Difficulty in accepting the Truth due to belief in Superstitions & Miracles
Dr. A. K. Merchant*
Despite all the advances human beings have made in the field of various disciplines of knowledge and considering themselves to be the most evolved species intellectually it would not be wrong to say that when it comes to understanding and accepting the “Truth” vis-a-vis the claims of the Founders of the world’s religions there is a great deal of confusion. Vast majority of their followers believe in miracles as the basis for authenticating the claims of their Founder.
Different religions have varied perspectives on miracles, often shaped by their theological beliefs and traditions: Abrahamic religions such as Judaism, Christianity, and Islam generally view miracles as acts of God, demonstrating divine power and intervention in human affairs. On the other hand,, in Hinduism and Buddhism miracles are often linked to mystical practices, asceticism, and spiritual enlightenment. Some believe that individuals can attain supernatural abilities through deep meditation and devotion. With respect to Hellenistic religions Greek and Roman traditions are full of miraculous such as divine apparitions, healing at sacred sites, and even virgin births. Miraculous cures at the sanctuary of Asclepius in Epidaurus were widely reported in ancient Greek traditions.
Miracles, particularly as described in sacred texts, often have a deeper, spiritual meaning beyond the literal event. Some well-known miracles from various religious traditions are the following: the parting of the Red Sea is a famous miracle in Judaism demonstrating divine intervention during the Israelites’s escape from Egypt; the Resurrection of Jesus is central to Christian belief, symbolizing hope and eternal life; the splitting of the moon is a miracle attributed to the Prophet Muhammad [pbuh], signifying divine power. Many Hindu saints and deities are associated with miraculous events, the Puranas and the two Epics--Ramayana and Mahabharata have numerous stories, just to give one instance namely Krishna lifting the Govardhan Hill to protect villagers from a storm; Buddha’s Enlightenment under the Bodhi tree is considered a transformative spiritual event in Buddhism. In fact the god-men and god-women in India are attributed with a variety of miraculous powers, some of which are very hard to believe if one were to take a dispassionate rational view, but given the sensitivity of the subject one should not hurt the feelings of those who believe.
The Bahá'i Faith takes a unique approach to miracles. While miraculous events are acknowledged in historical accounts, they are not considered the primary proof of legitimacy of a Spiritual Luminary, known by such titles as the Avatara, Tathagata, Tirthankara, Prophet, Messenger, Manifestation of God, inter alia. Bahá’u’lláh, the Founder of the Bahá'i Faith, discouraged his followers from relying on miracles as evidence of His divine mission, emphasizing instead the transformative power of His teachings. “For even if these miracles were considered the greatest of proofs, they would constitute a clear evidence only for those who were present when they took place, not for those who were absent.”
That said, there are stories of miraculous occurrences associated with Bahá'u'lláh and His herald, the Báb, such as healings and other extraordinary events. Bahá'is believe that true spiritual proof comes from the wisdom and impact of Divine Educator’s message rather than supernatural signs. If the basis of faith or belief rested upon the performance of physical wonders, then one could establish spiritual truth simply by noting who possesses the most advanced technological powers. TV serials, films and movies are full of amazing computer-generated images (CGI). For example, there are prophecies in The Bible regarding the return of Christ in the glory of the Father. If tomorrow a being would actually appear in the sky in the imagined form of Jesus, how would one know whether this was indeed some God-sent individual and not just a demonstration of advanced technology?
Likewise, another example is the promise of Sri Krishna in the Bhagavad- Gita, that He would come from Age to Age to restore Dharma whenever it loses its vitality and regenerative powers for the wellbeing of society. It is through the spiritual power of His message and its impact upon the pure hearts of His devotees that should bring about the transformation. Baháʼu’lláh admonished His followers not to reduce the position of God’s Manifestations to simple miracle-workers: “We entreat Our loved ones not to besmirch the hem of Our raiment with the dust of falsehood, neither to allow references to what they have regarded as miracles and prodigies to debase Our rank and station, or to mar the purity and sanctity of Our name.”
This is not to say that Bahá’is do not admit the possibility of miracles or supernatural occurrences—but these Spiritual Educators’ roles and purpose of appearing in the world are not to perform wonders to establish belief but to educate us and to uplift humanity. The only miracle Bahá’is are permitted to attribute to Bahá’u’lláh is His revelation: the bringing forth of Teachings and Writings that transform society and the soul. We can directly observe the positive impact His teachings have had in communities where people have engaged with them and in individuals who have been transformed.
Religion must be rational: it must agree perfectly with science, so that science may uphold religious teachings and religion may endorse scientific proofs. If this is accepted people can be freed from blindly following the traditions or what has been handed down by their ancestors or forefathers. Through this method every human being would recognize and accept the Truth of the Bahá’i Faith through one’s own faculties.
*The author is a social worker, independent researcher, & member of the Bahá’i Community of India