What if we accepted each others Religion?

[crossfire]

What's the point of what you are saying here? It's not clear to me. I don't see any conjectures about the origin of the world in what that person i am quoting said. Maybe I being dense here, but I don't get it.

Speculating that the world was created by a creator will lead to madness and vexation (being out of your mind-the opposite of mindfulness.)

 

[crossfire]

If that's how you see it, that's fine with me.

I can give the sutta references regarding why that is what it means if you are interested in reading it.

Anupada Sutta: One After Another

www.accesstoinsight.org

The unborn comes from this sutta:

Nibbāna Sutta: Unbinding (3)

www.accesstoinsight.org

It is by this consciousness that the monk Sariputta discerned the thoughts that were born and passed away in the One After Another sutta.

 

[Truthseeker]

Speculating that the world was created by a creator will lead to madness and vexation (being out of your mind-the opposite of mindfulness.)

It's not speculation for us, for us it was revealed by a Messenger of God. I'm not in madness or vexation. I think we are talking in different languages so to speak, though. It's fine by me that you follow your way.

 

[Truthseeker]

I can give the sutta references regarding why that is what it means if you are interested in reading it.

Anupada Sutta: One After Another

www.accesstoinsight.org

The unborn comes from this sutta:

Nibbāna Sutta: Unbinding (3)

www.accesstoinsight.org

It is by this consciousness that the monk Sariputta discerned the thoughts that were born and passed away in the One After Another sutta.

It will take some time for me try to understand this point of view of yours, but I will try.

 

[Bthoth]

It's not speculation for us, for us it was revealed by a Messenger of God.

Revealed? by whom? Which culture?

I'm not in madness or vexation. I think we are talking in different languages so to speak, though. It's fine by me that you follow your way.

The same problem, the benchmarks.

 

[Truthseeker]

Revealed? by whom? Which culture?

It was revealed by Baha'u'llah, who originally lived in Iran.

 

[crossfire]

It will take some time for me try to understand this point of view of yours, but I will try.

Basically, it's what Advaita would call the observer consciousness, except Buddhism doesn't personify it.

 

[loverofhumanity]

Yes, some/many people have above average wisdom and intelligence. But that does not mean that their claims/teachings have equal merit. Jesus is the only begotten Son of the Creator of our Universe.

Diversity is great - up to a point; it stops when it comes to the ultimate TRUTH.

Only Jesus is our Lord and Savior. IMHO.

I believe in Jesus too as Lord and Saviour. But I believe He has returned in Glory of the Father as Baha’u’llah.

 

[Sundance]

As another Bahá’í, I’m gonna offer a similar perspective to the OP. Of course, it’s colored by my own understanding and experiences.

1. As for people of different religions coming together, I’m optimistic on that front. Young adults in my generation are understanding that different religions offer valuable insights into how to live life, not necessarily that they teach exactly the same things. Anyway, the differences in religion are not necessary to argue over. Doing so is nothing else but problematic. Open-mindedness is the main thing. The goal of, really, any religion is to show us the nature of Ultimate Reality, human nature, our relationship to life and the universe, the meaning of life, and to cultivate practices reflecting these. Hence, you have, for instance, Christians – many of whom are notorious for denying that there even is wisdom in other religions – practicing things like Buddhist meditation and astrology, and engaging in Hatha Yoga. They see that there are keys of insight in other religions that can unlock doors of understanding in their own religion. Followers of every religion would do well to adopt this mindset. It’s the mindsets of people, not the variety of religious teachings, that separate.


2. With this said, I do not believe that it is necessary for people to become Bahá’ís in order to do this. For me, it’s better if individuals travel to the heart of each religion, starting with their own, and engage with each each one, insofar as their own minds permit them to. Conversion to another religion is not necessary.

3. Concerning the notion that Bahá’í conceptions about X religion or Y religion indicate that they privilege one particular sect of said religion over another, this is quite confusing to me. While the Bahá’í Faith originated from a specific cultural milieu (that of Persian Shia Islam) and had engaged with a broader backdrop of Judaism, Christianity, Sunni Islam, Zoroastrianism, and (via literary influences among the nobility at the time) Vaishnava Hinduism, this doesn’t necessarily imply that Bahá’u’lláh saw other sects and religions as invalid. His understanding, and resultingly ours, of the religions He engaged with, again while colored by His cultural and individual background, was non-sectarian.

 

[loverofhumanity]

As another Bahá’í, I’m gonna offer a similar perspective to the OP. Of course, it’s colored by my own understanding and experiences.

As for people of different religions coming together, I’m optimistic on that front. Young adults in my generation are understanding that different religions offer valuable insights into how to live life, not necessarily that they teach exactly the same things. This is not necessary to argue over. The goal off, really, any religion is to show us the nature of Ultimate Reality, human nature, our relationship to life and the universe, the meaning of life, and to cultivate practices reflecting these. Hence, you have, for instance, Christians – many of whom are notorious for denying that there even is wisdom in other religions – practicing things like Buddhist meditation and astrology, and engaging in Hatha Yoga. They see that there are keys of insight that can unlock doors of understanding in their own religion. Followers of every religion would do well were they likewise. It’s the mindsets of people, not the variety of religious teachings, that separate.

With this said, I do not believe that it is necessary for people to become Bahá’ís in order to do this. For me, it’s better if individuals travel to the heart of each religion, starting with their own, and engage with each each one, insofar as their own minds permit them to.

Concerning the notion that Bahá’í conceptions about X religion or Y religion indicate that they privilege one particular sect of said religion over another, this is quite confusing to me. While the Bahá’í Faith originated from a specific cultural milieu (that of Persian Shia Islam) and had engaged with a broader backdrop of Judaism, Christianity, Sunni Islam, Zoroastrianism, and (via literary influences among the nobility at the time) Vaishnava Hinduism, this doesn’t necessarily imply that Bahá’u’lláh accepted the legitimacy of any one particular sect of any of these (or of any other religion) over another. His understanding, and resultingly ours, of the religions He engaged with, again while colored by His cultural and individual background, was non-sectarian.

Beautifully explained. I believe we accept all the truth in many sects. Like with Sunni Islam the common denominator is the Quran but we do accept the Imams which Sunni don’t but still we have the Quran in common. Same with other sects. Although some sects don’t accept KrIshna or Avatars, still their scriptures reflect many, many truths that all religions agree on. In other words we have so much more in common that can bring us together and that’s what I think we should focus on. The way our world is today it needs all the unity it can get.

 

[Trailblazer]

The way our world is today it needs all the unity it can get.

I think we should include atheists and agnostics in that unity, not only other religious people.

 

[loverofhumanity]

I think we should include atheists and agnostics in that unity, not only other religious people.

Yes that’s what the oneness of mankind is about. But religions still need to reconcile their differences if we are to have peace.

 

[RestlessSoul]

Speculating that the world was created by a creator will lead to madness and vexation (being out of your mind-the opposite of mindfulness.)

But how long should one spend contemplating the origins of the universe, before arriving at this conclusion? After all, asking seemingly unanswerable questions does appear very much part of our nature.

 

[Trailblazer]

But religions still need to reconcile their differences if we are to have peace.

Good luck with that!

 

[Link]

Beautifully explained. I believe we accept all the truth in many sects. Like with Sunni Islam the common denominator is the Quran but we do accept the Imams which Sunni don’t but still we have the Quran in common. Same with other sects. Although some sects don’t accept KrIshna or Avatars, still their scriptures reflect many, many truths that all religions agree on. In other words we have so much more in common that can bring us together and that’s what I think we should focus on. The way our world is today it needs all the unity it can get.

I think Bahai interpretation about Angels, Jinn, day of judgment, and finality of Prophets are all impossible interpretations. The Mahdi being more then one person, not having their own set of Twelve Successors in Ahlulbayt etc.. are all problematic. Baha'allah not being related to the Bab in blood and so on and so forth.

I think the biggest problem with humanity is how playful they are in religion and with respect to God's words. I believe Bahai interpretation of texts amplify this to a degree that no other sect is that playful except maybe the old sects that would make Ali (a) and Imams (a) into God or incarnations of God.

I think I can work with Bahais in that they accept Quran and some hadiths, but the sophistry game is so annoying, that it's not worth the time. So I would suggest to other Shiites not to dialogue with you guys because of the time consumption of sophistry games and stubborn nature of mankind, it's not worth the time.

This is while a Christian for example would read Quran and would agree with Muslims more so then a Bahai because they are not as playful and vested in a far fetch extremely playful interpretation as Bahais are.

With other sects, you can prove something to them, because overall they still accept language norms for what they are. With Bahais, the way the play with language, it's impossible for God to say certain things, because they will twist it way out of place like no other sect does.

Thus, I see out of religions Bahais are the least dialogue worthy. This is my conclusion out of the years of dialogue.

 

[crossfire]

But how long should one spend contemplating the origins of the universe, before arriving at this conclusion? After all, asking seemingly unanswerable questions does appear very much part of our nature.

There is a lot of benefit to knowing that you don't know, and that building a philosophy grounded in speculation is not skillful.

 

[Saint Frankenstein]

Firstly I am only referring to the major religions.

Next I’m speaking of accepting the Founder and the spiritual teachings such as virtues and prayer etc not the laws. The administration of each faith would remain.

So Christians would accept Buddha and Muhammad, Buddhists would accept Christ and Baha’is etc

And instead of segregating ourselves in our own churches, pagodas, temples and synagogues, we would visit each others places of worship to meditate and pray together. We Baha’is already do this and read from all the sacred scriptures of each religion in all our services.

In this way we can celebrate our diversity. I think in many places this is happening and also interfaith breaking down barriers. I myself I accept all the major religions and their Founders and Holy Books and find this enriches me greatly. So I read something Christ or Buddha said and it’s a great experience. Christ says to love and Buddha says to fight hate with love and that the greatest of all conquerors is he who conquers his own self. So much wisdom from all these faiths. Why should we deprive ourselves.? If you have any favourite verses please feel most welcome to share them.

Newsflash: You can be respectful of others without compromising your own beliefs!

 

[TransmutingSoul]

Thus, I see out of religions Bahais are the least dialogue worthy. This is my conclusion out of the years of dialogue.

Or, this is just as applicable, it could be a refection of the state of Islam, thus these accusations are born from one's own stance.

Regards Tony

 

[TransmutingSoul]

Newsflash: You can be respectful of others without compromising your own beliefs!

That is very old news, but the world needs a new approach to find the oneness of humanity.

Unfortunately there is really no bandaide approach. Our oneness has to be build upon the realisation that God is One and there is no exclusive faith.

Regards Tony

 

[TransmutingSoul]

Good luck with that!

That is the Message God gives us, we could all place our trust in the One God. The greatest reconciliation possible.

Regards Tony