[…] as unity. For unity allows diversity of thought, action and methods. Instead, through the trend of ITC members being elected to the UHJ, and then turning around and appointing ITC members… we have now a situation where there are many individuals at the highest levels of office who […]

This article is logically interesting however, and I hope you post this comment about it, I would like to suggest that ultimately there is a certain degree of “academic” going on here. At least in terms of the United States, the Faith itself is rapidly aging and will, in 15 to 20 years, be pretty much extinct due to a severe lack of Baha’i youth or even young adults. I myself am 36 and I see this every day in the Kansas City Community and in all fairness, the only thing that has come along in a very long time which seems able to inject new blood and younger into this Beloved Faith is the Ruhi Institute. After 2 decades of effective non-growth - I say again, 20 years of no growth - we finally have new numbers coming into the Faith who are also young enough to actually be serving still in 10 to 15 years. This fact alone makes me believe that there is something fundamentally good about the Ruhi courses. “By their fruits shall ye know them…”

All I can say is without the Ruhi Institute the Kansas City Missouri Bahai’ Community would be half it’s present size within 15 years due to simple aging and death; another 15 years past that and it would effectively be gone. Now, at least there is hope. To further clarify, we have added new believers before but all have been almost or fully senior citizens, not a young adult to be found. I hope you see and understand this perspective. Getting all the senior citizen age new believers you can makes you grow but in 15 years you are, well, dead. That is not sustainable.

If you find anything which is a conclusion or an opinion expressed by Lample. Let me know.

Thank you for posting the link to “Creating a New Mind”. I find it very, very interesting. Was this first put out in 1999? Does anyone here know?

I do find some sections full of blank pages. The section on the “The Individual” for example. There are others. I downloaded it a second time just to re-check. Same problem. I hope it is not a bug in my Acrobat Reader 6.0! Has anyone else had this same problem?

I am studying it very closely. I would say Mr. Lample has set forth the thinking of the overall ITC approach to the Faith very clearly and has done us all a big favor as to clearly setting forth what will most likely be the thinking from Haifa for the forseeable future.

Has this book been discussed much in cyber space since it was first published? Again, I find the viewpoints in it most revealing. This was a lot of work and effort to write. I am studying it very, very closely. It is quite long and this will take considerable time and effort to grasp. I find it of considerable import as to how the future just might play out. It is fascinating!

Thanks again for providing this valuable link! I

think everyone should eventually start studying this work and bringing it into full and open discussion in cyber space.

Especially since Mr. Lample is now a member of the UHJ. I find it very clearly written.

Best regards,

Sigmund