Dear Jim, Being a bit confused about your own position with regard to this statement:
"What I am suggesting is that we each have a responsibility to promote the best interests of the peoples and kindreds of the earth, to the best of our knowledge, understanding, and capacity, even if it means promoting ideas that seem to us to contradict what the Universal House of Justice has said." [While I appreciate the clarification offered in response to Khazeh. I'm still not certain if you are advocating the promotion of personal desires or admonishing those who do... in "the best interests of the peoples and kindreds of the earth"] ... and your following up question re: Seven Valleys and Four Valley with further quotes from the Hidden Words - suggest to me that perhaps you feel you have reached some degree of spiritual insight that perhaps others are unaware. Each of us have capacity for spiritual insight to lesser and greater degrees. To be truly informed of the innermost mysteries hidden in the Sacred Writings carries certain conditions and prerequisites as Baha'u'llah describes: "Shouldst thou desire to apprehend these celestial allusions, to witness the mysteries of divine knowledge, and to become acquainted with His all-encompassing Word, then it behoveth thine eminence to inquire into these and other questions pertaining to thine origin and ultimate goal from those whom God hath made to be the Wellspring of His knowledge, the Heaven of His wisdom, and the Ark of His mysteries. For were it not for those effulgent Lights that shine above the horizon of His Essence, the people would know not their left hand from their right, how much less could they scale the heights of the inner realities or probe the depths of their subtleties! Whosoever entereth this city will comprehend every science before probing into its mysteries and will acquire from the leaves of its trees a knowledge and wisdom encompassing such mysteries of divine lordship as are enshrined within the treasuries of creation." (Baha'u'llah, Gems of Divine Mysteries, p. 14) Abdu'l-Baha further warns us: "When man is not endowed with inner perception he is not informed of these important mysteries. *The retina of outer vision though sensitive and delicate may nevertheless be a hindrance to the inner eye which alone can perceive. The bestowals of God which are manifest in all phenomenal life are sometimes hidden by intervening veils of mental and mortal vision which render man spiritually blind and incapable* but when those scales are removed and the veils rent asunder, then the great signs of God will become visible and he will witness the eternal light filling the world." (Abdu'l-Baha, Baha'i World Faith - Abdu'l-Baha Section, p. 266) And to sum up my personal view... I think it IS possible to have TOO MUCH of a GOOD thing and offer this quote from Baha'u'llah: " It is incumbent upon them who are in authority to exercise moderation in all things. Whatsoever passeth beyond the limits of moderation will cease to exert a beneficial influence. Consider for instance such things as liberty, civilization and the like. However much men of understanding may favourably regard them, they will, if carried to excess, exercise a pernicious influence upon men.... Please God, the peoples of the world may be led, as the result of the high endeavours exerted by their rulers and the wise and learned amongst men, to recognize their best interests. " (Baha'u'llah, The Proclamation of Baha'u'llah, p. 112-114) Lovingly, Sandra __________________________________________________ You are subscribed to Baha'i Studies as: mailto:archive@mail-archive.com Unsubscribe: send a blank email to mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe: send subscribe bahai-st in the message body to [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe: http://list.jccc.edu:8080/read/all_forums/subscribe?name=bahai-st Baha'i Studies is available through the following: Mail - mailto:bahai-st@list.jccc.edu Web - http://list.jccc.edu:8080/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
