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Awareness of existence

shunyadragon

shunyadragon
Premium Member
Another straw man. This isn't even remotely what we were discussing.

Again, I'll refer you back to post #65 where you brought up "ultimate goals" and how they were different in each religion. You were asked in post #67 what you perceive the "ultimate goals" of each of these religions to be. You chose to ignore the question, build a straw man, and then accuse me of narrowing the discussion to fit my agenda.

Stop playing games by building straw men and shifting the goal posts.
Stop playing games by building straw men and shifting the goal post, and respond to my posts
The subject remains that the different religions have their own distinct separate beliefs that separate them from other religions and belief including your. The subject never did have the selective agenda you propose.

Yes the ultimate goal pf after death is drastically different in the various conflicting religions, but that is NOT the narrow topic you assert to justify your agenda.

As far as I am concerned you keep shouting at your own wall
 
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Secret Chief

Vetted Member
You can know if you wish, Buddhist scripture like the other scripture of other ancient religions has no provenance of original authorship
Of course I am aware that the suttas (et al) were written many years after the death of the Buddha. A one minute internet search reveals this hidden nugget of insight.

All the ancient religions believe the other religions misrepresent them because they believe differently
In my many years of posting on forums only one category of person has persistently attempted to misrepresent Buddhism and that is Bahai followers. Others may say "Buddhism means XYZ and I reject XYZ" and that is fine. Yet others may say "Buddhism means XYA and I might say actually it means XYZ." All this is fine. Only the Bahai say, in effect, "Buddhists don't understand Buddhism, but don't panic cos we do and coincidentally it fits our narrative."

We can disagree, but your anger and aggressive attitude is not different from the tribal views of f different ancient religions toward other religions that believe differently.
A spot of projecting, much. I am not angry and my "attitude" is to clearly express that your misrepresentations are disingenuous. This is obviously not in expectation of persuading you to change, but simply that this is a public forum and I do not want your erroneous and misleading claims to go unchallenged so that other readers may see.

It is a given you do not accept the progressive spiritual unity of humanity and your religion is distinct, separate and above other religions
I do not accept the Bahai faith. I do not see any progressive spiritual unity of humanity, in that I agree. My religion is not viewed by myself as "above" other religions (or atheism). I view it as right, suitable, appropriate and useful for me. It is not completely distinct or separate of course; it did not arise in a vacuum, nor does it remain so.

It is a matter of differences of belief where you reject any universal relationship in the progressive revelation and the progressive unity just like other ancient religions reject others.

Yes I reject any notions of revelation, of course I do - Buddhsim is not a revealed religion (unless you want to tell me that it is). As for progressive unity, to say that this is pie in the sky would be unfair to pies in the sky. My rejection of that has nothing to do with ancient religions.
 

SalixIncendium

अहं ब्रह्मास्मि
Staff member
Premium Member
Stop playing games by building straw men and shifting the goal post, and respond to my posts
The subject remains that the different religions have their own distinct separate beliefs that separate them from other religions and belief including your. The subject never did have the selective agenda you propose.
All one needs to do is go back to posts #65 and #67 to see if there is truth to these words. I'll let the reader decide.

Yes the ultimate goal pf after death is drastically different in the various conflicting religions...
What is the 'ultimate goal' of each "conflicting" religion? (asking again since you didn't answer the first six times)

...but that is NOT the narrow topic you assert to justify your agenda.
Again, let's let the reader decide, shall we?

As far as I am concerned you keep shouting at your own wall
If you want to compare yourself to a wall, that's entirely your prerogative. Just remember, I wasn't the one who said it.
 

shunyadragon

shunyadragon
Premium Member
All one needs to do is go back to posts #65 and #67 to see if there is truth to these words. I'll let the reader decide.
One post does not set the standard of the thread. Id you choose continue to talk to yourself.
What is the 'ultimate goal' of each "conflicting" religion? (asking again since you didn't answer the first six times)
You can very easily read the references concerning the different religions yourself. I DO NOT spoon feed the intentionally ignorant and hell are common variations among others. I in the East reincarnation,

In brief some differences out of many:

Simply in the Christian Churches beliefs in Heaven,Hell and purgatory are common variation some with rewards and condemnation of the eternal soul, In the East common variations of reincarnation, samsara involving the soul or Atman. The variations are many with with the goal of extinction of the self



Again, let's let the reader decide, shall we?

More nonsense. you simple dodge my posts and constantly simply repeat your agenda. The subject of the dialogue is not a popularity contest.
If you want to compare yourself to a wall, that's entirely your prerogative. Just remember, I wasn't the one who said it.

I am not your wall. Your wall is self imposed.
 
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freelight

Soul Pioneer
Premium Member
Consciousness. awareness of existence

Bingo :) - I AM aware, - I'm aware that I'm aware (consciousness that is the context of all)..... as well as the 'content' of awareness (all that is....substance and forms).

It still remains that the original thread creator has no content on his webpage, so we dont know what his 'religion' consists of. If he would elaborate further, that would be helpful.



~*~*~
 

Truthseeker

Non-debating member when I can help myself
Welcome to the forum.

On your website you said:

"Awareness of existence is a universal religion. Since all religions originated at different times, believing in the God of time automatically means believing in every God throughout time. Awareness of existence is the culmination of all religions. Ultimately, it no longer matters whether you are a Christian, Muslim, follower of Judaism, or Hinduism – all religions merge into the unity of one God, the God of time."

My religion, the Baha'i Faith, also teaches unity, and that all religions are one religion that is revealed at different times by the One True God.

“This is the changeless Faith of God, eternal in the past, eternal in the future. Let him that seeketh, attain it; and as to him that hath refused to seek it—verily, God is Self-Sufficient, above any need of His creatures.” Gleanings From the Writings of Bahá’u’lláh, p. 136

As a Baha'i I believe that the Prophet Founder of the Baha'i Faith, Baha'u'llah, is the Promised One of all ages, so He to fulfilled the prophecies of all the religions of the past. In that way my religion is the culmination of all the previous religions, but my religion teaches that more religions will be revealed by God in the future, so I do not believe that my religion is the last religion.

You also said:

"God of time directs everything, that's why I was born as an ordinary human. Why now? Well, in the world, there are so many religions that God, through me, wants to establish one religion for the entire Earth. Now is the best time for this in the age of the internet."

I also believe that God wants to establish one religion since that is in the scriptures of my religion. I believe that Baha'u'llah was sent by God to unite all the religions into one common religion, that He was a Divine Physician.

“That which the Lord hath ordained as the sovereign remedy and mightiest instrument for the healing of all the world is the union of all its peoples in one universal Cause, one common Faith. This can in no wise be achieved except through the power of a skilled, an all-powerful and inspired Physician. This, verily, is the truth, and all else naught but error.” The Summons of the Lord of Hosts, p. 91
Did you see the part about him, where he said he picked up a dead bird, and it became alive in his hand? Just wondering if anybody saw that besides me.
 

Truthseeker

Non-debating member when I can help myself
So do you regard the jain religion as true or the sikh religion? What religion outside the 9 do you regard as true?
They are not revealed by a Prophet, but that does not mean that there's no truth in them. We can take whatever good we can from each religion. There is also a lot of Hinduism not revealed by any Prophet. However, that doesn't make it valueless. Baha'u'llah said:

Warn, O Salman, the beloved of the one true God, not to view with too critical an eye the sayings and writings of men. Let them rather approach such sayings and writings in a spirit of open-mindedness and loving sympathy.
(Baha'u'llah, Gleanings from the Writings of Baha'u'llah, p. 329)
 

danieldemol

Veteran Member
Premium Member
They are not revealed by a Prophet, but that does not mean that there's no truth in them.
Correct, but that would still make them not "true religions" according to the Baha'i faith as I see it, which is why honesty and transparency in marketing would presumably require one not to say words to the effect of Baha'i believe in all religions or that all religions are one religion in the Baha'i faith etc, as I see it.
 

Truthseeker

Non-debating member when I can help myself
Correct, but that would still make them not "true religions" according to the Baha'i faith as I see it, which is why honesty and transparency in marketing would presumably require one not to say words to the effect of Baha'i believe in all religions or that all religions are one religion in the Baha'i faith etc, as I see it.
Baha'u'llah also said this:

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.
Bahá’u’lláh, "Gleanings from the Writings of Bahá’u’lláh", 111

Officially there are nine recognized Prophets. That doesn't mean that inspiration, as it says here though not revelation didn't take place other places. Also we don't know who else might have been Prophets in many cases. There are those who have the opinion that North America had Prophets of some kind, but of course that is not official.
 

danieldemol

Veteran Member
Premium Member
Baha'u'llah also said this:

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.
Bahá’u’lláh, "Gleanings from the Writings of Bahá’u’lláh", 111

Officially there are nine recognized Prophets. That doesn't mean that inspiration, as it says here though not revelation didn't take place other places. Also we don't know who else might have been Prophets in many cases. There are those who have the opinion that North America had Prophets of some kind, but of course that is not official.
Sure, but inspiration means like a human who is somewhat moved by the holy spirit, but in accordance with their own limitations according to my understanding.

You appear to be shifting the focus away from "religions" (Shoghi Effendi's word choice as quoted in post #23) which are true to "prophets" which are true.

If a religion is only inspired it means one could not look at those words and say they are the pure teachings of God even if they are the exact words of the founders of those "inspired" religions. Shoghi Effendi surely had some purpose in describing only nine of the religions as being the existing true religions.

I don't pay much heed to unofficial views because in my view people do get misled into accepting the Baha'i faith even when they have teachings/beliefs that are contrary to it. It is a tactic, get people to accept Baha'u'llah as true then you get to indoctrinate their children into the true Baha'i teachings even though those teachings would prevent many from believing in Baha'u'llah if they were known in my view.
 
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