Wednesday, August 1, 2007

The Soul’s Purposes and Objectives

How many times have you wondered about the Purpose of Life?

Why are we here?

What's the best and most "profitable" way to live?

What's The Principle we should base our principles on?

I'm including a number of shorter excerpts from Reality on this theme--looking at many Facets of the Gem of Virtue...

[ Please remember that English uses "man" or "men" for "all people" because we don't have an appropriate gender-neutral word... ]

"All men have been created to carry forward an ever-advancing civilization."

Bahá’u’lláh: Gleanings from the Writings of Bahá’u’lláh, Selection CIX, p. 215

"Ye were created to show love one to another and not perversity and rancour."

Bahá’u’lláh: Tablets of Bahá’u’lláh, Lawh-i-Hikmat or Tablet of Wisdom, p. 138

"The essence of all that We have revealed for thee is Justice, is for man to free himself from idle fancy and imitation, discern with the eye of oneness His glorious handiwork, and look into all things with a searching eye."

Bahá’u’lláh: Tablets of Bahá’u’lláh, Asl-i-Kullu’l-Khayr or Words of Wisdom, p. 157

"The fruits of the tree of man have ever been and are goodly deeds and a praiseworthy character. Withhold not these fruits from the heedless. If they be accepted, your end is attained, and the purpose of life achieved."

Bahá’u’lláh: Epistle to the Son of the Wolf, p. 26

"....Thou hast created Thy servants to aid Thy Cause and exalt Thy Word...."

Bahá’u’lláh: Epistle to the Son of the Wolf, p. 37

"The first, the fundamental purpose underlying creation hath ever been, and will continue to be, none other than the appearance of trustworthiness and godliness, of sincerity and goodwill amongst mankind, for these qualities are the cause of peace, security and tranquillity."

Bahá’u’lláh: from a Tablet translated from Persian, quoted in the compilation Trustworthiness: A Cardinal Bahá’í Virtue, Selection #7