Why do you accept Jesus as Messiah?

[loverofhumanity]

Extreme "God" beliefs have been the cause of a lot of grief too. But also the ordinary "believers"... Those that don't live up to the standards of their religion. Every religion has people that still lie, cheat, steal, and do all sorts of "evil" deeds. When the Abrahamic religions can live together in peace, that will be something.

That’s what I meant by ungodliness - inclusive of both the religious and non religious.

 

[CG Didymus]

The problem is that to know which is literal figurative or both, we need someone of the calibre of a Prophet. That’s why I always refer these interpretations to Baha’u’llah.

That's fine, except it's 2000 years later. And things like creation, the flood, and Adam's fall are supported as literal by the NT. Then does the Quran support them as being literal or symbolic?

I think that a literal belief in Jesus as taught in the NT is justified. I don't see any reason why they would have or should have been taken symbolically. That is... if they are going to be believed at all. Because they are so "mythical" sounding I don't blame anyone for rejecting the Bible or the NT. Why believe Jesus was literally born of a virgin? Or walked on water? Or raised people from the dead? And he, himself, rising from the dead? The only reason is because that is what the gospel writers said happened. And I see no reason to believe that they were writing a fictional story that was meant to be taken symbolically.

That is the problem I have with the Baha'i interpretation. It is too easy to say, "Oh, well he didn't literally rise from the dead. He spiritually, or symbolically, rose from the dead." I think the easiest explanation, if it didn't literally happen, is still, that the followers made up and embellished the Jesus story, and at some point, those traditions got written down. People were taught them and believed those stories to be literal, actual events. And many Christians still do. That's the power of Christianity... That Jesus conquered sin and death. And then add in that the Christians are saved from Satan and hell also.

And I might as well add that I think it is strange that Baha'is accept the virgin birth story. Something that could easily be made to be symbolic, yet they reject the literal and physical resurrection. The resurrection is much more significant, I think, than the virgin birth. Why the need to reject that and make it only a symbolic resurrection? If things are going to be rejected about Christianity, then why not reject all of it? No virgin birth, no walking on water, no casting out demons, no resurrection... and make it all nothing but myths and legends made up by the followers of Jesus.

 

[loverofhumanity]

That's fine, except it's 2000 years later. And things like creation, the flood, and Adam's fall are supported as literal by the NT. Then does the Quran support them as being literal or symbolic?

I think that a literal belief in Jesus as taught in the NT is justified. I don't see any reason why they would have or should have been taken symbolically. That is... if they are going to be believed at all. Because they are so "mythical" sounding I don't blame anyone for rejecting the Bible or the NT. Why believe Jesus was literally born of a virgin? Or walked on water? Or raised people from the dead? And he, himself, rising from the dead? The only reason is because that is what the gospel writers said happened. And I see no reason to believe that they were writing a fictional story that was meant to be taken symbolically.

That is the problem I have with the Baha'i interpretation. It is too easy to say, "Oh, well he didn't literally rise from the dead. He spiritually, or symbolically, rose from the dead." I think the easiest explanation, if it didn't literally happen, is still, that the followers made up and embellished the Jesus story, and at some point, those traditions got written down. People were taught them and believed those stories to be literal, actual events. And many Christians still do. That's the power of Christianity... That Jesus conquered sin and death. And then add in that the Christians are saved from Satan and hell also.

And I might as well add that I think it is strange that Baha'is accept the virgin birth story. Something that could easily be made to be symbolic, yet they reject the literal and physical resurrection. The resurrection is much more significant, I think, than the virgin birth. Why the need to reject that and make it only a symbolic resurrection? If things are going to be rejected about Christianity, then why not reject all of it? No virgin birth, no walking on water, no casting out demons, no resurrection... and make it all nothing but myths and legends made up by the followers of Jesus.

Yes I see your point CG. It seems confusing to you why it should not be either spiritual or literal, or if spiritual be right across the board. You give the examples of the virgin birth vs the resurrection. It appears there is no black and white in this regard. Whilst the virgin birth is upheld by the Quran and Baha’u’llah, the resurrection is viewed as symbolical.

Since a Manifestation of God has confirmed these events, then we don’t believe they were just made up by the followers. Baha’u’llah stated that one reason symbolical cryptic language was used in the scriptures was to test the followers and the Bible for example states in Revelation ch 5 that only a particular Person can ‘unseal’ the meanings of the Book not just any earthy or religious person. So we would know the Promised One because He would be able to unravel the meanings of things like resurrection which Baha’u’llah explained in the Book of Certitude. There are many meanings of the term ‘resurrection’ explained in that Book. One of them is to be born spiritually. That is the definition that explains Christ’s resurrection as a Spiritual Being.

On Mount Tabor the disciples saw God and Moses but not really in real life because Christ told them to keep that ‘vision’ secret. So this is a genuine reference by Christ of a vision seen by the Disciples. Then why not His resurrection?

It all depends on whether one accepts God’s version of the story through His Manifestation or not. I do because I believe God is All Knowing and so Baha’u’llah is also. I don’t question God on this matter.

 

[Triumph]

Extreme "God" beliefs have been the cause of a lot of grief too. But also the ordinary "believers"... Those that don't live up to the standards of their religion. Every religion has people that still lie, cheat, steal, and do all sorts of "evil" deeds. When the Abrahamic religions can live together in peace, that will be something.

My understanding from study of the Bible is the Abrahamic religions will never live without conflict even unto the end of days war. Abraham claims he has a covenant for a son to sit on a throne of rule forever but Abraham had 2 sons that did not accept each other. God did not reject one of his sons, Abraham did. Abraham did not create those sons, God did and God loves them equally even though Abraham to exalt his own ego and power did not. If Abraham had loved both sons equally and raised them to love each other as a happy family with equal inheritance rights, training them to help each other have success and a prosperous future as equals without jealousy then there would be no threat of nuclear war in the East today.
But resentment grew into hate and beliefs became distorted away from the intent of God for Earth to be peaceful by the people in it treating each other with love and concern for the wellbeing of all people with none exalted as superior than another. Those 2 angels facing each other on the ark of the covenant represent the religions created by the 2 sons of Abraham facing each other in a final world war conflict desiring to rule the world.

 

[CG Didymus]

Thats what I’m attempting to explore because we all believe our belief is true but how do we verify it? Science has tools to verify discoveries but what internally is it within us that tells us something is true and how do we know it’s correct? It’s intuitive I suppose?

There are people, me included, that have believed in more than one religion at one time or another and thought each was true. But, since we changed beliefs, we were wrong about some of them. It is not hard to let oneself believe that a religion is true. And it is not hard, once you've convinced yourself it is true, to keep finding things you believe verifies it as being true. A born-again Christian "knows" that Jesus is God and can find verses that support it. A Baha'i can believe that Baha'u'llah is the return of Christ and finds Bible verses and Baha'i verses that support it. Both, I'm sure, feel it in their hearts that what they believe is true, yet the beliefs contradict each other. A Baha'i can say, "But we believe in Jesus." But not the same Jesus as a born-again Christian. That Jesus is the one and only savior and it is him that is coming back and that he rose from the dead. They also believe in a real Satan. And they believe Jesus is God the Son.

Since all of it is dependent on a certain interpretation of the Bible and NT, Baha'is can make a pretty good argument why that interpretation isn't correct. But then how do they verify their own beliefs?

 

[CG Didymus]

Yes I see your point CG. It seems confusing to you why it should not be either spiritual or literal, or if spiritual be right across the board. You give the examples of the virgin birth vs the resurrection. It appears there is no black and white in this regard. Whilst the virgin birth is upheld by the Quran and Baha’u’llah, the resurrection is viewed as symbolical.

Since a Manifestation of God has confirmed these events, then we don’t believe they were just made up by the followers. Baha’u’llah stated that one reason symbolical cryptic language was used in the scriptures was to test the followers and the Bible for example states in Revelation ch 5 that only a particular Person can ‘unseal’ the meanings of the Book not just any earthy or religious person. So we would know the Promised One because He would be able to unravel the meanings of things like resurrection which Baha’u’llah explained in the Book of Certitude. There are many meanings of the term ‘resurrection’ explained in that Book. One of them is to be born spiritually. That is the definition that explains Christ’s resurrection as a Spiritual Being.

On Mount Tabor the disciples saw God and Moses but not really in real life because Christ told them to keep that ‘vision’ secret. So this is a genuine reference by Christ of a vision seen by the Disciples. Then why not His resurrection?

It all depends on whether one accepts God’s version of the story through His Manifestation or not. I do because I believe God is All Knowing and so Baha’u’llah is also. I don’t question God on this matter.

I think there is a very good chance that the resurrection and ascension didn't literally happen. But... they were written by four gospel writers as if they did happen. In one verse Jesus supposedly says to touch him and see that he has flesh and bone and is not a ghost. In Acts it says that he showed himself to be alive with many proofs. There is nothing I can see how any part of the resurrection story was meant to be taken symbolically and not literally.

And does Islam believe the resurrection was symbolic? I thought some Muslims believe he didn't die on the cross, or that it was a body double. The other problem is by saying a "manifestation" confirmed these events you assume that Muhammad and Baha'u'llah are true. You don't question it because you believe it is "God's" version of the story. But what was the NT then? Not "God's" version? The explanations and interpretations conflict. The NT, to me, clearly says one thing. Lots of us don't believe it. Still, for me, the easiest explanation is embellished, mythical stories about a God/man.

And if we include the Hebrew Bible as well, then it too is filled with stories that many people don't believe literally happened. If the Baha'is right, then all of those stories and all of those writers all wrote fictional, symbolic stories about events that supposedly happened, but they really didn't? What is true and what is fictional then? Genesis goes from Creation with Adam and Eve and goes right into the generations of people that include Noah and Abraham and Isaac and Jacob/Israel and Joseph. What was true and what was symbolic? Noah was real but the story of the flood symbolic?

I think they were just myths and legends told centuries later and eventually written down. Stories that did have meaning for the people. And sure, some symbolic meanings. But I think the stories themselves were written as if they really happened and were meant to be believed as having really happened. But, since I don't believe they really happened, then I think it was just religious myths about a God and his people. And same with Jesus... how do you make him greater than he really was? You make him born of a virgin. You have him walk on water, and then rise from the dead. All things that lots of ancient people would find believable. And things that would make them believe that Jesus was more than a man, but a God.

 

[CG Didymus]

My understanding from study of the Bible is the Abrahamic religions will never live without conflict even unto the end of days war. Abraham claims he has a covenant for a son to sit on a throne of rule forever but Abraham had 2 sons that did not accept each other. God did not reject one of his sons, Abraham did. Abraham did not create those sons, God did and God loves them equally even though Abraham to exalt his own ego and power did not. If Abraham had loved both sons equally and raised them to love each other as a happy family with equal inheritance rights, training them to help each other have success and a prosperous future as equals without jealousy then there would be no threat of nuclear war in the East today.
But resentment grew into hate and beliefs became distorted away from the intent of God for Earth to be peaceful by the people in it treating each other with love and concern for the wellbeing of all people with none exalted as superior than another. Those 2 angels facing each other on the ark of the covenant represent the religions created by the 2 sons of Abraham facing each other in a final world war conflict desiring to rule the world.

Is there a way that you could still remain believing in Christianity but still accept Islam and the Baha'i Faith as being legitimate religions from God? I have problems with how Baha'is make all religions "one", but at least they have a way to make all religions true and from the one true God, including Hinduism and Buddhism.

 

[CG Didymus]

So the real answer to your question, why does a servant of the true God believe in his word and have faith that Jesus is the Christ, the Savior of the world? It is simply the fact that Jehovah opens that person's eyes, his heart and mind wide open to discern the truths from his word. And when this happens it is a most beautiful and wonderful thing to experience and to witness.

I accept Jesus because when I read his teachings and put them to test by trying to live by them, my life - and perspective on life - changed, just as it said in NT that it would.

So when I said "Either the Bible is false or it is true, I will start with it is true and test the sucker. I will find out if it is false soon enough", and I haven't found it to be false, why should I stop believing?

One question I have for Christians is how literal do you take the Bible? Then, whose interpretation of the Bible do you go by?

If a Jew takes the Hebrew Bible literally, would they accept Jesus as their Messiah? Not that I believe in the Baha'i interpretation, but it is very similar to what Christians did to the Jews. They took the Jewish Scriptures and interpreted them in a way to make Jesus the Messiah... and Savior... and, for some Christians, they eventually made Jesus God.

I absolutely believe that all of you have put the Christian teachings to the test, and that they work for you. But does applying the Jewish Scriptures, or the Quran, or the Baha'i writings work for them? And I think lots of people in those, or any religion, would say that their Scriptures are true, and they work for them. But they all can't be true... If taken too literal. And I think that is what Christians did to Judaism. They found a way to make the laws not applicable to Christians. Then Islam and the Baha'i Faith give an interpretation that makes some of the Christian doctrines no longer necessary.

 

[CG Didymus]

Jesus was the Son of God not the Jewish Messiah.

No matter how many unusual & miraculous things Jesus seems to accomplish in the New Testament, he doesn't fulfill even one of the 6 criteria by which the Nation of Israel can recognize him as the true Jewish Messiah.

I believe in Yahshua my Savior for several reasons. The first reason I believe is because he has fulfilled the prophesies concerning him. They are many scriptures that indicate a Messiah would come and save His people

What is wrong with cOLTER's interpretations? Then, if we add the Baha'is interpretation, Jesus isn't the "only" way. He is not the "only" savior. Baha'is believe there have been many "manifestations" of God including Muhammad, Krisha and others.

There are so many variations of how the Bible and other Scriptures from other religions can be interpreted. Why are any of them right? People believe in the one who gave the message that they happen to believe in.

 

[Wildswanderer]

I could only choose one so I chose because he said he was.
I believe that the Bible is true, but there's more to believing than that.
Initially I had a child's faith I suppose, but with time and experience of what it means to trust God, it becomes more of an informed faith.
The Holy Spirit can be experienced, not just accepted on blind faith.

 

[Wildswanderer]

And I think that is what Christians did to Judaism. They found a way to make the laws not applicable to Christians.

Naw, Paul and others came to a new understanding of what God was doing in the Torah.

 

[Triumph]

Is there a way that you could still remain believing in Christianity but still accept Islam and the Baha'i Faith as being legitimate religions from God? I have problems with how Baha'is make all religions "one", but at least they have a way to make all religions true and from the one true God, including Hinduism and Buddhism.

One is to love the people of all faiths with equal compassion and desire for all to have unity with God with grace, forgiveness, mercy and generosity to the poor as a family of humanity.
Christ is my Shepherd that I follow as he teaches truth and amazing prophecy that would save the world if believed.
JOHN 12:
47 And if any man hear my words, and believe not, I judge him not: for I came not to judge the world, but to save the world."
Jesus loves all people regardless of their beliefs and it is our beloved specie Jesus is trying to keep from going extinct by the hand of man.
Jesus came to save all life on the planet not a religious collection of manmade mandates that branch out like a tree full of hateful birds, fighter jets.
50 And I know that his commandment is life everlasting: whatsoever I speak therefore, even as the Father said unto me, so I speak."
The events of the future are going to happen regardless of what anyone believes, everyone will experience it. Jesus does foretell the future
and I think we are the final generation before the end of days.
Jesus left Earth in a physical body and will return in a physical body to collect his water baptized saved that have their name written in John the Baptist's book of life. He is not going to hurt anyone, but if not selected people will perish struggling to survive the results of a world nuclear war that ends in a total specie extinction during a vast un-survivable nuclear winter. God has nothing to do with this war, Man creates it and man perishes in it. Take that nuclear sword then die with it. But fear will cause man to use anything to prevail.
This nuclear winter caused by the hand of man that refused not to start war is the "frost of heaven" spoken of by Job reserved against this final war to end all wars because no human survives it.
Job 38:29
Out of whose womb came the ice? and the hoary frost of heaven, who hath gendered it?"
Suns and stars are made of nuclear energy in the heaven and this frost=nuclear winter is gendered by man, not by God that commands do not kill. But the nuclear winter is because man interpreted the "breath of God" to fit their goal of superiority and power, so it is a religious world war. Actually, WW3 has 4 causes but 3 are based on different Abrahamic religions. That is why Jesus focused on stopping belief that Abraham is blessed by God because he is not. Abraham, a proven by scripture liar, just lied saying God gave him a covenant.
"Touching the Almighty, we cannot find him out: he is excellent in power, and in judgment, and in plenty of justice: he will not afflict."
God does not command war in his judgement, God does not afflict. Man commands war using the emotions," God is with us not them" as their method of support to get people to fight and die for their leaders' beliefs.
Follow Jesus, the Son of God our Savior that knows God's commandment to love one another is life everlasting.

 

[Triumph]

One question I have for Christians is how literal do you take the Bible? Then, whose interpretation of the Bible do you go by?

If a Jew takes the Hebrew Bible literally, would they accept Jesus as their Messiah? Not that I believe in the Baha'i interpretation, but it is very similar to what Christians did to the Jews. They took the Jewish Scriptures and interpreted them in a way to make Jesus the Messiah... and Savior... and, for some Christians, they eventually made Jesus God.

I absolutely belief that all of you have put the Christian teachings to the test, and that they work for you. But does applying the Jewish Scriptures, or the Quran, or the Baha'i writings work for them? And I think lots of people in those, or any religion, would say that their Scriptures are true, and they work for them. But they all can't be true... If taken too literal. And I think that is what Christians did to Judaism. They found a way to make the laws not applicable to Christians. Then Islam and the Baha'i Faith give an interpretation that makes some of the Christian doctrines no longer necessary.

Literal? No. Truth, Yes. The Bible Prophecy is not understood until technology advances to allow understanding of the symbolism in it and the scriptures are "sealed" until then. People in 33 AD would never be able to understand how you are reading these words right now.
Bread = doctrine. Blood = Wine = religion/ the words of God. Flesh = doctrine = the words of God. Trees are nations. Israel is a fig tree & an olive tree. The forbidden fruit is a lie believed as truth.
This symbolism can be understood in the past.
But...A Seraphim is a 6-winged fighter jet like a F-35 that files with "twain" which is DAS= Distributed Aperture System placed 2's in the exact positions described in the Bible. DAS is the "veil" that covers the alter of sacrifice. Without it the Jet will be shot down and cannot fly. The Seraphim has coals of fire beneath his wings, missiles= flaming swords. It is a Candlestick. The Lord of Hosts is the pilot's commander in chief and when that coal is on his lips, the command to fire is passed to the pilot that takes that coal into his hand and kills people. He sits on the mercy seat with the power of life or death to those beneath him. He comes in clouds, the vapor cone on the wings, as the jet breaks the sound barrier with the sound of thunder. The 7 thunders are the 7 nuclear armed nations that fight in WW3, the final war on Earth.

 

[YoursTrue]

What made you believe in Christ? No one has met Him. All we have are reported, unverified Biblical records of His earthly ministry. We cannot prove the authenticity of those records.

So what made you a devout Christian? Something you believe Jesus said or taught? How do we know what Jesus actually said when we have no written words in His handwriting? How do you authentic that Jesus spoke those words in the Gospels as He didn’t confirm His sayings in writing anywhere?

So are Christians believing in Jesus on ‘reported’ sayings and here say? If you believe in the Bible, how do you know it’s true? Evidence? Or do you just trust that it is from God and that’s that?

The only detailed record of his ministry is that which is recorded in the Bible. And of course that's not complete because obviously much more happened than what is recorded, just as much more happened in anyone's life that is documented. But with that in mind, there are several references to Jesus other than the Bible. One such is by Tacitus, who reported on Emperor Nero's decision to blame the Christians for the fire that had destroyed Rome in A.D. 64. The Roman historian Tacitus wrote:
"Nero fastened the guilt ... on a class hated for their abominations, called Christians by the populace. Christus, from whom the name had its origin, suffered the extreme penalty during the reign of Tiberius at the hands of ... Pontius Pilatus, and a most mischievous superstition, thus checked for the moment, again broke out not only in Judaea, the first source of the evil, but even in Rome...."

 

[Triumph]

The only detailed record of his ministry is that which is recorded in the Bible. And of course that's not complete because obviously much more happened than what is recorded, just as much more happened in anyone's life that is documented. But with that in mind, there are several references to Jesus other than the Bible. One such is by Tacitus, who reported on Emperor Nero's decision to blame the Christians for the fire that had destroyed Rome in A.D. 64. The Roman historian Tacitus wrote:
"Nero fastened the guilt ... on a class hated for their abominations, called Christians by the populace. Christus, from whom the name had its origin, suffered the extreme penalty during the reign of Tiberius at the hands of ... Pontius Pilatus, and a most mischievous superstition, thus checked for the moment, again broke out not only in Judaea, the first source of the evil, but even in Rome...."

Interesting, but what is important is the information given to us about the future in the Bible. It is a book of prophecy and Jesus is a prophet and more than a prophet by his own words, sent to guide and teach us to change our fate.

 

[YoursTrue]

Interesting, but what is important is the information given to us about the future in the Bible. It is a book of prophecy and Jesus is a prophet and more than a prophet by his own words, sent to guide and teach us to change our fate.

Jesus has the power to forgive even his persecutors. As I read the Bible there is no doubt whatsoever that he forgave Paul and has the power to forgive others for their sins as well.

 

[CG Didymus]

Naw, Paul and others came to a new understanding of what God was doing in the Torah.

Then Islam came up with a new understanding that had Jesus not dying on the cross, and that he wasn't God. Then the Baha'is came up with their understanding that made Satan symbolic, the resurrection symbolic, and pretty much anything that was too "supernatural" was interpreted as being symbolic. So, depending on which one a person picks, there is a way to justify why it is correct and has superseded the older ones.

 

[CG Didymus]

One is to love the people of all faiths with equal compassion and desire for all to have unity with God with grace, forgiveness, mercy and generosity to the poor as a family of humanity.
Christ is my Shepherd that I follow as he teaches truth and amazing prophecy that would save the world if believed.

I think the world would be much better off if more Christians had this attitude. But I understand why some don't and believe that the only "truth" is their truth. Which is the Bible and how they interpret it.

Literal? No. Truth, Yes. The Bible Prophecy is not understood until technology advances to allow understanding of the symbolism in it and the scriptures are "sealed" until then. People in 33 AD would never be able to understand how you are reading these words right now.

When it comes to the Baha'is, I'm not talking about prophecies that were written in symbolic language. I'm talking about Creation, the flood, the parting of the seas, things that were written as if they were historical events.

The main one being the resurrection of Jesus. I think that the NT makes it very clear that Jesus rose in some sort of physical body. Even though the gospels say that is what happened, some people doubt that it is true. It doesn't sound possible. Of course, for believers, anything is possible for God. But for non-believers... God and a dying and rising God/man sounds like something that ancient people could have easily made up.

Now come the Baha'is. They don't believe that Jesus physically came back to life. They say that his spirit rose but not his body. So, what do they do with all the verses that say Jesus appeared to the disciples in a body that had flesh and bone, yet could appear and disappear and ascend into the clouds? They say all those verses are symbolic. What that means then, to them, Jesus died and stayed dead. Which means that anybody that takes those resurrection verses literally is mistaken. Baha'is believe they were always meant to be taken symbolically and never literally.

 

[CG Didymus]

Baha’u’llah stated that one reason symbolical cryptic language was used in the scriptures was to test the followers and the Bible for example states in Revelation ch 5 that only a particular Person can ‘unseal’ the meanings of the Book not just any earthy or religious person. So we would know the Promised One because He would be able to unravel the meanings of things like resurrection which Baha’u’llah explained in the Book of Certitude. There are many meanings of the term ‘resurrection’ explained in that Book. One of them is to be born spiritually. That is the definition that explains Christ’s resurrection as a Spiritual Being.

Yes, this is the stuff I disagree with. Start with the Creation story and Adam and Eve. Some people have committed themselves to even believe those stories as literal. But why not just a creation myth made up by an ancient people? Did a manifestation write it? Who knows? Why would it have to be made into some symbolic profound thing? Why isn't the obvious meaning of the story good enough? God created everything. Then, Adam sinned, and God cursed him and the Earth. The lesson, obey God.

But then move on in the Bible story. Which events really happened, and which never happened but were written as if they did but were meant to be taken symbolically? Of course, people can find symbolic meanings all they want, but was the event made up and to take it as an actual historical event the wrong way to read it?

And was the language cryptic? Like the flood. Noah built the ark. It rained. Everybody, other than Noah and his family, died. Lesson, obey God. Then, is Revelation 5 talking about the whole Bible and the NT needs to be unsealed by a prophet? No, it is talking about when then gets unsealed, the revelation. Then the term "resurrection" can mean many things. And in Acts it says that Jesus showed himself to be alive by many proofs. I have no doubt that the meaning they wanted people to get was that Jesus came back to life. He conquered death. The tomb was empty, and he appeared and spoke with his disciples. But just because that is what the gospel writers said, lots of us doubt it really happen. Some of us believe they faked it. Baha'is believe the gospel writers wrote about a symbolic, spiritual resurrection. But who doesn't rise again spiritually? Doesn't everybody in Baha'i beliefs? For me, if it didn't really happen as written, I go with the hoax theory.

 

[Wildswanderer]

Then Islam came up with a new understanding that had Jesus not dying on the cross, and that he wasn't God. Then the Baha'is came up with their understanding that made Satan symbolic, the resurrection symbolic, and pretty much anything that was too "supernatural" was interpreted as being symbolic. So, depending on which one a person picks, there is a way to justify why it is correct and has superseded the older ones.

So we choose what to believe, but the Bible has more evidence going for it.