(continued from part 1)
My preliminary skirmishes with Baha’i web sites suggest that Baha’i is far more orientated towards Islam than Christianity…
The “last prophet” is always going to be the one with the most influence. Since the last prophet recognized by Baha’i is Muhammad then he is predictably going to trump Jesus,
Actually, the latest Manifestation of God is Baha’u’llah, not Muhammad.
whose son-ship he famously denies in the Koran, which was largely written by a non-Christian Jewish scribe with (name removed by moderator)ut from the illiterate Muhammad.
That’s a very unusual theory and not one generally accepted by scholars.
As with ‘enlightened’ Islam operating in Western countries, Baha’i also does not recognize the divine order in Christianity and Judaism of men over women (1 Cor 11;3) that is firmly grounded in Old Testament law (Gen 3:16). Men and women are said to be equal in Baha’i and ‘enlightened’ Islam with rights of divorce by the wife - something never granted by Judaism or allowed by Christ. This seems to be born out in peevish posts on some Baha’i www sites.
Yes, at one point in human history, slavery was condoned, women had to obey men, polygamy was acceptable, and other emblems of humanity’s spiritual immaturity were allowable.
In this day, God has enjoined on us the standards of spiritual maturity, which include the equality of men and women. As Paul so famously wrote:
“When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things.”
In this Day of the coming of age of the human race, it is now time to put away the conditions of immaturity and don the garments of adulthood.
As a side note the Ishmael connection is misconceived. Whether Ishmael ever went to Arabia seems to be a matter of sheer conjecture, but more importantly, Islam is derived from contemporary Arabic paganism at the time of Muhammad, which was based on moon worship, as admixed during Muhammad’s life with contemporary Jewish monotheism, with new material from Muhammad.
Actually Islam is extraordinarily monotheistic.
Baha’i seems to preach justification by works, or blind faith in the value of ones own works.
No, in the Baha’i Faith works come from faith in the Good. Works without an internal relationship with God - that is - a relationship with what is beautiful, loving and true - are without power.
There is no question in the Faith that all power and grace comes from the True One and not from us. Here is a prayer from Abdu’l-Baha that embodies that understanding:
"O holy Lord! O Lord of loving-kindness! We stray about Thy dwelling, longing to behold Thy beauty, and loving all Thy ways. We are hapless, lowly, and of small account. We are paupers: show us mercy, give us bounty; look not upon our failings, hide Thou our endless sins. Whatever we are, still are we Thine, and what we speak and hear is praise of Thee, and it is Thy face we seek, Thy path we follow. Thou art the Lord of loving-kindness, we are sinners and astray and far from home. Wherefore, O Cloud of Mercy, grant us some drops of rain. O Flowering Bed of grace, send forth a fragrant breeze. O Sea of all bestowals, roll towards us a great wave. O Sun of Bounty, send down a shaft of light. Grant us pity, grant us grace. By Thy beauty, we come with no provision but our sins, with no good deeds to tell of, only hopes. Unless Thy concealing veil doth cover us, and Thy protection shield and cradle us, what power have these helpless souls to rise and serve Thee, what substance have these wretched ones to make a brave display? Thou Who art the Mighty, the All-Powerful, help us, favor us; withered as we are, revive us with showers from Thy clouds of grace; lowly as we are, illumine us with bright rays from the Day-Star of Thy oneness. Cast Thou these thirsty fish into the ocean of Thy mercy, guide Thou this lost caravan to the shelter of Thy singleness; to the wellspring of guidance lead Thou the ones who have wandered far astray, and grant to those who have missed the path a haven within the precincts of Thy might. Lift Thou to these parched lips the bounteous and soft-flowing waters of heaven, raise up these dead to everlasting life. Grant Thou to the blind eyes that will see. Make Thou the deaf to hear, the dumb to speak. Set Thou the dispirited ablaze, make Thou the heedless mindful, warn Thou the proud, awaken those who sleep.
Thou art the Mighty, Thou art the Bestower, Thou art the Loving. Verily Thou art the Beneficent, the Most Exalted."
