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That is a part of the whole thread, scholars and myself, believe that our modern translations of the word Elohim into God, Gods, etc are wrong, and this thread is questioning if it would make more sense as Avatars...Bold is not the Hebrew understanding Elohim, nor a proper translation.
People writing, and especially for the Divine will try to use the language available logically or in someway that is defined clearly...It is not intended to be logical.
We have Esword Bible software to examine each usage of the word Elohim, and we can test what Hebrew was used...You need to consult Jews who know Hebrew to get the proper meaning of your terminology.
Impersonal entity is by definition a God. Gods are not necessarily anthropomorphic entities. The Baha'i Faith describes God as an impersonal apophatic entity.
Though among the variations of Hinduism there are many personal entities entities described as (lesser?) Gods.
Brahman in Hinduism is not just non-anthropomorphic, he (or rather it) is totally formless.
Shiva, Vishnu and Brahma are not lesser Gods - they are the Gods. Brahman is basis from which the Gods (as well as men and all beings) arise.
I thought Bahai's considered the Islamic Allah as the God.
Brahman is not a God - it is an impersonal entity.
Many people's concept of a monotheistic God is much the same as Brahman, I think you have some misunderstandings of an anthropomorphic "God". The Concept of Brahman is also similar to the Tao.
YHVH is seen sitting on a throne in the Hebraic text, it has a face, and revealed everything through prophets, this isn't unknowable or formless... They might like to pretend it is formless, and the God Most High; yet the text says differently.The God of the Baha'i Faith and Rabbonic Judaism is totally formless and unknowable.
Al-Ilah is questioned by many to mean 'The God' in Arabic.... Ilah can be seen as plural, so they created a single word to mean 'The ultimate formless God'.Allah is simple the Arabic word for God
This is why trying to have a thread debating should we be using the terminology the Avatars for the Elohim; as the Hebraic beliefs which Baha'i seem to have just copied without checking the authenticity, is just a mess of theological conjecture on top of each other.but having an anthropomorphic personal view of God does not define the 'Source' some call Gods(s).
God/Allah/Brahman/CPU, should be used to describe the Source of reality that is formless, beyond human comprehension in many ways, and is universal...What is God?
Agreed the modern Abrahamic religious beliefs do not fit with what is within the text, and thus we have to recalculate the data to question if there are flaws in our understanding; since there is only one reality, and one God...It’s simply incorrect to draw a comparison between Brahman and the Abrahamic understanding of God and God’s manifestations.
You are Brahman too!I know... I’m Hindu. Brahman is all there is. In the Bhagavad Gita both Krishna himself and Arjuna refer to Krishna as Brahman.
Anyway, the Hindu Brahman is not at all like your God or Allah, however formless and 'apophatic' your God maybe. Brahman is not even a God - you can not worship him/it or relate to him/it. You may want to read Spinoza and his 'Substance' - Brahman is more like that.The God of the Baha'i Faith and Rabbonic Judaism is totally formless (?) and unknowable. From the Baha'i perspective, and mine there is a 'Source' some call God(s). The Tao of Taoism is also a 'Source' that is unknowable and formless (?). I actually question the use of "formless," because in and of itself it defines an attribute of the 'Source' that is unknown from the human perspective.
This description would make them lesser Gods arising from Brahman. This is the reason why I call Hinduism henotheistic. Some interpret Hinduism as monotheistic, and if this descriptive therefore Brahman would be a God.
Fishing for frog hairs in interpretation does not not make one's God not a God.
Allah is simple the Arabic word for God and not God. In Islam God is also a formless apophatic unknowable God.
Christianity, and ancient Judaism of the Pentateuch does describe God(s) and anthropomorphic, personal with cataphatic attributes. The Trinity with Jesus Christ as God is defining personal cataphatic attributes of God.
With projection, anything is possible.It gives me no great pleasure to point out just how wrong everyone’s understanding of Brahman is vis-á-vis “God”, and what Shiva, Vishnu, other “gods” and we are. It’s simply incorrect to draw a comparison between Brahman and the Abrahamic understanding of God and God’s manifestations.
Anyway, the Hindu Brahman is not at all like your God or Allah, however formless and 'apophatic' your God maybe. Brahman is not even a God - you can not worship him/it or relate to him/it. You may want to read Spinoza and his 'Substance' - Brahman is more like that.
Judaism has embraced strict Monotheism of an unknowable God, and Hinduism has not. Ancient Judaism of the Pentateuch did have a hierarchy of Gods (shared by Ugarit, Canaanite, Babylonian), but fortunately Monotheism won out in the end.
YHVH is seen sitting on a throne in the Hebraic text, it has a face, and revealed everything through prophets, this isn't unknowable or formless... They might like to pretend it is formless, and the God Most High; yet the text says differently.
Just stick with Baha'i theology, as so far the texts globally don't add up with the presuppositions you've said about other religions.
Thus sometimes ponder has the information been passed down from Rabbinic Judaism, to miss out on these same missed facts that should be known by anyone truly sent.
This is why trying to have a thread debating should we be using the terminology the Avatars for the Elohim; as the Hebraic beliefs which Baha'i seem to have just copied without checking the authenticity, is just a mess of theological conjecture on top of each other.
God/Allah/Brahman/CPU, should be used to describe the Source of reality that is formless, beyond human comprehension in many ways, and is universal...
Yet to do this, we have to undo all these knots in theological understanding, and admit that humanity has an evolving knowledge; where we were confused in the past with anthropomorphized ideas.
Agreed the modern Abrahamic religious beliefs do not fit with what is within the text,
. . . and thus we have to recalculate the data to question if there are flaws in our understanding; since there is only one reality, and one God...
We have to be open to that mankind is learning as we progress, and it is possible we have it confused in many ways.
You are Brahman too!
That wasn't directed to the Baha'i faith, which have great respect for in its aspirations towards Oneness....It is the previous religious texts of Judaism, Islam, New Testament; that have not been constructively dismantled in advanced, and thus Baha'i builds on faulty foundations.More unfortunate demeaning comments toward the beliefs of the Baha'i Faith.
It isn't an assumption had a NDE, and God has spoken to me on a few occasions, and can completely understand what we find in numerous texts across the world, that Heaven can be perceived as a ThroneRoom... Once in a place beyond the dimensions, a perception will make things manifest in a place of pure consciousness.You are assuming the text is accurate, and not a human view of what is God or God(s)
Your claim to me above or maybe the previous page was that these "learned" individuals don't think for themselves and now here you change the goal post by saying the question too much. So which is it do they no too much to too little? It isn't just learning the Hebrew language, or else what you first said would be true, but as Metis was saying they learn the language in regards to everything it has to do with sacred texts written that language.Not been to a synagogue yet; thanks for the idea.
Yeah partially aware of this; yet to think they've questioned ultimately everything, is a dangerous ideology to me...
We always should be open to questioning, just encase new information comes along, especially on anything prophetic or traditions passed down, that we just take for granted...
We see this with human nature, that something can be staring us in the face, and we miss it.
In my opinion.
Of course they think for themselves, and it is rational to question what previous scholars said on the subject; yet not to stick with it regardless of new facts coming along...Your claim to me above or maybe the previous page was that these "learned" individuals don't think for themselves
Both, too much grammar & history; with not enough coding & logic.So which is it do they no too much to too little?
That wasn't directed to the Baha'i faith, which have great respect for in its aspirations towards Oneness....It is the previous religious texts of Judaism, Islam, New Testament; that have not been constructively dismantled in advanced, and thus Baha'i builds on faulty foundations.