Why don’t Baha’is in forums ever talk about what their religion is really all about?

[LuisDantas]

Okay, I’ll treat it as a serious question. I don’t see any reason to think that it would be any harder for Buddhists or Hindus to learn to love, trust and follow Baha’u’llah, than for Christians or Muslims.

We just might have some trouble with all the concessions towards some of the trappings of the Abrahamics. The Bahai Faith is nearly as reverential towards those as Islaam itself.

I for one stopped seriously considering the Bahai Faith when I realized that it would insist on a Monotheistic view cut of the Abrahamic cloth.

Such a view will be compatible with some Hindus and Buddhists. But certainly not all.

In Baha’i communities where most members are from a Muslim or Christian background. members from a Hindu or Buddhist background might keep their thinking to themselves more than most of the others, but I don’t see any reason to think that it would be that way in communities where most of the members are from Buddhist or Hindu backgrounds.

It can be a bit disturbing to see so much emphasis on a Creator deity that we happen to find of dubious existence and even more dubious religious value.

 

[Jim]

@LuisDantas ((I think that the lines of alienation that people draw between themselves and others, defined by ideology, are just as fraudulent as the lines between races. That includes the lines between “Abrahamics” and “non-Abrahamics,” and between “theists” and “atheists.” I’m fed up enough with that to say that I see no excuse for anyone to imagine differences in character or capacities across those lines. The more that people do that, the more they discredit themselves with me.

I think that in a generation or two people will no more dare to say the depreciating and vilifying thing they say across lines defined by ideology, than to say those things across lines that divide people into races. I’m not sure what to think about doing it in the online forum debating MMORPG. I’ll think about that some more.))

 

[Jim]

I for one stopped seriously considering the Bahai Faith when I realized that it would insist on a Monotheistic view cut of the Abrahamic cloth.

((To be brutally frank, I don’t see that as any more of an excuse than people closing their hearts and minds to Bahá’u’lláh because they think that He’s contradicting their scriptures.))

 

[LuisDantas]

((To be brutally frank, I don’t see that as any more of an excuse than people closing their hearts and minds to Bahá’u’lláh because they think that He’s contradicting their scriptures.))

It is not an excuse.

It is a full-blown reason.

I personally don't think of scriptures as something capable of sustaining doctrine, but apparently there are many people who do.

 

[Jim]

@LuisDantas Sorry for the outburst. Sorry for taking it all out on you.

 

[Jim]

Discussing this with my wife brought up another possible explanation for why Baha’is who talk about the Baha’i Faith in Internet forums don’t ever mention the activities that House of Justice has been promoting. Maybe they don’t read its messages, or they block out what it’s saying to do, because it makes them feel guilty. We’ve felt that way sometimes, ourselves. Not knowing what to do about what it’s saying, and feeling guilty about that.

 

[wandering peacefully]

Ah, that is a wonderful benefaction that you have accorded to the indigenous people after all that happened in history.

Yes. I am very thankful for our new representatives and governor who just replaced 8 years of a nightmare administration. it was so strange to see the right vote straight down the line against it. It was brought up twice at state level and they all voted no while the left all voted for it. I thought it such a strange thing to be partisan about. A few of us in our town tried to at least add Indigenous People''s Day to Columbus Day but the Republicans in our town wouldn't even go for that. They have some weird love for Columbus even though he never stepped foot in North America. As well as ignorant bias about the Tribes still held by old white men in politics. I am happy they are a dying breed. Anyway, a small but significant win to acknowledge all of the contributions of our 4 Tribes. There are many Natives here. Most have been assimilated into the general population but there is a large number still on the reservations also. The state used to take the children and put them with white families to learn the proper way to be a human ...terrible history but a lot of work has berm done for reconciliation and truth about what actually happened instead of a whitewashed history we are all so used to in this country.

 

[wandering peacefully]

With possibly one exception, the blatant and shameless display of willfull ignorance, on all sides of debating about the Baha’i Faith, continues, further confirming my suspicion that no one in the debating cares at all about the truth or reality of anything they’re saying, in the world of experience outside of their online forum MMORPGs.

Gee wiz. We are at least engaging with you. The only way for those of us who are not Bahai to know anything about it is what the followers tell us and what information is put out by the official Bahai sites. How about at this point since no one else is going to tell us what it is you are looking for, you tell everyone the answers to your OP. I imagine this thread will soon dissappear into the vaults like most threads. I don't think anyone else can answer your questions except you.

 

[wandering peacefully]

Okay, I’ll treat it as a serious question. I don’t see any reason to think that it would be any harder for Buddhists or Hindus to learn to love, trust and follow Baha’u’llah, than for Christians or Muslims. In Baha’i communities where most members are from a Muslim or Christian background. members from a Hindu or Buddhist background might keep their thinking to themselves more than most of the others, but I don’t see any reason to think that it would be that way in communities where most of the members are from Buddhist or Hindu backgrounds.

I'm wondering if you find it arrogant or thoughtless to suggest Hindus and Buddhists or any other group should or will easily see the wisdom in giving their beliefs up for yours?

You really may not feel it is arrogant to want or expect that will some day be the case.

 

[LuisDantas]

@LuisDantas Sorry for the outburst. Sorry for taking it all out on you.

Nah, don't you mention it. It is all good. I have my own passions, I can hardly expect others to be free of those.

 

[Jim]

(( (to self) Remember the RPG ... Remember the RPG ... Remember the RPG ...))

 

[siti]

I'm still trying to figure out what rocket propelled grenades have to do with anything

 

[Aupmanyav]

@LuisDantas ((I think that the lines of alienation that people draw between themselves and others, defined by ideology, .. the more they discredit themselves with me. .. I’ll think about that some more.))

What have the Bahais done to alleviate that apprehension? They have only added one more manifestation to their One God. .. That you discredit those who dare to question you does not give you any credit with me too. Kindly do.

 

[Aupmanyav]

((To be brutally frank, I don’t see that as any more of an excuse than people closing their hearts and minds to Bahá’u’lláh because they think that He’s contradicting their scriptures.))

To be frank (and yet not brutally), I do not see any reason that I should open my heart and mind to Bahaullah because he is spouting the same what the propounders of other Abrahamic religions have been spouting since ages. My heart opened to Buddha when I read 'Kalma Sutta' Saying that we should not blindly believe on scriptures and on people who put themselves on a higher pedestal than others. He did not ask me to believe in One God or that he was a manifestation of some God. Therefore, I took Buddha as my guru.

"Do not go upon what has been acquired by repeated hearing (anussava), nor upon tradition (paramparā), nor upon rumor (itikirā), nor upon what is in a scripture (piṭaka-sampadāna), nor upon surmise (takka-hetu), nor upon an axiom (naya-hetu), nor upon specious reasoning (ākāra-parivitakka), nor upon a bias towards a notion that has been pondered over (diṭṭhi-nijjhān-akkh-antiyā), nor upon another's seeming ability (bhabba-rūpatāya), nor upon the consideration, The monk is our teacher (samaṇo no garū)."

Now, that was a wise man.

Discussing this with my wife brought up another possible explanation for why Baha’is who talk about the Baha’i Faith in Internet forums don’t ever mention the activities that House of Justice has been promoting. Maybe they don’t read its messages, or they block out what it’s saying to do, because it makes them feel guilty.

I do not expect anything sensible to come out from Bahais except that there is One God and Bahaullah is his mirror image/manifestation.

 

[Jim]

I don't think anyone else can answer your questions except you.

((It’s looking that way to me too, for my question about the community activities that the House of Justice has been promoting. I’ve posted some big hints for Baha’is in the other thread, and I want to wait one more week to see if any of them will answer. One of them has already named two of those activities, so maybe with my hints one or more of them can name the others. I’m just curious.

My question in this thread is why Baha’is who talk about the Baha’i Faith in Internet discussions never talk about those community activities that the House of Justice has been promoting. I have some ideas now of what the reasons might be, that I could sympathize with.))

 

[Jim]

@Aupmanyav ((I’m wondering now if I’ve been taking your posts more seriously than you intend for them to be. (I won’t tell anyone ) ))

 

[Aupmanyav]

Like Luis said, we are passionate about various things. I am passionate about Philosophy, Politics, etc. That perhaps shows in my posts.

 

[Jim]

Like Luis said, we are passionate about various things. I am passionate about Philosophy, Politics, etc. That perhaps shows in my posts.

I’ve never thought that you would be interested in what I think about anything you say to me, but now I’m wondering if I’ve been wrong about that.

 

[Aupmanyav]

Sometimes, I think I like you of all the Bahais here, but not much (you are still a Bahai).

 

[Jim]

@LuisDantas Your comments and questions here have raised some questions for me about your views about spiritual teachers, masters or mentors. Is there an existing thread where I can ask you those questions, or if not can we start one?