ERGEBNIS DER WAHL DES UNIVERSALEN HAUSES DER GERECHTIGKEIT


Botschaft des Universalen Hauses der Gerechtigkeit vom 30. April 2008 an alle Nationalen Geistigen Räte:

"Die neu gewählten Mitglieder des Universalen Hauses der Gerechtigkeit sind Farzam Arbab, Kiser Barnes, Peter Khan, Hooper Dunbar, Firaydoun Javaheri, Paul Lample, Payman Mohajer, Shahriar Razavi, Gustavo Correa.

Das Universale Haus der Gerechtigkeit"

Requisites for Spiritual Growth

"Bahá'u'lláh has stated quite clearly in His Writings the essential requisites for our spiritual growth, and these are stressed again and again by 'Abdu'l-Bahá in His Talks and Tablets. One can summarise them briefly in this way:

1. The recital each day of one of the Obligatory Prayers with pure-hearted devotion.

2. The regular reading of the Sacred Scriptures, specifically at least each morning and evening, with reverence, attention and thought.

3. Prayerful meditation on the teachings, so that we may understand them more deeply, fulfil them more faithfully, and convey them more accurately to others.

4. Striving every day to bring our behaviour more into accordance with the high standard that are set forth in the Teachings.

5. Teaching the Cause of God.

6. Selfless service in the work of the Cause and in the carrying on of our trade or profession."

(From a letter written on behalf of the Universal House of Justice to a National Spiritual Assembly, September 1, 1

(Compilations, Lights of Guidance, p. 540)

"I have never heard of Bahá'u'lláh," said a young man. I have only recently read about this movement, but I recognize the mission of 'Abdu'l-Bahá and desire to be a disciple. I have always believed in the brotherhood of man as the ultimate solvent of all our national and international difficulties."

"It makes no difference whether you have ever heard of Bahá'u'lláh or not," was the answer, "the man who lives the life according to the teachings of Bahá'u'lláh is already a Bahá'í. On the other hand a man may call himself a Bahá'í for fifty years and if he does not live the life he is not a Bahá'í. An ugly man may call himself handsome, but he deceives no one, and a black man may call himself white yet he deceives no one: not even himself!"

(Abdu'l-Baha, Abdu'l-Baha in London, p. 105)

Re: The True Bahá'í I know of a 'Master Story', that may be somewhere in Balyuzi's book: when he was in New York, at a hotel (between meetings, of course) striding through a hallway with gaslights, the question came up about that very subject. What, it was asked, of a long time Baha'i and a "new declarant"? The Master pointed to a lamp that was not lit, and had the hotel light it. The group waited as this was done/ With a gleam in his eye, 'Abdu'l-Baha said "that is the difference - the only difference!" and strode on ... I don't know that it's authenticated, but it goes with your post pretty well, no? Nonagon47 @ 2008-11-09

Bahá’í Studies Presentation

Some Answered Questions Chapters 54-57

Author: Benjamin S.
Date: 24/04/08

Outline
- Chapter 54: On the Proceeding of the Human Spirit from God
- Chapter 55: Soul, Spirit, and Mind
- Chapter 56: The Physical Powers and the Intellectual Powers
- Chapter 57: The Causes of the Differences in the Characters of Men

Chapter 54: On the Proceeding of the Human Spirit from God

Read Question
- Proceeding is of two kinds: proceeding and appearance through emanation, proceeding and appearance through manifestation
- The proceeding through emanation is like the coming forth of the action from the actor, of the writing of the writer
- In the same way the human spirit emanates from God
- The proceeding through manifestation is the manifestation of the reality of a thing, like the coming forth of a tree from a seed
- The speaker has perfect ability and power, and the discourse emanates from him, as the action does from the actor
- When it is said that God breathed His spirit into man, this spirit is that which, like the discourse, emanates from the Real Speaker, taking effect in the spirit.
- The proceeding through manifestation is the proceeding and the appearance of the Holy Spirit and the Word of God
- As is says in the Gospel of John: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God”
- Then the Holy Spirit and the Word are the appearance of God, the divine perfections, referring to Christ
- Jesus Christ is here referred to as “the Word” – the perfections of Christ
- Christ says in the gospel: “The Father is in the Son”, that is to say that God appears in the mirror
- God has always been in one condition, and the Word of God is the mirror reflecting it.

Chapter 55: Soul, Spirit, and Mind

- You know from a previous presentation that there are five categories the spirit is divided into: the vegetable spirit, the animal spirit, the human spirit, the spirit of faith, and the Holy Spirit
- The vegetable spirit is the power of growth
- The animal spirit is the power of all senses. Because it’s a mingling of many elements, it is subject to decomposition
- The human spirit is the rational soul.
- But the human spirit, unless assisted by the spirit of faith, does not become acquainted with the divine secrets. Like the polished mirror is still in need of light. Until a ray reflects upon it, it cannot discover the heavenly spirits
- The mind is the power of the human spirit. Spirit is the lamp, and the mind is the light that shines from the lamp
- Mind is the perfection of the spirit and its essential quality, as the sunrays are the essential necessity of the sun

Chapter 56: The Physical Powers and the
Intellectual Powers

- Man has five powers that that perceive outward existences. These are sight, hearing, smell, taste, and feeling
- Man has also spiritual inner powers: imagination, thought, comprehension, memory
- The intermediary between the outward and the inward powers is termed the common faculty, because it communicates between both, and this is common to the outward and inward powers. It is also a inner power
- (Example, pg. 210, “Flower”)

Chapter 57: The Causes of the Differences in the Characters of Men

Read Question
- There is the innate character, the inherited character, and the acquired character
- With regard to the innate character, the varieties of natural qualities in man come from the difference of degree.
- So all mankind possess intelligence and capacities, but the intelligence, the capacity and the worthiness of men differ
- The variety of inherited qualities comes from strength and weakness of constitution – that is to say, when the two parents are weak, the children will be weak; if they are strong, the children will be robust
- Besides this, an especial blessing is conferred on some families and some generations that are descendants from the Blessed Beauty
- Because of the difference of culture, we have difference of qualities. Education, therefore, has great influence
- There is two kind of capacity: Natural capacity, and the acquired capacity
- The first one is purely good because it was created by God
- But the acquired capacity has become the appearance of evil, b/c e.g. man begins little by little to accustom himself to poison, taking in a small amount every day
- In creation there is no evil; all is good
- Greed - generally bad. But e.g. the greed for knowledge is praiseworthy
- Then it is evident that in creation and nature evil does not exist at all
- But when the natural qualities of man are used in a unlawful way, they are blameworthy
- The foundation of all evil is lying. There is no more blameworthy quality.
- Exception for this: The doctor assuring the patient that things will be all right