I read the patient’s “conversion story” (Study the common screen writing 101 “conversion story” lines of 1943 WWII Hollywood propaganda movies - Johnny from Brooklyn complains about army life for 55 minutes and then he finally sees the light when his best friend takes a bullet through the head on the beach and then it’s “kill Japs all the way to Tokyo” as the “right thing to do” then FADE TO BLACK with the Marine Corps Hymn rising in the background. ROLL CREDITS.)

(Sometimes they have a nice overlay of the dead U.S. troops killed in the film now alive and kind of marching back with the ranks at shoulder arms just above Johnny as he shows his new resolve. Our U.S. screenwriters got really good at variations on this story line during the war. But under the surface it was always the same movie for the folks back home)

If anything would have really happened to this woman from being left unattended, her lawyers would have just had that wound dresser hand over the keys to the hospital to her estate. How’s THAT for “responsible administration”? Her estate would have easily won her case for malpractice in a court of law. Any good lawyer would have run with “a medical person is supposed to be doing medicine, not administration”. Bingo. $$$$ So much for “Administration trumps all” as a mantra in life.

I myself as a Baha’i for 36 years believe that the UHJ is BOTH *factually* AND *morally* infallible even beyond the current iron fisted version of the doctrine as set forth by Peter Khan.

I totally believe the doctrine of UHJ infallibility as it is currently conceived. I am steadfastly with the program 110% in my faithfully following the UHJ on this.

The current UHJ of the Baha’i Faith by top down limiting by decree the only permitted methods of Teaching the Faith has essentially infallibility declared that the Faith MUST FAIL everywhere in the world. The issue is as simple as that. INFALLIBLE FAILURE has been demanded and INFALLIBLE FAILURE is what will be delivered by the worldwide Baha’i community in complete and total obedience including me.

Counselor Murphy’s reversed version of the Teachings will prevail and assure the infallibly commanded outcome. I feel it IS the Will of God for the Baha’i Faith and I will support it as commanded by the Institutions as a Baha’i in good standing. I support everything in the commanded plan.

Success is NOT an option in the current infallibly plan to absolute total failure!

I feel it is because the way is being prepared for this event somewhere down the road by the people who truly love the Teachings of Baha’u'llah for the individual liberation and empowerment of humanity across the planet Earth.

This Great Day will eventually come in the Baha’i Faith:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OYecfV3ubP8

Because the rise of the Internet is now going to change everything drop by drop.

She can contort her view into all manner of pretzels but it does not change that. However, if we use it as an analogy re the idea expressed by Counsellor Murphy we find that it fails utterly.

For one, it is in direct opposition to Baha’u'llah’s own words. Second, if we do somersaults to accomodate Murphy’s words, then why do not do the same for other Baha’is? People like McKenny, McGlinn, Cole, MacEoin? Walbridge? Marshall? etc….

Why is Counsellor Murphy due a heaping portion of mental gymnastics to somehow bring her diametrically opposite view of things into alignment with Baha’u'llah, if the others are not? Is it justice that the others are thrown out on their ears while Counsellor Murphy receives no consequence? even to retract or explain her ridiculous statement?

Or have we stepped into ‘1984′ where words have no meaning? where ‘war’ is peace?

an amazingly personal and insightful (I felt) post on Planet Bahai shedding light on the perceived failure of the Bahai Administration especially on this topic.

Yes I saw that article in some other places and have known about the problem for sometime, as I have veteran friends who have been homeless and I myself was for a while. The effects of war ripple through our society and touches just about everyone.

As Bahais we should do whatever is possible to help these people at the level of the root cause of their own problems and the social cause of war. I have taken into my home homeless individuals, although not veterans. I have visited veterans in the hospital, and written to soldiers who were in war to let them know that they were not forgotten, (although some of you might interpret that as supporting war) I think that letting soldiers know that they are still connected to the society helps them to have strength to maintain their humanity. My father, uncles and cousins are veterans and in the case of my fathers and uncles war, WWII, I think that what they were doing to destroy a warring society was just and morally correct, although certainly many acts in that war were not just.

What I wrote about the causes of war were an attempt to analyze its root causes from the macro-cosmic to the microcosmic. When those are known by everyone it will be easier to avoid war rather than permitting ourselves to be caught up in patriotic or religious fervors generated by those that have the most to gain from war, sellers of munitions, and political and religious extremists.

I agree with you in that war in general and the individual acts of war are immoral just as are personal and perhaps even verbal or literary violence, but nevertheless war and its violent acts occur and to be prevented must be understood with brutal honesty.

Most human beings would not commit those acts were their own survival not immediately threatened, and so the “powers that be” in order to foment war to their advantage create conditions into which young men and women are placed where their only choice is to kill or be killed, and thus degraded their animal instincts take over and they commit the hideous acts of war which once committed, whether in person or in a video game, are easier and easier to enact.

I might respectfully point out that the Bahai teachings do permit Bahais to defend ourselves when they are being attacked for reasons other than our religious beliefs, as in times of war or personal assault. Abdul was once asked what he would do if a man were to enter the room with a sword intent upon violence, and He replied that he would do what was necessary to prevent the act of violence. Whether that means he would confront the man, or calm him, or kill him or offer Himself as a sacrifice is not clear, but as peacemakers we must always try to end violence and the cycles of violence. Its not easy!

When you say, “Everything is part of God’s plan, it is true, but that does not mean God pardons those who accept evils, like war, greed, and indifference. When you do that, you’re part of the problem.” I agree with you, but what can you do sometimes besides praying, and speaking out in places this if you have no political or economic power? These things you mention exist in the world because of ignorance. So we must remove the ignorance with the light of truth.

Did you really say this?

“War, as I understand it, is a balancing process in macro human relations.”

If you mean this, you have a funny way of looking at things. For me, the relevant thing about war is that it is a sin against God and against humanity. But you almost seem to be offering a qualified defense of war as an instrument, in your own words, of “God’s will.”

“The fact that war is often perpetrated through deceit by the political leadership, as in the case of many recent wars, does not make it any less an instrument of a ‘larger balancing force’, which some might call Karma, or Gods will, or marcroeconomic corrections. “

“Macroeconomic corrections?” As description of war, I prefer this one: men dead, women raped, children orphaned, communities destroyed, lives shattered, an abomination in the sight of heaven, the occasion of a terrible reckoning for anyone rash enough to advocate it.

You say that “God uses even injustice to make His way” and I agree with you that this is true. But this doesn’t excuse the injustice or those who are it’s instruments. Remember the words of Luke: “it is impossible but that offenses will come: but woe unto him, through whom they come!” Everything is part of God’s plan, it is true, but that does not mean God pardons those who accept evils, like war, greed, and indifference. When you do that, you’re part of the problem.

Brendan