Abortion and Zoroastrianism

The prophet Zarathrustra ("Zoroaster" in Greek) Spitama was the son of Pourushaspa Spitama, and lived in Bactria (northeastern Iran) sometime between 1700 and 1500 B.C. The language He spoke (Avestan) was very close to Sanskrit; the language of the ancient Aryans of India. Many scholars consider the Avestans to be Western Aryans, and the writers of the Hindu Vedas to be Eastern Aryans.

Zoroaster was, as his father before him, a athaurvan ("priest"). According to tradition, Zoroaster witnessed the pagan Aryans commit many acts of violence and slaughter. He witnessed people selfishly worship the Deavas ("devils"); asking for power, wealth, honor, and other worldly treasures. Becoming discouraged by what he witnessed, he began to search for ultimate truth.

At age 30, Zoroaster went into a river to fetch water for a religious ceremony. When he looked back at the bank he saw a shining figure named Vohu Manah; who then brought Zoroaster into the presence of Ahura Mazda("Wise Lord"). The Lord told Zoroaster that he had been chosen to teach mankind asha ("order/righteousness/truth/right conduct/justice/duty/law/Straight Path"...the Avestan equivolent to "dharma"). Zoroaster replied:

"While I have power and strength, I shall teach men to see the right [asha]" (Gathas 28:4)

Zoroaster taught that there was only One God (plus angels), and that each soul would be judged according to its works (deeds) in the flesh.

The Holy Books of the Zoroasterians are the Gathas. The Book of Laws of the Zoroastrians is the Vendidad. The name "Vendidad" comes from the Avestan "Vidaeva-Daza" ("Law Against the Daevas").

A "Daeva" was considered an evil-spirit or an evil-doer.

One historian of Zoroastrianism writes:

"In ancient times, according to the Vendidad (Vd 15:9-16) abortion was known to be effected by means of certain plants. It was considered murder." (Zoroastrianism and Avesta: Overview and FAQ, p.4 online)

"9. If a man come near unto a damsel, either dependent on the chief of the family or not dependent, either delivered [married] or not delivered, and she conceives by him, let her not, being ashamed [of her adultery or fornication] of the people, produce in herself the menses, against the course of nature, by means of water and plants.
10. And if the damsel, being ashamed of the people, shall produce in herself the menses against the course of nature, by means of water or plants, it is a fresh sin as heavy [as her adultery].
11. If a man come near unto a damsel, either dependent on the chief of the family or not dependent, either delivered [married] or not delivered, and she conceives by him, let her not, being ashamed of the people [fearing the people will think her shameful], destroy the fruit in her womb.
12. And if the damsel, being ashamed of the people, shall destroy the fruit in her womb, the sin is on both the father and herself; the murder is on the the father and herself; both the father [of the child] and herself shall pay the penalty for wilful murder.
13."If a man comes near unto a damsel, either dependent on the chief of the family or not dependent, either delivered or not delivered, and she conceives by him, and she says, 'I have conceived by thee;' and he replies, 'Go then to the old woman and apply to her for one of her drugs, tha she may procure thee miscarriage;'
14. "And the damsel goes to the old woman and applies to her for one of her drugs, that she may procure miscarriage; and the old woman brings her some Banga, or Shaeta, a drug that kills in the womb or once that expels out of the womb, or some other of the drugs that produce miscarriage and says, 'Cause thy fruit to perish!" and she causes her fruit to perish; the sin is on the head of all three: the man, the damsel, and the old woman." (Vendidad, Fargard 15: 2a:9-12, 2b:13-14)