tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-73572352239827839702024-03-13T14:50:28.481-07:00World in a mindThoughts and ruminations about various aspects of the Baha'i Faith.Duane L. Herrmannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01628535926091348559noreply@blogger.comBlogger19125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7357235223982783970.post-84737585746063371262010-01-02T08:21:00.000-08:002010-01-02T08:24:02.301-08:00The Bahá’í Book of LawsAn earlier post described the corpus of the Bahá’í sacred texts. From time to time I hope to examine specific texts in that collection. This article will briefly examine one that is often called the Book of Laws. It is also called The Most Holy Book, or specifically: the Kitab-i-Aqdas, its title. It is most often referred to as simply, “The Aqdas.” This book is not an introduction to the Bahá’í Faith, in fact one may not learn much about the faith from this book. Much of its contents refer to past religions and a through grounding in the Bábi Faith and Islam is necessary to understand much of it because it abrogates much that is in those two religions (one of the reasons for a century and a half of persecution in much of the Muslim world which continues today).<br /><br />This book was revealed by 1873 while Bahá’u’lláh was confined in Akka, the penal colony of the Ottoman Empire. Part of the time He was under house arrest, part of the time he was in a cell. At the very end the governor refused to enforce the decree of imprisonment and personally begged Bahá’u’lláh to leave the confines of the city walls. He did and lived a short distance away. He repeated that He was a prisoner and the governor was responsible for his whereabouts, so he did not go far.<br /><br />The book is written in Arabic, but Arabic that is influenced by Persian. One person described the style as “lofty and austere” and “similar to that of the Qur’an.” It is brief and without commentary. It is not a legal treatise. In fact, much of it has nothing to do with Bahá’í law. Prayer and fasting are covered in great detail, they are essential to a person’s spiritual wellbeing, and so are marriage and inheritance, but other matters are merely alluded to or mentioned in passing. Many subjects mentioned in the Aqdas are referred to in other of Bahá’u’lláh’s writings which form auxiliary texts to the Aqdas.<br /><br />The organization of the Aqdas appears to be the result of questions people sent to him asking about certain subjects. Topics appear to be in a random order. Much of the content deals with general ethical exhortations and statements directed to specific individuals, groups and even places. It might best be stated that the Aqdas is less a code of laws than a constitution providing a framework for future legislation. Bahá’u’lláh directed the Universal House of Justice, ordained in the Aqdas, to legislate on those matters not expressly delineated in the Aqdas, therefore guaranteeing flexibility in the religion.<br /><br />Subjects mentioned in the Aqdas have been grouped into nearly a dozen categories.<br />1. the status of religious law and its importance linked to recognition of the Prophet.<br />2. outlining Bahá’í administrative structure – councils of consultation, not individuals.<br />3. Bahá’í religious practices: prayer, fasting, pilgrimage, etc.<br />4. personal status: marriage, divorce and inheritance modifying those of the Bábi faith.<br />5. criminal laws: murder, arson, theft, etc.<br />6. miscellaneous matters abrogating a variety of practices of previous religions, such as the kissing of hands, destroying books, etc.<br />7. ethical principles and standards: truthfulness, courtesy, etc.<br />8. social principles: the education of children, ones occupation, arts and sciences.<br />9. addresses to individuals (the German Kaiser, the rulers of America, etc.), groups (religious leaders, etc.) and places (Constantinople, Tehran, Germany, etc.)<br />10. prophecies, such as the banks of the Rhine being covered with gore (not once but twice), and others.<br /><br />One unique feature of the Aqdas is that Bahá’u’lláh cautioned against implementing its features “unwisely.” For instance, one subject covered is the Baháí form of tithe. Bahá’u’lláh had refused to mention it for many years even though many followers wanted to give Him money. He finally revealed the details (generally one nineteenth of one’s excess income) and specified that only a certain individual could collect the money – then refused to name the individual! Years later the individual was named, but this law was not binding on all believers – only those who could read it in the original language. Gradually, over a century, its provisions were applied to the rest of the Bahá’í community.<br /><br />After copies of the Aqdas began to be circulated among the Bahá’ís some wrote asking questions about its contents. One believer sent one hundred and seven questions. This set of questions, and their answers, form a separate work, called Questions and Answers, which form an appendix to the Aqdas. In the English translation they are included together. Other subjects were addressed later in additional letters. These are compiled and published together as Tablets of Bahá’u’lláh Revealed after the Kitab-i-Aqdas linking the two together. In addition, many details were filled in by ‘Abdu’l-Bahá in His appointed role of interpreter of the writings of Bahá’u’lláh, and others later by Shoghi Effendi in his appointed role as Guardian.<br /><br />Because of the vast references to aspects of the Muslim and Bábi faiths, translations of the Aqdas have generally been inadequate. An early English translation was circulated in manuscript form in America in the early 1900s. Arabic editions were published in India in 1891 and 1896. About a third of it had been translated and included in Gleanings from the Writings of Bahá’u’lláh by the Guardian in 1952. <br /><br />Just as many aspects of the Bahá’í Faith are gradually unfolding translation and publication of the Aqdas was also gradual. An English synopsis, begun by the Guardian, was published in 1973. A full, annotated English translation with explanatory notes, a glossary and analytical index, as well as the Questions and Answers, was published in 1993. It included paragraph numbering to facilitate references between printings and to assist in translation into other languages as well.<br /><br />Implementation of the contents of the Aqdas in the Bahá’í community will continue gradually into the future.Duane L. Herrmannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01628535926091348559noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7357235223982783970.post-76219846986819208162009-12-27T12:52:00.000-08:002009-12-27T12:53:16.349-08:00The Baha'i Bible - or not?There appears to be some confusion in the minds of many observers regarding the Bahá’í Bible. I use the term 'Bible" as a point of reference, but not an entirely inaccurate one. The term 'bible' means, literally: a collection of books. The Jewish Bible is exactly that: a collection of books written by various authors over hundreds of years. Christians added to that collection books and letters of their own written by several authors over a shorter period of time.<br />There was a great deal of argument among Christians for several centuries about which books and letters should be added to the Jewish Bible. The argument continues today in that Catholic Christians accept additional books that other Christians don't.<br />Hindus and Buddhists also have sacred scriptures that were written by various authors over hundreds of years, so many that binding them into one set of covers is impractical, so no one really things of a Hindu or Buddhist Bible.<br />For Muslims the situation is entirely different. Their holy book, The Recitation, or in Arabic; Qu'ran, is the result of one man who dictated the contents in sections during His lifetime. It is regarded as being directly revealed by the angel Gabriel from God with Muhammad merely a vehicle for the words to take form. These revelations were gathered together after His death and arranged by length and the Muslim 'bible' is the result.<br />Bahá’í scripture came about through a process similar to all of the above, except for the question of authenticity. There are three authors of Bahá’í scripture all speaking as the Voice of God. In addition there are two authors of auxiliray texts which serve to illuminate, explain and implement the teachings of the others. If this sounds confusion, remember that the 'book' of Isaiah in the Jewish Bible was written by at least four authors and the Books of Moses were not written by Moses (it is difficult for a person to write about their own death and events afterwards). The authors of the Bahá’í scripture are simply unfamiliar at this time (it is easy to forget that Christ was an unknown name to most Romans).<br />The primary author of Bahá’í scripture is Bahá’u’lláh, a title meaning: The Glory of God, who was a vehicle of revelation. He lived 1817-1892 first in His native Persia, then in the Ottoman Empire where He was exiled. His writings include books and letters, mostly letters, some very short, some hundreds of pages long. The Bahá’í World Center, in Haifa, Israel, has the responsibility of collecting these letters and translating and publishing them. To date some 7,000 have been collected. That is one section of the Bahá’í 'bible.'<br />Secondary to the Writings of Bahá’u’lláh are those of His forerunner, a merchant from Shiraz, Persia who is known as the Báb (the Gate). He instituted a religion of His own but emphasized that His followers were to turn to the next Messenger of God for whom He was the Gate. And that the next Messenger was free to abrogate whatever of His scripture He saw fit. Bahá’u’lláh was in prison for being a follower of the Báb when He became aware of His own role as the next Messenger. Bahá’u’lláh did affirm some of the Báb's teachings such as the equality of women, the nineteen month calendar. So some of the Báb's writings, and certainly His prayers, are part of the Bahá’í 'bible.'<br />In His writings, Bahá’u’lláh apointed his son, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá (Servant of the Glory) to head the faith after Him. It is a unique situation because never in the world's religious history has the founder of a religion legally appointed a successor. Bahá’u’lláh charged ‘Abdu’l-Bahá to speak on His own behalf, making the two one continuous authority. So, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá is the second author of the Bahá’í 'bible.'<br />‘Abdu’l-Bahá had been inprison since He was a young man (because entire families were exiled and imprisoned) and was only freed when political events changed the government of the Ottoman Empire. As in the case of His father, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá wrote a few books but more letters. In addition, after He was freed, He traveled to Egypt, Europe and America, not to see the sights but to educate and encourage the Bahá’ís in those places. In so doing ‘Abdu’l-Bahá spoke to numerous audiences from the NAACP to Jewish sunagogues, churches and private homes. Stenographic notes were often taken and these talks also became part of the Bahá’í bible.<br />Not just any notes are Bahá’í scripture, Bahá’u’lláh was very clear about this and ‘Abdu’l-Bahá upheld it. They specificed that Their words, in whatever form, had to be verified and authenticated or they could not be considered scripture. Unauthenticated words of Theirs are NOT part of the Bahá’í bible. This has resulted in some confusion by those who do not know the difference. The authentication was to be done my Themselves or the head of the faith. This clearly defines the canon of Bahá’í scripture so there is no disagreement.<br />'Abdu'i-Baha did not pass on His authority, He created an institution to succeed Him and appointed His oldest grandson, Shoghi Effendi, to fill the position. This is the institution of the Guardianship. ‘Abdu’l-Bahá specified the personal qualities of future Guardians, the appointment process and the election to validate the appointment. One of the responsibilities of the Guardian is to interpret and implement the scriptures revealed by Bahá’u’lláh and ‘Abdu’l-Bahá.<br />Bahá’u’lláh had outlined the system of administration for the Bahá’í community. ‘Abdu’l-Bahá had begun to implement some of it, Shoghi Effendi continued this process. ‘Abdu’l-Bahá had encouraged Bahá’ís to for the local councils specified by Bahá’u’lláh. It fell to Shoghi Effendi to create the secondary and international councils. ‘Abdu’l-Bahá had outlined teaching plans to take the Bahá’í message to the entire world, Shoghi Effendi further implemented these.<br />At his death, Shoghi Effendi had not appointed a successor Guardian, there was no one who fulfilled the qualifications set by 'Abdul-Baha. Bahá’u’lláh had hinted of this possibility. Shortly after Shoghi Effendi's death the Bahá’ís of the world elected the Universal House of Justice, that international council ordained by Bahá’u’lláh with certain responsibilities, among them to interpret and implement the Bahá’í scriptures. The Universal House of Justice could also legislate on subjects not covered in Bahá’í scripture and change those decisions when necessary so flexibility was insured.<br />In summary there are three authors of the Bahá’í bible: Bahá’u’lláh, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá and the Báb and two institutions of interpretation: the Guardian and the Universal House of Justice. In addition, for worship and devotions Bahá’ís are free to use any earlier scriptures: the Qur'an, the Christian and Jewish Bible and other scriptures for Bahá’u’lláh clearly stated: "There can be no doubt whatever that the peoples of the world, of whatever race or religion, derive their inspiration from one heavenly Source, and are the subjects of one God. The difference between the ordinances under which they abide should be attributed to the varying requirements and exigencies of the age in which they were revealed. All of them, except a few which are the outcome of human perversity, were ordained of God, and are a reflection of His Will and Purpose."*<br />So far the Bahá’í scriptures (the Bahá’í 'Bible') collected and authenticated at the Bahá’í World Center consist of 7,160 pieces by Bahá’u’lláh, 15,549 by 'Abdu'-Baha plus some of the Báb for a total of 22, 709 primary documents. In addition are another 16,370 by Shoghi Effendi and a contuning stream from the Universal House of Justice (which can be more than one email a day) of secondary guidance. It is impossible to publish all of these in one paper book, but the World Center is in the process of posting them on the internet.<br />So that is the Bahá’í bible.<br />*Bahá’u’lláh, Gleanings from the Writings of Bahá’u’lláh, p. 217.Duane L. Herrmannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01628535926091348559noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7357235223982783970.post-74569454320771197062009-12-11T16:33:00.000-08:002009-12-11T16:34:40.661-08:00Photo Banned - Newspaper ClosedIt is odd that a travel advertisement can shut down a newspaper. This wouldn’t happen in Topeka and it didn’t happen here. But it did happen earlier this month in another capital (which, oddly, also starts with the letter ‘T’) in another land. That capital is Tehran.<br />The action did not surprise one Topeka resident who grew up in Tehran. Mahin Stanley left Tehran in the 1960s in pursuit of education and more opportunities than were possible for women in Iran at that time. Now the times are worse.<br />Before leaving Tehran, Mahin watched members of the Iranian military and clergy take pick axes to the dome of the national Baha’i Center just down the street from her home. At the time an art display was exhibited inside in which a drawing of hers was entered. Needless to say, she never saw her drawing again. The building was seized for a time, trashed, then returned to the Bahá’ís (but only after Bahá’ís in thousands of communities around the world objected. Bahá’ís in Topeka sent telegrams directly to the Shah of Iran and President Eisenhower asking for the persecution to be curtailed.).<br />For the last thirty years the situation has been worse. Not only was the national center seized again, as well as all other Bahá’Í owned property in the country (including cemeteries, homes and businesses of individuals) but hundreds of Bahá’ís have been murdered and more tortured. Today a couple dozen Bahá’ís are in prison, some for over a year, on such charges as “spreading corruption on earth,” “provoking in insanctaties” and supporting Zionism.<br />What on earth can they mean?<br />“Supporting Zionism” is easy to understand. The world center of the Bahá’í Faith is located in Haifa, just as the Vatican is located in Rome. That location in Haifa is the result of a decree of the Sultan of the Ottoman Empire in 1868. Bahá’ís today are being killed for it. <br />This is rational?<br />“Provoking insanctaties.” This term has no meaning to most people, but in Iran it is a capital crime. It means, as far as I can tell, that Bahá’ís do not revere Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him) as the last Messenger of God. No. Bahá’ís believe Bahá’u’lláh to be the most recent Messenger of God.<br />In American, and most of the world, that is one’s choice. In Iran it is a capital crime and hundreds have died (and for those who are already dead, the cemeteries are bulldozed).<br />“Spreading corruption on earth,” is similar but can only happen in Muslim countries such as Iran. In such countries, add Egypt, Saudi Arabia, the government does not marry people or perform other actions of that nature, they are conducted solely by the religions community. And in most of those countries existence of the Bahá’í Faith cannot be acknowledged (because there can be no Prophet after Muhammad and it is illegal to think differently). The result of this is that Bahá’í marriages are not recognized as valid so every Bahá’í husband and wife is in an adulterous relationship and all the children are illegitimate – and has been so since the nineteenth century! <br />And what does this have to do with a travel advertisement that shut down a newspaper? The ad was promoting travel to India. The ad featured the most visited building in India (the Taj Mahal is now second) that has won international acclaim. This building, in the shape of a lotus blossom surrounded by pools of water, happens to be the Bahá’í House of Worship in New Delhi.<br />And the alarms sounded!!!<br />The Bahá’í Faith does NOT exist (despite it being the largest minority religion in Iran), therefore there can be no photo of a Bahá’í building in a newspaper in Iran!<br />The fact that it was the newspaper with the highest circulation in Iran is also very interesting – and the photo ad was on the front page!<br />No wonder the newspaper, Hamshahri, was shut down!<br />And life in a totalitarian state lurches on. In just the past ten years 120 newspapers and other news outlets have been shut down with editors and reporters jailed and murdered. Most closures have been permanent. This time, oddly, the closure was only for one day. Very curious.Duane L. Herrmannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01628535926091348559noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7357235223982783970.post-61637546547050812752009-12-06T13:24:00.000-08:002009-12-06T13:32:28.217-08:00Religion and Modern TimesAt the opening of the twentieth century religion was a dominant force in society. During the century that role was invalidated by the inability of most religions to accommodate new fields of knowledge, especially scientific knowledge. As a result the beneficial moral role of religion in society was also dismissed. Into that vacuum stepped materialistic hedonism and a religious liberalism with no moral compass. Neither were able to generate the discipline and devotion necessary for providing a firm foundation and the self-sacrifice necessary for social progress.<br /><br />With the failure of materialism to satisfy the deepest human needs, a renewed interest in religion has followed. But the religious traditions that could not adequately respond to the circumstances of the early twentieth century are far less able to respond to the even greater changes since then. A response to this condition has been a desire to go to the foundations of the religions hoping answers will be found there.<br /><br />These supposed fundamentals of the religions are even less adequate to provide relevant answers and, in a desperate need for answers, fundamentalist fanaticism results. Jewish, Christian, and Muslim fundamentalists all have the same desperate need for order, sexism and conformity, and militant violence has resulted from them all.<br /><br />All oppose the materialism which has spectacularly failed to meet the human need for moral guidance. Moral values were seen as an innate part of humanism if not human nature. The greatest failure of materialism was to not recognize that such values are the bare remnants of the former influence of the religions that materialism displaced. With the erosion of these moral values society has slipped further and further into a morass of pleasure seeking irregardless of the consequences to others.<br /><br />This moral vacuum has been filled by the fanatical fundamentalists on one hand and those who have sought refuge in the multiplicity of sects and cults that have risen and flourished with amazing rapidity. Not a few of them proclaim self-indulgence as a form of self-discovery and spirituality. The wider society has put its faith in various programs of liberal social and economic development to alleviate the hardships of others through material prosperity. The resulting widening of the gap between the poverty-stricken and the affluent is adequate testimony to the ineffectiveness of this approach.<br /><br />The inability of traditional faiths to address the challenges of modern times has not adequately been addressed. Several reasons contribute to their ineffectiveness. One would obviously be their time of origin. They began before the possibility of human rights ideals, globalization or modern science. Those situations, much less their implications, are not addressed in their scriptures. And their structures for interpretation and implementation are equally at a loss.<br />One prominent feature of the global nature of present society is the way in which diverse peoples from contending cultures are now brought into daily contact on the internet, in the work place, while shopping, in schools, in all aspects of daily life. In former centuries such peoples would never see each other and they would not interact. Now it is imperative that they learn to interact in a peaceful and productive way, but there is no guidance or basis for such interactions.<br /><br />Every culture, for its own integrity, has had to consider itself as superior to every other. Each has its own “right way” to view the world and social interactions. In many cases these “right ways” are incompatible and there is no bridge between them.<br /><br />In the face of these incompatible points of view, most are blinded to what they share in common. Those who see the common elements are often derided or pushed aside. And modern science has complicated the situation by raising moral questions unique to our times: what is environmental utilization or exploitation, is stem cell research a reasonable endeavor, and many more.<br /><br />Attempts to answer these questions from the scriptures of traditional faiths have failed. At the most they have resulted in conflicting answers from the same traditions which are no solution at all.<br /><br />These faiths are hindered in their attempts to adequately address and solve contemporary problems by their claims of superiority and exclusivity. Instead of searching for common agreements, each is motivated to insist, in increasingly stronger and more strident tones, that their perspective is the “only right way,” and dialogue is pointless. Their claims of authority often reach well past their Founders teachings. This is further complicated by insistence on concepts that were added to the original teachings through corruption of power held by religious authorities, human imagination or misunderstandings.<br /><br />It might surprise many people to examine some of the common teachings of the religions followed by most of the people of the planet. These include that there is one God; this can be included for Hindus, where the lesser “gods” are really attributes of God, and for Buddhists who have “the First Cause.” What other term could be applied to the Creator of all that is? Another is that each human soul has the capacity to pray to God, and the role of the Prophet-Founder of the religion to facilitate that conversation. And there is the promise of a return of the Messenger.<br /><br />Such primary commonalities strongly suggest that there is a common foundation or source for those teachings; such is a basic teaching of the Bahá’í Faith. Bahá’u’lláh states that all revealed religions are part of a continuous process, initiated by the Creator, to gradually and progressively reveal guidance to the human race for our continued development. More fundamentally, all religions are essentially chapters of the same religion.<br /><br />These chapters have come at different times and places for the benefit of all mankind. Gradually over the centuries, interpretations and other ideas have been added. Additional confusion can arise due to the emphasis necessary by the Founder to eliminate certain pernicious evils of the society in which they appeared (Muhammad and idolatry, for instance). <br /><br />The greatest crisis now facing society is that of unity. Disunity has paralyzed or crippled most social endeavors. On a global scale it can be catastrophic. Humanity now has the ability to destroy all life on the planet and no effective restraints, especially by disgruntled terrorists. Only a global, unifying moral consciousness and force can effectively deter such a result.<br /><br />The Bahá’í community offers itself as a model for that solution. In the Bahá’í community no person has authority over another, the diversity of the human race is celebrated, decisions are made by councils in consultation and each person has equal access to the Divine. The Bahá’í community has been described as the most diverse, yet united, group of people on the planet. It is a remarkable achievement.Duane L. Herrmannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01628535926091348559noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7357235223982783970.post-39539171077929973712009-11-25T14:52:00.000-08:002009-11-25T14:53:54.645-08:00Nov. 26 - The Day of the CovenantDay of the Covenant<br /><br />In addition to being Thanksgiving day in the U.S. for Baha’is the world over, Nov. 26 is a holy day. It is ‘The Day of the Covenant.’ This holy day commemorates <a href="http://info.bahai.org/bahaullah-manifestation-of-god.html" target="_blank">Baha’u’llah’s</a> appointment of His eldest son, Abdu’l-Baha, as the protector of the Covenant of Baha’u’llah. This was established by Baha’u’llah to ensure the unity of the Baha'i Faith. He also defined his true followers as those who abide by his covenant.<br /><br /> As protector of the Covenant, Abdu’l-Baha, (sometimes referred as the Center of the Covenant), was charged with safeguarding and protecting the Baha’i Faith against schisms, making it impossible for anyone to create a new sect or faction of belief. He, in turn, appointed Shoghi Effendi as the first Guardian of the Baha’i Faith and set forth conditions for future Guardians. He also encouraged Baha’is to create the local councils which Baha’u’llah had ordained to guide the affairs of local Baha’i communities. All are elements of the Covenant of Baha’u’llah.<br /><br />The Covenant of Baha’u’llah is unique in religious history. No other world religion’s sacred scriptures provide such explicit instructions for succession and the organization of the community of believers after the founder’s passing. As a result the Baha'i Faith is the first religion in history that has survived its critical first century with its unity clearly established. And, in addition, it has a blueprint for a divinely ordered global civilization to bring unity to the world.<br /><br />After the death of Baha’u’llah in1892, Abdu’l-Baha assumed the role he was appointed to. He carried forth his father’s mission until he died in 1921 at age 77. Abdu’l-Baha was known as an ambassador of peace, a promoter of justice and the head and authority of the new religion. During visits to Europe and more than 40 cities in the United States and Canada in 1911-1913, he was greeted with respect and honor by Baha’is and others. In city after city, he was invited to speak at churches, synagogues and organizations promoting the improvement of society. This resulted in establishing the Baha'i Faith as a new force for social reform and religious renewal.<br /><br />Affirming that "Love is the most great law" and that the "supreme need of humanity is cooperation and reciprocity" among all its peoples, Abdu'l-Baha reached out to all – to every soul who crossed his path. He was so well-regarded that his funeral, on Mt Carmel in the holy land, was attended by 10,000 mourners from all persuasions and denominations. He is buried in a vault on the north side of the Shrine of the Báb now surrounded by terraced gardens that are the pride of Haifa.<br /><br />Two days after the Day of the Covenant is the Ascension of Abdu’l-Baha, marking the anniversary of his death in 1921.<br /><br />In the decades since the passing of Abdu’l-Baha, the efficacy of the Covenant has been proved time and time again. At the passing of Shoghi Effendi, the conditions for future Guardians were not possible, so the Baha’i community elected the Universal House of Justice in 1963. This agency had been ordained by Baha’u’llah to be the supreme governing council of the Baha’i community.<br /><br />Baha’is see the power of the Covenant operating on an on-going basis in the functioning of their administrative order, the system of governing councils on the local, national and international levels with their auxiliary agencies and appointed individuals. There is no professional priesthood or clergy, the work of the Faith is carried out exclusively by lay members. From remote jungle villages to the most cosmopolitan urban centers, the Baha’i community is a self-governing society based on the same spiritual and administrative principles in over 130,000 communities worldwide. That, in itself, is some kind of miracle.Duane L. Herrmannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01628535926091348559noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7357235223982783970.post-2085027085915321862009-11-24T15:34:00.000-08:002009-11-24T15:36:49.583-08:00As the time of Thanksgiving approaches we can appraise those things which we are thankful for. Baha’is strive to be thankful every day for the bounties of God in our lives, but Thanksgiving is a time when all of society is more conscious of it. When Abdu’l-Baha, son of Baha’u’llah, Founder of the Baha'i Faith visited the U.S. in 1912, He shared these thoughts about giving thanks.<br /><br />“Thankfulness is of various kinds. There is a verbal thanksgiving which is confined to a mere utterance of gratitude. This is of no importance because perchance the tongue may give thanks while the heart is unaware of it. Many who offer thanks to God are of this type, their spirits and hearts unconscious of thanksgiving. This is mere usage, just as when we meet, receive a gift and say thank you, speaking the words without significance. One may say thank you a thousand times while the heart remains thankless, ungrateful. Therefore, mere verbal thanksgiving is without effect. But real thankfulness is a cordial giving of thanks from the heart. When man in response to the favors of God manifests susceptibilities of conscience, the heart is happy, the spirit is exhilarated. These spiritual susceptibilities are ideal thanksgiving.<br /><br />There is a cordial thanksgiving, too, which expresses itself in the deeds and actions of man when his heart is filled with gratitude. For example, God has conferred upon man the gift of guidance, and in thankfulness for this great gift certain deeds must emanate from him. To express his gratitude for the favors of God man must show forth praiseworthy actions. In response to these bestowals he must render good deeds, be self-sacrificing, loving the servants of God, forfeiting even life for them, showing kindness to all the creatures.” In essence, our actions are evidence of our thanksgiving.<br /><br />He continued by giving specific examples. “Physically and spiritually we are submerged in the sea of God's favor. He has provided our foods, drink and other requirements; His favors encompass us from all directions. The sustenances provided for man are blessings. Sight, hearing and all his faculties are wonderful gifts. These blessings are innumerable; no matter how many are mentioned, they are still endless. Spiritual blessings are likewise endless -- spirit, consciousness, thought, memory, perception, ideation and other endowments. By these He has guided us, and we enter His Kingdom. He has opened the doors of all good before our faces. He has vouchsafed eternal glory. He has summoned us to the Kingdom of heaven. He has enriched us by the bestowals of God. Every day he has proclaimed new glad tidings. Every hour fresh bounties descend.”<br /><br />--Excerpt from a talk given by ‘Abdu'l-Bahá and published in <a href="http://reference.bahai.org/en/t/ab/PUP/pup-83.html.utf8?query=15%20July%201912&action=highlight" target="_blank">Promulgation of Universal Peace, pg. 236-237</a>.<br /><br />Being thankful is a continual process for Bahá’ís. For that reason Bahá’ís do not generally say prayers before meals, but there is a very appropriate prayer if one wishes to do so. It was revealed by ‘Abdu'l-Bahá.<br /><br />“He is God! Thou seest us, O my God, gathered around this table, praising Thy bounty, with our gaze set upon Thy Kingdom. O Lord! Send down upon us Thy heavenly food and confer upon us Thy blessing. Thou art verily the Bestower the Merciful, the Compassionate.”Duane L. Herrmannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01628535926091348559noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7357235223982783970.post-50473886348942290512009-11-01T17:18:00.000-08:002009-11-01T17:29:29.820-08:00A Problem in White and BlackI want to share this statement from Shoghi Effendi, the Guardian of the Baha’i Faith, that he addressed to American Baha'is. It is the only practical advice I'v read about the black and white problem in this country.<br /><br />“Let the white make a supreme effort in their resolve to contribute their share to the solution of this problem, to abandon once for all their usually inherent and at times subconscious sense of superiority, to correct their tendency towards revealing a patronizing attitude towards the members of the other race, to persuade them through their intimate, spontaneous and informal association with them of the genuineness of their friendship and the sincerity of their intentions, and to master their impatience of any lack of responsiveness on the part of a people who have received, for so long a period, such grievous and slow-healing wounds.<br /><br />Let the Negroes, through a corresponding effort on their part, show by every means in their power the warmth of their response, their readiness to forget the past, and their ability to wipe out every trace of suspicion that may still linger in their hearts and minds.<br /><br />Let neither think that the solution of so vast a problem is a matter that exclusively concerns the other. Let neither think that such a problem can either easily or immediately be resolved. Let neither think that they can wait confidently for the solution of this problem until the initiative has been taken, and the favorable circumstances created, by agencies that stand outside the orbit of their Faith. Let neither think that anything short of genuine love, extreme patience, true humility, consummate tact, sound initiative, mature wisdom, and deliberate, persistent, and prayerful effort, can succeed in blotting out the stain which this patent evil has left on the fair name of their common country. Let them rather believe, and be firmly convinced, that on their mutual understanding, their amity, and sustained cooperation, must depend, more than on any other force or organization operating outside the circle of their Faith, the deflection of that dangerous course so greatly feared by Abdu’l-Bahá, and the materialization of the hopes He cherished for their joint contribution to the fulfillment of that country’s glorious destiny.”<br />- Shoghi Effendi, The Advent of Divine Justice<br /><br />This statement makes it clear that every person, on both sides of the color line, can contribute to the solution. How to implement action is a challenge. I have taken a tiny step that seems to make a little difference on a one-to-one basis.<br /><br />When I have an exchange with a person of another color I try to make phycial contact in a very general, non intrusive way. If money is changing hands, it is easy to briefly touch the hand of the other person. The interaction begins with a distant attitude on the part of the other person. We conduct the business at hand. When money is changed, and I touch the other hand briefly, I can see a relaxation come over the other person. They also become more friendly toward me. The interaction ends on a much friendlier, more human level than it began.<br /><br />It's just a little thing, but it brought us closer together as human beings and brightened both our days. Touch is very powerful. When you touch someone in that way you indicate your acceptance of them. That means a lot to another human being. Maybe it can even bring down walls!!!Duane L. Herrmannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01628535926091348559noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7357235223982783970.post-36396994236732010822009-11-01T16:42:00.000-08:002009-11-01T17:03:09.708-08:00I participated in two elections today, both within the Baha'i community. That is a little unusual, seldom are two held back to back.<br />The one election was on a time-frame that we did not set, it was for the Regional Baha'i Council of the Central States, the other was for two officers of my Assembly.<br />The Regional Council election was scheduled by the National Assembly. We had a range of dates, from Nov. 1 to Nov. 8. Anytime the Assembly could meet within that time was sufficient. When these council elections were first held, they were on holy days which added to the holy day program. Since only Assembly members can vote for the Regional Councils, other people at the holy day programs were asked to pray while they voted. Apparently that procedure did not work well. I think this is better.<br />Members of local Assemblies cast the ballots for the Regional Councils. Any Baha'i in each region is elegible for membership to these councils, with a few exceptions - members of the National Spiritual Assembly and Continental Counsellors.<br />Some people are perplexed about how to select nine Baha'is out of all the Baha'is who live in the region. You don't have to know them all - just nine.<br />It is not possible to know them all, but it is possible to know nine and even more than nine. There are opportunites all year long to get to know other Baha'is in the region, but this usually requires leaving your home city. The other alternative is to invite Baha'is to come visit. If neither of these actions are taken - of course you won't know very many other Baha'is! And, of course, the longer you are active in the Baha'i community, the more Baha'is you will know.<br />Still, it can be a challenge to select nine, but it can be done.<br />The other election was specific just to my Assembly. Two officers had moved away and two other people had moved in. For several months we were without a Corresponding Secretary and a Treasurer. We appointed a person to relay communications, the money was put in envelopes and dated for future posting. We didn't have any critical bills that needed to be paid, so that worked.<br />This was an easier election, we had a body of nine (the Assembly members) to select from, yet it was more difficult because a simple majority of votes is not sufficient, a plurality is needed. Of the nine possible votes, we needed five to elect the officers. Six people attended the meeting to participate in the balloting, so a high degress of unity was needed. We achieved it in half a dozen ballots total. We were all impressed.<br />One of the new members is now our Corresponding Secretary and a long-time member is Treasurer. We can now move forward.Duane L. Herrmannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01628535926091348559noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7357235223982783970.post-63522577990081358022009-10-01T14:58:00.000-07:002009-10-01T15:11:19.574-07:00This weekend Baha'is in the U.S. will vote for their delegate to the National Baha'i Convention next spring which will elect the National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha'is of the United States for the next year.<br /><br />It is a process rather unusual when compared to political elections. Baha'is do not elect a representative who is to represent them at the convention, but a delegate who goes and votes according to his or her heart tells them. And their vote is confidential between them and God. It is a two tier election specified by 'Abdu'l-Baha.<br /><br />There is no nominating, no campaigning, no electioneering, no canvassing for votes. These elections are an act of prayer.<br /><br />The elections for these delegates are also an act of prayer. All elections in the Baha'i community are acts of prayer. Because of this, Baha'is are assured that the results are guided by God.<br /><br />The people who are elected are surprised to be elected. No one can seek to be elected, so no one knows whether they may or may not be elected. As a result those who are elected feel a level of trust placed in them and they endeavor their best to carry out that trust.<br /><br />The process has worked for nearly a century, I am confident it will continue to work for centuries more.Duane L. Herrmannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01628535926091348559noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7357235223982783970.post-74553597206910541942009-08-27T15:45:00.000-07:002009-11-01T16:42:33.437-08:00When it is Wrong to be RightThe Revelation of Baha'u'llah provides some new and challenging principles that are not found in earlier religious scripture. The most well known of these is the foundational principle that women are equal to men (to the extent that if all children can't be educated, preference is given to the girl because she will become the first educator of the next generation). Others include the primacy of agriculture as a profession (with teaching second), the elimination of clergy and decision-making by councils of consultation.<br /><br />One of the principles involved in consultation is very challenging. It says basically: if a decision is wrong, uphold and support it.<br /><br />It is very simple, but very difficult (especially if you disagree with the decision). No one wants to be wrong. This principle goes against the grain of much of western culture.<br /><br />'Abdu'l-Baha explained that by following and supporting a wrong decision, it will become evident to everyone that it is wrong, and then it can be changed.<br /><br />He also said that that "wrong" decision can end up being the right thing to do. (How odd!)<br /><br />The third possibility, no ego wants to admit, is: maybe I was wrong instead of them. (gasp!)<br /><br />The amount of peace we can bring into our daily lives, and our communities, by following this principle is amazing.<br /><br />Here is what 'Abdu'l-Baha said: "If they (the Baha'is) agree upon a subject, even though it be wrong, it is better than to disagree and be in the right, for this difference will produce the demolition of the divine foundation. Though every one of the parties may be in the right and they disagree that will be the cause of a thousand wrongs, but if they agree and both parties are in the wrong, as it is in unity the truth will be revealed and the wrong made right."<br />- Baha'i World Faith, p. 411<br /><br />Amazing!!Duane L. Herrmannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01628535926091348559noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7357235223982783970.post-2776787081471179322008-11-29T09:58:00.000-08:002008-11-29T10:00:16.738-08:00The following entry was originally written in response to someone who is learning about the Baha’i Faith. The information was appreciated, so I decided to post it here. Maybe someone else will find it helpful.<br /><br />I've been a Baha'i (in Kansas) for over 39 years now. I would have joined at my first meeting if anyone had even breathed that joining was possible. As I walked up to the home where the meeting was, I knew whoever those people were, they had something special and I wanted it. It took me six months to finally tell them: I want to be a Baha'i (whether you want me or not). It wasn't that they didn't want me to join, or wouldn't let me, in those days there weren't that many people who wanted the Faith and they were rather surprised.<br /><br />I have never found real contradictions in the Faith. I have found that if I study a little more and dig a little deeper, I will learn more and put the "contradiction" into perspective: and there is no contradiction. <br /><br />I trust 'Abdu'l-Baha when He says that there is a reason for men only on the House of Justice now and that reason will, in time, be as clear as the noon-day sun. That means to me that the reason will be evident and obvious when that time comes. It seems obvious to me that we can't understand now (so that is ok), we understand so little of any of it. The Faith and community are still so new and so vast, we can't hope to understand it all completely.<br /><br />Just one little example: Do we yet, in this time, feel revulsion at the mere idea of doing something wrong (like break a minor traffic law)? Or, do we say, “the speed limit is 45, I can go at least 48 without getting a ticket,” then drive 50?<br /><br />Or: gossip and backbiting which are forbidden. Have we eliminated even the desire to talk about someone else? Is that gossip, or is that simply sharing news? I don't know that we even have a clear understanding of the difference.<br /><br />My point is, we do the best we can. All that Baha'u'llah asks is that we make the effort. We are not responsible for the results - that's God's business. The Bab said that if we make our best effort, God will compensate for our inadequacies.<br /><br />I KNOW that I am inadequate (and my children are sure of it), but I have seen many, many times that my effort, however inadequate it may be, has resulted in unimaginable results.<br /><br />One example: A major goal of the Baha'is is to let other people know the Faith exists and give them the opportunity to learn about it. And we are to "consort with the followers of all religions." So, I pray with the local Quakers, and at the local Mosque (and sometimes the synagogue ), sometimes I have gone to a Catholic retreat center which has individual hermitages (cabins) in the woods, and I have been very involved with local inter-faith endeavors. At a dinner at the mosque to break the fast of Ramadan one year, a young lady (who grew up a Muslim here) came to speak with me. Her father had apparently mentioned that I was a Baha'i who often came to the mosque. We briefly visited and I thought nothing more about it.<br /><br />A few days later my supervisor at work came to me and said that I was in the Christian Science Monitor. I doubted it, but my work has been published in surprising places, so I was not sure.<br /><br />Then my supervisor said, "not you, but it was you. I know it. You're the only Baha'i I know who goes to the mosque." That, I had to admit, was mostly true.<br /><br />The young Muslim had returned to her college on the east coast. The Monitor had interviewed several young Muslims about their experience of growing up in the US. One of the experiences of Muslims in America is that they've had to learn new ways to be Muslim (I've seen a lot of this at the mosque). The jumah (congregation) consists of many immigrants from different countries, as well as native born Americans. The immigrants have found they cannot practice Islam in the same way as in their native home, because that differs from country to country, so they have to find new ways to be Muslim together. One of the new kind of Muslim events are inter-faith fast-breaking community dinners during Ramadan. The article mentioned that in Topeka these dinners are also held and are attended by Christians, Jews and Baha'is.<br /><br />So by fulfilling the injection to "consort" with others, the existence of the Faith was mentioned nation-wide in a way that it never would otherwise have been.<br /><br />I could not have gone to Boston and asked the editors of the Monitor to mention the Baha’i Faith. That would be stupid and get no result. But by simply living my life, it happened.<br /><br />That's the kind of thing that happens all the time.<br /><br />I am continually amazed.<br /><br />"O Lord, increase my astonishment in Thee," is a recurring praying of mine.<br /><br />The key is to make the effort (and be forgiving of other’s efforts); that is all that God asks.Duane L. Herrmannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01628535926091348559noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7357235223982783970.post-58941472547431079012008-11-28T11:44:00.000-08:002008-11-28T11:47:37.420-08:00I haven't posted anything for a long time, there is too much else to do.<br /> I find it strange that some people criticize Baha'is for things they don't understand, or know little about. Why the rush to judgment or condemnation? Are they so unhappy with their life that they have to attack someone else, anyone else? There are some who attack the decision to build the House of Worship in Santiago, Chile that is in process now.<br /> Are they ignorant of the hundreds and hundreds of educational, medical and agricultural projects that Baha'is are engaged in all over the world to help people improve their daily lives? There are hundreds of thousands of churches, mosques, synagogues and other places of worship around the world. Do they attack those also?<br /> Why can they not appreciate the fact that every Baha'i House of Worship, no matter where it may be, is open to all people? They are a gift to every other human on the planet. How many other places can the same be said of?<br /> Frankly I'm excited about the possibility of seeing another House of Worship. We have so few. I long for the day when every city has one, if there are Baha'is there and they want one.<br /> A Baha'i House of Worship is unique in that all people can enter as equals. No one is distinguished by the rituals or ornamentation, because there are none. Everyone can find peace when they are inside one.<br /> Just, physically, the Baha'i Houses of Worship provide a new kind of structure to look at. What else looks like them? If nothing else, they can be seen as decorations for the planet.<br /> Their very existence expands people's consciousness to accept something new. Such an expansion of consciousness is essential if we, the human race, are to think in new ways to solve the problems we face. Old solutions certainly aren't working.<br /> Maybe those people simply enjoy complaining. I don't know. I don't see that their complaining adds much to the world.Sincerely,dlh...Duane L. Herrmannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01628535926091348559noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7357235223982783970.post-71634175775064023502008-02-21T15:28:00.000-08:002008-02-21T15:32:39.008-08:00Bahai in RussiaI found a blog with mention of new religions in Russia and the opposition of the Orthodox Church. I can understand why the Baha’i Faith would be included, but it is not quite so new as it would seem. The Baha’i Faith itself is new (it is a young religion - every religion was young at one time), but its connection to Russia goes back to the earliest days of the faith. When the Prophet-Founder of the Baha’i Faith was exiled from Tehran in 1852, the Russian Minister to Persia offered Him sanctuary in Russia. Two decades later Baha’is were living in territory that was absorbed into Russia, and have continued to live there since then.<br /><br />In Ashgobat, in present-day Turkmenistan, Baha’is elected a council in 1895. Baha’is have councils to fulfill the administrative function of priests in other religions. In 1904 a representative of the Czar attended the ceremony to mark the building of the first Baha’i House of Worship in Russia. Over the next decades councils were elected by Baha’is in other Russian cities, including Moscow and Leningrad.<br /><br />At first the revolution had no impact on the Baha’i community until it was noticed that Baha’i activities were more popular than Young Pioneers, then repression began. Many Baha’is were exiled (the men to Siberia, women and children to Persia) and the House of Worship was confiscated. But isolated Baha’is continued to live in various cities.<br /><br />During Perestroika the Baha’is felt free to contact each other and receive Baha’i visitors from other countries. In 1989 the Baha’i council of Ashgobat was elected again and gradually others across the Soviet Union. At the end of 1990 a national Baha’i convention was held in Moscow to elect a national Baha’i council for the USSR. Two years later different republics began to elect theirs.<br /><br />For over a century and a half many Russians have found the Baha’i Faith helpful in their lives. The Baha’i Faith teaches that each person has an eternal soul and the purpose of this life is to prepare the soul for death and eternal life. Without developing our spiritual qualities our life after death will be very limited. The Baha’i Faith teaches that we are created in the spiritual image of God and we are the highest form of creation. The family is the basis of society and we should treat others with more honor that we expect for ourselves. We are to be servants of humanity.<br /><br />Leaders of other religions object to the Baha’i Faith because so many people find its teachings to be deeply satisfying and meaningful. There is no ritual because it is the condition of a persons heart that is more important. Millions of people around the world from at least 2112 different nations, tribes, religions and ethnic groups are now Baha’is working peacefully together to transform their lives, their families and the world.Duane L. Herrmannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01628535926091348559noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7357235223982783970.post-52498301633953780532007-12-28T15:08:00.000-08:002007-12-28T15:11:03.475-08:00What Bahá’ís are doingBahá’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.<br /> 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.<br /> 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.<br /> 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.<br /> 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.<br /> 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.<br /> 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.<br /> 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.<br /> 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.Duane L. Herrmannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01628535926091348559noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7357235223982783970.post-3927187025962045602007-12-20T08:06:00.000-08:002007-12-20T08:08:17.290-08:00What Bahá’ís are doingBahá’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.<br /> 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.<br /> 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.<br /> 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.<br /> 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.<br /> 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.<br /> 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.<br /> 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.<br /> 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.Duane L. Herrmannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01628535926091348559noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7357235223982783970.post-90723747585747865722007-11-20T05:28:00.000-08:002007-12-19T16:28:38.371-08:00A 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.<br /><br />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.<br /><br />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.<br /><br />It is very simple.<br /><br />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.Duane L. Herrmannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01628535926091348559noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7357235223982783970.post-78590891654251668502007-11-15T15:27:00.000-08:002007-12-19T16:28:38.372-08:00Concern about the CovenantThe 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.<br /><br />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.<br /><br />The Covenant of Baha’u’llah was created by Baha’u’llah to prevent such schism and division between His followers.<br /><br />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.<br /><br />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.<br /><br />‘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.<br /><br />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.<br /><br />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.Duane L. Herrmannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01628535926091348559noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7357235223982783970.post-36598160591579854472007-11-06T05:41:00.000-08:002007-12-19T16:28:38.372-08:00Who 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.<br /> 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!!)<br /> 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.Duane L. Herrmannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01628535926091348559noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7357235223982783970.post-31780922528419906142007-09-14T05:20:00.000-07:002007-11-21T15:45:09.167-08:00What am I doing?<span style="font-size:85%;">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.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">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.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">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.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">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.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">It is one more step in the process of creating a new social fabric for humanity. And it has just begun!</span>Duane L. Herrmannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01628535926091348559noreply@blogger.com0