Activity

Mazdaksim …. today’s heresy for review. It seems clear that the priests of the movement greatly influenced elements of the community that surrounded Jesus. In short they believed in holding possessions in common, rejected the polygamy of the rich, and embraced a version of ‘free love’ that regarded one’s intimate sexual relations as no one’s business but the parties involved. They were also strict pacifists and vegetarians. The movement reached its theological zenith under Mazdak the Younger. There is a very moving iconographic image of their prophet’s execution. He is hung by the neck whilst being shot through with arrows. In its mystical teaching each arrow penetrating his body represented an age of man or a people that would one day come to enlightenment and throw off the clericalist yoke of religion and the controlling structures of the royal courts.