Re: Extent of the House's Infallibility

"Randy Burns" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote in message
news:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
>
> "Jeffrey" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote in message
> news:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> >
> > I disagree that the House's infallibility can be compared to the U.S.
> > Supreme Court's infallibility in the sense that its decision regarding
> > constitutional law is final.
> >
> > First, the UHJ is a legislative body.  It does not interpret the Text.
> That
> > function belongs to the Guardian.  The Will and Testament says that both
> > (the Guardian and the UHJ - with the UHJ being defined as one that has a
> > Guardian as its appointed member and head) are guided by Baha'u'llah.
> > Either you believe that or not.  If you don't believe that, then you are
> not
> > truly a Baha'i.
>
> But you fail to define what you mean by "guided by Baha'u'llah."  Isn't it
> valid to say that anyone who believes in the unity of mankind is guided by
> Baha'u'llah?  Now non-Baha'is may not believe that but many Baha'is do.
In
> other words, if you are truly a Baha'i then you either know or feel that
> Baha'u'llah's basic proclamation influences all.

As Dr Maneck quotes the Master in her response on soc.religion.bahai:

"Let it not be imagined that the House of Justice will take any decision
according to its own concepts and opinions. God forbid! The Supreme House of
Justice will take decisions and establish laws through the inspiration and
confirmation of the Holy Spirit, because it is in the safekeeping and under
the shelter and protection of the Ancient Beauty, and obedience to its
decisions is
a bounden and essential duty and an absolute obligation, and there is no
escape for anyone."

I agree with this quote (although I would disagree with Dr. Maneck that her
organization is headed by the same organization the Master refers to.
However, we are talking about guidance through the Holy Spirit.  As the
Master explains elsewhere, I don't have the quote at the moment, that althou
gh any of us can be guided by the Holy Spirit, we cannot be sure it is the
Holy Spirit  or a satanic prompting.  The difference here is that the twin
pillar institions are promised guidance.


>
> > As a legislative body, the UHJ is infallible.  Its laws can be changed
by
> > itself when conditions change.  But God guides that Institution.  God
does
> > NOT guide the US Supreme Court-- that is pretty obvious!  They are wrong
> > about alot of things, including constitutional law.  There may be no
> remedy
> > for their wrong, but that does NOT make them right.
>
> First you have to understand what the word "infallible" means in the
Baha'i
> context.  It has a political conotation, like the theory of the social
> contract.  Just as Baha'is contract with the UHJ, so also Americans
contract
> with the Supreme Court.  Of course, you don't have to like what the
Supreme
> Court decides, but you do have to like what the UHJ decides!

I disagree.  Again, the guidance promised in the Writing is spiritual
guidance, not political control (although I might agree with you in
reference to the Heterodox political structure).

Jeffrey