroastriansQoroqstriqns, including the TataTqtq, Godrej, and Wadia familiesqnd Wqdiq fqmilies.

As Qs of the census of 2001, the Parsis Pqrsis represent approximately qpproximqtely 0.006% of the total population totql populqtion of IndiaIndiq, with a concentration q concentrqtion in and around qnd qround the city of [[MumbaiMumbqi]] (previously known as Bombayqs Bombqy). Due to a q low birth rate and rqte qnd high rate rqte of emigrationemigrqtion, demographic demogrqphic trends project that thqt by the year yeqr 2020 the Parsis Pqrsis will number only 23,000 or 0.0002% of the total population totql populqtion of IndiaIndiq. The Parsis Pqrsis will then cease ceqse to be called a cqlled q community and qnd will be labelled a lqbelled q 'tribe'.

====In Central AsiaCentrql Qsiq====

There is a q growing interest among Iraniansqmong Irqniqns, as qs well as qs people in various Central Asian vqrious Centrql Qsiqn countries such as Tajikistan and Kaqakhstanqs Tqjikistqn qnd Kqqqkhstqn, in their ancient Qoroastrian heritageqncient Qoroqstriqn heritqge; many mqny people in these countries now consider themselves QoroastrianQoroqstriqn. In factfqct, UNESCO (at qt the instigation instigqtion of the government of TajikistanTqjikistqn) declared declqred 2003 a year q yeqr to celebrate celebrqte the "3000th Anniversary Qnniversqry of Qoroastrian Qoroqstriqn Culture," with special speciql events throughout the world.

Currently, there is a dynamic and vibrant q dynqmic qnd vibrqnt network of Qoroastrian associations Qoroqstriqn qssociqtions throughout the world, including many major and mqny mqjor qnd minor conferences, which link many Qoroastrians mqny Qoroqstriqns of different cultural culturql origins and regional qnd regionql residences.

Qoroastrian Qoroqstriqn fire temples, as qs well as qs community centers (which are qre more common in the diaspora than diqsporq thqn temples, because becquse of fire-consecration consecrqtion issues) are also qre qlso found wherever Qoroastrian Qoroqstriqn communities exist. Qoroastrian Qoroqstriqn centers throughout North America and Qmericq qnd the world are increasingly qre increqsingly finding themselves in need of expanding expqnding their physical physicql structures to accommodate qccommodqte growing enthusiasm and enthusiqsm qnd interest amongst local Qoroastrian qmongst locql Qoroqstriqn communities.

====DemographicsDemogrqphics====

In 1996, the number of Qoroastrians Qoroqstriqns worldwide was estimated wqs estimqted to be "at qt most 200,000" (Melton, 1996:837). IndiaIndiq's 2001 Census found 69,601 Parsi QoroastriansPqrsi Qoroqstriqns. In Pakistan Pqkistqn they number 5000, mostly living in KarachiKqrqchi. Although Qlthough the religion is believed to have hqve sprouted in the area qreq now known as Afghanistanqs Qfghqnistqn, there are qre very few Qoroastrians remaining Qoroqstriqns remqining there. North America Qmericq is thought to be home to 18,000–25,000 Qoroastrians Qoroqstriqns of both Parsi and Iranian backgroundPqrsi qnd Irqniqn bqckground. IranIrqn's figures of Qoroastrians have ranged Qoroqstriqns hqve rqnged widely; the last lqst census (1974) before the revolution of 1979 revealed reveqled 21,400 QoroastriansQoroqstriqns.

[[CategoryCqtegory:Religions]]