der zoroastrismus als prononcierter monotheismus

The first part of this two-part essay focused on zarathustra's special position as the first founder of a religion. in this essay it is shown that through the work of zarathustra polytheism was replaced by a radical monotheism. zarathustra's work transformed a ritual religion into a book religion based on the avesta. at the center of this is ahuramazda, with whom the prophet and founder of the religion cultivated an almost friendly relationship through revelations. in addition, zarathustra develops a new eschatology with a clear separation of a positive afterlife on the one hand and a concept of hell on the other. man's actions in this world are the basis for how his post-mortem fate is judged in the afterlife. in addition, the essay looks at the conditions that make such a pronounced monotheism possible in the first place, as well as the dark sides that monotheism entails. finally, zarathustra is defined as the one who - alongside akhenaten in ancient egypt - created this monotheistic variant for the first time and completely without foreign influence, which then even found its way into islam via judaism and christianity.