1914?

[lunamoth]

Does the year 1914 hold any significance in the Baha'i Faith?

I vaguely remember that Abdu'l Baha considered WWI a prophetic fulfilment, but I can't remember how it fits Baha'i eschatology.

Thank you,
lunamoth

[BruceDLimber]

Hi, Laurie!

No, it doesn't: 1914 has no special significance in the Faith.

And the only thing nearby I know of offhand is what Baha'is see as the fulfillment of the prophecy of the Battle of Armageddon, which took place (if I remember) in 1917 when the British General Allenby deafated the Turks at Megiddo, thus saving 'Abdu'l-Baha's life (the Ottomans were about to crucify him at the time). Allenby sent a wire after the victory tellilng someone up the chain of command that 'Abdu'l-Baha was now safe.

Anyway, no: 1914 has no meaning for Baha'is.

And the prophetic fulfillment you're probably thinking of is that after the Kaiser rejected/ignored Baha'u'llah's letter to him, He warned that Germany would have two chances but would blow them both! WWI counts as the first of the two.

Regards,

Bruce

[lunamoth]

Thanks Bruce. I was just thinking about it because of the thread on 1914 in the Christianity forum.

luna

[smkolins]

Originally Posted by BruceDLimber

Hi, Laurie!

No, it doesn't: 1914 has no special significance in the Faith.

And the only thing nearby I know of offhand is what Baha'is see as the fulfillment of the prophecy of the Battle of Armageddon, which took place (if I remember) in 1917 when the British General Allenby deafated the Turks at Megiddo, thus saving 'Abdu'l-Baha's life (the Ottomans were about to crucify him at the time). Allenby sent a wire after the victory tellilng someone up the chain of command that 'Abdu'l-Baha was now safe.

I kind of agree - 1914 doesn't figure in anything I've read - but it's not 1917 but 1918 that is the Battle at Miggido aka Armageddon. See http://bahai-library.com/bsr/bsr09/9...armageddon.htm

However in general the whole period of 1780's through 1940's could be viewed as generally prophetic. I don't know any of the discussion about 1914 mentioned but it is possible there is a significance not yet plummed.

[lunamoth]

Thank you for the clarification, smkolins. Good to see you back.

lunamoth

[flowperson]

Does anyone remember the date of the revelations at Fatima in Portugal ?
I'm thinking it was 1914, and while the vatican has revealed the first two of the three revelations, I believe the third is still not generally known. According to onlookers, the sun danced in the sky while the children involved received the revelations.

There is also a parallel to these events when visitations of the holy female image took place in the late 80's at Madjegoria in the Balkans prior to hostilities there. Any comments on the coincidence ?

flow....

[Bill]

Hi,

Can't help on 1914. The Fatima apparitions culminated in 1917, although the children reported mystical events starting as early as 1915.

The 3rd secret was made public in 2000 by the Vatican. At that time they said it referred to the attempt on John Paul's life. There are all sorts of conspiracy theories about it of course (even some thinking the dancing sun was a UFO). The details can be found on the about website,

http://paranormal.about.com/library/.../aa070300a.htm

There have been so many apparitions of one sort or the other in various parts of the world it is inevitable that one or another will be close to a period of war in the last troubled century.

It would be great if things were clearer, maybe we are still too close to all these events. Historians of the future will have a better perspective.

Bill

[flowperson]

Thanks Bill:
Of course one of my curses is that it seems to me that there are fewer and fewer coincidences as I age.

flow....

[Bill]

Hi Flo,

That's probably a blessing.

Bill