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An Religious Chat

BruceDLimber

Well-Known Member
Why do you believe that the Bible is the word of God? What reasons do you have?

For those of us who are Baha'i, our scriptures state plainly that BOTH the Bible and the Qur'an are legitimate, God-sent scripture (in addition to which we have 200 volumes of our own scripture)!

Peace, :)

Bruce
 

AmbiguousGuy

Well-Known Member
For those of us who are Baha'i, our scriptures state plainly that BOTH the Bible and the Qur'an are legitimate, God-sent scripture (in addition to which we have 200 volumes of our own scripture)!

Peace, :)

Bruce

Why do you believe that your scriptures are scriptures? What are your reasons?
 

mystic64

nolonger active
I think the only proper religion is the religion with a single member.

Either I'm the prophet or else no one's the prophet.

Will sir :) there is nothing ambiguous about that. That was pretty streight forward :) . Other than loneliness, your proper religion seems quite pratical and a bit similar to mine.
 

mystic64

nolonger active
For those of us who are Baha'i, our scriptures state plainly that BOTH the Bible and the Qur'an are legitimate, God-sent scripture (in addition to which we have 200 volumes of our own scripture)!

Peace, :)

Bruce

Christian scripture and the Quran are not mutually compatable. Because of this one can not be both a Christian and a Moslem, although there are some that claim to be. And I think that the Baha'i faith is an attempt to create a universal religion, so all scripture from the other different world religions are accepted as from God even though they are not actually mutually compatable. ?
 

Yuusif12

Member
Christianity and Islam are compatible. But the Christian scripts were changed, so now they are not.
If Christianity means following the religion of Jesus Christ, then the Muslims have more right to be called Christians.
 

AmbiguousGuy

Well-Known Member
Will sir :) there is nothing ambiguous about that. That was pretty streight forward :) . Other than loneliness, your proper religion seems quite pratical and a bit similar to mine.

You are insightful. We prophets suffer loneliness more than anything else. If it weren't for God, we might have no Friends at all!

He's the only one who can ever really understand us.
 

BruceDLimber

Well-Known Member
Why do you believe that your scriptures are scriptures? What are your reasons?

We accept them as scripture because they were written by individuals we stipulate were God=sent Divine Messengers, and by an official successor and interpreter appointed (in writing) by one of Them.

Further, their very nature (i.e., their content) makes their inspired nature obvious to us.

Peace, :)

Bruce
 

BruceDLimber

Well-Known Member
Christian scripture and the Quran are not mutually compatable.

Only in your rather biased opinion: we have no problem whatever accepting both of them!

I think that the Baha'i faith is an attempt to create a universal religion, so all scripture from the other different world religions are accepted as from God even though they are not actually mutually compatable. ?

Again, we disagree; and our scriptures make the legitimacy and God-sent nature of the various religions quite clear! I quote:

"There can be no doubt whatever that the peoples of the world, of whatever race or religion, derive their inspiration from one heavenly Source, and are the subjects of one God. The difference between the ordinances under which they abide should be attributed to the varying requirements and exigencies of the age in which they were revealed. All of them, except a few which are the outcome of human perversity, were ordained of God, and are a reflection of His Will and Purpose. Arise and, armed with the power of faith, shatter to pieces the gods of your vain imaginings, the sowers of dissension amongst you. Cleave unto that which draweth you together and uniteth you."

—(Gleanings, CXI, pp. 217-8)

Bruce
 

AmbiguousGuy

Well-Known Member
We accept them as scripture because they were written by individuals we stipulate were God=sent Divine Messengers, and by an official successor and interpreter appointed (in writing) by one of Them.

Why do you stipulate them as God-sent messengers? What reasons?

Further, their very nature (i.e., their content) makes their inspired nature obvious to us.

Peace, :)

Bruce

That's fair enough. I find my own writings to be more God-inspired than those of Baha'u'llah or other scripture writers. It's obvious to me.

It seems a little arbitrary, though. I wish there were some way that all rational people could determine which scriptures are from God and which aren't.
 

mystic64

nolonger active
You are insightful. We prophets suffer loneliness more than anything else. If it weren't for God, we might have no Friends at all!

He's the only one who can ever really understand us.

Ambiguous, I think that you are more advaced that I am :) . "He is the only one that can understand us.", is contrary to my personality programming which is a challenge that needs to be solved. Thank you for your gift of wisdom!

It is not about understanding God. It is about knowing that God understands us. I wonder what the Quran has to say about that?
 

mystic64

nolonger active
Only in your rather biased opinion: we have no problem whatever accepting both of them!



Again, we disagree; and our scriptures make the legitimacy and God-sent nature of the various religions quite clear! I quote:

"There can be no doubt whatever that the peoples of the world, of whatever race or religion, derive their inspiration from one heavenly Source, and are the subjects of one God. The difference between the ordinances under which they abide should be attributed to the varying requirements and exigencies of the age in which they were revealed. All of them, except a few which are the outcome of human perversity, were ordained of God, and are a reflection of His Will and Purpose. Arise and, armed with the power of faith, shatter to pieces the gods of your vain imaginings, the sowers of dissension amongst you. Cleave unto that which draweth you together and uniteth you."

—(Gleanings, CXI, pp. 217-8)

Bruce

Bruce I do not have a problem with the Baha'i faith and I consider it a positive contribution to Humanity. What you have quoted is an attempt to bring all religions together as one religion. That would be the goal of a universal religion. One religion that most of or all of humankind can follow.
 

mystic64

nolonger active
Christianity and Islam are compatible. But the Christian scripts were changed, so now they are not.
If Christianity means following the religion of Jesus Christ, then the Muslims have more right to be called Christians.

Very well said Yuusif! Christianity started because of the belief that Jesus was the final sacrifice and that human and animal sacrifice was no longer needed as a way to appeal to God. In Islam the Prophet Jesus was not sacrificed and resurrected before he ascended. In Islam there is no final sacrfice as a gift of love from the Heavenly Father. The belief that Lord Jesus is the final sacrifice as a gift of love from God is actually what makes a Christian a Christian. The rest of what it takes to be a Christian, is that which is needed to be considered a true follower of Jesus, at least from Christian belief standpoint (and that all depends on what Christian church or belief that one belongs to).

The Bible might have been changed, even changed in many ways. But the belief that Jesus was the final sacrifice eventually brought the practice of human and animal sacrifice to an end as an accepted way to appeal to God (or the gods). Because Jesus is "not believed" to be the final sacrifice in Islam, animal sacrifice is still mandated as a way to appeal to God in Islam. And is still practiced today. Yuusif, one can't sacrifice animals as a way to appeal to God and still be considered a Christian. At the sametime you are probably right about the Bible having been changed to some extent.
 

BruceDLimber

Well-Known Member
Why do you stipulate them as God-sent messengers? What reasons?

Each Baha'i is, according to our own scriptures, to investigate the various religions, decide where the truth lies, and then follow that!

So each of us has his or her own reasons for making this stipulation.

Peace, :)

Bruce
 

AmbiguousGuy

Well-Known Member
Each Baha'i is, according to our own scriptures, to investigate the various religions, decide where the truth lies, and then follow that!

So each of us has his or her own reasons for making this stipulation.

OK. I was hoping you had some sharable evidence for embracing one prophet but rejecting another. I understand everyone having his own reasons.
 

mystic64

nolonger active
Each Baha'i is, according to our own scriptures, to investigate the various religions, decide where the truth lies, and then follow that!

So each of us has his or her own reasons for making this stipulation.

Peace, :)

Bruce

Cool! I guess that would make me, by definion, a solitary Baha'i that has decided that the truth lies in being a Christian mystic. Glad to know that I am still on track. Thank you!
 

mystic64

nolonger active
OK. I was hoping you had some sharable evidence for embracing one prophet but rejecting another. I understand everyone having his own reasons.

But ambiguous, Jesus isn't a prophet, He is the Son of God the Creator :) ! It seems to me that if a person had read all of the scriptures that the question that would come up would be, "Why follow a prophet when you can follow the Son of God the Creator Himself?" Ambiguous :) I love religion it is way too much fun!
 
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AmbiguousGuy

Well-Known Member
But ambiguous, Jesus isn't a prophet, He is the Son of God the Creator :) ! It seems to me that if a person had read all of the scriptures that the question that would come up would be, "Why follow a prophet when you can follow the Son of God the Creator Himself?" :) I love religion it is way too much fun!

I use the word 'prophet' in a broader way, referring to anyone who claims to have a special connection to God. Notice the Baha'is use the term 'Manifestation.'

Yeah, religion is fun.
 

mystic64

nolonger active
I use the word 'prophet' in a broader way, referring to anyone who claims to have a special connection to God. Notice the Baha'is use the term 'Manifestation.'

Yeah, religion is fun.

I guess that would make me a prophet, eek! Please don't tell anyone :) because I do enjoy being considered a heretic :) .
 
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