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I try to answer questions on this site from what I recall from a lifetime of studies of Yahwehism. There have been many side excursions and while examining Angelology 25 years ago I
became aware of the influence of Zoroaster on many of the sects, especially those who experienced the fallout from the Babylonian Exile.
To my knowledge Zoroaster was basically Pacifist, his unique concept of life after death, good versus evil, and a plethora of angels in attendance of his God enabled his religion prominence during the peak of the Persian Empire's power.
To say that the Pharisees, Essenes, Judaism and Christianity--
just to name a few of the sects--have been greatly influenced by Zoroaster would be an understatement.
When the Muslims swept through Europe nearly 1000 years after the Persian Empire's wane Zoroastrianism was not included as "People of the Book" and was effectively wiped out.
Zoroaster was another of the many many men who would spend long periods of time in the wilderness and return to the civilized world with a revelation. I had often wondered if these wise men could have been eating wild mushrooms or some form of hallucinogenic during their ordeal, when I read a book critical of Zoroaster who described the religion "hemp influenced".
Zoroaster was a user of the plant Somme. There is a long story about an Eagle bringing the seeds of the plant from the skies. When made liquid, the Somme was a cure-all used to resolve all sorts of mental and physical ailments. And, it was indeed an hallucinogenic.
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How was Zoroastrianism regarded by other religions?
