It's beginning to look that way!
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Signs of the Times - What’s happening to our world?
- Thread starter loverofhumanity
- Start date
I believe we are approaching End Times - specifically "The Great Tribulation"
I believe Jesus is going to come down from Heaven, an event which will be literally awesome!
It's just a matter of when...
Any time now...
All Faiths are waiting for their material unfolding of Prophecy, every God given Faith has a promise of a return.
The Jews still await a Messiah, the Chritains await, the Muslims await, the Buddha said He would return as did Krishna and Zoroaster, yet all wait for God to return only by the way they have come to expect it may be.
Yet in the 1800's the promise was fulfilled and the answers to the unity of all humanity given. When that God given Message was rejected the warnings were given that the world's tribulations would daily increase and would increase over a long period of time until the day when the limbs of mankind will shake.
There is no doubt we bring calamity upon ourselves and have brought a great imbalance to this world. Disunity, predudices and material greed is way out of control, our neglect of God given answers is our judgement.
When will we open our eyes, how much tribulation do we need to bring before we submit and consider the needed change?
Regards Tony
Truthseeker
Non-debating member when I can help myself
i couldn't find those particular quotes in the Aqdas.
Here is what Shoghi Effendi, the infallible interpreter said about the Divinity of Baha'u'llah:
To whoever may read these pages a word of warning seems, however, advisable before I proceed further with the development of my argument. Let no one meditating, in the light of the afore-quoted passages, on the nature of the Revelation of Bahá’u’lláh, mistake its character or misconstrue the intent of its Author. The divinity attributed to so great a Being and the complete incarnation of the names and attributes of God in so exalted a Person should, under no circumstances, be misconceived or misinterpreted. The human temple that has been made the vehicle of so overpowering a Revelation must, if we be faithful to the tenets of our Faith, ever remain entirely distinguished from that “innermost Spirit of Spirits” and “eternal Essence of Essences”— that invisible yet rational God Who, however much we extol the divinity of His Manifestations on earth, can in no wise incarnate His infinite, His unknowable, His incorruptible and all-embracing Reality in the concrete and limited frame of a mortal being. Indeed, the God Who could so incarnate His own reality would, in the light of the teachings of Bahá’u’lláh, cease immediately to be God. So crude and fantastic a theory of Divine incarnation is as removed from, and incompatible with, the essentials of Bahá’í belief as are the no less inadmissible pantheistic and anthropomorphic conceptions of God— both of which the utterances of Bahá’u’lláh emphatically repudiate and the fallacy of which they expose.
He Who in unnumbered passages claimed His utterance to be the “Voice of Divinity, the Call of God Himself” thus solemnly affirms in the Kitáb-i-Íqán: “To every discerning and illumined heart it is evident that God, the unknowable Essence, the Divine Being, is immeasurably exalted beyond every human attribute such as corporeal existence, ascent and descent, egress and regress… He is, and hath ever been, veiled in the ancient eternity of His Essence, and will remain in His Reality everlastingly hidden from the sight of men… He standeth exalted beyond and above all separation and union, all proximity and remoteness… ‘God was alone; there was none else beside Him’ is a sure testimony of this truth.”
“From time immemorial,” Bahá’u’lláh, speaking of God, explains, “He, the Divine Being, hath been veiled in the ineffable sanctity of His exalted Self, and will everlasting continue to be wrapt in the impenetrable mystery of His unknowable Essence… Ten thousand Prophets, each a Moses, are thunderstruck upon the Sinai of their search at God’s forbidding voice, ‘Thou shalt never behold Me!’; whilst a myriad Messengers, each as great as Jesus, stand dismayed upon their heavenly thrones by the interdiction ‘Mine Essence thou shalt never apprehend!’” “How bewildering to me, insignificant as I am,” Bahá’u’lláh in His communion with God affirms, “is the attempt to fathom the sacred depths of Thy knowledge! How futile my efforts to visualize the magnitude of the power inherent in Thine handiwork— the revelation of Thy creative power!” “When I contemplate, O my God, the relationship that bindeth me to Thee,” He, in yet another prayer revealed in His own handwriting, testifies, “I am moved to proclaim to all created things ‘verily I am God!’; and when I consider my own self, lo, I find it coarser than clay!”
Shoghi Effendi, “The World Order of Bahá’u’lláh” , 6.38
Truthseeker
Non-debating member when I can help myself
You will always look at it this way if you look at it only through your intellect and not through faith. Faith implies trusting in God. You have to trust God that made this world and all of it's suffering for a good reason, though you may not be able to understand why there is so much suffering as there is. I understand, though why it is so hard for you to have faith in God. Trust God speaking through Baha'u'llah when He says:
O Son of Spirit!
Ask not of Me that which We desire not for thee, then be content with what We have ordained for thy sake, for this is that which profiteth thee, if therewith thou dost content thyself.
There is a reason for this suffering. I know that here there is a problem with contenting yourself with suffering, or to expect some other people to content themselves but this life is a blip in time compared to forever and there is recompense. Abdu'l-Baha said this:
As to the subject of babes and infants and weak ones who are afflicted by the hands of oppressors: This contains great wisdom and this subject is of paramount importance. In brief, for those souls there is a recompense in another world and many details are connected with this matter. For those souls that suffering is the greatest mercy of God. Verily that mercy of the Lord is far better and preferable to all the comfort of this world and the growth and development of this place of mortality.
, “Bahá’í World Faith (‘Abdu’l-Bahá section)”
Trailblazer
Veteran Member
Thanks Duane. I volley back and forth between logic and faith. I know what you are saying is true in my intellect. It is my feelings that get in the way, but those come and go.
If I analyze it with logic, it makes sense why we have to have faith in what we cannot prove exists, God and the afterlife, since it cannot ever be proven to exist.
I have no problem believing that God exists even though I can never see God, and I do not even have a problem believing an afterlife exists without seeing it. What I have a problem with is having to live through this world to get to the spiritual world AND not knowing what the afterlife will be like.
Samantha Rinne
Resident Genderfluid Writer/Artist
As my faith category says, I'm an adherent (and the only known member!) of Aiken, the faith of the Mune Shinri book.
Essentially, I believe in a mix of Shintoism, Taoism, Buddhism, and Christianity. I believe Jesus died on the cross and is the Messiah, but I believe that Jesus lived to teach us the ultimate truth about religion, not to form just another religion. In fact, Jesus probably hated organized religion, and hated the idea of a "do this to get into Heaven" routine. I believe that this world is impregnated with spiritual forces serving God and the natural world. I also reject the idea that Satan is anything more than an angel (I think this idea is too much influenced by Zoroastrianism) but rather God causes both good fortune and bad (Isaiah 45:7 and much of Taoist scripture). And I believe that the entire world is the Self and all who live are therefore connected (overlap into Buddhism, with some inspiration from the idea of the Body of Christ). I believe in Jesus, having already come again, and always been here even before his incarnation. But I don't believe in Jesus looking like this guy
anymore than I think God looks like a man with a white beard and hair. Jesus has already returned, and lives among us, as our dearest friend. You'd be better off imagining a shapeshifter or temporary being than this picture. Nor is the idea of sin particularly helpful to me. All of us are flawed, and all are forgiven. Aiken is less about self-sacrifice and more about personal relationship with God. I also believe in a great deal of New Age stuff like the Law of Attraction, and that this universe mirrors what is happening inside all of us. Especially me, since I'm seeing this universe, and you're probably noticing different stuff. This means religion is highly subjective, and a product of the mind of its founder.
So why are these times happening? Simple. I'm becoming depressed and disinterested in this world, where I haven't found a lasting job that didn't either bore me to tears, manage to fire me, or just not help me find what I was really after (I've always wanted to be a homemaker far more than a career person). So I've shut myself off from this world. Likewise, I see this reflected in the world becoming more antisocial, more fixated on little portable devices that people stare out because they're a shiny thing. People are shutting themselves indoors and traveling less. Enter two extremes, the globalist who wants the absurd of open borders (not only are borders important for controlling crime and disease, but they protect national traditions and sovereignty, basically making it so that touring other countries is actually meaningful since they're different) and extreme shut-ins. The first one is because I know that I am lonely, but cannot meaningfully reconcile these two extremes. I'm annoyed by all of the extrovert forcing their wonderful utopia down my throat so this world is closing off. Countries become effective city-states, where people stop going outside because of the Plague, newspapers shut down, and so on.
Basically, it's the Nothing, to quote the Neverending Story. I no longer care about the outside world, so it's slowly fading away. I don't actually want things to be this way though, it's just my human relationship with Jesus feels strained (basically, because of this divide between outgoing people and ppl like me). Maybe it actually isn't but that's kinda sucky mood talking.
Essentially, I believe in a mix of Shintoism, Taoism, Buddhism, and Christianity. I believe Jesus died on the cross and is the Messiah, but I believe that Jesus lived to teach us the ultimate truth about religion, not to form just another religion. In fact, Jesus probably hated organized religion, and hated the idea of a "do this to get into Heaven" routine. I believe that this world is impregnated with spiritual forces serving God and the natural world. I also reject the idea that Satan is anything more than an angel (I think this idea is too much influenced by Zoroastrianism) but rather God causes both good fortune and bad (Isaiah 45:7 and much of Taoist scripture). And I believe that the entire world is the Self and all who live are therefore connected (overlap into Buddhism, with some inspiration from the idea of the Body of Christ). I believe in Jesus, having already come again, and always been here even before his incarnation. But I don't believe in Jesus looking like this guy
anymore than I think God looks like a man with a white beard and hair. Jesus has already returned, and lives among us, as our dearest friend. You'd be better off imagining a shapeshifter or temporary being than this picture. Nor is the idea of sin particularly helpful to me. All of us are flawed, and all are forgiven. Aiken is less about self-sacrifice and more about personal relationship with God. I also believe in a great deal of New Age stuff like the Law of Attraction, and that this universe mirrors what is happening inside all of us. Especially me, since I'm seeing this universe, and you're probably noticing different stuff. This means religion is highly subjective, and a product of the mind of its founder.
So why are these times happening? Simple. I'm becoming depressed and disinterested in this world, where I haven't found a lasting job that didn't either bore me to tears, manage to fire me, or just not help me find what I was really after (I've always wanted to be a homemaker far more than a career person). So I've shut myself off from this world. Likewise, I see this reflected in the world becoming more antisocial, more fixated on little portable devices that people stare out because they're a shiny thing. People are shutting themselves indoors and traveling less. Enter two extremes, the globalist who wants the absurd of open borders (not only are borders important for controlling crime and disease, but they protect national traditions and sovereignty, basically making it so that touring other countries is actually meaningful since they're different) and extreme shut-ins. The first one is because I know that I am lonely, but cannot meaningfully reconcile these two extremes. I'm annoyed by all of the extrovert forcing their wonderful utopia down my throat so this world is closing off. Countries become effective city-states, where people stop going outside because of the Plague, newspapers shut down, and so on.
Basically, it's the Nothing, to quote the Neverending Story. I no longer care about the outside world, so it's slowly fading away. I don't actually want things to be this way though, it's just my human relationship with Jesus feels strained (basically, because of this divide between outgoing people and ppl like me). Maybe it actually isn't but that's kinda sucky mood talking.
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Trailblazer
Veteran Member
I am sorry to hear you feel that way but I can relate because I do not have much use for the outside world either. I do not even have a relationship with God and I am mad at Him much of the time. My only real relationship is with my husband of 35 years and we are okay as long as we don't talk. If we start talking about God or our religion everything goes to hell in a bread basket. We both have the same religion but we do not agree about God and His goodness. We do both love cats so we have that in common, but we have so many cats so it is really difficult to care for them, but we do it somehow, and we spend all our money and time on them. Aside from going to work, forums and cats, that's my life.
Truthseeker
Non-debating member when I can help myself
I've heard that before. It can be tough.
oldbadger
Skanky Old Mongrel!
I believe we are approaching End Times - specifically "The Great Tribulation"
I believe Jesus is going to come down from Heaven, an event which will be literally awesome!
It's just a matter of when...
Any time now...
Can you imagine what Christians were saying during the Great 14-18 War?
Produce a bad situation in the World and many Christians start telling us this stuff, looking forward to a Judgemental Jesus, the sword flicking from his mouth, destroying the unbelievers...... but you'll be safe and warm?
The World has known such dreadful times over the last two millenia. No Jesus came. Don't hold your breath.
Aupmanyav
Be your own guru
Interpreters and apologists.
Bahai members have agreed that it is difficult to say definitely what can be ascribed as mention of Allah and where Bahaollah meant himself.
And they say it does not matter to them, because they do not differentiate between Allah and Bahaollah. Because what is from Allah is from Bahaollah too and what is from Bahaollah is from Allah too. Allah is Allah but Bahaollah is the 'Glory of Allah'.
After all, as you say, Bahaollah is divine (Divinity of Bahaollah).
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Samantha Rinne
Resident Genderfluid Writer/Artist
I'm basically saying that in terms of my religion (since I imagine this was muddled by having four religions strung together), your relationship with God basically IS your relationship with any living relatives, and with your husband. Your have been married to your God 35 years and are fine as long as you don't talk. You don't like the God other religions talk about either because you feel like if you were actually to talk to this God, you'd get in much the same arguments.
See if you can try to remember why you liked this husband of yours, pet your kitties, and try to enjoy life. As a struggler of lifelong depression, I can't say that it's easy, nor is being the only member of a religion (I feel like an ugly duckling that never gets to be a swan), but in this life all we can hope for is that we see the ideal love that led us to the one we married again. The Tao of Normal Life, I call it. Maybe one day things will settle down again with politics and health, and you just live with your husband. And cats.
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Twilight Hue
Twilight, not bright nor dark, good nor bad.
While I enjoy discussing the subjects here as also my criticisms and critiques, the real life Nowhere Man has one philosophy when these types of things occur.
Adapt.
The one thing which bothers me with explanations like this is that the flood came after Noah not before. Noah called men to God and righteousness time and again and was ignored. Then the flood came.
As it was in the days of Noah so shall the coming of the Son of Man be, The meaning I’m espousing is that He’s already come and people have turned away and so now humanity is beginning to suffer the consequences. Yes it was probably caused by uncleanliness but I don’t believe God will allow greed and injustice to continue on earth forever. So if man won’t change then God will establish His Kingdom on earth in other ways. My understanding of God’s Kingdom is a System that will replace the current one.
As in the days of Noah so shall the coming of the Sin of Man be, The flood came AFTER Noah had been rejected. Now it is Baha’u’llah Who has been rejected. So let’s see what will come.
A Vestigial Mote
Well-Known Member
I honestly wondered about this. When more people and companies find it possible to work from home, and don't see a productivity decrease, it may just become more normal. I work from home myself already - have for many years now, and I do right by my company - whoever that is at any given time. I can tell you no company I've worked for from home has lamented hiring me. That's not me tooting my own horn - it's me pointing to the practicality of working from home as an option on both sides of the fence (company and employee).
Cooky
Veteran Member
My kids were sent home with laptops... expanding on that, the State could provide more time off for teachers, while giving them the same pay, allowing them to seek other income possibilities, while at the same time having computer programs to grade papers.
...Because I feel like being a teacher is more demanding for what they earn in wages. So shortening classes, or reducing class time could be a positive thing for teachers.
exchemist
Veteran Member
Greta will be happy the airlines are going bust, at any rate. Here's hoping Ryanair folds.Greta has been saying more than your religion, I think.
As viewed from space,atmospheric pollution levels are dissipating all over the planet......
So Greta can be sure that any God that exists is working hard for her!
I don't know of a religion that can't nod its head wisely and declare, 'See? This is what we were told!'
This will be a giant test of remote working and I hope it may reduce the burning need so many businesspeople seem to feel to jet around everywhere, at the drop of a hat. I spent years doing this and it always felt exhausting, macho and, dare I say it, a tiny bit pointless. 3rd runway at Heathrow? Really?
But I am very sorry for all the cafe owners and restaurateurs who will be put out of business. Most of their staff do not earn a king's ransom, they add greatly to the gaiety of modern life and they may be slow to return when this is over.
oldbadger
Skanky Old Mongrel!
Hello again.....Greta will be happy the airlines are going bust, at any rate. Here's hoping Ryanair folds.
This will be a giant test of remote working and I hope it may reduce the burning need so many businesspeople seem to feel to jet around everywhere, at the drop of a hat. I spent years doing this and it always felt exhausting, macho and, dare I say it, a tiny bit pointless. 3rd runway at Heathrow? Really?
But I am very sorry for all the cafe owners and restaurateurs who will be put out of business. Most of their staff do not earn a king's ransom, they add greatly to the gaiety of modern life and they may be slow to return when this is over.
Tell you what, when this is over there will be far less air traffic, but much much higher prices for a seat on a plane. This may be the end of cheap flights to the Med or anywhere else.
And, yes, IT Comms are going to really break out in such a big way. Already my wife's company is offering vet consults by phone or IT link prior to any expensive appoints.
Our world is going to change in a big way. Well, not mine, I'll stay back on the dark ages, mumbling about when I was a kid n stuff!
Hello again.....
Tell you what, when this is over there will be far less air traffic, but much much higher prices for a seat on a plane. This may be the end of cheap flights to the Med or anywhere else.
And, yes, IT Comms are going to really break out in such a big way. Already my wife's company is offering vet consults by phone or IT link prior to any expensive appoints.
Our world is going to change in a big way. Well, not mine, I'll stay back on the dark ages, mumbling about when I was a kid n stuff!
Hi old badger how ya doing? I was thinking that this virus could bring about world peace. It’s annhilating economies.
The only budget governments might have left to spend is their huge military budgets. But they can’t touch that unless there’s peace. So what if all the governments go bankrupt and all they have left to use is their military budget? They get together and thrash out a world peace agreement. I believe that will happen soon.
The time must come when the imperative necessity for the holding of a vast, an all-embracing assemblage of men will be universally realized. The rulers and kings of the earth must needs attend it, and, participating in its deliberations, must consider such ways and means as will lay the foundations of the world’s Great Peace amongst men.” (Baha’u’llah)