Archive for February, 2006

The Baha’i Faith is quite unique as a world religion for the focus that it puts on governance. The Baha’i Adminstrative Order provides the basis for a system of global governance for Baha’is throughout the world. Some critics have tried “to draw parallels between the Baha’i Faith and the theocratic Muslim Republic of Iran,” Ian Kluge notes in his masterful rebuttal to a blatant attack on the Faith in the guise of a scholarly article. “Such parallels have no substance.” As the authoritative sources of the Faith indicate, theocracy as defined by present and past examples has nothing to do with Baha’i governance.

Cole errs yet again in presenting the Baha’i Faith as favoring a theocracy….There are several reasons why his presentation is in outright error. Most obviously, a theocracy requires a clergy which the Baha’i Faith lacks. Unlike any theocracy that ever existed, all authoritative and executive offices are held by election: LSA’s, NSA’s, delegates to the annual convention and the Universal House of Justice. Any decision made by appointees such as Auxiliary Board Members and Counselors may be appealed to the elected bodies, which, in the case of the Universal House, have the final word. This is so unlike any historical examples of theocracy that it is a gross misuse of the word to apply it to the Baha’i Faith.

Cole’s claim is wrong because the Baha’i Faith is a voluntary organization. The individual’s right to leave the organization is deeply entrenched in the Faith which rejects compulsion in religious matters. There is no historical example of a theocracy in which individuals may openly leave the ruling religion. Here too, it is clear that Xxxx’s use of this word is factually incorrect and is simply being used as a propaganda scare tactic.

Ian Kluge, A Review of Juan Cole’s “The Baha’i Faith in America as Panopticon, 1963-1997″

The nine-pointed star. Here is the tatoo version as seen on Marco Oliviera’s wonderful Povo de Baha. He, in turn, found it on The Blingdom of God, which has got to be one of the funniest oddball blogs out there. Turns out the Blingdom blogger, Jeff Trexler, is a professor of law at Southern Methodist University, who also publishes the blog uncivilsociety.com, and who also has an interesting Baha’i connection. He was a law clerk for the Honorable Dorothy W. Nelson of the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, who is also a long-time member of the National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha’is of the United States.

OK, I admit to having no tatoos, but if I did, a nine-pointed star it would be.

A simple nine-pointed star is generally used by Bahá’ís as a symbol of their Faith. The number nine has significance in the Bahá’í Revelation. Nine years after the announcement of the Báb in Shiraz, Bahá’u'lláh received the intimation of His mission in the dungeon in Teheran. Nine, as the highest single-digit number, symbolizes completeness. Since the Bahá’í Faith claims to be the fulfillment of the expectations of all prior religions, this symbol, as used for example in nine-sided Bahá’í temples, reflects that sense of fulfillment and completeness.

The Bahá’ís, a publication of the Bahá’í International Community.

Happy Ayyam-i-Ha, this four (or five) day time of parties and gift-giving for Baha’is from February 25 through March 1st. An album of children’s songs by the same name, which featured the voice of the much-loved Hand of the Cause of God Bill Sears, I will forever associate with the period, as I played a tape of these songs for my children over and over until the tape finally broke when they were young. Here is an excerpt from an article about Ayyam-i-Ha:

Ayyám-i-Há can be thought of as days outside of time, days that symbolize eternity, infinity, and the mystery and unknowable Essence of God Himself. Contemplation during these days of the timeless mystery of the Essence of God provides us the “joy and exultation” with which to “sing His praise and magnify His Name.”

Karla Jamir, “Days Outside of Time”

Before Ruhi class this afternoon, before the hike in Point Defiance Park after lunch, and before the Ayyam-i-Ha party at Baha’i school this morning, I started my Sunday by checking out other blogs using a new blog search engine I’d never tried before. My discovery of the morning was a sensitive reflection on religious diversity. A word to Kelley, the blogger: it is not the Baha’i way to “pity” others for their beliefs, as Baha’is honor the idea that each person has the right to decide what is true for them.

Something has been bothering me lately about theology. I’ve been reading blogs and reading books, and reading the Bible. The nagging thing about most Christian theology is that most everyone seems to believe that their brand of theology is the only truly correct one, and everyone else who doesn’t experience God in exactly the same manner is judged accordingly - either with disdain or pity. While it may be all right to debate our doctrinal differences amongst ourselves, it becomes a problem when the heat of the debate (or even our strong agreement with one another on theological/doctrinal issues) overshadows our testimony of Christ, individually or collectively.

For example, I went to playgroup in my new neighborhood a couple weeks ago, and one of the moms mentioned in passing that she “used to be Catholic.” When I asked her what she meant by “used to be,” she said that she was raised Catholic in Chile, but she wasn’t a Catholic anymore. So, she proceeded to explain her journey to her newfound faith. Apparently, she’s very open-minded and she researched everything that was available — Buddhism, Islam, Christianity, etc. Her husband is agnostic, but it seems that she is certain there IS a God and that she should find some way to follow Him. Her problem with all of the world religions was that they were so exclusive. Attitudes that screamed, “We’re right, you’re wrong, this is the only way to God,” and clergy who expect you to give money and change your life to fit a certain demographic were not appealing to her. So, she found a religion (Baha’i faith) with no clergy and a theology that incorporates ALL religions as “chapters of the same book.” The way I see it, she just wanted a religion based on love and acceptance. And, Christianity didn’t pass the test (ouch!). As I get to know her better, I hope to show her Christ’s love and acceptance. Maybe someday I’ll earn the right to tell her what Christ has done in my life, and what He’s done for her too. But for now, she probably pities me, because she thinks I only have part of God’s revelation to mankind (Jesus), and not the latest information (Baha’u'llah). It’s the same way I look at people with dial-up internet connections.

Kelley, “Theological Encounters”

On a recent post I described the signficance of study circles for Baha’is. Study circles constitute one of the core activities of Baha’i community life, the others being devotional meetings and children’s classes. A focus of one of the books of the study circle series is on the practice of homevisiting. In the evolving culture of the Baha’i Faith, visiting people in their homes to discuss signficant spiritual issues is fast becoming common-place. One can gain a sense of the outward-looking nature of the Baha’i community that home-visiting exemplifies by scrolling through the postings of an absolutely delightful new blog from Vancouver, Canada, that describes a home-visiting experience as part of Baha’i community life. Here is an excerpt from a recent entry:

Our Book 1 study circle had the joy of visiting, this last Saturday, the home of one of the friends who joined the community of Bahá less than a year ago. Although the concept of home visits had been briefly explained to the participants, most of whom are not Bahá’ís yet, we took a few minutes before our departure to review some of the Writings we had been exploring in our study circle and to come up with a few questions we wished to delve into during our visit.

Once we arrived at their home, we were warmly welcomed and served tea and goodies. After the initial pleasantries, Tao gently encouraged us to share what we had come to do. Before long we were exploring, among others, such things as the difference between spirit, soul and mind and the purpose of tests and difficulties. All had an opportunity to share their insights and, if you could have been a fly on the wall, you would not have been able to tell who was a Bahá’í and who was not, who was teaching and who was being taught. This perhaps becomes more significant if you take into consideration that some of the participants have only known of the Faith for less than a month!

Well we were not finished yet! We rounded out our visit by having dinner at a nice Persian Restaurant and then headed off to our regular devotional gathering where we spent more time exploring the spiritual reality of man. By the end we were all tired but extremely happy!

Vancouver-UBC IPG, “Home Visit to a New Believer”

Photo: The early years, Dr Farzam Arbab with students

On a day like today with the news of sectarian violence gripping the very land where Baha’u'llah lived for 10 years and made his public announcement, a Baha’i’s thoughts turn to teaching. There is no other system with an ounce of promise save the Faith to provide the inspiration for what humanity must do to extricate itself from the current morass. For Baha’is, teaching the Faith of Baha’u'llah begins with striving to refine their inner lives.

[An]…aspect of our identity emerges from our roots in Bahá’í history. An intimate connection with an eventful past, with the heroes through whose sacrifice the Cause has advanced, and an acute awareness of the workings of the cycles of crisis and victory — these help shape your true identity. Unlike so many souls whose connection with history is severed and who seek heroes and role models in figures who are themselves victims of a disintegrating society, you have no doubt that you are participating in the greatest drama in the history of humankind: the creation of a new race of men.

A strong sense of Bahá’í identity in turn leads to a strong sense of purpose. It gives rise to a feeling of urgency with which we all need to attend to our own spiritual growth. We cannot be passive observers of our own lives, hapless victims of society, shaped by political and commercial propaganda. Our lives on this earthly plane are too short, and the bounties of a pure heart capable of reflecting divine attributes too many, for us to become distracted by the passing attractions of a world lost in idle fancies. Thus you bend your energies purposefully towards acquiring perfections and refining your inner life.

Notes for a talk given by Dr. Farzam Arbab as part of a two-day seminar on the Five Year Plan sponsored by the Youth Activities Committee at the Bahá’í World Centre 28 April 2001

Conficts of all kinds rage both on our TV screens and on our computer screens. Reading blogs on Iran is positively scary, whether they are written by Iranians or Westerners. Baha’is shun political machinations, and there sure is plenty of that on these Iranian-subject blogs. Here is an excerpt from one blog entry that attempts to provide an historical perspective on the Islam of Iran:

Most all Iranians, as you have heard, are “Shias.” Shias form one of the two main branches of Islam (Sunnis form the other - most Arabs are Sunnis), originating as “Shiat Ali” or followers of Mohammed’s son-in-law Ali, married to Mohammed’s daughter, Fatima (Mohammed had no sons).

Shias believed the Caliph, or Islamic Pope, should be a descendant of Mohammed, i.e., of Ali and Fatima. But the Caliphate was seized when the army of Ali’s son, Hussein, was slaughtered at the Battle of Karbala (now a sacred city in Iraq) in 680 AD by rival Sunnis.

The line of Imams, or Shia Calpihs, continued until the mysterious disappearance of Al-Askari, the 12th Imam, at age four in 873. Shias refused to believe he died, and he became revered as the Hidden Imam who would some day return to save the world as an Islamic Messiah.This is why most Shias are “Twelvers” waiting for the return of the 12th Imam, for they deeply believe only he can establish true Islamic law on earth. Like apocalyptic Christians, they believe that disastrous “signs” - chaos, death, and destruction on a horrifically massive scale - will portend the coming of their messiah.

All Shias believe this, that there will be a Second Coming of their Savior.

And so Westerners reading this may be learning for the first time of the messianic traditions of Shi’ah Islam, a fascinating subject. Here is an excerpt from a Baha’i author that summarizes the Baha’i view:

Although Bahá’ís recognize the legitimacy of the 12 Imams of Shi’ah Islam, that recognition does not in any way constitute an acceptance or validation of some of the fantastic theories, traditions, superstitions, and downright inventions of the various sects and leaders of Shi’ah Islam. Shi’ah Islam, and in particular the Ithna-’Ashariyyih sect of Shi’ah Islam, was the historical setting out of which sprang — first the Bábí — and eventually the Bahá’í Faith; in the same way that Christianity sprang from Judaism. Both Christianity and the Bahá’í Faith have gone on to become independent world religions.

Duane Troxel, ISLAM AND THE BAHÁ’Í FAITH: A Brief Guide

Image: a Ghanaian Adinkra symbol

My wife was in the habit of exploring other people’s blogs long before she started her own blog. I was a daily commenter on her blog for seven months before I couldn’t stand it anymore–I had to start a blog of my own. Only then did I really begin to check out other blogs.

Google’s Blog Search and Technorati provide great vehicles for tuning in to see who else in the blog world has an interest in “Baha’i.” Sometimes you are reading of a blogger’s first discovery of the Baha’i Faith. For a Baha’i that can be something of a thrill. Sometimes the reference is only in passing. In any case, it feels good to be able to drop onto someone’s site and say, “Hey, I’m glad you mentioned Baha’i.”

There will be occasions when you find your comment is the first one posted on a new blog, which can also give you a good feeling. The blogging experience depends upon the idea that there is an audience out there somewhere. And, I believe, there always is.

Here is an excerpt from a great new blog with an unusual title: Funtunfunefu-Denkyemfunefu. The blogger, Chris Richards of Saskatoon, Canada, explains in his first entry: “Funtunfunefu-Denkyemfunefu [means] Siamese Crocodiles, [a reference to the] Ghanaian Adinkra Symbol of Democracy and Unity. The Siamese crocodiles share one stomach, yet they fight over food. This popular symbol is a remind that infighting and tribalism is harmful to all who engage in it.“ Chris is apparently not a Baha’i. Here is an excerpt from his post about attending a Baha’i marriage workshop.

The day went on with talks from the speakers and group discussions of Baha’i scripture. We would go through paragraphs from their writings and try to interpret what was being said. I really enjoyed this because the groups had a great diversity in age and background and each person contributed unique perspectives and stories from their lives. At one point an old woman was reading through the scripture and paused on the word ’spiritual.’ She looked up, directly at me, and said with a puzzled tone, “Hmmm. You know, I’m really not sure what is meant by this sentence. What do you think it means here when it says ‘to be spiritual’”?

I however am not the Dalai Lama and thus leaned back in my chair with a long deep exhale of breath and tried to come up with an answer. But before I could the middle-aged woman beside me jumped in and began, somehow very slowly yet at the same time excitedly, to try to explain to the old woman what it meant to be spiritual. The old woman just smiled, looked at her, and calmly said “I’m 85 years old. I know what being spiritual means to me. I asked because I wanted this young man to explain to me what he thought it meant. But now you’ve interrupted his thoughts.” With which she followed with a long cackling high pitched laugh and a deep long sigh. I really liked that old lady.

Chris Richards, “The Baha’i Marriage Worshop”

Photo: An Azerbaijani Baha’i Community in 1927

Recently a provocative op-ed piece appeared in our local newspaper authored by a local university professor entitled “Religion plays very different roles in America, Europe.” The entire article is definately worth reading, but one section in particular caught my attention. Upon reading it I thought of the above photo of Azerbaijani Baha’is with row upon row of children. Now I don’t know how difficult life was for these Baha’is back in 1927–the active persecution of Baha’is in Azerbaijan by the Soviets did not begin until 1937–but if this lovely photo is any indication, they were not afraid of bringing children in the world. My wife and I were not afraid either, as our four adult children would indicate. Here are the two paragraphs from the article.

[T]he U.S. and Europe have not converged toward a single set of values but rather have temporarily crossed paths and are once again growing apart.

[A] lack of faith appears to correlate with demographics; people who don’t believe don’t believe in having children. Across Europe, declining birth rates mean an aging population and a shrinking work force. In contrast, in the U.S. birth rates remain high, even among non-immigrant populations.

And then I thought of this quote from Baha’u'llah on marriage and children:

In this Day, however, let them give up the life of seclusion and direct their steps towards the open world and busy themselves with that which will profit themselves and others. We have granted them leave to enter into wedlock that they may bring forth one who will make mention of God, the Lord of the seen and the unseen, the Lord of the Exalted Throne.

Baha’u'llah, Bisharat (Glad-tidings)

My friend Polin is from Cambodia originally but came to our community here in the United States about three years ago. His devotion to the Faith is enormous. He is not a new Baha’i, having embraced the Faith while still a teenager back in 1993, but he was born a Buddhist. He taught the Baha’i Faith vigorously in Cambodia and later in the Phillipines. His home town, Batambang, is today a center of growth for the Faith in Cambodia, extolled for its efforts as one of the “A Clusters” in the Baha’i world presently. This photo was taken by my wife Bonita during a visit with Polin to a local Buddhist temple on a holiday celebrated by Cambodian Buddhists and was featured on Bonita’s blog previously.

[Baha'is recognize Baha'u'llah as] the Judge, the Lawgiver and Redeemer of all mankind, as the Organizer of the entire planet, as the Unifier of the children of men, as the Inaugurator of the long-awaited millennium, as the Originator of a new ‘Universal Cycle,’ as the Establisher of the Most Great Peace, as the Fountain of the Most Great Justice, as the Proclaimer of the coming of age of the entire human race, as the Creator of a new World Order, and as the Inspirer and Founder of a world civilization.

He alone is meant by the prophecy attributed to Gautama Buddha Himself, that ‘a Buddha named Maitreye, the Buddha of universal fellowship’ should, in the fullness of time, arise and reveal ‘His boundless glory’….

Shoghi Effendi, God Passes By, in “Buddhist Prophecies Fulfilled.”