On Dec 28, 2004, at 11:21 PM, Brent Poirier wrote:
As to the omniscience of the Manifestation, it is referred to in more than one place. For example, on the subject of Baha'u'llah's appointment of Abdu'l-Baha as successor and interpreter of the Word, Abdu'l-Baha writes of the omniscience of the Manifestation:
My reply: I have no problem with that, of course. i believe in everything that is in the Writings. But the "omniscience" referred to is relative, not absolute, to my way of thinking; just like Baha'u'llah could refer to Himself as "God" , but we know (because He told us) that he is not at all the same as the essence of God. To take His statement that He can call Himself God simply and literally woudl be a great error; I think to take the Master's statement about His omniscience simply and literally would be a equally great error.
"The point at issue is clear, direct and of utmost brevity. Either Bahá'u'lláh was wise, omniscient and aware of what would ensue, or was ignorant and in error." (Selections from the Writings of Abdu'l-Baha, p. 213)
As to the power of a person lacking omniscience to interpret the universal mind of the Manifestation, that is an interestingly-posed question, and an apparent paradox. But resolution of paradoxes is a part of our spiritual life. The Master asserts His own ability to accurately state the implications of the Words of Baha'u'llah, as does Shoghi Effendi:
"Addressing all the people of the world He saith: When the Mystic Dove flieth away from the orchard of praise to the Most Supreme and Invisible Station -- that is, when the Blessed Beauty turneth away from the contingent world towards the invisible realm -- refer whatever ye do not understand in the Book to Him Who hath branched from the Ancient Root. That is, whatever He saith is the very truth." (Selections from the Writings of Abdu'l-Baha, p. 214)
"The fact that the Guardian has been specifically endowed with such power as he may need to reveal the purport and disclose the implications of the utterances of Bahá'u'lláh and of 'Abdu'l-Bahá does not necessarily confer upon him a station co-equal with those Whose words he is called upon to interpret. He can exercise that right and discharge this obligation and yet remain infinitely inferior to both of them in rank and different in nature." (Shoghi Effendi, The World Order of Baha'u'llah, p. 151)
My reply: I am in complerte harmony with all of the above quotes.
As to the scriptural evidences that the Manifestations are not omniscient, I believe that these fall within the Master's explanation in Some Answered Questions, in a chapter on the "Explanation of the rebukes addressed by God to the Prophets". The Master explains that when God criticizes the Prophets, the address is only outwardly to the Manifestation, but in reality to educate the people. The Master gives the example (SAQ p. 169) of Moses striking the rock in the wilderness, when God told Him to speak to it. This is often viewed as proof that Moses sinned, but as the Master explained, it was the Israelites, not Moses, who erred.
As to the Maid of Heaven, my understanding is that this is not a reference to when Baha'u'llah became aware of His Mission. It is when His Mission began. In Some Answered Questions, in a chapter entitled "Outward Forms and Symbols must be used to Convey Intellectual Conceptions," the Master explains that the state and condition of the Manifestation "is not comprehensible by man" and in order for man to comprehend, symbols are used. The Master then explains Baha'u'llah's statement in a Tablet to the Shah, that He was asleep and then He awoke. "Briefly, the Holy Manifestations have ever been, and ever will be, Luminous Realities; no change or variation takes place in Their essence. Before declaring Their manifestation, They are silent and quiet like a sleeper, and after Their manifestation, They speak and are illuminated, like one who is awake." (Abdu'l-Baha, Some Answered Questions, p. 85)
So this is an example of a statement in the Writings -- the statement that the Manifestation was "asleep on His couch" and the breezes of God "awoke" Him -- that should be understood symbolically.
My reply: Yes, the Manifestation's essence is the same for all eternity, backwards and forwards. But, They are "asleep" until They are apprised of their Mission at a specific point in their adult lives. So They did not consciously know about it until then, isn't that what these passages are saying?
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