Thank you for the helpful insights and information, Don.
On the point about an authoritative statement, the notes to the Aqdas, do state: "The Báb named the months after certain attributes of God." (note
147). Page
11 of the Aqdas refers to "members of ... Committees whom we commissioned ... to compose the annotations". Not sure whether this would make the notes fall under the category of "on behalf of" the Universal House of Justice (which would make it authoritative) or more like memoranda prepared by the Research Department (which would merely mean it was meant to help us, but not necessarily authoritative - see
http://bahai-library.com/uhj_research_d ... tymologies ).
As far as the difference between defining characteristics of God and man's relationship with God, I don't think we can categorically differentiate these. 'Abdu'l-Baha indicates that we affirm perfections of God simply to indicate that God is incapable of imperfection (see SAQ p.
148), and that all praise of God of which we can gain some understanding reverts to the Manifestation (ibid.
149). However, His attributes are
reflected in all things, including ourselves, and we are urged to purify ourselves to ensure we more adequately embody these qualities (e.g., from the Four Valleys, "The Self of God standing within Him with laws." and "On this plane, the self is not rejected but beloved; it is well-pleasing and not to be shunned." - p.
50).
God even (through His Manifestations) includes such virtues as nobility within this pale and indicates that because of one of His attributes being the "Fashioner", He is eager to see His servants manifest the attribute through engaging in craftsmanship (see
http://bahai-library.com/compilation_arts_crafts#I2 ).
Granted, there are situations in which it may typically be more appropriate to refer to some attributes as referring primarily to ourselves (e.g., "humility") and others primarily to the Almighty ("Sovereignty"), but as with "Fashioner", I think we may sometimes be called to have a share of all the attributes.
This is no less true with asking questions (perhaps describing, as per the post you reference (also online
here), seeing God as the "Questioner"), as Baha'u'llah, embraces believers also asking questions in His Most Holy Book, even to Himself ("Ask ye that which shall be of profit to you in the Cause of God and His dominion, for the portals of His tender compassion have been opened before all who dwell in heaven and on earth." - par.
126) even though He does qualify this by asking believers to avoid asking "idle" questions (and as the Bab also
did earlier).
Beyond questions of the Manifestations, the act of meditation is described as being a process of asking ourselves questions ("It is an axiomatic fact that while you meditate you are speaking with your own spirit. In that state of mind you put certain questions to your spirit and the spirit answers" Paris Talks p.
174). Of course, consultation often calls for questions, they are to be
employed in deepening, they are mentioned as a technique within
language learning or
learning in general, etc.