Hi Susan,
Out of context? That would be an interpretation. I see it clearly, and
apparently you don't.
> ...and such other things as cast doubt in the minds of men, and
> cause them to turn away."
You think such "other things" only include "the human qualities of the
Manifestation" that are not included and specifically stated as the
"immortal Beauty in the image of mortal man, with such human limitations
as
eating and drinking, poverty and riches, glory and abasement, sleeping and
waking". Can you give me an example of such a human quality?
Baha'u'llah, according to you, said the "clouds" were the humanity of the
Manifestation of God. According to me those "clouds" could be much more,
up
to and including anything that keeps us from seeing the Glory of God. I
stick by my interpretation, and I believe you are commanded by God to keep
your interpretation if that is your belief based upon your own independent
investigation. I say there are no sanctions that can or should be brought
against anyone with reasoned convictions and belief in the specifically
stated Covenant of Baha'u'llah.
That is the im****tant point. We are commanded to investigate and believe
what we find to be true. I don't see Baha'is doing that, I see them
following quasi-official interpretations given by quasi-official acting
people who don't seen to allow us all to follow God's commands and the
principles of our Faith. We all need to think for ourselves, as commanded
by God, and remove the blinkers of any quasi-clergy who will guide our
spiritual growth. There is no such clergy, and our growth is our own
responsibility.
> Perhaps I'm saying this has nothing to do with what Baha'u'llah says
> about clouds.
At least we agree about that.
--Kent
"Susan Maneck" <smaneck@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> wrote in message
news:ONSdndCCU_nU6h3VnZ2dnUVZ_tLinZ2d@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
>> What is the big difference between: "...such other things as cast doubt
>> in
>> the minds of men, and cause them to turn away" and "anything that take
us
>> away from devoting our lives to developing the virtues" God wants us to
>> develop?
>
> What's the difference. The difference is your interpretation takes the
> original completely out of context. Let's look at the entire sentence
> once again:
>
> "In another sense, they mean the appearance of that immortal Beauty in
the
> image of mortal man, with such human limitations as eating and
> drinking, poverty and riches, glory and abasement, sleeping and
> waking, and such other things as cast doubt in the minds of men, and
> cause them to turn away."
>
> It is clear from the context that these 'other things' are the human
> qualities of the Manifestation, not our inability to develop virtues.
> Now the latter may well serve as 'clouds' as well, but they are not
> the clouds Baha'u'llah is talking about.
>
>>
>> Perhaps you are saying that devoting our lives to developing virtues is
>> quite a different thing from turning away from God.
>
> Perhaps I'm saying this has nothing to do with what Baha'u'llah says
> about clouds.
>
> warmest, Susan
>
>
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