What do you think about other religions?

[nPeace]

As is typical of JW theology, this is a gross misrepresentation and misinterpretation of scripture.

Neither of the two references you have quote have anything to do with Christian denominations...there were not even different Christian denominations when these passages were written! (2 Corinthians was written about A.D. 55 and Revelation about A.D 90-95)

2 Corinthians is talking about those who do not believe in Christ and the Gospel. That is nothing like your claim!

Revelation 18:4 is specifically talking about those non believers who are called out of Babylon...individuals who engage in abominable behaviour, evil vile acts of sin, those who place earthly gains in place of the Gospel...this again has nothing to do with religious denominations! The interpretation of Revelation 18:4 is very clearly given in vs 9

9Then the kings of the earth who committed sexual immorality and lived in luxury with her will weep and wail at the sight of the smoke rising from the fire that consumes her.​

You really need to better understand your bible as you are adding errant and insufficient study of scripture and cross-referencing to develop very very poor theology!

Gods church is not JW, SDA, Catholic, Baptist or any other known denominational group. Gods people are solely those who meet the following criteria...

Revelation 14:12 Here is a call for the perseverance of the saints who keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus.​

This is what you think. It is not scripture.
An unbeliever was one who was not a Christian... that is, a follower of Christ, and part of the Christian congregation.
That is scripture. Romans 15:31
(2 Corinthians 11:13-15) 13 For such men are false apostles, deceitful workers, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ. 14 And no wonder, for Satan himself keeps disguising himself as an angel of light. 15 It is therefore nothing extraordinary if his ministers also keep disguising themselves as ministers of righteousness. But their end will be according to their works.

There was one Christian congregation, in the first century.
So called "Christian denominations", is a second and later centuries phenomenon.
All, of these so called "Christian denominations", make up the apostate Christianity, as mentioned at 2 Thessalonians 2:3-12

There is only one true Christian congregation, and they speak in agreement, and are united in love, and follow Jesus' teachings, including his ministry and example.

(1 Corinthians 1:10) . . .you should all speak in agreement and that there should be no divisions among you, but that you may be completely united in the same mind and in the same line of thought. . .

(John 13:35) By this all will know that you are my disciples - if you have love among yourselves.
John 8:31-32

Do all the major religions..

• Teach spiritual virtues Some
• Teach good character In some cases
• Come from the same God NO

They obviously do not speak in agreement.
The Catholic Church’s long history of bickering

Religious divisions have existed since the creation of religion itself, with interpretations and forms of worship varying due to geographical location, linguistic differences, the influence of everyday society, and much more.

Religious divisions can be narrowed down simply to those who are "believers" and those who are "non-believers". However, believers and non-believers can have little or extreme differences, depending on the deep divide between the branches.

A lack of understanding between these unique divisions has led to violence and even forms of exile from said religion.

They do not have love among themselves... obviously.
the most violent moments of the Reformation
Religious Divisions Europe

There is a diversity of doctrines and liturgical practices among groups calling themselves Christian. These groups may vary ecclesiologically in their views on a classification of Christian denominations.

JWs did not write these.
These facts are not a gross misrepresentation of scripture. They are truthful realities of the state of so called Christianity, and religion. The scriptures agree.
These religions misrepresent scripture.

 

[Viker]

That needs correct context.

All sexual relationships, outside marriage between a man and women, is against Baha'i Law.

One has to consider how crucial a strong family unit, inclusive of a mother and father, is for the development and future of humanity.

We now have lots of data as to what happens when the strength of the family unit is compromised.

Regards Tony

Why can't a family unit involve homosexual couples? Why just a man and a woman?

 

[TransmutingSoul]

Why can't a family unit involve homosexual couples? Why just a man and a woman?

Well as we know, that is how reproduction works.

We can grow to be a family of man, we can love each other, care for each other as an entire human family. The foundation of that, firstly requires the unity of the family unit. The bond of a Mother a Father and their children is what has built the foundations of humanity. When we break that unit, strife ensures. Strong loving families build villages, then cities, then Nations. History has proven when we break those bonds, we have created division.

This family unit is given of God in Law, in all scriptures. It is a founding wisdom for the structure and for the progress of the human race.

Regards Tony

 

[DNB]

I don’t know about that. I’ve read the holy books of all the major religions and find their spiritual teachings all in harmony with one another.

read them again

 

[idea]

[QUOTE="loverofhumanity, post: 8029690, member: 59171]
Do you think religions can unite and accept each other. [/QUOTE]

I agree with Mark Twain, that man really did have a way with words.

"We despise all reverences and all the objects of reverence which are outside the pale of our own list of sacred things. And yet, with strange inconsistency, we are shocked when other people despise and defile the things which are holy to us."

"The easy confidence with which I know another man's religion is folly teaches me to suspect that my own is also."

 

[CG Didymus]

read them again

I think some Baha'is are just looking at the most basic teachings like "don't lie", "love one another", "be humble" etc. and saying "See, they all teach the same things." Then past that Baha'is reinterpret or make things symbolic. Like with reincarnation in Hinduism and the resurrection of Jesus in Christianity. By the time they are done with any Scripture, they have made them perfectly harmonize with the Scriptures of the other religions and especially with theirs.

But why are so many people in these other religions not buying it? To me, it is because it makes what those other religions believe, and have believed for sometimes centuries, wrong.

 

[CG Didymus]

[QUOTE="loverofhumanity, post: 8029690, member: 59171]
Do you think religions can unite and accept each other.

I agree with Mark Twain, that man really did have a way with words.

"We despise all reverences and all the objects of reverence which are outside the pale of our own list of sacred things. And yet, with strange inconsistency, we are shocked when other people despise and defile the things which are holy to us."

"The easy confidence with which I know another man's religion is folly teaches me to suspect that my own is also."[/QUOTE]
I think that is the problem with the Baha'i Faith. They, like all the others, believe they really do have the truth. Unlike the others, that really don't... even though, with some of them, Baha'is say they used to.

 

[CG Didymus]

I think the best thing the Bahais of world can do in this regard is to live up to the Bahai standards. Deeds, but not words alone can spread the teachings. I remember Shoghi effendi said something like this...

Unfortunately, it's easier for people to tell others what their religion says is true. Which then leads to the other person saying "no", this is what is true.

 

[CG Didymus]

The problem, of course, is in the idea that another person’s or another culture’s expression of that life is threatening.

Some religions were wrong don't you think? I use the example of the Aztecs. They sacrificed people to their Gods. Was that true and beautiful? Maybe to them, but then the Spanish came and conquered them and brought with them their religion and forced it on the Aztecs. A religion that had a dying and rising savior, an evil spirit-being and his demons, a God that had flooded the whole world at one time and said that one day he was going to cast all people that don't believe in his son into hell. Was that religion true?

 

[CG Didymus]

I would say they could and should. Though, I think it depends on what’s meant by ‘unite’. By ‘unite’, if it’s meant that (as various detractors incorrectly try to the paint the Bahá’í teaching) different religions teach exactly the same things or that the different religions are mashed together into a single spiritual mush, then no.

However, if it’s meant recognizing that different religions are various divinely-given responses to the same human longings for truth and understanding of our world (as the Bahá’í Faith actually teaches), and deciding to – both individually and collectively – let go of our own selfish attachments to name and form and graciously accept all colors of the spiritual rainbow without prejudice or animosity, as our Hindu and Buddhist brothers and sisters have shown us, then absolutely.

But some Baha'is have said that all of the other religions have added in "traditions" of man and/ or have misinterpreted their own Scriptures. Those Baha'is are not accepting the other religions as is. To be complete, it sounds more like those Baha'is expect people in the other religions to recognize that the Baha'i Faith is the fulfillment and continuation of their old religion. And that if they only take and look, they will see that as being true and become Baha'is and drop out of their old religion.

 

[InvestigateTruth]

Unfortunately, it's easier for people to tell others what their religion says is true. Which then leads to the other person saying "no", this is what is true.

For Baha'is, Baha'u'llah did not ask them to argue with others until they accept. He just said, tell Them that which you know, if they accept, very well, if they do not accept, we are not to protest. We just pray for them.

 

[lukethethird]

For Baha'is, Baha'u'llah did not ask them to argue with others until they accept. He just said, tell Them that which you know, if they accept, very well, if they do not accept, we are not to protest. We just pray for them.

Some of us know of this Baha'is all too well so no amount of your praying will change any of that.

 

[DNB]

I think some Baha'is are just looking at the most basic teachings like "don't lie", "love one another", "be humble" etc. and saying "See, they all teach the same things." Then past that Baha'is reinterpret or make things symbolic. Like with reincarnation in Hinduism and the resurrection of Jesus in Christianity. By the time they are done with any Scripture, they have made them perfectly harmonize with the Scriptures of the other religions and especially with theirs.

But why are so many people in these other religions not buying it? To me, it is because it makes what those other religions believe, and have believed for sometimes centuries, wrong.

Well, that's right, that's what it comes down to - you can harmonize anything under the sun provided that one ignores all the differentiating factors - that being, the most defining.
eg: White supremacists are just proud of their race - did not Christ not come to remove the shame of his adherents?

The reason that their are so many religions and denominations is just for that one critical fact - they cannot be reconciled where they differ, otherwise there would never have been any reason for dissention in the first place, at least for the main factions i.e. Catholics & Protestants & Eastern Orthodox, Judaism & Islam and Christianity, etc....

 

[idea]

I agree with Mark Twain, that man really did have a way with words.

"We despise all reverences and all the objects of reverence which are outside the pale of our own list of sacred things. And yet, with strange inconsistency, we are shocked when other people despise and defile the things which are holy to us."

"The easy confidence with which I know another man's religion is folly teaches me to suspect that my own is also."

I think that is the problem with the Baha'i Faith. They, like all the others, believe they really do have the truth. Unlike the others, that really don't... even though, with some of them, Baha'is say they used to.[/QUOTE]

Yes.
"Keep the company of those who seek the truth- run from those who have found it." Haha

 

[CG Didymus]

For Baha'is, Baha'u'llah did not ask them to argue with others until they accept. He just said, tell Them that which you know, if they accept, very well, if they do not accept, we are not to protest. We just pray for them.

But here we are on a religious debate forum...What do you do when the inevitable questions about contradictory beliefs arise? Having a solid argument with Scriptural support is part of it. And of course, the other person will have their references supporting their view. It's got to be hashed out.

 

[CG Didymus]

I think that is the problem with the Baha'i Faith. They, like all the others, believe they really do have the truth. Unlike the others, that really don't... even though, with some of them, Baha'is say they used to.

Yes.
"Keep the company of those who seek the truth- run from those who have found it." Haha[/QUOTE]
Unfortunately, I learned the hard way. When they said they had "The Truth", I believed them. Then when someone else said they had "The Truth", I believed them. But they both contradicted each other. So, now I don't trust any of them.

 

[InvestigateTruth]

But here we are on a religious debate forum...What do you do when the inevitable questions about contradictory beliefs arise? Having a solid argument with Scriptural support is part of it. And of course, the other person will have their references supporting their view. It's got to be hashed out.

You have see it many times, we have been going through all details.

 

[idea]

Yes.
"Keep the company of those who seek the truth- run from those who have found it." Haha

Unfortunately, I learned the hard way. When they said they had "The Truth", I believed them. Then when someone else said they had "The Truth", I believed them. But they both contradicted each other. So, now I don't trust any of them.[/QUOTE]

I learned the hard way too, most people do (if they learn at all).

Read perry's research:
William G. Perry (psychologist) - Wikipedia
Most people start with dualism - right/wrong, true/false.

Read the descriptions under stages of faith:
James W. Fowler - Wikipedia

See if your age matches, or if any of the descriptions match.

 

[CG Didymus]

You have see it many times, we have been going through all details.

Yes, the details. Baha'is have their views and beliefs. And so does everybody else. Too many people, though, usually people in one of the religions, believes their religious views are The Truth. How do you compromise or come together in unity if each believes the other is wrong?

 

[CG Didymus]

Unfortunately, I learned the hard way. When they said they had "The Truth", I believed them. Then when someone else said they had "The Truth", I believed them. But they both contradicted each other. So, now I don't trust any of them.

I learned the hard way too, most people do (if they learn at all).

Read perry's research:
William G. Perry (psychologist) - Wikipedia
Most people start with dualism - right/wrong, true/false.

Read the descriptions under stages of faith:
James W. Fowler - Wikipedia

See if your age matches, or if any of the descriptions match.[/QUOTE]
I have to look at it a little more. I'd say whatever stage that has me being cynical and skeptical of all people claiming their religions is the truth. Even if one of the religions is right, it causes its followers to be cult-like in their belief and devotion... They know they are right, and their religion can't be wrong. I focus mainly on two religious groups, the born-again Christians, who think that all the other religions are false, except Judaism, which was true but has been replaced by them, and the Baha'i Faith, that believes their founder is the return of Christ and the return of all the other Promised Ones of all the other major religions. They believe all the major religions were true, but now they have replaced them all.