Tablet of the wondrous Maiden

The hallowed Beauty shone resplendent from behind the veil. How wondrous a thing, how wondrous indeed! And, lo, the flame of rapture caused all souls to swoon away. How wondrous is this, how wondrous indeed! Rising up, they soared unto the blest pavilion ’neath the throne of heaven’s canopy. How wondrous a mystery, how wondrous indeed! Say: The Maiden of Eternity unveiled Her face—may her wondrous beauty be exalted indeed! — Shedding forth from earth to heaven its resplendent rays. How wondrous a light, how wondrous indeed! A lightning glance She cast, as piercing as a shooting star—how wondrous Her glance, how wondrous indeed!— A glance consuming every name and every title in its flames. How wondrous a feat, how wondrous indeed! To the dwellers of the realm of dust She turned Her gaze. How wondrous Her gaze, how wondrous indeed! And then did all creation shake and pass away. How astounding a death, how astounding indeed! She then let fall a raven lock, an ornament of spirit in the darkest night—how wondrous a hue, how wondrous indeed!— From which the fragrant breezes of the spirit were perceived. How wondrous a scent, how wondrous indeed! In Her right hand She bore the ruby wine and in Her left a portion of the finest fare. How wondrous a grace, how wondrous indeed! With hands encrimsoned with Her ardent lovers’ blood—how wondrous is this, how wondrous indeed!— In cups and chalices She passed round the wine of life. How wondrous a draught, how wondrous indeed! With harp and lute She sang in praise of Her Beloved. How wondrous a song, how wondrous indeed! Whereat the hearts were melted in consuming flames. How wondrous a love, how wondrous indeed! Of Her sustaining beauty She bestowed a boundless share—how wondrous a share, how wondrous indeed!— Then brought Her sword of charm upon Her lovers’ necks. How wondrous a blow, how wondrous indeed! Her pearl-like teeth did flash, no sooner had She smiled. How wondrous a pearl, how wondrous indeed! Whereat the hearts of them that know cried out and wept. How wondrous a piety, how wondrous indeed! But they that doubt and boast of self denied Her truth. How astounding a denial, how astounding indeed! And, hearing this, in sorrow, She repaired to Her abode. How astounding Her grief, how astounding indeed! She returned from whence She came: How lofty were the steps She traced! How astounding a decree, how astounding indeed! She cried a cry of anguish, as to reduce all things to naught. How astounding Her woe, how astounding indeed! And from Her lips there streamed these words of warning and rebuke—how astounding a stream, how astounding indeed!— “Why do ye gainsay Me, O people of the Book?” How astounding is this, how astounding indeed! “Claim ye to be the guided and the loved ones of the Lord?” By God! How astounding a lie, how astounding indeed! “O my friends,” She said, “We shall not come again,”—how wondrous a return, how wondrous indeed!— “But will conceal God’s secrets in His Scriptures and His Books,” as bidden by One mighty and bounteous indeed! “Nor shall ye find Me till the Promised One appear on Judgement Day.” By My life! How astounding an abasement, how astounding indeed!

En kommentar om tro jeg la ut i agnostikergruppa på facebook.

Det går sikkert an å mene at guder og demoner også "bare er psykologi". Hverdagsbevisstheten kan jo utvides til høyere bevissthet. Mange har hatt ut av kroppen - og nær døden opplevelser hvor de har erfart at de tenker uten å være avhengig av hjernen og beveger seg uten den fysiske kroppen. Noen erfarer en (spirituell) verden hinsides denne. Om det finnes en Gud kan selvsagt diskuteres, men ingen vet hva Gud egentlig er, akkurat som ingen kjenner menneskets og andre skapningers innerste vesen. En felles forståelse av hva Gud er bør være på plass før vi diskuterer det og egentlig også at alle som deltar i diskusjonen har søkt å lære Gud å kjenne. Buddhister sier ikke de tror på Gud, men de tror jo på høyere bevissthet, muligheten til å bli befridd fra det lavere og bli opplyst. Å finne en felles forståelse av hva Gud er for alle mennesker, uansett bakgrunn, er en stor utfordring. Å prøve å forstå Gud kun ved hjelp av de vestlige religionene er ikke nok.


Lederne for disse kirkesamfunn (tenker her på kristendom, islam og jødedom) har berøvet medlemmene det viktigste Gud hadde å formidle til menneskene, nemlig at de har alle Guds egenskaper inni seg, at de ikke trenger prester for å finne sannheten fordi de har tilgang til visdomskilden inni seg, de trenger ikke å bekjenne sine synder til presten og be om tilgivelse av han fordi de kan be Gud om tilgivelse selv, de trenger ikke be om menneskers respekt, nåde og oppreisning fordi Gud kan gi dem hva enn de trenger. Gud vil at alle skal være uavhengig av andre (inkludert prester) og fokusere på å elske. Så lenge kirkene klarer å holde folk avhengige av seg kan ikke mennesker elske. Kirkene har altså gjort det motsatte av hva Gud i utgangspunktet ønsket for menneskene. Å elske innebærer en frihet fra alt. Det å elske, elske det gode, det sanne, det rettferdige, det vise, det modige, det omsorgfulle osv. snakkes det lite om i disse kirkesamfunn. Mennesker tiltrekkes ikke lenger fordi kirkene er nærmest blottet for essensen av Guds åpenbaring. Buddhistene og Bahaiene derimot oppfordres til å meditere, kontemplere, til å finne sannheten selv. Naturreligioner vil jeg også nevne. Der medlemmer forsøker å få kontakt med hjelpende ånder, bruker plantemedisin for å fremme kontakten med kilden / Gud osv. Alle religioner har til felles at essensen er kjærlighet og oppfordringen til å lære å elske. Det vanskeligste og mest fantastiske som er. Alt og alle som forsøker å distrahere mennesker fra å fokusere på dette er av det onde, kirke eller ei.

Christians versus Bahai's

I remember when I was 16 and christians wanted me to be christian and I had discussions with them. I said in one of them: How can people who do good go to hell and christians who do evil go to heaven? It just can't be right. But the christians said it was so, but what dissappointed me the deepest was that they had no argument to why it was so in their opinion. OMG!

"It makes no difference whether you have ever heard of Bahá’u’lláh or not,” was the answer, “the man who lives the life according to the teachings of Bahá’u’lláh is already a Bahá’í. On the other hand a man may call himself a Bahá’í for fifty years and if he does not live the life he is not a Bahá’í. An ugly man may call himself handsome, but he deceives no one, and a black man may call himself white yet he deceives no one: not even himself !

(‘Abdu’l-Bahá, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá in London, p. 106)

Sitater av Bahaullah

I forbindelse med markeringen av at Bahaullahs ble født for 200 år siden har jeg valgt ut noen sitater av han jeg vil dele:

​La ditt perspektiv omfatte verden fremfor å være begrenset til ditt eget selv.​

Vær generøs i velstand og takknemlig i motgang. 

Vær rettferdig i din dom og forbeholdsom i din tale.

Vær en lampe for de som vandrer i mørket

og et hjem for den fremmede.

Vær den blindes øyne og et ledende lys for føttene til den som trår feil. Vær et livspust til menneskeheten, en duggdråpe til menneskehjertets muld og en frukt på ydmykhetens tre.

En vennlig tunge er en magnet for menneskenes hjerter. Det er åndens føde, det ikler ordene mening og den er kilden til visdommens og forståelsens lys.

Den høyeste plikt som påhviler enhver av dere er å utvelge for seg selv det som ingen kan frata eller kreve av han. En slik ting - og hertil er den Allmektige mitt vitne- er Guds kjærlighet.

Menneskets verdi ligger i tjeneste og dyder, ikke i overdådig rikdom og velstand.

Den søkende må til enhver tid gi Gud all sin tillit, må løsrive seg fra jordens folk, må fri seg fra verdens støv, og klynge seg til Ham Som er Herrenes Herre. Han må aldri søke å opphøye seg selv over noen, må vaske bort fra sitt hjertes tavle ethvert spor av stolthet og forfengelighet, må holde fast ved tålmodighet og undergivenhet, bevare taushet og avholde seg fra unødig tale. 

O MENNESKEBARN!

Den ulykke Jeg sender er Mitt forsyn; i det ytre er den ild og gjengjeldelse, men i det indre er den lys og barmhjertighet. Skynd deg hen til den, så du kan bli et evig lys og en udødelig ånd. Dette er Min befaling til deg. Så rett deg etter den!

Bahaullahs liv, kortversjon

I Tehran i Iran, 12 november 1817, ble Bahaullah født ved navn Mirza Husayn-‘Alí, Fra tidlig alder gav han uttrykk for ekstraordinær kunnskap og visdom og viste omsorg for de fattige i stedet for å følge i sin adelige fars fotspor. Straks han fikk høre Babs budskap tok han det til seg og brukte mye krefter på å spre det. I 1850 da Bab og andre ledende skikkelser av Babi troen ble drept fulgte etterfølgerne Bahaullah i stedet, men i 1852 ble Bahaullah på falsk grunnlag beskyldt for å ha medvirket til drapsforsøk på den Iranske kongen og fengslet i et underjordisk gammelt vannreservoar kalt det sorte hull. Der ble han med en ekstremt tung kjetting lenket sammen med andre fanger, i et helt mørkt, stinkende og kaldt rom. Bahaullah sa: Da jeg satt fengslet i Teheran, lot vekten av lenkene og den stankfylte luften meg få lite søvn. I disse sjeldne stundene da jeg sov, kjentes det likevel som om noe fløt fra issen over brystet, som en veldig strøm som styrter ned på jorden fra toppen av et høyt fjell. Hvert lem på mitt legeme ble som en følge av dette satt i brann. I slike stunder fremsa min tunge det intet menneske kunne utholde å høre.»

 

Bahá’u’lláh sa senere om oppholdet i det sorte hull:

Jeg var bare en mann som alle andre, da lo, Guds allerherligste vinder ble blåst over meg mens jeg sov, og underviste meg i kunnskapen om alt som har vært. Dette er ikke fra meg, men fra en som er allvitende og allmektig. Han beordret meg å heve min stemme mellom himmel og jord.

Og:

"Mens jeg var overveldet av prøvelser hørte jeg den vidunderligste, søte stemme kalle på meg over mitt hodet. Da jeg løftet mitt hode skuet jeg en tjenerinne - ihukommelsen av min Guds navn legemliggjort - sveve i luften foran meg. Så frydefull var hun i sin sjel at hennes holdning skinte med Guds velbehags pryd, og hennes kinn glødet av lyset til den All-barmhjertigeste. Mellom jord og himmel frembragte hun en kallen som trollbandt menneskenes hjerter og sinn. Til både mitt indre og ytre vesen formidlet hun et budskap som frydet min sjel og Guds ærede tjeneres sjeler. Pekende med sin finger på mitt hode henvendte hun seg til alle som var i himmel og på jord og sa: Ved Gud. Dette er verdens høyest elskede, likevel forstår dere det ikke. Dette er Guds skjønnhet blandt dere, og kraften av Hans selvråderett inni dere, om dere bare kunne forstå det."

Etter fire måneder med intense lidelser, blir den nå syke og svært utmattede Bahaullah løslatt, men forvist for all fremtid fra Iran og sendt til Bagdad med sin familie. Der vender tilhengerne av Báb seg i stadig større grad til Bahá’u’lláh for moralsk og åndelig veiledning. Edelheten i hans karakter, visdommen i hans råd, vennligheten som han øste over alle og de økende bevisene på overmenneskelig storhet hos ham, gjenopplivet det undertrykte samfunnet. Bahaullahs yngre bror d Mirza Yahyae ble sjalu og forsøkte å sverte Bahá’u’lláhs karakter og skape mistenksomhet og tvil blant tilhengerne. Bahaullah ønsket ikke å bli årsak til spenning så han trakk seg tilbake til fjellene i Kurdistan og og tenkte gjennom sin guddommelige oppgave. Da han hadde vært der i to år fant noen Babier han og bønnfalte han om å returnere til dem. Tilbake i Bagdad skrev Bahaullah De Skjulte Ord, De syv daler og Visshetens Bok (Kitáb-i-Íqán). Etterhvert følte noen geistlige seg truet av Bahaullahs populæritet og ba den Ottomanske sultanen om å vise Bahaullah lenger vekk fra Iran. Like før han måtte dra, april 1863, tok Bahá’u’lláh og hans tilhengere opphold i en hage han kalte Ridván, som betyr «Paradis». Og der, ved bredden av Tigris, erklærte Bahá’u’lláh at han var den Báb hadde snakket om, den Guds budbringer som var forutsagt i alle verdens skrifter. 

Bahaullah og hans venner dro til Konstantinopel, men ble forvist enda en gang 4 måneder etter, og måtte da midt på vinteren dra til Adrianopel, det avsidesliggende fengsel, som Bahaullah kalte det. De frøs og hadde det ikke bra her, men Bahaullah fortsatte å skrive og hans budskap nådde India og Egypt. Hans sjalu halvbror forgiftet han. Bahaullah døde ikke av det, men fikk varige skader. 

I 1867 skrev Bahá’u’lláh brev til ledere og herskere i ulike land. I disse forutseende skriftene, kunngjorde han åpent sitt stade og snakket om gryningen av en ny tidsalder. Han advarte om at det ville bli katastrofale politiske og sosiale opprør i verden og oppfordret lederne til å praktisere rettferdighet og samle seg for å få slutt på krig. Hans advarsler falt for døve ører. 

En siste gang forviste de ottomanske myndigheter ham. Denne gangen til deres mest beryktede straffekoloni, fengselsbyen ‘Akká. Året er 1868 når han ankommer. I to år blir han sperret inne i et fengsel før han og hans følgesvenner flyttes til et trangbodd hus innenfor de samme bymurene. Etterhvert ble bahá’íene, og spesielt Bahá’u’lláhs eldste sønn Abdul Baha, mer og mer beundret av inbyggerne og enkelte ledere. Her i ‘Akká åpenbarte Bahá’u’lláh  Kitáb-i-Aqdas (Den Helligste Bok), der han fremlegger de viktigste lover og prinsipper i sin tro, og legger grunnlaget for den global administrativ orden.

I 1870-årene fikk Bahaullah frihet til å bevege seg litt utenfor bymurene. Da kunne hans tilhengere møte han i relativ fred, og i april 1890 møtte professor Edward Granville Brown ved Universitetet i Cambridge Bahá’u’lláh i herregården nær ‘Akká der han hadde bosatt seg. Brown skrev etter deres møte: «Hans ansikt vil jeg aldri kunne glemme, skjønt jeg ikke kan beskrive det. Disse gjennomtrengende øyne syntes å kunne lese selve ens sjel; makt og myndighet stod skrevet på denne høye panne. Det var unødig å spørre i hvis nærhet jeg stod, da jeg bøyde meg for en som er gjenstand for en hengivenhet og kjærlighet som konger kunne misunne ham og keisere forgjeves sukke etter.» Bahá’u’lláh døde den 29. mai 1892. I sitt testamente utpekte han ‘Abdu’l-Baha som sin etterfølger og overhode for troen.

Prøvelser; Bahai-sitat

Prøvelser renser selvets flekker fra hjertets speil til sannhetens sol kan kaste sine stråler på det, for det er ikke noe slør mer blokkerende enn selvet, og uansett hvor ubetydelig sløret er vil det stenge en person ute fullstendig og holde hans del av evig velsignelse tilbake.
Abdul Baha fire & gold s. 14

Jo mer en er avkuttet fra verden, fra begjær og menneskelige anliggender og tilstander jo mer upåvirket blir man av Guds prøvelser. Prøvelser er et middel hvorved en sjels tilstand blir målt, og avslørt av sine egne handlinger. Gud kjenner til dets tilstand på forhånd, og også dets uforberedthet, men mennesket, med et selv, ville ikke trodd at han selv var uskikket hvis han ikke fikk bevis. Derfor er hans mottakelighet for det onde lagt fram for han når han kommer utfor prøvelser, og prøvelsene fortsetter til sjelen forstår sin egen uskikkethet, og så har anger og samvittighetsnag en tendens til å fjerne svakhetens rot. De samme prøvelsene kommer igjen i større grad, til det vises at en tidligere svakhet har blitt en styrke, og kraften til å overvinne ondskap har blitt etablert. Abdul Baha fire & gold s. 14 og 15

Sannheten

Om jeg tilhører en religion? Svaret er ja, den yngste av dem; Bahai. (hvori man tror på alle religiøse skrifter som kapitlene i en og samme bok fra Gud. Dog er de andre religioners sosiale regler utdaterte. Essensen, kjærlighetsbudskapet, er den samme i alle) Jeg praktiserer ikke aktivt på den måten at jeg følger anbefalningene om daglig bønn, skriftlesning, mantralesning og samtale med Gud, men tror Bahaullah er en Gudsmanifestasjon og det de kristne kaller "Jesu tilbakekomst". Jeg ville finne den hellige ånd fra jeg var 18 for å se om den virkelige kjærligheten fantes. Jeg ble aktivt kristen en kort periode da jeg var 21 og hadde funnet frem til sannhetskilden i eget dyp, men gikk ut av kirken for å finne "Jesu tilbakekomst" de kristne snakket om og som jeg fikk fornemmelse av allerede hadde kommet. Jeg søkte sannheten og fant den, og den sa at jeg må finne sannheten inni meg. Det likte jeg å høre. Du vet kristne er ikke alle enige om at man ikke behøver prester, men kan få kontakt med sannheten inni seg. Jeg søkte det ytre uttrykk for den samme sannhet jeg fant inni meg. Først fant jeg noe av den på en alternativ folkehøyskole (Vestoppland). Like etter fant jeg Bahai. Da var jeg 23 eller 24 år.

What angels are according to the Bahai faith

" By "angels" is meant those who, reinforced by the power of the spirit, have consumed, with the fire of the love of God, all human traits and limitations, and have clothed themselves with the attributes of the most exalted Beings and of the Cherubim... And now, inasmuch as these holy beings have sanctified themselves from every human limitation, have become endowed with the attributes of the spiritual, and have been adorned with the noble traits of the blessed, they therefore have been designated as "angels."

(Baha'u'llah, The Kitab-i-Iqan, p. 78)

The meaning of 'angels' is the confirmations of God and His celestial powers. Likewise angels are blessed beings who have severed all ties with this nether world, have been released from the chains of self and the desires of the flesh, and anchored their hearts to the heavenly realms of the Lord.These are of the Kingdom, heavenly; these are of God, spiritual; these are revealers of God's abounding grace; these are dawning-points of His spiritual bestowals.
(Abdu'l-Baha, Selections from the Writings of Abdu'l-Baha, p. 80)

By 'angel' is meant the power of the confirmations of God -- that the candle of God's confirming power shineth out from the lamp-niche of those souls -- meaning that every one of those beings will be granted the most vehement confirming support.

When praiseworthy qualities and high morals emanate from man, he becometh a heavenly being, an angel of the Kingdom, a divine reality and a celestial effulgence.
(Abdu'l-Baha, Selections from the Writings of Abdu'l-Baha, p. 286)

http://bahaimosaic.blogspot.no/2012/11/the-meaning-of-angels.html

A meaning of the Adam and Eve story and more

Abdul Baha says this is one of the meanings of the biblical story of Adam

Adam is the spirit of Adam, and Eve is His soul; the tree of good and evil signifies the human world, and the serpent is that attachment to this world which constitutes sin, and which has infected the descendants of Adam. This attachment of the spirit to the human world led the soul and spirit of Adam from the world of freedom to the world of bondage and caused Him to turn from the Kingdom of Unity to the human world. When the soul and spirit of Adam entered the human world, He came out from the paradise of freedom and fell into the world of bondage. From the height of purity and absolute goodness, He entered into the world of good and evil. 

The tree of life is the highest degree of the world of existence: the position of the Word of God, and the supreme Manifestation. When the sanctified breezes of Christ and the holy light of the Greatest Luminary (Bahá'u'lláh)] were spread abroad, the human realities (those who turned toward the Word of God and received the profusion of His bounties) were saved from this attachment and sin, obtained everlasting life, were delivered from the chains of bondage, and attained to the world of liberty. They were freed from the vices of the human world, and were blessed by the virtues of the Kingdom. This is the meaning of the words of Christ, "I gave My blood for the life of the world" [Cf. John 6:51.]--that is to say, I have chosen all these troubles, these sufferings, calamities, and even the greatest martyrdom, to attain this object, the remission of sins (that is, the detachment of spirits from the human world, and their attraction to the divine world) in order that souls may arise who will be the very essence of the guidance of mankind, and the manifestations of the perfections of the Supreme Kingdom.http://bahai-library.com/writings/abdulbaha/saq/30.html

Regarding thy question as to the beginning of Creation: Know thou that the Truth (GOD) has eternally ever been, and so also have His creatures, for there is no beginning either for the Truth (God) or for the creatures. According to the bodies in the contingent world, the "beginning" mentioned in the Holy Scriptures means the beginning of the Manifestation, and "creation" signifies the Second Spiritual Birth: as Christ says, "You must be born again." There is no doubt that the beginning of this Spiritual creation was the Manifestation Himself, for each Manifestation of the Divine Manifestations is the Adam (of His time,) and His first believer is Eve, while all the souls who are born of the Second Birth are His children and descendents. 
http://bahai-library.com/personal_brett_zamir#adameve

Ezekiel 18:14-20 explicitly rejects inheritance of sin:https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ezekiel+18:14-20

Abdul Baha says that women in the holy scriptures means the soul of man and the man means the spirit. No wonder it says men should rule over women.

To all mothers who have lost a child.

In the Name of the Loving Friend: O MOTHER! Grieve not over the loss of thy son; rather pride thyself therein. Indeed this is an occasion for gladness and rejoicing, not for despondency and sorrow.I swear by the Day-Star of the morn of Truth that thy son hath attained a station such as no pen can depict, nor words adequately describe. His habitation is the realm on high, his associates and companions are sanctified and detached souls, and his sustenance the imperishable and hidden blessings of the Lord. In truth were that lofty and glorious station to be revealed to an extent smaller than a needle's eye before the eyes of them that dwell on earth, they would, one and all, be so filled with joy and ecstasy as to be consumed thereby. Therefore think not that he hath perished. Indeed he will endure in the heavenly kingdom as long as God Himself endureth. And this calleth for gratitude, not grieving. When he findeth that thou art happy he becometh more cheerful, but when he perceiveth that thou art disconsolate, this provoketh anguish in his heart.

Busy thyself in the remembrance of God and unloose thy tongue in celebrating His praise with utmost joy and radiance. God, the Exalted, the True is with thee. He is kinder than a father and more compassionate than a son. Bahaullah

Bahai on theosophy

https://senmcglinn.wordpress.com/2010/05/09/abdul-baha-on-theosophy/

The father is in the son and the son is in you.

Thou hast asked about the statement in the Hidden Words, which reads “Son of Spirit! Turn thy face so that thou mayest find Me within thee, Powerful, Mighty and Supreme.” This is the statement to which His Holiness, the Christ, referred His apostles in the Gospel, saying, “The Father is in the Son, and the Son is in you.”

This is evident that, when the hearts are purified and through divine education and heavenly teachings become the manifestors of infinite perfections, they are like clear mirrors, and the Sun of Truth will reflect with might, power and omnipotence in such a mirror, and to such an extent that whatever is brought before it is illumined and ignited. 

Abdul Baha

Om tjeneste.

Noen sitater fra RUI-m,ateriale bok 7 første del, om tjeneste.

 Kjærlighet til Gud og åndelig tiltrekning renser og lutrer menneskets hjerte, og ikler og pryder det med hellighetens plettfrie kledning. Først når hjertet er fullstendig knyttet til sin Herre og forpliktet overfor den Velsignede Skjønnhet vil Guds nåde bli åpenbart.

Abdul Baha

Den som søker å bli Guds hjelper på denne Dag skal lukke sitt øye for alt han måtte eie, og åpne det for det guddommelige, og slutte å bekjeftige seg med det som tjener ham selv, og bekjeftige seg med det som vil opphøye den Allmektiges Altbetvingede Navn.

Bahaullah

Menneskets fortjeneste ligger i tjeneste og dyder, og ikke i velstandens og rikdommens pomp og prakt. Gi akt på at deres ord er lutret for ørkesløse innbildninger og verdslig attrå, og at deres gjerninger er blottet for list og mistro. Ødsle ikke deres dyrebare livs rikdom ved å dyrke en ond og fordervet hengivenhet, og la heller ikke deres bestrebelser nyttes til å fremme deres egne interesser.

Bahaullah

Derfor formaner jeg hver enkelt av dere til å vie alle deres tanker, ord og gjerninger til å bringe kunnskapen om Guds kjærlighet inn i hvert hjerte. Abdul Baha ..

Min eneste glede i denne hurtig svinnende verden var å vandre på Guds stenete sti og utholde harde prøvelser og alle materielle sorger. For ellers ville dette jordiske liv vise seg å være goldt og forgjeves, og døden ville vært bedre. Bahaullah

What convinced me of Gods exsistance enough to search for God myself.

What convinced me was two things. First, when I was 14 and saw people (apostolic christians) who were selfless for real! Not just selfless to get attention, or some other kind of reward, like I normally would experience. I became a christan then, but was unsteady because nothing was integrated. I did not know what to do to get in contact with God. (Så jeg har erfart betydningen av å ha en åndelig praksis.)

The next thing was when i was 19 and saw the happiness some christians had after attending a meeting (also charismatic). It was a happiness very strong, and they said it was caused by the holy spirit. Then I thought I could not take the chance to live without the holy spirit if it could be exsisting for real, so I decided to search for it in case it was. And not long after I was blown away by it myself. Thank God!:)

 

The reason there is hate, fear and so on is lack of love or nearness to God. People, or at least me, are holding on to experiences of the lack of love from people. It is dragging us/me down because it is heavy stuff. We know with our minds that it is not true that we are not worth to be loved, and we should not identify ourselves with the strange behaviour we had and still have because the environment was unloving, because that can prevent us from seeking better ones. That behaviour was an image of the mirror we were looking into (our environment).

What I did on my search was to be part of an environment I felt were light and loving. Even though I did not feel worthy, was shameful and was insecure. There I felt accepted and safe enough to be more whole and then the reality could unfold. If one just look at oneself as a body, from others view, everything else is also seen on the surface, and nothing will have meaning. One have to remove the veils that hinder us to experience the depth of reality. You must move your attention, penetrate and have room for at the same time. Be interested IN. There is nothing to lose but the unvaluable and not-eternal things.

There is a difference in the meaning of the words proof and conviction. You ony need the last one. You can search an eternity for proof in this world and never find it, but God can convince you in a second if you want to believe in His exsistence. Then you can see proof everywhere.

What made me really believe in God when I was reading in the Bahai scriptures was that Bahaullah confirmed what Jesus had said. It was like reading the words of Jesus! I was so happy when i saw that! I believed in Jesus as a child, but was never as a grown up one that could believe deeply. The bible was too old to rely on for me completely.  

Våre selv og himlene.

1.Det lavere selv / "dyret" / egoet / "djevelen": Hvis jeg skal forklare det enkelt så er det lavere selv det bevissthetsnivået en er på når man ikke har rom for refleksjon og bare reagerer basert på indre og ytre påvirkning med sjalusi, frykt, sinne, stolthet osv. Det blir slik dyr gjør. Har de en nervøs eier, blir de selv også nervøse. De har ikke refleksjonsrom for å tenke at de er frie til å føle hva de vil. Det er denne likheten som er årsaken til at det lavere selv også kalles det dyriske. Det betyr ikke at dyr er noe dårligere, de kan som vi være kjærlige, men det kalles dyrisk for å fremheve mangelen på frihet og refleksjon som mennesker, i motsetning til dyr, har som egenskaper, om de bruker de eller ei.

2.Sinnet er uvirksomt uten en fungerende hjerne.

3.Sjelen / den udødelige individualitet / "hjertet" / menneskeånden: Dens egenskaper er forestillingsevne, hukommelse, tenkning og forståelse, samt evnen til å avspeile og manifestere guddommelige egenskaper vha klarsyn (visjoner), klarhørsel etc.

4.Troens ånd / et pust av den hellige ånd som renser og helliggjør oss.

Nr 1 og 2 eksisterer kun i den fysiske verden.

(Den hellige ånd formidler sannhetens sol / Gud via profetene til oss.) 
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Himlene (Fra Revelation of Bahaullah volum 1, s. 57-59 via http://www.bahai.no/fileadmin/Forlag/Boker/nokler.pdf)s 66:
1 Den øverste himmel heter enhetens himmel hvor ingen, ikke engang profetene har adgang.                Dette er Guds Vesens eksistens-sfære.
2 Den himmelske forgård. Her er profetenes innerste virkelighet hvor alt blir til.
3  Det høyeste herredømme / Herlighetens rike er et sted for enhet. Alle tings essens og mening finnes her. De sjeler som befinner seg her har myndighet over jorden.
4 Guds rike. Her finnes urbildene og arketypene. Dette er himmelen hvor man møter sine venner, sine familie og profetene.
(5 Den skapte verden.)

Sex , homosexuality and Bahai

I have heard that sodomy means pederasti, sex between young men/boys and men. It it mentioned here in a discussion as well at the middle of the page.http://bahai-library.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=2016

Baha'i Library Forum - View topic - Sihaq

bahai-library.com

and if that is what it means I totally understand it is forbidden ,because then men take advantage of boys. I see no evil in sex the way a married couple wants. Anal sex is suppose to activate kundalini, and that is exciting, I think.

LIWAT=Arabic word meaning “the sin of the men of Lot” (i.e. Sodom). It refers to homosexual “sex acts” and not merely to anal sex as “sodomy” has come to mean in modern American English. From:http://justabahai.wordpress.com/.../a-bahai-view-of.../

A Bahá'í View of Homosexuality and Gay Rights?

justabahai.wordpress.com

"Say, it is forbidden to you adultery, homosexual relationship, and treachery. Do not commit these, O assemblage of believers."
Here it is the relationship between men that is the sinful, not the anal sex itself.

http://bahai-library.com/compilation_chaste_holy_life 

I think of sex as a spiritual practise so I can't see the evil in it. Do you mean homo-sex is forbidden because kundalini may have harmful consequenses Byron Jefferson Bailey or what did you have in mind, please? Evil must be to use others and harm them, I think, and here is a lot said about the translation of the words that is saying something similar. It is a bit down on the page. This is really interesting, and I am not finished reading it yet. I appreciate your comments here.http://bahai-library.com/armstrong-ingram_provisions...

Provisions for Sexuality in the Kitab-i-Aqdas in the Context of Late Nineteenth Century Sexual...

bahai-library.com

The word pedophile is not used, is it? What if that is what Bahaullah meant was evil, one adult using a boy, and not the loving realtionship between men? What if it was not sex outside marriage, but rape he meant was evil? Marriage is important for children growing up, but two can marry even though they do not want children, so it is not a good argument saying two men can not marry because marriage is for the sake of children.

Nino Nietsuah Dear Henrikke Julie Wilhelmsen,
The Old Testament sums up in Ezekiel 16:49 what was the sin the people of Sodom committed:
"Behold, this was the guilt of your sister Sodom: she and her daughters had pride, excess of food, and prosperous ease, but did not aid the poor and needy. "

To state that the sin of Sodom is having same-sex sex is, Biblically speaking, wrong.

Robert Montes Thank you Byron! Unfortunately despite the 2010 letter from the UHJ admonishing Baha'i's not to discriminate against gay people I can see it is still going on here among Farhan and others. You are right that most Baha'is want to act like the sexual impulse that all humans have can be ignored. People need to be educated. Baha'u'llah himself that nobody should live a celibate life, that monks and nuns should come out from their monasteries, that everyone should find a mate (and in my opinion that includes gay people) and live in a monogamous, married relationship.

For me this discussion is not "talking about or sex-life". I would like to understand what Bahaullah must have had in mind when he said no to homosexual relationships and what meaning he put in the words that are translated to sodomy and pre-marital sex.

What is it about masturbation that is no good? Is it the energy that are removed with the orgasme? Is it the fantasies? The focus on it? Is it that you do not make a union? What if you do it to raise the energy and do not have a normal (top) orgasme and don't touch yourself physical at all, or as a meditation where you give up your own will? Is masturbation wrong when it is done just to have pleasure? or release tention?

What does sex mean for Bahaullah? Is it the action or the purpose of doing it the most important? To want to delete it sounds like it is provoking some issues. There should be no shame in our sex life. That is why this topic is important to discuss.

I have wanted to understand what it is about sex before marriage that is wrong and have given it much thought and also experimenting. Is it because it can make children? Is it because noone should be used for pleasure, is it because the energy should not be used for pleasure? It is not for pleasure but for making union? Is it because they don't love each other yet? Is it because many get feelings for someone they have sex with and the same don't always happen with the other?

And why is it forbidden to love someone of the same sex physically? Is it because of the energies that do not unite, or do they unite? Is it the anal- sex that is unhealthy? Is it unhealthy physically or energetically? Is it because God never meant that some of the same sex should fall for each other, but that something happened that made someone stumble out of the straight line?

For me the most important to understand now is the energy-aspect of relationships and methods. Anal sex has some effects that genital sex hasn't. Not very much is known about the subject unfortunately, and not strangely, since it is tabu. Everything can be negative or positive, it depends on when /where it is used. If it is suitable or not.

Can something done in love or making love be a sin? I don't think so. If what you do, either you do it by your self or someone else no matter the gender, it is pure when love is involved. When the ego is withdrawn everything is well.

i går kl. 11:26 · Redigert · Liker

Sonja van Kerkhoff good question Henrikke Julie Wilhelmsen - "I would like to understand what Bahaullah must have had in mind when he said no to homosexual relationships and what meaning he put in the words that are translated to sodomy and pre-marital sex." - which means we need to look at the original text (as far as I know the text translated into English which begins with " "Ye are forbidden to commit adultery, sodomy and lechery...." originates from one source penned by Baha'u'llah). And the 2006 text from the Research department indicates that the word "liwat or liwaat" used in this text refers to the act of sodomy/perverted sex done by whomever, not on homosexuality as an orientation. If so then as far as I know there is no mention by Baha'u'llah on the topic of homosexuality.

How do we know that adultery is not just cheating on a partner (hurting someone)? Does perverted sex/lethergy include actions that do not offend others? Perverted actions that offend others is to use others for their own satisfaction, either it is adults or children, exposing them selves while masturbating and watching others having sex. Pervertion is going over other people's line. I don't see the harm in a man who wants his wife to pee on him or want to have some kind of role play.

nino says
Also, all that stories of growing spiritually by ttaking away people the opportunity to feel and live love is, in my humble opinion, nothing else than hearsay. The institutions tell us it was for the personal betterment of those people to abstain from loving relationships and,therefore, reality must be that way. But reality is quite the opposite: people losing their faith because of that ... and stop growing spiritually. They start loathing themselves and are pushed further and further away from God.
I know so many LGBT people who used to be Christians, Muslims, or Bahais but they lost any spiritual connection simply because their religions told them that.

Religion is supposed to be a safe haven and a cure for people's lives - but in matters of LGBT people it turns out to be not only hell on earth but also a disease.

If this religion, as well as Islam and Christianity, narrowmindedly have misunderstood God on that point, Nino Nietsuah, we have a huge job to do. The world would look different. Less shame all over. It is the allembracing love that is important. It is very strange that God would make a body that have to live alone with no intimicy. It would be more like God to make differences so we had to stretch ourselves to tolerate and love these differences.

Sonja van Kerkhoff I agree Farhan Yazdani - you wrote " we very clearly have that legislation on homosexuality" and so because there is nothing written by Baha'u'llah the U.H.J. is free to make and change its own policy - here is the lastest U.H.J. policy dated Oct 2010: "Therefore, to regard those with a homosexual orientation with prejudice or disdain would be against the spirit of the Faith. Furthermore, a Baha’i is exhorted to be “an upholder and defender of the victim of oppression”, and it would be entirely appropriate for a believer to come to the defense of those whose fundamental rights are being denied or violated."
Earlier policy referred to homosexuality as a disease or as something to overcome. Since 2010 that is no longer the U.H.J. policy on homosexuality and I wish more Bahais would take heed and stop writing things such as homosexuality is wrong, etc. I guess it takes time.

A friend of mine, a bahai, said when i mentioned homosexuals that Bahaullah had reacted negatively towards men using boys, only. That is very different. Calling a desire for children sick sounds more likely than calling homosexuals sick. No not the desire, but the action that is so heartless and full of self.

for 22 timer siden · Redigert · Liker · 1

sexual addiction is a disease and that may be the meaning of the word "Liwat". Here I found that the word lechery is wrong. that it should be treashery. The meaning is then not sex between two women but cheating. "The original Arabic excerpt of the 1875 Tablet of Baha'u'llah can be found on page 338 of Ishraq-Khavari's "Ganjineh-ye-Hudud va Ahkam" (Treasury of Laws and Ordinances). The three key words mentioned are:

1. Adultery ("Zenaa")
2. Pederasty, or sodomy ("Livaat")
3. Treachery ("Khiaanat"), NOT lechery ("Fesq," literally "immersed in lustful or immoral activity")" source:http://bahai-library.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=9470

Bahaullah do not say much about sex. That we know. But he does say many times, yes stresses, that we must get our body, our desires under control. So I think this is what he is thinking about when he is on the sex-issue. In heaven you will not see two men standing behind each other behind every other tree:) Love must come first.

Have Bahaullah or Abdul Baha said marriage is for men + women only?

Where does Bahaullah say that homo-sex is sick? Some bahai's say homosexuality is possible to treat. I do not think Bahaullah thought of that when he said something was sick, but to have no control over the body and being heartless.

6 t · Liker

Farhan Yazdani Henrikke the sacred writings speak of men and women but I have found no text specifically saying that same sex marriage is prohibited.

Henrikke I know of no Baha'i text referring to homosexuality as a disease. Medical science for a long time has done so and has changed more recently, and many Baha'is have not studied the subject so they give their own understanding. There is however a text of Shoghi Effendi saying that doctors can help overcoming this condition and you will find this in various documents from the UHJ

Bahaullah and Abdul Baha never said: do not ever fall in love with someone of the same gender.

I can understand that men are not allowed to have sex with boys and men in a profligate manner, because this threatens marriage. But if two men marry this is not a threat. Most people are not homosexual and there will not be too few children because of it. On the contrary, there are a lot of children that needs parents.

 It has been very satisfying to have this discussion. A burdon has been lifted. When i became bahai when I was 23 I got so disappointed when they told me about the gays rights, that gays are not allowed to have a partner. Now i understand Bahaullah did not think like that, and then i love this religion even more. I am not lesbian myself, but I think justice should be for all. And having a loving partner is very important for most people, so I care about this even though I am not effected personally.     

 

            

Ye are forbidden to commit adultery (zina), sodomy (liwat) and treashery ( khianaat). Avoid them, O concourse of the faithful. By the righteousness of God! Ye have been called into being to purge the world from the defilement of evil passions. This is what the Lord of all mankind hath enjoined upon you, could ye but perceive it. He who relateth himself to the All-Merciful and committeth satanic deeds, verily he is not of Me. Unto this beareth witness every atom, pebble, tree and fruit, and beyond them this ever-proclaiming, truthful and trustworthy Tongue.

So what does sodomy, adultery and treashery mean?
Sodomy is not as simple as anal sex. Bahaullah reacted negatively towards the action: men using boys. He is talking about something evil here, so it must mean something that is hurting others. Like rape, cheating (treashery), using animals or people or masturbate in public.

Sodomy, the sins in the town Sodomy, is not about homosexuals at all: http://www.religioustolerance.org/hombibg193.htm 

In the bible anal sex between men is mentioned, but not as a sin but as something dirty:

Leviticus 18:22

"You shall not lie with a male as with a woman; it is an abomination."

Romans 1:26–27

26 For this reason wGod gave them up to xdishonorable passions. For their women exchanged natural relations for those that are contrary to nature; 27 and the men likewise gave up natural relations with women and were consumed with passion for one another, ymen committing shameless acts with men and receiving in themselves the due penalty for their error. 

1 Corinthians 6:9

9 Or do you not know that the unrighteous2 will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: xneither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality,3

 

Deuteronomy 22:25–27

25 “But if in the open country a man meets a young woman who is betrothed, and the man seizes her and lies with her, then only the man who lay with her shall die. 26 But you shall do nothing to the young woman; she has committed no offense punishable by death. For this case is like that of a man attacking and murdering his neighbor, 27 because he met her in the open country, and though the betrothed young woman cried for help there was no one to rescue her.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/science/science-news/10637532/Being-homosexual-is-only-partly-due-to-gay-gene-research-finds.html

Zina: sex outside of marriage or cheating?

Liwat: male homosexual, pedophilia or sex-addition?

Khianaat: cheating.http://bahai-library.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=9470

Bahaullah do not say much about sex. That we know. But he does say many times, yes stresses, that we must get our body, our desires under control. So I think this is what he is thinking about when he is on the sex-issue. In heaven you will not see two men standing behind each other behind every other tree:) Love must come first.

 Where does Bahaullah say that homo-sex is sick? Some bahai's say homosexuality is possible to treat. I do not think Bahaullah thought of that when he said something was sick, but to have no control over the body and being heartless. Neither Bahaullah or Abdul Baha have ever said that homosexuals can't marry each other.
I wonder what happens to a man who is already married to another man in the church when he wants to be a bahai. He is not occupied with sex, but to serve humanity. He loves his partner. And what if they already have adopted children? Is he told to divorce him if he wants to be a bahai? That would be embarrassing, I think.

http://justabahai.wordpress.com/2011/06/25/bahaullah-the-subject-of-boys/ :


“”We shrink, for very shame, from treating the subject of boys. Fear ye the Merciful, O peoples of the world! Commit not that which is forbidden you in Our Holy Tablet, and be not of those who rove distractedly in the wilderness of their desire.” (page 58, Kitab-i-Adqas, 1992 English edition) Baquia then illustrated use and context for the Arabic term Baha’u’llah used “ghulaam” which refers to: slave, page; lad, or servant, and exclusively males.

I can understand that men are not allowed to have sex with boys and men in a profligate manner, because this threatens marriage. But if two men marry this is not a threat. Most people are not homosexual and there will not be too few children because of it. On the contrary, there are a lot of children that needs parents.