Baha'i Returns Thread: Ask Any of Many Baha'i

[PRmerger]

…such as saying that Jesus was PHYSICALLY resurrected, yet Steve and 1 Corinthians both point out that they are not TRULY physical since it is a “spiritual body”…which last time I checked was not a “physical body”

Are these your reasoned explications?

Can you please point out the post in which Steve said that Jesus was not truly physically resurrected?

 

[Reuben_J]

Hi Reuben, I honour your sincerity and openness to declare how becoming a Catholic has affected your life. It is wonderful that when in the depths of despair one can find God and be propelled towards Him in a manner one may never have ever dreamt about.

I have on several occasions seen the same. A new person is brought into being. I once had a friend who told me his life story and he was in such despair it threatened his life, and upon finding Baha’u’llah he has pursued ALL that is good in life, all that comes from the showers of divine grace when one turns towards that Light. He changed his name from Steven to Quddus (a Baha’i historical hero). Name changing is very unusual in Baha’i circles when one declares their faith in Baha’u’llah, it is more commonly seen in Islam, but Quddus was moved to do the same

He never wished to be called Steve again since he said he has been endowed with a new heaven and a new earth in which he now resides in, and his new name will be Quddus, and so it was. There was not a dry eye in the room when he commenced his path of service towards his Lord, endowed with a new sight and a new spirit…that was 10 years ago, you should look at him now

My question, if I may is, were I to go to a Catholic church tomorrow and say that I wish to become a Catholic, what steps are taken? What exactly happens to me? Am I placed into any programs, prayer meetings, and would I participate in a baptism, Eucharist etc etc.?

Let me know what sorts of things I would be involved in during my first 6 months as a Catholic?

Happy for anyone to answer this question

Hi Servant. Thanks for being objective in your post. I would always be encouraged to hear of life changing story of people’s conversion. Of course my experience is more on the Catholic Church where I have seen how the hands of God touched them and led them into repentance in their lives. I also have known some Protestants who have similar experience though I knew very little about Baha’is.

On your question of how to become Catholic. Usually a person who wants to do so may has some encounters in whatever form that prompts him to look into Catholicism. Sometimes in this search he may be convinced that the Catholic Church is the true Church. This is what I often heard of Catholic converts, especially from ex-Protestants.

One can makes his feeling known to any Church leaders in a Catholic Church, not necessarily a priest unless one wants something clarified that ordinary Church members unable to. For an adult, the usual process is to enroll with the RCIA (Rite of Christian Initiation of Adult). This basically is to bring one through the Catholic faith by which at the end of it, it usually takes one year, one can make a decision whether to become Catholic or not.

RCIA is probably the most important one. Unless one is quite familiar with the Church teaching I would not advise praying meetings or other activities*, though these are helpful.

The Eucharist, and that I mean the Holy Communion, can only be partaken by a baptized Catholic. Thus before Baptism, one can attend the mass but not partake of the Communion. Usually the Catechumens (those intending to be Baptized) are given separate session during some part of the mass.

Once one is Baptized, then he will observe what any Catholic would do from day one. One does not have to wait six month, lol. As Catholic, one is expect to attend mass on day of obligation, that is Sundays and other days as specified by the Church, and to receive the Sacraments regularly, particularly the Sacraments of Confession and the Eucharist.

Hope that helps for starters. God bless.

Reuben

• It is good to join these activities but it is more ideal if someone perhaps from the RCIA to advise you or better still go with you at least initially. He/she may explain to you something which perhaps not yet covered in the RCIA.

 

[Servant19]

There is no need to be sarcastic, Servant. Sarcasm is the protest of the weak. I rarely use it.

My apologies, having re-read that sentence, it was not good wording. I was not intending to be sarcastic…but I would appreciate reasoned explication for why you believe the life of the soul from a Baha’i perspective is false…

 

[Servant19]

Can you please point out the post in which Steve said that Jesus was not truly physically resurrected?

Sure

Post #694, he said the following…

If you will look back at the posts on this subject you will see that we claim that a glorified body is a spiritual body capable of interacting with the physical world. It is certainly not a purely physical body but it has attributes of a physical body according to the will of the person

 

[Servant19]

Hi Servant. Thanks for being objective in your post. I would always be encouraged to hear of life changing story of people’s conversion. Of course my experience is more on the Catholic Church where I have seen how the hands of God touched them and led them into repentance in their lives. I also have known some Protestants who have similar experience though I knew very little about Baha’is.

On your question of how to become Catholic. Usually a person who wants to do so may has some encounters in whatever form that prompts him to look into Catholicism. Sometimes in this search he may be convinced that the Catholic Church is the true Church. This is what I often heard of Catholic converts, especially from ex-Protestants.

One can makes his feeling known to any Church leaders in a Catholic Church, not necessarily a priest unless one wants something clarified that ordinary Church members unable to. For an adult, the usual process is to enroll with the RCIA (Rite of Christian Initiation of Adult). This basically is to bring one through the Catholic faith by which at the end of it, it usually takes one year, one can make a decision whether to become Catholic or not.

RCIA is probably the most important one. Unless one is quite familiar with the Church teaching I would not advise praying meetings or other activities*, though these are helpful.

The Eucharist, and that I mean the Holy Communion, can only be partaken by a baptized Catholic. Thus before Baptism, one can attend the mass but not partake of the Communion. Usually the Catechumens (those intending to be Baptized) are given separate session during some part of the mass.

Once one is Baptized, then he will observe what any Catholic would do from day one. One does not have to wait six month, lol. As Catholic, one is expect to attend mass on day of obligation, that is Sundays and other days as specified by the Church, and to receive the Sacraments regularly, particularly the Sacraments of Confession and the Eucharist.

Hope that helps for starters. God bless.

Reuben

• It is good to join these activities but it is more ideal if someone perhaps from the RCIA to advise you or better still go with you at least initially. He/she may explain to you something which perhaps not yet covered in the RCIA.

Thankyou Reuben.

Once baptized then, what other things are Catholics encouraged to do, other than partake in the Eucharist and Confession?

 

[PRmerger]

My apologies, having re-read that sentence, it was not good wording. I was not intending to be sarcastic…but I would appreciate reasoned explication for why you believe the life of the soul from a Baha’i perspective is false…

Apologies accepted. And, no, I haven’t been to heaven yet to tell you what happens to the soul. But I know Someone who has.

Incidentally, if having to have “been there” is your criterion for knowing what happens to the soul after we die, I guess that rules out your prophet then,right?

 

[Servant19]

Apologies accepted. And, no, I haven’t been to heaven yet to tell you what happens to the soul. But I know Someone who has.

Incidentally, if having to have “been there” is your criterion for knowing what happens to the soul after we die, I guess that rules out your prophet then,right?

Not at all PR, Baha’u’llah’s knowledge stems from God:

“I was but a man like others, asleep upon My couch, when lo, the breezes of the All-Glorious were wafted over Me, and taught Me the knowledge of all that hath been. This thing is not from Me, but from One Who is Almighty and All-Knowing. And He bade Me lift up My voice between earth and heaven.”

He has been given ALL knowledge, yet He received no formal education.

So, what did Jesus say about the progress of the soul after death?
Do you have any explications at all?

 

[SteveVH]

Sure

Post #694, he said the following…

I hope you don’t mind if I interject here since this concerns my words. I have gone to great lengths to show you that Jesus resurrected body was, indeed, his physical body, complete with wounds in his hands, feet and side. We were then discussing the nature of the glorified, resurrected body which at the same time can eat food and walk through walls. The physical body has been raised to a new, supernatural state which is no longer subject to the laws of nature.

Here is the official explanation from the CCC (par 999):

"Christ is raised with his own body: ‘See my hands and my feet that it is myself’ (Lk 24:39) but he did not return to an earthly life. So, in him, ‘all of them will rise again with their own bodies which they now bear,’ but Christ ‘will change our lowly body to be like his glorious body’ into a ‘spiritual body’."

So please, do not construe my words as meaning something that they don’t.

 

[Servant19]

I hope you don’t mind if I interject here since this concerns my words. I have gone to great lengths to show you that Jesus resurrected body was, indeed, his physical body, complete with wounds in his hands, feet and side. We were then discussing the nature of the glorified, resurrected body which at the same time can eat food and walk through walls. The physical body has been raised to a new, supernatural state which is no longer subject to the laws of nature.

Here is the official explanation from the CCC (par 999):

"Christ is raised with his own body: ‘See my hands and my feet that it is myself’ (Lk 24:39) but he did not return to an earthly life. So, in him, ‘all of them will rise again with their own bodies which they now bear,’ but Christ ‘will change our lowly body to be like his glorious body’ into a ‘spiritual body’."

I don’t wish to pursue this matter further, but suffice it to say that there is a contradiction in that very quote you provided, if Catholics wish to persist on saying that the glorified body is the SAME as the physical body. They are not the same, CLEARLY.

The Day of Resurrection CREATES glorified bodies, just like Quddus in the post I wrote to Reuben in the previous page.

Quddus has been raised from the spiritually dead to the spiritually alive. His soul resides in the new heaven, and his body has been accordingly “glorified” since it now resides in the new earth.

Quddus still interacts with others on a physical level, yet the body is now animated with an incredibly potent soul which has spiritual insights he never dreamt of ever attaining.

That’s the last I will talk about glorified bodies etc. (its dragged on too long)

Thanks

 

[PRmerger]

I hope you don’t mind if I interject here since this concerns my words. I have gone to great lengths to show you that Jesus resurrected body was, indeed, his physical body, complete with wounds in his hands, feet and side. We were then discussing the nature of the glorified, resurrected body which at the same time can eat food and walk through walls. The physical body has been raised to a new, supernatural state which is no longer subject to the laws of nature.

Here is the official explanation from the CCC (par 999):

"Christ is raised with his own body: ‘See my hands and my feet that it is myself’ (Lk 24:39) but he did not return to an earthly life. So, in him, ‘all of them will rise again with their own bodies which they now bear,’ but Christ ‘will change our lowly body to be like his glorious body’ into a ‘spiritual body’."

So please, do not construe my words as meaning something that they don’t.

Yeah, that’s what I thought. I was waiting for you to respond. I thought that there was a high degree of disingenuousness being presented.

 

[Reuben_J]

Thankyou Reuben.

Once baptized then, what other things are Catholics encouraged to do, other than partake in the Eucharist and Confession?

Hi. Basically that would be living a Christian life. There is much to be said on this but then basically it is to avoid sin and live like Jesus and be part of Church.

A few things that I say here short of giving you a teaching. Lol.

1. Be faithful to the Church’s teaching and the word of God (Bible).
2. Partake in the Sacraments regularly. Try to improve personal holiness. Repent when you fall, it is an ongoing process. We are weak but God will strengthen us and the Sacraments are graces.
3. Have a good personal prayer life.
4. Involving in work of charity would help but if not just try to love, be charitable especially to the less fortunate. There are lots of avenues in the Church to do this.
5. Be obedient, submit to the Church’s authority.
6. Put importance to the family. It is the domestic Church. Everybody has a role there. If you are husband or father, you are expected to lead the family in thought, word and action, to holiness and God’ centered.
7. Be involved in the Church’s activities and wherever possible in your capacity, serve the Church and her people. You can use you money, talent and time.
8. Though not obligated, you can join any prayer devotion to enhance your prayer life.

Point #1 would cover almost everything. Maybe you can add to the list.

 

[Servant19]

Hi. Basically that would be living a Christian life. There is much to be said on this but then basically it is to avoid sin and live like Jesus and be part of Church.

A few things that I say here short of giving you a teaching. Lol.

1. Be faithful to the Church’s teaching and the word of God (Bible).
2. Partake in the Sacraments regularly. Try to improve personal holiness. Repent when you fall, it is an ongoing process. We are weak but God will strengthen us and the Sacraments are graces.
3. Have a good personal prayer life.
4. Involving in work of charity would help but if not just try to love, be charitable especially to the less fortunate. There are lots of avenues in the Church to do this.
5. Be obedient, submit to the Church’s authority.
6. Put importance to the family. It is the domestic Church. Everybody has a role there. If you are husband or father, you are expected to lead the family in thought, word and action, to holiness and God’ centered.
7. Be involved in the Church’s activities and wherever possible in your capacity, serve the Church and her people. You can use you money, talent and time.
8. Though not obligated, you can join any prayer devotion to enhance your prayer life.

Point #1 would cover almost everything. Maybe you can add to the list.

Thanks for this Reuben.

As I suspected, there is EVERY reason for the coming of Baha’u’llah. You say you do not need Baha’u’llah, I would suggest that all Catholics NEED Baha’u’llah.

What the Baha’i community is currently doing now throughout the globe, will have most Catholics in awe…

I encourage you to delve deeper at what Baha’is actually do today, according to the guidance of the Baha’i Writings.

I would suggest a study of the materials at www.ruhi.org will be a good starting point, especially the section on “Conceptual Framework”

God bless

 

[PRmerger]

Thanks for this Reuben.

As I suspected, there is EVERY reason for the coming of Baha’u’llah. You say you do not need Baha’u’llah, I would suggest that all Catholics NEED Baha’u’llah.

What the Baha’i community is currently doing now throughout the globe, will have most Catholics in awe…

I encourage you to delve deeper at what Baha’is actually do today, according to the guidance of the Baha’i Writings.

I would suggest a study of the materials at www.ruhi.org will be a good starting point

God bless

I am curious as to how what Reuben posted prompts the comment that we need Baha’u’llah.

 

[SteveVH]

I don’t wish to pursue this matter further, but suffice it to say that there is a contradiction in that very quote you provided, if Catholics wish to persist on saying that the glorified body is the SAME as the physical body. They are not the same, CLEARLY.

The Day of Resurrection CREATES glorified bodies, just like Quddus in the post I wrote to Reuben in the previous page.

Quddus has been raised from the spiritually dead to the spiritually alive. His soul resides in the new heaven, and his body has been accordingly “glorified” since it now resides in the new earth.

Quddus still interacts with others on a physical level, yet the body is now animated with an incredibly potent soul which has spiritual insights he never dreamt of ever attaining.

That’s the last I will talk about glorified bodies etc. (its dragged on too long)

Thanks

I am really without words. Can Quddus walk through walls? Can he disappear at will? I believe he still lives in the same word in which we all live and there is nothing new about it. The Baha’i faith has bastardized the words of Christ and the testimony of eye witnesses to his resurrection. Another false teaching of the Baha’i faith. It wouldn’t be so bad if you just rejected the Christian Scriptures outright. But you profess to hold them as the word of God and then contradict them.

 

[Reuben_J]

Thanks for this Reuben.

As I suspected, there is EVERY reason for the coming of Baha’u’llah. You say you do not need Baha’u’llah, I would suggest that all Catholics NEED Baha’u’llah.

What the Baha’i community is currently doing now throughout the globe, will have most Catholics in awe…

I encourage you to delve deeper at what Baha’is actually do today, according to the guidance of the Baha’i Writings.

I would suggest a study of the materials at www.ruhi.org will be a good starting point, especially the section on “Conceptual Framework”

God bless

Hi Servant. So that’s the reason for the questions, which, honestly I thought you knew already.

As I already said and I made a stance here, and to your invitation, thanks, but no thanks.

I don’t dispute that Baha’is don’t do good things which Catholics would find admirable. But so too are other religions and charitable organizations.

But Baha’i is not Catholicism. The spiritual dimension that governs us differs. I cannot be a Catholic and also a Baha’i but I can work with you in many things to do good as I could with any organizations depending on my disposition and availability.

 

[SteveVH]

What the Baha’i community is currently doing now throughout the globe, will have most Catholics in awe…

You keep saying this. I have read the links you have posted and have yet to see anything extraordinary that has not already been done by others for centuries. Why can’t you just tell us in your own words what the Baha’i faith is doing now that will have us in awe? And why is it taking so long to reveal this great plan to the world?

 

[Servant19]

I don’t dispute that Baha’is don’t do good things which Catholics would find admirable. But so too are other religions and charitable organizations.

The Baha’i Faith is not a charitable endeavour in any way. It eduactes and empowers human beings to fulfil their God-given purpose

I cannot be a Catholic and also a Baha’i but I can work with you in many things to do good as I could with any organizations depending on my disposition and availability.

This is exactly what Baha’is are asking from other Faiths. Conversion to the Baha’i Faith is of significantly lesser importance than “walking together on a path of common service”

 

[Servant19]

You keep saying this. I have read the links you have posted and have yet to see anything extraordinary that has not already been done by others for centuries. Why can’t you just tell us in your own words what the Baha’i faith is doing now that will have us in awe? And why is it taking so long to reveal this great plan to the world?

It’s taking a long time simply because too many people in the world are so distracted and engrossed by the thick veils which they have surrounded themselves with.

As the Universal House of Justice wrote, only yesterday, to the long-suffering Baha’is of Iran:

“Moreover, you know well that establishing the Kingdom of God in this turbulent world is no easy task. It requires unshakeable faith, complete reliance on God, high endeavour, an indomitable spirit, constant striving, and infinite patience and long-suffering.”

I posted a video called “Frontiers of Learning” on this thread a while back. Can you tell which other religious organization is doing the same thing as what is being shown in that video?

 

[Reuben_J]

The Baha’i Faith is not a charitable endeavour in any way. It eduactes and empowers human beings to fulfil their God-given purpose

This is exactly what Baha’is are asking from other Faiths. Conversion to the Baha’i Faith is of significantly lesser importance than “walking together on a path of common service”

Servant, I hope I was being charitable by saying that I don’t dispute that Baha’is does good thing that Catholics may admire. Other than that I hope I had made clear that I do not believe in Baha’i nor do I hold it as the truth, I gave you my reason. Therefore to me the good it does is no different from any organizations that try to do so.

Catholics have engaged in some ecumenical activities where possible without endangering her principle. I think Bahai’s is still a long way to be in this category and I don’t think, considering the chasm in our respective belief, that it will ever happen unless it is in the form of charitable organization where individual believers can take part. As for me, no, I have my hands full as it is already now.

 

[SteveVH]

This is exactly what Baha’is are asking from other Faiths. Conversion to the Baha’i Faith is of significantly lesser importance than “walking together on a path of common service”

The Catholic Church already leads the world in the areas of taking care of the poor, educating the uneducated, providing health care, standing up for the dignity of every person and, most importantly, bringing the hope of Christ to the world. We are happy for you to join us in any of these endeavors. What, specifically, is the Baha’i faith doing that is so unique? I know we have been through this before but I am still waiting for an answer.