Gilberto Simpson <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
On 10/18/05, Hajir Moghaddam <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>wrote:
> I think Baha'is should publish a book like the "Bible" which
> includes the
> Old Testament and the New Testament under one cover.
> The Baha'i version of this book would include the Old
> Testament, the New
> Testament, the Quran, the Bayan, and the Aqdas.
Dear Hajir,
Personally I think Christianity and the Bahai faith seem to have
similar attitudes to what came before. Christians have a "Bible" with
the Old Testament and the New Testament, but on some level they do
have a disparaging attitude towards the Old Testament. The Old
Testament laws are seen as a burden and Jesus (as) for some of them,
came to free people from that burden. This is ground we've also
covered in this forum before, but the fact that Christians might hold
the Old Testament as inspired didn't stop Christian anti-semitism.
I think Bahai attitudes towards pre! vious religions are arguably
complex, there is some sincerely held positive feelings. But there is
also something else in the mix as well.
You can emphasize the positive part, and that's a good thing. But that
doesn't eliminate the negative side.
Peace
Gilberto
Dear Gilberto,
I have to very much agree with you on this. It is sometimes firmly entrenched in the way we think and communicate our beliefs to others.
I had a friend, a Jew, who honestly explained to me that he had had a Bahai speak of the Judaic Revelation as "kindergarten" and go on to explain how later revelations were higher grades.
This IS rather elitist in tone and many do not recognize it when they speak about progressive revelation.
When I went on to explain how each of the Messengers had the same depth of knowledge as each and every other one, but was limited in what He could transmit by the Will of God. He understood this softened the edge to a great deal.
I apologized for the lack of wisdom that was truly patent in that example and promised to take it into consideration whenever I spoke of progressive revelation.
So Muhammed had the same depth of Revelation as Baha`u'llah: admitted and acknowledged. And, in the Baha`i view each obeyed God's will in what They said and wrote to pass that Revelation on to mankind.
So, if I have erred in speaking to you, it was out of a desire to be honest and direct in what I have come to believe and to explain why I believe it, not to belittle what you believe nor why you believe it.
Regards,
Scott
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