Religiously Confused

[JayToka]

I do not know if this post is to me, but I believe there is One God and many religions that were revealed by that One God at various times throughout history.... These religions differ in their message and their social teachings and laws but they all contain the same spiritual truths which are eternal...

According to my religion, the Baha'i Faith, in the future there will be only one religion, but that is a long way off...

Meanwhile, God wants us to adhere to the religion that is most current because it contains the message for the current day and the teachings and laws that are needed in the current time.

TBH, I'm not sure God would want any of us to follow any religion, as they are now, for pretty obvious reasons, i'd say.

 

[JayToka]

As many have already said, no.

It's the activity of humans relating themselves to the divine.


That page is rubbish, as some have protested in the Talk section. Organising Greek gods into triads of Maiden, Mother, and Crone? That's not Greek religion: it's straight out of Wicca!


Don't you just love people who use phrases like "no valid evidence" without telling us what constitutes valid evidence. As with most atheists, it probably means evidence that wouldn't contradict their own beliefs.


Now that's something without valid evidence! You're telling me that you know my religion better than I do: that my experiences of more than one god are delusions. Isn't that a bit arrogant?

And therein lies the problem. 2 humans, with different beliefs, arguing over said beliefs. And what will be gained from this debate? For either? Bitterness?, hate?, anger? or Acceptance, Respect?, Understanding? as taught by their beliefs?
Religion is truly confusing and contradictory, with no real evidence to support anything written in any Holy book. It just seems to insist that you follow blindly, and do not question anything told to you by any Holy man of any Faith, because he/she is telling the truth because Holy people do not lie. I saw somewhere that there are 613 commandments!? Now just 10? Just, you know, what the hell are you supposed to believe, with regards to religion? Or just believe everything you are told?

 

[Trailblazer]

Religious experiences are of many gods. To assert that there is only one leaves you with a need to explain that fact.

In my opinion, religious experiences are not facts, since there is not way to prove that anyone ever experienced any gods/God. But even if they did, the other problem you have to contend with is that many religious experiences were of only One God.

I do not believe that anyone ever experiences the One True God because He is exalted above anything that can ever be recounted of perceived by humans. Only Messengers of God receive communication from God, through the Holy Spirit, not directly.

 

[Trailblazer]

The post was to any and all that had a view. Not heard of your religion before. There in lies my problem. So many religions. Too many. They all seem to have the same core values, just different ways of expressing them. Still most confusing. Thanks for your view.

I can certainly understand why you are so confused. All the major religions do have the same core values since those values do not change over time. What changes is the message for the age we live in and the social teachings and laws.

Only the current religion has the new message from God and the social teachings and laws that are pertinent to the present age in history In this age, that religion is the Baha'i Faith. Information about it can me found on The Bahá’í Faith - The website of the worldwide Bahá’í community which is the “official” website of the worldwide Bahá’í community.

 

[Trailblazer]

TBH, I'm not sure God would want any of us to follow any religion, as they are now, for pretty obvious reasons, i'd say.

Well, as I just posted to you, I believe God wants us to follow the most current religion, which is the Baha'i Faith. If you check out that website I posted to you, you will see how different it is than the older religions. A new age in history requires a new religion, new and different.

 

[kjw47]

But isn't Abraham the prophet of Christians, Muslims and Jews?

What does that have to do with my post---
Muslims place a sinner=Mohammed over Gods own son--they lost already-- they do have the true God.
Judaism is cut off of being Gods chosen-Matt 23:37-39--They outright refuse to do verse 39-- they lost already. they do not have God.
Real Christian religion. serves the God of the OT= a single being God named-YHWH(Jehovah) and accepts Jesus as the one sent forth by God.--one single religion.

 

[kjw47]

Forgive me, but how do you know this for fact?

Even the trinity scholars know its fact. Its hard to send billions of dollars away year after year by making correction to truth and exposing your own religion as false.
50 years of study.

 

[ChristineM]

I don't need to: I have the OED.
"Evidence. Facts or testimony in support of a conclusion"
"Valid. Effective, having value"
If you are going to say that evidence is not valid, you need to say why — at least, if you want to be taken seriously.


Ah, the classic atheist's tactic: when all else fails, be rude.

So you even cherry pick your definition of evidence!

OED
Evidence : mass noun

1/ The available body of facts or information indicating whether a belief or proposition is true or valid.


Considering you are the one making claims of evidence you first should provide that evidence rather than hiding behind blame shifting.

and my copy, nor the online copy of the OED does not give your definitions. Could you please cite which version of OED you use.

 

[JayToka]

What does that have to do with my post---
Muslims place a sinner=Mohammed over Gods own son--they lost already-- they do have the true God.
Judaism is cut off of being Gods chosen-Matt 23:37-39--They outright refuse to do verse 39-- they lost already. they do not have God.
Real Christian religion. serves the God of the OT= a single being God named-YHWH(Jehovah) and accepts Jesus as the one sent forth by God.--one single religion.

I said:

Thank you all for the many comments. It's just that, Christian, Islam and Jewish religions all have the same God?, the God of Noah/Abraham? The same, yes? And Catholics are Christian? Same God again? Which amounts to most humans with the same God? Just followed in different ways by humans, depending on where they are and their upbringing? So is it just a case choosing one of the religions that fits in with how you want to worship God, if your in a Country with the freedom to be able to make a choice? And can you change to another religion if you don't like the way your current religion practices?

You said "no they do not - fact"

Which is why I said "but isn't Abraham the prophet of Christians, Muslims and Jews?", so the same God? Or a different God?

Interesting view there.

 

[JayToka]

[QUOTE="Only the current religion has the new message from God and the social teachings and laws that are pertinent to the present age in history In this age, that religion is the Baha'i Faith. Information about it can me found on The Bahá’í Faith - The website of the worldwide Bahá’í community which is the “official” website of the worldwide Bahá’í community.[/QUOTE]

I wandered over to the site of your religion. Had a browse around, looked on wiki, was reading and got to "The Hands of the Cause". I'm sorry but, what is that? And while reading your religion website, I came across the statement :

"This two-fold purpose helps to shape the endeavours of Bahá’ís in all areas. Thus, for example, they are not only expected to pray and reflect daily in their personal lives, but also to make efforts to infuse their surroundings with a devotional spirit; they are asked, not only to deepen their own knowledge of the Faith, but also to share with others Bahá’u’lláh’s teachings; they are not only admonished to learn to resist the dictates of the ego in their own lives, but also to strive, with courage and humility, to reverse the tendencies of a culture that glorifies self-gratification and erodes the foundations of solidarity."

Excuse me? I must do what? "pray and reflect daily" ? I must?
Sorry, this is not for me.

 

[Trailblazer]

I wandered over to the site of your religion. Had a browse around, looked on wiki, was reading and got to "The Hands of the Cause". I'm sorry but, what is that?

The Hands of the Cause of God, Hands of the Cause, or Hands (informally) were a select group of Bahá'ís, appointed for life, whose main function was to propagate and protect the Bahá'í Faith. Unlike the members of the elected institutions and other appointed institutions in the Bahá'í Faith, who serve in those offices, Hands are considered to have achieved a distinguished rank in service to the religion.[1]
Hands of the Cause - Wikipedia

There were 50 Hands of the Cause, but all the Hands of the Cause are dead now, and no more will be appointed. The Baha’i Faith has gone through various stages of development since its inception, and that was a different era of the Baha’i Faith. I met one Hand of the Cause back in the early 1970s and my husband knew two of them personally because he became a Baha’i in 1964.

And while reading your religion website, I came across the statement :
"This two-fold purpose helps to shape the endeavours of Bahá’ís in all areas. Thus, for example, they are not only expected to pray and reflect daily in their personal lives, but also to make efforts to infuse their surroundings with a devotional spirit; they are asked, not only to deepen their own knowledge of the Faith, but also to share with others Bahá’u’lláh’s teachings; they are not only admonished to learn to resist the dictates of the ego in their own lives, but also to strive, with courage and humility, to reverse the tendencies of a culture that glorifies self-gratification and erodes the foundations of solidarity."

Excuse me? I must do what? "pray and reflect daily" ? I must?
Sorry, this is not for me.

The Baha’i Faith is a religion with high standards of behavior to shoot for, but Baha’is do not do everything perfectly... The only prayer requirement is that we say one of the three obligatory prayers every day and one of them is very short and takes less than a minute to recite. For decades I turned away from the Faith because I thought I could never live up to the ideals but then I realized it is better to do something than nothing; and we all have different inherited and acquired capacities and different life situations, so not all of us can do as much as others. God understands that. All that is required is sincerity and effort. I hardly have any time to reflect but I do like to talk about the Faith online. Everyone has different interests, skill and abilities.

 

[kjw47]

I said:



You said "no they do not - fact"

Which is why I said "but isn't Abraham the prophet of Christians, Muslims and Jews?", so the same God? Or a different God?

Interesting view there.

33, 990 religions claiming to be Christian, serve a non existent trinity--it was not Abrahams God thus they serve a non existent god. they do not belong to god--The Muslims place a sinner( Mohammed) above Gods own son--these have lost already. They do not know the true living God of Abraham.

 

[JayToka]

The Hands of the Cause of God, Hands of the Cause, or Hands (informally) were a select group of Bahá'ís, appointed for life, whose main function was to propagate and protect the Bahá'í Faith. Unlike the members of the elected institutions and other appointed institutions in the Bahá'í Faith, who serve in those offices, Hands are considered to have achieved a distinguished rank in service to the religion.[1]
Hands of the Cause - Wikipedia

There were 50 Hands of the Cause, but all the Hands of the Cause are dead now, and no more will be appointed. The Baha’i Faith has gone through various stages of development since its inception, and that was a different era of the Baha’i Faith. I met one Hand of the Cause back in the early 1970s and my husband knew two of them personally because he became a Baha’i in 1964.

The Baha’i Faith is a religion with high standards of behavior to shoot for, but Baha’is do not do everything perfectly... The only prayer requirement is that we say one of the three obligatory prayers every day and one of them is very short and takes less than a minute to recite. For decades I turned away from the Faith because I thought I could never live up to the ideals but then I realized it is better to do something than nothing; and we all have different inherited and acquired capacities and different life situations, so not all of us can do as much as others. God understands that. All that is required is sincerity and effort. I hardly have any time to reflect but I do like to talk about the Faith online. Everyone has different interests, skill and abilities.

IMO, Any faith that tells you what to do, transgresses against Gods gifts to you, the gift of free will, the understanding to know right from wrong and the ability to make a decision based on what you witness. Why I would need to know about a "Hands of the Cause" or any other nonsensical gibberish, or pray daily because I've been told to, just to be a good person baffles me. Enjoy what you can of life, while you can, that's what I say. I mean, it's not as if you would become a cannibal barbarian, shunned by humanity, if you had no religion.
Just my view. No offence meant.

 

[JayToka]

33, 990 religions claiming to be Christian, serve a non existent trinity--it was not Abrahams God thus they serve a non existent god. they do not belong to god--The Muslims place a sinner( Mohammed) above Gods own son--these have lost already. They do not know the true living God of Abraham.

I will take your word for it If you believe that kind of stuff, whats the harm eh.

On a side note..
Your a Jehovah eh. I used to work in a hospital. There was a 12 year old girl, very unwell. She needed a blood transfusion. Parents said no, because of their faith, Jehovahs. The girl died... Their daughter. Died. I cannot understand this.
But, hey, each to their own.

 

[loverofhumanity]

Religion is the laws; teachings and ordinances of God as revealed through His Prophets from age to age.

There is only one religion of God evolving and adapting over ages and times. Think of God as the Headmaster and the different classes in a school as the different religions. As we progress in our earthly education so too do we in our spiritual education.

Each religion is a progression upon the previous one meant to complement it. So Christ taught love and forgiveness, Buddha taught meditation and mindfulness and Muhammad taught love for community or nation and Baha'u'llah - love for all religions, peoples and humankind.

We never stop learning. If we are humble; we will take all the lessons taught by the Great Teachers and try to learn them and practise them as well as science, Our world can only gain in peace; prosperity and happiness if we try and implement the virtues They taught,

 

[Trailblazer]

IMO, Any faith that tells you what to do, transgresses against Gods gifts to you, the gift of free will, the understanding to know right from wrong and the ability to make a decision based on what you witness. Why I would need to know about a "Hands of the Cause" or any other nonsensical gibberish, or pray daily because I've been told to, just to be a good person baffles me. Enjoy what you can of life, while you can, that's what I say. I mean, it's not as if you would become a cannibal barbarian, shunned by humanity, if you had no religion.
Just my view. No offence meant.

I am not a big fan of religion, but the way I look at it is logically. If God sent a Messenger who revealed God's will for this age and established a religion with teachings and laws, then that is not something I should question, since I cannot know more than an All-Knowing God. Since I believe that is what the Baha'i Faith is, I just try to follow the teachings and laws as best I can. It is not that difficult, because these are things I would do anyway since they are good for my spiritual growth. Nothing I could conjure up would be as good as a Messenger of God, that is how I view it.

I consider knowing and following the Truth from God the most important thing I can do in life. Compared to that, enjoying my life pales in significance.

 

[kjw47]

I will take your word for it If you believe that kind of stuff, whats the harm eh.

On a side note..
Your a Jehovah eh. I used to work in a hospital. There was a 12 year old girl, very unwell. She needed a blood transfusion. Parents said no, because of their faith, Jehovahs. The girl died... Their daughter. Died. I cannot understand this.
But, hey, each to their own.

This lifes death is temporary--There will be a resurrection--The lake of fire=the 2nd death= the permanent death--so no they are not dead yet. Those with little understanding see it like that. Jesus compared it to sleep( the first death)
Like in the ot--those with little understanding condemn God for killing the babies and children--Yet those babies and childrens own parents would have handed-false god worship, pagan practices off the table of demons, and many other wicked things--So God actually spared those babies and children from living totally wicked lives and a bad judgement. Instead will be given the opportunity to learn and apply Gods will and gain life everlasting. So it was the parents who were wrong, the parents fault , not God.

 

[ronandcarol]

We all agree that there is only one God? Most religions, if not all, will say yes?, I'm assuming.
God has no religion. All agree I'm sure?.
So what is religion then?
Can anyone help me with the/an answer please?
Thanks.

To help you out I enlisted the help of the dictionary;
Religion:
# A collection of practices, based on beliefs and teachings that are highly valued or sacred.
# Any practice that someone or some group is seriously devoted to.
# Any ongoing spiritual practice one engages in, in order to shape their character or improve traits of their personality.
# An ideological and traditional heritage.
That is how religion is defined. So God, being the One who created and sustains everything in creation, certainly deserves our devotion and praise for keeping our hearts beating. If we study His words it will certainly help shape our character and teach us how to live a blessed life.
ronandcarol

 

[Muffled]

Thank you all for the many comments. It's just that, Christian, Islam and Jewish religions all have the same God?, the God of Noah/Abraham? The same, yes? And Catholics are Christian? Same God again? Which amounts to most humans with the same God? Just followed in different ways by humans, depending on where they are and their upbringing? So is it just a case choosing one of the religions that fits in with how you want to worship God, if your in a Country with the freedom to be able to make a choice? And can you change to another religion if you don't like the way your current religion practices?

I believe that is incorrect. There is only one religion that can get a person into eternal life and only one religion that can take away your sin and that is Christianity.

 

[Muffled]

I do not know if this post is to me, but I believe there is One God and many religions that were revealed by that One God at various times throughout history.... These religions differ in their message and their social teachings and laws but they all contain the same spiritual truths which are eternal...

According to my religion, the Baha'i Faith, in the future there will be only one religion, but that is a long way off...

Meanwhile, God wants us to adhere to the religion that is most current because it contains the message for the current day and the teachings and laws that are needed in the current time.

I believe I have never heard from a Baha'i who has known the spiritual truth of Christianity and accepted it.

I believe that is incorrect. I believe God wants everyone saved.