What if life on earth never returned to pre-Coronavirus life?

[Trailblazer]

New Church will turn into small gatherings in people's houses. 10 people or so will be allowed. Entertainment in small groups 10 or so people in a house. It would be like the 1800s. But much of the entertainment will be in the inside.

That is how most Baha'i meetings are now. Some large cities have Baha'i centers where larger groups meet, but most Baha'i meetings are held in homes.

There would I hope to be less sex but there might be more. We would marry more and be more dependant on our family life and family members to entertain us and close too so more of us would be married.

That is what the Baha'i Faith aspires to now, marriage for anyone having sex, and family life is very important. There might be less sex or there might be more, depending upon the married couples.

 

[TransmutingSoul]

Do you think you will live that long?

I will live as long as I will it is not a thing I control, but to live a pure life as I can.

Personally I have already seen the future, it is most great, peace and unity will be found. I have prayed on the site of temples yet to be built, both on Mt Carmel and in Honiara, those prayers join with those to come.

Many have found peace and unity, here and now.

There is no fear of passing from this world, it happens when it happens, may be tomorrow, may be 30 years?

I will offer a much shortened but True story.

There was a Baha’i that travelled to a country and certain place to teach back in the early to mid 1900's. She found little response, so She used to sit on a seat at a fountain and pray for the future of the country and town. She left and many years later she is in bed not well on the eve of passing when a visitor came from that place. She asked how the Faith was going and it had a strong vibrant community in the town and the country. She was shown a picture of some Baha'is and it was taken at the exact place she had sat and prayed many times, many years ago. Confirmation of the mysterious forces that compel the goodness from our hearts and how that goodness is never lost in time. A proof of a power beyond the ken of men.

Regards Tony

 

[Aupmanyav]

Ah, you need to be good at making stories. Bahaollah left Iran 177 years ago. Not much has changed in Iran.

 

[Milton Platt]

I thought to post this because I was listening to Christian radio and the DJs were laughing and joking and talking about the “first thing” they will do when life returns to “normal” as if life is ever going to be the same. Granted, it might return to a semblance of normality but I do not think life on earth will ever be the same as it was before this pandemic. Granted, I do not know what other people are thinking just from a few comments they make on the radio. However, I tend to think that some people believe that life will return to normal whereas some people probably think life will never be the same. I also think most people would like to see life return to normal although a few people might not want to see that happen because they see some positives that have come about as a result of this pandemic.

Since psychology is my other hat and one I wore a lot longer than my religion hat I tend to analyze people and why they think and do what they think and do.

Probably the people who would like to see life return to normal are people who have a happy and settled life with friends and family and lots of fun activities they enjoy outside the home. It only makes sense that people who lost their jobs or were temporarily laid off would like to see their lives return to normal, but many people like the DJs who are still working say they miss social activities like going to church, weddings, graduations, even birthday parties, and going out to eat at restaurants or to the movies. I am sure some people also miss being able to travel.

But what would happen to those people who are “waiting” for life to return to normal if life never returned to normal (pre-Coronavirus)? What if they could not have all the material things they want and all the fun activities they enjoy so much? Would more people turn to God and spiritual things or would they just get depressed or angry and possibly turn to substance abuse?

Given so many people were distraught about not being able to get toilet paper, I can only imagine what they would do if they could not have all the other things Americans and others in industrialized countries take for granted.

Of course this is all hypothetical. Any of you who are regulars on this forum knows that Trailblazer loves hypothetical scenarios.

There is no "normal"in the sense you are meaning.. Whatever life is or becomes in a later period is also "normal" for that time and place in history.

 

[Trailblazer]

There is no "normal"in the sense you are meaning.. Whatever life is or becomes in a later period is also "normal" for that time and place in history.

All I meant by normal is that it returns to the way it was few months ago, before this pandemic.
What is normal, or the norm, changes at different times and it varies from place to place.

 

[TransmutingSoul]

Ah, you need to be good at making stories. Bahaollah left Iran 177 years ago. Not much has changed in Iran.

Iran has a very, very great future. I wish all people in Iran, well and happy.

Regards Tony

 

[Aupmanyav]

That is right. I wish them all happiness and prosperity. But nothing like what you mentioned in your story has happened.

 

[IndigoChild5559]

I thought to post this because I was listening to Christian radio and the DJs were laughing and joking and talking about the “first thing” they will do when life returns to “normal” as if life is ever going to be the same. Granted, it might return to a semblance of normality but I do not think life on earth will ever be the same as it was before this pandemic. Granted, I do not know what other people are thinking just from a few comments they make on the radio. However, I tend to think that some people believe that life will return to normal whereas some people probably think life will never be the same. I also think most people would like to see life return to normal although a few people might not want to see that happen because they see some positives that have come about as a result of this pandemic.

Since psychology is my other hat and one I wore a lot longer than my religion hat I tend to analyze people and why they think and do what they think and do.

Probably the people who would like to see life return to normal are people who have a happy and settled life with friends and family and lots of fun activities they enjoy outside the home. It only makes sense that people who lost their jobs or were temporarily laid off would like to see their lives return to normal, but many people like the DJs who are still working say they miss social activities like going to church, weddings, graduations, even birthday parties, and going out to eat at restaurants or to the movies. I am sure some people also miss being able to travel.

But what would happen to those people who are “waiting” for life to return to normal if life never returned to normal (pre-Coronavirus)? What if they could not have all the material things they want and all the fun activities they enjoy so much? Would more people turn to God and spiritual things or would they just get depressed or angry and possibly turn to substance abuse?

Given so many people were distraught about not being able to get toilet paper, I can only imagine what they would do if they could not have all the other things Americans and others in industrialized countries take for granted.

Of course this is all hypothetical. Any of you who are regulars on this forum knows that Trailblazer loves hypothetical scenarios.

The one constant is that things change.

 

[Aupmanyav]

Today at 9 p.m. India observed a festival of lights, Diwali, at the request of our Prime Minister. We switched off electrical lights and light earthen lamps and candles or even torches and mobile phones - to ward off the darkness created by the Corona Virus. It is a motivational event, half way in the middle of the 21-day lock-down that India is observing. Google has the images.

North, South, East, West, all Indians united against Corona virus.
Corona lights India - Google Search
Indian Prime Minister lighting the lamp.

 

[CG Didymus]

They would not recant and choose to give their life so the cause can prosper for other people.

That is the fulfilment in this verse;

Deuteronomy 33:2 "And he said, The LORD came from Sinai (Moses) , and rose up from Seir (Jesus) unto them; he shined forth from mount Paran (Muhammad) , and he came with ten thousands of saints (those that aceept and do not recant): from his right hand went a fiery law for them. (Bab and Baha'u'llah)

The Bab gave a fiery law that showed a distinct break from the old laws, the result was the ten thousand of saints that gave their lives.

It is the greatest story many are yet to read. Epic times, epic battles, epic sacrifices when Good battles evil.

Regards Tony

Yes, exactly. So the Jews were correct in not converting to a corrupt and false message from God. But still, when do you believe that Christians were ever spreading the truth about God? Their beliefs and doctrines were there early on. I'd imagine from the start they were preaching that Jesus had risen from the dead and had conquered Satan. Those beliefs, according to the Baha'is, are wrong. Yet, Christians have based their religion on those things being true. So should anyone have converted to a religion that taught false doctrines? Like you say, if a Baha'i would have been there at the Inquisition, they would have rather been tortured to death rather than convert. Problem is, you don't believe what the Jews believe either. So what do you believe? An imaginary Judaism and Christianity that never existed. Baha'i wouldn't have become either one, a Jew or a Christian. Yet, you "believe" those religions are true?

Now, about your "prophecy". I'm sure Jews will say that is about them and their journey in the wilderness. But, Baha'is make it a prophecy. So could you give me the Baha'i quotes that explain what "Seir" has to do with Jesus? I'm sure it is vague, but I'd expect that, since Christians were just as vague like using... "out of Egypt I called my son" when there is only one gospel that puts the child Jesus in Egypt.

I just made a search and found...
'Abdu'l-Baha gives a reply regarding "Seir" in Selections:

"Thou didst write as to Seir. Seir is a locality near Nazareth in Galilee."
'Abdu'l-Baha gives a reply regarding "Seir" in Selections:

Non-Baha'i sources puts it on the east side of the Dead Sea.

 

[CG Didymus]

Indeed, at least we know full well whence it comes, and what it will ultimately lead to, as the Guardian wrote in 1931:

“Dear friends! The powerful operations of this titanic upheaval are comprehensible to none except such as have recognized the claims of both Bahá’u’lláh and the Báb. Their followers know full well whence it comes, and what it will ultimately lead to. Though ignorant of how far it will reach, they clearly recognize its genesis, are aware of its direction, acknowledge its necessity, observe confidently its mysterious processes, ardently pray for the mitigation of its severity, intelligently labor to assuage its fury, and anticipate, with undimmed vision, the consummation of the fears and the hopes it must necessarily engender.”
The Promised Day Is Come, p. 4

Let's say that millions of people end up agreeing with you and become Baha'is. Then what? Is the Baha'i Faith ready?

 

[CG Didymus]

Love that Christian music -- it is still playing since early this morning. I only wish I had half the passion about God that most Christians do, I keep hoping it will rub off on me.

I've been there and went through it. I was happy learning about the Baha'i Faith, but then... The Jesus Freak movement got a friend of mine. Calvary Chapel in Costa Mesa, Calif was going out to hippies and preaching the Word to them... Many converted and many were musicians. Baha'i had Seals and Crofts that played at a few big events. Christians had rock concerts every Saturday night with a couple thousand people attending.

But, what gave them so passion? Being baptized by the Holy Spirit, having their sins forgiven, knowing Jesus was alive and had risen from the dead, and... was coming back... soon. All things that are probably completely false if the Baha'is are right. Which makes that kind of Christianity a cult, getting its followers to believe superstitions and getting them into an emotional frenzy of "love". It felt great, but was it really based on truth?

Oh, and sorry, but after that going to a Baha'i fireside and hearing for the hundredth time... "The Baha'i Faith began in I844 when the Bab declared his mission..." Sorry, it was boring. But that was it. That's all Baha'is were doing. Later they had the Mass Teaching Projects and some great meeting of the Association for Baha'i Studies and the San Francisco Peace Conference. But normal, weekly Baha'i meetings for non-Baha'is was only their firesides. And most would travel miles to attend one that had better, more well-known speakers.

So has that changed? Has if been forty-fifty years of firesides by, usually, uninspiring people talking about the basic facts of where and how the Baha'i Faith got started? With maybe one or two "seekers"?

 

[CG Didymus]

Deuteronomy 33:2 "And he said, The LORD came from Sinai (Moses) , and rose up from Seir (Jesus) unto them; he shined forth from mount Paran (Muhammad) , and he came with ten thousands of saints (those that aceept and do not recant): from his right hand went a fiery law for them. (Bab and Baha'u'llah)

You know what I forgot? The other major religions. Why no mention of Krishna and the other incarnations of God in India? The Buddha and Zoroaster? Again, if it's not one of the "Abrahamic" religions, it gets little or no mention. Why?

 

[TransmutingSoul]

Yes, exactly. So the Jews were correct in not converting to a corrupt and false message from God

No, they should have embraced Jesus.

Regards Tony

 

[TransmutingSoul]

But still, when do you believe that Christians were ever spreading the truth about God?

Yes, I see the faith evolved by the events of the time. It all happened as foretold.

Man was not yet ready to use science with faith, we are still struggling to find that balance.

Regards Tony

 

[TransmutingSoul]

So has that changed? Has if been forty-fifty years of firesides by, usually, uninspiring people talking about the basic facts of where and how the Baha'i Faith got started? With maybe one or two "seekers"?

Sounds a bit like the effort needs to be done by others. If there were better ways at that time, what did you do to help implement the better path?

Any Faith is as busy and as rewarding that one own self makes it.

That is our greatest personal challenge and we can not judge others who face their own challenges, we can only lead by example.

Regards Tony

 

[TransmutingSoul]

You know what I forgot? The other major religions. Why no mention of Krishna and the other incarnations of God in India? The Buddha and Zoroaster? Again, if it's not one of the "Abrahamic" religions, it gets little or no mention. Why?

People were not ready for it and it appears they still struggle with it.

The verses are there, that Truth was given.

The better question is why do we still choose not to see our oneness? Baha'u'llah has shown how those verses were showing our oneness.

Jesus said I have more sheep that are not of this fold. How can that not be seen as the sheep of every other Messenger and Prophet. Jesus the Christ said I am the First and the Last, all the while we know there has been many Prophets, how can that not be seen that Christ is all the Prophets?

The Truth is written, why did and why do we not see it?

Regards Tony

 

[Trailblazer]

North, South, East, West, all Indians united against Corona virus.

Wow, that is really cool, it brought tears to my eyes... Thanks for sharing.

 

[Trailblazer]

Let's say that millions of people end up agreeing with you and become Baha'is. Then what? Is the Baha'i Faith ready?

I think they think they are ready, but I don't think they are ready.

 

[Trailblazer]

I've been there and went through it. I was happy learning about the Baha'i Faith, but then... The Jesus Freak movement got a friend of mine.

I am in no danger of being taken in because I am a Baha'i, through and through....

However, I can still appreciate the beauty of Christianity and the other religions.

Attaining unity in diversity is all about having good boundaries and respecting other people's boundaries.