"The Return" is found in most religions. Here are some quotes from various scriptures:

"Whenever there is a decline of righteousness and a rise of unrighteousness, O Bharata, then I send forth Myself. For the protection of the good, for destruction of the wicked and for the establishment of righteousness, I come into being from age to age." Bhagavad Gita, 4:7-8 (Hindu)

"I am not the first Enlightened One who came upon the earth, nor shall I be the last....in due time another Enlightened One will arise." Mahaparinibbana Sutta (Buddhism)

"Think not that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have come not to abolish them but to fulfill them." Matthew 5:17 (Christianity)

"Verily We have sent Thee with the Truth, a comforter and a Warner; and there is not a people but a Warner hath not passed among them." Qur'an 35:22 (Islam)

"Indeed no religion shall We ever inaugurate unless it be renewed in the days to come."
SWB, p. 159 (Baha'i)

These quotes from these four religions imply that the religions don't stand alone but perhaps should be looked at as chapters in one book. The Baha'i understanding is that there is no end to the succession of Prophets or "Christs" who have appeared from the earliest days of history. The Prophets are like Teachers in a school who teach particular lessons and subjects at the developmental levels of Their students with the promise that some day a new Prophet will come or that They themselves will return. Baha'is believe that in this age it happened in 1844 in Persia or Iran as it is known today. There were two Prophets, one the herald of the other, the Bab (meaning Gate) and Baha'u'llah (meaning "The Glory of God") The history of what they did, what happened to them, and what they wrote is epic and occurred in Persia, Iraq and Israel. The story of these two Prophets and what they said convinced me of the truth of God and the religions in general. If this interests you, check this site concerning prophecies found in the various religions http://www.bci.org/prophecy-fulfilled/ and decide for yourself what it all means. I think that it's exciting to think that religion doesn't have to be confined to what happened thousands of years ago.

Harlan

Originally posted by harlan

"The Return" is found in most religions. Here are some quotes from various scriptures:

"Whenever there is a decline of righteousness and a rise of unrighteousness, O Bharata, then I send forth Myself. For the protection of the good, for destruction of the wicked and for the establishment of righteousness, I come into being from age to age." Bhagavad Gita, 4:7-8 (Hindu)

"I am not the first Enlightened One who came upon the earth, nor shall I be the last....in due time another Enlightened One will arise." Mahaparinibbana Sutta (Buddhism)

"Think not that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have come not to abolish them but to fulfill them." Matthew 5:17 (Christianity)

"Verily We have sent Thee with the Truth, a comforter and a Warner; and there is not a people but a Warner hath not passed among them." Qur'an 35:22 (Islam)

"Indeed no religion shall We ever inaugurate unless it be renewed in the days to come."
SWB, p. 159 (Baha'i)

These quotes from these four religions imply that the religions don't stand alone but perhaps should be looked at as chapters in one book. The Baha'i understanding is that there is no end to the succession of Prophets or "Christs" who have appeared from the earliest days of history. The Prophets are like Teachers in a school who teach particular lessons and subjects at the developmental levels of Their students with the promise that some day a new Prophet will come or that They themselves will return. Baha'is believe that in this age it happened in 1844 in Persia or Iran as it is known today. There were two Prophets, one the herald of the other, the Bab (meaning Gate) and Baha'u'llah (meaning "The Glory of God") The history of what they did, what happened to them, and what they wrote is epic and occurred in Persia, Iraq and Israel. The story of these two Prophets and what they said convinced me of the truth of God and the religions in general. If this interests you, check this site concerning prophecies found in the various religions http://www.bci.org/prophecy-fulfilled/ and decide for yourself what it all means. I think that it's exciting to think that religion doesn't have to be confined to what happened thousands of years ago.

Harlan

I notice this thread appears a bit neglected. I have done several threads on prophecy in the past, and covered the major ones in considerable detail. I may bring some back for others to see.

notice this thread appears a bit neglected. I have done several threads on prophecy in the past, and covered the major ones in considerable detail. I may bring some back for others to see.

That's great! A needed resurrection. I guess the return of Christ isn't of interest.

notice this thread appears a bit neglected. I have done several threads on prophecy in the past, and covered the major ones in considerable detail. I may bring some back for others to see.

That's great! A needed resurrection.

Or possibly we are far too discerning to know that the return of Christ is yet to be.

J

Originally posted by Jnthn

Or possibly we are far too discerning to know that the return of Christ is yet to be.

J

That is similar to what the Jews believe also, the messiah has not yet come the first time, nothing new.

Historically discern ment has been a very varible human trait.

1844 was a big year for eschatalogical mania in the USA as well, leading indirectly to the Jehovah's Witnesses and Seventh Day Adventist sects. You can read all about the Great Disappointment and its relation to William Miller and the Bahai.

Originally posted by RBerman

1844 was a big year for eschatalogical mania in the USA as well, leading indirectly to the Jehovah's Witnesses and Seventh Day Adventist sects. You can read all about the Great Disappointment and its relation to William Miller and the Bahai.

True as in many places in the world and in many cultures and religions. The expectation was very real. There is no disapointment from the perspective of the Baha'i Faith.

1844 was a big year for eschatalogical mania in the USA as well, leading indirectly to the Jehovah's Witnesses and Seventh Day Adventist sects. You can read all about the Great Disappointment and its relation to William Miller and the Bahai.

A group of Germans moved to the foot of Mount Carmel to welcome Christ when He returned. Their houses are still there. Baha'u'llah walked and spent a few days in a tent on Mount Carmel directly above the German settlement, but of course they didn't recognize Him. They were looking for someone to fly down from the clouds. Today the Baha'i gardens, administrative center, and Shrine of the Bab are directly above the settlement.

Shia Muslims were expecting their Messiah in the same year, 1844 or 1260 AH in the Muslim calendar. There were nineteen of them who discovered the Bab through prayer and dreams. These nineteen he called the Nineteen Letters of the Living and sent them off to all parts of Iran to announce His advent. These l8 men and 1 woman set the country on fire with their words. People turned to the Bab in large numbers and terrified the Shah and Muslim leaders. The Bab sent the one man, a philosopher, that he trusted the most to find out the truth of the Bab. This philosopher thought it would take no time to convince this young 25 year old Messiah that He really wasn't a Messiah. After three interviews with the Bab, the philosopher wrote a letter to the Shah that he was not returning to the service of the Shah, but was dedicating his life to promote the Cause of the Bab. There were many instances like this of men who were originally against the Bab who were completely won over by the Bab's personality, majesty, knowledge and wisdom. And so much of this history was recorded by men who understood the significance of what was happening.

Harlan

Or perhaps men who, caught up in a millenial fervor, grasped at any straw that allowed them not to say, "We were wrong about 1844." William Miller himself had great difficulty admitting his error, publishing a string of alternative dates subsequently. The JWs and SDAs had their own apologists spinning the situation over the next 100 years.

Anyone investigating the birth of the Baha'i Faith could not say that Baha'is are grasping at straws. I personally had no interest in prophecy or the return of Christ before discovering the Baha'i Faith. I just wanted the truth, whatever that might be. In fact, my faith in Christ rests upon the testimony of Baha'u'llah. Once I had investigated and believed in Baha'u'llah, then I accepted Christ Who I had grown to doubt. Those who accepted Baha'u'llah in those early years willingly gave up their lives and whatever security they might have had. This is in fact the situation today in Iran where Baha'is have no civil rights and no protection under the law. Their children are not allowed in universities and their property can be confiscated at any time. Why would people put themselves in such a position if their faith was "grasping at straws?" These are the tests which force people to ponder again and again why they are Baha'is, why they are willing to go through such hardships. The irony is that the situation in Iran is causing the non-Baha'is to investigate Baha'i and accept it. The reality is that most people are not really interested in ancient prophecies until after they investigate Baha'u'llah and believe in Him. I think the same has always been true in all religions. The conservative religious establishment uses prophecies to condemn any new Messiah which only increases the interest of those who are open minded. The new Messiah then defines the true meaning of the prophecies, such as Jesus defining the prophecy which said that Elijah would return before the Messiah as John the Baptist being Elijah, even though Elijah was said to have been bodily taken up into heaven and it would follow that he would bodily come down from heaven.

Harlan

Originally posted by RBerman

Or perhaps men who, caught up in a millenial fervor, grasped at any straw that allowed them not to say, "We were wrong about 1844." William Miller himself had great difficulty admitting his error, publishing a string of alternative dates subsequently. The JWs and SDAs had their own apologists spinning the situation over the next 100 years.

This a good description of problem of interpreting prophesy. William Miller was obviously wrong in his expectation that Christ would return in a supernatural way in the clouds and take up the chosen faithful to heaven. Such claims of supernatural fulfillment of prophesy has always failed throughout history. The Baha'i Faith is a witness that the interpretation of the dates of the expectation may be correct, especially science there are corresponding expectations of the return in many cultures and religions around the world with comperable dates.

This a good description of problem of interpreting prophesy. William Miller was obviously wrong in his expectation that Christ would return in a supernatural way in the clouds and take up the chosen faithful to heaven. Such claims of supernatural fulfillment of prophesy has always failed throughout history. The Baha'i Faith is a witness that the interpretation of the dates of the expectation may be correct, especially science there are corresponding expectations of the return in many cultures and religions around the world with comperable dates.

Perhaps the only thing that William Miller was right about was the year of the Return. He seems not to have had a clue about the how or where. But I admire him for what he did get right. The people of Persia who did recognize the Bab did have more clues. And when they did find the Bab, they were blown away by His majesty and spiritual knowledge. The contact with Him required no more proofs. I think the same was true for the first Christians who apparently were simple people who knew that Jesus was Something very special just by being in His presence. The fire lit in the souls of such people is the power which attracted more and more people who in turn were lit afire with love and faith. Prophecies alone can never be enough proof. They can only start people searching.

Harlan

One of the unique occurrences of the Returned Christ is that He sent Tablets announcing His advent to the leaders of the world in 1868. A compilation of these Tablets has also in more recent years been presented to leaders of society at all levels. Here is a sampling of the contents of these letters:

To Pope Pius IX: O Pope! Rend the veils asunder. He Who is the Lord of Lords is come overshadowed with clouds, and the decree hath been fulfilled by God, the Almighty, the Unrestrained. Dispel the mists through the power of thy Lord, and ascend unto the Kingdom of His names and attributes. Thus hath the Pen of the Most High commanded thee at the behest of thy Lord, the Almighty, the All-Compelling. He, verily, hath again come down from Heaven even as He came down from it the first time. Beware that thou dispute not with Him even as the Pharisees disputed with Him without a clear token or proof. On His right hand flow the living waters of grace, and on His left the choice Wine of justice, whilst before Him march the angels of Paradise, bearing the banners of His signs. Beware lest any name debar thee from God, the Creator of earth and heaven. Leave thou the world behind thee, and turn towards thy Lord, through Whom the whole earth hath been illumined

Say: O concourse of Christians! We have, on a previous occasion, revealed Ourself unto you, and ye recognized Me not. This is yet another occasion vouchsafed unto you. This is the Day of God; turn ye unto Him. He, verily, hath come down from heaven even as He came down the first time, and He desireth to shelter you beneath the shade of His mercy. He, verily, is the Exalted, the Mighty, the Supreme Helper. The Beloved One loveth not that ye be consumed with the fire of your desires. Were ye to be shut out as by a veil from Him, this would be for no other reason than your own waywardness and ignorance. Ye make mention of Me, and know Me not. Ye call upon Me, and are heedless of My Revelation, notwithstanding that I came unto you from the heaven of pre-existence with surpassing glory. Rend the veils asunder in My name and through the power of My sovereignty that ye may discover a path unto your Lord.

(Baha'u'llah, The Summons of the Lord of Hosts, p. 64)

To Napoleon III: Say: O concourse of monks! Seclude not yourselves in your churches and cloisters. Come ye out of them by My leave, and busy, then, yourselves with what will profit you and others. Thus commandeth you He Who is the Lord of the Day of Reckoning. Seclude yourselves in the stronghold of My love. This, truly, is the seclusion that befitteth you, could ye but know it. He that secludeth himself in his house is indeed as one dead. It behoveth man to show forth that which will benefit mankind. He that bringeth forth no fruit is fit for the fire. Thus admonisheth you your Lord; He, verily, is the Mighty, the Bountiful. Enter ye into wedlock, that after you another may arise in your stead. We, verily, have forbidden you lechery, and not that which is conducive to fidelity. Have ye clung unto the promptings of your nature, and cast behind your backs the statutes of God? Fear ye God, and be not of the foolish. But for man, who, on My earth, would remember Me, and how could My attributes and My names be revealed? Reflect, and be not of them that have shut themselves out as by a veil from Him, and were of those that are fast asleep. He that married not (Jesus) could find no place wherein to abide, nor where to lay His head, by reason of what the hands of the treacherous had wrought. His holiness consisted not in the things ye have believed and imagined, but rather in the things which belong unto Us. Ask, that ye may be made aware of His station which hath been exalted above the vain imaginings of all the peoples of the earth. Blessed are they that understand.

For what thou hast done, thy kingdom shall be thrown into confusion, and thine empire shall pass from thine hands, as a punishment for that which thou hast wrought. Then wilt thou know how thou hast plainly erred. Commotions shall seize all the people in that land, unless thou arisest to help this Cause, and followest Him Who is the Spirit of God (Jesus) in this, the Straight Path. Hath thy pomp made thee proud? By My Life! It shall not endure; nay, it shall soon pass away, unless thou holdest fast to this firm Cord. We see abasement hastening after thee, whilst thou art of the heedless. It behoveth thee when thou hearest His Voice calling from the seat of glory to cast away all that thou possessest, and cry out: "Here am I, O Lord of all that is in heaven and all that is on earth!"

If ye become aware of a sin committed by another, conceal it, that God may conceal your own sin. He, verily, is the Concealer, the Lord of grace abounding. O ye rich ones on earth! If ye encounter one who is poor, treat him not disdainfully. Reflect upon that whereof ye were created. Every one of you was created of a sorry germ. It behoveth you to observe truthfulness, whereby your temples shall be adorned, your names uplifted, your stations exalted amidst men, and a mighty recompense assured for you before God.

(Baha'u'llah, The Summons of the Lord of Hosts, p. 78)


To Queen Victoria: O Queen in London! Incline thine ear unto the voice of thy Lord, the Lord of all mankind, calling from the Divine Lote-Tree: Verily, no God is there but Me, the Almighty, the All-Wise! Cast away all that is on earth, and attire the head of thy kingdom with the crown of the remembrance of thy Lord, the All-Glorious. He, in truth, hath come unto the world in His most great glory, and all that hath been mentioned in the Gospel hath been fulfilled. The land of Syria hath been honoured by the footsteps of its Lord, the Lord of all men, and north and south are both inebriated with the wine of His presence. Blessed is the man that hath inhaled the fragrance of the Most Merciful, and turned unto the Dawning-Place of His Beauty, in this resplendent Dawn. The Mosque of Aqsa vibrateth through the breezes of its Lord, the All-Glorious, whilst Batha [Mecca] trembleth at the voice of God, the Exalted, the Most High. Whereupon every single stone of them celebrateth the praise of the Lord, through this Great Name.

Lay aside thy desire, and set then thine heart towards thy Lord, the Ancient of Days. We make mention of thee for the sake of God, and desire that thy name may be exalted through thy remembrance of God, the Creator of earth and heaven. He, verily, is witness unto that which I say. We have been informed that thou hast forbidden the trading in slaves, both men and women. This, verily, is what God hath enjoined in this wondrous Revelation. God hath, truly, destined a reward for thee, because of this. He, verily, will pay the doer of good his due recompense, wert thou to follow what hath been sent unto thee by Him Who is the All-Knowing, the All-Informed. As to him who turneth aside, and swelleth with pride, after the clear tokens have come unto him from the Revealer of signs, his work shall God bring to naught. He, in truth, hath 90 power over all things. Man's actions are acceptable after his having recognized (the Manifestation). He that turneth aside from the True One is indeed the most veiled amongst His creatures. Thus hath it been decreed by Him Who is the Almighty, the Most Powerful.
[COLOR="Sienna"

]We have also heard that thou hast entrusted the reins of counsel into the hands of the representatives of the people. Thou, indeed, hast done well, for thereby the foundations of the edifice of thine affairs will be strengthened, and the hearts of all that are beneath thy shadow, whether high or low, will be tranquillized. It behoveth them, however, to be trustworthy among His servants, and to regard themselves as the representatives of all that dwell on earth. This is what counselleth them, in this Tablet, He Who is the Ruler, the All-Wise. And if any one of them directeth himself towards the Assembly, let him turn his eyes unto the Supreme Horizon, and say: "O my God! I ask Thee, by Thy most glorious Name, to aid me in that which will cause the affairs of Thy servants to prosper, and Thy cities to flourish. Thou, indeed, hast power over all things!" Blessed is he that entereth the Assembly for the sake of God, and judgeth between men with pure justice. He, indeed, is of the blissful.[/COLOR]

(Baha'u'llah, The Summons of the Lord of Hosts, p. 89)

The fundamental principle enunciated by Bahá'u'lláh ... is that religious truth is not absolute but relative, that Divine Revelation is a continuous and progressive process, that all the great religions of the world are divine in origin, that their basic principles are in complete harmony, that their aims and purposes are one and the same, that their teachings are but facets of one truth, that their functions are complementary, that they differ only in the nonessential aspects of their doctrines, and that their missions represent successive stages in the spiritual evolution of human society....

...His mission is to proclaim that the ages of the infancy and of the childhood of the human race are past, that the convulsions associated with the present stage of its adolescence are slowly and painfully preparing it to attain the stage of manhood, and are heralding the approach of that Age of Ages when swords will be beaten into plowshares, when the Kingdom promised by Jesus Christ will have been established, and the peace of the planet definitely and permanently ensured. Nor does Bahá'u'lláh claim finality for His own Revelation, but rather stipulates that a fuller measure of the truth He has been commissioned by the Almighty to vouchsafe to humanity, at so critical a juncture in its fortunes, must needs be disclosed at future stages in the constant and limitless evolution of mankind.

The Bahá'í Faith upholds the unity of God, recognizes the unity of His Prophets, and inculcates the principle of the oneness and wholeness of the entire human race. It proclaims the necessity and the inevitability of the unification of mankind, asserts that it is gradually approaching, and claims that nothing short of the transmuting spirit of God, working through His chosen Mouthpiece in this day, can ultimately succeed in vi bringing it about. It, moreover, enjoins upon its followers the primary duty of an unfettered search after truth, condemns all manner of prejudice and superstition, declares the purpose of religion to be the promotion of amity and concord, proclaims its essential harmony with science, and recognizes it as the foremost agency for the pacification and the orderly progress of human society....

Mirza Husayn-'Ali, surnamed Bahá'u'lláh (the Glory of God), a native of Mazindaran, Whose advent the Báb [Herald and Forerunner of Bahá'u'lláh] had foretold, ... was imprisoned in Tihran, was banished, in 1852, from His native land to Baghdad, and thence to Constantinople and Adrianople, and finally to the prison city of 'Akká, where He remained incarcerated for no less than twenty-four years, and in whose neighborhood He passed away in 1892. In the course of His banishment, and particularly in Adrianople and 'Akká, He formulated the laws and ordinances of His Dispensation, expounded, in over a hundred volumes, the principles of His Faith, proclaimed His Message to the kings and rulers of both the East and the West, both Christian and Muslim, addressed the Pope, the Caliph of Islam, the Chief Magistrates of the Republics of the American continent, the entire Christian sacerdotal order, the leaders of Shi'ih and Sunni Islam, and the high priests of the Zoroastrian religion. In these writings He proclaimed His Revelation, summoned those whom He addressed to heed His call and espouse His Faith, warned them of the consequences of their refusal, and denounced, in some cases, their arrogance and tyranny....

The Faith which this order serves, safeguards and promotes is ... essentially supernatural, supranational, entirely non-political, non-partisan, and diametrically opposed to any policy or school of thought that seeks to exalt any particular race, class or nation. It is free from any form of ecclesiasticism, has neither priesthood nor rituals, and is supported exclusively by voluntary contributions made by its avowed adherents. Though loyal to their respective governments, though imbued with the love of their own country, and anxious to promote at all times, its best interests, the followers of the Bahá'í Faith, nevertheless, viewing mankind as one entity, and profoundly attached to its vital interests, will not hesitate to subordinate every particular interest, be it personal, regional or national, to the over-riding interests of the generality of mankind, knowing full well that in a world of interdependent vii peoples and nations the advantage of the part is best to be reached by the advantage of the whole, and that no lasting result can be achieved by any of the component parts if the general interests of the entity itself are neglected..
(Shoghi Effendi, The Promised Day is Come, p. vi)

Some of the distinguishing teachings of Baha'u'llah (the Glory of God) are:

1. The human race is one family.

2. We must eliminate all prejudice from our minds and hearts.

3. All the great world religions were inspired by the same God.

4. We must choose one language, or create a new one, as an auxilliary world language.

5. True religion and science are not in conflict.

6. All children in the world must receive education.

7. We must apply a spritual solution to the economic problem.

8. Women and men are spiritually equal and should have equal rights and opportunities.

9. The world should adopt a common system of weights and measures.

10. A world federation of nations should be formed to preserve peace and promote the general welfare of mankind.

Baha'u'llah wrote about 100 books presenting and explaining His Revelation for this age, most of the time as a religious prisoner of the Ottoman Turk government in Palestine. He was born into wealth in Persia, but His material wealth was taken by the Persian government when He was exiled from Persia in 1853. It was the same old story repeated of a Messiah being rejected and persecuted by the religious and government leaders of His time. His life also showed once more that such opposition not only fails, but only serves to promote the new teachings from God.