What if we accepted each others Religion?

[TransmutingSoul]

The atheists generally believe we are made of the same dust without bringing God into it.

That is why unity will always struggle to take hold.

Regards Tony

 

[Trailblazer]

Humanity is not going to unite under Baha'i either, but that doesn't stop the sermons.

I never claimed that humanity is going to unite under the Baha'i Faith.
Maybe other Baha'is believe that but I don't.

 

[Saint Frankenstein]

As my dear mother used to say "wake up and smell the coffee."

It is the mindset of the Christians that will not allow unity to unfold because in their minds Jesus is God and Jesus the Only Way and Christianity is Only True Religion. You cannot get any more arrogant than that.

There is yet hope for atheists and agnostics to become believers since at least they have rational minds and they care about humanity, unlike Christians, who only care about being saved, and to hell with everyone else.

It is not just a coincidence that I have posted mainly to atheists and agnostics for the last 11 years on various religious forums.
At least there is something to talk about.

You sound bitter that Christians don't want to give up our religion to suit your religion.

“I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me."
- Jesus Christ (John 14:7)

We didn't say it. We're just accepting it.

 

[McBell]

I never claimed that humanity is going to unite under the Baha'i Faith.
Maybe other Baha'is believe that but I don't.

I never claimed you did.

I am curious though as to why it is not brought up the fact that Christianity is no where near united in and of itself, so how in the world is it ever going to be able to unite with another belief?

 

[Trailblazer]

That is why unity will always struggle to take hold.

Regards Tony

Atheists and agnostics are not standing in the way of the unity of mankind.

The reason why unity has thus far not taken hold is because of the Christians.
Other religions cannot unite with Christians because they believe that Christianity is the only true religion for all of time and eternity.
Missing that is like missing the broad side of a barn!

 

[McBell]

Atheists and agnostics are not standing in the way of the unity of mankind.

The reason why unity has thus far not taken hold is because of the Christians.
Other religions cannot unite with Christians because they believe that Christianity is the only true religion for all of time and eternity.
Missing that is like missing the broad side of a barn!

How is that any different with the Muslims?

 

[The Hammer]

that leaves humanity divided.

As it should be.

Many over One Always..

 

[crossfire]

Atheists and agnostics are not standing in the way of the unity of mankind.

The reason why unity has thus far not taken hold is because of the Christians.
Other religions cannot unite with Christians because they believe that Christianity is the only true religion for all of time and eternity.
Missing that is like missing the broad side of a barn!

I would say that it would be the people of the earth to develop, cultivate, and integrate the four sublime states within their individual minds:

1. loving-kindness or benevolence (mettā)
2. compassion (karuṇā)
3. empathetic joy (muditā)
4. equanimity (upekkhā)

Your mileage may vary.

 

[Trailblazer]

You sound bitter that Christians don't want to give up our religion to suit your religion.

“I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me."
- Jesus Christ (John 14:7)

We didn't say it. We're just accepting it.

I am not bitter at all because it doesn't matter to me what Christians choose to believe. In fact, I do not expect anyone to give up their religion to become Baha'is. I believe that has to be a choice that people make on their own.

I believe that in the future all the religions will unite under one common faith, but nobody knows what that faith will be called.
According to Baha'u'llah one common faith is what God has ordained, so it has to come to pass eventually, but it probably won't happen for a very long time, centuries if not longer.

Baha'u'llah also claimed to be "the way." In His Day, Jesus claimed to confer everlasting life and Baha'u'llah repeated that claim.

“The Book of God is wide open, and His Word is summoning mankind unto Him. No more than a mere handful, however, hath been found willing to cleave to His Cause, or to become the instruments for its promotion. These few have been endued with the Divine Elixir that can, alone, transmute into purest gold the dross of the world, and have been empowered to administer the infallible remedy for all the ills that afflict the children of men. No man can obtain everlasting life, unless he embraceth the truth of this inestimable, this wondrous, and sublime Revelation.”​

Gleanings From the Writings of Bahá’u’lláh, p. 183​

​

“Incline your ears to the sweet melody of this Prisoner. Arise, and lift up your voices, that haply they that are fast asleep may be awakened. Say: O ye who are as dead! The Hand of Divine bounty proffereth unto you the Water of Life. Hasten and drink your fill. Whoso hath been re-born in this Day, shall never die; whoso remaineth dead, shall never live.” Gleanings From the Writings of Bahá’u’lláh, p. 213​

Baha'is did not say that. We are just accepting it.

 

[CG Didymus]

You sound bitter that Christians don't want to give up our religion to suit your religion.

“I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me."
- Jesus Christ (John 14:7)

We didn't say it. We're just accepting it.

Same old stuff... All the other religions should let go of their dogmas and doctrines and realize that all religions came from the same source, the invisible, unknowable one true God. So, say the Baha'is. Any religion that doesn't believe in how they believe and how they define God are wrong. Once people in all the other religions realize how wrong they are, and start believing how the Baha'i Faith says things are, then we can all be unified.

Naturally, they don't have to change a thing, because their beliefs are correct and direct from God through their prophet, Baha'u'llah.

 

[McBell]

...
Any religion that doesn't believe in how they believe and how they define God are wrong...

Baha'i do not hold a monopoly on that particular attitude.

 

[Trailblazer]

How is that any different with the Muslims?

It is different with the Muslims because the Muslims accept not only Muhammad, but also Christ and Moses and all the other Messengers of God.
Christians do not accept anyone but Jesus and they reject all the religions except Christianity.

 

[Dao Hao Now]

As I told Tony, atheists already believe we are made of the same dust, there is no need to bring God into it to realize that.

This is why I didn’t include that portion of the statement:

Unity has to be based on the oneness of humanity and the realisation of that Oneness is that we are all created from the same dust.

And instead only on the part:

It needs the realisation of a animating creative force.

The part about “being made of the same dust” (or “created from the same dust” per @TransmutingSoul) is immaterial to the stated goal of achieving “the oneness of humanity”.

Regardless of how we may or may not have arrived at the fact; we all share this planet and, ever increasingly so, affect the whole of humanity by our existence.

It makes removal of obstacles that have historically proven to create a wedge between cultures, societies and communities the logical pathway to creating a unity between them.


Religion has in fact proven throughout history that it is such a wedge.
While it may foster unity within it’s own community, the broader effect on humanity at large is that it has served as a major point of contention and an impetus of many to feel justified in taking often ruthless action against others who don’t capitulate to their version of “truth”.
Thus religion has proven to be
(and shows no indication of in the future being otherwise) a barrier to a goal of “oneness of humanity” but is in fact antithetical to achieving that goal.

 

[Trailblazer]

Naturally, they don't have to change a thing, because their beliefs are correct and direct from God through their prophet, Baha'u'llah.

Naturally, Christians don't have to change a thing, because their beliefs are correct and direct from God through Jesus who is God.

 

[Trailblazer]

I am curious though as to why it is not brought up the fact that Christianity is no where near united in and of itself, so how in the world is it ever going to be able to unite with another belief?

That is an excellent point, a point I have brought up in the past.

 

[Saint Frankenstein]

It is different with the Muslims because the Muslims accept not only Muhammad, but also Christ and Moses and all the other Messengers of God.
Christians do not accept anyone but Jesus and they reject all the religions except Christianity.

Jews don't even accept Christ but I hardly see Baha'is saying anything about that.

 

[Truthseeker]

Your religion has a problem of misrepresenting what other religions say. That's the issue there.

I'm a Christian and that's what Christianity teaches. Of course I'm going to believe that Jesus is superior to all others and I'm not ashamed of that. We believe Jesus is God, actually God, not just some "perfect mirror of God's attributes". I believe my religion is the truth and the path of salvation. But that doesn't mean I can't respect that others have different views. That's just how it is. Most religions have good things in them that are admirable but all of them cannot be equally right.

What does colonialism have to do with anything? The early Christians and Church Fathers weren't in any position to colonize anyone.

The doctrine of Jesus being God and Christianity being the only valid religion, influenced the leaders of these countries to do what they did after they colonized those countries. The clergy didn't do it directly. The clergy, of course didn't colonize those countries.

However, it is good that now this period is over, and that people like you have a realization that other religions have good things in them. There has been a period when the religions have intermingled more to help bring about that realization. Interfaith groups who share what they have in common are on the rise today. These are the kind of groups that will help lead to unity.

 

[Truthseeker]

Jews don't even accept Christ but I hardly see Baha'is saying anything about that.

What she failed to mention is that Christians do recognize the Jewish religion.

 

[Truthseeker]

Religion has in fact proven throughout history that it is such a wedge.
While it may foster unity within it’s own community, the broader effect on humanity at large is that it has served as a major point of contention and an impetus of many to feel justified in taking often ruthless action against others who don’t capitulate to their version of “truth”.
Thus religion has proven to be
(and shows no indication of in the future being otherwise) a barrier to a goal of “oneness of humanity” but is in fact antithetical to achieving that goal.

Perhaps you are not aware that interfaith groups are on the rise? They share what their religions have in common. I do believe that this will continue to grow, I guess you probably wouldn't. There are plenty of issues that cause disunity, including among atheists.

Do you envision a bleak future for humanity?

 

[CG Didymus]

Jews don't even accept Christ but I hardly see Baha'is saying anything about that.

I don't know where in the Bible any other religion or God is accepted except the God of Israel. And... I don't see anything in the NT that accepts any other "truth" except what is in the NT and a Christian interpretation of the Jewish Bible. Then Islam... Do they really accept any of the other religions? At best it is how Baha'is accept them... that they were true but not any longer. They all got corrupted.

I wouldn't care if the Baha'i Faith said that all the other religions false... that the Scriptures of all the other religions were written by men on what they believed to be true. And Baha'is almost say that, but instead, they say that it's more like all the religions and their prophet/founders were true and from the same God, but then, later, the religious leaders screwed up the religion.

But I don't see how with a religion like Christianity that Baha'is can say it was ever true, since they don't believe so many things that are taught straight out of the NT. Hell, Satan, salvation, the resurrection etc. are all important parts of the Jesus story. Yet... Baha'is say that those things aren't true... that they were "symbolic". So essentially, Baha'is do say and make Christianity false... along with all the other religions.

With teachings like that, how do they expect to create unity? They disagree with somethings in every one of the other religions. The big one being is that all the other religions reject them and their prophet as being the return of Christ or the Messiah or whoever the religion was expecting to come at the end times.

Liberal or nominal believers in any of the other religions probably have no problem accepting all religions as being equal. But I think it's more like they are all equally not literally true but based on myths and legends.

But whatever, most Baha'is I know mean well, but they do believe they are the one true religion for today's world. That no other religion can fix the problems we face today. But the only way they can fix them is if we all get on board and believe them... that their prophet did bring the solutions to cure the ills of the world. For Baha'is, accepting them and accepting each other's religions and beliefs is the first step.

But then what is the next step? I'd could be for the people in the other religions to realize that their old religion and beliefs are irrelevant. There are new better teachings to live by. Jesus is not coming back. The "Christ" has returned with a new name they say. That name is Baha'u'llah. It's fine if it's true, but I think there's just too many inconsistencies for it to be true.