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How are these Great Beings explained?

Dawnofhope

Non-Proselytizing Baha'i
Staff member
Premium Member
Tell that to the Jews and Christians. Their Holy Books aren't God's Word. They are "shades" of grey.

I tend to listen to what the Jews have to say, rather than share my views.

Christians, I will discuss openly if I feel there is some rapport and a willingness from us both to explore...otherwise it is likely to be fruitless.
 

Dawnofhope

Non-Proselytizing Baha'i
Staff member
Premium Member
That is not an accepted Christian book. It is written by someone trying to prove an opposing view. Or that argument only works when non-Baha'is give a critical view of the Baha'i Faith?

I never said it was. It is written by a Baha'i who is very familiar with both the Baha'i writings and the bible.

There is nothing stopping non-Baha'is giving a critical view of the Baha'i Faith, just non-Baha'is are free to debate with the Baha'i on this thread.

We are in the general debate section, not the DIR after all.
 

Dawnofhope

Non-Proselytizing Baha'i
Staff member
Premium Member
But who wrote all this books in the Bible? Not the manifestation, so they aren't the infallible Word of God. Yet, you use them as if they are some special symbolic language. You can't have it both ways. If they are fake, corrupted, all or parts of them not even by the manifestation, then what the debate? Get rid of them. But you can't and won't, because you also say how great and important these books are. But do you study book from religions known and accepted as false? So why these "corrupted" books?

Why am I having a strong sense of deja vu?:)

How do Baha'is view the bible...as corrupted? No.

You may believe the bible to be fake, but that is not the Baha'i view. Why do you believe this? Because of the resurrection stories?

There are strong prophetic themes throughout the bible and the stories are full of allegory and symbolism.

The Jews do not see a single verse of the Tanakh as relating to Jesus, just as the Christians do not regard any of the Bible as relating to the Baha'i Faith.
 

Dawnofhope

Non-Proselytizing Baha'i
Staff member
Premium Member
Ha Ha a double post as well :);)

So I double liked it :)

Regards Tony

Yes, it really makes the point about the deja vu, doesn't it:)

Also reflects the poor internet connection I have being stuck in a provincial town a long way from home in an antiquated bedsit with nothing better to do but post on RF!
 

TransmutingSoul

Veteran Member
Premium Member
Yes, it really makes the point about the deja vu, doesn't it:)

Also reflects the poor internet connection I have being stuck in a provincial town a long way from home in an antiquated bedsit with nothing better to do but post on RF!

Ha ha way to go....that is life...Such Fun ;)

Regards Tony
 

loverofhumanity

We are all the leaves of one tree
Premium Member
That is not the most Holy place. It is the place that destroys Christianity if it is true. Again and again, why did the disciples allow the false story to get written into the gospels? They didn't recognize him in all those appearances, because they never happened... if the Baha'i story is true. The story is not some witty symbolic thing. It is a made up hoax.

All those poor Christians that got killed believing Jesus rose from the dead. Those poor gullible fools.

We can speak and see also in dreams and visions so the disciples could easily have had visions of Jesus like on Mount Tabor. Do you know about that? It's in the Bible where they saw Jesus and Moses too and there were other people on the mountain that did not see it because it was a vision.
 

Dawnofhope

Non-Proselytizing Baha'i
Staff member
Premium Member
This gets me thinking two things. Why would your peers think they can't express from their own opinion and the other why would they think division happens from differing opinions when if they were discussed properly, they would "shine sparks of truth"? I know you can't speak for others but this makes me think.

You would have to ask them directly. I suspect they are careful to reflect the Baha'i view as accurately as possible and to do that involves sharing the actual words from our sacred writings.
 

TransmutingSoul

Veteran Member
Premium Member
We can speak and see also in dreams and visions so the disciples could easily have had visions of Jesus like on Mount Tabor. Do you know about that? It's in the Bible where they saw Jesus and Moses too and there were other people on the mountain that did not see it because it was a vision.

There is also the story in the Baha'i Faith where all the Prophets of the Past were seen with Baha'u'llah;

In his memoirs Hájí Muhammad Táhir describes an amazing episode connected with Bahá'u'lláh's arrival in the Mansion. The event may be regarded as one of the highlights of his nine months' pilgrimage in the presence of the Blessed Beauty.
He writes:

"On the evening that the Blessed Beauty, exalted be His glory, was to move to the Mansion of Bahjí, this servant and Nabíl-i-A'zam were staying at our residence, which was a room we both shared. It was situated on the upper floor of the Khán-i-Súq-i-Abyad. The room had five glass windows overlooking the road. We were both sitting at the windows looking out, waiting to behold His blessed Person as He passed by. It was nearly two hours after sunset, when we saw Him pass in front of our room riding on a special white donkey. A few steps behind Him, riding on, his donkey, was Khádimu'lláh (the Servant of God) Mírzá Áqá Ján. When He passed out of our sight, Nabíl suggested that we follow Him on foot to the Mansion to circumambulate it and then return home. With much enthusiasm I welcomed the suggestion. We both ran down the stairs immediately and walked quickly behind Him, keeping a distance of about fifty steps. That evening an oil lamp was burning inside the Mansion and we could see its light from outside. It was a very large oil lamp which had three wicks. I was familiar with this lamp because we {Hájí Muhammad Táhir and Muhammad Khán-i-Balúch} had brought it with us to the Holy Land. It was presented to the Blessed Beauty by Hájí Siyyid Mírzáy-i-Afnán from Bombay. When the Blessed Perfection dismounted and went inside the Mansion, we walked toward the building in order to circumambulate. But when we came a little closer we saw to our amazement that the footpaths around the walls of the Mansion were packed with people, who were standing. Crowds had assembled around the four sides of the Mansion and we could hear their murmuring as well as their breathing. Of course we knew that no one had come from 'Akká to circumambulate the Mansion, and we two had gone there without permission. Anyhow, since there was no room to walk on the footpath we stepped back, and at a distance of about thirty steps from the Mansion we circumambulated. To do this we had to walk in some wheatfields and, as it happened, the ground had been recently watered, so we had to walk through muddy fields. As we circled the Mansion we could sense the presence of the multitude on the four sides of the building at some distance from us. In the end we prostrated ourselves on the ground opposite the Gate of the Mansion, and returned to 'Akká. On the way back heavy rain poured down on us, and just as we arrived at the gate of 'Akká, the guards were about to close it. Normally they used to close the gate every night four hours after sunset........He then described the events of the evening Bahá'u'lláh went to the Mansion, and how we both followed Him, the account of our circumambulation when we saw the souls of all the Prophets and Messengers and the Concourse on high assembled outside the Mansion, circumambulating the throne of their Lord. In these poems Nabíl described in detail our keeping vigil, his own writing poems, and my making tea.

When His Blessed Person received the poems of Nabíl, He revealed a Tablet in honour of Nabíl and myself. In it He graciously accepted our pilgrimage to the Mansion, conferred upon Nabíl the title of Bulbul (Nightingale) and upon myself Bahháj (the Blissful)...."

Regards Tony
"
 

loverofhumanity

We are all the leaves of one tree
Premium Member
Wait, one minute all those old religions are like trees that have withered away. Now, their teachings still have a great effect?

Plus, the teachings we are learning from now are different than what the manifestation originally taught? So what has a great effect on us today is false.

Christians were taught to love one another but despite this clear command fell into wars, disputes and sects. The same with other Faiths.

These religions still influence all of humanity and billions of people are affected by their laws and teachings but each age has its needs and none of the past religions ever addressed world peace or unity until Baha'u'llah appeared.

So love is still very relevant as is community which Muhammad taught and prayer and meditation are strong also but what is lacking is how to bring people together in peace and love and that is why Baha'u'llah appeared.

The teachings of past religions still exert an enormous effect on today's world but they do not contain within them the blueprint for a new world civilization, the kingdom of God on earth which Baha'u'llah does. The blueprint for this new Civilisation prophesied in the Books of old is the Most Holy Book.
 
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Dawnofhope

Non-Proselytizing Baha'i
Staff member
Premium Member
@InvestigateTruth or @adrian009

I opened the bible just a minute ago and remember marking this verse years ago. I marked a a lot of verses when I read the bible.

"Now, Jesus did many other signs in the presence of [his] disciples that are not written in this book. But these are written that you may [come to] believe that jesus is the messiah, the son of god, and that through this belief you may have life in his name."
John 20: 30-31 Brackets in NAV Bible

Now, Jesus did many other signs in front of his disciples that are not written in this book. But by these signs you may come to believe jesus is the messiah, the son of god that through this belief you may have life in his name.

:leafwind:

I can't remember which of you I was talking to but one of you mentioned that I was interpreting scripture the way I wanted to rather than how scripture is written. Even though that is an insult, this is another scripture that backs up the one I said earlier John 5:39 that one of you think I misquoted.

Now, I'm quoting these verses throughout these thread and instead of refuting me with the bible, explain why I am wrong with these specific verses. Why is the bible the way to god and not christ himself?

What about the physical bible do you need to find the manifestation you're looking for? Even for christians who read this, how does these two scriptrues mean look to the bible for salvation rather than to christ?

What am I missing about going to christ to get to god?

How are the scriptures involved in this? Even Jews don't describe god (who god is rather than his attributes) nor does their Torah. Just I AM.

So what am I missing?

I don't recall having this discussion with you.

I agree that through the sacred texts such as these verses we come to know Christ and through Christ we come to know God.
 

Dawnofhope

Non-Proselytizing Baha'i
Staff member
Premium Member
You know. I don't know when it clicked. I'm still in touch with my family in spirit. Buddhist give reverence to their family in spirit in cultural ways and we know they go through samsara as well. Like Catholicism, Buddhism has ritual and structure. There is a lot of guidance and that, and I found a temple and nice monk fifteen minutes from me that can help me with formal practice. In the morning, on september 3rd, we'll have meditation, them Dharma talk, eat, meditation, and then we will take the precepts. It's an all day thing.

I still have a "Christian" mind when it comes to knowledge from books and some quoting. I understand why Christians and Bahai quote. Im trying not to be attached but reading it, really reading it and creating a meditation altar, and so forth, has changed my perspective.

That, and I can't get to the Spiritualist Church. It's $30/45 minutes from me one way on Sundays.

I'm already a Buddhist just not theravada. Nichiren Buddhism is such a small part that it seems I'm missin' something. That, and I'm learning more about The Buddha's blessings. A lot of American Buddhist separate supernatural from Buddhism. There are devas, gods, and so forth. That's something I'd like to learn about from a Indian point of view rather than abrahamic. A learning experience.

Thank you for asking. :)

Thank you for sharing. I have a sense that something has changed for you, so I'll be interested to see where your journey into Mahayana Buddhism leads. This is the form of Buddhism practiced in Japan where my wife's mother originates from. I have visited many temples over the years.
 

loverofhumanity

We are all the leaves of one tree
Premium Member
Their trees "withered"? So now Jews and Christians have a corrupted and misinterpret book and can't produce fruit? Unfortunately, according to a Baha'i interpretation, both religions were teaching the wrong things from the beginning.

Every religion has its time. Like the seasons in nature, there is a time when a tree doesn't produce fruit any longer.

Each religion had teachings for that age as well as things like love one another which are eternal.

For this age we have world problems and need solutions for problems on a world scale. Only Baha'u'llah has brought such teachings like the establishment of a world parliament. Or a world language. None of the religions of the past were revealed for this age so they cannot solve the problems of today as we witness before us.
 
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Dawnofhope

Non-Proselytizing Baha'i
Staff member
Premium Member
Do you Need scripture to get to god. My point is why not to christ himself?

Jesus appeared to teach there was a close association between God and Himself. Statements such as the Father and I are One and He that has seen Me has seen the Father. Jesus also said we need every word of God.
 

Dawnofhope

Non-Proselytizing Baha'i
Staff member
Premium Member
Perhaps the life of Jesus showed the association between God and the human race.
Just a thought.:)


Hi @allfoak , I've been taking a course on biblical Greek and it is interesting to consider the word logos meaning 'Word' that features in John 1:1, 1:3, and 1:14.

One way of understanding the Logos is to consider Him as a mediator between God and humanity. An important man that used the word in this manner near the time of Christ was a Hellenized Jew called Philo.

Philo - Wikipedia
 
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