Dear Khazeh,
While individuals are not to define the limits of Guardian's sphere, his sphere is limited as defined by Abdu'l-Baha's W&T and also as delineated by the Guardian and the House of Justice. The boundaries are well drawn and are limited to matters of interpretation of the Sacred Text and protection of the Faith, as quoted earlier. It does not include such things as economics, sciences or matters of history.
As Moojan reminded us not long ago, the House of Justice has noted that when Shoghi Effendi was asked by believers in Iran about an incident which had been reported differently by Abdu'l-Baha than what had happened, the Guardian instructed that the friends should report the matter as it had happened and not as Abdu'l-Baha had suggested.
Historical records must stand or fall on their own merits and not the authority of the person reporting it.
> please God please God we focus on important matters
These are important matters that we're focusing! If I didn't think it was important, I won't devote time to it.
Regards,
ahang.
Please respond to "Baha'i Studies" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Sent by: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
To: "Baha'i
Studies" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
cc:
Subject:
Re: Infallibility of the
Guardian & Divine Guidance
there is also a very significant quotation
from the beloved Guardian that i
remember the late Hand of the Cause Mr Khadem showed this servant first
and
taught me and in a sense inculcated to my limited [by then young and uneducated
mind]
"'... It is not for individual believers
to limit the sphere of the Guardian's
authority, or to judge when they have to obey the Guardian and when they
are
free to reject his judgment. Such an attitude would evidently lead to confusion
and to schism. The Guardian being the appointed interpreter of the Teachings,
it is his responsibility to state what matters which, affecting the interests
of the Faith, demand on the part of the believers, complete and unqualified
obedience to his instructions.'"
(From a letter written on behalf of the
Universal House of Justice to and
individual believer, August 22, 1977)
(Compilations,
Lights of Guidance, p. 310)
this was a profound opening for me
individuals not being able to de-limit
the sphere of his authority. humans
cannot de-limit that sphere...
and the Universal House of Justice have repeatedly used this same quotation
in
Their elucidations
"'... It is not for individual believers
to limit the sphere of the Guardian's
authority, or to judge when they have to obey the Guardian and when they
are
free to reject his judgment. Such an attitude would evidently lead to confusion
and to schism. The Guardian being the appointed interpreter of the Teachings,
it is his responsibility to state what matters which, affecting the interests
of the Faith, demand on the part of the believers, complete and unqualified
obedience to his instructions.'"
(From a letter written on behalf of the
Universal House of Justice to and
individual believer, August 22, 1977)
i think
though that this subject and the elated subject of Nabil has
come up so many times.
it would be nice if we could pause and reflect on these issues. all i am
most
certain of is that the Dawn Breakers has touched so many souls.
When the immortal May Bolles Maxwell was
on her [last] earthly journey to
Aregentina from where she passed on on the boat she gave her last copy
of Nabil
as translated by the Guardian and the recipient on the boat and all descendents
owed their faith to this book and the lady's generosity...
please God please God we focus on important
matters
humbly
khazeh
Quoting Sandra Chamberlain <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>:
> Hi Dean,
>
> Well, here I go again... maybe this time I got it right!
>
> 88 GUARDIAN (Infallibility of the)
>
> "The infallibility of the Guardian is confined to matters
> which are related strictly to the Cause and interpretation of
> the teachings; he is not an infallible authority on other
> subjects, such as economics, science, etc. When he feels that
> a certain thing is essential for the protection of the Cause,
> even if it is something that affects a person personally, he
> must be obeyed, but when he gives advice, such as that he gave
> you in a previous letter about your future, it is not binding;
> you are free to follow it or not as you please."
>
> (Shoghi Effendi, Directives from the Guardian, p. 33-34)
>
> 89 GUIDANCE, DIVINE (Of Guardian)
>
> "He feels that if ... ponders more deeply about the
> fundamentals of Divine Revelation, she will also come to
> understand the Guardianship. Once the mind and heart have
> grasped the fact that God guides men through a Mouthpiece, a
> human being, a Prophet, infallible and unerring, it is only a
> logical projection of this acceptance to also accept the
> station of 'Abdu'l-Bahá and the Guardians. The Guardians are
> the evidence of the maturity of mankind in the sense that at
> long last men have progressed to the point of having one
> world, and of needing one world management for human affairs.
> In the spiritual realm they have also reached the point where
> God could leave, in human hands (i.e. the Guardians) guided
> directly by the Báb and Bahá'u'lláh, as the Master states in
> His Will, the affairs of His Faith for this Dispensation. This
> is what is meant by 'this is the day which will not be
> followed by night.' In this Dispensation, divine guidance
> flows on to us in this world after the Prophet's ascension,
> through first the Master, and then the Guardians. If a person
> can accept Bahá'u'lláh's function, it should not present any
> difficulty to them to also accept what He has ordained in a
> Divinely guided individual in matters pertaining to the
> Faith."
>
> (Shoghi Effendi, Directives from the Guardian, p. 34)
>
>
>
> Lovingly, Sandra
>
>
> __________________________________________________
> You are subscribed to Baha'i Studies as: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> To unsubscribe send a blank email to
> mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> Baha'i Studies is available through the following:
> Mail - mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> Web - http://list.jccc.edu/read/?forum=bahai-st
> News - news://list.jccc.edu/bahai-st
> Public - http://www.escribe.com/religion/bahaist
> Old Public - http://www.mail-archive.com/[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> New Public - http://www.mail-archive.com/[EMAIL PROTECTED]
>
--
__________________________________________________
You are subscribed to Baha'i Studies as: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
To unsubscribe send a blank email to mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
Baha'i Studies is available through the following:
Mail - mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
Web - http://list.jccc.edu/read/?forum=bahai-st
News - news://list.jccc.edu/bahai-st
Public - http://www.escribe.com/religion/bahaist
Old Public - http://www.mail-archive.com/[EMAIL PROTECTED]
New Public - http://www.mail-archive.com/[EMAIL PROTECTED]
This communication is for use by the intended recipient and contains information that may be privileged, confidential or copyrighted under applicable law. If you are not the intended recipient, you are hereby formally notified that any use, copying or distribution of this e-mail, in whole or in part, is strictly prohibited. Please notify the sender by return e-mail and delete this e-mail from your system. Unless explicitly and conspicuously designated as "E-Contract Intended", this e-mail does not constitute a contract offer, a contract amendment, or an acceptance of a contract offer. This e-mail does not constitute a consent to the use of sender's contact information for direct marketing purposes or for transfers of data to third parties.
www.dupont.com/corp/email_disclaimer.html
