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Established On:
December 2, 1999
Last Update:
August 7, 2003
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We:
Station of Unity and Oneness
Copyright ©2003 by Cynthia McDaniel
The words “we” and “us” are
consistently used in Judaism, Christianity, Islam and the
Bahá'í Faith. It is
not used in Hinduism. But does
this mean anything? If one thinks
of these terms as referring to the Messengers of God who are united in Their
devotion to God and in Their purpose as the Mouthpieces of God, then these
terms take on new meaning.
Perhaps God is waiting for people to find out where the
religions overlap and, in fact, are the same. This is a concept which is
present in all religions from God but was not expressed clearly until the
Baha'i Faith was founded in 1844. Bahá'u'lláh states that all
the religions come from God. He
says that each Messenger/Prophet/Manifestation (the term used by the
Bahá'ís referring to someone who brings a new Book from God in
contrast to someone who follows the teachings of a previous Manifestation)
brings a message for a certain group of people at a certain time. In consideration of his time, each
Manifestation is unique. However,
in terms of the enternity of God, each
Manifestation is connected as the representative of God and acts as a part of
the whole group which has been representing God at different times.
Bahá'u'lláh also says that religion is
progressive in the same way that academic schooling is progressive. All Manifestations are teachers in the
same school (God’s School).
At first, the Manifestation offered simple spiritual realities to
humanity, not because of limitations of the Manifestation (the teacher) but
because of limitations in the understanding of humanity (the student). As humanity has grown and progressed
through understanding more complicated ideas, more abstract spiritual
principles were presented or clarified. Today, Bahá'u'lláh
says, humanity is entering its maturity.
Bahá'u'lláh links all these religions
together saying: “Say: O people! We, verily, summoned you, in Our
former Revelation, unto this Scene of transcendent glory...and announced unto
you the advent of the Days of God.” (Summons of the Lord of Hosts, p 53, para
197)
Note the use of the words "We", "Our"
and "Days". These
terms refer to the Manifestations
of God (Adam, Buddha, Krishna, Moses, Zoroaster, Jesus,
Muhammad, the Bab, Baha'u'llah and some unknown Messengers) united in their
purpose to introduce God to humanity.
These Beings communicate with each other in their station as the most
direct connection with God for humanity. There is no disagreement between those
who refer to themselves as “We”. For example, note below how Jesus
starts out by saying “I say to thee” (when speaking of His own
mission to humanity) and then immediately switches to “We” (when
referring to times past which are outside His own lifetime). Once Jesus completes the message from
the united group, He refers to himself again as “I” because he is
referring again to His own mission and His own time.
Note also that in the Qur’an, “We” sent
Moses to humanity and again in a later scripture, “We” sent Jesus
(the Spirit of God) to humanity:
And God said, Let us make
man in our image, after our likeness: and let
them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air,
and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing
that creepeth upon the earth.
HB-Genesis 1:26
The word that came to Jeremiah from the LORD, saying,
Thus speaketh the LORD God of Israel,
saying, Write thee all the words that I have spoken unto thee in a book. For,
lo, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will
bring again the captivity of my people Israel
and Judah, saith the LORD: and I will cause them to return to the
land that I gave to their fathers, and they shall possess it. And these are
the words that the LORD spake concerning Israel
and concerning Judah.
For thus saith the LORD; We
have heard a voice of trembling, of fear, and not of peace.
Jeremiah 30:1-5
Verily, verily, I say unto thee, We speak that we do know, and testify that we have
seen; and ye receive not our witness. If I have told you earthly things, and
ye believe not, how shall ye believe, if I tell you of heavenly things? And
no man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even
the Son of man which is in heaven.
NT-John 3:11-13
Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he
will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we
will come unto him, and make our abode with him.
John 14:23
And behold, We said to
the angels: "Bow down to Adam" and they bowed down. Not so Iblis: he refused and was haughty: He was of those who
reject Faith.
Qur’an 2.34
(Yusuf Ali translation)
And remember, We
delivered you from the people of Pharaoh: They set you hard tasks and punishments,
slaughtered your sons and let your women-folk live; therein was a tremendous
trial from your Lord. And
remember We divided the sea for you and saved
you and drowned Pharaoh's people within your very sight. And remember We appointed forty nights for Moses, and in his
absence ye took the calf (for worship), and ye did grievous wrong. Even then We did forgive
you; there was a chance for you to be grateful. And remember We gave Moses the Scripture and the Criterion
(Between right and wrong): There was a chance for you to be guided aright.
Qur’an 2.49-53 (Yusuf Ali translation)
We gave Moses the Book
and followed him up with a succession of apostles; We
gave Jesus the son of Mary Clear (Signs) and strengthened him with the holy
spirit. Is it that whenever there comes to you an apostle with what ye
yourselves desire not, ye are puffed up with pride?- Some ye called
impostors, and others ye slay!
Qur’an 2.87
(Yusuf Ali translation)
And commemorate Our Servants
Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, possessors of Power and Vision. Verily We
did choose them for a special (purpose)- proclaiming the Message of the
Hereafter. They were, in Our
sight, truly, of the company of the Elect and the Good. And commemorate Isma'il,
Elisha, and Zul-Kifl:
Each of them was of the Company of the Good. This is a Message (of admonition): and
verily, for the righteous, is a beautiful Place of (Final) Return,-
Qur’an
38.45-49 (Yusuf Ali translation)
Verily, we have
believed in Thee and in Thy signs ere the dawn of Thy Manifestation, and in
Thee are we all well-assured. Verily, we have believed in Thee and
in Thy signs after the fulfilment of Thy
Manifestation, and in Thee do we all believe. Verily, we have believed in Thee and
in Thy signs at the hour of Thy Manifestation and bear witness that through Thine injunction `Be Thou' all things have been
created. Every Manifestation is
but a revelation of Thine Own Self, with each of
Whom we have truly appeared and we bow down in adoration before Thee. Thou hast been, O my Best Beloved, and
shalt ever be my witness throughout bygone times
and in the days to come. Verily,
Thou art the All-Powerful, the Ever-Faithful, the Omnipotent.
The
Bab: Selections from the Bab, p 4
INDEED We conversed with Moses by the leave of God from
the midst of the Burning Bush in the Sinai and revealed an infinitesimal
glimmer of Thy Light upon the Mystic Mount and its dwellers, whereupon the
Mount shook to its foundations and was crushed into dust.
The
Bab: Selections from the Bab, p
72
One night, in a dream, these exalted words were heard
on every side: "Verily, We shall render Thee victorious by Thyself and by
Thy Pen. Grieve Thou not for that
which hath befallen Thee, neither be Thou afraid, for Thou art in
safety. Erelong will God raise up
the treasures of the earth - men who will aid Thee through Thyself and
through Thy Name, wherewith God hath revived the hearts of such as have
recognized Him."
Baha'u'llah: Epistle to the Son of the Wolf, p 21
"But when Our
clear signs are recited to them, they who look not forward to attain Our
Presence, say, `Bring a different Qur'an from this, or make some change in
it.' Say: It is not for Me to change it as Mine
own soul prompteth. I follow only what is revealed to
Me: verily, I fear, if I rebel
against My Lord, the punishment of a great day." And likewise He saith:
"Then gave We the Book to Moses
- complete for Him who should do right, and a decision for all matters, and a
guidance, and a mercy, that they might believe in the Presence of their
Lord." And likewise he saith:
"They are those who believe not in the signs of the Lord, or that
they shall ever attain His Presence.
Vain, therefore, are their works; and no weight will We allow them on the Day of Resurrection. This
shall be their reward—Hell.
Because they were unbelievers, and treated My signs and My Apostles
with scorn."
Baha'u'llah:
Epistle to the Son of the Wolf, p 116-117
HE IS THE GLORY OF GLORIES
This is that which
hath descended from the realm of glory, uttered by the tongue of power and
might, and revealed unto the Prophets of old. We
have taken the inner essence thereof and clothed it in the garment of
brevity, as a token of grace unto the righteous, that they may stand faithful
unto the Covenant of God, may fulfill in their lives His trust, and in the
realm of spirit obtain the gem of Divine virtue.
Baha'u'llah: Arabic Hidden Words, p 1
Be not dismayed, O peoples of the world, when the
day-star of My beauty is set, and the heaven of My tabernacle is concealed
from your eyes. Arise to further
My Cause, and to exalt My Word amongst men. We are
with you at all times, and shall strengthen you through the power of
truth. We are truly almighty.
Whoso hath recognized Me will arise and serve Me with such determination that
the powers of earth and heaven shall be unable to defeat his purpose.
Baha'u'llah: The Kitab-i-Aqdas, p 32-33
Rely upon God, thy God and the Lord of thy
fathers. For the people are
wandering in the paths of delusion, bereft of discernment to see God with
their own eyes, or hear His Melody with their own ears. Thus have We
found them, as thou also dost witness.
Baha'u'llah: Baha'i Prayers (US), p 212-213
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