I understand Baha'is believe that Zoroaster, Moses, Jesus, Mohammed, etc. are all legitimate prophets of God. Are there any prophets or religious leaders they do not recognize? How do Baha'is view Joseph Smith, Rev. Sun Myung Moon, or L. Ron Hubbard?

Hello Dreamer,

Thank you for your question.

Joseph Smith, Rev. Sun Myung Moon, or L. Ron Hubbard -- Man-made religion, Cult, and Author with an incredible imagination.

That is the simplfied answer. Does that answer your question?


warmly,
Sassafras

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Yes for the most part, thank you. But I guess what I'm really asking is what attributes must a spiritual leader have in order to be considered a prophet? Is it how long their teaching endures or is it what they say or the claims they make that makes them a prophet?

Dreamer,

In the Bible, it is stated, "You will know Him by His Fruits." All Manifestations of God produce only Good Fruit. There are similar analogies in all the Religions of God.

In the Baha'i Faith, when a person takes a mirror and polishes it until there is a perfect reflective quality and aligns the mirror to the Sun (or God), the viewer will see the Sun's Radiance and feel the Sun's Warmth (or see God's Perfect Reflection in all of His Glory and Holiness). The mirror gives the viewer the impression that he is looking at the real Sun (or God, Himself), but in reality he is looking at the rays of the Sun (or one of God's Manifestations).

The Manifestations of God are Infallible. From the time of Their Imbuement, they Reflect the Perfect Attibutes of God.

The others may show charisma, spiritual qualities, and may seem enlightened as many powerful leaders do, but they will not have the Perfect Reflective Attibutes of God as the Manifestations do.

I hope this sheds some light onto the subject.

warmly,
Sassafras

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But how does Bahai claim that "it" can tell the difference?

I mean one can make the case that all prophets before were "fallible" in a sense. And I'm sure many can point out qualities that the "major" Prophets possessed while here on earth, but were "less than perfect" in their reflection.

So, instead of claiming some are Prophets while others are not, or claiming that perhaps none are prophets, why not claim "all are Prophets" as if


is true?

Namaste,

J

Namaste,

my understanding is that the proof of a prophet lies in His life, His character and His teachings.

In other words, did He live according to what He taught? Did His words match His deeds?

As Baha'i's we believe that Baha'u'llah did this for 40 years. And to us, it proves the validity of His mission, so we embrace Him as the Voice of God for this Day. And as such what He teaches us we accept as the most recent message from God for today.

Baha'u'llah listed many as from God, He also claimed that many have been lost to history. As well as others who were not direct recipients of God's message, but those who were perhaps in tune with the spirit of the age. As well as others who only proclaimed themselves for their own personal gain.

All of us can connect with the spiritual realm to some degree, but these few special beings (the Prophets) have a special connection with the Divine, a station that is reserved for those few souls who selflessly sacrificed any life they could have had for the good of mankind at the behest of God Himself.

There are many great men, but the Prophet is unique out of all creation, they were the direct recipients of the Knowledge of God, they only differ in the prescibed mission they were sent to accomplish. Hence, Progressive Revelation. ;)

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Love and Light, Amy

"May the love of God spread from here onward and outward; May the knowledge of God be sent broadcast from this place; May spiritual forces become effective here; May the lights of the Kingdom shine..." Abdu'l-Baha, The Promulgation of Universal Peace p 196

Baha'is do recognize that there are those who we call seers who have some prescience and are open to the intimations of the age in which we live.

Joseph Smith we consider to be a seer.

There are no official Baha'i position statements about Sun Myung Moon or L. Ron Hubbard.

Essentially and objectively we believe the Manifestations of God founded independent religions or dispensations so the both Bab and Baha'u'llah founded independent religions.

Also note the following:

"In this respect, each Manifestation of God hath a distinct individuality,

a definitely prescribed mission,

a predestined revelation,

and specially designated limitations.

Each one of them is known by a different name,

is characterized by a special attribute,

fulfils a definite mission,

and is entrusted with a particular Revelation."

- Bahá'u'lláh, "Gleanings from the Writings of Baha'u'llah"

Also,

"Viewed in the light of their second station--the station of distinction, differentiation, temporal limitations, characteristics and standards--they manifest

absolute servitude,

utter destitution,

and complete self-effacement.

Even as He saith: "I am the servant of God. I am but a man like you."...

- Bahá'u'lláh, "Gleanings from the Writings of Baha'u'llah", p. 53
*

The following is also a statement in the form of an internal memo from our Research Department advising the Universal House of Justice the supreme governing body for Baha'is today:

"Mr. ... enquires about the Bahá'í perspective on such founders of religious groups and movements as the Reverend Moon (the Unification Church), Sai Baba, 'Maitreya (London)', the founder of Brahma Kumaris, Madame Blavatsky (Theosophy) and Alice Bailey (the Arcane School and the School of Esoteric Studies). He asks whether they are to be considered as false prophets or people who were influenced by the spirit released by the coming of Bahá'u'lláh and hence are fulfilling some special function like bringing more love and unity to the world.
*
As Mr. ... is, no doubt, aware, Bahá'ís do not expect the coming of a new Manifestation of God before the lapse of a thousand years. In this regard, the Universal House of Justice in a letter dated 11 May 1993 written on its behalf to a National Spiritual Assembly provided the following guidance concerning the Bahá'í view of the founder of the Sai Baba movement:
*
Bahá'ís, of course, cannot accept the claim of the founder of the movement, or his successor, that he is the equivalent of what we understand to be the Manifestation of God, even though he may have been inspired with the spirit of the age. It is clear in the Bahá'í Writings that such an august Figure is not to appear before the expiration of at least a full thousand years after the coming of Bahá'u'lláh.
*
As to the founders of the other groups, the Research Department has not been able to locate any specific references in the Bahá'í Writings to them."

_________________________________

Around 1871 Baha'u'llah also clearly indicated that the next dispensation would appear in no less than a thousand years. So we Baha'is accept the statement that the next Manifestation of God would not appear until after a thousand years.

- Art

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"it benefits us to be thoughtful, not of the glory of our minds, but rather, above all else, of the glory of God."
- Johannes Kepler

Sun Myung Moon was a manufacturer. One of the things that his companies manufacture is Colt M-16's for the South Korean Army.

Would Jesus have manufactured military small arms?

REgards,
Scott

This is probably far out there Scott but you may have read Nikos Kazantzakis book "The Last Temptation Of Christ".. He had Jesus making crosses for crucifixions. The idea may be very far fetched but we know He was a Carpenter...

- Art

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"it benefits us to be thoughtful, not of the glory of our minds, but rather, above all else, of the glory of God."
- Johannes Kepler

I admired the book and movie for making Jesus human. He needed Jesus to have personal guilt to make the book work. He was a carpenter, and the moral crime required was obvious.

Regards,
Scott