I see your point, although all of the people that I know that consider themselves of the Baha'i faith are good, gentle, loving people. To that end, I would say he was successful.
On May 24, 9:55 am, Pat <[email protected]> wrote: > On 24 May, 14:21, Molly <[email protected]> wrote: > > > I have not read this, and lots of other stuff. My reading has become > > quite narrow in scope, but that may change again in my life. I now > > read what comes to me that has a ring of truth to me, and it always > > validates my latest realizations. Quite a wonderful process, really. > > I would some day like to get back to literature...so much of it is > > beautiful. So little time, so much to read...that is, if you include > > time in your reality... > > Well, it's not so much as to whether or not I include it, it's whether > or not it is actually included. It is. Otherwise, you could read > this before I wrote it. Only the One that has access to all time at > once can do that. And, thus, knew, millenia ago, that this little > post was a vital part of the whole. I wouldn't bother reading "The > Book of Certitude". It was/is, more or less, an attempt from a person > raised within Shi'a Islam, to make the claim of being the return of > the Hidden (12th) Imam in a very subtle way, i.e., do everything but > actually state it. Unfortunately, the book, when contrasted to the > clarity of The Qur'an, is a mishmash of ideas that are NOT internally > consistent and, thus, do not add clarity or certitude but, rather, > detract from the Qur'an that it was intending to comment upon. It's > an attempt to sway both Christians and Muslims into accepting the > author's 'way forward', wich, although admirable, the way outlined is > too muddled to see, in my opinion. In short, it was another attempt > to be 'the Gospel of the Next Messiah' written before said Messiah > claimed the title. Whilst there ARE followers, the majority of the > population of the planet have never heard of Baha'i or Baha'ullah. > Therefore, I don't think he was a very successful Messiah. He > certainly never rebuilt any Jewish temple nor intended to; what sort > of Messiah is THAT? ;-) > > > > > On May 24, 7:22 am, Pat <[email protected]> wrote: > > > > On 23 May, 20:03, Molly <[email protected]> wrote: > > > > > perhaps with a focus like the B'hai, that brings the individual to > > > > becoming rather than possessing as the basis of the social contract, > > > > it may some day come about. > > > > Perhaps, but have you read their "Book of Certitude"? I have, and > > > there is more uncertainty in it than any other 'scripture' I've read. > > > I'm sure, like most people, they mean well, but the faith itself is > > > ill-founded although well-intentioned. And the Book of Certitude is > > > confounding. I find it difficult to believe that anyone would accept > > > it AS a scirpture; but then, hey, it's better than David Koresh...of > > > THAT, I'm sure. > > > > > On May 23, 1:59 pm, DarkwaterBlight <[email protected]> wrote: > > > > > > Quite a tall order OneCell, I think that is pointing in the right > > > > > direction but I highly doubt that the powers can/will be able to agree > > > > > on much other than we need to save the planet in order to save > > > > > ourselves!LOL!Surely this statement reflects self intrest as well! > > > > > > On May 22, 11:34 am, 1CellOfMany <[email protected]> wrote: > > > > > > > In response to your question,archytas, here is a direct quote from > > > > > > the > > > > > > article: > > > > > > "Ultimately, the transformation required to shift towards > > > > > > sustainable > > > > > > consumption and production will entail no less than an organic > > > > > > change > > > > > > in the structure of society itself so as to reflect fully the > > > > > > interdependence of the entire social body—as well as the > > > > > > interconnectedness with the natural world that sustains it. Among > > > > > > these changes, many of which are already the focus of considerable > > > > > > public discourse, are: the consciousness of world citizenship; the > > > > > > eventual federation of all nations through an integrated system of > > > > > > governance with capacity for global decision-making; the > > > > > > establishment > > > > > > of structures which recognize humanity’s common ownership of the > > > > > > earth’s resources; the establishment of full equality between men > > > > > > and > > > > > > women; the elimination of all forms of prejudice; the establishment > > > > > > of > > > > > > a universal currency and other integrating mechanisms that promote > > > > > > global economic justice; the adoption of an international auxiliary > > > > > > language to facilitate mutual understanding; and the redirection of > > > > > > massive military expenditures towards constructive social ends[iv]." > > > > > > > On May 21, 9:19 pm, archytas <[email protected]> wrote: > > > > > > > > The majority seem scared of anything like this Onecell. Peoples > > > > > > > like > > > > > > > the Amish still live under wider protection, and the B'hai are > > > > > > > persecuted in Iran. How do we protect our sustainable communities > > > > > > > from bandits and mad, violent religionists? > > > > > > > > On 21 May, 21:48, 1CellOfMany <[email protected]> wrote: > > > > > > > > > Here is a different perspective on Prosperity. The article > > > > > > > > below was > > > > > > > > copied from the Baha'i News > > > > > > > > Service:http://news.bahai.org/story/770 > > > > > > > > > A new statement challenging the common assumption that human > > > > > > > > beings > > > > > > > > are slaves to self-interest and consumerism has been issued by > > > > > > > > the > > > > > > > > Baha'i International Community. > > > > > > > > > A more profound look at human nature would reveal the ability to > > > > > > > > respond to a higher calling, suggests the document – issued > > > > > > > > this week > > > > > > > > for the United Nations Commission on Sustainable Development as > > > > > > > > it > > > > > > > > began its annual two-week session. > > > > > > > > > "The culture of consumerism ... has tended to reduce human > > > > > > > > beings to > > > > > > > > competitive, insatiable consumers of goods and to objects of > > > > > > > > manipulation by the market," it says. > > > > > > > > > In fact, "the human experience is essentially spiritual in > > > > > > > > nature: it > > > > > > > > is rooted in the inner reality – or what some call the 'soul' – > > > > > > > > that > > > > > > > > we all share in common," it states. > > > > > > > > > The document, titled "Rethinking Prosperity: Forging > > > > > > > > Alternatives to a > > > > > > > > Culture of Consumerism," challenges the view that there is an > > > > > > > > intractable conflict between what people want – which > > > > > > > > supposedly is to > > > > > > > > consume more – and what humanity needs. > > > > > > > > > "Much of economic and psychological theory depicts human beings > > > > > > > > as > > > > > > > > slaves to self-interest," it says. "The faculties needed to > > > > > > > > construct > > > > > > > > a more just and sustainable social order – moderation, justice, > > > > > > > > love, > > > > > > > > reason, sacrifice and service to the common good – have too > > > > > > > > often been > > > > > > > > dismissed as naive ideals. Yet, it is these and related > > > > > > > > qualities that > > > > > > > > must be harnessed. ..." > > > > > > > > > Peter Adriance, a member of the Baha'i International Community's > > > > > > > > delegation to the Commission, said the statement is a > > > > > > > > contribution to > > > > > > > > a dialogue on the development of a 10-year framework to > > > > > > > > encourage new > > > > > > > > programs that advance sustainable consumption and production. > > > > > > > > > "The document deals with the issue of consumerism by reflecting > > > > > > > > on the > > > > > > > > question of what is human nature," he said. "We must look at > > > > > > > > who we > > > > > > > > are and what our purpose in life is. > > > > > > > > > "The transition to sustainable consumption and production is > > > > > > > > one of > > > > > > > > the great challenges of our times, and to achieve it will > > > > > > > > require a > > > > > > > > transformation in both thought and action. The cultural forces > > > > > > > > at play > > > > > > > > are powerful and demand re-examination if we are to move > > > > > > > > forward," he > > > > > > > > said. > > > > > > > > > The statement can be read > > > > > > > > athttp://bic.org/statements-and-reports/bic-statements/10-0503.htm.-Hid... > > > > > > > - Show quoted text -- Hide quoted text - > > > > > - Show quoted text -- Hide quoted text - > > > - Show quoted text -
