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Oneness |
The core belief of the Bahá'í
Faith is composed of three onenesses: the oneness of God,
of religion, and of humanity.
Oneness
of God
The Bahá'ís believe that even though people
have called the Supreme Creator by  different
names, there is only one God, "the unknowable Essence,"
Who is exalted above any human description. Throughout
the limitless space, only One Supreme Being exists that
is the Primal Force of the universe.
God is Infinite, human beings are finite.
While we have an intimate connection to God through
our love for Him and His love for us, we are unable
to comprehend God, nor can we receive His direct revelation.
There needs to be an Intermediary to convey His message
to humanity.
Thus, God, in His wisdom and mercy,
sends such Intermediaries from time to time, to educate
and guide humanity. We call these special beings Messengers
of God or Manifestations, because They manifest or reveal
God's qualities and teachings to us.
Oneness
of Religion
Since there is only one God, Bahá'ís believe
that all the Messengers sent from God teach the same
religious faith -- each adapted to the time and needs
of the people amongst whom They appear. This unfoldment
of religion from age to age is called "progressive
revelation." Bahá'ís believe that
Bahá'u'lláh is the most recent Messenger
from God, sent to guide humanity for our time. `Abdu'l-Bahá,
the son of Bahá'u'lláh, said:
"All
these divisions we see on all sides, all these disputes
and opposition, are caused because men cling to ritual
and outward observances, and forget the simple, underlying
truth. It is the outward practices of religion that
are so different, and it is they that cause disputes
and enmity -- while the reality is always the same,
and one. The Reality is the Truth, and truth has no
division. Truth is God's guidance, it is the light of
the world, it is love, it is mercy. These attributes
of truth are also human virtues inspired by the Holy
Spirit." --`Abdu'l-Bahá, Paris Talks, pp.
120-1
These Messengers or Prophets are of
the same rank and spiritual reality. As stated by Bahá'u'lláh,
"Know thou assuredly that the essence of all the
Prophets of God is one and the same..." -- Bahá'u'lláh,
Gleanings, p. 78
Oneness
of Humanity
The Bahá'ís believe that the central mission
of the most recent Messenger, Bahá'u'lláh,
is to unify the family of humanity throughout the globe.
It is through the firm belief in the organic oneness
of all people that the diverse human heritage will be
celebrated and the united energy of humanity will be
channeled for the well-being of all.
"The well-being of mankind, its
peace and security, are un-attainable unless and until
its unity is firmly established." -- Bahá'u'lláh,
Gleanings, p. 286
The Bahá'í vision is based
on this core of beliefs -- the three onenesses. Guided
and inspired by this transcendent vision and a comprehensive
set of spiritual and social teachings, Bahá'ís
work toward the realization of humanity's highest hope
-- a humanity at peace, worshiping God through sterling
deeds of service and preparing themselves for the spiritual
journeys in the endless worlds of God.
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Progressive
Revelation |
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