Question

[Yousefy2]

What is blasphemy against the Holy Spirit, How does it differ to unfaithfulness? Are all covenant breakers blasphemous against the holy spirit ?

"If a soul distances himself from the Manifestation, he may yet be awakened, for he may have failed to know Him and to recognize Him as the Embodiment of the divine perfections. But if he loathes the divine perfections themselves, which are the Holy Spirit, this shows that, bat-like, he is a hater of the light.
This hatred of the light itself is irremediable and unforgivable; that is, it is impossible for such a soul to draw near to God. This lamp here is a lamp because of its light; without the light it would not be a lamp. A soul that abhors the light of the lamp is, as it were, blind and cannot perceive the light, and this blindness is the cause of eternal deprivation."

What does 'loathe the divine perfections' even mean? Does that mean a person would hate all good and be purely evil? Is that even possible?

What's the difference between blasphemy against the Holy Spirit and covenant breaking? What's the difference between just being unfaithful and going against the Holy Spirit?

Can someone just help me out of this confusion?

 

[Jcc]

In the quote from Abdul-Baha he is explaining a concept from Christianity based on something Jesus said and is reported in 3 of the Gospels, Matthew, Mark and Luke. See this Wikipedia article for more background on it.

Eternal sin - Wikipedia

It is hard for a good person to imagine someone who really hates God and the Holy Spirit, but some people have that disease of the soul where they see goodness and try to attack it. This was true of some of the Covenant breakers during the Dispensation of Baha’u’llah, but as far as I understand Baha’u’llah said even they could be forgiven if they repent and show true faith.

 

[Trailblazer]

It is hard for a good person to imagine someone who really hates God and the Holy Spirit, but some people have that disease of the soul where they see goodness and try to attack it.

But what if they do not see goodness... What if they were hurt so bad by God, or at least they perceived that they were, so all they can see is a bad God who hurt them?

 

[Trailblazer]

What is blasphemy against the Holy Spirit, How does it differ to unfaithfulness? Are all covenant breakers blasphemous against the holy spirit ?

31: EXPLANATION OF BLASPHEMY AGAINST THE HOLY SPIRIT

Question.—“Wherefore I say unto you, All manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men: but the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost shall not be forgiven unto men. And whosoever speaketh a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him: but whosoever speaketh against the Holy Ghost, it shall not be forgiven him, neither in this world, neither in the world to come.”—(Matt. 12:31–32)

Answer.—The holy realities of the Manifestations of God have two spiritual positions. One is the place of manifestation, which can be compared to the position of the globe of the sun, and the other is the resplendency of the manifestation, which is like its light and radiance; these are the perfections of God—in other words, the Holy Spirit. For the Holy Spirit is the divine bounties and lordly perfections, and these divine perfections are as the rays and heat of the sun. The brilliant rays of the sun constitute its being, and without them it would not be the sun. If the manifestation and the reflection of the divine perfections were not in Christ, Jesus would not be the Messiah. He is a Manifestation because He reflects in Himself the divine perfections. The Prophets of God are manifestations for the lordly perfections—that is, the Holy Spirit is apparent in Them.

If a soul remains far from the manifestation, he may yet be awakened; for he did not recognize the manifestation of the divine perfections. But if he loathe the divine perfections themselves—in other words, the Holy Spirit—it is evident that he is like a bat which hates the light.

This detestation of the light has no remedy and cannot be forgiven—that is to say, it is impossible for him to come near unto God. This lamp is a lamp because of its light; without the light it would not be a lamp. Now if a soul has an aversion for the light of the lamp, he is, as it were, blind, and cannot comprehend the light; and blindness is the cause of everlasting banishment from God.

It is evident that the souls receive grace from the bounty of the Holy Spirit which appears in the Manifestations of God, and not from the personality of the Manifestation. Therefore, if a soul does not receive grace from the bounties of the Holy Spirit, he remains deprived of the divine gift, and the banishment itself puts the soul beyond the reach of pardon.

This is why many people who were the enemies of the Manifestations, and who did not recognize Them, when once they had known Them became Their friends. So enmity toward the Manifestation did not become the cause of perpetual banishment, for they who indulged in it were the enemies of the light-holders, not knowing that They were the shining lights of God. They were not the enemies of the light, and when once they understood that the light-holder was the place of manifestation of the light, they became sincere friends of it.

The meaning is this: to remain far from the light-holder does not entail everlasting banishment, for one may become awakened and vigilant; but enmity toward the light is the cause of everlasting banishment, and for this there is no remedy.” Some Answered Questions, pp. 127-128

31: EXPLANATION OF BLASPHEMY AGAINST THE HOLY SPIRIT

 

[Yousefy2]

In the quote from Abdul-Baha he is explaining a concept from Christianity based on something Jesus said and is reported in 3 of the Gospels, Matthew, Mark and Luke. See this Wikipedia article for more background on it.

Eternal sin - Wikipedia

It is hard for a good person to imagine someone who really hates God and the Holy Spirit, but some people have that disease of the soul where they see goodness and try to attack it. This was true of some of the Covenant breakers during the Dispensation of Baha’u’llah, but as far as I understand Baha’u’llah said even they could be forgiven if they repent and show true faith.

So it's not true for them all, what causes others to break the covenant then? Could it be just unfaithfulness and genuine ignorance

 

[Duane]

What is blasphemy against the Holy Spirit, How does it differ to unfaithfulness? Are all covenant breakers blasphemous against the holy spirit ?

"If a soul distances himself from the Manifestation, he may yet be awakened, for he may have failed to know Him and to recognize Him as the Embodiment of the divine perfections. But if he loathes the divine perfections themselves, which are the Holy Spirit, this shows that, bat-like, he is a hater of the light.
This hatred of the light itself is irremediable and unforgivable; that is, it is impossible for such a soul to draw near to God. This lamp here is a lamp because of its light; without the light it would not be a lamp. A soul that abhors the light of the lamp is, as it were, blind and cannot perceive the light, and this blindness is the cause of eternal deprivation."

What does 'loathe the divine perfections' even mean? Does that mean a person would hate all good and be purely evil? Is that even possible?

What's the difference between blasphemy against the Holy Spirit and covenant breaking? What's the difference between just being unfaithful and going against the Holy Spirit?

Can someone just help me out of this confusion?

He is not referring to covenant breaking. That is something different. Covenant breakers can be forgiven whereas those who loathe the divine perfections cannot be forgiven.

 

[Yousefy2]

He is not referring to covenant breaking. That is something different. Covenant breakers can be forgiven whereas those who loathe the divine perfections cannot be forgiven.

Does not someone break the covenant because the loath the divine perfections?

 

[Duane]

Does not someone break the covenant because the loath the divine perfections?

That is not necessarily true.