“Take it to the mountain top, if you've never heard it before. I am saying it to you this morning in the scheme of things as far as politics of Nigeria is concerned, President Muhammadu Buhari is number 15 and yours sincerely I am number 16.” -Tunde Bakare
And as he made this earth shattering proclamation that the heavens had decreed him to be president of Nigeria, the congregation was thrown into a frenzy.
They jumped and skipped all over the auditorium, hands raised in the glorification of the almighty that a saviour of Nigeria had been born into their church.
There is a solid consensus among Talmudists that Zoroastrianism had a significant influence on the Talmud. I mean if you compare the Bavli to the Jerusalem Talmud, you can begin to see the massive Persian influence on the Babylonian Talmud.
I remember one Jewish scholar noting that no religion has closer laws to Rabbinic Judaism than Zoroastrianism itself. If you are interested, Geoffrey Herman published a few interesting articles.
One of the most striking parallels I've noticed is the Eran/Aneran dichotomy and the Jewish/Gentile dichotomy. Although, the Zoroastrian counterpart is more stringent. The only way you can be apart of Eran is to be BOTH Iranian and Zoroastrian.
1. A theory of Everything (Theology or Philosophy)
2. That theory is then presented in the form of mythology - stories, Grand-narratives, legends, epics and anecdotes etc.
3. A blueprint for practice - ethics, morals, rituals, customs, traditions etc.
Some religions like the Abrahamic ones construct their theology on some mythical assumptions - in other words mythology is their foundation.
The Dharma religions (Hinduism, Buddhism and Jainism) are grounded in philosophy with mythology illustrating and illuminating metaphysics but not essential to the core philosophy.
Despite of a heavy indoctrination through my entire childhood, I managed to eventually escape from my belief system. But that was not easy. Religion was essential part of my life. No other option existed for me.
I have changed my mind through a careful study of basic laws of nature and discovering a scientific method as the best tool to confirm humankind's knowledge.
With an enlightenment came an admiration of physical reality, and thirst for knowledge. I began to seek answers to all questions I did not dare to ask before.