Oh okay, how about you? You got time? Could you read the Vedas and some of the other Scriptures of Hinduism? Anyway, I took a look at this book, the Kitab--Iqan. I remember this book. Someone had already quoted this on an old thread...
Among the Prophets was Noah. For nine hundred and fifty years He prayerfully exhorted His people and summoned them to the haven of security and peace. None, however, heeded His call. Each day they inflicted on His blessed person such pain and suffering that no one believed He could survive. How frequently they denied Him, how malevolently they hinted their suspicion against Him! Thus it hath been revealed: “And as often as a company of His people passed by Him, they derided Him. To them He said: ‘Though ye scoff at us now, we will scoff at you hereafter even as ye scoff at us. In the end ye shall know.’”
3 Long afterward, He several times promised victory to His companions and fixed the hour thereof. But when the hour struck, the divine promise was not fulfilled. This caused a few among the small number of His followers to turn away from Him, and to this testify the records of the best-known books. These you must certainly have perused; if not, undoubtedly you will. Finally, as stated in books and traditions, there remained with Him only forty or seventy-two of His followers. At last from the depth of His being He cried aloud: “Lord! Leave not upon the land a single dweller from among the unbelievers.”
4
I also remember that Baha'is couldn't explain the 950 years. Baha'is don't believe Noah lived that long. So some tried to say that was the length of his dispensation. But no one knew for sure. Do you know now what was meant by the 950 years, because it sure sounds like it is saying Noah lived for 950 years.
Then where does this story about Noah come from? It isn't anything like what the Jewish Scriptures say... and they are the ones that made him up. Then what about the Flood. Did it rain for 40 days and nights and flood the whole Earth. Did Noah really build a big boat? Did he have people other than just his family with him on the boat? This is not answering questions. It is adding more. And it sounds like it greatly contradicts the version told in the Jewish Scriptures. So why is it true. And if it is true, how does it not make the Jewish version false? No doubt, your "symbolic" explanations and interpretations. But the Baha'i story is literally what happened?
I guess the difference here CG, is that I do not read that book, or any scriptures as if they are a material story.
To me they are based on events of the time, that would have been witnessed by those that heard the Message, but the story is more world embracing, both in scope and ramifications.
To me at the same time Noah gave a message, God would have inspired others all around the world with new visions, new thoughts, bringing about and ever advancing and evolving civilisation.
I personally see the extent of time as a dispensation, but Shoghi Effendi says there is nothing to support that in the writings, there has not been an explanation given. What has been said is that when numbers are mentioned they have many deep spiritual meanings and implications.
Baha'u'llah said what is offered is a great ocean full of pearls of great price. It is up to us if we want to dive in and gather those pearls.
Another thing to consider is every action we take, every though we have while we say to others I am a follower of a particular Faith, reverts back to the Messengers that brought that Faith into this reality. So can you see people will still be inflicting pain and suffering well after a Messenger leaves this world;
".... My captivity,' Baha'u'llah wrote, 'cannot harm Me. That which can harm Me is the conduct of those who love Me, who claim to be related to Me, and yet perpetrate what causeth my heart and My pen to groan.' And again: 'My captivity can bring on Me no shame. Nay, by My life, it conferreth on Me glory. That which can make Me ashamed is the conduct of such of My followers as profess to love Me, yet in fact follow the Evil One." Us that say we Love, but fail to produce that love in our lives, cause the greatest harm.
There is so much in that book CG, that it would take infinite lives of 1000 years, just to find a needle in the haystack of meaning that book offers. But naught is found if it is viewed like the past scriptures, that the story is a just a historical material story, telling of historical material facts. The books are universes of light and ocean of words containing those many pearls of great price.
Personally I can say, that if in the 80's I had seen in those books what I now come to see, then I do know life would be very different now. All the mistakes made, could have been seen and considered in a different light. But that is life, it is about making a better future by tying each day to do better than the day just gone.
Regards Tony
