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It is the world's oldest revealed religion. A profound influence on Judaism, Islam, and Christianity, it was the first to teach a monotheistic faith of one God of light, Ahura Mazda.

The founder of the religion, the prophet Zarathustra (Zoroaster), preached a doctrine of Light overcoming darkness, the free will of man to choose either the light path or the dark path, and the presence of a divine system of law. The opposer of Ahura Mazda, the evil spirit Angra Mainyu, is often viewed as the predecessor of Satan as the enemy of God. Zoroastrianism was also the first to teach a messiah figure, called the Sayoshant, who is to be born of a virgin- a savior who will raise the dead and bring judgment to sinners. Ahura Mazda manifests to believers within sacred fire- traces of Zoroastrian mythology can be found in the Old Testament story of the burning bush, where God appears to the prophet Moses as a flame)

For all its contributions to the world's religious doctrines, Zoroastrianism is little known today. The three thousand year old faith is slowly dying out, having dwindled to less than a hundred thousand. Today's Zoroastrians, known as Parsees, are largely concentrated in India, where they have lived since they were driven from their Persian homeland by Alexander the Great (known to Zoroastrians as 'Alexander the accursed') more than two thousand years ago.

Unfortunately, in order to gain asylum in India so many years ago, they made a promise not to proselytize- a promise that may bring an end to the faith. This proscription against conversion is still in effect today, and under Indian law, only children of a Zoroastrian father may become members of the faith.

Controversy over these rules rages within the faith. Many, seeing the devastation wrought on their numbers by time, want membership opened to children of mixed marriage, or even to outsiders' conversion. Others want membership open to only marriages of the faithful, excluding even more children than the current rules.

The Zoroastrian religion may die out in our lifetime. Fire temples once bustling with worshippers lie empty today, and the world still caught up in ancient religion has yet to take any notice.

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