Was Jesus better in anyway that Baha?
I do not believe that any Messenger of God is
better than any other since as I said, “they all arise to proclaim the same religion, since there is only one eternal religion of God. Baha’u’llah wrote that the works and acts of all the Messengers of God were all ordained by God, a reflection of His Will and Purpose.
Jesus was
different from Baha’u’llah because He had a different mission, but Jesus was not
better.
Trailblazer, do you compare them as human beings, Sons of God or even the word of God coming to pass?
Humility, is something both these people had. No one better than anyone else. No competition just a call to love God and love others. If, you note the teachings of Christ, he claimed no glory for himself. Always love God first and your neighbor. Did Baha do this? Did he teach love God and your neighbor?
Yes, like Jesus, Baha’u’llah claimed no glory for Himself; He only cared about the victory of the Cause of God.
“Walk ye in the fear of God, and render not your works vain. Incline your ears to His words, and be not of them that are shut out as by a veil from Him. Say: God is My witness! I have wished nothing whatever for Myself. What I have wished is the victory of God and the triumph of His Cause. He is Himself a sufficient witness between you and Me. Were ye to cleanse your eyes, ye would readily perceive how My deeds testify to the truth of My words, how My words are a guide to My deeds.”
Gleanings From the Writings of Bahá’u’lláh, pp. 256-257
Yes, Baha’u’llah taught that we are to love God.
“By the righteousness of God! The world and its vanities, and its glory, and whatever delights it can offer, are all, in the sight of God, as worthless as, nay, even more contemptible than, dust and ashes. Would that the hearts of men could comprehend it! Cleanse yourselves thoroughly, O people of Bahá, from the defilement of the world, and of all that pertaineth unto it. God Himself beareth Me witness. The things of the earth ill beseem you. Cast them away unto such as may desire them, and fasten your eyes upon this most holy and effulgent Vision.
That which beseemeth you is the love of God, and the love of Him Who is the Manifestation of His Essence, and the observance of whatsoever He chooseth to prescribe unto you, did ye but know it.”
Gleanings From the Writings of Bahá’u’lláh, pp. 304-305
As I said above, Jesus had a different mission from God and a different message. Jesus taught that we are love our neighbor but Baha’u’llah taught us that we are to love all of mankind.
“The utterance of God is a lamp, whose light is these words: Ye are the fruits of one tree, and the leaves of one branch. Deal ye one with another with the utmost love and harmony, with friendliness and fellowship. He Who is the Day Star of Truth beareth Me witness! So powerful is the light of unity that it can illuminate the whole earth. The one true God, He Who knoweth all things, Himself testifieth to the truth of these words.” Gleanings From the Writings of Bahá’u’lláh, p. 288
No competition simply about being obedient to the truth a truth which is not denied.
What truth is that?
Misinterpreted scripture, did not cause religions to be at odds with each other. Religions are non-existent without mankind. Gods people in the bible who were living prophets and writers of the bible were human beings who knew God in a personal relationship. Using your way of reasoning we could discount any religion in the human hemisphere. Like Christ, the religious figures of the past all obeyed God. They did this and grew closer to him and knew his will. Spiritual figures not just religious figures learned that LOVE is the key to knowing the truth and being who we were created to be.
Misinterpreted scriptures and thus a misunderstanding of scriptures is one reason why people of certain religions believe that they are chosen and that their religion is the only way to God. I do discount any religion that teaches that they are the only way to God and that their Messenger is the only true Messenger of God because that belief is contradicted by the fact that there are many scriptures besides the Bible.
I do not believe that that LOVE is the key to knowing the truth and being who we were created to be. I believe that listening to the Manifestation of God for this age is the key, because that is how we can know God and ourselves.
Trailblazer said:
Baha’u’llah warns us never to make any distinction between any of the Messengers of God because they all arise to proclaim the same religion, since there is only one eternal religion of God. Baha’u’llah wrote that the works and acts of all the Messengers of God were all ordained by God, a reflection of His Will and Purpose.
Nice idealism, but very much like saying "all roads lead to Rome." or " all religions lead to Rome."
Evil exists in the world and false prophets too.
On November 18, 1978, 918 Americans died in Peoples Temple–related incidents, including 909 members of the Temple, led by Jim Jones, in Jonestown, Guyana. The dead included 276 children.
No, it is saying that all religions that were revealed by God through a true Messenger of God lead to God. False prophets are not true Messengers if God.
Did these arise as prophets to promote the same religion should we make distinctions between what is a good prophet and what an evil prophet is?
Yes, we certainly should make distinctions between false prophets and true prophets, as Jesus said.
Matthew 7:15-20 Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.
Fruits: the pleasant or successful result of work or actions:
fruit
Did Jim Jones have good fruits?
The will of God is shown in spirit and truth.
How do you believe it is shown in spirit and truth?
Men of God have always preached the same God and the same truths have come to pass. If we fail to be able to recognise good and bad and pass everything as the will of God then we deceive not only ourselves but others too. Love and blessings abound from the true God.
I agree. Love and blessings abound from the true God, but how do you think we can know the Will of the true God?
9Remember the former things of old: for I am God, and there is none else; I am God, and there is none like me,
10Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure:
God has declared the end from the beginning.
God declared that in the Bible, and now God, the Ancient of Days, has declared that again through Baha’u’llah.
“Let thine ear be attentive, O Nabíl-i-‘Aẓam, to the Voice of the Ancient of Days, crying to thee from the Kingdom of His all-glorious Name. He it is Who is now proclaiming from the realms above, and within the inmost essence of all created things: “I truly am God, there is none other God but Me. I am He Who, from everlasting, hath been the Source of all sovereignty and power, He Who shall continue, throughout eternity, to exercise His kingship and to extend His protection unto all created things. My proof is the greatness of My might and My sovereignty that embraceth the whole of creation.”…”
Gleanings From the Writings of Bahá’u’lláh, p. 302
Man is not called to judge but he is called to make the right call between good and evil. Was Jim Jones a prophet of God or not? Do not confuse judgement of persons with distinction of right and wrong. Clean and impure water cannot exist in the same place. So which do you think is right? Do you understand your own scripture?
Jesus told us how to distinguish a true prophet from a false prophet and Baha’u’llah told us how a Prophet establishes the truth of His testimony. By these standards, could Jim Jones be considered a true Prophet of God?
“Say: The first and foremost testimony establishing His truth is His own Self. Next to this testimony is His Revelation. For whoso faileth to recognize either the one or the other He hath established the words He hath revealed as proof of His reality and truth. This is, verily, an evidence of His tender mercy unto men. He hath endowed every soul with the capacity to recognize the signs of God. How could He, otherwise, have fulfilled His testimony unto men, if ye be of them that ponder His Cause in their hearts. He will never deal unjustly with any one, neither will He task a soul beyond its power. He, verily, is the Compassionate, the All-Merciful.” Gleanings From the Writings of Bahá’u’lláh, pp. 105-106