Dear Rich, I highly respect what you said and would agree with alot of it.
Just a few issues around the question of Biblical corruption: [2.79] Woe, then, to those who write the > book with their hands and then say: This is from Allah, so that they may > take for it a small price; therefore woe to them for what their hands have > written and woe to them for what they earn. [end quote] Rich: This may be open to > interpretation. I respect that you believe it means that the Gospel and > Torah here today are forgeries. Gilberto: I wouldn't use the term "forgeries". All I mean when *I* say corruption is that the first five books of the Bible are not identical to the Torah given to Moses. The 4 Biblical gospels are not identical to the Gospel given to Jesus. I even know of Bibles put out by Christians were the explanatory notes explain that the texts are "corrupted". I wouldn't necessarily ascribe sinister motives to the people who put the texts together. Especially in the case of Jesus and the Gospels I think the corruption of doctrine was a result of pious exageration. (I'm not sure if I'm using the term correctly but I think the Bahai writings talk about "veils of glory". Is that appropriate here?) I think that what I'm saying is pretty mild. [Documentary hypothesis and other topics deleed] Rich: I'm very aware of Biblical > history, I've lectured on it in Baha'i classes. The Bible was written by men > who were inspired by God. I do not believe that every word of it is the Word > of God in the same sense that the Qur'an is, Baha'u'llah does not claim > this. Gilberto: I don't think there is a fundamental difference in what we are saying. Some of the Bible may be the word of God. Some isn't. If even one letter is off, if some numbers are missing, then "corruption" has occured. If the wrong books were canonized, then "corruption" has occured. Everything else is just a matter of degree. Rich: > Corruption would be the > intentional placement of false verses to mislead, I do > not believe this happened. What I say when I say the Bible is "corrupted" is alot milder than what you deny when you say it isn't. Peace Gilberto "My people are hydroponic" __________________________________________________ You are subscribed to Baha'i Studies as: mailto:archive@mail-archive.com To unsubscribe, send a blank email to mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] To subscribe, use subscribe bahai-st in the message body to [EMAIL PROTECTED] Baha'i Studies is available through the following: Mail - mailto:bahai-st@list.jccc.edu 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/bahai-st@list.jccc.net New Public - http://www.mail-archive.com/bahai-st@list.jccc.edu
