The Bible a sure Spiritual Guide.

[oldbadger]

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

Are you sure you were reading the bible?

 

[TransmutingSoul]

Are you sure you were reading the bible?

I am sure and it is not an easy book to read, as many stories indicate how fallible our limited human understanding is and how prone we are to follow material pursuits over our God given spiritual nature.

I hope all is well OB

Regards Tony

 

[TransmutingSoul]

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?

I have posted as to how I view the Bible. I see it is a reliable spiritual guide.

It gives all we need to accept the Quran and both the Bible and the Quran give all that we need to accept the Message given by the Bab and Baha'u'llah.

So this word for word is my heartfelt acceptance of the Bible

"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]

The great thing about the Bible is that is can change the direction of our lives to become spiritual beings.

Jesus tells us to pick up the cross and follow Him. To me that message is about Love of all humanity, seeing God in all people and becoming a servant to all humanity.

To me it is all inclusive and excludes no person of any faith. I see it is us that excludes us from the wisdom within.

Regards Tony

 

[oldbadger]

I am sure and it is not an easy book to read, as many stories indicate how fallible our limited human understanding is and how prone we are to follow material pursuits over our God given spiritual nature.

I hope all is well OB

Regards Tony

You know me, Tony.
You believe in spirituality, I'd rather just believe in spirits.

 

[TransmutingSoul]

You know me, Tony.
You believe in spirituality, I'd rather just believe in spirits.

I see that is what we really are, that is Spirit. I see our spirit is given this form from God, as a bounty. That bounty unfolds in the choices we make.

I see there is many levels of Spirit in this world. We just see it in a different way.

Regards Tony

 

[oldbadger]

I see that is what we really are, that is Spirit. I see our spirit is given this form from God, as a bounty. That bounty unfolds in the choices we make.

I see there is many levels of Spirit in this world. We just see it in a different way.

Regards Tony

Maybe every creature, fish, plant and other life-form in the World has Spirit.
All but mankind, that is.
Only humans living the most basic, simple and primitive lifestyles will have the spirit, imo.

Like the Baptist...... look at how he lived.

 

[TransmutingSoul]

Maybe every creature, fish, plant and other life-form in the World has Spirit.
All but mankind, that is.
Only humans living the most basic, simple and primitive lifestyles will have the spirit, imo.

Like the Baptist...... look at how he lived.

Trees talk to each other.

Humans talk to each other.

What is it that fires the electronic impulses that makes the connections to enable this communication, a power we can call Spirit, science is still looking.

Personally I see this is a important topic to help us understand what is life.

Regards Tony

 

[oldbadger]

Trees talk to each other.

Humans talk to each other.

What is it that fires the electronic impulses that makes the connections to enable this communication, a power we can call Spirit, science is still looking.

Personally I see this is a important topic to help us understand what is life.

Regards Tony

The trees were doing fine, as was most of the fauna, until mankind came along, the only creature capable of wickedness.

This morning in the UK we heard that Rio Tinto has destroyed the two most important and oldest known caves in Australia despite the efforts of the local aborigines. How does this muck happen.......

There is not much that is spiritual about mankind when there's money, or power or status to be taken. Everybody apologises later..

 

[TransmutingSoul]

There is not much that is spiritual about mankind when there's money, or power or status to be taken. Everybody apologises later..

I see that is very true, at the same time I see that spiritual guidance has been offered in the Bible for us to overcome this aspect of selfishness.

I think I may move this OP in that direction, that is explore the spirit behind what is written, rather than looking at the outer words.

Regards Tony

 

[oldbadger]

I see that is very true, at the same time I see that spiritual guidance has been offered in the Bible for us to overcome this aspect of selfishness.

I think I may move this OP in that direction, that is explore the spirit behind what is written, rather than looking at the outer words.

Regards Tony

Please give us an example of spiritual guidance from the bible.

 

[CG Didymus]

Are you sure you were reading the bible?

Reading it very selectively. Love all humanity? God drowned almost all of humanity. Then he drowned the Egyptian army. He destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah. He had his people kill every living thing in Jericho. He had Elijah kill the prophets of Baal. God didn't seem to like anyone, but his chosen people. And, even with them, it was tough love.

But Tony is a Baha'i. Baha'is, especially Tony, are a glass half full kind of people. He sees the little flicker of light in the darkest of places. Or, they just read just all the bad stuff in the Bible.

 

[TransmutingSoul]

Reading it very selectively. Love all humanity? God drowned almost all of humanity. Then he drowned the Egyptian army. He destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah. He had his people kill every living thing in Jericho. He had Elijah kill the prophets of Baal. God didn't seem to like anyone, but his chosen people. And, even with them, it was tough love.

But Tony is a Baha'i. Baha'is, especially Tony, are a glass half full kind of people. He sees the little flicker of light in the darkest of places. Or, they just read just all the bad stuff in the Bible.

I see it was mens choices that resulted in those events. They were warned prior to the events as to what neglect of God's Message and Laws would result in.

I see the Word is the fabric of existance, I see it is the balance needed in creation.

Much like today. The warnings have been given and the longer mankind as a whole still refuses to submit, the worst will be the outcome.

So when it is Written that mankind must unite, that becomes the necessary balance. The warnings are also given as to what will happen if we do not attempt to build that unity.

That to me is all you can read in the Bible. You will read the Message and the Laws given by God that will create unity and peace. You can read the warnings of what will happen, because God knows men will refuse to embrace that Message and those Laws. The promise of submission and the Justice of neglect all recorded in the Message.

Then the choice becomes ours to make.

I think I will start an OP on that and how we repeat this neglect of God and the Messages given, from the Christian perspective.

Regards Tony

 

[TransmutingSoul]

Please give us an example of spiritual guidance from the bible.

I see, given the state of the world today, one of the greatest spiritual lessons would come from this verse.

I also see the Message of Muhammad can be seen to have been planted in and grown out of this verse.

John 14:21 ".... Whoever has my commands and keeps them is the one who loves me. The one who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love them and show myself to them... ."

I personally see that is a great spiritual lesson, that is, submission to a wisdom far beyond our capability of mind.

Regards Tony

 

[9-10ths_Penguin]

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

Deut 25:5-10:

5 If brothers live together and one of them dies without having a son, the dead man’s wife must not remarry someone outside the family. Instead, her late husband’s brother must go to her, marry her,[l] and perform the duty of a brother-in-law.[m] 6 Then[n] the first son[o] she bears will continue the name of the dead brother, thus preventing his name from being blotted out of Israel. 7 But if the man does not want to marry his brother’s widow, then she[p] must go to the elders at the town gate and say, “My husband’s brother refuses to preserve his brother’s name in Israel; he is unwilling to perform the duty of a brother-in-law to me!” 8 Then the elders of his city must summon him and speak to him. If he persists, saying, “I don’t want to marry her,” 9 then his sister-in-law must approach him in view of the elders, remove his sandal from his foot, and spit in his face.[q] She will then respond, “Thus may it be done to any man who does not maintain his brother’s family line!”[r] 10 His family name will be referred to in Israel as “the family[t] of the one whose sandal was removed.”

I certainly hope you don't follow this one, anyhow.

 

[TransmutingSoul]

Deut 25:5-10:

5 If brothers live together and one of them dies without having a son, the dead man’s wife must not remarry someone outside the family. Instead, her late husband’s brother must go to her, marry her,[l] and perform the duty of a brother-in-law.[m] 6 Then[n] the first son[o] she bears will continue the name of the dead brother, thus preventing his name from being blotted out of Israel. 7 But if the man does not want to marry his brother’s widow, then she[p] must go to the elders at the town gate and say, “My husband’s brother refuses to preserve his brother’s name in Israel; he is unwilling to perform the duty of a brother-in-law to me!” 8 Then the elders of his city must summon him and speak to him. If he persists, saying, “I don’t want to marry her,” 9 then his sister-in-law must approach him in view of the elders, remove his sandal from his foot, and spit in his face.[q] She will then respond, “Thus may it be done to any man who does not maintain his brother’s family line!”[r] 10 His family name will be referred to in Israel as “the family[t] of the one whose sandal was removed.”

I certainly hope you don't follow this one, anyhow.

I see the law is progressive. I see that law is no longer applicable.

I see that view is supported in scripture as the progression and change of laws are recorded in the Bible.

I see the laws given in the Quran were applicable to the Jews and the Christains.

Regards Tony

 

[oldbadger]

I see, given the state of the world today, one of the greatest spiritual lessons would come from this verse.

I also see the Message of Muhammad can be seen to have been planted in and grown out of this verse.

John 14:21 ".... Whoever has my commands and keeps them is the one who loves me. The one who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love them and show myself to them... ."

I personally see that is a great spiritual lesson, that is, submission to a wisdom far beyond our capability of mind.

Regards Tony

Ok......
I see that as Apostle John producing yet one more example for Trinitarians and Unitarians to grumble over.

I'm thinking of running a thread on enlightened authors........ might do something in a couple of days....

 

[9-10ths_Penguin]

I see the law is progressive. I see that law is no longer applicable.

So it's a set of verses you don't follow.

 

[TransmutingSoul]

So it's a set of verses you don't follow.

The verses are Law applicable to an age.

How it works is the same as the laws we make in this Material world. Like slavery, it is against the law to follow that practice now, it was not in the past.

The Law changes and the Law is still followed if one accepts the changes.

Big topic.

Regards Tony

 

[CG Didymus]

The great thing about the Bible is that is can change the direction of our lives to become spiritual beings.

At best, you follow a Baha'i interpretation of the Bible... not a Jewish one, not a Christian one.

The verses are Law applicable to an age.

Like stoning people for breaking the law? Like animal sacrifices?