Below is a discussion that occurred about 1999 in reference to the article: Baha’i Faith
| Ravi’s first message | Bill’s first message |
| My reply | My replies |
| Ravi’s second message | Bill’s second message |
| My reply | Bill’s attachment |
| My reply |
Ravi – first message
Hello,
I was doing some research on Jesus’s virgin birth and came across your page on the Bahaí faith. I request that you remove the paragraph stating:
“Bahaism rejects the Christian concept of the trinity, the deity of Jesus Christ, his virgin birth, his substitutionary atonement for the sins of the world, and his bodily resurrection. Bahaism also rejects salvation by grace through faith apart from works and they reject the infallible authority of the Bible as the unique Word of God.”
In the Bahaí writings it states:
“It would be sacrilege for a Baha’i to believe that the parents of Jesus were illegally married and that the latter was consequently of an illegal union. Such a possibility cannot be even conceived by a believer who recognizes the high station of Mary and the Divine Prophethood of Jesus Christ. It is this same false accusation which the people of His Day attributed to Mary that Baha’u’llah indirectly repudiated in the Iqan. The only alternative therefore is to admit that the birth of Jesus has been miraculous. The operation of miracles is not necessarily irrational or illogical. It does by no means constitute a limitation of the Omnipotence of God. The belief in the possibilities of miracles, on the contrary, implies that God’s power is beyond any limitation whatsoever. For it is only logical to believe that the Creator, Who is the sole Author of all the laws operating in the universe, is above them and can, therefore, if He deems it necessary, alter them at His Own Will. We, as humans, cannot possibly attempt to read His Mind, and to fully grasp His Wisdom. Mystery is therefore an inseparable part of true religion, and as such, should be recognized by the believers.”
Also if you could please replace the word “greatest” with “latest” in the sentence “This Baha’u’llah is considered the greatest” ; and remove Confucius from the following list.
thanks,
Ravi
Dear Ravi, (Reply to first message)
Thanks for providing your input on my Baha’i article. Are you an adherent of Baha’i faith? Is there any other virgin births besides Jesus’ that the writings of Baha’i recognize?
I understand why you would question the part of that paragraph on the virgin birth. But why would you want me to delete the rest of that paragraph? I don’t think that Baha’i considers Jesus to be uniquely God in human flesh who is, alone, the way to the Father, as is the Christian understanding.
As to “greatest”: I’ve heard Baha’i faith people sing songs about Baha’u’llah, but have you ever heard them sing songs about Jesus?
Why do you want me to delete Confucius? What would the Baha’i view of Confucius be?
Thank you for your help on these issues.
Jim Baumgaertel
Ravi – Second message
Hi! Thanks for taking the time to reply!
> Thanks for providing your input on my Baha’i article. Are you an adherent of Baha’i faith?
The short answer: Yes The long answer: I’m a student who is now going through a process Bahaí’s dub “Independent Investigation for the Truth” in which one approaches and investigates all other religions with an open heart. I was asked by a former teacher of mine to read the book “Jesus Among Other Gods” as a defense for Christ being the absolute eternal truth, which is how I came across your page.
> Is there any other virgin births besides Jesus’ that the writings of Bahai recognize?
I do not believe so. My understanding of the Bahaí belief is that god chose that method of conception for Christ to challenge the thinking of the people of that time — but did not feel a need to do so otherwise.
> I understand why you would question the part of that paragraph on the virgin birth. But why would you want me to delete the rest of that paragraph?
I do not believe the rest of the paragraph is accurate either, though I am still learning. If you would like to determine the stance for yourself, a selections from the Bahaí writings on the Trinity can be found at:
https://www.ibiblio.org/Bahai/Texts/EN/SAQ/SAQ-27.html
Mainly the paragraph didn’t seem to fit with the rest of the article’s flow of “Bahaí stress the Unity of mankind” which is definateley an accurate point — though to be honest I don’t see how that is a bad thing.
> I don’t think that Bahai considers Jesus to be uniquely God in human flesh who is, alone, the way to the Father, as is the Christian understanding.
I know that Bahaí’s believe that *when* Christ said “No one comes to the Father except through me.” he was, and that the Bible is upheld as from God. If any Bahaí were living in the year 100AD they would definateley be Christian.
> As to “greatest”: I’ve heard Bahai faith people sing songs about Baha’u’llah, but have you ever heard them sing songs about Jesus?
Yes, but they are rare — I guess the parrallel question would be how many songs are there about Moses in Church, relative to Christ? I’m in a performing arts group that does one dance extolling Christ, but, yes, in general the belief is that Baha’u’llah provides the message for this day and age. Here is the explanation I wrote my teacher: Bahaí’s believe there is a single path to god, however that path changes as time passes and mankind is able to hear/absorb and the prior message. Much that Moses was at one time the path, then Christ, then Mohammad, then The Bab, and now Bahá’u’lláh. Sort of like how my 6th grade teacher would say something like “it’s impossible to divide by a reciprocal” – and then you’d get to 9th grade and they’d say “we’re going to learn how to divide by a reciprocal!” and you’d scream “but you can’t do that” … and then you’d learn it for everything but zero. Then you’d get to college and they’d say something like “Even though we told you it’s impossible to divide by zero, now we’re going to learn how!” and you respond “I quit. I’m majoring in Communications and Linguistics you big eggnog.”
So basically the belief was that Christ was like the 11th grade teacher for humanity, except he did not use maps and crayons to get his point across. Mohammad the 12th grade teacher (the end of the high-school teachers), the Bab is kind of the College Orientation Councillor and Bahá’u’lláh the first College teacher (huzzah!).
While the message the later teachers (manifestations) bring I guess could be considered greater — it is not because they themselves are any “greater”, but rather their students are more apt and have the foundation put in place from the prior messanger.
> Why do you want me to delete Confucius? What would > the Baha’i view of Confucius be?
To be honest, I do not know. I don’t think he’s held as bad or anything, but I’ve never seen him regarded at the same level as Moses, Jesus, Baha’u’llah, Muhammad or being divine. Basically it just seemed your point was demonstrated well without him — and placing him in that list is probably incorrect.
Where can I find more about the passage “One-World Government, a One-World economic system, and a One-World Religion headed by the Anti-Christ.” … I saw it a long time ago, but dismissed it as referring to Joseph Stalin or somebody. I still don’t think it refers to the Bahaí Faith, in that we don’t really prescribe an economic system or advocate one person running the world; but it sounds interesting.
> Thank you for your help on these issues.
Likewise from you,
Ravi
Dear Ravi (reply to second message)
I do want to correct items of fact in my article. And on more subjective issues of analysis or conclusions, I will consider your input. Thanks again for your feedback.
You wrote:
<Where can I find more about the passage “One-World Government, a One-World economic system, and a One-World Religion headed by the Anti-Christ.”>
Revelation 13 in the New Testament speaks to the political, economic, and religious power of the Beast.
You wrote:
<Mainly the paragraph didn’t seem to fit with the rest of the article’s flow of “Baha’i stress the Unity of mankind” which is definateley an accurate point — though to be honest I don’t see how that is a bad thing.>
To begin to understand why a follower of Jesus should be concerned of visions of “unity”, please consider the article, below, from my website.
Lucifer, The Garden of Eden, & The Tower of Babel
I’m eager to discuss all these issues further if you would like.
Jim Baumgaertel
Bill – first message
[From Bill]
Bahaism rejects the Christian concept of the trinity [The Baha’i Faith teaches that God reveals Himself <the Father> via the Holy Spirit <the Holy Spirit> manifested in the perfect “mirror” of Jesus and the other Manifestations <the Son>. This is the trinity]
the deity of Jesus Christ, [for Baha’is, God does reveal all of His attributes in Jesus, and therefore, Jesus is God because we see nothing save God’s reality operating in Him]
his virgin birth, [you are incorrect; Baha’is believe in Jesus’s virgin birth. “With regard to your question concerning the Virgin Birth of Jesus; on this point, as on several others, the Bahá’í teachings are in full agreement with the doctrines of the Catholic Church. In the Kitáb-i-Iqán (Book of Certitude) page 56, and in a few other Tablets still unpublished, Bahá’u’lláh confirms, however indirectly, the Catholic conception of the Virgin Birth. Also `Abdu’l-Bahá in `Some Answered Questions’, Chap. 12, page 73, explicitly states that Christ found existence through the spirit of God which statement necessarily implies, when reviewed in the light of the text, that Jesus was not the son of Joseph.” — Shoghi Effendi, Directives from the Guardian.
“What science calls a virgin birth we do not associate with that of Jesus Christ, which we believe to have been a miracle and a sign of His Prophethood. In this matter we are in entire agreement with the most orthodox church views.” — Shoghi Effendi, High Endeavours.]
his substitutionary atonement for the sins of the world, [you are incorrect, Baha’is believe in Jesus’s substitutionary atonement; His atonement was not the only one: “That which thou hast heard concerning Abraham, the Friend of the All-Merciful, is the truth, and no doubt is there about it. The Voice of God commanded Him to offer up … a sacrifice, so that His steadfastness in the Faith of God and His detachment from all else but Him may be demonstrated unto men. The purpose of God, moreover, was to sacrifice him as a ransom for the sins and iniquities of all the peoples of the earth. This same honor, Jesus, the Son of Mary, besought the one true God, exalted be His name and glory, to confer upon Him. For the same reason was Husayn offered up as a sacrifice by Muhammad, the Apostle of God. No man can ever claim to have comprehended the nature of the hidden and manifold grace of God; none can fathom His all-embracing mercy. Such hath been the perversity of men and their transgressions, so grievous have been the trials that have afflicted the Prophets of God and their chosen ones, that all mankind deserveth to be tormented and to perish. God’s hidden and most loving providence, however, hath, through both visible and invisible agencies, protected and will continue to protect it from the penalty of its wickedness. Ponder this in thine heart, that the truth may be revealed unto thee, and be thou steadfast in His path.” — Bahá’u’lláh, Gleanings from the Writings of Baha’u’llah, pp. 75-76]
and his bodily resurrection. [Note that 1 Corinthians says “It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body.” Resurrection is of the spiritual body. Just as Jesus Christ lives and reigns forever and ever, so also do the other Messengers of God, whose spiritual bodies never die, and in fact exert far greater influence than when their physical bodies walked the earth. Baha’is do not deny the resurrection]
Bahaism also rejects salvation by grace through faith apart from works [faith is absolutely essential first; works come second: “The first duty prescribed by God for His servants is the recognition of Him Who is the Dayspring of His Revelation and the Fountain of His laws, Who representeth the Godhead in both the Kingdom of His Cause and the world of creation. Whoso achieveth this duty hath attained unto all good; and whoso is deprived thereof hath gone astray, though he be the author of every righteous deed. It behoveth every one who reacheth this most sublime station, this summit of transcendent glory, to observe every ordinance of Him Who is the Desire of the world. These twin duties are inseparable. Neither is acceptable without the other. Thus hath it been decreed by Him Who is the Source of Divine inspiration. “– Bahá’u’lláh, The Kitab-i-Aqdas: 1)]
and they reject the infallible authority of the Bible as the unique Word of God. [No Baha’i rejects the Bible’s authority; it is not, however, the only Word revealed by the One True God and Creator of the Universe, whose hands cannot be chained up by any human conception of what He is permitted to do: “Leaders of religion, in every age, have hindered their people from attaining the shores of eternal salvation, inasmuch as they held the reins of authority in their mighty grasp. Some for the lust of leadership, others through want of knowledge and understanding, have been the cause of the deprivation of the people. By their sanction and authority, every Prophet of God hath drunk from the chalice of sacrifice, and winged His flight unto the heights of glory. What unspeakable cruelties they that have occupied the seats of authority and learning have inflicted upon the true Monarchs of the world, those Gems of divine virtue!” — Bahá’u’lláh, The Kitab-i-Iqan, p. 15]
William, (replies to first message)
#1
William,
I’m very grateful for your efforts to correct my article. I want to be as precise as I can in comparing what the Bible teaches with what Baha’i Faith teaches.
You are a follower of the Baha’i Faith, of course?
What I want to show is that the Gospel of Jesus Christ in the Bible is mutually exclusive with teachings of Baha’i. You probably consider them to be compatible, is that right?
Hope to hear from you again.
Jim Baumgaertel
#2
You wrote:
[The Baha’i Faith teaches that God reveals Himself <the Father> via the Holy Spirit <the Holy Spirit> manifested in the perfect “mirror” of Jesus and the other Manifestations <the Son>. This is the trinity] the deity of Jesus Christ, [for Baha’is, God does reveal all of His attributes in Jesus, and therefore, Jesus is God because we see nothing save God’s reality operating in Him]
Do you believe that Jesus is uniquely God in human form? I understood that you considered Jesus one of the Babs, like Muhammed or Buddha. Is Jesus God but Muhammed and Buddha are not?
Jim
Dear Mr. Baumgaertel, (Bill’s second message)
I apologize for being so long in responding to your previous emails. As a rather active professional, husband, father, and Baha’i, there is plenty of work and not enough time for it all.
You wrote: “I’m very grateful for your efforts to correct my article. I want to be as precise as I can in comparing what the Bible teaches with what Baha’i Faith teaches… What I want to show is that the Gospel of Jesus Christ in the Bible is mutually exclusive with teachings of Baha’i. You probably consider them to be compatible, is that right?”
And you also wrote: “Do you believe that Jesus is uniquely God in human form? I understood that you considered Jesus one of the Babs, like Muhammed or Buddha. Is Jesus God but Muhammed and Buddha are not?”
Because you start from the conclusion that the Gospel and Baha’i teachings are mutually exclusive, you begin with a disability that renders the possibility of your making an unprejudiced comparison rather slim. I therefore am not intending debate the compatibility/incompatibility of Baha’i teachings with what you consider to be the correct teachings of the Bible. I really want to make sure that whatever you seek to demonstrate is at least providing reference to the actual teachings of the Baha’i Faith, and not a “straw man.” There are also what I would call basic courtesies that are helpful in addressing another religion (even one that you believe to be false).
So, initially I would say that “Bahaism” is not a correct term, although it has often been used in the past by those who are not Baha’is, usually in a somewhat disparaging way. While the word “Bahaism” occurs in English dictionaries, I would suggest avoiding it. The religion is the Baha’i Faith or the Baha’i religion.
Baha’u’llah’s Glad-Tidings is that the one True God incarnates His attributes in a series of divine Manifestations Whom He periodically sends to the world to reveal one ancient faith. We do not call these messengers of God “Babs.” This notion appears in Winfred Corduan’s book Neighboring Faiths: A Christian Introduction to World Religions (InterVarsity Press, 1998), but it is fallacious. The term Bab means “gate” and is the title of the forerunner of Baha’u’llah. We sometimes use the word Prophet (capitalized) to refer to the Manifestations, but Prophet only refers to one function of a Manifestation. Corduan’s book contains a lot of serious errors, particularly about Baha’i history, which I will only go into if you ever want to pursue that topic. A common belief of many Christians is that Baha’is demote Jesus to just one among a bunch of lesser prophets, whereas the reality is that all of the great divine Founders are God’s Manifestations, each with a specific mission and uniqueness, yet all together one in divine purpose. From the perspective of human beings, each of these Manifestations embodies the fullness of divine attributes, and therefore is God in the only way we can know Him – through His attributes. This is just as with a perfect mirror reflecting the sun; we look at the mirror and say “There is the sun.” The sun has not descended into the mirror, but the sun’s attributes of heat and light are perfectly visible. This is what Baha’is mean by Jesus’, Buddha’s, Muhammad’s, or Baha’u’llah’s divinity.
Thus we have the following authoritative Baha’i statement about Jesus and Christianity:
‘As to the position of Christianity, let it be stated without any hesitation or equivocation that its divine origin is unconditionally acknowledged, that the Sonship and Divinity of Jesus Christ are fearlessly asserted, that the divine inspiration of the Gospel is fully recognized, that the reality of the mystery of the Immaculacy of the Virgin Mary is confessed, and the primacy of Peter, the Prince of the Apostles, is upheld and defended. The Founder of the Christian Faith is designated by Bahá’u’lláh as the “Spirit of God,” is proclaimed as the One Who “appeared out of the breath of the Holy Ghost,” and is even extolled as the “Essence of the Spirit.” His mother is described as “that veiled and immortal, that most beauteous, countenance,” and the station of her Son eulogized as a “station which hath been exalted above the imaginings of all that dwell on earth,” whilst Peter is recognized as one from whom God has caused “the mysteries of wisdom and of utterance to flow out of his mouth.” “Know thou,” Bahá’u’lláh has moreover testified, “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…. He it is Who purified the world. Blessed is the man who, with a face beaming with light, hath turned towards Him.”
‘Indeed, the essential prerequisites of admittance into the Bahá’í fold of Jews, Zoroastrians, Hindus, Buddhists, and the followers of other ancient faiths, as well as of agnostics and even atheists, is the wholehearted and unqualified acceptance by them all of the divine origin of both Islám and Christianity, of the Prophetic functions of both Muhammad and Jesus Christ, of the legitimacy of the institution of the Imamate, and of the primacy of St. Peter, the Prince of the Apostles. Such are the central, the solid, the incontrovertible principles that constitute the bedrock of Bahá’í belief, which the Faith of Bahá’u’lláh is proud to acknowledge, which its teachers proclaim, which its apologists defend, which its literature disseminates, which its summer schools expound, and which the rank and file of its followers attest by both word and deed.’ (Shoghi Effendi, The Promised Day is Come, pp. 109-110)
God does not change. Human beings, as their societies change, have different requirements in different times and places. Just as a physician does not prescribe only one medicine for all illnesses, so the Divine Physician prescribes the spiritual medicine for each era of human history. We call this “progressive revelation” — a phrase not at all unfamiliar to 19th century Christian dispensationalist theology, which holds that God prescribes steadily progressing means of salvation in each “dispensation” (the best-selling Schofield study Bible is the most well-known example of this dispensationalist soteriology). Every religion has statements that appear “exclusivist,” in which the religion’s central figure states that He is the sole way to God or divine truth. The Baha’i tenet is that each individual Manifestation is the only way to God at the time He makes the statement and for the period of His dispensation. Because all of the Manifestations also have a station of essential unity, then each is also the only way for all time, because they are all one. The Bab and Baha’u’llah make clear that those who reject the next Manifestation when He appears have also rejected the earlier Manifestation in Whom they claimed to believe: ‘Verily it is incumbent upon you to recognize your Lord at the time of His manifestation, that haply ye may not enter into negation, and that, ere a Prophet is raised by God, ye may find yourselves securely established upon the sea of affirmation. For if a Prophet cometh to you from God and ye fail to walk in His Way, God will, thereupon, transform your light into fire. Take heed then that perchance ye may, through the grace of God and His signs, be enabled to redeem your souls.’ (Selections from the Writings of the Bab, p. 147). ‘Be thou assured in thyself that verily, he who turns away from this Beauty hath also turned away from the Messengers of the past and showeth pride towards God from all eternity to all eternity.’ (Baha’u’llah, “Tablet of Ahmad”)
The Manifestations are one in essence, but each has an individual mission. Each Manifestation is the return of the Ones that went before (not in the sense of reincarnation, which is fallacious), but in the sense of Their being the complete reflection of the attributes of the One and Only God.
‘And when the days of Moses were ended, and the light of Jesus, shining forth from the dayspring of the Spirit, encompassed the world, all the people of Israel arose in protest against Him. They clamoured that He Whose advent the Bible had foretold must needs promulgate and fulfil the laws of Moses, whereas this youthful Nazarene, who laid claim to the station of the divine Messiah, had annulled the law of divorce and of the sabbath day–the most weighty of all the laws of Moses. Moreover, what of the signs of the Manifestation yet to come? These people of Israel are even unto the present day still expecting that Manifestation which the Bible hath foretold! How many Manifestations of Holiness, how many Revealers of the light everlasting, have appeared since the time of Moses, and yet Israel, wrapt in the densest veils of satanic fancy and false imaginings, is still expectant that the idol of her own handiwork will appear with such signs as she herself hath conceived! Thus hath God laid hold of them for their sins, hath extinguished in them the spirit of faith, and tormented them with the flames of the nethermost fire. And this for no other reason except that Israel refused to apprehend the meaning of such words as have been revealed in the Bible concerning the signs of the coming Revelation. As she never grasped their true significance, and, to outward seeming, such events never came to pass, she, therefore, remained deprived of recognizing the beauty of Jesus and of beholding the face of God. And they still await His coming! From time immemorial even unto this day, all the kindreds and peoples of the earth have clung to such fanciful and unseemly thoughts, and thus have deprived themselves of the clear waters streaming from the springs of purity and holiness.’
‘In unfolding these mysteries, We have, in Our former Tablets which were addressed to a friend in the melodious language of Hijáz, cited a few of the verses revealed unto the Prophets of old. And now, responding to your request, We again shall cite, in these pages, those same verses, uttered this time in the wondrous accents of Iraq, that haply the sore athirst in the wilds of remoteness may attain unto the ocean of the divine presence, and they that languish in the wastes of separation be led unto the home of eternal reunion. Thus the mists of error may be dispelled, and the all-resplendent light of divine guidance dawn forth above the horizon of human hearts. In God We put Our trust, and to Him We cry for help, that haply there may flow from this pen that which shall quicken the souls of men, that they may all arise from their beds of heedlessness and hearken unto the rustling of the leaves of Paradise, from the tree which the hand of divine power hath, by the permission of God, planted in the Ridván of the All-Glorious.’
‘To them that are endowed with understanding, it is clear and manifest that when the fire of the love of Jesus consumed the veils of Jewish limitations, and His authority was made apparent and partially enforced, He the Revealer of the unseen Beauty, addressing one day His disciples, referred unto His passing, and, kindling in their hearts the fire of bereavement, said unto them: “I go away and come again unto you.” And in another place He said: “I go and another will come Who will tell you all that I have not told you, and will fulfil all that I have said.” Both these sayings have but one meaning, were you to ponder upon the Manifestations of the Unity of God with divine insight.’
‘Every discerning observer will recognize that in the Dispensation of the Qur’án both the Book and the Cause of Jesus were confirmed. As to the matter of names, Muhammad, Himself, declared: “I am Jesus.” He recognized the truth of the signs, prophecies, and words of Jesus, and testified that they were all of God. In this sense, neither the person of Jesus nor His writings hath differed from that of Muhammad and of His holy Book, inasmuch as both have championed the Cause of God, uttered His praise, and revealed His commandments. Thus it is that Jesus, Himself, declared: “I go away and come again unto you.” Consider the sun. Were it to say now, “I am the sun of yesterday,” it would speak the truth. And should it, bearing the sequence of time in mind, claim to be other than that sun, it still would speak the truth. In like manner, if it be said that all the days are but one and the same, it is correct and true. And if it be said, with respect to their particular names and designations, that they differ, that again is true. For though they are the same, yet one doth recognize in each a separate designation, a specific attribute, a particular character. Conceive accordingly the distinction, variation, and unity characteristic of the various Manifestations of holiness, that thou mayest comprehend the allusions made by the creator of all names and attributes to the mysteries of distinction and unity, and discover the answer to thy question as to why that everlasting Beauty should have, at sundry times, called Himself by different names and titles.’ (Bahá’u’lláh, The Kitab-i-Iqan, pp. 17-22)
The different relationships that each Manifestation has with God Almighty are not contradictions, but are an example of how God’s action cannot be tied up by our own limited understanding:
‘Were any of the all-embracing Manifestations of God to declare: “I am God!” He verily speaketh the truth, and no doubt attacheth thereto. For it hath been repeatedly demonstrated that through their Revelation, their attributes and names, the Revelation of God, His name and His attributes, are made manifest in the world. Thus, He hath revealed: “Those shafts were God’s, not Thine!” And also He saith: “In truth, they who plighted fealty unto thee, really plighted that fealty unto God.” And were any of them to voice the utterance: “I am the Messenger of God,” He also speaketh the truth, the indubitable truth. Even as He saith: “Muhammad is not the father of any man among you, but He is the Messenger of God.” Viewed in this light, they are all but Messengers of that ideal King, that unchangeable Essence. And were they all to proclaim: “I am the Seal of the Prophets,” they verily utter but the truth, beyond the faintest shadow of doubt. For they are all but one person, one soul, one spirit, one being, one revelation. They are all the manifestation of the “Beginning” and the “End,” the “First” and the “Last,” the “Seen” and “Hidden” –all of which pertain to Him Who is the innermost Spirit of Spirits and eternal Essence of Essences. And were they to say: “We are the servants of God,” this also is a manifest and indisputable fact. For they have been made manifest in the uttermost state of servitude, a servitude the like of which no man can possibly attain. Thus in moments in which these Essences of being were deeply immersed beneath the oceans of ancient and everlasting holiness, or when they soared to the loftiest summits of divine mysteries, they claimed their utterance to be the Voice of divinity, the Call of God Himself. Were the eye of discernment to be opened, it would recognize that in this very state, they have considered themselves utterly effaced and non-existent in the face of Him Who is the All-Pervading, the Incorruptible. Methinks, they have regarded themselves as utter nothingness, and deemed their mention in that Court an act of blasphemy. For the slightest whispering of self, within such a Court, is an evidence of self-assertion and independent existence. In the eyes of them that have attained unto that Court, such a suggestion is itself a grievous transgression. How much more grievous would it be, were aught else to be mentioned in that Presence, were man’s heart, his tongue, his mind, or his soul, to be busied with anyone but the Well-Beloved, were his eyes to behold any countenance other than His beauty, were his ear to be inclined to any melody but His voice, and were his feet to tread any way but His way.’ (Bahá’u’lláh, The Kitab-i-Iqan, pp. 178-180)
In the matter of recognition, had I been a devout Jew of the time of Jesus, I would have been taught certain things about what the Hebrew scriptures said about the Messiah. The self-same Elijah (Elias) the prophet, who had bodily been carried into the physical heavens, would return to prepare the way for the Messiah. The Messiah would lead the Jews in a triumphal defeat of Israel’s enemies. The Messiah, according to the prophet Isaiah (7:14), would come with certain signs: ‘Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.’ For me, if I clung literally to these expectations, Jesus would clearly be a false messiah. Not only did he not lead my people out of bondage, he was crucified, he came from Nazareth (from which no good came) and had the wrong name. He did things on the Sabbath that the religious leaders forbade, and prohibited divorce. Jews did not become believers in Jesus by searching the Hebrew scriptures and finding Him to be their literal fulfilment. They experienced Jesus Himself and knew that He came from God. The scriptural confirmation became evident after their faith was kindled. God Himself in countless places has stated that only He knows the meaning of the scriptural prophecies, which can only be understood on the day of fulfilment when He reveals their meaning. ‘And he said, Go thy way, Daniel, for the words are closed up and sealed until the time of the end’ (Dan. 12:9). ‘Be watchful lest the concerns and preoccupations of this world prevent you from observing that which hath been enjoined upon you by Him Who is the Mighty, the Faithful. Be ye the embodiments of such steadfastness amidst mankind that ye will not be kept back from God by the doubts of those who disbelieved in Him when He manifested Himself, invested with a mighty sovereignty. Take heed lest ye be prevented by aught that hath been recorded in the Book from hearkening unto this, the Living Book, Who proclaimeth the truth: “Verily, there is no God but Me, the Most Excellent, the All-Praised.” Look ye with the eye of equity upon Him Who hath descended from the heaven of Divine will and power, and be not of those who act unjustly.’ (Bahá’u’lláh, The Kitab-i-Aqdas, 66-67) Jesus was the Living Book of His time, and only He could tell the Pharisees, Sadducees and Jewish people what the written Book meant. In His day, Muhammad was the Living Book, and in this current dispensation, Baha’u’llah is that Living Word.
The Gospel of John records that Jesus said: ‘Verily, verily, I say unto thee, We speak that we do know, and testify that we have seen; and ye receive not our witness. If I have told you earthly things, and ye believe not, how shall ye believe, if I tell you of heavenly things? And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of man which is in heaven.’ (John 3:11-13) Jesus clearly indicated that He had spoken of the divine reality that he knew and had seen, yet the world received not His witness. He then stated that His ascension to heaven was possible because He came from heaven and was at that time in heaven. If He came from heaven (but He was born of a woman), and was at that time in heaven (yet sat in a chair and spoke in the flesh), what then was the heaven to which He would ascend and from which He would return?
Now Elijah (Elias) was expected before the Messiah. John the Baptist was asked about this in John 1:19-21: ‘And this is the record of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, Who art thou? And he confessed, and denied not; but confessed, I am not the Christ. And they asked him, What then? Art thou Elias? And he saith, I am not. Art thou that prophet? And he answered, No.’ But when Jesus spoke of the Baptist (Matthew 11:10-15) He said: ‘For this is he, of whom it is written, Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, which shall prepare thy way before thee. Verily I say unto you, Among them that are born of women there hath not risen a greater than John the Baptist: notwithstanding he that is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he. And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force. For all the prophets and the law prophesied until John. And if ye will receive it, this is Elias, which was for to come. He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.’ Why would John the Baptist say he was not Elias, and Jesus say that he was? Did either John or Jesus speak falsely?
In the book of Ezekiel, referring to the messianic Jerusalem and the temple, he writes (43:1-5): Afterward he brought me to the gate, even the gate that looketh toward the east: And, behold, the glory of the God of Israel came from the way of the east: and his voice was like a noise of many waters: and the earth shined with his glory… And the glory of the LORD came into the house by the way of the gate whose prospect is toward the east. So the spirit took me up, and brought me into the inner court; and, behold, the glory of the LORD filled the house.’ In the Arabic Bible in use in the 19th century, this passage read very interestingly: ‘Afterward he brought me to the Bab, even the Bab who looketh toward the east: And, behold, Baha’u’llah of Israel came from the way of the east: and his voice was like a noise of many waters: and the earth shined with his Baha… And Baha’u’llah came into the house by the way of the Bab whose prospect is toward the east. So the spirit took me up, and brought me into the inner court; and, behold, Baha’u’llah filled the house.’
I am attaching a communication on similar issues that I had with a Christian minister in Florida.
If you really are interested in examining the Baha’i teachings in relation to Christianity, I suggest you obtain one or more of the following books: The Prophecies of Jesus by Michael Sours (Oxford: Oneworld, 1991); He Cometh with Clouds: A Bahá’í View of Christ’s Return by Gary Matthews (Oxford: George Ronald, 1996) and Every Eye Shall See: Bible Evidence for the Return of Christby Gary Matthews (Knoxville, Tenn.: Stonehaven Press, 1999). These are all available from the Baha’i Distribution Service, 1-800-999-9019. Also, if you want clear expositions of basic Baha’i teachings, I suggest The Bahá’í Faith: The Emerging Global Religion by William Hatcher and Douglas Martin (Rev. ed, Wilmette, Ill.: Baha’i Publishing Trust, 1998). I do not recommend anything that has been written by Christian authors to disprove the Baha’i Faith, or to teach Christians how to “witness” to Baha’is. The motive of saving the flock from going astray has led these authors to write patent falsehoods and to distort the truth. More importantly, the kinds of errors and conscious untruths transmitted betrays a complete lack of willingness to understand the religion they are studying. In their fear of losing Christians to Baha’u’llah, they have betrayed Jesus’ own principle of honesty and freedom from malice.
Sincerely,
Bill
Bill’s attachment
Dear ____:
I apologize for the inordinately long time it has taken me to get back to your letter of 3 May 1999. My job and Bahá’í duties were considerable, and so I have only now had an opportunity to be able to reply. In my first letter to you, I did not notice a misspelling, which you faithfully reproduced in your reply to me: the forerunner of Bahá’u’lláh was known as the Báb, which my computer misproduced as B0b.
The Bahá’ís consider as authentic Word of God (Scripture), the following
- Bahá’í Scriptures
Authenticated writings of Bahá’u’lláh
Authenticated writings of the Báb
Authenticated writings of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá
- Islamic Scripture
The Qur’án
- Christian & Jewish Scripture
The Bible – i.e. the Gospels (New Testament) and the Torah, Prophets amd Writings (Old Testament)
The following are the remnants of Scriptures, but which are not authentic in their present form:
- Buddhist scriptures
- Hindu scriptures
- Zoroastrian scriptures
You ask about when one should interpret certain words such as “Glory of the Lord” or “Glory of God” as Bahá’u’lláh and when it is simply to be taken in its plain sense as the literal glory of the Lord, and likewise with the word “gate” as the Báb or as a literal gate. This question of what is interpreted literally and what symbolically relates to your other questions about how Bahá’u’lláh and Jesus can both be Christ, and interpretation of Acts 1:11 and Revelation 1:7. Every word of scripture has many meanings:
They [the Manifestations of God] speak a twofold language. One language, the outward language, is devoid of allusions, is unconcealed and unveiled…. The other language is veiled and concealed, so that whatever lieth hidden in the heart of the malevolent may be made manifest…. In such utterances, the literal meaning, as generally understood by the people, is not what hath been intended. Thus it is recorded: “Every knowledge hath seventy meanings, of which only one is known amongst the people. And when the Qá’im [the Promised One] shall arise, He shall reveal unto men all that which remaineth.” (Bahá’u’lláh, Kitáb-i-Íqán: The Book of Certitude, 254-255)
Bahá’u’lláh also wrote in another scripture that harmonization of esoteric meaning with the vehicle of that meaning is the hallmark of a scholar.
Those who wrote commentaries on the Qur’án1 fell into two sorts. The first neglected the literal sense in favor of an esoteric exegesis. The other interpreted literally and ignored its metaphorical dimension. Were We to review all their sayings and statements, thou wouldst be overtaken with fatigue and unable to read what We have written for thee. Therefore, We have declined to mention them here. Blessed are they that cling both to the literal and to the esoteric, for those are His servants that have believed in the universal Word. Know that whoso clingeth to the outward sense of the words, leaving aside their esoteric significance, is simply ignorant. And whoso concentrateth on the metaphorical sense to the exclusion of the prosaic meaning is heedless. Only the one who interpreteth the verses esoterically while harmonizing this reading with the literal meaning can be said to be a complete scholar.
Let us consider the questions of a confirmed Jewish believer of Jesus’ time. Isaiah had made a prophecy about the signs of the Jews’ redemption: Isaiah 7:14 “Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.” The writers of the Gospels quoted this as a prophecy of Jesus. As a Jew, I would ask: If this is indeed the fulfillment of Isaiah’s prophecy, tell me why the savior was named Jesus, not Immanuel?
Let us consider another problem. It was clear in Jewish scripture that before the appearance of the Messiah, Elijah [Elias] would come. Clearly the same individual Elijah did not reappear from the heaven up to which he was carried. When John the Baptist was asked by the priests who he was, what did he answer?: John 1: 21 “And they asked him, What then? Art thou Elias? And he saith, I am not. Art thou that prophet? And he answered, No.” But what did Jesus say?: Matt. 11:14-15 “And if ye will receive it, this is Elias, which was for to come. He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.” Matt. 17: 10 “And his disciples asked him, saying, Why then say the scribes that Elias must first come? And Jesus answered and said unto them, Elias truly shall first come, and restore all things. But I say unto you, That Elias is come already, and they knew him not, but have done unto him whatsoever they listed. Likewise shall also the Son of man suffer of them. Then the disciples understood that he spake unto them of John the Baptist.” As a Jew of Jesus’ time, how can one not laugh at Jesus’ assertion that John the Baptist was the return of Elias? A Jew would know that Elias was taken bodily into heaven and therefore could only return in like manner. How can John the Baptist at one and the same time not be Elias and be Elias?
What of another problem? It was ridiculous to Nicodemus that Jesus could speak of ascending unto heaven. John 3:13 “And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of man which is in heaven.” Jesus stated clearly that He was ascending unto heaven, that He had already come down from heaven, and that He was even at that moment in heaven. What then is the heaven to which he was asending and from which he would in like manner return at the end of the age? If you can answer these problems, perhaps you can answer your questions about Acts 1:11 and Rev. 1:7.
What then are the eyes that shall see Him? Matthew 13:15-16 “For this people’s heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them. But blessed are your eyes, for they see: and your ears, for they hear.”
How do you know that you are not deceived? How did you know that you were not deceived when Jesus came into your heart? Apply the same criterion.
Salvation is by two things: faith followed by deeds. In Whom must we have faith? Let me place to you an analogy. In the school system, all the teachers have studied more or less the same body of mathematics. A child is taught in second grade that you cannot take away a larger number from a smaller number; you cannot subtract 20 from 10. Knowing this is the way for the child to obtain the teacher’s goodpleasure in arithmetic. In sixth grade, the child learns from a new teacher that there is something called a negative number; subtract 20 from 10 and the answer is minus 10. If the child’s response in sixth grade is, “But the only right answer is that you can’t subtract 20 from 10” what will be the result? The child must learn from the teacher, and also from the process of growth and learning as he grows in understanding. With God, who is sole master of all knowledge and creator of all existence (and therefore cannot be encompassed by the human mind), you must have faith in his current message. That means to be saved by the divine Savior of the age in which you live. To recognize Him is to recognize and be saved by all the others as well, for they are true, and their messages were to prepare the way for the other Saviors that followed. Thus, in Jesus’ time, to reject Him meant not only that one missed His salvation, it meant losing Moses too, for Moses testified of Jesus. Acceptance must then be followed by obedience to His commandments, testifying to the change of heart.
Because no human being is perfect in faith or in the deeds that are to follow upon faith, God has created atonement. The suffering of Jesus and others is the way God preserves humanity from the penatly of its sins. Bahá’u’lláh wrote:
That which thou hast heard concerning Abraham, the Friend of the All-Merciful, is the truth, and no doubt is there about it. The Voice of God commanded Him to offer up [his son] as a sacrifice, so that His steadfastness in the Faith of God and His detachment from all else but Him may be demonstrated unto men. The purpose of God, moreover, was to sacrifice him as a ransom for the sins and iniquities of all the peoples of the earth. This same honor, Jesus, the Son of Mary, besought the one true God, exalted be His name and glory, to confer upon Him. For the same reason was Husayn offered up as a sacrifice by Muhammad, the Apostle of God.
No man can ever claim to have comprehended the nature of the hidden and manifold grace of God; none can fathom His all-embracing mercy. Such hath been the perversity of men and their transgressions, so grievous have been the trials that have afflicted the Prophets of God and their chosen ones, that all mankind deserveth to be tormented and to perish. God’s hidden and most loving providence, however, hath, through both visible and invisible agencies, protected and will continue to protect it from the penalty of its wickedness. Ponder this in thine heart, that the truth may be revealed unto thee, and be thou steadfast in His path. (Bahá’u’lláh, Gleanings from the Writings of Bahá’u’lláh, XXXII)
I leave you with one final thought, which is that unity among people of faith is paramount in these days when the world struggles to find its values. True understanding comes from humble relationship:
It is Our wish and desire that every one of you may become a source of all goodness unto men, and an example of uprightness to mankind. Beware lest ye prefer yourselves above your neighbors. Fix your gaze upon Him Who is the Temple of God amongst men. He, in truth, hath offered up His life as a ransom for the redemption of the world. He, verily, is the All-Bountiful, the Gracious, the Most High. If any differences arise amongst you, behold Me standing before your face, and overlook the faults of one another for My name’s sake and as a token of your love for My manifest and resplendent Cause. We love to see you at all times consorting in amity and concord within the paradise of My good-pleasure, and to inhale from your acts the fragrance of friendliness and unity, of loving-kindness and fellowship. Thus counselleth you the All-Knowing, the Faithful. We shall always be with you; if We inhale the perfume of your fellowship, Our heart will assuredly rejoice, for naught else can satisfy Us. To this beareth witness every man of true understanding. (Bahá’u’lláh, Gleanings from the Writings of Bahá’u’lláh, CXLVI)
Sincerely yours,
William
Bill, (reply to second message)
Thanks so much for all the information. I really would like to get one of the overview books published by Baha’i writers. You’re right; I do not want to be dealing with a “straw man”. I am convinced of the uniqueness of Jesus in human history and of the uniqueness of the Jewish people. And I’m sure that direct quotes from Baha’i writings will provide adequate contrasts, so that I don’t need any professing Christian’s second hand information. And, again you are right in that to be true to the Jesus of the Bible is to reason with others, motivated by love, and with respect for the people and the facts. I’m no scholar but I want to be accurate.
Speaking of straw men, I’ve already got some glimpses that Baha’i writers have misunderstood the Christianity of the Bible and have actually reacted to and responded to what I call Christendom. I have found this with skeptics such as Bertrand Russell and Isaac Asimov. They claim to explain, “Why I am not a Christian”, and then never deal with the central issues of the Gospel spoken by Jesus Christ.
Similar to you, I’m busy as a worker bee, husband, dad, and disciple of Jesus. There is much I need to evaluate and consider and discuss with many people of a variety of flavors, but examining the Baha’i Faith is a priority I would like to pursue by the grace of God.
Thanks again,
Jim Baumgaertel