1. In the passage "eschew all fellowship with the ungodly", Baha'u'llah
means that we should shun the company of those who disbelieve in God and
are wayward. The word "ungodly" is a reference to such perverse people.
The words "Be thou as a flame of fire to My enemies and a river of life
eternal to My loved ones" should not be taken in their literal sense.
Baha'u'llah's advice is that again we should flee from the enemies of God,
and instead seek the fellowship of His lovers.
2. A believer has the right to vote for himself during the election time,
if he conscientiously feels the urge to do so. This does not necessarily
imply that he is ambitious or selfish. For he might conscientiously
believe that his qualifications entitle him to membership in a Baha'i
administrative body, and he might be right. The essential, however, is
that he should be sincere in his belief, and should act according to the
dictates of his conscience. Moreover, membership in an assembly or
committee is a form of service, and should not be looked upon as a mark of
inherent superiority or a means for self-praise.
3. The Baha'i view of "reincarnation" is essentially different from the
Hindu conception. The Baha'is believe in the return of the attributes and
qualities, but maintain that the essence or the reality of things cannot
be made to return. Every being keeps its own individuality, but some of
his qualities can be transmitted. The doctrine of metempsychosis upheld by
the Hindus is fallacious.