:"A contingent world is a world where the future is dependent upon the
present. "
no.
:"Existentialism is the proposition that we create our world, our realities,
meaning and truth, with our lives and our work. "
no.
thus:
:"But it is possible to see clearly what is
religious truth and what is a fact, and the differences between the two."
no.
Its teachings revolve around the fundamental principle that religious truth is not absolute but relative, that Divine Revelation is progressive, not final. Unequivocally and without the least reservation it proclaims all established religions to be divine in origin, identical in their aims, complementary in their functions, continuous in their purpose, indispensable in their value to mankind.

    (Shoghi Effendi, The World Order of Baha'u'llah, p. 57)

It must necessarily conflict with the fundamental principle which constitutes the bedrock of Bahá'í belief, the principle that religious truth is not absolute but relative, that Divine Revelation is orderly, continuous and progressive and not spasmodic or final.

    (Shoghi Effendi, The World Order of Baha'u'llah, p. 115)

compx,
and that is why u get so few responbses to anything.
u set headgames in place and then weasel when u get called on them.
the Guardian specifically says that religious truth is contingent.
infalllibly says religious truth is relative.
  :"t should not be difficult to
get you to consider the difference between existential truth and religious
truth."
or ocean..and find out. according to an infallible Guardian, there is none.
  Whatsoever in the contingent world can either be expressed or apprehended,
can never transgress the limits which, by its inherent nature, have been
imposed upon it." (Baha'u'llah, Gleanings from the Writings of Baha'u'llah,
p. 150)
functionally limits ur presuming anything about "God's world."
  godel.

Just wondering why you would quote about relative truth when no mention of relative truth was made.

That is a different issue, fire.  Do you see the difference?

--Kent

Hi Avoran.

Existentialism is the philosophy that says there is no inherent meaning in creation.  Nothing exists.  But "I think, therefore I am".  So the basis of existence is meaning.  We see and realize (make real) meaning in our worlds.  Therefore there is meaning in our lives, in our existence.  Meaning is existential, we make meaning by existing.

A contingency is an essential element to an event.  If (contingency) then (event).  We live in a contingent world.  What happens in our world is dependent on what happens now, the future is contingent upon the present.

God's reality is not a contingent reality.  And, for fire's sake I should mention, again, that this has nothing to do with relative truth.  Relative truth would mean truth changes.  I am not saying truth changes.  Perspectives change, and religious truth is based on perspectives, possibly....

Baha'u'llah speaks to us of God' reality, and I am not saying anything about that reality.  I am saying that our reality is contingent, His is not.  I am only pointing out that one difference, not declaring anything else about God's reality or our reality.  It is a huge subject and I would love to talk about it, but I am only making the declarative statement:

Our reality is contingent and God's is not.

From our contingent perspective our actions make a difference for the future.  From God's Perspective, well, I don't know that Perspective, but I can presume that our actions are in some way part of His Perspective, on a larger scale, but each individual's actions are between that individual and God on an individual basis....   

Anyway, from our perspective, religious truth is revealed by God.  The Ten Commandments are revealed Truth.  Presumably there was a time when it was difficult to accept "Thou Shalt Not Kill" as a good idea. 

An argument can always be made against rationalizations accepted on faith like all religious truths.  I am sure you hear people all the time saying a world government does not sound like a good idea.  Well, that is revealed, religious truth.  It is true now, according to revealed Truth.  Perhaps fire is saying this is not true now, but relative, will be true some day.  That is not what I am saying, but who knows what fire says?   Perhaps fire and I agree but who can tell?

"...man's knowledge of God cannot develop fully and adequately save by observing whatsoever hath been ordained by Him and is set forth in His heavenly Book." (Tablets of Baha'u'llah, p. 268)

I am talking about how contingent beings perceive the development of religious, revealed truth.  We can make a quantum leap and accept Baha'u'llah's word as religious truth and strive to obey, or wait until more accept it and that will be proof that He was right.

--Kent