In another thread, it was mentioned that in Islam it is believed that God has, over time, sent 124,000 prophets to spread His message. I don't know if other revealed religions concur as to the number, but I do know that they all suppose that the Word of God is disseminated in this fashion -- through prophets selected by God Himself specifically for the task. Presumably (as mentioned in the original post), these prophets spread "the message" to the whole world.

Now, if God can talk directly to 124,000 individuals (or whatever the number is), why can He not talk to every individual? Why is it necessary for God to get His message out to the whole world using these very earthly intermediaries? Because, as we have surely seen, the inevitable result is that God's message gets garbled, everybody understands it differently (otherwise why so many faiths and sects?), and religions and nations war against and kill one another because of it.

This would be, in my view, a very good reason to suppose that if anybody is sending these messengers in this peculiar fashion, it would not be an entity I could legitimately think of as "God."

So, why would an omnipotent God choose such a sure-to-fail method?

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evangelicalhumanist: Greek "eu"=good and "angelos"=messenger. Spreading the good news of Humanism.

Good post evangelicalhumanist!

I think that this is holding many back from stepping up to the plate. Me myself I don't believe in prophets. I believe God speaks to everyone, all the time. I think some people think God speaks only with a loud deep voice, but my experience has been that God speaks to me through feelings, through others, through animals, through a song. In order to hear God is simply to become aware of what we are experiencing in our life, become aware of what is being brought to your attention. God is not somewhere out there, God is right smack in the middle of your life.


When you turn away from seeking outside of your life, you will find Life.

On the money, EH.

Evangelical wrote:

In another thread, it was mentioned that in Islam it is believed that God has, over time, sent 124,000 prophets to spread His message. I don't know if other revealed religions concur as to the number, but I do know that they all suppose that the Word of God is disseminated in this fashion -- through prophets selected by God Himself specifically for the task. Presumably (as mentioned in the original post), these prophets spread "the message" to the whole world.

My response:

Baha'is believe God has sent countless Prophets and Manifestations of God throughout the universe... God has chosen to reveal Himself through His messengers. He has chosen beings who are born into this world who experience the limitations and conditions of their time and rise above them...

Evangelical:

Now, if God can talk directly to 124,000 individuals (or whatever the number is), why can He not talk to every individual? Why is it necessary for God to get His message out to the whole world using these very earthly intermediaries?

My reply:

People are inspired in their personal lives by God but the conditions of their inspiration are usually limited to certain areas.. Actually all creation reflects the attributes of God in some way similar the work of an artist refelcts in some ways the personality or characterf of an artist.

We Baha'is look on it this way... A mirror has to be polished to reflect the light..so as people we have to scrub and polish our hearts to begin to try to reflect some of the attributes of God. A Manifestation of God such as say Moses or Jesus reflects these attributes of God without any effort on Their part.

Evangelical:

Because, as we have surely seen, the inevitable result is that God's message gets garbled, everybody understands it differently (otherwise why so many faiths and sects?), and religions and nations war against and kill one another because of it.

My reply:

Yes mankind does distort, abuse and exploit God's Message and that's the reasaon new Prophets are sent...to correct and restore the spiritual message that can get lost over time... but overall I believe humanity progresses and reaches new plateaus of community and ethical developement.

Evangelical:

This would be, in my view, a very good reason to suppose that if anybody is sending these messengers in this peculiar fashion, it would not be an entity I could legitimately think of as "God."

So, why would an omnipotent God choose such a sure-to-fail method?

My reply:

A "sure-to-fail method" that has produced civilizations and excellerated the advancement of humanity is not a failure in my view.

- Art

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"it benefits us to be thoughtful, not of the glory of our minds, but rather, above all else, of the glory of God."
- Johannes Kepler

The prophets were not capable of anything we are not. The are not exceptions but examples of what we are all capable of. The great masters or prophets did not choose to be exalted above anyone. Humans chose to do this because they are not aware of their own capabilities. Even Jesus said "as you believe so shall you do" "ye of little faith, how long will I be with you". He was implying that we are capable of everything and an heir to higher consciousness just as he was. He called of children of God as he was. God or higher consciousness speaks to anyon who bothers to get in touch with their true self. Jesus said heaven is with you. Meaning the knowledge and peace and everything we need is part of us if only we would look for it. "knock and it will be open unto you" Buddha also said the same types of things only in different words as did Baha'u'llah and the other great "prophets". Even with Baha'u'llah it is obvious he did not want us worshiping or putting him on a pedestal. Baha'is cannot even have pictures of him for this reason. So the ultimate mind or consciousness does not speak to a limited number of people..they have been the ones most connected to our source and listened more clearly so to speak.

Dear Art,
you wrote:

Baha'is believe God has sent countless Prophets and Manifestations of God throughout the universe... God has chosen to reveal Himself through His messengers. He has chosen beings who are born into this world who experience the limitations and conditions of their time and rise above them...

I don't know anything about Baha'is. Could you please explain: Do Baha'is believe in Prophets and in manifestations of God or do Baha'is believe a Prophet IS a manifestion of God?
Also, is not everyone born into this world given the same opportunity to experience the limitations and conditions of their time and rise above them?

Maybe we were meant to have people of different beliefs and sects, just like we have people of different races who speak different languages. Maybe diveresity was part of God's plan and we messed it up by claiming that only one way could be the right way. Someone here (sorry, I don't remember who) posted that all paths lead to God, eventually. I think that person is right, and we are the ones with a problem thinking that only one path can be correct.

I beleive it was me. I compare life to a mountain with many paths going up it. I agree completely with what you said!!

I agree that prophets aren't capable of more than any human being. I think in a sense we are all our own prophet. In other words we can dig deep into ourselves for our own truth. I see prophets as people who found some answers within themselves and tried to pass it off as everyone's truth. Maybe each prophet should say "here is the truth as I see it., Here is my truth."

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Wonderful perception!!!