Question to all

Dear Arthra,

Thank you for your kind reply. I have only perused Bahai and I will give it a good look see. Can you tell me if it contains any beliefs that Christianity, Islam and Judaism do NOT contain? I know it is different or no one would have bothered to create it. But my question is: What makes it any different from any other world religion other than beliefs that it espouses that the others do not?

Peace and love,
Pilgram

Reply:

Your question:

"What makes it any different from any other world religion other than beliefs that it espouses that the others do not"?

There is a central core of beliefs that we share with earlier dispensations...

The difference in my opinion is that the Baha'i Faith relates to issues facing humanity today... So our principles relate to current problems like war, racism, class prejudice and sexism in a much more specific way and we have a "blue print" or plan based on our principles that was revealed by Baha'u'llah well over a hundred years ago!

Baha'is accept that there needs to be a world government based on a parliamentary and federal system and a world court to enforce the laws.

We believe a world currency and agreed upon auxiliary language for the peoples of the earth are also needed.

Baha'is believe in recognizing the oneness of humanity and abolishing race prejudice.

We support reducing the extremes of wealth and poverty through a fair graduated income tax as well as profit sharing and providing universal education for children everywhere.

Further we support recognizing the full equality of men and women by seeing that women receive as good an education as men and that they have equal employment opportunity....

Some countries have already adopted some of these principles and Baha'is are encouragng the adoption of more of these principles all the time.

Most people who lived a hundred years ago would have dismissed these principles as utopian and impractical, but today, thanks be to God, they are being taken seriously.

So a very strong commitment to ending inequality, prejudice and racism forms a major part of Baha'i life....

We also unlike other religions accept the divine origin of other faiths and we recognize earlier scriptures as being inspired.

At the same time there are also special laws and ordinances that Baha'is follow that are unique to the Baha'i Faith.

There's not much space here to go into that here, but Baha'is have a unique calendar and observe their own Holy Days. We also have an elective administrative order from the local level to the international level and we have no ordained clergy or priests.

So these are I think some of the unique characteristics of the Baha'i Faith.

- Art
 
Comfort in number

If I were to start life again and start without any religion, but like a Martian (and assuming that Martians don't practice any religions whatever) observing the numerosity and diversity of religions on earth, I think I would go for Baha'i. But I would not identify myself as an adherent of its founder; and I won't call myself a Baha'ist. I would just give the Baha'i founder the credit for expounding some to me very good ideas for men to live and work together.

But right now I am a postgraduate Catholic, an autonomous religionist, more comfortable with the Christian God and His Son and Messenger, Jesus, all the time however reserving my freedom of choice in matters of beliefs and observances.

Brian says not to proselytize here. Hope I am not proselytizing; but in my own vannity -- please excuse me, though -- I like to talk about my own religious ideas and to read others' who might be running parallel lines to mine in their religious ideas and practices or devotions.

A kind of comfort in number? But then didn't someone who was a big success in money-making tell us: There's a sucker born every minute?


Susma Rio Sep
 
Is anyone listening?

Greetings to All,

I appreciate everyone's love for their concept of god and it is understandable that many are overflowing with that love and so can't help but share with me their favorite dogma of their favorite religions.

Please don't think me harsh, but you are not answering my question. You have done a remarkable job of answering questions I have not asked.

My question is easy. Perhaps the answer is too difficult to know.

I am interested in ONLY the agreed upon beliefs (dogma) of the major religions of the world. I am looking for a systematic study (if one exists) that clearly shows what dogma is AGREED upon by ALL major religions. For example, I would think that if such a study has been conducted, that it would show that all major religions believe in peace. Perhaps the Church of Satan would not, but that is why I said "major religions." I would expect to find that all major religions believe in tolerance and love, mercy and justice and on and on like that.

I am not interested in knowing which prophet or incarnation of god is most revered since that is something that would DIFFER from religion to religion.

So again: Does anyone know of a scholarly systematic study of the major world religions showing the AGREED upon beliefs?

Perhaps someone could suggest a different forum within this website that may be read by those in a better position to answer my question? If anyone knows where that forum might be, please offer your suggestions.

Thanks to All and Peace and Love,
Pilgram
 
Pilgram wrote:

My question is easy. Perhaps the answer is too difficult to know.

I am interested in ONLY the agreed upon beliefs (dogma) of the major religions of the world. I am looking for a systematic study (if one exists) that clearly shows what dogma is AGREED upon by ALL major religions.

My reply:

Well Pilgram I'm not aware of a single academic study that "shows what dogma is AGREED upon by ALL major religions."

Baha'is believe there is a single spiritual Source of the major religions but some of the "dogmas" that have grown up around the original teachings are we believe man-made and there are historical and cultural reasons for this sometimes.

There was a World Parliament of Religions that meet around 1993 that might have contributed more in this area...It was am anniversary meeting of the original meeting in 1893 at the Chicago World's Fair where the Baha'i Faith was first mentioned in America I believe.

There are very well informed writers though that have shown how similar religions and mythological traditions are and off hand i would say Joseph Campbell has done this remarkably well.

Geoffrey Parrinder is another author and i would suggest his "Avatar and Incarnation, The Divine in Human Form in the World's Religions". He does an excellent job I think except that he overlooked the Baha'i concept of the Manifestation of God.

I think Raimundo Pannikkar should be mentioned. He is Professor of Religious Studies at UC Santa Barbara and has written extensively comparing Christian and Hindu belief systems.

Louis Massignon has also been known for his "transcultural sympathy" and has led the way in establishing dialogue between Moslems and Christians.

There are also I'm sure other authors, but these stand out in my mind.

- Art
 
Pilgram said:
So again: Does anyone know of a scholarly systematic study of the major world religions showing the AGREED upon beliefs?
Click to expand...
I'm not sure of any actual scholastic works - perhaps another member can answer (to be honest, you may be better off asking more precisely on the Comparative Studies board here, rather than in the introductions board). :)

My personal observation is that you can get major religious and spiritual beliefs to agree on only two principles in majority (and not all subscribe to these):

1/ That there is a greater Divinity at work in the Universe
2/ That compassion is the way of being (ie, the Golden Rule of the philosophers - "Do unto others as you would have done to yourself").

I believe we may have touched upon that issue implictly on the thread The Twin Pillars of Wisdom and this was further referenced from a Christian perspective in the thread The Two Commandments.

Hope that begins to help - but like I say, probably best to post explicitly faith/belief orientated questions on the other boards here, where they are more likely to be noticed by a fuller range of members. :)
 
Thank you, arthra and Brian. I will try the other forum approach.

Love and peace,
Pilgram
 
WHAT "GOD BIT"?

Greetings Friend Vajradhara,

You say:
other than the God bit... i'm in complete agreement with you...
Click to expand...

I do not know what you mean by the "God bit"? I would be interested in your meaning. If you think I have any hard and fast beliefs about GOD, I don't. What I have are only thoughts, ideas, hopes and "working theories." I believe there is a GOD but I don't go any farther with attempting to describe or limit GOD. I have no idea what, if any, things GOD wants us to do or not do.

To keep things simple for myself, I try to equate GOD as, at least, GOODNESS, TRUTH, BEAUTY, LOVE, JUSTICE, PEACE, COMPASSION, and whatever other related virtues one cares to include. I have no idea whether GOD even cares about what we eat, drink, inject, inhale, suck, lick, smell ... you get the picture.

What, if any, thoughts do you have about GOD? If you care to share these with me please keep them simple. I'm a simple man.

Love and Peace,
Pilgram
 
Namaste Pilgram,

thank you for the post

Pilgram said:
Greetings Friend Vajradhara,

You say:


I do not know what you mean by the "God bit"? I would be interested in your meaning. If you think I have any hard and fast beliefs about GOD, I don't. What I have are only thoughts, ideas, hopes and "working theories." I believe there is a GOD but I don't go any farther with attempting to describe or limit GOD. I have no idea what, if any, things GOD wants us to do or not do.
Click to expand...

oh... i meant this bit....

"It is my belief that GOD and the many prophets and teachers who have been inspired by GOD, would want fewer committees and theological studies, debates and degrees and more DOING of the work of the Spirit. But until we put aside our differences, we will have a lot less time and energy to help people who really need help."

and, i meant to indicate, that other than this paragraph, i agree with your posting.

if you'd like... we can discuss God, god and all that sort of thing... though it would probably be more appropriate in the Comparative Studies forum, don't you think?
 
Greetings Vajradhara,



You write:
you'd like... we can discuss God, god and all that sort of thing... though it would probably be more appropriate in the Comparative Studies forum, don't you think?
Click to expand...

I am new to discussions at websites. I will attempt to continue my thoughts at the suggested Comp. St. forum.

Thank you for your suggestion

Peace and Love,
Pilgram
 
The comparative studies board is just a sub-area of this forum - it is simply a recommended place for discussion because there are a lot of members who do not usually check through the Introductions board. :)
 
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