1. How belief impacts on people's lives – GodWord used to describe a personal transcendent Being, the world and others.

2. The changes (if any provided).

3. The benefits on individuals, communities, the world.

4. Examples of worth.

Zoroastrians believe Ahura MazdaEmbodiment of good (often known as God) created the world so people, therefore, have a duty to care for it. This, they claim, makes them the first environmentalists. Although creation (BundahishnZoroastrian Pahlavi scripture ) is assaulted by the forces of evil causing sufferingThe universal condition of humankind, partly caused by the impermanence of all things, decay and death, it nevertheless remains 'the Good CreationGood thoughts, words and deeds. ' and people have a duty to enjoy it.

There is no tradition of monasticism in Zoroastrianism; to retreat from the world would be to spurn Ahura Mazda's creation. People have a duty to get married, have children and to expand the army of Ahura Mazda. Barrenness is seen as an affliction of evil. Zoroastrians adopted Aristotle's idea of the Golden MeanA virtue which is the midpoint between asceticism and debauchery. . This is the idea that virtue is the mid point between opposing vices, thus marriage is the mean between asceticism and debauchery. Inevitably teachings have changed over the millennia. In India some ParsisEarly followers of Zoroaster. have been influenced by Hindu beliefs regarding rebirthA new incarnation / embodiment of the person , an influence not felt in Iran. In the western DiasporaBelievers living away from their original homeland. there is a greater emphasis on understanding the meaning of prayersExtempore and set conversations with God and knowing the doctrinal teachings, whereas in India the emphasis is on identity and being a member of the community rather than on teachings. There are, of course, exceptions to this, most notably a movement called 'Zoroastrian Studies' led by an Oxford graduate based in Mumbai. However, the core teachings supporting the myths of creation and the end of time (FrashegirdSaviour ), the conflict between good and evil, care for the world, and the belief that one will be judged by the balance of good and evil thoughts, words and deeds, have continued to hold firm. In particular the importance of charitable giving, notably in educational ventures and medicine, has long been a characteristic Zoroastrian duty with charity viewed as inter-communal across all faiths.

Websites

http://www.altreligion.about.com/library/faqs/bl_zoroastrianism.htm

http://www.avesta.org/avesta.html

http://www.themystica.com/mystica/articles/z/zoroastrianism.html

Bibliography

‘Abdu'l-Bahá, 1972. Paris Talks: Addresses given by ‘Abdu'l-Bahá in Paris, 1911-1912. London: UK Bahá'í Publishing Trust

Boyce, M., 1984. Textual Sources for the Study of Zoroastrianism. Manchester: Manchester University Press.

Boyce, M., 1997. 'Zoroastrianism'. In Hinnells, J.R. (ed.). New Penguin Handbook of Living Religions. Harmondsworth: Penguin Books.

Boyce, M., 1977. A Persian Stronghold of Zoroastrianism. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Boyce, M., 2000. Zoroastrians: their religious beliefs and practices, 2ed. London: Routledge.

Hinnells, J.R., 1985. Persian Mythology. London: Newnes Books.

Hinnells, J.R., 1996. Zoroastrians in Britain. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Hinnells, J.R., 2000. Zoroastrian and Parsi Studies: Selected works of John R. Hinnells. Aldershot: Ashgate. On Zoroastrian influence on the Bible.

Hinnells, J.R., 2001. Penguin Dictionary of Religions. London: Penguin.

Hinnells, J.R., 2005. The Zoroastrian Diaspora. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

SHAP (Shap Working Party), 1998. Festivals in World Religions. s.l.: s.n.

Zaehner, R.C., 1961. The Dawn and Twilight of Zoroastrianism. London: Weidenfeld and Nicolson. (some of the earlier chapters are now disputed)

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