The Bible a sure Spiritual Guide.

[TransmutingSoul]

Personally I see the Bible is flawless in purpose. I see it is a record of the Spiritual Mission of God's chosen Prophets up to and Inclusive of Jesus.

I also see it also gives Prophecy that the spiritual guidance will continue to unfold and culminate in an age of peace for all humanity under One God.

So what does the Bible say to me.

It tells me to Love all humanity and not to hate.

It tells me what happens when I choose hate over Love.

It tells me all humanity are all of One God and that I should not prefer myself over any other.

It tells me the consequences of me vaunting myself in preference of others.

It tells me to do unto others all the good that I would like to see for myself.

It tells me of the consequences of being selfish and not helping others.

It tells me to Love God by submission to God's Prophets and the Message and Laws they have given.

It tells of the consequences of refusing to submit to that wisdom.

So to me the Bible is sure guidance in the Love of God and I thank God for the Prophets and Messengers. I thank God for preserving the Bible as sure spiritual guidance for all humanity.

The debate is yours to put forward, as I have nothing to debate about such a Majestic and Holy Book. I can only offer to you, all the good it contains.

Regards Tony

 

[TransmutingSoul]

I see so much time is wasted by the pursuit of some to discredit what can still be proven to change the hearts of men to do better for all humanity.

Thus the debate may very well be the things men do in the name of that book, that is not what that Book does teach us.

I see it would be better to tell of the positives that you get from these teachings though.

Regards to all, Tony

 

[Kenny]

I see so much time is wasted by the pursuit of some to discredit what can still be proven to change the hearts of men to do better for all humanity.

Thus the debate may very well be the things men do in the name of that book, that is not what that Book does teach us.

I see it would be better to tell of the positives that you get from these teachings though.

Regards to all, Tony

How can I debate what I agree with?

 

[sun rise]

People find themselves, their aspirations, in the Bible, Quran and other holy books. People who are consumed by wrath find justification for their rage. People motivated positively find positive messages.

 

[TransmutingSoul]

How can I debate what I agree with?

You do not have to, there are just so many posts that try to deminish the value of such great Spiritual Guidance.

Personally I see this guidance is also found in other Scriptures as well.

We could also talk about the benefit of those as well.

Regards Tony

 

[Hockeycowboy]

Here, here!

 

[TransmutingSoul]

Here, here!

An Amen to that

Hope you are well and happy and safe from that Covid-19 outbreak.

Regards Tony

 

[Sunstone]

Overall, the Bible strikes me as much more concerned with ethics than with human spirituality. Compare and contrast it with the Bhagavad Gita, which is more or less the opposite.

 

[rational experiences]

1 Corinthians 1:19-21
Living Bible
19 For God says, “I will destroy all human plans of salvation no matter how wise they seem to be, and ignore the best ideas of men, even the most brilliant of them.”

20 So what about these wise men, these scholars, these brilliant debaters of this world’s great affairs? God has made them all look foolish and shown their wisdom to be useless nonsense. 21 For God in his wisdom saw to it that the world would never find God through human brilliance, and then he stepped in and saved all those who believed his message, which the world calls foolish and silly.


Real reasoning, science never knew God, so only had life attacked in science reasoning as an excuse about self.

I never had to read the bible to quote my own self, life and choice spiritual for it is innate and natural to love and care in a family. Being what we own first, we do not own a book and preaching first. We own natural life first.

But if you need to quote how evil science is and how we are lucky to be alive today, then that is what the bible was written for. Advice about being self contradictory. For you cannot quote love in a theme about destruction.

Study 1921 of the changes to God O the Earth from a spatial Messenger.Meteorite Incidents (Tunguska and Chelyabinsk)

 

[TransmutingSoul]

Overall, the Bible strikes me as much more concerned with ethics than with human spirituality. Compare and contrast it with the Bhagavad Gita, which is more or less the opposite.

Personally I see it is all about spirituallity, every story, it's about finding what is bigger than ourselves.

I see people can see that ritual is spirituality, but personally I see more spirituality in science than rituals.

It would be a good topic to bring thoughts together on that subject.

Regards Tony

 

[CG Didymus]

You do not have to, there are just so many posts that try to deminish the value of such great Spiritual Guidance.

Personally I see this guidance is also found in other Scriptures as well.

We could also talk about the benefit of those as well.

Regards Tony

Once you include the Scriptures of all the other religions, you'll lose most all of the Christians. If you include the NT with the Bible, you've probably already lost a lot of the Jews. Do Baha'is believe the Bible is 100% authentic? I don't think so. Do they believe it is relevant today? Some Baha'is have said that it is no longer relevant, because Baha'u'llah has brought new laws that are needed for today's world. Do Baha'is believe stories like Creation and the Resurrection are real and actual historical events? No, all I've ever heard from Baha'is is that those stories are symbolic and not literal.

So who's also part of the people that are trying to diminish the Bible? Baha'is. Baha'is and Christians say that the Jewish laws are obsolete. Most everything literalist Christians believe Baha'is say is wrong. So what does it really mean that the Bible is such a great book of "Spiritual Guidance"? Baha's don't follow the Jewish Bible or the Christian NT. Baha'u'llah even says that the Bible is wrong in saying that Isaac was taken by Abraham to be sacrificed. He says that it was Ishmael? At best, Baha'is believe what their prophet says is true about the Bible, and, like others, only pick what they want out of the Bible and downplay or eliminate the rest of what it says.

And that's fine with me, you have your own religion. You have your own messenger from God. Why not be honest and clear with the people that do believe in the Bible. You believe your prophet is the Messiah, the return of Christ and the return of everyone else that every other religion has been expecting to return. You say you believe in all the Scriptures of every major religion. but that your teachings supersede the teachings of all the other religions. In fact, Baha'is, I think, believe that the Quran is more accurate and more authoritative than the Bible. If true, isn't that kind of like "diminishing" the Bible?

 

[9-10ths_Penguin]

Personally I see the Bible is flawless in purpose. I see it is a record of the Spiritual Mission of God's chosen Prophets up to and Inclusive of Jesus.

I also see it also gives Prophecy that the spiritual guidance will continue to unfold and culminate in an age of peace for all humanity under One God.

So what does the Bible say to me.

It tells me to Love all humanity and not to hate.

It tells me what happens when I choose hate over Love.

It tells me all humanity are all of One God and that I should not prefer myself over any other.

It tells me the consequences of me vaunting myself in preference of others.

It tells me to do unto others all the good that I would like to see for myself.

It tells me of the consequences of being selfish and not helping others.

It tells me to Love God by submission to God's Prophets and the Message and Laws they have given.

It tells of the consequences of refusing to submit to that wisdom.

So to me the Bible is sure guidance in the Love of God and I thank God for the Prophets and Messengers. I thank God for preserving the Bible as sure spiritual guidance for all humanity.

The debate is yours to put forward, as I have nothing to debate about such a Majestic and Holy Book. I can only offer to you, all the good it contains.

Regards Tony

It seems to me that the Bible is as good a guide as Charlie Chaplin's compass in the Gold Rush:

Edit: seems I can't post the video with a timestamp. Skip ahead to 1:49 to see what I'm talking about.

 

[TransmutingSoul]

Once you include the Scriptures of all the other religions, you'll lose most all of the Christians. If you include the NT with the Bible, you've probably already lost a lot of the Jews.

That is there choice CG.

I see the majority will choose to change their mindset, they will see life with new frames of references.

That is how change happens. That is how new Faiths are born and grow, it does not happen instantaneously.

If it is God's purpose, it unfolds as written and how it will unfold is written in the Baha'i Writings. I can say it is unfolding word for word, amazingly so.

Regards Tony

 

[TransmutingSoul]

In fact, Baha'is, I think, believe that the Quran is more accurate and more authoritative than the Bible. If true, isn't that kind of like "diminishing" the Bible?

CG I look for spiritual guidance in all the spiritual books given by God's Messengers.

You can choose to see it how you wish CG, but as for the Bible I see it in the light of this quote.

"THIS book is the Holy Book of God, of celestial Inspiration. It is the Bible of Salvation, the Noble Gospel. It is the mystery of the Kingdom and its light. It is the Divine Bounty, the sign of the guidance of God." ‘Abdu’l-Bahá Abbás.

Regards Tony

 

[TransmutingSoul]

Edit: seems I can't post the video with a timestamp. Skip ahead to 1:49 to see what I'm talking about.

That's OK, as I do not need to watch.

Regards Tony

 

[CG Didymus]

CG I look for spiritual guidance in all the spiritual books given by God's Messengers.

You can choose to see it how you wish CG, but as for the Bible I see it in the light of this quote.

"THIS book is the Holy Book of God, of celestial Inspiration. It is the Bible of Salvation, the Noble Gospel. It is the mystery of the Kingdom and its light. It is the Divine Bounty, the sign of the guidance of God." ‘Abdu’l-Bahá Abbás.

Regards Tony

It's one thing to find some "gems" of "spiritual" truth in the Holy Books of any or all religions, but it's another thing to actually follow all the teachings from a Holy Book of any one of the many religions. Which Baha'is don't. One of the most common views I've heard from Baha'is is that the Scriptures of all of the religions have been misinterpreted by their followers. So what Baha'is really believe about the Scriptures of a religion is not necessarily what the people in that religion believe about their own Scriptures.

 

[TransmutingSoul]

It's one thing to find some "gems" of "spiritual" truth in the Holy Books of any or all religions, but it's another thing to actually follow all the teachings from a Holy Book of any one of the many religions. Which Baha'is don't. One of the most common views I've heard from Baha'is is that the Scriptures of all of the religions have been misinterpreted by their followers. So what Baha'is really believe about the Scriptures of a religion is not necessarily what the people in that religion believe about their own Scriptures.

I will give you a challenge.

Quote a bible or Quran verse that you think we do not follow.

What you may need to consider is that we do follow, but not in a doctrinal way.

Also some laws do change, but the practice will take on another dimension.

Regards Tony

 

[CG Didymus]

I will give you a challenge.

Quote a bible or Quran verse that you think we do not follow.

What you may need to consider is that we do follow, but not in a doctrinal way.

Also some laws do change, but the practice will take on another dimension.

Regards Tony

From a "A Bahá'í View of the Bible"

The Báb, Bahá'u'lláh and 'Abdu'l-Bahá frequently refer to the Gospels as a 'record' of events, for example: "To this testify the records of the four Gospels"[26] and one might interpret this as meaning a mere historical record. Shoghi Effendi lends weight to this possibility when he writes that "The Bible is not wholly authentic"

"When 'Abdu'l-Bahá states we believe what is in the Bible, He means in substance. Not that we believe every word of it to be...the authentic saying of the Prophet."[34] (written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi)

Bahá'u'lláh contradicts a point of historical detail in the Old Testament when he relates the story of Abraham's willingness to sacrifice his son Ishmael[28]. Genesis 22:9 says that this son was Isaac.​

Whatever you say you believe about the Bible doesn't come from what the Bible says, it comes from what the Baha'i teachings say about it. From Abdul Baha...

Therefore, we say that the meaning of Christ’s resurrection is as follows: the disciples were troubled and agitated after the martyrdom of Christ. The Reality of Christ, which signifies His teachings, His bounties, His perfections and His spiritual power, was hidden and concealed for two or three days after His martyrdom, and was not resplendent and manifest. No, rather it was lost, for the believers were few in number and were troubled and agitated. The Cause of Christ was like a lifeless body; and when after three days the disciples became assured and steadfast, and began to serve the Cause of Christ, and resolved to spread the divine teachings, putting His counsels into practice, and arising to serve Him, the Reality of Christ became resplendent and His bounty appeared; His religion found life; His teachings and His admonitions became evident and visible. In other words, the Cause of Christ was like a lifeless body until the life and the bounty of the Holy Spirit surrounded it.
Such is the meaning of the resurrection of Christ, and this was a true resurrection. But as the clergy have neither understood the meaning of the Gospels nor comprehended the symbols...
​

It is useless to point out verses about Creation, about Noah and the flood, about Joshua having God stop the sun in the sky, of Jesus walking on water or being resurrected. Baha'is don't necessarily believe any Bible or NT story as being literal or historically accurate. So you get "inspired" by something in the Bible or something Jesus said, Baha'is don't follow the teachings of either Judaism or Christianity. Baha'is believe both religions have wrong beliefs in them. Beliefs that are based on their Scriptures. Baha'is have their own writings and their own teachings, that many Baha'is have said here on the forum, have superseded and replaced the "older" messages from God. Baha'is believe those laws and many of the beliefs are no longer relevant.

Baha'i teachings have taken over. Many beliefs and doctrines that Jews or Christians have, like the resurrection of Jesus or things about hell and Satan, Baha'is believe are misinterpretations. It's like a token nod to the Bible and saying, "How great you are" but you really mean how great you were. And I even question how "great" some Baha'is feel about the Bible. What next? Your going to say how "great" the Vedas are? Or the Upanishads? Yes, you will find those spiritual gems within their pages, but that doesn't mean you believe and live by their teachings. Same with the Bible, I doubt if any Baha'i lives by what the Bible teaches. And I don't think they should. Now tell me how the Baha'i Faith has better and newer teachings from God. Teachings that have been written by the prophet/manifestation himself, and not by people we can't even be sure of.

​

 

[TransmutingSoul]

Yes, you will find those spiritual gems within their pages, but that doesn't mean you believe and live by their teachings.

I have no need to convince you either way CG.

All the best, Regards Tony

 

[CG Didymus]

I have no need to convince you either way CG.

All the best, Regards Tony

Convince me? I'm only expecting you and other Baha'is to be more transparent about how you really feel about the Bible and other religious Scriptures. Literal? No. 100% authentic? No... unless Baha'is believe the Quran is wholly authentic. But all Scriptures from all the previous religions are from a former time and no longer relevant? Yes... except those spiritual teachings that are universal and everlasting. "Social" laws are done with and have been replaced. Would you agree with that or not? Would you like to add anything?