Last word for Zarathustra

I suppose it wouldn't be polite to celebrate the pending extinction of an entire culture, but what the heck? According to the New York Times, Zoroastrianism is about to go the way of Baal-worshipping. With "perhaps as few as 124,000" adherents left on the planet, and a death rate that exceeds the replacement rate, the future's not looking so bright the for musical inspiration for 2001: A Space Odyssey.

From one perspective, this is a sad thing. Followers of Zoroaster are among the more reasonable monotheists.

Zoroastrians believe in free will, so in matters of religion they do not believe in compulsion. They do not proselytize. They can pray at home instead of going to a temple. While there are priests, there is no hierarchy to set policy. And their basic doctrine is a universal ethical precept: "good thoughts, good words, good deeds."

"That's what I take away from Zoroastrianism," said Tenaz Dubash, a filmmaker in New York City who is making a documentary about the future of her faith, "that I'm a cerebral, thinking human being, and I need to think for myself."

Aside from the belief in a "final day of judgment," there's a fair bit to recommend the religion -- as far as religions go.

But it is a religion, and so its passing won't be mourned on the Island of Doubt. And in the end, it is victim of its own success. Let's look at that quote again:

Zoroastrians believe in free will, so in matters of religion they do not believe in compulsion. They do not proselytize. They can pray at home instead of going to a temple. While there are priests, there is no hierarchy to set policy. And their basic doctrine is a universal ethical precept: "good thoughts, good words, good deeds."

With such a laid-back standard operating procedure, what did they expect? I mean, that's no way to spread the good word. Indeed, I'm surprised the faith lasted as long as it did. I think Zoroastrians should be pleased with themselves: three thousand years is about as long a run as any religion can expect to squeeze out of human culture.

Maybe the Zoroastrian day of judgment has arrived. They won. And the reward is: they don't have to belief in the supernatural anymore.

Peace.