Zoroastrianism was founded by Zarathushtra between 1500-1000 BCE in ancient Persia. It is one of the oldest existing religions and may have been the first monotheistic faith. Today there are fewer than 200,000 Zoroastrians globally who generally do not accept converts or proselytize, requiring one to be born into the religion. As a small minority group worldwide, interfaith marriage is discouraged which some believe contributes to the religion's declining population.

2. Introduction
The religion was founded by
Zarathushtra (Zoroaster in
Greek; Zarthosht in India and
Persia).
Conservative Zoroastrians
assign a date of 6000 BCE to
the founding of the religion;
other followers estimate 600
BCE.
Historians and religious
scholars generally date his life
sometime between 1500 and
1000 BCE on the basis of his
style of writing.

3. "We have survived as a very close community
only because we refused to assimilate in the ethnic
sense.“
It is one of the oldest religions still in existence.
It may have been the first monotheistic religion.

5. They do not generally accept converts nor do they
proselytize.
A person has to be born into the religion. This practice
is criticized by some members.
Jehan Bagli, a retired chemist in Toronto who is a
mobed (priest), and served as president of the North
American Mobed Council from 2002 to 2008.

6. The Canadian 1991 census counted 3,190
Zoroastrians in that country.
The actual number is believed to be much higher.
There are fewer than 200,000 Zoroastrians in the
world today. In spite of its relatively few members, its
importance to humanity is much greater than its
current numbers might suggest.
It is one of the oldest religions still in existence, it may
have been the first monotheistic religion.

7. Inter-faith marriages
The traditional wing of Zoroastrianism discourages
and does not recognize inter-faith marriages.
Still another contributing factor may be that
Zoroastrians around the world often live as small
minorities within their country.
Youths are having difficulty finding fellow believers to
date and marry.
The Indian Express published an article about Jasmine
Bhathena whose parents expected her to meet, date
and marry a Zoroastrian.