57. FRIEND OF THE FAITH

Vulnerability

Fifty witches hats. Forty nine hard and crumpled black. One unworn white.

18. CBS III – DEVILS, DISSIDENTS AND DRAMA

It Works!

True to previous religious form, from the get-go there were major contests for the hearts and minds of the Bábi and Baha’i faithful. Today there is one solid branch of the Baha’i Faith with six to eight million adherents and a fine World Centre on Mount Carmel in Haifa, Israel. In contrast, there are just a few twigs dotted around the world under alternative Baha’i and Bábi banners. These are the desiccated remnants of lost contests. This is just as imagined in Baha’i scripture! The focus on unity in the lesser covenant must work! As with all sacrifices, it has not been without cost.

17. COVENANT BREAKERS II

God’s Great Covenant With Us

The Baha’i take is that God made a covenant with the followers of all the major prophets of the monotheistic religions; Judaism, Christianity, Islam and the Baha’i Faith (with a bit of Bábi’ism thrown in beforehand). God promised to provide continuing guidance to humanity; the followers promised to obey God’s teaching as defined by the current prophet and then to obey the next prophet when he appeared as prophesied. Those who shelter under the umbrella of non-monotheistic religions and philosophies are not exempt, it’s the same sun. God made similar covenants with their prophet founders whether they know it or whether they know their prophet.

13. THE UNIVERSAL HOUSE OF JUSTICE

On a trip to Israel you might decide to cross Haifa Bay by boat, not on foot because how could you? And then you may wish to walk towards the beautiful Ben Gurion Boulevard. From there, you’d see straight up the slopes of the famous Mount Carmel.

 

Dominating and dug into that mountain, if a wee bit lopsided, is the Baha’i World Centre with its fabulous terraced gardens and imposing Greek-styled buildings. This is the headquarters of the Baha’i Faith.