Today this lowly servant saw an email from dear David Betts http://www.escribe.com/religion/bahaist/m40256.html
making mention of this servant’s plea re “wisdom”. Also I read with gratitude and humility my dear Ahang’s reply: http://www.escribe.com/religion/bahaist/m40257.html “…Dear Dean, Your question … was aimed at David, but I like to step forward and push back against your comment. During the past couple of months that I've been on this list, to be sure, I've seen David raise some … …. issues. But that's his right. …” I just wish to say I am sorry to all if my plea was of universal application as this list has its own wonderful and learned and erudite Moderators. I would humbly say though in my own apologia that my plea of http://www.escribe.com/religion/bahaist/m40217.html was specifically and more particularly made in relation to postings such as http://www.escribe.com/religion/bahaist/m39897.html & http://www.escribe.com/religion/bahaist/m39891.html which were on this open list and particularly about matters of a sexual nature… Ahang is right. David is right too. You can ask about any matter. I am nothing but your humblest servant, Ahang, David Betts and David Friedman. I would still say that this list is most open and accessible as all the above URL’s testify… In thinking about the Laws of the Most Holy Book the Introduction by the Universal House of Justice mentions Progressive elucidation, progressive clarification and then progressive implementation and application ***Baha'u'llah, Who was revealing His Teachings in the milieu of a Muslim society, introduced the question of monogamy gradually in accordance with the principles of wisdom and the progressive unfoldment of His purpose. (Baha'u'llah: Aqdas: Notes, Page: 206)*** *** This divinely purposed delay in the revelation of the basic laws of God for this age, and the subsequent gradual implementation of their provisions, illustrate the principle of progressive revelation which applies even within the ministry of each Prophet. (Baha'u'llah: Aqdas: Notes, Page: 220)*** http://bahai-library.org/uhj/equality.uhj.html ***The Principle of Progressive Revelation Baha'u'llah, in His Writings, sets out the principle of progressive revelation, both in relation to the advent of successive Manifestations of God and to the gradual unfoldment and implementation of the revelation within the ministry of each individual Prophet. He explains: Know of a certainty that in every Dispensation the light of Divine Revelation hath been vouchsafed unto men in direct proportion to their spiritual capacity. Consider the sun. How feeble its rays the moment it appeareth above the horizon. How gradually its warmth and potency increase as it approacheth its zenith, enabling meanwhile all created things to adapt themselves to the growing intensity of its light. How steadily it declineth until it reacheth its setting point. Were it, all of a sudden, to manifest the energies latent within it, it would, no doubt, cause injury to all created things.... In like manner, if the Sun of Truth were suddenly to reveal, at the earliest stages of its manifestation, the full measure of the potencies which the providence of the Almighty hath bestowed upon it, the earth of human understanding would waste away and be consumed; for men's hearts would neither sustain the intensity of its revelation, nor be able to mirror forth the radiance of its light. Dismayed and overpowered, they would cease to exist.2 The Covenant and the Kitab-i-Aqdas The institution of the Covenant has a direct bearing on the implementation of the laws of the Kitab-i-Aqdas. It calls for the appointment of authorized interpreters, in the persons of Abdu'l-Baha and the Guardian, to provide authoritative statements on the intent of Baha'u'llah's Revelation; and for the Universal House of Justice to legislate on matters that are not covered explicitly in the Sacred Text and to elucidate matters that are obscure ------------------------ 2. "Gleanings from the Writings of Baha'u'llah" (Wilmette: Baha'i Publishing Trust, 1983), sec. XXXVIII, pp. 87-88. Monogamy, Sexual Equality, etc. 27 June 1996 Page 3 or causing confusion. The function of the divinely appointed interpreters is evident in the progressive disclosure and clarification of the details of the Baha'i Teachings My only plea and with honour and humility I still adhere to it is that we should consider this principle of progressive disclosure, progressive application etc But I may be mistaken… Please you are welcome to ask [except I would humbly beg not those which deal with intimate …questions.such as message 39891 and 39897 and all that preceding and ensuing threads which are still on these open lists... [I have lived more years of my life in Iran, Arab countries, African Moslem societies than many on this list [hence perhaps my more inhibited outlook... 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