why was the word of God never revealed to non-middle easterners?

[cocokorina]

Well I don't believe in Islam, nor Christianity although have learned about them in the past few years. I don't really have a religion at the moment, but looking into Paganism and Hinduism.

Other religions might not have books, their beliefs are oral, told via stories, plays and so on. Maybe that's part of the beauty of their religion that it isn't written.

Why the fixation on books, does it need to be on paper? It's not like the Divine wrote them and they dropped out of the sky.. Men wrote them. And what makes you think that God has only approved of those books? What about the Vedas, Mahabharat, Upanishads, etc? Are those not from God, why?

I m not saying that those books are not from God. My questions were mainly directed at Christians and Muslims who claim their religion is the truth and other beliefs are corrupted. I just want to see the explanation for not sending similar messages by the biblical and quranic god to those people.

 

[illykitty]

I m not saying that those books are not from God. My questions were mainly directed at Christians and Muslims who claim their religion is the truth and other beliefs are corrupted. I just want to see the explanation for not sending similar messages by the biblical and quranic god to those people.

Ah okay, then I can't really answer for them, as I'm not part of those religions but in Islam it's what you said. Message got to everyone, but it got corrupted. Only Islam is not corrupted.

I don't agree but I think that their perspective.

 

[johnhanks]

The details may be different according to the different needs of the time of revelation and have certainly been interpreted and practiced differently but the fundamentals are the same.

Yes, that's a familiar refrain I've heard many times before, but it doesn't get any more convincing.

How, exactly, are the "fundamentals" of the religion of Old Kingdom Egypt the same as those of Judaeochristianity? And in what ways did the "needs" of Old Kingdom Egyptians differ from those of the Hebrews such that they were led to believe (for example) that worship of graven images was fine, while the Jews were told it was an abomination?

 

[Tumah]

Yes, that's a familiar refrain I've heard many times before, but it doesn't get any more convincing.

How, exactly, are the "fundamentals" of the religion of Old Kingdom Egypt the same as those of Judaeochristianity? And in what ways did the "needs" of Old Kingdom Egyptians differ from those of the Hebrews such that they were led to believe (for example) that worship of graven images was fine, while the Jews were told it was an abomination?

Judaeochristianity makes about as much sense as Hinduislam.

 

[johnhanks]

Judaeochristianity makes about as much sense as Hinduislam.

Only if you're going to claim that Islam developed as an offshoot of Hinduism.

 

[Tumah]

Only if you're going to claim that Islam developed as an offshoot of Hinduism.

They are as similar.

 

[johnhanks]

They are as similar.

By which you mean completely unrelated? Like it or not, Christianity did emerge as an offshoot of Judaism, and still shares much of the latter's scripture.

 

[Tumah]

By which you mean completely unrelated? Like it or not, Christianity did emerge as an offshoot of Judaism, and still shares much of the latter's scripture.

As much as it contains a few elements of Judaism, the end result is a religion that is almost as antithetical to Judaism as one could be. Judaism and Islam share a much broader spectrum of principles. By far.

 

[Desert Snake]

By which you mean completely unrelated? Like it or not, Christianity did emerge as an offshoot of Judaism, and still shares much of the latter's scripture.

Actually they evolved alongside each other.

 

[rusra02]

Lets go back to Native Americans or Polynesians before they ever came into contact with the Europeans. none of them knew anything about God, Jesus, Abraham, Moses or Mohammad. there have been many civilizations in the past that were never sent a Divine scripture or prophet.
according to muslims, a prophet has been sent to every civilization. but that is simply not true. why is it that there is no evidence of such prophets being sent to Native Americans? if Islam is the true religion, why did God not send them with the same message? why did God/Allah keep this truth away from native Americans?

God purposed that through one nation that he would select, all nations would eventually have the opportunity to know and serve God. Thus, God promised Abraham " And by means of your offspring all nations of the earth will obtain a blessing for themselves because you have listened to my voice." (Genesis 22:18) Meanwhile, as Acts 14:16,17 explains: "In past generations he permitted all the nations to go on in their ways, although he did not leave himself without witness in that he did good, giving you rains from heaven and fruitful seasons, satisfying you with food and filling your hearts with gladness.”
I believe that through the ransom sacrifice of Jesus Christ, people of all nations are now being offered the opportunity to gain everlasting life, just as Revelation 14:6,7 declares: "And I saw another angel flying in midheaven, and he had everlasting good news to declare to those who dwell on the earth, to every nation and tribe and tongue and people. He was saying in a loud voice: “Fear God and give him glory, because the hour of judgment by him has arrived, so worship the One who made the heaven and the earth and the sea."

 

[viole]

But the concept of deity is very different in each culture. If one god sent these messages, why didn't he send the same message everywhere ? Why is there such a difference in Hinduism, abrahimic religions, and other ancient beliefs which are barely existent now? I do believe in God but I can't seem to understand concept of religion.

You are basically left with two choices:

1) God is a poor communicator or we are poor listeners
2) Every culture made up their own version of God

We can exclude 1) because if He communicates badly, then on average everyone would be confused and there would be no coarse grained fragmentation of beliefs.

So we are left with 2). Cultures make up their brand of God and their children just inherit it.

Ciao

- viole

 

[BruceDLimber]

The Baha'i scriptures plainly assert that God has, over the millenia, sent Divine Messengers to all of humanity; and that all the great religions are legitimate, God-sent, and part of a single evolving faith, the Faith of God!

The fact that some groups were illiterate or had no written languages does not change the fact that these events happened.

Granted, communications--as well as intercultural understanding--have become far faster and better lately, but humanity has in fact been "muddling through" for ages!

And as the Baha'i scriptures say:

"There can be no doubt whatever that the peoples of the world, of whatever race or religion, derive their inspiration from one heavenly Source, and are the subjects of one God. The difference between the ordinances under which they abide should be attributed to the varying requirements and exigencies of the age in which they were revealed. All of them, except a few which are the outcome of human perversity, were ordained of God, and are a reflection of His Will and Purpose. Arise and, armed with the power of faith, shatter to pieces the gods of your vain imaginings, the sowers of dissension amongst you. Cleave unto that which draweth you together and uniteth you."

—(Gleanings, CXI, pp. 217-8)

Regards,

Bruce

 

[Aupmanyav]

All human like to think that we are going to be eternal and death can't be it for us so believing in a deity doesn't mean god actually sent that message.

As far as Islamic belief, Muslims believe in 4 books only . Allah/god sent messengers everywhere but books were only revealed to 4 prophets.Native Americans date back to 20,000 years. Now why not 1 book on that continent? Why all books were sent to Middle East only ?

But what constitutes us is sure eternal and death is only an illusion (I see that you have yet to understand your own religion, Islam. I do not think you know about Hinduism or other religions).

When the message came to Middle-East prophets, writing was already known. We got the message much earlier when writing was not known (something like 5,000 BC), and it was handed down orally. We devised an extremely strong method of doing that by which not only the words but even the sound and pronunciation was preserved. Vedic chant - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

[cocokorina]

You are basically left with two choices:

1) God is a poor communicator or we are poor listeners
2) Every culture made up their own version of God

We can exclude 1) because if He communicates badly, then on average everyone would be confused and there would be no coarse grained fragmentation of beliefs.

So we are left with 2). Cultures make up their brand of God and their children just inherit it.

Ciao

- viole

Basically yes. This is what it seems like.

 

[outhouse]

if Islam is the true religion,

Any chance you could try and back that? Looks like a big "IF"

 

[sandandfoam]

Apparently god was going to reveal himself here but there was football on telly. So the Holy Land got Jesus and we got Roy Keane.

 

[cocokorina]

But what constitutes us is sure eternal and death is only an illusion (I see that you have yet to understand your own religion, Islam. I do not think you know about Hinduism or other religions).

When the message came to Middle-East prophets, writing was already known. We got the message much earlier when writing was not known (something like 5,000 BC), and it was handed down orally. We devised an extremely strong method of doing that by which not only the words but even the sound and pronunciation was preserved. Vedic chant - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

As per islam message was sent to all humanity throughout history . First humans Adam and Eve till Mohammad , god sent many messengers . All messengers had the same message. I mentioned I hAvnt read Vedas but according to Muslims, islam is the only true religion and no muslim will accept Hinduism or any other religion as the truth. I'm guessing same goes for Christianity aswell ?
Now it makes no sense to me that islam is the only truth and all other belief are corrupted . So when Muslims say( don't know if Christians say the same) that Allah sent messengers everywhere, seems like that's not true since the teachings and concept of deity, afterlife, creation of man was different in different parts of the world .

 

[cocokorina]

Any chance you could try and back that? Looks like a big "IF"

I don't believe it's the truth but Muslims do. This is why I don't understand why certain religion claim to be the ultimate truth when the rest of the world got a different message

 

[johnhanks]

So we are left with 2). Cultures make up their brand of God and their children just inherit it.

Absolutely - but cultures don't just invent religions arbitrarily. There is a correlation between the subsistence base of a culture and the religion it evolves: monotheisms with male, law-giving creator deities are generally the product of herding economies.

 

[outhouse]

I don't believe it's the truth but Muslims do. This is why I don't understand why certain religion claim to be the ultimate truth when the rest of the world got a different message

Mythology originates in many places.

Most people believe what they do based on where they were born.