oldbadger
Skanky Old Mongrel!
Hmmmmm..... Loverofhumanity, I don't think it can be true.Ok but I believe this is supposition. What IF we are only guilty of telling other religions the truth that their Promised One has come? Is that a crime or some kind of insult? The foundation of all these allegations against Baha’is I believe, is the assumption we are wrong. What if we are telling you and the world the truth?
Aren’t Christians waiting for Christ’s return as are other religions their Messiah? What IF He has come? Then isn’t all we really stand guilty of is letting them know their Beloved has appeared?
Everyone seems to automatically be assuming the posture that we are wrong. What if we are telling the truth?
If we do speak the truth then doesn't Christ if He returned have any say over Christians or the Bible? If Christ returned wouldn’t He have the right to tell Christians that they misinterpreted the prophecies? The same with Buddha. Ananda asked the Buddha who will they follow when He is gone and He said a future Buddha Maitreya so if that Buddha has arrived then haven’t Buddhists been instructed to turn to Him?
We individual Baha’is have no authority whatsoever. It is Baha’u’llah, Who we believe to be the Promised One Who is the Authority and claims to be the Lord of all religions and He has rebuked Kings and religious leaders appealing to them to change their ways.
Does that cause disunity? Of course. Baha’u’llah came to bring truth not to appease the worlds religious leaders. For His claims He was exiled and imprisoned for 40 years. So the world, as it listens to it’s religious leaders is going to be vehemently opposed to Baha’u’llah, the Baha’i Faith and Baha’is notwithstanding their own Holy Books speak of Him. But there will be many fair minded people who won’t go down that path as we are peaceful people to those who know us. Not perfect but peaceful.
It is to be expected that we will, because of the claims made by Baha’u’llah be vehemently opposed at every turn by one and all.
...a large multitude of people will arise against you, showing oppression, expressing contumely and derision, shunning your society, and heaping upon you ridicule
There is no gain personal or other for Baha’is to tell humanity that their awaited Promised One has come.
The clash is that this news does not go down well at all with religious leaders who I believe want to maintain control over their followers as if they are their own personal possessions.
I believe a Promised One is seen as the greatest threat to the authority and power of religious leaders which is why whenever a Christ or a Muhammad appear They are crucified, tortured, imprisoned and exiled. Refer to history.
So although the Baha’i message and Baha’is are peaceful, the Authority of Baha’u’llah I believe as the Promised One is seen as a threat to all religious leaders who inform their followers likewise that He is a false prophet and such and that we are stirrers up of mischief or satanic when in fact we are guilty I believe of nothing but informing them that their Promised One has appeared.
So I believe that until courageous people arise who will disregard tradition and the common views held by priests and look with their own eyes appear that we will be opposed, hated, ridiculed and shunned in every which way possible to silence our voice.
But I wouldn’t be automatically assuming that Baha’u’llah is not the Promised One. It could be true.
Back in the day I used to listen to folks explaining their beliefs and religions to Bahá'ís and the regular Baha'i response was 'You don't realise it but you're a Baha'i!' when in fact Bahá'ís did not believe in the same things at all.
For example, you do not believe in any Christian Creed that I know of. You just don't You would need to mangle it in to some non Christian tenet to fit with the Baha'i tenets.
If Baha'i was all about God it wouldn't be a minor religion nearly 200 years after it started.