Chapter 52
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Conflicting writings about turning "in thought" to the Guardian when praying to God, same as the Manifestation.

In passage 1, the Guardian, a regular human, who apparently contradicts many teachings of Baha'u'llah (as shown in earlier chapters), and apparently perverts the Holy Text, includes himself alongside the Manifestation of God, as one to "turn, in thought" to when praying to God. In passage 2, the Guardian says, "but our prayers would certainly be more effective and illuminating if they are addressed to Him [God] through His Manifestation, Bahá'u'lláh." Baha'is pray to God, as reflected in the many prayers revealed by Baha'u'llah, the Bab and Abdu'l-Baha. Even if it's acceptable to "turn, in thought" to Baha'u'llah when praying, logically, can the same be applied to the Guardian, when the Holy Texts say the following about the station of the Manifestations of God: "there is no relation, connection, similarity or reference between that Throne [of the Manifestation] and all else save it", "Nay, all in their [Manifestation's] holy presence fade into utter nothingness, and are a thing forgotten", and so on? Passages 3 - 5 by Baha'u'llah suggest otherwise, as does passage 6 by the Guardian himself.

1)
1486. How to Pray -- One must Start out with the right Concept of God
"...We must not be rigid about praying; there is not a set of rules governing it; the main thing is we must start out with the right concept of God, the Manifestation, the Master, the Guardian -- we can turn, in thought, to any one of them when we pray. For instance you can ask Bahá'u'lláh for some thing, or, thinking of Him, ask God for it. The same is true of the Master or the Guardian. You can turn in thought to either of them and then ask their intercession, or pray direct to God. As long as you don't confuse their stations, and make them all equal, it does not matter much how you orient your thoughts."
(From a letter written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi to an individual believer, July 24, 1946)
-- Compilations, Lights of Guidance, p. 456

2)
1489. Praying to Bahá'u'lláh
"You have asked whether our prayers go beyond Bahá'u'lláh: It all depends whether we pray to Him directly and through Him to God. We may do both and also can pray directly to God, but our prayers would certainly be more effective and illuminating if they are addressed to Him through His Manifestation, Bahá'u'lláh.
(From a letter written on behalf of the Guardian to an individual believer, October 14, 1937)
-- Compilations, Lights of Guidance, p. 457

3)
Every one who is endowed with a clear insight will behold that They (the Manifestations) were created before the creation of heaven and earth, and that this has ever been the Throne of the Merciful, and will forever be as it was; that there is no relation, connection, similarity or reference between that Throne [of the Manifestation] and all else save it, and that all things testify with their inmost tongue; "Verily, these (bodies) are the Thrones of the Merciful One." They have no like in creation, nor any equal in the world of emanation. From their elements all have appeared in such wise that thou wilt find that, verily, from their Fire fire hath appeared in the universe and hath spoken in the Blessed Branch of Unity, in the lofty Sinai of Moses the Interlocutor, and that from their Waters thou findest every soul living and immortal.
-- Baha'u'llah, Lawh-i-Zuhúr, Tablet of the Manifestation - Provisional translation by an unknown author.

4)
I testify, O Thou Who art the Lord of the whole creation, and the Desire of whosoever hath sought Thee, that, amidst Thy creatures, They [the Manifestations of God] resemble the sun which no matter how often it riseth and setteth is still the one and the same sun. Whoso maketh any distinction between any of Them hath truly failed to attain the ultimate purpose, and to reach the highest goal, and hath been deprived of the mysteries of unity and of the lights of sanctity and oneness. I testify, moreover, that Thou hast decreed that none on the face of the earth should equal Them, and none of Thy creatures be able to be compared with any of Them, in order that Thine own singleness and peerlessness might be recognized and established.
-- Bahá'u'lláh, Prayers and Meditations, p. 50-51

5)
And of all men, the most accomplished, the most distinguished and the most excellent are the Manifestations of the Sun of Truth. Nay, all else besides these Manifestations, live by the operation of their Will, and move and have their being through the outpourings of their grace. "But for Thee, I would have not created the heavens." Nay, all in their holy presence fade into utter nothingness, and are a thing forgotten. Human tongue can never befittingly sing their praise, and human speech can never unfold their mystery. These Tabernacles of holiness, these primal Mirrors which reflect the light of unfading glory, are but expressions of Him Who is the Invisible of the Invisibles. By the revelation of these gems of divine virtue all the names and attributes of God, such as knowledge and power, sovereignty and dominion, mercy and wisdom, glory, bounty and grace, are made manifest.
-- Baha'u'llah, The Kitab-i-Iqan, p. 102

6)
No Guardian of the Faith, I feel it my solemn duty to place on record, can ever claim to be the perfect exemplar of the teachings of Bahá'u'lláh or the stainless mirror that reflects His light. Though overshadowed by the unfailing, the unerring protection of Bahá'u'lláh and of the Báb, and however much he may share with 'Abdu'l-Bahá the right and obligation to interpret the Bahá'í teachings, he remains essentially human and cannot, if he wishes to remain faithful to his trust, arrogate to himself, under any pretense whatsoever, the rights, the privileges and prerogatives which Bahá'u'lláh has chosen to confer upon His Son. In the light of this truth to pray to the Guardian of the Faith, to address him as lord and master, to designate him as his holiness, to seek his benediction, to celebrate his birthday, or to commemorate any event associated with his life would be tantamount to a departure from those established truths that are enshrined within our beloved Faith.
-- Shoghi Effendi, The World Order of Baha'u'llah, p. 151

KEITH:
There are those who pray to you, Shoghi Effendi.
S.E.
This is absolutely heretical. Such things are not permissible. It is wrong to address me as Lord or Master, or Thee or Thine. I had to send a very abrupt cable to the friends in Bombay to prevent them from celebrating my birthday. If this starts now there will be no end to it. The first Guardian's birthday, the first Guardian's death, the tenth Guardian's accession. They would have 400 Guardian's celebrations in 365 days. Nor must they refer to me as His Holiness. These things have no place in our Faith, they savour of popishness.
KEITH:
There is a picture of you in the Bahai hall at Karachi labelled "His Holiness, Shoghi Effendi".
Shoghi Effendi (emphatically):
Then they must take it down.
Keith:
Oh my, I should not have mentioned this!
Lorol:
Why not if it is wrong?
Shoghi Effendi:
I have requested, suggested, but now the time has come when I must insist in no unmistakable terms that these things must cease. For instance, this is what we have been speaking about when you say I am infallible, that is when I insist. In this I am infallible.
-- David's Collection, Schopflocher Pilgrim Notes



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