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In Mathew 17:15, Jesus said: “Beware of false prophets.” But how?
Not all prophecies can be trusted, much less believed. It is necessary to read prophecies carefully—and critically.
For instance, there are a number of apocalyptic texts that base “last events” on “past events.” In other words, such prophecies appear to “foretell” what are actually past occurrences (usually in the fairly recent past) as though these events were going to happen in the future! In these not-very-prophetic “prophecies,” recent history gets “replayed”—but with a different outcome in the future scenario.
Some prophecies are even borrowed, as we’ve seen in the case of the Kalki prophecies, which, surprisingly, are found in both Hindu and Buddhist texts!
In previous articles, we looked at some Hindu texts regarding the adventures, exploits and conquests of Kalki, as told in the Kalki Purāṇa. We have seen how Baha’u’llah has been proclaimed as “Kalki Viṣṇuyaśas,” the future avatar, by Baha’is from a predominantly Hindu background. “Kalki” means the “Destroyer” (of what is foul, i.e. sin). “Viṣṇuyaśas” translates as the “fame of Viṣṇu”—similar to “Baha’u’llah” whose name, in Arabic, means the “Glory of God”.
But a word of caution here: the public claim that “Baha’u’llah is Kalki” should be qualified. Here’s why:
We have previously shown how the Kalki Purāṇa depicts Kalki Viṣṇuyaśas as leading a fierce military campaign against Buddhists, as well as Jains and other mlecchas (“barbarians” or “foreigners”). Baha’u’llah, of course, did not do that. Quite the opposite: Baha’u’llah proclaimed that Hindus and Buddhists—as well as the followers of all other religions—should strive to do the following:
… O people! Consort with the followers of all religions in a spirit of friendliness and fellowship. – Baha’u’llah, Tablets of Baha’u’llah, p. 22.
Now here’s a new problem: there are actually Tibetan Buddhist prophecies that predict that Kalki will militarily fight and defeat Muslims (but without killing them)! According to Alexander Berzin, a renowned scholar of Tibetan Buddhism: “With Kalachakra, the Buddhists responded to the general fear of an invasion by asserting its own messiah prediction.”
Here’s one such prophecy:
The cavalry of the Tāyin [Arab Muslims], engaged in war, will entirely destroy shrines that display buddhas, bhairavas, men, women, and snakes. They belong to a single caste, and do not take [each] other’s property; they speak the truth and practice hygiene. Their youths avoid others’ wives, and upholding the precepts of asceticism, they resort to their own wives. On earth and in heaven the lord of darkness [Allāh, i.e. God] only protects those Tāyin and tīrthikas [i.e. Arab Muslims and other “heretics”] who, having washed, prostrate to the worshipped Rahu [Raḥmān, i.e. God] five times each day at noon, afternoon, evening, night, and sunrise. In fierce battles [he] protects [them] like a father [protecting his] sons and servants. Since the kshatriyas [warrior caste] will not fight, [the Tāyin] king, having worshipped the terrifying [deity] with the flesh of birds and beasts, will cut off [the kshatriya] lineages by harming various sentient beings and pillaging others’ wealth. …
In the future, the descendants, relatives, and men of the lord of the barbarians, Muḥammad, will destroy sixty-eight temples of the sacred sites and pilgrimage places on earth. In eighteen hundred [?] years, in Makka [Mecca], etc., [and in India,] the land of the Aryans, I [Kalkin Yaśas, having reincarnated as Kalkin Raudra Cakrin], will annihilate the barbarians and the god of darkness [Allah] whom they imagine to be the sun.
O Surya, I will place living beings in happiness by establishing them in [the Dharma] through the rite of the three refuges in the Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha. Then I will go from Kalapa [in Sambhala] to Tusita, the supreme abode of the gods. – Śrī-Kālacakra-tantrottara-Tantrahṛdaya-nāma II.4 and II.6, translated by John Newman, “Islam in the Kālacakra Tantra,” Journal of the International Association of Buddhist Studies 21.2 (1998): pp. 311–371 (above quotes on pp. 344–345, emphasis added).
Obviously this prophecy was written after the fact. According to Alexander Berzin, this is what happened:
The singular Buddhist textual tradition that mentions any Islamic customs or beliefs is the Sanskrit Kālacakra Tantra literature, which emerged in the late tenth and early eleventh centuries CE. … Buddhist masters saw a threat to their society posed by a certain Muslim political faction. Consequently, they seem to have felt it necessary to inform their followers about the beliefs of the possible “invaders.” …
From 876 to 976 CE, the entire region was under Hindu Shāhi rule. The Sunni Muslim Ghaznavids, vassals of the ‘Abbāsids, conquered the Afghan side in 976 CE and finally overthrew the Hindu Shāhi rulers of the remaining Pakistani side in 1010 CE. The Ghaznavids were tolerant of Buddhism and Hinduism within the former Hindu Shāhi realm. – Alexander Berzin, “Historical Survey of the Buddhist and Muslim Worlds’ Knowledge of Each Other’s Customs and Teaching,” The Muslim World, Vol. 100 (April/July 2010): pp. 187–203 (p. 191).
Dr. Berzin elsewhere states that these Tibetan Buddhist prophecies of Kalki are cyclic in nature and are intended to be meditated upon. But that doesn’t change the fact that these Buddhist prophecies of Kalki—borrowed and adapted from prior Hindu prophecies—were written as a response to Arab invasions. In other words, these prophecies were a form of “crisis literature” at the time that they were written.
In previous articles, we have seen how the Zoroastrian prophecies of “Shāh Bahrām Varjāvand” were written after the Arab conquest of Persia in the seventh century CE. The take-away from all this is that such prophecies, which appear to “foretell” Arab invasions, were actually written after these events took place. Scholars refer to future predictions of past events as “vaticinia ex eventu” (Latin for “vaticinations (predictions) from (past) events”). That would definitely qualify as a false prophecy.
So: “Beware of false prophecies.” If they are “too good to be true,” then they may, in fact, not be true!
When all is said and done, prophecies, at times, can be problematic. To be sure, Baha’u’llah fulfills the spirit—but sometimes not the exact letter—of these prophecies. Not only that, but the manner in which Baha’u’llah fulfills prophecies is often far better than what the prophecies themselves promise.
Christopher Buck (Ph.D., University of Toronto, 1996; J.D., Thomas M. Cooley Law School, 2006) is an attorney (Pittsburgh), independent scholar, faculty instructor at the Wilmette Institute (2001–present, Department of Bahá’í History & Texts, distance education), and former professor at Michigan State University (2000–2004, visiting assistant...
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“When he shall be seen in the West, seated in the Western fashion, his hair like flames about his noble head, discoursing, then shall the inhabitants of the Three Worlds rejoice, knowing that the emancipation of all sentient beings is imminent.”
– L. Ron Hubbard, Hymn of Asia: An Eastern Poem (Los Angeles: Church of Scientology of California Publications Organization, 1974/2000).
Whether this is “a legit maiteya prophecy” as you claim cannot be determined until this purported “Tibetan” Buddhist text is identified.
You wrote: “I can ...only arrive at a sort of Maiteya, Christ Lucifer sandwich.” Whatever you meant, I recommend a respectful tone in this interfaith dialogue.
In the same book, Jesus says he will give "the morning star" to "the one who is victorious and does my will". However unbias the source or referencing, ...I see that because "Satan" is the god of "this" world (sinthebible), God's dog will do most the work (building kingdom of heaven on Earth), euphemism there. No doubt baha is precidive to the work.
“When a thousand two hundred and some years have passed from the inception of the religion of the Arabian and the overthrow of the Kingdom of Irán and the degradation of the followers of My religion, a descendant of the Iranian kings will be raised up as a prophet.” – “Dínkird”
This is quoted in John Ferraby, All Things Made New: A Comprehensive Outline of the Bahá’í Faith, 2nd revised edition (London: Bahá’í Publishing Trust, 1987), p. 174.
The source of this spurious prophecy may have been Muhammad ...Nátiq’s Al-Munázarátu’d-Díníyyah (Cairo: Faraju’lláh Dhakí al Kurdí, 1342 AH), p. 37. (See Research Department, Baha’i World Centre, Memorandum (March 27, 1999).)
Yet I’ve seen no evidence that “some Buddhists” see Hubbard as Maitreya.
That said, in 1956, Hubbard wrote “The Hymn of Asia,” a poem published in 1974, in which he claims to be “Metteya”—fulfilling prophecies that Maitreya will appear in the West and have golden or red hair.
No such prophecies exist!
Then, in 1963, Hubbard denounced Buddhist Nirvana:
“And we won’t join Nirvana. We have meters and a map. … Nirvana is choked with ...the overwhelmed.”
See: Stephen A. Kent, “Scientology’s relationship with Eastern religious traditions.”Journal of Contemporary Religion, 11.1 (Jan. 1996): 21–36.
The title of this article, “How to Beware of False Prophecies,” speaks for itself.
False prophecies are not true. They can only be “fulfilled” if radically reinterpreted. Their fulfillment—spiritually—is tantamount to their negation—literally.
Taking Kalki as one example, Baha’u’llah is Kalki in a more general sense, understanding the future Avatar as representing a Hindu longing for a better world.
This series shows how “eschatological bridges” to Baha’u’llah are constructed in interesting ways.
One way is to see how Baha’is eschatologically “realize” Baha’u’llah as the World-Messiah despite “false prophecies” and ...by understanding “true prophecies” as symbolic and spiritual in nature.
I’m not sure what “method” you’re talking about. The “method” discussed in this article is how to recognize those prophecies that are written after the historical facts they describe, and then project into the future. Simple as that!
Genuine prophecies are discussed in other articles in this series. So, rather than posting your ...critique in serial comments, please take the time to read my articles more closely, as there are several issues under discussion.