Unification of all religions: The four heavenly items Chapter one (The basics)

[TheLightWithin]

That is the parasitic part of the Athiest (Godless) mindset. Clinging to and using the sustenance provided by the Host.

It is actually a very good metephor.

Regards Tony

Interesting but I'm not sure I understand...

 

[TheLightWithin]

The true life is that of the spirit. The athiest mindset negates its very existence.

Everything that is possible comes from the Spirit, thus all the good that is possible, is taken from that spirit, and with a parasitic existence, if you kill the host, you kill that which is sustained by it.

Regards Tony

I just don't see how nonbelievers damage the host in any way shape or form.
I don't see how they are able to.

 

[talib-al-kalim]

(Apart from the rubbish racist stuff you intended to delete, let me agree on your intention)

Where is Islam and the Quran?

 

[Tony Bristow-Stagg]

Interesting but I'm not sure I understand...

I see the one verse to understand this is, from my perspective was this.

"..Every good thing is of God, and every evil thing is from yourselves. Will ye not comprehend?.." Bahá’u’lláh, Gleanings from the Writings of Bahá’u’lláh, p. 149

Every good thought or action we can produce is from GOD, the image we are made in. Any good action or deed we can do, was shown to us from God given source.

The Athiest feeds off this source, but as that mindset negates the source, the metephor of the parasitic plant feeding off the tree of knowledge is very apt.

The Bible reflects this

1 Thessalonians 5:21-22 Prove all things; hold fast that which is good. Abstain from all appearance of evil.

All that Good we find is us rising above our animal instincts, all this is a choice from God. To abstain from evil, we turn to God, we turn to all that is good.

Without that knowledge, we are a parasitic plant, taking of the good for personal reasons, not for gratitue and thankfulness of God.

Regards Tony

 

[TheLightWithin]

Without that knowledge, we are a parasitic plant, taking of the good for personal reasons, not for gratitue and thankfulness of God.

I'm still having trouble understanding the parasite metaphor. Esp with the idea that the host (which is the host? God? Believers?) is somehow harmed. But I do not see how they (either God or gods, or spirits, or believing people) are harmed by nonbelievers simply existing.

 

[TheLightWithin]

The Athiest feeds off this source, but as that mindset negates the source, the metephor of the parasitic plant feeding off the tree of knowledge is very apt.

I just don't see what they actually DO that is HARMFUL. I don't. I don't get it. I've never felt unbelievers were any threat to me. I've only ever been upset by unbelievers a very few times if ever, over the years, and that's ONLY if they were aggressive, hostile and rude, AND EVEN WHEN THEY WERE they for SURE they were NO WORSE than opinionated, angry, hard-core sectarian believers who push their religion.

And they, the nonbelievers I mean, didn't take anything from me in reality, nor change my basic assumptions through their unbelief alone.
Nor did they threaten me with afterlife punishment for not agreeing with their theology. (as believers in some faith traditions and sects do)
To most nonbelievers they just think there is nothing after you die. Like that's literally all they say if pressed on the matter.

Try the following metaphor: (which is based on an amalgamation of memories of some vision impaired colleagues from many years ago)
This is not too far off of some biblical references to physical blindness as a metaphor for spiritual blindness:

In the following metaphor, made up by me, the vision impaired colleagues are stand-ins for unbelievers.
The food truck is a stand in for any emissary you may wish.
The sun in this little parable a stand in for the Source.

My colleagues with visual impairments cannot see the food truck coming at lunchtime, but someone can still get them food off of the truck, and the food truck doesn't disappear because the vision-impaired coworkers say they don't know what color the truck is.

The fully blind colleagues cannot see the sun. They may feel the warmth and eat the vegetables that grow in the sun. So the blind colleagues merely deny that light is a property of the sun, as they have no point of reference. Now, them saying that has no bearing on my ability to see the sun rise and set, doesn't stop me from seeing quite well in broad daylight, and easily making out the full spectrum of colors in natural light too.

Basically, when the blind person doubts the existence of light, the sun doesn't suddenly go dark. The blind person cannot see the light, they say so, and it does nothing against the power of the sun at all.

Based on this, I contend: When non believers engage in so-called "negating" the source, their words are utterly harmless at worst.
If you think otherwise, please explain.

 

[rocala]

Based on this, I contend: When non believers engage in so-called "negating" the source, their words are utterly harmless at worst.

I agree. What tends to be forgotten is that many unbelievers were once believers. Many unbelievers will become believers. The difference between the two can simply be a matter of time.

I prefer to see beliefs or the lack of, as a part of our rich process of human and personal development.

 

[Aupmanyav]

Without that knowledge, we are a parasitic plant, taking of the good for personal reasons, not for gratitue and thankfulness of God.

What is the evidence of your One God? This question has been asked a million times, but remains without an answer.
Also of your God-sent 'manifestations'.

 

[TheLightWithin]

What is the evidence of your One God? This question has been asked a million times, but remains without an answer.
Also of your God-sent 'manifestations'.

I don't know either. I got my theology from other people. Either from hearing them speak or reading what they wrote.

From dreams I had? Maybe. But that is all contextualized into what you have read or heard.

Everybody gets their theology from other people

The following link is bible and religion scholar Dan McClellan on "x" (erstwhile twitter) responding to someone named Dale Partridge, who is a pastor and evangelist and I think maybe a theologian. What Pastor Partridge doesnt seem to be considering is all the many, many believers over the millennia who didn't have books or could not read. I think Dr McClellan is correct, that people get their theology from other people, by and large.
And of course the bible was brought to you by other people. And the scriptures of all the world's religions, and the prophecies, were brought to us courtesy of other people.

And things you hear make sense or do not, you are convinced or not convinced, or partially convinced, as the case may be.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1875642182021120095

(admittedly I don't know the larger context if they two are having a larger dialogue)

 

[TheLightWithin]

But all I can say is this:
For one reason or another, what I have heard of theology over the last half century, I find some of it convincing.
Some theology I find horribly unconvincing, but I find some of it convincing. Or at least plausible.
Everything new I learn about world religions and their theories is fascinating to me.
And I just cannot stop speculating.
Cannot stop being fascinated by the speculations or outright claims of others, and trying to find out more about what *people* think.
Always interesting in more of those ideas that might make some sense. (often ideas found in Judaism, for me)

I guess my upbringing prepared me for something like that.
In its own way, it was a gift.

We do indeed get our theology from other people.
Rarely directly from the source
But those who report they are getting their information from the source
Certainly have provided some material for us to mull over.

 

[Aupmanyav]

I rejected all Hindu theology except 'Advaita' (non-duality, which is philosophy and not a theology, it does not require belief in God or soul) because it goes with science.

 

[Craz]

I'm still having trouble understanding the parasite metaphor. Esp with the idea that the host (which is the host? God? Believers?) is somehow harmed. But I do not see how they (either God or gods, or spirits, or believing people) are harmed by nonbelievers simply existing.

I didn't understand it at first because I couldn't believe what I was reading.
However, after re-reading, I see that I did get it.
What the metaphor says is that atheists are like parasites, i.e. sucking the sustenance from God but denying the giver.

This teaching is hateful and prejudicial towards atheists. It is a hateful metaphor.

 

[TheLightWithin]

I didn't understand it at first because I couldn't believe what I was reading.
However, after re-reading, I see that I did get it.
What the metaphor says is that atheists are like parasites, i.e. sucking the sustenance from God but denying the giver.

This teaching is hateful and prejudicial towards atheists. It is a hateful metaphor.

Indeed.
But also false, as atheists don't harm anybody just by being atheists.
The only thing I could think of is that some believers get really upset when they realize other people aren't believers.
I don't quite understand the mindset - I guess I got used to different beliefs pretty early in life.
I'm trying to remember and I'm sure I had some experiences where someone else's beliefs or nonbeliefs set my teeth on edge, but I can't remember specifics clearly enough to elucidate.
I still am not sure how the nonbeliever in any way shape or form "strangles" the tree, as in the metaphor.
It would be like saying G-d died and vanished because of nonbelief or something and I don't know what the evidence is for that.

 

[Aupmanyav]

The only thing I could think of is that some believers get really upset when they realize other people aren't believers.

And then they gnash their teeth and start abusing, though they claim that they are for peace and universal brotherhood. Very funny.

 

[Tony Bristow-Stagg]

I just don't see how nonbelievers damage the host in any way shape or form.
I don't see how they are able to.

They harm themselves by killing off the host.

It is a spiritual metephor, one can not kill God.

There is also many levels, from minor to major.

If one dives deep into the Baha'i Writings, one can fund many passages that are a challenge to us, a challenge to all godless thought.

Atheist | Bahá’í Quotes

bahaiquotes.com

The Bible reflects much the same

https://www.kingjamesbibleonline.org/Bible-Verses-About-Atheism/

It challenges us to understand we are responsible for our actions and will be held accountable for them. It is everyone's free will choice.

Regards Tony

 

[Tony Bristow-Stagg]

And then they gnash their teeth and start abusing, though they claim that they are for peace and universal brotherhood. Very funny.

I have absolutely no ill will toward you or anyone, I can only share what I'd already recorded. The metephor was mine, I just saw it did reflect what was already written.

It is indeed a challenge God has given, but it is your choice to see it as you choose.

Stay well, stay happy, and that is genuine, Regards Tony

 

[TheLightWithin]

They harm themselves by killing off the host.

What is killed? What host is killed, in this metaphor?

but it is your choice to see it as you choose.

Well, people don't necessarily choose how they see things. Sometimes we can't help how something "lands" for us - based so much on our brains, how we process information, and our history (learning history, personal history, etc).

Our ACTIONS, we choose.

Stay well, stay happy, and that is genuine, Regards Tony

 

[Tony Bristow-Stagg]

What is killed? What host is killed, in this metaphor?

Well, people don't necessarily choose how they see things. Sometimes we can't help how something "lands" for us - based so much on our brains, how we process information, and our history (learning history, personal history, etc).

Our ACTIONS, we choose.

The metephor is about our spiritual journey.

What is killed in this metephor is the person feeding off thier spiritual potential, as they have not become alive in the spirit. In the material world both the host and parasitic plant die.

So in the metephor the host is our spiritual potential that is being fed off, but without connection to the source of that potential, that potential dies and so does the one feeding off it. (Let the dead bury the dead)

God is just, compassionate, all merciful and forgiving. Thus we are all judged as such, nature, nurture and our given chances are all written on Tablets of Chrysolite.

It is hard for is to submit, to become a willing slave/servant, a lifelong journey for most of us.

What is of interest to me is those that were given a great spiritual station, were lighted by faith, burnt like a bright light and then went, all is a short existence.

This story may interest you.

Thomas Breakwell

Regards Tony

 

[Craz]

The metephor is about our spiritual journey.

What is killed in this metephor is the person feeding off thier spiritual potential, as they have not become alive in the spirit. In the material world both the host and parasitic plant die.

So in the metephor the host is our spiritual potential that is being fed off, but without connection to the source of that potential, that potential dies and so does the one feeding off it. (Let the dead bury the dead)

God is just, compassionate, all merciful and forgiving. Thus we are all judged as such, nature, nurture and our given chances are all written on Tablets of Chrysolite.

It is hard for is to submit, to become a willing slave/servant, a lifelong journey for most of us.

What is of interest to me is those that were given a great spiritual station, were lighted by faith, burnt like a bright light and then went, all is a short existence.

This story may interest you.

Thomas Breakwell

Regards Tony

What is killed in this metephor is the person feeding off thier spiritual potential, as they have not become alive in the spirit. In the material world both the host and parasitic plant die.

The only difference between a theist and an atheist is one of belief. Belief or non-belief exists only in the mind.
So a living, breathing person functions in exactly the same way, what ever thoughts they may have. You use the phrase 'alive in the spirit' to imply non-believers are missing something.
Everyone has potential from just being alive. What you call spiritual potential, is not anything different except in your mind.

So in the metephor the host is our spiritual potential that is being fed off, but without connection to the source of that potential, that potential dies and so does the one feeding off it. (Let the dead bury the dead).

Without connection the source of our lives, we are dead.
Do you really think you have a better life-connection that a non-believer?
(Let the dead bury the dead). So are you saying that non-believers should be regarded as dead?.

God is just, compassionate, all merciful and forgiving. Thus we are all judged as such, nature, nurture and our given chances are all written on Tablets of Chrysolite..

Justice, compassion, mercy and forgiveness are found with ourselves. I have been a meditator for over 50 years and have found this to be true. For over 20 of those years I was a strong theist. Becoming a non-theist hasn't change how I experience life.
I do not believe there is any judge, other than ourselves.

 

[TheLightWithin]

Tablets of Chrysolite.

Can you say more about this? I looked it up, I get it is a Baha'i teaching? Is it like "the book of life" or "the Akashic record" or something else?