Bahaism and Its Claims: A Study of the Religion Promulgated by Baha Ullah and Abdul Baha — John Shaqi
Bahaism and Its Claims: A Study of the Religion Promulgated by Baha Ullah and Abdul BahaWilson, Samuel Graham
Religion
Bahaism and Its Claims: A Study of the Religion Promulgated by Baha Ullah and Abdul Baha
Wilson, Samuel Graham
Bahai Faith -- Controversial literature
II. Bahaism claims to be the divine Revelation in this new cycle--a new
Dispensation or Covenant. It disclaims being a new religion, affirming
rather that it is a renewal of religion or religion renewed. One writes:
"The Revelation is not a new religion, but the very essence of God's
word as taught by Christ (and Moses and Mohammed), but not perceived by
Christians at large" (nor by Jews nor Mohammedans). Baha Ullah[24] says:
"Of the utterances of the prophets of the past we have taken the
essence, and in the garment of brevity clothed it." Abdul Baha says:
"The same basis, which was laid by Christ and later on forgotten, has
been renewed by Baha Ullah." "All that is true in all religions will
stand; by the new Dispensation, new spirit is infused into these
teachings."[25] Phelps[26] says: "The body of doctrine which Bahaism
teaches is not put forward in any sense or particular as new, but as a
unification and synthesis of all other religions." Of its system of
morals the same is true. It is a restatement in unsystematic form of
common ethics. It reiterates the second table of the Mosaic Law, and the
New Testament principles of brotherly love and unity. Yet in some of his
addresses Abdul Baha names certain principles as new in the Bahai faith,
such as universal peace, the unity of humanity, arbitration, compulsory
education of both sexes, the harmony of science and religion, the evil
of prejudice and fanaticism, need of investigating the truth, etc. Not
one of these is new; not one owes its position in the world of thought
or activity to the Bahai propaganda.
But whether Bahaism claims to be new in its principles or disclaims it,
in fact it is a new religion. The disavowals are, no doubt, made for the
sake of obtaining easier access to the followers of the old religions,
and are only a temporary expediency. In this they are simply following
the example of Mohammed, who proclaimed his message to the people of
Arabia as the religion of Abraham, and as the same as that of the Law
and the Gospels. But it is evident that Bahaism is inconsistent with
Christianity, as indeed with Islam. Bahais' claims, if admitted, would
lead to the superseding of Christianity. This will appear when I state
its doctrines. The present attitude of Bahais in maintaining connection
with Christian Churches and at the same time worshipping Baha and
propagating Bahaism is one of intellectual stultification or of moral
blindness.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account