A few of the world's 6 million Bahá'ís

This article is about ---20-- printed pages long. It is not copyrighted. Anyone can print it out and make copies without permission. This article is not an official Bahá'í publication, but contains of the personal views of its author~Darrick Evenson

he Bahá'í Faith is an independent World Religion with over 6 million followers in over 150 countries. It was founded in 1844 by Siyyid Muhammad 'Ali Shirazi; otherwise known as "The Báb" ("The Gate" of God). He was the promised Imam Mahdi of Shi'a Islam.

The Baháís are the followers of Bahá'u'lláh ("bah-hah-ool-lah"); the Promised One of all religions. He is:

*The Spirit of Truth of Christianity.
*The Al-Maseeh of Islam.
*The Maitreya Buddha of Buddhism.
*The Shah Brahram of Zoroastrianism.
*The Messiah ben David of Judaism.
*The Kalki Avatar of Vaishnavism.

Bahá'u'lláh is the Manifestation of God the Father in the same way that Yeh'o'shuah (Jesus) was the Manifestation of God the Son.

The mission of Bahá'u'lláh was to establish the Kingdom of God the Father upon the earth, otherwise known as the "City of New Jerusalem". The Baháís refer to is as "The World Order of Baha'u'llah".

The World Order of Bahá'u'lláh is based upon 12 Foundations of World Unity.

Bahá'ís accept the following Messengers as Manifestations of God:

Adam
Noah
Abraham
Krishna
Buddha
Zoroaster
Moses
Jesus
Muhammad
The Bab
Baha'u'llah

The Manifestations of God are the "reflections" of God's Names and Attributes. They reveal the Mind and Will of God to humanity.

Why?

Three reasons:

*To "save" us.

*To prepare our souls for the Afterlife.

*To advance Divine Civilization.

Bahá'ís recognize Baháu'lláh as the Manifestation of God for our time.

The Spirit of Truth

Q. Who is this Bahá'u'lláh?

A. He is THE SPIRIT OF TRUTH that Jesus promised His disciples would come and teach us "all things" as pertaining to the Kingdom of God on earth!

Yeh'o'shuah (Jesus) said:

13"Howbeit when he, THE SPIRIT OF TRUTH is come, he will guide you unto all truth; for he will not speak of himself, but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak, and he will shew you things to come.
14 He shall glorify Me...." (John 16:13-14)

"Verily, He Who is THE SPIRIT OF TRUTH is now come to guide you unto all truth. He speaketh not as prompted by His own Self, but as bidden by Him Who is the All-Knowing, the All-Wise. Say, this is the One Who hath glorified the Son and hath exalted His Cause."(Tablets of Bahá'u'lláh, p.12)

Baha'is do not believe that "Heaven" or "Hell" are literal geographical places, but conditions of the soul. When we die we go on to the next World. If our souls have the condition of Heaven then the next world will appear as Heaven. If our soul in this life is in the condition of Hell then the next world will appear as Hell. What Heaven and Hell are actually like we cannot knkow in this life; just like a child in the womb can't understand what mortal life is like until it is experienced.

Evangelical Christians believe that at death, all truly born-again Evangelical Christians go to Heaven to be with the Lord forever. They shall become angels, and join a heavenly choir of angels that are around the Throne of God, and sing praises to the Lord--one song after another--for all eternity.

Traditional Roman Catholics used to believe that everyone not Roman Catholic would burn-in-Hell forever, but that has changed (for the most part). Evangelical Christians believe that everybody else, who is not a born-again Christian (i.e. a true Bible-believing Evangelical) shall, upon death, go to an eternal Hell; to be tormented by the Devil and literal hell-fire for all eternity.

Muslims believe very similar things about Heaven and Hell as do Evangelicals; only that all true Muslims will go to "Heaven" (which is for them "Gardens" of delight), and everyone else, including Evangelical Christians, will go to an eternal Hell.

The Sunni Muslims believe they are true Muslims, but not Shi'as. The Shi'as believe they are true Muslims, but not the Sunnis. Many Muslim sects believe "they" are true Muslims, but not all the others. Only "they" will go to Heaven; everybody else (including other Muslims) will go to an eternal Hell.

The Qur'an says that those who "deny Allah and His signs" shall go to Hell-fire at death. But the Qur'an also says that whosoever believes in God and the Last Day "has nothing to fear" (2:62). There is actually no Verse in the Qur'an which says only "Muslims" go to Heaven. Indeed, the Qur'an says that sincere Jews and Christians~indeed anyone who believe in God and the "Last Day" (i.e. punishment for bad and reward for good) "have nothing to fear" (5:69).

The Qur'an seems to teach that "Hell" lasts until the Day of Resurrection. At that point, God raised them up. To those who rejected the Messengers of God, there is a certain punishment:

124. But whosoever turns away from My Message, verily, for him is a life narrowed down, and We shall raise him up blind on the Day of Judgement.
125. He will say, "O my Lord! Why hast thou raised me up blind; while I had sight (in mortal life)?"
126. (Allah) will say: "Thus didst thou, when our Signs came unto thee, disregard Them; so wilt thou this Day, be disregarded." (20:124-126)

*The Companions of the Garden (7:42,36:55,etc.)
*The Companions of the Right-Hand (56:8).
*The Companions of the Left-Hand (56:9).

The Companions of the Left-Hand are also called "The Companions of the Fire" (35:6,38:44)

The Companions of the Garden are the Foremost and Faithful, and shall inherit "Gardens" of delight (9:21); like the Garden of Eden. They shall be wed to their wives, and also have beautiful virgins, and be served by handsome youths (55:62, 56:22-24). They shall not labor, but recline on thrones. Eternal marriage is for them (52:20). Each will be asigned a "mansion" (25:10).

Jesus said:

2 In my Father's House are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you." (John 14:2)

The Companions on the Left-Hand are those who denied the "signs" of Allah. This seems to be reserved for Atheists (deniers of God) and Hypocrites (those who pretend to believe in God but secretly deny Him or live as if they deny Him) and Materialists (those who never think about God and the Last Day). At death they will go to Hell. They will approach Hell and gnaw at their hands in fear (25:27). They will beg for another chance to live a better life on earth but this is denied them (7:53). They will be dressed in iron chains, with an iron collar, manacles, and be dragged by their hair and feet through boiling water into the Fire (40:71). They will try to escape, but their guards will drive them back with hooked-rods and say, "Taste the doom of burning in the Fire you used to deny." (22:22). Every morning and evening they will enter the Fire (40:46), and between times they will eat fruit of the bitter Zaqqum tree that tastes like molten brass(44:43). They shall alternative drink boiling water and icy cold water (37:62-68). They will beg the Lord that He annihilate them, but the Lord will reply, "Here you must remain." (43:77). Their torments will endure "for ages" (78:23).

Many Verses of the Qur'an say that those who inherit the Garden (Paradise) and those who inherit the Fire (Hell) shall "dwell therein forever." (many Verses).

The Arabic sentence for "and dwell therein forever" is wa hum fiha khalidoon:

wa ("and")

hum ("they")

fiha ("live therein" "dwell therein" "abide therein")

khalidoon ("eternity" "forever")

Khalid is often translated either "eternal" or "immortal" in Arabic. The word khalidoon is a simple plural of khalid, and so can be translated "eternals" or "immortals" or "forevers". So, wa hum fiha khalidoon can be translated as "and they will abide therein eternals" or "and they will abide therein forevers" or "and they will abide therein immortals".

Which makes more sense? Does "eternals" make sense? Does "forevers" make sense? How can one abide in anything "eternals" or "forevers"? But one can abide "immortals"! The Qur'an says of the "original sin" of Adam and Eve:

20 Then Satan whispered suggestions to them both in order to uncover which was hidden from them of their private parts (before); he said, "Thy Lord didst not forbit ye this tree save ye should become angels or become the immortals." (7:20)

The Arabic language has two words for "forever":

1) Azal (eternal past)

2) Abad (eternal furture)

Neither of these words are used to describe the duration of Hell!

The Qur'an seems to clearly teach that the "Unbelievers" (those who deny the Signs of God) will be in Hell until the Day of Resurrection:

99 When death comes to each of them, he will say, "Lord, let me go back, that I may do good deeds in the world I have left behind."
(Allah says) "Never!" These are the words he will speak.
100 Behind them there shall stand a barrier til the Day of Resurrection.(23:99-100)

Heaven and Hell in Judaism

The Qur'anic descriptions of the "Heaven" and "Hell" are similar to the old Jewish Pharisee understanding. The name Parushiym ("Pharisee") in Hebrew meant "Pure Ones"; those who kept themselves pure via the Law of Moses. The Pharisee were doctors (teachers) of the Law of Moses to the common-people (who could not read). They were addressed as Rabbi ("raab-bai") which means, "My teacher". The greatest rabbs were called Rabbonai ("raab-bone-nai"); which means "My Master-Teacher". There were different schools of interpretation among the Pharisees. In Jesus' day, the two most popular "school of thought" among the Pharisees were the School of Shammai and the School of Hillel.

The School of Hillel; founded by the great Jewish scribe (scholar)the Rabbi Hillel (60B.C. to 20A.D.), taught that there are three groups of people:

*The Perfectly Righteous
*The Intermediate Class
*The Perfectly Wicked

At death the Perfectly Righteous go to Paradise; which is a Garden of Eden. There, they enjoy an eternal Shabbat ("rest"), eat and drink wonderful drinks and fruits, rest upon thrones, be served by servant-angels, enjoy sunshine and sexual intercourse between husbands and their wives. (Babylonian Talmud, Berachot 57b).

The Intermediate class, however, go to Gehinnom (Hell) when they die. They are told, "Go down to Gihinnom, and moan, and come up again." (Rosh Hash. 16b, 17a). They will stay there from one day up to one year; depending on their deeds in life. When they come up from Hell they shall enjoy an eternal Shabbat, but they shall not eat, or drink, but enjoy the luster of Shekinah--the Lord's Glory, like the angels in Heaven (Berechot 17a).

The third group, the Perfectly Wicked, shall at death go down to the Fire and dwell therein until the Day of Resurrection.

Most Bible scholars believe that Jesus adhered to the School of Hillel (60B.C. to 20A.D.). Jesus' saying "Therefore all things whatsoever ye would men should do to you, do even so to them: for this is the Law (Torah) and the Prophets!" (Matt. 7:12). This is actually a direct quote from Rabbi Hillel; who was still alive when Jesus was a young man. One day a man came to Hillel standing on one leg, and said, "Can you teach me the entire Torah (Law) while I stand on one leg?" Hillel replied, "Yes, just love God will all your heart, and treat others as you would like to be treated. Everyting else in the Law is just commentary." (Talmud, Shabbat 31a).

The New Testament also speaks of three distinct groups. Jesus spoke of the "Children of Light" (John 12:36) and "the Children of the This World" (Luke 16:8) and the Children of the Devil (refered to in 1 John 3:10) as three separate groups. He referred to His disciples as the "Children of Light" He referred to the Sadducees (who denied the Resurrection and immortality of the soul) as the "children of this world" who would not be married in the resurrection, but be "like the angels in heaven".(Luke 20:34-36). Jesus contrasted the "Children of This World" with the "Children of Light" when He said: "The children of this world are in their generation wiser than the children of light." (Luke 16:8).

Heaven and Hell in Mystical Islam

Islam is divided into many sects and schools of jurisprudence (i.e. interpretations of the Shariah, or Muslim Law). The two main sects of Islam are the Sunni ("Soonee") and Shi'a (Shee'uh). Most Muslims are Sunni, and follow Islam as defined by a literal interpretation of the Qur'an, and the Hadiths ("Sayings") of the Prophet Muhammad. They see His "Sayings" as equal to the Qur'an. The Shi'a (in Iran, southern Iraq, and parts of India, Pakistan, and Yemen) are descendants of those who followed the Imam Ali ibn Abu Talib; the first convert, son-in-law, and legal Khaleef ("Successor") to Muhammad. They see the Qur'an as having one zahir ("evident") or literal meaning, and 70 (i.e. a great multitude) of batin ("hidden") or metaphorical meanings. The Sunnis and Shi'as are futher divided into many different Schools of legal interpretation, and many different sects. The sect most prevalent in Arab countries like Saudi Arabia is the Wahabis; although they don't consider themselves a "sect" but the only "true Muslims".

The Baha'i Faith arose out of the Babi Faith, which itself arose out of the Shaykhi Sect of Twelver Shi'a Islam. Besides Twelver Shi'as, there are Sevener Shi'as (Ismailis) as well as Fiver Sh'ias (Zaydis). The Twelvers accept all twelve Shi'a Imams. The Seveners only seven, and the Fivers only five.

The Prophet Muhammad is purported to have said that in the Last Days there would be 73 sects of Islam, and 72 of them-- all but one-- would be fit only for Hell-fire. Each sect of Islam claims to be that "one".

Most Sunni and Shi'a Muslims interpret "Hell" (i.e. Fire) and "Heaven" (i.e. Gardens) as described in the Qur'an absolutely literally. However, Muslim mystics, such as the Sufis, the Ishraqis, the Shaykhis, the Batinis, and the Ismailis, and others, interpret it more as a parable; something "symbolic".

Some Muslim mystics have interpreted the "Fire" to mean the material Kosmos, and that "Hell" was coming back again and again to this material Creation of Fire. "Heaven" is achieving Oneness with God, when one's spirit become united with God; like a drop of rain landing in the ocean. They interpret the following Verse as meaning that those who go to Hell actually come back again and again to mortal bodies:

56 No sooner will their skins be thoroughly burnt (in Hell) than other skins are given to them." (4:56)

Some Muslim mystics believe that the "wardens" of Hell who have "hooks" to drag unsaved souls back into Hell-fire "every morning and evening" are symbols of Cosmic Laws, such as the Law of Karma; which causes unliberated souls to come back to mortal lives in the Cosmic Fire (i.e. the material universe).

In the Bhagavad Gita ("Lord's Song"), a book which Baha'is quote from often, Lord Krishna (Whom Baha'is believe was a Manifestation of God) tells His disciple Arguna about the Afterlife:

"Those situated in the mode of goodness gradually go upward to the higher planets; those in the mode of passion live on the earthly planets; and those in the mode of ignorance go down to the hellish worlds." (Gita 14:18)

Other Muslim mystics believe that Barzakh, the "barrier" between this world and the next (23:99-100) is where "Hell" and "Paradise" exist. They interpret Barzakh as the Dream-World. In dreams we "see" without eyes, and "hear" without ears. We experience things without a physical body. So, in Barzakh (the space between this world and the Day of Resurrection), we shall experience "Hell" or "Paradise" like a "dream". Then, at the Day of Resurrection, we shall "wake-up" back into the physical creation.

Orthodox Muslim Beliefs

But, again, most Orthodox Muslims would say that "Hell" is eternal for all non-Muslims. For bad Muslims (Muslims-behaving-badly) Hell shall be temporary, but for Christians (Evangelicals and all other kinds), Jews, Baha'is, Hindus, Atheists, Jains, Wiccans, Shintoists, Taoists, Animists, Scientologists, Gnostics, Buddhists, Agnostics, Pagans,and other Muslims they don't consider to be true Muslims like Sufis, etc., Hell shall be an eternal torture. They base that belief on Verses such as this:

128 He will say: "The Fire is your abode--you shall abide therein forever, except as Allah pleases. Surely, thy Lord is Wise, Knowing." (6:128)

But, regardless of what the Qur'an actually says, Orthodox Muslims believe Hell-fire for all non-muslims is eternal. Why? Orthodox Muslims reason like this, "Since Islam is the true religion, only Muslims will be saved! Only true Muslims; not Muslims who disagree with our particular School of Interpretation! For WE are correct, and every other School and Sect is corrupt! Indeed, we believe in true Islam! We do not belong to any Sect! All others do! So, it follows, why would Allah wish to bring up others than US from Hell? Since He has no wish to, Hell will be eternal for all but US!"

The Muslims who believe in this most strongly are the Wahabis. Osama bin Laden and his followers in Al-Qaeda are Wahabis. The Wahabis think that Baha'is are "heretics" and "blashemers". They teach that it is justified to kill Bahá'ís; even women and children! Some extremist Shi'a Muslims believe that as well. Over 500 Baha'is (including young girls) have been hung and beheaded in Iran since the Iranian Revolutionary Government took power there in 1979. Many more have been assaulted, raped, beaten, their homes confescated, their houses of worship destroyed, their daughters forced into polygamist marriages with Muslims, their children denied education above grade-school, their husbands dismissed from all but menial jobs, all in the Name of God and Islam.

Evangelical Christian Beliefs

Most Evangelical Christians believe that all will burn in Hell forever except truely born-again Evangelical Christians! Why? Because "How can you be saved without accepting Jesus as your Personal Savior?" Since, they reason, only they truly accept the Jesus as their Personal Savior and Lord, as the one and only Lord, then only they are saved; all else perishing in an eternal Hell. Most interpret "Hell" to mean a place of fire and brimestone (sulfur); eternal (never-ending) torment.

Evangelicals believe Hell is "eternal" because "the Bible says so!".

But does it?

The Greek words for "eternal punishment/torment" is aidios timoria. Those words together cannot be found in any Greek manuscript of the Bible! What many English Bibles translate as "eternal punishment" or "eternal torment" is aeonios kolasin: "age-lasting chastisement". The word kolasin comes from another Greek word: kolazo ("to prune"). The Greek word kolasis means "to correct, to punish as a means of correction, to chastise, to reprove". It means to "prune" a sick tree by lopping off dead branches so that it becomes healthy and well.

The word translated "eternal" and "everlasting" and "forever" in most English Bibles is aeonios, and does not means "belonging to an Age". The Greek word for age is Aeon, and means a "period of time" with a beginning and an end. The Greek word for "eternal" is aidios, and occurs only twice in the New Testament:

*Romans 1:20 (referring to God's everlasting power)

*Jude 1:6 (referring to the "everlasting" chains Satan will be bound with)

Is Hell eternal? Not according to the Greek Bible. The New Testament was written in Greek; not English! Jude, the brother of Jesus, wrote that Sodom suffered "the vengeance of eternal[aeonion] fire." (Jude 1:7).

Is Sodom still burning?

The reason is because:

*When the New Testament was first translated into Latin, the Greek word aeonion (age-lasting), was mistranslated into the Latin word aeternum (eternal/everlasting/forever).

*Jesus said of Gehenna (Hell):

48 Where the worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched. (Mark 9:48)

But that wasn't Jesus was saying! Gehenna (translated "hell" in English Bibles) is a Greek rendering of the Hebrew Geh-Hinnom ("Valley of Hinnom"). The Valley of Hinnom was a place where the Canaanites sacrificed their children (in their offerings to their gods) in fire, and a place afterwards where the Israelites burned their trash, and where the bodies of criminals were burned. The Pharisees used "Geh-Hinnom" as a symbol of God's punishment for the wicked in the Afterlife; between death and the Day of Resurrection. But many thought that if they were alive in Gehenna, then they could throw water on the fire or roll-around and quench it that way. Jesus was telling them that this was not possible. The Fire could not be watered-down or extinguished like earthly fires.

But He never said it was "eternal".

Baha'i Views of the Afterlife

What do Baha'is believe? Baha'is believe that both "Heaven" and "Hell" as mentioned in the Qur'an are parables, and are to be understood metaphorically and not literally. Heaven and Hell are not geographical locations. Heaven is not above the sky, and Hell is not below the earth. Souls close to God are already in "Heaven", and souls far from God are already in "Hell". But, when we die, "Heaven" and "Hell" become manifest.

Paradise and Hell are conditions of the soul with become manfest in the Afterlife

Most Baha'is do not speculate on exactly what "Heaven" is or exactly what "Hell" is; other than believing that they truly exist, and that souls "close to God" will experience Heaven and souls "far from God" will experience Hell. Baha'is believe the Qur'anic depictions of Heaven and Hell are "metaphors" and "parables"; not meant to be understood literally. Baha'is have different personal opinions of what the symbols described as "Heaven" and "Hell" in the Qur'an actually refer to. Baha'is are allowed personal interpretations as long as they don't try to force other Baha'is to believe as they do.

Some Baha'is are frustrated because the Qur'an, and the Holy Writings of the three Central Figures of the Faith (The Bab, Baha'u'llah, and 'Abdu'l-Baha) were not clearer and more specific as to what the Afterlife is like. They spoke in parables, and used metaphors and symbols; like the Book of Revelations does, or like Jesus' parables do. We are told this is for a reason. Baha'u'llah wrote:

41. O Son of My Handmaid!
Didst thou behold immortal sovereignty, thou wouldst strive to pass from this fleeting world. But to conceal the one from thee and to reveal the other is a mystery which none but the pure in heart can comprehend." (The Hidden Words of Baha'u'llah, Arabic #41)

'Abdu'l-Baha, the Eldest Son of Baha'u'llah and the Interpret of His Writings, was asked about the doctrine of Reincarnation. He gave a long reply that can be found in Some Answered Questions pages 281-289. Basically, He said that "returning and coming back to this material world" was not possible (SAQ p.285). However, He left the possibility open of other lives on other planets.

Baha'is do not believe in reincarnation back to this planet, but the belief that one can be "incarnated" into other materials worlds is a possibility. Baha'is can hold such a view (incarnation on other planets) as a personal opinion. But this mortal life on this planet is like the womb. We can't return to another mortal life on this planet just like we can't return to the womb of our own mothers. However, other material existences on other planets is possible.

Lady Sarah Louisa Bloomfield (1859-1939), the wife of a British lord, was, in her day, a celebrated philanthopist and social-activist. She was one of the founders of "Save the Children"; a foundation which still provides free food and medication to poor children worldwide. She heard of the Baha'i Faith from friends, and soon "declared" (i.e. joined). Like many British intellectuals in her day, she believed in reincarnation. It seemed more logical, and less terrifying, to many intellectuals in the West, than the idea of an eternal Hell where everyone not adhering to a particular church or religion burns forever. In the early 20th century she visited 'Abdu'l-Baha in Haifa, and then discovered that Baha'is did not believe in reincarnation; the returning to another mortal life on this planet. It was a great disappointment to her and other Baha'is who learned that reincarnation was not a part of Baha'i Teachings.

Lady Bloomfield had studied Buddhism, which teaches that some enlighted souls, called Bodisattvas, were allowed to return to earth to help unenlighted souls reach Nirvana. So, she asked 'Abdu'l-Baha concerning this. She said,

"I am wondering about the next world, whether I shall be permitted to come back here to earth to help?" (The Chosen Highway, 1967, part3chap.3)

"Why should you wish to return here? In My Father's House are many mansions--many worlds! Why should you desire to come back to this particular planet?" (ibid.)

Back in ancient times most people believed that Earth was the only "earthly" place; the only place where mortal living creatures existed. But Seers and Prophets said otherwise. Life is a "journey" through all the Worlds of God; not just this terrestrial (earthly) world.

Earth-life=Child in the Womb

But if you ask most Baha'is what "Hell" is and what "Heaven" is they will say: "We don't really know. We can't imagine the Afterlife anymore than a child in the womb can imagine this life." They based that upon the fact that Baha'u'llah and 'Abdu'l-Baha compared this life to the life of a child in the womb, and said that the Afterlife was as different from this life as our life is different from that of a child in the womb.

The Bab and Baha'u'lah taught that we all come from God, and we all return unto Him! Baha'is are buried with a ring, and in the ring is a small white stone with a sacred symbol inscribed in it. And around the ring is written (in Arabic): "I came forth from God, and return unto Him, detached from all save Him, holding fast to His Name, the Merciful, the Compassionate!"

So, some Baha'is interpret "Hell" as a dimension of purification; so that we may return to God "purged by Fire" like gold is purged by fire in order to burn the dross and make it pure gold. Baha'u'llah likened the "self" (ego) to "dross" (impurities in gold).

Baha'u'llah wrote:

"O Son of Man!
If thou lovest Me, turn away from thyself; and if thou seekest My pleasure, regard not thine own; for thou mayest die in Me and I may eternally live in thee." (The Hidden Words of Baha'u'llah #7)

63 in-naaja 'Alnaahaa fitnah-tal Zaalmiyn. (Arabic)

63 For We have truly made it (Hell) as a trail for the wrongdoers." (Yusef translation)

63 Lo! We have appointed a torment for wrongdoers. (Pickthall translation)

Those that "overcome" their own selves (wills/egos) in mortal life do not need to be "purged" or purified in Hell; if they purge and purify themselves here via true spirituality (sometimes called Spiritual Transformation). 'Abdu'l-Baha referred to spiritual transformation as being "born again".

Baha'is believe you must be "born again" (spiritually transformed) to be saved.

Evangelical Christians believe that you must accept Jesus as Lord, and confess with your mouth you are a "sinner" in need of a Savior via the "Sinner's Prayer", and, if you are sincere (truly believe in your heart), and if you are praying to the "real Jesus" (i.e. cultists and people of other religions don't have the "real Jesus") , and believe He "paid the price in full" for your sins on the Cross, then you are "SAVED"! That very moment is the hour and moment of your salvation! At death, you will go to Heaven! All others who are not "saved" in this way, will go to an eternal Hell.

Baha'is believe that Jesus is Lord! They believe every true Manifestation of God is "Lord". They are not many Ways, but One Way! Baha'is believe that any sincere soul who sincerely tries to follow a Manifestation of God, and becomes "born-again" (spiritually transformed from a Natural Man into a Spiritual Man) is "saved".

How is one "born-again"? One must be born of water, the Holy Spirit, and "Fire". 'Abdu'l-Baha said that since we are all "born of water" (via our mother's womb), we need not be baptized in water to be born-again. But we must be "born" of the Spirit of God. And we must be "born" of the Fire-of-the-Love-of-God. Then, we are "born-again".

To be "born-again" means to die to our own nafs/self/ego, and "live" in God!

To be "born-again" means to be "liberated" from the fetters (chains) of Self!

Shoghi Effendi, the Guardian of the Faith, wrote that only the Prophets are "free from the Dross of Self" (Unfolding Destiny, p.453). They have a "Self", but they are "free" of it. We are not "free". The Arabic word for "Self" is Nafs. Our nafs/self/ego becomes to us a "warden" in a prison, to drag us back away from God. To become "free" of Self is to achieve Eternal Life.

So, for Evangelical Christians, Baha'is are just among the multitudes who will burn in Hell-fire forever. However, for Baha'is, a truly born-again Evangelical Christian will not burn in Hell-fire. If they "purify" their souls here, there is no reason to "purify" them by Fire!

But....

If they hear the Message of Baha'u'llah, and reject Him, then they will be "blind" in the Resurrection; because they were spiritually blind here. If they say of Baha'u'llah, "He is an Anti-Christ! He is a False Prophet!" then great will be their sorrow! For they have sinned against the Holy Ghost! Baha'u'llah is the Holy Ghost. Jesus said:

31 Wherefore I say unto you, All manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men: but the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost shall ot be forgiven unto men.
32 And whosoever speketh a word against the Son of Man [Jesus], it shall be forgiven him: but whosoever speaketh against the Holy Ghost, it shall not be forgiven him, neither in this world, neither in the world to come.<(Matt. 12:31-2)

Marriage in Heaven

'Abdu'l-Baha, the Exemplar of the Faith and Interpreter of the Writings of Baha'u'llah, said that for Baha'is who reach a certain "exalted" spiritual station in this life, they shall (if both husband and wife reach that station), be married for all eternity. He wrote:

"In a true Baha'i marraige the two parties must become fully united both spiritually and physically, so that they may attain eternal union throughout all the Worlds of God,...." (Baha'i World Faith, p.372)

"Their purpose must be this: to becoming loving companions and comrades at one with each other for time and eternity...." (Selections from the Writings of 'Abdu'l-Baha, p.86)

www.angelfire.com/mo/baha/BWF-71.html

At the time of Jesus, the Pharisees believed in marriage in Heaven for the "Perfectly Righteous". The Sadducees ("Tzadokee'eem" in Hebrew), founded by Tzadok (a High Priest) did not believe in the Resurrection. They denied there was an Afterlife. They kept the Law of Moses because they believed it brought them "blessings" in this life; the only life we have. They did not believe in the Resurrection as did the Pharisees. Most priests (workers in the Jewish Temple) were Sadducees.

Evangelicals don't believe in Marriage in Heaven; because Jesus was asked by Sadducees if there was marriage in heaven, and Jesus seemed to have denied it; saying that those who went to Heaven became like the angels who married not nor were given in marriage (Matt 22:30, Mark 12:25).

However, a closer examination of the Verses reveal:

*The Sadducees were not asking if Jesus' own disciples were married in heaven, but if a Sadducee woman and her 7 husbands were married in heaven.

*Jesus replied that "the Children of This World" were not married in heaven, but became like the angels.(Like 20:34ff) Jesus never referred to His own disciples as the "Children of This World", but as "the Children of Light" (John 12:36). He said to them, "Ye are not of the World" (John 15:19).

*The Sadducees were not sincere. They denied the Resurrection and the Afterlife. They were trying to catch Jesus is a snare! The Sadducees believed that Jesus was a Pharisee of the School of Hillel. This is why they called Him "Rabbi". They knew that the rabbis taught that the "Perfectly Righteous" would inherit Gardens of Eden and eat and drink and be married to their wives and have children there (just as the Qur'an says). But the Sadducees did not believe in the Day of Resurrection. They did not believe in the Afterlife. They knew a Sadducee woman whose husband had died without "seed" (having begotten any children). According to the Law of Moses (which Sadducees kept), if a man die without "seed" then his brother would marry her, beget children, and the children of that union would be considered the heirs of the first brother who died without children. But, as the story went, the first brother died, then the second married her, then the second brother died without seed, then the third brother married her, then on and on till the seventh brother; none of whom had "seed" by her. They were saying, "Rabbi, if there is marriage in the resurrection, whose wife is the woman going to be, because she was married to all seven brothers! All had a legal claim on her!" To the Sadducees this presented an impossible problem that rabbis (i.e. Pharisees) could not answer! In other worlds, if there is marriage in heaven as the Pharisees claimed (and the Sadducees did not believe), and a woman has seven husbands during mortal life, at the Day of Resurrection whose wife is she going to be if all had legal claim to her under the Law, and the Law did not allow for polyandry (a woman having more than one husband at a time)?

Jesus answered by replying that the "Children of This World" (i.e. Sadducees and others who deny the Resurrection but who are not Perfectly Wicked) shall not be married in the resurrection, but be as the angels of God.

*The Scribes (scholars) among the Pharisees who heard the Sadducees' questions (and believed in marriage in the Resurrection) and heard Jesus' reply told Him: "Master, thou hast well said!" (i.e. "you have answered well!") (Luke 20:38). The Pharisees did not believe that Sadducees would be married in heaven! They denied the Resurrection! Jesus pleased the Pharisees with His answer; that the "Children of This World" would not be married in heaven, but be single like the angels in Heaven.

All this reveals that Jesus probably did believe in "Heaven" as defined by the School of Hillel! For the "Children of This World" there would be no eating, drinking, or marrying in Heaven. That would be reserved for the "Children of Light".

St. Irenaeus (c. 125-212 A.D.), the ancient Christian bishop of Lyons, France, was a disciple of Polycarp, who himself was a disciple of the Apostle John; author of the Gospel of John and the Book of Revelations (Apocalypse). John, of course, was a disciple of Jesus; the "Beloved Disciple" as he is called. Irenaeus wrote that true Christians would inherit Gardens of Eden, and beget many children in those Gardens. Historians Colleen McDaniel and Bernard Lang write:

"Irenaeus brought millennial views from Asia Minor to the West were they gained new relevance during the persecution in southern France. Using numerous references from the Old and New Testaments, as well as apocryphal writings, he strove to paint an image of the new world he expected: restored to life, the human body will be placed in an ideal environment. There the body will be immensely furtile, and women will give birth to numerous children....The tortured body of the [Christian] saint would be restored to its wholeness and integrity. In the fertile environment of the life to come, Christians would bear and raise children." (Heaven: A History, 1988, pp.52-53).

Other early Christian writers said that on the Day of Resurrection true Believers (Christians) would be given "Gardens of Eden" of their own, and be there with their wives and loved ones. After many centuries this was interpreted more and more as a mere parable. Eventually, most Christian sects forgot this doctrine altogether. Some, like the Mormons (followers of Joseph Smith), and Swedenborgians (followers of the Christian mystic and Seer Emmanuel Swedenborg) still teach it, but Evangelical Christians consider them to be "heretics" and not "Christians" at all.

General Teachings Concerning the Afterlife

Official Baha'i teachings say:

*Heaven and Hell in this life are symbols of being close to God or far from Him. The Qur'anic descriptions "Heaven" and "Hell" in the Afterlife are "symbolic" of something we could not possibly fully understand in this life.

*There is no reincarnation; at least in reference to other mortal lives upon this planet. We have only one mortal life in this world; just like we have only one "life" in our mother's womb. Life on other planets is possible.

*We all came from God, and we shall all return unto Him.

*We shall all make a journey through "the Worlds of God". Just what is meant by these "worlds" is unknown. They may refer to planets. They may refer to spiritual dimensions. They may refer to something else entirely that we can't understand in this life. Baha'is are free to have personal beliefs concerning what "Worlds of God" mean; as long as they do not try to force their personal interpretations upon others.

*One need not be a "Baha'i" to "go to Heaven". One need not be a Baha'i to be close to God (in Heaven) in this world or the next. However, if one rejects the Message of Baha'u'llah, after hearing it, this is a rejection of the Manifestation of God; this denotes a spiritual blindness. The Qur'an says that the "spiritually blind" in this life shall become literally "blind" on the Day of Resurrection.

*Baha'i couples who reach a certain level of spirituality in this life and become "one" spiritually, shall be married for all eternity; in all the Worlds of God.

Everything besides this is "mere opinion". Baha'is are welcome to have personal opinions about the Afterlife as long as they adhere to the general teachings noted above. Baha'is are free to have personal interpretations, and share them with other Baha'is; as long as they don't try to "force" their personal beliefs upon others.

Baha'i Magazine/Firesides You are cordially invited to call for a free copy of The Baha'is magazine to be mailed to you (if you live in the Continenal U.S.). You can request literature only, or you can also request the Baha'is near you to call you. You are also invited to attend a Baha'i Fireside (informational meeting) near your home. These meetings are very casual, and includes refreshments and perhaps the showing of a video about the Faith. You are invited to ask questions, but Baha'is are forbidden to get into debates or arguments about religion. You can merely observe if you wish. The meetings are very casual, and very comfortable. Those who attend these meetings who are not Baha'is are called "Seekers". Are you a "Seeker" of Truth? If so...please go. If you live in the U.S. (except for Alaska and Hawaii) and would like a FREE COPY of The Baha'is magazine to be mailed to you, or if you would like to attend a Baha'i Fireside near your home, then just call the toll-free number below anytime (24-hour U.S. hotline): 1-800-228-6483 The Baha'is magazine for Seekers Contacting the Baha'is: Continental U.S.: 1-800-228-6483 Alaska: info@akbahai.org Hawaii: bahai@aloha.net Puerto Rico: bahaispr@caribe.net Australia: info@bahai.org.au New Zealand: 0800-224-247 or natsec@nsa.org.nz Canada: ntc@cdnbcn.org Ireland: bahainfo@iol.ie or 1-800-441-919 South Africa: webmaster@bahai.org.za United Kingdom: CLICK HERE or nsa@bahai.org.uk If your country is not mentioned above then please CLICK HERE or check your local telephone director for "Baha'i Faith" in the White Pages or in the yellow pages under "Churches" or "Religious Organizations". For a photo tour of Baha'i Shrines and Temples and the Baha'i World Center please CLICK HERE. Go in Peace! Sincerely, Darrick Evenson July, 2003 This article is not an official Baha'i publication, and it reflects the personal views and opinions of the author Other Bahá'í Online Articles By Darrick Evenson The 1890-91 Prophecies of Joseph Smith FULFILLED in the Bahá'í Faith www.angelfire.com/mo/baha/1891.html The Seer Joseph Smith & The Bahá'í Faith www.angelfire.com/mo/baha/seer.html An Introduction to the Bahá'í Faith for Evangelical Christians www.angelfire.com/mo/baha/christianintro.html Abortion in Bábí and Bahá'í Holy Law www.angelfire.com/mo/baha/abortion2.html My Story As A Bahá'í www.angelfire.com/mo/baha/darrickevenson.html