The Worlds of God - U.S.Baha'i National Ref Library Committee
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Page 97 of  105

"O My Friends! Call ye to mind that covenant ye have entered into with Me upon Mount Paran... Now none do I find faithful unto the covenant. Of a certainty pride and rebellion have effaced it from the hearts, in such wise that no trace thereof remaineth." "Man has opposed the Will of God and acted in opposition to the plan of God. Therefore from the beginning of history to the present time the world of humanity has had no lasting rest... In the nineteenth century... the darkness of imitations and forms had enveloped religious belief. The people of religions were in constant warfare, filled with enmity, hatred and bitterness." "When the sun sets, it is the time for bats to fly... When the lights of religion become darkened, the materialists appear." (Hwp 46- 7; Pup 291- 2; Pup 174) (97:1)

"The spirituality of people has been overcome by materialism... Although some attend churches and temples of worship and devotion, it is in accordance with the traditions and imitations of their fathers and not for the investigation of reality. For it is evident that they have not found the reality and are not engaged in its adoration." "Material forces gain the ascendancy. The divine signs are becoming less and less, and human evidences grow stronger. They have reached a degree that materialists are advancing and aggressive while divine forces are waning and vanishing. Irreligion has conquered religion." (Pup 216; Pup 155) (97:2)

As in time a tree withers and decays, "so it is with religions; through the passing of time they change from their original foundation, the truth of the religion of God entirely departs...; heresies appear, and it becomes a body without a soul. That is why it is renewed." (Saq 190) (97:3)

"We should, therefore, detach ourselves from the external forms and practices of religion. We must realize that these forms and practices, however beautiful, are but garments clothing the warm heart and living limbs of Divine Truth." (Pt 136) (97:4)

Of "that which hath descended from the realm of glory, uttered by the tongue of power... and revealed unto the Prophets of old, We have taken the inner essence... and clothed it in the garment of brevity." (Hwa 3) (97:5)

"Moses... brought tidings of joy unto the people of Israel. To this testify the records of the sacred books... (But) it is not Our wish to relate the stories of the days that are past. God is Our witness that what we even now mention is solely... that the ignorant be led unto the ocean of divine knowledge... Otherwise, this servant regardeth the consideration of such records a grave mistake and grievous transgression." (Iqan 63) (97:6)

"By corruption of the text is meant that in which all Muslim divines are engaged today, that is the interpretation of God's holy Book in accordance with their idle imaginings and their vain desires. And as the Jews, in the time of Muhammad, interpreted those verses of the Pentateuch, that referred to His Manifestation, after their own fancy... the charge of 'perverting' the text was therefore pronounced against them." (Iqan 86- 7) (97:7)

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