1. Although Baha’is believe in One God, the God of Abraham, Jim is both an atheist and a Baha’i in good standing.
2. Baha’is believe the Bahá’u’lláh was a Manifestation of God along with Jesus, Buddha and Krishna. However they are not God incarnate as you suggest.
3. That is not too far off. Bahá’u’lláh in His Will and Testament appointed His eldest son, Abdu’l-Baha as His successor to be the leader of His Faith, an authorised interpreter of Bahá’u’lláh’s Words and a perfect exemplar of Baha’i life.
4. That is close. Abdu’l-Baha appointed twin successors.
5. Not true.
6. Only Jim can answer that one but I consider him a Baha’i in good standing.
7. I’ve deliberately emphasised the authority invested in not only the Bab and Bahá’u’lláh as the twin Manifestations of God but the authority invested in Abdul-Baha, Shoghi Effendi and the Universal House of Justice and the necessity for a Baha’i to adhere to what is known as the Covenant of Bahá’u’lláh with this clear succession. So while Baha’is do have latitude to have non-Bahá’í beliefs it is a for the most part a matter between the individual and God. The Baha’i Administration doesn’t pry into peoples personal lives unless there is exceptional circumstances. It is a personal matter as to whether or not Jim considers himself a Baha’i.
1. Now, how can that be? When Bahaullah said that there is One Allah, was he speaking a lie? If Jim does not believe in One Allah, how can he be a Bahai?
2. But I remember that you said there is no difference between Allah and a manifestation. And you and Bahais claim that Bahaullah fulfilled all prophecies of an incorrect Bible (Bible is not correct but the prophecies are correct!) and is the returning Jesus, Krishna, Buddha and Saoshyant.
3. Right. That is what I was trying to tell Jim that he has to believe in One Allah, the manifesttion of Allah as Bhaullah, and the authority of Abdul Baha, Shoghi Effendi and the House of Justice. It is obligatory for any Bahai. Not recognizing any of them renders Jim to be a non-Bahai.
4. He sure did. Why did he need to do that? Was Shoghi Effendi not enough? It was like appointing a successor and creating a ministry to save him from any problem.
Twin Covenants. Now that creates another problem.
"They are part of the same Covenant, the Lesser Covenant Bahá'u'lláh has made with His believers. He has covenanted with us that He will guide the Institutions of the Cause until the appearance of the next Manifestation of God, and has taken from us a Covenant to turn to them."
Bahaullah will guide you even after his death, for a 1,000 years! How is he doing that? Has he taken the form of ghost or djinn to continue to guide you? Is he there in his grave or has been out? You people keep on telling us new things all the time. I thought Bahais were all for love and peace, but the covenant of Abdul Baha talks of enemies.
"May the wrath, the fierce indignation, the vengeance of God rest upon him!" Cursing like Jesus. What does a curse do? Can it harm the cursed? It only vitiates the mind of one who curses. I was not expecting this from the Bahai Guide, Shoghi Effendi.
5. Tell me how is it not true? Will Jim not incur the wrath and fierce indignation of Allah, if he does not follow the covenant?
6. Saying that Jim is an atheist and does not believe in Allah, then what is of Allah does not apply to him. And you still consider him a Bahai. You too are breaking the covenant. You are bringing the Bahai House down by such statements. You should reflect on what Bahaullah said.
7. What? What? Twin manifestation of God! I thought it was only Bahaullah. Now you say, there is a twin. Kindly let me know about this Bahaullahs twin. Bab was the Mahdi, he was not a manifestation of Allah. Bahais are impossible. One can never predict what they will say next.