In my previous articles, I've tried to prove the fact that the foundation of all civilizations is religion.  So far no one has come to disproof this fact. Indeed, the initial inspiration behind all civilizations in the history of the world is driven from some foundational interpretation of religion.  It is undisputable fact and also most fascinating to learn that each major world religions --Hinduism, Judaism, Zoroastrianism, Buddhism, Christianity and Islam-- has given birth to great civilizations.  These historic civilizations all have certain things in common.

Each, in its turn, absorbed and unified hundreds of warring ethnic groups into a spiritual brotherhood.  Each later declined and decayed, to become more a source of conflict than of cooperation.  This cyclic rise and fall of civilizations --deriving their initial impulse from religion-- has largely shaped the history of modern world.  For example, the Hebrew culture derived from Judaism, fertilized the philosophy of ancient Greece and left a code of law that became the basis for every modern legal system. When the Roman Empire collapsed, Christianity rose from its rubble, founded the new world of the West and institutionalized a spirit of charity and philanthropy that still survive to this day.(1)  As the Western Europe sank into the Dark Ages, Islam molded primitive Arab tribes into an empire more vast than that of Rome at its peak, adorned its cities with flourishing architectures, universities and libraries, invented soap, algebra, zero, banking, Arabic numerals, and hundreds of modern conveniences, and (during its centuries stay in Spain) triggered Europe's Renaissance and the discovery of America. Moreover, it was Islam that introduced nationalism in the modern sense -a concept that, whatever its limitations, has spurred social and economic developments throughout the world.

Moreover, it was Zoroastrian religion that made the Persians the first most civilized people in the known world.  As attested by the annals of the world's most illustrious historians, the first government to be established on earth, the foremost empire to be organized among the nations, was Persia's throne and diadem.  Aside from that which is a matter of record in Persian histories, according to the Bible, Persia is also a place where Abraham and Daniel, the two great prophets of God, lived. Moreover, it is also stated in the Old Testament that in the time of Cyrus, called in Iranian works Bahman son of Isfandíyár, the three hundred and sixty divisions of the Persian Empire extended from the inner confines of India and China to the farthermost reaches of Yemen and Abyssinia.(2) Zoroastrian priests, (also called "Magi" or "wise men from East"), were also mentioned in Daniel --Daniel and his friends Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who served as wise-men/advisors in the royal court of Babylon, with Daniel in charge of them all.(3)  The magi are also known in the New Testament.  They were the three wise men who came from the East to bring gifts to Jesus Christ, the Babe in the manger.  They were the first to recognize Jesus as a King of Kings.  Thus, they invented the art of giving Christmas presents.(4)  Miriam Webster Dictionary defines “Magi”, “A caste of priests and sages among the ancient Persians.”(5)

In ancient days, the Egyptian and the Greek people were the most advanced. One can ask:  'since did they not worship God the way He wants to be worshipped how did they become so civilized?'  But, since they could not comprehend the concept of God, other than through idols they worshiped, nevertheless, they were the only people close to God and His ways than any other society at that time. However, when Moses came to Egypt, the people of Egypt refused to accept Him.  Despite many warnings of impending catastrophe,  they refused to accept the oneness of God.  Thus, due to their failure to recognize Mosses and accept the oneness of God, they perished into an ocean of ignorance.  Therefore, the meaning of the Pharaoh's and his armies perishing into the ocean of the Red Sea is an allegory of their decline into ignorance.  Right after they failed to recognize Mosses, they started to decline and all their knowledge went into oblivion.  Similarly, the decline of Greek civilization can also be linked with the coming of Jesus and the decline of Europe into 'Dark Ages' can be linked with the coming of Mohammad.  In fact, all declines of civilization is directly or indirectly linked with the coming of a Messenger of God.

In the times of the Buddha and Krishna, the civilization in Asia and in the East was very much higher than in the West and ideas and thoughts of the Eastern peoples were much in advance of, and nearer to the teachings of, God than those of the West.  But as time passed superstitions started to creep into the religions and ideals of the East, and, from many differing causes, the ideals and characters of the Eastern peoples had gone down and down, lower and lower, while the Western peoples, first triggered by the civilization of Islam, they had been constantly advancing and struggling towards the Light of civilization. Similarly,  as superstition, fundamentalism and fanaticism started to creep into Islamic civilization, the civilization of the West became much higher than that of the East, and the ideas and thoughts of the people of the West were much nearer to the teachings of God than those of the East.

Briefly, each of these religious systems arose from the teaching of a single remarkable individual.  Thus, Mosses became the central figure of Judaism, Jesus of Christianity, Muhammad of Islam, Krishna of Hinduism, Buddha of Buddhism and Zoroaster of Zoroastrianism.  Moreover, these spiritual beings displayed uncanny similarities.  Each claim to drive His influence and authority directly from God.  Each was known for saintly character and intuitive knowledge.  Each was bitterly opposed by the civil and religious authorities of His time.  Each attracted a small community of followers who (often after centuries of struggle) triumphed over persecutions to establish the given faith as a major force in society. Each taught the same spiritual basic concept regarding belief in God, life after death, prayer, self-discipline, ethical principles, such as the Golden rule, and the like.  Each, however, modified the previous religion's social laws and regulations according to the needs of the changed time.  Each reaffirmed the divine origin of the previous religions, and each promised that God would send future Messengers with new fuller revelations.

All religions provide an answer to questions concerning aims and values of what is the purpose of our physical reality? What is man?  What is the purpose of his existence? To which goal is he striving? They all give objective values according to which man should live? What are they? The answer to the question of man’s origin, nature and destiny has always been an essential elements of religion. The teachings of all religions claim that man has both his origin and his destiny in God. He has been created for eternal life, perfected with free choice, he is the citizen of two worlds, the one immanent, the other transcendent.  The teaching concerning the individual’s responsibility for his own life is as much a component of all revealed religions as the catalogue of virtues which prescribe how his life is to be lived. 

The most remarkable parallels among these religions are found in their prophecies concerning the 'Last Days'. Each faith anticipates a culmination of human histories when the earth, as a result of fierce tribulations, will be transformed into paradise and the 'Kingdome of God on earth'(6) in which the nations 'shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning-hooks: nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war anymore'(7)   The various religions will be gathered under 'one fold and one shepherd'(8) and 'the earth shall be full of knowledge of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea.'(9) Substantially identical in prophecies abound not only in the Old and New Testaments but in the scriptures of all the world's historic faiths.

These sample prophecies, with one voice, foretell the appearance of one World Reformer or Divine Teacher destined to initiate the promised changes.  The central hope of every faith revolves around the coming of such a spiritual Leader often identified as the return of the founder of the religion embodying the prophecy.  In Judaism the Promised One is known as the Lord of Hosts; in Christianity, as the Second Coming of Christ; in Islam, as the return of Christ, Mahdi or the Twelfth Imam; in Hinduism, as the Return of Krishna; in Buddhism, as the Fifth Buddha; and in Zoroastrianism, as the promised Shah Bahram.

Simply stated, the histories, teachings and prophesies of these great religions offer parallels far too numerous and too remarkable to be explained as mere coincidence. How can these seemingly arbitrary pattern repeat itself, age after age, in movements so widely separated by time and thinly spread by geography and culture? Does this not suggest the possibility that all of them (not merely one or two) are truly divine in origin, that their founders were each inspired by one merciful God as agents of one fast civilizing process guiding humanity towards maturity? Would it not follow that their latter-day prophecies, foreshadowing the radial transformation of society through the influence of a promised redeemer, all point to the same mysterious Figure?

From factual historical records of all civilizations, we have proven the fact that "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of [all] knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction."(10)  Indeed, fools have been falsifying historical events with lies and deceptions devoid of the slightest credibility.  We have been barraged with blatant lies, fabrications, exaggerations that are out of all proportion, written without a single shred of historical proofs or convincing arguments, let alone critical analysis of them.  These kinds of hateful articles that have their origins in fanaticism, ignorance, and/or emanate from intense hostility.  It is this kinds of articles that distorts, twists and disfigures the facts by simply pointing to the quotes out of their historical contexts that triggered me to write these articles that are based on historical facts.(11)  Because of these ignorant and irresponsible people, in a place where the followers of the two religions are equally divided, it is easy for wars of wards to be turned into wars of swords.  Their lies become even more clear with this simple question:  Where is the civilization that was not triggered by religion?  They could not produce this even if they all combine to assist one another.  These critics of religion have so far presented no dogmatic or historical research or evidence about the subject they claim to have knowledge of it.  We are left with mere quotes of few verses followed by pure speculations to why these verses were written.  One who tries to write history from a point of mere speculation is not worthy of writing history.

End Notes:

1.  For example, all the schools and hospitals in our courtiers were built by Churches
2. 2 Chronicles 36: 22-23; Ezra 1:2; Ester 1:1; 8:9; Isaiah 45:1,14 49:12
 3.  Daniel. 2:48
4.  Read Matthew 2:1,2.  For more information on this subject, read http://www.escribe.com/life/zemen/m6800.html
5  We are told that Hitler's fascination with Iran made him sent few scholars to research in Iranian ancient history.  Somehow he named his party Arian nation—Iran means noble people—and their symbol, the swastika, became very similar to the symbol used in Zoroastrian religion. 
6  Mat. 6:10
7.  Isaiah 2:4.
8.  John 10:16
9.  Isaiah 11:9
10.  Proverbs 1:17, 9:10; see also Qur'an 53:25.  In this connection, on the other hand, the peoples of Papua New Guinea, which until recent years were called cannibal islands, remained uncivilized because they never had religion or lost it after a lapse of many years.  Similarly, there are evidences of cannibalism in the history of Native Americans up until 13th century according to this ABC news report: http://abcnews.go.com/sections/science/DailyNews/cannibalism000906.html.  Moreover, many of the savagery and barbarism in African continent, such as cannibalism, devil worship, and human sacrifice, was eradicated because of Christian and Muslim missionaries.  For further reading: L.E. Elliott-Binns, "Religion in the Victorian Era" (London: Lutterworth Press, 1936); Edward Blyden, "Christianity, Islam and the Negro Race" (Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press, 1967[1887]) ; "Times" (London), 8 Oct. 1887, p. 7; 31 Oct. 1887, p. 13; 17 Nov. 1887, p. 13; 31 Oct. 1887, pp. 9 & 13;  Thomas Prasch, “Which God for Africa: The Islamic-Christian Missionary Debate in Late-Victorian England,” Victorian Studies 22 (Autumn 1989): 51-73.
 11.  In Geneva in 1977 and in Kingston, Jamaica in 1979, the World Council of Churches produced ‘Guidelines’ for the dealings of the churches with people of other religions, in which the churches’ traditional attitude was abandoned and the churches were called upon not to be guided by ecclesiastical ‘triumphalism’, by ‘condescension towards our fellow human beings’, by ‘an aggressive Christian militancy’, nor by ‘prejudice’, or ‘stereotyping’.  Dialogue with members of other religions should be conducted, instead, in a spirit of humility, repentance and integrity: ‘Primary importance’ should be paid to the ‘self-understanding’ of the other faith community.  ‘One of the functions of dialogue is to allow participants to describe and witness to their faith in their own terms . . . It is out of a reciprocal willingness to listen and learn that significant dialogue grows.’  In a dialogue ‘on the basis of a mutual trust and a respect for the integrity of each participant’s identity’, we are told, ‘Christians actively respond to the commandment to “love God and your neighbor as yourself” ‘, that ‘Dialogue can be recognized as a welcome way of obedience to the commandment of the Decalogue: “You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.”  ‘The Guidelines warn against the danger ‘of interpreting a living faith not in its own terms but in terms of another faith or ideology. This is illegitimate on the principles of both scholarship and dialogue’.  For more information, read "Guidelines on Dialogue with People of Living Faiths and Ideologies", Geneva, 1979.  The selected quotes are from the Guidelines: Part I, B 14, p. 9.; 97. Part II, C 18, p. 11.; 98. Part III, 4, p. 18.