LordOfGoblins

Bahai friends.
It has occured to me just now after all the discussions we have had with out Christian friends debating the resurrection that it would not really make sense to say the bible is the infallible word of God. How can Bahais say it is the case without giving a justification as to why the Gospels do not describe the resurrection as it really was?
What I mean is. If Jesus appeared to the disciples in a vision or dream when they were hiding from the Jews then that should be more clear from the text. Not only that but when Jesus ascended, if this event was a metephorical story, then shouldnt it be illustrated as thus if it is inside the historical context of the Gospel accounts? It does not seem reasonable to expect a Christian to accept this and other parts of the Gospels as being metephorical without giving the disclaimer that some of these texts must not be taken as infallible words of God...
It is for this reason that I stick to my earlier position that the bible is the religion of God containing the messages of God to man, but it is not the infallible word as given by Baha'u'llah and Muhammad.
What say you?
I am open to suggestions if people are courteous

Lonemedic

See previous discussion on this
The Infallible Word of the Bible?


AUTHENTICITY
Shoghi Effendi states that "apart from the sacred scriptures of the Bábí and Bahá’í Revelations," the Qur’án constitutes "the only Book which can be regarded as an absolutely authenticated Repository of the Word of God" (Advent of Divine Justice, 49)
Scripture

WORD OF GOD
"This Book is the Holy Book of God, of celestial Inspiration. It is the Bible of Salvation, the noble Gospel. It is the mystery of the Kingdom and its light. It is the Divine Bounty, the sign of the guidance of God."
(Written by 'Abdul-Baha in the Bible of the pulpit of the City Temple in London, quoted in "Star of the West", Vol. 2, No. 11, p. 8)

GENUINE TEXT OF HEAVENLY GOSPEL
We have also heard a number of the foolish of the earth assert that the genuine text of the heavenly Gospel doth not exist amongst the Christians, that it hath ascended unto heaven. How grievously they have erred! How oblivious of the fact that such a statement imputeth the gravest injustice and tyranny to a gracious and loving Providence! How could God, when once the Day-star of the beauty of Jesus had disappeared from the sight of His people, and ascended unto the fourth heaven, cause His holy Book, His most great testimony amongst His creatures, to disappear also?
(Baha'u'llah, The Kitab-i-Iqan, p. 89)

LordOfGoblins

I am aware of those quotes. Was looking for some understanding though.
You titled the second paragraph as "word of God". But does Abdul'Baha say the bible is the word of God anywhere in that bible he wrote in or elswhere in the writings?

arthra

My own suggestion is that we convey the Bible is inspired containing the Word of God but not necessarily accurate in all respects..so not infallible. I think even many Christians would agree to this..

The Wiki has:

In the introduction to his book Credible Christianity, Anglican Bishop Hugh Montefiore, makes this comment:

The doctrine of biblical inerrancy seems inherently improbable, for two reasons. Firstly, the Scriptures contain what seem to be evident errors and contradictions (although great ingenuity has been applied to explain these away). Secondly, the books of the Old and New Testaments did not gain their place within the "canon", or list of approved books, as soon as they were written. The Old Testament canon was not closed until late in the Apostolic age, and the New Testament canon was not finally closed until the fourth century. If all the Bible's contents were inerrant, one would have thought that this would have become apparent within a much shorter period.[54]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biblica...Word_of_God.22

From the Guardian:

BIBLE (Authenticity of the)

"As to the question raised by the Racine Assembly in connection with Bahá'u'lláh's statement in the Gleanings concerning the sacrifice of Ishmael; although His statement does not agree with that made in the Bible, Genesis 12:9, the friends should unhesitatingly, and for reasons that are only too obvious, give precedence to the sayings of Bahá'u'lláh which, it would be pointed out, is fully corroborated by the Qur'án, which book is more authentic than the Bible, including both the New and Old Testaments. The Bible is not wholly authentic, and in this respect not to be compared with the Qur'án, and should be wholly subordinated to the authentic Sayings of Bahá'u'lláh."

~ Shoghi Effendi, Directives from the Guardian, p. 11

Lonemedic

Sorry for not sharing all my thoughts. I am not sure if this is will be helpful, but I will give it a shot.

I like to think of it this way... Which son did Abaraham agree to sacrifice? Well, does it really matter? The spiritual principle is the same. Therefore, even if not perfectly authentic, it doesn't matter.

The question about the interpretation of the resurrection is interesting. Do people believe in the Manifestations based on their interpretation of the Scriptures of their own religion? Probably not that often, given that the meaning of the symbols are almost always lost. In fact, they often believe DESPITE an apparent contradiction. If a person is sincere and detached, he will recognize the Messenger of God. Most Jews were expecting a literal king to come with physical armies to save them; was it "fair" that Christ came in a way different from their expectations? Is it also fair to expect that Christians recognize the symbolism in the Bible?

It is very difficult for many Christians to recognize the symbolism of the Bible, and I don't blame them. I probably would think the same way. This test that God gives man is quite difficult. But if a person truly understands the meanings of their own text, and are not attached to the things they represent, they will find Him.

LordOfGoblins

I guess there needs to be obscure things so people will struggle to improve and search. Else there is no mystery to it. Anyway I had a lightbulb moment so I am pretty OK now.