Dear Coffee,
What you mentioned is about seeing Eliyahu Hanavi in the here and now, not about the future mission as the Herald of Moshiach. The fact that people could see Eliyahu Hanavi in our day, is also evidence that we are not without spiritual ability.
I have something to add to the Rebbe Is Moshiach conversation. Being that you are a renowned poster, I’ll address it to you. Too many here have lost their sense of reason. Who knew that Chabad is contagious?
There has always been a major tension between the Moshiach as portrayed in the Kabbalah and the Moshiach that is discussed in the Gemara. Kabbalah portrays a continuing mission that spans all realms. Halachists only see the man at the end who will fulfil all the conditions of Moshiach. There isn’t any contradiction. Just tension. And that tension is being twisted into this thread.
It is easy enough to go through the topic without being stuck in a contradiction. It seems to me that most posters would rather not resolve the tension.