As 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.

“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.

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.

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.”

--Excerpt from a talk given by ‘Abdu'l-Bahá and published in Promulgation of Universal Peace, pg. 236-237.

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.

“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.”

A Problem in White and Black

I 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.

“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.

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.

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.”
- Shoghi Effendi, The Advent of Divine Justice

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.

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.

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!!!

I participated in two elections today, both within the Baha'i community. That is a little unusual, seldom are two held back to back.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Still, it can be a challenge to select nine, but it can be done.
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.
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.
One of the new members is now our Corresponding Secretary and a long-time member is Treasurer. We can now move forward.

This 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.

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.

There is no nominating, no campaigning, no electioneering, no canvassing for votes. These elections are an act of prayer.

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.

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.

The process has worked for nearly a century, I am confident it will continue to work for centuries more.

When it is Wrong to be Right

The 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.

One of the principles involved in consultation is very challenging. It says basically: if a decision is wrong, uphold and support it.

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.

'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.

He also said that that "wrong" decision can end up being the right thing to do. (How odd!)

The third possibility, no ego wants to admit, is: maybe I was wrong instead of them. (gasp!)

The amount of peace we can bring into our daily lives, and our communities, by following this principle is amazing.

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."
- Baha'i World Faith, p. 411

Amazing!!

The 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.

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.

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.

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.

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?

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

That's the kind of thing that happens all the time.

I am continually amazed.

"O Lord, increase my astonishment in Thee," is a recurring praying of mine.

The key is to make the effort (and be forgiving of other’s efforts); that is all that God asks.

I haven't posted anything for a long time, there is too much else to do.
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.
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?
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?
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.
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.
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.
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.
Maybe those people simply enjoy complaining. I don't know. I don't see that their complaining adds much to the world.Sincerely,dlh...