My solution to the problem is to drop all your conflicting holy books and simply live in accordance with the Golden Rule and The Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Why would you need to believe in the existence of a god to do that?
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Atheists: If God existed…
- Thread starter Trailblazer
- Start date
Trailblazer
Veteran Member
The thing is, I believe only one religion is the right one for this age.
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Trailblazer
Veteran Member
Good luck rounding up all those nonbelievers and making them live by the Golden Rule and The Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Just because you are interested in that does not mean everyone else is.
There is nothing here explaining the existence of and purpose of and reason for and meaning of the existence of God in the first place... if you proclaim that a god exists the first thing you have to do is to explain how and why this god exists in the first place. If you can give me a logical and rational reason why this god of yours exists in the first place I might start believing it does.
Good luck rounding up every believer in 4,200 different religions and converting them to the Baha'i Faith. Big job.
Trailblazer
Veteran Member
How could I ever know why God existed in the first place? Only God knows that.
Why would that be a reason for you to believe in God?
Trailblazer
Veteran Member
Baha'is won't be converting them. They will make that choice themselves. I don't know how long it will take, nobody knows except God. But it might not happen until there is a lot of turmoil in the world.
“The world is in travail, and its agitation waxeth day by day. Its face is turned towards waywardness and unbelief. Such shall be its plight, that to disclose it now would not be meet and seemly. Its perversity will long continue. And when the appointed hour is come, there shall suddenly appear that which shall cause the limbs of mankind to quake.Then, and only then, will the Divine Standard be unfurled, and the Nightingale of Paradise warble its melody.” Gleanings From the Writings of Bahá’u’lláh, pp. 118-119
Because I would appear rather silly if I proclaimed that I believe a god exists and people ask me why this god exists, how does this god exist, where does it come from, what's the reason for and purpose of and meaning of it's existence and I said "I haven't got a clue..." Should I just try to invent something and believe in that too?
Why make such a choice? How would my life change?
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So what you are saying is that there are 4,200 religions and they are all wrong for this age? They can simply be gotten rid of then? I can't agree more!
I just wanted to mention that Buddha is among the people listed as prophets of God by the Bahai's.
How Many Prophets?
The problem here is obviously that Buddhism is non-theistic.
"the historical Buddha taught that believing in gods was not useful for those seeking to realize enlightenment. In other words, God is unnecessary in Buddhism, as this is a practical religion and philosophy that emphasizes practical results over faith in beliefs or deities. For this reason, Buddhism is more accurately called nontheistic"
Are Buddhists Also Atheists?
How Many Prophets?
The problem here is obviously that Buddhism is non-theistic.
"the historical Buddha taught that believing in gods was not useful for those seeking to realize enlightenment. In other words, God is unnecessary in Buddhism, as this is a practical religion and philosophy that emphasizes practical results over faith in beliefs or deities. For this reason, Buddhism is more accurately called nontheistic"
Are Buddhists Also Atheists?
Phaedrus
Active Member
I am certainly not apt to believe in the existence of something on the absence of evidence for its existence. It is that simple.
The question proposed by the original post is illogical, because first the existence of god would have to be demonstrated before we could reasonably conjecture as to why such a being would not provide evidence of its existence.
People who want to believe tend to always get their reasoning backwards by asking the wrong questions. Maybe magical garden gnomes are weary of humans and refuse to show evidence of their existence because....yeah, that's how people who talk about a god for which there is no evidence sounds to someone who prefers reason over fantasy.
The question proposed by the original post is illogical, because first the existence of god would have to be demonstrated before we could reasonably conjecture as to why such a being would not provide evidence of its existence.
People who want to believe tend to always get their reasoning backwards by asking the wrong questions. Maybe magical garden gnomes are weary of humans and refuse to show evidence of their existence because....yeah, that's how people who talk about a god for which there is no evidence sounds to someone who prefers reason over fantasy.
Rational Agnostic
Well-Known Member
Sorry, but certainty is *not* knowledge. You can be certain about something and still be wrong.
The Baha'i Faith is a constant source of joy.
One of their Prophets of God is Krishna.
How Many Prophets?
Here is the Baha'i stance on reincarnation.
"The Spiritual Assembly is correct that Bahá’ís do not believe in reincarnation."
"No Revelation from God has ever taught reincarnation"
Reincarnation, Rebirth and the Progress of the Soul
Here is some of what their own prophet Krishna says about reincarnation.
"Right at the beginning of His instruction to Arjuna, Lord Krishna declares that transmigration of the soul is a fact: “As the embodied soul passes, in this body, from boyhood, to youth, to old age, the soul similarly passes into another body at death.”(Bg. 2.13)"
"According to the Vedas, the vast cosmic wheel of birth and death rolls through 8,400,000 species of life: 900,000 aquatics, 2,000,000 plants, 1,100,000 insects, 1,000,000 birds, 3,000,000 quadrupeds, and 400,000 humans."
Reincarnation—The Soul’s Journey on the Wheel of Birth and Death
Draw your own conclusions.
One of their Prophets of God is Krishna.
How Many Prophets?
Here is the Baha'i stance on reincarnation.
"The Spiritual Assembly is correct that Bahá’ís do not believe in reincarnation."
"No Revelation from God has ever taught reincarnation"
Reincarnation, Rebirth and the Progress of the Soul
Here is some of what their own prophet Krishna says about reincarnation.
"Right at the beginning of His instruction to Arjuna, Lord Krishna declares that transmigration of the soul is a fact: “As the embodied soul passes, in this body, from boyhood, to youth, to old age, the soul similarly passes into another body at death.”(Bg. 2.13)"
"According to the Vedas, the vast cosmic wheel of birth and death rolls through 8,400,000 species of life: 900,000 aquatics, 2,000,000 plants, 1,100,000 insects, 1,000,000 birds, 3,000,000 quadrupeds, and 400,000 humans."
Reincarnation—The Soul’s Journey on the Wheel of Birth and Death
Draw your own conclusions.
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Trailblazer
Veteran Member
What I think would be rather silly if you claimed to know what nobody can ever know -- why this god exists, how does this god exist, where does it come from the reason for and purpose of and meaning of it's existence.
God is a Mystery no human mind can fathom. All we can know are some Attributes of God and the Will of God for us in every age.
You cannot know why God exists, how does God exist, where does God come from or the reason for and purpose of and meaning of God's existence, but you can know the purpose and meaning of YOUR existence, what God created you for.
“The purpose of God in creating man hath been, and will ever be, to enable him to know his Creator and to attain His Presence. To this most excellent aim, this supreme objective, all the heavenly Books and the divinely-revealed and weighty Scriptures unequivocally bear witness. Whoso hath recognized the Day Spring of Divine guidance and entered His holy court hath drawn nigh unto God and attained His Presence, a Presence which is the real Paradise, and of which the loftiest mansions of heaven are but a symbol.” Gleanings From the Writings of Bahá’u’lláh, p. 70
Trailblazer
Veteran Member
IF you actually believed that Baha'u'llah was the Manifestation of God for this age, everything He revealed would change your entire perspective on life and death. You would never be the same again. The question is whether you would want the responsibilities that go with that knowledge. Some of the rewards will not be realized until the next life, but that is just the way God set it up.... “They that are the followers of the one true God shall, the moment they depart out of this life, experience such joy and gladness as would be impossible to describe,” Gleanings, p. 171
But you would have to really believe in order to make the sacrifices of time and effort, were you to really do what Baha'u'llah has enjoined us to do. You should not take my word for it. You would have to do the necessary independent investigation in order to determine if you really believe it is all true, and once that belief becomes certitude you have knowledge. At least that is the way it worked for me, I cannot speak for other Baha'is.
... and it just happens to be the religion that you're selling.
Trailblazer
Veteran Member
I do not believe that the older religions are wrong but I believe is that the older religions are not needed for this new age and that we only need one religion.
What I believe is that everyone should recognize Baha'u'llah and that He is the Manifestation of God for this age. At they point they will willingly choose to relinquish their older religions for the greater good and everyone on earth could live together in peace and harmony.
I believe that will happen eventually, based upon the promises of Baha'u'llah, but I cannot say when it will happen.
“Warn and acquaint the people, O Servant, with the things We have sent down unto Thee, and let the fear of no one dismay Thee, and be Thou not of them that waver. The day is approaching when God will have exalted His Cause and magnified His testimony in the eyes of all who are in the heavens and all who are on the earth. Place, in all circumstances, Thy whole trust in Thy Lord, and fix Thy gaze upon Him, and turn away from all them that repudiate His truth. Let God, Thy Lord, be Thy sufficing succorer and helper. We have pledged Ourselves to secure Thy triumph upon earth and to exalt Our Cause above all men, though no king be found who would turn his face towards Thee.” Gleanings From the Writings of Bahá’u’lláh, pp. 248-249
Trailblazer
Veteran Member
I just happens to be the religion I believe in.
I am not selling it.