One God, Many Faiths; One Garden, Many Flowers

One God, Many Faiths;

One Garden, Many Flowers

Hushidar Hugh Motlagh, Ed.D.

Foreword by the Hon. Dorothy W. Nelson

Judge, U.S. Court of Appeals

1106 Greenbanks Dr.

Mt. Pleasant, MI 48858

www.GlobalPerspective.org

Published by Global Perspective

Copyright 2016 Hushidar Hugh Motlagh

All rights reserved

Smashwords Edition

The New English Bible (Niv)

Copyright © 1961, 1970. the Delegates of the Oxford University Press and the Syndics of the Cambridge University Press.

Printed by permission.

Holy Bible, New International Version (Neb)

Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984. International Bible Society.

Printed by permission of Zondervan Bible Publishers.

The Bible, The New King James Version (Nkj)

Copyright © 1984. Thomas Nelson Publishers.

Printed by permission.

Cover design by Lori Block

Websites:

https://www.GlobalPerspective.org

http://www.TheKnowledgeOfGod.com

http://www.Baha9.com

Email:

Info@GlobalPerspective.org

Great thinkers and leaders speak about the Bahá’í Faith:

Bahá’í teachings on religious tolerance, the unity of mankind, the elimination of prejudice, equality of the sexes, and universal peace embody principles that all people of good-will admire and support... I join with you in praying that we may see the realization of these fundamental principles in every land. _President George Bush

Yours has been a work of love. You have sown seeds of righteousness and justice, and humanity will reap rich harvests from your toil.

All thoughtful and farsighted men respect the mission of your Faith. For every one of us looks forward to the day when the earth will truly be one country—and mankind its citizens. _President Lyndon B. Johnson

In our times we can only survive, and our civilization can only flower, if we reorient the conventional wisdom and achieve the new insights... proclaimed by the Bahá’í Faith and...now also supported by the latest discoveries of the empirical sciences. _Dr. Ervin Laszlo, Editor of the World Encyclopedia of Peace, Renowned authority on systems sciences and world order

[The Bahá’í Faith] teaches the essential unity of mankind under one God...That is a force which cuts across politics, trade routes, racial groupings the world around. It can be made a powerful force in the practical affairs of the world. _Hon. William O. Douglas, U.S. Supreme Court Justice

Contents

What Can You Gain from This Book?

Choosing Your Everlasting Destiny

Why Should Everyone Investigate the Bahá’í Faith?

What Is the Bahá’í Faith?

Who Are the Central Figures of the Bahá’í Faith?

What Do Bahá’ís Believe About God?

Why Do We Need a New Faith?

Is There Any Evidence That the Bahá’í Faith Transforms Lives?

What Are the Two Most Critical Questions Every Seeker of Truth Should Ask?

Why Have People Always Denied God’s Messengers?

Do Miracles Prove the Station of God’s Messengers?

By What Evidence Did Christ Prove His Divine Station?

Who Was the Báb?

How Was the Báb Martyred?

Who Was Bahá’u’lláh?

What Station Does Bahá’u’lláh Claim?

What Other Proofs Establish the Validity of Bahá’u’lláh’s Station?

What Station Does the Báb Claim?

How Do Bahá’ís Intend to Unify the Diverse Religions of the World?

Is World Peace a Dream or a Destiny?

Why Do Bahá’ís Emphasize Independent Investigation of Truth?

Do Bahá’ís Have Clergy?

How Do the Great Religions Differ?

What Is Bahá’u’lláh’s Plan for a Peaceful and Prosperous World?

What Is Biological Prejudice?

What Are the Bahá’í Teachings on Marriage and Family?

How Do Bahá’ís Reconcile Religion and Science?

Is Human Nature Good or Evil?

Are Bahá’ís Active in Improving the Socio-Economic State of the World?

Do Bahá’ís Pray?

What Are the Sacred Scriptures of the Bahá’í Faith?

Do Bahá’ís Believe in the Afterlife?

A Mission Statement

My Mission in This Life, and My Eternal Destiny in the Life to Come

Do Bahá’ís Believe in Heaven and Hell?

What Are the Two Levels of Knowledge?

What Are the Traits of a True Seeker?

What Is the Illusion of Waiting and Wishing?

Why Do People Accept the Bahá’í Faith?

Should Everyone Investigate the Bahá’í Faith?

How Does One Become a Bahá’í?

A Few References for Continuing Your Investigation of the Bahá’í Faith

Notes and References

Preface

What Can You Gain from This Book?

We understand why children are afraid of darkness. But why are people afraid of light? _Plato

It takes a special person to reach for the light, to go beyond the comfort zone of tradition and conformity. Selecting or accepting a book of this kind puts you at the top of the pyramid of light-lovers. It shows a desire to discover; it points to an open mind, unafraid to expand; it indicates courage to step beyond the safety of the familiar and the popular; it demonstrates a sense of trust and hope that there is more to life than is found in the morning paper or on the evening news.

This book is for those who wish to see the world grow up, who feel like the little girl who said, I’d like to be six. I’m tired of being five. I have been five for the whole year!

Many people live lives of quiet desperation. They believe they cannot make any difference. This book undermines that belief. It shows how a small step can lead to giant leaps for you and for humankind, how a sincere desire can bring rewards beyond expectation. I hope the knowledge this book presents will help you take that small step with excitement and confidence. I hope it will stir and expand your desire for truth to blossom into an everlasting and ever-growing garden of joy and peace.

One God, Many Faiths presents the joyous news of the coming of the Kingdom, a news for which people have been waiting for thousands of years. It is written to proclaim that the Promised One of all nations and religions has come! It contains the most glorious message the human race has ever known: that the time is ripe for the peoples of the world to become one people, under one God and under one faith.

The age of separation has passed, the time of togetherness has come. We can survive and prosper only by cooperating and caring for each other. A lady lost power in her car at a traffic light. The young driver behind her kept honking his horn. The lady stepped out of her car, went to the young man and said, If you come and get my car started, I will blow your horn for you.{1} The world needs people who will step out of their little comfort zone and, instead of just sitting and making noise, become a part of the divine symphony.

One God, Many Faiths is about a new Faith—the Bahá’í Faith—that is unifying the peoples of all religions under one God. The knowledge of the new Faith—its marvelous teachings and incredible history—will lead you away from the stale odor of gloom and doom to a new and splendid garden. You will be surrounded by rows and rows of fragrant flowers. From every petal of those flowers you will hear a new song and symphony of peace and oneness, of hope and harmony.

You can be certain of this: If you investigate the Bahá’í Faith with a thirsting and humble heart, you will experience a sense of spiritual fulfillment that will edify and enrich your life beyond expectation. Once you have reached the end of your journey, you will say, How could I have lived without it? Your degree of spiritual capacity and thirst for truth will determine the heights to which you will soar.

The purpose of this book is to share with you the greatest and most joyous news the world has ever known, the knowledge of the most glorious advent in human history.

Through knowledge shall the just be delivered.{2} _Proverbs 11:9

There is nothing of greater importance to mankind than the investigation of truth.{3} _Bahá’í Scriptures

Choosing Your Everlasting Destiny

In this age of information overload, only a few people buy books, and of those who do, according to one report, only 10 percent read beyond the first few chapters! I hope you are one of those few champions who will persist to the finish line, one of those special people who put their spiritual destiny above everything else. If some topics interest you more than others, do not hesitate to read them first. But please make every effort to cover every topic. Otherwise, you may not see the celestial scene, the grand design of your spiritual destiny. Even a small patch of cloud—a lack of knowledge—can prevent you from seeing the sun.

Deep inside us there is a feeling that nothing happens by chance. Is there a reason you heard about the Bahá’í Faith? Is an invisible hand guiding you? God is ever-present in our lives and constantly puts signs in our path, which we often fail to see.

Christ specifically asked us to pray, so that we might know Him at His return:

Take ye heed, watch and pray... _Mark 13:33

Watch ye therefore, and pray always... _Luke 21:36

Before embarking on this most critical and far-reaching journey of your life, pray that you will be assisted every step of the way. Will the One who asks us to pray ignore our prayers? Will He not hold our hands if we ask Him?

Whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive. _Christ (Matt. 21:22)

For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened. _Christ (Matt. 7:7-8)

And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved... _Joel 2:32

This prayer should ascend from every heart, it should become everyone’s daily desire:

Show me thy ways, O Lord, teach me thy paths. _Psalms 25:4-5

Through childhood training we become emotionally programmed into a specific system of belief. This system cannot be turned off and on by the sheer weight of evidence. A candle, however perfect, cannot set itself on fire. Without the light of God the soul is only a lump of wax. But as soon as it makes a move, it ignites the spark of truth, it sets in motion the heart of Heaven.

Concerning all acts of initiative and creation, there is one elementary truth—that the moment one definitely commits oneself, then Providence moves, too. _Johann Goethe

Wisdom indicates that the worthiest way to spend life is to invest it in something that outlives life, to devote it to a purpose that never dies. I hope the study of the Bahá’í Faith will serve that purpose for you. I hope you are among the few who have faith in God’s promises and are dedicated to discovering the knowledge of their fulfillment. I hope you are among those who will take time to uncover this greatest of all mysteries: the coming of the One promised in all Scriptures, the supreme Messenger and Redeemer of our time, for whom the world has been waiting for thousands of years. Actions deferred are all too often opportunities lost.

Obviously, you are not an average person. The fact that you are reading this book is evidence that you already have climbed from the deep valleys of apathy and unawareness, that you already are at the top of the pyramid of light-lovers. Let me therefore salute you for your wisdom, courage, and commitment to embarking on a journey that will continue beyond time into the eternal future. Let me commend you for giving a high priority to your spiritual life and destiny, for making an independent investigation of truth. Let me also thank you for the honor of allowing me to share with you a message that has transformed my life beyond estimation and that can transform yours and that of every other person on our planet. May your search be a step that will lead to giant leaps for you and for humankind. I cherish the hope that some day I will have the honor of meeting you and knowing you. Until then, may God bless you and assist you in all your endeavors.

Hugh Motlagh

The Promise of All Ages

The desired of all nations shall come. _Haggai 2:7

On that day the Lord shall be one Lord and his name the one name. _Zechariah 14:9

And I...am about to come and gather all nations and tongues, and they will come and see my glory. _Isaiah 66:18

Soon will the present day Order be rolled up, and a new one spread out in its stead. _Bahá’í Scriptures

All nations and kindreds...will become a single nation. Religious and sectarian antagonism, the hostility of races and peoples, and differences among nations, will be eliminated. _Bahá’í Scriptures

Ye are the fruits of one tree, and the leaves of one branch. Deal ye one with another with the utmost love and harmony, with friendliness and fellowship...So powerful is the light of unity that it can illuminate the whole earth. The One true God, He Who knoweth all things, Himself testifieth to the truth of these words. _Bahá’í Scriptures

Questions and Answers About the Bahá’í Faith

He Who Seeks Finds

Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened. _Christ (Matthew 7:7-8)

Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know. _Jeremiah 33:3

He rewards those who earnestly seek Him. _Hebrews 11:6

Why Should Everyone Investigate the Bahá’í Faith?

God has always sent knowledge through His Messengers and Redeemers. And He has always asked us to look for them, to find them, and to follow them. Searching is always the first essential step. What did Christ mean by saying, "Watch!"? What did He mean by saying that He would come like a thief?

That is the day when I come like a thief! Happy the man who stays awake... _Christ (Revelation 16:15)

Be on guard! Be alert!...keep watch...do not let him find you sleeping. What I say to you, I say to everyone: "Watch!" _Christ (Mark 13:33-37)

Be always on the watch...that you may be able to stand before the Son of Man. _Christ (Luke 21:36)

What, then, did Christ mean by Watch!? Did He mean Watch the evening news! Watch the Sunday morning sermon and choir! Watch political and religious leaders in debate!? No, He meant watch for the news of His coming! Only a thief img2.png the One people fail to see img2.png requires careful and constant watching. And who do you think can find a thief? The one who dreams or the one who acts? The one who sits and waits, or the one who looks for Him?

Unto them that look for Him [Christ] shall He appear the second time. _Hebrews 9:28

Could the instructions about the need for investigation be more clear, more emphatic? Why, then, do many people fail to follow the Word of their Master?

Not only we are asked to look for the thief, not only we are urged to watch for the news of His coming, we also are asked to keep a watch on ourselves, so that we have the courage to investigate His message and the insight to see His divine glory and splendor. The twin watchings img2.png for Him and for ourselves img2.png are intertwined.

Keep a watch on yourselves; do not let your minds be dulled by dissipation and drunkenness and worldly cares...Be on the alert... _Christ (Luke 21:34-36)

Why did Christ choose such a powerful and vivid metaphor img2.png a thief who comes in the dark of the night img2.png to describe His return? And why did He emphasize the need for staying awake and alert? Because He knew that at His coming people would be spiritually asleep. They would not hear the alarm, they would not hear the new song, but would continue to dream in the dark of unawareness.

How would you respond if a colleague or acquaintance made this statement: There is a religion called the Bahá’í Faith. Its followers believe that Christ has already returned. And they have 1,800 reasons to prove it? Would you say, Show me those reasons, where can I find them? And if in response your friend said, You can find them in three volumes, each about 500 pages. Would you say, Where can I find those volumes? I can’t wait to read them? Or would you simply ignore the news? If you are an average person, you would probably ignore the news.

How did you respond to the number 1,800? Did you think it was a random number? Would you be surprised to know that the figure 1,800 is true, that the Bible does contain so many prophecies about the Bahá’í Faith? And does it surprise you to know that they all have come to pass? (You can read those prophecies in I Shall Come Again, Lord of Lords, and King of Kings.){4}

If this claim is indeed true, if all these prophecies actually have been fulfilled by the Bahá’í Faith, why are most people unaware? Does not this lack of awareness fulfill the prophecies comparing the return of Christ to the coming of a thief?

What has happened is hard to believe. How can so much evidence remain unknown? How can the greatest and most anticipated news in history remain unrecognized? How can so much glory remain concealed beyond the clouds of unawareness?

The One who uttered those 1,800 prophecies knew that to a sleeper no amount of evidence can make any difference. A dreamer can sleep through the most majestic and magnificent dawn without the slightest awareness. Even a little sleepiness can prevent a soul from seeing the splendor of the sun.

We can see how perfectly—in spite of massive evidence pointing to His return—Christ’s promise and prediction of His thief-like advent have come to pass. We can see how the greatest news in human history has remained mostly unnoticed.

After more than a century, many still have not heard the wake up call. Many are still unaware that in the mid-19th century, when muddy waters began to rise and threaten our planet and its peoples and the old order began to shake and crumble, God sent His Ark of salvation img2.png a new Messenger with a new Faith and a new world order for peace and unity, a Faith with practical solutions not only to our personal and spiritual life but also to our economic, social, and political problems. This book offers brief responses to some of the questions people ask frequently about this Faith img2.png the Bahá’í Faith.

The Bahá’í Faith has a powerful and timely message that can transform your life on a scale you did not think possible. It can help you see your role on this planet in an entirely new light. It can strengthen your faith in God and inspire you to reach for new heights of awareness and spirituality. It reveals a Secret that has remained unknown for thousands of years.

Shout and be glad...For I am coming, and I will live among you, declares the Lord. _Zechariah 2:10

This is the Day of great rejoicing. It behoveth everyone to hasten towards the court of His nearness with exceeding joy...{5} _Bahá’í Scriptures

What Is the Bahá’í Faith?

Bahá’í is a new independent faith, born in 1844. Only once in a thousand years is a great religion such as the Bahá’í Faith born. Its followers are called Bahá’ís, meaning those who follow the light. Its prime purpose is to spiritualize humanity, to make religion relevant to our time, to restore its purity and vitality, and to focus and direct its energies toward the goal of creating a global society, a new world civilization based on justice, peace, and unity.

The Bahá’í Faith is the second most widely spread religion in the world, next to Christianity. The following figures, based on Britannica Book of the Year, show the number of countries and territories to which various religions have spread:

img3.png Christianity 254

img3.png Bahá’í Faith 205

img3.png Islam 172

img3.png Hinduism 88

img3.png Buddhism 86{6}

Bahá’í is a faith whose coming is promised in all sacred scriptures. They have all foretold that, at a given point in history, when darkness and despair have spread, when the great tribulation has engulfed the human race, God will send a new light for all the peoples of the world to guide them and unite them. Bahá’ís believe that light has come. You are invited to investigate