2 Matching Annotations
  1. Jan 2019
    1. Should a man wish to adorn himself with the ornaments of the earth, to wear its apparels, or partake of the benefits it can bestow, no harm can befall him, if he alloweth nothing whatever to intervene between him and God, for God hath ordained every good thing, whether created in the heavens or in the earth, for such of His servants as truly believe in Him.

      Definition of attachment.

      Also, if your actions are due to addiction but you're consciously trying to counter it (or even, if you don't have help in quitting, just disliking it), perhaps that's different from allowing something to "intervene between him and God".

    2. Say: Should your conduct, O people, contradict your professions, how think ye, then, to be able to distinguish yourselves from them who, though professing their faith in the Lord their God, have, as soon as He came unto them in the cloud of holiness, refused to acknowledge Him, and repudiated His truth?

      What's the difference between a professed Baha'i who (purposefully?) breaks the laws, and people who do not accept the next Manifestation when They come?

      How does this fit with, for example, alcohol addiction? Is that conduct that is contradicting someone's professions? Maybe not if your professions are "alcohol is bad, we shouldn't do it, but I am addicted and trying to recover", as opposed to "Baha'u'llah says alcohol is bad, but I drink anyway and don't see it as a problem".