What was God doing ....

[1213]

With respect, this illustrates my point very well. Everything is seen through the lens of Judeo Christian belief. How could other people be loyal (or not) to a god they had never heard of?...

In Biblical point of view all modern people come from 4 couples and so all people have connection to the one God originally. At some point some of them rejected God and begun to keep other gods.

But, I believe also that in all times people have possibility to find God in some way.

 

[Alien826]

The Baha'i Faith is considered an Abrahamic religion since Baha'u'llah's lineage can be traced back to Abraham, but the religion did not originate from Judaism, it originated from God through a Messenger, just as Judaism, Christianity and Islam originated from God through a Messenger.

I mean in human terms of course. I believe the Baha'i faith is an offshoot of Islam, for example. Is it not?

Even if God was focusing on the Jewish people at the time when the OT was written that does not mean that God was not dealing with anyone else in the world at that time. Baha'is believe that Messengers have been sent to every nation, as it says in the Qur'an.

Do Baha'is identify any messengers from Eastern religions? For example, was Confucius a messenger?

 

[Trailblazer]

I mean in human terms of course. I believe the Baha'i faith is an offshoot of Islam, for example. Is it not?

No, the Baha'i Faith is not an offshoot of Islam since it is not a sect of Islam, it is a separate religion. It is an offshoot only in the sense that the Baha'i Faith grew out of Islam in the same way that Christianity grew out of Judaism, but all these are all separate religions since they were all established by different Messengers of God. Jesus was a Jew and Baha'u'llah was a Muslim, but they both broke away from their roots and established a new religion.

Do Baha'is identify any messengers from Eastern religions? For example, was Confucius a messenger?

Baha'is believe in Krishna and Buddha were Messengers of God, but we don't believe that Confucius was a Messenger of God. The Baha'i Writings say that Buddha established a new religion, and Confucius renewed morals and ancient virtues.

 

[Alien826]

No, the Baha'i Faith is not an offshoot of Islam since it is not a sect of Islam, it is a separate religion. It is an offshoot only in the sense that the Baha'i Faith grew out of Islam in the same way that Christianity grew out of Judaism, but all these are all separate religions since they were all established by different Messengers of God. Jesus was a Jew and Baha'u'llah was a Muslim, but they both broke away from their roots and established a new religion.

That's what I mean. Obviously it ended as a separate religion. Interestingly, some religious "founders" didn't want to break away. Martin Luther was trying to reform the Catholic Church, not found a new Christian sect. But today Protestantism is in many ways a different religion from Catholicism.

Baha'is believe in Krishna and Buddha were Messengers of God, but we don't believe that Confucius was a Messenger of God. The Baha'i Writings say that Buddha established a new religion, and Confucius renewed morals and ancient virtues.

OK. Buddha yes, Confucius no. Interesting.