Archive for July, 2007

Lowerleavell visits Vietnam to do volunteer service and provides an overview of religions in the country. His description of the Baha’i Faith is noteworthy. -gw

A final small note… Islam is practically non-existent. There is a small strain of Baha’i faith which is an offshoot of Islam - one could say it’s the most updated Abrahamic religion.

lowerleavell, “Living In A Country Of Respect” Gospel of Reason: Pre-packaged rationality ready for consumption
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Ready…

Set…
Go!!

-gw

Photos by Gary Sloan

A post on SinaBlog caught Child of Africa’s attention. She translated it into English for Baha’i Views readers to enjoy. Many thanks to her for sharing this. gw

There is a blog that some of my friends in China like to read that I go to on occasion and that seems to enjoy quite a wide readership. I was intrigued by the following entry and so I translated it so that I would know what he had to say and also in case it was of interest to Baha’i Views The notion of “oneness” as referring to an integration of opposites is also fresh and intriguing…i am still chewing on it and not quite sure the argument hangs together yet but it brings to my attention again the potential for people from different backgrounds to bring new perspectives to our understanding of the Faith and the truths it enshrines.

From the blog entry of Pan Shiyi entitled “Humanity is entering the stage of maturity” http://blog.sina.com.cn/u/4679dbbf01000bkb

标签：巴哈欧拉 索罗亚斯德 宗教信仰 成熟期 “三际”

“When I watched movies as a child, I always wanted to know which character was the good guy and which one was the bad guy. But usually movie plots are designed in such a way that you only know who is actually the bad guy at the very end of the movie. This made me really frustrated and I would frequently ask the adults in my presence “Is this person good or bad?” It is only as I age that I realize that the world is not so easily categorized into black and white and good and bad.

“Recently I have been reading works by some wise sages such as Baha’u'llah and Zoroaster. They have a common understanding of human society and they use the maturation of the individual as a metaphor for the maturation of human society. That is to say that human society also passes through phases of development.

“The first stage of development is the stage of chaos which is characterized by lack of understanding, values or religious belief just as a baby is born into ignorance. Detailed descriptions of the characteristics of human society in this stage have been presented in the Bible and in the “Tao Te Ching” and I do not dwell on these classics here.

“The second stage is the stage of duality: If it is not black then it is white; if it is not heaven then it is hell; if they are not the friend then they are the enemy; if you are not a country that is against terrorism then you are a terrorist country. In Zoroastrianism there is the God of Light, Ahura Mazda, and also the God of Darkness, Ahraman. This represents a stage that is lacking in maturity that corresponds to human society during its time of childhood.

“The third stage of human society is the stage of maturity. The main signs of this third stage are oneness, cooperation, and unity. “The great oneness of all under the heavens;” “humanity as one family;” “one world, one dream” are the themes of this great period of maturity. Those who are stuck in the thoughts, customs, values, outdated superstitions of the second stage of human society slow down and hinder humanity’s development and advancement into the stage of maturity.

“The characteristics of this stage of maturity have all been described in detail by Baha’u'llah but these characteristics are already evident in present day society: movement towards global integration is a powerful force impelling humanity towards the period of maturity, but trade protectionism and the imposition of sanctions are the hindrances. Humanity as one family and care and loving concern for each other are the powers for progress towards this period of maturity, while extreme nationalism is a powerful hindrance. But regardless of the challenges that humanity encounters on its path to maturity the trend cannot be stopped, it is as inevitable as the fact that the child is going to grow up into an adult.”

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Image: http://imagecache2.allposters.com/images/pic/ADL/AA-ES314~Sun-Dance-Posters.jpg

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http://reference.bahai.org/en/t/ab/TAB/tab-239.html

How is it that children of Baha’is grow up to be Baha’is? What can we learn from the stories of highly committed and devoted 2nd, 3rd, or 4th generation Baha’is? How did the flame of faith come to burn so brightly within their families? Nabil’s story is illuminating. -gw

My grandfather was the strongest male figure in my family who had the greatest influence on me. He was born a Sunni Muslim in the south of Iran where he attended an Islamic school and studied the Quran. He moved from his small village in Bandar Lengeh to Bahrain and then Kuwait. In his youth in Iran he heard about the Baha’i Faith which he investigated before converting to it. He was a Muslim who was willing to choose the path of faith rather than comfort and ease, for he investigated Baha’u’llah’s claim to be a new messenger of God and accepted it regardless of the consequences which at that time in Iran could have been fatal. He was the only one in his family to become a Baha’i and his new faith strained relations with some members of his family. Nevertheless, he did not choose to simply follow the religion of his forefathers. …

[A]t the age of 14 when I was entering into adolescence and becoming more conscious of the world, I sought during my last visit with my grandfather … to know more about his life and upbringing. I wanted to know about his childhood, the things he enjoyed, the sufferings he endured, and most importantly, I wanted him to share with me the pearls of wisdom that he accumulated over a lifetime with regards to life and religion. Yet my wish was not to be granted for my time with my grandfather was limited as he was too weak and my Arabic nonexistent. …

A few years later, my aunt recounted to me how my grandfather wished for me to become a bridge between the East and the West, as I am born of both worlds. As a result, the impression left on me by my grandfather; my desire to speak Arabic again with my family in Kuwait and Arabs; and the chance and hope to become a bridge between two worlds, East and West….

Nabil, “Why I Want to Learn Arabic,” Expositions of Arabia: Dedicated to the illumination of reality
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{Reposted with permission}

I think Jason is onto something. -gw

1. There is oneness of the entire human race.

2. There must be an independent searth after truth, unfettered by supersition or tradition.

3. There is a basic unity of all religion.

4. All forms of prejudice, whether religious, racial, class related, or national, are condemned.

5. Harmony must exist between religion and science.

6. There is equality of men and women.

7. Cumpulsory education must prevail.

8. There should be a universal language.

9. Extremes of wealth and poverty should be abolished.

10. A world tribunal for the adjudication of disputes among nations should be instituted.

11. Work performed in the spirit of service should be exalted to the rank of worship.

12. Justice should be glorified as the ruling principle in human society and religion for protection of all peoples and nations.

13. The establishment of a permanent and universal peace should the the suprememe goal of mankind.

~Bahaullah

After years of study and reflection, I’ve come to the conclusion that all of the religions of the world must have spring from one source. The Golden Rule is instinctual. It has to be. How else would so many different faiths, from so many different geographic areas, come to so similair of conclusions?

There are obviously many possibilities, but in my mind there are only two logical conclusions. The gods of all faiths are the one God, or there is no god at all. Equality amoung men and women of all races and creeds is just, or justice itself is undefinable. There is truth to the idea of Karma. There is truth in the Ten Commandments, the Eightfold Path, and even some parts of the Qu’Ran. Every faith has pieces of what is the absolute truth. Therefore, God must exist, at least in some form. I believe in circumstance to a point, but there are far too many similarities. Even if only as an ingrained human idea, God exists. There can be no doubt whatever that the peoples of the world, of whatever race or religion, derive their inspiration from this one source, be it internal or devine.

If God exists, his existance must be scientifically provable. As frequently quoted, “absence of evidence is not evidence of absence.” We currently lack the scientific capacity to prove or disprove the existance of God, and that lack of capacity proves nothing. All we truly have to rely on is thought and emotion, which combine to form faith. The more I think about it, the stronger my feeling is becoming. For the first time in my life, I’m begining to have faith that God exists.

Also, it’s my firm belief that in creation there is no evil; all is good. Certain qualities and natures innate in some men and apparently blameworthy are not so in reality. They’re mearly different. Fear of the different led to the man-made creations of intolerance, prejudice, revenge, and hatred… known collectively as evil. Thoughtful introspection and unbiased education are the collective path we should all strive to follow.

On studying religions, I found several that I feel are very close to my personal beliefs, specifically Buddhism and Baha’i. Right now, I’m spending a lot of time reading about Baha’i, as it’s not a mainstream religion in Western culture, so it’s still pretty new to me. The 13 primary doctrines seem pretty rock solid to me for the most part though. What do you think?
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Jason, “Thoughts on God,” An Ever Changing Mind

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{Re-posted with permission}

Here is a post, compelling, but disturbing to read, that reflects the diverse religious influences on a twenty-something and the frustrations that come up for her in her religious encounters. I wouldn’t have come across the post, nor would I have linked to it were it not for two sentences. -gw

Mum was a mystic who grew up Methodist and was a member of Eastern Star and da was a recovering-Missouri-Synod-Lutheran-burgeoning-agnostic who grew up Catholic, Missouri Synod Lutheran, and Baha’i. They encouraged my brother and I to think and to question.

http://trie-squid.livejournal.com/65070.html

this week i … learned the value of the 20-minute power nap. i did not have class thursday night but had the first night of a Baha’i study circle. i got home after work and thought there would be no way that i could rally myself and be coherent, but a power nap (and a bit of coffee) saved the day. i was glad i went. i heard the stories of two young men who found the Baha’i Faith during the past two years. their stories were amazing. i realized that although i was raised Baha’i, i do have my own story. i might have to tell it next week, but that is ok. and the story continues.

emoney, “Nerd Points Earned,” Miscellany v. 2.0

{Re-posted with permission}

My son Taraz and and his bride Megan at their wedding last September. Photo by Tim and Kathy Hall on Flitzy Phoebie

I chuckle at the thought that music from a mafia-inspired movie is played at a Baha’i wedding, but that was the case not only in the following excerpt but at my son’s wedding last year which I DJ-ed. Wedding music from every culture has a certain joy to it, just as weddings everywhere are so often peak experiences for not only the couple but the attendees. Bmaloney was one of the two designated witnesses to the Baha’i wedding he decribes. -gw

[W]e hung around for a while until it was time to head back … for the momentous event. Although, at this time they were legally married, they had had the civil ceremony in the morning, this was the spiritual marriage with them wearing “official wedding” clothing. The whole thing was held in a single room, the service, the dinner and the afters; strangely the room seemed to change size for each event. When in service mode, it appeared very small and intimate, everyone was dressed up in suits and dresses, waiting for [her] to make her entrance. …

Eventually, the music began, and [she] made her way into the room, she was wearing a lovely white dress (you’ll see pics when I upload them) and the whole room stood up and applauded, it was a really emotional. The ceremony began, it consisted of a whole lot of music interspersed with Baha’i readings, a lovely ceremony. The music was sang by friends of the couple, making it a very intimate, celebratory event. And then, came the vows, which in the Bahai faith basically consists of one sentence “We will all verily abide by the will of God”, the word verily was the source of much hilarity over the course of the two days, as was another word “resplendent”, both of which featured frequently during the ceremony. So once both of them said that, they were married spiritually, in the eyes of God, everyone clapped again. And then I had to go up to sign the register, to say that I had witnessed the two of them saying the correct words. If I didn’t see it, it didn’t happen. I went up, and hugged each of them … and did my job. It was a lovely event.

After this, we went outside for photos, it was a gorgeous day, completely going against the forecast. About a million photos … later, it was time to go in for dinner. …

And then the room metamorphosed once more, into party central. We had the first dance, where [they] danced to the Godfather Theme, I laughed, a lot. The music was played by a swing band, leading to a lot of swing dancing, which was fun. And there was a dj … after that. The whole night was a great success and will set the standard for all future weddings in the class.

bmaloney, “Update,” The Fragile: I won’t let you fall apart
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{Re-posted with permission}

There is something so awe-inspiring about the fact that Baha’i communities are no longer satisfied to have children’s classes for Baha’i children at locations that are convenient for Baha’is but are increasingly taking children’s classes to where large numbers of children and their families reside, whether Baha’i or not, often meeting in apartment complexes. MissB in Minneapolis describes such an effort. -gw

“My friends at our children’s class. The boy on the right is one of my favorite kids. Today when we talked about Abdu’l-Baha and the meaning of his name (Servant of the glory), he said ‘immmpressive!’ He went on to say this about Jesus, my camera, and Eddie fitting into a kid’s lakers jersey. It was his word of the day.” Uploaded on July 15, 2007 by m_ninja on flickr

My friends and I have been doing a Baha’i children’s class at their apartment building in Minneapolis. All the kids are Oromo, Ethiopian, or Somali, and we usually only find boys. Today we talked about purity of heart, and I sat with one of the younger boys, Abel, talking about the picture he was coloring in and the quote at the bottom of it: “My first counsel is this; possess a pure, kindly, and radiant heart.”

The conversation led to what he does to help his parents and siblings, and he said “I hug them, and I give them flowers … and trophies!”

I noticed that these kids talk about God a whole lot. Some are Muslim, some Christian - most of them think about God every day (or at least hear about God from their parents). As we talked about a story of Abdu’l-Baha, one boy - the one in the picture, on the right asked me who I think God is. This was actually a difficult question. I’ve never tried to explain my belief in God to a child before. I thought back to a beautiful discussion in one of the books of the “Ruhi” curriculum, a sequence of courses that are part of an international training institute, designed for people of every background and religion. The discussion that came to mind was a hypothetical one laid out in Book 6 between a young girl named Anna and her friend Emilia, where Anna explains to her friend many important concepts within the Baha’i Faith, including God. The tough part was making this accessible to a child who has only learned English in the past several months and has his own ideas of who God is. Still, I’m glad I opened my mouth and said something rather than backing out and avoiding his important question.

I really love all of them so much. The one on the left has a sweetness about him, I can’t put my finger on it, but he just melts my heart. Today at the end of the class, which we do every Saturday and plan to keep doing, he said “Hey! Maybe we can do this again next week!”

missb, “Let’s hear it for the boys,” missb’s blog

{Re-posted with permission}