Justice He [Baha'u'llah] extols as "the light of men" and their "guardian," as "the revealer of the secrets of the world of being, and the standard-bearerof love and bounty"; declares its radiance to be incomparable; affirms that upon it must depend "the organization of the world and the tranquillity ofmankind." He characterizes its "two pillars" -- "reward and punishment" -- as "the sources of life" to the human race; warns the peoples of the world tobestir themselves in anticipation of its advent; and prophesies that, after an interval of great turmoil and grievous injustice, its day-star will shine inits full splendor and glory.
"Know of a truth that your subjects are God's trust amongst you. Watch ye, therefore, over them as ye watch over your own selves. Beware that ye allow not wolves to become the shepherds of the fold, or pride and conceit to deter you from turning unto the poor and the desolate. Arise thou, in My name, above the horizon of renunciation, and set, then, thy face towards the Kingdom, at the bidding of thy Lord, the Lord of strength and of might."And further We have said: "Deal not treacherously with the substance of your neighbor. Be ye trustworthy on earth, and withhold not from the poor the things given unto you by God through His grace. He, verily, will bestow upon you the double of what ye possess. He, in truth, is the All-Bounteous, the Most Generous. O people of Baha! Subdue the citadels of men's hearts with the swords of wisdom and of utterance. They that dispute, as prompted by their desires, are indeed wrapped in a palpable veil. Say: The sword of wisdom is hotter than summer heat, and sharper than blades of steel, if ye do but understand. Draw it forth in My name and through the power of My might, and conquer, then, with it the cities of the hearts of them that have secluded themselves in the stronghold of their corrupt desires. Thus biddeth you the Pen of the All-Glorious, whilst seated beneath the swords of the wayward. If ye become aware of a sin committed by another, conceal it, that God may conceal your own sin. He, verily, is the Concealer, the Lord of grace abounding. O ye rich ones on earth! If ye encounter one who is poor, treat him not disdainfully. Reflect upon that whereof ye were created. Every one of you was created of a sorry germ." -- Baha'u'llah
In considering the effect of obedience to the laws on individual lives, one must remember that the purpose of this life is to prepare the soul for the next. Here one must learn to control and direct one's animal impulses, not to be a slave to them. Life in this world is a succession of tests and achievements, of falling short and of making new spiritual advances. Sometimes the course may seem very hard, but one can witness, again and again, that the soul who steadfastly obeys the law of Baha'u'llah, however hard it may seem, grows spiritually, while the one who compromises with the law for the sake of his own apparent happiness is seen to have been following a chimera: he does not attain the happiness he sought, he retards his spiritual advance and often brings new problems upon himself. Universal House of Justice
In His [Baha'u' llah] Suratu'l-Haykal (the Surih of the Temple) He thus describes those breathless moments when the Maiden, symbolizing the "Most Great Spirit" proclaimed His mission to the entire creation: "While engulfed in tribulations I heard a most wondrous, a most sweet voice, calling above My head. Turning My face, I beheld a Maiden -- the embodiment of the remembrance of the name of My Lord -- suspended in the air before Me. So rejoiced was she in her very soul that her countenance shone with the ornament of the good-pleasure of God, and her cheeks glowed with the brightness of the All-Merciful. Betwixt earth and heaven she was raising a call which captivated the hearts and minds of men. She was imparting to both My inward and outer being tidings which rejoiced My soul, and the souls of God's honored servants. Pointing with her finger unto My head, she addressed all who are in heaven and all who are on earth, saying: 'By God! This is the Best-Beloved of the worlds, and yet ye comprehend not. This is the Beauty of God amongst you, and the power of His sovereignty within you, could ye but understand. This is the Mystery of God and His Treasure, the Cause of God and His glory unto all who are in the kingdoms of Revelation and of creation, if ye be of them that perceive.'" -- Shoghi Effendi,
The light that is shed from the heaven of bounty, and the benediction that shineth from the dawning-place of the will of God, the Lord of the Kingdom of Names, rest upon Him Who is the Supreme Mediator, the Most Exalted Pen, Him Whom God hath made the Dawning-Place of His most excellent names and the Dayspring of His most exalted attributes. Through Him the light of unity hath shone forth above the horizon of the world, and the law of oneness hath been revealed amidst the nations, who, with radiant faces, have turned towards the Supreme Horizon, and acknowledged that which the Tongue of Utterance hath spoken in the kingdom of His knowledge: "Earth and heaven, glory and dominion, are God's, the Omnipotent, the Almighty, the Lord of grace abounding!"
The teaching work should under all conditions be actively pursued by the believers because divine confirmations are dependent upon it. Should a Bahá'í refrain from being fully, vigorously and wholeheartedly involved in the teaching work he will undoubtedly be deprived of the blessings of the Abhá Kingdom. Even so, this activity should be tempered with wisdom--not that wisdom which requireth one to be silent and forgetful of such an obligation, but rather that which requireth one to display divine tolerance, love, kindness, patience, a goodly character, and holy deeds. In brief, encourage the friends individually to teach the Cause of God and draw their attention to this meaning of wisdom mentioned in the Writings, which is itself the essence of teaching the Faith--but all this to be done with the greatest tolerance, so that heavenly assistance and divine confirmation may aid the friends.
Some men and women glory in their exalted thoughts, but if these thoughts never reach the plane of action they remain useless:the power of thought is dependent on its manifestation in deeds. A philosopher's thought may, however, in the world of progressand evolution, translate itself into the actions of other people, even when they themselves are unable or unwilling to show forththeir grand ideals in their own lives. To this class the majority of philosophers belong, their teachings being high above theiractions. This is the difference between philosophers who are Spiritual Teachers, and those who are mere philosophers: theSpiritual Teacher is the first to follow His own teaching; He brings down into the world of action His spiritual conceptions andideals. His Divine thoughts are made manifest to the world. His thought is Himself, from which He is inseparable. When we find aphilosopher emphasizing the importance and grandeur of justice, and then encouraging a rapacious monarch in his oppression andtyranny, we quickly realize that he belongs to the first class: for he thinks heavenly thoughts and does not practise thecorresponding heavenly virtues.
The light of the sun becomes apparent in each object according to the capacity of that object. The difference is simply one of degree and receptivity. The stone would be a recipient only to a limited extent; another created thing might be as a mirror wherein the sun is fully reflected; but the same light shines upon both.
The most important thing is to polish the mirrors of hearts in order that they may become illumined and receptive of the divine light. One heart may possess the capacity of the polished mirror; another, be covered and obscured by the dust and dross of this world. Although the same Sun is shining upon both, in the mirror which is polished, pure and sanctified you may behold the Sun in all its fullness, glory and power, revealing its majesty and effulgence; but in the mirror which is rusted and obscured there is no capacity for reflection, although so far as the Sun itself is concerned it is shining thereon and is neither lessened nor deprived. Therefore, our duty lies in seeking to polish the mirrors of our hearts in order that we shall become reflectors of that light and recipients of the divine bounties which may be fully revealed through them.
That the Manifestations of Divine justice, the Day Springs of heavenly grace, have when they appeared amongst men always been destitute of all earthly dominion and shorn of the means of worldly ascendancy, should be attributed to this same principle of separation and distinction which animateth the Divine Purpose. Were the Eternal Essence to manifest all that is latent within Him, were He to shine in the plentitude of His glory, none would be found to question His power or repudiate His truth. Nay, all created things would be so dazzled and thunderstruck by the evidences of His light as to be reduced to utter nothingness. How, then, can the godly be differentiated under such circumstances from the froward?
This principle hath operated in each of the previous Dispensations and been abundantly demonstrated…. It is for this reason that, in every age, when a new Manifestation hath appeared and a fresh revelation of God’s transcendent power was vouchsafed unto men, they that misbelieved in Him, deluded by the appearance of the peerless and everlasting Beauty in the garb of mortal men, have failed to recognize Him. They have erred from His path and eschewed His company—the company of Him Who is the Symbol of nearness to God. They have even arisen to decimate the ranks of the faithful and to exterminate such as believed in Him.
Behold how in this Dispensation the worthless and foolish have fondly imagined that by such instruments as massacre, plunder and banishment they can extinguish the Lamp which the Hand of Divine power hath lit, or eclipse the Day Star of everlasting splendor. How utterly unaware they seem to be of the truth that such adversity is the oil that feedeth the flame of this Lamp! Such is God’s transforming power. He changeth whatsoever He willeth; He verily hath power over all things….
Flat Bible was originally discussed as a topic Monday, September 24, 2007
I will add material to this section of this month's post.
Progressive revelation is defined as the understanding that God's self-disclosure is in progression from the Old Testament to the New Testament. Grenz, Guretzki, and Nordling (1999: 96). Therefore the New Testament offers a more complete revelation from a Christian perspective. The Old Testament is to be understood in light of the fuller teaching of the New Testament. Grenz, Guretzki, and Nordling (1999: 96).
Someone once asked me in person about progressive revelation and we had a discussion on Facebook. This is the revised answer I sent:
At Columbia Bible College (Mennonite) and Canadian Baptist Seminary, I was taught that the Bible is not flat, as there is progressive revelation which ended in the apostolic age. Therefore there is no need or place for Islam, Latter-Day Saints, or other continuing the Christian faith.
Jesus is the mediator of the new covenant. (Hebrews 12: 24). Hughes describes it as a better covenant (Hebrews 8: 6) as the old one was inadequate not permanent. Hughes (1977)(1990: 551). The law in particular was only a shadow of good things to come. (Hebrews 10). The law cannot save as discussed in Romans 4, but persons are saved through righteousness of faith fulfilled in Christ. Galatians 2 mentions the folly of following the law as we now have Christ. In the Sermon on the Mount, Matthew 4-6, Jesus explains the deeper spiritual meanings of the law. The new covenant provided atonement that was 'fully adequate and everlasting in its efficacy'. Hughes (1977)(1990: 551). Christ provides 'the blood of the eternal covenant (Hebrews 13: 20)'. Hughes (1977)(1990: 551).
The Old Testament/Hebrew Bible is as valid as the New Testament, but it is often stated that one must interpret the Old Testament through the New Testament. I can agree with this concept since there is progressive revelation, but the Old Testament must be read in context, or else one risks reading the New Testament into the Old Testament. Christianity explains that the New Testament revelation of Christ/apostles does not contradict the previous revelation and instead adds to it explaining the plan of God. Islam is rejected for reasons such as the denial of key doctrines about Christ, including his deity, and the Latter-Day Saints theology is rejected for reasons such as holding to polytheism which is against Scriptural teaching. (Isaiah 43, 44, 45). There are various reasons why these other religions are rejected as well, but I mention those key points. If my concentration academically was more focused on the Hebrew Bible, I would have no problem with studying Hebrew scholars for the original context as this should be done, but I reason the New Testament can shed light on many of the older teachings.
In the Westminster Confession, Chapter XIX points out that the moral law does bind forever, even though true believers be not under law as a covenant of works. Westminster Confession (Chapter XIX). The new covenant does not contain the old covenant ceremonial laws but does contain the spirit of the same moral law. So, the same basic moral law is repeated.
GRENZ, STANLEY J., DAVID GURETZKI AND CHERITH FEE NORDLING (1999) Pocket Dictionary of Theological Terms, Downers Grove, Ill., InterVarsity Press.
HUGHES, PHILIP. (1977)(1990) A Commentary On The Epistle To The Hebrews, Grand Rapids, William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company.
WESTMINSTER CONFESSION OF FAITH (1646).
Monte Carlo (Google Images)
B. Aliens
In regard to a recent friendly discussion, the following is a philosophical difficulty with replacing the Biblical God or Deistic God with speculation that aliens created human beings and by default avoiding dealing with the issue of a primary cause.
Aliens existing in the physical universe of matter would likely be physical beings and would be finite. In philosophical terms a secondary cause when they commit actions.
Even if aliens from some hyper-speculative theory did create human beings, the aliens as a secondary cause would have created human beings also physical beings of finite matter, a secondary cause when they commit actions.
Therefore there would still be the need for an infinite, non-matter/non-material, primary first cause that existed prior to the beginning of finite time and matter in order to avoid a vicious regress in the process of creating the aliens.
Further:
In the Oxford Dictionary of Philosophy, Simon Blackburn discusses ‘infinite regress’ and mentions that this occurs in a vicious way whenever a problem tries to solve itself and yet remains with the same problem it had previously. A vicious regress is an infinite regress that does not solve its own problem, while a benign regress is an infinite regress that does not fail to solve its own problem. Blackburn writes that there is frequently room for debate on what is a vicious regress or benign regress.
In The Cambridge Dictionary of Philosophy, William Tolhurst writes that a vicious regress is in some way unacceptable as it would include an infinite series of items dependent on prior items. A vicious regress may be impossible to hold to philosophically, or it may be inconsistent. From the same volume, Raymond D. Bradley cautions that the mere existence of an infinite series is not the same as infinite regression, and is not philosophically objectionable. His first example is that every natural number (a positive integer, 1,2,3,4, …, or a non-negative integer, 0,1,2,3,4,…) has a successor that is a natural number. Bradley writes that it would not be illogical to state that each free act of consequence is a result of an act of free choice. Bradley thinks that trying to answer infinite regress by bringing in the idea of the theist’s God makes no sense.
BLACKBURN, SIMON (1996) Oxford Dictionary of Philosophy, Oxford, Oxford, University, Press.
BRADLEY, RAYMOND D. (1996) ‘Infinite Regress Argument’, in Robert Audi, (ed.), The Cambridge Dictionary of Philosophy, Cambridge, Cambridge University Press.
TOLHURST, WILLIAM (1996) 'Vicious Regress', in Robert Audi, (ed.), The Cambridge Dictionary of Philosophy, Cambridge, Cambridge University Press.
C. Atom
The smallest part of an element that can exist and consists of small dense nucleus of protons and neutrons surrounded by electrons. The number of electrons equals the number of protons so the overall charge is stated to be zero. Electrons orbit around the nucleus. (61). Oxford Dictionary of Science, (2010), Sixth Edition, Oxford, Oxford University Press.
Would not an Atom and Eve cult be weird?
D. Video
Shared this one previously.
The commercial overlooks the fact many world religions have such different views on the nature of God, that they could not reasonably be expecting the same final ultimate spiritual being. Christianity is not expecting another teacher to surpass Christ, as God's work in Christ will not be surpassed.
The late Avatar Adi Da Samraj claimed to be the supremely great spiritual being. This is a false claim.
E. Jets
The new Winnipeg Jets main logo along with the main logos of the other six Canadian teams. Rumours are consistent in the media in Canada and the United States that Quebec City will be the next NHL franchise by relocation whenever that occurs, meaning Canada would have eight teams once again, its all-time high. Perhaps the Canucks can find a new team playoff time to meltdown against in the clutch. Yes, I am glad I am a Manchester United supporter.
F. Netlog and WAYN
Friends asked me to join each site, but so far I have found some of each site's membership questionable. On WAYN I have already been dealing with a Russian scammer, although she is using some newer techniques that I have not come across in years past with other scammers and now this morning via someone on Netlog here is this classic junk from 'Sweet Heart'. Enjoy.
'Dear Sweet Heart Greetings to you my dear, I am writing to you with a heart full of tears and sadness, but first I have to say compliments of the season and I'll be waiting for my email in response to my request to you, please tell me more about your car and intenssion to me if you agree to be intimate with me, My name is Miss Favour Siako i am 24 years old, but age does not matter in a real relationship, I am the only surviving daughter of my late father (Dr. Siako Adams) of Liberia, in the small town of Grand Bassa, am 5. 8tall 173cm, but I am currently residing in Dakar Senegal under asylum as a refugee, I'm a sophomore at the University of Liberia studying mass communication before the war started in my country until the death of my late father Dr S. Adams, my father was the director general of Siako Manufacturing and he was the personal advice to the former head of State ( former President of Liberia Charles Taylor) before the rebels attacked our house one early morning and killed my mom and dad in cold blood. I'm open minded girl easy, safe, hard working and caring, always keep my word. looking for someone who is honest, as I wrote in my profile to marry, no matter where it comes from and no matter their religion back tail.
I am single never married and active and I like everything he does, for example, easy and comfortable life, go to the beach, cooking, watching TV, like sports football, etc, shopping, reading newspapers and novels, walk.pls after long time I would have liked to chat with u but in this field are not allowed to go out often.
I have no relative who can now go to all my relatives ran away in the midst of war, the only person I have now is the Rev. Danny King, who is the pastor of Christ (for all Churches) here in the Camp been good to me since I got here, but I'm not living with him rather i am leaving in the women's hostel because the camp have two hostels one for men and another for women. And I use to contact you via computer Reverend Danny King here in the camp i sent and received, also here is the Reverend pastor Danny King phone number (+221-76-33-86-879) for easier to hear your voice, When you call tell the reverend pastor Danny King wants to speak to Miss Favour Siako He sent for me,
As a refugee here I have no right or privilege to any thing be it money or whatever because it is against the law of this country.I want to go back to my studies because i only attended my first year before the incident that traggic lead to my being in this situation now took place.Please hear this, I have my late father's account and death certificate here with me I'll send you the letter because when he was alive he deposited some amount of money a leading financial company in which he used my name, Favour and family members, the amount involved is (Certificate of Deposit) to (U.S. $ 4m) four million U.S. dollars deposited by my late father in the bank I'm the next of kin.
So I would like to help me transfer this money to their care and from it you can send some money for me to get my traveling documents and air ticket to come to meet with you.I kept this secret to people in camp here the only person who knows about it is the Reverend because he is like a father to me. So in the light of above i will like you to keep you and not tell anyone for fear I have lost my life and the money if people gets to know.
Remember i am giving all this information due to trust and love i deposited on you.I like honest and understanding people, truthful and a man of vision, truth and working hard. The mean time I would like you to answer me as I told you I have much to say .. If you accept and is willing to help i connect my picture here, please kindly attach your recent photo and details to contact you to answer me.
Have a nice day and think you hear me.Awaiting Thank you my dear and take good care of himself. A lovely lady Favour yours'
Justice He [Baha'u'llah] extols as "the light of men" and their "guardian," as "the revealer of the secrets of the world of being, and the standard-bearerof love and bounty"; declares its radiance to be incomparable; affirms that upon it must depend "the organization of the world and the tranquillity ofmankind." He characterizes its "two pillars" -- "reward and punishment" -- as "the sources of life" to the human race; warns the peoples of the world tobestir themselves in anticipation of its advent; and prophesies that, after an interval of great turmoil and grievous injustice, its day-star will shine inits full splendor and glory.
