From: ashkon_k@apollo.hp.com
Newsgroups: soc.religion.bahai
Subject: Baha'u'llah re Media (was: Time's special 2000 edition)
Date: 3 Oct 92 20:55:43 GMT
Article-I.D.: ogicse.43622
Organization: -

In <1992Oct2.131311.2196@newscan.canada.sun.com> Mr. Payvand Khademi
wrote:

> Just this morning I got to scan a copy of Time's special Year 2000
> edition.  I haven't had a chance to read any of the articles, but since
> the Baha'i Faith say a lot about the future, I thought it might be timely
> to start a thread about it.
> 
> For starters, the very brief reference to the Baha'i Faith in the article
> about the future of religions caught my eye.  It seemed to dismiss the
> Faith as small and insignificant.  Needless to say, I thought that was a
> shallow and unimaginative assessment, given that the point of the issue
> is to provide insightful perception.  I don't mean that from a point
> of view of being a Baha'i and feeling slighted about the author's lack
> of appreciation for something I hold dear.  People (among them some pretty
> deep thinkers like Toynbee, Irwin Lazlo (sp?), etc.) with no allegiance to
> the Faith have reached the same conclusion as many Baha'is, that this is a
> model Faith for this age.  More reasearch would have been warranted.

[The article was written from a standpoint as if in 2092 A.D. --rdt]

      In the tablet, Kalimat-i-Firdawsiyyah, "Words of Paradise",
Baha'u'llah says:

      "...In This day the verses of the Mother Book are resplendent
and unmistakable even as the sun.  They can in no wise be mistaken for
any of the past or more recent utterances.  Truly this Wronged One
desireth not to demonstrate His Own Cause with proofs produced by
others.  He is the One Who embraceth all things, while all else
besides Him is circumscribed.  Say, O people, peruse that which is
current amongst you and We will peruse what pertaineth unto Us.  I
swear by God!  Neither the praise of the peoples of the world, nor the
things that the kindreds of the earth posses are worthy of mention
before the remembrance of His Name.  Unto this beareth witness He Who
under all conditions proclaimeth, 'Verily He is God, the sovereign
Ruler of the Day of Reckoning and the Lord of the mighty Throne'..."

      Regarding newspapers, Baha'u'llah says in the Sixth Taraz:

      "...In this Day the secrets of the earth are laid bare before
the eyes of men.  The pages of swiftly-appearing newspapers are indeed
the mirror of the world.  They reflect the deeds and the pursuits of
divers peoples and kindreds.  They both reflect them and make them
known.  They are a mirror endowed with hearing, sight and speech.
This is an amazing and potent phenomenon.  However, it behoveth the
writers thereof to be purged from the promptings of evil passions and
desires and to be attired with the raiment of justice and equity.
They should enquire into situations as much as possible and ascertain
the facts, then set them down in writing.
      Concerning this Wronged One, most of the things reported in the
newspapers are devoid of truth.  Fair speech and truthfulness, by
reason of their lofty rank and position, are regarded as a sun shining
above the horizon of knowledge.  The waves rising from this Ocean are
apparent before the eyes of the peoples of the world and the effusions
of the Pen of wisdom and utterance are manifest everywhere.
      It is reported in the press that this Servant hath fled from the
land of Ta (Tihran) and gone to Iraq.  Gracious God! Not even for a
single moment hath this Wronged One ever concealed Himself.  Rather
hath He at all times remained steadfast and conspicuous before the
eyes of men.  Never have We retreated, nor shall We ever seek flight.
In truth it is the foolish people who flee from Our presence.  We left
Our home country accompanied by two mounted escorts, representing the
two honored governments of Persia and Russia until We arrived in Iraq
in the plenitude of glory and power.  Praise be to God!  The Cause
whereof this Wronged One is the Bearer standeth as high as heaven and
shineth resplendent as the sun.  Concealment hath no access unto this
station, nor is there any occasion for fear or silence...."

      These two passages should clarify any ambiguity, or
misunderstanding.

      regards,

      Kourosh
      ashkon_k@apollo.hp.com

[Both of the quoted Tablets appear in the book, Tablets of Baha'u'llah
Revealed after the Kitab-i-Aqdas, transl. Habib Taherzadeh.  Haifa,
Baha'i World Centre, 1978. --rdt]