Daily Frameworks for 27 November 2023

Kamál, 05 Qawl (Speech), 180 B.E.

Reflections on the Life of the Spirit

Quote for Reflection:

Having created the world and all that liveth and moveth therein, He, through the direct operation of His unconstrained and sovereign Will, chose to confer upon man the unique distinction and capacity to know Him and to love Him—a capacity that must needs be regarded as the generating impulse and the primary purpose underlying the whole of creation.… Upon the inmost reality of each and every created thing He hath shed the light of one of His names, and made it a recipient of the glory of one of His attributes. Upon the reality of man, however, He hath focused the radiance of all of His names and attributes, and made it a mirror of His own Self. Alone of all created things man hath been singled out for so great a favor, so enduring a bounty. — Bahá’u’lláh ¹

Question for Consideration:

Which of the following are true?
The human being is not distinct from the rest of creation.
The capacity to know God and to love Him is the generating impulse and the primary purpose underlying the whole of creation.
The reality of every created thing is the recipient of one of the attributes of God.
The human soul can reflect all the attributes of God. ²

Google Bard Response:

Based on the provided quotation from Bahá’u’lláh, the following statements are true:

• The capacity to know God and to love Him is the generating impulse and the primary purpose underlying the whole of creation. Bahá’u’lláh emphasizes that the ability to know and love God is the most fundamental and essential aspect of human existence. It is the driving force behind creation and the reason why we are here.
• The reality of every created thing is the recipient of one of the attributes of God. Bahá’u’lláh suggests that every aspect of creation reflects one or more of God’s attributes. This means that the world around us is not just a random collection of matter, but rather a manifestation of God’s nature.
• The human soul can reflect all the attributes of God. Bahá’u’lláh states that the human soul is a mirror of God’s Self, meaning that it has the potential to manifest all of God’s attributes. This is a profound statement that suggests that we have the capacity to become like God in our own right.
  

The following statement is false:

• The human being is not distinct from the rest of creation. While all created things reflect God’s attributes, Bahá’u’lláh specifically singles out humans as being unique in their capacity to know and love God. This suggests that humans have a special place in God’s plan and a unique role to play in creation.

1. Bahá’u’lláh. Gleanings from the Writings of Bahá’u’lláh. Translated by Shoghi Effendi. Bahá’í Reference Library. Accessed November 26, 2023. https://www.bahai.org/library/authoritative-texts/bahaullah/gleanings-writings-bahaullah/3#441185340. ↩
2. Ruhi Institute. Reflections on the Life of the Spirit. 4.1.2.PE May 2020. Vol. Book 1. 6 vols. Embarking on a Path of Service. Cali, Columbia: Ruhi Institute, 2020, 42. https://www.ruhi.org/en/walking-a-path-of-service/#RLS ↩