In a message dated 10/17/05 4:28:52 PM, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes:
>Well, what's your definition of "disparaging"?
"Criticizing" or "lowering in status", but like its sister words "demeaning"
and "denigrating" it has negative connotations I don't care for, implying that
the criticism is unjustified; i.e. to refer to someone as "disparaging"
someone or something sorta disparages the accused disparager, if you get my
drift.
;-)
However, I'm perfectly willing to allow that you might have intended the
"straight" meaning rather than the loaded one.
>I think for most
>reasonable definitions there are clearly some scathing and disparaging
>remarks about Muslims and Islamic institutions in the writings.
Well, yes (assuming the "straight" meaning of "disparaging" <g>). But is
there necessarily something wrong with that?
Jesus rebuked the Jews and their institutions, which Christians, Muslims, and
Baha'is believe He had every right to do, because they believe He did so with
God's authority. It is not surprising that Jews might find some of those
rebukes offensive or insulting, because they don't accept Jesus.
Muhammad rebuked the Christians and their institutions (and the Jews and
their institutions), which Muslims and Baha'is believe He had every right to
do,
because they believe He did so with God's authority. It is not surprising that
Christians might find some of those rebukes offensive or insulting, because
they don't accept Muhammad.
Baha'u'llah rebuked the Muslims and their institutions (and the Christians
and their institutions, and the Jews and their institutions), which Baha'is
believe He had every right to do, because we believe He did so with God's
authority. It is not surprising that Muslims might find some of those rebukes
offensive or insulting, because they don't accept Baha'u'llah.
And Somebody will rebuke us Baha'is and our institutions too, in the future,
if we don't behave ourselves. That's part of how progressive revelation works.
>And it
>is pretty clear that many Bahais feel that Islamic laws are unsuitable
>for modern-times.
Of course we feel that some of them are now unsuitable-- the Manifestation of
God for this Day has told us so, and has provided us with suitable
replacements, just as Jesus amended a few things in His Day, and Muhammad
amended some
in His. And undoubtedly some Baha'i laws will be abrogated, amended or replaced
when the next Manifestation comes along. That's part of how progressive
revelation works too. ;-)
--Sekhmet
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
