The Baha'i Studies Listserv Hi all. I'm new to this site. >From my study of the religions currently known to us, I have found that there are many examples that Supreme Manifestations of the Spirit of God (....Abraham, Moses, Krishna, Buddha, Christ, Mohammed, Baha'u'llah) presented many examples of how to achieve the "heaven on earth" by being a service to the communities in which they were. All of them have exhorted the people to be a succor unto the poor, needy, widows, children, etc. There is a formula here that is more than just an "action" that one can list on a resume of good works. It is an attitude that generates and accompanies the service that result in the true, lasting changes to a society that propels in forward. From what I can tell (and this is merely my speculation), it wasn't any sense of foretelling that made these figures the great influences on society that they became. It wasn't miraculous abilities, but it was their spirit of service, their ability to give and receive love to/with *everyone* (not just those who were part of the same circles as them) that drew people in and propelled those same people to attempt the same station of love as the Manifestation. From what I've read, it was the "lesser" prophets who did any foretelling of what could happen to humanity if we didn't follow the example of the Manifestation.
On Thu, Feb 11, 2010 at 9:54 AM, Khazeh <[email protected]> wrote: > The Baha'i Studies Listserv > > > > > *On Behalf Of *Stephen Gray > So, do Baha'i s believe a Baha'i can acheive the station of a seer like > Joseph Smith II? > Stephen Gray, dear brother on this list. > In this "Dispensation", in this Day of Baha'u'llah, the "Day of God" we are > not encouraged to seek stations. > In the Tablet of Wisdom (A Tablet revealed by ar-Rah.maan) God the > All-Merciful He says:*** Let each morn be better than its eve and each > morrow richer than its yesterday. > (Baha'u'llah: Tablets of Baha'u'llah, Page: 138) > *** > But this sense of betterness [faz.l] => merit is in service & virtue ** > Man's merit lieth in service and virtue and not in the pageantry of wealth > and riches. > (Baha'u'llah: Tablets of Baha'u'llah, Page: 138) > ** > all other "stations" are subservient/dependent/ on the station of > servitude. > ** Cling, O ye people of Baha, to the cord of servitude unto God, the True > One, for **thereby your stations shall be made manifest, your names written > and preserved, your ranks raised and your memory exalted in the Preserved > Tablet.** Beware lest the dwellers on earth hinder you from this glorious > and exalted station. Thus have We exhorted you in most of Our Epistles and > now in this, Our Holy Tablet, above which hath beamed the Day-Star of the > Laws of the Lord, your God, the Powerful, the All-Wise. > (Baha'u'llah: The Kitab-i-Aqdas, Pages: 62-63) > > notice dear Stephen > for **thereby your stations shall be made manifest, your names written and > preserved, your ranks raised and your memory exalted in the Preserved > Tablet.** ** > > so by studying deeply as you are, "your station" as a seeker a la "The Book > of Certitude" will be revealed. > If for example dear Dr Susan Maneck or Brent Poirier confirm me, you, and > others in our knowledge of the Covenant they are providing a "service" and > their stations as "servants" is revealed. > > our highest station is clinging unto the cord of servitude. > [al-'ubuudiyyat] whose most perfect Exemplar was the 'Abdu'-Baha. > believe me i am not writing this in a patronizing way or being nice to > Susan or Brent_ rather as exemplifying a point that the "Son of God" the > "Suffering Servant" showed 2000 years ago > **John 13:2 And supper being ended, the devil having now put into the heart > of Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, to betray him; 13:3 Jesus knowing that the > Father had given all things into his hands, and that he was come from God, > and went to God; 13:4 He riseth from supper, and laid aside his garments; > and took a towel, and girded himself. > > John 13:5 After that he poureth water into a basin, and began to wash the > disciples' feet, and to wipe them with the towel wherewith he was girded. > > 13:6 Then cometh he to Simon Peter: and Peter saith unto him, Lord, dost > thou wash my feet? 13:7 Jesus answered and said unto him, What I do thou > knowest not now; but thou shalt know hereafter. > > 13:8 Peter saith unto him, Thou shalt never wash my feet. Jesus answered > him, If I wash thee not, thou hast no part with me. > > 13:9 Simon Peter saith unto him, Lord, not my feet only, but also my hands > and my head. > > 13:10 Jesus saith to him, He that is washed needeth not save to wash his > feet, but is clean every whit: and ye are clean, but not all. > > 13:11 For he knew who should betray him; therefore said he, Ye are not all > clean. > > 13:12 So after he had washed their feet, and had taken his garments, and > was set down again, he said unto them, Know ye what I have done to you? > 13:13 Ye call me Master and Lord: and ye say well; for so I am. > > 13:14 If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; ye also ought > to wash one another's feet. > > (King James Bible, John) > > hopefully your servant too > khazeh > > > > > > __________________________________________________ > You are subscribed to Baha'i Studies as: mailto:[email protected] > > Unsubscribe: send a blank email to mailto:[email protected] > > Subscribe: send subscribe bahai-st in the message body to [email protected] > Or subscribe: > http://list.jccc.edu:8080/read/all_forums/subscribe?name=bahai-st > Baha'i Studies is available through the following: > Mail - mailto:[email protected] > Web - http://list.jccc.edu:8080/read/?forum=bahai-st > News (on-campus only) - news://list.jccc.edu/bahai-st > Old Public - http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected] > New Public - http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected] > > __________________________________________________ You are subscribed to Baha'i Studies as: mailto:[email protected] Unsubscribe: send a blank email to mailto:[email protected] Subscribe: send subscribe bahai-st in the message body to [email protected] Or subscribe: http://list.jccc.edu:8080/read/all_forums/subscribe?name=bahai-st Baha'i Studies is available through the following: Mail - mailto:[email protected] Web - http://list.jccc.edu:8080/read/?forum=bahai-st News (on-campus only) - news://list.jccc.edu/bahai-st Old Public - http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected] New Public - http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]
