The Baha'i Studies Listserv > To be honest, this current series of conversations is more than a > little weird because there are similar concepts in the Bahai faith > like the sin-covering eye and an obvious emphasis on unity in other > areas. But obviously since the Bahai faith basically follows the Shia > narrative which turns some of the companions into villains.
I personally find it pointless to argue about the station of certain controversial individuals in a previous dispensation, let alone impose it on others. This is contrary to what I have learnt from the teachings of the faith. However, the Baha'i writings are quite clear on accepting the station of the fourteen infallibles and the Ithna Asharia view on most matters. Certain acts, such as Ma'atam and Zanjir Zani are condemned and admonished, however. > Actually, now that I think about it, this is reminding me of how > Muslims/Bahais look at the origins of Christianity. Where many Muslims > would blame Paul for corrupting Christianity while the Bahai faith > seems to give Pauline Christianity its blessing. Furthermore, the > Bahai Faith has so much of an emphasis on unity that the writings > blame the Arians for being heretics even though they are arguably > closer to the truth. Back when I was a Sunni, I had a similar discussion with a Methodist priest. He convinced me that Arians were closer to polytheism than any other Christian sect, as they accepted a divine station to Jesus below to that of God. It's like comparing Jupiter with Dionysus. Arians did not in any way deny Jesus's divinity or that he was his son, they just assumed it was of a lesser station than God. The development of Nicene Christianity was a long process, abosorbing a number of Roman cultural rites and rituals. I personally think Nestorius was closer to explaining the true nature of Christ than any other Christian clergyman of that time, although I condemn his sectarian attitude. I haven't come across any mention of Arianism in the Baha'i writings so far. Abdul Baha denies the concept of the trinity as it contradicts the unity of God. Can you please point me to your source? Muslims throughout history have thrown the most ludicrous criticisms upon Christians - such as mocking Christian rituals and theology. They have completely ignored the positive influences Christianity had upon Rome, and indeed, the whole European continent - the end of religious sexual prostitution in temples, the end of prostitutes murdering their own offspring upon birth (recently discovered after the excavation of a Roman brothel in Naples), the eventual end of psychopathic enjoyment of human slaughter in the arenas, the end of Paterfamilas (which allowed a father the right to kill his wife and children), the end of the right to kill slaves, etc. Many of these seemed indirect, such as the abolishment of the right to kill slaves (which happened before Christianity was legalised), in the similar manner as to how Islam's rise began the debate on Iconoclasm in the Byzantine Empire during the 7th century. __________________________________________________ You are subscribed to Baha'i Studies as: mailto:[email protected] Unsubscribe: send a blank email to mailto:leave-534998-27401.54f46e81b66496c9909bcdc2f7987...@list.jccc.edu 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]
