For those of you who are interested...
http://bci.org/prophecy-fulfilled/
"Prophecy-fulfilled" website - (very good)
-
- Posts: 0
- Joined: Thu Apr 02, 2009 5:27 am
-
- Posts: 0
- Joined: Tue Mar 17, 2009 9:42 pm
-
- Posts: 0
- Joined: Thu Apr 02, 2009 5:27 am
-
- Posts: 0
- Joined: Thu Apr 02, 2009 5:27 am
-
- Posts: 189
- Joined: Sun Mar 05, 2006 5:34 pm
- Location: Rockville, Maryland, USA
In my opinion this site is absolutely awful.
The guy who created it obviously is one of a small batch of Baha'i's who has this fanatical appreciation of the notion that Mormonism somehow has some legitimacy in the Baha'i Faith - an idea which is completely unsupported by any Baha'i text.
At the very best, a pilgrim's note - a recording of what the Guardian said - relates that the Mormon founder Joseph Smith was a non prophet but rather a "seer" and some people have interpreted that as a divine communicator of sorts. To say that to some degree Joseph Smith had some mystic premonition of Baha'u'llah's coming and mixed these visions in with his own made up stories and came up with Mormonism.
This creator, Joel Smith, has thus posted articles trying to relate Mormonism prophecy to the Baha'i Faith as well as Native American prophecy (Mormon beliefs are much rooted in claims about Native American origins).
Now whether or not these ideas are valid to some degree or another is not my objection. Rather it is the fact that this is pure dogma, to put it simply. Even if any of it is valid, there is a reason why none of this was not mentioned in the writings.
The fact is that Mormonism is a religion that is written off by most seekers and scholars as "out there" and obviously false. It makes extraordinary claims that contradict science, concerning a "Jewish origin of Native Americans," and Adam and Eve coming from Jackson Hole, Wyoming. Mormonism is seen as the example of a religion that is so obviously false that it goes to show just how far a false religion can go in popularity and establishment.
It's hard enough for us as Baha'i's to try to explain accurately the relation of the Baha'i Faith to religions of the past. Many falsely believe we are some sort of unitarians or new age conglomeration of religions. We struggle to correct this understanding and explain we believe these specific religions of a common origin but have dogmatically deviated from what would otherwise be perfect unity (the only variation being specific needs of time and place). Joel Smith is making this far harder by adding a religion which we do not even ascribe to into the mix and trying to make it appear as though we consider it legitimate.
I have personally tried to reason with Joel Smith through email. He sent what suspiciously seemed like canned email he sends to any Baha'i who objects - which went on about how it can cause Mormons to be interested in the faith. My response was that the cost of hooking in a few Mormon's was deterring away countless other seekers and scholars who get turned off by the mere fact that we try to not only hold validity to, but relate ourselves to a religion which is so laughably false. It makes Baha'i's look as though we are trying to relate ourselves to any religion on the planet - even though we are specific about which religions come from true Messengers, and which are what Baha'u'llah describes as a product of "human perversity."
I kind of find it a shame that this is the only such site that is apparent on the Internet. All us Baha'i's online and this is the only comprehensive site about prophecy fulfillment? As handy as that site can be in some aspects, I will never ever refer that site to a seeker or a scholar. I would be too ashamed and embarrassed that it bears a section about "mormon prophecies." Not only is it misleading, but in my attempt to try and correct this misunderstanding, by explaining why Joel Smith chose to include such a section, I would be effective acknowledging a dogmatic division in the Baha'i community - as small as it may be.
I wish I had time to make such a site. It would be great if we had a section of Baha'i-Library about Prophecy Fulfillment which we could all contribute and build up, without this profane perversion of our beliefs added on to suit the agenda of an individual.
The guy who created it obviously is one of a small batch of Baha'i's who has this fanatical appreciation of the notion that Mormonism somehow has some legitimacy in the Baha'i Faith - an idea which is completely unsupported by any Baha'i text.
At the very best, a pilgrim's note - a recording of what the Guardian said - relates that the Mormon founder Joseph Smith was a non prophet but rather a "seer" and some people have interpreted that as a divine communicator of sorts. To say that to some degree Joseph Smith had some mystic premonition of Baha'u'llah's coming and mixed these visions in with his own made up stories and came up with Mormonism.
This creator, Joel Smith, has thus posted articles trying to relate Mormonism prophecy to the Baha'i Faith as well as Native American prophecy (Mormon beliefs are much rooted in claims about Native American origins).
Now whether or not these ideas are valid to some degree or another is not my objection. Rather it is the fact that this is pure dogma, to put it simply. Even if any of it is valid, there is a reason why none of this was not mentioned in the writings.
The fact is that Mormonism is a religion that is written off by most seekers and scholars as "out there" and obviously false. It makes extraordinary claims that contradict science, concerning a "Jewish origin of Native Americans," and Adam and Eve coming from Jackson Hole, Wyoming. Mormonism is seen as the example of a religion that is so obviously false that it goes to show just how far a false religion can go in popularity and establishment.
It's hard enough for us as Baha'i's to try to explain accurately the relation of the Baha'i Faith to religions of the past. Many falsely believe we are some sort of unitarians or new age conglomeration of religions. We struggle to correct this understanding and explain we believe these specific religions of a common origin but have dogmatically deviated from what would otherwise be perfect unity (the only variation being specific needs of time and place). Joel Smith is making this far harder by adding a religion which we do not even ascribe to into the mix and trying to make it appear as though we consider it legitimate.
I have personally tried to reason with Joel Smith through email. He sent what suspiciously seemed like canned email he sends to any Baha'i who objects - which went on about how it can cause Mormons to be interested in the faith. My response was that the cost of hooking in a few Mormon's was deterring away countless other seekers and scholars who get turned off by the mere fact that we try to not only hold validity to, but relate ourselves to a religion which is so laughably false. It makes Baha'i's look as though we are trying to relate ourselves to any religion on the planet - even though we are specific about which religions come from true Messengers, and which are what Baha'u'llah describes as a product of "human perversity."
I kind of find it a shame that this is the only such site that is apparent on the Internet. All us Baha'i's online and this is the only comprehensive site about prophecy fulfillment? As handy as that site can be in some aspects, I will never ever refer that site to a seeker or a scholar. I would be too ashamed and embarrassed that it bears a section about "mormon prophecies." Not only is it misleading, but in my attempt to try and correct this misunderstanding, by explaining why Joel Smith chose to include such a section, I would be effective acknowledging a dogmatic division in the Baha'i community - as small as it may be.
I wish I had time to make such a site. It would be great if we had a section of Baha'i-Library about Prophecy Fulfillment which we could all contribute and build up, without this profane perversion of our beliefs added on to suit the agenda of an individual.
-
- Posts: 0
- Joined: Thu Apr 02, 2009 5:27 am