Archive for the 'Bahai Writings' Category

Giving “Prompt” New Meaning

Published
by
Baquia
on May 15, 2007
in Administrative Order and Bahai Writings
. 1 Comment

More than 75 years ago Shoghi Effendi sent this cable to Margaret Stevenson :

14 March 1932

Stevenson, 3 Cowie Road, Parnell, Auckland

INFORM BERTRAM DEWING ENSURE PROMPT TRANSLATION ESSLEMONTS BOOK MAORI

The above was one of four cables the Guardian sent out on that day requesting translation of Esslements book. The other languages were Greek, Hungarian, Czech, Rumanian, English Braille and Burmese. Unlike Maori, they were completed within a few years of the request.

new-zealand-bahais.pngWell, the great news is that they finally did it!
I congratulate the NSA of New Zealand in this monumental achievement. Now, I know some of you will be quick to jump on this and criticise the NSA for shirking direct instructions from the then Head of the Faith. You’re so predictable!

Did you ever think that maybe someone misplaced the pen at the Baha’i National Office in Auckland?

No, I didn’t think so.

Baha’i Views on Church & State

Published
by
Baquia
on May 11, 2007
in Bahai Writings and Humor
. 0 Comments

As you know there are many Baha’is who mistakenly believe that future LSAs or local houses of justice will become the governing bodies replacing current municipal institutions. And so on up the chain to the national level and ultimately to the UHJ which, I guess, they think will run the whole ball of wax.

Anyway, this neat comic strip, I thought encapsulates concisely the answer to these erroneously held beliefs :

sinfest-god-just-want-to-be-in-your-heart.png

cartoon credit: Sinfest.net

Dispute not with any one concerning the things of this world and its affairs, for God hath abandoned them to such as have set their affection upon them. Out of the whole world He hath chosen for Himself the hearts of men—hearts which the hosts of revelation and of utterance can subdue. Thus hath it been ordained by the Fingers of Bahá, upon the Tablet of God’s irrevocable decree, by the behest of Him Who is the Supreme Ordainer, the All-Knowing.
- Gleanings From the Writings of Bahá’u’lláh

And if you’re really interested to getting a complete, thorough treatment of this, then click, don’t run to Sen McGlinn’s book at Kalimat Press.

Highlight From US National Convention

Published
by
Baquia
on May 7, 2007
in Administrative Order and Bahai Writings
. 13 Comments

Here is a full audio transcript of the closing address by Continental Counsellor Rebequa Murphy to the US National Convention. Bolded text is for emphasis and my comments are in square brackets:

[BEGIN TRANSCRIPT]

It is wonderful the manner in which the friends immediately focused their consultation on that 19 April letter. And you know, to me, what that letter says to us, what the House of Justice is saying in that letter, “O People of Baha, Erase every doubt from your heart and soul.” If there is even a trace of doubt, you know in the Seven Valleys, Baha’u'llah says if a wayfarer travels for a hundred thousand years and yet doesn’t behold the face of the beloved he shouldn’t be discouraged, and the House isn’t saying a hundred thousands of years, they’re just saying for 5 years [laughter background]. Be patient, be patient, be patient, don’t allow doubt to creep into your heart and don’t allow the doubt of other people, no matter how well it is articulated, no matter how many times it is repeated, don’t allow that doubt to enter your heat. You have to weed that out of your heart.

And on that first day, Penny [Walker – sent from the ITC by the UHJ] said that the Ridvan message is a lense. A lense through which we can see the progress of the Faith. The lense is that of the House of Justice, to look through that lense, we have to put our own lense aside.

We don’t want to be those people that want to see God with their own eyes or hear His melodies with their own ears. Because we’ve been given the gift of being able to see through the eyes of the House of Justice and listen through the ears of the House of Justice.

So when we look at the progress of the Faith, even if our little “C” cluster is stuggling; even if our “A” cluster is not yet seeing growth, no doubt should reside in our hearts. Because when we see the progress of the Faith through the eyes of the House of Justice, then we will be able to see the victory of others as our own victory. The victory of those friends in Mongolia as our victory.

[END TRANSCRIPT]

*********

Rely upon God, thy God, and the Lord of thy fathers. For the people are wandering in the paths of delusion bereft of discernment to see God with their own eyes, or hear His Melody with their own ears. Thus have We found them, as thou also dost witness.
Thus have their superstitions become veils between them and their own hearts and kept them from the path of God, the Exalted, the Great.
Baha’u'llah - Tablet of Ahmad

O Son of Spirit!
The best beloved of all things in My sight is Justice, turn not away therefrom if thou desirest Me, and neglect it not that I may confide in thee. By its aid thou shalt see with thine own eyes and not through the eyes of others, and shalt know of thine own knowledge and not through the knowledge of thy neighbor. Ponder this in thy heart, how it behoveth thee to be. Verily justice is my gift to thee and the sign of My loving-kindness. Set it then before thine eyes.
Baha’u'llah - Hidden Words

All Things Are of God

Published
by
Baquia
on April 30, 2007
in Bahai Writings
. 1 Comment

That rabblerouser, Brian Taraz, is at it again!

Now he’s come up with a brilliant plan. I’ll let him describe it in his own words:

Who’s up for a “deed”-a-thon?

“Say: O servants! Let not the means of order be made the cause of confusion and the instrument of union an occasion for discord. We fain would hope that the people of Baha may be guided by the blessed words: ‘SAY: ALL THINGS ARE OF GOD.’ This exalted utterance is like unto water for quenching the fire of hate and enmity which smouldereth within the hearts and breasts of men. BY THIS SINGLE UTTERANCE contending peoples and kindreds will attain the light of true unity. Verily He speaketh the truth and leadeth the way. He is the All-Powerful, the Exalted, the Gracious.
(Baha’u'llah, Tablets of Baha’u'llah, p. 222)

This passage is from the Kitab-i-Ahd. Baha’u'llah’s “Book of My Covenant”.

Here’s the thing-

The phrase is “Say: All things are of God“. The claim is that this SINGLE UTTERANCE can quench enmity and that “by it” peoples and kindreds WILL attain the light of true unity.

There are no caveats. No preconditions that the “UTTERERS” of this phrase need to be Baha’i.

So . . . I’d like to suggest a challenge to ourselves.

From now until May 23rd, the Declaraton of the Bab, that we utter this phrase daily and “see” what happens.

I’m a romantic so I’d imagine doing it with the same frequency of Muslim prayer. But it could be a morning or evening thing.

ANYWAY - I believe it should be uttered/intoned/chanted/sung whatever way provides internal resonance for the person.
And it has no phrasing that requires any particular Faith confession. So it can be a prayer/meditation/affirmation/mantra etc.

So? Let’s try it.

In spite of the way some people think - the act of verbalized articulation is not simply “words” but is simultaneously a deed.

Let’s do it.
Who’s game?

;-)
Peace
Brian
www.allthingsareofgod.com

(I’m in. Are you?)