Sure, I understand that the Bahai belief is that the Bible is
substantially intact. But I think that if you just look at the
question directly, and just look at what research has been done on the
Bible and don't just appeal to some other scripture, its pretty clear
that significant changes have been made.
Almost all Biblical scholars, for instance, accept what is called the
documentary hypothesis. This is the idea that the Penteteuch (the
first five books of the Bible, traditionally attributed to Moses) were
actually written several centuries after Moses and had multiple
authors.
Or if you study the actual variations which exist in the text, it is
also pretty clear. Protestants and Catholics and Ethiopian ORthodox
Christians all have different Bibles. Either Some of them are too big,
or some of them are too small, or both. But at least 2 of them must
have been changed from the "original".
And there are other arguments which could be made along other lines as well.
Peace
Gilberto
On 10/10/05, Max Jasper <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
>
>
> Meaning of Perverting the Holy Text
>
> This is one of the instances that have been referred to. Verily by
> "perverting" the text is not meant that which these foolish and abject souls
> have fancied, even as some maintain that Jewish and Christian divines have
> effaced from the Book such verses as extol and magnify the countenance of
> Muhammad, and instead thereof have inserted the contrary. How utterly vain
> and false are these words! Can a man who believeth in a book, and deemeth it
> to be inspired by God, mutilate it? Moreover, the Pentateuch had been spread
> over the surface of the earth, and was not confined to Mecca and Medina, so
> that they could privily corrupt and pervert its text. Nay, rather, by
> corruption of the text is meant that in which all Muslim divines are engaged
> today, that is the interpretation of God's holy Book in accordance with
> their idle imaginings and vain desires. And as the Jews, in the time of
> Muhammad, interpreted those verses of the Pentateuch, that referred to His
> Manifestation, after their own fancy, and refused to be satisfied with His
> holy utterance, the charge of "perverting" the text was therefore pronounced
> against them. Likewise, it is clear, how in this day, the people of the
> Qur'án have perverted the text of God's holy Book, concerning the signs of
> the expected Manifestation, and interpreted it according to their
> inclination and desires.
>
> (Baha'u'llah, The Kitab-i-Iqan, p. 86)
>
> Our purpose in relating these things is to warn you that were they to
> maintain that those verses wherein the signs referred to in the Gospel are
> mentioned have been perverted, were they to reject them, and cling instead
> to other verses and traditions, you should know that their words were utter
> falsehood and sheer calumny. Yea "corruption" of the text, in the sense We
> have referred to, hath been actually effected in particular instances. A few
> of these We have mentioned, that it may become manifest to every discerning
> observer that unto a few untutored holy Men hath been given the mastery of
> human learning, so that the malevolent opposer may cease to contend that a
> certain verse doth indicate "corruption" of the text, and insinuate that We,
> through lack of knowledge, have made mention of such things. Moreover, most
> of the verses that indicate "corruption" of the text have been revealed with
> reference to the Jewish people, were ye to explore the isles of Qur'ánic
> Revelation.
>
> (Baha'u'llah, The Kitab-i-Iqan, p. 88)
>
>
>
>
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