I am more and more attracted to the mission yet I have a number of doubts.
As a former Baha'i, i left over the covenant. Shoghi died, Mason Remey said he was the new guardian and there is evidence that he may have been correct, and his alleged successor , joel marengella is in your state. The arguments of them are reasonable, and also Baha'u'llah said his system was great and unstoppable with his local houses of justice and universal house of justice, and yet it seems to fail. He promised divine guidance and that the world would be unified by the end of the 20th century. His temples are nine sided. In short there are so many reasons to suspect that the Baha'i Faith would last a long time, yet it seems to be failing. Where is the guidance promised it? The Hands of theCause who saidGoddecided BADA about the guardianship I feel were in grave error.The prayers, the laws, and more all seem top perfect. Yet some disunity is there. The Universal House of Justice seems to be in error and even oppressive at times as are some of their subordinate institutions. Yet some Baha'is feel that maybe Baha'u'llah knew he would fail or didhe simply make errors? A new prophet was or is expected by some Baha'is to arise from the New Mexico/Arizona area. Maitreya seems to fill that. Abdul-Baha did also say that the Bab had failed. How do we know when or even if a prophetis infallible and yet can make errors as the BAB did about religious warfare and killing unbelievers.
However, I am unable to understand the predicted reincarnation ofMaitreya a number of times and no more prophets. Abdul Baha said that for the next five hundred thousand years prophets would come under the shadow of Baha'u'llah in that they would reveal truths of ever more unity. Does Maitreya say that HE will return a number of times or that several different persons with the same prophetic spirit will return? After the 1000 year culmination and the next and last fall wont there be occasional prophets as long as mankind exists? I have a hard time thinking that there will be no prophets at all any longer. The Baha'is do say that some prophets will not come for a long time perhaps more than a few thousand years,but human evolution will not end.I was never able to accept the type of successor search as exists with the Dalai Lama.
Muhammad, Baha'u'llah, and Abdul-Baha said there was intelligent life on other planets and mankind would meet them when god willed and the time was ripe. He also said that every star had planets and every planet had some type of life. We have to be careful then to make sure we don't harm or get harmed by alien life as we find it in our exploration and search for resources. Genetic science and atomic manipulation would seem to let us be able to use our planets resources more easily so that we might not need to get many resources from other planets and systems.
However, I am unable to understand the predicted reincarnation ofMaitreya a number of times and no more prophets. Abdul Baha said that for the next five hundred thousand years prophets would come under the shadow of Baha'u'llah in that they would reveal truths of ever more unity. Does Maitreya say that HE will return a number of times or that several different persons with the same prophetic spirit will return? After the 1000 year culmination and the next and last fall wont there be occasional prophets as long as mankind exists? I have a hard time thinking that there will be no prophets at all any longer. The Baha'is do say that some prophets will not come for a long time perhaps more than a few thousand years,but human evolution will not end.I was never able to accept the type of successor search as exists with the Dalai Lama.
Muhammad, Baha'u'llah, and Abdul-Baha said there was intelligent life on other planets and mankind would meet them when god willed and the time was ripe. He also said that every star had planets and every planet had some type of life. We have to be careful then to make sure we don't harm or get harmed by alien life as we find it in our exploration and search for resources. Genetic science and atomic manipulation would seem to let us be able to use our planets resources more easily so that we might not need to get many resources from other planets and systems.
I noticed however that Maitreya declared in 1982 exactly one vahid (nineteen years)after the formation of what I felt was an improperly constituted Universal House of Justice. I assume he accepts that the beauty of Baha'i prayers and meditations can be used in the Communities of light. How do former Baha'i now in the mission think the Tablet of The Holy Mariner relates to perhaps Maitreya?
In the communities of light there is no mention of any sexuality in the renunciates. Certainly men, for instance, cannot remain without sexual needs which for health alone need to be addressed either personally or with some one.The prophet of Islam said that self relief, toput it gently, had no harm. Of course a spiritualized person will have much control over his needs, but never 100 percent at least without some medical intervention. Also people may have occasional failures between single men and women and, I would think, even in enlightened times this would happen once in awhile.
The idea of social responsibility is important also. For example what of people who become handicapped, or so poor or ill as not to be able to function or be independent? How does one discipline children without hurting them or on the other hand making them unable to accept any responsibility? Is incentive purely egotistical or can it be a source or human achievement as in exploration and so on?
The discoveries of science are even more rapid than in the 20th century. Dark matter is now not thought of as the cause of expansion of the universe, rather now it is thought that gravitational leakage and ripples on the space time fabric cause it. Does that mean that the universe will die or is it going to be reformed or cyclical? Also we now know that one atom stimulated in a laboratory can stimulate another one at some distance thus showing a very deep connection within the entire universe. Ideas on the speed of gravity may replace the speed of light as a marker of some type are being formed. Wave theory shows a blur between probability and solid matter. Solid matter seems now to be pure illusion. Even time travel seems possible. Eckankar and the sound and light religions state that deep meditation by all the ancient masters show that at its deepest they can only say that god is " only probability." There is some question whether Eckankar was in some way not true but yet its ideas are valid even if borrowed. They say that HU is the name/sound of God and is the sustaining sound of the universe. Is it ego to want to know everything there is to know while realizing that there is no end or no beginning to knowing?
Perhaps in the future abortions will not be thought of as needed even for genetic disease. Does the mission support genetic manipulation in agriculture and human genetic disease? Does it leave abortion at present up to the persons concerned or is there another position without it being dogma?
I also have trouble with virgin births and the actual resurrection of Jesus or Esa. These events have nothing to do with the truth of the mission of Esa, and I think have made Esa seem less human and caused his worship and thus helped corrupt Christianity.
Almost everything else seems so reasonable in the mission. IT really DOES make sense. I have left the room on over night and have felt something unusual within me, but I would be dishonest to not ask whatever was on my mind. I have made too many errors in religion and life not to be as sure as I can be if possible. I always regretted not being alive at the time of a prophet. Now that it seems that this regret may have been premature, I am anxious and also fearful to ask such questions. It almost seems presumptuous. Yet they would be in my mind even if unasked. I ask compassion for the asking of these questions and ask for privacy of this email address and name.
If I can resolve these questions I will humbly ask for initiation.
In the communities of light there is no mention of any sexuality in the renunciates. Certainly men, for instance, cannot remain without sexual needs which for health alone need to be addressed either personally or with some one.The prophet of Islam said that self relief, toput it gently, had no harm. Of course a spiritualized person will have much control over his needs, but never 100 percent at least without some medical intervention. Also people may have occasional failures between single men and women and, I would think, even in enlightened times this would happen once in awhile.
The idea of social responsibility is important also. For example what of people who become handicapped, or so poor or ill as not to be able to function or be independent? How does one discipline children without hurting them or on the other hand making them unable to accept any responsibility? Is incentive purely egotistical or can it be a source or human achievement as in exploration and so on?
The discoveries of science are even more rapid than in the 20th century. Dark matter is now not thought of as the cause of expansion of the universe, rather now it is thought that gravitational leakage and ripples on the space time fabric cause it. Does that mean that the universe will die or is it going to be reformed or cyclical? Also we now know that one atom stimulated in a laboratory can stimulate another one at some distance thus showing a very deep connection within the entire universe. Ideas on the speed of gravity may replace the speed of light as a marker of some type are being formed. Wave theory shows a blur between probability and solid matter. Solid matter seems now to be pure illusion. Even time travel seems possible. Eckankar and the sound and light religions state that deep meditation by all the ancient masters show that at its deepest they can only say that god is " only probability." There is some question whether Eckankar was in some way not true but yet its ideas are valid even if borrowed. They say that HU is the name/sound of God and is the sustaining sound of the universe. Is it ego to want to know everything there is to know while realizing that there is no end or no beginning to knowing?
Perhaps in the future abortions will not be thought of as needed even for genetic disease. Does the mission support genetic manipulation in agriculture and human genetic disease? Does it leave abortion at present up to the persons concerned or is there another position without it being dogma?
I also have trouble with virgin births and the actual resurrection of Jesus or Esa. These events have nothing to do with the truth of the mission of Esa, and I think have made Esa seem less human and caused his worship and thus helped corrupt Christianity.
Almost everything else seems so reasonable in the mission. IT really DOES make sense. I have left the room on over night and have felt something unusual within me, but I would be dishonest to not ask whatever was on my mind. I have made too many errors in religion and life not to be as sure as I can be if possible. I always regretted not being alive at the time of a prophet. Now that it seems that this regret may have been premature, I am anxious and also fearful to ask such questions. It almost seems presumptuous. Yet they would be in my mind even if unasked. I ask compassion for the asking of these questions and ask for privacy of this email address and name.
If I can resolve these questions I will humbly ask for initiation.