Re: If Religion Was Created…
one of the First Monotheistic Religion having very similar beliefs as Islam was Zoroastrianism, it is very interesting what was believed by Zoroastrians:
**From the Gâthâ’s, we learn that Zarathustra started to preach that Ahuramazda had created ‘the world, mankind and all good things in it’ through his holy spirit, Spenta Mainyu. The rest of the universe was created by six other spirits, the Amesha Spentas (‘holy immortals’). However, the order of this sevenfold creation was threatened by The Lie; good spirits and evil demons (daeva) were fighting and mankind had to support the good spirits in order to speed up the inevitable victory of Ahuramazda. The believer could side with Ahuramazda by avoiding lies, supporting the poor, several kinds of sacrifices, the cult of fire, et cetera.
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** ****Zarathustra also warned the people that there would be a Last Judgment. At the end of times, angels were to lead all men and women across a narrow bridge, where they would be judged by Spenta Manyu (which is described as a beautiful maiden); the friends of The Lie would fall into a large chasm of fire called Worst Existence, but the followers of Zarathustra were to reach Paradise, which goes under the name of House of Best Purpose.
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correct me if I am wrong, but it seems this pre dates Ibrahim ES!