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We Are All Bahais
- Thread starter drew22
- Start date
arthra
Baha'i
Luis,
There have been quite a few threads on these topics..
"... not much understanding of either Hinduism or Buddhism (or, I presume, Zoroastrianism"
Baha'i Faith has it's origins in Iran and Iraq.. and so grew out of Islam. It does inherit from the Abrahamic side or Western religion as it's called..but there are also Zoroastrian roots which as you probably know go back to Iranian Vedic religion and hence to Buddhism.
Baha'u'llah was also descended from the last Zoroastrian kings such as Yazdigird III and HIs family traces back to the area of Mazandaran an old Zoroastrian strong hold even after the Muslim conquests. Many Zoroastrians recognized Baha'u'llah as Shah Bahram.
As to "atheism" this is a choice people make but I don't think anyone should be condemned for it as people go through periods of belief and unbelief in life..searching is necessary, we call it Independent Investigation of Reality or Truth and it is encouraged.
Also you understand we use language and that can be a veil to understanding..
In my view for instance the teachings of the Buddha were not atheistic but closer to agnosticism and there was deference shown the earlier Hindu Deities. The Buddha also steered clear of materialists
See:
Category:Ancient Indian materialist philosophers - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
as well as those steeped in various philosophical views of God or Brahman.
- Art
There have been quite a few threads on these topics..
"... not much understanding of either Hinduism or Buddhism (or, I presume, Zoroastrianism"
Baha'i Faith has it's origins in Iran and Iraq.. and so grew out of Islam. It does inherit from the Abrahamic side or Western religion as it's called..but there are also Zoroastrian roots which as you probably know go back to Iranian Vedic religion and hence to Buddhism.
Baha'u'llah was also descended from the last Zoroastrian kings such as Yazdigird III and HIs family traces back to the area of Mazandaran an old Zoroastrian strong hold even after the Muslim conquests. Many Zoroastrians recognized Baha'u'llah as Shah Bahram.
As to "atheism" this is a choice people make but I don't think anyone should be condemned for it as people go through periods of belief and unbelief in life..searching is necessary, we call it Independent Investigation of Reality or Truth and it is encouraged.
Also you understand we use language and that can be a veil to understanding..
In my view for instance the teachings of the Buddha were not atheistic but closer to agnosticism and there was deference shown the earlier Hindu Deities. The Buddha also steered clear of materialists
See:
Category:Ancient Indian materialist philosophers - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
as well as those steeped in various philosophical views of God or Brahman.
- Art
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BruceDLimber
Well-Known Member
Greetings!
Not acording to Shoghi Effendi, no!
One must choose to be a Baha'i or to be something else: one can't "straddle the fence."
Peace,
Bruce
Not acording to Shoghi Effendi, no!
One must choose to be a Baha'i or to be something else: one can't "straddle the fence."
Peace,
Bruce
Don Penguinoini
Modi.
Or, like most people you could be Hindu, Jewish, Christian and Muslim
Don Penguinoini
Modi.
Ummm... Thanks
arthra
Baha'i
Baha'i Faith is an independent world religion that recognizes all the major religions as having a Divine Origin.. All the religions we believe have had their period of influence and crucial message. Today the most recent revelation from God is the Baha'i Faith.
- Art
K.Venugopal
Immobile Wanderer
Without contradicting or countering anything you've said, I wish to say that religions are, rather than "revelation from God", all about "self-realization" of particular individuals.
BruceDLimber
Well-Known Member
Hi!
As you may already be aware, the Buddhist scriptures definitely posit the existence of a Supreme Being (the actual term used is "the Uncreated and Unformed" as I recall), as well as speaking of men and gods.
So despite the fact that some branches of present-day Buddhism are atheistic, its origins are definitely monotheistic even though this isn't overly stressed.
Best regards,
Bruce
BruceDLimber
Well-Known Member
Greetings!
To be honest, I really don't know what you mean, so kindly explain.
I will point out that my response to your question above is "Neither": While Baha'is and the other great religions are all part of a single ongoing process of Divine Revelation known as the Faith of God, we also stipulate that each stage in this evolving system is indeed a distinct religion.
So yes, they are each distinct in certain ways, but no, we're not truly separate from them.
Peace,
Bruce
To be honest, I really don't know what you mean, so kindly explain.
I will point out that my response to your question above is "Neither": While Baha'is and the other great religions are all part of a single ongoing process of Divine Revelation known as the Faith of God, we also stipulate that each stage in this evolving system is indeed a distinct religion.
So yes, they are each distinct in certain ways, but no, we're not truly separate from them.
Peace,
Bruce
BruceDLimber
Well-Known Member
Greetings!
While you're most welcome to your opinion, we Baha'is would have to disagree in that we are confident that this self-realization comes about through recognizing the Teachings and Laws God has revealed and endeavoring to live by them!
Best regards,
Bruce
While you're most welcome to your opinion, we Baha'is would have to disagree in that we are confident that this self-realization comes about through recognizing the Teachings and Laws God has revealed and endeavoring to live by them!
Best regards,
Bruce
K.Venugopal
Immobile Wanderer
Greetings!
While you're most welcome to your opinion, we Baha'is would have to disagree in that we are confident that this self-realization comes about through recognizing the Teachings and Laws God has revealed and endeavoring to live by them!
Best regards,
Bruce
Dear Bruce,
I wish to put something forward but I don't know how to as I think it is a sensitive matter and you may feel offended. But I assure you that is not my intention. I just want to think through something that I think is important. Therefore, please pardon me, but my question is, why do you say "... we Baha'is would have to ....."? Even though many people may believe in the same religion, is not the religious quest really a personal one? I am actually terrified when anyone says "we Hindus, we Christians, we Muslims" etc. in the religious or spiritual context. And I am sure I myself must have used this expression because so conditioned have all of us become to its usage. Nevertheless, I think in religion everything must be about personal experience. When we talk about we in religion, we are probably reducing religion to an organizational entity.
What I have said is only a vague thought of mine. Please forgive me if you find it somewhat meaningless.
Steinninn
Viking
Yea, it is kind of dangerous to say "we baha'is" but sometimes it is exaptible. For example, someone could say "we christians believe that moses was a messanger from god" or "we baha'is believe in unity of mankind".
Baha'u'llah clearly states that without the manifestations from god, humans would not be able to know god. So I would say that the statment that BruceDLimber made is axeptable.
I'd also like to point out, that every so offen the Universal House of Justice sends out a letter reminding baha'is around the world not to think about "baha'is and the rest of the world"/"us and them". It's just "us". There is no we and them in unity. We are all on the same car riding the same rolecoster.
So with that in mind, we should be carefull about saying "we baha'is". Or at least use it selectevly.
I recently came across the Baha'is statements on homosexuality, but they didn't really turn me away from the religion. I still say that if I were to convert to an Abrahamic faith, it would be Baha'i.
I do believe in the freedom to worship and interpret personally. And I also believe sooner what science says about homosexuality than what Baha'i authority says about it.
I do believe in the freedom to worship and interpret personally. And I also believe sooner what science says about homosexuality than what Baha'i authority says about it.
Steinninn
Viking
If you believe that Baha'u'llah is the Manifestation from God of our time, well, then I would be the first one to welcome you into our comunity.
The baha'i status on homosexuality is revolutionary in the Abrahamic faiths. We have great tolerance for them. We do not shun them for theyr nature. Gays have almost the same "rules" as straights. Wich is, you can not have sexual acts before marriage. The thing is, you can only marrie someone that is of the oposite sex. So if you don't marrie, you are not allowed to have sex, doesn't matter if you are straight or gay.
But these "rules" are for the individual to follow. It's not the baha'i comunity to enforce these rules on people. The same gose with drinking, backstabing, prejudice.
In the future (i hope) when the baha'i community grows, it will take on other rules, such as "you shall not kill", "you should not steal". And work on world peace, unity.
And the way I understand it, the reasoning behind these restrictions is the idea that sex should only be done for procreative purposes within a family unit, right? So as to separate one from the material world? and with that being the case it's nothing against homosexuals at all.
Steinninn
Viking
Yea, homosexuality is very natural. But mind you, not all baha'i read the scriptues the same way I do.
And the sexual act is a very beautfull gift from god. It is devine. And we are allowed to use condoms and such. So it's not strictly the catholic way of "procreative purpose only" hehe. And as I understand it, we are not to separate from the material world until we die. We are living in a material world and should take that as a great gift ans privalage to have. But at the same time, we should not be material dependant. We should streangthen both the spiritual and material well beeing.
I definitely agree that the Baha'i view on homosexuality is revolutionary by comparison. And such views on that should not determine whether or not someone respects a religion, though I disagree.
Heck, I have great respect for the Dalai Lama, but in his book "The Way to Freedom" he states that homosexuality is one of the ten "incorrect" paths, if I remember correctly. Doesn't decrease my respect for him.
BTW, I'm not going to convert to the Baha'i faith at the moment. I still would like to read more of its scripture. As it stands, I'm polytheistic, believing that all the gods exist, that they are our brothers, children of Gaia: Father Sky and Mother Earth, who is sister to Luna, both children of Solis, the Sun. And all that exists, whether we perceive it or not, is the very body of the One. The One is genderless, emotionless, and far beyond all our comprehension. I do not believe that the One manifests itself to us micro-electrons (^_^) any more than we would manifest ourselves to molecules.
But I have every intention of incorporating Baha'i philosophy into my beliefs. And from what I've read, I do believe that Baha'u'llah is a Sage, but one of many who walk the earth.
Heck, I have great respect for the Dalai Lama, but in his book "The Way to Freedom" he states that homosexuality is one of the ten "incorrect" paths, if I remember correctly. Doesn't decrease my respect for him.
BTW, I'm not going to convert to the Baha'i faith at the moment. I still would like to read more of its scripture. As it stands, I'm polytheistic, believing that all the gods exist, that they are our brothers, children of Gaia: Father Sky and Mother Earth, who is sister to Luna, both children of Solis, the Sun. And all that exists, whether we perceive it or not, is the very body of the One. The One is genderless, emotionless, and far beyond all our comprehension. I do not believe that the One manifests itself to us micro-electrons (^_^) any more than we would manifest ourselves to molecules.
But I have every intention of incorporating Baha'i philosophy into my beliefs. And from what I've read, I do believe that Baha'u'llah is a Sage, but one of many who walk the earth.
I'm curious, what do you feel then IS the objection to the act of homosexual sex If sex isn't limited to "procreation purpose only"? Why would it be considered "wrong"? I'm not trying to turn this into a homosexuality is right/wrong debate I'm just curious to hear your views.