I sent this yesterday, but I did not see it arrive on the list; somehow it got lost.
So, I'm sending it again.
Dear Susan,
>I'm not entirely sure they [Baha'u'llah's words about Abdu'l Baha] shed much light on whether Abdu'l-Baha was right about this, that and the other thing. Not unless you can find specific ways in which they apply. Simply listing them doesn't help us
much. <
much. <
For me, the quotes help because they orient my whole perspective, my mental framework, regarding Abdu'l Baha. If I forget the awesome, thundering, glorious words that Baha'u'llah used to describe the Most Great Branch, if I forget those words, then it's easy for me to fall into the error of thinking of Abdu'l Baha as nothing more than a very smart, progressive, virtuous man who is not fundamentally different from us. In fact, however, Abdu'l Baha *is*
fundamentally, categorically different from us.
In my view, calling Abdu'l Baha "wrong" is like a newborn infant calling Aristotle wrong.
The infant is not qualified to say Aristotle is wrong. By the same principle, I am not qualified to say Abdu'l Baha was wrong. And yes, I know Aristotle was wrong about some things, particulary scientific matters, but that is not relevant to my point.
If you don't like Aristotle, pick your favorite great thinker.
>We already know that Abdu'l-Baha was a Great Guy.<
Susan, I know you are kidding here, but there are some people who think Abdu'l Baha was nothing more than a Great Guy. That's why it's important to reflect on Baha'u'llah's words and the Guardian's words about Abdu'l Baha. Those quotes establish the framework within which to understand, however dimly, Abdu'l
Baha's statements. That's how I see it.
With affectionate thoughts,
Tim Nolan
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