Did Anahita's parents practice Zoroastrianism or Armenian Christianity?

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the religious and cultural influences on the name Anahita, specifically whether Anahita's parents practiced Zoroastrianism or Armenian Christianity, and the implications of naming conventions in these contexts.

Discussion Character

  • Debate/contested
  • Conceptual clarification

Main Points Raised

  • One participant notes that Anahita is the name of an ancient Iranian deity worshipped by Armenians and questions the religious practices of her parents.
  • Another participant suggests that cultural influences can exist independently of religious beliefs, citing examples of names like Diana and Athena not necessarily indicating pagan parentage.
  • Similar points are reiterated by multiple participants regarding the name Fatima, emphasizing that names can transcend religious affiliations.
  • References to external sources are made to support claims about naming conventions and their cultural significance.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express differing views on the relationship between cultural naming practices and religious identity, indicating that there is no consensus on whether Anahita's parents practiced Zoroastrianism or Armenian Christianity.

Contextual Notes

The discussion includes assumptions about the relationship between names and religious practices, which remain unresolved. There is also a reliance on cultural interpretations that may not be universally applicable.

Swamp Thing
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Today I learned that Kasparian's first name is actually short for Anahita. This is the name of an ancient Iranian deity, who was also worshipped by Armenians, besides being an important figure in Zoroastrianism.

My question is, would Ana's parents have practised Zoroastrianism or some other pre-Christian religion? Or was it customary for Armenian Christians to have names from the ancient pantheon?
 
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I believe you are confusing cultural with religious influences. I do not know a Diana or Athena whose parents were pagans.
 
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Frabjous said:
I believe you are confusing cultural with religious influences. I do not know a Diana or Athena whose parents were pagans.
And I knew a Fatima who wasn't a Muslim.
 

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