Audie
Veteran Member
1. So how do we arrive at any conclusion? Must we read every Tablet Baha’u’llah has ever written? Must one in fact know everything there is to know to be able to know truth?
My humble understanding of Independent investigation of truth is that it is a spiritual principle. Jesus said that only the pure in heart would see God. We need spiritual eyes and perception to see the truth not just Book learning. Otherwise how did the disciples of Buddha or Jesus know their master was true? They had no formal education whatsoever.
A pure heart may see and know God without having read anything. Tahirih accepted the Bab in a dream so pure she was. The followers of all the Prophets were simple uneducated but pure in heart.
What do we need most today than the teaching that we should love all humanity, universal harmony & cooperation and to consider all as inhabitants of one earth? That we all need to be as family. That religions need to become friends and well wishers?
What new things did Baha’u’llah bring?
Many of the teachings Baha’u’llah brought are new religious laws for today. They are new because they are in the form of laws. The laws of marriage it’s vows and conditions are all laid down in writing by His Own Pen.
He brought an infallible Institution into the world which the Christians call the Kingdom of God on earth. He was the first Prophet to abolish slavery and make it a religious law.
For the first time things like work and education have become actual law in a Holy Book.
Universal education is a religious law in the Bahai Faith. Mixing with other religions in a spirit of friendliness is a law of the Bahai Faith not just a nice saying or a platitude.
If you go through the Most Holy Book you will find that things which might be mentioned in the past are now a binding religious law. Priesthood and holy war are officially abolished in this legal document. The definition of belief as a Twin curt to obey and believe is new and one not acceptable without the other. Inheritance laws. Music and what kind of music to listen to uplift the soul and what kind is harmful.
No religion has so many clearly defined laws as defined by the Prophet Himself in writing. Many of the current laws of many Faiths were made up by the clergy. Christmas and the sacraments and rituals were not specific laws inculcated by Christ but later introduced by Christians.
No religion in human history has officially founded an infallible Institution. The pope declared himself infallible not Jesus. There is no infallible guidance given to humanity through the current religions as they were never given clear successorship from their Prophet.
For the very first time in human history a Manifestation of God has in His Own Handwriting clearly and unambiguously delegated and delineated the election, functions and powers of an infallible Institution invested by God with infallibility. It cannot err nor become corrupted.
While human institutions daily become invested and corrupted from the Olympic committee to banks to governments, where do we see this in the Universal House of Justice? We see a peaceful worldwide Bahai community working in unison and harmony to try and build a spiritual and happy world based on tolerance and love. Where are our wars? Where is our corruption, our community is one not fragmented into thousands of sects. We speak with one voice. Which religion speaks with one voice today? Do you know of any? Who speaks for Christianity or Islam or Buddhism or any of the major religions? Which sect is the true one?
There is only one Bahai worldwide community at peace with itself and the world and working for the betterment of humanity.
I think that some like me think it just sounds too good to be true. I thought that at first so spent years trying to find fault with this Faith, no human is perfect that’s fair but however much I tried to prove this was fake and a phony conglomeration of ideas stolen from other religions and traditions, I got the shock of my life to discover another revelation from God had been sent down to humanity by God offering a better way and I could deny no longer as to do so would be to lie to myself.
Hopefully your own investigation has not ended and I think you should continue to oppose more and more to prove either way. If you are thoroughly convinced of our falsehood I think you’ve made an extremely weak argument as there are spiritual conditions that the seeker needs to meet not just language and if you are maintaining that no one could have investigated the Faith without knowing Persian and Arabic then you’ve obviously not taken into account that the pure in heart do not need a masters degree to know God when we see Him. We are all born with the instinct or capacity to know God and His Manifestations and I clearly see God in this revelation without any knowledge of Persian or Arabic. Knowledge of the language of the heart and spirit more than suffice in finding truth.
“Only heart to heart can speak the bliss of mystic knowers;
No messenger can tell it and no missive bear it.
The Seven Valleys, The Four Valleys
Bahá’u’lláh
But you should continue to follow your heart in this matter
"Jesus said only the pure in heart would see God".
I dont think this is true. Why do you say it?
