Archive for June, 2007

“Religion bestoweth upon man the most precious of gifts” - Baha’u'llah


“The Changeless Faith of God”
When Bahá’ís say that the various religions are one, they do not mean that the various religious creeds and organizations are the same. Rather, they believe that there is only one religion and all of the Messengers of God have progressively revealed its nature. Together, the world’s great religions are expressions of a single unfolding Divine plan. More > http://info.bahai.org/article-1-4-0-10.html

“Interfaith Prayer Service: This montage happened by accident when I imported the wrong photos for conversion in to a HDR image.” Uploaded on June 27, 2006 by Retinal Fetish on flickr

Baha’u'llah said that if religion is a source of disunity, it is better to have no religion at all, a sentiment that appears to be in keeping with Pastor Doug’s post. -gw

This might sound a bit odd coming from someone who makes a living off of religion, but the more I think about this the more I’m convinced that religion, any religion, is not necessary. I have no doubts that religion has done much good in the world. I have no doubts that religion has been a fuel for some of the most horrific scenes of the human drama. I don’t see the existence of religion as an issue of good or bad. I question the necessity of having a religion at all.

It could be argued that religion is necessary insofar as it serves as a moral compass for people. That may or may not be true, but most expressions of religion have bogged themselves down in this area through behavior modification and judgmentalism.

Then there’s the battle over which religion is “right”. Christianity? Islam? Judaism? Buddhism? Hinduism? Shinto? Baha’i? Who’s got it right? Each individually would say “we” are right and everyone else is wrong. Christianity is especially good at this, as it has always made that claim. Islam does the same thing. Then along come the atheists who say that none of them are right because there is no god. On the other end of the spectrum are the Universalist Unitarians who say that all of them are right and serve as different pathways to god. Frankly, I think all of these groups are trying to bounce billiard balls.

It doesn’t make much difference to me who’s right or how many. My question is, “Are they necessary vehicles for God to interact with humanity?” Is it true that God needs a religious system to reveal Himself? IMO, religion has only served as a vehicle for humanity to interact with God. And perhaps humanity may perceive a need for that vehicle, as it gives people a sense of meaning and purpose. But perception doesn’t equate with necessity.I know this will never happen, but what would result if every religious organization in the world decided to shut down and liquidate their assets? I know that I would end up seeking employment elsewhere. But would people all of a sudden become lost? They might be sad or angry, but that doesn’t mean they are lost. Can I be completely honest here? It would not bother me one bit if every church, synagogue, mosque, diocese, headquarters, temple, meditation center, sangha, etc., etc., all of a sudden closed their doors.

I believe in God. I believe that God was revealed ultimately in the person of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Bible. I even believe that God uses Word and Sacrament to interact with us. But does this mean that I’m therefore obligated to belong to a religious organization, like a church? The argument could be made that a church with ordained clergy is the only place one would have any exposure to Word and Sacrament ministry, and so is therefore necessary. But necessary for what? For salvation? If that’s the case, then Word and Sacrament become legalistic requirements instead of signs which point us to God’s Kingdom. They were never intended to be used as barriers between humanity and God.

Thoughts on this?

Pastor Doug, “Religiosity,” Lutheran Minister Unplugged: What synapse misfirings and cerebellum overloads look like in cyberspace

{Re-posted with permission}

Lakota Hoop Dancer
Jacqueline Left Hand Bull and Suzanne Haldane
New York: Dutton, 1998.
http://www.evergreen.edu/library/ARCHWWW/TESCWriters/AlumniWriters/LeftHandBull/LeftHandBullVita.html

Joye, a Lakota Baha’i, made the statement at our Convention Delegate’s report last Friday about how significant the election of an American Indian to be the chairperson of our NSA is to the native community and passed on this link as evidence. Click over for the whole story. -gw

Jacqueline Left Hand Bull-Delahunt has been chosen as the first American Indian woman to head the National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha’is of the United States.

Left Hand Bull-Delahunt, a member of the Rosebud Sioux Tribe, was brought up by traditional Lakota grandparents and parents. She became a member of the Baha’is more than 20 years ago.

“Lakota woman elected to head U.S. Baha’is’ national assembly,”
Posted: June 11, 2007
by: David Melmer / Indian Country Today

This blog has not been updated since last Friday, and it’s Wednesday already. Tonight is the second meeting of the Ruhi Book 1 Study Circle I am tutoring, my first such experience, praise be to God! Tomorrow night is Assembly meeting. And, thanks to the kids on my recent birf-day, my new I-Pod has been calling, “Load me, sync me.”

Flitzy Phoebie
Last week my wife told me I should update my other blogs, Canoeing Destinations in the Pacific Northwest and Teaching the Baha’i Faith. We’ve certainly done a lot of canoeing trips, far more than are chronicled on the canoeing blog. We certainly have been in a deliriously delightful whirlwind of teaching over the months. So my answer to my wife is: “Why should I? Everything I might want to cover shows up on your blog Flitzy Phoebie and in a timely manner.”

Yet these blogs by Baha’is are important, as we are reminded by the example of Barney who has nurtured a launch of new personal blogs, including one by such a devoted wordsmith as Wendi Momen. So I will update this blog. Now. -gw

Cameron devotes a post to to a lovely bit of philosophizing about friendship and in the process mentions something told to her by a Baha’i friend. -gw

By a fortunate quirk of happily-aligning schedules, ed_ify was able to meet me for what was planned to be coffee, but turned into lunch, at our previously-favourite west end diner. (We both adore the Original Flava greasy-spoon vibe and the friendly service, but have become disenchanted with the rising prices and not-as-good food. Hardly a tragedy in a city as replete with diners as my much-loved T-Dot.)

http://www.flickr.com/photos/theyoush/533678322/

He’s going away for work on the weekend. Won’t see him ’til mid-July. Le sigh. Sometimes I think I miss him as much as his wife does, albeit in a very different way.

It’s a funny thing, how we met all those years ago- more than 20- and became such excellent friends. Living proof that men and women really can have completely intimate and yet utterly Platonic relationships.

With him I am reminded of the very good definition I once saw: “a friend is someone with whom one discusses important things.”

And I am also reminded that just because a person might share one’s tastes, hobbies, provenance, professional and/or academic background, and possibly even physiological quirks, there’s no guarantee that this indicates a friendship-worthy compatibility. No, not at all. All these little coincidences add up to nothing.

To be friends, good friends, what’s important is character. Who you are at the core. General demeanour, outlook on the world. And even in that, there’s wiggle room. No online matchmaker would ever have put Rob and I together, we’re so different. I may never in this life pick up the game of poker, and he would rather go to the dentist than the opera, and yet still we’re very happy together. We’re alike in the ways that really matter.

A Baha’i once told me that all the world’s people are as flowers in an endless garden. And while everyone may have their own beauty, and I may in theory bless you every one, that doesn’t mean that I have to like everyone, nor expect them to like me. Courtesy, but of course. Invitation to my table, perhaps not.

And that’s perfectly okay.

Cameron (artistatlarge) wrote,@ 2007-06-06 16:22:00, “on being friends,” Artist at Large
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{Re-posted with permission}

http://sundry.ws/non-violence/

I have read with great interest many of Ian’s compelling posts over various incarnations of his blog. This post on violence strikes a chord. May children be protected from exposure to the violence of a world that seems to seeth with rage. See Ian’s page on non-violence. -gw

I made a comment on a newsgroup just now that interested me. I told someone that even though I’m dedicated to non-violence, I like war movies. It made me stop and think, and examine my feelings.

Uploaded on December 8, 2006 by kindersnap (away) on flickr

…we have to wrestle with our urge to hurt and our urge to help and heal. A Baha’i friend of mine told me something very profound a couple months ago. She told me that in the Baha’i writings, Baha’is are asked to live their lives “like a beautiful prayer”. There’s no room in prayer for violence, so the urge to hurt must come from the mind, not the soul. (I know, just follow me on this one.) We aren’t born violent. You don’t read reports of babies killing each other in the playpen. I saw a baby today that was absolutely still and quiet, and just looking around the Chinese restaurant we were in, taking everything into his mind, drinking his tea, and eating his bowl of noodles. Probably no more than a year or two old. (It’s hard for a bachelor to tell.) …

I think it’s the game we have to play here on this Earth: whether or not to give in to our animalselves.

My ex-girlfriend … is convinced that there is no essential difference between human and animal. She sees humans as advanced animals. I see humans as distinctly different than animals, because we have the ability to recognize God, the ability to change, the ability to create. There are so many differences, and yet she is partly right, I think. Humans are not advanced enough to have reached a state of mutual peace. It may take decades. It may take centuries. I hope to see it in my lifetime….

Ian, “Things that make you say: ‘Weird,’” The Quiet Room

{Re-posted with permission}

The example of the Baha’i faith is one way to discredit the idea that universal human rights are in fundamental conflict with the belief in a supreme being. …if you believe that a supreme being created the universe, then surely the universal cannot be in conflict with its creator?

Alex Bigham, “Faith and foreign policy,” Guardian Unlimited
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Thanks for this, Marco of Povo de Baha, and for having your eyes on the ‘net, as always. -gw

Blogger and Baha’i Child of Africa is in China, not all that unusual for a world citizen. For lovely and even poignant posts on her China experience, go here. -gw

Uploaded on November 22, 2006 by jenbrea on flickr

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“chicago-downtown,” Uploaded on August 20, 2005 by narsidude on flickr

Crimson Cat visits Chicago and … the Baha’i House of Worship. -gw

Stas Torgashov (crimcat) wrote @ 2007-06-03 23:21:00

Entry tags: america, diary

ЧикагоВесь сегодняшний день провел в Чикаго. И, надо сказать, не пожалел.Сначала был храм Бахаи. С удивлением узнал, что вообще есть такая религия - Baha’i, и Чикаго - одно из 5 (вроде бы) мест на земном шаре, где есть такие храмы.

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Name: Stas Torgashov

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