mikkel_the_dane
My own religion
So your universal version of peace is not a case of enforcement? How does that work?
-
Welcome to Religious Forums, a friendly forum to discuss all religions in a friendly surrounding.
Your voice is missing! You will need to register to get access to the following site features:- Reply to discussions and create your own threads.
- Our modern chat room. No add-ons or extensions required, just login and start chatting!
- Access to private conversations with other members.
We hope to see you as a part of our community soon!
When does organized religion become dangerous?
- Thread starter an anarchist
- Start date
So your universal version of peace is not a case of enforcement? How does that work?
mikkel_the_dane
My own religion
So if I choose a different peace and we disagree then what? How do you resolve that?
The majority of the world will decide the path to peace.
The Baha'i Faith already has its path.
Regards Tony
mikkel_the_dane
My own religion
Yeah, you haven't really answered, because there is no one part to peace.
When you can't escape it.
... either because the religion can stop you from leaving, or because it can still impose itself when you leave, or because you've been coerced or indoctrinated into thinking you can't leave.
The Baha’i concept of peace is unconditional acceptance of all people as equals regardless of belief, no belief, race, nationality, sexual orientation and culture. So it doesn’t matter what you believe, you are human first. Whether you accept the Baha’i belief or not doesn’t matter as that is your own personal matter.
Kelly of the Phoenix
Well-Known Member
The worst part is that the good guy religion had its head so far up their hyperdrive that the galaxy actually WANTED the bad guys to win.
InvestigateTruth
Well-Known Member
But if we look at it this way, any organization, even non-religious can become dangerous, if their numbers increase significantly.
Essentially one of the teachings of Baha'u'llah is, worldly power is unworthy in the site of God. So, if Bahais follow this, they should not at any point be tempted for worldly power.
I wouldn't say, that just because, other religions at some point became dangerous to the society, this One will also have the same fate.
It really depends if in the Scriptures of a Religion, there are some violent verses, or something that can be used for violence purposes. For example, in Quran, there are verses about fighting the infidels. Although these verses originally were meant only for specific situations in early Islam, and for defense, but as many Muslims agree, there have been many who used these verses for their own agenda.
Does Baha’i scriptures have any verses that can be misinterpreted and promote violence?
Thank you for your kind comments. The main purpose of the Baha’i Faith is not to take over the world or own it. If you research what the Baha’is actually do you will find that our intention is to spiritualise the world with virtues. So in all our schools such as childrens classes, junior youth and adult lessons you will never find any effort to convert or ‘give your life to Baha’u’llah’. Our focus is on creating virtuous children, youth who’s ambition is to serve the wider community and promote good relations between religions, races and nationalities.
A Baha’i cannot really convert anyone. We believe in the independent investigation of truth so we can share our faith with others but then it’s up to them to investigate or not.
Also, Baha’is have no clergy or anyone with individual power. Elected bodies run our faith but by secret ballot and no electioneering. We promote freedom from prejudice, but how the world is governed is up to the people of the world not us. Our administration is for Baha’is only.
On politics, we are forbidden even to discuss politics at all let alone be political and any Bahai who joins a political party must choose either one for if we allowed Baha’is to join parties it would destroy our unity.
As to whether Baha’u’llah is a Prophet from God or not I can only decide that for myself according to my own research so I cannot speak for others. Is it dangerous? I have been a Baha’i for 45 years and by practicing their teachings and laws I have had a stable work life and marriage of 42 years and acquired qualifications from education which is highly encouraged in the Baha’i Faith. Some of my best friends are Christians, Hindus and others who are not Baha’is. It doesn’t matter because they are all my equals regardless of different views and we get along fine.
But the Baha’i Faith is not Utopia. We are just ordinary people with weaknesses and faults like anyone and we don’t pretend to be better because we are not. We are not allowed to proselytise but we get over enthusiastic at times and fail to always observe that law.
mikkel_the_dane
My own religion
So there is only one peace and that is your peace and it doesn't matter if people believe differently.
stevecanuck
Well-Known Member
When its God says things like, "Indeed, Allah has purchased from the believers their lives and their properties [in exchange] for that they will have Paradise. They fight in the cause of Allah , so they kill and are killed".
Sounds pretty dangerous to me
That does not make it less dangerous.
Earthquakes are not less dangerous, since people can also be killed by tsunamis.
ciao
- viole
mikkel_the_dane
My own religion
Yeah, and communism is as natural as tsunamis where as religion is unnatural.
stevecanuck
Well-Known Member
I agree with that. The problem is that the Qur'an rarely states as much. Rather, the commands to fight are presented in a very generic fashion. For example, it is largely agreed that verses 9:38 to the end were 'received' during Mohamed's attempt to begin a war with the Byzantines. 9:38 says, "O ye who believe! what is the matter with you, that, when ye are asked to go forth in the cause of Allah, ye cling heavily to the earth?". We are told by 1400 years of Islamic scholarship that Mohamed was yet again chastising the bedouins who seemed willing to share in the loot, but were reluctant to see blood spilled - especially there own. But, Allah never tells you that, so how are you supposed to know? In fact, the Qur'an says it is a collection of "examples and similitudes from which mankind is to take admonition", so one would read that and logically conclude that the question is general and all-inclusive for all time.
I believe the Qur'an was authored by Mohamed on an ad hoc basis as illustrated by such unreferenced commands. The people he was cajoling at the time knew exactly what he was talking about, so no historical context was necessary, and therefore none was given. He needed sandals on the ground at that point, and he has pulling verse after verse out of thin air (IMO) in an attempt to build his army. That leaves us 1400 years later with unreferenced commands to fight. Period. If they were made for specific situations, that fact has long since been lost, except to those who do a deep dive into history.
Now for the really bad part - even if one is well-versed in both Qur'anic and historic context, those commands still carry the same generic message. Read 9:38 again, and then tell me how knowing the context changes the message. It doesn't. Not by one bit.
I believe the best indication of how a new religion is to be understood is to simply look at the actions of the first adherents. Did Mohamed and the first Muslims make war or peace? Now look at the size of the Islamic empire a mere 100 years after the death of Mohamed, and the answer is glaringly obvious.
Last edited:
Psychic predictions are a part of the new testament bible (Revelation contains psychic predictions, and there are other references to psychic predictions in the bible, as well). So, Christians are supposed to believe in psychic predictions. The problem is that there are a lot of charletans pretending to be psychic. For example, Jeb Bush (W. Bush's brother) is a false prophet who said that he spoke with God and was promised that hurricanes would not strike Florida while he was governor. That prediction was false. False prophets are supposed to burn in the lake of fire of hell for all eternity.
ONE WORLD ORDER:
https://www.amazon.com/New-Cold-War-Nostradamus-Stormberger/dp/1501081519
WW III (civilization ending nuclear war), "danger begins when America and Russia display eagles as their national totems. That time is today."
https://goaravetisyan.ru/en/predskazaniya-amerikanskogo-yasnovidyashchego-edgara-keisi-prorochestva/
Psychic, Edgar Cayce said "Russia sparkled and shimmered with the lights of cities, having escaped the catastrophe caused by a global military conflict so crushing that it set tectonic plates in a dangerous movement."
"Russia has a special mission". . . "change the essence of human relationships, to free them from selfishness and gross material passions, to restore them on a new basis - on love, trust and wisdom. Hope will come from Russia to the world - not from the communists, not from the Bolsheviks, but from a free Russia!"
Cayce's predictions: "unmistakably named the year of the beginning of the Second World War, the number of its victims, the year, month, the date of the founding of the state of Israel, India's independence, the time and place of the assassination of US President John F. Kennedy. But, perhaps most impressively, long before the ancient scrolls of the Qumran caves of Palestine were found, he expounded their content in detail, identical to the translations made by modern scholars.
He also said that towards the end of the 21st century, the climate of the earth will change radically"
Anyone but God in power is dangerous and oppressive to rest of society. So if Mohammad (s) is a fake Prophet, it's huge problem. However, given people authority instead of God's anointed Kings is also a problem.
We need God and his Kings. There is one last king from the family of Mohammad (s). There is Elijah (a) and Jesus (a) from the family of Aaron/Moses/David (upon them be peace).
There is Idris (Enoch) (a) from the successors and family of Adam (a).
These are called the Baqeen (those that remain) in Quran in Surah Saffat. They remain and been safeguarded by God for a reason. An important end time day is coming with a huge trial with regards to them.
The whole thesis of Quran is we need God's choice and leader from him combined with revelation proving he is the true authority (ie. the Mahdi from the family of Mohammad (s)).
We won't get it all right (religion) without the guide present.
So Islam is in shambles, wrong teachings attributed to it, and severe evil attributed to being allowed or commanded by it, but that is all if you study history, result of Gog and Magog oppressing the family of Mohammad (s) and killing Imam Hussain (a).
The Mahdi (a) will come back - but in what conditions? If society is oppressive towards him and his religion, they will be destroyed if they don't allow him to lead and try to prosecute his followers.
If they are peaceful, then eventually his truth and justice will prevail, and humans will accept his truth.
Peace is based on our common humanity.
ppp
Well-Known Member
When the practitioners of a faith refer to outsiders with demeaning epithets and patronizing terminology, that is exactly what that faith is.
stevecanuck
Well-Known Member
Since when? If you had said, "Peace SHOULD BE based on our common humanity", I would agree 100%. But, clearly it's not. Humans have made war against each other for as long as there have been people.