Re: End of the world?

On Feb 11, 10:53 am, "Carl Brehmer" <carlal...@xxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
Will we eventually regress to becoming a primitive culture again
sometime in the future?

'Abdu'l-Bahá, in a interpretation of a Zoroastrian prophecy, set
the current Universal Cycle in religious/cultural history at one half
million years. During this period the Bahá'í Writings prophesy the
establishment and development of "God's Kingdom on Earth." The nature
of this worldwide, united social order was outlined in its broadest
aspects in a series of letters written by Shoghi Effendi during the
mid years of the twentieth Century and have been compiled in a book
entitled "The World Order of Bahá'u'lláh."

Here is a short excerpt from that book: "The unity of the human
race, as envisaged by Bahá'u'lláh, implies the establishment of a
world commonwealth in which all nations, races, creeds and classes are
closely and permanently united, and in which the autonomy of its state
members and the personal freedom and initiative of the individuals
that compose them are definitely and completely safeguarded. This
commonwealth must, as far as we can visualize it, consist of a world
legislature, whose members will, as the trustees of the whole of
mankind, ultimately control the entire resources of all the component
nations, and will enact such laws as shall be required to regulate the
life, satisfy the needs and adjust the relationships of all races and
peoples. A world executive, backed by an international Force, will
carry out the decisions arrived at, and apply the laws enacted by,
this world legislature, and will safeguard the organic unity of the
whole commonwealth. A world tribunal will adjudicate and deliver its
compulsory and final verdict in all and any disputes that may arise
between the various elements constituting this universal system. A
mechanism of world inter-communication will be devised, embracing the
whole planet, freed from national hindrances and restrictions, and
functioning with marvelous swiftness and perfect regularity.
"A world metropolis will act as the nerve center of a world
civilization, the focus towards which the unifying forces of life will
converge and from which its energizing influences will radiate. A
world language will either be invented or chosen from among the
existing languages and will be taught in the schools of all the
federated nations as an auxiliary to their mother tongue. A world
script, a world literature, a uniform and universal system of
currency, of weights and measures, will simplify and facilitate
intercourse and understanding among the nations and races of mankind.
In such a world society, science and religion, the two most potent
forces in human life, will be reconciled, will cooperate, and will
harmoniously develop. The press will, under such a system, while
giving full scope to the expression of the diversified views and
convictions of mankind, cease to be mischievously manipulated by
vested interests, whether private or public, and will be liberated
from the influence of contending governments and peoples. The economic
resources of the world will be organized, its sources of raw materials
will be tapped and fully utilized, its markets will be coordinated and
developed, and the distribution of its products will be equitably
regulated.
"National rivalries, hatreds, and intrigues will cease, and
racial animosity and prejudice will be replaced by racial amity,
understanding and cooperation. The causes of religious strife will be
permanently removed, economic barriers and restrictions will be
completely abolished, and the inordinate distinction between classes
will be obliterated. Destitution on the one hand, and gross
accumulation of ownership on the other, will disappear. The enormous
energy dissipated and wasted on war, whether economic or political,
will be consecrated to such ends as will extend the range of human
inventions and technical development, to the increase of the
productivity of mankind, to the extermination of disease, to the
extension of scientific research, to the raising of the standard of
physical health, to the sharpening and refinement of the human brain,
to the exploitation of the unused and unsuspected resources of the
planet, to the prolongation of human life, and to the furtherance of
any other agency that can stimulate the intellectual, the moral, and
spiritual life of the entire human race. . ." (World Order of
Bahá'u'lláh, pp. 202-206)

Will it happen soon?

The current cycle of human civilization will not be complete for
another 500,000 years and what will happen to human civilization after
that is anyone's guess. It is beyond the reach of Bahá'í prophecy
except in the vaguest terms as expressed in your quote from 'Abdu'l-
Bahá.

Would this be the apocalypse talked about in the Bible?

When I read through the Bahá'í interpretation of Biblical
prophecy it seems quite plain that Biblical prophecy is seen to
reference more current events than what might happen to human
civilization in 500,000 years. At the same time though one should
realize that the "apocalypse" which contemporary fundamentalist
Christians expect will never occur since that "apocalypse" is based
upon an inaccurate, literalistic, interpretation of Scripture. The
Bahá'í Teachings explain the spiritual meaning behind the terms New
Jerusalem, the stars falling from heaven, the great tribulation, the
moon and sun darkening, the clouds upon which Christ would descend,
the new heaven and the new earth, etc. and they depart radically from
the expectations of Christian writers.

Has it already started?

The answer to this last question is a resounding yes. The
apocalypse prophesied in the Bible has not only started but its major
events have already occured, eventhough relatively few as yet
recognize this fact. The great change that the world of human
civilization has already experienced in the last 150 years is not a
preparation for the "Second Coming" it is because it has already
happened!

Carl Brehmer

But what about the 500,000 year thing? You have provided lots
of quotes as to suggest that the civilization we will have before
the 500,000 years ends is going to be very great. I could thus not
imagine why it would falter after 500,000 years, unless either
humans go extinct, or God wants us to go back to sinning at some
point, which would not make much sense considering that He has
strictly forbidden it.

And didn't the 500,000 year cycle start 150 years ago? Where
was the "major event" that is supposed to happen when new
cycles begin? I've heard quotes talking about how the Baha'i
revelation has supposedly started a new cycle...



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