Manichaean cosmology spins a vivid yarn of a universe torn in two—Light forever at odds with Darkness, each realm co-equal and eternal. Christianity, by contrast, paints a single Creator bringing light out of chaos. Evil there is a rebellion, not an independent power. Sin enters history, but the story arcs toward redemption through Christ. Manichaeism borrows that redemption motif, yet insists on a perpetual cosmic tug-of-war rather than one final victory guaranteed by divine omnipotence.

When it comes to Zoroastrianism, the parallels are unmistakable: Ahura Mazda vs. Angra Mainyu, a dualism that influenced Mani’s own vision. Yet Zoroastrians tend to emphasize Mazda’s ultimate supremacy—evil is real but not coeternal with good. Mani flipped that script, granting both forces equal footing in an endless shadow play. Ritual purity and the struggle to liberate sparks of light trapped in matter become hallmarks of Manichaean practice, whereas Zoroastrian worship focuses on fire as a symbol of divine wisdom and the communal celebration of seasonal festivals.

Islam, arriving centuries later, drew sharp lines around strict monotheism. God (Allah) alone is eternal; everything else—even the jinn and Shayṭān—derives from divine creation. Moral law (Sharia) and prophetic guidance eclipse the Gnostic-style inner revelations prized by Manichaeans. Where Mani preached personal gnosis and asceticism, Islam underscores submission to God’s will, community worship and the Five Pillars as the route to salvation.

Today’s resurgence of interest—sparked by the 2024 unveiling of Silk Road manuscripts in Dunhuang—reminds that Manichaeism once spanned from North Africa to China. Its insistence on life as a “light vs. darkness” drama resonates with pop-culture dualities (think the Force in Star Wars) and contemporary philosophical debates about free will versus determinism. Even in a world glued to screens, the ancient question endures: is balance achievable, or are some battles destined to rage forever?