What if we accepted each others Religion?

[TransmutingSoul]

My religion says that you're wrong on that.

So does your religion, since only the aspects of your religion that agree with me are genuine.

(This is how this works, right?)

It works as the One God allows me to embrace your choice and live with you in Love and Peace.

What will be your choice in allowing that?

Regards Tony

 

[CG Didymus]

Confession may have never become doctrine and Idol filled Churches not raised, if more Jews had embraces Jesus Christ.

Confessions and use of artefacts are not teachings of Jesus Christ.

Consider also, we could say, what if people had accepted the Most Great Peace? The face of Baha'i would also be vastly different.

Regards Tony

Hmmm? I thought the Jews that did convert had a lot to say about what should be done, but Paul went against them and won out.

I've heard some Baha'is say that Paul changed the direction that Christianity would go... and it wasn't a good direction. Then some Baha'is are okay with Paul. But it was that direction that led to the Roman Church becoming dominant.

But Paul was early on and he went up against the apostles and won out.

 

[TransmutingSoul]

Hmmm? I thought the Jews that did convert had a lot to say about what should be done, but Paul went against them and won out.

I've heard some Baha'is say that Paul changed the direction that Christianity would go... and it wasn't a good direction. Then some Baha'is are okay with Paul. But it was that direction that led to the Roman Church becoming dominant.

But Paul was early on and he went up against the apostles and won out.

The big picture is that we should try to learn from the past CG, not to use it against each other.

If the Christians could have understood what Muhammad was saying about the trinity, then they may not so easily reject the Messengers that came after. Likewise with the Muslim interpretation of the Seal of the Prophets, being the final revelation. That cannot be proven to be a sound and logical interpretation.

The issue is, people want an exclusive God, one that fits in with their understanding, it is in our nature and nurture to do this, a nature and nurture we have to rise above. A hard journey to take.

Regards Tony

 

[firedragon]

Hmmm? I thought the Jews that did convert had a lot to say about what should be done, but Paul went against them and won out.

I've heard some Baha'is say that Paul changed the direction that Christianity would go... and it wasn't a good direction. Then some Baha'is are okay with Paul. But it was that direction that led to the Roman Church becoming dominant.

But Paul was early on and he went up against the apostles and won out.

Actually, Paul had to submit to the apostles according to the New Testament. It clearly shows that the apostles had more authority than Paul. It's true that Paul was writing before the gospel writers but you should realize that the Gospel writers were predominantly writing a biography of Jesus while Paul who was writing earlier was writing on his own accord. Since the Pauline Christology seems to "won out", it's got to be after the dominance of the disciples which means someone or a group of people picked his teachings as superior much later and enforced it.

Anyway, the Bahai writings fleetingly quote some passages of Paul's writings as and when it's nice. Effendi quotes his verse from first Corinthians and correlates it to Bahaullah's small piece of writing from the kithabul iqan as if it makes a big impact for the chapter called "Great Resurrection" (As I remember the chapter name). That's how the Bahai's quote Paul. Cherry picked to suit a confirmation bias.

 

[TransmutingSoul]

Anyway, the Bahai writings fleetingly quote some passages of Paul's writings as and when it's nice. Effendi quotes his verse from first Corinthians and correlates it to Bahaullah's small piece of writing from the kithabul iqan as if it makes a big impact for the chapter called "Great Resurrection" (As I remember the chapter name). That's how the Bahai's quote Paul. Cherry picked to suit a confirmation bias.

One could say that Muhammad quotes verses from the Bible to suit an agenda as well.

It is just the same old accusations made against every Messenger, who will clarify previous misunderstandings, using those scriptures.

Regards Tony

 

[CG Didymus]

It works as the One God allows me to embrace your choice and live with you in Love and Peace.

What will be your choice in allowing that?

Regards Tony

You know I've heard Christians say that they love the sinner but hate the sin. I think it's more like that with Baha'is. I don't see how they can truly "embrace" a religion when they believe that religion is wrong. However, they can love the person that believes in that religion.

Now the next problem... What if both religions teach that their people should go out and teach and preach the "truth" of their religion? And it happens here all the time. A Born Again Christian is telling a Baha'i about their belief about Jesus, and the Baha'i is doesn't belief the way that the Christian is interpreting their Scriptures is correct. So, the Baha'i tries to tell them the true interpretation based on Baha'i teachings, and tells the Christian how Baha'u'llah is actually the return of Christ.

Neither is embracing anything that the other is saying. How do you, as a Baha'i, truly love them? And not just saying it, but showing it?

Then the same thing with Baha'is and an Atheist. A Baha'i is not going to "embrace" the things believed by the Atheist. They don't believe in your God and don't believe your prophet came from God. So, how do the Baha'i still love them... and show that love?

Whatever Baha'is might think they're doing here, I don't think they've really shown love. But... what do you think? Do you feel like you and other Baha'is have shown love? That Baha'is have reached out in love and friendship? Have shown kindness, respect and understanding of where the Atheist is coming from?

 

[CG Didymus]

One could say that Muhammad quotes verses from the Bible to suit an agenda as well.

It is just the same old accusations made against every Messenger, who will clarify previous misunderstandings, using those scriptures.

Regards Tony

I'm going to go with a Baha'i doing this. When a Baha'is tells a Christian that the trinity is not true is a lot different than telling a Christian that Jesus didn't rise from the dead.

With the one, it is the Christians interpreting of a few verses that make it sound like Jesus is one with God or is God. Yeah, maybe their interpretation is wrong.

The other it's the Baha'is interpreting the whole story of Jesus coming back to life as not literal, but symbolic. It's not just a few verses, and it's in all four Gospels. This is way different. Baha'is are taking a story that is written in exactly the same way that the Gospel writers have written about other things that Jesus did. It's not written in a "symbolic" way... like it's a parable or metaphor or something.

Now you might believe the story isn't literally true, but for most Christian, the resurrection story is a very important part of their beliefs. Of course they are going to accuse Baha'is of distorting the Scriptures.

And this shows that even Baha'is don't accept, embrace or believe in the Scriptures the way most Christians believe them. So, what is it the Baha'is really do? When it comes to the other religions?

I think all Baha'is can say is that they interpret those Scriptures differently and do not "embrace" the way most Christians do.

Now is there a way that you can explain it that shows that you do accept and embrace the other religions? That is... the way they are believed and practiced by the believers in that religion?

 

[TransmutingSoul]

Whatever Baha'is might think they're doing here, I don't think they've really shown love. But... what do you think? Do you feel like you and other Baha'is have shown love? That Baha'is have reached out in love and friendship? Have shown kindness, respect and understanding of where the Atheist is coming from?

Most likely have not shown the required Love, that Abdu'l-Baha would have shown.

Regards Tony