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God’s Method of delivering messages, is it flawed?

Trailblazer

Veteran Member
If God is rational, then anything and everything that is part of his plan, means that he wants it. If you put something that you don't want into your plan, then you are being irrational.

I'm strictly talking about things that you put in your plan, no more no less. Anything else is irrelevant.
Rational: based on or in accordance with reason or logic.
https://www.google.com/search?client=firefox-b-1-d&q=rational+means

How can we ever know if God is rational? I do not claim to know that. Even if God is logical, it would be His reason and logic, not what we consider reason and logic, because God is far, far above anything humans can imagine or conceive.

Based upon my beliefs, I would restate this as such:
If God exists, and is omnipotent, then anything and everything that is part of his plan is what He wills/chooses. God would not put something he did not will/choose into his plan.

That belief is based upon what Baha’u’llah wrote about God:

“Say: O people! Let not this life and its deceits deceive you, for the world and all that is therein is held firmly in the grasp of His Will. He bestoweth His favor on whom He willeth, and from whom He willeth He taketh it away. He doth whatsoever He chooseth.” Gleanings, p. 209

“Say: He ordaineth as He pleaseth, by virtue of His sovereignty, and doeth whatsoever He willeth at His own behest.He shall not be asked of the things it pleaseth Him to ordain. He, in truth, is the Unrestrained, the All-Powerful, the All-Wise.” Gleanings, p, 284
 

night912

Well-Known Member
You've shown that you didn't understand the fallacy.

I did not say I had more concern about the importance of the name of the fallacy. I did not look for the fallacy to support what I was saying. I knew what you were saying was illogical so I looked to see if there was a fallacy. Go back and read what I actually said.

I consider what you are doing to be obfuscation since you cannot respond to what I said about the black and white fallacy.
You can think whatever, but it means nothing if it doesn't fit the fallacy. So after I showed that you were wrong about that fallacy, and you couldn't understand it, you accused me of obfuscation. Sorry, but I'm not responsible for your ignorance. What is so confusing about something is either perfect or not perfect. I tried using words and numbers and you still didn't understand. The reason why you didn't understand my explanation was because you never understood the black or white fallacy to begin with.

This is just more obfuscation. I do not care that you said black. The discussion is about whether the God’s method of delivering messages is flawed or not flawed.
If you do not care what I said, then it's not my fault that you couldn't understand my explanation. It's dishonest to accuse me of being confusing when you straight up admitted that you didn't care what I said.


Flawed is black and not flawed is white, but there are shades of gray in between flawed and not flawed.
If you'd care what I said, then you would've understand why this is incorrect.

Flawed is black and not flawed is not black. There's nothing in between.

Just like god either exist or don't exist.
The black and white fallacy perfectly applies to anyone who says a method is either flawed or not flawed, for reasons I stated.
No it doesn't. You cannot apply a fallacy on to an argument without first understanding the fallacy. It's more than just replacing the words.

Again…..

What is the black and white fallacy?

The black-or-white fallacy occurs in arguments that have a disjunctive premiss―that is, one that gives alternatives―when one or more alternatives is incorrectly omitted. The fallacy tries to force you to choose either black or white when gray is an available alternative.

The Black-or-White Fallacy - The Fallacy Files
Again, copy and pasting repeatedly is meaningless if you do not understand it.


What is the gray, the other available alternative? It is that the method is not either flawed or not flawed. It is somewhere between the two.
But what is it? What is in between perfect and imperfect?

Just because a method does not work perfectly that does not mean it is flawed, because there are shades of gray in between flawed and not flawed.
That's illogical. Nice try but using different words doesn't make you correct.

The reason using Messengers to communicate caused problems for humans throughout history is because humans are imperfect, so there is no way for a message from God to be received perfectly no matter what the method of delivery was. It does not matter that God is perfect because humans are not perfect so they make mistakes after they get the message from God.
So a flawed method. Got it. :thumbsup:

To say that something is flawed is black and white thinking, because nothing is completely flawed (black).
Illogical. The more you try to force the fallacy into an argument that has not committed that fallacy, the ridiculous you look. Just in case you did not know, the black or white fallacy is just the name of the fallacy, and has nothing to do with what we know as "black and white thinking." Adding the word, "completely" in conjunction with "flawed" just shows how irrational you are from trying to save your ego.

Tell me the difference between "black" and "comeplety black." Trying to argue that flawed is more flawed than flawed, imperfect is more imperfect than imperfect, black is more black than black, is irrational.

In logic, there are some things that are true dichotomies, there are only two valid answers.

God either exist or don't exist. Saying that God middle exist, is irrational.

You are either alive or dead. Saying that you are middle dead, is irrational. And Near Death Experience means, you're not dead.

2 + 2 = 4 is either true or false. Saying that 2 + 2 = 4 is half true, is irrational.

Trailblazer is either right or wrong in regards to her claim. Saying that Trailblazer is wrong, means that you are correct.


To say that something is either flawed (black) or not flawed (white) is black and white thinking, because there are shades of gray in between flawed and unflawed, so it could be any percentage from 0% to 100%; for example it could be 50% or 80%.
And all of those percentage, except for 100% are still considered as flawed. The only percentage that is not flawed, is 100%
You're trying to mixing psychology and logic.You are confusing yourself with two separate things here. You claim that the argument, "The method is either flawed or not flawed" as being guilty of committing the Black or White fallacy. I explained why your claim was wrong, and that no logical fallacies were committed. I used logic to justify my point. You tried show that your claim was true, and that the argument consists of the black or white fallacy. You tried to use psychology to justify your point. Like I said before, you are ignorant of that fallacy, what it is, how it's used, and why it's used. At the start of this, I realized that, that's why I to explain it to you, but you didn't care about what I was saying, that's why you remain ignorant of the fallacy.

If you really want to play with definitions these are the definitions.
I don't play with definitions. I work with definitions in order to understand its usage.

Perfect: having all the required or desirable elements, qualities, or characteristics; as good as it is possible to be. perfect means - Google Search

Imperfect: not perfect; faulty or incomplete. imperfect means - Google Search
So anything that does not qualify as "perfect" is considered as imperfect, not perfect.

First, please explain why the method should work perfectly, and how that would even be possible given the human factor, imperfect humans?
Shifting the burden of proof fallacy. I argued that the method is flawed and gave my explanation for my argument. Why would I need and/or to explain something that is not mine. Why would/should I think to try to explain someone else's argument? That's the pathway to the strawman argument.

The actual method of delivering messages is as good as it is possible to be, because there is no other method that would work better. Since God is All-Knowing, God would have to know the “best way” to communicate. Since God is infallible, God cannot make a mistake in choosing a method to communicate to humans. All the problems that arise after the message is delivered -- e.g., if humans fail to receive the message, reject the message, or misinterpret the message -- are the result of humans because humans are imperfect.
Argument from ignorance.
 

PAUL MARKHAM

Well-Known Member
Baha'u'llah communicated with the leaders in an effort to stop the awful bloodshed but the leaders rejected Him and His message.

God cannot show up "in person" because God is not a person. That is the reason God sends Representatives to speak on His behalf.

“The Person of the Manifestation hath ever been the representative and mouthpiece of God. He, in truth, is the Day Spring of God’s most excellent Titles, and the Dawning-Place of His exalted Attributes. If any be set up by His side as peers, if they be regarded as identical with His Person, how can it, then, be maintained that the Divine Being is One and Incomparable, that His Essence is indivisible and peerless? Meditate on that which We have, through the power of truth, revealed unto thee, and be thou of them that comprehend its meaning.” Gleanings From the Writings of Bahá’u’lláh, p. 70
A god if it existed could deliver its message to the leaders rather than rely on nobodies to carry it forward with no proof of validity. So why does this imaginary god use nobodies? Because they continually fail.

You have no answer to this and continually avoid the subject.
 

PAUL MARKHAM

Well-Known Member
The actual method of delivering messages is as good as it is possible to be, because there is no other method that would work better. Since God is All-Knowing, God would have to know the “best way” to communicate. Since God is infallible, God cannot make a mistake in choosing a method to communicate to humans. All the problems that arise after the message is delivered -- e.g., if humans fail to receive the message, reject the message, or misinterpret the message -- are the result of humans because humans are imperfect.

You admit it will take a new race to do what Bahaullah instructs them to. So why does god keep sending messages to the old type of man in a method that clearly doesn't work?

So god knows a new race is required!!!
Keeps sending messages knowing the old race will reject them!!!!

If it smells like BS, looks like BS, sounds like BS. It could be BS
 

PAUL MARKHAM

Well-Known Member
What reasoning made you come up with that? Why wouldn't God put something he did not will into his plan?
The flaw is in the start of TBs post. "If God exists, and is omnipotent, "

She must prove god exists and is omnipotent to mean anything. She can't deflect it with others proving they are right.
 

Trailblazer

Veteran Member
A god if it existed could deliver its message to the leaders rather than rely on nobodies to carry it forward with no proof of validity. So why does this imaginary god use nobodies? Because they continually fail.

You have no answer to this and continually avoid the subject.
I never avoided the subject.... I have said repeatedly that God is not a man so God cannot deliver messages.

I consider it utterly absurd as well as completely illogical for anyone to suggest that God would "show up" and deliver messages to humans. God is Spirit so God cannot show up on earth and deliver messages. Moreover, God has better things to do, like ruling and maintaining all of existence. God has appointed Representatives to deliver the messages.

“The Person of the Manifestation hath ever been the representative and mouthpiece of God. He, in truth, is the Day Spring of God’s most excellent Titles, and the Dawning-Place of His exalted Attributes. If any be set up by His side as peers, if they be regarded as identical with His Person, how can it, then, be maintained that the Divine Being is One and Incomparable, that His Essence is indivisible and peerless? Meditate on that which We have, through the power of truth, revealed unto thee, and be thou of them that comprehend its meaning.” Gleanings From the Writings of Bahá’u’lláh, p. 70

I do not care if you don't like it that God appoints Messengers because you cannot do anything about it other than complain. These Messengers of God have never failed to get their messages out to humans, although some humans have failed to get them.
 

PAUL MARKHAM

Well-Known Member
I never avoided the subject.... I have said repeatedly that God is not a man so God cannot deliver messages.

I consider it utterly absurd as well as completely illogical for anyone to suggest that God would "show up" and deliver messages to humans. God is Spirit so God cannot show up on earth and deliver messages. Moreover, God has better things to do, like ruling and maintaining all of existence. God has appointed Representatives to deliver the messages.

“The Person of the Manifestation hath ever been the representative and mouthpiece of God. He, in truth, is the Day Spring of God’s most excellent Titles, and the Dawning-Place of His exalted Attributes. If any be set up by His side as peers, if they be regarded as identical with His Person, how can it, then, be maintained that the Divine Being is One and Incomparable, that His Essence is indivisible and peerless? Meditate on that which We have, through the power of truth, revealed unto thee, and be thou of them that comprehend its meaning.” Gleanings From the Writings of Bahá’u’lláh, p. 70

I do not care if you don't like it that God appoints Messengers because you cannot do anything about it other than complain. These Messengers of God have never failed to get their messages out to humans, although some humans have failed to get them.
So god can reveal itself to nobodies, but can't reveal itself to leaders.

It can take the time to talk to nobodies, but can't spare the time to talk to leaders.

It would rather waste it's precious time talking to nobodies than talk to leaders.

Don't you see the flaw in your proposition?
 

Trailblazer

Veteran Member
Compared with leaders of countries and Empires they are nobodies. The truth is many are ignored, many have nothing to claim and achieve nothing. Jesus never achieved much, without Peter, Paul, Constantine no one would remember him.
Compared to Messengers of God, the leaders are nobodies.

What Jesus achieved, changing the hearts of men, Peter, Paul, Constantine could never achieve.
Adam, Abraham, Noah, Moses achieved what?
Whatever God told them to do.
 

PAUL MARKHAM

Well-Known Member
Compared to Messengers of God, the leaders are nobodies.

What Jesus achieved, changing the hearts of men, Peter, Paul, Constantine could never achieve.

Whatever God told them to do.
So people who are ignored are better than those who aren't

How do you know Peter, Paul and Constantine preached what Jesus preached? We only have their word they did. We know that isn't always reliable.

A better messenger would have been the Roman emperor changing the religion to Christianity and not 350 years later.

So you don't know why Adam Abraham Noah and Moses were chosen.
 

PAUL MARKHAM

Well-Known Member
If the method of sending messages to Man is working why is a New race of Man needed?

If nobodies are more effective than leaders at getting the message across why is a New race of Man needed?

The idea that a new race of Man is required makes sending messages for 3.000 years or more flawed.
 
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Trailblazer

Veteran Member
If the method of sending messages to Man is working why is a New race of Man needed?
To change the world from what we see today into a different world.

With the establishment of the Most Great Peace and the spiritualization of the peoples of the world, man will become a noble being adorned with divine virtues and perfections. This is one of the fruits of the Revelation of Bahá’u’lláh, promised by Him. The nobility of man and his spiritual development will lead him in the future to such a position that no individual could enjoy eating his food or resting at home while knowing that there was one person somewhere in the world without food or shelter. It is Bahá’u’lláh's mission to create such a new race of men.

Adib Taherzadeh, The Revelation of Bahá’u’lláh v 3, p. 126


New Race of Men
 

Trailblazer

Veteran Member
What reasoning made you come up with that? Why wouldn't God put something he did not will into his plan?
On second thought, whatever God Wills is part of His Plan, but what humans will is also part of God's Plan, since God allows for human free will choices and actions. As such, it is humans who will build the Kingdom of God on earth, which is God's Purpose for humanity.

God’s Purpose
 
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CG Didymus

Veteran Member
You admit it will take a new race to do what Bahaullah instructs them to. So why does god keep sending messages to the old type of man in a method that clearly doesn't work?

So god knows a new race is required!!!
Keeps sending messages knowing the old race will reject them!!!!

If it smells like BS, looks like BS, sounds like BS. It could be BS
In the past, Baha'is say that the "flaw" was with people. But, who made people with flaws? So after sending all these messengers to tell flawed thinking people to listen and obey the message sent from God, God finally gets a clue... "Gee, I better make a new race of men that will still have free will but will choose to obey me." And for thousands of years God couldn't have figured that out? God let people keep failing to implement his plan?

But, as lots of us have pointed out in the other thread, all these laws and rules, all the supposed things God has done is all very likely, manmade. It doesn't sound like it came from an all knowing all loving infallible God. And really, God made everything, but God can't communicate to people? Or, I should say, ordinary people. He does communicate to his special people, his messengers. So he could make people with the ability to be able to hear him and listen to him and obey him, but he chooses not to? And then blames people for failing. Nice guy.
 

CG Didymus

Veteran Member
What reasoning made you come up with that? Why wouldn't God put something he did not will into his plan?
I remember Christians telling me that God's will is that everyone would come to Jesus and none would perish. So that's his will, but since people are idiots and turn away from Jesus, we can't blame God. Oh wait, God made them idiots and then has Jesus tell them that they will burn in hell for not believing. And then has Baha'u'llah tell them there is no real place called hell. So for 2000 years God lied to people and tried to scare them into believing? And even that was flawed, because it still didn't work. And, because God lied then, why believe him now? Or, it is people making all this stuff up.
 
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