32: BIBLE (AUTHENTICITY OF THE)

"As to the question raised by the Racine a.s.sembly in connection with Baha'u'llah's statement in the Gleanings concerning the sacrifice of I_sh_mael; although His statement does not agree with that made in the Bible, Genesis 12:9, the friends should unhesitatingly, and for reasons that are only too obvious, give precedence to the sayings of Baha'u'llah which, it would be pointed out, is fully corroborated by the Qur'an, which book is more authentic than the Bible, including both the New and Old Testaments. The Bible is not wholly authentic, and in this respect not to be compared with the Qur'an, and should be wholly subordinated to the authentic Sayings of Baha'u'llah."

33: CALENDAR (BAHa'i)

"It is advisable to use both the Baha'i dates, according to the Baha'i Calendar, and the usual Gregorian dates as well. The friends at present are free to do as they please."

34: CALIPHATE AND IMaMATE

"Both Caliphate and Imamate mean successorship. Either term could be used."

35: CATASTROPHE (THE APOCALYPTIC UPHEAVAL)

"We have no indication of exactly what nature the apocalyptic upheaval will be; it might be another war ... but as students of our Baha'i Writings, it is clear that the longer the 'Divine Physician' (i.e.

Baha'u'llah) is withheld from healing the ills of the world, the more severe will be the crisis, and the more terrible the sufferings of the patient."

36: CIVIL COURTS (DISPUTES)

"The Guardian wishes to emphasize the importance of avoiding (reference to civil courts) of cases of dispute between believers, even in non-Baha'i issues. It is the a.s.sembly's function to endeavor to settle amicably such disputes, both in order to safeguard the fair name and prestige of the Cause, and to acquire the necessary experience for the extension of its functions in the future."

37: CIVIL ELECTIONS (VOTING IN)

"...No Baha'i vote for an officer, no Baha'i partic.i.p.ation in the affairs of the Republic, shall involve acceptance of a program or policy that contravenes any vital principle, spiritual or social, of the Faith.

"...No vote cast, or office undertaken, by a Baha'i should necessarily const.i.tute acceptance, by the voter or office holder, of the entire program of any political party. No Baha'i can be regarded as either a Republican or Democrat, as such. He is above all else, the supporter of the principles enunciated by Baha'u'llah, with which, I am firmly convinced, the program of no political party is completely harmonious."

38: COMMITTEE APPOINTMENTS (a.s.sEMBLY MEMBERS)

"Regarding the non-appointment of a.s.sembly members to membership on National Committees, the Guardian firmly believes that no such principle should be recognised. Those who are best fitted for the specific work a.s.signed to the Committees should be elected irrespective of their membership on either National or local a.s.semblies. The greater the pressure on those who shoulder both Committee and a.s.sembly responsibilities, the greater the reward and the richer the blessings vouchsafed to those who willingly and gratefully sustain this double burden."

39: COMMITTEES' RESPONSIBILITIES

"He feels that Committees must a.s.sume more responsibility and exercise freedom of choice and judgment in electing their officers, and function as a corporate body with a corporate spirit. More especially so as now that the Cause is growing in numbers, and its responsibilities are being multiplied, National committees are acquiring added importance and must seek, ever increasingly, to follow the pattern of Baha'u'llah and a.s.sume responsibility for the election of their officers. These committees must develop, become mature, and forge ahead courageously relying more on united effort and less on personal leadership, as is now the case with Local and National a.s.semblies."

40: CONTRIBUTION

"As to the idea of 'giving what one can afford', this does by no means put a limit or even exclude the possibility of self-sacrifice. There can be no limit to one's contributions to the national fund. The more one can give the better it is, especially when such offerings necessitate the sacrifice of other wants and desires on the part of the donor. The harder the sacrifice the more meritorious will it be of course in the eye of G.o.d. For after all it is not so much the quant.i.ty of one's offerings that matters, but rather the measure of deprivation that such offerings entail."

41: CONTRIBUTIONS (LIFTING THE BURDEN OF MISERY FROM MANKIND)

"...In the first place every believer is free to follow the dictates of his own conscience as regards the manner in which to spend his own money.

Secondly, we must always bear in mind that there are so few Baha'is in the world, relative to the world's population, and so many people in need, that even if all of us gave all we had, it would not alleviate more than an infinitesimal amount of suffering. This does not mean we must not help the needy, we should; but our contributions to the Faith are the surest way of lifting once and for all time the burden of hunger and misery from mankind, for it is only through the System of Baha'u'llah--Divine in origin--that the world can be gotten on its feet, and want, fear, hunger, war, etc., be eliminated. Non-Baha'is cannot contribute to our work or do it for us; so really our first obligation is to support our own teaching work, as this will lead to the healing of the nations."

42: CONTRIBUTIONS ARE VOLUNTARY

"In connection with the Inst.i.tution of the National Fund and the budgetary system set forth in the minutes of the National Spiritual a.s.sembly, I feel urged to remind you of the necessity of ever bearing in mind the cardinal principle that all contributions to the Fund are to be purely and strictly voluntary in character. It should be made clear and evident to every one that any form of compulsion, however slight and indirect, strikes at the very root principle underlying the formation of the Fund ever since its inception. While appeals of a general character, carefully worded and moving and dignified in tone are welcome under all circ.u.mstances, it should be left entirely to the discretion of every conscientious believer to decide upon the nature, the amount, and purpose of his or her contribution for the propagation of the Cause."