puzzly

Dear Friends,

Last year I became a Bahai. As I was new I didn't understand as much as I could have. After some time I became confused about certain issues, for example, the rejection of homosexuality in the religion (I am not homosexual myself). I know they are not rejected outright, but in the Aqdas they are condemned as unnatural. Since I have always rejected any discrimination against any groups I felt this was too much for me and resigned. After my written resignation - I have heard from no one. I presume myself shunned.

Since resigning maybe 6 months ago, I have also realised that I have also rejected things of great value and that perhaps I was hasty in my judgements and rejection. I now wish to return to the Bahai faith.

My question is: is this possible, and if so, what do I have to do?

Best wishes.

lukasali

Hey!

Well, it shouldn't be hard to re-enroll in the Faith, I've always understood and experienced it to be a pretty open door both in and out. I would recommend getting in touch with the nearest LSA, if possible, or just local Baha'is who would know or could find out if there was anything you needed to do beyond signing an enrollment card. I'm sorry that you have felt shunned - that's certainly not something that should happen, especially considering these words of Baha'u'llah: "Blessed is he who mingleth with all men in a spirit of utmost kindliness and love." So I hope that you are able to reconnect easily!

I definitely understand why the issue of homosexuality in the Faith is a difficult one. I find that there seems to be a lot of misunderstanding about it even within the community, which is too bad but hopefully something that will continue to grow. In that spirit, I offer the possible understanding that what Baha'u'llah condemns in the Aqdas is not homosexuality, but the practice of paederasty. Furthermore, what other people choose to do sexually is certainly none of my business, and as hard as it can be to understand, I do believe in a profound way that all of Baha'u'llah's laws are the very acme of mercy, compassion and love. How we choose to deal with those laws is a personal matter between the individual and her Lord.

Really, my personal feeling about the whole can o'worms is that homosexuals are oppressed/scapegoated/otherwise mistreated members of society, and that my role as a Baha'i is to be "a joy to the sorrowful, a sea for the thirsty, a haven for the distressed, an upholder and defender of the victim of oppression," in the words of Baha'u'llah. I don't personally believe that sexual orientation is a choice (at least not the vast majority of the time), and find no evidence in the Faith to suggest otherwise.
Anyway, I just want to validate your feelings on this topic; I hope this is helpful!

Pollwr

Hi puzzly,

It could have been that the people receiving your letter were just trying to respect your clearly stated wishes. I am sure you are not shunned by the Faith. The only people who are shunned by the Faith are the Covenant breakers, but that is a whole other issue.

If you believe in that Bahá'úlláh is the Manifestation of God for this age, and you wish to follow him, then I think you are a Bahá'í and the admin bit to register with a community is a formality. I am sure that you will be welcomed into the community. How you get in touch with your community is down to you. I guess, as you did not hear from them after you resigned that there was nobody you were especially close to, on a personal level, but you would know how to get in touch with them. I would suggest that, when you are ready, you get in touch with someone from the community informally and take it from there, or if you prefer things on a more formal footing, write to the LSA in your area.

Hope all goes well

puzzly

Thanks for your kind words. They are helpful. But then maybe I am a covenant breaker. I am not entirely sure what a covenant breaker is. I thought it was anyone who resigns. Maybe for me to be clear I should explain fully. I find the words and teachings of Bahaullah of the utmost beauty and to contain a rare purity, but because I couldn't understand the apparent prejudice against homosexuals I started to dig deeper and felt that I had been able to prove that Bahaullah was not the full revelation that he stated he was. My argument ran like this:
I found out through investigation that in the book Baha'u'llah and the New Era, a certain quote was reported to have been removed. I found similar references to this same issue in The Promulgation of Universal Peace - an old edition - where Abdul Baha had made a prophecy that world peace would surely come in the glorious 20th century. Since the 20th century was anything but glorious I felt that there must have been an error. And since Baha'u'llah had said that the words and teachings of Abdul Baha were to be regarded as infallible then if a prophecy made by him had failed to materialise then he could not have been infallible. The argument went further in that if Baha'u'llah had said that Abdul Baha was infallible and he could be seen to be in error, then it would stand to reason that Baha'u'llah would also not be infallible and therefore could not have been who he said he was... This confused me a great deal and to be honest I am still confused.
However, I have found many such inconsistencies in many of the world religions but then in no other religion do we have the specific words of the founder perfectly preserved as we do in Bahai.
Since I said that, would that make me a covenant breaker? If not please explain the term covenant breaker to me.
I would love to regain the full vision and love of the faith I had when I joined and would be very happy if you could correct my errors.
Then given all that I have told you. Do you still think I can return to the faith?

BruceDLimber

Greetings! :-)

no, No, NO!!!!!

You are NOT a covenant-breaker!!

This term refers ONLY to a Baha'i (NEVER a non-Baha'i) who while claiming to remain a Baha'i rejects the succession stated by Baha'u'llah and 'Abdu'l-Baha OR tries to remold the Faith into something different (such as rejecting its administrative structure) and then expects others to follow/obey this.

And this term can only be imposed by the Universal House of Justice!

Further, even then it happens only after extensive investigation and counselling of the individual as to the error of his/her ways.

So leaving the Faith IN NO WAY makes you a covenant-breaker or even anything close to it!

Indeed, given the central Baha'i teaching of Individual Investigation of Truth, ANYONE is fully free to leave the Faith at any time and undergoes no condemnation for doing so! (The Faith is a strictly voluntary organization.)

So please don't worry about this: Your status is just fine, and in choosing to return you'll be most welcome! :-) :-)

Best regards,

Bruce

puzzly

I see.

How nice!

I would be happy if someone could explain why my above argument is flawed also. I'd rather not get into the same dilemmas again.

Comments welcome please!

Regards and thanks to all.

Dave

BruceDLimber

Hi again! :-)

The Lesser Peace is seen as an ongoing, gradual process. So while its beginnings have occurred, it will be some time before it fully "arrives," so to speak.

And the Most Great Peace is in the indefinite future, probably centuries hence: no date's ever been mentioned.

Again, Baha'is are free to have their own opinions on any topic (and to voice them) provided they don't contradict our scriptures. The only thing you can't do is state that your opinion is official Baha'i doctrine or expect others to follow it.

Regards, :-)

Bruce

Pollwr

I remember, in the 1980s, quite a few Bahá'ís had interpreted some writings to believe that the world would be at peace by the year 2000. I recall feeling quite certain of this but it is easy to get confused and find that you may have to think again about exactly what some of the very beautiful and complex language exactly means, in some parts of the Bahá'í writings. Well, it is easy for me to get confused anyway!

It seems to me that a reference to the glorious 20th Centuary refers more to the movement towards the lesser peace and the way the Faith has spread and is not a blanket comment about all that has gone on in the 20th Centuary.

I think it is common for people who become Bahá'ís to struggle for some time with the concept of infalability, whether they analyse their feelings as you have done, or not. When you look into the Bahá'í teachings, many of them seem to contradict what we have learned in the society in which we live and whether we like it or not there are many other influences in our lives. It would be an exceptional soul who accepted the whole of the Revelation of Bahá'u'lláh in the blink of an eye, I think. So don't worry if you don't.

Take the fast, for example. I live in a culture where people are not starving or hungry, expect 3 meals a day and don't fast for religious reasons. I read about the fast and thought it would not be physically possible. It took me several years to build up to it. I thought that maybe that teaching was for another time. A doctor, who seems pretty good otherwise, told me he thought it was a bit extreme for people to do that and gave me a very funny look for even suggesting it. I did not think about it then, but really I was thinking that this was not infallable. Eventually I got there and started to fast and found I could do it and it came with its own rewards even. Faith really takes time to develop, I think. I believe that Bahá'u'llah is infallable but it has taken many years to reach that conclusion and each of us has to make that journey for ourselves.

I hope that you find a warm welcome from the Bahá'ís in your area. May God Bless you.

arthra

I found similar references to this same issue in The Promulgation of Universal Peace - an old edition - where Abdul Baha had made a prophecy that world peace would surely come in the glorious 20th century. Since the 20th century was anything but glorious I felt that there must have been an error. And since Baha'u'llah had said that the words and teachings of Abdul Baha were to be regarded as infallible then if a prophecy made by him had failed to materialise then he could not have been infallible.

The book Baha'u'llah and the New Era is still a standard introduction to the Baha'i Faith and yes there are alterations made in it from time to time.. Revisions as times change..

I recall one has to do with a Baha'i teacher named Avarih..anyway he later became an enemy of the Faith so the reference to him was dropped..

The book is not a Holy Scripture itself but cites teachings to introduce people.. just to give them an idea of what the Faith is about.. It's owned and published and distributed fron Baha'i sources.

Regarding the issue of peace... History can be interpreted by many according to their view.. Truth is the large land wars that characterized the first two world wars and threatened a third are pretty much gone.. Yes there are what are called brush fire wars and we still have them but nothing on the scale of WWI and II .. In the distant future people may well look back on the twentieth century as the last one of major wars .. I sincerely pray that will be the judgemnet of history..

As to infallibility this usually has to do with matters of the Faith .. interpretations of the Writings and so on.. and not to scientific or political issues as such.

BruceDLimber

Greetings! :-)

It's important to note that when revisions are made to it, the reasons for them are explained in the introductory material!

This puts the lie to accusations by detractors of the Faith that revisions were made to "cover up" failed prophecies.

Peace, :-)

Bruce

Oliver99

Hi Puzzly,

It's just a card, a credential. You make another. Even to another community. Sometimes, they are so few, they are so happy to have you as one more.
The fact is that in baha'i as in Shiite tradition the question of mariage and family is totally central. For Baha'u'llah you should be married at the age of 17 and taking care of a family immediatly. Things like going on in life by trying this or that or searching for yourself, even through homosexual communities ... Hey, one day homosexual communities shall save some baha'is !
Even for Abdu'l bahà, a stable family was the model. It's still idealistic tooday. Everybody tries, but ...
In my own oppinion, baha'i faith and the communities should in those days try the most for standing toogether ! For those who have been part of foreign teaching groups, you should see and know ! Tooday who knows what else can fall over lost and divided poeple ! In fact you understand on the way why it's better to stay baha'i ! Why the other religions are behind and should be taken as god's revelations of the past and nothing as such a stable place for tooday.
Isn't it better than being with the Frankfurt catholic church and all the problems of priest's pedophilia ? Even it hurts any german catholic.
Isn't it better than being inside some muslim oumma with the salafist program printed in Saoudy arabia ?
And finaly, some jewish community send you in Israel to be part of the army for 3 years. Baha'i wishes you to go to Israel for 3 days of pilgrimmage in nice gardens, talking with kind poeple.
The world has became totally crazy and may be a baha'i community is the last place for equilibrated spiritual poeple !
And anyway, if everything goes wrong in your city, your area and it becomes a real mess. You still can become baha'i pioneer in another part of the world metting other nice poeple !

Theese are may be the reasons why, sooner or later, only baha'is shall stand !

arthra

Oliver,

Welcome to the Baha'i Forum.. I've added a few notes for you that may help clarify your statements about marriage by seventeen yrs.

Regarding marriage for Baha'is it should be noted that it requires consent of all living parents.. so it's somewhat distinct in that regard..

Fifteen is the "age of maturity" not seventeen..

IV.D.1.j The age of maturity applies only to Bahá'í religious duties as yet. On other matters it is subject to the civil law of each country. The age of administrative maturity in the Bahá'í community has, for the time being, been fixed at 21.

IV.D.1.k For the burial of the dead the only requirements now bind- ing in the West are to bury the body (not to cremate it), not to carry it more than a distance of one hour's journey from the place of death, and to say the Prayer for the Dead if the deceased is a believer over the age of 15.

Source:


Laws from the Kitab-i-Aqdas Not Yet Binding

BruceDLimber

Greetings, Art! :-)

One quibble:

Correction: has reached the age of 15.

Cheers! :-)

Bruce

sas

From 'Lights of Guidance': " . . But it is clear from the teaching of Baha'u'llah that homosexuality is not a condition to which a person should be reconciled, but is a distortion of his or her nature which should be controlled and overcome. This may require a hard struggle, but so also can be the struggle of a heterosexual person to control his or her desires. . ." (From a letter of the Universal House of Justice to an individual believer, January 12, 1973: cited in Messages from the Universal House of Justice, 1968-1973, pp110-111)

I quoted this passage for you because I felt the comparison to a hetersexual stuggling to control their own desires brings the Baha'i perspective into light. Although it may seem as if homosexuals are centered out they are not. It is the duty of all Baha'is to control their sexual desires, orientations, impulses whatever they may be.
Welcome back!
I have been a Baha'i my whole life, in fact my parents and my grandparents are Baha'i. My two 'go to books' whenever I have a question or concern are: Lights of Guidance and Some Answered Questions. They never leave my bedside table. LOL I hope they can give you as much peace and understanding as they have for me.
Warmest Baha'i Wishes

puzzly

Dear Friends,
Thank you for all your useful replies. I have been away for a while but glad to see such response.
Oliver you say 'it's just a card, a credential' - are you talking about the membership card? Actually, I am a bit embarrassed to go back to the local community. I am from the UK originally and will soon be leaving this country and thought I could simply just join again in a new community without going through the processes here. By the way there is a membership number but I never received this nor a card.
Any thoughts on these points?
Arthra - about the section you gave on laws not yet binding. I remember discussing this with a senior member locally who told me that ALL laws in the Aqdas were now binding across the world since 1992 (or he could have said that about a later date). Can you confirm that there are still laws not yet binding?
Love to you all.
David

puzzly

Dear Friends,
Thank you for all your useful replies. I have been away for a while but glad to see such response.
Oliver you say 'it's just a card, a credential' - are you talking about the membership card? Actually, I am a bit embarrassed to go back to the local community. I am from the UK originally and will soon be leaving this country and thought I could simply just join again in a new community without going through the processes here. By the way there is a membership number but I never received this nor a card.
Any thoughts on these points?
Arthra - about the section you gave on laws not yet binding. I remember discussing this with a senior member locally who told me that ALL laws in the Aqdas were now binding across the world since 1992 (or he could have said that about a later date). Can you confirm that there are still laws not yet binding?
Love to you all.
David

arthra

Arthra - about the section you gave on laws not yet binding. I remember discussing this with a senior member locally who told me that ALL laws in the Aqdas were now binding across the world since 1992 (or he could have said that about a later date). Can you confirm that there are still laws not yet binding?
Love to you all.
David

.......

The Aqdas was only just translated into English in 1992..

You may recall that someday Local Spiritual Assemblies will assume the function sometime in the future of Houses of Justice but this is a looong way off..so that's one area where the Aqdas has not been implemented or "binding"..

Other than the obligatory prayers, fasting, and huquq there are a lot of laws of the Aqdas that are not as yet employed and really relate to say future Baha'i societies.. inheritance, dowry in marriage where mithqals of gold are involved also punishment of criminals.. even length of hair for men...most of the Aqdas has not as yet been implemented..

I'm curious though David who was this "senior member" who told you that all the laws of the Aqdas are binding? :wink

BruceDLimber

Puzzly, if you've never received your Baha'i credentials, you really should contact the Baha'i National Center (in Wilmette & Evanston, IL) and get that corrected before you move! This should, among other things, simplify your registration after the move.

Best regards, :-)

Bruce

Vice

i haven't got my bahai credentials @.@

hippsta

Just contact the National Assembly in the UK (likely London,) or in the country you relocate to. I doubt they'll even ask about your previous resignation, but will more likely be happy you've decided to (re)open your mind and heart.

Best Wishes,

hippsta

weee

Registered Office: 27 Rutland Gate, London SW7 1PD
Tel: 020-7584-2566
Fax:020-7584-9402
e-mail: nsa@bahai.org.uk

(if i was embarrassed i'd email them )

puzzly

Thanks Hippsta for the UK info and thanks all,

Good news! I finally decided to make a call to friends locally and I was warmly received. A fireside has been organised this weekend to discuss any questions I may have. I am very pleased.

Arthra, I don't really remember the exact position of the senior member and don't see the productivity of naming names. This forum has clarified much and has been of great help in answering the many questions I have. I am glad to have found it and the thanks to all is real.

I will let you all know the outcomes of Saturday's meeting.

Best wishes and blessings to all.

David

puzzly

Success!

I felt truly welcomed and embraced.

Thanks to all in this forum who helped.

Great to be back.

Dave

Lonestranger

You can join again anytime.

Homosexuality is totally forbidden in the Baha'i faith. Although homosexuals need to be treated with care and they must submit to the authorities which may look to provide some kind of phsychic treatment. Homosexuals must get out of this cursed way of life through their own efforts.

You are not shunned, that is all I can guarantee. But maybe those you used to meet are not very comfortable with your indecision ... or just plain hurt by your sudden display of anger/resentment. See, the path of peace/religion and spirituality is filled with challenges and tests. Specially since these times are filled with contradictions (due to loosing its balance), sometimes some laws of the Faith seem very stern to us. However stern they may seem, they are all designed to protect us from seen and unseen ... from those which we understand, those we dont, and those we remain confused about.

Better to follow the path of God before coming to conclusions. Belief will help in this regard. We always did breath air ... even before we knew that it was only to intake oxygen. Would man had stopped breathing only to first find out the reason why he does so ... humanity would've ceased to exist.

Anyways ... WELCOME.

Jafar

You sound familiar.

Lonestranger

How?

With Regards,

Aladin.

Pollwr

Hi Puzzly,
I am glad to hear you felt welcomed. May Blessings shower upon you and I hope that you experience the joy of welcoming others into the Faith.

BruceDLimber

LoneStranger, your statement is inaccurate:

While homosexual ACTS are forbidden (as are ALL non-marital sexual acts of whatever sort), simply being a homosexual is not, and indeed, there are homosexual Baha'is.

Peace,

Bruce

puzzly

Glad you said that Bruce.

from the Universal House of Justice:

The Universal House of Justice lists "the loving support of the Baha'i community as one of the elements through which "individuals are able to effect a change in their behaviour" (Extract 14), and calls upon "all those concerned" to "have understanding and sympathy for the individual so afflicted... This law is no reason for Baha'is to consider homosexuals as outcasts" (Extract 17). In this regard, it may be well to note that the extracts indicate that it is not the condition of being attracted to someone of the same sex which Baha'u'llah condemns, but the action of engaging in sexual relations with someone of the same sex. This distinction places homosexuality in the category of one of many problems, from which an individual may suffer,

UHJ letter: homosexuality.discussion.html

Best,

Dave

dwlehning

I am in the same boat. I resigned several years ago and want to enroll again. I used the web form on the US Baha'i Web site to re-enroll. Is that all that I need to do at this point? Thank you in advance for any additional help.

Blessings,
David

whine of astonsihment

I'm not sure, but I believe it pederasty (men having sex with young boys) which condemned in the Aqdas. It might be more accurate to say homosexuality is not condoned.
Nevertheless, it's difficult for homosexuals and lesbians because they cannot marry within the Faith. They do indeed sacrifice their personal will to the will of God in order to be true to the Baha'i teachings - and their sacrifice, when it comes to marriage at least, is much greater than that of the heterosexuals.
Perhaps someday a practical solution might be found but I suspect that could literally take a few centuries. either through science, some new legislation from a future UHJ, or most likely a combination of the two. But if it ever happens, I suspect it will probably be many, many years, possibly even centuries.

Orthodox

I would simply say something on the homosexuality thing is natural thing. I think when one has made your assertion it is something like the natural is good, the evil is the unnatural, in which case I point out there are many things natural which are bad. Earthquakes, floods and Tsunamis all natural things which cause damage death and depression. Are these things good? Not really due the loss of human life. This whole idea that secular society has adopted that the good is the natural is flawed. Thus if an institution deems certain things as bad or immoral I don't consider this a wrong thing. Homosexuality might be natural to the person, but so is cancer.

pheonixduprese

Earthquakes, floods, tsunamis, and cancer are all gifts from God, so through our struggle we can become closer to Him. If the loss of human life occured, then they will have bliss in the afterlife (conditionally :wink) and God clearly needed them with Him. Everything natural is, indeed, good, because they are gifts of God.

BruceDLimber

Hi, David; Allah-u-Abha, and welcome back! :-)

That may well be all you need at the moment, though it would probably be wise to contact the Baha'i National Center and let them know you're re-establishing yourself rather than being a brand new Baha'i (although they may already have figured that out from your address).

And of course, let the secretary of your LSA know if you have one, or your community if not.

Best regards, :-)

Bruce

dwlehning

Greetings Bruce,

Allah-u-Abha! Thank you so much for responding. Unfortunately, we do not have a LSA, or even a group here. I am pretty much it here. But there is a Baha'i family about 20 miles east of here in another township. I will call National to make sure that they understand that I want to re-enroll. Thanks again.

Baha'i blessings,

David

Sen McGlinn

First, you are not a covenant-breaker. That's a whole different kettle of fish to having questions and doubts. Questions and doubts are good, that's how we learn more and grow in faith.

Second, the problem seems to be that nobody explained to you that there are authentic Bahai scriptures, and a whole lot of other Bahai literature called "pilgrim's notes" that report words and acts of Baha'u'llah, Abdu'l-Baha and Shoghi Effendi, but are NOT Bahai scripture. The two quotes you refer to are in this class. In both cases, the reporter is a westerner, so what has happened is that Abdu'l-Baha spoke orally, an interpreter translated his words ad hoc (without knowing in advance what Abdu'l-Baha would say, so the interpreter is thinking on his feet), then someone takes notes of the interpretation, sometimes longhand and sometimes shorthand. These notes are then worked up into full sentences and coherent text. In some cases (the Promulgation of Universal Peace for example) another editor then comes along and changes the text, usually to raise the literary style but also injecting his own ideas into it. So there is *lots* of room for error, and that's why we do not treat these materials as scripture.

In some cases, a Persian would also take notes of what Abdu'l-baha said, and Abdu'l-Baha would usually check and correct these notes. Such reports are regarded as authentic scripture (Some Answered Questions and Memorials of the Faithful were made this way).

The prophecy of the year 2000 is not found in any authentic text from Abdu'l-Baha. If he really did expect something remarkable to happen by the year 2000, that would surely have been important enough for him to mention in a letter sometime, don't you think? There are tens of thousands of these letters (tablets), and I have never found one that mentions it. Not surprising really, since the year 2000 is only a nice round number in the Gregorian calendar, and Abdu'l-Baha spoke Persian and used the Persian solar calendar, and Arabic and used the Muslim lunar calendar. What would he be doing talking about the year 2000 Gregorian? But his listeners were westerners, not so far into the 20th century, and for them "what will the 20th century bring" was a big question. So they heard what they wanted to hear. When Abdu'l-Baha talked about "this (Bahai) era" they heard "this (20th) century."

This is not a unique example. Quite a few entries on my blog are textual criticism, finding the origins of things that are passed around as coming from Abdu'l-Baha or Shoghi Effendi, or in some cases the Bab or Baha'u'llah. Often the sources are pilgrim's notes, but in one case I traced a quote attributed to Shoghi Effendi to a statement by a delegate in the US Bahai convention, who had borrowed the words from an article by Helene Blavatsky in the Theosophical Quarterly Magazine 1917-18! Here's some of the textual sleuthing on my blog

A story about Baha’u’llah? ******************Sen McGlinn's blog
The mystery of sacrifice ******************Sen McGlinn's blog
Instant, exact and complete? ******************Sen McGlinn's blog
A consummate union ******************Sen McGlinn's blog
The world’s a stage ******************Sen McGlinn's blog
Conversation with God ******************Sen McGlinn's blog
1917 and all that ******************Sen McGlinn's blog
Century of light ******************Sen McGlinn's blog
Century’s end – my two cents ******************Sen McGlinn's blog

The last two of these deal with the year 2000 bumph, which is better grounded than most of the other examples in that it is based partly on pilgrim's notes (which insert the "20th" into the picture), but also on misunderstanding a manner of speaking that Abdu'l-Baha has. For example


1. The Spiritual Assemblies to be established in this Age of God, this holy century, have… had neither peer nor likeness in the cycles gone before.
(Selections from the Writings of ‘Abdu’l-Baha, page 82)

2. The teachings of Baha’u'llah are the light of this age and the spirit of this century.
(Selections from the Writings of ‘Abdu’l-Baha, page 107)

3. In every century a particular and central theme is, … confirmed by God. In this illumined age that which is confirmed is the oneness of the world of humanity.
(Selections from the Writings of ‘Abdu’l-Baha, page 114)

4. Gradually whatsoever is latent in the innermost of this Holy Cycle shall appear and be made manifest, … Ere the close of this Century and of this Age, it shall be made clear and manifest how wondrous was that Springtide …
(quoted in Shoghi Effendi, Baha’i Administration, p. 16)

5. … in any of the past cycles and dispensations, no assemblies for women have ever been established … This is one of the characteristics of this glorious Dispensation and this great century.
(Compilation on Women,; Compilation of Compilations page 397)

I’ve selected these examples because century is used in parallel with other terms, so those who know no Persian can see what is meant. In the first of these, ‘this century’ is parallel to ‘this Age of God.’ In the second, third and fourth, ‘century’ is parallel to ‘age,’ and it is clear that the age characterised by the oneness of humanity is not the twentieth century, but rather the Bahai dispensation. In the fifth quote, century is parallel to ‘dispensation,’ which is parallel to ‘cycle.’

Baha’u’llah uses these terms in a similar way:

6. ““This is the Day which past ages and centuries can never rival…” to “Peerless is this Day, for it is as the eye to past ages and centuries, and as a light unto the darkness of the times.”
(Cited in Shoghi Effendi, The Advent of Divine Justice, p. 79)

7. Briefly, in every age and century differences have arisen in the days of the manifestation of the Daysprings of Revelation, …
(Baha’u'llah, Epistle to the Son of the Wolf, p. 120)

8. Such objections and differences have persisted in every age and century.
(Baha’u'llah, The Kitab-i-Iqan, p. 81)

9. In every age and century, the purpose of the Prophets of God and their chosen ones …
(Baha’u'llah, The Kitab-i-Iqan, p. 120)

From these examples it is clear that "this century" generally refers not to a period of 100 years, but rather to the dispensation of Baha'u'llah, or to time as a universal. It never refers to a hundred years in the Gregorian calendar. Therefore the 'century of light' to which Abdu'l-Baha refers in several places is not over -- it is just beginning.

bwb

1. What happened before the end of the 20th century:
end of the cold war, collapse of the Soviet Union, and the United Nations began to fulfill its mandate as a result.
the internet brought about a revolution in communication and finance (e.g. in the ability to transfer large amounts of money to another country electronically).
the world was organized on a global scale (e.g. in the areas of diplomacy, communication, transportation, law enforcement, banking, trade, finance).

2. Some end-of-the-20th-century prophecies were like pilgrim's notes, not authoritative and not reliable, not written, signed and sealed by 'Abdu'l-Baha, including, for example, 'Abdu'l-Baha's words reported by a Montreal star reporter.

3. 'unity of nations' does not mean world peace or democratic world government, as the Universal House of Justice has explained.

4. Shoghi Effendi wrote that we do not know the dates of the Lesser Peace.

5. There are several passages in Baha'i teachings which clearly say that we should not expect political leaders to be able to establish world peace, or even to prevent the mass destruction and extinction of the human race, through their own unaided efforts. That can only happen through a unifying spiritual transformation caused by adoption of the teachings of Baha'u'llah.

Orthodox

Alright, a baby dying because of its natural birth and conditions is a good thing? Being born with a skin condition which can kill you if to dry is good? These things are not good, they were not intended this way.

Tanuki

They may not be good to your mind, but everything is in God's hands, and as such if a baby is born that way then God has a planned for the baby to be born that way. We may not understand the reason, but God does.

You infer that there has been a mistake along the line by a child being born with such abnormalities/conditions; there could not have been, as God does not make mistakes. If He did, then He would not be God.

Pollwr

I do agree that we all grow and develop because of suffering. I see the point there.

I think that we are getting into a very tricky area that I don't fully understand because it is so very complex. Some people just put everything down to the Will of God. The Will of God is indeed the Greatest Force....but He gave us people free will and the action of our will does have consequences, good or bad. Presumably for this reason some things happen that may not be the Will of God. Or maybe they are because he gave us free will?.....

Anyway, when I think of a baby dying...well some babies probably would die whatever but the survival rate of the baby can depend on where in the world you have it - whether medical help is available, what has happened to the mother during pregnancy, the parents actions before conception, nutrition of the mother, lots of things that are related to people operating thier free will in one way or another and sometimes in quite complex ways. For example quite often a person is in poverty because of a chain of consequences, the result of decisions made by others and themselves.

As we all grow and develop spiritually through suffering, I don't think that it is going to end anytime soon at least. We probably all have a lot of growing to do but we have the Holy writings from God to tell us His Will and how we should live.

I would not think that all suffering was directly the Will of God unless all the people were abiding by His laws because I think that much is as a consequence of our free will. However I do think that all suffering is an opportunity for spiritual growth and turning to God gives many the strength to accept their lot and grow spiritually.