..
.
The
Manifestations of God have a twofold station. Each one of them is, at one
time or another, the Mouthpiece of God
on earth. In this respect they are the same, and no distinction can
be
made between them. Their other station pertains to the
limitations of the human
world.
Each has a different name, a distinct individuality, and a definite mission.
When
addressing the world, God's Messenger sometimes speaks with the
voice
and authority of God Himself, while at other times, He speaks
as
a man charged with a Message from God to His fellowmen.
In
the words of Baha'u'llah:
.
"
Were any of the all-embaracing Manifestations
of God to declare: ' I am God,' He, verily , speaketh the truth,
and no doubt attacheth thereto. For it hath been repeatedly
demonstrated
that through their Revelation, their attributes and names,
the
Revelation of God, His names and His attributes, are
made
manifest
in the world.... and were they to say, ' We are the
Servants
of God,' this also is a manifest
and
indisputable
fact . For they have been
made
manifest in the uttermost
state
of servitude, a servitude
the
like of which no man
can
possibly attain.
"
GWB
53
Most
people are prepared to accept the Founder of their own Faith as the Mouthpiece
or
Manifestation of God on earth, but they are convinced that His station
is unique and the Founders of other religions cannot be compared
with Him. Baha'u'llah
teaches that the Messengers of God are not
to be set up as rivals in the world, each competing with the
others
for the homage of the human race. They are like teachers in the same school.
As
a wise teacher adapts his teachings to the capacity of his students, these
divine
Educators
have each given teachings in accordance with the
capacity of the
people
among whom they appeared. The lessons given to a class
of small
children
cannot be the same as those given to older students , even if the
teachers
of both groups have been trained in the same college
and
posses
the same amount of knowledge. Likewise, the Educators of
humanity,
though deriving their inspiration from the same
source,
have taught what was best for
those
they came to help.
.
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