AMIT-ABHA
A guest has requested a discussion about Amit-Abha. Baha’is understand that Amit Abha is Baha’u'llah, as he wore the red robe, and as He is the 5th Manifestation of God after Gautama (Sanskrit; Pali: Gotama), Siddhartha (Sanskrit; Pali: Siddhattha). “Amit” means “Infinite” and “Abha” means “Light” or “Glory.” Baha’u'llah’s Revelation comes directly from God (the Infinite Absolute One), as it did for Jesus and Moses and Mohammed and Zoroaster and Krishna and Buddha and Adam and the Bab. (more…)

A guest has requested that we post the Arabic section of the Hidden Words of Baha’u'llah.

I have added a category for Baha’i Faith writings. There are two works added to start with. They are Baha’u'llah’s Kitab-i-Ahd, and the Will and Testament of Abdu’l-Baha. Together, these two documents comprise the Covenant of the Baha’i Faith. You can navigate to the Baha’i Writings page from the link to your left or click on this link to access the Baha’i Faith writings new hub page.

If you would like to suggest other writings, send me an email and I’ll try to get them in the list and uploaded.

Allah’u'Abha,

Webmaster

The following prayer for healing was revealed by Baha’u'llah, the prophet and founder of the Baha’i Faith:

Thy name is my healing, O my God, and remembrance of Thee is my remedy. (more…)

I was talking with a Christian today and she said she was celebrating Easter with her family. I asked if she was going on an Easter egg hunt. She said yes and asked If I was also?

I said I hadn’t since I was a child.

I mean why celebrate 5000 year old holiday with eggs and rabbits, which are both symbols of fertility worship and all on a day that is named after Ishtar, the pagan goddess of fertility?

I bid her a good day and pulled out my Bible to read about the resurrection. (more…)

In the firesides we learn that Angels, Cherubs, and Seraphs are spiritual stations we can attain while in this life, and not divine beings from heaven wandering among us as is commonly perceived. One time at a forum Dr. Jensen elaborated upon this when the subject came up regarding Isaiah’s reference to Seraphim.

Isaiah 6:1–3 : “… I saw the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up; and His train filled the Hekhal (sanctuary). Above Him stood the Seraphim; each had six wings: with two he covered his face, and with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew.”

The notion that the wings covered the face and feet of the Seraph was puzzling this person, and they couldn’t comprehend Isaiah’s description. Doc then went on to explain that the six wings (or 3 sets) of the Seraph covering their features were symbolic of their level of knowledge and evolution within the Cause of God as harbingers of the Message. The first set covers the Seraph’s face (or eyes) meaning that he can see and understand the Revelations of God. The next covered his feet meaning that the Seraph was also capable of carrying the Message of Revelation to others. And of the 3rd set Isaiah says “and with two he flew” meaning that the Seraph’s 3rd set gave him the added ability to not just carry the Message of Revelation to others, but that he might bring it far and wide to every corner of the Earth.

Doc elaborated further saying that we know the Seraphs are the highest of the three stations of Angels that one might achieve in his lifetime on Earth, so that its fair to say that Cherubs in turn have but two sets of wings, and Angel would have one set. He concluded that the Cherubs among us had a set of wings covering their face (eyes) which meant they could see the Truth, and another< covering their feet, meaning they were capable of Teaching it as well. That would logically conclude that Angels then are those among the living that have a set of wings covering their Spiritual Eyes, or in other words they are those among us that have been granted the Blessed Gift of being able to comprehend, recognize, and understand the Revelations and Truths of our Best Beloved.

He concluded adding “So it’s really a pleasure to be sharing this evening with all you Angels, Cherubs, and Seraphs”.

Thanks Colin for finding this press item from Time, in 1957, about the controversy of the Hands and the succession issue. The article follows and is followed by a link to the Time news archives.
***** (more…)

The Resultant Affect upon the Harmony of the Three Abrahamic Faiths

by Nefratiri Weeks
October 26, 2007
Scholars and historians agree that the blending of Greek culture with Christianity eventually resulted in our modern understanding of Christianity as a religion; textbooks paint the picture of its great Hebrew Roots being planted in Greek Soil, creating the tree we see today in every American City and across the world. However, some scholars assert that while Greek rational thought had a positive influence on Christianity, Greek religious practices at that time had no influence. I will demonstrate that, to the contrary, many Greek religious practices are alive and well in the Christian Church and discuss the deeper implications of this fact on the global situation of religious division.In his Summa Theologica, Thomas Aquinas, one of the great reasoning minds of the late Middle Ages, set forth the argument that the subject matter of religious doctrine, belief and faith was to be rightly considered a science. He set this science higher than the science of empirical thought with subject matter including mathematics and the like. Aquinas opened the door of religious speculation that had been closed by the Church for more than a thousand years. In his treatise concerning religious belief he concludes:

“As other sciences do not argue in proof of their principles, but argue from their principles to demonstrate other truths in these sciences: so this doctrine does not argue in proof of its principles, which are the articles of faith, but from them it goes on to prove something else…” (Aquinas). (more…)

Everyone’s invited to check out this recently created video called Baha’i Covenant: Red Alert

The content is a brief synopsis of how Shoghi Effendi’s “Hand’s of the Cause” usurped authority of the Faith upon his passing. From the book of the Establisher of the Baha’i Faith, he writes: (more…)

Question: You know how in the date in the proofs for Jesus the 70 years are broken down to 7, 62, & 1? Well we need all 490 years to get to the crucifixion, right? What does it mean in Dan. 9:26 where it says “after sixty two weeks an anointed one shall be cut off”. Doesn’t it look like the “cut off” is the crucifixion? How does that relate to the beginning of John’s ministry in 27 AD (408bc-434yrs= 27ad)? In other words, the 62 weeks (434 years) doesn’t get us to 34 AD, we need the last week (7 years), but verse 26 makes it look like the crucifixion (”shall be cut off”) happens “after sixty two weeks”, see? I’m trying to explain this to an evangelist,but i can’t explain it to myself right now (duh). I could use an answer ASAP.

An answer: The point at which the “cut off” occurs is after the 62 week period. It is at the end of the last week (more…)

I just returned from a business trip to Seattle. While I was there I took a taxi and the driver, wearing all white and a white fez, was playing a tape of Arabic singing. It really was quite beautiful, entrancing even. He turned it down for my directions and I asked him what it was and he said it was the Quran in song. I complimented his musical taste. More importantly (more…)

There are numerous reasons why Baha’is don’t accept the commonly held belief that Jesus is God. We do of course believe in Jesus, and the Bible. This is only commonly held among Christians I should say. Muslim believe in him, too. They’re even awaiting his return. But, like the Baha’is, Muslims do not believe he’s God, or in the Trinity. So maybe it’s not the most commonly held belief worldwide, but a whole lot of Christians believe this despite his vehement protest to the idea in the Gospels.

He was one of the most influential and important teachers the world has known. But, it is challenging at best (more…)

ONCE upon a time not so long ago a group of people went against Shoghi Effendi in a very offensive way. This was for their own aggrandizement and empowerment. To go against Shoghi Effendi is strictly forbidden by God as written by ‘Abdu’l-Baha in the Will and Testament of ‘Abdu’l-Baha on page 11. To disobey him [Shoghi Effendi] is to disobey God:

“Whoso rebelleth against him [Shoghi Effendi]… hath rebelled against God; whoso opposeth him [Shoghi Effendi] hath opposed God;… whoso disputeth with him [Shoghi Effendi] hath disputed with God; whoso denieth him [Shoghi Effendi] hath denied God; whoso disbelieveth in him [Shoghi Effendi] hath disbelieved in God; whoso deviateth, separateth himself and turneth aside from him hath in truth deviated, separated himself and turned aside from God.”

Shoghi Effendi, not having a biological son to succeed him, set up a non-biological son successorship in a council in embryonic form that everyone was to turn to upon his passing. This council was an embryonic Universal House of Justice, and was called the first International Baha’i Council. It consisted of two parts: the executive head and the legislative body, in conformity with ‘Abdu’l-Baha’s Will and Testament, which is the charter for the World Order of Baha’u'llah. Anything else would not be Baha’u'llah’s Universal House of Justice. He placed ‘Abdu’l-Baha’s adopted son to be its president, setting up the executive branch. All of its nine members were also appointed by Shoghi Effendi, forming the body. This council was to go through four stages to become the Universal House of Justice. It was, with the membership appointed by him, to become a world court on Mt. Carmel in 1963. Later its body (not the head) was to be elected to form the International Tribunal, that was to bring peace to the world, then it would effloresce into the Universal House of Justice.

>>>>>>

No place in Baha’i scriptures or in any of Shoghi Effendi’s writings or discourses are the “Hands” designated to be Shoghi Effendi’s successor or to take over after his passing. In fact the “Hands” ceased to be Hands with the last breath of Shoghi Effendi. They are to function only under the direction of a living guardian, that is, under the direction of Shoghi Effendi. They claimed the authority, that it was them who were to carry out Shoghi Effendi’s plan. Then the defunct “Hands” went against Shoghi Effendi. They took over and prevented the Baha’is from turning to Shoghi Effendi’s successor, the first International Baha’i Council, and set up an administration of their own that is strange to the Baha’i faith, going against each and every one of Shoghi Effendi’s writings for the establishment of the Universal House of Justice. There was not one thing that was spared—a complete violation of everything that Shoghi Effendi stood for.

This is an excerpt from Chapter 1 of Entry By Troops by J.T. Lamb

Read on here

This verse from John chapter 1 has many people convinced John is claiming that Jesus is the Word, and therefore God Almighty Himself; in the flesh. As Baha’is, we believe what Baha’u'llah reveals about a “Progressive Revelation” coming from the same One, True, Invisible God. He teaches that God has revealed Himself through 9 different persons throughout the last 6,000 years in what he terms a “Progressive Revelation”. But that none of these ones who bring a revelation are God Himself, but instead are revealing God’s Will.

So which is true? The Apostle John is correct, and of course Baha’u'llah is correct. It’s the interpretation of what John meant that is at odds with reality. Jesus is not God; Jesus is not the Word. The disconnect happens when one (or millions) assumes that the “Word” and Jesus are one and the same. It doesn’t say that. What it says is “the Word was with God, and the Word was God” (John 1:1). Later in verse 14 it states “and the Word became flesh and dwelt among us full of grace and truth.”. That’s what John said specifically, so let’s not add or take away from this for the sake of accuracy. If you look further down the chapter he continues in verse 17: “grace and truth came through Jesus Christ”. So John describes the Word as “grace and truth”; then he states this “came through Jesus Christ”. So the Word “dwelt” in and “came through” Jesus Christ. See? The Word, which is God, dwelt in and was revealed through Jesus Christ which is in accord with Baha’u'llah’s teaching about Progressive Revelations.

Furthermore, in verse 18 John state: “Noone has ever seen God. The only Son…he has made him known”. So Jesus can’t be God, because many saw him, right? But “he has made (God/the Word) known”. This again is exactly what Baha’u'llah teachs. This Progressive Revelation has come through many teachers, for the stated purpose of making God’s will known to the people.

The Greek translation for “the Word” is LOGOS. Logos literally means ‘thoughts expressed in words’. So another way to state what John is saying would be to say that God’s Thoughts came and dwelt with us in Jesus who in turn expressed these Thoughts in words so they could be made known.

I was on the floor laughing over the new South Park episode this week that asked the challenging question: what do bunnies have to do with Easter. They of course made light of the subject, and for entertainment purposes didn’t probe too deeply into the matter. But, it’s a valid question that is rarely if ever even asked. Bunnies, eggs, and chicks just pop up every springtime, and everyone just says “Oh it’s Easter again”. But why doesn’t anyone ever publically say “Wait a minute. What do these symbolize”? It’s a logical question for there is such a large disconnect between the resurrection of Jesus and the symbols of the holiday. The Reverand Alexander Hyslop provides a basis for understanding what one has to do with the other in his “Two Babylons”. The bunny and eggs are symbols of feritility. There annual appearance every spring pre-dates Christ to the ancient pagan festival of Eoster.

Eoster was the goddess of fertility to the ancient Babylonians; also known as Ishtar and Astoreth (the false goddess Solomon bowed down to in the Old Testatment). Symbols of fertility surround her ceremonial practices to which the bunny and egg find there place every spring since ancient Babylonian times.

So what does this have to do with Jesus? Nothing. The bunnies and eggs are residual effects of paganism conquering Christianity. Many believe the opposite happened, when in fact the idea of god incarnating into a man and being worshiped is the same pagan religion that Moses was battling in his time. It has endured 5 millenium and celebrated today.

This video explains how the biblical account of Jesus’ resurrection was a parable, and is not to be taken literally. That he was not god-incarnate physically rising from the dead to prove his divinity. The Gospels don’t support this notion that Jeus is God, or the Trinity, or the physical resurrection. In fact worshipping anything but the one true invisible God is exactly what Jesus and Moses came to warn the people against. Jesus said “Why do you call me good? There is noone good but God alone” (Mark 10:18). Yet we find today the ancient Babylonian religion of worshipping pagan gods and symbols enduring.

If one looks closely at the resurrection parable it is easy to find the truth. At the end of Luke 24 after the “resurrection” Jesus is given some fish and eats it saying “These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you” (verse 44). See, Jesus wasn’t there when he said this. His resurrection is a parable which is explained in detail is this youtube video. Bunnies and god-incarnated men are actually closely related and celebrated at Eoster, but neither have anything to do with the truth of the Gospels or the true teachings of Jesus.