Superstitions and fables is what is left after the spirit has gone out of the religion.

 

223. Superstitions and fables is what is left after the spirit has gone out of the religion and all that’s left is the outer semblance of religion, nearly devoid of spiritual life:  Judaism: Enoch 2. “Woe to them who pervert the words of uprightness, And transgress the eternal law, And transform themselves into what they were not [into sinners]: They shall be trodden under foot upon the earth.” Enoch “I know that sinners will alter and pervert the words of righteousness in many ways, and will speak wicked words, and lie, and practice great deceits, and write books concerning their words. and….. pervert everything that The Lord hath spoken through the mouth of the prophets, even the things that shall be.” Enoch 3. “Therefore they shall be wanting in doctrine and wisdom, And they shall perish thereby together.” “Therefore they shall be wanting in doctrine,” true doctrine, for that which they follow is false doctrine or superstition. (Apocrypha)

   In the world of being the practice of religion ages with time and acts and rites that once held purpose and meaning give way to beliefs and actions that have lost their spiritual connection and have just become outward forms of what once held truth. Many people though, will still hold onto this decaying form of belief even though the true spiritual light has dimmed and almost gone out of the religion. It is this outward form, this lifeless body of rituals that remain, that many people hold onto that causes a great many people to fail to see the new spiritual light when a new revelation from God dawns on the horizon. The people are so attached to this dead body that superstition instead of truth rules their behavior and they turn on God’s chosen ones and try and destroy this new light; this happened with the Jews in early Christianity:  Christianity: Acts 25:18 “Against whom when the accusers stood up, they brought none accusation of such things as I supposed:” Acts 25:19 “But had certain questions against him of their own superstition, and of one Jesus, which was dead, whom Paul affirmed to be alive.” 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;” 1 Timothy 4:7 “But refuse profane and old wives’ fables, and exercise thyself rather unto godliness.” 1 Timothy 4:8 “For bodily exercise profiteth little: but godliness is profitable unto all things, having promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come.” 2 Timothy 4:3 “For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears;” 4:4 “And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.”  Judaism: Jeremiah 3:20 “Surely as a wife treacherously departeth from her husband, so have ye dealt treacherously with me, O house of Israel, saith The LORD.” Jeremiah 3:21 “A voice was heard upon the high places, weeping and supplications of the children of Israel: for they have perverted their way, and they have forgotten The LORD their God.” Jeremiah 23:35 “Ye have perverted the words of the living God, of The LORD of hosts our God.” Isaiah 66:1 “Thus saith The LORD, The heaven is My throne, and the earth is My footstool: where is the house that ye build unto Me? and where is the place of My rest?” 66:2 “For all those things hath Mine hand made, and all those things have been, saith The LORD: but to this man will I look, even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit, and trembleth at my word.” 66:3 “He that killeth an ox is as if he slew a man; he that sacrificeth a lamb, as if he cut off a dog’s neck; he that offereth an oblation, as if he offered swine’s blood; he that burneth incense, as if he blessed an idol. Yea, they have chosen their own ways, and their soul delighteth in their abominations.” Isaiah 66:4 “I also will choose their delusions, and will bring their fears upon them; because when I called, none did answer; when I spake, they did not hear: but they did evil before Mine eyes, and chose that in which I delighted not.”  Christianity: 1 Peter 1:15 “Moreover I will endeavour that ye may be able after my decease to have these things always in remembrance.” 1 Peter 1:16 “For we have not followed cunningly devised fables, when we made known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of his majesty.” 1 Peter 1:17 “For he received from God the Father honour and glory.” Titus 1:13 “This witness is true. Wherefore rebuke them sharply, that they may be sound in the faith; 1:14 Not giving heed to Jewish fables, and commandments of men, that turn from the truth.” Titus 1:15 “Unto the pure all things are pure: but unto them that are defiled and unbelieving is nothing pure; but even their mind and conscience is defiled.” Titus 1:16 “They profess that they know God; but in works they deny him, being abominable, and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate.” Titus 2:1 “But speak thou the things which become sound doctrine:” 2 Corinthians 4:1 “Therefore seeing we have this ministry, as we have received mercy, we faint not;” 4:2 “But have renounced the hidden things of dishonesty, not walking in craftiness, nor handling the word of God deceitfully; but by manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man’s conscience in the sight of God.” 4:5 “For we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus The Lord; and ourselves your servants for Jesus’ sake.” 4:6 “For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of The Glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.” 10:1 “Now I Paul myself — I beseech you, that I may not be bold when I am present with that confidence, wherewith I think to be bold against some which think of us, as if we walked according to the flesh. For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh; for the weapons of our war-fare are not (physical and) carnal but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;” “Casting down imaginations (and superstitions), and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ.”

   This failing of the masses to perceive the new light of God’s new message to humanity, while still holding unto the old out dated forms of religion, is also what happened with the advent of the Bahá’í Faith. The people, still holding unto the superstitions they had learned from birth, were so blinded by the intensity of the new shinning light of God’s new message to mankind, that they were not able to recognize God’s new message, filled with God’s Holy Spirit, because they were still chained to the old doctrines and dogma they had learned from their parents and clergy, which did not resemble the light of this fresh new religion, which did not contain the old worn out rituals and traditions they were use to. What they had was mostly old worn out superstitions that had once been a religion, but was now just a faded shadow of what had once been a brilliant spiritual force in the life of mankind.

BAHA’I FAITH: “Many religious leaders have grown to think that the importance of religion lies mainly in the adherence to a collection of certain dogmas and the practice of rites and ceremonies! Those whose souls they profess to cure are taught to believe likewise, and these cling tenaciously to the outward forms, confusing them with the inward truth.”

(Bahá’í Faith, Abdu’l-Baha, Paris Talks, p. 143)

 BABI RELIGION: “We cherish the hope that you, who have attained to this light, will exert your utmost to banish the darkness of superstition and unbelief from the midst of the people. May your deeds proclaim your faith and enable you to lead the erring into the paths of eternal salvation.”

The Bab: (Shoghi Effendi, The Dawn-Breakers, p. 586)

BAHA’I FAITH: “The beginnings of all great religions were pure; but priests, taking possession of the minds of the people, filled them with dogmas and superstitions, so that religion became gradually corrupt.”

(Bahá’í Faith, Abdu’l-Baha, Abdu’l-Baha in London, p. 125)

 BABI RELIGION: “They were immersed in superstitions,” “they could only be the superstitions of diseased brains. She expounded the new doctrine, bringing out its truth, but always encountered the same argument of Jabulqa. Exasperated, she finally told them: ‘Your reasoning is that of an ignorant and stupid child; how long will you cling to these follies and lies? When will you lift your eyes towards the Sun of Truth?”

The Bab: (Shoghi Effendi, The Dawn-Breakers, pp. 593 and 624)

BAHA’I FAITH: “In these gatherings where we have met and spoken together you have all become acquainted with the principles of this dispensation, and with the reality of facts. Unto you it has been given to know these things, but there are many still unenlightened and submerged in superstition. They have heard but little of this great and glorious Cause, and the knowledge they have is for the most part based only on hearsay. Alas, poor souls, the knowledge they have is not based on truth, the foundation of their belief is not the teaching of Bahá’u’lláh! There is, assuredly, a certain amount of truth in what they have been told, but for the most part their information has been inaccurate.”

(Bahá’í Faith, Abdu’l-Baha, Paris Talks, p. 167)

 BABI RELIGION: “The Government seized Báb and imprisoned him, but his doctrine, that releases Islam from all the superstitions that surround it, and truly makes of it a deism, had already numerous proselytes who were scattered throughout.”

(Moojan Momen, The Babi  and Baha’i Religions 1844-1944, p. 95)

 ISLAM: 103. “It was not Allah (God) Who instituted (superstitions like those of) a slit-ear she-camel, or a she-camel let loose for free pasture, or idol sacrifices for twin-births in animals, or stallion-camels freed from work; it is blasphemers who invent a lie against Allah, but most of them lack wisdom.” 104. “When it is said to them: ‘Come to what Allah hath revealed; come to the Messenger’: they say: ‘Enough for us are the ways we found our fathers following.’ What! even though their fathers were void of knowledge and guidance?” 105. “O ye who believe! guard your own souls: if ye follow (right) guidance, no hurt can come to you from those who stray. The goal of you all is to Allah: it is He that will show you the truth of all that ye do.”

(The Qur’an (Yusuf Ali tr), Surah   5)

Islam: 21. “They are the ones who have lost their own souls: and the (fancies, superstitious beliefs) they invented have left them in the lurch!” 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), Surahs 11 and 22)

Islam: Letter 65 “Now tell me, if you disown truth and religion what will remain with you but plain and evident apostasy and utter reprobation, and if you refuse to accept the truth as told by Allah and the Holy Prophet(s) what you will believe in is but foolish, superstitious and irrational fears. Therefore, do not give away to doubts (about the truth which Islam has proclaimed) and do not be mislead by schism into blind alleys. Beware that sinful temptation has drawn heavy curtains and the darkness they create is blinding you to your reason.”

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

Islam: 25. “Of them there are some who (pretend to) listen to thee; but We have thrown veils on their hearts, so they understand it not, and deafness in their ears; if they saw every one of the Signs, not they will believe in them; in so much that when they come to thee, they (but) dispute with thee; the unbelievers say: ‘These are nothing but tales of the ancients.”’ 26. “Others they keep away from it, and themselves they keep away; but they only destroy their own souls, and they perceive it not.”

Islam: 27. “If thou couldst but see when they are confronted with the fire! They will say: ‘Would that we were but sent back! then would we not reject the Signs of our Lord, but would be amongst those who believe!”

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

  ZOROASTRIANISM: 55. “This is the way of things on this earth.” “It is ignorance (superstition) that ruins most people, those ill-informed; both amongst those who have died, and those who shall die.”

(Zoroaster, The Zend-Avesta, Avesta Fragments)

 Zoroastrianism: “We worship that reward and that health, that healing and that progress, that growth and that victorious smiting which are between the Vohu-khshathra and the Vahishtoishti, (and which are acquired by us) by the memorized recital of the good thoughts, good words, and good deeds, for the withstanding of evil thoughts, and words, and deeds; yea, for the undoing of all treacherous thoughts (directed) against Me, and of all false words, and unfair deeds.” 12. “Since they by their lore (superstitions) would pervert men from the best doing.”

(Zoroaster, The Zend-Avesta, Avesta – Visperad 20 and Yasna 32)

 HINDUISM: “Worship what shrine they will, what shapes, in faith- Tis I who give them faith! I am content! The heart thus asking favour from its God, Darkened but ardent, hath the end it craves, The lesser blessing- but ’tis I who give! Yet soon is withered what small fruit they reap: Those men of little minds, who worship so, Go where they worship, passing with their gods. But Mine come unto Me! Blind are the eyes Which deem the Unmanifested manifest, (what they have is superstition) Not comprehending Me in my true Self! Imperishable, viewless, undeclared, Hidden behind My magic veil of shows, I am not seen by all; I am not known- Unborn and changeless- to the idle world.”

(Hindu, Bhagavad Gita (Edwin Arnold tr) chapter 7)

 Hinduism: “Ignorance, begot Of Darkness, blinding mortal men, binds down Their souls to stupor, sloth, and drowsiness.” “There is imperfect Knowledge: that which sees The separate existences apart, And, being separated, holds them real. There is false Knowledge: that which blindly clings To one as if ’twere all, seeking no Cause, Deprived of light, narrow, and dull, and ‘dark.’ ‘So they speak Darkened by ignorance; and so they fall-Tossed to and fro with projects, tricked, and bound In net of black delusion.”’

(Hindu, Bhagavad Gita (Edwin Arnold tr) chapters 14, 16 and 18)

 Hinduism: “It is thus that the work went on growing for a thousand years after it was first compiled and put together in the form of an Epic; until the crystal rill of the Epic itself was all but lost in an unending morass of religious and didactic episodes, legends, tales, and traditions.”

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

 BUDDHISM: “Blinded indeed is this world. Few are those who see the truth.” “Who-so on account of false (superstitious) views Scorns the teaching of the Noble Ones, The Worthy and Righteous Ones, He, the foolish man, destroys himself.” “Do not follow mean thing, Do not live in heedlessness, Do not embrace false views, Do not be a world-upholder.” “Arise! Be not negligent! Lead a righteous life. For one who lives a righteous life Dwells in peace here and hereafter.”

(Buddhist, Dhammapada – Sayings of the Buddha 1 and 3 (tr. J. Richards) chapters 12 and 13)

 Buddhism: “This world is blinded; only a few can see here. The one whom no desire with its snares and poisons can lead astray, by what track can you lead that one, the awakened, the omniscient, the trackless?” “Those who discern wrong where there is no wrong and see nothing wrong in what is wrong, such people, following false doctrines, enter the wrong path.” “Those who discern wrong as wrong and what is not wrong as not wrong, such people, following true doctrines, enter the good path.”

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

 Buddhism: “Those who fear what they should not fear and do not fear what they should fear, such people, following false doctrines, enter the wrong path. Those who discern wrong where there is no wrong and see nothing wrong in what is wrong, such people, following false doctrines, enter the wrong path. Those who discern wrong as wrong and what is not wrong as not wrong, such people, following true doctrines, enter the good path.” “Inconceivable is the beginning of this Samsara; not to be discovered is any first beginning of beings, who, obstructed by ignorance, and ensnared by craving, are hurrying and hastening through this round of rebirths.

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

 Buddhism: “Both in this world and the world to come. A greater taint than these is ignorance, The worst taint of all. Rid yourselves of ignorance, monks, And be without taint.”

(Buddhist, Dhammapada – Sayings of the Buddha 3 (tr. J. Richards) 18)

 SABEANISM: “In the name of The Great Life (Haiyi, God) The great Light be magnified! To you do I call and (you) do I teach, Men who have received the Sign. Hearken not to the talk of all peoples and generations; Let not their stumblings (and superstitions) cause you to stumble, Stumble not because of their stumblings!” (Sabeanism, Ginza Rba- chapter 89)

Sabeanism: “If thou readest, read as it is written. Lord of mystic books, Lord of ‘Letters-of-Truth’ The name of The Life 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 70, 173 and 410)