Which is also kind of sad, because as a Polytheist I still see and understand the concept of Unity. Just in a different manner than some would prefer.
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What if we accepted each others Religion?
- Thread starter loverofhumanity
- Start date
Which is also kind of sad, because as a Polytheist I still see and understand the concept of Unity. Just in a different manner than some would prefer.
Back on track, I like this Pope.
Well done Pope.
"All religions are paths to reach God. They are—to make a comparison—like different languages, different dialects, to get there. But God is God for everyone. If you start to fight saying 'my religion is more important than yours, mine is true and yours isn't', where will this lead us? There is only one God, and each of us has a language to arrive at God. Some are Sheik, Muslim, Hindu, Christians; they are different ways to God."
~Pope Francis. ...12 Sept 24
Regards Tony
Well done Pope.
"All religions are paths to reach God. They are—to make a comparison—like different languages, different dialects, to get there. But God is God for everyone. If you start to fight saying 'my religion is more important than yours, mine is true and yours isn't', where will this lead us? There is only one God, and each of us has a language to arrive at God. Some are Sheik, Muslim, Hindu, Christians; they are different ways to God."
~Pope Francis. ...12 Sept 24
Regards Tony
Sorry Pope, that's debatable.
CG Didymus
Veteran Member
I'd imagine most Baha'is are going to disregard Juan Cole and never read anything he says about what happened. But I will. Here's some quotes from the Douglas Martin story....
I presume that he confuses thinking creatively or academically with breaking the Baha'i covenant, an attitude that I think qualifies him as a fundamentalist, or perhaps even a cultist.
In fact, putting the Canadian clique of Martin, Hatcher and Danesh in charge of the Association for Baha'i Studies in the late 70s and through the 80s was clearly a strategic move on the part of some conservative House members of the time. That clique had no academic credentials in the humanities or social sciences and they so mismanaged the organization that they alienated from it most of the real academics and intellectuals. They provoked the resignation of the California regional committee of the ABS in the mid-80s, and when John Walbridge protested their policies Martin had him fired from the ABS board.
Martin also wrote fierce editorials in the Canadian Baha'i newsletter in the mid-1980s viciously attacking Kalimat Press's Circle series of intellectual explorations of peace, gender equality, etc., for daring suggest that these were "Baha'i" views. As big Honcho in ABS he often rejected paper submissions for being insufficiently fundamentalist, and this happened to a number of bona fide Baha'i academics. He saw ABS as a way of *controlling* rather than nurturing "Baha'i Scholarship."
Since most of the people appointed by the UHJ have been hardliners, this change has allowed arch-conservatives to capture the UHJ.
It seems like the problems that have happened with other religion can, and have already started to fall into the hands of conservative, fundamentalist and authoritarian types of people. And why wouldn't it? They, from outward appearance, seem to be the ones that are looking out for the religion by keeping "undesirables" out. Can there be peace and unity when the religion that is supposed to be leading us there has been left to people, corruptible, fallible people, in control? A too liberal Baha'i Faith nor a too conservative Baha'i Faith, I don't see, how it could work.
CG Didymus
Veteran Member
Ah... what about the other religions? It's okay to disregard them as false?
If Baha'is can find a way to get some sects of Hinduism and Buddhism to fit into their very Abrahamic, one God, system of belief, then there's got to be a way to include you and your religion.
Even if they have to strip most of your beliefs out... leaving only a few, very general, things. Typically, if the only thing a religion has in common with the others is some form of the "Golden Rule", that's good enough for them. And they'll say, "See... we all believe in the some things. We've got to love one another."
The Baha'is have a magic erasure. "Oh, that's symbolic." "Oh, they misinterpreted that." "The doggone clergy added that in."
Why not just say, "Hey, every religion has different beliefs. Some make sense. Some don't. All religions have laws and moral codes. Some worked. And some didn't. Let's come up with something that works for all people. And religions must dump their superstitious beliefs and only teach things that can be supported by science."
And Baha'is might say, "That is what we teach." Yeah... almost. But instead it's... "All religions are true. All religions had laws, but they were only meant for those times. Now the Baha'i Faith has come with new laws. Laws for this day and age that have replaced those old laws" Then they say that science and religion must agree, but I think it's more like, "True science are all those things that agree with the teachings of the Baha'i Faith.
So close... If only we were playing horseshoes.
CG Didymus
Veteran Member
But can Baha'is honestly say that?
I'd agree... They are all different ways. But ways to what? And what do you have to believe and do to get there? And do any of them have to be true? They only have to be believed as if they are true.
It would be a debate from ignorance, the same ignorance that makes multipul God's of all the Names amd Attributes of the One God.
The Pope has this aspect absolutely right. Smashing the Idols of our own vain imaginings.
Regards Tony
I posted that is all honesty and in the Joy that this Pope can see the bounty of the One God in all the God given Faiths.
This Pope is a sign of the progress humanity is making in the quest for the New World Order. ( I always have a smile when I post new world order, knowing many millions of Christians have embraced that as a sign of the anti Christ, exactly the opposite of what it really means) This Pope, by that statement, is smashing those Idols of the restricted mind.
Just had a thought, maybe it is a sign, but they do not realise the sign is their own selves, they have become with that stance, against the New Worls Order, the Anti Christ's!
Regards Tony
I'm glad you believe that.
The rest of us will enjoy our serenity without you.
There is no serenity in life, even while one of our fellow human being suffers.
Your statement is one of complete disregard to all those that have no serenity in life, it is a 100% selfish statement.
I think I made that clear as well. When I woke this morning, I decided to call out the self based ignorance, in an age that needs great change, great stances must be made.
I hope your heart can find real serenity, as do I wish this for all people's, of all Nations, of all races and all gender.
Regards Tony
So much condescension in such a small space of writing.
That's not very serene.
Balthazzar
N. Germanic Descent
Tolkien Lyric'd out some oceanic universal Logos with that one. I drew the hanged man in 1989, along with the Knight of cups, and either the magician or hermit. So, I guess I'm bound as a man on a horse heading somewhere as a hermit and/or magician. I haven't figured that last part out yet, but the hermit has at least come true. My horse? Probably the earth to which I am bound (a knight) in the vast expanse we call the universe.
Balthazzar
N. Germanic Descent
No...
I'm a rider and my deity would be everything around me, within which I live, move, and have my being.
Not my view. But I understand your point
Mine is that by letting your deity work through you, you become the horse as a conduit for their Will.
Balthazzar
N. Germanic Descent
Not my view. But I understand your point
Mine is that by letting your deity work through you, you become the horse as a conduit for their Will.
A truthful spirit and the will to live in truth has much merit. It helps me navigate that which surrounds me as an individual bound to the earth. The earth conditions us and we condition the earth. It's a joint effort between riders and the vehicle taking us to where we're going.
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Personal transformation (Hanged Man) through active imagination and creativity (Knight of Cups) via introspection (Hermit) or outward works (Magician)
CG Didymus
Veteran Member
I thought the Catholic Church believes in the Trinity? And that they believe in hell and Satan... And purgatory... and pray to Mary... and maybe they still believe the bread and wine are somehow really the body and blood of Jesus... And they probably believe in the physical resurrection of Jesus... And that the Pope is infallible.
So, where does believing all that stuff get a person?
CG Didymus
Veteran Member
So, the religions that had multiple Gods, but had one God that was the supreme God are okay with the Baha'is? Like if they had the God of the Earth... God of the sea... But also had the Sun God or Sky God that was supreme, that would work?
If so, then what's wrong with the Egyptian, Greek, Roman and all the other ancient religions? Except that Baha'is would have to find a manifestation for each of those religions. But, other than that, do Baha'is reject those religions, or is there a way to include them?
CG Didymus
Veteran Member
You mean like those that stood up to injustice and marched for equal rights? I'm sure some Baha'is marched in the Civil Rights movements, but are they supposed to? Is it okay as long as they do it on their own and not as a representative of the Baha'i Faith? Or is it something that the Baha'i Faith would openly support and walk in a march for peace or for civil rights?