Re: Reality can be known?

Hi Doug.

I think this is an impossible question to answer except to say the
Writings tell us we can know reality but we cannot know the essence of
things.

I find that answer difficult to characterize. If I am not mistaken, you are
ending consideration of the topic and blaming the Baha'i Writings for your
failure to investigate further. Please correct me.

I have told you my answer several times. If this is your final answer the
conversation has no where to go. For me, such an answer in not satisfying
on any level.

...and simply forget talking about essences
since they cannot be known anyway.

Is God, the Essence of essences, to be forgotten as well?

--Kent


"Douglas McAdam" <douglasmcadam@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:aq-dnTJasKn8cTXanZ2dnUVZ_j-dnZ2d@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Hi Kent-
I think this is an impossible question to answer except to say the
Writings tell us we can know reality but we cannot know the essence of
things. So we can use our mind and come up with factors, or aspects of a
thing we can know and call the sum total the reality of a thing and that
has already been done and simply forget talking about essences since they
cannot be known anyway.

doug

On Feb 5, 2008, at 6:03 AM, Kent Johnson wrote:

What is the difference between the reality of a thing and its essence?

--Kent

"Douglas McAdam" <douglasmcadam@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:v9SdnV1CAqbf3zXanZ2dnUVZ_oKhnZ2d@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Because the Writings say we can know the reality of things and so
regardless that we cannot know the essences of things we can know their
reality, in a limited sense of course because everything in this world
that we know is relative to the absolute which includes the essences.

That is my take on it.

We must independently investigate reality and we can know and deal
intelligently with reality as far as we can on this plane of existence.
And reality consists of material and spiritual aspects and we have the
perceptual powers to see both.

regards,
doug

On Feb 4, 2008, at 8:43 AM, Kent Johnson wrote:

Hi Doug:

I could not know the essence of things but that I could know their
reality.

I don't know the difference between the reality of a thing and its
essence.

--Kent











.

Relevant Pages

  • Re: One Common Faith
    ... -- Know that the Reality of Divinity or the substance of the Essence of Oneness is pure sanctity and absolute holiness -- that is to say, it is sanctified and exempt from all praise. ... It is invisible, incomprehensible, inaccessible, a pure essence which cannot be described, for the Divine Essence surrounds all things. ... Verily, that which surrounds is greater than the surrounded, and the surrounded cannot contain that by which it is surrounded, nor comprehend its reality. ... However far mind may progress, though it may reach to the final degree of comprehension, the limit of understanding, it beholds the divine signs and attributes in the world of creation and not in the world of God. ...
    (soc.religion.bahai)
  • Re: How to love God.
    ... "We know not what the reality of the sun is, but we know the sun by the ray, ... knowledge of their qualities and not of their essence, ... His tongue proclaimeth that there is none other God but Him. ...
    (soc.religion.bahai)
  • Re: Chemistry from a Bahai perspective
    ... What is the difference between the reality of a thing and its essence? ... >> about the reality of existence, the creative Word of God you will see ... And he has demonstrated not only the Power of the ...
    (soc.religion.bahai)
  • Re: i havent posted in a while because i am living on the ocean san well near the ocean and i havent
    ... carrot sak i believe in the essence and will not stop or change ... the band and you all and the truth which i stayed away from after being ... shown fear by molly and the communty death but if the truth is in your ... position of the reality condition when i saw the sky last night and the ...
    (rec.music.phish)
  • Re: Reality can be known?
    ... Writings tell us we can know reality but we cannot know the essence of ... ending consideration of the topic and blaming the Baha'i Writings for your ... We cannot know the essence of anything so therefor why talk about it? ...
    (soc.religion.bahai)