The Bible says that "the whole world lies under satan's power'. (
1 John 5:19) From what I see, I do not doubt that for a moment. Corruption is everywhere. Satan himself claimed that 'all the Kingdoms of the world' were his to give to whomever he wished (
Luke 4:5-8) Its hard to fight an enemy who has convinced you that he doesn't exist.
We also have the destruction of "Babylon the great" in Revelation and God's people are told to get out of her if we do not want to share in her destruction. Her practices are said to be spiritistic so she is the religious part of satan's system. (
Revelation 18:4-5) Her passing is lamented by the two other powerful entities that govern satan's world....politics and commerce.
Baha’is don’t believe in Satan as you know but its one dark narrative when its phrased this way. Baha’is don’t become involved in partisan politics. We are free to vote in elections but not run for a political posts and avoid criticism of government. Instead we are exhorted to obey the laws of the land.
The Bible never disagrees with true and provable science....it disagrees with scientific theories that are not provable. Big difference.
The Bible doesn’t but if you believe there was a world wide flood a few thousand years back around the time of Noah then that contradicts science.
I think I can safely leave the plausibility in God's hands since he is the one who plans to carry it out. You can believe a self professed prophet but not the Creator of the Universe...? That is for you to determine.
Jesus professed Himself to be a Prophet as did Muhammad, the Bab and Bahá’u’lláh. They all had the authority from God to make the claims they did.
There is no positive way to change the world unless you can change the attitudes of all the people......can Baha'i's do that?
The Bible says that man will never bring about the changes that are needed....humans are too greedy and too selfish. Any efforts by humans to address the problems that they have created are usually too little...too late. Like the firestorm sweeping Australia at present.....failure to manage the bush like the native Australians used to before white settlement, has resulted in a holocaust of unimaginable proportions. The world is breathing our smoke!
There we go again with this dark view of humanity being selfish and greedy. Do some research and you will find people are living much longer than they used, there is less poverty and better levels of education and health throughout the world. Try dealing with actual facts rather than negative rhetoric about the human condition.
One challenge for humanity where we really need to cooperate is global warming. Its within our grasp to do something and there will be less extremes of weather and less bushfires.
The natural Jews today are just as able to respond to the good news of the Kingdom as anyone else. We have congregations in Israel. All of Jesus' first disciples were Jewish. The reason why there is still animosity is because of their denial that Jews were responsible for the death of the Messiah. They still hotly deny it.
Jesus' words in
Matthew 23:37-39 express God's feelings on the matter.
Pleased to hear your only partially anti-Semitic.
It is becoming darker by the day. We know that people are waking up because we have never been busier answering their many questions about the state it is in and where things are heading. They can clearly see that a big change is coming but they are not sure where it will come from. Drawing on the Bible, we can help them see where we are in the stream of time and what the Bible says will happen in the immediate future. "Like the days of Noah" Jesus said....(
Matthew 24:37-39)
No its not becoming darker by the day.
The word "contributes" is key in your argument IMO. How many are really 'contributing' to a more peaceful world? There are no Baha'i's where I live, so how do you function as a global brotherhood in places where you have no congregations? I have lived in a few places, city and country, and there are always JW's there.
What the Bible predicts is not at all dependent on man. It will come as a shock as most will be caught unawares just as the people in Noah's day were. Jesus told us to 'keep in expectation of his return' because he will come as a thief.....no warning.
Matthew 24:42-44....
"Keep on the watch, therefore, because you do not know on what day your Lord is coming.
43 “But know one thing: If the householder had known in what watch the thief was coming, he would have kept awake and not allowed his house to be broken into. 44 On this account, you too prove yourselves ready, because the Son of man is coming at an hour that you do not think to be it."
I guess you’ve completely ignored everything I said about the positive changes in the world in my last post and how that is due to the contributions of millions, not just a few. It doesn’t matter whether they are Baha’is or not.
From where I’m standing your going to be waiting a very long time for Christ to come.
The changes that God's Kingdom will bring about are not due to anything humans will accomplish....we will not have to wait centuries for its blessings to be experienced inch by inch. The healing that Jesus performed was instantaneous, so there is no reason for humans to continue to suffer whilst the Kingdom rules. All opposers will be gone and all will be made well and secure from harm....suffering and pain and even death will be no more. (
Revelation 21:2-4)
That sounds a whole lot better to me than what Baha'u'llah is suggesting.
The world has changed dramatically over the last 150 years and will continue to do so.
Actually Jesus did not establish a new religion independent of the Jewish faith....what he did was try to show people how to worship their God under a new covenant that he established on the night before his death. He used their scripture to teach them about it. It was stated in Jeremiah that this new covenant would be established but not many wanted to alter the status quo. "Judaism" was not the religion of their forefathers instituted with Jehovah on Mt Sinai. It is what men created to facilitate their own importance. Christendom did exactly the same thing....man-made traditions were nothing to do with God. Never taught by Jesus.
The Christian Church was exactly what Jesus intended as it was established under the guidance of His apostles.
God doesn't change...that is why his word is as valid today as the day it was written. What teachings of Jesus are invalid for today? Why would God change to suit the whims of men? Why is "modern" even a term of reference? It is meaningless in a Biblical context.
Jesus didn’t teach abolition of slavery, democracy or the equality of men and women.
You can accept his revelation if you wish.....he is not a prophet I could ever recognize. He has no real credentials.....
I’m not trying to convince you to become a Baha’i.
IOW your prophet endorsed the teachings of the Roman Catholic Church?
How can this claim be made when Baha'i's do not follow all the teachings of Jesus Christ? The RCC doesn't follow them either. You seem to pick and choose which ones suit you and ignore the rest....Christendom does the same.
Luke 6:44...as Jesus said...
“Why, then, do you call me ‘Lord! Lord!’ but do not do the things I say?"
Seriously. So let’s get this straight. You don’t believe in the core tenants of Christianity!?
1/ Was Jesus the Son of God?
2/ How about the Divinity of Jesus?
3/ Was Jesus born to the Virgin Mary?
4/ Did Jesus appoint Peter as His successor?
5/ Do you believe in the Divine origins of Christianity?
6/ How about the Divine inspiration of the New Testament?