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Abstract: Discusses the Bab and Bahá'ís in context of the emergence of other teachers/masters around the time of Joseph Smith, founder of Mormonism. Notes: Self-published ebook from greaterthings.com/JJDewey/Gathering [archive.org]. |
Sterling's Preface:
You recall in the last installment on "The Three Excaliburs" that J.J. brought us up through Joseph Smith and the restoration of the kingdom through his hands, only for it to drift into a state of apostasy. He ended with the question, "Where is the Modern Revelation?"
In this installment he now addresses several other masters of wisdom who have come along in the interim -- far outside of the LDS box, which box is cold and nearly void of new revelation -- and suggests that these other teachers have been alluded to by Joseph Smith to come forth in this age of the "restitution of all things," the "fullness of times," when "all things will be revealed."
The problem, so far as I see it, is that these "revelations" of which he speaks and the mortal vehicles who were instrumental in bringing them forth are squarely in the arena of the metaphysical/esoteric/New Age. In other words, according to J.J., in his hierarchy of revealed truths, these teachings were the next quantum leap forward after Joseph Smith (and perhaps concurrent with him) and are the additional basis upon which the next quantum leap now gathering steam will be catapulted forward.
He may be right. I've not read any of the volumes of which he speaks, but have had only a shallow introduction to some of them through critical writings from Christian sources.
Is this a case of the boys club and the girls club needing to lay down their differences and come together? Or is it a case of good and evil and good needing to shun evil?
Is J.J. a disciple of Satan to lull the very elect into Satan's camp? Or is he an instrument of God to bring harmony between the religions of the world?
This I will say. I am glad I read this, as it has given me some views of very significant events in recent history whose significance I had not previously appreciated. Some things I had never even heard of before. As for agreeing with the conclusions, I will have to hold off on that until I have more whereby to discern.
- SterlingChapter Ten
The Three Revelations
22 Jan 2000
A few short weeks before the martyrdom of Joseph Smith, God was inspiring the inception of another great movement on the other side of the world. On May 23, 1844 another prophet called "Bab" announced to his first convert his mission which was to offer teachings to mankind that would open the door to a new age of oneness and world unity. This was in Persia, a country so destitute of the Holy Spirit at that time that the vacuum thus created should have made it obvious that a lofty spirit from either the Right or Left hand Path would be drawn. Fortunately, the Bab was on the side of Christ and his Spiritual Hierarchy. Bab openly criticized some of the outworn tenets of Islam and greatly excited many religious leaders, especially as he began to develop a following and consequently, he and his followers suffered much persecution. The powers that be finally pursued him and placed him in front of a firing squad. As they were preparing to shoot he disappeared and was found shortly thereafter putting some finishing touches on his writings. The hardened authorities arrested him again and this time he willingly faced the firing squad and was killed on July 9, 1850. However, he left an important prophecy in the hearts of his followers. He told them that he was preparing the way for another manifestation of God who was to appear nineteen years after the founding of Babism (named after him) in 1844.
Right on target in 1863 one individual named Mirza Husayn Ali rose to the call. His name was later changed to Bahaullah which means "the Glory of God". This was a more fitting title to reflect his mission. Basically, Bahaullah carried on where the Bab left off. Even though he was proclaimed to be greater than Bab he did not seem to have the fire and zeal the original initiate did.
Nevertheless, Bahaullah withstood much persecution himself and eventually was successful in reestablishing the religion Bab died for, plus added some new tenets. Two years after Bab died 20,000 Babists were killed as enemies of the state. Bahaullah thus accomplished a great feat in rebuilding the flock after such horror. These martyrs are some of the ones referred to by John again in that same twelfth chapter of Revelation: "And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ." Rev 12:17.
In Persia was a remnant of the seed of the Kingdom, or the woman, struggling for survival, at the same time the Mormons were trying to endure in the United States. An interesting note here is that during the latter half of the nineteenth century the Mormons were persecuted largely for polygamy and the Bahais, the followers of Bab and Bahaullah, were persecuted because they preached against having more than one wife, an accepted doctrine of Islam. Yet even though both groups were teaching opposite doctrines in this area they were both inspired by the one God and both instruments in the divine plan. Both groups had right motives and each of their persecutors were terribly wrong. It is an interesting fact that many more Bahais gave their lives teaching against plural marriage than there were Mormons living the principle.
The basic purpose of the Bahais teaching is to bring the twelve principles of oneness through the astral fog permeating the world, and establish them in the consciousness of mankind. Many different principles that will be used in the government of the Aquarian Age are embodied in the Bahai teachings. Because the concepts presented were designed to reach the average person in consciousness the faith had to be established by fire, or persecution, just as the Mormons were. Thus "the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence". Matt 11:12. Whenever an Initiate lends a helping hand to an astral polarized person waves of emotionally charged energy are created that often comes close to sinking the ship. It takes a sure navigators to handle the waves that beat against the hull.
The Bahai teachings are good reading for all who seek the Kingdom of God, but like any teaching, they are not infallible. If they bring the "flashing forth of the intuition" then let them be pursued.
The Bahais teach the following twelve principles of oneness that will be incorporated into the Aquarian Age: (1) World Peace (2) Non-authoritarian world government (3) Spiritual solution to economics (4) All the major religions were inspired by God (5) A world religion recognizing the truth within al religions can unite the world. (6) Science and religion should agree. (7) The elimination of prejudice (8) Men and women are equal (9) A person should not depend on authority, but discover truth for himself (10) A universal language accepted by all nations should be created and used. (11) We have a responsibility to insure that all men and women in the world have the opportunity for an education. (12) The oneness of mankind.
Even though the message of the Bahai's is good, beautiful and true they have made a similar error to the Mormons, and after the founders' death they put more emphasis on the man than his message, but their point of concentration is somewhat different. The Mormons put their emphasis on the "living prophet" who never prophesizes and almost all are ill informed of the teachings of their founder; On the other hand, the Bahais concentrate on convincing mankind that Bahaullah is a direct incarnation of God and is a greater entity than Christ himself. They also believe that he fulfills all the scriptures concerning the Second Coming of the Lord.
When will mankind learn that it is not the man that is important, but the message? The Great Teachers care little what we think of them personally so long as we do the will of the Father, embrace Love of God, and seek the Light of the Spirit.
Neither Joseph, the Bab, or Bahaullah made the claims their later followers attributed to them and their position. Joseph once recorded in his diary: "I explained to him that I did not profess to be a prophet any more than every man ought to who professes to be a preacher of righteousness." DHC 5:232.
It is interesting that he said that every preacher of righteousness "ought to" be as much of a prophet as he was, yet the leaders of the Church today say that only they can be prophets; in other words, only they can be teachers of righteousness.
I cannot find anywhere in the statements of Bab or Bahaullah stating that Bahaullah is greater than Christ or that he is the greatest incarnation of God who walked on the earth. It is true that Bahaullah was an incarnation of God, but the Spirit of God is within every man and each person becomes God incarnate as soon as he contacts the God within and becomes one with it. "The Sons of Men are one and I am one with them . . ." should be our realization.
Bab did teach that all the prophets were manifestations of God and that his mission was similar to Mohammed's in importance and that an even greater "manifestation" was to come. Bahaullah was a great manifestation of God and a great teacher, but he was not the greatest, nor was Joseph Smith the greatest. This is a hard concept for religious zealots to accept for all seem to look on their leaders and founders as the greatest, but there have been many great ones in the history of this planet.
The two outstanding figures in our recorded history have been the Buddha and the Christ. They were both so important because they each manifested one of the aspects of the Trinity, which was previously unrealized by man. Buddha manifested the Holy Ghost aspect, or Light which Light is still increasing in intensity and will fill the world with knowledge and understanding and a common sense attitude toward religion and dispel the fables abroad.
In addition he built a bridge for the Christ by creating a bridge between Light and Love by manifesting the Wisdom aspect of the Love-Wisdom energy of the middle principle of the Christ.
The Christ manifested the Love of God, the second aspect, or the Son of God. Before the Christ appeared, love existed as it always has, but its heart aspect was unrecognized and misunderstood. Christ illustrated what Love was in a way previously unrealized by humanity. This is difficult for modern humanity to see without the ability to time travel into the ancient past. If we could we would see that Love before Christ was generally seen as a possessiveness and not as unselfish giving. It is true that humanity is far from perfecting Love today, but the coming of Christ has stimulated us more than we realize.
The only way Bahaullah could lay a claim to being a greater entity than the Christ would be to manifest a higher aspect of Godliness. The only higher one that is sensed by humanity is the Father aspect, or the will of God. This aspect will be realized when he prayer of Christ is fulfilled: "Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven." When this is accomplished humanity will then recognize the bearer of this aspect. It may be an individual, or it may be a group and will be accomplished again with the assistance of the Christ who is linked with the Father.
Bahaullah did not recognize simple esoteric truths such as the law or rebirth, and did not overcome sickness, disease and death, and was not a Master of Wisdom, but he was a great soul and did much to bring humanity to a world consciousness. The names of the Bab, Bahaullah, and Joseph Smith will all grow in stature as time passes.
You recall in the last installment on "The Three Excaliburs" that J.J. brought us up through Joseph Smith and the restoration of the kingdom through his hands, only for it to drift into a state of apostasy. He ended with the question, "Where is the Modern Revelation?"
In this installment he now addresses several other masters of wisdom who have come along in the interim -- far outside of the LDS box, which box is cold and nearly void of new revelation -- and suggests that these other teachers have been alluded to by Joseph Smith to come forth in this age of the "restitution of all things," the "fullness of times," when "all things will be revealed."
The problem, so far as I see it, is that these "revelations" of which he speaks and the mortal vehicles who were instrumental in bringing them forth are squarely in the arena of the metaphysical/esoteric/New Age. In other words, according to J.J., in his hierarchy of revealed truths, these teachings were the next quantum leap forward after Joseph Smith (and perhaps concurrent with him) and are the additional basis upon which the next quantum leap now gathering steam will be catapulted forward.
He may be right. I've not read any of the volumes of which he speaks, but have had only a shallow introduction to some of them through critical writings from Christian sources.
Is this a case of the boys club and the girls club needing to lay down their differences and come together? Or is it a case of good and evil and good needing to shun evil?
Is J.J. a disciple of Satan to lull the very elect into Satan's camp? Or is he an instrument of God to bring harmony between the religions of the world?
This I will say. I am glad I read this, as it has given me some views of very significant events in recent history whose significance I had not previously appreciated. Some things I had never even heard of before. As for agreeing with the conclusions, I will have to hold off on that until I have more whereby to discern.
- Sterling
-
Note:
Subsequent to writing this I studied some of the writings of Blavatsky and did a write-up exposing her as a Satanic Champion of Paganism.
The Three Revelations
22 Jan 2000
Right on target in 1863 one individual named Mirza Husayn Ali rose to the call. His name was later changed to Bahaullah which means "the Glory of God". This was a more fitting title to reflect his mission. Basically, Bahaullah carried on where the Bab left off. Even though he was proclaimed to be greater than Bab he did not seem to have the fire and zeal the original initiate did.
Nevertheless, Bahaullah withstood much persecution himself and eventually was successful in reestablishing the religion Bab died for, plus added some new tenets. Two years after Bab died 20,000 Babists were killed as enemies of the state. Bahaullah thus accomplished a great feat in rebuilding the flock after such horror. These martyrs are some of the ones referred to by John again in that same twelfth chapter of Revelation: "And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ." Rev 12:17.
In Persia was a remnant of the seed of the Kingdom, or the woman, struggling for survival, at the same time the Mormons were trying to endure in the United States. An interesting note here is that during the latter half of the nineteenth century the Mormons were persecuted largely for polygamy and the Bahais, the followers of Bab and Bahaullah, were persecuted because they preached against having more than one wife, an accepted doctrine of Islam. Yet even though both groups were teaching opposite doctrines in this area they were both inspired by the one God and both instruments in the divine plan. Both groups had right motives and each of their persecutors were terribly wrong. It is an interesting fact that many more Bahais gave their lives teaching against plural marriage than there were Mormons living the principle.
The basic purpose of the Bahais teaching is to bring the twelve principles of oneness through the astral fog permeating the world, and establish them in the consciousness of mankind. Many different principles that will be used in the government of the Aquarian Age are embodied in the Bahai teachings. Because the concepts presented were designed to reach the average person in consciousness the faith had to be established by fire, or persecution, just as the Mormons were. Thus "the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence". Matt 11:12. Whenever an Initiate lends a helping hand to an astral polarized person waves of emotionally charged energy are created that often comes close to sinking the ship. It takes a sure navigators to handle the waves that beat against the hull.
The Bahai teachings are good reading for all who seek the Kingdom of God, but like any teaching, they are not infallible. If they bring the "flashing forth of the intuition" then let them be pursued.
The Bahais teach the following twelve principles of oneness that will be incorporated into the Aquarian Age: (1) World Peace (2) Non-authoritarian world government (3) Spiritual solution to economics (4) All the major religions were inspired by God (5) A world religion recognizing the truth within al religions can unite the world. (6) Science and religion should agree. (7) The elimination of prejudice (8) Men and women are equal (9) A person should not depend on authority, but discover truth for himself (10) A universal language accepted by all nations should be created and used. (11) We have a responsibility to insure that all men and women in the world have the opportunity for an education. (12) The oneness of mankind.
Even though the message of the Bahai's is good, beautiful and true they have made a similar error to the Mormons, and after the founders' death they put more emphasis on the man than his message, but their point of concentration is somewhat different. The Mormons put their emphasis on the "living prophet" who never prophesizes and almost all are ill informed of the teachings of their founder; On the other hand, the Bahais concentrate on convincing mankind that Bahaullah is a direct incarnation of God and is a greater entity than Christ himself. They also believe that he fulfills all the scriptures concerning the Second Coming of the Lord.
When will mankind learn that it is not the man that is important, but the message? The Great Teachers care little what we think of them personally so long as we do the will of the Father, embrace Love of God, and seek the Light of the Spirit.
Neither Joseph, the Bab, or Bahaullah made the claims their later followers attributed to them and their position. Joseph once recorded in his diary: "I explained to him that I did not profess to be a prophet any more than every man ought to who professes to be a preacher of righteousness." DHC 5:232.
It is interesting that he said that every preacher of righteousness "ought to" be as much of a prophet as he was, yet the leaders of the Church today say that only they can be prophets; in other words, only they can be teachers of righteousness.
I cannot find anywhere in the statements of Bab or Bahaullah stating that Bahaullah is greater than Christ or that he is the greatest incarnation of God who walked on the earth. It is true that Bahaullah was an incarnation of God, but the Spirit of God is within every man and each person becomes God incarnate as soon as he contacts the God within and becomes one with it. "The Sons of Men are one and I am one with them . . ." should be our realization.
Bab did teach that all the prophets were manifestations of God and that his mission was similar to Mohammed's in importance and that an even greater "manifestation" was to come. Bahaullah was a great manifestation of God and a great teacher, but he was not the greatest, nor was Joseph Smith the greatest. This is a hard concept for religious zealots to accept for all seem to look on their leaders and founders as the greatest, but there have been many great ones in the history of this planet.
The two outstanding figures in our recorded history have been the Buddha and the Christ. They were both so important because they each manifested one of the aspects of the Trinity, which was previously unrealized by man. Buddha manifested the Holy Ghost aspect, or Light which Light is still increasing in intensity and will fill the world with knowledge and understanding and a common sense attitude toward religion and dispel the fables abroad.
In addition he built a bridge for the Christ by creating a bridge between Light and Love by manifesting the Wisdom aspect of the Love-Wisdom energy of the middle principle of the Christ.
The Christ manifested the Love of God, the second aspect, or the Son of God. Before the Christ appeared, love existed as it always has, but its heart aspect was unrecognized and misunderstood. Christ illustrated what Love was in a way previously unrealized by humanity. This is difficult for modern humanity to see without the ability to time travel into the ancient past. If we could we would see that Love before Christ was generally seen as a possessiveness and not as unselfish giving. It is true that humanity is far from perfecting Love today, but the coming of Christ has stimulated us more than we realize.
The only way Bahaullah could lay a claim to being a greater entity than the Christ would be to manifest a higher aspect of Godliness. The only higher one that is sensed by humanity is the Father aspect, or the will of God. This aspect will be realized when he prayer of Christ is fulfilled: "Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven." When this is accomplished humanity will then recognize the bearer of this aspect. It may be an individual, or it may be a group and will be accomplished again with the assistance of the Christ who is linked with the Father.
Bahaullah did not recognize simple esoteric truths such as the law or rebirth, and did not overcome sickness, disease and death, and was not a Master of Wisdom, but he was a great soul and did much to bring humanity to a world consciousness. The names of the Bab, Bahaullah, and Joseph Smith will all grow in stature as time passes.
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