Question: Have you ever wondered why it seems all religions have the same basic ideas? In this week's readings, the textbook mentions the Axial Age when all the major modern philosophies and religious ideas developed. The Golden Rule, in various manifestations, emerged during this time.
With this in mind, consider the scholarly debate around whether Zoroastrianism influenced the Western religions of Judaism, Christianity and Islam as described in the textbook. Using facts from these sources, do you think Zoroastrianism was a major influence on the Western religions and why or why not?