EPISODE · Mar 13, 2026 · 3H 12M
Zoroastrianism | The Religion That Invented Good and Evil
from sleepyphilosophyradio · host slphilosophy
Vote on what comes next: https://www.slphilosophyradio.com/voteWhere did the idea of good and evil actually come from?Before Christianity, before Judaism, before almost any tradition we can name, a priest on the ancient Iranian steppe looked at the world and saw a moral structure written into reality itself. His name was Zarathustra, and his vision became one of the most influential religious traditions most people have never heard of.This episode traces the full arc of Zoroastrian thought, from the passionate hymns of the Gathas through the cosmic dualism of Ahura Mazda and Angra Mainyu, the revolutionary ethics of free will and the goodness of the material world, the astonishing influence this tradition exercised on Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, and the living Zoroastrian communities that carry this ancient fire into the present.(0:00:00) Before Good and Evil Had Names(0:37:50) The Architecture of the Cosmos(1:16:19) The Choice That Makes the World(1:53:45) The Longest Shadow(2:32:22) Fire That Does Not Go OutSuggested Reading:Zoroastrians: Their Religious Beliefs and Practices by Mary Boyce: https://amzn.to/4ugB75AZoroastrianism: An Introduction by Jenny Rose: https://amzn.to/3Pm2CKQThe Spirit of Zoroastrianism edited by Prods Oktor Skjaervo: https://amzn.to/3OWvIAmThus Spoke Zarathustra by Friedrich Nietzsche: https://amzn.to/3OM97GOFollow Sleepy Philosophy Radio for more longform philosophy.Support the channel: https://creators.spotify.com/pod/profile/sleepyphilo/subscribe
What this episode covers
Vote on what comes next: https://www.slphilosophyradio.com/voteWhere did the idea of good and evil actually come from?Before Christianity, before Judaism, before almost any tradition we can name, a priest on the ancient Iranian steppe looked at the world and saw a moral structure written into reality itself. His name was Zarathustra, and his vision became one of the most influential religious traditions most people have never heard of.This episode traces the full arc of Zoroastrian thought, from the passionate hymns of the Gathas through the cosmic dualism of Ahura Mazda and Angra Mainyu, the revolutionary ethics of free will and the goodness of the material world, the astonishing influence this tradition exercised on Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, and the living Zoroastrian communities that carry this ancient fire into the present.(0:00:00) Before Good and Evil Had Names(0:37:50) The Architecture of the Cosmos(1:16:19) The Choice That Makes the World(1:53:45) The Longest Shadow(2:32:22) Fire That Does Not Go OutSuggested Reading:Zoroastrians: Their Religious Beliefs and Practices by Mary Boyce: https://amzn.to/4ugB75AZoroastrianism: An Introduction by Jenny Rose: https://amzn.to/3Pm2CKQThe Spirit of Zoroastrianism edited by Prods Oktor Skjaervo: https://amzn.to/3OWvIAmThus Spoke Zarathustra by Friedrich Nietzsche: https://amzn.to/3OM97GOFollow Sleepy Philosophy Radio for more longform philosophy.Support the channel: https://creators.spotify.com/pod/profile/sleepyphilo/subscribe
NOW PLAYING
Zoroastrianism | The Religion That Invented Good and Evil
No transcript for this episode yet
Similar Episodes
No similar episodes found.
Similar Podcasts
No similar podcasts found.