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They also claim that Krsna was also 'a manifestation of God', as well as Moses, Jesus, Muhammed and others.
This causes some consternation(to say the least),
1.by Jews & Muslims for saying that Moses & Muhammed were 'manifestations of God'
2.by Krishna devotees, for saying Krshna was not the incarnation of God.
They also claim the Buddha as a manifestation.
They're trying to weave together religions which can have thousands of gods with religions that have one god with a religion (?) that has no gods.
It's an admirable endeavor but I think they may have bitten off more than they can chew.
They're trying to weave together religions which can have thousands of gods with religions that have one god with a religion (?) that has no gods.
It's an admirable endeavour but I think they may have bitten off more than they can chew.
Which religion are you referring to? I always thought Bahais are strictly monotheistic(re: the Abrahamic god).
Regarding their admirable endeavour , I agree with you, starting any new religion cannot be easy, especially taking on all the so-called revealed religions.
Since there is no way to fit in a discussion of the Bahai religion in other subgroups, I am posting here to start a discussion about the emergence, beliefs, and splits among the Bahai. One of the teachings of the main Bahai group was the unification of all religions. But how can that be accomplished in their own backyard for the last 100 years or more they haven't been able to accomplish it?
As it happens, there were smaller movements that disagreed with the larger one. When Mirza Hussein Ali (known as Baha'u'llah) was in prison with other followers of the Bab (who was executed as a revolutionary several years earlier) he claimed to have been visited by a divine being who revealed to him that he was the promised successor of the Bab (Mirza Ali Muhammad). Hussein Ali only revealed this information to a select few for about 10 years, while his stepbrother, Mirza Yahya Nuri, known as Subh-i-Azal, was the original leader. Eventually most of the community of Babis accepted the leadership of Baha'u'llah while a minority continued to follow Subh-i-Azal. They still exist in Iran and are known as Azalis or Babis. They reject the entire Bahai system and follow only the teachings of the Bab and Subh-i-Azal, who did not claim he was the second Messiah like Baha'u'llah did. There is a website that discusses this at www.bayanic.com.
Things didn't end there. When Baha'u'llah died there was a division between the followers of his second son, Abdul Baha and his elder brother Muhammad Ali. Eventually these other followers were distanced from the Bahai. There is a website that discusses this which calls itself Unitarian Bahai. Then upon the death of the official head, Abdul Baha, there were disputes whether or not he appointed his grandson, Ghoshi Effendi as his official successor. The ones who opposed Ghoshi Effendi were called Free Bahai. People who call themselves Free Bahai today have a website. Then there are those who were disputing with one another upon the death of Ghoshi Effendi. Some called themselves Orthodox Bahai (with websites) and followed a senior Bahai official, Mason Remey, who claimed that he was the heir to Ghoshi Effendi as the Second Guardian. The main group rejected that this happened, and say that the position of Guardian no longer exists. Other groups sprouted up after Mason Remey and have websites.
As it happens, there were smaller movements that disagreed with the larger one. When Mirza Hussein Ali (known as Baha'u'llah) was in prison with other followers of the Bab (who was executed as a revolutionary several years earlier) he claimed to have been visited by a divine being who revealed to him that he was the promised successor of the Bab (Mirza Ali Muhammad). Hussein Ali only revealed this information to a select few for about 10 years, while his stepbrother, Mirza Yahya Nuri, known as Subh-i-Azal, was the original leader. Eventually most of the community of Babis accepted the leadership of Baha'u'llah while a minority continued to follow Subh-i-Azal. They still exist in Iran and are known as Azalis or Babis. They reject the entire Bahai system and follow only the teachings of the Bab and Subh-i-Azal, who did not claim he was the second Messiah like Baha'u'llah did. There is a website that discusses this at www.bayanic.com.
Things didn't end there. When Baha'u'llah died there was a division between the followers of his second son, Abdul Baha and his elder brother Muhammad Ali. Eventually these other followers were distanced from the Bahai. There is a website that discusses this which calls itself Unitarian Bahai. Then upon the death of the official head, Abdul Baha, there were disputes whether or not he appointed his grandson, Ghoshi Effendi as his official successor. The ones who opposed Ghoshi Effendi were called Free Bahai. People who call themselves Free Bahai today have a website. Then there are those who were disputing with one another upon the death of Ghoshi Effendi. Some called themselves Orthodox Bahai (with websites) and followed a senior Bahai official, Mason Remey, who claimed that he was the heir to Ghoshi Effendi as the Second Guardian. The main group rejected that this happened, and say that the position of Guardian no longer exists. Other groups sprouted up after Mason Remey and have websites.
Well, it seem the fundy/militant think types got a hold of them too.
The Bahai system of Baha'u'llah always advocated and advocates unity of religions, but they can't seem to establish it in their own movement.
The idea of multiple manifestations throughout religions was initiated by Baha'u'llah, not the Bab, and developed I guess by Shoghi Effendi who was identified as the infallible "First Guardian" of the faith. Not unlike the Imam of a particular Shi'a sect, such as the Ismailis.
Which religion are you referring to? I always thought Bahais are strictly monotheistic(re: the Abrahamic god).
Regarding their admirable endeavour , I agree with you, starting any new religion cannot be easy, especially taking on all the so-called revealed religions.
They're trying to weave together religions which can have thousands of gods with religions that have one god with a religion (?) that has no gods.
It's an admirable endeavor but I think they may have bitten off more than they can chew.
Sounds a tiny bit like what Thich Nhat Hanh has tried to do with linking aspects of christianity and Buddhism, which was very interesting, and a good platform from which to compare and contrast religions, but in my experience I didn't think the two meshed well.
They're trying to weave together religions which can have thousands of gods with religions that have one god with a religion (?) that has no gods.
It's an admirable endeavor but I think they may have bitten off more than they can chew.
To a non believer like myself they all look alike in end anyway. The magic may be different, but the process in forming a belief is the same. Jesus spoke against literal religion and Buddha did the same. They are both good starts IMO.
I do like the idea of looking to focus on the similarities.
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