
Consider equally the differences between individual men. The Christ was in the form of man, and Caiaphas was in the form of man; Moses and Pharaoh, Abel and Cain, Bahá'u'lláh and Yahya, were men.
Man is said to be the greatest representative of God, and he is the Book of Creation because all the mysteries of beings exist in him. If he comes under the shadow of the True Educator and is rightly trained, he becomes the essence of essences, the light of lights, the spirit of spirits; he becomes the center of the divine appearances, the source of spiritual qualities, the rising-place of heavenly lights, and the receptacle of divine inspirations. If he is deprived of this education he becomes the manifestation of satanic qualities, the sum of animal vices, and the source of all dark conditions.
The reason of the mission of the Prophets is to educate men; so that this piece of coal may become a diamond, and this fruitless tree may be engrafted, and yield the sweetest, most delicious fruits. When man reaches the noblest state in the world of humanity, then he can make further progress in the conditions of perfection, but not in state; for such states are limited, but the divine perfections are endless
(Abdu'l-Baha, Baha'i World Faith - Abdu'l-Baha Section, p. 332)
and cause their souls to suffer needlessly. That discomfort signals that our souls are incomplete.
God wishes that we would learn from that pain and recognize the Divinity within all mankind. Only by releasing fear, awakening the soul, and living for the benifit of others can we acheive true harmony.
All mankind is one and - united - we can accomplish far more than we ever dreamed.
The God of Old presented his lessons in very stark terms - much as one does for children - Good or Bad, Yes or No, Heaven or Hell.
As Humanity matures, we are able to grasp the concept that Everything is Within.
People can create their own version of Hell in their minds
One of the unique qualities that separates humans from the animals is our capacity for Faith. It is Faith that drives mankind forward through the ages. Always believing in their ability to reach higher, Man has truly come of age and is approaching the next developmental stage.
When studying the progressive revelations brought down to us through the various religions, we can see that the cultural teachings of God seem to have grown increasingly trusting in Man’s ability to attain the higher realms of the spirit.
BASIC TRUTHS
All Religions agree upon the following:
God is Love
God is Within Everyone
Honesty is the Highest Virtue
You Will be Treated According to
.....the
Way You Treat Others
God has Sent His Message
Many Times

FAITH IS UNIVERSAL
True study of the Holy Texts of all religions reveals that there are fundamental spiritual constants that must be maintained for the spirit to ascend.
The religious texts we have for study today are a combination of those spritual constants and cultural lessons that were directed to the people of the time.