We are to use reason, logic and common sense, to know and understand the writings of God; because God is, in fact, a God of true knowledge, wisdom, understanding and reason.

   God is a God of Knowledge and a God of true understanding, logic and reason: God is The One and Only Creator, Who did, in fact, create this entire, creation and universe, with all things that are found within this universe. So God is, in fact, A Real God of True Knowledge and Reason; Who did actually create all of the possible, physical natures and possibilities that are to be found within this creation of His; which means that He, as The One True Creator, did, in reality, inadvertently create all the sciences of man we now use. So, with all of this being said: He, God, is a God of Intelligence, Who absolutely, understands all things and Who created all things, using His, very Own Personal, absolute, all-encompassing, Wisdom and Knowledge, of all things that are created, and to be found within this entire universe. Or, in-other-words, God is a God Who is extremely, extremely intelligent; so, I ask you, why is it that a great many individuals within the human race seem to act adverse to the idea of  a God of intelligence, when it comes to our beliefs and actions related to God’s nature and the true word of God? — or at least many people behave that way with their actions and attitudes! God is a God of absolute, unremitting, Reason and Understanding; so does it not stand to reason that we, as His children and beings of His creation, are to also, in-fact, use real, true reason and real, true logic and common sense to understand the word and writings of our Real, True Creator; and use intelligence to seek out the things He is trying to help us understand. So, let us look more closely at some of the statements made about the Creator in the various books of God, and some of His true attributes found within His various religious writings; that inform us more about His true nature and how we should strive to behave more like Him, so we can become more knowledgeable and more like Him; You see: Baha’i Faith: ( Babi Religion) “Thou (God) art the Source of all knowledge, the Omniscient (The All-Knowing).” (The Bab, Selections from the Writings of the Bab, p. 3) Baha’i Faith: “He, verily, expoundeth whatsoever He desireth by virtue of His own knowledge, and He, of a truth, is Omniscient and All-Wise.” – He being God. (Baha’u’llah, The Kitab-i-Aqdas, p. 72) So we should strive to open up our selves to this knowledge He expoundeth, and try to open up our minds to understand the things He is trying to share with us. So let us strive to become more knowledgeable about the nature of our creator and the things He wants us to understand.

So, as just stated, God is the Creator of everything that is; so let us look more closely at this and some of the descriptions in His writings about Him:

BAHA’I FAITH: “Now, consider this infinite universe. Is it possible that it could have been created without a Creator? Or that the Creator and cause of this infinite congeries of worlds should be without intelligence? Is the idea tenable that The Creator has no comprehension of what is manifested in creation? Man, the creature, has volition and certain virtues. Is it possible that his Creator is deprived of these? A child could not accept this belief and statement. It is perfectly evident that man did not create himself, and that he cannot do so. How could man of his own weakness create such a mighty being? Therefore, the Creator of man must be, more perfect and powerful than man. If the creative cause of man be simply on the same level with man, then man himself should be able to create, whereas we know very well that we cannot create even our own likeness. Therefore, the Creator of man must be endowed with superlative intelligence and power in all points that creation involves and implies. We are weak and He is All-mighty, because, were He not mighty, He could not have created us. We are ignorant and He is Wise. We are poor; He is Rich. Otherwise, He would have been incapable of our creation.” (Abdu’l-Baha, The Promulgation of Universal Peace, p. 82) “Verily, I am God; there is no God but Me. Therefore, worship Me. And likewise He saith: ‘Have they not considered within themselves that God hath not created the heavens, and the earth, and all that is between them but for a serious end.” (Baha’u’llah, Epistle to the Son of the Wolf, p. 117)   Judaism: Isaiah 45:18 “For thus saith The LORD that created the heavens; God Himself that formed the earth and made it; He hath established it, He created it not in vain, He formed it to be inhabited: I am The LORD; and there is none else.” Baha’i Faith: “It is only a man without intelligence who, after considering these things, can imagine that the great scheme of creation should suddenly — come to such an inadequate end!” (Bahá’í Faith, Abdu’l-Baha, Paris Talks, p. 93)

   For,   Judaism: Isaiah 40:11 “He shall feed His flock like a shepherd: He shall gather the lambs with His arm, and carry them in His bosom, and shall gently lead those that are with young.” 40:12 “Who hath measured the waters in the hollow of His hand, and meted out heaven with the span, and comprehended the dust of the earth in a measure, and weighed the mountains in scales, and the hills in a balance?” 40:13 “Who hath directed the Spirit of The LORD, or being His counselor hath taught Him?” 40:14 “With whom took He counsel, and who instructed Him, and taught Him in the path of judgment, and taught Him knowledge, and shewed to Him the way of understanding?” 40:15 “Behold, the nations are as a drop of a bucket, and are counted as the small dust of the balance: behold, He taketh up the isles as a very little thing.” Proverbs 3:19 “The LORD by wisdom hath founded the earth; by understanding hath He established the heavens.” Psalms 104:24 “O LORD, how manifold are Thy works! In wisdom hast Thou made them all: the earth is full of Thy knowledge, riches and glory.” 1 Kings 2:3 “For The LORD is a God of knowledge and by Him all actions are weighed.” Daniel 2:20 “Blessed be the name of God for ever and ever: for wisdom and might are His:” 2:21 “And He changeth the times and the seasons: He removeth kings, and setteth up kings: He giveth wisdom unto the wise, and knowledge to them that know understanding:” 2:22 “He revealeth the deep and secret things: He knoweth what is in the darkness, and the light dwelleth with Him.” Psalms 145:3 “Great is The LORD, and greatly to be praised; and His greatness is unsearchable.”

 CHRISTIANITY: Colossians 1:16 “For by Him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by Him and for Him, and He is before all things, and by Him all things consist.” And so, 1 Timothy 1:17 “Now unto, the King, the Eternal, Immortal and Invisible, the Only Wise God, be honour and glory for ever and ever. Amen.” 2:2 “That we may lead a quiet and peaceable life, in all godliness and honesty.” “For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour;” “Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.” Jude 1:24 “Now unto Him, the only Wise God, our Saviour, be Glory and Majesty, dominion and power, both now and forever.” Romans 11:33 “O the depth of the riches both of the Wisdom and Knowledge of God! How Unsearchable are His Judgments, and His ways past finding out!” “For who hath known the mind of The Lord? Or who hath been His counselor?” “Or who hath first given to Him, and it shall be recompensed unto Him again? For of Him, and through Him and to Him, are all things: to whom be glory forever, Amen.” (King James Bible)

  ISLAM: 102. “Allah your Lord! there is no god but He, the Creator of all things.” 101. “O my Lord! O Thou Creator of the heavens and the earth!” 17. “Allah (God) is full of Knowledge and Wisdom.” 158. “Nay, Allah raiseth up unto Himself and Allah is Exalted in Power and all Wise.” 92. “For Allah hath all knowledge and all wisdom.” 104. “And Allah is full of Knowledge and Wisdom.” 71. “And Allah is He, Who hath (full) Knowledge and Wisdom.” 10. “In any case, there is no help (for thee) except from Allah and Allah is Exalted in Power and all Wise.” For, 42. “Verily Allah doth knoweth (everything that is) and He is Exalted (in power) and All Wise.” 34. “For Allah (God) understands the finest mysteries and is well-acquainted (with them).” 165. “Allah is Exalted in Power and All-Wise, but Allah beareth witness that what He hath sent unto thee He hath sent from His Knowledge, and the angels bear witness: but enough is Allah for a Witness.” 111. “For Allah hath sent down to thee the Book and wisdom and taught thee what thou knewest not (before); and great is the grace of Allah unto thee,” 103. “No vision can grasp Him, but His grasp is over all vision: He is above all comprehension, yet is acquainted with all things.” “the unknowable Lord,” Whose ways are past finding out.

(Islam, The Qur’an (Yusuf Ali tr), Surahs 4, 6, 8, 12, 29 and 33 and Islamic Miscellaneous, Gail – Six Lessons on Islam, p. 18))

  ZOROASTRIANISM: 1. “We worship the Creator Ahura Mazda (God),” 7. “O Mazda, creator of all things!” “We worship The Omniscient Understanding, of Him Who is Ahura Mazda (God).” We worship: The All Comprehending, The All-Knowing, All Cognizant, Completely informed, All Wise being, Who is Ahura Mazda, Himself.

(Zoroastrianism, The Zend-Avesta, Avesta – Visperad 19 and Yasnas 6, 44)

  Zoroastrianism: 7. And “Ahura Mazda replied unto him (Zarathustra, Zoroaster): ‘My name is The One of whom questions are asked, O holy Zarathushtra!’ ‘My name is the Strong One, The Perfect Holiness,’ ‘My name is The Understanding One, or The One with True Understanding.’ ‘My name is Knowledge, or The One with Knowledge.’ ‘My name is AHURA (God).’ ‘My name is the most Beneficent.” “My name is also The Unconquerable One, He who makes the true account, The All-Seeing One, The Healing One, The Creator; MAZDA.” And, “God (Ahura Mazda) is beyond conception.” For, “Mazda is incomprehensible.”

(Zoroastrianism, The Zend-Avesta, Khorda Avesta – Book of Common Prayer pt. 1 and ZOROASTER, Hymns of Atharvan pp.643 and 700)

 HINDUISM: 50. “The sages declare Brahma (God), the (creator) of the universe, the law, the Great One, and the Undiscernible One (to constitute) the highest order of beings.” “For men hath He created earth and waters, and ever helped the prayer of him who worships.” “Worship Me (Brahma, God) and Me only! Ceasing not; Loving all solitudes, and shunning the noise of the foolish crowds; endeavours resolute to reach perception of the Utmost Soul, And grace to understand what gain it were so to attain, this is true Wisdom! And what is otherwise is ignorance! Shining eternally, Wisdom He is, And Wisdom’s way, and a Guide of all the wise, Planted in every heart.” He is the wisdom of the wise; He (Brahma, Vishnu, God) is Wisdom, Knowledge, Understanding, Reason, Intelligence, comprehension and any and everything else dealing with, and related to, logic and superior thought and Shrewd Rationality and sensibleness and overall Vast Intelligence, It’s Self; O “Thou Infinite Creator!“

(Hinduism, Bhagavad Gita (Edwin Arnold tr) chapters 11 and 13 and Laws of Manu chapter 12)

  Hinduism: 1:24. “God (Brahma, Vishnu) is a particular yet universal indweller, untouched by afflictions, actions, impressions and their results. In Him God, the seed of Omniscience: is unsurpassed and not being conditioned by time, Brahma is the true teacher of (all humanity), even the ancients,” and is The All-Knowing and All wise, Vast Intelligence, overseeing everything that was, is, or will be.

(Hinduism, The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali)

  BUDDHISM: “The One I call Holy (Brahma, Vishnu, God); has deep Wisdom, Understanding and Knowledge,” of everything in existence and everything that is, has been, or is to be; in this creation and in this universe, Brahma the creator of everything! “They (the believers) assert that they are born of A Creator, of time, of atoms, of some celestial spirit. There is but one common Essence.”

(Buddhism, Buddha: Dhammapada and Lankavatara Sutra)

  Buddhism: 24. “All-Conquering and All-Knowing am I.” 14. “The Awakened, the Omniscient, the Trackless?” “Those who see Thee thus, serene and beyond conception, will be emancipated from attachment, will be cleansed of all defilement, both in this world and in the spiritual world beyond.”

(Buddhist, Dhammapada – Sayings of the Buddha 1 and 2 (tr. J. Richards) and The Lankavatara Sutra)

  SABEANISM: “Manda d-Haiyi (God), Sublimest of Beings: Knowledge of Life is Thy name, Truth is Thy name. Pure is Thy name, magnified is Thy name, Honoured is Thy name, blessed is Thy name And abiding is Thy name. Victorious art Thou and victorious is Thy name. Victorious are the words of Truth which proceed from Thy mouth, over all deeds; (O First Life, Haiyi, God) The All-Encompassing Creator, in which, all should believe.” “When all worlds came into being and creations were called forth,” “Thou didst hold in Thy grasp the worlds and generations (all creation),” and All Thy creation belongs to Thee. (Sabeanism, Ginza Rba- chapters 3, 53 and 75)

Sabeanism: “First Life! (Haiyi Qadmaiyi, God), Lift up Thine eyes upon these souls. For Thou openest doors of truth and revealest mysteries and wisdom. (O Thou, Omniscient One, The Wise, The intelligent, All-knowing One).”  “In the name of The Life! (Haiyi or God) I worship The First Life and praise my Lord Manda-d-Hiia. Thou art immeasurable, infinite and everlasting.” Immeasurable, beyond our comprehension. (SABEANISM, Ginza Rba- Chapters 35, 58 and 75)

 BAHA’I FAITH: ( BABI RELIGION) “Glorified art Thou, O God! Thou Art: The Creator of the heavens and the earth and all that, which lieth between them, and Thou Art The Sovereign Lord, The Most Holy, The Almighty, The All-Wise.” (The Bab, Selections from the Writings of the Bab, p. 176) “ALL Majesty and Glory, O my God, and All Dominion and Light and Grandeur and Splendour be unto Thee, for Thou bestowest sovereignty on whom Thou willest, and dost withhold it from whom Thou desirest. No God is there but Thee The All-Knowing All Possessing, Most Exalted. Thou art He Who Created from naught, the universe and all that dwell therein.” (The Bab, Selections from the Writings of the Bab, p. 202) “He hath moreover deposited within the realities of all created things the emblem of His recognition, that everyone may know of a certainty that He is the Beginning and the End, the Manifest and the Hidden, the Maker and the Sustainer, the Omnipotent and the All-Knowing, the One Who heareth and perceiveth all things, He Who is invincible in His power and standeth supreme in His Own identity, He Who quickeneth and causeth to die, the All-Powerful, the Inaccessible, the Most Exalted, the Most High.” (The Bab, Selections from the Writings of the Bab, p. 111)

(The Bab, Selections from the Writings of the Bab, pp. 111, 176 and 202)

Baha’i Faith: ( Babi Religion) “GLORIFIED art Thou, O Lord my God! Thou art in truth The King of kings. Thou dost confer sovereignty upon whomsoever Thou willest and dost seize it from whom-so-ever Thou willest. Thou dost exalt whomsoever Thou willest and dost abase whomsoever Thou willest. Thou dost render victorious whomsoever Thou willest and dost bring humiliation upon whomsoever Thou willest. Thou dost bestow wealth upon whomsoever Thou willest and dost reduce to poverty whom-so-ever Thou willest. Thou dost cause whomsoever Thou willest to prevail over whomsoever Thou willest. Within Thy grasp Thou dost hold the empire of all created things and through the potency of Thy sovereign behest Thou dost call into being whomsoever Thou willest. Verily Thou art The Omniscient, The Omnipotent and The Lord of Power.” (The Bab, Selections from the Writings of the Bab, p. 213) “I have known Thee by Thy making known unto me that Thou art unknowable to anyone save Thyself.”

(The Bab, Selections from the Writings of the Bab, p. 196)

BAHA’I FAITH: “There is none other God but Him, the Creator;” (Baha’u’llah, Gleanings from the Writings of Baha’u’llah, p. 228) “Wash your hearts from all earthly defilements, and hasten to enter the Kingdom of your Lord, the Creator of earth and heaven, Who caused the world to tremble and all its peoples to wail, except them that have renounced all things and clung to that which the Hidden Tablet hath ordained.” (Baha’u’llah, Gleanings from the Writings of Baha’u’llah, p. 210) “Every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God is endowed with such potency as can instill new life into every human frame, if ye be of them that comprehend this truth. All the wondrous works ye behold in this world have been manifested through the operation of His supreme and most exalted Will, His wondrous and inflexible Purpose. Through the mere revelation of the word ‘Fashioner,’ issuing forth from His lips and proclaiming His attribute to mankind, such power is released as can generate, through successive ages, all the manifold arts which the hands of man can produce. This, verily, is a certain truth. No sooner is this resplendent word uttered, than its animating energies, stirring within all created things, give birth to the means and instruments, whereby such arts can be produced and perfected. All the wondrous achievements ye now witness are the direct consequences of the Revelation of this Name. In the days to come, ye will, verily, behold things of which ye have never heard before. Thus hath it been decreed in the Tablets of God, and none can comprehend it except them whose sight is sharp. In like manner, the moment the word expressing My attribute ‘The Omniscient’ issueth forth from My mouth, every created thing will, according to its capacity and limitations, be invested with the power to unfold the knowledge of the most marvelous sciences, and will be empowered to manifest them in the course of time at the bidding of Him Who is The Almighty, The All-Knowing. Know thou of a certainty that the Revelation of every other Name is accompanied by a similar manifestation of Divine power. Every single letter proceeding out of the mouth of God is indeed a mother letter, and every word uttered by Him Who is the Well Spring of Divine Revelation is a mother word, and His Tablet a Mother Tablet. Well is it with them that apprehend this truth.” (Baha’u’llah, Gleanings from the Writings of Baha’u’llah, p. 141) “To this Mine own Self, The Omnipotent, The Omniscient, The All-Wise, will testify.” (Baha’u’llah, Gleanings from the Writings of Baha’u’llah, p. 146)

But:

Baha’i Faith: “The people of the world are fast asleep.” (The Kitab-i-Aqdas, p. 33) Baha’i Faith: ( Babi Religion) “These are the days which the people in bygone times eagerly expected. What hath then befallen you that ye are fast asleep?” (The Bab, Selections from the Writings of the Bab, p. 161)  Christianity: Ephesians: 5:14 “Wherefore he saith, Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead.” Judaism: Proverbs 6:9 “How long wilt thou sleep, O sluggard? when wilt thou arise out of thy sleep?” Islam: 18. “Thou wouldst have deemed them awake, whilst they were asleep, Such (being their state).” (The Qur’an (Yusuf Ali tr), Surah  18) Zoroastrianism: “Sleep on, O men! Sleep on, O sinners! Sleep on and live in sin.” (Zoroaster, The Zend-Avesta, Avesta Fragments) Hinduism: “Religion is not his who sleeps away an idle mind;” “Him who is dead (spiritually dead) he wakes not from his slumber.” ((Hindu, Bhagavad Gita (Edwin Arnold tr) chapter 4) Vedas, Rig Veda – Book 1)) Buddhism: “People under delusion are as if asleep; they do not understand.” (Buddha, Sixth Patriarch) Sabeanism: “Arise, ye sleepers who lie there, Rise up, ye stumblers who have stumbled, Arise, worship and praise the Great Life (God).” (Sabeanism, Ginza Rba- chapters 114)Baha’i Faith: “Notwithstanding, they are still oblivious of this truth, and in the sleep of heedlessness, are pursuing the vanities of the world, and are occupied with thoughts of vain and earthly leadership.” (Bahá’í Faith, Baha’u’llah, The Kitab-i-Iqan, p. 227) Baha’i Faith: “Were they to wake from their slumber they would hasten with eagerness unto God, The All-Knowing, The All-Wise. They would cast away everything they possess, be it all the treasures of the earth, that their Lord may remember them to the extent of addressing to them, but one word. Such is the instruction given you by Him Who holdeth The Knowledge of all things hidden, in a Tablet, which the eye of creation hath not seen, and which is revealed to none except His Own Self, The Omnipotent Protector of all worlds. So bewildered are they in the drunkenness of their evil desires, that they are powerless to recognize The Lord of All Being, Whose voice calleth aloud from every direction: ‘There is none other God but Me, The Mighty, The All-Wise.’”

(Bahá’í Faith, Baha’u’llah, The Kitab-i-Aqdas, p. 33)

You see:

Baha’i Faith: “Far, far from Thy Glory, be what mortal man can affirm of Thee, or attribute unto Thee, or the praise, with which he can glorify Thee! What-so-ever duty Thou hast prescribed unto Thy servants of extolling to the utmost Thy Majesty and Glory, is but a token of Thy grace unto them, that they may be enabled to ascend unto the station conferred upon their own inmost being, the station of the knowledge of their own selves.” “No one else besides Thee hath, at any time, been able to fathom Thy Mystery, or befittingly to extol Thy Greatness. Unsearchable and high above the praise of men wilt Thou remain for ever. There is none other God but Thee, The Inaccessible, The Omnipotent, The Omniscient, The Holy of Holies.” “The beginning of all things is The Knowledge of God, and the end of all things, is strict observance of whatsoever hath been sent down from the empyrean of The Divine Will that pervadeth all that is in the heavens and all that is on the earth.”

(Bahá’í Faith, The Gleanings from the Writings of Baha’u’llah, p. 4)

Baha’i Faith: “God verily is, The Helper, The Knower, The Ordainer, The Omniscient.” (Baha’u’llah, Epistle to the Son of the Wolf, p. 138) “Verily, Thy Lord is The Omniscient, The All-Informed,” (Baha’u’llah, Gleanings from the Writings of Baha’u’llah, p. 334) “The Ever-Forgiving, The Omniscient, The All-Wise.” (Baha’u’llah, Gleanings from the Writings of Baha’u’llah, p. 310) “No God is there beside Thee, The Supreme Ruler, The All-Glorious, The Omniscient.” (Baha’u’llah, Prayers and Meditations by Baha’u’llah, p. 6) “Verily, no God is there but Me, the Powerful, the Mighty, the All-Subduing, the Most Exalted, the Omniscient, the All-Wise.” (Baha’u’llah, The Kitab-i-Aqdas, p. 66) “Powerful art Thou to do as Thou pleases, no God is there but Thee, The All Wise, The Omniscient, The All-Informed.” (Baha’u’llah, Prayers and Meditations by Baha’u’llah, p. 112) “God, you are Intelligent; through the ascendancy of God, The All-Knowing, The Incomparable, The True Luminary of Divine Understanding hath, in this day, risen from behind the veil of The Spirit, and the birds of every meadow are intoxicated, with the wine of knowledge and exhilarated with the remembrance of The Friend. Well is it with them that discover and hasten unto Him!” God and His Divine Manifestation. (Bahá’í Faith, Baha’u’llah, Tabernacle of Unity, Abdu’l-Baha, The Paris Talks, p. 133, Tablets of Baha’u’llah, p. 137, Baha’u’llah, Prayers and Meditations by Baha’u’llah, pp. 6 and 112, Gleanings from the Writings of Baha’u’llah, pp. 310, 334 and 337 and Epistle to the Son of the Wolf, p. 138)

    So you see, God is a god of extreme Wisdom, Knowledge, Reason and Intelligence, so we, as beings created in His image:  Judaism: Genesis 1:27 “So God created man in His own image, in the image of God created He him; male and female created He them;” Genesis 9:6 “for in the image of God made He man.”  Christianity: 1 John 4:13 “Hereby know we that we dwell in Him, and He in us, because He hath given us of His Spirit.” Islam: 9. “But He fashioned him (man) in due proportion, and breathed into him something of His spirit. And He gave you (the faculties of) hearing and sight and feeling and understanding.” “For such He has written Faith in their hearts, and strengthened them with a spirit from Himself.” “Allah (God) created you with His Own Hand, and breathed into you of His Spirit meaning the spirit which He created for you.” (The Qur’an (Yusuf Ali tr), Surah 32 and 58 and Islam, Hadith, Bukhari Vol 6, Book 60, # 236)  Zoroastrianism: “Man was made in the image of God, the son in the likeness of the Father.” 40. “Good renown, fair of body, godly of soul, and holy;” (Zoroaster, Hymns of Atharvan p. 411 and The Zend-Avesta, Khorda Avesta – Book of Common Prayer pt. 1) Baha’i Faith: “Man is made in God‘s image.” (Bahá’í Faith, Abdu’l-Baha, Paris Talks, p. 23) — so we being created in His image, ought to therefore take up the practice of using reason and intelligence in our thoughts and actions when we think about matters related to  our Creator. And we should proceed with our investigation into His words and teachings and matters related to the nature of this creation of His, with careful, inquisitive thoughts and proceed after the truth, found in the nature of God‘s words and creation with open minds and logic. We should do all this with clear and unbiased perception and again, open minds, for indeed, God tells us to do this, through His many messengers (manifestations of God). He tells us to do this through His very teachings and laws, given to mankind  through His manifestations, for our very own betterment, spiritual groweth and safe guard; and since we are truly created in His image we should strive to become more like our Creator, in actions and thoughts for our own spiritual well-being, as His teachings do in-fact tell us to do:

   God is our Creator and He again, created us in His image:  Judaism: Genesis 1:26 “And God said, Let us make man in Our image, after Our likeness:” 1:27 “So God created man in His own image, in the image of God created He him; male and female created He them.” Zechariah 12:1 “(The LORD) stretcheth forth,…..and layeth the foundation of the earth, and formeth the spirit of man within him.” And,  Christianity: John 4:24 “God is a Spirit: and they that worship Him must worship Him in spirit:” 4:23 “But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit — for the Father seeketh such to worship him.” (King James Bible) With all of this being said in the scriptures, surly things that are good and spiritually healthy for God are also good and spiritually healthy for us? – it makes spiritual sense, since we are and were created in His image. And since we were created in His image, we should do what we can, with His writings as a guide, to try and become more like Him; and the writings of the various religions sent to this earth from His manifestations tell us to do this also:

BAHA’I FAITH: “Surely, when we realize how God loves and cares for us, we should so order our lives that we may become more like Him.” (Abdu’l-Baha, Paris Talks, p. 120)

BAHA’I FAITH:    BABI RELIGION: “The attributes of the Most High are the originals of the moral virtues for which Christ commanded men to strive (for). It is from this fact the virtues derive their authority and their eternal values. By cultivating them (these virtues) man makes himself to be (more) like God (as we should be trying to do). Christ said, ‘Be ye perfect even as your Father in heaven is perfect’” (George Townshend, The Heart of the Gospel, p. 29)

 CHRISTIANITY: 1 John 3:2 “Beloved, now are we the sons of God.” 3:3 “And every man that hath this hope in Him purifieth himself, even as He is pure.” Matthew 5:48 “Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.” 1 John 4:17 “Herein is our love made perfect, — because as He is, so are we.”

 JUDAISM: Psalms 101:2 “I will behave myself wisely in a perfect way. — I will walk within my house with a perfect heart:” to “become more like to Thee (The One True Creator).” (Confessions of St Augustine, Book  7) 2 Kings 22:32 “For who is God, save The LORD? — He maketh my way perfect.” For, Psalms 18:32 “It is God that girdeth me with strength, and maketh my way perfect.” Because, Genesis 17:1 “I am The Almighty God; walk before Me, and be thou perfect,” 18:30 “For God, His way is perfect;” He is perfect, 18:32 “and maketh my way perfect,” so to be more as He is.

 ISLAM: “We are more like Him, he who follows the pleasure, (lives the life set out for Him) of (Allah, God),” is “he who follows the pleasure of God.” (The Qur’an (E.H. Palmer tr), Sura   3 – Imran’s Family)

  ZOROASTRIANISM: 16. “This I ask, whether the understanding man, who strives to advance the Dominion over the house, or district, or land through Asha, shall become (more) like Thee, O Mazda Ahura (God).” 3. “May he attain to that which is better than the good, who would teach us the straight paths of blessedness in this life here of the body and in that of thought – true paths that lead to the world where Ahura Mazda dwells – a faithful man, well-knowing and holy like Thee, O Mazda.” (The Zend-Avesta, Avesta – Yasnas 31 and 43)

 HINDUISM: “Be heroes, O my fellows, like Him; O comrades, follow in Indra’s (Brahma’s, Vishnu’s, God’s) footsteps.” “May we, O Mitra, Varuna, and Aryaman, like him be furtherers of your law.” (Vedas, Yajur Veda – Kanda IV and Vedas, Rig Veda – Book  8)

 BUDDHISM: Ye “walk with Him (Brahma, Vishnu, God) joyfully,” striving to become more like Him in goodness, actions and attributes. For, “conquering oneself is better than conquering other people; not even a god, a spirit, nor Mara with Brahma, could turn into a defeat the victory,” “That one is praised even by the gods, even by Brahma.” (Buddhist, Dhammapada – Sayings of the Buddha 1, 2 and 3 (tr. J. Richards))

 SABEANISM: “Manda-d-Hiia (Hiia, Haiyi, God) Sublimest of beings — The all-encompassing creator, in which, all should believe,” and strive to become more like. “In the name of The Life! I worship The First Life (Haiyi, Qadmaiyi, God) and praise my Lord Manda-d-Hiia. Thou art immeasurable, infinite and (for) ever.” “Now I humble myself and my children to Thy Good Name, for I have been true to Thy Name, and speak (it) in my heart and talk (of it) in my mind. And I subdue my form and my loins, and (am) brought to naught before the glory and light of Manda-d-Hiia! Thou art Love and Enduring, First Life (Haiyi, Qadmaiyi, God) before Whom no being had existence.” “Thou, Manda-d-Hiia, hast established for Thy chosen that which Thou hast revealed to us,” and we strive, with Thy word, to be more like Thee in our thoughts and actions; so,  “cut me not off from Your Good, Loving, wonderful, presence. I have acknowledged Thee (O) Elect Righteous One.” (Sabeanism, Ginza Rba)

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    You see, moving on, God gives us laws and teachings to help us, not because He is God and just wants to force us to do His bidding. He gives us laws and teachings as a help and a guide to us and as a benefit to our souls, and as a way to help our souls progress, and as a way for us to better interact with one another and get along with one another; and as a way for us to better maintain our lives and the world we live upon. It is a matter of something that a reasonable, practical, True, Caring, intelligent Creator would do for His creation, if you think about it logically; which is something the Creator is striving for us to do. God again wants us to use logic and reason in the process of comprehending what He is doing with us so we can become more spiritual in our thoughts and actions, and maybe become more like Him in deed and behavior; and not just be blind imitators who just blindly accept whatever they are being told to believe, without true actual thorough investigation into the matters seeking out the light of truth.

BAHA’I FAITH: “O ye peoples of the world! Know assuredly that My commandments are the lamps of My loving providence among My servants, and the keys of My mercy for My creatures. Thus hath it been sent down from the heaven of the Will of your Lord, The Lord of Revelation. Were any man to taste the sweetness of the words which the lips of the All-Merciful have willed to utter, he would, though the treasures of the earth be in his possession, renounce them one and all, that he might vindicate the truth of even one of His commandments, shining above the Dayspring of His bountiful care and loving-kindness.”

          (Bahá’í Faith, Baha’u’llah, The Kitab-i-Aqdas, p. 19)

   It is the laws and teachings given to us from God‘s divine teachers and instructors that, when studied by us, gives us the knowledge to help us become what we can spiritually become in this world and gives us a starting place for what we can strive for in the next world; which again is why we strive to become more like our Spiritual Father, so we can become more suited for that life, and advance more easily in the next world, which is made for spiritual beings like Him; and us with our spirits, not our bodies, being made in His image:  Christianity: 1 Corinthians 15:50 “Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God;” the physical body of man cannot go to heaven. Luke 17:20 “And when he (Jesus) was demanded of (by) the Pharisees, when the kingdom of God (heaven) should come, he answered them and said, The kingdom of God (heaven) cometh not with observation:” 17:21 “Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you,” you see, heaven is not a physical place for our physical bodies to reside in, and it is the teachings and laws given to us from our Creator that helps to prepare us here in this world for that existence there. We just need to look at those writings in a more spiritual light because again:  Christianity: John 4:24 “God is a Spirit: and they that worship Him must worship Him in spirit:” 4:23 “But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit — for the Father seeketh such to worship him.”

   It is our spirits that we were put here to develop, not our physical bodies, though if we develop them both it may make it so we are better able to do more work in the path of our worship of the Creator. But it is our spiritual self that we are here to develop, and we can do this by studying the Creator’s writings, teaching and laws that God has sent here through His Holy, Divine Messengers for us to learn by:  Christianity: John 4:23 “But — the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit — for the Father seeketh such to worship him.” We need to look for the spiritual meanings found within God‘s words with again, open minds and with logic and reason guiding our ways; for,  Christianity: John 4:24 “they that worship Him must worship Him in spirit:” or look into His guiding words with open seeking eyes and reason in our thoughts and than practice what we are reading.

So, moving forward, Abdu’l-baha tells us:

   The first kind of teachings, laws and ordinances we see in God‘s religions, Abdu’l-baha tells us, are concerned with essential teachings that are found within all of God‘s real God inspired religions: Baha’i Faith: “spiritual susceptibilities, the development of moral principles and the quickening of the conscience of man. These are essential or fundamental, one and the same in all religions, changeless and eternal — reality not subject to transformation.” (Abdu’l-Baha, The Promulgation of Universal Peace, p. 105) Examples of some  of these laws we need to obtain are:  have faith, get knowledge of the writings, have certitude, be an example of justice, live by piety, obtain righteousness in thy life, be trustworthy to your fellow man, love God, be benevolent to one another, be an example of purity in this world, live by detachment from the world, and practice humility, meekness, patience and constancy in your life and show mercy to the poor, defend the oppressed, give to those in need, and uplift the fallen. These are just a few of the numerous spiritual laws and ordinances that are found throughout the writings of God and are found in all the God fearing, God loving, kindness oriented religions of this world; and can easily be demonstrated by just searching through the writings of the various religions of God, for the similar spiritual entreaties. The other laws of God relate to the rules of order in the world and how we should behave towards one another and how we should interact with one another; world maintenance kind of laws.

BAHA’I FAITH: “The second classification or division comprises social laws and regulations applicable to human conduct. This is not the essential spiritual quality of religion. It is subject to change and transformation according to the exigencies and requirements of time and place.”

(Abdu’l-Baha, Baha’i World Faith – Abdu’l-Baha Section, p. 274)

    I have searched through the bible and the Bahá’í Writings and the other God based religions to demonstrate this truth for the reader. Some of these laws are not quite mentioned by name in the bible but the spirit and fundamental teachings of these laws are inferred to be there and so the teachings are the same; the other set of laws are set in place to help us maintain ourselves in this world: Some of the essential teachings of God can be looked at and studied on the web site www.onenessofreligions.com the other set of laws and teachings relate to world maintenance and our interactions with one another:

Baha’i Faith: “They whom God hath endued with insight will readily recognize that the precepts laid down by God constitute the highest means for the maintenance of order in the world and the security of its peoples.”

(Baha’u’llah, Gleanings from the Writings of Baha’u’llah, p. 331)

 JUDAISM: Psalms 140:12 “I know that The LORD will maintain the cause. He does this through our observance of His statutes.” This helps man to maintain order in this life. Deuteronomy 6:17 “Ye shall diligently keep the commandments of The LORD your God, and His testimonies, and His statutes, which He hath commanded thee.” Deuteronomy 6:18 “And thou shalt do that which is right and good in the sight of The LORD: that it may be well with thee,” Joshua 1:7 “Only be thou strong and very courageous, that thou mayest observe to do according to all the law, which Moses My servant commanded thee: turn not from it to the right hand or to the left, that thou mayest prosper withersoever thou goest.” Joshua 1:8 “This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.” Jeremiah 7:22 “For I spake not unto your fathers, nor commanded them in the day that I brought them out of the land of Egypt, concerning burnt offerings or sacrifices:” 7:23 “But this thing commanded I them, saying, Obey my voice, and I will be your God, and ye shall be my people: and walk ye in all the ways that I have commanded you, that it may be well unto you.” Proverbs 19:16 “He that keepeth the commandment keepeth his own soul; but he that despiseth his ways shall die.” Proverbs 29:18 “Where there is no vision, the people perish: but he that keepeth the law, happy is he.”

 CHRISTIANITY: Titus 3:8 “This is a faithful saying, and these things I will that thou affirm constantly, that they which have believed in God might be careful to maintain good works. These things are good and profitable unto men.” Titus 3:9 “But avoid foolish questions, and genealogies, and contentions, and strivings about the law; for they are unprofitable and vain. Observance of the law is profitable to mankind and the best means of maintaining the activities of man.” Ephesians 4:31 “Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice:” 4:32 “And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you;” this is good and profitable unto the people.

 ISLAM: Letter 31. “Remember my son, that before you is a long and arduous journey (life). The journey is not only very long, exhausting and onerous but the route is mostly through dismal, dreary and deserted regions where you will be sadly in need of refreshing, renovating and enlivening aids and helps and you cannot dispense with such provisions (Allah’s God’s statutes) as to keep you going and to maintain you till the end of the journey – the Day of Judgement.”

          (Islam, Ali b. Abi Taalib, Letters from Nahjul Balaagh)

  Islam: “The Prophet used to invoke Allah at night, saying, ‘O Allah: All the Praises are for You: You are The Lord of the Heavens and the Earth. All the Praises are for You; You are the Maintainer of the Heaven and the Earth and whatever is in them.” He maintains the affairs of mankind through the word and the ordinances of His teachings.

           (Islam, Hadith, Bukhari Vol 9)

Islam: 25. “We sent aforetime our messengers with Clear Signs and sent down with them the Book and the Balance (of Right and Wrong), that men may stand forth in justice.”

       (The Qur’an (Yusuf Ali tr), Surah  57)

Islam: 2. “Allah! there is no Allah but He, the Living, the Self-Subsisting, Eternal.” 3. “It is He Who sent down to thee (step by step), in truth, the Book, confirming what went before it; and He sent down Law (of Moses) and the Gospel (of Jesus) before this, as a guide to mankind, and He sent down the Criterion (of judgment between right and wrong).” 229. “If any do transgress the limits ordained by Allah, such persons wrong (themselves as well as others).” 231. “Do not treat Allah’s Signs as a jest, if anyone does that, He wrongs his own soul, but solemnly rehearse Allah’s favors on you, and the fact that He sent down to you the Book and Wisdom, for your instruction. And fear Allah, and know that Allah is well acquainted with all things.”

       (The Qur’an (Yusuf Ali tr), Surahs 2 and 3)

  ZOROASTRIANISM: “Mazda (God) is the source of all that is (good and) valuable in life.” “Mazda sustains the moral order. He is the source of all that is worthy in life.”

 (ZOROASTER, Hymns of Atharvan pp. 310 and 491)

 Zoroastrianism: “Spitama declared the law of Mazda to be (for) the betterment of the world by deeds.” “Improvement of the world should be one of the main items of duty.” “Mazda is the up holder of moral order of the universe.”

(ZOROASTER Hymns of Atharvan pp. 440, 778 and 780)

 Zoroastrianism: “One may consider this or that to be the purpose of religion, but its main purpose is the welfare of the society.” (Maintenance of human society) (ZOROASTER, Hymns of Atharvan p. 622)

 HINDUISM: “We the righteous laws maintain.” Our ever advancing civilization and our spirituality and our well-being are maintained by Krishna’s code of conduct.

           (Hindu, Mababharata (R. Dutt, abridged tr))

 BUDDHISM: 14. “Not to speak harshly and not to harm others, self restraint in accordance with the rules of the Order (moral laws), moderation in food, a secluded dwelling, and the cultivation of the higher levels of consciousness – this is the teaching of the Buddhas.” 25. “Therefore in this religion, this is what comes first for a wise bhikkhu – guarding of the senses, contentment, and discipline in accordance with the rules of the Order.”

       (Buddhist, Dhammapada – Sayings of the Buddha 1 (tr. J. Richards))

 Buddhism: 20. “This is the only way; None other is there for purity of vision. Enter upon this path,” these mandates of The Buddha. 20. “When walking along this path, You shall make an end of suffering This is the Way made known by Me.” 20. “You yourself should make an effort, The Tathagata (The Buddha) can but show the Way. The meditative one who walks this path Is released from the bonds of Mara.” And, order is brought into the world.

           (Buddhist, Dhammapada – Sayings of the Buddha 3 (tr. J. Richards))

 SABEANISM: “To you do I call and (you) do I teach, Men who have received the Sign. Certainly have ye held to established truth, Ye have held to the certainty about which I instructed you. I call to my chosen ones so that Ye may not turn your thought away from Me.” “Thou, Manda-d-Hiia (Haiyi, God), hast established for thy chosen that which Thou hast revealed to us from the book,” which establisheth order. “Good is the Good for the good, and His (nature, order) is set upon those who love His name.” “Thou hast freed us from death and united us with life, released us from darkness and united us with light, led us out of evil and joined us to good. Thou hast shown us the Way of Life and hast guided our feet into ways of truth and faith so that Life cometh and expelleth darkness and goodness (light) cometh and casteth out evil.” (Sabeanism, Ginza Rba – chapters 45, 48, 72 and 89)

 BAHA’I FAITH: ( BABI RELIGION) “Bábísm has no hierarchy, but instead aims to educate each individual believer to become a whole person, to be a fighter for freedom and the moral advancement of humanity.” “If all men were to observe the ordinances of God no sadness would befall that heavenly Tree.”

 (The Bab, Selections from the Writings of the Bab, p. 96 and Babi and Baha’i Religions, p. 54)

BAHA’I FAITH: “The laws and ordinances that constitute the major theme of this Book, Bahá’u’lláh, moreover, has specifically characterized as ‘the breath of life unto all created things,’ as ‘the mightiest stronghold,’ as the ‘fruits’ of His ‘Tree,’ as ‘the highest means for the maintenance of order in the world and the security of its peoples,’ as ‘the lamps of His wisdom and loving-providence,’ as ‘the sweet smelling savour of His garment,’ as the ‘keys’ of His ‘mercy’ to His creatures.”

 (Bahá’í Faith, Baha’u’llah, Synopsis and Codification of the Kitab-i-Aqdas, p. 2)

   So you see, The Laws of God are the best means of maintenance for order in the world. They give order and unity for man to rise above the animalistic nature found within man and help to bring about the advancement and civilization of the world of man: Baha’i Faith: “They whom God hath endued with insight will readily recognize that the precepts laid down by God constitute the highest means for the maintenance of order in the world and the security of its peoples.” (Baha’u’llah, Gleanings from the Writings of Baha’u’llah, p. 331)  Judaism: Psalms 140:12 “I know that The LORD will maintain the cause. He does this through our observance of His statutes.” This helps man to maintain order in this life.

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Bahá’u’lláh further tells us to avoid the darkness of ignorance and further tells us to again, use reason and intelligence to seek out the truth of all matters to know and discover the truth in all things:

  BAHA’I FAITH: “Be anxiously concerned with the needs of the age ye live in, and centre your deliberations on its exigencies and requirements. Turn your faces from the darkness of estrangement to the effulgent light of the daystar of unity. Ye are the fruits of one tree and the leaves of one branch. Whatsoever leadeth to the decline of ignorance and the increase of knowledge hath been, and will ever remain, approved in the sight of The Lord of Creation.” So again, study of the word and things that are told to us, through the means of logic and reason, will open the doors to knowledge and enlightenment!

(Bahá’í Faith, Baha’u’llah, Tabernacle of Unity)

Baha’i Faith: “The incomparable Friend saith: The path to freedom hath been outstretched; hasten ye thereunto. The wellspring of wisdom is overflowing; quaff ye therefrom. Say: O well-beloved ones! The tabernacle of unity hath been raised; regard ye not one another as strangers. Ye are the fruits of one tree, and the leaves of one branch. Verily I say, whatsoever leadeth to the decline of ignorance and the increase of knowledge hath been, and will ever remain, approved in the sight of The Lord of creation. Say: O people! Walk ye neath the shadow of justice and truthfulness and seek ye shelter within the tabernacle of unity.”

    “Say: O ye that have eyes to see! The past is the mirror of the future. Gaze ye therein and be apprised thereof; perchance ye may be aided thereby to recognize the Friend and may be not the cause of His displeasure. In this day the choicest fruit of the tree of knowledge is that which serveth the welfare of humanity and safeguardeth its interests.”

(Baha’u’llah, Tabernacle of Unity)

Baha’i Faith: “Know ye that God has created in man the power of reason whereby man is enabled to investigate reality. God has not intended for man to blindly imitate his fathers and ancestors. He has endowed him with mind, or the faculty of reasoning, by the exercise of which, he is to investigate and discover the truth; and that which he finds real and true, he must accept. He must not be an imitator, or a blind follower of any soul. He must not rely implicitly upon the opinion of any one man or person without investigation; nay, each soul must seek intelligently, and independently arriving at a real conclusion, and bound only by that reality. The greatest cause of bereavement, and disheartening, in the world of humanity is ignorance based upon blind imitation. It is due to this, that wars and battles prevail; from this cause hatred and animosity arise continually among mankind.”

(Baha’i Faith, Abdu’l-Baha, Foundations of World Unity, p. 73)

Baha’i Faith: “God has given man the eye of investigation by which he may see and recognize truth. He has endowed man with ears that he may hear the message of reality and conferred upon him the gift of reason by which he may discover things for himself. This is his endowment and equipment for the investigation of reality. Man is not intended to see through the eyes of another, hear through another’s ears nor comprehend with another’s brain. Each human creature has individual endowment, power and responsibility in the creative plan of God. Therefore depend upon your own reason and judgment and adhere to the outcome of your own investigation; otherwise you will be utterly submerged in the sea of ignorance and deprived of all the bounties of God.”

(Abdu’l-Baha, Foundations of World Unity, p. 75)

 Baha’i Faith: “The power of the intellect is one of God‘s greatest gifts to mankind; it is the power that makes him a higher creature than the animal. For, whereas, century by century and age by age man’s intelligence grows and becomes keener, that of the animal remains the same. They are no more intelligent today than they were a thousand years ago! Is there a greater proof than this needed to show man’s dissimilarity to the animal creation? It is surely as clear as day.” “For spiritual perfections, they are man’s birthright, and belong to him alone. of all creation. Man is, in reality, a spiritual being, and only when he lives in the spirit is he truly happy. This spiritual longing and perception belongs to all men.”

(Bahá’í Faith, Abdu’l-Baha, Paris Talks, p. 72)

   In the Bahá’í Faith, as stated previously; one of the things the writings of God tell us to do is use our minds and try to reason out the true, deeper meanings and understandings of God’s holy words. This form of reasoning is also, in evidence, in the bible, as-well-as, the other religions of God:  Judaism: Ecclesiastes 1:13 “And I gave my heart to seek and search out by wisdom concerning all things that are done under heaven: this sore travail hath God given to the sons of man to be exercised therewith.” Ecclesiastes 7:23 “All this have I proved by wisdom: I said, I will be wise; but it was far from me.” Ecclesiastes 7:24 “That which is far off, and exceeding deep, who can find it out?” Ecclesiastes 7:25 “I applied mine heart to know, and to search, and to seek out wisdom, and the reason of things,” Job 29:16 “The cause which I knew not I searched out.” (used reason to understand). Proverbs 8:12 “I wisdom dwell with prudence, and find out knowledge,” Isaiah 1:18 “Come now, and let us reason together, saith The LORD:” Let us, as men, use reason. 1 Kings 12:7 “Now therefore stand still, that I may reason with you.” For, Exodus 36:1 “The LORD put wisdom and understanding to know how to work all manner of work.” Daniel 2:21 “And He giveth wisdom unto the wise, and knowledge to them that know understanding:” 2:22 “He revealeth the deep and secret things:” So, 9:25 “know therefore and understand.” Hosea 14:9 “Who is wise, and he shall understand these things? prudent, and he shall know them? for the ways of The LORD are right, and the just shall walk in them:” Isaiah 41:20 “That they may see, and know, and consider, and understand.” That, Job 23:5 “I would know the words which he would answer me, and understand what he would say unto me.” Proverbs 4:1 “Hear, ye children, the instruction of a father, and attend to know understanding.” Micah 4:12 “But they know not the thoughts of The LORD, neither understand they His counsel:” Psalms 92:6 “A brutish man knoweth not; neither doth a fool understand this.” 82:5 “They know not, neither will they understand; they walk on in darkness:” 119:125 “I am Thy servant; give me understanding, that I may know Thy testimonies.” 119:129 “Thy testimonies are wonderful: therefore doth my soul keep them.” 119:130 “The entrance of Thy words giveth light; it giveth understanding.”

 CHRISTIANITY: Mark 4:11 “And he said unto them, Unto you it is given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God: but unto them that are without, all these things are done in parables:” 4:12 “That seeing they may see, and not perceive.” Acts 6:2 “Then the twelve called the multitude of the disciples unto them, and said, ‘It is not reason, that we should leave the word of God,”’ Colossians 3:16 “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom;” 4:5 “Walk in wisdom.” (walk in reason). James 1:5 “If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God,” 1 Peter 4:12 “Beloved, think,” reason things out. 2 Corinthians 12:6 “Man should think.” (use reason). Sirach 16:23 “He that wanteth understanding will think.” (Sirach (Apocrypha) 2 Corinthians 10:7 “let him of himself think.” (reason things out). 1 Corinthians 8:2 “And if any man think that he knoweth any thing, he knoweth nothing yet as he ought to know.” So, 1 Corinthians 10:15 “I speak as to wise men; judge ye what I say,” (reason out what I say). 2 Timothy 1:13 “Hold fast the form of sound words which thou hast heard of me in faith and love which is in Christ Jesus.” (hold fast to reason).

BAHA’I FAITH: “Shouldst thou come with the whole of thy being to God and be attracted to the lights of the Kingdom of God and be enkindled by the fire of the love of God, then wilt thou see that which thou canst not see today, wilt comprehend the inner significance of the Word of God and thoroughly understand the mysteries contained in the holy Books.”

   “But as to the Jewish doctors, Christian priests and monks who read those Books, verily, they know the letter only and they utter the words, as parrots, without understanding their inner meanings. They comprehend them not, because they are engrossed in worldly desires and lusts and their hearts are attached to mundane allurements. Verily, are they not heedless of God and understand nothing and find not the right path?”

(Abdu’l-Baha, Baha’i World Faith – Abdu’l-Baha Section, p. 391)

Baha’i Faith: “Therefore, make use of intelligence and reason so that you may dispel these dense clouds from the horizon of human hearts and all hold to the one reality of all the Prophets. It is most certain that if human souls exercise their respective reason and intelligence upon the divine questions, the power of God will dispel every difficulty, and the eternal realities will appear as one light, one truth, one love, one God and a peace that is universal.”

(Bahá’í Faith, Abdu’l-Baha, The Promulgation of Universal Peace, p. 79)

Baha’i Faith: “Seek with all your hearts this Heavenly Light, so that you may be enabled to understand the realities, that you may know the secret things of God.”

(Abdu’l-Baha, Paris Talks, p. 69)

BAHA’I FAITH: ( BABI RELIGION)  “Grant, O my God, that I may not be reckoned among Those whose ears are deaf, whose eyes are blind, whose tongues are speechless and whose hearts have failed to comprehend. Deliver me, O Lord, from the fire of ignorance and of selfish desire, suffer me to be admitted into the precincts of Thy transcendent mercy and send down upon me that which Thou hast ordained for Thy chosen ones. Potent art Thou to do what Thou willest. Verily Thou art the Help in Peril, the Self-Subsisting.” (The Bab, Selections from the Writings of the Bab, p. 215)

Baha’i Faith: ( Babi Religion) “His (The Bab’s) teachings met with instant opposition on the part of the orthodox religionists of the day. After two years he was imprisoned and held a prisoner until 1850 when he was shot in the public square of Tabriz.” (Abdu’l-Baha, Divine Philosophy, p. 5) “Nevertheless they comprehended not.” (The Bab, Selections from the Writings of the Bab, p. 136) “Comprehendeth not a single letter from the Book of God.” (The Bab, Selections from the Writings of the Bab, p. 25)

 Baha’i Faith: ( Babi Religion) “Those who will bear allegiance unto Him Whom God shall make manifest are the ones who have grasped the meaning of that which hath been revealed in the Bayan; they are indeed the sincere ones, while those who turn away from Him at the time of His appearance will have utterly failed to comprehend a single letter of the Bayan, even though they profess belief and assurance in whatever is revealed in it or observe its precepts.” (The Bab, Selections from the Writings of the Bab, p. 137)

Baha’i Faith: ( Babi Religion) “Souls who take delight in the remembrance of God, Who dilates their hearts through the effulgence of the light of knowledge and wisdom. They seek naught but God and are oft engaged in giving praise unto Him. They desire naught except, whatever He desireth and stand ready to do His bidding.” (The Bab, Selections from the Writings of the Bab, p. 145) “I enquired the reason.” (The Dawn-Breakers, p. 59 )

 ISLAM: “Fear Allah (God) — deeply deliberate over the duties that Allah has laid down upon you, each one of them is His due which should be respectfully rendered. Try to learn and understand that for which you have no right to plead ignorance.” “Remember that there are clear modes, honest means, bright ways, rational procedures, sensible manners, pious methods of faithfully carrying out His orders and obeying His commands.”

   “Whoever turns away from Allah (God) actually turns away from the realities of life and dictates of wisdom and therefore, he wanders in the wilderness of ignorance.” (turns away from the dictates of reason to wonder in ignorance). So, “Be reasonable and act rationally!”

(Islam, Ali b. Abi Taalib, Letters from Nahjul Balaagh)

Islam: 65. “Say: None in the heavens or on earth, except Allah, knows what is hidden: nor can they perceive.” 66. “Still less can their knowledge comprehend, — they are in doubt and uncertainty thereanent; nay, they are blind thereunto!” (The Qur’an (Yusuf Ali tr), Surah 27) “Allah’s Apostle said, ‘If Allah wants to do good for somebody, he makes him comprehend the Religion,”’ the message and teachings within the religion.

(Hadith, Bukhari Vol 4, Book 53, Number 346)

Islam: “They should not be satisfied with ordinary inquiries or scrutiny of a case, but should scrupulously go through all the pros and cons; they must examine every aspect of the problem carefully, and whenever and wherever they find doubtful and ambiguous points, they must stop and go through further details, clear the points, and only then proceed with their decisions. They must attach the greatest of importance to the use of reasoning (in their) arguments and proofs. They should not get tired of lengthy discussions and arguments. They must exhibit (true reason) patience and perseverance in scanning the details, in testing the points presented as true, in sifting facts from fiction and when the truth is revealed to them, they must pass their judgements without fear, favour or prejudice.”

(Islam, Ali b. Abi Taalib, Letters from Nahjul Balaagh)

Islam: “Consult among yourselves in reason.” Muhammad tells us, we are to use reason and reason things out, to know and to understand things, when we consult amongst ourselves.

(The Qur’an (E.H. Palmer tr), Sura  65)

Islam: “Counsel together (among yourselves), according to what is just and reasonable.” Use reason and wisdom to know and understand things and the writings of Allah/God.

(The Qur’an (Yusuf Ali tr), Surah  65)

Islam: 33. “The things that my Lord, (the things Allah) hath indeed forbidden are: shameful deeds, whether open or in secret; sins and trespasses against truth or reason;” Muhammad seems to be telling us, that true sins and trespasses that go against God are in truth going against the all too real word and writings of God and are, in reality, actually going against real truth and reason, according to Muhammad. So then, if and when we preform real sins, we do so against ourselves, because real sin goes against true reason, according to Muhammad.

(The Qur’an (Yusuf Ali tr), Surah   7)

  ZOROASTRIANISM: 19. “What is the word well spoken? It is the bounteous word of reason.” Again, we are to use reason when we think and speak. So, 125. “Invite (all) to the way of thy Lord with wisdom (and reason).”

(Zoroaster, The Zend-Avesta, Avesta – Yasna 19)

 Zoroastrianism: 59. “People of small understanding who do not seek for better understanding — make those diseases (of ignorance) grow stronger.”

(The Zend-Avesta, Avesta – Vendidad)

 Zoroastrianism: 3. “Adoration and praise be to the righteous Lord Who made man the greatest of all earthly creatures and through (the gift of) speech and the power of reasoning, created them for the sovereignty of the times and for the management of the creatures.” God (Ahura Mazda) created man, as the greatest of all earthly creatures, by man’s ability to use a reasoning mind to know and understand things; so, it is extremely, all important for us to use a reasoning mind in all the things we say, do and observe; including our study of all the writings of God. So, if the writings of God don’t seem to really make any sense to us, we are probably misunderstanding God’s word and His message to us.

(The Zend-Avesta, Khorda Avesta – Book of Common Prayer pt. 1)

 Zoroastrianism: Denkard. Zoroaster, “Be it known that, in man reason is the judging faculty. Like unto a judge who, while passing a decision upon a mysterious case, believes the testimony of a great person, and in his judgment approves of what is manifestly sensible and true. The judging faculty of reason discerns, [accepts] by means of intelligence, the intelligence of the religion, and what knowledge of the invisible is acquirable, or not acquirable for this life. Whatever is known by the test of reason to be sublime and true in every respect, is the essence of reason. – Again, when the sayings of religion, which, when it proves to be manifestly miserable and false by the test of true reasoning and intelligence; are never fit for this life. What is said to be highly obscure in the eye of reason, is not accepted in the belief of the judging faculty of reason, just as the forged evidence of a false and deceitful person on a subject which as above-said, is hidden to the judge, and it is not accepted (as truth) by the judging, reasonable person.”

 HINDUISM: 96. “Of all the created beings, the most excellent are said to be those which are animated; of all of the animated beings, those which subsist by intelligence; (by the use of intelligence and reason, are the best);” “put forward a rational explanation,” a reasonable explanation. (Hindu, Laws of Manu chapter 1 and Dharma Sutras, Gutama)

 Hinduism: 94. “The Veda is the eternal eye of the manes, gods, and men; the Veda-ordinance (is) both beyond the sphere of (human) power, and beyond the sphere of (human) comprehension; that is a certain fact.” (Hindu, Laws of Manu) 28. “But, if a (truly) learned man, after fully scrutinizing all of this (the writings of Brahma, God) with the eye of knowledge (and reason), should, in accordance with the authority of the revealed texts, be intent on (the performance of) his duties, (he doeth well).” Again, we are to use truth, reason and intelligence in our investigation and study into the word of God and our performance of all of our duties.

(Hindu, Laws of Manu)

 BUDDHISM: 3. “Seeing your body as no better than an earthen pot, make war on Mara (the devil) with the sword of wisdom (reason).”

(Buddhist, Dhammapada – Sayings of the Buddha 1 (tr. J. Richards))

 Buddhism: “He who has here and now rejected both good and evil, and in leading the holy life, lives in accordance with reason – he is indeed called a Bhikkhu.”

 Buddhism: “Better is a single day’s life of one Who understands the truth sublime Than a hundred years life of one Who knows not that truth.”

(Buddhist, Dhammapada – Sayings of the Buddha 3 (tr. J. Richards))

 Buddhism: “Those (people) who have gained a high degree of (true) intellectual understanding of the truths, concerning the aggregates that make up personality and it’s external world, but who are filled with fear when they face the significance and consequences of these truths, and the demands, which their learning makes upon them; that is, not to become attached to the external world and its manifold forms making for comfort and power, and to keep away from the entanglements of its social relations.” (Buddha, Lankavatara Sutra)

 Buddhism: “The discriminating mind, because of it’s capacity to discriminate and judge, select and use reason, is also called the thinking, or intellectual mind.” (Buddha, Lankavatara Sutra)

 Buddhism: “By making use of skillful means and expedients (measures of reason), are intended to awaken in all beings a true perception of the Dharma.” We are to use reason to perceive measure and understand the Dharma, the writings of Brahma, Vishnu, God, as brought to us by Buddha and all of the other manifestations of God. (Buddha, Lankavatara Sutra)

 SABEANISM: “I came to the congregation of souls, For the Life (God) sent me, sent me forth. There were some who bought my wares, (received the teachings) There those who came to their end and lay down. There were those who bought my wares. The eyes (of such a one) were filled with light, Filled with light were his eyes (On) beholding the Great (One) in the House of Perfection, There were those who did not buy my wares. They went on, reached their end and lay down. they were blind and saw not, Their ears were stopped and they heard not And their hearts were not awakened To behold the Great One in the House of Perfection. As They called them and they answered not, When they call, who will answer them? Because it was given to them but they took not, Who will give to them when they ask?” “Lord of mystic books, Lord of ‘Letters-of-Truth’ The name of The Life (Haiyi, God) and the name of Manda-d-Hiia be pronounced upon thee! The name of the great mystic Wellspring is pronounced upon thee. The name of the great Mystery, the mystic Word, is pronounced upon thee.” (Sabeanism, Ginza Rba- chapters 90, 173 and 410

Sabeanism: “For my heart hath testified to The First Life (Haiyi, God), be careful make enquiry, (use reason), that the truth be known from falsehood.” (Sabeanism, Ginza Rba- chapters, 74 and 76)

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BAHA’I FAITH: “God has given us rational minds for this purpose, to penetrate all things, to find truth. If one renounce reason, what remains? The sacred texts? How can we understand God‘s commands and to what use can we put them without the balance of reason?“

(Abdu’l-Baha, Divine Philosophy, p. 102)

Baha’i Faith: “Now, all questions of morality contained in the spiritual, immutable law of every religion are logically right. If religion were contrary to logical reason then it would cease to be a religion and be merely a tradition. Religion and science are the two wings upon which man’s intelligence can soar into the heights, with which the human soul can progress. It is not possible to fly with one wing alone!” (Abdu’l-Baha, Paris Talks, p. 142)

Baha’i Faith: “The fourth teaching of Bahá’u’lláh is the agreement of religion and science. God has endowed man with intelligence and reason whereby he is required to determine the verity of questions and propositions. If religious beliefs and opinions are found contrary to the standards of science they are mere superstitions and imaginations; for the antithesis of knowledge is ignorance, and the child of ignorance is superstition. Unquestionably there must be agreement between true religion and science. If a question be found contrary to reason, faith and belief in it are impossible and there is no outcome but wavering and vacillation.”

(Abdu’l-Baha, Baha’i World Faith – Abdu’l-Baha Section, p. 240)

Baha’i Faith: “The intelligence of man, his reasoning powers, his knowledge, his scientific achievements, all these being manifestations of the spirit, partake of the inevitable law of spiritual progress and are, therefore, of necessity, immortal.”

   “My hope for you is that you will progress in the world of spirit, as well as in the world of matter; that your intelligence will develop, your knowledge will augment, and your understanding be widened.”

(Abdu’l-Baha, Paris Talks, p. 90)

Again:

Baha’i Faith: ( Babi Religion) “Verily, these are souls who take delight in the remembrance of God, Who dilates their hearts through the effulgence of the light of knowledge and wisdom. They seek naught but God and are oft engaged in giving praise unto Him. They desire naught except whatever He desireth and stand ready to do His bidding.”

(The Bab, Selections from the Writings of the Bab, p. 145)

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   So clearly, we need to use logic, reason and open mindedness in our studies and research into The Holy Writings of God; and one of the biggest reasons for this is the spiritual, symbolic nature of the word of God, with hidden meanings and teachings hidden below the surfaces of God‘s Holy Words and Writings for man to find out and discover in his spiritual pathway towards The Divine Being.

    God wishes for us to be rational and use wisdom and reason in our thoughts and thinking process, and look with open eyes and minds with logic, so we will know and understand the nature and understanding of things and come to logical conclusions  in regards to God‘s spiritual teachings and the symbolic spiritual nature of His writings; (so we need to look with the eye of the spirit into God‘s spiritual, symbolic message to mankind):  Judaism: Hosea 12:10 “I have also spoken by the prophets, and I have multiplied visions, and used similitudes (allegories, symbolic words and messages within His words and writings), by the ministry of the prophets.” Zechariah 4:4 “So I answered and spake to the angel that talked with me, saying, What are these, my lord?” 4:5 “Then the angel that talked with me answered and said unto me, Knowest thou not what these be? And I said, No, my lord.” 4:6 “Then he (the angel) answered and spake unto me, saying, This is The Word of The LORD saying, Not by might, nor by power, but by My Spirit (shall we know and understand), saith The LORD of Hosts.” 4:7 “Thereof with shoutings, crying, Grace, grace unto it (the word).” 4:8 “Moreover the word of The LORD came unto me, saying,” 4:9 “Thou shalt know that The LORD of Hosts hath sent me unto you.” But, 7:12 “they made their hearts as an adamant stone, lest they should hear the law, and the words which The LORD of Hosts hath sent in His spirit by the former prophets;” the spirit and spiritual message unto the people, But, 7:13 “they would not hear.” For, 1 Kings 16:7 “The LORD seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance,” but to see the true nature of His teachings we have to look within His teachings at the spiritual symbolic messages within His teachings. You see, 2 Kings 23:2 “The Spirit of The LORD spake by me, and His word was in my tongue;” the spirit of the word. So, Haggai 2:5 “According to the word — my spirit remaineth among you,” within the word and in spirit. Isaiah For thus,  59:21 “saith The LORD; My spirit that is upon thee, and my words (the spirit found in the words) which I have put in thy mouth shall not depart out of thy mouth, nor out of the mouth of thy seed, nor out of the mouth of thy seed’s seed, saith The LORD.” For, Proverbs 1:20 “Wisdom crieth without; she uttereth her voice in the streets”: 1:21 “She crieth in the chief place of concourse, in the openings of the gates: in the city she uttereth her words, saying,” 1:22 “How long, ye simple ones, will ye love simplicity? and the scorners delight in their scorning, and fools hate knowledge?” 1:23 “Turn you at My reproof: behold, I will pour out My spirit unto you, I will make known My words unto you;” God‘s spirit found within His message to mankind. Psalms 135:17 “They have ears, but they hear not.” For, Proverbs 25:2 “It is the glory of God to conceal a thing: but the honour of kings is to search out a matter.” Deuteronomy 29:4 “Yet The LORD hath not given you an heart to perceive, and eyes to see, and ears to hear, unto this day.” Ezekiel 13:1 “And the word of The LORD came unto me, saying,” 13:2 “Son of man, — Hear ye the word of The LORD; 13:3 Thus saith The Lord GOD; Woe unto the foolish prophets, that follow their own spirit, and have seen nothing!” They see nothing of the spirit of God hidden within the Holy Word. Isaiah 42:20 Thus, “seeing many things, but thou observest not; opening the ears, but he heareth not.”

 CHRISTIANITY: 2 Corinthians 10:7 “Do ye look on things after the outward appearance?” 4:18 “We look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen, (the spiritual symbolic nature found within His words): for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.” 1 Corinthians 2:7 “We speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom.” John 4:22 For, “Ye worship ye know not what:” 4:23 “But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him.” 4:24 For, “God is a Spirit: and they that worship Him must worship Him in spirit,” spiritually looking for the hidden meanings found within His words and messages. Zechariah 12:1 For, “(The LORD) stretcheth forth,….. and formeth the spirit of man within him.” 6:63 For, “It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.” Mark 4:23 “If any man have ears to hear, let him hear.” Romans 7:14 “For we know that the law (and word) is spiritual.” So, Romans 8:1 “Walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.” Luke 15:24 “For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found.” Romans 8:13 “For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die!” Another way to look at this is that if you take the word of God literally or after the literal, physical nature you will symbolically die or be dead of the spirit for lack of true spiritual knowledge and lack any spiritual growth of the soul; so God will consider you dead of the soul:  Judaism: For, Hosea 4:6 “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge.”  Christianity: Luke 9:45 “But they understood not this saying, and it was hid from them, that they perceived it not:” they understood not the spirit and symbols found inside of the word. Matthew 13:13 “Therefore speak I (Jesus Christ) to them in parables: because they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand.” Mark 8:18 “Having eyes, see ye not, and having ears, hear ye not.” Matthew 15:14 “Let them alone: they be blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch.” 1 Corinthians 2:10 “But God hath revealed them unto us, (the hidden meanings of His massage) by His Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God.” 2:11 “For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God.” John For, 3:12 “If I have told you earthly things, and ye believe not, how shall ye believe, if I tell you of heavenly things?”  5:46 “For had ye believed Moses, ye would have believed me: for he wrote of me.” 5:47 “But if ye believe not his writings, how shall ye believe my words?” So let us now look again at these statements from Jesus in more depth: Matthew 13:3 “And he (Jesus) spake many things unto them in parables,” 13:10 “And the disciples came, and said unto him, Why speakest thou unto them in parables?” 13:13 “Therefore speak I to them in parables: because they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand.” 13:14 “And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Esaias, which saith, By hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and shall not perceive:” 13:15 “For this people’s heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them.” 1 Corinthians For, 3:2 “I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able.” 2 Corinthians 4:3 For, “if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost:” 4:4 “In whom the God of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.” Again, 4:18 “We look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.” 8:12 “For if there be first a willing mind, it is accepted according to that a man hath, and not according to that he hath not.” 1 Corinthians 2:6 “Howbeit we speak wisdom among them that are perfect: yet not the wisdom of this world, nor of the princes of this world, that come to naught:” 2:7 “But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory:” 2:8 “Which none of the princes of this world knew: for had they known it, they would not have crucified The Lord of glory.”

   When Christ and the other prophets spoke to man it was through the hidden wisdom of the word of God, which has hidden mysteries concealed in the words or hidden symbolisms concealed in the words. Had people been able to understand this they would have accepted Christ as the son of God and followed his teachings and not crucified him. Paul further reiterates this in 1 Corinthians 2:13 through 14 saying:  Christianity: 1 Corinthians 2:13 “We speak, not in the words which man’s wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual.” Paul is clearly saying that they speak not in the words of man, but in words that are inspired by the Holy Ghost which teaches spiritual things clothed in spiritual words. 1 Corinthians 2:14 “But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.” 2 Peter For, 1:20 “no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation.” 1:21 “For the prophecy (and word) came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.” The prophets of the bible spoke in words that they were moved by the Holy Ghost to reveal; spiritual words which require spiritual eyes to see and spiritual ears to hear. 2 Corinthians 3:5 “Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think anything as of ourselves; but our sufficiency is of God;” 3:6 “Who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life.” The letter of the word by itself without spiritual reflection, killeth. The letter by itself, without spiritual reflection, blinds the soul of man leaving him standing in the darkness of ignorance and superstition holding onto the literal meaning of the word without hope of spiritual guidance. St John 20:5 “For, it is impossible to understand (all) the hidden truths of God which are in His sayings, and the multitude of their meanings!” (St. John) For again, 1 Corinthians 2:14 “the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God (His true spiritual teachings and writings): for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.” For, John 6:63 “It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.” 1 Corinthians 2:6 For, “we speak wisdom among them; yet not the wisdom of this world,” 2:7 “But we speak the (spiritual) wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom!” Matthew 19:11 But, “all men cannot receive this saying, save they to whom it is given.” Colossians 1:9 So, “we do not cease to pray for you and desire that ye might be filled with all wisdom and spiritual understanding;” For, 1 Corinthians: 2:4 “my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man’s wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit,” So, Mark 13:14 “let him that readeth understand!” For, 1 John 4:6 “We are of God (and) he that knoweth God heareth us; (and) he that is not of God heareth not us — the spirit of truth.” 1 Corinthians 2:10 For, “the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God (the hidden meanings and allusions within His teachings).” So, we must, again, look for our very own selves and see where God is actually leading us? For, “the Sayings (God’s Holy words and teachings) are not intended to be interpreted literally!” (The Gospel of Thomas) 2 Timothy 3:13 For, “evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived.” 4:3 “For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts,” 4:4 “And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.” So, 2:15 “(study to shew thyself approved unto God), a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth; (seeking and understanding the word).” 2 Peter 1:16 “For we have not followed cunningly devised fables,” but sought the truth hidden within God’s Holy Words.

 ISLAM: For, 102. “The Holy Spirit has brought the revelation (the word and message) from thy Lord, in truth, in order to strengthen those who believe, and as a guide and Glad Tidings.” (The Qur’an Yusuf Ali, Surah 16) For, 85. “The Spirit (of the word cometh) by the command of my Lord: of knowledge (but) it is only a little of (the spiritual symbolic word) that is communicated to you, (O men!)” (The Qur’an Yusuf Ali, Surah 17) For, 192. “this is a Revelation from The Lord of the Worlds:” 193. “With it (the word) came down the Spirit of Faith and Truth.” (The Qur’an Yusuf Ali, Surah 26) For, 5. “by His command doth He send the spirit (of inspiration) to any of His servants He pleases.” (The Qur’an Yusuf Ali, Surah 40) 30. That “he (man) might Grow (in spiritual understanding)?” “Though it is no blame to thee if he grow not (in spiritual understanding).” (The Qur’an Yusuf Ali, Surah 80) 20. “O ye who believe! obey Allah and His Messenger, and turn not away from him when ye hear (him speak).” 21. “Nor be like those who say, ‘We hear,’ but listen not:” 22. “For the worst of beasts in the sight of Allah are the deaf and the dumb, those who understand not.” 23. “If Allah had found in them any good, He would indeed have made them listen;” hear the true spirit and spiritual message found within the word. (The Qur’an (Yusuf Ali tr), Surah 8) 80. “Truly thou canst not cause the Dead to listen, nor canst thou cause the Deaf to hear the call, (especially) when they turn back in retreat.” (The Qur’an (Yusuf Ali tr), Surah 27) 46. “Do they not travel through the land, so that their hearts may thus learn wisdom and their ears may thus learn to hear? Truly it is not their eyes that are blind but their hearts which are in their breasts.” (The Qur’an (Yusuf Ali tr), Surah 22) And, 15. “Allah (God) will throw back their mockery on them, and give them rope in their trespasses; so they will wander like blind ones (to and fro).” (The Qur’an (Yusuf Ali tr) Surah 2)

Islam: So, 121. “Those to whom We have sent the book study it as it should be studied!” “Recite (and study) the Qur’an,”’ 94. “investigate carefully.” 93. “Bring ye the Law and study it;” 6. “ascertain the truth.” (Qur’an Yusuf Ali, Surahs 3, 4, 49 and Hadith, Bukhari Vol 9, Book 92, # 466) 27. “We have put forth for men, in this Qur’án every kind of Parable, (spiritual symbolism), in order that they may receive admonition.” (The Qur’an Yusuf Ali, Surah 39)

Islam: 109. “If the ocean were ink (to write) the words of my Lord, sooner would the ocean be exhausted than would the words (and spiritual meanings, symbolisms) of my Lord, even if we added another ocean like it, for its aid.” (The Qur’an Yusuf Ali, Surah 18) So, 2. “Follow that which comes to thee by inspiration from thy Lord.” (The Qur’an Yusuf Ali, Surah 33) 48. For, “We sent the Scripture in truth, confirming the scripture(s) that came before it,” 9. for “We have, without doubt, sent down the Message (to the) Messengers before thee, amongst the religious sects of old:” 1. For “these are the symbols of the Perspicuous Book. We have sent it down, as an Arabic Qur’án, in order that ye may learn (true) wisdom.” 7. “Verily in it are Signs for Seekers (after The Truth),” 121. “So judge between them by what (Allah/God) hath revealed, and follow not vain desires, diverging from the truth that hath come to thee.”

Islam: 25. So, ‘“give glad tidings to those who believe and work righteousness. Every time they are fed with fruits therefrom, they say: ‘why, this is what we were fed with before,’ for they are given things in similitude (symbologies, allegories);” for, 26. “Allah disdains not to use the similitude (spiritual, symbolic messages in His writings), of things, lowest as well as highest. Those who believe know that it is truth from their Lord; but those who reject Faith say, ‘what means Allah by this similitude (allegory)?’ ‘By it He causes many to stray and many He leads into the right path.’” 89. “And, We have explained to man, in this Qur’án, every kind of similitude; yet the greater part of men, refuse except with ingratitude!” 54. Yet, “We have explained in detail in this Qur’án, for the benefit of mankind, every kind of similitude (symbology): but man is, in most things, contentious.”

Islam: 1. So, “those who reject Allah and hinder (men) from the Path of Allah, their deeds will Allah render astray.” 2. “But those who believe and work deeds of righteousness, and believe in the (Revelation) sent down to Muhammad, He will remove from them their ills and improve their condition.” 3. “Because those who reject Allah, follow vanities, while those who believe, follow the Truth from their Lord. Thus does Allah set forth for men their lessons by similitudes,” for Allah tests mankind to see if they will see and receive the true spiritual message and truth found within His teachings. 46. “See how We explain the Signs by various (spiritual symbols), yet they turn aside.” 65. “See how We explain the Signs by various (spiritual symbols), that they may understand.” 66. For, ‘“thy people reject this, though it is the truth. Say, ‘not mine is the responsibility for arranging your affairs;”’ 67. “for every Message is a limit of time, and soon shall ye know it, when thou seest men engaged in vain discourse about Our Signs, (for they change the inherit spiritual meaning of the word to  literal interpretations).” 104. “Now have come to you, from your Lord, proofs to open your eyes; if any will see, it will be for (the good of) his own soul; if any will be blind, it will be to his own (harm); I am not (here) to watch over your doings.” 105. “Thus do We explain the Signs by various (spiritual symbols and symbologies): that they may say ‘Thou hast taught us diligently,’ that We may make the matter clear to those who know,” 57. “thus do We explain the signs by various (symbols) to those who are grateful.”

Islam: So again, it is, “The Holy Spirit that has brought the revelation from, thy Lord, in order to strengthen those who believe.” 84. “The Spirit (of the word cometh) by the command of my Lord; (but again) it is only a little that is communicated to you!” 34. For, “Allah doth guide whom He will to His (true spiritual light, for), Allah doth set forth Parables, (allegories, hidden meanings of the spirit), for men to follow;” 193. “with it, came down the Spirit of Faith and Truth to thy heart and mind.” 66. “My Signs used to be rehearsed to you, but ye used to turn back on your heels — (In arrogance): talking nonsense like one telling fables by night.” 68. “Do they not ponder over the Word of Allah, has anything (new) come to them, that did not come to their fathers of old?” 121. “Those who believe not in the Signs of Allah, theirs will be a grievous Penalty.” “It is those who believe not in the Signs of Allah (His true message and spiritual teachings), that forge falsehood; it is they who lie!” “All this is because, they love the life of this world, better than the Hereafter.” 77. “Know they not that Allah knoweth what-so-ever they conceal, and what they reveal?” 78. “And there are among them (people) who know not the Book but (see therein their own) desires, and they do nothing, but conjecture.” 79. “Then woe to those who write the Book with their own hands and then say: ‘This is from Allah!‘ Woe to them for what their hands do write.” 59. “The transgressors changed the word from that which had been given them,” 174. “they conceal Allah’s revelations in the Book.” 78. “There is among them a section who distort the Book with their tongues; you would think it is a part of the Book, but it is no part of the Book; and they say, ‘That is from Allah,’ but it is not from Allah: it is they who tell a lie against Allah, and (well) they know it!” 13. “They change the words from their (right) places and forget a good part of the Message that was sent them, ever bent on (new) deceits,” 33. “saying things about Allah of which ye have no knowledge,” 150. “who deny Allah and His Messengers, and wish to separate Allah from His Messengers, saying: ‘We believe in some but reject others:” who 91. “have made the Qur’án into shreds (as they please).” 85. “It is only a part of the Book that ye believe in, and do ye reject the rest!”

Islam: “See, how We explain the Signs of (Allah), by various (spiritual symbols), yet they, (the people) turn aside.” For, 7. “He (Allah/God) it is Who hath sent down to thee The Book (The Qur’án): in it are verses basic and fundamental, (while) others are allegorical (symbolic, mystic, and of the spirit; they are spiritual symbolisms or parables, not so readily seen, or understood, by men),” with “hidden meanings and (spiritual understandings), but no one knows all of its hidden meanings and understandings, except (Allah/God).” For, 60. “The truth (comes) from Allah (God) alone; so be not of those who doubt.” for, “We have put forth for men, in the Qur’án every kind of parable, in order that they (the believers) may receive admonition.” 24. “Seest thou not how Allah sets forth a parable? — a goodly Word, (a word of spirit for spiritual understanding), like a goodly tree, whose root is firmly fixed, and it’s branches (that reach) to the heavens — It brings forth it’s fruit, at all times, by the leave of its Lord. So Allah sets forth parables for men, in order (to test and teach them), that they may (grow in spirit),” 3. That “he (man) might Grow (in spiritual understanding)?” Again, 195. “Have they feet to walk with? or hands to lay hold with? or eyes to see with? or ears to hear with?” 46. For, “do they not travel through the land, so that their hearts may thus learn wisdom, and their ears may thus learn to hear? Truly it is not their eyes that are blind, (but their hearts, which are in their breasts).” 46. “Think ye, if Allah took away your hearing and your sight, and sealed up your hearts, who — a god other than Allah — could restore them to you? See how We explain the Signs by various (symbols): Yet they turn aside.” 108. “Those are they whose hearts, ears, and eyes Allah has sealed up, and they take no heed.” 18. “Those who listen to the Word, and follow the best (meaning) in it: those are the ones whom Allah has guided, and those are the ones endued with understanding.” (The Qur’an (Yusuf Ali tr), Surahs 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9, 12, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 23, 24, 31, 39, 47, 62, 80 and Hadith, Bukhari Vol 9, Book 93, # 532 and Islamic Miscellaneous, Teachings of Hafiz (G. L. Bell tr))

  ZOROASTRIANISM: “Mazda (God) gives to the prophet, the scriptures. The scripture containing the lessons of the prophet is his main instrument. It lays down the rules and regulations which bring salvation to mankind. But unless man has the goodwill to accept the (real spiritual truths of the words) of the gospel (and go beyond the symbols) it does not benefit him at all.” “They see yet they see not; they would like to get rid of their arrogance, yet they cannot.” “Rub your eyes so that you may see well.” (ZOROASTER, Hymns of Atharvan p. 664 and 788) Denkard. Zoroaster, For, “in this world, among men and the brute creation there are beings which live and move about in (spiritual) blindness,” “Hear the best with your ears, and discern by pure mind. Choose the ought, man by man (every man), for his own self. Before the great trial comes, wake up to this my counsel.” “One should rely on his own conviction, and not allow himself to be drifted by the opinions of others.” (ZOROASTER, the unknown and Hymns of Atharvan pp. 87 and 197) 11. For, “this our word I have proclaimed as a symbol to be learned, and to be recited, as it were, to every one of the beings under the influence of and for the sake of Righteousness the Best.” (For) “The gentle pen is more powerful than the sword.” ZOROASTER, Hymns of Atharvan and The Zend-Avesta, Avesta – Yasna 19) 2. “That which Gathas (may) be to us, which are our guardians and defenders, and our spiritual food, yea, which (may) be to our souls both food and clothing, such are these Gathas to us, guardians, and defenders, and (spiritual) food, even such they are, both food and clothing to the soul.” (The Zend-Avesta, Avesta – Yasna 55) Then, “to whom will this (hidden, mystic gift) of ours be given, that he may have never-failing food (of the soul) for ever and ever?” “I praise, I invoke, I meditate upon The Zend-Avesta.” (Zoroaster, The Zend-Avesta, Khorda Avesta – Book of Common Prayer pt. 1) Denkard. Zoroaster, “They considered this, too, thus: namely one ought to endeavor most for meditations on the Religion, that is, on the (mysterious) Avesta and Zand;…. for the soul.”

 HINDUISM: 218. “As the man who digs with a spade (into the ground) obtains water, even so, an obedient (pupil) obtains the knowledge which lies hidden (within Brahma, God‘s message);” “The hidden (spiritual, symbolic) truths of religion embalmed in the ancient Upanishads.” “The Eternal Place! Thus hath been opened thee This Truth of Truths, the Mystery more hid Than any secret mystery. Meditate! And- as thou wilt- then act!”  “The hymn has a mystical meaning.” “for the words of learned men are a means of purification.” 3. “Make his ears hear, that he may show his vigour and may be joyful in the way he loveth.” Yet, “Blind are the eyes Which deem the Unmanifested manifest, Not comprehending Me in My true Self!” “In blindness cleaving to their errors, caught Into the sinful course, they trust this lie As it were true- this lie which leads to death- Finding in Pleasure all the good which is, And crying ‘Here it finisheth!”’ (Hindu, Bhagavad Gita (Edwin Arnold tr) chapters 7, 16, 18 and Hindu, Laws of Manu chapter 2 and The Mababharata and Hindu, Vedas, Rig VedaHindu, Vedas, Rig Veda – book 4)

 Hinduism: “Before beginning any spiritual text it is customary to clear the mind of all distracting thoughts, to calm the breath and to purify the heart.” (Hindu, The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali) 91. The “Learned Brahmanas, who know that, who study the Veda and desire bliss after death, do not accept presents from a king. Let him wake in the muhurta, sacred to Brahman, and think of (the acquisition of) spiritual merit and wealth, of the bodily fatigue arising therefrom, and of the true (spiritual, symbolic) meaning of the Veda.” (Hindu, Laws of Manu chap 4)

  BUDDHISM: 13. “Blinded indeed is this world. Few are those who see the truth.” For, “The Tathagatas do not teach a Dharma that is dependent upon letters. Anyone who teaches a doctrine that is dependent upon letters and words is a mere prattler, because Truth is beyond letters and words and books.” “The ignorant and simple-minded declare that meaning is not otherwise than words, that as words are, so is meaning.” “This does not mean that words and books never declare what is in conformity with meaning and truth, but it means that words and books are dependent upon discriminations, while meaning and truth are not.” “The ignorant and simple-minded being fascinated with their self-imaginations and erroneous reasonings, keep on dancing and leaping about, but are unable to understand the discourse by words about the truth of self-realization, much less are they able to understand the Truth itself.” “Therefore, let every disciple take good heed not to become attached to words as being in perfect conformity with meaning, because Truth is not in the letters.” So, “(Give) devout attention to the teaching(s) of the Blessed One.” “Study the words for yourself.” for, “to hear the true spiritual teaching of the Buddha, is difficult.” And, “the meaning of the Blessed One’s (Buddha’s) discourses, He has no (real, absolute) system of doctrine that can be specifically formulated. And why is this? Because of, what the Blessed One adumbrates (gives partial disclosure, or hints at) in the terms of the Dharma which is, in reality, inscrutable and inexpressible, with the true message being of a purely spiritual concept.” (Buddha, Lankavatara Sutra and Buddha, Tevigga Sutra and Buddhist, Dhammapada – Sayings of the Buddha)

 SABEANISM: “The name of the great Mystery, the mystic Word, is pronounced upon thee.” “He who partaketh of this bread (pihta) (the spiritual word), put out (for him) will be sinless in the Place of Light, the Everlasting Abode.” “If thou readest (the holy word and teachings), read it as it is written, and be careful and make inquiry, into the word of Haiyi (God).” For, “My chosen ones, ye sought and ye have found, moreover ye shall seek and ye shall find. Ye sought and ye have found, My chosen ones, even as the first (souls), sought and found.” “Not through coercion; but by true self investigation.” “The first (generations) sought and found: and let those that come after seek, and they will find. Seek and find for yourselves, for your eyes shall not turn away from Me unsatisfied.” (Sabeanism, Ginza Rba- chapters 43 and 173)

Sabeanism: “I came to the congregation of souls, For the Life (Haiyi, God) sent me, sent me forth. There were some who bought my wares (the spiritual teachings), There those who came to their end and lay down. There were those who bought my wares. The eyes (of such a one) were filled with light, Filled with light were his eyes (On) beholding The Great (One) in the House of Perfection, There were those who did not buy my wares (the symbolic message). They went on, reached their end and lay down. ‘they were blind and saw not, Their ears were stopped and they heard not And their hearts were not awakened To behold The Great One in the House of Perfection. As They called them and they answered not, When they call, who will answer them? Because it was given to them but they took not, Who will give to them when they ask? They hated The Way of Life (the way of God) and its Abode But loved the abode of the wicked. And lo! in the abode of the wicked Will they be held captive.”

   But, “Thou hast shown us that which the eye of man hath not seen, and caused us to hear that which human ear has not heard.” “Thou hast freed us from death and united us with life, released us from darkness and united us with light, led us out of evil and joined us to good. Thou hast shown us The Way of Life and hast guided our feet into ways of truth and faith so that Life (God) cometh and expelleth darkness and goodness cometh and casteth out evil. (Like) the mingling of wine with water, so may Thy truth, Thy righteousness and Thy faith be added to those who love Thy name of Truth, And Life be praised.” (Sabeanism, Ginza Rba- chapters 45 and 90)

Sabeanism: “The Great First Word (Haiyi, God), Who assured me of sight in mine eyes. Pour wisdom into my heart! Open the eyes of my True, Spiritual Understanding!” “Wreath is light, its weapon the living (spiritual) word of (Haiyi, God), and its seal the chosen, pure one (the manifestation of God). Every man who openeth it, (the spiritual, symbolic word) and readeth (the book and teachings) therein shall live and shall be whole and his name will be set up in The House of Life, in the name of The Great Sublime Life, from the worlds (of light?).” (Sabeanism, Ginza Rba- chapters 63 and 171) So, “In the name of the Great Life! (God) Hear me, my Father, hear me! Draw me upward (by the spirit) (O) Great One” (Sabeanism, Ginza Rba- chapter 80) Than hear me now and listen! “Be no son of The House of the world,” “Adam, look upon this world as a completely unreal thing. It (this world) is a completely unreal thing, in which you can put no trust;” the physical world, not the true spiritual world Haiyi/God has waiting for us. (Sabeanism, Instruction of Adam) So, “Go, soul, in victory to the place from which you were transplanted, the place of joy, in which the face shines. The face shines in it, the form is illumined and does not grow dim. The soul has loosened its chains and broken its fetters. It shed its bodily coat.” (Sabeanism, Bliss and Peace) So then, “strengthened, and enhanced, was the great mystery of radiance, light and glory dwelling on the mouth of The First Life (Haiyi, God), for from It came forth from Manda-d-Hiia, (Savior, Knowledge-of-Life). For he knew and interpreted the spiritual thoughts of The First Life and perceived that they are truly, truly wondrous.” (Sabeanism, Ginza Rba – chapter 32)

BAHA’I FAITH: ( Babi Religion) “Grant, O my God, that I may not be reckoned among Those whose ears are deaf, whose eyes are blind, whose tongues are speechless and whose hearts have failed to comprehend. Deliver me, O Lord, from the fire of ignorance and of selfish desire, suffer me to be admitted into the precincts of Thy transcendent mercy and send down upon me that which Thou hast ordained for Thy chosen ones. Potent art Thou to do what Thou willest. Verily Thou art the Help in Peril, the Self-Subsisting.” (The Bab, Selections from the Writings of the Bab, p. 215)

Baha’i Faith: ( Babi Religion) “The generality of the people had made do with its (the word’s) outer literal meaning.” (Peter Smith, The Babi & Baha’i Religions, p. 37) “Their hearts are deprived of the power of true insight, and thus they cannot see.” (The Bab, Selections from the Writings of the Bab, p. 78) — “For the Bábís its (the message’s) inner meaning stood revealed. As in extreme Shi’i esotericism such meaning was not necessarily related to the obvious meaning of particular words and phrases. At the least, scriptural texts were to be understood in terms of symbol and metaphor. Thus messianic prophecies were not to be literally fulfilled.” (Peter Smith, The Babi & Baha’i Religions, p. 37) “Reduce not the ordinances of God to fanciful imaginations of your own; rather observe all the things which God hath created at His behest with the eye of the spirit, even as ye see things with the eyes of your bodies.” (The Bab, Selections from the Writings of the Bab, p. 145) “The least, scriptural texts were to be understood in terms of symbol and metaphor.” (Peter Smith, The Babi & Baha’i Religions, p. 37) For, “The Báb, his only weapon was the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.” (Shoghi Effendi, The Dawn-Breakers, p. 298)

Baha’i Faith: ( Babi Religion) “My words are born of the Spirit.” (The Dawn-Breakers, pp. 174) “The Báb said: ‘It is the immediate influence of the Holy Spirit that causes words such as these to stream from the tongue.”‘ (Shoghi Effendi, The Dawn-Breakers, p. 258) “His pre-eminent exaltation is far above the reach of every other symbol of exaltation.” (The Bab, Selections from the Writings of the Bab, p. 156) For, “The mystery of this Cause must needs be made manifest, and the secret of this Message must needs be divulged,” and the inner spirit of the word revealed. (Shoghi Effendi, The Dawn-Breakers, p. 17) “Then will be unfolded in all its glory the ‘mystery’ and the ‘secret’ spoken of by Shaykh Ahmad, who has said: ‘The mystery of this Cause must needs be made manifest, and the secret of this Message must needs be divulged.” (Shoghi Effendi, The Dawn-Breakers, p. 41)

BAHA’I FAITH: “Bahá’u’lláh explained that the perplexity of our world leaders, their inability to master the problems of the era or tell whence these problems came or why they came or whither they lead or what they mean, is ultimately due to a moral and spiritual cause. It springs from a misunderstanding of the Gospel, and a misinterpretation of the symbolism and the abstruse terms in which many of its prophecies, promises, warnings and pronouncements are veiled.” (Bahá’í Faith, George Townshend, The Heart of the Gospel, p. 2)  You see, “It is easy to read the Holy Scriptures, but it is only with a clean heart and a pure mind that one may understand their true meaning.” (Bahá’í Faith, Abdu’l-Baha, Paris Talks, p. 56) “The Pen of the Most High is unceasingly calling; and yet, how few are those that have inclined their ear to its voice! The dwellers of the kingdom of names have busied themselves with the gay livery of the world, forgetful that every man that hath eyes to perceive and ears to hear cannot but readily recognize how evanescent are its colors.” (Bahá’í Faith, Baha’u’llah, Gleanings from the Writings of Baha’u’llah, p. 195) “Know verily that the purpose underlying all these symbolic terms and abstruse allusions, which emanate from the Revealers of God‘s holy Cause, hath been to test and prove the peoples of the world; that thereby the earth of the pure and illuminated hearts may be known from the perishable and barren soil.” (Bahá’í Faith, Baha’u’llah, The Kitab-i-Iqan, p. 48) “Alas, alas! the world has not discovered the reality of religion hidden beneath the symbolic forms!” “Abdu’l-Baha, Divine Philosophy, p. 187) “Blind imitations of ancestral forms and theological interpretations continue to guide and control the religious life and spiritual development of humanity today? Shall man gifted with the power of reason unthinkingly follow and adhere to dogma, creeds and hereditary beliefs which will not bear the analysis of reason in this century of effulgent reality? Unquestionably this will not satisfy men of science, for when they find premise or conclusion contrary to present standards of proof and without real foundation, they reject that which has been formerly accepted as standard and correct and move forward from new foundations.” (Bahá’í Faith, Abdu’l-Baha, Baha’i World Faith – Abdu’l-Baha Section, p. 225)

Baha’i Faith: “All the texts and teachings of the Holy Testaments have intrinsic  spiritual meanings. They are not to be taken literally. I, therefore, pray in your behalf that you may be given the power of understanding these inner real meanings of the Holy Scriptures, and may become informed of the mysteries deposited in the words of the Bible, so that you may attain eternal life, and that your hearts may be attracted to the Kingdom of God. May your souls be illumined by the light of the Words of God, and may you become repositories of the mysteries of God, for no comfort is greater and no happiness is sweeter than spiritual comprehension of the divine teachings. If a man understands the real, meaning of a poet’s verses, such as those of Shakespeare, he is  pleased and rejoiced. How much greater his joy and pleasure when he perceives the reality of The Holy Scriptures, and becomes informed of the mysteries of the Kingdom!”

    “I pray that the divine blessings may descend upon you day by day, that your hearts may be opened to perceive the inner significances of The Word of God. There is no fruit in knowing the mere letters of the Book. Most of the Jews had memorized the texts of the Old Testament and repeated them night and day, but inasmuch, as they were ignorant of the meanings, they were deprived of the bounties of Christ. I pray that you may be quickened by the breaths of The Holy Spirit and illumined, by the rays of The Sun of Truth. May you be favored, with heavenly blessings in The Threshold of God and attain to eternal life. This is my prayer. May God bless and enlighten you.” (Abdu’l-Baha, The Promulgation of Universal Peace, p. 459)

Baha’i Faith: “In the spiritual realm of intelligence and idealism there must be a center of illumination, and that center is the everlasting, ever-shining Sun The Word of God.” (Abdu’l-Baha, Baha’i World Faith – Abdu’l-Baha Section, p. 254) The “divine things are too deep to be expressed by common words. (So), The Heavenly Teachings are expressed in parable in order to be understood and preserved, for ages to come. When the spiritually minded dive, deeply into the ocean of their meaning they bring to the surface the pearls of their inner significance. There is no greater pleasure, than to study God‘s Word, with a spiritual mind.” (Abdu’l-Baha, Abdu’l-Baha in London, p. 79) So, “Immerse yourselves in the ocean of My words, that ye may unravel its secrets, and discover, all the pearls of wisdom that lie hid in its depths. Take heed that ye do not vacillate in your determination to embrace the truth of this Cause, a Cause through which the potentialities, of the might of God have been revealed and His sovereignty established.” (Baha’u’llah, Gleanings from the Writings of Baha’u’llah, p. 136) “Immerse yourselves in this Ocean in whose depths, lay hidden the pearls of wisdom, and of utterance, an ocean that surgeth in My name, The All-Merciful.” (Baha’u’llah, Gleanings from the Writings of Baha’u’llah, p. 33) “O My servants! Through the might of God, and His power, and out of the treasury of His knowledge and wisdom, I have brought forth and revealed unto you, the pearls that lay concealed, within the depths of His everlasting ocean.” (Baha’u’llah, Gleanings from the Writings of Baha’u’llah, p. 327) “O My servants! Deprive not yourselves of the unfading and resplendent Light that shineth within the Lamp of Divine glory. Let the flame of the love of God burn brightly within your radiant hearts. Feed it with the oil of Divine guidance, and protect it within the shelter of your constancy. Guard it within the globe of trust and detachment from all else but God, so that the evil whisperings of the ungodly may not extinguish its light. O My servants! My Holy, My Divinely Ordained Revelation, may be likened unto an ocean in whose depths are concealed innumerable pearls of great price, of surpassing luster. It is the duty of every seeker to bestir himself and strive to attain the shores of this ocean, so that he may, in proportion to the eagerness of his search, and the efforts, he hath exerted, partake of such benefits as have been pre-ordained, in God‘s irrevocable, and hidden Tablets. If no one be willing to direct his steps towards its shores, if every one should fail to arise and find Him, can such a failure be said to have robbed this ocean of its power, or to have lessened, to any degree, its treasures? How vain, how contemptible, are the imaginations, which your hearts have devised, and are still devising! O My servants! The one true God is My witness! This most great, this fathomless and surging Ocean is near, astonishingly near, unto you. Behold it is closer to you than your life-vein! Swift as the twinkling of an eye ye can, if ye but wish it, reach and partake, of this imperishable favor, this God-given grace, this incorruptible gift, this most potent and unspeakably glorious bounty.” (Baha’u’llah, Gleanings from the Writings of Baha’u’llah, p. 325) “Arise, then, and make steadfast your feet, and make ye amends for that which hath escaped you, and set then yourselves towards His Holy Court, on the shore of His mighty Ocean, so that the pearls of knowledge and wisdom, which God hath stored up within the shell of His radiant heart, may be revealed unto you….” (Baha’u’llah, The Proclamation of Baha’u’llah, p. 8)

    Clearly we should be able to see here, that a good portion, if not most or all of God‘s true teachings and messages for us are of a symbolic, spiritual nature.  Christianity: 1 Corinthians 10:1 “Moreover, brethren, I would not that ye should be ignorant, how that all our fathers were under the cloud, and all passed through the sea;” 10:3 “And did all eat the same spiritual meat;” 10:4 “And did all drink the same spiritual drink.” Even when something in the writings of God appears to be something that can only be taken in a literal, physical sense of the word, such as the food and drink fed to the Hebrew people by Moses, Paul tells us there can also be a spiritual side to it as well; such as the spiritual meat and drink that Moses fed to the Hebrew children in the wilderness, which could be symbolic for the Holy Word of God spiritually fed to the children of Israel. So it seems, that the manta from heaven could also be spiritual food from God as well as something to physically eat; some other examples are again:  Judaism: Hosea 12:10 “I have also spoken by the prophets, and I have multiplied visions, and used similitudes (allegories, spiritual symbologies), by the ministry of the prophets.” And, Exodus 31:3 “I have filled him with the spirit of God, in wisdom, and in understanding, and in knowledge.” 4 Ezra 5:22 “And my soul recovered the spirit of understanding,” understanding the spirit of the word found in the messages of God. (Deuterocanonical Apocrypha) Islam: 25. “For they are given things in similitude (allegories, symbolic statements or spiritual messages);” for 26. “Allah disdains not to use the similitude of things, lowest as well as highest.” 3. “Thus does Allah set forth for men their lessons by similitudes.” 3. “that perchance he might Grow (in spiritual understanding)?” (The Qur’an (Yusuf Ali tr), Surahs 2, 47 and 80)  Zoroastrianism: 8. “And we worship every holy spiritual Yazad!” 2. “That which Gathas (may) be to us, which are our guardians and defenders, and our spiritual food, yea, which (may) be to our souls both food and clothing, such are these Gathas to us, guardians, and defenders, and (spiritual) food, even such they are, both food and clothing to the soul.” (The Zend-Avesta, Avesta – Yasnas 25 and 55)  Hinduism: “Before beginning any spiritual text (texts from The Creator to man via a prophet) it is customary to clear the mind of all distracting thoughts, to calm the breath and to purify the heart.” 22 “loving spirit’s word had formed him Chief of all food.” (Hindu, The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali and Vedas, Rig Veda – Book 9)  Buddhism: “When a bhikkhu is restrained of tongue, quotes wise sayings, and is peaceful, expounding both letter and spirit” of the word, it is a joy for those who hear. (Buddhist, Dhammapada – Sayings of the Buddha 1 (tr. J. Richards)) Sabeanism: “The great Mystery, the mystic Word,” of spiritual symbolic wisdom. (Sabeanism, Ginza Rba- chapters 43) Baha’i Faith: ( Babi Religion)  “O SPIRIT of God! Call Thou to mind the bounty which I bestowed upon Thee when I conversed with Thee in the midmost heart of My Sanctuary and aided Thee through the potency of the Holy Spirit that Thou mightest, as the peerless Mouthpiece of God, proclaim unto men the commandments of God which lie enshrined within the divine Spirit.” (The Bab, Selections from the Writings of the Bab, p. 63) But again, “the generality of the people had made do with its (the words) outer literal meaning,” not the spirit found within the message. “For the Bábís its inner meaning stood revealed.” (Peter Smith, The Babi & Baha’i Religions, p. 37) Baha’i Faith: “Haply they may approach it (the word) in a spirit of open-mindedness, discover from its message the mysteries of divine providence, and be of those that comprehend its meaning,” (Baha’u’llah, The Summons of the Lord of Hosts, p. 185) The “spiritual, teachings of the Word of God,” — (Abdu’l-Baha, The Promulgation of Universal Peace, p. 403) — “for the teaching and spiritual guidance of the people of the world.” (Abdu’l-Baha, Baha’i World Faith – Abdu’l-Baha Section, p. 251)

   Clearly, from all that we have read, it should be apparent now that spirit or spiritual symbolisms are to be found embedded within the word of God, no question about it; but we also need to keep in mind that God wants us to understand that He is, again, a Reasonable Being and He actually does things related to us, in His teachings and writings, in a reasonable manor. So, we again, need to be thoughtful and apply reason to His words and actions, because He does things regarding us with thoughtful intelligence. So if we apply ourselves to His words, acknowledging their spiritual, symbolisms, with logical inquiring minds, unhindered by superstition or narrow mindedness, we will start to be able to see some of the truths hidden within His writings and how He actually does things for us, and regarding us, in a logical reasonable way. We just need to really open up our minds to the spiritual nature of His words and look for the logic and reason behind His actions and messages related to us; especially when things we are reading in the Holy books don’t seem to make any real kind of sense or seem to be literally improbable or impractical to the scrutiny of the intelligent mind or don’t stand up to the analysis of reason.

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   Another reason to look into the spiritual side of His holy words is that the message may have more than one meaning or have another spiritual way of looking at the message. Example, if we look closely at the teachings in the writings of God related to sin, we might find that there is more understanding to the nature of sin, and other teachings related to us than many of us see at first glance. Example, He tells us not to sin because He loves us and sins are actually harmful to our souls and the well being of others; so He is really telling us not to do these bad things for our very own benefit, protection and well-being, as-well-as the well being and benefit of others; so we don’t harm ourselves or harm others:

BAHA’I FAITH: “O ye friends of God! Appreciate the value of this precious Revelation, move and act in accordance with it and walk in the straight path and the right way.” Walk in accordance with the laws and teachings of this cause. “Show it to the people. Raise the melody of the Kingdom and spread abroad the teachings and ordinances of the loving Lord so that the world may become another world, the darkened earth may become illumined and the dead body of the people may obtain new life. – Summon ye the people to God and call the souls to the manners and conduct of the Supreme Concourse. — Attach no importance to self-seeking, rejection, arrogance, oppression and enmity;” harmful soul suppressing sins of this earthly life. “Heed them not. — Be kind in truth, not only in appearance and outwardly. Every soul of the friends of God must concentrate his mind on this, that he may manifest the mercy of God and the bounty of the Forgiving One. He must do good to every soul whom he encounters, and render benefit to him, becoming the cause of improving the morals and correcting the thoughts so that the light of guidance may shine forth and the bounty of His Holiness the Merciful One may encompass. Love is light in whatsoever house it may shine and enmity is darkness in whatsoever abode it dwell,” harmful sin to the soul. (Abdu’l-Baha, Baha’i World Faith – Abdu’l-Baha Section, p. 216) — “The exercise of self-control in this, as in so very many other aspects of life , has a beneficial effect on the progress of the soul.” Our continued following of the teachings and ordinances of God helps benefit the soul of those doing them, just as those following a sinful life harm the progress of their own souls. (Compilations, Lights of Guidance, p. 365) So, “be well watered with the abundant rain falling from the clouds of the Testament of God, that thou mayest bring forth fresh and ripe fruits which are beneficial to the hearts and souls.” (Abdu’l-Baha, Tablets of Abdu’l-Baha v1, p. 131)

Baha’i Faith: “Beseech ye the One true God that He may, through the power of the hand of loving-kindness and spiritual education, purge and purify certain souls from the defilement of evil passions and corrupt desires, that they may arise and unloose their tongues for the sake of God, that perchance the evidences of injustice may be blotted out and the splendour of the light of justice may shed its radiance upon the whole world.” (Baha’u’llah, Tablets of Baha’u’llah, p. 170) That He may purge the world of harmful soul smothering sins and fill the world with the light of true justice and deeds of light.

Baha’i Faith: “O army of God! Beware lest ye harm any soul, or make any heart to sorrow; lest ye wound any man.” (Abdu’l-Baha, Selections from the Writings of Abdu’l-Baha, p. 73) For, “This physical world of man is subject to the power of the lusts, and sin is the consequence of this power of the lusts.” (Abdu’l-Baha, Some Answered Questions, p. 119) “Verily the souls are in the deep valleys of lust and nothing will awaken them (from the worldly sins of this life) save Thy most wonderful bounties.” (H.M. Balyuzi, Abdu’l-Baha – The Centre of the Covenant, p. 510) “Those who speak falsehoods, who covet worldly things and seek to accumulate the riches of this earth are not of me,” They hold to the sins of the flesh of this world. (Abdu’l-Baha, The Promulgation of Universal Peace, p. 456) They are souls trapped within the sins of a worldly nature hampered by their sins restricting them, for they are not walking on the path of righteousness to their God; and in the end their souls will suffer from remoteness from their Creator, because the sins of this flesh and this world held back their souls from true spiritual development of their souls in this world. “It is the waywardness of the heart that removeth it far from God, and condemneth it to remoteness from Him.” (Baha’u’llah, Gleanings from the Writings of Baha’u’llah, p. 186) “Man’s ignorance, his cruelty, his ungodliness, his selfishness, his insincerity and all his sins and shortcomings act as tools of torture inflicting painful wounds upon the soul,” and hinder our spiritual development here and are harmful for our souls for our departure out of this life and our progress in the next world. (The Revelation of Baha’u’llah v 3, p. 233)  So, “Follow not that which the Evil One whispereth in your hearts, for he, verily, doth prompt you to walk after your lusts and covetous desires, and hindereth you from treading the straight Path which this all-embracing and all-compelling Cause hath opened.” (Baha’u’llah, The Summons of the Lord of Hosts) So, “Put away all covetousness and seek contentment; for the covetous hath ever been deprived, and the contented hath ever been loved and praised.” (Baha’u’llah, The Persian Hidden Words)

Baha’i Faith: “Attachment to the world has become the cause of the bondage of spirits, and this bondage is identical with sin.” (Abdu’l-Baha, Some Answered Questions, p. 124) “When one is released from the prison of self, that is indeed release, for that is the greater prison.” (Abdu’l-Baha, Abdu’l-Baha in London, p. 120) “If thou seekest to be intoxicated with the cup of the Most Mighty Gift, cut thyself from the world and be quit of self and desire.” “Angels are also those holy souls who have severed attachment to the earthly world, who are free from the fetters of self and passion and who have attached their hearts to the divine realm and the merciful kingdom.” (Abdu’l-Baha, Baha’i World Faith – Abdu’l-Baha Section, pp. 362 and 409) “When one is released from the prison of self, that is indeed freedom, for self is the greater prison.” (Abdu’l-Baha, Divine Philosophy, p. 21) “Leave all thought of self, and strive only to be obedient and submissive to the Will of God.” (Abdu’l-Baha, Paris Talks, p. 54) For, those who “cling to the world, they are assuredly not of the people of Baha,” but the people wrapped in the world and self  and the sins there of. (Abdu’l-Baha, A Traveller’s Narrative, p. 42)

    Sin perceived here, from these statements,  is the turning away from God and the things of the spirit, and our forming of attachment to the things of this world and things that are harmful to our souls, and the souls of others. In-other-words, the things that constitute sin in this world are actually things that actually harm our eternal souls, and things that harm ourselves and others; and God, in His infinite wisdom, is actually doing a reasonable thing with us and is trying to help us avoid these things that are harmful to our souls in this life and the next, and the world and the people around us; because God is a god of logic, intelligence and reason, so He actually does things with us that actually makes sense in this world and this universe. So sin, in reality, is everything that is or can be harmful to us, our souls and to other human beings in this world. So, Baha’i Faith: “Attachment to the earthly world, in relation to attachment to the spiritual world, is considered as a sin.” (Abdu’l-Baha, Some Answered Questions, p. 126) “If the soul identifies itself with the material world it remains dark, for in the natural world there is corruption, aggression, struggles for existence, greed, darkness, transgression and vice. If the soul remains in this station and moves along these paths it will be the recipient of this darkness; but if it becomes the recipient of the graces of the world of mind, its darkness will be transformed into light, its tyranny into justice, its ignorance into wisdom, its aggression into loving kindness; until it reach the apex.” (Abdu’l-Baha, Divine Philosophy, p. 120) This is why God and His manifestations try and lead us away from attachment to this world and life and call those things They wish us not to do sins. “Angels are blessed beings who have severed all ties with this nether world, have been released from the chains of self and the desires of the flesh, and anchored their hearts to the heavenly realms of The Lord.” (Abdu’l-Baha, Selections from the Writings of Abdu’l-Baha, p. 81) “This attachment of the soul and spirit to the human world, which is sin, was inherited by the descendants of Adam, it is because of this attachment that men have been deprived of essential spirituality and exalted position.” (Abdu’l-Baha, Some Answered Questions, p. 124) “Virtue become detachment from the world, sin attachment to it.” (George Townshend, Christ and Baha’u’llah, p. 20) So, “Let us put aside all thoughts of self; let us close our eyes to all on earth.”

Baha’i Faith: “Sin is the state of man in the world of the baser nature, for in nature exist defects such as injustice, tyranny, hatred, hostility, strife: these are characteristics of the lower plane of nature. These are the sins of the world, the fruits of the tree from which Adam did eat. Through education we must free ourselves from these imperfections. The Prophets of God have been sent, the Holy Books have been written, so that man may be made free. Just as he is born into this world of imperfection from the womb of his earthly mother, so is he born into the world of spirit through divine education. When a man is born into the world of phenomena he finds the universe; when he is born from this world to the world of the spirit, he finds the Kingdom.” (Abdu’l-Baha, Paris Talks, p. 177) He escapes from “the mire of self and desire,” to the world of the spiritual. (Baha’u’llah, Epistle to the Son of the Wolf, p. 130) He escapes from the nature of sin to the nature of that which is spiritual and holy. For, “when the spirit is fed with holy virtues, than is the body joyous; if the soul falls into sin, the body is in torment!” “When we find truth, constancy, fidelity, and love, we are happy; but if we meet with lying, faithlessness, and deceit, we are miserable.” (Abdu’l-Baha, Paris Talks, p. 65) In-other-words, when we live in the nature of the sins of self and this world it truly makes us miserable and unhappy in this life, therefore people will go from one distraction to another; and sin will stunt our spiritual growth for our journey into the next life: “For a fleeting sovereignty ye have abandoned My imperishable dominion, and have adorned yourselves with the gay livery of the world and made of it your boast.” (Baha’u’llah, The Persian Hidden Words) “The Pen of the Most High is unceasingly calling; and yet, how few are those that have inclined their ear to its voice! The dwellers of the kingdom of names have busied themselves with the gay livery of the world, forgetful that every man that hath eyes to perceive and ears to hear cannot but readily recognize how evanescent are its colors,” fading are its allures and promise. (Baha’u’llah, Gleanings from the Writings of Baha’u’llah, p. 195)

So:

Baha’i Faith: “What sin hath kept the inmates of the city of Thy names so far from Thine all-glorious Horizon, and deprived them of access to Thy most great Ocean?” (Baha’u’llah, Prayers and Meditations by Baha’u’llah, p. 245) “The prime requisite for those who wish to tread the path of contentment is to be resigned to the Will of God, to accept radiantly whatever He has destined for them and to acknowledge joyfully all that has been revealed.” “Another aspect is to be content with one’s own self. Bahá’u’lláh states that man will never achieve this as long as he commits even a single sin, however insignificant it may be.” (Adib Taherzadeh, The Revelation of Baha’u’llah v 1, pp. 107 and 108) “Similarly it is applied to every soul whom God hath guarded against sin, transgression, rebellion, impiety, disbelief and the like.” (Adib Taherzadeh, The Revelation of Baha’u’llah v 4, p. 149) 

Baha’i Faith: “Bahá’u’lláh has announced that no matter how far the world of humanity may advance in material civilization, it is nevertheless in need of spiritual virtues and the bounties of God.” — “Material development may be likened to the glass of a lamp, whereas divine virtues and spiritual susceptibilities are the light within the glass. The lamp chimney is worthless without the light; likewise, man in his material condition requires the radiance and vivification of the divine graces and merciful attributes. Without the presence of the Holy Spirit he is lifeless. Although physically and mentally alive, he is spiritually dead. Christ announced, ‘That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit,’ meaning that man must be born again. As the babe is born into the light of this physical world, so must the physical and intellectual man be born into the light of the world of Divinity.” — “No matter how man may advance upon the physical and intellectual plane, he is ever in need of the boundless virtues of Divinity, the protection of the Holy Spirit and the face of God.” The worldly lusts and sins of this world and life deprive us of this development and help to prevent our advancement and progress for us to “becomes conscious of the unlimited and infinite glories of the world of God,” and “the boundless virtues of Divinity.” (Abdu’l-Baha, The Promulgation of Universal Peace, p. 288)

BAHA’I FAITH: ( Babi Religion) “Ye are as nothing unless ye submit unto the Remembrance of God and unto this Book. If ye follow the Cause of God, We will forgive you your sins, and if ye turn aside from Our command, We will, in truth, condemn your souls.” If ye follow the command in the Holy Book, believe and live by the teachings and ordinances, the souls of such will have forgiveness of trespasses and find spiritual growth and enlightenment of the soul. (The Bab, Selections from the Writings of the Bab, p. 61) “These soul-stirring words are endowed with the same regenerating power,” (Shoghi Effendi, The Dawn-Breakers, p. 106) “Indeed those whose souls have been created through the splendour of the light of thy Lord recognize the Truth and are numbered with such as faithfully obey the One True God and are well assured…” (The Bab, Selections from the Writings of the Bab, p. 24) For, “THERE is no paradise, in the estimation of the believers in the Divine Unity, more exalted than to obey God‘s commandments, and there is no fire in the eyes of those who have known God and His signs, fiercer than to transgress His laws and to oppress another soul, even to the extent of a mustard seed.” (The Bab, Selections from the Writings of the Bab, p. 79) “It behooveth you, O creatures of God, to help your own selves and to believe in the Verses.” It helps our own souls to believe in and follow the verses and teachings of God and it is to the detriment of our own souls to fall into sin and follow the dark ways of this earthly life. (The Bab, Selections from the Writings of the Bab, p. 101)

Baha’i Faith: ( Babi Religion) “Verily We have reduced thee and thy works to naught, as though thou hadst never come into existence nor ever been of them that do good works, that this may serve as a lesson for those unto whom the Bayan is given, that they may take good heed when the sacred Writings of Him Whom God shall make manifest will reach them and perchance, by pondering upon them, may be enabled to save their own souls.” “Our grace assuredly pervadeth all that dwell in the kingdoms of earth and heaven and in whatever lieth between them, and beyond them all mankind. However, souls that have shut themselves out as by a veil can never partake of the outpourings of the grace of God.” (The Bab, Selections from the Writings of the Bab, p. 36) And this is through holding onto the things of this life and world and becoming bound-up in the sins of this existence that hinder man from becoming his true spiritual self.

Baha’i Faith: ( Babi Religion) “If ye believe in Me, ye will provide good for your own souls, and if ye believe not in Me, nor in that which God hath revealed unto Me, ye will suffer yourselves to be shut out as by a veil. For verily I have been independent of you heretofore, and shall remain independent hereafter.  Therefore it behooveth you, O creatures of God, to help your own selves and to believe in the Verses revealed by Me.” (The Bab, Selections from the Writings of the Bab, p. 101) Here we can clearly see that we can help or harm our own souls by following or disobeying God‘s word, laws and teachings. Living and following the ways of a sinful nature in our lives harms ourselves and those around us here in this life and stunts the growth of our souls in the next.

 CHRISTIANITY: 1 Peter 1:22 “Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth (followed the laws and teachings of The Lord), through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently:” 1:23 “Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever.” 1:24 “For all flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass. The grass withereth, and the flower thereof falleth away:” 1:25 “But the word of The Lord endureth for ever.” 2:1 “Wherefore laying aside all malice, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, all evil speakings,” sins of this earthly life that harmeth spirit and soul in man. Than, 2:2 “as newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby,” that the soul in man may grow in spiritual increase and develop in spiritual life.

 Christianity: 1 Corinthians 15:56 “The sting of death is sin;” the spiritual death of the soul. James 1:15 “and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.” Than, 1 John 3:4 “Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law.” Also, 5:17 “All unrighteousness is sin;” the dark actions and suggestions or sins of the self related to the flesh and the worldly nature of man that hindereth development of the soul of man here in this world: Romans 6:23 “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life.” Than, 6:16 “Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?” 6:12 “Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof;” your evil actions and attachments to the flesh constitutes sin in man and binds the soul to the things of the earth, and blinds the soul of man to the kingdom of God. 6:13 “Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God.” 1 John 2:16 “For all that is in the world, the lust (Sins) of the flesh, and the lust (coveting) of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world,” and hindereth the development of man’s soul. So, Sirach 18:30 “Go not after thy lusts, but refrain thyself from thine appetites,” sins and actions that cause harm to the spirit in man. 23:6 “Let not the greediness of the belly nor lust of the flesh take hold of me; and give not over me thy servant into an impudent mind.”(Deuterocanonical Apocrypha) Therefore, 1 Corinthians 10:6 “We should not lust after evil things, as they also lusted.” Than be, 1 Peter 1:14 “As obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance;” 2:11 “abstain from fleshly lusts, which war (are sins) against the soul!” 4:2 “That he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh to the lusts of men, but to the will of God.” 1 Timothy 6:9 “But they that will be rich (in this world) fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition,” of sins that are harmful to the soul of man. 2 Peter 2:18 “For when they speak great swelling words of vanity, they allure through the lusts of the flesh, through much wantonness,” which is harmful to the soul and the enlightenment of man.

Christianity: Galatians 5:16 “This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfill the lust (sins) of the flesh.” 5:17 “For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.” For, 5:25 “If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.” 5:26 “Let us not be desirous of vain glory, provoking one another, envying one another.” James For again, 1:15 “when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death,” and 1:14 “every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed,” in the sins of the flesh and the world that hindereth the soul from the remembrance of God and harmeth the soul’s development into a spiritual godly being. So, James 4:1 “From whence come wars and fightings among you? come they not hence, even of your lusts that war in your members,” in your very soul. 4:2 “Ye lust, and have not: ye kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain: ye fight and war, yet ye have not,” 4:5 “Do ye think that the scripture saith in vain, The spirit that dwelleth in us lusteth to envy.” But, Titus 2:11 “The grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men,” 2:12 “Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world.” So, 6:12 “Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof.” 6:13 “Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God.” Than, 6:14 “sin shall not have dominion over you,” or over your soul. 2 Corinthians 7:10 “Therefore attachment to “the world worketh death.” 1 John 5:19 “And — the whole world lieth in wickedness.” Ephesians 6:12 “For we wrestle — against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world; against spiritual wickedness.” For, Romans 5:12 “Sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men. for that all have sinned.” But again, Titus 2:11 “the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men,” 2:12 “Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world;” 2:13″ Looking for that blessed hope.” John 17:15 “I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil,” of attachment to self and the world. Hebrews 3:13 “Exhort one another daily, while it is called To day; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.” John 8:34 For, “Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin.” 1 Corinthians For, 15:56 “The sting of death is sin.”15:58 “Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of The Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain.” Romans 5:21 “That as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life.” 8:13 “For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live.” The soul shall live unhindered by the sins of the flesh. (King James Bible)

 Christianity: 1 John 2:15 “Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world; If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him,“ he is blind and seeth not the things of God. For, 1 Corinthians 1:27 “God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty;” 1:28 “And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to naught things that are:” the things that would make up sins in the world that cause harm to the souls of man, 1:29 “That no flesh should glory in His presence.” Ephesians 2:1 “And you hath He quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins;” 2:2 “Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world,” according to the sins committed from our attachment to this world and life; “according to — the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience:” 2:3 “Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh (sins of the flesh) and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others,” following the ways of the world and the flesh, and not the ways of God: 2 Peter 2:6 “making them an ensample unto those that after should live ungodly;” Romans 8:5 “For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh (sins of the flesh); but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit.” 8:13 “For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live.” 1 Timothy 5:6 For, “she that liveth in pleasure is dead while she liveth.” Titus 2:12 But, “denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world;” So, 1 Peter 4:6 “For this cause was the gospel preached also to them that are dead, that they might be judged according to men in the flesh, but live according to God in the spirit.”

 Christianity: Ephesians 2:1 “And you hath He quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins;” 2:2 “Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world — that now worketh in the children of disobedience:” 2:3 “Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires (sins) of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.” 2:4 “But God, who is rich in mercy, for His great love wherewith He loved us, 2:5 Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us.” So, Sirach 21:2 “Flee from sin as from the face of a serpent: for if thou comest too near it, it will bite thee: the teeth thereof are as the teeth of a lion, slaying the souls of men.” Here we clearly see sin can slay the souls of men or the things of this world and life that distract us from the spirit and the things of God harms our souls. Wisdom 1:4 “For into a malicious soul wisdom shall not enter; nor dwell in the body that is subject unto sin.” (Deuterocanonical Apocrypha)

 JUDAISM: Psalms 24:3 “Who shall ascend into the hill of The LORD?” 24:4 “He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart; who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully.” He who hath not succumb to the soul stifling sins of this earthly life that lay siege to the well-being of the spirit of man. Psalms 25:1 “Unto thee, O LORD, do I lift up my soul,” through obedience to Thy Holy law and following of Thy Holy Teachings.

 Judaism: Genesis 4:7 “If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? and if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door.” Sirach 19:4 “He that sinneth shall offend against his own soul.” 10:29 “Who will justify him that sinneth against his own soul? and who will honour him that dishonoureth his own life?” When we sin we truly sin against our own souls; this is what sin is or the nature of sin; we hurt ourselves or others. Psalms 94:20 “Shall the throne of iniquity (sins of the flesh) have fellowship with thee, which frameth mischief by a law?” 94:21 “They gather themselves together against the soul.” 10:2 “The wicked in his pride doth persecute the poor: let them be taken in the devices that they have imagined.” 10:3 “For the wicked boasteth of his heart’s desire, and blesseth the covetous, whom The LORD abhorreth.” 10:4 “The wicked, through the pride of his countenance, will not seek after God: God is not in all his thoughts.” Sin to us, again is anything that moves us away from God and the spiritual development of our eternal soul. For, Proverbs 10:16 “The labour of the righteous tendeth to life: the fruit of the wicked to sin.” 14:34 “Righteousness exalteth a nation: but sin is a reproach to any people.” 21:26 “He coveteth greedily all the day long: but the righteous giveth and spareth not.” 8:36 “But he that sinneth against Me wrongeth his own soul!” 20:2 “Sinneth against his own soul.” 6:32 “Whoso (than) committeth adultery with a woman lacketh understanding: he that doeth it destroyeth his own soul,” sins against his own soul and helps another sin against her soul. 11:17 “The merciful man doeth good to his own soul: but he that is cruel troubleth his own flesh (and soul).” Sirach 18:9 “There is not a more wicked (sinful) thing than a covetous man: for such an one setteth his own soul to sale.” 14:9 “A covetous man’s eye is not satisfied with his portion; and the iniquity of the wicked drieth up his soul.” (Deuterocanonical Apocrypha) Habakkuk 2:9 “Woe to him that coveteth an evil covetousness to his house, that he may set his nest on high, that he may be delivered from the power of evil!” 2:10 “Thou hast consulted shame to thy house by cutting off many people, and hast sinned against thy soul.” So, Deuteronomy 30:15 “See, I have set before thee this day life and good, and death and evil;” For, Isaiah 9:2 “The people that walked in darkness, (sin)  — they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death,”

  ISLAM: 272. “Whatever of good ye give (ye do) benefits your own souls. Whatever good ye give (the good deeds ye do, following the laws, teachings and ordinances of Allah, God), shall be rendered back to you (to the benefit of your own souls), ye shall not be dealt with unjustly.” So, 18. “whoever purifies himself does so for the benefit of his own soul; and the destination (of all) is to Allah.” 41. “He, then, that receives guidance benefits his own soul: but he that strays (falls into sin) injures his own soul.” For, 46. “Whoever works righteousness benefits his own soul; and whoever works evil, it is against his own soul” 16. “So fear Allah as much as ye can; listen and obey.” (The Qur’an (Yusuf Ali tr), Surahs 2, 35, 39, 41 and 64)

Islam: 33. “Say: The things that my Lord hath indeed forbidden are: shameful deeds, whether open or secret; sins and trespasses against truth or reason.” (The Qur’an (Yusuf Ali tr), Surah   7) God/Allah, as I stated earlier in this work, is All-Intelligent, All-Knowing, Omniscient and reasonable, so the things He does with us on this earth are directed by One Who is extremely intelligent. Therefore, the things He tells us are actually for our own true benefit and not just things He wants us to do because He created us. Therefore sins and the like that His messengers tell us not to do, He tells us not to do these things because they are harmful to ourselves and those around us, and therefore the things He tells us to do are good for us and a benefit for us in reality. “Now has an insight from your Lord come unto you, and he who looks therewith it is for himself (good for his wellbeing); but he who is blind thereto, it is against his soul.” (The Qur’an (E.H. Palmer tr), Sura 6 – Cattle) 111. “And if anyone earns sin, he earns it against his own soul: for Allah (God) is full of knowledge and wisdom.” (The Qur’an (Yusuf Ali tr), Surah 4) “Draw not nigh to flagrant sins, either apparent or concealed, and kill not the soul, (kill not your soul in sins).” (The Qur’an (E.H. Palmer tr), Sura 6 – Cattle) “O Allah! I have wronged my soul very much (oppressed myself holding onto the things of this life and sinning against my soul with worldly lusts of the flesh), and none forgives the sins but You; so please bestow Your Forgiveness upon me. No doubt, You are the Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.” (Hadith, Bukhari Vol 9, Book 93, Number 485) 135. “And those who, having done something to be ashamed of, or wronged their own souls, earnestly bring Allah to mind, and ask for forgiveness for their sins, and who can forgive sins except Allah?” (The Qur’an (Yusuf Ali tr), Surah 3)

Islam: 104. “Now have come to you, from your Lord, proofs to open your eyes: if any will see, it will be for (the good of) his own soul; if any will be blind, it will be to his own (harm): I am not (here) to watch over your doings.” 120. “Eschew all sin, open or secret: those who earn sin, will get due recompense for their earnings.” (The Qur’an (Yusuf Ali tr), Surah 6) 44. “Verily Allah (God) will not deal unjustly with man in aught: it is man that wrongs his own soul.” (The Qur’an (Yusuf Ali tr), Surah 10) 50. “Say: ‘If I am astray, I only stray to the loss of my own soul (sins corrupting my own soul): but if I receive guidance, (Allah’s teachings and laws there for our protection) it is because of the inspiration of my Lord to me: it is He Who hears all things, and is (ever) near.”‘ (The Qur’an (Yusuf Ali tr), Surah 34) 18. “Whoever purifies himself does so for the benefit of his own soul; and the destination (of all) is to Allah.” (The Qur’an (Yusuf Ali tr), Surah 35) 111. “And if anyone earns sin, he earns it against his own soul: for Allah is full of knowledge and wisdom.” (The Qur’an (Yusuf Ali tr), Surah 4) 41. “Verily We have revealed the Book to thee in Truth, for (instructing) mankind. He, then, that receives guidance benefits his own soul: but he that strays injures his own soul.” (The Qur’an (Yusuf Ali tr), Surah 39) 46. “Whoever works righteousness benefits his own soul; whoever works evil, it is against his own soul:” (The Qur’an (Yusuf Ali tr), Surah 41) 15. “If anyone does a righteous deed, it enures to the benefit of his own soul; if he does evil, it works against (his own soul). In the end will ye (all) be brought back to your Lord.” (The Qur’an (Yusuf Ali tr), Surah 45)

Islam: 200. “There are men who say: ‘Our Lord! give us (thy bounties) in this world!’ (they hold to the wants and desires of this world), but they will have no portion in the Hereafter.” For, 212. “The life of this world is alluring to those who reject faith, and they scoff at those who believe.” They are attached to this life and the sins of this life: 106. “We wish not in this for any worldly gain, even though the (beneficiary) be our near relation: we shall hide not the evidence before Allah: if we do, then behold! the sin be upon us!” (The Qur’an (Yusuf Ali tr), Surahs 2 and 5) 1. “O Prophet! Those are limits set by Allah: (the laws, the do’s and don’ts given to man) and any who transgresses the limits of Allah, does verily wrong his (own) soul: thou knowest not if perchance Allah will bring about thereafter some new situation.” (The Qur’an (Yusuf Ali tr), Surah 65) 27. “Allah doth wish to turn to you, but the wish of those who follow their lusts (sins) is that ye should turn away (from Him), far, far away,” in your sins. 135. “Follow not the lusts (of your hearts), lest ye swerve,” through your sins and find your souls without, bereft of the holy melody of your Lord, your souls alone, (The Qur’an (Yusuf Ali tr), Surah 4) 59. “then, will they face Destruction!” (The Qur’an (Yusuf Ali tr), Surah 19) 50. “But if they hearken not to thee, know that they only follow their own lusts: and who is more astray than one who follows his own lusts, devoid of guidance from Allah? For Allah guides not people given to wrongdoing.” (The Qur’an (Yusuf Ali tr), Surah 28) 29. “Nay, the wrongdoers (sinners merely) fellow their own lusts, being devoid of knowledge. But who will guide those whom Allah leaves astray? To them there will be no helpers.” (The Qur’an (Yusuf Ali tr), Surah 30) 3. “They reject (the warning) and follow their (own) lusts but every matter has its appointed time.” (The Qur’an (Yusuf Ali tr), Surah 54)

For:

Islam: 14. “Fair in the eyes of men is the love of things they covet: women and sons; heaped-up hoards of gold and silver; horses branded (for blood and excellence); and (wealth of) cattle and well-tilled land. Such are the possessions of this world’s life (that attracts man and distracts away from the ways of Allah); but in nearness to Allah (God) is the best of the goals (to return to).”15. “Say: shall I give you glad tidings of things far better than those? (Things that lead away from the wants of this earthly life) For the righteous are gardens in nearness to their Lord, with rivers flowing beneath; therein is their eternal home; with companions pure (and holy), and the good pleasure of Allah. For in Allah’s sight are (all) His servants.” 21. “As to those who deny the Signs of Allah, and in defiance of right, slay the Prophets, and slay those who teach just dealing with mankind, announce to them a grievous penalty.” 22. “They are those whose works will bear no fruit in this world and in the Hereafter, nor will they have anyone to help.” 117. “What they spend in the life of this (material) world may be likened to a wind which brings a nipping frost: it strikes and destroys the harvest of men who have wronged their own souls; it is not Allah that hath wronged them, but they wrong themselves.” For, 186. “Ye shall certainly be tried and tested in your possessions and in your personal selves; and ye shall certainly hear much that will grieve you, from those who received the Book before you and from those who worship many gods. But if ye persevere patiently, and guard against evil, then that will be a determining factor in all affairs.” For, 185. “Only he who is saved far from the fire and admitted to the garden will have attained the object (of life): for the life of this world is but goods and chattels of deception.”

             (The Qur’an (Yusuf Ali tr), Surah   3)

Islam: 32. “What is the life of this world but play and amusement? But best is the home in the Hereafter, for those who are righteous. Will ye not then understand?” Then, 70. “Leave alone those who take their religion to be mere play and amusement, and are deceived by the life of this world. But proclaim (to them) this (truth): that every soul delivers itself to ruin by its own acts (its own sins): it will find for itself no protector or intercessor except Allah: if it offered every ransom (or reparation), none will be accepted: such is (the end of) those who deliver themselves to ruin by their own acts (sins and lusts of this worldly life): they will have for drink (only) boiling water, and for punishment, one most grievous: for they persisted in rejecting Allah (God),” and His rules and teachings. 130. “It was the life of this world that deceived them.” 51. “Such as took their religion to be mere amusement and play, and were deceived by the life of the world.” 169. “They chose (for themselves) the vanities (the sins) of this world, saying (for excuse): ‘(everything) will be forgiven us.’” 26, For, “(The worldly) rejoice in the life of this world: but the life of this world is but little comfort in the Hereafter.” 67. “Ye look for the temporal goods of this world; but Allah looketh to the hereafter; and Allah is Exalted in might, Wise.” 85. “Nor let their wealth nor their (following in) sons Dazzle thee: Allah’s plan is to punish them with these things in this world, and that their souls may perish in their (very) denial of Allah.” 46. “Wealth and sons are allurements of the life of this world: but the things that endure, Good Deeds, are best in the sight of thy Lord, as rewards, and best as (the foundation for) hopes.” 131. “Nor strain thine eyes in longing for the things We have given for enjoyment to parties of them, the splendor of the life of this world, through which We test them: but the provision of thy Lord is better and more enduring.” For, 1. “The mutual rivalry for piling up (the good things of this world) diverts you (from the more serious things of this existence).” 10. “Those who reject faith, neither their possessions nor their (numerous) progeny will avail them aught against Allah: they are themselves but fuel for the fire.” 11. “(Their plight will be) no better than that of the people of Pharaoh, and their predecessors: they denied Our Signs, and Allah called them to account for their sins. For Allah is strict in punishment.”

            (The Qur’an (Yusuf Ali tr), Surahs 3, 6, 7, 8, 9, 13, 18, 20 and 102)

  ZOROASTRIANISM: “I announce and carry out (this Yasna, the teachings) for the good religious Knowledge, for the good — and to the Glory and the Benefit which are Mazda (God) made,” for the betterment of the soul in man. “and of the Benefit which Mazda gave.” “Yea, we worship the Glory, and the Benefit which are Mazda-made,” The teachings and ordinances which Zarathustra revealed to help the souls of man rise to the glory of man. “And we worship the pious and good Blessing;” “the Glory (and the) Benefit which Mazda made,” 24. “that approach to us, and with a sacred blessing whose benefits the offers are, O Ahura Mazda, — appointed unto the souls,” for the betterment of the souls of man. “May these blessings approach.” But where, “there is sin upon a man, — bent on the destruction of righteousness (sin against the law and teachings of Ahura), the soul will cry and wail!” “These that are of an evil dominion, of evil deeds, evil words, evil Self, and evil thought, Liars, the Souls go to meet them with evil food; in the House of the Lie they shall be meet inhabitants.” (The Zend-Avesta, Avesta – Yasna 1, 3, 6, 7, 49, 60 and Vendidad)

 Zoroastrianism: “I am contrite for all sins and I desist from them, from all bad thoughts, bad words and bad acts which I have thought, spoken or done in the world, or which have happened through me, or have originated with me. For those sins of thinking, speaking and acting, of body and soul; worldly (lusts of the flesh and sins of worldly attachment that can lead soul to ruin) — I am contrite, I renounce them. With these words I distance myself (from them).” “For the reward of virtue and the forgiveness of sins, I do (deeds of) righteousness for the love (and good) of my soul.”

            (The Zend-Avesta, Khorda Avesta – Book of Common Prayer pt. 1)

 Zoroastrianism: 32. “Against the body of the harlot, with her magic minds o’erthrowing with (intoxicating) pleasures, to the lusts her person offering, whose mind as vapor wavers as it flies before the wind, for the righteous saint that perishes,” from the lusts of the flesh and sins of the world, that degrade both body and soul, as we are warned to avoid for our own good. So, 26. “Proclaim thou those prayers: they will cleanse thy body from deeds of lust,” of the flesh that degrade spirit.

             (The Zend-Avesta, Avesta – Yasna 9 and The Zend-Avesta, Avesta Fragments)

 Zoroastrianism: “Let no thought of Angra Mainyu (the devil) ever infect thee, so that thou shouldst indulge in evil lusts (of the world and flesh), make derision and idolatry, and shut (to the poor) the door of thy house.” 11. “these that are of an evil dominion, of evil deeds, evil words, evil Self, and evil thought, Liars, the Souls go to meet them with evil,” “kills his own soul,” with actions, sins from his own self!

             (The Zend-Avesta, Avesta – Yasna 49, The Zend-Avesta, Avesta Fragments and Vendidad)

 Zoroastrianism: 20. “Whosoever cometh over to the Righteous, far from him hereafter shall be long age of misery (and) darkness, ill-food, and crying of woe. To such an existence, ye followers of the Lie, shall your own Self (and soul) bring you through your (own) action.”

(The Zend-Avesta, Avesta – Yasna 31)

 Zoroastrianism: 10. “Whoso, man or woman, doeth what thou, Mazda Ahura (God), knowest as best in life, as destiny for what is Right (give him) the Dominion through Good Thought. And those whom I impel to your adoration, with all these will I cross the Bridge of the Separator.” 11. “By their dominion the Karapans and the Kavis accustomed mankind to evil actions, so as to destroy Life. Their own soul and their own self shall torment them when they come where the Bridge of the Separator is, to all time dwellers in the House of the Lie.”

(The Zend-Avesta, Avesta – Yasna 46)

 Zoroastrianism: 5. “But he, O Mazda, – happiness and satiety be his who links his own Self with Good Thought, being through Right an intimate of Piety. And with all these (may I be) in Thy Dominion, Ahura.” 19. “The man himself, O Maidyoi-Maungha Spitama, hath set this before him after conceiving it in his own self. He that would see life indeed, to him will he make known what in actions by Mazda’s ordinance is better during (this) existence.” God‘s teachings given to man, lead to the betterment of the soul in man. For, “evil-speaking people — kills his own soul” “For were there sin upon a man — how soon all this material world of mine would be only one Peshotanu, bent on the destruction of righteousness, and whose soul will cry and wail!“

(The Zend-Avesta, Avesta – Yasnas 49, 51 and Vendidad)

 HINDUISM: “They comprehend not, the Unheavenly, How Souls go forth from Me; nor how they come Back unto Me: nor is there Truth in these, Nor purity, nor rule of Life. ‘This world Hath not a Law, nor Order, nor a Lord,’ So say they: ‘nor hath risen up by Cause Following on Cause, in perfect purposing, But is none other than a House of Lust (and sin).’ And, this thing thinking, all those ruined ones- Of little wit, dark-minded- give themselves To evil deeds, the curses of their kind. Surrendered to desires insatiable, Full of deceitfulness, folly, and pride, In blindness cleaving to their errors, caught Into the sinful course, they trust this lie As it were true- this lie which leads to death,”’ of soul and spirit in them. (Hindu, Bhagavad Gita (Edwin Arnold tr) chapter 16)

Hinduism: 101. “As a fire that has gained strength consumes even trees full of sap, even so he who knows the Veda burns out the taint of his soul which arises from (evil) acts,” of worldly “lusts; set free From pride, from passion, from the sin of Self.” “Foul and dark the Pleasure is which springs From sloth and sin and foolishness; at first And at the last,” “And painful Pleasure springeth from the bond Between the senses and the sense-world,” “Bitter as poison,” “As poison to the soul,” sin finally bringing harm to soul itself. “Whoso, shaking off the yoke of flesh Lives lord, not servant, of his lusts; set free From pride, from passion, from the sin of Self;” “Let each man raise The Self by Soul, not trample down his Self, Since Soul that is Self’s friend may grow.” “Soul is Self’s friend when Self doth rule o’er Self,” “But Self turns enemy if Soul’s own self” “Blinded by lust and wrath, These cannot see, or will not see, the sin — How should not we, who see, shun such a crime- We who perceive the guilt and feel the shame — Mad passions, (sins) Sending a Hell-ward road that family, And whoso wrought its doom by wicked wrath.” “Yea! whoso, shaking off the yoke of flesh Lives lord, not servant, of his lusts (sins); set free From pride, from passion, from the sin of Self,” Toucheth tranquillity that helpeth self and soul. (Hindu, Bhagavad Gita (Edwin Arnold tr)) chapters 1, 2, 18 and Laws of Manu chapter 12)

 Hinduism: “The soul of the ungoverned is not his,” but is inundated with the deep soul smothering sins of this life and world. 101. “Even so he who knows the Veda burns out the taint of his soul which arises from (evil) acts,” of a life covered in sin. “Good is the Intellect which comprehends — What must be done, and what must not be done, What should be feared, and what should not be feared, What binds and what emancipates the soul,” the sins of this life that hinder the progress and groweth of the soul, and the observance of the teachings and ordinances of Brahma, God which frees the soul of man to grow and develop in this existence. (Hindu, Laws of Manu, Bhagavad Gita (Edwin Arnold tr) chapters 2 and 18)

Hinduism: 88.“He (Brahma, God) assigned teaching and studying of the Veda, (and living by these teaching and laws of the Holy Word) for their (man’s) own benefit,” “for purifying the souls of sinners,” “and for (the benefit of) others.” “beneficial and so elevating” — the soul in man. (Hindu, Laws of Manu, The Dharma Sutras, Introduction to Apastamba)

 Hinduism: (6) “The mind, it is said, is of two kinds, pure and impure. Impure from the contact with lust (sin), pure when free from lust (sin).” 5. “Coveting the property of others (sinning of thought), thinking in one’s heart of what is undesirable, and adherence to false (doctrines), are the three kinds of (sinful) mental action,” spirit troubling thoughts harmful to the soul of the one sinning. 6. “Abusing (others, speaking) untruth, detracting from the merits of all men, and talking idly, shall be the four kinds of (evil) verbal action.” 7. “Taking what has not been given, injuring (creatures of Brahma/God) without the sanction of the law, and holding criminal intercourse with another man’s wife, are declared to be the three kinds of (wicked) bodily action.” 8. “(A man) obtains (the result of) good or evil mental (acts) in his mind, (that of) verbal (acts) in his speech, and (that of) bodily (acts) in his body.” 9. “In consequence of (many) sinful acts committed with his body, a man (faces the consequence of his evil thoughts and actions, which become sins against body and soul, causing harm to the spirit of man in this life and the next).” 10. “That man is called a (true) tridandin in whose mind these three, the control over his speech (vagdanda), the control over his thoughts (manodanda), and the control over his body (kayadanda), are firmly fixed.” 11. “That man who keeps this threefold control (over himself) with respect to all created beings and wholly subdues desire and wrath, thereby assuredly gains complete success,” and goodness to self, soul and spirit in this life and the next.

(Upanishads vol. 2, Maitrayana-Brahmaya-Upanishad and Hindu, Laws of Manu)

 Hinduism: “There is ‘dark’ Action: when one doth a thing (does something sinful), Heedless of issues, heedless of the hurt Or wrong for others, heedless if he harm His own soul:” 28. “And thus it has been said elsewhere: After having left behind the body, the organs of sense, and the objects of sense (as no longer belonging to us), and having seized the bow whose stick is fortitude and whose string is asceticism, having struck down also with the arrow, which consists in freedom from egotism, the first guardian of the door of Brahman, (for if man looks at the world egotistically, then, taking the diadem of passion, the earrings of greed and envy, and the staff of sloth, sleep, and sin, and having seized the bow whose string is anger, and whose stick is lust’ he destroys with the arrow which consists of wishes, self and all beings).”

            (Hindu, Bhagavad Gita (Edwin Arnold tr) chapter 18 and Upanishads vol. 2, Maitrayana-Brahmaya-Upanishad)

 Hinduism: 255. “He who describes himself to virtuous (men), in a manner contrary to truth, is the most sinful (wretch) in this world; he is a thief (in sin) who makes away with his own self,” and inflicts harm on his own soul, distancing himself from Brahma (God) as well. “The fruit of Soothfastness is true and sweet; The fruit of lusts (sins) is pain and toil (of the spirit); the fruit Of Ignorance is deeper darkness,” of the soul. 121. (He who does it) through lust, (shall his soul pay)” 67. “his intellect (inner soul) being destroyed by lust (sins).” “The Doors of Hell Are threefold, whereby men to ruin pass,- The door of Lust, the door of Wrath, the door Of Avarice. Let a man shun those three!” For, “what is the use of the enjoyment of pleasures in this body which is assailed by lust, hatred, greed, delusion, fear, anguish, jealousy, separation from what is loved, union with what is not loved, hunger, thirst, old age, death, illness, grief, and other evils!” that harm soul of men. 4. “Defiled by lust am I, defiled am I, oh Lust; to Lust svaha (sin);’ ‘Injured by lust (sin) am I (to soul), injured am I, oh Lust; to Lust svaha.” “But if a man shall learn, Even while he lives and bears his body’s chain,To master lust and anger (sins), he is blest!” and help his own soul to advance in this world towards bliss goodness in the next life.

   “When a man sleeps here, my dear son, he becomes united with the True, he is gone to his own (Self, Soul, Spirit). “he kills all actions, good or bad (bad sins that cause harm to the soul) “Thou art verily not such, as to have consumed thy own self (soul).”

(Hindu, Laws of Manu and Bhagavad Gita (Edwin Arnold tr) chapter 5, 14 and Upanishads vol. 2, Maitrayana-Brahmaya-Upanishad and The Dharma Sutras, Gutama 25 – Upanishads vol. 1, Khandogya-Upanishad Part 3  and Upanishads vol. 2, Maitrayana-Brahmaya-Upanishad and Vedas, Atharva Veda)

 BUDDHISM: “Lax behaviour, broken observances and dubious chastity,” sins of this earthly life – “these are on no great benefit,” they are harmful to the development of the soul in the one sinning. “If it ought to be done, then do it; apply yourself to it strenuously.” “A lax man of religion, (one who fails in his practice of the Holy Teachings) just spreads even more dust” bad actions; “A bad action (a sin) is best left undone.” “One is punished later for a bad action,” his soul is hurt and suffers for lack of spiritual development and growth, “But a good deed (the following of the Holy Laws and Teachings) is best done, for which one will not be punished for doing it,” but blessed with good benefits and spiritual growth of the soul. “Guard yourself like a frontier town, guarded inside and out. Don’t let a moment slip you by. Those who have missed their opportunity (their souls will grieve) for it,” the good they fail to achieve, so they receive nothing of the good, for the lack of good deeds their souls failed to perform in this life. (Buddhist, Dhammapada – Sayings of the Buddha 1 (tr. J. Richards))

  Buddhism: “Bad actions (sins) actions harmful to ourselves (to our souls) are easy to do; what is beneficial (following the rules and teachings of Brahma God) the good, that is very difficult to do.” “The fool who scorns the teaching, follows wrong ideas and bears fruit (the sins) to one’s own destruction.” “By oneself is wrong (sins) done; by oneself one suffers; by oneself is wrong left undone; (one follows the teachings) so, by oneself is one purified.” “Purity and impurity come from oneself;” (Buddhist, Dhammapada – Sayings of the Buddha 2 (tr. J. Richards))

 Buddhism: “There are ten ‘Fetters’ by which beings are bound to the wheel of existence. They are: Self-Illusion, Skepticism, Attachment to mere Rule and Ritual, Sensual Lust, Ill-will, Craving for the World of pure Form, Craving for the Formless World, Conceit, Restlessness, Ignorance.”

            ((The Eightfold Path), Buddha,  the Word (The Eightfold Path))

Buddhism: “Right Mindedness, let me tell you, is of two kinds: 1. Thoughts free from lust of worldly attachment, (sin), from ill-will, and from cruelty:-this is called the ‘Mundane Right Mindedness,’ which yields (good) worldly fruits and brings good results,” for self and soul development.

    “But, whatsoever there is of thinking, considering, reasoning, thought, ratiocination, application-the mind being holy, being turned away from the world, and conjoined with the path, the holy path being pursued-: these ‘Verbal Operations’ of the mind are called the Ultramundane Right Mindedness which is not of the world, but is ultra mundane, and conjoined with the paths,” which bring betterment to the soul.

             ((The Eightfold Path), Buddha,  the Word (The Eightfold Path))

 Buddhism: “And further, people (of worldly attachment) take the evil way in deeds, the evil way in words, the evil way in thoughts; and by taking the evil way in deeds, words, and thoughts (sins which brings harm to the development of soul), and at the dissolution of the body, after death, (these souls) fall into a downward state of existence, a state of suffering, into perdition, and the abyss of hell. But, this is the misery of sensuous craving, (craving of the things of the flesh and world, sin in the sight of Brahma/God), the heaping up of suffering in the future life, due to sensuous craving, conditioned through sensuous craving, caused by sensuous craving, entirely dependent on sensuous craving.”

   “Not in the air, nor ocean-midst, Nor hidden in the mountain clefts, Nowhere is found a place on earth, Where man is freed from evil deeds.”

             ((The Eightfold Path), Buddha,  the Word (The Eightfold Path))

 Buddhism: “One is one’s own lord. One has one’s own course. Control therefore your own self (soul), As a merchant, a noble steed.” “Whoever has tasted the sweetness of solitude and tranquillity becomes free from fear and sin drinking the sweetness of the truth. The sight of the noble is good; to live with them is always joyful.” “Whoever does not see fools will always be happy. Whoever associates with fools suffers a long time. Being with fools, as with an enemy, is always painful,” to self and soul.

           (Buddhist, Dhammapada – Sayings of the Buddha 2, 3 (tr. J. Richards))

 Buddhism: “When a man takes life, tells lies, takes what he is not entitled to in the world, resorts to other men’s wives and indulges in drinking wine and spirits – such a man is digging up his own roots here and now in this world,” through his sinful nature “So understand this, – Unrestrained men are evil. Don’t let (the sins of) greed and wrong doing subject you, (your soul) to lasting suffering.” The sins of this life we see again are harmful and painful to the soul in man and Brahma wishes for us to avoid and over come them. He, “Brahma (God) only desires that which is of good benefit for us;” You see, “The Tathagata guides you in the way, let Him admonish, exhort, And shield from wrong.” For the, “Tathagatas are in close fellowship with each individual comforting, encouraging, guiding, strengthening.”

       (The Eightfold Path, Buddha, the Word and The Sixth Patriarch, The Lankavatara Sutra, Surangama Sutra, Diamond Sutra and Tevigga Sutra) Dhammapada – Sayings of the Buddha 1 and 3 (tr. J. Richards))

 SABEANISM: “He (Haiyi/God) sundered the light from the darkness, and sundered The Good from The Evil and He sundered The Life from The Death and He brought out those who love, His name of Truth, from The Darkness, (of the prison of self), to the Light (of the spiritual self), and He brought forth from Evil to Good and set man on the path from death to spiritual Life, and set them (humanity) on roads of Truth and Faith (in the spirit of The Holy Word).” He God, the True Creator, sundered the good from evil, and He broke apart, or separated out, the good in this existence, from evil. “Begone, be vanquished and brought to naught before the true glory and light of Manda-d-Hiia!” For, “when any human being, departeth out of, or leaves his physical form, or his earthly body, there cometh towards him seven godlike appearances, and each standeth by his own. And Sauriel, the Releaser, cometh and He Who Releaseth The spirit and the soul from the body; Manda-d-Hiia,” For the One True God, “The Great Life (Haiyi/God) dwelleth in those that truly do love Him.” For, “I go down, before all these souls, whom The One True, Life (God) delivereth and saveth, and protecteth these souls from all that is evil. in support of life, that thou givest, no room for evil.” ‘Secure, seal and guard’ say ‘secure, seal and guard the soul of (this one), and establish it, that evil (of the sins of worldly attachment) will be removed, that they (humans) will be freed from all of the fetters, sins and bonds of this flesh and world,” and set the spirit and soul of man, on the road, to true, spiritual, truth and well being! So then, “Be no son (be no prisoner) of the House, (and sins) of this world,” be not a slave to sin and the lusts of this world that lead to harm of spirit in man. “Adam, look upon the world, which is a completely unreal thing, it is an unreal thing, in which you can put no trust.”

            (Sabeanism, Ginza Rba- chapters 8, 13, 17, 24, 48, 60, 75 and The Instructions of Adam)

   So I now say, sin being just for the sake of sinning because sin is just what God feels like telling us to do and not to do, at different given times, is an unreasonable and senseless thing for an all loving Creator, Who truly loves us to do (and I don’t believe God is an unreasonable Creator).

   God, as I said earlier, is a truly reasonable Creator as I hope I demonstrated earlier; and I hope that I have demonstrated now that things that are considered sins for us to do by The Creator are things that are really just bad and harmful for us at the time; for our soul and possibly our body as well. Example: pork if it is under cooked and not treated properly can lead to the infestation of the one eating the pork by a parasite and lead to Trichinella parasites infestation of the one eating the meat. God in His infinite wisdom instructed man to not eat pork and it was a sin to do so, but as can be seen it was for the good of the Israelite people wondering through the wilderness. Later when there was more civilization and better means of cooking meat that law was changed through Peter during the early days of Christianity:  Christianity: Acts  10:13 “And there came a voice to him, Rise, Peter; kill, and eat.” 10:14 “But Peter said, Not so, Lord; for I have never eaten any thing that is common or unclean.” 10:15 “And the voice spake unto him again the second time, What God hath cleansed, that call not thou common.” Christians ate cooked pork after this and still do so today, but in a later time Muhammad again outlawed the eating of pork at a time when the thorough cooking of the meat by desert dwellers was again in question: Islam: 173. “He (Allah, God) hath only forbidden you dead meat, and blood, and the flesh of swine,” (The Qur’an (Yusuf Ali tr), Surah 2) So you see, God again comes to our aid through Muhammad, again telling us what not to eat which is again for our own health. So you see, it is again about God loving us and trying to instruct us in things to do and not to do, because God does in fact love us with an all powerful love and He wants to truly help us and also keep us from doing things that will cause us harm in the end. So we need to again use logic and reason, when we look at these writings of God to ascertain the truth and understanding of these situations, so we can better understand the logic of what the Creator is  doing with us.

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   You see, the reason why the Creator does things like this for us, as regards to sin, is because God is a God of love not hate, so He loves us and wants what is best for us; (ALL of US), in this life yes, but mainly in the next life where we will spend eternity:

 CHRISTIANITY: 1 John 4:10 “Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us,” 4:11 “Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another.” 4:16 “And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him.” 4:17 “Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as He is, so are we in this world.” 4:18 “There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love.” 4:19 “We love Him, because He first loved us.”

 Christianity: 1 John 3:1 “Behold, what manner of love the Father (God) hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God.” 2 Corinthians 13:11 “Be of good comfort, be of one mind, live in peace; and the God of love and peace shall  be with you.” So, 2 John 1:3 “Grace be with you, mercy, and peace, from God the Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of the Father, in truth and love.”

 Christianity: Ephesians 2:4 “But God, who is rich in mercy, for His great love wherewith He loved us,” 2:5 “Even when we were dead in sins.” So, 6:23 “Peace be to the brethren, and love with faith, from God the Father.” God loves us even when we sin or God loves the sinners as well; think about it when you may be taking the Holy Writings as completely literal phrases.

  JUDAISM: Isaiah 43:1 “But now thus saith The LORD that created thee, and He that formed thee. Fear not: for thou art Mine, (and)” 43:2 “I will be with thee;” 43:3 “For I Am The LORD Thy God, The Holy One of Israel, thy Saviour,” 43:5 “Fear not: for I am with thee.” 43:4 “Since thou wast precious in My sight, thou hast been honourable, and I have loved thee.”

 Judaism: Hosea 11:4 “I drew (created them, pulled towards Me) them with cords of a man, with bands of love: and I was to them as they that take off the yoke on their jaws, and I laid meat unto them.” Jeremiah 31:3 “Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with loving kindness have I drawn (made) thee.”

 Judaism: Malachi 1:2 “I have loved you, saith The LORD. Yet ye say, Wherein hast Thou loved us?”

 ISLAM: 164. “Shall I seek for (my) Cherisher (One Who Loves me) other than Allah (God), when He is the Cherisher (The Lover) of all things (that exist)?” Remember, 126. “Allah, is your Lord and the Cherisher and the Lord and Cherisher of your fathers of old?” 6. “(And He Loved and created you all). Such is Allah, your Lord and Cherisher: to Him belongs (all) dominion.” God or Allah, which ever name you want to call Him, is about love. He is all about love and loves us, as we can clearly see from these quotations taken right out of the Holy Bible and the Holy Qur’an; which only just gives us a glimpse into the Love of God found within His numerous Holy Writings.

           (The Qur’an (Yusuf Ali tr), Surahs 6, 37 and 39)

Islam: 7. “Allah doth love the righteous.” And, “Allah loveth those who make themselves pure.”

           (The Qur’an (Yusuf Ali tr), Surah 9)

Islam: 8. “And they feed, for the Love of Allah, the indigent, the orphan, and the captive.” “We feed you for the sake of Allah alone: No reward do we desire from you, nor thanks.”

           (The Qur’an (Yusuf Ali tr), Surah 76)

Islam: “The Prophet said, ‘My Lord says, ‘If My slave comes nearer to me for a span, I go nearer to him for a cubit; and if he comes nearer to Me for a cubit, I go nearer to him for the span of outstretched arms; and if he comes to Me walking, I go to him running,”‘ such is Allah’s love for us.

          (Hadith, Bukhari Vol 9, Book 93, Number 927)

  ZOROASTRIANISM: “The human heart craves a God who loves. To love God and make one’s self loved by Him, to love one’s neighbour and make one’s self loved by him, this is morality and religion. In both the one and the other love is everything — the end the beginning and the middle.” “The ultimate relation between Mazda (God) and man is that of eternal mutual love.” “Man is both the lover and the beloved of Mazda.” Again, we find, from another of God’s messengers/manifestations that God/Ahura is a truly loving God who truly loves His creation: us, mankind. “Mazda is not the God of any particular tribe. The doors of Mazda are not closed to foreigners. So soon as anyone of them becomes fit he is to be included in the fold.” “Love of God is calculated to remove the distinction between one nation and another.” Clearly, God/Ahura Mazda is all about Love and Unity amongst mankind. The doors to The Mazdaian, Zoroastrian Religion are open to all people who believe in the same principles they do, regardless of whatever religion that person may profess to adhere to. If you truly believe in the same teachings of God that the Mazdaians adhere to you are to be considered a true follower of Ahura Mazda; which, of course, truly entail true religious unity and fellowship amongst all of the people who believe like this, because, if all the people believe like this, in the eyes of all these people, they are all true brothers and sisters, united in the Love of Ahura, not enemies to be feared and hated?         

           (ZOROASTER, Hymns of Atharvan pp. 542, 544, 676, 677 and 784)

 Zoroastrianism: “In my mind there is naught but the Love of Ahura Mazda.” “Oh Ahura Mazda you are the Friend, the Brother and the Father of them all.” “The relation between Mazda and man is preeminently that of the Lover and the Beloved. The supremely beloved one is the supremely Loving One.”

           (ZOROASTER, Hymns of Atharvan pp. 375 and 376)

 Zoroastrianism: “The religion of the Gatha is the religion of love, and Ahura Mazda is the friend of men.”

          (ZOROASTER, Hymns of Atharvan p. 500, 507 and Denkard)

 HINDUISM: “Whoso, doeth all for Me, who findeth Me In all, adoreth always; loveth all Which I have made; and Me, for Love’s sole end, equally Loving all that lives; loves well.” “Better to live on beggar’s bread with those we love than taste their blood in rich feasts spread!” Again, love is a main theme spoken of where Brahma/Vishnu is concerned. He (God) again is spoken of here, as a God of Love: “Me, Love’s Sole End; Loving all that lives” So He, Brahma, is again, an All Loving God and Creator. And He Brahma, is again, a God/Brahma/Vishnu, of love and peace, “Loveth all, Which I have made.”

         (Hindu, Bhagavad Gita (Edwin Arnold tr) chapters 2, 11 and 18)

  Hinduism: 3. “All rests upon the Laud and Love of Him The Rich, High-Flaming God (Brahma/Vishnu).”

           (Hindu, Vedas, Rig Veda – Book 5)

  Hinduism: 5. “God (Brahma/Vishnu) is furthering us; On us with Loving-Kindness.”

           (Hindu, Vedas, Rig Veda – Book 1)

 BUDDHISM: “The true Samana (a type of wondering acetic) who is seeking the way to Brahma (God), let him have thoughts of love everywhere throughout the whole world pervading with thoughts of love far reaching, beyond measure, all embracing. Regard all with mind set free and filled with deep felt love; this is a way to a state of union with Brahma and the way to Brahma’s Love. Be filled with thoughts of pity, sympathy and equanimity (for others), far reaching, beyond measure, all embracing, even for all things that have form or life. With deep felt pity, sympathy and equanimity let not one be set aside.” Have love and compassion for all. This is a true path to The Love of Brahma, The Uncreated One. Have thoughts of pity, sympathy and equanimity beyond measure, for all your fellow human brothers and sisters. This is a teaching of The Buddha, this is a teaching of Brahma. Once again, we find a message of love and compassion, for your fellow human beings, in the teachings of Buddha in Buddhism.

        (Buddha, Tevigga Sutra)

 Buddhism: “The Lord Buddha continued: ‘Subhuti, within these innumerable worlds are every form of sentient life with all their various mental capacities, dispositions, and temperaments, all alike are fully known to (Brahma/Vishnu/God) The Tathagatas, and The Tathagatas are filled with Compassion and Love for them.”

       (Buddha, Diamond Sutra)

 SABEANISM: “Blessed and praised be Life (Haiyi, God) Who Is filled with Love and Compassion for all these souls: (all humanity, all man and womankind). Praised be Thou, my Lord, Manda-d-Hiia (Savior God), For Thou raisest up these souls” “O Thou (First Life, Haiyi, God), art a Lord Who art, All Mercy and Love.”

        (Sabeanism, Ginza Rba- chapters 35 and 70)

Sabeanism: “Look upon me with Your Eyes and pity me In Your heart! Support me with Your Strength, clothe me with Your Glory and cover me with Your Light and Love.” “(Thou Art), A Lord who Art All Mercy (and love).”

         (Sabeanism, Ginza Rba- chapters 70 and 410)

BAHA’I FAITH: ( BABI RELIGION) “He hath cherished and will ever cherish the desire that all men may attain His gardens of Paradise with utmost love, that no one should sadden another, not even for a moment, and that all should dwell within His cradle of protection and security.”

           (The Bab, Selections from the Writings of the Bab, p. 86)

Baha’i Faith: ( Babi Religion) “Refresh my heart, O my God, with the living waters of Thy love and give me a draught, O my Master, from the chalice of Thy tender mercy.”

           (The Bab, Selections from the Writings of the Bab, p. 208)

Baha’i Faith: ( Babi Religion) “God‘s all-encompassing love and protection will surround them.”

        (The Bab: Shoghi Effendi, The Dawn-Breakers, p. 197)

BAHA’I FAITH: “O Son of Man! I loved thy creation, hence I created thee. Wherefore, do thou love Me, that I may name thy name and fill thy soul with the spirit of life.” “O SON OF BEING!” “Love Me, that I may love thee. If thou lovest Me not, My love can in no wise reach thee. Know this, O servant.”

           (Baha’u’llah, The Arabic Hidden Words)

Baha’i Faith: “God is loving and merciful. His intention in religion has ever been the bond of unity and affinity between humankind.”

           (Abdu’l-Baha, Baha’i World Faith – Abdu’l-Baha Section, p. 279)

Baha’i Faith: “The gaze of the loving-kindness of God — exalted and glorified is He — hath everlastingly been directed towards His beloved friends; verily He is the One Who knoweth and remembereth.”

          (Bahá’í Faith, Baha’u’llah, Tablets of Baha’u’llah, p. 236)

Baha’i Faith: “There is none other God but Him, the One, the Single, the Mighty, the Loving.”

          (Bahá’í Faith, Baha’u’llah, The Summons of the Lord of Hosts)

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    So God you see, is a God of love and He clearly loves us, but, as stated earlier, He is also a God of extreme reason and logic, which I hopefully again, demonstrated earlier. But with all of the knot headed actions by many members of the human race these days, who seem to be doing things so opposite the actual words and teachings of the Creator, Example, man’s constant fighting and warfare; what do God‘s Holy Writings, and His true reason, actually have to say about all of this confusion, hostility and primal hatred: 

   CHRISTIANITY: Matthew 5:38 “Ye have heard that it hath been said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth:” 5:39 “But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also.” Luke 6:29 “And unto him that smiteth thee on the one cheek offer also the other; and him that taketh away thy cloak forbid not to take thy coat also.” Matthew 5:43 “Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy.” 5:44 “But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;” 5:45 “That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for He maketh His sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.” Behold, Romans 10:15 “How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!” 1 Corinthians 7:15 “God hath called us to peace,” not fighting and warfare. Ephesians 4:3 “Keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.”

 JUDAISM: Proverbs 25:21 “If thine enemy be hungry, give him bread to eat; and if he be thirsty, give him water to drink.” Ezekiel 37:26 “Moreover I will make a covenant of peace with them; it shall be an everlasting covenant with them.” Psalms 29:11 “The LORD — will bless His people with peace.” 37:11 “The meek shall inherit the earth; and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace.” Isaiah 2:4 “And He shall judge among the nations, and shall rebuke many people: and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruninghooks: nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more.” 9:7 “Peace there shall be no end.” 32:17 “And the work of righteousness shall be peace; and the effect of righteousness quietness and assurance for ever.” 32:18 “And My people shall dwell in a peaceable habitation, and in sure dwellings, and in quiet resting places;” Psalms 133:1 “Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!” — in peace.

 ISLAM: 7. “Let there be peace and tranquility for all the creatures of Allah (God).” “enter not into conflict.” (Islam, Ali b. Abi Taalib, Letters from Nahjul Balaagh, Masnavi Vol 1) 28. “If thou dost stretch thy hand against me, to slay me, it is not for me to stretch my hand against thee to slay thee: for I do fear Allah (God), the Cherisher of the worlds.” (The Qur’an (Yusuf Ali tr), Surah 5) “If thou dost stretch forth to me thine hand to kill me, I will not stretch forth mine hand to kill thee; verily, I fear God the Lord of the worlds; verily, I wish that thou mayest draw upon thee my sin and thy sin, and be of the fellows of the Fire, for that is the reward of the unjust.’ But his soul allowed him to slay his brother, and he slew him, and in the morning he was of those who lose.” (The Qur’an (E.H. Palmer tr), Sura 5 – The Table) 227. “Except those who believe, work righteousness, engage much in the remembrance of Allah, and defend themselves only after they are unjustly attacked.” (The Qur’an (Yusuf Ali tr), Surah  26) 39. “To those against whom war is made, permission is given (to fight) because they are wronged — and verily, Allah is Most powerful for their aid.” (The Qur’an (Yusuf Ali tr), Surah  22) 90. “Those who join a group between whom you have a treaty (of peace), or those who approach you with hearts restraining them from fighting you as well as fighting their own people. If Allah had pleased, He could have given them power over you, and they would have fought you: therefore if they withdraw from you but fight you not, and (instead) send you (guarantees of) peace, then Allah hath opened no way for you (to war against them).” 190. “Fight in the Cause of Allah, those who fight you, but do not transgress limits; for Allah loveth not transgressors.” (The Qur’an (Yusuf Ali tr), Surahs 2 and 4) “Remember, Maalik, that amongst your subjects there are two kinds of people: those who have the same religion as you have; they are brothers to you, and those who have religions other than that of yours, they are human beings like you. Men of either category suffer from the same weaknesses and disabilities that human beings are inclined to, they commit sins, indulge in vices either intentionally or foolishly and unintentionally without realizing the enormity of their deeds. Let your mercy and compassion come to their rescue and help in the same way and to the same extent that you expect Allah to show mercy and forgiveness to you.” (Ali b. Abi Taalib, Letters from Nahjul Balaagh) 25. “But Allah doth call to the Home of Peace: He doth guide whom He pleaseth to a way that is straight.” (The Qur’an (Yusuf Ali tr), Surah  10) 27. “And those who fear the displeasure of their Lord. For their Lord’s displeasure is the opposite of Peace and Tranquility.” (The Qur’an (Yusuf Ali tr), Surah  70)

   ZOROASTRIANISM: 5. “May Sraosha (Obedience) conquer disobedience within this house, and may peace triumph over discord.” 7. “Violence must be put down! against cruelty make a stand!” 1. “I ascribe all good to Ahura Mazda (God), and all the best, whose is the light, whose blissful areas be filled with light.” “I pledge myself to the good Mazdayasnian religion, which causes the attack to be put off and weapons put down; which upholds (peace).” (The Zend-Avesta, Avesta – Yasnas 12 and 48)

 HINDUISM: “The world is overcome- aye! even here! By such as fix their faith on Unity. The sinless Brahma (God) dwells in Unity, And they in Brahma. Be not over-glad Attaining joy, and be not over-sad Encountering grief, but, stayed on Brahma, still Constant let each abide! The sage whose soul Holds off from outer contacts, in himself Finds bliss; to Brahma joined by piety, His spirit tastes eternal peace.” The promise of peace obtained eternally for the believers that join themselves piously to Brahma, overcome the world, in unity and with constant peace being achieved. (Hindu, Bhagavad Gita (Edwin Arnold tr) chapter 5) 2.35 “When one is confirmed in non-violence, hostility ceases in his presence.” And, peace reigns supreme. (Hindu, The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali) “Krishna uttered words of wisdom pregnant with his peaceful thought, For in peace and not by bloodshed,” “Yield to Krishna’s words of wisdom.” (Hindu, Mababharata (R. Dutt, abridged tr)) “May union and peace be ours.” Peace earned through a united world.” (Hindu, Vedas, Yajur Veda – Kanda VII)

 BUDDHISM: 1. “Occasions of hatred are certainly never settled by hatred. They are settled by freedom from hatred. This is the eternal law.” “15. There is no happiness greater than peace.” “The primary cause of pure unity of enlightenment that has existed from the beginning of time is compassion, purity, harmony, likeness, permanency and peace.” “Cast away Restlessness and Mental Worry; dwell with mind undisturbed, with heart full of peace,” “There is no Happiness greater than peace,” and no greater happiness then world peace achieved. (Buddhist, Dhammapada – Sayings of the Buddha 1 (tr. J. Richards), The Eightfold Path, Dhammapada and Buddha, Surangama Sutra)

 SABEANISM: “Bliss and peace there will be on the road which Adam attained,’ ‘My vigilance and praise,’ ‘Go in peace, chosen, pure and guiltless one in whom there is no spot.”’ (Sabeanism, Ginza Rba- chapter 74)

BAHA’I FAITH: ( Babi Religion) “O PEOPLES of the earth! Verily the resplendent Light of God hath appeared in your midst, invested with this unerring Book, that ye may be guided aright to the ways of peace.” (The Bab, Selections from the Writings of the Bab, p. 60)

BAHA’I FAITH: “Discord will change to accord, dissension to unison. The roots of malevolence will be torn out, the basis of aggression destroyed. The bright rays of union will obliterate the darkness of limitations, and the splendours of heaven will make the human heart to be even as a mine veined richly with the love of God.” (Bahá’í Faith, Abdu’l-Baha, Selections from the Writings of Abdu’l-Baha, p. 19) “As the East and the West are illumined by one sun, so all races, nations, and creeds shall be seen as the servants of The One God. The whole earth is one home, and all peoples, did they but know it, are bathed in the oneness of God‘s mercy. God created all. He gives sustenance to all. He guides and trains all under the shadow of His bounty. We must follow the example God Himself gives us, and do away with all disputations and quarrels,” and live in peace with one another. (Bahá’í Faith, Abdu’l-Baha, Abdu’l-Baha in London, p. 38)

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   Clearly peace and the end of aggregation are, for the most part, sought by God‘s messengers and religions in this world, but mankind chooses to resist this and engage in bloody, horrific warfare! Much of this confusion and hostility that we see going on in the world of man I find, is due to man’s complete lack of understanding of the spiritual nature of the Holy Writings of God; with many people taking a completely opposite literal view and belief of the Holy Books, which puts a great many people at odds with one another much of the time, with many people from around the world taking completely different views from one another leading to much confusion and a great many hostilities and wars in the world of man. This again, is another very big reason why we should read into the Holy Writings for ourselves with open, unbiased minds looking for the symbols within the writings and searching with logical seeking thoughts, because many of the people who are not doing this seem to be becoming completely uncontrollable savages towards one another in this day and time, and God truly doesn’t want us fighting amongst ourselves. But through all of this, God still seems to be seeing something within us that we don’t seem to be seeing ourselves; because God continues to keep creating us:

 CHRISTIANITY: Revelation 4:11 “For Thou hast created all things and for Thy pleasure, they are, and were (all) created.” James 1:18 “Of His Own Will, begat He us, with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of first fruits of His creatures.” And so, 1 John 4:19 “We love Him because He first loved us!”

 JUDAISM: Isaiah 43:1 “The LORD that created thee; He formed thee — since thou wast precious in My (His) sight,” Jeremiah 31:3 for “I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with loving kindness have I drawn (made) thee.” Hosea 11:4 So, “I drew them (mankind) with (the) cords of a man; with bands of love.” 

 ISLAM: 13. “O mankind! We (loved, cherished and) created you — and made you into nations and tribes, that ye may know each other (and love each other, not that ye may hate, despise, curse and kill each other).” For, 126. “Allah (God), is your Lord and Cherisher, and The Lord and Cherisher of your fathers of old.”

        (The Qur’an (Yusuf Ali tr), Surahs 37 and 49)

  ZOROASTRIANISM: 1. “O Ahura Mazda (God), the radiant and glorious, the greatest and the best, the most beautiful (to our conceptions), the most firm, the wisest — Who attains His ends the most infallibly — Who sends His joy-creating grace afar; Who (in His Great Love for us) made us, and has fashioned us, and who has nourished and protected us, Who is the most bounteous Spirit!” For, “Thou art The Holy Father, Who created us (with) Piety, O Mazda and Good Thought (and much Love).”

          (The Zend-Avesta, Avesta – Yasna 1 and Hymns of Atharvan)

 HINDUISM: “Pleased be The Eternal Lord (Brahma/Vishnu/God) Who loves man whom (He) created.” “From Him come they from passion (love).” “This whole creation He (Brahma) likewise produced, as He desired to call these beings (humanity) into existence;” 

         (Rig Veda and Laws of Manu)

 BUDDHISM: “From all that is (or has ever been) created, you know the Uncreated, Holy One (God/Brahma/Vishnu)” So, “(treat all) with thoughts of love far reaching and beyond measure, all embracing, even for all things that have form or life with deep felt pity, sympathy, love and equanimity; not one is (has He, Brahma, the One Who Loved us and Created us) set aside.” “Regard all with mind set free and filled with deep felt love (like Brahma), for this is the way to a true state of union with Brahma.”

         (The Tevigga Sutra and The Lankavatara Sutra)

 SABEANISM: “Manda-d-Hiia, Haiyi/God Sublimest of Beings, when worlds came into being and creations were called forth, Thou didst hold in Thy grasp the worlds and didst call forth the generations out of (Thy Love, and creation and humanity came into being).”

          (Sabeanism, Ginza Rba)

BAHA’I FAITH: ( BABI RELIGION) “Him who created man, distinguished him from among the rest of His creatures, and caused his heart to be made the seat of His sovereignty and knowledge, and had no other desire except (his) welfare and advancement; (for) the purpose of God in creating man is but for him (man) to know Him.”  

       (Shoghi Effendi, The Dawn-Breakers, p. 148 and Selections from the Writings of the Bab, p. 62) 

BAHA’I FAITH: 3. “O SON OF MAN! Veiled in My immemorial being and in the ancient eternity of My essence, I knew My love for thee; therefore I created thee, have engraved on thee Mine image and revealed to thee My beauty.” 4. “O SON OF MAN! I loved thy creation, hence I created thee. Wherefore, do thou love Me, that I may name thy name and fill thy soul with the spirit of life.”

          (Baha’u’llah, The Arabic Hidden Words)

   Clearly God loves us and loved our creation. And since God is a God of logic and reason, there has to be more to our creation, from all the kind of things we see of all of the terrible actions of many of the people of today, than what appears at face value. Clearly there is more to us, and God and His manifestations are just trying to bring it out of us, for God truly created us to be with Him in heaven in the end. Why else would He create us if the creation of man didn’t eventually lead to our reunion with Him; that would be illogical and a waste on His part, and God is a god of logic, wisdom and reason, not prone to foolish actions and mistakes. That is not to say that people who preform evil deeds in this life will not be judged and face retribution for their bad deeds; this is not a license to go out and do bad things; if we do, we will be held accountable, and it will not be pleasant! All that I am saying here is that God prefers that we join Him in heaven, not languishing away in hell.

 CHRISTIANITY: Luke 12:32 “Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom (give you heaven).” So that, Luke 3:6 “all flesh shall see the salvation of God.” 1 Timothy 2:3 “For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour;” 2:4 “Who will have all men to be saved,” 4:10 “Who is the Saviour of all men.” 1 Thessalonians 5:9 “For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation.” Ephesians 2:4 For “God, Who is rich in mercy, for His great love wherewith He loved us,” 2:5 “Even when we were dead in sins.” You see, The Creator actually does love us, even the sinners: Romans 5:8 “But God commendeth His love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners.” Luke 6:32 “For if ye love them which love you, what thank have ye? for sinners also love those that love them.” 6:33 “And if ye do good to them which do good to you, what thank have ye? for sinners also do even the same.” 6:34 “And if ye lend to them of whom ye hope to receive, what thank have ye? for sinners also lend to sinners, to receive as much again.” 6:35 “But love ye your enemies, and do good, and lend, hoping for nothing again; and your reward shall be great, and ye shall be the children of the Highest: for He is kind unto the unthankful and to the evil.” — and He really does want us up in heaven with Him; and He actually did create all of humanity for this true purpose; and not so much for hell, as some people seem to want to believe and shove down our throats to have more control over people. But then again, there is still a lot about all of this ethereal existence of heaven and hell, that we still don’t really, fully comprehend or understand?

 JUDAISM: Isaiah 64:4 “Since the beginning of the world, men have not heard, nor perceived by the ear, neither hath the eye seen, O God, beside Thee, what He (God) hath prepared for him; (that waiteth for him in heaven).” 45:17 “Be saved in The LORD with an everlasting salvation!” 45:22 “Look unto Me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth: for I Am God, and there is none else.” Ezekiel 18:32 “For I have no pleasure in the death of him that dieth, saith The Lord GOD: wherefore turn yourselves, and live ye.” And, 33:11 “I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked; but that the wicked turn from his way and live; for why will ye die.” Psalms 149:4 “For The LORD taketh pleasure in His people.” 49:8 “For the redemption of their soul is precious;” 49:9 “That he should still live for ever, and not see corruption (or see hell).” Deuteronomy 10:17 “For The LORD your God is God of gods, and Lord of lords, a great God, a mighty, and a terrible, which regardeth not persons, nor taketh reward;” 10:18 “He doth execute the judgment of the fatherless and widow, and loveth the stranger, in giving him food and raiment;” and 3:30. “hast spared wicked doers (the sinners).” (Deuterocanonical Apocrypha, Esdras 2 (Ezra 4)) Proverbs 16:4 For, “The LORD hath made all things for Himself; yea, even the wicked (the sinners).” Lamentations 3:31 But, “The LORD will not cast off for ever:” 3:32 “But though He cause grief, yet will He have compassion according to the multitude of His mercies.” Ecclesiastes 3:17 “For there is a time there for every purpose and for every work.”

 ISLAM: 67. “Ye desire the lure of this world and Allah (God) desireth (for you) the Hereafter (paradise).” (The Qur’an Pickthall, Sura 8) “Ye wish to have the goods of this world, but God wishes for (you) the next (paradise)!” (The Qur’an Palmer, Sura 8) “Ye desire the passing fruitions of this world, but God desireth the next life (heaven) for you.” (The Qur’an Rodwell, Sura 8) 67. “Ye look for the temporal goods of this world; but Allah looketh (wishes for you) the hereafter (heaven).” (The Qur’an Yusuf Ali, Surah 8) 10. “Is there a doubt about Allah (God), the Creator of the heavens and the earth?” “It is He Who invites you, in order that He may forgive you your sins and give you respite,” Clearly, Allah (God) desires heaven for us; (for all of us). 56. “We bestow of Our mercy on whom We please, and We suffer not, to be lost, the reward.” (The Qur’an (Yusuf Ali tr), Surah  12) 64. “It is Allah that delivereth you from these and all (other) distresses!” (The Qur’an (Yusuf Ali tr), Surah 6) 57. “But verily the reward of the Hereafter is the best, for those who believe, and are constant in righteousness;” (The Qur’an (Yusuf Ali tr), Surah 12) for, 57 “the reward of the Hereafter is better, for those who believe and ward off (evil).” (The Qur’an (Pickthall tr), Sura 12 – Joseph)

Islam: 4. “To Him belongs all that is in the heavens and on earth: and He is Most High, Most Great. The heavens are almost rent asunder from above them (by His Glory): and the angels celebrate the Praises of their Lord, and pray for forgiveness for (all) beings on earth: Behold! Verily Allah is He, the Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful. And those who take as protectors others besides Him, Allah doth watch over them (the sinners as well); and Thou art not the disposer of their affair.” (The Qur’an (Yusuf Ali tr), Surah  42) “The Prophet said, ‘None is more patient than Allah against the harmful and annoying words He hears (from the people and sinners), — yet He bestows upon them health and provision.” (Hadith, Bukhari Vol 9, Book 93, # 475) “His mercy is for sinners; hence and pray.” (Islamic Miscellaneous, Teachings of Hafiz (G. L. Bell tr)) 53. “Say: ‘O my Servants who have transgressed against their souls! Despair not of the Mercy of Allah: for Allah forgives all sins: for He is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.”‘ (The Qur’an (Yusuf Ali tr), Surah 39) 32 “Lo! thy Lord is of vast mercy.” (The Qur’an (Pickthall tr), Sura 53 – The Star)

  ZOROASTRIANISM: 2. “And to Thy Good Kingdom – (heaven), O Ahura Mazda (God, The Creator), may we attain forever, and A Good King be Thou over us; and let each man of us, and so each woman, thus abide, O Thou most beneficent of beings, and for both the worlds!” 1. “Grant that reward which Thou hast appointed to our souls, O Ahura Mazda!” 2. “Of this do Thou Thyself bestow upon us for this world and the spiritual;” 3. “Thereupon spake Mazda: Salvation to this one, whosoever he may be! May the absolute ruler Ahura grant it.” 21. “I created, O Spitama Zarathushtra! good renown and salvation of the soul;” 22. “That is to say, good renown in this world and salvation of the soul in the next.” 6. “I will (aid him and) bring his soul over the Bridge of Chinvat, I who am Ahura Mazda, (God) (I will help him to pass over it) to Heaven (the best life),” And so, 32. “The Amesha-Spentas, will come and show thee, O Zarathushtra (Zoroaster)! the way to that world to long glory in the spiritual world, to long happiness of the soul in Paradise; To bliss and Paradise.” “Therefore I thought you to be the Holy Seed, O Mazda, since Thine are the arms, with which You give protection, and by which You award benediction both to the sinner and to the virtuous.” “Mazda is the friend, even of the nonbeliever.” Here we see that Ahura/God wishes to guide us into heaven and He wishes all men to be with Him; the virtuous as well as those who have been less good, though it might take a while longer for the latter. (The Zend-Avesta, Avesta – Yasnas 19, 21, 40, 41, The Avesta Fragments and Hymns of Atharvan pp. 335 and 499)

 HINDUISM: 3. “Heaven’s light, most excellent, I offer, (Brahma, Vishnu, God offers us heaven).” 3. “He fill the heaven,” “laud He — heaven and earth” – “This treasure of heaven, (Brahma, Vishnu, God’s, gift, and creation for man), that lays concealed, close and yet hidden, from the eyes of men.” Heaven is Brahma’s gift and creation for man. “He, The Lord, with power to give, The light of heaven.” So, “seek refuge in thy soul; have there thy heaven, under the spirit’s buckler from the world, which hath wisdom’s mark!” Heaven here we see, is a gift to us from The Creator and is also found to be within us: (Hinduism, Vedas, Rig Veda – Book 1 and Bhagavad Gita)  Christianity: Luke 17:20 “And when he (Christ) was demanded of the Pharisees, when the kingdom of God (heaven) should come, he answered them and said, The kingdom of God cometh not with observation;” 17:21 “Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you.” Heaven is God‘s gift to man in whatever religion from God we look at, and He desires to share it with us; even the sinners, eventually:  Hinduism: “By this sign is He known Being of equal grace to comrades, friends, Chance-comers, strangers, lovers, enemies, Aliens and kinsmen; loving all alike, Evil or good.” (Hindu, Bhagavad Gita (Edwin Arnold tr) chapter 6)

 BUDDHISM: He, “Brahma (God) only desires that which is of good benefit for us;” you see, “no beings are left outside, by the will of the Tathagatas; some day each and every one will be influenced by the wisdom and love of the Tathagatas and ascend the stages of heaven.” Eventually everybody will be allowed into heaven regardless of what their actions have been in their past life, no one will be left in hell forever or for all of eternity. For, “Brahma; only desires good benefit for us, [i.e. our salvation].” Brahma/God, in creating us, does want us in heaven with Him, and will eventually bring us there, all of us. “I urge deliverance.” You see, “The Tathagata guides you in the way, let Him admonish, exhort, And shield from wrong.” For the, “Tathagatas are in close fellowship with each individual comforting, encouraging, guiding, strengthening.” Again we see, that The Creator desires for us to be in heaven with Him, and desires to guide man there! “The sun radiates its splendor spontaneously on all alike and with no words of explanation; in like manner do the Tathagatas radiate the Truth of Noble Wisdom with no recourse to words and to all alike (the good and the sinners).” (The Eightfold Path, Buddha, the Word and The Sixth Patriarch, The Lankavatara Sutra, Surangama Sutra, Diamond Sutra and Tevigga Sutra) Dhammapada – Sayings of the Buddha 1 and 3 (tr. J. Richards))

 SABEANISM: “To every man whose term of life is over Thou wilt be a Helper, Saviour and Guide.” “I (Haiyi/God), will take his hand and be his Saviour and Guide to the great Place of Light and to the Everlasting Abode; (Heaven).” So here again we see The Creator’s desire for us to enter into heaven with Him. “It will be given. Day by day, hour by hour (Assistance).” (Haiyi, God) takes care of all whether good or bad. “Thou, Manda-d-Hiia, callest the caller, nourishest the nourisher, buildest the builder.” (Sabeanism, Ginza Rba- chapters 9, 34, 35, 45, 48, 73, 76, 117 and 170 and Sabeanism, Bliss and Peace)

 BAHA’I FAITH: ( BABI RELIGION) “O LORD! Enable all the people, of the earth, to gain admittance into the Paradise,” (The Bab, Selections from the Writings of the Bab, p. 191) “He (God) hath cherished, and will ever cherish, the desire that all men may attain His gardens of Paradise, (heaven) with utmost love, that no one should sadden another, not even for a moment, and that all should dwell within His cradle of protection and security.” (The Bab, Selections from the Writings of the Bab, p. 86) God, as He states in all of His religions; wishes, that all of mankind may join Him and attain unto His spiritual, heavenly kingdom. “He hath cherished, and will ever cherish, the desire that all men may attain His gardens of Paradise.” “O LORD! enable all the people of the earth, to gain admittance into the Paradise of Thy Faith; so that no created being may remain beyond the bounds of Thy good-pleasure.” (The Bab, Selections from the Writings of the Bab, p. 191) “O Lord! Render victorious Thy forbearing servants in Thy days, enable their souls to ascend to the presence of God, the Most Exalted, and to attain the supreme Paradise.” (The Bab, Selections from the Writings of the Bab, p. 178) “No refuge do I seek save God. Verily He is the guardian and the best supporter…” of all beings, whether good or bad. (The Bab, Selections from the Writings of the Bab, p. 20)

BAHA’I FAITH: 70. “Know thou, that I have wafted unto thee all the fragrances of holiness, have fully revealed to thee My word, have perfected through thee My bounty and have desired for thee, that which I have desired for My Self. Be then content with My pleasure and thankful unto Me.” (Baha’u’llah, The Arabic Hidden Words) 155. “We, verily, desire for you naught save what shall profit you, and to this bear witness all created things, had ye but ears to hear.” (Baha’u’llah, The Kitab-i-Aqdas, p. 75) “I confess that Thou hast no desire except the regeneration of the whole world, and the establishment of the unity of its peoples, and the salvation of all them that dwell therein.” (Baha’u’llah, Gleanings from the Writings of Baha’u’llah, p. 243) God desires good for us, for all of us, sinner and virtuous alike, and He desires for us what He desires for Himself, and so He desires heaven for us: “In the eyes of the Creator all His children are equal; His goodness is poured forth on all.” (Bahá’í Faith, Abdu’l-Baha, Paris Talks, p. 138) “There is no God, but One God, and all the Messengers, from the beginning to the Seal of the Prophets (Muhammad) were sent on the part of, The True One!” (Abdu’l-Baha, Tablets of the Divine Plan, p. 78) “May be raised; the flag’ (may the flag be raised) – of the oneness of the world of humanity, be unfurled, the melody of universal peace may reach the ears of the East and the West, (may the melody of universal peace be unfurled and reach the ears of the east and the west), all the paths may be cleared and straightened, all the hearts may be attracted to the Kingdom of God (and all the paths be cleared and straightened and all hearts be attracted to The Kingdom of God)!” (Abdu’l-Baha, Tablets of the Divine Plan, p. 78) This paragraph was written in a Spanish prose or format. I have added statements in parenthesis, within this paragraph, for those people who are not familiar with Spanish prose; to help those people who are not familiar with Spanish writing, make sense out of what is being said. “I desire for you, such a spiritual effulgence as will give you power to make ideal advancement and enter The Kingdom of El-Abha (enter heaven).” (Abdu’l-Baha, Divine Philosophy, p. 129) “I beg of God to illumine you with the light of His love so that you may enter into The Kingdom and draw nigh unto The Threshold.” (Abdu’l-Baha, Divine Philosophy, p. 129) “Enable Thy servants, O my God, to discover the things Thou didst desire for them in Thy Kingdom.” (Baha’u’llah, Prayers and Meditations by Baha’u’llah, p. 198) “Day and night I pray to Heaven for you that strength may be yours, and that, one and all, you may participate in the blessings of Bahá’u’lláh, and enter into The Kingdom (enter heaven);” one and all, the sinner and the good. (Abdu’l-Baha, Paris Talks, p. 95) “Issue forth from your habitations and bid the people enter The Kingdom of God, The Lord of the Day of Judgement.” (Baha’u’llah, The Summons of the Lord of Hosts, p. 59) “O beloved of God! Is there any giver save God? He chooseth for His mercy whomsoever He desireth. He shall open unto you the doors of His knowledge, fill your hearts with His love, rejoice your spirits by the wafting of His holy fragrances, illumine your faces by the Manifest Light and elevate your names among the people.” (Abdu’l-Baha, Baha’i World Faith – Abdu’l-Baha Section, p. 386) “It is even possible that the condition of those who have died in sin and unbelief may become changed; that is to say, they may become the object of pardon through the bounty of God, not through His justice; for bounty is giving without desert, and justice is giving what is deserved.” (Bahá’í Faith, Abdu’l-Baha, Baha’i World Faith – Abdu’l-Baha Section, p. 329) “Verily, thy Lord is The Mighty, The Powerful! He reviveth whomsoever He wisheth by the spirit of righteousness, and granteth unto whom He wisheth great bounty, (He) guideth whom He wisheth unto the path of life, and confirmeth whom He desireth in attaining The Kingdom of God.” (Abdu’l-Baha, Tablets of Abdu’l-Baha v1, p. 50)

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   So God is a God of love Who loved our creation and created us to be in heaven with Him, which is a completely reasonable, understandable notion, given that He created us in the first place, and knew in advance what all of our actions would turn out to be; even before He created us. Remember, as we read earlier, He is a God of reason and practicality, Who is all-knowing, all-wise and is an entity Who is not prone to errors and mistakes or making mistakes for that matter; indeed, He is considered to be infallible.  Judaism: 2 Kings 22:31 “As for God, His way is perfect.” He is perfect, He doesn’t make mistakes in His actions and creations: Genesis 1:31 “And God saw every thing that He had made, and, behold, it was very good.”  Christianity: Matthew 5:48 “Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.” With regards to this, there be Acts 1:3 “Infallible proofs — pertaining to the kingdom of God,” the Infallible One. Islam: 25. “Assuredly it is thy Lord who will gather them together: for He is Perfect in Wisdom and Knowledge.”  (The Qur’an (Yusuf Ali tr), Surahs 15) “IN the name of the merciful and compassionate God, The Infallible.” (The Qur’an (E.H. Palmer tr), Sura 69)  Zoroastrianism: 1. “I announce (and) carry out (this Yasna) for the creator Ahura Mazda (God), the radiant and glorious, the greatest and the best, the most beautiful, the most firm, the wisest — the most perfect, who attains His ends the most infallibly.” (The Zend-Avesta, Avesta – Yasna 1)  Hinduism: 14 “The mortal who with blazing fuel, as His laws command, adores the Perfect God.” (Vedas, Rig Veda – Books 8) 10 “Agni (Brahma, Vishnu, God), thou art our Providence, our Father Thou – we are thy brethren and Thou art our spring of life. In Thee, rich in good heroes, guard of high decrees, meet hundred, thousand treasures, O Infallible!” (Vedas, Rig Veda – Book 1)  Buddhism: “Now, if any one should put the question, whether I admit any view at all, he should be answered thus: The Perfect One is free from any theory,” infallible. (Buddhist, (The Eightfold Path), Buddha, the Word (The Eightfold Path) and Dhammapada – Sayings of the Buddha 1 and 2 (tr. J. Richards))  Sabeanism: “Manda d-Haiyi (Haiyi/Hiia/God) Sublimest of beings, (Lord of perfection): Knowledge of Life is Thy name, Truth is Thy name, Pure is Thy name, magnified is Thy name, Honoured is Thy name, blessed is Thy name And abiding is Thy name. Victorious art Thou And victorious is Thy name. Victorious are the words of Truth which proceed from Thy mouth Over all deeds,” “the Great One in the House of Perfection.” (Sabeanism, Ginza Rba- chapters 75 and 90) Baha’i Faith: ( Babi Religion) “Bear ye allegiance unto this resplendent light wherewith God hath graciously invested Me through the power of infallible Truth, and walk not in the footsteps of the Evil One.” (The Bab, Selections from the Writings of the Bab, p. 48) “And God is, in very truth, Thine unfailing Protector,” an infallible protector. (The Bab, Selections from the Writings of the Bab, p. 53) “So perfect and comprehensive is Thy proof, O my God, that its inner essence transcendeth the description of any soul.” (The Bab, Selections from the Writings of the Bab, p. 203) Baha’i Faith: “God is The Perfect One.” (Abdu’l-Baha, Divine Philosophy, p. 149) “Sanctify your souls from whatsoever is not of God, and taste ye the sweetness of rest within the pale of His vast and mighty Revelation, and beneath the shadow of His supreme and infallible authority.” (Baha’u’llah, Gleanings from the Writings of Baha’u’llah, p. 142) “God is pure perfection.” (Abdu’l-Baha, Some Answered Questions, p. 113)

   God is perfect and therefore infallible, and we hear that God knows all things past, present and future, so again He is infallible, and He also seems to be found everywhere that is in existence and beyond this existence:  Judaism: 1 Chronicles For, 22:18 “Is not The LORD your God with you?” Jeremiah 23:23 “Am I a God at hand, saith The LORD, and not a God afar off?” 23:24 “Can any hide himself in secret places that I shall not see him? saith The LORD. Do not I fill heaven and earth? saith The LORD.” Isaiah 46:13 “I bring near my righteousness; it shall not be far off, and my salvation shall not tarry.” Jeremiah For, 18:23 “LORD, thou knowest all.” Sirach 42:18 “The Lord knoweth all that may be known,” (Deuterocanonical Apocrypha)  Christianity: James 1:17 “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights.” Colossians 1:16 “All things were created by Him, and for Him:” 1:17 “And He (God) is before all things, and by Him all things (everything is found and everything) consist(s).” Matthew 1:22 “And — God with us.” So, Hebrews 13:5 “I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.” 13:6 “So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper.” James: 4:8 “Draw nigh to God, and He will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.” 4:10 “Humble yourselves in the sight of The Lord, and He shall lift you up.” Acts 17:27 “That they should seek The Lord, if haply they might feel after Him, and find Him, though He be not far from every one of us.” For, 1 John 3:20 “God is greater than our heart, and knoweth all things.” John 21:17 “Lord, Thou knowest all things.” Islam: 115. “To Allah (God) belong the East and the West; whithersoever ye turn, there is the presence of Allah. For Allah is All-Pervading, All-Knowing.” (The Qur’an (Yusuf Ali tr), Surah   2) 46. “He (Allah, God) said: “Fear not: for I am with you: I hear and see (everything).” (The Qur’an (Yusuf Ali tr), Surah 20) 16. “It was We who created man and We know what dark suggestions his soul makes to him: for We are nearer to him than (his) jugular vein.” (The Qur’an (Yusuf Ali tr), Surah 50) 256. “And Allah (God) heareth and knoweth all things.” (The Qur’an (Yusuf Ali tr), Surah 2)  59. “With Him are the keys of the Unseen, the treasures that none knoweth but He. He knoweth whatever there is on the earth and in the sea. Not a leaf doth fall but with His knowledge: there is not a grain in the darkness (or depths) of the earth, nor anything fresh or dry (green or withered),” but He knoweth. (The Qur’an (Yusuf Ali tr), Surah 6)  Zoroastrianism: “Ahura Mazda (God) watches over and protects, both day and night.” (The Zend-Avesta, Khorda Avesta – Book of Common Prayer pt. 1) 6. “I, Ahura Mazda (God), brought it down with mighty vigor, for the increase of the house, of the borough of the town, of the country, to keep them, to maintain them, to look over them, to keep and maintain them close.” (The Zend-Avesta, Khorda Avesta – Book of Common Prayer pt. 1) 4. The “Lord who has approached the nearest to us.” (Zoroaster, The Zend-Avesta, Avesta – Yasna 57) “The holy (Zarathushtra) asked Him: ‘O holy Ahura Mazda! I ask thee; answer me with words of truth, Thou who knowest the truth. Thou art undeceivable, Thou hast an undeceivable understanding; Thou art undeceivable, as Thou knowest everything. (Zoroaster, The Zend-Avesta, Khorda Avesta – Book of Common Prayer pt. 1) Denkard. Zoroaster, “Be it known that, The Lord Who is in all things and over every (thing), and Who obeys no one and for no one, is the Omniscient Omnipotent, (all knowing, all powerful) and All-Owning Creator Ohrmazd (Ahura Mazda) Himself; — The Lord who obeys no one, but is the master of all; who is uncreated, but the Creator of all; who holds no kinship, but is the highest (of all).”  Hinduism: “(Brahma, God) A Guide of all — Planted in every heart.” (Hindu, Bhagavad Gita (Edwin Arnold tr) chapter 13) 22. “He is The Lord of all, the king of all things, the protector of all things.” (Hindu, Upanishads vol. 2, Brihadaranyaka-Upanishad Part 3) 5. “Always near, The Lord of the past and the future, hence-forward fears no more. This is that!”  (Hindu, Upanishads vol. 2, Katha-Upanishad) “For subtlety of instant presence; close To all, to each; yet measurelessly far!” (Hindu, Bhagavad Gita (Edwin Arnold tr) chapter 13) 5 “Infallible is Agni, (God).” “Agni, the god, hard to overcome, the undeceivable.” “O God, who knowest all things!” “God that knoweth all.” (Hindu, Upanishads vol. 1, Vedas, Rig Veda – Books 3 and Kanda 2 and 4)  Buddhism: “The Tathagatas are in close fellowship with each individual being comforting, encouraging, guiding, and strengthening.” (Buddha Surangama Sutra) 24. “All-Conquering and All-Knowing am I.” 14. “The Awakened, the Omniscient, the Trackless?” (The Eightfold Path) and Dhammapada – Sayings of the Buddha 1 and 2 (tr. J. Richards)) Sabeanism: “Thou (Haiyi, God) wilt be a Helper, Saviour and Guide,” to all. (Sabeanism, Ginza Rba- chapters 76 and 117) “Be My glory and I will be your Glory. Be my light and I will be your Light. And my name shall be in your mouths And I will be with you.” Ever near and close to you. “Manda-d-Hiia (Hiia/Haiyi/God) Sublimest of beings, Knowledge of Life (All-Knowing) is Thy name. Truth is Thy name. Pure is Thy name, magnified is Thy name, Honoured is Thy name, blessed is Thy name And abiding is Thy name.” (Sabeanism, Ginza Rba- chapter 75) Baha’i Faith: ( Babi Religion) “DO men imagine that We are far distant from the people of the world? Nay, the day We cause them to be assailed by the pangs of death they shall, upon the plain of Resurrection, behold how The Lord of Mercy and His Remembrance were near. For verily the Remembrance of God appeared before us, behind us, and on all sides, yet we were, in very truth, shut out as by a veil from Him.” (The Bab, Selections from the Writings of the Bab, p. 46) “Thou art The Helper of the needy, The Deliverer of the captives, The Abaser of the oppressors, The Destroyer of the wrong-doers, The God of all men, The Lord of all created things.” (The Bab, Selections from the Writings of the Bab, p. 185) “Verily I say, the heavenly Father is ever with you and keeps watch over you. If you be faithful to Him, He will assuredly exalt you above all.” God is ever near to us. The Bab: (Shoghi Effendi, The Dawn-Breakers, p. 92) “Perfect and comprehensive is Thy proof, O my God.” “Verily Thou art the Source of all knowledge, the Omniscient (all-knowing).” “Thou art the Knower of all things and The Lord of might and majesty.” “He is truly the All-Knowing, the All-Powerful.” (The Bab, Selections from the Writings of the Bab, pp. 1, 35 and 203) Baha’i Faith: “God is one God and the creator of all mankind, He provides for and protects all.” (Abdu’l-Baha, Baha’i World Faith – Abdu’l-Baha Section, p. 279) “Be thou not sad, for God is near to thee.” (Bahá’í Faith, Abdu’l-Baha, Tablets of Abdu’l-Baha v3, p. 557) “We are closer to man than his life-vein.” (Bahá’í Faith, Baha’u’llah, Gleanings from the Writings of Baha’u’llah, p. 185) “Nothing is, or can ever be, hidden from God.” “To this I testify before God, the Almighty, the Exalted, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.” (Bahá’í Faith, Baha’u’llah, Gleanings from the Writings of Baha’u’llah, pp. 8 and 90) “God, verily, is the Helper, the Knower, the Ordainer, the Omniscient (all-knowing).” (Bahá’í Faith, Baha’u’llah, Epistle to the Son of the Wolf, p. 138)

BAHA’I FAITH: “Nothing is, or can ever be, hidden from God.”(Bahá’í Faith, Baha’u’llah, Gleanings from the Writings of Baha’u’llah, p. 8) “Praise be to God — the All-Knowing God!” (Abdu’l-Baha, Baha’i World Faith – Abdu’l-Baha Section, p. 359) Baha’i Faith: ( Babi Religion) “Naught is there which is hidden from Thee.” (The Bab, Selections from the Writings of the Bab, p. 178) “Thou art the God Who knoweth all things, and is supreme over all things.” (The Bab, Selections from the Writings of the Bab, p. 186)  Judaism: Daniel 2:20 “Blessed be the name of God for ever and ever:” 2:22 “the deep and secret things: He knoweth.” Enoch 3:84 “Nothing hidden from Thee [for Thou seest everything].” (Other Apocrypha, The Book of Enoch) Sirach 42:18 “The Lord knoweth all that may be known,” (Deuterocanonical Apocrypha)  Christianity: Matthew 6:4 “Thine alms may be in secret: and thy Father which seeth in secret Himself shall reward thee openly.” Luke 8:17 “For nothing is secret, that shall not be made manifest; neither any thing hid, that shall not be known,” for God seeth and knoweth all that is. 1 John 3:20 “God — knoweth all things.” John 21:17 “Lord, Thou knowest all things.” Islam: 109. “Allah (God) — Thou who knowest in full all that is hidden.” 116. “And behold Allah — Thou knowest in full all that is hidden.” (The Qur’an (Yusuf Ali tr), Surah 5) 38. “O our Lord! truly Thou dost know what we conceal, nothing whatever is hidden from Allah!” (The Qur’an (Yusuf Ali tr), Surah 14) 78. “Know they not that Allah doth know their secret (thoughts) and their secret counsels, and that Allah knoweth well all things unseen?” (The Qur’an (Yusuf Ali tr), Surah 9) 224. “For Allah is one who heareth and knoweth all things.” (The Qur’an (Yusuf Ali tr), Surah 2)  Zoroastrianism: 3. “For Him that knows, He The Holy One, even Thyself, O Mazda (God), that knows the secret.” 13. He knows “Whatever open or whatever secret (hidden acts).” (The Zend-Avesta, Avesta – Yasna 31 and 48) “O Thou all-knowing Ahura Mazda (God)!” (The Zend-Avesta, Avesta – Vendidad) “The powerful, all-knowing, undeceivable God!” (The Zend-Avesta, Khorda Avesta – Book of Common Prayer pt. 1)  Hinduism: 6. “Brahma (God) knows this (that), which is hidden.” (Upanishads vol. 2, Svetasvatara-Upanishad) 5 “He who supports the worlds of life, He who well knows the hidden!” (Vedas, Rig Veda – Book 8) 9. Agni (Brahma, Vishnu, God) Who, knoweth all that is!” (Vedas, Sama Veda) “God who knoweth all.” (Vedas, Sama Veda)   Buddhism: “By awareness,” “by vigilance it was that Indra (Brahma, God) attained (sees and knows all, the secret and the hidden), attained the lordship of the gods.” 24. “All-Conquering and All-Knowing am I.”(Buddhist, Dhammapada – Sayings of the Buddha 1 and 2 (tr. J. Richards)) Sabeanism: “Before Thee (Manda-d-Haiyi, God, in thy sight) all hands are thieving, all lips have lied, (all that is secret and hidden, all is seen and known),” “For Thou openest doors of truth and revealest mysteries and wisdom.” (Sabeanism, Ginza Rba- Chapters 35 and 58) “Manda-d-Hiia (Hiia/Haiyi/God) Sublimest of beings, Knowledge of Life (The All-knowing) is Thy name.” (Sabeanism, Ginza Rba- chapter 75)

   If all of this is a reality, and all of God‘s religions seem to be telling us that this is the case: that nothing is hidden or concealed from the face of God and God is all knowing and knoweth everything that is, and He is near and to be found everywhere that is?  Judaism: Psalms 139:8 “If I ascend up into heaven, Thou (God) art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, Thou art there.”  Christianity: Matthew 1:22 “God (is) with us,” ever near. Islam: 115. “Whither-so-ever ye turn, there is the presence of Allah (God).”  Zoroastrianism: 6. “I, Ahura Mazda (God, Thou), keep them (mankind), to maintain them, — to keep and maintain them close.” (The Zend-Avesta, Khorda Avesta – Book of Common Prayer pt. 1)  Hinduism: “(Brahma, God)  — Planted in every heart.” (Hindu, Bhagavad Gita (Edwin Arnold tr) chapter 13)  Buddhism: “The Tathagatas are in close fellowship with each individual.” (Buddha Surangama Sutra) Sabeanism: “I will be with you.” Ever near and close to you. (Sabeanism, Ginza Rba- chapter 75) Baha’i Faith: ( Babi Religion) “Verily I say, the heavenly Father is ever with you and keeps watch over you.” God is ever near to us. The Bab: (Shoghi Effendi, The Dawn-Breakers, p. 92) Baha’i Faith: “Be thou not sad, for God is near to thee.” (Bahá’í Faith, Abdu’l-Baha, Tablets of Abdu’l-Baha v3, p. 557) “We are closer to man than his life-vein.” (Bahá’í Faith, Baha’u’llah, Gleanings from the Writings of Baha’u’llah, p. 185)

   So if all of this is real, than what about this whole concept of God making a mistake in His creation and there being a Devil created; never mind this whole concept of Satan concealing what he was doing from God and him getting the drop over God and starting a war in heaven against God and His angels? With God being everywhere and seeing and witnessing everything that is going on everywhere, this whole concept seems to be very questionable to say the least? How could a devil do this and plan all of this enormous undertaking and hide what he is doing from the Creator, while God is actually present and witness to everything that is going on; and this is besides the fact that everything that God created was actually good:  Judaism: Genesis 1:31 “And God saw every thing that He had made, and, behold, it was very good.”  Christianity: 1 Timothy 4:4 “For every creature of God is good.” Islam: 7. “He Who has made everything which He has created most Good.” (The Qur’an (Yusuf Ali tr), Surah 32) “Who made all things good which He created.” (The Qur’an (Pickthall tr), Sura  32 – The Adoration)  Zoroastrianism: All that God created is good and lacking, in reality, an evil nature: “All the good things made by Mazda (God) are the offspring of the good principle in greatness, goodness, and fairness.” (The Zend-Avesta, Avesta Fragments)  Hinduism: 6. “He (Brahma, God) Him who brings good and removes evil, the lord of bliss, as dwelling within the self, the immortal, the support of all.” (Hindu, Upanishads vol. 2, Svetasvatara-Upanishad and Vedas, Yajur Veda – Kanda IV)  Buddhism: “The Perfect One,” “Who is everywhere and His essence, which is All Perfection, goodness, is found in the creation of everything that is created,” so again, we find, that all that is created is nothing but goodness. (Buddhist, Dhammapada and The Eightfold Path) because Brahma is, again: 16. “He who is perfect” 4. “Perfect of virtue.” (goodness) (Buddhist, Dhammapada – Sayings of the Buddha 1, 3 (tr. J. Richards)) Sabeanism: “He sundered Light from darkness and sundered Good from Evil, He sundered Life from Death, And He brought out those who love His name of Truth From Darkness to Light and from Evil to Good And from Death to Life and set them On roads of Truth and Faith.” (Sabeanism, Ginza Rba- chapter 75) But than again, Baha’i Faith: “If there was no wrong how would you recognize the right? If it were not for sin how would you appreciate virtue? If evil deeds were unknown how could you commend good actions? If sickness did not exist how would you understand health? Evil is non-existent; it is the absence of good; sickness is the loss of health; poverty the lack of riches. When wealth disappears you are poor; you look within the treasure box but find nothing there. Without knowledge there is ignorance; therefore ignorance is simply the lack of knowledge. Death is the absence of life. Therefore on the one hand we have existence; on the other, nonexistence, negation or absence of existence.” (Abdu’l-Baha, Foundations of World Unity, p. 78)  Judaism: Isaiah 45:7 “I form the light, and create darkness, (darkness becomes known): I make peace, and create evil (I make goodness and the concept of evil or the lack of goodness appears in the world): I The LORD do all these things.” God did not create evil He created good and the lack of good or what people tend to call evil appeared as a consequence of this; like when God created light, than darkness was known or the absence of light. Baha’i Faith: “Then it is evident that in creation and nature evil does not exist at all; but when the natural qualities of man are used in an unlawful way, they are blameworthy.” (Abdu’l-Baha, Baha’i World Faith – Abdu’l-Baha Section, p. 320) So, God didn’t actually create evil in His creation, evil is just the actions of the lack of good in His children in this life, which His manifestations try to lead us away from: “Then it is evident that in creation and nature, evil does not exist at all; but when the natural qualities of man are used in an unlawful way, they are blameworthy.” (Abdu’l-Baha, Some Answered Questions, p. 215) But, “In the human world light and darkness, good and evil, exist as opposite conditions.” (Abdu’l-Baha, Some Answered Questions, p. 123) “So evil exists too, and we cannot close our eyes to it, even though it is a negative existence,” not a creation of God, because God doesn’t create anything of evil. (Compilations, Lights of Guidance, p. 403)

   So, if true evil does not really exist, because God did not actually create it, where does that leave us as far as this whole concept of the creation of an evil entity we call the Devil? God didn’t actually create evil so what about the Devil? And thinking about all of this: think, if heaven is so wonderful, why would an angel try to band together with other angels and try to over take it and destroy it? And again, how would he (this devil) even be able to do this, because God is everywhere, sees everything and knows everything past present and future? How would he and these bad angels do this beyond the sight of God, and why would he and these disgruntled angels do this in the first place; heaven is a place of wonders, joys and delights; a place of perpetual delights in fact; why would anyone want to damage that, let alone try and destroy it? Indeed, why would anyone be disgruntled there in the first place? And another question for thought, if angels had been so good, why would they be so suddenly bad, it doesn’t make a lot of sense? Abdu’l-Baha, the son of Baha’u’llah, tells us: Baha’i Faith: “God has never created an evil spirit; all such ideas and nomenclature are symbols expressing the mere human or earthly nature of man. It is an essential condition of the soil of earth that thorns, weeds and fruitless trees may grow from it. Relatively speaking, this is evil; it is simply the lower state and baser product of nature.” (Abdu’l-Baha, Foundations of World Unity, p. 77)

     It seems to me that there are some real questions to be asked here and looked at? A lot of the things we are being told here don’t really seem to make a lot of sense, and I don’t think, for a moment, that God just made a bunch of mistakes with Lucifer and his angels, so there must be another explanation for all of this? Remember, God is a god of reason and practically; and a god of all that is to be known in this universe, so think, He would not be a god Who makes dumb mistakes; He is All Knowing, All Powerful, He thinks before He does something and already knows the actual out come.

   What we also need to be keep in mind, as pointed out earlier, God is a spirit:  Christianity: John 4:24 “God is a Spirit:” — and God wants us to worship Him is the spirit: 4:24 “and they that worship Him must worship Him in spirit,” which also indicates that the teachings and writings of God are spiritual and not to be taken literally. So again, lets look at some more of the Holy verses that state that God‘s Holy Writings are spiritual and not to be taken literally:  Christianity: 2 Corinthians 10:7 “Do ye look on things after the outward appearance?” 4:18 “We look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen, (the spiritual symbolic nature found within His words): for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.” John 6:63 “It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.” Romans 7:14 “For we know that the law is spiritual:” 8:13 “For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die:” For,  Judaism: Proverbs 25:2 “It is the glory of God to conceal a thing.” Hosea 12:9 “I that am The LORD thy God,” 12:10 “I have also spoken by the prophets, and I have multiplied visions and have used similitude’s, (allegories, symbologies) by the ministry of the prophets.”  For, 1 Kings 16:7 “The LORD seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance,” but to see the true nature of His teachings we have to look within His teachings at the spiritual symbolic messages within His teachings.

 ISLAM: 85. “The Spirit (of the word cometh) by command of my Lord of knowledge, it is only a little that is communicated to you, (O men!) “89. “We have explained to man, in this Qur’án, every kind of similitude (allegory,  symbology); yet the greater part of men, refuse (to see)!” for, 26. “Allah (God) disdains not to use the similitude (spiritual, symbolic messages in His writings), of things, lowest as well as highest.” 3. “Thus does Allah set forth for men their lessons by similitudes,” (The Qur’an (Yusuf Ali tr), Surahs 2, 17 and 47) 27. “We have put forth for men, in this Qur’án every kind of Parable, in order that they may receive admonition.” (The Qur’an Yusuf Ali, Surah 39) 46. “Do they not travel through the land, so that their hearts may thus learn wisdom and their ears may thus learn to hear? Truly it is not their eyes that are blind but their hearts which are in their breasts.” (The Qur’an (Yusuf Ali tr), Surah 22)

  ZOROASTRIANISM: “Mazda (God) gives to the prophet, the scriptures. The scripture containing the lessons of the prophet is his main instrument. It lays down the rules and regulations which bring salvation to mankind. But unless man has the goodwill to accept the (real spiritual truths of the words) of the gospel (and go beyond the symbols) it does not benefit him at all.” “They see yet they see not; they would like to get rid of their arrogance, yet they cannot.” “Rub your eyes so that you may see well.” (ZOROASTER, Hymns of Atharvan p. 664 and 788) 2. “That which Gathas (the writings may) be to us, which are our guardians and defenders, and our spiritual food, yea, which (may) be to our souls both food and clothing, such are these Gathas to us, guardians, and defenders, and (spiritual) food, even such they are, both food and clothing to the soul.” (The Zend-Avesta, Avesta – Yasna 55)

 HINDUISM: “The hymn (the word) has a mystical meaning.” (Vedas, Rig Veda – Book  1) 218. “As the man who digs with a spade (into the ground) obtains water, even so, an obedient (pupil) obtains the knowledge which lies hidden (within);” “The hidden (spiritual, symbolic) truths of religion embalmed in the ancient Upanishads.” (Hindu, Laws of Manu chapter 2)

 BUDDHISM: “The Blessed One (The Buddha) adumbrates (gives partial disclosure, or hints at) in the terms of the Dharma (the writings), which is, in reality, inscrutable and inexpressible, with the true message being of a purely spiritual concept.” “The Tathagatas do not teach a Dharma that is dependent upon letters.” (Buddha, Lankavatara Sutra and Buddha, Tevigga Sutra) But, 13. “Blinded indeed is this world. Few are those who see the truth.” (Buddhist, Dhammapada – Sayings of the Buddha 1 (tr. J. Richards))

 SABEANISM: “Thou hast shown us that which the eye of man hath not seen, and caused us to hear that which human ear has not heard.” “Pour wisdom into my heart! Open the eyes of my True, Spiritual Understanding!” “The name of the great Mystery, the mystic (spiritual, symbolic) Word, is pronounced upon thee.” (Sabeanism, Ginza Rba- chapter  173)

BAHA’I FAITH:    BABI RELIGION: “The generality of the people had made do with its outer literal meaning (of God‘s word). For the Bábís its inner meaning stood revealed. As in extreme Shi’i esotericism such meaning was not necessarily related to the obvious meaning of particular words and phrases. At the least, scriptural texts were to be understood in terms of symbol and metaphor. Thus messianic prophecies were not to be literally fulfilled.” (Peter Smith, The Babi & Baha’i Religions, p. 37) “Grant, O my God, that I may not be reckoned among Those whose ears are deaf, whose eyes are blind, whose tongues are speechless and whose hearts have failed to comprehend. Deliver me, O Lord, from the fire of ignorance and of selfish desire, suffer me to be admitted into the precincts of Thy transcendent mercy and send down upon me that which Thou hast ordained for Thy chosen ones. Potent art Thou to do what Thou willest. Verily Thou art the Help in Peril, the Self-Subsisting.” (The Bab, Selections from the Writings of the Bab, p. 215)

Baha’i Faith: “All the texts and teachings of the Holy Testaments have intrinsic  spiritual meanings. They are not to be taken literally.” (Abdu’l-Baha, The Promulgation of Universal Peace, p. 459) So, “The Pen of the Most High is unceasingly calling; and yet, how few are those that have inclined their ear to its voice! The dwellers of the kingdom of names have busied themselves with the gay livery of the world, forgetful that every man that hath eyes to perceive and ears to hear cannot but readily recognize how evanescent are its colors.” (Bahá’í Faith, Baha’u’llah, Gleanings from the Writings of Baha’u’llah, p. 195) “Know verily that the purpose underlying all these symbolic terms and abstruse allusions, which emanate from the Revealers of God‘s holy Cause, hath been to test and prove the peoples of the world; that thereby the earth of the pure and illuminated hearts may be known from the perishable and barren soil.” (Bahá’í Faith, Baha’u’llah, The Kitab-i-Iqan, p. 48)

   So you see, it is through the spiritual, symbolic nature of the word of God that leads us to our answer about the creation of the Devil, as well as many other misconceptions and misunderstandings found throughout the writings of God‘s Holy Religions that leads to much confusion, turmoil and hostilities within the religions for one another! You see, as mentioned earlier: Baha’i Faith: “God has never created an evil spirit; all such ideas and nomenclature are symbols expressing the mere human or earthly nature of man.” (Abdu’l-Baha, Foundations of World Unity, p. 77) For,  Judaism: Sirach 21:27 “When the ungodly curseth Satan, he curseth his own soul.”  Christianity: So, James 1:13 “Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God:” 1:14 “But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust.“ Islam: 16. “It was We who created man and We know what dark suggestions his soul makes to him,” not some evil entity known as the Devil. (The Qur’an (Yusuf Ali tr), Surah 50) 29. “Nay, the wrongdoers (merely) fellow their own lusts.” (The Qur’an (Yusuf Ali tr), Surah 30)  Zoroastrianism: “Until the higher self has established itself in him (has become his normal self) a man is his own enemy, — for there is self conflict, for yet there are two selves within,” higher nature and lower ego, sometimes called the Devil or Satan. “Their own devils (are) their own worst enemies. The two selves within man, his higher nature and his devil or lower nature.” (ZOROASTER, Hymns of Atharvan pp. 173, 662 and 685) So you see, as the word of God is spiritual and symbolic, this whole story of a Devil is not actually meant to be taken literally; it is all symbolic, meant to be understood in a spiritual light and understanding:

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   There is no real devil, God didn’t make a mistake in His judgement and make a Satan like entity:

   One thing that seems to be present in most of the commonly known religions of God is the talk of an evil anti-god or a devil. One thing that is not so well known, in these religions, is that a non-physical, non-literal, kind of anti-deity is hinted at, or outright stated that he does not exist in these religions; or in other words, the religions tell us that the devil, or whatever other name he goes by, is not real, but a metaphor for our lower more animalistic nature. The Devil, or Satan as he is sometimes called, is symbolic for our more materialistic side. This way the devil is truly part of us and not some evil deity whispering in our ears. This way we are truly held accountable for our very own actions before God not someone else:

   So, in following along with this statement, the term devil is not mentioned in the Old Testament at all. The term devils (plural) is used, and this is only used four times in the whole book. Also, when the term devils is used it is used to indicate the practice of idol worship and not the warning for mankind to be careful of the influence of some super anti god.  Judaism: Leviticus 17:6 “And the priest shall sprinkle the blood upon the altar of The LORD at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, and burn the fat for a sweet savour unto The LORD.” 17:7 “And they shall no more offer their sacrifices unto devils, after whom they have gone a whoring. This shall be a statute for ever unto them throughout their generations.” Deuteronomy 32:16 “They provoked Him to jealousy with strange gods, with abominations provoked they Him to anger.” 32:17 “They sacrificed unto devils, not to God; to gods whom they knew not, to new gods that came newly up, whom your fathers feared not.” Chronicles 11:15 “And he ordained him priests for the high places, and for the devils.” Psalms 106:34 “They did not destroy the nations, concerning whom The LORD commanded them: But were mingled among the heathen, and learned their works.” 106:36 “And they served their idols: which were a snare unto them.” Psalms 106:37 “Yea, they sacrificed their sons and their daughters unto devils,” 106:38 “And shed innocent blood, even the blood of their sons and of their daughters, whom they sacrificed unto the idols of Canaan:” Clearly the term devils used here in the Old Testament is used to indicate the practice of idol worship; and not the existence of an alter ego of God.

   I have also found, when I really looked at the writings of the New Testament, that the term devil was not so clearly defined there either:  Christianity: Matthew 11:12 “And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force.” 11:17 “And saying, We have piped unto you, and ye have not danced; we have mourned unto you, and ye have not lamented.” 11:18 “For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, He hath a devil.” The people of that time called John the Baptist a man possessed by a devil just because he chose not to dance or do the things they thought he should be doing; so the actions of a man that went against custom was considered to be the actions of a man possibly possessed by a devil. Luke 8:35 “Then they went out to see what was done; and came to Jesus, and found the man, out of whom the devils were departed, sitting at the feet of Jesus, clothed, and in his right mind: and they were afraid.” Illnesses of the mind, in those days, would most likely have been considered possession by devils to the people living around the afflicted individuals. So, by Jesus healing the mind of the afflicted man, the people, of that time, would have seen it as the devils had went out of him by the man being found in his right state of mind. Acts 10:38 “How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him.” Christ healed those that were oppressed of the devil, not by the devil. Of, is something that can be a part of you like your ego or man’s lower nature controlling his actions. Of the devil indicates that the devil was part of them not some exterior force to man that is trying to influence us in an unseen way: Matthew 8:33 “possessed of the devils.” Luke 8:29 “driven of the devil into the wilderness etc…..”

 CHRISTIANITY: Matthew 9:32 “As they went out, behold, they brought to him a dumb man possessed with a devil,” not possessed by the devil, but with a devil. 9:33 “And when the devil was cast out, the dumb spake: and the multitudes marveled, saying, It was never so seen in Israel.” Clearly the infirmity of not being able to speak was thought to be caused by the presence of a devil, and the act of Christ healing this man was thought to be the process of driving the devil out of the man. 9:34 “But the Pharisees said, He casteth out devils through the prince of the devils.” Here Jesus himself is accused of working with the devil, while performing good actions that the Pharisees didn’t like, which is a pretty good indication for us that if the people of that age didn’t like your actions, for whatever reason, they thought a possible devil was responsible for the unwanted behavior.

 CHRISTIANITY: Matthew 11:18 “For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, He hath a devil.” Luke 7:33 “For John the Baptist came neither eating bread nor drinking wine; and ye say, He hath a devil.” Again, the term devil is used here, by the people, to denote the characteristics and actions of John the Baptist which the people around him didn’t like, so they accused him of having a devil in him. Since, John the Baptist was clearly not possessed by a devil, this again is a good indication that the people of that time living around John the Baptist looked at the actions and conditions of the people around them and believed that anything that was out of the norm or unusual in a person’s actions or in their physical condition was due to the presents of a devil in them. John 8:48 “Then answered the Jews, and said unto him, Say we not well that thou art a Samaritan, and hast a devil?” John 8:49 “Jesus answered, I have not a devil; but I honour my Father, and ye do dishonour me.” Even Jesus was accused of having a devil because he performed miracles that the Jews didn’t want to see. Matthew 9:33 “And when the devil was cast out, the dumb spake: and the multitudes marveled, saying, It was never so seen in Israel.” Matthew 12:22 “Then was brought unto him one possessed with a devil, blind, and dumb: and he healed him, insomuch that the blind and dumb both spake and saw.” Jesus Christ healed him which in the terminology of the bible would mean Christ had cast out the devil, which in reality meant Christ cast out the sickness. Luke 11:14 “And he was casting out a devil, and it was dumb. And it came to pass, when the devil was gone out, the dumb spake; and the people wondered.” All of these statements clearly indicate that these were physical and possibly symbolic conditions wrong with these people, and not the true possession of these individuals by real devils or demons possessing the body of a man. 1 Corinthians 10:19 “What say I then? that the idol is any thing, or that which is offered in sacrifice to idols is any thing?” 10:20 “But I say, that the things which the Gentiles sacrifice, they sacrifice to devils, and not to God: and I would not that ye should have fellowship with devils.” 10:21 “Ye cannot drink the cup of The Lord, and the cup of devils: ye cannot be partakers of The Lord’s table, and of the table of devils.” So, in the New Testament we find that Paul also uses the term devils to indicate the practice of idol worship, like in the Old Testament. Paul goes a step further then this indicating that the people worshiping the idols are themselves to be considered devils. So here again, we find devils (plural) being associated with the actions of humans. 1 Timothy 4:1 “Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils;” 4:2 “Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron;” Doctrines of devils, this statement is evidence that some of the actions of men will be corrupted by the doctrines of those that worship idols, but, the idols of today do not necessarily mean the golden calves of Moses’ time. Idols can be anything that man places on a pedestal in his mind. Cars, houses, televisions, business, money etc…. anything that we place more value on then we do God can be considered an idol that we worship in our minds; placing the worship of devils above God. 1 Corinthians 10:19 “What say I then? that the idol is any thing,”

BAHA’I FAITH: “If no fruits of the Kingdom appear in the garden of his soul, man is not in the image and likeness of God, but if those fruits are forthcoming, he becomes the recipient of ideal bestowals and is enkindled with the fire of the love of God. If his morals become spiritual in character, his aspirations heavenly and his actions conformable to the will of God, man has attained the image and likeness of his Creator; otherwise, he is the image and likeness of Satan. Therefore, Christ hath said, ‘Ye shall know them by their fruits.’”

(Bahá’í Faith, Abdu’l-Baha, The Promulgation of Universal Peace, p. 335)

We also find that Christ was supposed to have been tempted by the Devil in the earliest part of his ministry:  Christianity: Matthew 4:1 “Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil.” Luke 4:2 “Being forty days tempted of the devil. And in those days he did eat nothing: and when they were ended, he afterward hungered.” Mark 1:13 “And he was there in the wilderness forty days, tempted of Satan; and was with the wild beasts; and the angels ministered unto him.” Christ here was not tempted by the devil or Satan as we are told in church, but he was tempted, again, of the devil and of Satan, signifying the godly spiritual aspect we know as Christ was tempted of his lower physical side, being also mortal man, which again, indicates that the devil or Satan was there with Christ all along, because that aspect of our physical nature is part of us, while on this earth, to tempt us and guide us down the wrong path towards attachment to the physical world, and our own hardships; which allows God to justly judge us since we are being tempted, not by some external force alien to us, but by our own physical self wanting physical things of this world, which sends us down the material path of the world and not the spiritual path God wants us to follow. I mean again, what do we really think sin is really all about? Sin is us doing something that is harmful to us or others that causes us to be creatures of nature and not spiritual creatures of our Father which is in heaven, which is where God is really trying to lead us. I mean, how else do we think that sin, mostly physical events, can harm our soul, a spiritual entity? (See Sin and Sinning for more information) John 6:67 “Then said Jesus unto the twelve, Will ye also go away?” 6:68 “Then Simon Peter answered him, Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life.” 6:69 “And we believe and are sure that thou art that Christ, the Son of the living God.” 6:70 “Jesus answered them, Have not I chosen you twelve, and one of you is a devil?” 6:71 “He spake of Judas Iscariot the son of Simon: for he it was that should betray him, being one of the twelve.” Christ clearly states that Judas Iscariot, a man, is a devil, though we clearly know that he was a man. Also, if this is not enough clarification that the devil or Satan is our lower animalistic side, Christ goes, a step further calling Peter Satan: Matthew 16:23 “But he turned, and said unto Peter, Get thee behind me, Satan: thou art an offence unto me: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but those that be of men.” Mark 8:33 “But when he had turned about and looked on his disciples, he rebuked Peter, saying, Get thee behind me, Satan: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but the things that be of men.” Here Christ clearly states it. Savoring the things of men, the physical world and its pleasures, is being of Satan, in which case man is considered to be Satan or the devil in the eyes of God.

BAHA’I FAITH: “The reality underlying this question is that the evil spirit, Satan or whatever is interpreted as evil, refers to the lower nature in man.”

(Bahá’í Faith, Abdu’l-Baha, Foundations of World Unity, p. 77

 CHRISTIANITY: Acts 13:8 “But Elymas the sorcerer (for so is his name by interpretation) withstood them, seeking to turn away the deputy from the faith.” 13:9 “Then Saul, (who also is called Paul) filled with the Holy Ghost, set his eyes on him,” 13:10 “And said, O full of all subtlety and all mischief, thou child of the devil, thou enemy of all righteousness, wilt thou not cease to pervert the right ways of The Lord?” Again, we find the devil being associated with the actions of men, or the actions of a man. Paul calls this man who is standing in the way of God’s work “child of the devil,” which in this case stands for a man who is the enemy of all that is righteous, but is still a man not a literal child of a literal devil. 1 John 3:8 “He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil.” 3:10 “In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother.” The children of the devil are clearly those people that doeth not the righteousness of God but commit sin, which is of the devil. Men that do wickedly are the children of the devil by their actions.  Judaism: Job 1:6 “Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before The LORD, and Satan came also among them.” Satan is found amongst the children of God and since we are the children of God Satan is found amongst us, because Satan is part of us, being our lower nature. Sirach 21:27 “When the ungodly curseth Satan, he curseth his own soul.” (Apocrypha)

BAHA’I FAITH: “The reality underlying this question is that the evil spirit, Satan or whatever is interpreted as evil, refers to the lower nature in man.” “This lower nature in man is symbolized as Satan — the evil ego within us, not an evil personality outside,” hence we are tempted of the Devil or Satan and not by the Devil or Satan.

(Bahá’í Faith, Abdu’l-Baha, Foundations of World Unity, p. 77 and Promulgation of Universal Peace, p. 286)

BAHA’I FAITH:  BABI RELIGION: “I despatched a messenger unto thee with a truly resplendent Tablet, but the followers of the devil (the unseeing mullahs) turned him away disdainfully and interposed themselves between him and thee. They expelled him from the land whereof thou art the undisputed sovereign. Thus hath the good of this world and of the next escaped thee, unless thou submit to the commandment ordained by God and be of them that are rightly guided.” =   “Dost thou imagine him whom thou hast appointed Chancellor in thy kingdom to be the best leader and the best supporter? Nay, I swear by thy Lord. He will bring thee into grievous trouble by reason of that which Satan instilleth in his heart, and verily, he himself is Satan.” “Indeed in the estimation of the people he is naught but manifest darkness…”

(The Bab, Selections from the Writings of the Bab, pp. 23 and 24)

Baha’i Faith:  Babi Religion: “Fear thou God and suffer not thy soul to be chastised beyond that with which it hath already been tormented; for ere long thou shalt pass away and shalt declare thyself clear of the devil whom thou hast appointed as thy Chancellor, saying: ‘O would that I had not taken the devil as my Chancellor, nor appointed an impostor as my guide and adviser.”’

(The Bab, Selections from the Writings of the Bab, p. 24)

Also, rounding things out, we should look at the name Lucifer which is used only one time in the whole bible, in a proverb about the king of Babylon. Lucifer:   Judaism: Isaiah 14:4 “That thou shalt take up this proverb against the king of Babylon, and say, How hath the oppressor ceased! the golden city ceased!” 14:11 “Thy pomp is brought down to the grave, and the noise of thy viols: the worm is spread under thee, and the worms cover thee.” 14:12 “How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations!” 14:13 “For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north:” 14:14 “I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High.” 14:15 “Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit.” 14:16 “They that see thee shall narrowly look upon thee, and consider thee, saying, Is this the man that made the earth to tremble, that did shake kingdoms;” Lucifer is a man in this proverb; the king of Babylon. Lucifer is a man, not some great evil anti-God. His armies were so massive they shook the earth when they moved and caused the other kingdoms to shake in fear. Daniel 5:18 “5:18 “O thou king, the most high God gave Nebuchadnezzar thy father a kingdom, and majesty, and glory, and honour:” 5:19 “And for the majesty that He gave him, all people, nations, and languages, trembled and feared before him; whom he would he slew; and whom he would he kept alive; and whom he would he set up; and whom he would he put down:” Jeremiah 8:16 “The snorting of his horses was heard from Dan: the whole land trembled at the sound of the neighing of his strong ones; for they are come, and have devoured the land, and all that is in it; the city, and those that dwell therein.” 

BAHA’I FAITH: “It is evident that human personality appears in two aspects, — the image or likeness of God and the aspect of Satan.”

(Bahá’í Faith, Abdu’l-Baha, Foundations of World Unity, p. 108)

Baha’i Faith: “Regarding your question relative to the condition of those people who are described in the Gospel as being possessed of devils; this should be interpreted figuratively; devil or Satan is symbolic of evil and dark forces yielding to temptation.”

(Bahá’í Faith, Compilations, Lights of Guidance, p. 513)

Lastly, I find in my studies of the bible and the Bahá’í Faith and the other religions of God, that God is supposed to be all knowing, omniscient, omnipotent and omnipresent. If this is true then how could God have made such a huge mistake by the creation of an evil anti-god, the devil, Lucifer, Satan or whatever other name you may call him by? The God I have became aware of is all powerful, all knowing and ever present with us. The God I have come to believe in is not sloppy, He doesn’t make mistakes, and He is always present.  Judaism: Jeremiah 23:23 “Am I a God at hand, saith The LORD, and not a God afar off?” 23:24 “Can any hide himself in secret places that I shall not see him? saith The LORD. Do not I fill heaven and earth? saith The LORD.” Ezekiel 28:3 “There is no secret that they can hide from Thee.” I REPEAT, THERE IS NO SECRET WE CAN HIDE FROM GOD!!! So how could God make a mistake by creating an evil anti-god or devil?  Christianity: Matthew 5:48 “Your Father which is in heaven is perfect.” God is perfect, He does not make mistakes!!! He is omniscient; He knows everything, past, present and all into the future.

But, let’s say for arguments sake that we believe God did create this evil anti-god? God is omnipresent; He is always with everybody and everything. How could anybody, let alone an angel, conspire against God, God is ever present, there is nothing that can be done in secret that God will not be aware of. Let me repeat:  Judaism: Ezekiel 28:3 “There is no secret that they can hide from Thee.” Jeremiah 23:23 “Am I a God at hand, saith The LORD, and not a God afar off?” 23:24 “Can any hide himself in secret places that I shall not see him? saith The LORD. Do not I fill heaven and earth? saith The LORD.” Psalms 139:8 “If I (King David) ascend up into heaven, Thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, Thou art there.”  Christianity: Matthew 18:10 “For I say unto you, That in heaven their angels do always behold the face of my Father which is in heaven.” Angels always behold the face of God in heaven, therefore God always beholds the angels, there is no secret we or the angels can hide from God, so the story of the falling of the angels, which is not even found in the bible, makes very little sense. The only story I find in the bible about a war in heaven takes place in Revelations which is not supposed to have happened yet, but will take place after Revelations is being fulfilled: Revelation 12:7 “And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels, 12:8 And prevailed not; neither was their place found any more in heaven.” 12:9 “And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent called the Devil, and Satan…. he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.” So you see, the war of Satan is yet to take place and God is most certainly aware of all that he does, so this only strengthens my point, that the existence of the devil and Satan is symbolic and not to be taken literally. Satan is not a real entity: Baha’i Faith: “The evil spirit, Satan or whatever is interpreted as evil, refers to the lower nature in man. This baser nature is symbolized in various ways. In man there are two expressions, one is the expression of nature, the other the expression of the spiritual realm. The world of nature is defective. Look at it clearly, casting aside all superstition and imagination. If you should leave a man uneducated and barbarous in the wilds of Africa, would there be any doubt about his remaining ignorant? God has never created an evil spirit; all such ideas and nomenclature are symbols expressing the mere human or earthly nature of man. It is an essential condition of the soil of earth that thorns, weeds and fruitless trees may grow from it. Relatively speaking, this is evil; it is simply the lower state and baser product of nature.”

   “It is evident therefore that man is in need of divine education and inspiration; that the spirit and bounties of God are essential to his development. That is to say, the teachings of Christ and the prophets are necessary for his education and guidance.”

(Bahá’í Faith, Abdu’l-Baha, Foundations of World Unity, p. 77)

   And what do the other religions tell us about the devil? The other religions of God also indicate that the devil is not real. Most of the religions come right out and tell us that the devil or Satan is not real. The rest of the religions indicate that this notion of an evil all powerful anti-god is a concept not a reality.

 ISLAM: Letter 69. “Be afraid of your own anger because out of the armies of Satan, man’s anger is its strongest force.” Satan is being referred to as an it, not a him or his, but an it, not a being of substance or thought, but an object with no real power of its own. It says man’s anger is its strongest force, a non-being with no real force or power of its own.

(Islam, Ali b. Abi Taalib, Letters from Nahjul Balaagh)

Islam: “Allah (God) has further ordered you to keep your desires under control, to keep yourself under restraint when extravagant and inordinate yearnings and cravings try to drive you towards vice and wickedness because usually your ‘self’ tries to incite and drag you towards infamy and damnation unless the Merciful Lord comes to your help.” Yourself, not some evil anti-god not the devil or Satan, but your own self, the ego, the Satan like whisper of desire and vanity within you trying to incite you and lead you astray, no one else. This is the reason why God holds us accountable for our own actions, not anyone else.

(Islam, Ali b. Abi Taalib, Letters from Nahjul Balaagh)

Islam: Letter 73. “Beware that Satan has made you incorrigible, it has made you blind to good things as shown by the Holy Prophet(s) and deaf to His teachings.” Again we find Satan being referred to as an it not a who that is living and thinking. Satan requires man to have any power because it does not have any power of its own, but this force called Satan is part of man therefore it requires man’s own egotistical actions to even be considered as a thing, and not just a pure figment of our own  imagination. Consider, in the end times, Satan is to be cast into a bottomless pit. What pit is more bottomless then man’s own alter ego. There is no bottom to it because it’s a process of thought with no real substance of its own, just a thought without any action of its own unless we make it happen by our own actions. How else could we be justly held responsible for our actions before God. I mean, are we really going to say that Satan whispered into my ear and the devil made me do it? You yourself made you do it!

(Ali b. Abi Taalib, Letters from Nahjul Balaagh)

Islam: 79. “Whatever good, (O man!) happens to thee, is from Allah (God); but whatever evil happens to thee, is from thy (own) soul. And We have sent thee as a Messenger to (instruct) mankind: and enough is Allah for a witness.” Whatever evil happens to thee is from our own soul, not the devil or Satan or some anti-god!

(The Qur’an (Yusuf Ali tr), Surah   4)

Islam: “And when they meet those who believe, they say, ‘We do believe;’ but when they go aside with their devils, they say, ‘We are with you; we were but mocking” “So have we made for every prophet an enemy,- devils of men” Here Muhammad comes right out and tells you the devils are of men, a part of man, not some spooky anti-god that God (Allah) somehow in His great omniscience made a mistake in creating; which would argue the point that He is not all knowing.

(The Qur’an (E.H. Palmer tr), Sura   2 and 6 The Heifer

Islam: “Thus have we given an enemy to every prophet – Satans among men.” Satans among men is pretty much the same as devils of men. Muhammad tells us that God has put devils among men for every prophet to face or in other words every prophet and his followers are going to face the persecutions of men who are too spiritually blind to see the truth of God’s spiritual message.

(The Qur’an (Rodwell tr), Sura   6 – Cattle)

Islam: 112. “Likewise did We make for every Messenger an enemy, evil ones among men.” Yusuf Ali does not even use the term devils or satans, but states it’s the evil ones among men who are the enemies of God’s holy prophets. Men not some archaic anti-god that has long since worn out its purpose as a method of scaring men into being good or the devil is going to get you.

(The Qur’an (Yusuf Ali tr), Surah   6)

Islam: “So have we made for every prophet an enemy,- devils of men” Here again the devils are the men!

(The Qur’an (E.H. Palmer tr), Sura   6 – Cattle)

Islam: 76 “Those who believe do battle for the cause of Allah (God); and those who disbelieve do battle for the cause of idols. So fight the minions of the devil.” Here, like in the bible, idols worshipers are considered to be worshipers of the devil, or in this case idol worshipers are the minions of their idols or devils. 79. “Whatever good, (O man!) happens to thee, is from Allah; but whatever evil happens to thee, is from thy (own) soul.” Now here is a statement from Muhammad that is pretty much straight forward. Whatever evil happens to us we are to blame for, from our very own souls, not the devil or Satan. We are the evil ones. Goodness comes from God but evil comes from ourselves. (See, It is a man’s ego that whispers secret suggestions of vanity and wrong doing to him, not Satan)

(The Qur’an (Yusuf Ali tr), Surah   4) and (The Qur’an (Pickthall tr), Sura   4 – Women)

Islam: 97. “And say: ‘O my Lord! I seek refuge with Thee from the suggestions of the Evil Ones;”’ People telling them what to do or their own lusts taking control of them.

(The Qur’an (Yusuf Ali tr), Surah  23)

Islam: 29. “Nay, the wrongdoers (merely) fellow their own lusts,” (Satan) 36. “When We give men a taste of Mercy, they exult thereat: and when some evil afflicts them because of what their (own) hands have sent forth, behold, they are in despair!” (And they blame the devil not what they themselves did)

(The Qur’an (Yusuf Ali tr), Surah 30)

 ZOROASTRIANISM: “One who proceeds to deceive an honest man, will have another habitat, via long gloomy life, evil food (thoughts) and remorseful words. The devils, by their own deeds indeed, lead their soul away from religion.” “Until the higher self has established itself in him (has become his normal self) a man is his own enemy. Until the pebble has turned into a ruby, there is self conflict for yet there are two selves within it.” (ZOROASTER, Hymns of Atharvan pp. 173 and 685) Zoroaster comes right out and tells men that they are their own devils, or their own worst enemies. There are two selves within man, his higher nature and his devil or lower nature.  Zoroastrianism: “Those who, out of evil spirit, aggravate by their tongue, anger and assault, not seeing even thought appearing to see, and whose evil deeds are not at all covered by their good deeds; know them to be diabolical for such is the character of the Devil.” (ZOROASTER, Hymns of Atharvan p. 662) Zoroaster tells us we, because of our evil actions, are the devil or devils or the character of the devil.  Zoroastrianism: “Subconscious mind (ego, Satan) is the seat of evil impulses. It can be purified only by constant thought of God.” “Man is in the grip Angra Manyu (the force of evil, the devil) that could not be helped, that is the precedent condition of the creation of the universe. But man can get out of the clutches of Angra Manyu (Satan) this is how the Holy Prophet asks man to cheer up to the spite of the lower self (The subconscious).” “Love can change pain into joy, has not the saint gone out of the clutches of Angra Manyu.” (ZOROASTER, Hymns of Atharvan pp. 259 and 599)

 Zoroastrianism: 3. “(Zarathushtra) — But ye, ye Daevas all, and he that highly honors you, are the seed of Bad Thought — yes, and of the Lie and of Arrogance, likewise your deeds, whereby ye have long been known in the seventh region of the earth.” 4. “For ye have brought it to pass that men who do the worst things shall be called beloved of the Daevas, separating themselves from Good Thought, departing from the will of Mazda Ahura (God) and from Right.” 5. “Thereby ye defrauded mankind of happy life and immortality, by the deed which he and the Bad Spirit together with Bad Thought and Bad Word taught you, ye Daevas and the Liars, so as to ruin (mankind).” 9. “The teacher of evil destroys the lore, he by his teaching destroys the design of life, he prevents the possession of Good Thought from being prized. These words of my spirit I wail unto you, O Mazda, and to the Right.” “((Daevas or Daeva is the word thought to be where the term devil originally came from in the Jewish religion and the Daeva or devil was thought to be the evil actions of man (man that is a Daeva or devil),” Avesta – Vendidad))

(Zoroaster, The Zend-Avesta, Avesta – Yasna 32 and Avesta – Vendidad)

 Zoroastrianism: “Broken be Satan,’ who is also known as ‘Ahriman,’ who is also known as, ‘The Evil-Doer Angra Mainyu.’ the equivalent to the devil in Christianity. ‘Angra Mainyu (Ahriman) known as the deadly, the Daeva of the Daevas;’ also called ‘the evil-doer’ and ‘the evil spirit.’” “Angra Mainyu, who is all death, the worst-lying of all Daevas, is the Daeva the supreme ruler of the Daevas which makes the Daevas all to be Devils the enemies to mankind and the curse to humanity.” “When in the early centuries during the captivity of the children of Israel by the Babylonian kings the followers of the laws of Moses encountered the religion of the followers of Zarathushtra (Zoroaster); and the similar laws and similar belief structure of the two religions became self evident to the Babylonians and the Jews. This is one of the reasons why King Cyrus (Darius and Artaxerxes) of the Persian monarchy released the Hebrew children from their captivity to Babylon and gave Ezra and Nehemiah, two of the prophets of the Torah and the Bible, the means to rebuild the temple of God in Jerusalem and rebuild the city of Jerusalem.” “It was also because of this interaction between these two religions, Judaism and Zoroastrianism, that certain names and ideologies were passed between the two religions. One of which was this belief in a more singular devil which up to this point had been plural devils and related to idol worship. Another thing that occurred was the Daevas, the bitter enemies’ of mankind became devils and then later on singularly The Devil.”

(The Zend-Avesta, Khorda Avesta and The Vendidad Avesta)

 Zoroastrianism: “Let no thought of Angra Mainyu ever infect thee, so that thou shouldst indulge in evil lusts, make derision and idolatry, and shut (to the poor) the door of thy house.” Here again idolatry is inter related with the Zoroastrian concept of the devil (Angra Mainyu)

(The Zend-Avesta, Avesta Fragments)

 Zoroastrianism: Denkard. Zoroaster, “Every man when he invokes the Sun three times every day, shall then give himself up entirely to God, and shall avow the existence of the Religion and the Deity, and the non-existence of Ahriman and the demons.” Here the Zoroastrian religion comes right out and tells you Ahriman (the devil, along with demons) does not exist.

 Zoroastrianism: “Manyu (Angra Mainyu or Ahriman) means force. It is called the mental force, for force is not a material object that can be perceived by the eye and the ear. It is perceived by the mind alone. The effects produced by the force may be seen, but not the force itself, whose existence is inferred by the mind.” (ZOROASTER, Hymns of Atharvan p. 82)

 HINDUISM: “We from the darkness,’ he says; ‘the darkness is the evil one; verily from him he smites away the evil one.” Here darkness is associated as being the devil, which as we read earlier in (topics, Darkness and light are in many cases symbolic) which tells us among other things that darkness is associated with evil symbolically. Also Krishna tells us that we form the darkness or we form the evil one. So, again there is no real devil in existence, only our lower nature.

(Hindu, Vedas, Yajur Veda – Kanda V)

 Hinduism: “Me myself, present within the flesh! Know them to devils devoted, not to Heaven!” The presence of God is found in each and every one of us. (See God is inside of us for more information) So if God is found in every one of us where is there room for an anti-god called Satan? One defeats the other.

(Hindu, Bhagavad Gita (Edwin Arnold tr) chapter 17)

 Hinduism: “Men of Darkness pray To Pretas and to Bhutas.” “Nay, Me myself, present within the flesh! Know them to devils devoted, not to Heaven!” Me myself or we ourselves can be concidered devils if we are not devoted to God and heaven.

(Hindu, Bhagavad Gita (Edwin Arnold tr) chapter 17)

 BUDDHISM: 3. “Seeing your body as no better than an earthen pot, make war on Mara with the sword of wisdom, and setting up your mind as a fortress, defend what you have won, remaining free from attachment. Before long this body will be lying on the ground, discarded and unconscious, like a useless bit of wood. One’s own misdirected thought can do one more harm than an enemy or an ill-wisher. Even your mother, father or any other relative cannot do you as much good as your own properly directed thought.” Mara or the devil is related here as thoughts in our own heads which we can destroy with thoughts of wisdom.

(Buddhist, Dhammapada – Sayings of the Buddha 1 (tr. J. Richards))

 Buddhism: 24. “Don’t let Mara destroy you! When a man is stimulated by his own thoughts, full of desire and dwelling on what is attractive, his craving increases even more. He is making the fetter even stronger. But he who takes pleasure in stilling his thoughts, practicing the contemplation of what is repulsive, and remaining recollected, now he will make an end of craving, he will snap the bonds of Mara.” Buddha tells us that Mara IS IN FACT OUR OWN THOUGHTS! Desires and cravings come from us not from some anti-Brahma god called Mara.

(Buddhist, Dhammapada – Sayings of the Buddha 1 (tr. J. Richards))

 Buddhism: “The assertion of a cause that is non-existent assumes the causeless birth of the first element of the mind-system which later on comes to have only a Mara-like (devil-like) non-existence.” “With the cessation of mortal-mind the entire world of Mara and desire disappears.” (again Buddha tells us that Mara is thoughts in our minds on this plane of existence and at the time of the cessation of our mortal mind Mara completely stops having an existence, poof he’s gone. Buddha also tells us Mara in reality is non-existent) (Buddha, Lankavatara Sutra)

 Buddhism: “These are the various features of false-imagination to which all the ignorant and simple-minded cling. Those attached to the notion of relativity are attached to the notion of the multitudinousness of things which arises from false-imagination. It is like seeing varieties of objects depending upon Maya (the devil), but these varieties thus revealing themselves are discriminated by the ignorant as something other than Maya itself,” “all things are imagined and clung to because of the multitudinous of individual signs, that they are like Maya; it is because they are alike unreal and as quickly appearing and disappearing.” (Buddha, Lankavatara Sutra) ‘Thus, by reason of discrimination of that which by nature is Maya-like and unreal false-imagination and erroneous reasoning.” “With the cessation of mortal-mind the entire world of Maya and desire disappears.” (Buddha, Lankavatara Sutra)

 SABEANISM: “Bound is the sea, bound are the two banks of the sea! Bound are the devils and demons, the demon-visitants, haunting spirits, and satanic amulet-spirits. Bound are the three hundred and sixty mysteries that are in the House!” (Sabeanism, Ginza Rba- chapter 15) Bound are the devils and demons and satanic spirits. Adam doesn’t exactly tell us that devils are not real but he does say that they are bound in which case they can do us no harm. In fact, God has broken apart or sundered the good out of, or from the evil. “He sundered Light from darkness and sundered Good from Evil, He sundered Life from Death, And He brought out those who love His name of Truth From Darkness to Light and from Evil to Good And from Death to Life and set them On roads of Truth and Faith.” (Sabeanism, Ginza Rba- chapter 75) God brought out good from evil, or asundered, broken apart, good from evil in which case these two concepts are one and the same because He brought one out of the other, or divided the two from what was in reality one concept. So, in other words Adam is telling us that, in reality, there is only good which would in fact deny the presence of an evil anti-god because in reality there is only good and the construct of evil, or less good or the absence of good.

BAHA’I FAITH: “God has never created an evil spirit; all such ideas and nomenclature are symbols expressing the mere human or earthly nature of man.”

(Bahá’í Faith, Abdu’l-Baha, The Promulgation of Universal Peace, p. 294)

(See God brings out good from evil and the nonexistence of evil for more information)

Baha’i Faith: “If an active, actual peace is brought about, the human world will attain to the utmost serenity and composure; wolves will be transformed into lambs, devils into angels, and terrors into divine splendors in less than the twinkling of an eye.” In other words in God’s creation devils or idol worshipers can be turned away from evil and become angels, wolves will become like lambs. (See God will bring peace on earth for more information)

(Bahá’í Faith, Abdu’l-Baha, Divine Philosophy, p. 85)

Baha’i Faith: “Watch over yourselves, for the Evil One is lying in wait, ready to entrap you. Gird yourselves against his wicked devices, and, led by the light of the name of the All-Seeing God, make your escape from the darkness that surroundeth you. Let your vision be world-embracing, rather than confined to your own self. The Evil One is he that hindereth the rise and obstructeth the spiritual progress of the children of men.” (In other words the evil one can be anything or anyone that distracts us from following the spiritual path God has laid out for us.) “Hearken unto the truth and follow not the steps of the devils.”

(Bahá’í Faith, Baha’u’llah, Gleanings from the Writings of Baha’u’llah, p. 94 and Compilations, of Baha’i Scriptures, p. 68)

   So you see, the Devil is symbolic for our lower egotistical nature, and the things in the bible and the other religions related to the Devil or Satan, like the war in heaven are related to us and the things we do on this earth related to God‘s religion and His teachings and what we do with His teaching and how we treat his people and messengers when it is their time to shine on this earth with God‘s new message to mankind, which goes along with God‘s message and writings to mankind being of a spiritual, symbolic nature.

—————————————————————————————————————————————

Another thing that is mentioned in His religions that bears looking at is hell and the nature of hell and how it relates to us:

  Hell like heaven is mentioned in all the religions of God and hell like heaven is hinted at as not being a physical place but a spiritual place more like a state of mind or a spiritual state in which we find ourselves upon our death:  Zoroastrianism: “From the same jug, Mazda (God) distributes the portion to all. But one gets honey and another gets poison as his share. The pot is the same, and so its content is the same. The mentality of the recipient makes the difference.” (ZOROASTER, Hymns of Atharvan p. 833) It’s all about the mentality of the believers whether they find themselves in heaven or hell. It’s a spiritual state of mind we shall find ourselves in when we die; for all eyes will be opened to all the things we have done, or in many cases left undone, and we will really see, for the first time, all the events we have caused to happen to those around us and the part we played in all the hardships and heart aches, or conversely all the joys and love we spread around us while we lived. In one case one is in heaven, while for another man he is in hell. The jug, or the abode, is the same. We all find ourselves in the same spiritual realm but some see their goodness, while others see only the consequences of the evil they have performed. This is, of course, an over simplification of things to come and does not take into account God’s interactions with us or in some cases the lack thereof, but the message is pretty much the same. You do good things and good will come out of it and if you perform works of darkness you can expect the same as your reward. This is one of the reasons why Solomon warned us:  Judaism: Proverbs 27:20 “Hell and destruction are never full; so the eyes of man are never satisfied.” Hell is the lack of satisfaction on our part and the want of things we just can’t have due to our actions in this life:

BAHA’I FAITH:  BABI RELIGION: “Know thou of a certainty that by Paradise is meant recognition of and submission unto Him Whom God shall make manifest, and by the fire the company of such souls as would fail to submit unto Him or to be resigned to His good-pleasure. On that Day thou wouldst regard thyself as the inmate of Paradise and as a true believer in Him, whereas in reality thou wouldst suffer thyself to be wrapt in veils and thy habitation would be the nethermost fire, though thou thyself wouldst not be cognizant thereof.”

(The Bab, Selections from the Writings of the Bab, p. 81)

Baha’i Faith:  Babi Religion: “Should anyone possessed of insight behold, he will see how the people of paradise have preceded the rest into heaven, even though their food was no more than the leaf of a tree; whereas the people of hell have entered therein by their own consent, bringing with them those things (shu’un) in which they benefited from the word of negation, in which they pride themselves, and by which they are tormented in the fire, although they are unaware of that.”

(The Bab (unauthorized translation), The Persian Bayan)

Baha’i Faith:  Babi Religion: “THERE is no paradise, in the estimation of the believers in the Divine Unity, more exalted than to obey God‘s commandments, and there is no fire in the eyes of those who have known God and His signs, fiercer than to transgress His laws and to oppress another soul, even to the extent of a mustard seed. On the Day of Resurrection God will, in truth, judge all men, and we all verily plead for His grace.”

(The Bab, Selections from the Writings of the Bab, p. 78)

BAHA’I FAITH: “Heaven is the state of perfection, and Hell that of imperfection; Heaven is harmony with God‘s will and with our fellows, and Hell is the want of such harmony; Heaven is the condition of spiritual life, and Hell that of spiritual death. A man may be either in Heaven or in Hell while still in the body. The joys of Heaven are spiritual joys; and the pains of Hell consist in the deprivation of these joys.”

(Bahá’í Faith, Dr. J.E. Esslemont, Baha’u’llah and the New Era, p. 190)

   Following this reasoning hell is not a physical place God created for the torment of the physical body of man. After death we are a spirit created in God’s image.  Judaism: Genesis 9:6 “for in the image of God made He man.” Genesis 1:27 “So God created man in His own image, in the image of God created He him; male and female created He them.”  Christianity: John 4:24 “God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit.” We are a spirit when we die. John 3:6 “That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.” So I ask you, What would be the use of a physical place to take up our new spiritual existence, and what would be the use of a physical fire to harm a spiritual ethereal being? Baha’i Faith: “The soul of man is immortal; it survives physical death. The goal of the individual during his life should be to develop those spiritual qualities and attributes which will enhance the soul in its eternal journey. Heaven is thus interpreted as the state of possessing those qualities and Hell as being bereft of them.” (Moojan Momen, The Bábí  and Baha’i Religions, p. xxiv)

  As Bahá’ís we recognize that terms like hell and heaven are symbolic for man’s state of being in which we can experience small aspects of right here in this earthly life.

  The Apostle Paul tells us:  Christianity: 1 Corinthians 15:49 “As we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly.” 15:50 “Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God.” If flesh and blood, or the physical body of man, cannot inherit the Kingdom of God (heaven) why do we think that the physical body of man can go to a physical hell? If the physical body of man cannot go to heaven, then it only stands to reason that the physical body of man cannot go to hell either.

BAHA’I FAITH: “O ye lovers of God! Be kind to all peoples; care for every person; do all ye can to purify the hearts and minds of men; strive ye to gladden every soul. To every meadow be a shower of grace, to every tree the water of life; be as sweet musk to the sense of humankind, and to the ailing be a fresh, restoring breeze. Be pleasing waters to all those who thirst, a careful guide to all who have lost their way; be father and mother to the orphan, be loving sons and daughters to the old, be an abundant treasure to the poor. Think ye of love and good fellowship as the delights of heaven, think ye of hostility and hatred as the torments of hell.”

(Bahá’í Faith, Abdu’l-Baha, Selections from the Writings of Abdu’l-Baha, p. 244)

  In the Bahá’í Faith we accept that God is, in truth, a good loving God, not some sadistical, maniacal being that purposely goes out of His way to make us suffer and who has arranged a terrible suffering everlasting ending for us that even some of the worst humans on this earth would consider as completely unjust. If we, as humans would consider this ending as unjust, how can we attribute this kind of behavior to a God who is Justice and Love incarnate. It would be grave injustice of a creator, who knows everything and knows our final out come in advance, to create even one soul that He is going to condemn to agonizing suffering for all eternity. It would be best to have never created that soul in the first place, and where would God’s all merciful essence play into all of this? God Who, the religious writings of God tell us is mercy incarnate Baha’i Faith: “The station of God is mercy, kindness, forgiveness, sacrifice, favor, grace and giving life to the spirits and lighting the fire of His love in the hearts and arteries.” “God is mercy, God is justice, God is life, etc., etc.” A God who is all mercy Himself would not create a soul who is to suffer such a fate without making an eventual way out for that soul, it goes beyond justice. (See reprieved from hell for more information)

(Bahá’í Faith, Abdu’l-Baha, Tablets of Abdu’l-Baha v1, p. 65 and Foundations of World Unity, p. 102)

  And what does the word hell really means, it seems to take on many different meanings at different times as one can see from the numerous statements found in the writings about hell.  Judaism: 2 Samuel 22:6 “The sorrows of hell compassed me about; the snares of death prevented me;” Job 10:21 “Before I go whence I shall not return, even to the land of darkness and the shadow of death;” 10:22 “A land of darkness, as darkness itself; and of the shadow of death, without any order, and where the light is as darkness.” Here death is described as darkness and hell is inferred as a chaotic place of darkness. Psalms 9:16 “The LORD is known by the judgment which he executeth: the wicked is snared in the work of his own hands.” 9:17 “The wicked shall be turned into hell, and all the nations that forget God.” 9:18 “For the needy shall not always be forgotten: the expectation of the poor shall not perish forever.” Here it states that the wicked and all the nations that forget God shall be turned into hell, not sent to hell, but turned into hell. One has to ask him or herself how can a whole nation be in hell on this physical earth let alone turned into hell? It can be deduced from this statement that these words are symbolic of the individual soul’s state of being, hence the statement “turned into hell.” As for the ignorance of the nations on the earth at that time being turned into hell or the wicked terrible nations on the earth being cast into a physical hell to burn for all eternity; it doesn’t make any physical sense. It’s symbolic in meaning of course: Psalms 9:20 “Put them in fear, O LORD: that the nations may know themselves to be but men.” Here we see that the nations are made up of men, or the nations of men, in which case the men of the nations can be judged by their actions like Sodom and Gomorrah was judged by The Lord for all their iniquity: Isaiah 3:9 “The shew of their countenance doth witness against them; and they declare their sin as Sodom, they hide it not. Woe unto their soul! for they have rewarded evil unto themselves.” 3:10 “Say ye to the righteous, that it shall be well with him: for they shall eat the fruit of their doings.” 3:11 “Woe unto the wicked! it shall be ill with him: for the reward of his hands shall be given him.” So, we see God does judge whole nations, just one individual at a time. Psalms 16:8 “I have set The LORD always before me: because He is at my right hand, I shall not be moved.” 16:9 “Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoiceth: my flesh also shall rest in hope.” 16:10 “For thou wilt not leave my soul in hell; neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption.” Here, though David is still living on the earth, he states that his soul is in hell, which he states God will remove this sorrow from him. Also, we find corruption being associated with hell. Psalms 18:4 “The sorrows of death compassed me, and the floods of ungodly men made me afraid.” 18:5 “The sorrows of hell compassed me about: the snares of death prevented me.” David uses the terms hell and death almost interchangeably in Psalms 18:4-5. This almost leads a person to believe that David considers death and hell to be symbolically the same thing. Psalms 86:12 “I will praise Thee, O Lord my God, with all my heart: and I will glorify Thy name for evermore.” 86:13 “For great is Thy mercy toward me: and Thou hast delivered my soul from the lowest hell.” David, again, infers that spiritual hell is right here, with him, on this earth, not just some dark place we go to after death, but a spiritual place or spiritual state of mind we find ourselves in, like being filled with mental torment and anguish. Psalms 116:3 “The sorrows of death compassed me, and the pains of hell gat hold upon me: I found trouble and sorrow.” Here David puts a name on it and refers to sorrow and pain as being part of hell. Pain is something that can be physical in nature, but sorrow is a state of the mind and soul, not a state of the physical body. Psalms 139:8 “If I ascend up into heaven, Thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, Thou art there.” God is to be found everywhere; where ever David finds himself heaven or hell. This again argues the point that hell like heaven is not a physical place, because God is found there whether in heaven or hell.  Christianity: Colossians 1:16 “All things were created by Him, and for Him:” 1:17 “And He is before all things, and by Him all things consist.” 2 Corinthians 2:14 “Now thanks be unto God, which always causeth us to triumph….. and maketh manifest the savour of His knowledge….. in every place.” Heaven or hell. Ephesians 4:4 “There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling;” 4:5 “One Lord, one faith, one baptism”, 4:6 “One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.” There is no place where God is not to be found.  Judaism: Proverbs 5:5 “Her feet go down to death; her steps take hold on hell.” 7:27 “Her house is the way to hell, going down to the chambers of death.” Here again, death and hell are used almost interchangeably, which again, argues of the symbolic nature of hell being a state of the soul, because death can also be considered spiritual in nature with death being the lack of spiritual life in the soul of man (see Death, Life and Resurrection for more information). Isaiah 57:9 “And thou wentest to the king with ointment, and didst increase thy perfumes, and didst send thy messengers far off, and didst debase thyself even unto hell.” We can see from this statement, from Isaiah, that hell is a place we can put ourselves; again, right here on this physical earth and not necessarily a place God has to put us. Amos 9:2 “Though they dig into hell, thence shall mine hand take them; though they climb up to heaven, thence will I bring them down:” Again, we perceive from this statement that hell and heaven are places we can put ourselves right here by our very own actions. Jonah 2:1 “Then Jonah prayed unto The LORD his God out of the fish’s belly,” 2:2 “And said, I cried by reason of mine affliction unto The LORD, and He heard me; out of the belly of hell cried I, and Thou heardest my voice.” Hell as we can again see can be found right here on this earth while we are yet alive, though we must understand that hell can only intensify when we discard our physical body and see the true results of all of our actions displayed before us. Habakkuk 2:5 “Yea also, because he transgresseth by wine, he is a proud man, neither keepeth at home, who enlargeth his desire as hell, and is as death, and cannot be satisfied, but gathereth unto him all nations, and heapeth unto him all people:” Hell here is referred to as being like death and being something that can never be satisfied. Which again, leads us right back to mankind: Proverbs 27:20 “Hell and destruction are never full; so the eyes of man are never satisfied.” “as hell, and is as death, and cannot be satisfied.”  Christianity: Acts 2:26 “Therefore did my heart rejoice, and my tongue was glad; moreover also my flesh shall rest in hope:” 2:27 “Because thou wilt not leave my soul in hell, neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption.” 2:28 “Thou hast made known to me the ways of life; thou shalt make me full of joy with thy countenance.” Here again we find that now Paul needs God to deliver his soul from the spiritual form of hell found right here on this earth and again we see hell being associated with corruption. Acts 2:31 “He seeing this before spake of the resurrection of Christ, that his soul was not left in hell, neither his flesh did see corruption.”

  Now we find that Jesus Christ himself was in hell when he died on the cross, and we need to ask ourselves, just what Christ had done to deserve even one day in hell let alone three days in hell. Why would God allow His son to suffer even one minute in a fiery hell for doing just what God wanted him to do? It makes no sense. Also, for a third time we find hell being associated with corruption.  Christianity: 2 Peter 2:4 “For if God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell, and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment;” This is a new slant on  hell. Hell here is not referred to as a lake of fire, but chains in darkness. Jude 1:6 “And the angels which kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation, He hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day.” Revelations 1:18 “I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death.” 6:8 “And I looked, and behold a pale horse: and his name that sat on him was Death, and Hell followed with him. And power was given unto them over the fourth part of the earth, to kill with sword, and with hunger, and with death, and with the beasts of the earth.” 20:13 “And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works.” 20:14 “And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.” Here hell is repeatedly referred to as death which can, as I stated earlier, symbolically mean spiritual death; so spiritual death can be a form of hell that is a form of mental anguish. How else could death and hell be cast into the lake of fire? This statement is definitely not meant to be taken literally.

  Finally, Paul describes hell and punishment as being denied the presence of the Lord and being shut out from His glory and power.  Christianity: 2 Thessalonians 1:8 “In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ:” 1:9 “Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of The Lord.” What greater hell can there be then to want to be in the presents of God and to be shut out from His presents, as by a veil, because of the works of our hands in this life. What fiercer, greater torment can there be then to desire; to long for the love of the Creator and to be denied that love everlastingly because we wouldn’t take the time out of our lives to get to know Him and trust Him. This is what the Bahá’ís consider hell to be, remoteness from God and His chosen ones everlasting. We don’t get fire we don’t get brimstone we get to exist in solitude and be alone.  Judaism: Daniel 12:2 “And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt.” Again we are told that we will not only suffer from remoteness from God, but Daniel also tells us we will be held in shame and contempt for our acts while we were alive.

  Lastly for anyone who still finds it hard to believe in a non-literal hell.  Christianity: Revelations 20:15 “And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.” Here we have the people whose names are not written in the book of life being cast into hell. After this we have the new heaven and the new earth for the former are passed away and are no more. And with the coming of the new heaven and new earth we see the holy city New Jerusalem coming down from God and all is good. Revelations 21:1 “And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away.” 21:2 “And I John saw the holy city new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.” So again, I say, all is apparently good. The bad people are gone. We have a new earth to call our home. So why are there still bad people on the earth?

  You would think that all the bad people are gone and only the good people are left. All the people whose names were not mentioned in the book of life were cast into hell. Only the good people are left, those people whose names are written in the book of life. So why does the last chapter of the book of Revelations tell us the bad people are not gone?  Christianity: Revelations 22:11 “He that is unjust, let him be unjust still: and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still: and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still: and he that is holy, let him be holy still.” 22:14 “Blessed are they that do His commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city.” 22:15 “For without are dogs, and sorcerers, and whoremongers, and murderers, and idolaters, and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie.” John tells us clearly, that sorcerers, whoremongers, murderers etc…. are still outside the walls of the city New Jerusalem. These people haven’t been cast into a physical, literal hell after all, or of those people whose names were written in the book of life; these people have now turned against God and are now new idol worshipers, even after witnessing all that happened in the book of Revelations. It makes no sense! If we take everything that is written in the book of Revelations literally the book contradicts itself. If, however, we look at the book symbolically then all the people weren’t cast into a physical hell and the last chapter of the book of Revelations is telling the truth, evil people are still in existence on the earth and Revelations was fulfilled symbolically.

  Finally, in conclusion, again I state: we must remember. If the physical body of man can’t go to heaven  Christianity: 1 Corinthians 15:50 “Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God;” for heaven is not a physical place for us to take up habitation for: Luke 17:20 “The kingdom of God cometh not with observation:” 17:21 “Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you.” If heaven is not a physical place we can physically abide in, than, as stated earlier, why do we think hell is any different? It is clear that our spirit goes to a spiritual heaven not a physical heaven when we are good and conversely when we are bad our spirit goes to a spiritual hell and not a physical hell, hence there are still some bad people on the earth because being cast into the lake of fire was a symbolic event denoting a spiritual cleansing and purifying of the earth from corruption and not a literal event. Baha’i Faith:  Babi Religion: “They that truly believe in God and in His signs, and who in every Dispensation faithfully obey that which hath been revealed in the Book — such are indeed the ones whom God hath created from the fruits of the Paradise of His good-pleasure, and who are of the blissful. But they who turn away from God and His signs in each Dispensation, those are the ones who sail upon the sea of negation.”

(The Bab, Selections from the Writings of the Bab, p. 147)

Baha’i Faith:  Babi Religion: “Flee from dead words, from whatever distracts you from God. Indeed such is a deadly poison which will consume you in flames while you are unaware.”

(The Bab (unauthorized translation), Journey Towards God – Lawson)

 ISLAM: 35. “Allah (God) is the Light of the heavens and the earth.” “The parable of the Garden (another name for heaven for Muslims) which the righteous are promised! — beneath it flow rivers: perpetual is the enjoyment thereof and the shade therein: such is the End of the Righteous; and the End of Unbelievers is the Fire.” Muhammad calls the garden (heaven for the Muslims) a parable which is something that is not to be taken literally. So if heaven is not a literal place well why would hell be a literal place. Hell for Muslims is a place of shame according to Muhammad: Islam: 192. “Our Lord! any whom thou dost admit to the fire (hell), truly thou coverest with shame.”

(The Qur’an (Yusuf Ali tr), Surahs 3, 13 and 24)

Islam: 174. “Those who conceal Allah’s revelations in the Book, and purchase for them a miserable profit, they swallow into themselves naught but fire; Allah will not address them on the Day of Resurrection, nor purify them; grievous will be their penalty.” 175. “They are the ones who buy error in place of guidance and torment in place of forgiveness. Ah! what boldness (they show) for the Fire!

(The Qur’an (Yusuf Ali tr), Surah   2)

Islam: 18. “The parable of those who reject their Lord is that their works are as ashes, on which the wind blows furiously on a tempestuous day: No power have they over aught that they have earned: That is the straying far, far from the goal.” 72. “Those who were blind in this world will be blind in the Hereafter, and most astray from the Path.” Those who were blind to God in this world will also be blind to God in the next world.” They are those: 1:9 “Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of The Lord.” These people will be blind to the presents of The Lord in the next world and know not where to turn for relief and salvation from their predicament for they cannot find the path of God, and will be punished with destruction FROM THE PRESENTS OF THE LORD!!!

(The Qur’an (Yusuf Ali tr), Surahs 14 and 17:2, Thessalonians)

Islam: 60. “And your Lord says: ‘Call on Me; I will answer your (Prayer): But those who are too arrogant to serve Me will surely find themselves in Hell — in humiliation!”’ Again these people will be blind to the spiritual and exist in humiliation for their actions performed in this life.

(The Qur’an (Yusuf Ali tr), Surah  40)

Islam: 49. “Among them is (many) a man who says: ‘Grant me exemption and draw me not into trial.’ Have they not fallen into trial already? And indeed hell surrounds the unbelievers on all sides.” 63. “Know they not that for those who oppose Allah and His Messenger, is the fire of Hell? — wherein they shall dwell. That is the supreme disgrace.” We see again hell described as humiliation and now disgrace. These, again, are mental afflictions and torments not the physical torments of a physical hell.

(The Qur’an (Yusuf Ali tr), Surah   9)

Islam: 45. “The righteous (will be) amid Gardens and fountains (of clear-flowing water). (Their greeting will be): ‘Enter ye here in Peace and Security.’ And We shall remove from their hearts any lurking sense of injury. There no sense of fatigue shall touch them.” This serene vision, of the peace and tranquility of heaven, seems to describe a somewhat spiritual state of being with our hearts, or pure essence of being, being freed up from all the anguish and painful memories we acquired during our earthy life. It is to our spiritual state of being, our spirit, that finds peace from bad memories, not the physical clay of the body of man or woman. And, to verify that this interpretation, of this understanding, of there being a spiritual state of heaven in Islamic teachings is correct; we have, unquestionable validation from Muhammad’s very own words; right out of the Quran: 15. “(Here is the knowledge) of the Parable of the Garden (Heaven), which the righteous are promised: in it are rivers of (celestial) water incorruptible: rivers of milk of which the taste never changes; rivers of wine, a joy to those who drink; and rivers of honey pure and clear. In it there are for them all kinds of fruits, and Grace from their Lord.” “(Can those in such ultimate, unimaginable Bliss, coming from an all Loving, kind Creator)” “For Allah (God) is to all people most surely full of (all) kindness, (and is) Most Merciful.” “to all people!!!” “really be compared to such as shall dwell forever in the Fire, and be given, to drink, boiling water, so that it cuts up their bowels (to pieces)?” This is a very stark contrast to how Muhammad describes Allah in the Quran: “For Allah is to all people most surely full of (all) kindness, (and is) Most Merciful.” Which, in reality, tells us that hell is also non-literal just like heaven, for how could a truly All Loving God possibly create even one soul that is going to suffer thus throughout eternity like that, its unimaginable to the intelligent mind; “Some Sabi (Sabian war prisoners: children and women) were brought before the Prophet and behold, a woman amongst them was milking her breasts to feed and whenever she found a child amongst the captives, she took it over her chest and nursed it (she had lost her child but later she found him) the Prophet said to us, ‘Do you think that this lady can throw her son in the fire?’ (The fires of hell)? We replied, ‘No, if she has the power not to throw it (in the fire).’ The Prophet then said, ‘Allah (God) is more merciful to His slaves (His children) than this lady to her son.’” The very act of a God, who is Omniscient, All Knowing, knowingly, creating even one soul who is going to suffer in a fiery, burning, abysmal of hell throughout all eternity is unthinkable, unimaginable. How could a Loving, Mercy filled God, who believes is justice knowingly create even one soul who is going to suffer such a fate? The very idea is monstrous, and it would take a real monster to do such a thing, and I do not believe God is a true monster. So a real fiery hell is absolutely out of the question for a true loving God; for a True God of Love and mercy could not bear to even witness such a terrible thing, let alone cause it to happen, and Muhammad, in this verse, definitely tells us that Allah is more merciful than that. Indeed the very idea of doing such a terrible thing to a living creature is injustice incarnate. This is not the act of a Just, Merciful Creator, but the act of a deranged, maniacal, human madman. But, in saying all of this, please don’t misunderstand me. Just because I am emphatically stating that there is no physical hell, don’t get me wrong. There is, in reality, very much a hell of the spirit; we just can’t imagine it yet! So, don’t be one of those foolish people who think they can just skate on by without incurring any real consequences for their actions here in this life. Just because the hell God has set aside for the evil acting human beings in this life, is not a physical hell, there is just too much being said about it, in all of the writings, from all of God’s holy manifestations and prophets, not to have an extreme caution about hell. Whatever hell may be, I can unequivocally promise you, it’s not a place or state of being you want to find yourself in: ( Christianity: Matthew 8:12 “there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” 13:50 “there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth.”). God’s messengers and chosen ones have chosen to use the most painful, worst images we can imagine in this world, here in this life, to describe hell to us; and since the earthly language of mankind cannot even begin to come close to describing the true nature of what God has been trying for thousands of years to get across to us: you do the math. Whatever hell is, it’s thousands of times worse than whatever the words are trying to convey to us, and it is thousands of times worse than anything you can imagine here in this life. I promise you, you don’t want to go there, no matter how arrogant and self-absorbed you may be. The very thought of what hell might be scares the hell right out of me; which is, in fact, the whole point behind this warning given to us by all the prophets of God. My guess is that, by the very act of God creating this heaven, for us, that is so wonderful; hell was just a byproduct that would naturally come into play for those individuals who are not welcome there, but who still have an existence, however diminished that existence may be. Or, in-other-words hell is not a terrible place God, who is all love and complete mercy, purposely created for us, but actually the result of there being such a wonderful existence for us that will be getting even better and more wonderful, for His loved ones, throughout all of eternity, as we spiritually grow and develop, and can appreciate more of what He has given us; while the wicked people, who, by their very own actions, here in this life, deprived themselves of this wonderful gift that only keeps getting better, while they keep doing without. And, as to what they may suffer and or possibly do to their own selves out of pure remorse, guilt and penance for their depraved situation, one can only guess at? But this is only a conjecture. Islam: 82. “We send down (to them) (stage by stage)… that which is a healing and a mercy to those who believe (and) to the unjust it causes nothing but loss after loss.” Spiritual pain and anguish, after spiritual pain and anguish… 83. And, “yet when We bestow Our favors on man, he turns away and becomes remote (instead of coming to Us), and when Evil seizes him he gives himself over to the despair!” 84. “So every man acts according to his own disposition.” Accordingly, “We have made Hell a prison for those who reject (Our message and disobey Our commands).” “Every man’s fate We have fastened on his own neck and on the Day of Judgment We shall bring out for him a scroll, which he will see spread open.” “(It will be said to him🙂 ‘Read thine (own) record: sufficient is thy soul this day to make out an account against thee.” “Whoso receiveth guidance, receiveth it to his own benefit: and whoso goeth astray doth so to his own loss: no bearer of burdens can bear the burden of another, (in hell or otherwise).” Therefore hell will, most likely, be of a very personal nature, conforming to the individual personality and reality of each and every individual co-inhabitant. But this is again just conjecture created from observations taken right out of the writings of God.

(The Qur’an (Yusuf Ali tr) Surahs 15, 17, 47 and Hadith Vol 8, Book 73 # 28)

 ZOROASTRIANISM: 35. “He who would not kindly and piously give to one of the faithful who tills the earth, O Spitama Zarathushtra! Spenta Armaiti will throw him down into darkness, down into the world of woe, the world of hell, down into the deep abyss Conjectural translation…” (hypothetical hell)

(Zoroaster, The Zend-Avesta, Avesta – Vendidad 3)

 Zoroastrianism: Denkard. Zoroaster, “The damnation (in hell, which they have merited); and having neglected the Deity during life, they remember Him the more at the moment of death. Because it is declared concerning those who fall into hell, that from the severity of their punishment in hell, their life which in this world they deemed to be proper (or free from blame), appears to them in hell so unfit or stained with sin [lit. so changed into unfitness], that they eagerly express the wish: ‘Would that we had never been born, or that we had not lived to follow the faith of the sinful.’ On account of which (penalty) they also exclaim that (it would have been) better if they had never been born.”

 Zoroastrianism: Denkard. Zoroaster, “Those who are sinful in thought, word, and deed are not grateful unto God (Mazda); they render themselves liable to punishment by doing (evil) deeds of the body, and thus they are adjudged to be without their source (i. e. separated from their Creator).” (which is hell)

 Zoroastrianism: Denkard. Zoroaster, “Those that are dwellers in Hell have been mentioned as (inmates) of Darkness, not of Light. Under their dominion is called (the thing) of darkness (infernal) and non-existent.” “Desire for pleasure should be discarded, but not desire for the good. Without the desire for self-realization or God (Ahura Mazda) realization, life becomes blank, mere darkness.” “Those who smother every resolution, live in an atmosphere of dense darkness. This is tantamount to killing the self” (ZOROASTER, Hymns of Atharvan p. 320 and 321)

 Zoroastrianism: “Mind is its own place, and itself can make a heaven of hell and a hell of heaven. Nonchalance can turn hell into heaven, as the Mahabharata notes.” “It is strange that the man lives in the prison, though he has the keys in his hands all the while, that he lives in hell though he can live in heaven.” “It is a very true saying that what one considers to be happiness (gain) depends very much on his mentality.” (ZOROASTER, Hymns of Atharvan p. 271 and Hindu Mahabharata)

 Zoroastrianism: “From the same jug, Mazda (God) distributes the portion to all. But one gets honey and another gets poison as his share. The pot is the same, and so its content is the same. The mentality of the recipient makes the difference.” (ZOROASTER, Hymns of Atharvan p. 833)

 HINDUISM: “Krishna speaketh in this wise! Yea, and whoso, full of faith, Heareth wisely what it saith, Heareth meekly, when he dies, Surely shall his spirit rise To those regions where the Blest, Free of flesh, in joyance rest.” Krishna tells us that heaven is free of flesh, so with this in mind, isn’t hell also free of flesh.

(Hindu, Bhagavad Gita (Edwin Arnold tr) chapter 18)

 Hinduism: 4. “To be an outcast means to be deprived of the right to follow the lawful occupations of twiceborn men,” “And to be deprived after death of the rewards of meritorious deeds.” “Some call (this condition) hell.” We will be outcasts denied the rewards of our accomplishments in this life, which is one of the conditions of hell.

(Hindu, The Dharma Sutras, Gutama 21)

 Hinduism: 49. “Kind deeds we shall perform for our friends: all that hate us shall go to darkness (hell)!” (It didn’t say the hell of darkness it is saying that hell is darkness)

(Hindu, Vedas, Atharva Veda)

 BUDDHISM: “People take the evil way in deeds, the evil way in words, the evil way in thoughts; and by taking the evil way in deeds, words, and thoughts, at the dissolution of the body, after death, they fall into a downward state of existence, a state of suffering, into perdition, and the abyss of hell. But, this is the misery of sensuous craving, the heaping up of suffering in the future life, due to sensuous craving, conditioned through sensuous craving, caused by sensuous craving, entirely dependent on sensuous craving.”

((The Eightfold Path), Buddha, the Word (The Eightfold Path))

 Buddhism: 10. “When he is doing evil, the fool does not realize it. The idiot is punished by his own deeds, like one is scorched by fire.” We are punished by our own deeds or rewarded by our own deeds in the next world.

(Buddhist, Dhammapada – Sayings of the Buddha 1 (tr. J. Richards))

 Buddhism: “When we subject ourselves to the least differentiation or particularization, transformation takes place: otherwise all things would be as void as space, as they inherently are. By letting our minds dwell on evil things, hell arises. By letting our minds dwell upon good acts, paradise is manifested.” Hell and heaven are states of spiritual mind we find ourselves in due to our actions here in this life. (Buddha, Sixth Patriarch)

 SABEANISM: “For Thou knowest hearts, understandest minds and searchest out the consciences (even) in the nethermost hells of darkness. Like a servant lying prostrate before Thee, our eyes are lifted to Thee, our lips give Thee praise.” (Sabeanism, Ginza Rba- chapter 35) Hells are darkness here also, but God is there with you searching out the consciences and the spiritual eyes are lifted up towards Him with praise on the spiritual lips of those He is comforting.

Sabeanism: “Those who seek of Him find, and to those who ask of Him it will be given. For to him that standeth at a closed door Thou wilt open the closed door. In the Place of Light Thou wilt wipe away and remove from us our sins, trespasses, follies, stumblings and mistakes and wilt cast them into the hells of the earth and the nethermost limbos (oblivion) of darkness. Thou wilt raise us up as sinless and not as guilty, as virtuous and not as vicious before Thee.” (Sabeanism, Ginza Rba- chapter 35)

Sabeanism: “The day on which the soul goeth forth, on the day that the perfected one ascendeth, on the day that the soul issueth from below the spheres of death, of contention, strife was thrown into the earth. Ruha’s slaves sit bewailing and the seven sit in consternation. the robe of the stars is lent and dust is cast on Ruha’s head. the hell-beasts weep and the demons of purgatories (a state of temporary suffering) are panic-stricken. the being who brought me hither, who brought me that which was beautiful, put on me a robe, clothed me in a robe of radiance, in a wrapping  of light he covered me. he set on (my head) a wreath of ether and (gave me) of that which life bestoweth on the uthras. He set me up amongst uthras and stood me up amidst the perfected (souls). A wreath of ether he set on my head and gloriously he brought me forth from the world. Life supported life, life found its own, its own did life find, and my soul found that for which it had looked. Renowned is Life and victorious, and victorious the man who went thither.” (Sabeanism, Ginza Rba- chapter 98)

BAHA’I FAITH: “The immortality of the spirit is mentioned in the Holy Books; it is the fundamental basis of the divine religions. Now punishments and rewards are said to be of two kinds. Firstly, the rewards and punishments of this life; secondly, those of the other world. But the paradise and hell of existence are found in all the worlds of God, whether in this world or in the spiritual heavenly worlds. Gaining these rewards is the gaining of eternal life. That is why Christ said, ‘Act in such a way that you may find eternal life, and that you may be born of water and the spirit, so that you may enter into the Kingdom.”

  “The rewards of this life are the virtues and perfections which adorn the reality of man. For example, he was dark and becomes luminous, he was ignorant and becomes wise, he was neglectful and becomes vigilant, he was asleep and becomes awakened, he was dead and becomes living, he was blind and becomes a seer, he was deaf and becomes a hearer, he was earthly and becomes heavenly, he was material and becomes spiritual. Through these rewards he gains spiritual birth, and becomes a new creature. He becomes the manifestation of the verse in the Gospel where it is said of the disciples that they were born not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God; that is to say, they were delivered from the animal characteristics and qualities which are the characteristics of human nature, and they became qualified with the divine characteristics, which are the bounty of God; this is the meaning of the second birth. For such people there is no greater torture than being veiled from God, and no more severe punishment than sensual vices, dark qualities, lowness of nature, engrossment in carnal desires. When they are delivered through the light of faith from the darkness of these vices, and become illuminated with the radiance of the Sun of Reality, and ennobled with all the virtues, they esteem this the greatest reward, and they know it to be the true paradise. In the same way they consider that the spiritual punishment, that is to say the torture and punishment of existence, is to be subjected to the world of nature, to be veiled from God, to be brutal and ignorant, to fall into carnal lusts, to be absorbed in animal frailties; to be characterized with dark qualities, such as falsehood, tyranny, cruelty, attachment to the affairs of the world, and being immersed in satanic ideas; for them, these are the greatest punishments and tortures.”

  “Likewise the rewards of the other world are the eternal life which is clearly mentioned in all the Holy Books, the divine perfections, the eternal bounties, and everlasting felicity. The rewards of the other world are the perfections and the peace obtained in the spiritual worlds after leaving this world; whilst the rewards of this life are the real luminous perfections which are realized in this world, and which are the cause of eternal life, for they are the very progress of existence. It is like the man who passes from the embryonic world to the state of maturity, and becomes the manifestation of these words: ‘Blessed be God, the best of creators.’ The rewards of the other world are peace, the spiritual graces, the various spiritual gifts in the Kingdom of God, the gaining of the desires of the heart and the soul, and the meeting of God in the world of eternity. In the same way the punishments of the other world, that is to say, the torments of the other world, consist in being deprived of the special divine blessings and the absolute bounties, and falling into the lowest degrees of existence. He who is deprived of these divine favors, although he continues after death, is considered as dead by the people of truth.”

(Bahá’í Faith, Abdu’l-Baha, Baha’i World Faith – Abdu’l-Baha Section, p. 323)

Baha’i Faith: “Where is Paradise, and where is Hell?’ Say: ‘The one is reunion with Me; the other thine own self,”

(Bahá’í Faith, Bahá’í Faith, Baha’u’llah, Epistle to the Son of the Wolf, p. 132)

Baha’i Faith: “Heaven is harmony with God‘s will and with our fellows, and Hell is the want of such harmony;”

(Bahá’í Faith, Dr. J.E. Esslemont, Baha’u’llah and the New Era, p. 190)

Baha’i Faith: “What fire is fiercer on the Day of Reckoning than that of remoteness from the divine Beauty and the celestial Glory?”

(Bahá’í Faith, Baha’u’llah, Gems of Divine Mysteries, p. 44)

BAHA’I FAITH:  BABI RELIGION: “The day will come when ye will earnestly desire to know that which would meet with the good-pleasure of God but, alas, ye shall find no path unto Him. Ye, even as camels that wander aimlessly, will not find a pasture wherein ye may gather and unite upon” “We shall therefore banish thee from Our presence as a token of justice on Our part. Verily we are equitable in Our judgement.”

(The Bab, Selections from the Writings of the Bab, pp. 29 and 136)

Baha’i Faith:  Babi Religion: “If ye believe in Me, ye will provide good for your own souls, and if ye believe not in Me, nor in that which God hath revealed unto Me, ye will suffer yourselves to be shut out as by a veil. For verily I have been independent of you heretofore, and shall remain independent hereafter. Therefore it behooveth you, O creatures of God, to help your own selves and to believe in the Verses revealed by Me…”

(The Bab, Selections from the Writings of the Bab, p. 100)

BAHA’I FAITH: “Light must be spread afar, so that, in the school of humanity, all may acquire the heavenly characteristics of the spirit, and see for themselves beyond any doubt that there is no fiercer hell, no more fiery abyss, than to possess a character that is evil and unsound; no more darksome pit nor loathsome torment than to show forth qualities which deserve to be condemned.”

(Bahá’í Faith, Abdu’l-Baha, Selections from the Writings of Abdu’l-Baha, p. 136)

Baha’i Faith: “Be ye a rich treasure to every indigent one; consider love and union as a delectable paradise, and count annoyance and hostility as the torment of hell-fire.”

(Bahá’í Faith, Abdu’l-Baha, Baha’i World Faith – Abdu’l-Baha Section, p. 356)

BAHA’I FAITH:  BABI RELIGION: “All believe in Him, and still they have imprisoned him on a mountain! All are made glad in Him and they have abandoned him! No fire is fiercer for those who have acted thus than their very works; likewise for the believers no heaven is higher than their own faith!”

The Bab: (Shoghi Effendi, The Dawn-Breakers, p. 245)

BAHA’I FAITH: “Paradise and hell of existence are found in all the worlds of God, whether in this world or in the spiritual heavenly worlds.”

(Bahá’í Faith, Abdu’l-Baha, Baha’i World Faith – Abdu’l-Baha Section, p. 323)

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  Reprieved from hell. Some people believe that once a person is sentenced to hell, as payment for our bad deeds done here on this earth, all is lost and we will remain in hell for all eternity: This I have found, searching throughout the records of the different religions of God, may not necessary be the case. I have found, looking into the various religions, that there might, after a time, be a reprieve from hell. The different religions I have looked into say that it is up to God how long we will remain in hell, but eventually God might bring us back into His good graces and reprieve us from hell. We can see that this sort of thing does actually happen because of Christ; who was in hell for three days after his crucifixion.  Christianity: Acts 2:31 “He seeing this before spake of the resurrection of Christ, that his soul was not left in hell.” Christ’s soul remained in hell for three days according to the prophecy of Jonah: Matthew 12:39 “But he (Jesus) answered and said unto them, An evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given to it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas:” 12:40 “For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale’s belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.” So, we find that after three days in hell Christ came out and he came back to this earth and then, after a short time, ascended up into heaven. So, this demonstrates that we may not be bound in hell forever, once we get there, but may eventually be able to come out again through God’s grace and mercy towards us. And, in relation to this statement, I ask you: just what did Jesus Christ really do while he was in hell? He preached the gospels and taught of the redemption of the soul. 1 Peter 3:18 “For Christ also hath once suffered (crucifixion) for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit:” 3:19 “By which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison (hell);” Gospel of Nicodemus “And if thou bring him (Christ) unto me he will set free all that are here shut up in the hard prison and bound in the chains of their sins that cannot be broken, and will bring them unto the life of his God head for ever.” (So) “The Lord of majesty appeared in the form of a man and lightened the eternal darkness and break the bonds that could not be loosed: and the succour of his everlasting might visited us that sat in the deep darkness of our transgressions and in the shadow of death of our sins.” “Thou hast healed me; Lord, thou hast brought my soul out of hell.” “That thou mightest save us out of hell and death through thy majesty.” Hell, the prison of the damned, is what this is interpreted to mean, because Christ was preaching to the spirits of the dead in what God considers to be the prison of the non-living. And, according to Nicodemus, hell was considered to be the hard prison spoken of by Peter; where Christ taught the word of God to the souls of the damned trapped in hell. Also, if this is not conclusive enough evidence of Christ’s interaction with the souls of the damned in hell, Martin Luther further tells us: “Those tyrants and jailers, then, are all expelled now, and in their place has come Jesus Christ, Lord of life, righteousness, every blessing, and salvation, and has delivered us poor lost men from the jaws of hell, has won us, made us free, and brought us again into the favor and grace of the Father.” (Martin Luther, Large Catechism)  I ask you, if the souls in hell were damned to be there for all eternity, why was Christ trying to educate their souls unto the redemption of God’s infinite mercy and grace. It would be fruitless and cruelty on the part of Christ to do such a thing and Jesus Christ was not a cruel person: 2 Corinthians 10:1 “Now I Paul myself beseech you by the meekness and gentleness of Christ,” Christ was gentle and meek, not prone to cruelty; nor is God, I am assured, a cruel, maniacal, tyrant bent on making those below His exulted station suffer undo grief and harm. James 3:17 “But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy.” Not the ravings of a cruel, totalitarian, brutal monster who has planned out your pain and suffering gleefully for a whole unbearable eternity. If God punishes a soul in hell I am sure it is eventually for the good of that soul:  Zoroastrianism: “Mazda (God) as the upholder of moral order, is sure to give His support to Zarathushtra and to punish his enemies. The punishment would, however, be for their own good, to lead them to the path of rectitude. Why should God, who is all kindness, inflict punishment on anybody unless it is for his good.” (ZOROASTER, Hymns of Atharvan p. 832) Let me repeat that statement for you to think over with deep contemplation: (Why should God, who is all kindness, inflict punishment on any soul unless it is for his or her own good!!!) for Islam: 147. “What can Allah (God) gain by your (eternal, everlasting) punishment?” 36. “Those who listen (in truth), be sure, will accept: as to the dead, Allah will raise them up: then will they be turned unto Him.” (The Qur’an (Yusuf Ali tr), Surahs 4 and 6)

  This is the act of a God who, as the writings of God’s religions tell us, is all about love and mercy: In the Bahá’í Faith we accept that God is, in truth, a good loving Father to mankind, not some maniacal being Who purposely goes out of His way to make us suffer and who has arranged a terrible suffering everlasting ending for us that even some of the worst humans on this earth would consider as completely unjust. If we, as human beings, would consider this ending as unjust, how can we attribute this kind of behavior to a benevolent God who is Justice and Love incarnate? It would be a grave injustice on the part of a creator, who knows everything, to create even one soul that He is going to condemn to agonizing suffering for all eternity. It would have been best to never have created that soul in the first place, and where would God’s all merciful essence play into all of this? God, the impetus, of the religious writings, who is the omnipotent creator of all, tells us He is the attraction of love throughout the whole universe, and informs us that He is (mercy incarnate). Baha’i Faith: “The station of God is mercy, kindness, forgiveness, sacrifice, favor, grace and giving life to the spirits and lighting the fire of His love in the hearts and arteries.” “God is mercy, God is justice, God is life, etc., etc.” A God, who is all mercy Himself, would not create a soul who is to suffer such a fate without making an eventual way out for that soul, it goes beyond justice, it goes beyond reason. The Bahá’í Faith tells us that God, who is all goodness, has never created an evil soul who He would need to make suffer for all eternity: Baha’i Faith: “God has never created an evil spirit; all such ideas and nomenclature are symbols expressing the mere human or earthly nature of man.” It is the earthly nature of man, the animal beast inside of man, the spiritually uneducated man, that performs all these acts of tyranny and atrocity. The soul is reflecting the animal nature of man reflecting the nature of the world around him, not the light and glory of the spiritual realm man is destined to inhabit. After death the animal existence of man is over, and the material education he has had to go through is past. The education of man from this point forward is spiritual in nature and therefore requires spiritual guidance in which we find heaven and hell as part of that new spiritual training. Once we get to heaven or hell it’s not all over, now we are educated in the ways of the spirit and in the love of the Father: As to the scriptures found throughout the rest of the bible, the redemption from hell is not expressed so openly and clearly as Christ’s sojourn into hell preaching to the spirits of the dead.

(Bahá’í Faith, Abdu’l-Baha, Tablets of Abdu’l-Baha v1, p. 65 and The Promulgation of Universal Peace, pp. 159 and 294)

  In the rest of the bible we find that David and Paul come closest to the analogy of the truly spiritual nature of heaven and hell, while indicating that travel from one to the other is possible due to our own actions, prayer and the will of God; because no matter where you find yourself, you will find that God is there with you.  Judaism: Psalms 16:10 “For Thou wilt not leave my soul in hell; neither wilt Thou suffer Thine Holy One to see corruption.”  Christianity: Acts 2:27 “Thou wilt not leave my soul in hell,” David and Paul both state that we can be reprieved from hell by our Heavenly Father once we have endured what it is God wants us to endure and we learn what it is God wanted us to learn; and we find that others in the bible tell us that we will not be left in hell also.  Judaism: Tobias 13:2 “For He doth scourge, and hath mercy: He leadeth down to hell, and bringeth up again: neither is there any that can avoid His hand.” (Deuterocanonical Apocrypha,) Psalms 139:8 “If I ascend up into heaven, Thou (God) art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, Thou art there.” Proverbs 15:24 “The way of life is above to the wise, that he may depart from hell beneath.” Psalms 16:10 “For thou Wilt not leave my soul in hell; neither wilt Thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption.” 86:13 “For great is Thy mercy toward me: and Thou hast delivered my soul from the lowest hell.”  Christianity: Acts 2:25 “For David speaketh concerning Him, I foresaw The Lord always before my face, for He is on my right hand, that I should not be moved: 2:26 Therefore did my heart rejoice, and my tongue was glad; moreover also my flesh shall rest in hope: 2:27 Because Thou wilt not leave my soul in hell, neither wilt Thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption.” 1 Thessalonians 5:9 “For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ,” 5:10 “Who died for us, that, whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with him.” Whether we are asleep or awake we will all eventually live together with Jesus, before God in the spiritual realm of our Creator. Wisdom 16:13 “For Thou hast power of life and death: thou leadest to the gates of hell, and bringest up again.” (Deuterocanonical Apocrypha,)

 ISLAM: 106. “Those who are wretched shall be in the Fire: there will be for them therein (nothing but) the heaving of sighs and sobs:” 107. “They will dwell therein for all the time that the heavens and the earth endure, except as thy Lord willeth: for thy Lord is the (sure) Accomplisher of what He planneth.”

(The Qur’an (Yusuf Ali tr), Surah  11)

Islam: “Some people will be ruined because of their evil deeds, and some will be cut into pieces and fall down in Hell, but will be saved afterwards, when Allah has finished the judgments among His slaves, and intends to take out of the Fire whoever He wishes to take out from among those who used to testify that none had the right to be worshipped but Allah.”

(Hadith, Bukhari Vol 8, Book 76, Number 577)

  I found that the rest of the religions also state we will not be left in hell forever: Islam: “They will dwell therein (in hell) for all the time that the heavens and the earth endure, except as thy Lord willeth: for thy Lord is the (sure) Accomplisher of what He planneth.” 44. “To Allah (God) belongs exclusively (the right to grant) Intercession: to Him belongs the dominion of the heavens and the earth: in the End, it is to Him that ye shall be brought back.” (from suffering, from hell etc…) for 147. “What can Allah gain by your (eternal, everlasting) punishment, if ye are grateful and ye believe? Nay, it is Allah that recogniseth (all good), and knoweth all things.”

(The Qur’an (Yusuf Ali tr), Surahs 4 and 39)

Islam: 35. “The parable of the Garden (heaven) which the righteous are promised! — beneath if flow rivers: perpetual is the enjoyment thereof and the shade therein: such is the End of the Righteous; and the End of Unbelievers is the Fire.” A parable is not meant to be taken literally so heaven here is not a literal, physical place, but symbolic, so heaven is spiritual here in this statement, so hell is not a literal, physical place either.

(The Qur’an (Yusuf Ali tr), Surah  13)

 ZOROASTRIANISM: 7. “Praise be to the merciful Lord who bestows rewards for meritorious deeds on those who obey His commands according to His will, and at last will liberate even the wicked from (the torture of) hell and will embellish with purity the whole creation.”

(Zoroaster, The Zend-Avesta, Khorda Avesta – Book of Common Prayer pt. 1)

 Zoroastrianism: Denkard. Zoroaster, “Those who are delivered from hell will obtain greatness (from the pious) and the imprisoned will be let out of hell.”

 Zoroastrianism: “The sinner however is not lost for ever. As soon as gets rid of his passion, he develops conscience and nonchalance, and opens himself up to the influence of Mazda (God) and is saved.”

(ZOROASTER, Hymns of Atharvan p. 112)

 Zoroastrianism: “Mazda (God) as the upholder of moral order, is sure to give His support to Zarathushtra and to punish his enemies. The punishment would, however, be for their own good, to lead them to the path of rectitude. Why should God, who is all kindness, inflict punishment on anybody unless it is for his good.”

(ZOROASTER, Hymns of Atharvan p. 832)

 HINDUISM: 207. “But he who, intending to hurt a Brahmana, has threatened (him with a stick and the like) shall remain in hell during a hundred years; he who (actually) struck him, during one thousand years.”

(Hindu, Laws of Manu)

 Hinduism: 54. “Those who committed mortal sins (mahapataka), having passed during large numbers of years through dreadful hells, obtain, after the expiration of (that term of punishment), the following births.”

(Hindu, Laws of Manu)

 BUDDHISM: “No beings are left outside by the will of the Tathagatas; some day each and every one will be influenced by the wisdom and love of the Tathagatas of Transformation to lay up a stock of merit and ascend the stages. The stages of heaven, (the stages of spiritual development the soul has to go through) But, if they only realized it, they are already in the Tathagata’s Nirvana for, in Noble Wisdom, all things are in Nirvana from the beginning.” (Buddha, Lankavatara Sutra)

 SABEANISM: “Those who seek of Him find, and to those who ask of Him it will be given. For to him that standeth at a closed door Thou wilt open the closed door. In the Place of Light Thou wilt wipe away and remove from us our sins, trespasses, follies, stumblings and mistakes and wilt cast them into the hells of the earth and the nethermost limbos of darkness. Thou wilt raise us up as sinless and not as guilty, as virtuous and not as vicious before Thee.” (Sabeanism, Ginza Rba- chapter 35)

Sabeanism: “Manda-d-Hiia went to the stars. His appearance loosed the bound (souls): he knit (them into) the communion that is without parting and without limit or number, by his word which issued from him in that place. He passed by: the captives were freed. He loosed them from their sins and trespasses:” He freed the damned from their imprisonment in hell. (Sabeanism, Ginza Rba- chapter 48)

BAHA’I FAITH:  BABI RELIGION: “If thou showest enmity unto Him Who is His Remembrance, God will, on the Day of Resurrection, condemn thee, before the kings, unto hell-fire, and thou shalt not, in very truth, find on that Day any helper except God, the Exalted.”

(The Bab, Selections from the Writings of the Bab, p. 41)

Baha’i Faith:  Babi Religion: “I swear by Him Who createth all beings and unto Whom all shall return, if anyone at the hour of death beareth hatred towards Me or disputeth the clear tokens wherewith I have been invested, then naught but afflictive torment shall be his lot. On that day no ransom will be accepted, nor will any intercession be permitted, unless God so please. Verily He is the All-Compelling, the All-Glorious; and no God is there other than Him, the sovereign Ruler, the Almighty, the Most Severe.”

(The Bab, Selections from the Writings of the Bab, p. 19)

BAHA’I FAITH: “The Ancient Beauty (Bahá’u’lláh) hath consented to be bound with chains that mankind may be released from its bondage, and hath accepted to be made a prisoner within this most mighty Stronghold that the whole world may attain unto true liberty. He hath drained to its dregs the cup of sorrow, that all the peoples of the earth may attain unto abiding joy, and be filled with gladness. This is of the mercy of your Lord, the Compassionate, the Most Merciful. We have accepted to be abased, O believers in the Unity of God, that ye may be exalted, and have suffered manifold afflictions, that ye might prosper and flourish. He Who hath come to build anew the whole world, behold, how they that have joined partners with God have forced Him to dwell within the most desolate of cities!” “I sorrow not for the burden of My imprisonment. Neither do I grieve over My abasement, or the tribulation I suffer at the hands of Mine enemies. By My life! They are My glory, a glory wherewith God hath adorned His own Self. Would that ye know it!” “The shame I was made to bear hath uncovered the glory with which the whole of creation had been invested, and through the cruelties I have endured, the Day Star of Justice hath manifested itself, and shed its splendor upon men.” “It behoveth the people of Baha to die to the world and all that is therein, to be so detached from all earthly things that the inmates of Paradise may inhale from their garment the sweet smelling savor of sanctity, that all the peoples of the earth may recognize in their faces the brightness of the All-Merciful, and that through them may be spread abroad the signs and tokens of God, the Almighty, the All-Wise.”

(Bahá’í Faith, Baha’u’llah, Gleanings from the Writings of Baha’u’llah, p. 99)

Baha’i Faith: “The shout hath been raised, and the people have come forth from their graves, and arising, are gazing around them. Some have made haste to attain the court of the God of Mercy, others have fallen down on their faces in the fire of Hell.” (Gleanings from the Writings of Baha’u’llah, p. 41) “A drop out of the ocean of Thy mercy sufficeth to quench the flames of hell, and a spark of the fire of Thy love is enough to set ablaze a whole world.”(Prayers and Meditations by Baha’u’llah)

(Bahá’í Faith, Baha’u’llah, Gleanings from the Writings of Baha’u’llah, p. 41, and Prayers and Meditations by Baha’u’llah)

Baha’i Faith: “From the moment the soul leaves the body and arrives in the Heavenly World, its evolution is spiritual, and that evolution is: The approaching unto God.” (Paris Talks, p. 66) “The soul does not evolve from degree to degree as a law — it only evolves nearer to God, by the Mercy and Bounty of God.” (Paris Talks, p. 66) “What fire is fiercer on the Day of Reckoning than that of remoteness from the divine Beauty and the celestial Glory?” (Gems of Divine Mysteries) “The paradise and hell of existence are found in all the worlds of God, whether in this world or in the spiritual heavenly worlds.” (Baha’i World Faith – Abdu’l-Baha Section, p. 323,)

(Bahá’í Faith, Abdu’l-Baha, Baha’i World Faith – Abdu’l-Baha Section, p. 323,  Baha’u’llah, Gems of Divine Mysteries, p. 44 and Abdu’l-Baha, Paris Talks, p. 66)

Baha’i Faith: “It is even possible that the condition of those who have died in sin and unbelief may become changed; that is to say, they may become the object of pardon through the bounty of God, not through His justice; for bounty is giving without desert, and justice is giving what is deserved.”

(Bahá’í Faith, Abdu’l-Baha, Baha’i World Faith – Abdu’l-Baha Section, p. 329)

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   Clearly God, in creating us, does not desire hell for us, but desires for us to eventually join with Him in His heavenly home That He created for us.  

 CHRISTIANITY: Acts: 2:27 For, “Thou wilt not leave my soul in hell!” You see, all is up to God, with Him even the sinful can be liberated from hell at His discretion! Ephesians: 2:4 “God, who is rich in mercy, for His great love wherewith He loved us,” 2:5 “Even when we were dead in sins,” For, Luke: 3:6 “all flesh shall see the salvation of God.” 1 Timothy: 2:3 “For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour;” 2:4 “Who will have all men to be saved,” 4:10 “Who is the Saviour of all men.” 1 Timothy: 2:3 “For God our Saviour;” 4:10 “Who (again) is the Saviour of all men,” 2:4 “will have all men to be saved,” For, 1 Thessalonians 5:9 “God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation.” Luke: 12:32 “Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom (give you heaven).” For,  John: 14:2 “In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.” For,  1 Corinthians: 2:9 “Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them (in heaven).” 1 Peter: 1:3 “Blessed be The God and Father of our Lord, which according to His abundant mercy hath begotten us,” 1:4 “To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you.” Colossians: For again, 1:17 “He is before all things, and by Him all things consist.” 

 Christianity: Colossians: For, 1:16 “All things were created by Him, and for Him:” 1:17 “And He is before all things, and by Him all things consist.” Ephesians 4:4 For, “there is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling;” for, 4:6 “One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.”

  You see, The Creator actually does want us up in heaven with Him; and He actually did create all of humanity for this true purpose; and not so much for hell, as some people seem to want to believe and shove down our throats. But than again, there is still a lot about all of this ethereal existence of heaven and hell, that we still don’t really, fully understand?  Christianity: Luke 21:27 “And then shall they see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.” 21:31 And, “when ye see these things come to pass, know ye that the kingdom of God is nigh at hand.” 17:20 “And when he (Jesus) was demanded of (by) the Pharisees, when the kingdom of God should come, he answered them and said, The kingdom of God cometh not with observation:” 17:21 “Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you.” You see, heaven is not really a physical place for our physical bodies to go to; the holy scriptures tell us this:  Christianity: 1 Corinthians 15:50 “Now this I say brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God (heaven);” 15:49 “And as we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly.” 2 Corinthians 5:1 “For we know that if our earthly house of this (body, the) tabernacle, were dissolved, we have a building of God an house not made with hands eternal in the heavens.” 1 Corinthians 4:20 “For the kingdom of God is not in word, but in power.” 2 Peter 1:13 “Yea, I think it meet, as long as I am in this tabernacle, to stir you up by putting you in remembrance;” 1:14 “Knowing that shortly I must put off this my tabernacle, even as our Lord Jesus Christ hath.” For, John 3:6 “That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.”  Judaism: Genesis 9:6 “For in the image of God made He man.” And,  Christianity: John 4:24 “God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit.” We are spirits when we die, because, John 3:6 “That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.” So, I ask you, what would be the use of a physical place to take up our new spiritual existence, and what would be the use of a physical fire to harm a spiritual, ethereal being; think about it? For, 1 Corinthians 15:49 “As we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly.” 15:50 “Now this I say (again), brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God.” If flesh and blood, or the physical body, cannot inherit the Kingdom of God or the physical body has no place in heaven, think about it, why do we think that the physical body of man can go to a physical hell, and burn? If the physical body of man cannot go into heaven, then it only stands to reason, that the physical bodies of men cannot go to hell either; for when we die, we cast off this physical form we are currently living in.  Christianity: 2 Corinthians 5:4 “For we that are in this tabernacle (physical body) do groan, being burdened; 5:1 For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.” John: 2:18 “Then answered the Jews and said unto him, What sign shewest thou unto us, seeing that thou doest these things?” 2:19 And, “Jesus answered and said unto them, Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.” 2:20 “Then said the Jews, Forty and six years was this temple in building, and wilt thou rear it up in three days?” 2:21 “But he spake of the temple of his body.” For, Mark: 14:58 “We heard him say, I will destroy this temple that is made with hands, and within three days I will build another made without hands.” So, we should now be able to clearly see, that it is not the physical body that passes on, beyond the grave, but our true spiritual form, that is made in the same ethereal image as The Creator; and He is spirit, without a physical form; and so are we, once we pass on beyond this physical world. Therefore, hell is not a real physical place nether is heaven, but is of the spirit, contained within us, heaven is contained within us, or in our minds or being. So, for those individuals that are going hell bound; The Creator can choose to eventually bring them back out of Hell again; if He so chooses, for it is completely up to Him not us, period!  Judaism: Jeremiah 3:12 “for I am merciful, saith The LORD, and I will not keep anger for ever.”  Christianity: Acts 2:26 “Therefore did my heart rejoice, and my tongue was glad; moreover also my flesh shall rest in hope:” 2:27 “Because Thou wilt not leave my soul in hell, neither wilt Thou suffer Thine Holy One to see corruption (hell).” Colossians For, 1:16 “All things were created by Him, and for Him:” 1:17 “And He is before all things, and by Him all things consist.” Ephesians 4:4 For, “there is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling;” for, 4:6 “One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.”

 CHRISTIANITY: James 3:17 For “the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy.” Not some cruel raving, brutal monster, who has planned out your excruciating, pain filled suffering, who gleefully watches you as you scream and writher in pain filled anguish, for the whole duration of an unbearable eternity!  Judaism: Micah 7:18 For, “Who is a God like unto Thee, that pardoneth iniquity, and passeth by the transgression? (and) He retaineth not his anger for ever, because He delighteth in mercy.”  Christianity: 1 Timothy 2:3 “For God our Saviour;” 4:10 “Who is the Saviour of all men,” 2:4 “will have all men to be saved,” For, 1 Thessalonians 5:9 “God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation.” Luke 12:32 “For it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.”

 JUDAISM: Isaiah 50:1 “Thus saith The LORD,” 50:2 “is My hand shortened at all, that it cannot redeem? or have I no power to deliver? behold, at My rebuke I dry up the sea, I make the rivers a wilderness.” 51:11 “Therefore the redeemed of The LORD shall return, and come – and everlasting joy shall be upon their head: they shall obtain gladness and joy; and sorrow and mourning shall flee away.” 51:12 “I, even I, am He that comforteth you.” 54:8 “I with everlasting kindness, will I have mercy on thee, saith The LORD thy Redeemer.”  Judaism: Ezekiel 18:32 “For (again) I have no pleasure in the death of him that dieth, saith The Lord GOD.” And, 33:11 “I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked; but that the wicked turn from his way and live.” So, Isaiah: 45:22 “Look unto Me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth: for I Am God, and there is none else.” Then, 45:17 “Be saved in The LORD with an everlasting salvation!”

CHRISTIANITY: Wisdom 16:13 “For Thou (God) hast power of life and death; Thou leadest to the gates of hell, and bringest up again.” (Deuterocanonical Apocrypha) Acts 2:27 For, “Thou wilt not leave my soul in hell!”

 ISLAM: For, 106. “Those who are wretched, shall be in the Fire; there will be for them therein (nothing but) the heaving of sighs and sobs:” sighs and sobs, not screaming your lungs out in writhing pain. They are those: 2 Thessalonians 1:9 “Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of The Lord.” 63. “wherein they shall dwell, that is the supreme disgrace.” 107. “They will dwell therein for all the time that the heavens and the earth endure, except as thy Lord willeth: for thy Lord is the Accomplisher of what He planneth.” In-other-words, we see again, that the duration of one’s stay in hell, again, depends on The Creator, for He leaves open, to Himself, the possibility of releasing the individual from hell; which is as it should be. 44. “To Allah (God) belongs exclusively (the right to grant) Intercession; to Him belongs the dominion of the heavens and the earth; in the End, it is to Him that ye shall be brought back,” (from suffering, from hell etc…) For, “The Prophet said, “Some people who will be scorched by Hell (Fire) as a punishment for sins they have committed, and then Allah will admit them into Paradise by the grant of His Mercy. These people will be called, ‘Al-JahannamiyyLin’ (the people of Hell).” For, 147. “What can Allah gain by your (eternal, everlasting) punishment?” “Nay, it is Allah that recogniseth (all good), and knoweth all things.”

   “Is there a doubt about Allah, the Creator of the heavens and the earth?“ “It is He Who invites you, in order that He may forgive you your sins and give you respite,” Clearly, Allah (God) desires heaven for us; (for all of us). “Some Sabi (Sabian war prisoners) were brought before the Prophet and behold, a woman amongst them was milking her breasts to feed and whenever she found a child amongst the captives, she took it over her chest and nursed it (she had lost her child but later she found him) the Prophet said to us, ‘Do you think that this lady can throw her son in the fire?’ (The fires of hell)? We replied, ‘No, if she has the power not to throw it (in the fire).’ The Prophet then said, ‘Allah is more merciful to His slaves (His children) than this lady to her son.’”

(The Qur’an (Yusuf Ali tr), Surahs 4, 11, 39 and Hadith, Bukhari Vol 9, Book 93, Number 542)

Islam: So, “They will dwell therein (in hell) for all the time that the heavens and the earth endure, except as thy Lord willeth: for thy Lord is the (sure) Accomplisher of what He planneth.” The other religions hint at or strongly indicate that we will not be left in hell for all time as-well: 44. “To Allah belongs exclusively (the right to grant) Intercession: to Him belongs the dominion of the heavens and the earth: in the End, it is to Him that ye shall be brought back.” (from suffering, from hell etc…) for 147. Again, “what can Allah gain by your (eternal, everlasting) punishment, if ye are grateful and ye believe? Nay, it is Allah that recogniseth (all good), and knoweth all things.” “Allah’s Apostle said,’ ‘have prepared for My Pious slaves things which have never been seen by an eye, or heard by an ear, or imagined by a human being. No soul, of man, knows what is kept hidden for them, of joy, as a reward for what they do, (in this earthly life).” “Allah’s Apostle said, ‘I have prepared for my pious worshipers such (wondrous) things as no eye (of man) has ever seen, no ear has ever heard of, and nobody has ever thought of.” So “I have prepared for My righteous slaves (such excellent things) as no eye hath ever seen, nor an ear hath ever heard, nor a human heart can ever think of.” 72. “Allah hath promised to believers, men and women, gardens under which rivers flow, to dwell therein, and beautiful mansions in gardens of everlasting bliss. But the greatest bliss is the Good Pleasure of Allah; that is the supreme felicity.” (The Qur’an (Yusuf Ali tr), Surahs 4, 9 and 39)

Islam: 29. “Enter thou, then, among My Devotees!” 30. “Yea, enter thou My Heaven!” (The Qur’an (Yusuf Ali tr), Surah 89) “In difficulties there is provided a way of salvation.” (Mathnavi of Rumi (E.H. Whinfield tr), The Masnavi Vol 3) 16. “On that day, if the penalty is averted from any, it is due to Allah’s Mercy; and that would be (Salvation).” (The Qur’an (Yusuf Ali tr), Surah 6)

Islam: 15. “(Here is) a Parable of the Garden (a description of heaven for Muslims) which the righteous are promised: in it are rivers of water incorruptible: rivers of milk of which the taste never changes; rivers of wine, a joy to those who drink; and rivers of honey pure and clear. In it there are for them all kinds of fruits, and Grace from their Lord.” (The Qur’an (Yusuf Ali tr), Surah  47) A parable is not meant to be taken literally, so heaven is not meant to be taken as a literal place by the Muslims either.

Islam: 67. “Ye look for the temporal goods of this world; but Allah looketh to the hereafter (heaven for you); and Allah is Exalted in might, Wise.”

(The Qur’an (Yusuf Ali tr), Surah 8)

Islam: 67. “Ye desire the lure of this world and Allah desireth (for you) the Hereafter, and Allah is Mighty, Wise.”

(The Qur’an (Pickthall tr), Sura 8)

Islam: 32. “What is the life of this world but play and amusement? But best is the home in the Hereafter, (the next world).”

(The Qur’an (Yusuf Ali tr), Surah 6)

  ZOROASTRIANISM: 1. “Grant that reward which Thou hast appointed to our souls, O Ahura Mazda (GOD)! 2. Of this do Thou Thyself bestow upon us for this world and the spiritual;” (heaven in this earthly life and the spiritual heaven of the next world)

(The Zend-Avesta, Avesta – Yasna 40)

Zoroastrianism: “From the same jug, Mazda (God) distributes the portion to all. But one gets honey and another gets poison as his share. The pot is the same, and so its content is the same. The mentality of the recipient makes the difference.” It is all about the mental state of the believers whether they find themselves in heaven or hell; and receive honey or poison for their actions in this life, in the next world. It is a spiritual state of mind that we shall find ourselves in, when we die; for all eyes will be opened to all the things we have done or in many cases left undone. The jug, or the abode, is the same. (ZOROASTER, Hymns of Atharvan p. 833)

Zoroastrianism: “Evil is not wholly evil! In tackling it the soul acquires moral strength i.e. competence for nearness to God. This is a relieving feature of sin.” “Even evil operates for the ultimate good.” So, “Evil is only apparently evil. It is ultimately for our good. It helps us to build our character and character is necessary for God realization, which is (for) our ultimate and permanent good.” And, “Mazda as the upholder of moral order, is sure to give His support to Zarathushtra and to punish his enemies. The punishment would, however, be for their own good, to lead them to the path of rectitude. Why should God, who is all kindness, inflict punishment on anybody unless it is for his own good  [i.e. even hell].” Denkard. Zoroaster, For, “the damnation (in hell, which they have merited); and having neglected the Deity during life, they remember Him the more at the moment of death. Because it is declared concerning those who fall into hell, that from the severity of their punishment in hell, their life which in this world they deemed to be proper (or free from blame), appears to them in hell so unfit or stained with sin [lit. so changed into unfitness], that they eagerly express the wish: ‘Would that we had never been born, or that we had not lived to follow the faith of the sinful,’ on account of which (penalty) they also exclaim that (it would have been) better if they had never been born.” Denkard. Zoroaster, “Those that are dwellers in Hell have been mentioned as (inmates) of Darkness, not of Light. Under their dominion is called (the thing) of darkness (infernal) and non-existent.”

“Mind is its own place, and itself can make a heaven of hell and a hell of heaven. Nonchalance can turn hell into heaven, as the Mahabharata notes.” “It is strange that the man lives in the prison, though he has the keys in his hands all the while, that he lives in hell though he can live in heaven.” “It is a very true saying that what one considers to be happiness, depends very much on his mentality.” Here we see that hell and heaven are states of mind or spiritual being, and are not physical places for our spiritual selves to take up their spiritual residences.

“The sinner however is not lost forever; as soon as he gets rid of his passion, he develops conscience and nonchalance, and opens himself  to the influence of Mazda and is saved.” 7. “Praise be to The Merciful Lord who bestows rewards for meritorious deeds on those who obey his commands according to his will, and at last will liberate even the wicked from (the torture of) hell and will embellish with purity the whole creation.” Denkard. Zoroaster, “Those who are delivered from hell will obtain greatness (from the pious) and the imprisoned will be let out of hell.” (ZOROASTER, The Zend-Avesta, Avesta – Yasnas 19, 21, 40, 41, 55, Hymns of Atharvan pp. 112, 120, 121, 371,  320, 321, 405, 832, 833, Denkard and Hindu Mahabharata and The Zend-Avesta, Khorda Avesta – Book of Common Prayer and Avesta Fragments)

 Zoroastrianism: 21. “There is a passage in which Ohrmazd said to Zarathushtra: ‘I created, O Spitama Zarathushtra! good renown and salvation of the soul;”‘ 22.” (That is to say, good renown in this world and salvation of the soul in the next).” (The Zend-Avesta, Avesta Fragments)

 HINDUISM: “And to be deprived after death of the rewards of meritorious deeds.” “Some call (this condition) hell.”

And as far as hell is concerned: we will be outcasts denied the rewards of our accomplishments in this life, which is one of the conditions of hell. 207. “But he who, intending to hurt a Brahmana, has threatened (him with a stick and the like) shall remain in hell during a hundred years; he who (actually) struck him, during one thousand years.” 54. “Those who committed mortal sins (mahapataka), having passed during large numbers of years through dreadful hells, obtain, after the expiration of (that term of punishment, may be allowed into heaven, according to the will of Brahma, God).” (Hindu, Bhagavad Gita (Edwin Arnold tr) chapters 2, 9, 18, and Vedas, Rig Veda – Books 1 and 10 and Hindu, Laws of Manu 4 and The Dharma Sutras, Apastamba Prasna I, Patala 8, Khanda 22, Gutama 21) In-other-words, we as in all of humanity, can and will be eventually be liberated from the pains and anguish of hell!

 Hinduism: “The heaven of the Atman (soul, spirit) is, of course, liberation, that state where the individual soul becomes merged in the Brahman or Paramatman, “which is pure essence, intelligence and joy.” Not physical bodily form, but mentally spirit free from flesh.

(Hindu, The Dharma Sutras, Apastamba Prasna I, Patala 8, Khanda 22)

 Hinduism: “Krishna speaketh in this wise! Yea, and whoso, full of faith, Heareth wisely what it saith, Heareth meekly, when he dies, Surely shall his spirit rise To those regions where the Blest, Free of flesh, in joyance rest.” Krishna tells us that heaven is free of flesh.

(Hindu, Bhagavad Gita (Edwin Arnold tr) chapter 18)

 BUDDHISM: He, “Brahma (God) only desires that which is of good benefit for us;” you see, “no beings are left outside by the will of the Tathagatas; some day each and every one will be influenced by the wisdom and love of the Tathagatas and ascend the stages of heaven.” Eventually everybody will be allowed into heaven regardless of what their actions have been in their past life, no one will be left in hell forever or for all of eternity. For, “Brahma; only desires good benefit for us, [i.e. our salvation].”  You see, “The Tathagata guides you in the way, let Him admonish, exhort, And shield from wrong.” For the, “Tathagatas are in close fellowship with each individual comforting, encouraging, guiding, strengthening.” By letting our minds dwell on evil things, hell arises. By letting our minds dwell upon good acts, paradise is manifested.” Again we see, that heaven and hell are both states of mind according to the Buddhist writings. “No beings are left outside by the will of the Tathagatas; some day each and every one will be influenced by the wisdom and love of the Tathagatas of Transformation, to lay up a stock of merit and ascend the stages. (The stages of heaven, the stages of spiritual development the soul has to go through).”

Buddhism: 18. “Make a refuge unto yourself, Quickly strive and become wise. Purged of taint and free from stain, To heavenly state of the Noble will you attain.” Heaven, is a noble state of mind, where our physical bodies cease to exist to us and we become spiritual not physical.

(Buddhist, Dhammapada – Sayings of the Buddha 3 (tr. J. Richards))

 SABEANISM: “Bliss and peace there shall be on the road which Adam built well. Bliss and peace there shall be on the road which the soul takes. Go, soul, in victory to the place from which you were transplanted, the place of joy, in which the face shines (heaven). The face shines in it, the form is illumined and does not grow dim. The soul has loosened its chains and broken its fetters. It shed its bodily coat, then it turned about, saw it, and shuddered. The call of the soul is the call of life which departs from the body of refuse.” It is the soul, not the physical body that takes the road to heaven. The physical body is cast aside. (Sabeanism, Bliss and Peace)

Sabeanism: “to every man whose term of life is over Thou wilt be a Helper, Saviour and Guide.” “I (Haiyi/God), will take his hand and be his Saviour and Guide to the great Place of Light and to the Everlasting Abode; (Heaven). 

“For Thou knowest hearts and understandest minds and searchest out the (our) consciences (even) in the nethermost hells of darkness. Like a servant lying prostrate before Thee, our eyes are lifted to Thee, our lips give Thee praise.” Hell is darkness here, not flames or fire, and God is there with you searching out the consciences and the spiritual eyes are lifted up towards Him with praise on the spiritual lips of those He is comforting. For, “Those who seek of Him find, and to those who ask of Him it will be given. For to him that standeth at a closed door Thou wilt open the closed door. In the Place of Light Thou wilt wipe away and remove from us our sins, trespasses, follies, stumblings and mistakes and wilt cast them into the hells of the earth and the nethermost limbos (oblivion) of darkness. Thou wilt raise us up as sinless and not as guilty, as virtuous and not as vicious before Thee.” “May the gate of sin be barred to them and the gate of light be open for them. May they all be knit together in the communion of Life, in which there is no separation.” So than, “Manda-d-Hiia (God) went to the stars. His appearance loosed the bound (souls): He knit (them into) the communion that is without parting and without limit or number, by His word which issued from Him in that place. He passed by: the captives were freed. He loosed them from their sins and trespasses:” He freed the damned from their imprisonment in hell. So we see, here also, that Haiyi/God does not desire hell for us and will eventually liberate the sinful from the confines of hell and bring them into heaven with Him. (Sabeanism, Ginza Rba- chapters 9, 34, 35, 45, 48, 73, 76, 117 and 170 and Sabeanism, Bliss and Peace)

BAHA’I FAITH: ( BABI RELIGION) “He (God) hath cherished, and will ever cherish, the desire that all men may attain His gardens of Paradise, (heaven) with utmost love, that no one should sadden another, not even for a moment, and that all should dwell within His cradle of protection and security.” (The Bab, Selections from the Writings of the Bab, p. 86) God, as He states in all of His religions; wishes, that all of mankind may join Him and attain unto His spiritual, heavenly kingdom. “He hath cherished, and will ever cherish, the desire that all men may attain His gardens of Paradise.” “O LORD! enable all the people of the earth, to gain admittance into the Paradise of Thy Faith; so that no created being may remain beyond the bounds of Thy good-pleasure.” (The Bab, Selections from the Writings of the Bab, p. 191) For, “there is no paradise, in the estimation of the believers in the Divine Unity, more exalted than to obey God’s  commandments, and there is no fire in the eyes of those who have known God and His signs, fiercer than to transgress His laws and to oppress another soul, even to the extent of a mustard seed.” (The Bab, Selections from the Writings of the Bab, p. 79) For, “Paradise is attainment of His good-pleasure and everlasting hell-fire His judgement through justice.” (The Bab, Selections from the Writings of the Bab, p. 157) “no Paradise is more sublime for My creatures than to stand before My face and to believe in My holy Words, while no fire hath been or will be fiercer for them than to be veiled from the Manifestation of My exalted Self and to disbelieve in My Words.” (The Bab, Selections from the Writings of the Bab, p. 87) “Indeed no paradise is more glorious in the sight of God than attainment unto His good-pleasure.” (The Bab, Selections from the Writings of the Bab, p. 102) “O LORD! Thou art the Remover of every anguish and the Dispeller of every affliction. Thou art He Who banisheth every sorrow and setteth free every slave, the Redeemer of every soul.” (The Bab, Selections from the Writings of the Bab, p. 193) Here again, The Bab hints at the possibility that God will eventually redeem every soul or retrieve, each and every person, from the dark pit of hell! For, “In Him I have found my paradise, and in the observance of His law I recognize the ark of my salvation,” (Shoghi Effendi, The Dawn-Breakers, p. 509) so all of us, again, will eventually be brought out of hell, again by His discretion! -all destined for “the fruits of the Paradise of His good-pleasure;” (The Bab, Selections from the Writings of the Bab, p. 147) so we see, that heaven again, is not thought to be a physical place, but the fruits of The Creator’s desires and good pleasure; where all people will eventually abide; “exalt the downtrodden, enrich the poor, and redeem the fallen.” (Shoghi Effendi, The Dawn-Breakers, p. 107) “On that day no ransom will be accepted, nor will any intercession be permitted, unless God so please,” (The Bab, Selections from the Writings of the Bab, p. 20) and “in very truth, on that Day (there is no) helper except God, The Exalted.” (Shoghi Effendi, The Promised Day is Come, p. 66) It is all up to our Creator, period, not the sordid whims of humans, it is up to Him to choose to forgive and bring the disbelievers into heaven! “THERE is no paradise, in the estimation of the believers in The Divine Unity, more exalted than to obey God’s commandments, and there is no fire in the eyes of those who have known God and His signs, fiercer than to transgress His laws and to oppress another soul.” “The day will come when ye will earnestly desire to know that which would meet with the good-pleasure of God, but alas, ye shall find no path unto Him.” For, “We shall therefore, banish thee from Our presence, as a token of justice on Our part, Verily we are equitable in Our judgement.” (The Bab, Selections from the Writings of the Bab, p. 78)

BAHA’I FAITH: “Know thou, that I have wafted unto thee all the fragrances of holiness, have fully revealed to thee My word, have perfected through thee My bounty and have desired for thee, that which I have desired for My Self. Be then content with My pleasure and thankful unto Me.” (Baha’u’llah, The Arabic Hidden Words) “We, verily, desire for you naught save what shall profit you, and to this bear witness all created things, had ye but ears to hear.” (Baha’u’llah, The Kitab-i-Aqdas, p. 75) “I confess that Thou hast no desire except the regeneration of the whole world, and the establishment of the unity of its peoples, and the salvation of all them that dwell therein.”(Baha’u’llah, Gleanings from the Writings of Baha’u’llah, p. 243) God desires good for us, and He desires for us what He desires for Himself, and so He desires heaven for us. “There is no God, but One God, and all the Messengers, from the beginning to the Seal of the Prophets (Muhammad) were sent on the part of, The True One!” (Abdu’l-Baha, Tablets of the Divine Plan, p. 78) (He) guideth whom He wisheth unto the path of life, and confirmeth whom He desireth in attaining The Kingdom of God.” (Abdu’l-Baha, Tablets of Abdu’l-Baha v1, p. 50) “Any soul that enters The Kingdom of BAHA’U’LLAH will enjoy an eternal communion with God. It is my hope that each of you may enter This Kingdom.” (Abdu’l-Baha, Divine Philosophy, p. 99)

But again, God only desires good for His children, “According to Them, Heaven is the state of perfection, and Hell that of imperfection; Heaven is harmony with God’s will and with our fellows, and Hell is the want of such harmony; Heaven is the condition of spiritual life, and Hell that of spiritual death. A man may be either in Heaven or in Hell while still in the body. The joys of Heaven are spiritual joys; and the pains of Hell consist in the deprivation of these joys.” (Dr. J.E. Esslemont, Baha’u’llah and the New Era, p. 190) “They say: ‘Where is Paradise, and where is Hell?’ Say: ‘The one is reunion with Me; the other thine own self.”’ (Baha’u’llah, Epistle to the Son of the Wolf, p. 132) “Thy Paradise is My love; thy heavenly home, reunion with Me.” (Baha’u’llah, The Arabic Hidden Words) “Think ye of love and good fellowship as the delights of heaven, think ye of hostility and hatred as the torments of hell.” (Abdu’l-Baha, Selections from the Writings of Abdu’l-Baha, p. 244) “From the moment the soul leaves the body and arrives in the Heavenly World, its evolution is spiritual, and that evolution is: The approaching unto God. The soul does not evolve from degree to degree as a law — it only evolves nearer to God, by the Mercy and Bounty of God.” (Abdu’l-Baha, Paris Talks, p. 66) “What fire is fiercer on the Day of Reckoning than that of remoteness from the divine Beauty and the celestial Glory?” (Baha’u’llah, Gems of Divine Mysteries) Clearly we see, in the Baha’i writings, that heaven and hell are not physical places, but spiritual states of mind. “The paradise and hell of existence are found in all the worlds of God, whether in this world or in the spiritual heavenly worlds.” (Abdu’l-Baha, Some Answered Questions, p. 223) “He (God) does not punish us for our sins and shortcomings, and we are all immersed in the ocean of His infinite mercy. Inasmuch as God is clement and loving to His children, lenient and merciful toward our shortcomings, why should we be unkind and unforgiving toward each other? As He loves humanity without distinction or preference, why should we not love all?” (Abdu’l-Baha, The Promulgation of Universal Peace, p. 315) Than, “What fire is fiercer on the Day of Reckoning than that of remoteness from the divine Beauty and the celestial Glory?” (Baha’u’llah, Gems of Divine Mysteries, p. 45) The Creator does not wish hell and destruction on us, we do that to ourselves, without even realizing it! God is All-Loving and All-Merciful and filled with forgiveness; and so, “it is even possible that the condition of those who have died in sin and unbelief may become changed; that is to say, they may become the object of pardon through the bounty of God, not through His justice; for bounty is giving without desert, and justice is giving what is deserved.” (Abdu’l-Baha, Some Answered Questions, p. 231)

  So you hopefully clearly see now, God absolutely does want us with Him in heaven, all of humanity, not just a few certain, select individuals; which we hear from all of His divine religions. What He doesn’t appear to want, is us burning away in hell, burning alive for all of eternity; which of-course is not a real, true scenario, because hell like heaven is not a real, true physical place, but a spiritual place, which I have hopefully clearly demonstrated now to all of your satisfactions; because God truly wants our spirits in heaven with Him, not suffering in hell; whatever hell may actually be!

  Also, I have hopefully demonstrated, through this series of topics that God is a God of true reason Who does things with us with true reason and wisdom in mind, and He wants us to live by reason and do things with one another with reason  and rationality in mind. What He doesn’t want is for us to live buried underneath the chains of superstition and traditions blindly not seeing the truth of His words and teachings for ourselves.  

“Now, all questions of morality contained in the spiritual, immutable law of every religion are logically right. If religion were contrary to logical reason then it would cease to be a religion and be merely a tradition. Religion and science are the two wings upon which man’s intelligence can soar into the heights, with which the human soul can progress. It is not possible to fly with one wing alone!” (Abdu’l-Baha, Paris Talks, p. 142)