Thank you for the honest questions.
What do you think troubles you most about the Baha'i Faith? Is it that you find it difficult to understand, or don't agree with it? Maybe its both?
Both. I think I got the gist of it. I just had to put everyone's point of view together and see what you all have in common.
You have been a Catholic, participated in Buddhism, and currently have no belief in God (? atheist). You are familiar with different ways of looking at the world. Do you think Baha'is give you mixed messages, on the one hand saying we believe in diversity, but then go on to say everyone should believe what the Baha'is believe?
Never believed in god; so yes, I'm an atheist. It gives mixed messages, but every other religion has it's crink.
It's (if I remember): Bahai believe in revealed messages of selective religions in a progressive chain until today (and in the future after Bahaullah). Every manifestation is an educator (as you once put it) of god and basically the same as god (as Lover said it in other words). The manifestations teach one central message although their expressions (hence diversity) is different. The central message is unity. Unfortunately, as said by a couple Bahai here, unity hasn't been achieved by other religions because their methods are outdated. Bahaullah came to reconcile (as specifically said by Lover) the methods that failed and brought wars etc. Bahai welcome diversity under one roof, one unity. Bahai so far said they were (basically the only ones) who haven't gone into war like other religions.
Since Bahai promotes peace, challenging discussions, debates, negativity, and so forth are forbidden as quoted from Bahaullah almost recently. It is believed that having a peaceful talk (and I assume that's why you all say "we" believe and "Bahai" believe) doesn't cause wars.
Since the teachings of Bahaullah and the prophets come from god, any practitioners who follows these prophets have second say on the authority and facts of their belief than the prophets (as said by Lover). Which insults the practitioners who know more about their own faith than someone who only believes it but doesn't practice.
It sounds like confusion about the boundaries. Although the Baha'is say one house, you say many houses. The Baha'is say one people, you say many peoples. The Baha'is say unity, you say diversity. Could both views be correct or is it impossible for both to be true?
No. Either you have one house with many people of different religions or many people of different religions have their own houses. The former welcomes people who agree with being in one house while the latter wants unity but rather stay in their own houses to create it.
That's like saying having one foundation and more than one at the same time. It is what it is. Bahai view of diversity is expressions. The religions in your religion view their expressions as the core of their beliefs. There is no Bahai-christian and Bahai-muslim from a christian and muslim perspective only Bahai.
I wonder if its both? Have you ever heard of dichotomous thinking?
You can have diversity
working together. You can't have one foundation in a diverse planet.
Do you think the Baha'is are saying we agree when we don't and are actually just being polite?
Yes. It's weird form of disagreement. This is mainly from
@InvestigateTruth and
@loverofhumanity though. I say something and if it is disagreed upon, it is backed up by opposing explanations and quotes. It helps better if one says "I disagree and this is why..." so I have the point first and then whatever quotes and explanations given, I know what they are based on.
Is it OK to view the bible through your eyes and not through the eyes of the church?
It's better to view it through the eyes of the Church (or whatever christian denomination a
christian is a part of). Just my opinion is reflected on my experiences are partial study rather than sacred text.
When I read this, it looks like the realm of religion is very confusing and upsetting. Do you think talking to the Baha'is has made you feel more confused and unhappy? I would like to think we have clarified religion for you and made you happier, but I'm not hearing that.
It's the cultural appropriation issue. I saw it in Lover's conversation with
@Vinayaka. I have sensitivity with minority cultures and religious as well as part of two minority cultures. It's one thing when we're just talking about our beliefs. I've actually seen people's religion been torn
from their point of view because of what outsiders do. Well intentioned or not, it rubs me the wrong way.
