On May 13, 7:46 pm, macl...@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
quoted:
> When asked on one occasion: "What is a Bah=E1'=ED?" 'Abdu'l-Bah=E1
replied~$t
:
> "To be a Bah=E1'=ED simply means to love all the world; to love humanity
> and try to serve it; to work for universal peace and universal
> brotherhood." On another occasion He defined a Bah=E1'=ED as "one
endowed
> with all the perfections of man in activity." In one of His London
> talks He said that a man may be a Bah=E1'=ED even if He has never heard
> the name of Bah=E1'u'll=E1h. He added: -- The man who lives the life
> according to the teachings of Bah=E1'u'll=E1h is already a Bah=E1'=ED.
On ~$t
th
> e
> other hand, a man may call himself a Bah=E1'=ED for fifty years, and if
he~$t
> does not live the life he is not a Bah=E1'=ED.
>
> (Dr. J.E. Esslemont, Baha'u'llah and the New Era, p. 71)
That is the one
> I have more trouble finding a definition of a Baha'i by Shoghi
> Effendi I know of
I was thinking of the definition which was incor****ated, with some
modifications, onto the various versions of the American Baha'i
enrollment card, i.e., accepting the Covenant, administration, etc.
> be regarded a true believer or not. Full recognition of the station of
> the Forerunner, the Author, and the True Exemplar of the Bah=E1'=ED
Cause,~$t
> as set forth in 'Abdu'l-Bah=E1's Testament; unreserved acceptance of,
> and submission to, whatsoever has been revealed by their Pen; loyal
> and steadfast adherence to every clause of our Beloved's sacred Will;
> and close association with the spirit as well as the form of the
> present day Bah=E1'=ED administration throughout the world - these I
> conceive to be the fundamental and primary considerations that must be
> fairly, discreetly and thoughtfully ascertained before reaching such a
> vital decision.
> (Shoghi Effendi, Extracts from the USBN)
Yes, the Guardian was defining the requirements for member****p in the
Baha'i Faith. `Abdu'l-Baha, on the other hand, appears to me to have
defined a Baha'i in terms of certain virtues.
> This however seems to be criteria for enrolment which again is not the
> same as a definition.
Since Shoghi Effendi was developing the administrative order, his
concern appears to have been different from `Abdu'l-Baha's.
> It seems to me that as with most words 'Baha'i' has a range of
> meanings and one sghould be careful not to define it but to
> familiarise oneself with it.
It seems to be used differently, depending on the context.
Mark Foster
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