lockjonathon

I have been considering the Bahai faith. Bahai accepts the teachings of many of the famous religious leaders including Jesus, Buddha, and Mohammad. I had read much of the literature related to these teachings, which is far from popular opinion and the media say they are, as well as far from what the practitioners do today. Today people reject the messages given by those like Buddha, Jesus, and other spiritual leaders for individuals that many times pay for people to act healed (Benny Hin) or just make a business out of the tithing, as if it was the best investment plan in history (my wife's old church). That being said I had already read many books, including Vedas as well, when I found another Abrahamic religion: Bahai. To the Muslims Bahai is apostasy, but they reject all that is not Quran and much of the teachings that is Quran; mostly, much like Christian Prosperity messages mainstream Muslim teachings are gearing toward jihad; unfortunately even the Christians hail the soldiers as heroes at the church and send their young men to die; are we really that different? I spent some time searching other religions but in the end it all came to down to three or four things: We reap what we sow and do unto others as you would have others do unto you; Jihad was originally taught as 'striving with ones money and oneself for righteousness' and not war; and karma. If we did to others what we wished done to use, wouldn't be more righteous and therefore have good karma? And this reaping/sowing/striving/karmic relationship with each other, ourselves, and creation, wouldn't that symbionic relationship between each other and karma lead us in the direction of thoughts of monism and mutual benefits/harms for the actions we facilitate? Bahai supports the teachings of all religious leaders; Jewish, Christian, Buddhist, Muslim, Hindu, Shamanic, and others while searching and hoping for advancements in religions. Isn't it time we move on past this stale, stagnant state of hatred and bloodshed we have been in since the time of the Roman Empire?

As with most situations I usually respond to specific environmental variables. I have met people that wanted to talk about their crisis and I have also met people that just wanted someone to hang out with to distract them from it. Some people wish to ignore the problem, and some others wish to solve it, while other problems both ignoring and solving are not options. I think the best way to handle a crisis is to try to make the person in crisis feel better. If that requires buying them a coffee, or a beer, or just going for a walk, or giving them a hug...for every individual person there is an individual form of comfort that is most effective. Most of all it is important to show those we care about that we care about them and to show those we don't know compassion, if not empathy.