A Universe from Nothing?

[Thief]

Why does God exist? I mean, why God instead of no God?

in the scheme of regression.....Someone had to be first
in mind and heart

I place Spirit before substance as substance is not self starting

 

[Thief]

You mean we should only have Christian seminaries and Muslim madarsas and close down all universitiy science departments and research institutions?

I have no religion

science will remain, no matter what

 

[Thief]

And as you have thoroughly demonstrated numerous times here on RF, once science gets you to your god, you toss science out the window.
Along with logic, truth and reason.

But hey, whatever dogma helps you get through the day, right?

I have no dogmatic belief....no religion

 

[ArtieE]

in the scheme of regression.....Someone had to be first
in mind and heart

I place Spirit before substance as substance is not self starting

And why would there be "Spirit" in the first place instead of no "Spirit"?

 

[loverofhumanity]

Why does God exist? I mean, why God instead of no God?

Our only notion that God exists comes from the Prophets. We do not have the capacity to directly communicate with God. Something like trying to approach the sun. We could not withstand it.

Here is what Baha'u'llah says about our limitations.

“The conceptions of the devoutest of mystics, the attainments of the most accomplished amongst men, the highest praise which human tongue or pen can render are all the product of man’s finite mind and are conditioned by its limitations”

Bahá’u’lláh. “Gleanings from the Writings of Bahá’u’lláh

 

[Thief]

And why would there be "Spirit" in the first place instead of no "Spirit"?

substance has no 'self'

the dead cannot beget the living

 

[ArtieE]

Our only notion that God exists comes from the Prophets. We do not have the capacity to directly communicate with God. Something like trying to approach the sun. We could not withstand it.

Here is what Baha'u'llah says about our limitations.

“The conceptions of the devoutest of mystics, the attainments of the most accomplished amongst men, the highest praise which human tongue or pen can render are all the product of man’s finite mind and are conditioned by its limitations”

Bahá’u’lláh. “Gleanings from the Writings of Bahá’u’lláh

I don't see what that has to do with my question. Why would there be a God instead of no God in the first place?

 

[Aupmanyav]

I have no religion. science will remain, no matter what

Yeah, I forget that you are a rogue theologian.

Why would there be a God instead of no God in the first place?

Bahaullah said that he had several mystical experiences, and received a vision of a maiden from God, through whom he received his mission as a messenger of God and as the one whose coming the Báb had prophesied.

 

[ArtieE]

substance has no 'self'

the dead cannot beget the living

The question was: "And why would there be "Spirit" in the first place instead of no "Spirit"?"

 

[LuisDantas]

This is what we believe about the Buddha.

“The Buddha was a Manifestation of God, like Christ, but His followers do not possess His authentic writings.”

“The founder of Buddhism was a precious Being Who established the oneness of God, but later His original precepts were gradually forgotten”

Baha'i Writings

Well-intentioned as it probably is, this is still a severe misrepresentation of the Buddha, as well as of Buddhism. It would perhaps be better not to claim allegiance to Buddhism whatsoever.

 

[LuisDantas]

not to someone who does not believe in cause and effect.

no argument will suffice

Some things can't be helped, I know.

 

[loverofhumanity]

Well-intentioned as it probably is, this is still a severe misrepresentation of the Buddha, as well as of Buddhism. It would perhaps be better not to claim allegiance to Buddhism whatsoever.

The Baha'i Faith couldn't exist without belief in Buddha. One cannot be a Baha'i unless they also accept the Buddha. We also read from the Buddhist Scriptures in all our Houses of Worship.

 

[LuisDantas]

The Baha'i Faith couldn't exist without belief in Buddha.

I honestly wonder why you say such a thing. Whatever reasons you may have are hardly obvious.

One cannot be a Baha'i unless they also accept the Buddha. We also read from the Buddhist Scriptures in all our Houses of Worship.

That may well be. It would not be the first time a religion has self-contradictory beliefs.

 

[loverofhumanity]

I honestly wonder why you say such a thing. Whatever reasons you may have are hardly obvious.


That may well be. It would not be the first time a religion has self-contradictory beliefs.

Buddha is an integral part of Baha'i belief.

 

[LuisDantas]

Buddha is an integral part of Baha'i belief.

Buddha was mentioned fairly often by Bahá'u'lláh, who seems to have made a point of claiming a connection to a handful of non-Abrahamic religions despite his own religion being so utterly Abrahamic.

That much is clear and I hope we can agree on that.

Whether it is even possible to succeed in such a goal, let alone whether Bahá'u'lláh and later Bahais did succeed, is a far more dicey matter.

Personally, I think it is impossible to reconcile the Bahai Faith with Buddhism - or for that matter, Hinduism - without changing at least one of the two to a considerable degree. And what would the point be?

In the end it serves only to further serious misunderstandings. The Bahais may respect Hinduism and Buddhism without claiming inheritance from those Dharmas. It would probably even work better and cause you less of a strain.

 

[Aupmanyav]

The Baha'i Faith couldn't exist without belief in Buddha. One cannot be a Baha'i unless they also accept the Buddha. We also read from the Buddhist Scriptures in all our Houses of Worship.

Bahaullah did not mention Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism or Sikhism. It existed without them to begin with. Indian religions were added by Abdul Baha. Can a Buddhist be a Bahai without accepting Bahaullah?

 

[loverofhumanity]

Bahaullah did not mention Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism or Sikhism. It existed without them to begin with. Indian religions were added by Abdul Baha. Can a Buddhist be a Bahai without accepting Bahaullah?

Baha'u'llah appointed Abdul-Baha as Interpreter of His Writings so Abdul-Baha mentioning Buddha meant Baha'u'llah had definitely spoken of the Buddha. That is why belief in Buddha is an integral part of Baha'i belief.

 

[loverofhumanity]

Buddha was mentioned fairly often by Bahá'u'lláh, who seems to have made a point of claiming a connection to a handful of non-Abrahamic religions despite his own religion being so utterly Abrahamic.

That much is clear and I hope we can agree on that.

Whether it is even possible to succeed in such a goal, let alone whether Bahá'u'lláh and later Bahais did succeed, is a far more dicey matter.

Personally, I think it is impossible to reconcile the Bahai Faith with Buddhism - or for that matter, Hinduism - without changing at least one of the two to a considerable degree. And what would the point be?

In the end it serves only to further serious misunderstandings. The Bahais may respect Hinduism and Buddhism without claiming inheritance from those Dharmas. It would probably even work better and cause you less of a strain.

You have many good points. You know I never respected or revered the Buddha until I became a Baha'i . Now I have many Buddhist books and have read very many and have some favourite passages which I often read at Baha'i meetings. This is my all time favourite from the Dhammapadda Thousands.


103. If one man conquer in battle a thousand times thousand men, and if another conquer himself, he is the greatest of conquerors.

I treasure this saying as much as any Baha'i saying I've come across.

 

[LuisDantas]

Bahaullah did not mention Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism or Sikhism. It existed without them to begin with. Indian religions were added by Abdul Baha. Can a Buddhist be a Bahai without accepting Bahaullah?

I stand corrected.

That said, I by no means object to a religion being expanded in its parameters by those who take care it along time. Quite on the contrary.

If anything, I regret that the Bahai Faith does not go all the way and accepts the full consequences of connecting to non-Abrahamic (or shall I say Dharmic) traditions.

 

[McBell]

I have no dogmatic belief....no religion

Your denial does not change the fact....