The Light Shineth in Darkness by -Udo Schaefer- 2 Para

But the believer has the right to express his own belief and thoughts regarding the revealed text: "We should not restrict the liberty of the individual to express his own views so long as he makes it clear that these views are his own... This does not, however, mean that the absolute authority does not remain in the revealed Words. We should try to keep as near to the authority as we can and show that we are faithful to it by quoting from the Words of Baha'u'llah in establishing our points. To discard the authority of the revealed Words is heretic an to suppress completely individual interpretation of those Words is also bad." (Shoghi Effendi, Pbadmin. 15) The believers must strike a happy medium between "extreme orthodoxy on the one hand, and irresponsible freedom on the other" (Baha'i Admin. 42). Through frequent reading they must deepen themselves in their understanding and knowledge of the utterance of Baha'u'llah to be able "to give it to others in its pure form" (Pbadmin. 11). However, the believer who is teaching the Faith does not have any authority for only the revealed Word has authoritative. (52:2)

It is not difficult to understand why Baha'u'llah has described teaching as "the most meritorious of all deeds" for the weal and ill of mankind depend on God's message reaching them. "Can any of us feel", writes Ruhiyyih Rabbani, "he can receive such a bounty and yet withhold it from others, rest quiescent in his own inner sense of security and leave others untaught and unhelped in these disastrous days the world is passing through? Today, if ever, must ring in our ears the battle cry of Mulla Husayn, "Mount your steeds, O heroes of God!" (Success in Teaching). (52:3)

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