Bahá’ís are doing a curious thing, something that has never been done before in human history – or even before humans began recording history. They are trying to build a new, equitable social network around the whole planet to include everyone on the planet. No one will be forced to be part of this, but it will be open and available to everyone.
Sometimes this is hard to see and many people don’t see it. It can be hard to see if you don’t have a long-view perspective – over centuries. It’s not something that can be accomplished over night or in a few decades, it will take centuries.
Here is where the element of faith comes in. One has to have faith that it is possible, then make an effort to bring it about. We cannot be responsible for the resutls or the actions of other people. We are each only responsible for our individual effort. The effort is achievement.
The important part is that Bahá’ís are making an effort when few other people are even trying. Many have given up or refuse to try – the world is going to end, so why bother? The world is ending, but it is not going to end.
The world, the world view, that Western civilization is based on (including such ideas as: the white man is better than anyone else) is ending, because it does not work any more. A new world view is emerging (that all parts of the planet are interconnected). Thus we are in a transition and transitions can be frightening – so we have violence in reaction out of fear.
If a long-term view can be maintained, see that all the people of the globe are getting lessons in learning to live and function together, then the chaos is understandable and fear is diminished.
This comning together of different peoples is a signal event of our times. Not so long ago people of different colors and religions lived in separate parts of the globe – brown skinned Hindus lived in India, black Africans lived Africa (though the descendents of some former slaves are in America), white skinned Christians lived in Europe, red skinned people lived in the Americas. The european invasion of the Americas began to change all that. Now 500 years later, people from all kinds of places live in all kinds of other places. This process will continue. We cannot kill, or even hate, our neighbors and co-workers simply because they look different from us or have different beliefs, so we have to learn to live and work together.
It can be easy to become sidetracked by daily annoyances or even conflicts between people, even misunderstandings between Bahá’ís (one Bahá’í described these as a clash of visions more than conflicting people since Bahá’ís are united in love for Bahá’u’lláh). It is love for Bahá’u’lláh that binds Bahá’ís together.
Bahá’u’lláh said there would be Houses of Justice to coordinate the affairs of society and we were to turn to ‘Abdu’l- Bahá. ‘Abdu’l- Bahá instituted and encouraged the first local Houses of Justice (though He did not insist on that name for them) and He created the Guardianship and appointed Shoghi Effendi to fill that position. Shoghi Effendi standardized the embryonic Houses of Justice as local and national Spiritual Assemblies. Shoghi Effendi’s “chief stewards” arranged for the election of the first international House of Justice. The purpose of all of this activity, stated by Bahá’u’lláh, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá and Shoghi Effendi, is to be a framework to assist humanity to achieve its unity. The structure is perfect, the humans putting it together are not. None of us is perfect and mistakes will be made. If we keep that it mind, it is easier to work together. It is simplier when we remember to, “Breathe not the sins of others, so long as thou art thyself a sinner.” We have worked jointly together for over a century and made great progress, we can continue to do it together for more centuries and make even more progress.
Friday, December 28, 2007
Thursday, December 20, 2007
What Bahá’ís are doing
Bahá’ís are doing a curious thing, something that has never been done before in human history – or even before humans began recording history. They are trying to build a new, equitable social network around the whole planet to include everyone on the planet. No one will be forced to be part of this, but it will be open and available to everyone.
Sometimes this is hard to see and many people don’t. It can be hard to see if you don’t have a long-view perspective – over centuries. It’s not something that can be accomplished over night or in a few decades, it will take centuries.
Here is where the element of faith comes in. One has to have faith that it is possible, then make an effort to bring it about. We cannot be responsible for the resutls or the actions of other people. We are each only responsible for our individual effort. The effort is achievement.
The important part is that Bahá’ís are making an effort when few other people are even trying. Many have given up or refuse to try – the world is going to end, so why bother? The world is ending, but it is not going to end.
The world, the world view, that Western civilization is based on (including such ideas as: the white man is better than anyone else) is ending, because it does not work any more. A new world view is emerging (that all parts of the planet are interconnected). Thus we are in a transition and transitions can be frightening – so we have violence in reaction out of fear.
If a long-term view can be maintained, that all the people of the globe are getting lessons in learning to live and function together, then the chaos is understandable and fear is diminished.
This comning together of different peoples is a signal event of our times. Not so long ago people of different colors and religions lived in separate parts of the globe – brown skinned Hindus lived in India, black Africans lived Africa (tho the descendents of some former slaves are in America), white skinned Christians lived in Europe, red skinned people lived in the Americas. The european invasion of the Americas began to change all that. Now people from all kinds of places live in lots of other kinds of places. This process will continue. We cannot kill, or even hate, our neighbors and co-workers simply because they look different from us or have different beliefs, so we have to learn to live and work together.
It can be easy to become sidetracked by daily annoyances or even conflicts between people, even Bahá’ís (one Bahá’í described these as a clash of visions more than conflicting people since Bahá’ís are united in love for Bahá’u’lláh). It is love for Bahá’u’lláh that binds us together.
Bahá’u’lláh said there would be Houses of Justice and we were to turn to ‘Abdu’l- Bahá. ‘Abdu’l- Bahá instituted and encouraged the first Houses of Justice (though He did not insist on that name for them) and He created the Guardianship and appointed Shoghi Effendi to fill that position. Shoghi Effendi standardized the embryonic Houses of Justice as local and national Spiritual Assemblies. Shoghi Effendi’s “chief stewards” arranged for the election of the first international House of Justice. The purpose of all of this activity, stated by Bahá’u’lláh, et al, is to be a framework to assist humanity to achieve its unity. The structure is perfect, the humans putting it together are not. None of us is perfect. If we keep that it mind, it is easier to work together. It is simplier when we remember, “Breathe not the sins of others, so long as thou art thyself a sinner.” We have done it together for over a century and made great progress, we can continue to do it together for more centuries and make even more progress.
Sometimes this is hard to see and many people don’t. It can be hard to see if you don’t have a long-view perspective – over centuries. It’s not something that can be accomplished over night or in a few decades, it will take centuries.
Here is where the element of faith comes in. One has to have faith that it is possible, then make an effort to bring it about. We cannot be responsible for the resutls or the actions of other people. We are each only responsible for our individual effort. The effort is achievement.
The important part is that Bahá’ís are making an effort when few other people are even trying. Many have given up or refuse to try – the world is going to end, so why bother? The world is ending, but it is not going to end.
The world, the world view, that Western civilization is based on (including such ideas as: the white man is better than anyone else) is ending, because it does not work any more. A new world view is emerging (that all parts of the planet are interconnected). Thus we are in a transition and transitions can be frightening – so we have violence in reaction out of fear.
If a long-term view can be maintained, that all the people of the globe are getting lessons in learning to live and function together, then the chaos is understandable and fear is diminished.
This comning together of different peoples is a signal event of our times. Not so long ago people of different colors and religions lived in separate parts of the globe – brown skinned Hindus lived in India, black Africans lived Africa (tho the descendents of some former slaves are in America), white skinned Christians lived in Europe, red skinned people lived in the Americas. The european invasion of the Americas began to change all that. Now people from all kinds of places live in lots of other kinds of places. This process will continue. We cannot kill, or even hate, our neighbors and co-workers simply because they look different from us or have different beliefs, so we have to learn to live and work together.
It can be easy to become sidetracked by daily annoyances or even conflicts between people, even Bahá’ís (one Bahá’í described these as a clash of visions more than conflicting people since Bahá’ís are united in love for Bahá’u’lláh). It is love for Bahá’u’lláh that binds us together.
Bahá’u’lláh said there would be Houses of Justice and we were to turn to ‘Abdu’l- Bahá. ‘Abdu’l- Bahá instituted and encouraged the first Houses of Justice (though He did not insist on that name for them) and He created the Guardianship and appointed Shoghi Effendi to fill that position. Shoghi Effendi standardized the embryonic Houses of Justice as local and national Spiritual Assemblies. Shoghi Effendi’s “chief stewards” arranged for the election of the first international House of Justice. The purpose of all of this activity, stated by Bahá’u’lláh, et al, is to be a framework to assist humanity to achieve its unity. The structure is perfect, the humans putting it together are not. None of us is perfect. If we keep that it mind, it is easier to work together. It is simplier when we remember, “Breathe not the sins of others, so long as thou art thyself a sinner.” We have done it together for over a century and made great progress, we can continue to do it together for more centuries and make even more progress.
Tuesday, November 20, 2007
A Headless Body?
Some people claim that the Universal House of Justice, the Head of the world-wide Baha’i community is an organization without a head. This claim is made because the Guardian of the Baha’i Faith was specified as a permanent member and head of the House of Justice. There is no current Guardian because the conditions for a Guardian, clearly set forth by ‘Abdu’l-Baha, were not fulfilled. There is no Guardian, there cannot be a guardian in the future. But there is no indication in Bahá’í scripture that the House of Justice cannot exist without a Guardian. The Guardian functioned without the House of Justice, similarly the House of Justice can exist without a living Guardian.
Some people are so attached to the idea of a religious community having such a leader that they have appointed themselves, or others to be a guardian, despite ‘Abdu’l-Baha’s instructions. Some of those people also claim to be Baha’is.
Baha’u’llah clearly states who can claim to be a Baha’i – and that is one who is obedient to ‘Abdu’l-Baha, just as they are obedient to Baha’u’llah. By not following ‘Abdu’l-Baha’s instructions – they are not Baha’is.
It is very simple.
By claiming to accept Baha’u’llah and yet rejecting ‘Abdu’l-Baha, they have broken the Covenant of Baha’u’llah. Theirs is a very curious position.
Some people are so attached to the idea of a religious community having such a leader that they have appointed themselves, or others to be a guardian, despite ‘Abdu’l-Baha’s instructions. Some of those people also claim to be Baha’is.
Baha’u’llah clearly states who can claim to be a Baha’i – and that is one who is obedient to ‘Abdu’l-Baha, just as they are obedient to Baha’u’llah. By not following ‘Abdu’l-Baha’s instructions – they are not Baha’is.
It is very simple.
By claiming to accept Baha’u’llah and yet rejecting ‘Abdu’l-Baha, they have broken the Covenant of Baha’u’llah. Theirs is a very curious position.
Thursday, November 15, 2007
Concern about the Covenant
The Covenant of Baha’u’llah is such a new thing in the history of mankind, and so early in its existence, that confusion and misunderstanding is to be expected.
Other religions seem to have flourished without such a covenant, so why would it be so important? Many people are unaware of the brutal massacres that have happened within every other religion: Christians murdering Christians, Muslims murdering Muslims, etc. Did any Messenger or Prophet want his followers to murder each other? It would be rather pointless.
The Covenant of Baha’u’llah was created by Baha’u’llah to prevent such schism and division between His followers.
For the first time in the history of the human race, the Messenger of God, Baha’u’llah, has written down the details of authoritative succession. By accepting Baha’u’llah as the current Messenger, one also accepts His covenant. A person who accepts this covenant, then repudiates and fights against it, is a breaker of that covenant. It is the responsibility of the Head of the Faith, as specified in the covenant, to protect the rest of the Baha’i community from that violater. It is simple and logical.
Baha’u’llah wrote that His son, ‘Abdu’l-Baha was to be the authority after Him and the Center of His Covenant. He also wrote the outline of the organizational structure to administer the community of His followers: councils of nine members. Never has an administrative system been provided by a Messenger of God.
‘Abdu’l-Baha wrote that His successor would be His grandson, Shoghi Effendi and began the establishment of the first administrative councils (in Tehran, Chicago, and other places). Shoghi Effendi did not appoint a successor in the same way. He built up the councils on the local and secondary levels and appointed “Chief Stewards,” of Hands of the Cause of God, to assist the Baha’i community. Shoghi Effendi also appointed a preliminary international council as a step toward the eventual international council that would be elected. When he died the Stewards continued his plans and arranged for the election of the international council which was designated the Universal House of Justice, the more formal name.
All the Stewards signed a statement that there was no successor to Shoghi Effendi as specified by ‘Abdu’l-Baha, therefore there could not be a successor. Shortly after than one of the Stewards proclaimed himself to be a successor of Shoghi Effendi as an imaginary “adopted son” of ‘Abdu’l-Baha. He then called on all Baha’is to turn to himself and away from the Universal House of Justice and the other Stewards, thus he broke the covenant Baha’u’llah and ‘Abdu’l-Baha had established. He was no longer a member of the Baha’i community (by the definition set by Baha’u’llah), nor are his followers.
This attempt to divide the Baha’i community was not successful and itself became divided and subdivided – clearly evidence that the unity of the covenant of Baha’u’llah did not extend to these efforts. Just as the branch of a tree can stay green for a while after being cut from the tree, there appears to be some life in these groups, but they do not flourish. The Baha’i community, on the other hand, continues to grow and develop and increase its effectiveness in transforming the lives of its members and the communities they live in.
Other religions seem to have flourished without such a covenant, so why would it be so important? Many people are unaware of the brutal massacres that have happened within every other religion: Christians murdering Christians, Muslims murdering Muslims, etc. Did any Messenger or Prophet want his followers to murder each other? It would be rather pointless.
The Covenant of Baha’u’llah was created by Baha’u’llah to prevent such schism and division between His followers.
For the first time in the history of the human race, the Messenger of God, Baha’u’llah, has written down the details of authoritative succession. By accepting Baha’u’llah as the current Messenger, one also accepts His covenant. A person who accepts this covenant, then repudiates and fights against it, is a breaker of that covenant. It is the responsibility of the Head of the Faith, as specified in the covenant, to protect the rest of the Baha’i community from that violater. It is simple and logical.
Baha’u’llah wrote that His son, ‘Abdu’l-Baha was to be the authority after Him and the Center of His Covenant. He also wrote the outline of the organizational structure to administer the community of His followers: councils of nine members. Never has an administrative system been provided by a Messenger of God.
‘Abdu’l-Baha wrote that His successor would be His grandson, Shoghi Effendi and began the establishment of the first administrative councils (in Tehran, Chicago, and other places). Shoghi Effendi did not appoint a successor in the same way. He built up the councils on the local and secondary levels and appointed “Chief Stewards,” of Hands of the Cause of God, to assist the Baha’i community. Shoghi Effendi also appointed a preliminary international council as a step toward the eventual international council that would be elected. When he died the Stewards continued his plans and arranged for the election of the international council which was designated the Universal House of Justice, the more formal name.
All the Stewards signed a statement that there was no successor to Shoghi Effendi as specified by ‘Abdu’l-Baha, therefore there could not be a successor. Shortly after than one of the Stewards proclaimed himself to be a successor of Shoghi Effendi as an imaginary “adopted son” of ‘Abdu’l-Baha. He then called on all Baha’is to turn to himself and away from the Universal House of Justice and the other Stewards, thus he broke the covenant Baha’u’llah and ‘Abdu’l-Baha had established. He was no longer a member of the Baha’i community (by the definition set by Baha’u’llah), nor are his followers.
This attempt to divide the Baha’i community was not successful and itself became divided and subdivided – clearly evidence that the unity of the covenant of Baha’u’llah did not extend to these efforts. Just as the branch of a tree can stay green for a while after being cut from the tree, there appears to be some life in these groups, but they do not flourish. The Baha’i community, on the other hand, continues to grow and develop and increase its effectiveness in transforming the lives of its members and the communities they live in.
Tuesday, November 6, 2007
Who is a Baha'i?
I read a curious comment the other day - proposing that anyone who accepted Baha'u'llah as a Messenger of God could call themselves a Baha'i. Yet this is not the definition set by Baha'u'llah. He said, not only would a person need to accept His words, but those of his son, 'Abdu'l-Baha and the Universal House of Justice. 'Abdu'l-Baha then stated that to be faithful to Him AND to Baha'u'llah, one had to accept Shoghi Effendi, His grandson as the Guardian AND his instructions. AND 'Abdu'l-Baha specified that succesor Guardians had to be appointed by the Guardian and that appointment had to be approved by the Hands of the Cause.
Some people who claim to be Baha'is are on their third or fourth so-called "Guardian" without following 'Abdu'l-Baha's instructions for determining said Guardian of the Baha'i Faith. So, they have not fulfilled the qualifications for being Baha'i. (and, very curiously, one of those self-proclaimed "Guardians" had earlier signed a statement saying that there was no successor Guardian to Shoghi Effendi. Very curious indeed!!)
It may seem an insignificant matter, but when it is part of the Covenant of God that stretches back to Abraham and Noah - it is more significant.
Some people who claim to be Baha'is are on their third or fourth so-called "Guardian" without following 'Abdu'l-Baha's instructions for determining said Guardian of the Baha'i Faith. So, they have not fulfilled the qualifications for being Baha'i. (and, very curiously, one of those self-proclaimed "Guardians" had earlier signed a statement saying that there was no successor Guardian to Shoghi Effendi. Very curious indeed!!)
It may seem an insignificant matter, but when it is part of the Covenant of God that stretches back to Abraham and Noah - it is more significant.
Friday, September 14, 2007
What am I doing?
I guess I'm joining the 21st century (though I still want nothing to do with a cel phone). I never imagined I'd be this much of a reactionary, at one time I wanted to change everything in the world - now I want the world to slow down so I can catch up! Maybe it's because the things I've wanted to do have had to be on hold while I did the things that I had to do. Oh, well - now I can learn to focus.
I'll probably stumble around here for a while (maybe a long while) until I learn how this blog-place works. I'm not very good at anticipating how other brains who set up things work.
I want to mention the major transition that, it seems to me, the Baha'i community is engaged in. These are still the very early days of the Faith and still learning what it might mean to be Baha'i. Up to this point in time we have been forming the very basic back bones of community structure - local, national and international councils for corporate decision making, their committess and operating agencies, and the advisors to individuals and the councils. Now we have begun a transformation of the local communities from past social patterns where a few individuals are vocal and active while the rest remain (more or less) passive to a new kind of norm where the vast majority of people are equally interactive. It is truly empowerment of the people. It is a very significant change.
In past human society there have been leaders and followers. The leaders made the decisions and the followers were expected to obey, even (very often) to the cost of their lives. Baha'u'llah as brought information to change all that. The abolition of the priesthood was the first step. Creation of the coucils for governance followed close behind. Creating an advisory position for individuals, separate from the councils, and with no rights of governance, cemented this change. We have implemented that with the local and national Spiritual Assemblies and Universal House of Justice (the councils) and individuals with advisory rank of Counsellors, Auxiliary Board Members and assistants - so the structure is assembled. Now for the empowerment of the masses. It has been possible, but we didn't have a mechanism. One mechanism which has been found to work in several places is now being implemented in the entire world Baha'i community. It is the Ruhi sequence of courses. It is a step by step process whereby people learn how to become active, nuturing individuals who reach out to others and assist them in their own spiritual activation. It is an umfamiliar process, so it is uncomfortable to some, but it seems to be working for a large number of people in very widespread areas of the planet, so it is more successful than any other process we've tried so far.
It is one more step in the process of creating a new social fabric for humanity. And it has just begun!
I'll probably stumble around here for a while (maybe a long while) until I learn how this blog-place works. I'm not very good at anticipating how other brains who set up things work.
I want to mention the major transition that, it seems to me, the Baha'i community is engaged in. These are still the very early days of the Faith and still learning what it might mean to be Baha'i. Up to this point in time we have been forming the very basic back bones of community structure - local, national and international councils for corporate decision making, their committess and operating agencies, and the advisors to individuals and the councils. Now we have begun a transformation of the local communities from past social patterns where a few individuals are vocal and active while the rest remain (more or less) passive to a new kind of norm where the vast majority of people are equally interactive. It is truly empowerment of the people. It is a very significant change.
In past human society there have been leaders and followers. The leaders made the decisions and the followers were expected to obey, even (very often) to the cost of their lives. Baha'u'llah as brought information to change all that. The abolition of the priesthood was the first step. Creation of the coucils for governance followed close behind. Creating an advisory position for individuals, separate from the councils, and with no rights of governance, cemented this change. We have implemented that with the local and national Spiritual Assemblies and Universal House of Justice (the councils) and individuals with advisory rank of Counsellors, Auxiliary Board Members and assistants - so the structure is assembled. Now for the empowerment of the masses. It has been possible, but we didn't have a mechanism. One mechanism which has been found to work in several places is now being implemented in the entire world Baha'i community. It is the Ruhi sequence of courses. It is a step by step process whereby people learn how to become active, nuturing individuals who reach out to others and assist them in their own spiritual activation. It is an umfamiliar process, so it is uncomfortable to some, but it seems to be working for a large number of people in very widespread areas of the planet, so it is more successful than any other process we've tried so far.
It is one more step in the process of creating a new social fabric for humanity. And it has just begun!
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