A Baha'i Conundrum (by invitation only)

[Trailblazer]

How can I know?

John 16:7.But I tell you the truth, it is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I go, I will send Him to you. 8 And He, when He comes, will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment; 9 concerning sin, because they do not believe in Me; 10 and concerning righteousness, because I go to the Father and you no longer see Me; 11 and concerning judgment, because the ruler of this world has been judged. 12 “I have many more things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. 13 But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth; for He will not speak on His own initiative, but whatever He hears, He will speak; and He will disclose to you what is to come. 14 He will glorify Me, for He will take of Mine and will disclose it to you. 15 All things that the Father has are Mine; therefore I said that He takes of Mine and will disclose it to you.

Jesus promised to send the Comforter and the Spirit of truth. Baha’u’llah claimed to be the Comforter and the Spirit of truth and one of the various proofs of that is that Baha’u’llah did exactly what Jesus said the Comforter and Spirit of truth would do. Referring to Jesus as the Son of Man, Baha’u’llah testified of Jesus and glorified Jesus, fulfilling two promises of Jesus. .

John 15:26 But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me:

John 16:13-14 Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come. He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you.

“Know thou that when the Son of Man yielded up His breath to God, the whole creation wept with a great weeping. By sacrificing Himself, however, a fresh capacity was infused into all created things. Its evidences, as witnessed in all the peoples of the earth, are now manifest before thee. The deepest wisdom which the sages have uttered, the profoundest learning which any mind hath unfolded, the arts which the ablest hands have produced, the influence exerted by the most potent of rulers, are but manifestations of the quickening power released by His transcendent, His all-pervasive, and resplendent Spirit.

We testify that when He came into the world, He shed the splendor of His glory upon all created things. Through Him the leper recovered from the leprosy of perversity and ignorance. Through Him, the unchaste and wayward were healed. Through His power, born of Almighty God, the eyes of the blind were opened, and the soul of the sinner sanctified.

Leprosy may be interpreted as any veil that interveneth between man and the recognition of the Lord, his God. Whoso alloweth himself to be shut out from Him is indeed a leper, who shall not be remembered in the Kingdom of God, the Mighty, the All-Praised. We bear witness that through the power of the Word of God every leper was cleansed, every sickness was healed, every human infirmity was banished. He it is Who purified the world. Blessed is the man who, with a face beaming with light, hath turned towards Him.” Gleanings From the Writings of Bahá’u’lláh, pp. 85-86

Acts of the Apostles 4:9 Rulers and elders of the people, 9 if we are on trial today for a benefit done to a sick man, ]as to how this man has been made well, 10 let it be known to all of you and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead—by this name this man stands here before you in good health. 11 He is the stone which was rejected by you, the builders, but which became the chief corner stone. 12 And there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men by which we must be saved.”

Baha’is do not believe in original sin but rather believe we need to be saved from our own sinful nature, our physical nature that was inherited from Adam.

Question.—In verse 22 of chapter 15 of 1 Corinthians it is written: “For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.” What is the meaning of these words?

Answer.—Know that there are two natures in man: the physical nature and the spiritual nature. The physical nature is inherited from Adam, and the spiritual nature is inherited from the Reality of the Word of God, which is the spirituality of Christ. The physical nature is born of Adam, but the spiritual nature is born from the bounty of the Holy Spirit. The first is the source of all imperfection; the second is the source of all perfection.

The Christ sacrificed Himself so that men might be freed from the imperfections of the physical nature and might become possessed of the virtues of the spiritual nature. This spiritual nature, which came into existence through the bounty of the Divine Reality, is the union of all perfections and appears through the breath of the Holy Spirit. It is the divine perfections; it is light, spirituality, guidance, exaltation, high aspiration, justice, love, grace, kindness to all, philanthropy, the essence of life. It is the reflection of the splendor of the Sun of Reality.
Some Answered Questions, p. 118

29: EXPLANATION OF VERSE TWENTY-TWO, CHAPTER FIFTEEN, OF THE FIRST EPISTLE OF ST. PAUL TO THE CORINTHIANS

Eternal life is a quality of life of being close to God and that can be equated to heaven, whereas the alternative is being shut out from God which is hell; and since the only way to be close to God during the Dispensation of Jesus was through Jesus that is why there was no other name by which to be saved but by Jesus.

Baha’is believe that the soul (spirit) of man is immortal so it can never be extinguished. All souls continue to exist forever, but some souls have eternal life and others don’t.

“The immortality of the spirit is mentioned in the Holy Books; it is the fundamental basis of the divine religions. Now punishments and rewards are said to be of two kinds: first, the rewards and punishments of this life; second, those of the other world. But the paradise and hell of existence are found in all the worlds of God, whether in this world or in the spiritual heavenly worlds. Gaining these rewards is the gaining of eternal life. That is why Christ said, “Act in such a way that you may find eternal life, and that you may be born of water and the spirit, so that you may enter into the Kingdom.” 2” Some Answered Questions, p. 223

“Likewise, the rewards of the other world are the eternal life which is clearly mentioned in all the Holy Books, the divine perfections, the eternal bounties and everlasting felicity….The rewards of the other world are peace, the spiritual graces, the various spiritual gifts in the Kingdom of God, the gaining of the desires of the heart and the soul, and the meeting of God in the world of eternity.” Some Answered Questions, pp. 224-225

Those people who are distant from God do not have eternal life, although their soul continues to exist in the spiritual world after their physical body dies.

“In the same way, the souls who are veiled from God, although they exist in this world and in the world after death, are, in comparison with the holy existence of the children of the Kingdom of God, nonexisting and separated from God.”
Some Answered Questions, p. 243

 

[Terry Sampson]

@Trailblazer

Your response to my reply to your question did not and does not nudge me even slightly toward the Baha'u'llah or to Baha'ism.

Baha’is do not believe in original sin but rather believe we need to be saved from our own sinful nature, our physical nature that was inherited from Adam.

??? You say that Baha'is don't believe in original sin but do believe that each of us needs to be saved from our own sinful nature which was inherited from Adam. Our own sinful nature which was inherited from Adam? What do you think "original sin" is if it isn't our own sinful nature which was inherited from Adam? What?!! it's okay for a Baha'i to speak of humanity's sinful nature inherited from Adam but not okay for a Christian to say that "original sin" is the consequence of our descent from Adam and Eve? Sorry, that does not compute.

Besides, as a consequence of my recent involvement in Estro Felino's thread To Hebrew experts: did Eve sleep with the Serpent?, I have a much clearer picture of the origin of the doctrine of original sin, to wit:

• B. Shabbat 145b-146a:
  • Rabbi Yoḥanan then explained to them: Why are gentiles ethically contaminated? It is because they did not stand on Mount Sinai. As when the snake came upon Eve, i.e., when it seduced her to eat from the Tree of Knowledge, it infected her with moral contamination, and this contamination remained in all human beings. When the Jewish people stood at Mount Sinai, their contamination ceased, whereas gentiles did not stand at Mount Sinai, and their contamination never ceased. Rav Aḥa, the son of Rava, said to Rav Ashi: What about converts? How do you explain the cessation of their moral contamination? Rav Ashi said to him: Even though they themselves were not at Mount Sinai, their guardian angels were present, as it is written: “It is not with you alone that I make this covenant and this oath, but with he that stands here with us today before the Lord our God, and with he that is not here with us today” (Deuteronomy 29:13–14), and this includes converts.
• B. Avodah Zarah 22b:
  • ... as Rabbi Yoḥanan says: At the time when the snake came upon Eve, at the time of the sin of her eating from the Tree of Knowledge, it infected her with moral contamination, and this contamination lingers in all human beings. The Gemara ... answers: With regard to the Jewish people, who stood at Mount Sinai and received the Torah, their contamination ended, whereas in the case of gentiles, who did not stand at Mount Sinai and receive the Torah, their contamination has not ended.

We Gentiles (including me), who neither stood at Mount Sinai nor have ancestors who stood at Mount Sinai nor are converts to Judaism, continue to bear our ancestral contamination. Jesus of Nazareth, a righteous Jew, who was born uncontaminated and, fulfilling the Law given at Sinai, remained and remains uncontaminated, is the source and cause of decontamination for all who want it. "And there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men by which we must be saved”.

From the day of our salvation to the day of our death, we are free from the inherited sin, but we are not free to sin. It is written:

• Ezekiel 18:1. Then the word of the Lord came to me, saying, 2 “What do you mean by using this proverb concerning the land of Israel, saying, ‘The fathers eat the sour grapes,
  But the children’s teeth are set on edge’? 3 As I live,” declares the Lord God, “you are surely not going to use this proverb in Israel anymore. 4 Behold, all souls are Mine; the soul of the father as well as the soul of the son is Mine. The soul who sins will die. 5 “But if a man is righteous and practices justice and righteousness, ... 9 if he walks in My statutes and My ordinances so as to deal faithfully—he is righteous and will surely live,” declares the Lord God.

I need no other name.

 

[Dawnofhope]

Brother may I ask which gospels (I mean out of the four canonical gospels) crucifixion narration do you believe in? Or do you just believe he was crucified, killed, and not believe the rest of the narrations?

You can only join this thread by invitation. I have responded here:

Was Jesus Crucified or Not?

 

[Dawnofhope]

Your response to my reply to your question did not and does not nudge me even slightly toward the Baha'u'llah or to Baha'ism.

Hi Terry,

I had assumed you just wanted clarity about the Baha'i view on the crucifixion of Christ, that was all. You are happy with being a Creedalist Christian as I am happy being a Baha'i. I have no wish to convince you to become a Baha'i but its good we can at least find some common ground.

Kind regards
Adrian

 

[Terry Sampson]

Tra

Hi Terry,

I had assumed you just wanted clarity about the Baha'i view on the crucifixion of Christ, that was all. You are happy with being a Creedalist Christian as I am happy being a Baha'i. I have no wish to convince you to become a Baha'i but its good we can at least find some common ground.

Kind regards
Adrian

Adrian, you clarified what I needed to see clarified. I have never taken anything you have said to me to be anything but a response to a question that I asked, which I have appreciated.
My whole post #22 was intended to be a response to Trailblazer's response to my reply to her question.in response to a statement that I made.

• My post #8: Bottom line: My difficulty with Trailblazer's claim is resolved, ... not because I accept the claim that Baha'u'llah fulfilled any Biblical prophecies (I don't), but because Baha'is do not doubt Jesus' crucifixion.
• Trailblazer's post #9: How can you know that Baha'u'llah did not fulfill any Biblical prophecies if you do not know how those prophecies align with when and where Baha'u'llah appeared and what happened after that? No, you should not just accept such a claim without doing the necessary investigation.
• My post to Trailblazer #11: How can I know?
• Trailblazer's response post #21.
• My response to Trailblazer's response in my post #22.
  • The statement which confused you, i.e. the first one I made in #22, was actually addressed to Trailblazer. I should have preceded it with a clear indication that it was addressed to her, and I have since done so.
• Sorry for the confusion. You and I are good.

Regards.

 

[Trailblazer]

??? You say that Baha'is don't believe in original sin but do believe that each of us needs to be saved from our own sinful nature which was inherited from Adam. Our own sinful nature which was inherited from Adam? What do you think "original sin" is if it isn't our own sinful nature which was inherited from Adam? What?!! it's okay for a Baha'i to speak of humanity's sinful nature inherited from Adam but not okay for a Christian to say that "original sin" is the consequence of our descent from Adam and Eve? Sorry, that does not compute.

When I say we do not believe in original sin I mean we do not believe that we inherited the sins of Adam and Eve because they ate an apple from a tree which then set a curse in motion from which we needed to be saved by the cross sacrifice. It would be best for you to read the following short chapter which explains that better than I can.

30: ADAM AND EVE

I need no other name.

Spoken like a true Christian. However, in the Bible it is written that Jesus would return with a new name.

Revelation 2:17 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the hidden manna, and will give him a white stone, and in the stone a new name written, which no man knoweth saving he that receiveth it.

Revelation 3:12 Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out: and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, which is new Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my God: and I will write upon him my new name.

 

[Terry Sampson]

I need no other name. No buts, no howevers, no other name PERIOD. On that I stake my life.

 

[Trailblazer]

I need no other name. No buts, no howevers, no other name PERIOD. On that I stake my life.

And I need no other name except Baha'u'llah, since I believe that Baha'u'llah was the return of Jesus and all the other Manifestations of God. On that I stake my life.

 

[Terry Sampson]

@firedragon

I've gotten the information that I was seeking, which was my purpose for starting this thread. So now, I'm opening the door to you.

Trailblazer's last post #28 says:

since I believe that Baha'u'llah was the return of Jesus and all the other Manifestations of God. On that I stake my life.

So, what do you think of that? Baha'u'llah was the reincarnation of Jesus AND all the other Manifestations of God. [I don't know if that includes the Prophet Muhammad or not.] Does that sound like something you'd go for?

 

[firedragon]

@firedragon

I've gotten the information that I was seeking, which was my purpose for starting this thread. So now, I'm opening the door to you.

Trailblazer's last post #28 says:


So, what do you think of that? Baha'u'llah was the reincarnation of Jesus AND all the other Manifestations of God. [I don't know if that includes the Prophet Muhammad or not.] Does that sound like something you'd go for?

I doubt they believe him to be a reincarnation. He is a manifestation. And no they dont believe Muhammed came back, they believe its Jesus who came back. Not the same human being, but the manifestation of God. They believe he is a manifestation all the religions who ever spoke of a coming of a future messiah or saviour or buddha or whatever ever awaited.

I have enough issues with this. But I dont wish to negate it as a principle but as a learned, scientific decision.

 

[Terry Sampson]

I doubt they believe him to be a reincarnation. He is a manifestation.

Point taken.

 

[Trailblazer]

I doubt they believe him to be a reincarnation. He is a manifestation. And no they dont believe Muhammed came back, they believe its Jesus who came back. Not the same human being, but the manifestation of God. They believe he is a manifestation all the religions who ever spoke of a coming of a future messiah or saviour or buddha or whatever ever awaited.

You are in the right ball park.
Baha’u’llah was not the reincarnation of Jesus or any of the other Manifestations of God. Rather, He was the return of the Spirit of Jesus and all the other Manifestations of God.

Reincarnation would be the return of the same soul in another body, but Baha’u’llah was not the return of the soul of any of the Manifestations of God, since the soul of no human or Manifestation of God ever returns to earth.

According to Baha’i beliefs, every human has a soul, including the Manifestations of God but only the Manifestations of God manifest the Spirit of God, and they all manifest the same Spirit of God since that Spirit is unchanging. However, all Manifestations of God have an individual soul that differs from the soul of the other Manifestations of God. Abdu’l-Baha explains the difference between an ordinary human and a Manifestation of God:

“Know that the Holy Manifestations, though They have the degrees of endless perfections, yet, speaking generally, have only three stations. The first station is the physical; the second station is the human, which is that of the rational soul; the third is that of the divine appearance and the heavenly splendor.

The physical station is phenomenal; it is composed of elements, and necessarily everything that is composed is subject to decomposition. It is not possible that a composition should not be disintegrated.

The second is the station of the rational soul, which is the human reality. This also is phenomenal, and the Holy Manifestations share it with all mankind.................

The third station is that of the divine appearance and heavenly splendor: it is the Word of God, the Eternal Bounty, the Holy Spirit. It has neither beginning nor end, for these things are related to the world of contingencies and not to the divine world. For God the end is the same thing as the beginning.” [URL='http://reference.bahai.org/en/t/ab/SAQ/saq-38.html']Some Answered Questions, pp. 151-152[/URL]

All Manifestations of God are equal in the sense that they all “manifest” the same Spirit of God (which is why they are called Manifestations of God). Baha’u’llah called this essential oneness “the Unity of God.”

“These Manifestations of God have each a twofold station. One is the station of pure abstraction and essential unity. In this respect, if thou callest them all by one name, and dost ascribe to them the same attributes, thou hast not erred from the truth. Even as He hath revealed: “No distinction do We make between any of His Messengers.” For they, one and all, summon the people of the earth to acknowledge the unity of God, and herald unto them the Kawthar of an infinite grace and bounty. They are all invested with the robe of prophethood, and are honored with the mantle of glory. Thus hath Muhammad, the Point of the Qur’án, revealed: “I am all the Prophets.” Likewise, He saith:“I am the first Adam, Noah, Moses, and Jesus.”
Gleanings From the Writings of Bahá’u’lláh, pp. 50-51

However, all the Manifestations of God are different in the sense that they all have an individual soul and a different physical body and a different mission on earth.

“The other station is the station of distinction, and pertaineth to the world of creation, and to the limitations thereof. In this respect, each Manifestation of God hath a distinct individuality, a definitely prescribed mission, a predestined revelation, and specially designated limitations. Each one of them is known by a different name, is characterized by a special attribute, fulfils a definite mission, and is entrusted with a particular Revelation. Even as He saith: “Some of the Apostles We have caused to excel the others. To some God hath spoken, some He hath raised and exalted. And to Jesus, Son of Mary, We gave manifest signs, and We strengthened Him with the Holy Spirit.” Gleanings From the Writings of Bahá’u’lláh, p. 52

Some of the Manifestations of God have more perfections than others and that is why that they were entrusted with missions that were more vital to humanity.

“Know that the attributes of perfection, the splendor of the divine bounties, and the lights of inspiration are visible and evident in all the Holy Manifestations; but the glorious Word of God, Christ, and the Greatest Name, Bahá’u’lláh, are manifestations and evidences which are beyond imagination, for They possess all the perfections of the former Manifestations; and more than that, They possess some perfections which make the other Manifestations dependent upon Them. So all the Prophets of Israel were centers of inspiration; Christ also was a receiver of inspiration, but what a difference between the inspiration of the Word of God and the revelations of Isaiah, Jeremiah and Elijah!” Some Answered Questions, pp. 149-150

 

[firedragon]

You are in the right ball park.
Baha’u’llah was not the reincarnation of Jesus or any of the other Manifestations of God. Rather, He was the return of the Spirit of Jesus and all the other Manifestations of God.

Reincarnation would be the return of the same soul in another body, but Baha’u’llah was not the return of the soul of any of the Manifestations of God, since the soul of no human or Manifestation of God ever returns to earth.

According to Baha’i beliefs, every human has a soul, including the Manifestations of God but only the Manifestations of God manifest the Spirit of God, and they all manifest the same Spirit of God since that Spirit is unchanging. However, all Manifestations of God have an individual soul that differs from the soul of the other Manifestations of God. Abdu’l-Baha explains the difference between an ordinary human and a Manifestation of God:

“Know that the Holy Manifestations, though They have the degrees of endless perfections, yet, speaking generally, have only three stations. The first station is the physical; the second station is the human, which is that of the rational soul; the third is that of the divine appearance and the heavenly splendor.

The physical station is phenomenal; it is composed of elements, and necessarily everything that is composed is subject to decomposition. It is not possible that a composition should not be disintegrated.

The second is the station of the rational soul, which is the human reality. This also is phenomenal, and the Holy Manifestations share it with all mankind.................

The third station is that of the divine appearance and heavenly splendor: it is the Word of God, the Eternal Bounty, the Holy Spirit. It has neither beginning nor end, for these things are related to the world of contingencies and not to the divine world. For God the end is the same thing as the beginning.” Some Answered Questions, pp. 151-152

All Manifestations of God are equal in the sense that they all “manifest” the same Spirit of God (which is why they are called Manifestations of God). Baha’u’llah called this essential oneness “the Unity of God.”

“These Manifestations of God have each a twofold station. One is the station of pure abstraction and essential unity. In this respect, if thou callest them all by one name, and dost ascribe to them the same attributes, thou hast not erred from the truth. Even as He hath revealed: “No distinction do We make between any of His Messengers.” For they, one and all, summon the people of the earth to acknowledge the unity of God, and herald unto them the Kawthar of an infinite grace and bounty. They are all invested with the robe of prophethood, and are honored with the mantle of glory. Thus hath Muhammad, the Point of the Qur’án, revealed: “I am all the Prophets.” Likewise, He saith:“I am the first Adam, Noah, Moses, and Jesus.”
Gleanings From the Writings of Bahá’u’lláh, pp. 50-51

However, all the Manifestations of God are different in the sense that they all have an individual soul and a different physical body and a different mission on earth.

“The other station is the station of distinction, and pertaineth to the world of creation, and to the limitations thereof. In this respect, each Manifestation of God hath a distinct individuality, a definitely prescribed mission, a predestined revelation, and specially designated limitations. Each one of them is known by a different name, is characterized by a special attribute, fulfils a definite mission, and is entrusted with a particular Revelation. Even as He saith: “Some of the Apostles We have caused to excel the others. To some God hath spoken, some He hath raised and exalted. And to Jesus, Son of Mary, We gave manifest signs, and We strengthened Him with the Holy Spirit.” Gleanings From the Writings of Bahá’u’lláh, p. 52

Some of the Manifestations of God have more perfections than others and that is why that they were entrusted with missions that were more vital to humanity.

“Know that the attributes of perfection, the splendor of the divine bounties, and the lights of inspiration are visible and evident in all the Holy Manifestations; but the glorious Word of God, Christ, and the Greatest Name, Bahá’u’lláh, are manifestations and evidences which are beyond imagination, for They possess all the perfections of the former Manifestations; and more than that, They possess some perfections which make the other Manifestations dependent upon Them. So all the Prophets of Israel were centers of inspiration; Christ also was a receiver of inspiration, but what a difference between the inspiration of the Word of God and the revelations of Isaiah, Jeremiah and Elijah!” Some Answered Questions, pp. 149-150

Well. Theres no doubt you explain your faith better than someone who learned about it a few days ago.

 

[Trailblazer]

So, what do you think of that? Baha'u'llah was the reincarnation of Jesus AND all the other Manifestations of God. [I don't know if that includes the Prophet Muhammad or not.] Does that sound like something you'd go for?

See what I just said to @ firedragon

 

[Trailblazer]

Well. Theres no doubt you explain your faith better than someone who learned about it a few days ago.

That is mainly because I have been explaining my faith on forums for about seven years now, 24/7.
And there's no doubt that you read faster than any poster I ever knew...

 

[Terry Sampson]

See what I just said to @ firedragon

You mean the part where, although you told me:

Baha'u'llah was the reincarnation of Jesus AND all the other Manifestations of God.

But you tell firedragon:

Baha’u’llah was not the reincarnation of Jesus or any of the other Manifestations of God.

No thanks. I have other interests waiting for me.

 

[firedragon]

That is mainly because I have been explaining my faith on forums for about seven years now, 24/7.
And there's no doubt that you read faster than any poster I ever knew...

Ah. We can sometimes be so ignorant about what we discuss. I am embarrassed to say that every time I see the word Bahai somewhere I used to think its the Bahai's we refer to. They are either Sunni or Shia Muslims who call themselves Meymans, Ishamailis etc. They are referred to as Bahai's in some places.

That was about a year ago.

 

[Trailblazer]

No thanks. I have other interests waiting for me.

I just wanted to clear that up about the reincarnation...
I too have other interests waiting for me because I have my own forum I am responsible for, 3 houses and 10 cats, not to mention a full time job.

 

[Trailblazer]

Ah. We can sometimes be so ignorant about what we discuss. I am embarrassed to say that every time I see the word Bahai somewhere I used to think its the Bahai's we refer to. They are either Sunni or Shia Muslims who call themselves Meymans, Ishamailis etc. They are referred to as Bahai's in some places.

That was about a year ago.

Don't feel bad... I do not know jack squat about religions other than the Baha'i Faith. I do know 'something' about Christianity, just enough to get myself in trouble, but the only reason I know what I do is from posting to various Christians on forums, which makes it necessary for me to look things up and read the Bible online.

Sine I have spent most of my time posting to atheists for the last seven years, I have not learned a lot about other religions like the other Baha'i on this forum, Adrian, who knows a lot more than I know about Christianity and various religions.

 

[firedragon]

Don't feel bad... I do not know jack squat about religions other than the Baha'i Faith. I do know 'something' about Christianity, just enough to get myself in trouble, but the only reason I know what I do is from posting to various Christians on forums, which makes it necessary for me to look things up and read the Bible online.

Sine I have spent most of my time posting to atheists for the last seven years, I have not learned a lot about other religions like the other Baha'i on this forum, Adrian, who knows a lot more than I know about Christianity and various religions.

Ah. Everyday we learn. Frankly, I have never in my life heard about a book called Kithab I Akdhas. Never. Only recently. It all depends on where you come from and who you interact mostly with. And it is not taught anywhere. But I suppose thats the way the cookie crumbles.