Abrahamic-adjacent · macro

Zoroastrianism

A wholly good creator, a real opposing principle, and a cosmos that will be made whole at the end — with human beings as free participants who decide the outcome by what they think, say and do. Matter is good, asceticism is rejected, and the elements are kept ritually pure.

What makes it unusual

The axes on which this tradition sits furthest from the middle of the matrix — which is to say, the positions that actually distinguish it.

E3 Locus of belonginga people, inheritedFurther toward "a people, inherited" than most traditions in the matrix.
E2 Origin of the cosmosan intentional actFurther toward "an intentional act" than most traditions in the matrix.
C2 Shape of timeone life, then judgmentFurther toward "one life, then judgment" than most traditions in the matrix.
E1 Exclusivityleaning one true pathFurther toward "one true path" than most traditions in the matrix.

All seventeen positions

Each cell carries a centre, a dispersion — how much internal variation the tradition genuinely tolerates — and the source the position rests on. Disagree with one? Say so; corrections are public and recorded.

The same seventeen values as a single shape, read clockwise from A1 at the top. The outline is where the tradition sits; the wider band around it is the variation it genuinely tolerates, so a tight outline is a tight tradition.

position
tolerated variation

A · The divine

Axis	Position	Value	±σ
A1 Divine realitynothing beyond the natural → a divine reality certainly exists	a divine reality certainly existsAvesta, the Gathas, and the Denkard	1.00	0.03
A2 Personhoodimpersonal principle or order → a personal being one can address	a personal being one can addressAvesta, the Gathas, and the Denkard	0.88	0.07
A3 Pluralitystrictly one → many powers and spirits	leaning strictly oneAvesta, the Gathas, and the Denkard	0.25	0.12
A4 Locuswholly beyond the world → fully present within it	between wholly beyond the world and fully present within itAvesta, the Gathas, and the Denkard	0.42	0.13

B · Knowledge and authority

Axis	Position	Value	±σ
B1 Source of truthrevealed and fixed → reason and direct experience	leaning revealed and fixedAvesta, the Gathas, and the Denkard	0.25	0.12
B2 Reading of sacred textliteral and binding → metaphorical, or no text at all	leaning literal and bindingAvesta, the Gathas, and the Denkard	0.30	0.13
B3 Institutional authorityclergy and tradition decide → individual conscience decides	leaning clergy and tradition decideAvesta, the Gathas, and the Denkard	0.25	0.13

C · Self and destiny

Axis	Position	Value	±σ
C1 Survival of the selfends at death → continues in some form	continues in some formAvesta, the Gathas, and the Denkard	0.98	0.02
C2 Shape of timeone life, then judgment → cyclical return	one life, then judgmentAvesta, the Gathas, and the Denkard	0.05	0.05
C3 The human conditionfallen and in need of rescue → ignorant but fundamentally sound	between fallen and in need of rescue and ignorant but fundamentally soundAvesta, the Gathas, and the Denkard	0.62	0.13

D · Practice

Axis	Position	Value	±σ
D1 Mechanism of the ultimate goodgiven as grace → achieved by effort or insight	leaning achieved by effort or insightAvesta, the Gathas, and the Denkard	0.82	0.10
D2 Centrality of ritualessential and prescribed → optional or absent	essential and prescribedAvesta, the Gathas, and the Denkard	0.08	0.06
D3 The bodyto be disciplined → to be celebrated	between to be disciplined and to be celebratedAvesta, the Gathas, and the Denkard	0.62	0.13

E · World and others

Axis	Position	Value	±σ
E1 Exclusivityone true path → many valid paths	leaning one true pathAvesta, the Gathas, and the Denkard	0.25	0.13
E2 Origin of the cosmosan intentional act → beginningless or natural	an intentional actAvesta, the Gathas, and the Denkard	0.05	0.04
E3 Locus of belonginga people, inherited → an individual choice	a people, inheritedAvesta, the Gathas, and the Denkard	0.08	0.07
E4 Standing of naturecreation, given for use → animate and itself sacred	leaning animate and itself sacredAvesta, the Gathas, and the Denkard	0.80	0.10

Compared with

Where do you sit?

The questionnaire places your own answers on these same seventeen axes and reports how close you are to this tradition and to 64 others. Take it — eight to fourteen questions, nothing transmitted.