We Are All Bahais

[drew22]

You can be a, hindu bahai, jewish bahai, christian bahai, moslem bahai....

The Bahai teachings are different than other religious teachings in that Bahais will look and see God in everyone. It does not matter who or what you believe, all the religions were sent from God, to us. That is why these teachings of Bab and Bahaullah are so important. They are important teachings because they say that all the worlds religious teachings are from the same source, God. There is no separation between the religions, because God sent them all to teach us something.

 

[Phasmid]

What about the Aztec religion and Lucifarianism?

 

[K.Venugopal]

You can be a, hindu bahai, jewish bahai, christian bahai, moslem bahai....

The Bahai teachings are different than other religious teachings in that Bahais will look and see God in everyone. It does not matter who or what you believe, all the religions were sent from God, to us. That is why these teachings of Bab and Bahaullah are so important. They are important teachings because they say that all the worlds religious teachings are from the same source, God. There is no separation between the religions, because God sent them all to teach us something.

If you have here encapsulated the core teaching of the Bahai religion, then I would consider myself honoured to be a Bahai.

 

[LuisDantas]

The one thing that troubles me about the Bahai Faith is that it apparently depends on belief in God.

 

[3.14]

so the world is divided atheist vs bahais

 

[LuisDantas]

Not "vs", apparently. But I don't know that one can be an atheist Bahai, either.

 

[drew22]

Yes, universal, means everything.

God is everything. Ok, God made everything, but it depends on how we use it. It is like two sides of a coin. I don't think the people who worship this thing they call, satan, are following much in the way God wants them to. Satan, is maya. If I meet one of these people though, I still see the essence of that person, which is God. That person can still reach salvation, though I don't believe in satanism. I don't believe in any, 'ism'. 'ism's, only separate people from people, universalism is the only, 'ism', that does not separate.


Of course, the Aztecs, and all the very early teachings, are mystical paths, and mystical paths also have some true about God. Mystical paths are also found in all the religions, eg, sufi, christian saints, seven valleys, kabbala, etc.

God is everything, so even an atheist has a chance to know God. I believe in evolution. I believe in: God created the universe. God used science to create the universe. In the beginning was darkness, so God reversed the evolutionary process, and we began to evolve toward God, instead of away from Him. God was making us to evolve toward Him because we were in darkness, and still are. God is trying to help us, and how He is doing that, one way, though religions. Each one has a specfic message to help us.

Yes these are the true Bahai teachings.

 

[Steinninn]

I myself am a new bahai, and as such I can recomend The Bahá'í Faith

It has simple text that explain what it is all about.

I believe that all major religions come from the same god, and the baha'i faith is the newest of them. And for the first time, I'm rely interested in learning about all the other ones.

As a child I grew up with the idea that all religions had different gods, and you had to choose. But now I see that religions are just chapters in the same book.

Some people don't like using the word religion, because for them it stands for war, prejudice and many other. But for me religion has a very beutifull meaning.

 

[arthra]

Drew..

I think a better representation of the Baha'i view is that we see the attributes of God in everyone but we don't believe as you've written that:

"The Bahai teachings are different than other religious teachings in that Bahais will look and see God in everyone."

Even the Manifestations of God Themselves are Perfect Reflections of God's attributes but not God Himself. So it would be helpful when representing Baha'i views to be accurate.

Also Baha'is do not believe:

"God is everything."

this is a pantheist belief that is NOT in our Faith. It may be in Hinduism or even some Sufi ideas but it is not a Baha'i belief:

Briefly, the superior reality does not descend nor abase itself to inferior states; then how could it be that the Universal Reality of God, which is freed from all descriptions and qualifications, notwithstanding Its absolute sanctity and purity, should resolve Itself into the forms of the realities of the creatures, which are the source of imperfections? This is a pure imagination which one cannot conceive.

(Abdu'l-Baha, Some Answered Questions, p. 295)


So once again Drew be please be more accurate in your representations.

- Art

 

[arthra]

What about the Aztec religion and Lucifarianism?

Welcome to the Baha'i Forum Phasmid!

Baha'is believe all the major religions have a Divien Origin..

If you're referring to Native American beliefs there have been many Baha'i Native Americans that see the Baha'i Faith as supportive to them..

See:

The Native American Baha'i Institute (NABI)

As to "Luciferianism" I don't know much about it..

I think it's important to know that the Baha'i belief is that the major religions are all believed to have a Divine origin and that includes Buddhism.

- Art

 

[arthra]

The one thing that troubles me about the Bahai Faith is that it apparently depends on belief in God.

Hi Luis..

Thanks for posting here on the Baha'i Forum!

Yes Baha'is believe God is One ..

Baha'u'llah received we believe a Divine Revelation in the Siyyah Chal prison in 1853 and declared His Mission in 1863 .

As to the nature of God.. Baha'is believe the nature of God is not knowable to us but we can only begin to grasp some of the attributes of God through HIs Manifestations which to us include the Buddha, Christ, Muhammad, the Bab and Baha'u'llah.. We believe there will be an endless number of Manifestations in the future and that there have also been many that we don't know by name before.

- Art

 

[LuisDantas]

Hi, Arthra. Thanks for the welcome.

As I said, I rather like the Bahai teachings. I just can't adopt them, not when they rely so much on belief in God.

But that's not a problem, although it saddens me somewhat to see such a noble faith fail to recognize that there are atheists.

 

[Steinninn]

Hi, Arthra. Thanks for the welcome.

As I said, I rather like the Bahai teachings. I just can't adopt them, not when they rely so much on belief in God.

But that's not a problem, although it saddens me somewhat to see such a noble faith fail to recognize that there are atheists.

I find what you are writing interesting beccause I don't understand it. I'd like to invite you to watch this video YouTube - Athiests are NOT Superior-Minded

We welcome all atheists to learn about the baha'i way of living. And welcome anyone to adopt as much as they want. And maybe one day trough that you recognise god, and maybe not.

 

[K.Venugopal]

Yes Baha'is believe God is One .

Saying "God is one" is a whole world different than saying "There is only one God". The later teaching makes it inevitable that it takes on those who are not loyal to that one God. But saying "God is one" makes inclusiveness inevitable. It logically leads to the teaching that all existence is divine.

 

[LuisDantas]

I find what you are writing interesting beccause I don't understand it. I'd like to invite you to watch this video YouTube - Athiests are NOT Superior-Minded

We welcome all atheists to learn about the baha'i way of living. And welcome anyone to adopt as much as they want. And maybe one day trough that you recognise god, and maybe not.

Absolutely, atheism is not at all "superior". But it is not really avoidable either, nor is it a problem.

I have gone to a few Bahai meetings in my previous city of residence. I must say, it is fabulous to see so much good will - and the ethnic variety is quite inspiring as well. Which unfortunately just ends up making my disappointment in failing to connect with the Faith a bit greater. But I have no small amount of good will towards it all the same. Enough so, really, to actually wish they follow the example of so many other faiths and develop a place for internal dialog with those who simply don't believe in God.

 

[Troublemane]

Briefly, the superior reality does not descend nor abase itself to inferior states; then how could it be that the Universal Reality of God, which is freed from all descriptions and qualifications, notwithstanding Its absolute sanctity and purity, should resolve Itself into the forms of the realities of the creatures, which are the source of imperfections? This is a pure imagination which one cannot conceive.

(Abdu'l-Baha, Some Answered Questions, p. 295)

So does this mean that God cannot manifest before a person, as a burning bush for example?

 

[Adib]

So does this mean that God cannot manifest before a person, as a burning bush for example?

From the Baha'i point of view, the burning bush, just like the dove in Christianity and Angel Gabriel in Islam, is a manifestation of the Holy Spirit, not God. It is an intellectual reality, not something physical and contingent.

These passages might shed some light on the subject:

Bahá'í Reference Library - Some Answered Questions, Pages 83-86

Bahá'í Reference Library - Some Answered Questions, Pages 108-109

 

[Halcyon]

I myself am a new bahai, and as such I can recomend The Bahá'Ã* Faith

It has simple text that explain what it is all about.

I believe that all major religions come from the same god, and the baha'i faith is the newest of them. And for the first time, I'm rely interested in learning about all the other ones.

As a child I grew up with the idea that all religions had different gods, and you had to choose. But now I see that religions are just chapters in the same book.

Some people don't like using the word religion, because for them it stands for war, prejudice and many other. But for me religion has a very beutifull meaning.

When I was exploring as many religions as I could, to try and find one that perfectly suited me, I was very drawn to the Baha'i Faith, but then I saw it - the old condemnation of homosexuality clause - which meant another religion crossed off the list. I'm not gay myself, but I feel any religion worth its salt will accept everybody for how God made them.
Otherwise Baha'i is just spiffing IMO.

 

[Steinninn]

When I was exploring as many religions as I could, to try and find one that perfectly suited me, I was very drawn to the Baha'i Faith, but then I saw it - the old condemnation of homosexuality clause - which meant another religion crossed off the list. I'm not gay myself, but I feel any religion worth its salt will accept everybody for how God made them.
Otherwise Baha'i is just spiffing IMO.

I agree, I do believe God accept everyone as God made them. And the way Bahá'ís see homosexuality is very different from, for example muslims or catholics. I'd recomend this video YouTube - Re: Re: Bahai Faith Discriminates on Homosexuals

Basically everyone can overcome their sexual desires with prayer and meditation, not only gay people. It's not to say that gay people can turn straight, no.

And for me it was not so much a search for a religion that fits me or that I like. I was looking for the newest religion. The newest prophet. The latest chapter that god has given us. And as soon as I recognised Baha'u'llah as a Manifestation of God I was willing to accept any of his writing because I believe it is a message from God to me.

 

[LuisDantas]

That is something else that bothers me slightly in the Bahai Faith. Although it claims inheritance from non-Abrahamic religions, it doesn't really seem to have much of a functional understanding of those faiths. Lots of good will, yes, but not much understanding of either Hinduism or Buddhism (or, I presume, Zoroastrianism).

For all practical purposes, the Bahai Faith is simply the newest Abrahamic faith. It strives to be inclusive, but all the same it undermines its own efforts in some ways.