What is there to debate on this topic?
Well I guess that is the entire debate about God and Religion.
I have done some interesting reading from talks given by Abdu’l-Baha early on, before the first world war in America. What I have been reading is all the press releases of that time and how he was seen by the reporters and the public.
What I have found is that my view of faith and how to share it has been very wrong, in fact I feel as a Baha'i we have got it wrong in many ways.
I now consider that True Faith, given by God actually teaches itself. The written Word is proof of what we will and can become, only if we become that Word in our own lives and that and only that is the ultimate teacher.
Thus Abdul'baha offered no one needs to change their Faith, as a True Christian, or a Muslim, or a Hindu, or a Buddhist is already true to God.[
This is from my Faith, I am sure yours also has writings that will give the same thoughts.
"When asked on one occasion: “What is a Bahá’í?” ‘Abdu’l-Bahá replied: “To be a Bahá’í simply means to love all the world; to love humanity and try to serve it; to work for universal peace and universal brotherhood.” On another occasion He defined a Bahá’í as “one endowed with all the perfections of man in activity.” In one of His London talks He said that a man may be a Bahá’í even if He has never heard the name of Bahá’u’lláh. He added:—
The man who lives the life according to the teachings of Bahá’u’lláh is already a Bahá’í. On the other hand, a man may call himself a Bahá’í for fifty years, and if he does not live the life he is not a Bahá’í. An ugly man may call himself handsome, but he deceives no one,.... not even himself."
/quote]
Your major dilemma here is no open hand to non-believers. Your views are idealistic and appealing to those with certain attitudes, but clearly there are serious problems with many assumptions. There's a major flaw with most all theistic appeals, and that is the assumption of a divine. This tends to exploit, but also overlook, the very real flaws with the human mind.
Thus I am thinking that God has a plan, our lives are directed by our obedience to that plan, or our ignorance, or even rebellion against it.
Yeah, here's a good example of flawed thinking. Where is there an actual, independent God telling any mortal what their personal plan is? Or even a plan for humanity? There is none, so we are left with loads of people with their own beliefs and interpretations, and competing in many ways (like in online debate forums) over these ideas.
Can you argue against that? If the intent of your Faith is to be the best you can and become one with all others, would you still argue with others of another faith that have the same goal?
I am seeing the argument over doctrinal differences only feeds the fire of disunity.
It may be that we are to find a unity in our diversity of Faiths, only when we practice what those Faiths offer in personal conduct.
Your dilemma is that you are part of this diversity of faith. Your words are trying to be above it, but that conflicts with the many beliefs that are tribal in nature.
