Post by All BadPost by j***@gmail.comPost by H***@aol.comNow how in the world can anyone refute the argument that the NSA
murdered Dan Jordan without showing this allegation to be a baseless
lie?
I'll be considering that. Meanwhile, do you see any other interests of
Baha'u'llah and the House of Justice, or any other good purpose, that
might be served by trying to expose someone's slander and fraud?
It might be a kindness to the liar to point out the facts, and discourage
further lying.
"The more kindness you show to a liar the more he is apt to lie, for he
thinks that you know not, while you do know, but extreme kindness keeps you
from revealing your knowledge."
Abdu'l-Bahá, Bahá'à World Faith - Abdu'l-Bahá Section, p. 412http://bahai-library.com/books/law/bahai_law2.htm
- All Bad
I want to consider that in its immediate context, and in the context
of other writings.
----
1. The immediate context.
"The foundation of the Kingdom of God is laid upon justice, fairness,
mercy, sympathy and kindness to every soul. Then strive ye with heart
and soul to practice love and kindness to the world of humanity at
large, except to those souls who are selfish and insincere. It is not
advisable to show kindness to a person who is a tyrant, a traitor or a
thief because kindness encourages him to become worse and does not
awaken him. The more kindness you show to a liar the more he is apt to
lie, for he thinks that you know not, while you do know, but extreme
kindness keeps you from revealing your knowledge."
(Baha'i World Faith, p. 412)
2. Other writings about kindness:
"O ye beloved of the Lord! In this sacred Dispensation, conflict and
contention are in no wise permitted. Every aggressor deprives himself
of God's grace. It is incumbent upon everyone to show the utmost love,
rectitude of conduct, straightforwardness and sincere kindliness unto
all the peoples and kindreds of the world, be they friends or
strangers. So intense must be the spirit of love and loving kindness,
that the stranger may find himself a friend, the enemy a true brother,
no difference whatsoever existing between them. For universality is of
God and all limitations earthly. Thus man must strive that his reality
may manifest virtues and perfections, the light whereof may shine upon
everyone. The light of the sun shineth upon all the world and the
merciful showers of Divine Providence fall upon all peoples. The
vivifying breeze reviveth every living creature and all beings endued
with life obtain their share and portion at His heavenly board. In
like manner, the affections and loving kindness of the servants of the
One True God must be bountifully and universally extended to all
mankind. Regarding this, restrictions and limitations are in no wise
permitted.
"Wherefore, O my loving friends! Consort with all the peoples,
kindreds and religions of the world with the utmost truthfulness,
uprightness, faithfulness, kindliness, good-will and friendliness,
that all the world of being may be filled with the holy ecstasy of the
grace of Baha, that ignorance, enmity, hate and rancor may vanish from
the world and the darkness of estrangement amidst the peoples and
kindreds of the world may give way to the Light of Unity. Should other
peoples and nations be unfaithful to you show your fidelity unto them,
should they be unjust toward you show justice towards them, should
they keep aloof from you attract them to yourselves, should they show
their enmity be friendly towards them, should they poison your lives,
sweeten their souls, should they inflict a wound upon you, be a salve
to their sores. Such are the attributes of the sincere! Such are the
attributes of the truthful."
(The Will and Testament, p. 13)
"Enkindle with all your might in every meeting the light of the love
of God, gladden and cheer every heart with the utmost loving-kindness,
show forth your love to the strangers just as you show forth to your
relations."
(Baha'i World Faith, p. 353)
"In every dispensation, there hath been the commandment of fellowship
and love, but it was a commandment limited to the community of those
in mutual agreement, not to the dissident foe. In this wondrous age,
however, praised be God, the commandments of God are not delimited,
not restricted to any one group of people, rather have all the friends
been commanded to show forth fellowship and love, consideration and
generosity and loving-kindness to every community on earth. Now must
the lovers of God arise to carry out these instructions of His: let
them be kindly fathers to the children of the human race, and
compassionate brothers to the youth, and self-denying offspring to
those bent with years. The meaning of this is that ye must show forth
tenderness and love to every human being, even to your enemies, and
welcome them all with unalloyed friendship, good cheer, and loving-
kindness. When ye meet with cruelty and persecution at another's
hands, keep faith with him; when malevolence is directed your way,
respond with a friendly heart. To the spears and arrows rained upon
you, expose your breasts for a target mirror-bright; and in return for
curses, taunts and wounding words, show forth abounding love. Thus
will all peoples witness the power of the Most Great Name, and every
nation acknowledge the might of the Ancient Beauty, and see how He
hath toppled down the walls of discord, and how surely He hath guided
all the peoples of the earth to oneness; how He hath lit man's world,
and made this earth of dust to send forth streams of light."
(Selections from the Writings of Abdu'l-Baha, p. 20)
"O army of God! Beware lest ye harm any soul, or make any heart to
sorrow; lest ye wound any man with your words, be he known to you or a
stranger, be he friend or foe. Pray ye for all; ask ye that all be
blessed, all be forgiven. Beware, beware, lest any of you seek
vengeance, even against one who is thirsting for your blood. Beware,
beware, lest ye offend the feelings of another, even though he be an
evil-doer, and he wish you ill. Look ye not upon the creatures, turn
ye to their Creator. See ye not the never-yielding people, see but the
Lord of Hosts. Gaze ye not down upon the dust, gaze upward at the
shining sun, which hath caused every patch of darksome earth to glow
with light."
(Selections from the Writings of Abdu'l-Baha, p. 73)
"One of the teachings is that love and faithfulness must so prevail in
the hearts that men may see the stranger as a friend, the sinner as an
intimate fellow, may count enemies as allies, regard foes as loving
comrades, call their executioner the giver of life, consider the
denier as a believer and the unbeliever as a faithful one -- that is,
men must behave in such a manner as may befit the believers, the
faithful, the friend and the confidant. If this lamp may shine in a
befitting manner in the assemblage of the world you will find that the
regions will become fragrant and the world become a delectable
paradise, the surface of the earth will become an excellent garden,
the world will become as one home, the different nations will become
as one kind, and the peoples and nationalities of the East and West
will become as one household. I hope such a day may come and such
lights may dawn and such a Countenance may appear in the utmost
beauty."
(Baha'i World Faith, p. 413)
----
I haven't found a way to practice both of those at the same time.
!
That just gave me an idea. When I don't see how to practice two things
at the same time, I practice them separately. I'll work on that.
----
According to Abdu'l- Baha, our affections and loving kindness must be
bountifully and universally extended to all mankind. Regarding this,
restrictions and limitations are in no wise permitted. In every
meeting, gladden and cheer every heart with the utmost loving-
kindness. Beware, beware, lest we offend the feelings of another,
even though he be an evil-doer.
Those are the attributes of the sincere and the truthful. That's how
the regions will become fragrant and the world become a delectable
paradise, the surface of the earth will become an excellent garden,
the world will become as one home, the different nations will become
as one kind, and the peoples and nationalities of the East and West
will become as one household.
Now, in the face of that, permeating the writings, I see one passage
that says not to show kindness to people who are selfish and
insincere, to tyrants, traitors, thieves or liars. I don't know anyone
who is not selfish and insincere sometimes, with some people. I don't
imagine there's anyone who is selfish and insincere all the time, or
with every person. I don't see any way to put that passage into
practice without completely nullifying some of the most fundamental
and indispensable principles of the Faith.
When I see a contradiction like that in the writings, it reminds me
that my understanding of everything in the writings is imperfect, and
always will be. I search for a better understanding. Meanwhile, since
I don't see how to do both at the same time, I choose one or the
other. As I see it, the balance of the writings is overwhelmingly in
favor of kindness.
As I said, I'll start looking for ways to practice the passage about
not being kind to people who look selfish and insincere to me.
Jim