RE: What is the bitter book?
Susan,
Thank you! Profound insight reflected in his
poetry.
Lovingly, Sandra
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RE: What is the bitter book?
Brent, Khazeh, and others interested in this thread, AllahuAbha! Youre discussion may possibly be my favorite topic in relation to the Writings and in all the religious texts with which I am familiar. The posts on this thread make me so happy to see Bahais engaging the idea of the Book (bitter and otherwise). To begin my offering on the topic of the Book, I have chosen to listen to the powerfully moving music of the Jewish-Yemenite singer Ofra Haza while I write. The significance of this choice will become clear in what I have to say. What I have to share is deeply informed by my own tribal roots as a Jewish-American woman and as a literature professor. The very idea of the Book has informed my being from the moment of my conception from my father who was a German-Jew. My thoughts on the topic of the Book are also informed by my work in Native American Studies and folklore/oral tradition. Let me begin with a brief historical overview. For the vast majority of the sacred traditions of the world with their respective Manifestations of God, the Word of God was transmitted to the Manifestations peoples orally in the form of chants, prayers, songs, stories. My people, the Hebrew people, were one of the first peoples of the world to receive the Word of God in the form of a Book. Even before the Torah (the Pentateuch or the first five Books of the Hebrew scriptures), Moses brought to us the Tablet bearing the Ten Commandments from God. For every Jew (religious or otherwise, practicing Jew, Bahai, member of another faith-based tradition, or secular), our lives and history have been deeply informed by this Book (always bitter, but also always joyous)bitter because of the sacrifices and sufferings that come with human life in the world and in our spiritual growth; joyous because of the same and our wondrous connections to our Lord, Adonai (our Creator Whose Essence is fundamentally unpronounceable and, thereby, unknowableas evidenced in the unpronounceable tetragrammaton YHWH). This Book? There is nothing else that I am capable of saying right now. Let me share some of the words of one of our greatest Jewish poets, the Egyptian Edmond Jabes. Then I will conclude with a few words of my own. And please note that what follows are the lines of poetry, and they need to be read accordingly. Eternity of the book, from conflagration to conflagration . . . (_The Book of Margins_ 38) To fear God, he said, is, in short, to fear the Book. (_Book of Margins_ 55) All books answer the questioning of a single one (_BM_ 80). Making a book could mean exchanging the void of writing for writing the void (_BM_ 106). [even typing this makes me cry, so many generations of filling up the perceived emptiness of Gods voice with our own voices so as to not hear the silence that we feared was there but, in fact, never wastwo thousand years is such a long time to survive with the pain from the illusory perception of Gods silence, of the Book once open but then closed, written but unfinished and not continued] The books glance: glance of closed eyes. (_BM_ 116) The book, he had noted, does not open from left to right of from right to left, but from top to bottom: one page in the sky, one page in the dust. (_BM_ 122) In the wake of a book already old, yet still present. In the wake of a books cry of pain. (_BM_ 142) The believing Jew cannot go toward God except through the Book. But his commentary on the original Text is not a commentary on the divine Word, only on human words dazzled by the latter like moths by the lamp. It annotates the frenzy of the moth, not the blinding light. (_BM_ 174) . . . about being faithful to a word from the desert, which the Jew made his own because it had come out of all our crumbled words, and about being faithful to an absolute, mythical book, which every book tries in vain to reproduce. (_BM_ 175) For the book does not seek refuge outside its words, but in them, hiding in their heart of hearts. So that the book always leads to a book that remains to be discovered. (_BM_ 188) Yukel, how many pages to live, to die, are between you and yourself, between the book and leaving the book? (_The Book of Questions I_ 43) . . . do I know, in my exile, what has driven me back through tears and time, back to the wells of the desert where my ancestors had ventured? There is nothing at the threshold of the open page, it seems, but this wound of a race born of the book, whose order and disorder are roads of suffering. (_The Book of Questions I 25) Silence of a universe spread outand over how many seasons. From now on, all words stand behind the word which smothered us. Where no letter can speak, the word becomes passage of the absolute. The desert is ours, with its choked thirst. To be Jewish is to have left home early and arrived nowhere. (_The Book of Questions II_ 439) O night of our fleeting nights, ocean of our plowed oceans, in your infinite
RE: What is the bitter book?
Brent, This servant offers one perspective on the ramifications of this verse: If we take Baha'u'llah literally when He says to be detached from all things, we put things into a different perspective. Likewise, when we disregard all things current amongst men, we perceive that all that is current amongst men, whether during Baha'u'llah's lifetime or our own, should be avoided. Let's take two things that are current amongst men: 1) tests.there is a theory in social psychology called the just world theory...it states that people get what they deserve...that a rich person, a physically beuatiful person, a famous person, etc. have what they have because they deserve it. The thinking current amongst men says that good people get good things and bad people have bad things happen to them. For exampletake my mother-in-law. She is a devout Christian. She opposes the Baha'i Faith and regrets that three of her daughters have become Baha'is. She, unconsciously, holds to the just world theory. In 1991 when I had a heart attack and in 2001 when I had a stroke, she subtly sent the message to me that if I only followed Jesus, these bad things would not be happening to me. She is convinced that I am having these bad things happen to me because I am not a Christian. But this one knows betterthose tests were blessings, designed to draw me closer to God. In the last Test and Difficulties prayer, the Bab says: I know of a certainty, by virtue of my love for Thee, that Thou wilt never cause tribulations to befall any soul unless Thou desirest to exalt his station... Likewise, Baha'u'llah, in the Hidden Words says: My calamity is My providence. And in the first Test and Difficulties prayer says: ...tests are a healing medicine to such as are nigh unto Thee... So, it is clear that what is current amongst men (i.e. that bad people get bad things) is completely false. 2) wealth A second example is wealth. What is current amongst men is to laud the vast accumulation of wealthto admire people like Donald Trump, Bill Gates, Warren Buffet, etc. But, the Bab says: Indeed shouldst Thou desire to confer blessing upon a servant Thou wouldst blot out from the realm of his heart every mention or disposition except Thine Own mention; and shouldst Thou ordain evil for a servant...Thou woulsdt test him with the benefits of this world and of the next that he might become preoccupied therewith and forget Thy remembrance. And Baha'u'llah, in the Kitab-i-Ahd, states: In earthly riches fear is hidden and peril concealed And in the Hidden Words states that But for a few, the rich shall in no wise attain His presence. And we remember from the Bible: that it is easier for a camel to get through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to go to heaven. These are but two examples that show that the thinking current amongst men is flawed. We think that wealth is good when we eat it with the thoughts that are current amongst men, but it is actually bitter to our stomachs in the end when we allow it to distract us from God. So there is no misunderstanding...poverty is not being advocated here. Means are necessary. But they are meant to be expended in His path and not stored up to take care of us and grossly accumulated. Everything current amongst men is seen as sweet as honey, but, in reality, are distractions from God and are ultimately bitter to our stomachs. The Seven Valleys talks about people being distracted, in serach of the friend. The world is a distraction that we are encouraged to be detached from. It seems sweet, but in the end is bitter. One thought on this subject. James The information contained in this e-mail and any attachments thereto (e-mail) is sent by the Johnson County Community College (JCCC) and is intended to be confidential and for the use of only the individual or entity named above. The information may be protected by federal and state privacy and disclosures acts or other legal rules. If the reader of this message is not the intended recipient, you are notified that retention, dissemination, distribution or copying of this e-mail is strictly prohibited. If you have received this e-mail in error please immediately notify JCCC by email reply and immediately and permanently delete this e-mail message and any attachments thereto. Thank you. _ Express yourself instantly with MSN Messenger! Download today - it's FREE! http://messenger.msn.click-url.com/go/onm00200471ave/direct/01/ __ 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
RE: What is the bitter book?
She, unconsciously, holds to the just world theory. In 1991 when I had a heart attack and in 2001 when I had a stroke, she subtly sent the message to me that if I only followed Jesus, these bad things would not be happening to me. She is convinced that I am having these bad things happen to me because I am not a Christian. But this one knows betterthose tests were blessings, designed to draw me closer to God. Dear James, That last stroke drew you a bit too close to God as far as most of us were concerned. ;-} As I am sure you are aware these things are rarely 'either/or.' My father is dying of emphysema right now. As a smoker, he came by this quite honestly. At your age (which is about my own) a predisposition towards heart attacks and strokes is likely hereditary. But if you were to ignore your doctor's advice you might likely bring these things on yourself. So in the sense that actions have consequences the 'just world' theory operates. It is when the causes posited are more remote that I think such interpretations become less credible. It strikes me that your mother-in-law's theory of your illnesses are not dissimiliar to your own. She too, thinks they are to draw you nearer to God, Jesus specifically. Now I don't doubt that these experiences did indeed draw you nearer to God, but I'm not persuaded that's why they happened. Let's look at the alternatives here: 1. God gave James a heart attack and a stroke in order to frighten him into becoming a Christian. 2. God gave James a heart attack and a stroke in order to make him a better Baha'i. 3. James got a heart attack and a stroke at a young age because he is genetically predisposed to it. Also, he might not have been taking enough precautions to prevent one. Now in my mind, the first two look alike. Only the names have been changed. And Occham's razor points me to the third alternative. But it doesn't really matter *why* tests come upon us. The real issue is what do we do with them? And there the potential is always there to make it a cause of drawing us nearer to God or increasing our remoteness. warmest, Susan The information contained in this e-mail and any attachments thereto (e-mail) is sent by the Johnson County Community College (JCCC) and is intended to be confidential and for the use of only the individual or entity named above. The information may be protected by federal and state privacy and disclosures acts or other legal rules. If the reader of this message is not the intended recipient, you are notified that retention, dissemination, distribution or copying of this e-mail is strictly prohibited. If you have received this e-mail in error please immediately notify JCCC by email reply and immediately and permanently delete this e-mail message and any attachments thereto. Thank you. __ 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
RE: What is the bitter book?
And I went unto the angel, and said unto
him, Give me the little book. And he said unto me, Take it, and eat it up; and
it shall make thy belly bitter, but it shall be in thy mouth sweet as honey.
And I took the little book out of the angel's hand, and ate it up; and it was
in my mouth sweet as honey: and as soon as I had eaten it, my belly was bitter.
(Revelation of John 10:9 - 10:10)
I have seen existence referred to as a
book; and a Prophet as a book; and the human soul as a book; as well as a
divine Revelation as a book.
Anyone have any thoughts on this book?
Thanks
Brent
REPLY
Some reasonable Christian
interpretations
1]
eat it up appropriate its contents so entirely as to be
assimilated with (as food), and become part of thyself, so as to impart them
the more vividly to others. His finding the roll sweet to the taste at first, is
because it was the Lords will he was doing, and because, divesting himself of
carnal feeling, he regarded Gods will as always agreeable, however bitter
might be the message of judgment to be announced. Compare Psa_40:8, Margin, as to Christs inner complete appropriation of Gods
word.
thy belly bitter parallel to Eze_2:10, There was written therein
lamentations, and mourning, and woe.
as honey (Psa_19:10; Psa_119:103). Honey, sweet to the mouth, sometimes
turns into bile in the stomach. The thought that God would be glorified (Rev_11:3-6, Rev_11:11-18) gave him the sweetest pleasure. Yet,
afterwards the belly, or carnal
natural feeling, was embittered with grief at the prophecy of the coming bitter
persecutions of the Church (Rev_11:7-10); compare Joh_16:1, Joh_16:2. The revelation of the secrets of futurity is sweet to one at first, but bitter and distasteful to our natural man,
when we learn the cross which is to be borne before the crown shall be won.
2]
Rev 10:9 - Eat it up - The like was commanded to
Ezekiel. This was an emblem of thoroughly considering and digesting it. And it
will make thy belly bitter, but it will be sweet as honey in thy mouth - The
sweetness betokens the many good things which follow, Rev_11:1, Rev_11:15, c.; the bitterness, the evils
which succeed under the third woe.
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Re: What is the bitter book?
An interpretation that I read (by a mere mortal, not the Master or the Guardian, and I can't remember where - maybe New Keys to the Book of Revelation by Ruth Moffit) was that the book is the Revelation. It tastes sweet in the mouth (when we read it) but is bitter in the belly because it brings tests and difficulties upon us. That seems plausible to me. Mike Brent Poirier wrote: And I went unto the angel, and said unto him, Give me the little book. And he said unto me, Take it, and eat it up; and it shall make thy belly bitter, but it shall be in thy mouth sweet as honey. And I took the little book out of the angel's hand, and ate it up; and it was in my mouth sweet as honey: and as soon as I had eaten it, my belly was bitter. (Revelation of John 10:9 - 10:10) I have seen existence referred to as a book; and a Prophet as a book; and the human soul as a book; as well as a divine Revelation as a book. Anyone have any thoughts on this book? Thanks Brent The information contained in this e-mail and any attachments thereto (e-mail) is sent by the Johnson County Community College (JCCC) and is intended to be confidential and for the use of only the individual or entity named above. The information may be protected by federal and state privacy and disclosures acts or other legal rules. If the reader of this message is not the intended recipient, you are notified that retention, dissemination, distribution or copying of this e-mail is strictly prohibited. If you have received this e-mail in error please immediately notify JCCC by email reply and immediately and permanently delete this e-mail message and any attachments thereto. Thank you. __ You are subscribed to Baha'i Studies as: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] 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 -- the Moum's (Mike, Dede, Suzanne, Jeff, Kristen) Tipp City, Ohio, USA Visit the Baha'i World web site at www.bahai.org Visit the U.S. Baha'i web site at www.us.bahai.org __ 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
