This paper distinguishes between the (ontological) creation, (historical) emergence and (legal) 'making' of religion. Many religions claim plausibility by invoking long chains of (invented) traditions, while some post-modern religions positively affirm their invented character. The case of Zoroastrianism in contemporary Russia is discussed as an example of a crosscultural 'appropriation' of religion, rather than a transfer of an extant religion through, for example, migration. This means that inventors, recipients and practitioners mimetically reconstruct 'Zoroastrianism', by adapting it to the (new) legal framework that regulates religion in Russia. Once Zoroastrianism had affirmed its presence in Russia, Zoroastrians from other parts of the world established contacts. In the course of events, Russian Zoroastrianism diversified into different tendencies (esoteric, charismatic and nativistic vs modernistic, Internet-based and international). In addition to functioning as a separate religion, Zoroastrianism in Russia has become part of Neopagan and New Age complexes and is appropriated inter-discursively in the academy, the mass media and in different genres of fiction.Keywords: appropriation of religion; astrology; Internet and religion; perestroika; religion in contemporary Russia; Zoroastrianism
The creation and emergence of religionOn an ontological level, religions are not brute facts 'out there'. Religions share in the making of social reality that is premised on human intentionality and language, and thereby also on cognitive and evolutionary mechanisms that have shaped the human mind throughout history. Intentionality and language have transformative powers that can change the status of things to make them count as something more than what mere physical appearance reveals at first sight; a piece of printed paper is treated as money, and a painting counts as a deity. Such status, once it is declared and represented accordingly, entails 'deontic' relationships such as duties, obligations, rights and expectations. The status that makes things count as something X can also be challenged; notes/money can become worthless and gods can be dismissed or turned into heritage objects stored in a museum.