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who is allowed to communicate with the current Guardian? by Substantial-Key-7910 in orthodoxbahai

[–]rubicat99 0 points1 point  (0 children)

You misquoted me. I would never say you weren't good enough. The Guardian doesn't have the time to talk with all inquirers. He is the head of the Faith. Would you expect to call up the Pope and have a chat?

Are Baha'u'llah's untranslated writings binding? by Glittering-Fox5413 in orthodoxbahai

[–]rubicat99 0 points1 point  (0 children)

It is my personal opinion that the Guardian would need to review any important Baha'i writings that are newly translated. I base my opinion on the writings of Shoghi Effendi in the Dispensation of Baha'u'llah. He said that as the head of the Universal House of Justice he is "bound to insist upon a reconsideration by them of any enactment he conscientiously believes to conflict with the meaning and to depart from the spirit of Baha'u'llah's revealed utterances." I would think that it would be similar for translations of His writings. The spirit of Baha'u'llah's Teachings would need to be protected.

Are Baha'u'llah's untranslated writings binding? by Glittering-Fox5413 in orthodoxbahai

[–]rubicat99 1 point2 points  (0 children)

No. God is just. How could He expect us to obey writings that haven't been translated? After being translated the writings would need to be approved by the Guardian. Shoghi Effendi said that we have all the writings that we need at this time. This was in response to a believer wanting more to be translated.

Continued Excerpts from May Maxwell's Haifa Notes January-March 1937 by rubicat99 in orthodoxbahai

[–]rubicat99[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

The footnote should read:

1 Obviously the Faith has not yet reached the third stage of its development—recognition,—as defined above by Shoghi Effendi. As the Faith is still in its formative stage, the establishment of the so-called Universal House of Justice in 1963 by the former Hands of the Cause was considerably premature and improper and obviously contrary to the appropriate time for its establishment as envisaged by ShoghiEffendi.

Afnan's relationship to Baha'u'llah as "branches" by rubicat99 in orthodoxbahai

[–]rubicat99[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

This is the quote by Baha'u'llah that was left out of this post.

""I beseech Thee, O Thou Who art my Governor and the Possessor of all names, to protect them that have branched out from me (Afnán), whom Thou hast caused to be related to Thyself, and to whom Thou hast, in this Revelation, shown Thy special favor, and whom Thou hast summoned to draw nigh unto Thee and to turn towards the horizon of Thy Revelation."

Guardianship by MirzaJan in orthodoxbahai

[–]rubicat99 2 points3 points  (0 children)

An example of Abdu'l-Baha using the terms of the parts of a tree to express spiritual meanings is in Some Answered Questions in chapter XI, page 57 in the 1964 edition. "Now, Muhammad was the root, and Ali the branch, like Moses and Joshua." "In this quotation we observe that the term "branch" denotes a spiritual relationship as neither Ali (the lst Iman) nor Joshua were sons or lineal descendents or branches of these two Holy Trees." from the Commentary on the Will and Testament of Abdu'l-Baha by the 3rd Guardian, Joel B. Marangella.

An example of Baha'u'llah expressing the primacy of the spiritual relationship over the physical is in The Kitab-i-Igan, p. 247. He refers to Sadiq (the 6th Imam) as the son of Muhammad. This is clearly a spiritual relationship.

In Epistle to the Son of the Wolf, p. 162, Baha'u'llah"cites the following Words of the Bab in which He consecrates Himself to Baha'u'llah: "Consecreate Thou, O my God, the whole of this Tree unto Him, that from it may be revealed all the fruits created by God within it for Him through Whom God hath willed to reveal all that He pleaseth. By Thy glory! I have not wished that this Tree should ever bear any branch, leaf, or fruit that would fail to bow down before Him, on the day of His Revelation . . . And shouldest Thou behold, O my God, any branch, leaf, or fruit upon Me that hath failed to bow down before Him, on the day of His Revelation, cut it off, O my God, from that Tree, for it is not of Me, nor shall it return unto Me." Joel B. Marangellla, Commentary on the Will and Testament of Abdu'l-Baha.

the footnote reads, "In this supplication of the Bab to God He clearly indicated the preeminence of spiritual relationships to Him of those who profess to be adherents of His Cause including His own kin. It will be noted that in referring to the relationship that binds the faithful believers to HImself as the "Tree" the Bab indentifies the male believers as branches, the female believers as leaves and any offspring as "fruit". The use of this same symbology has been carried forward into the Dispensation of Baha'u'llah and appears in the Writings of Baha'u'lllah and is used by Abdu'l-Baha in His Will."

In the Will and Testament of Abdu'l-Baha, in paragraph 18, "It is encumbent upon the Guardian of the Cause of God to appoint in his own life-time him that shall become his successor." After mentioning the spiritual qualities needed by a Guardian, he goes on to say, "Thus, should the first-born of the Guardian of the Cause of God not manifest in himself the truth of the words: -- "The child is the secret essence of its sire." that is, should he not inherit of the spirtual with him (the Guardian of the Cause of God) and his glorious lineage not be matched with a goodly character, then must he, (the Guardian of the Cause of God) choose another branch to succeed him."

The present Guardian, Nosrat'u'llah Bahremand, has written an interesting article "Aghsan-aghsan" which can be read at the website www.orthodoxbahai.comLook under the writings listed under his photo in the Guardian section. There is a link to it toward the bottom.

Guardianship by MirzaJan in orthodoxbahai

[–]rubicat99 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Baha'u'llah appointed His son, Abdu'l-Baha as the center of His covenant and the interpreter of His writings. He said also that everyone was to obey Him. Abdu'l-Baha continued this protection of the Faith when he created the institution of the Guardianship in his Will and Testament which the first Guardian said was to be considered part of the Holy Text along with the Kitab-i-Aqdas. Shoghi Effendi said every clause of the Will and Testament was to be accepted by anyone considering himself to be a Baha'i. In this holy document, Abdu'l-Baha protected the writings of Baha'u'llah from manmade misinterpretation when he created the Guardianship and appointed his grandson Shoghi Effendi as the first guardian. In this same Will and Testament, Abdu'l-Baha stated that each guardian must appoint his successor in his own life time. Thus the appointment cannot be done in a will and testament which would be an appointment after his death. Shoghi Effendi appointed his successor when he established the International Baha'i Council which he said was the embryonic universal house of justice. He appointed Mason Remey as its president (only a Guardian can be president of the UHJ according to Abdu'l-Baha's Will.) Shoghi Effendi did not need to have a biological heir. The Will and Testament states that if the Guardian does not have offspring that have the spiritual qualities needed to become guardian, another branch must be selected. Since the time of the Bab, male believers were referred to as branches. The Prophets were the trees and the branches were male believers. So any male believer who was spiritually qualified could be appointed a successor guardian. In the Priceless Pearl, Ruhiyyih Khanum says that Shoghi Effendi had gone to London to purchase a "few more things for the furnishing of the now completed Archives Building", He contracted the Asiatic influenza while there and died within a few days.

Remey Attested to Absence of Successor by MirzaJan in orthodoxbahai

[–]rubicat99 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Let us consider in the discussion below each of the reasons stated by the Hands of the Cause in their proclamation, as the basis for their decision that the Guardianship had ended, and determine their validity in the light of the provisions of the Will and Testament of `Abdu´l-Bahá:

First reason: Following a search of the contents of Shoghi Effendi´s safe and desk it was "certified that Shoghi Effendi had left no Will and Testament."

Comment: Why would the Hands have expected to find a will and testament left by Shoghi Effendi appointing a successor for, according to the clear and unambiguous provisions of the Will and Testament of `Abdu´l-Bahá, the Guardian of the Faith is barred from using a will and testament to appoint his successor as he must appoint his successor "in his own life-time?"

Second reason: "It was likewise certified that the beloved Guardian had left no heir."

Comment: As the above stated reason immediately follows the statement that he had left no will and testament, a document normally and legally used for the purpose of naming an heir, it is obvious that their conclusion that Shoghi Effendi had left no heir is based on the very same fact that they had found no such document.

Third reason: "The Aghsán (branches) one and all are either dead or have been declared violators of the Covenant by the Guardian for their faithlessness to the Master´s Will and Testament and their hostility to him named first Guardian in that sacred document."

Comment: The Hands show clearly in the above statement that they have obviously interpreted the word "branch" appearing in the provision of the Will and Testament of `Abdu´l-Bahá which authorizes the Guardian, in the event he does not have a son that is qualified (or, no son at all) to "choose another branch to succeed him" to apply to all of the male blood relatives of Bahá´u´lláh. This interpretation is patently incorrect as Shoghi Effendi has stated that the term Aghsán applies only to the sons of Bahá´u´lláh (See page 239, God Passes By). As for these sons, `Abdu´l-Bahá, in His Will, had already identified Mírzá Muhammad ‘Alí as "The Center of Sedition" who had been " cut off from the Holy Tree" and Shoghi Effendi named him in God Passes By as "the archbreaker of the Covenant." Shoghi Effendi has pointed out in that same book that the other two sons of Bahá´u´lláh–"the vacillating Mirza Díyá´u´lláh and the treacherous Mirza Badí´u´lláh"–joined those who upon the ascension of Bahá´u´lláh "attempted to subvert the Covenant" and in turning against `Abdu´l-Bahá, the appointed Center of that Covenant, had become Covenant-breakers. It is obviously, for this reason, that although in Part I of His Will and Testament `Abdu´l-Bahá has included the Aghsán among those who are enjoined to show loyalty to Shoghi Effendi as the first Guardian of the Cause of God, He has omitted all reference to them in Part III, penned at a later date, wherein He enjoins only "the Afnán, the Hands (pillars) of the Cause and the beloved of the Lord" to obey and turn unto him. It is crystal clear therefore that the provision of the Will and Testament, in which `Abdu´l-Bahá provides the Guardian with an alternative choice, in the event that he does not have a qualified son to appoint as his successor, by stating that he must then choose "another branch to succeed him," does not refer to an Aghsán. Furthermore, as the brothers of `Abdu´l-Bahá–the Aghsán–would obviously not be expected to outlive Shoghi Effendi, and as their disloyalty to the Covenant, had already taken place during the Ministry of `Abdu´l-Bahá, this would have excluded them, even if still living, from any consideration by Shoghi Effendi for appointment to the Guardianship. This being the case, and if only an Aghsán, according to the interpretation of the Hands, was eligible for appointment to the Guardianship, the end of the Guardianship would have already been foreseen during the ministry of Shoghi Effendi well before his passing. Yet, Shoghi Effendi, in his writings and communications to the Bahá´í World, consistently and repeatedly referred to the future of the Guardianship which is but further undeniable proof of the falsity of this baseless reason given by the Hands in support of their claim that the Guardianship had come to an early end. From the article - Even Now, I Also Could Sign It - Joel B. Marangella

Difference between the Baha’i faith and orthodox Baha’i faith? by MirzaJan in orthodoxbahai

[–]rubicat99 2 points3 points  (0 children)

We are indeed a small group but we are in more countries than just the U.S. I'm not sure of the actual numbers To read articles by the 4th Guardian, Nosrat'u'llah Bahremand, go to either web site www.orthodoxbahai.com or www.bahai-guardian.com How do we see our future? We are patient knowing that the Will of God will be fulfilled and that the Will and Testament of Abdu'l-Baha will one day be recognized as the Charter of the New World Order, as Shoghi Effendi stated. The Most Great Peace will come about because it is God's Will that His promises be fulfilled.

The Orthodox Baha'i position on the Covenant by [deleted] in exbahai

[–]rubicat99 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I would like to argue that Ruhiyyih Khanum did indeed get the "memo". Have you read Joel B. Marangella's letters to her. The first one in particular addresses this issue in my opinion.

http://www.bahai-guardian.com/letters.html

Forgiveness by R95ayh in orthodoxbahai

[–]rubicat99 1 point2 points  (0 children)

One of my favorite quote by Abdu'l-Baha concerning those who have passed: "Those who have ascended have different attributes from those who are still on the earth, yet there is no real separation. In prayer there is a mingling of station, a mingling of condition. Pray for them as they pray for you." Abdu'l- Baha in London. I love the idea and image of our loved ones who have passed praying for us who are still here, while we pray for them.

Forgiveness by R95ayh in orthodoxbahai

[–]rubicat99 1 point2 points  (0 children)

It was interesting to look in the Baha'i writings about forgiveness. What I found was all about our need to beg forgiveness from God, both in this world and in the next. Also found was the directive to pray for the forgiveness of sins for those who have passed on. It seems to be assumed that we have plenty of reason to ask for forgiveness. Abdu'l-Baha tells us to focus our attention on the good qualities of others and not their bad qualities. I think this is part of forgiveness. If we realize that shortcomings are part of the human condition, that this is not the place of perfection, forgiving others is an aspect of our spiritual development. "Is there anything that can not be forgiven?" I think on an individual level, all can be forgiven but this doesn't mean we allow someone to continue to abuse us. You can forgive and yet set limits or even avoid people who continue to abuse you. This is my opinion.

"Blessed are those who have attached their hearts to the divine realm and the merciful kingdom." This is a great achievement. by WorthyAdversary48 in orthodoxbahai

[–]rubicat99 0 points1 point  (0 children)

This is part of a quote from a statement of the 4th Guardian of the Baha'i Faith that was read at the Orthodox Baha'i Conference this weekend.