RE: Clarification and Progressive Revelation and Peace [and NOT TO RELY UNDULY]

2004-12-22 Thread Khazeh Fananapazir
This is what we have in his own handwriting *** **I urge them to study profoundly the revealed utterances of Baha'u'llah and the discourses of Abdu'l-Baha and not to rely unduly on the representation and interpretation of the Teachings given by Baha'i speakers and teachers. May the

Re: Clarification and Progressive Revelation and Peace

2004-12-22 Thread Mark A. Foster
My understanding is that Shoghi Effendi's references to proselytization (conversion) are similar to the qur'anic prohibition on compulsion in religion. In other words, he did not want Baha'is to use threats or pressure to entice someone to convert. With regards, Mark A. Foster * 15 Sites:

Re: Clarification and Progressive Revelation and Peace

2004-12-22 Thread Mark A. Foster
Gilberto, At 07:06 AM 12/22/2004, you wrote: Fair enough. I'm not taking an issue with the policy as practiced but how it is described. If Bahais, in principle, have essentially the same policy as Muslims. What does it mean that Bahais say We don't prosyletize but Muslims don't make the same

Re: Clarification and Progressive Revelation and Peace

2004-12-22 Thread Patti Goebel
Gilberto: Yes, exactly. Many religions prosyletize. But the Bahais give the impression of prosyletizing, but not admitting that they are prosyletizing. . . . And looking at the Bahais by themselves it might be possible to say that there is just some isolated misunderstanding. But then

Re: Clarification and Progressive Revelation and Peace

2004-12-22 Thread Popeyesays
In a message dated 12/22/2004 7:07:07 AM Central Standard Time, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes: On Wed, 22 Dec 2004 03:39:01 -0600, Mark A. Foster [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: My understanding is that Shoghi Effendi's references to proselytization (conversion) are similar to the qur'anic

Re: Clarification and Progressive Revelation and Peace

2004-12-22 Thread Gilberto Simpson
On Wed, 22 Dec 2004 10:48:52 EST, [EMAIL PROTECTED] [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: In a message dated 12/22/2004 7:07:07 AM Central Standard Time, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes: On Wed, 22 Dec 2004 03:39:01 -0600, Mark A. Foster [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: My understanding is that Shoghi Effendi's

Re: Clarification and Progressive Revelation and Peace

2004-12-22 Thread Popeyesays
In a message dated 12/22/2004 10:31:01 AM Central Standard Time, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes: I'm not sure exactly what you mean. If when Bahais say "we don'tproselytize" they mean the same thing which is in the Quran "there isno compulsion in religion" then they should say "Both Islam

Re: Clarification and Progressive Revelation and Peace

2004-12-22 Thread Popeyesays
In a message dated 12/22/2004 10:52:20 AM Central Standard Time, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes: If that's the case, then the Bahais should say "We believe in certaindistinctions between the roles of men and women and we believe thatwisdom behind these rules will be apparent at some point

RE: Clarification and Progressive Revelation and Peace

2004-12-22 Thread Khazeh Fananapazir
Peace Gilberto I'm not sure exactly what you mean. If when Bahá'ís say we don't proselytize they mean the same thing which is in the Quran there is no compulsion in religion then they should say Both Islam and the Bahai Faith is opposed to proselytizing. But when Bahá'ís say We don't

RE: Clarification and Progressive Revelation and Peace

2004-12-22 Thread Khazeh Fananapazir
Wouldn't the behaviours of Muhammad or even Hussein have also been permitted under righteous warfare? Peace Gilberto In relation to Muhammad: *** The military expeditions of Muhammad, on the contrary, were always defensive actions: a proof of this is that during thirteen years, in Mecca, He and

Re: Clarification and Progressive Revelation and Peace

2004-12-22 Thread Popeyesays
In a message dated 12/22/2004 12:35:57 PM Central Standard Time, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes: Perhaps the Bahai studies list is different from soc.religion.bahai.That would be a fair distinction. The News groups are ZOOS. The worst of them is alt.revisionism. I have chosen to no longer

Re: Clarification and Progressive Revelation and Peace

2004-12-22 Thread Gilberto Simpson
On Wed, 22 Dec 2004 18:23:35 -, Khazeh Fananapazir [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: Wouldn't the behaviours of Muhammad or even Hussein have also been permitted under righteous warfare? Peace Gilberto Thank you for the references. Maybe I should spell out more. I wasn't really so much asking

Re: Clarification and Progressive Revelation and Peace

2004-12-22 Thread Gilberto Simpson
On Wed, 22 Dec 2004 11:40:03 EST, [EMAIL PROTECTED] [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: In a message dated 12/22/2004 10:31:01 AM Central Standard Time, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes: I'm not sure exactly what you mean. If when Bahais say we don't proselytize they mean the same thing which is in the Quran

Re: Clarification and Progressive Revelation and Peace

2004-12-22 Thread Gilberto Simpson
On Wed, 22 Dec 2004 12:31:16 EST, [EMAIL PROTECTED] [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: Perhaps I'm not being clear and not including all the background or context for my comments. In another context, a Bahai claimed that the Bahai faith is the *first* religion to teach gender equality. If that is true,

Re: Clarification and Progressive Revelation and Peace

2004-12-22 Thread Mark A. Foster
Hi, Gilberto, At 12:35 PM 12/22/2004, you wrote: No. You are right. It's not automatic. It can vary with context. But in order to survive in the world, on a regular basis we have to able to reliably perform this correspondence task over and over again. And we do pretty okay most of the time.

Re: Clarification and Progressive Revelation and Peace

2004-12-22 Thread Popeyesays
In a message dated 12/22/2004 4:53:05 PM Central Standard Time, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes: I think very often a comparison is intended. Bahais certainly do claimthat the Bahai faith is more complete, deeper, more progressed, etc.than other religions. A comparison may be PERCEIVED

RE: Clarification and Progressive Revelation and Peace

2004-12-22 Thread Khazeh Fananapazir
Gilberto: ** What I guess I'm saying is that given the noble descriptions of the battles fought by Muhammad and Hussein in the Bahai writings, there is absolutely nothing wrong with jihad when understood properly. And so it doesn't make sense to blot it from the book because there is nothing at

Re: Clarification and Progressive Revelation and Peace

2004-12-22 Thread Popeyesays
In a message dated 12/22/2004 4:59:57 PM Central Standard Time, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes: Or it would be consistent to say "Both Islam and the Bahai faith makecertain reasonable distinctions in roles of men and women." But to saythat the Bahahi faith teaches gender equality but Islam

Re: Clarification and Progressive Revelation and Peace

2004-12-22 Thread Gilberto Simpson
On Wed, 22 Dec 2004 18:51:47 EST, [EMAIL PROTECTED] [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: In a message dated 12/22/2004 4:59:57 PM Central Standard Time, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes: Or it would be consistent to say Both Islam and the Bahai faith make certain reasonable distinctions in roles of men and women.

Re: Clarification and Progressive Revelation and Peace

2004-12-22 Thread Gilberto Simpson
On Wed, 22 Dec 2004 17:30:42 -0600, Mark A. Foster [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: Hi, Gilberto, At 12:35 PM 12/22/2004, you wrote: No. You are right. It's not automatic. It can vary with context. But in order to survive in the world, on a regular basis we have to able to reliably perform this

Re: Clarification and Progressive Revelation and Peace

2004-12-22 Thread Gilberto Simpson
Dear Khazeh, I feel like you aren't understanding what I'm saying. I try to ask simple questions to get clear answers and instead I feel like (with alot of love and affection) you give me long answers which avoid the specific point being made. And it seems like either you don't see what I'm

Re: Clarification and Progressive Revelation and Peace

2004-12-22 Thread Richard H. Gravelly
Gilberto wrote: I think Muslims and Bahais and all people of faith and conscience can work to improve the position of women in their societies. Yes, Gilberto, you are correct in what you have written. This we must do. We, whatever religion we espouse, must work for the betterment of humankind.

Re: Clarification and Progressive Revelation and Peace

2004-12-22 Thread Richard H. Gravelly
Gilberto wrote: So where is the progress? Are you saying that the two teachings are the same? Or are they different? Dear Gilberto, The situations are entirely different. During the time of Muhammad the religion of God itself was to be protected through jihad against those who attacked Muslims

Re: Clarification and Progressive Revelation and Peace

2004-12-22 Thread Mark A. Foster
Hi, Gilberto, At 07:13 PM 12/22/2004, you wrote: You just reminded me of a joke I heard once. I'll include it at the bottom. I have actually told that one myself. ;-) Suppose I tell you I don't eat pork and then you actually see me catch a pig, kill it, cut it up, roast it on a spit, slice off

Men and Women equal?

2004-12-22 Thread John Smith
G:If that's the case, then the Bahais should say "We believe in certaindistinctions between the roles of men and women and we believe thatwisdom behind these rules will be apparent at some point in thedistant future.". To just say "we believe in absolute gender equality"and leave it at that seems

Re: Clarification and Progressive Revelation and Peace

2004-12-22 Thread John Smith
Gilberto:In other words, jihad includes fighting against aggressors.J:imo, the Baha'i view is that the aggressor's intentions are important. If the purpose of theaggression is religiously based (i.e. you are a Baha'i and I hate your prophet so I want tokill you), we are not allowed to fight back

Re: Clarification and Progressive Revelation and Peace

2004-12-22 Thread Mark A. Foster
Gilberto, At 09:45 PM 12/22/2004, you wrote: In other words, jihad includes fighting against aggressors. If I may, it seems to me as though you are making at least two assumptions which I would not make: 1. God's Will does not change. 2. Logic can be considered apart from the assumptions of

Re: Men and Women equal?

2004-12-22 Thread Christian E. Gruber
Hi Friends, Just a quick point of note. Equality and sameness are not equivalent terms. Equality of men and women cannot reasonably be understood to mean same as. I suspect that any analysis that attempts this will fail to take into account real differences, let alone cultural/learned

RE: Clarification and Progressive Revelation and Peace

2004-12-22 Thread Khazeh Fananapazir
Dear Khazeh, I feel like you aren't understanding what I'm saying. I try to ask simple questions to get clear answers and instead I feel like (with alot of love and affection) you give me long answers which avoid the specific point being made. And it seems like either you don't see what I'm

RE: Clarification and Progressive Revelation and Peace

2004-12-22 Thread Khazeh Fananapazir
Now I would say it was the Will of God [more or less] that the spread of Islam be in that way. Why the more or less? Because I do believe the Primacy of the Imam 'Ali was not recognized universally and remained unimplemented [the Imam 'Ali was chosen as the Fourth Caliph]...and that had enormous