Freedom
______________
To me prison is freedom; troubles rest me; incarceration
is an open court; death is life and to be despised is honor.
Therefore, I was happy all that time in prison. When one is
released from the prison of self, that is indeed freedom, for
self is the greater prison. When this release takes place,
one can never be imprisoned.
(Abdu'l-Baha, Divine Philosophy, p. 21)
Choosing A Career
________________
Every Bahá'í has a duty to work and earn his living, and in
choosing a career a Bahá'í should consider
not only its earning
capacity but also the benefit of the work
to his fellowmen.
Letters of The Universal House of Justice,
1982 Jan 03, Teaching vs. Proselytizing
___________________________________________________
Suggested Baha'i Web Site:
Months of the Baha'i Calendar
http://www.geocities.com/~quddus/feast/fcalndr.html
To Captivate the Hearts
___________________
Whoever hath been transported by the rapture born of
adoration for My Name, the Most
Compassionate, will
recite the verses of God in such wise as
to captivate
the hearts of those yet wrapped in
slumber.
Baha'u'llah: The Kitab-i-Aqdas,
p. 74
_________________________________________________
Please join us as we welcome four new
subscribers today.
Thanks for allowing us to serve you.
From Wisconsin
Keith of Menomonee Falls
From New York
John of Long Island
From Ohio
Katie of Youngstown State University
** From Australia**
Bahadur of Adelaide
_________________________________________________
The selections for the next several days
will come from
Aunti Mame of Ontario, Canada.
The Rules are on an
Assembly sponsored field trip to the Chicago area to visit
a Zoroastrian Temple, the Field Museum and the Baha'i
House of Worship. 27 are in the group today and we are
very excited!
The Purpose of the Manifestations
____________________________
The holy Manifestations of God come into the world to dispel
the darkness of the animal or physical
nature of man, to purify him
from his imperfections in order that his
heavenly and spiritual nature
may become quickened, his divine qualities
awakened, his
perfections visible, his potential powers
revealed and all the virtues
of the world of humanity latent within him
may come to life.
Abdu'l-Baha, Foundations of World Unity, p. 111
Satan
(Part 1)
_____
In another Tablet, He [Baha'u'llah] says: "Endeavor to your
utmost to protect yourselves, because
Satan appears in different
robes and appeals to everyone according to
each person's own
way, until he becomes like unto him-then
he will leave him alone."
Abdu'l-Baha, Baha'i World Faith - Abdu'l-Baha Section, p. 431
Satan
_____
We as Baha'is do not believe in an independent force of evil,
but the writings personify evil to its
referral to our own material
nature, and the term Satan is used in the
Baha'i Writings not
as if we believe in an independent force
of evil or some nasty
fellow called Satan who is lurking around
in the dark where he
can get you, but rather as a dramatic
personalization of our
own material nature. And there is a
passage in the Writings of
'Abdu'l-Baha- "Satan will appear to
you in the guise you find most
attractive." Satan will appear to
each one of us in the guise we
find most attractive. We will be tested
and we will be tested in
the area on in which we are weakest. There
are lots and lots
of things that I can be tested upon which
will have no effect on
me but that is not a test. Satan does not
appear to me in a
form that I find unattractive. I just
ignore it. We are tested in
areas in which we are most vulnerable in
which we are most
attracted and that is something that we
have to deal with in
this process of making an effort,
attracting the spirit, of being
reinforced to a greater effort, and on
into the future.
Words taken from a transcript of talk given to the Baha'i
Community in Adelaide, August 2002 by Dr. Peter Khan,
Member of the Universal House of Justice
Respond With Gentleness
______________________
Should anyone wax angry with you, respond to him with
gentleness; and should anyone upbraid you,
forbear to upbraid
him in return, but leave him to himself
and put your trust in
God, the omnipotent Avenger, the Lord of
might and justice.
Baha'u'llah:
The Kitab-i-Aqdas, p. 75
__________________________________________________
up·braid > reprove sharply; reproach. See Synonyms > scold.
Virtue
_____
Verily, it is better a thousand times for
a man to die
than to continue living without virtue.
Abdu'l-Baha, Paris Talks, p. 113
______________________________________________
Thanks and welcome to Maura of West Bath,
Maine and
Debbie of Cullman, Alabama for subscribing
to the list! We
appreciate the opportunity to serve you.
_______________________________________________
Suggested Baha'i Web Site
Baha'i Parenting: A bimonthly
electronic newsletter
dedicated to raising families with strong spiritual values
Love Will Conquer Hate
___________________
Do not despair! Work
steadily. Sincerity and love will
conquer hate.
How many seemingly impossible events are
coming to pass in these
days!
Set your faces steadily towards the Light of the World. Show
love to all; `Love is the breath of the
Holy Spirit in the heart of Man'.
Take courage! God never forsakes His children who strive and work and
pray!
Let your hearts be filled with the strenuous desire that
tranquility and harmony may encircle all
this warring world. So will
success crown your efforts, and with the
universal brotherhood will
come the Kingdom of God in peace and
goodwill.
`Abdu'l-Baha: Paris Talks*, page
30
Aims of the Baha'i Faith
____________________
At the very core of the aims of the Faith are the establishment of
justice and unity in the world, the
removal of prejudice and enmity
from among all people, the awakening of
compassion and under-
standing in the hearts of all men and
women, and the raising of all
souls to a new level of spirituality and
behavior through the vitalizing
influence of divine Revelation.
From a letter to an individual written by
The Universal House of Justice, Department of the
Secretariat, July 2, 1996
The Importance of Miracles
______________________
The outward miracles have no importance for the people of Reality.
If a blind man receives sight, for
example, he will finally again become
sightless, for he will die and be deprived
of all his senses and powers.
Therefore, causing the blind man to see is
comparatively of little
importance, for this faculty of sight will
at last disappear. If the body
of a dead person be resuscitated, of what
use is it since the body will
die again? But it is important to give perception and eternal life - that
is, the spiritual and divine life. For this physical life is not immortal,
and its existence is equivalent to
nonexistence. So it is that Christ
said to one of His disciples: "Let the dead bury their dead;"
for "That
which is born of the flesh is flesh; and
that which is born of the
Spirit is spirit."
Abdu'l-Baha, Some Answered Questions, p. 101
______________________________________________________________
Suggested Baha'i Web Page
www.bahai.org
The Bahá'í World Web site represents the official presence of the
Bahá'í Faith on the World Wide Web. It is sponsored by the Office of
Public Information of the Bahá'í International Community.
The Reading of Scriptures
_____________________
They have even failed to realize, all this time, that, in every
age, the reading of the scriptures and
holy books is for no other
purpose except to enable the reader to
apprehend their meaning
and unravel their innermost mysteries.
Otherwise reading,
without understanding, is of no abiding
profit unto man.
Bahá'u'lláh, Kitáb-i-Íqán, p. 172
An Unheard of Language
____________________
Mirza Aqa Jan further related to Nabil that, one day in Kazimayn,
when both he and Aqa
Muhammad-Hasan-i-Isfahani were in the
presence of Bahá'u'lláh, in the house of
Haji 'Abdu'l-Majid-i-Shirazi,
He asked the host whether he wished to
hear the Badi' (Unique)
language, which, He said, was the language
used by the denizens
of one of the worlds of God. He then
proceeded to chant in that
language. Mirza Aqa Jan said that hearing
this language had a
wonderful effect on the listener. One day,
Mirza Aqa Jan related,
Bahá'u'lláh said to Haji 'Abdu'l-Majid:
'Haji, you have heard the Badi'
language, and witnessed God's supremacy
over His worlds. Render
thanks for this bounty and appreciate its
worth.'
H.M. Balyuzi, Baha'u'llah - The King of Glory, p. 114
__________________________________________________________
Suggested Baha'i Website
Have your own free Baha'i e-mail account.
Mankind's Two
Safeguards ______________________ And among the teachings of Bahá'u'lláh is
that religion is a mighty bulwark. If the edifice of religion shakes and
totters, commotion and chaos will ensue and the order of things will be utterly
upset, for in the world of mankind there are two safeguards that protect man
from wrongdoing. One is the law which punishes the criminal; but the law
prevents only the manifest crime and not the concealed sin; whereas the ideal
safeguard, namely, the religion of God, prevents both the manifest and the
concealed crime, trains man, educates morals, compels the adoption of virtues
and is the all-inclusive power which guarantees the felicity of the world of
mankind. But by religion is meant that which is ascertained by investigation
and not that which is based on mere imitation, the foundation of Divine
Religions and not human imitations. Abdu'l-Baha, Foundations of World Unity, p.
30
Abdu'l-Baha
In Conversation
_______________________
Abdu'l-Baha: You are always
smiling.
Mr. Osborne: Surely our faces
should reflect happiness in
this presence.
Abdu'l-Baha: Yes! This is the day of Baha'u'llah, the age of
the Blessed Perfection, the cycle of the
Greatest Name. If you
do not smile now, for what time will you
await and what greater
happiness could you expect? This is the springtime of manifestation.
The vernal shower has descended from the
cloud of divine mercy;
the life-giving breeze of the Holy Spirit
is wafting the perfume of
blossoms.
From field and meadow rises a fragrant breath of
thanksgiving like pure incense ascending
to the throne of God.
The world has become a new world; souls
are quickened, spirits
renewed, refreshed. Truly it is a time for
happiness.
`Abdu'l-Baha: Promulgation of
Universal Peace, page 210
_________________________________________________________
We're so pleased to welcome three new
subscribers today. Thanks
for allowing us to server you.
From Massachusetts
Nict of Amherst
From New Jersey
Caity of Pennington
**From Japan**
Thomas who lives near Tokyo
__________________________________________________________
Suggest Baha'i Web Site
New facility dedicated at Maine Bahá'í school
Read the story and history of Green Acre here.
http://www.planetbahai.org/resources/news/news1002/renews100302a.html
Baha'u'llah Writing of His Prison
Incarceration
_____________________________________
During the days I lay in the prison of Tihran, though the
galling weight of the chains and the
stench-filled air allowed
Me but little sleep, still in those
infrequent moments of slumber
I felt as if something flowed from the
crown of My head over
My breast, even as a mighty torrent that
precipitateth itself
upon the earth from the summit of a lofty
mountain. Every
limb of My body would, as a result, be set
afire. At such
moments My tongue recited what no man
could bear to hear.
Baha'u'llah, Epistle to the Son of the Wolf, p. 23
___________________________________________________
Suggested Baha'i Web Site
Designed to teach and proclaim the message of Bahá'u'lláh,
The Noble Thief is a new hour-long musical that is spreading like
wildfire. The play tells the story of an arrogant burglar that attends
a fireside to scout for valuables and is transformed into a lover
of Bahá'u'lláh through the patience and kindness of his new Bahá'í
friends. Order your VHS or CD
copy here.
http://applemachine.com/artsforpeace.com/index.html
Awaken From Our Slumber
______________________
I wish to awaken you out of your deep slumber. Do you know
in what day you are living? Do you realize
in what dispensation
you exist? Have you not read in the holy
scriptures that at the
consummation of the ages there would dawn
a day-the sum total
of all past days? This is the day when the
Lore of hosts hath come
on the clouds of glory. This is the day in
which the inhabitants of
the world shall enter under the tent of
the word of God. This is the
day whose real sovereign is His Highness
the Almighty. This is the
day when the east and the west shall
embrace each other like unto
two lovers; war and contention shall be
forgotten and nations and
governments shall enter into an eternal
bond of amity and conciliation.
This century is the fulfillment of the
promised century, the dawn of the
appearances of the glorious visions of
past prophets and sages.
Abdu'l-Baha, Divine Philosophy, p. 38
________________________________________________________
Today we welcome a new subscriber from
Florida. Our appreciation
to Sherry of Palm Beach Gardens.
________________________________________________________
Suggested Baha'i Web Site
Web radio with a Baha'i perspective.
May require a small download of their player.
Fit Instruments
____________
In the Religion of Bahá'u'lláh, all are servants and maidservants,
brothers and sisters. As soon as one feels
a little better than, a
little superior to, the rest, he is in a
dangerous position, and unless
he casts away the seed of such an evil
thought, he is not a fit
instrument for the service of the Kingdom.
'Abdu'l-Bahá as quoted in John Esslemont's -
Bahá'u'lláh and the New Era, p. 84
_________________________________________________________
Today we happily welcome subscriber number
'700'. Margot lives at
Presidente Prudente, state of Săo Paulo, Brazil and is a Baha'i
Pioneer to a virgin territory.
Thanks for joining us Margot. We
hope
you enjoy your daily selections dear friend.
Faith
How can one increase in faith?
You must strive. A child does not know, in
learning he obtains
knowledge. Search for Truth.
There are three kinds of Faith: first,
that which is from tradition
and birth. For example: a child is born of
Muhammadan parents,
he is a Muhammadan. This faith is weak
traditional faith: second,
that which comes from Knowledge, and is
the faith of understanding.
This is good, but there is a better, the
faith of practice. This is real faith.
Abdu'l-Baha, Abdu'l-Baha in London, p. 65
__________________________________________________________
Sorry for the inaccuracy of yesterdays
selection. The word
emergency should be replaced with emergence. Thanks to
those of your fellow subscribers who pointed out quickly
the error.
__________________________________________________________
A readers nice comment: "I save every reading and have gone
back
in
my file to find one on various topics to include in emails of my
own
occasionally. Thank you for your service of maintaining this list."
Inner Personal Transformation
_________________________
The Holy Word has been extolled by the Prophets of God
as the medium of celestial power and the
wellspring of all spiritual,
social and material progress. Access to
it, constant study of it
and daily use of it in our individual
lives are vital to the inner
personal transformation towards which we
strive and whose
ultimate outer manifestation will be the
emergency of that divine
civilization which is the promise of the
World Order of Bahá'u'lláh.
Universal House of Justice,
Message to all National Spiritual Assemblies,
July, 1989
______________________________________________________
There were many nice notes of appreciation
for yesterday quote
and attachment. (:>
______________________________________________________
Donesh of Brentwood, TN and Erin of
Corvallis, OR have join the
mailing list. Thanks for
allowing us to serve you, dear friends.
______________________________________________________
Suggested Baha'i Source Web Sit for the
day.
Baha'i photographic library
More than 6500 Baha'i photos in 220 galleries.
Also movies and music.
http://www.bahai-biblio.org/biblio-photo-a.htm
Many Manifestations of God
_______________________
While Asia has clearly been blessed as the birthplace of many
Manifestations of God, we have found
nothing in the Writings to
suggest exactly where in the world these
Messengers of God in
the remote past, may have arisen. In a
letter written on behalf of
the Guardian, we have the promise that
"... there always have
been Manifestations of God, but we do not
have any record of
Their names."
The Universal House of Justice, Messages 1963 to 1986, p. 664
______________________________________________________
Warmest of welcomes to new subscribers
Steve and Dolly of
Mountain View, Arkansas
On Becoming a Bahá'í
___________________
"When a person becomes a Bahá'í, he gives up the past
only in the sense that he is a part of
this new and living Faith
of god, and must seek to pattern himself,
in act and thought,
along the lines laid down by Bahá'u'lláh.
The fact that he is
by origin a Jew or a Christian, a black
man or a white man,
is not important anymore, but, as you say,
lends color and
charm to the Bahá'í community in that it
demonstrates unity
in diversity."
(From a letter written on behalf of the Guardian
to an individual believer, March 12, 1949: Bahá'í News,
No.251, p. 2, January 1952)
__________________________________________________
We add several subscribers today who came
to us without
a given location.
___________________________________________________
Suggested Web Page:
New volume of Baha'i sacred writings is published:
http://www.bahaiworldnews.org/story.cfm?storyid=174
A Distinguished Community
_______________________
Wherever a Bahá'í community exists, whether large or small,
let it be distinguished for its abiding,
sense of security and faith,
its high standard of rectitude, its
complete freedom from all
forms of prejudice, the spirit of love
among, its members, and
for the close knit fabric of its social
life.
The Universal House of Justice,
Wellspring of Guidance, Messages 1963-1968, p. v
______________________________________________________
Suggest Web Site
The Lotus Temple http://www.bahaindia.org/temple/
150,000 visitor in one day!
Force The Servant of Justice
Hitherto the usual practice of mankind has been that if one
nation attacked another, the rest of the
nations of the world
remained neutral, and accepted no
responsibility in the matter
unless their own interests were directly
affected or threatened.
The whole burden of defense was left to
the nation attacked,
however weak and helpless it might be. The
teaching of
Bahá'u'lláh reverses this position and
throws the responsibility
of defense not specially on the nation
attacked, but on all the
others, individually and collectively. As
the whole of mankind
is one community, an attack on any one
nation is an attack on
the community, and ought to be dealt with
by the community.
Were this doctrine generally recognized
and acted on, any nation
contemplating an aggression on another
would know in
advance that it would have to reckon with
the opposition not
of that other nation only, but of the
whole of the rest of the
world. This knowledge alone would be
sufficient to deter even
the boldest and most bellicose of nations.
When a sufficiently
strong league of peace-loving nations is
established war will,
there, become a thing of the past. During
the period of
transition from the old state of international
anarchy to the
new state of international solidarity
aggressive wars will still
be possible, and in these circumstances,
military or other coercive
action in the cause of international
justice, unity and
peace may be a positive duty.
Baha'u'llah and the New Era, p.
172
Dr. J.E. Esslemont
An introductory Baha'i Book.
War For a Righteous Purpose
_________________________
A conquest can be a praiseworthy thing, and there are times
when war becomes the powerful basis of peace, and ruin the
very means of reconstruction. If, for
example, a high-minded
sovereign marshals his troops to block the
onset of the insurgent
and the aggressor, or again, if he takes
the field and distinguishes
himself in a struggle to unify a divided
state and people, if, in
brief, he is waging war for a righteous
purpose, then this seeming
wrath is mercy itself, and this apparent
tyranny the very substance
of justice and this warfare the
cornerstone of peace. Today, the
task befitting great rulers is to
establish universal peace, for in
this lies the freedom of all peoples.
Abdu'l Baha, The Secret of Divine Civilization, pp
70-71
______________________________________________________
We are please to announce two new
subscribers today. Thanks
for inviting us to serve you.
From Alaska
DuAnne of Juneau
From Kentucky
Connie of Gilbertsville
______________________________________________________
Web Site Of Interest
The ship manifest showing the immigration record of `Abdu'l-Baha's
entry into the United States in 1912
http://manifest.netfirms.com/cedric.htm
The Messengers
Appear: Too Soon? Too Late? _______________________________________ Shake off,
O heedless ones, the slumber of negligence, that ye may behold the radiance
which His glory hath spread through the world. How foolish are those who murmur
against the premature birth of His light. O ye who are inly blind! Whether too
soon or too late, the evidences of His effulgent glory are now actually
manifest. It behoveth you to ascertain whether or not such a light hath
appeared. It is neither within your power nor mine to set the time at which it
should be made manifest. God's inscrutable Wisdom hath fixed its hour before-
hand. Be content, O people, with that which God hath desired for you and
predestined unto you.... Baha'u'llah, Gleanings from the Writings of
Baha'u'llah, p. 103
Will There Always Be War?
_______________________
To cling to the notion that conflict is an intrinsic feature
of human nature, rather than a complex of
learned habits
and attitudes, is to impose on a new
century an error which,
more than any other single factor, has
tragically handicapped
humanity's past. "Regard the
world", Bahá'u'lláh advised
elected leaders, "as the human body
which, though at its
creation whole and perfect, hath been
afflicted, through
various causes, with grave disorders and
maladies."
(Baha'i International Community, 1999 Feb,
Who is Writing the Future)
__________________________________________________
Our warmest welcome to new subscriber
Joshua of Juneau, Alaska
The Ills of the World
________________
The world of humanity may be likened to the individual man himself;
it has its illness and ailments. A patient
must be diagnosed by a
skillful physician. The Prophets of God are
the real Physicians. In
whatever age or time They appear They
prescribe for human conditions.
They know the sicknesses; They discover
the hidden sources of
disease and indicate the necessary remedy.
Whosoever is healed
by that remedy finds eternal health. For
instance, in the day of Jesus
Christ the world of humanity was afflicted
with various ailments. Jesus
Christ was the real Physician. He
appeared, recognized the symptoms
and prescribed the real remedy. What was
that remedy? It was His
revealed teaching especially applicable to
that age....
In this present age the world of humanity is afflicted with severe
sicknesses and grave disorders which
threaten death. Therefore,
Bahá'u'lláh has appeared. He is the real
Physician, bringing divine
remedy and healing to the world of man.
(Abdu'l-Baha, The Promulgation of Universal Peace, p. 204)
The Crucifixion of Jesus
____________________
Recollect that Christ, solitary and alone, without a helper
or protector, without armies and legions,
and under the greatest
oppression, uplifted the standard of God
before all the people of
the world, and withstood them, and finally
conquered all, although
outwardly He was crucified. Now this is a
veritable miracle which
can never be denied. There is no need of
any other proof of the
truth of Christ.
(Abdu'l-Baha, Some Answered Questions, p. 101)
THE CAUSE OF BAHÁ'U'LLÁH
__________________________
The Cause of Bahá'u'lláh is the same as the Cause of Christ. It is
the same Temple and the same Foundation.
Both of these are spiritual
springtimes and seasons of the
soul-refreshing awakening and the
cause of the renovation of the life of
mankind. The spring of this year
is the same as the spring of last year.
The origins and ends are the
same. The sun of today is the sun of
yesterday. In the coming of
Christ, the divine teachings were given in
accordance with the infancy
of the human race. The teachings of
Bahá'u'lláh have the same basic
principles, but are according to the stage
of the maturity of the world
and the requirements of this illumined
age.
(Abdu'l-Baha, Baha'i World Faith - Abdu'l-Baha Section, p. 400)
Religious Practice
_______________
Every progress depends on two things,
knowledge and
practice. First acquire knowledge, and,
when conviction
is reached, put it into practice.
Abdu'l-Bahá, Abdu'l-Bahá in London, p. 108
______________________________________________
Suggested Site
Farsi Baha'i Web Page http://www.bahai.com/persian/
Religious Prejudice
________________
..One example of Baha'i action in the field of religious prejudice
is the strong defense of Islam in the West
where, despite the
decline of the Christian churches, there
is a strong bias against
anything pertaining to Islam.. This is of
particular interest because
among the Muslim clergy are to be found
the most persistent, fierce,
and unreasoning persecutors of Baha'is.
Another interesting aspect
of Baha'i action to eliminate religious
prejudice is that many Jews
have learned to love the figure of Jesus
through Baha'i teachings,
a love which they have never acquired from
Christians, who have
persecuted and vilified the Jewish people
for nearly two
thousand years.
From the book entitled 'The Earth is But One Country"
by John Huddleston, A Baha'i Author
The Flame That Will Devour Cities
____________________________
...The civilization, so often vaunted by the learned exponents
of arts and sciences, will, if allowed to
overleap the bounds of
moderation, bring great evil upon men.
Thus warneth you He Who
is the All-Knowing. If carried to excess,
civilization will prove as
prolific a source of evil as it had been
of goodness when kept
within the restraints of moderation.
Meditate on this, O people,
and be not of them that wander distraught
in the wilderness of
error. The day is approaching when its
flame will devour the cities,
when the Tongue of Grandeur will proclaim:
"The Kingdom is God's,
the Almighty, the All-Praised!"
(Baha'u'llah, Gleanings from the Writings of Baha'u'llah, p. 342)
Intelllectual Capacity
_________________
A deeper understanding of the verities of the Faith of
Baha'u'llah and a sharper insight into its
mysterious
unfoldment do not depend necessarily on
the degree of
one's intellectual capacity or academic
knowledge. Indeed,
such knowledge has often become a barrier
between man
and God. Baha'u'llah, in one of His
Tablets, displays a
fascinating panorama of divine mysteries,
recounting in
wonderful language the appearance before
Him of some
of the attributes of God, each one
relating in descriptive
terms its own distinguishing features.
When the attribute
of knowledge presented itself, however, it
wept aloud, saying
that it was the greatest of God's
attributes and the source
of all knowledge in the world of humanity;
yet, because of
it, mankind failed to recognize His
Manifestations.
(Adib Taherzadeh, The Revelation of Baha'u'llah v 1, p. 43)
Healing By Laying On of Hands
__________________________
Abdu'l-Baha writes:
He
who is filled with love of Baha, and forgets all
things, the Holy Spirit will be heard from his lips and the
spirit of life will fill his heart. ... Words will issue from
his lips in strands of pearls, and all sickness and disease
will be healed by the laying on of the hands.
O
thou pure and spiritual one! Turn thou toward God
with thy heart beating with His love, devoted to His
praise, gazing towards His Kingdom and seeking help
from His Holy Spirit in a state of ecstasy, rapture, love,
yearning, joy and fragrance. God will assist thee, through
a
spirit from His Presence, to heal sickness and disease.
Continue in healing hearts and bodies and seek healing
for sick persons by turning unto the Supreme Kingdom
and by setting the heart upon obtaining healing through
the power of the Greatest Name and by the spirit of the
Love
of God.
(Dr. J.E. Esslemont, Baha'u'llah and the New Era, p. 112)
Political Parties
_____________
No Baha'i can be regarded as either a Republican or
Democrat, as such. He is above all else,
the supporter
of the principles enunciated by Baha'u'llah,
with which, I
am firmly convinced, the program of no
political party is
completely harmonious."
Shoghi Effendi, Directives from the Guardian, p. 13
_______________________________________________
Suggested Baha'i Web Site
'If You Want To Get To Heaven'
http://www.planetbahai.org/articles/2001/ar081801a.html
Suggested Web
Site For The Day UN CONVENTION ON THE ELIMINATION OF ALL FORMS OF
DISCRIMINATION AGAINST WOMEN http://www.us.bahai.org/extaffairs/cedaw/cedaw_bckgrnd.html
Peace
Consider how ignorant and rapacious is man.
Domestic animals live with their kind in peace
and harmony. If you bring together sheep from
various countries, from France, Persia, America,
etc., not one would contend: "I am a Persian
sheep," or "I am an American sheep." Let us at
least live together as these animals would. Is it
fitting that we should be more savage than they?
Again, if you collect in one room doves from Asia,
Europe, Africa, America and Australia, cooingly
they will love one another.
Man, who is endowed with intelligence, must not
be less than they; for the greatest bounty in the
world of existence is the mind which should lead
men to love and concord. We must exercise the
functions of such a holy power in the path of love
and not expend it upon the inventions of Krupp
guns, Mauser rifles and Maxim's rapid-firing cannons.
God has endowed us with intellects, not for the
purpose of making instruments of destruction; but
that we might become diffusers of light; create love
between the hearts; establish communion
between
the spirits and bring together the people of the east
and the west.
(Abdu'l-Baha, Divine Philosophy, p. 182)
Patience
If thy daily living become difficult, soon
(God) thy Lord will bestow upon thee that
which shall satisfy thee. Be patient in the
time of affliction and trial, endure every
difficulty and hardship with a dilated heart,
attracted spirit and eloquent tongue in
remembrance of the Merciful. Verily this
is the life of satisfaction, the spiritual
existence, heavenly repose, divine
benediction and the celestial table! Soon
the Lord will extenuate thy straightened
circumstances even in this world.
(Abdu'l-Baha, Tablets of Abdu'l-Baha v1, p. 98)
A Portion of a
Prayer _________________ Make my heart overflow with love for Thy creatures and
grant that I may become the sign of Thy mercy, the token of Thy grace, the
promoter of concord amongst Thy loved ones, devoted unto Thee, uttering Thy
commemoration and forgetful of self but ever mindful of what is Thine.
Abdu'l-Baha (As Found In Compilations, Baha'i Prayers, p. 30)
_________________________________________________ It brings us joy to add 10
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From Arizona Norm of Tsaile From Washington State Mandana of Bellevue From
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Carole of Haifa From Luxembourg Solange of Gonderange Parissa of Steinsel
__________________________________________________ Web site suggestion:
Distinguishing the Bahá'í Faith From Destructive Cults http://www.vanderbilt.edu/bahai/cult.htm
"What It is To Be A Baha'i"
______________________
The other day a man asked Shoghi Effendi: "What is the object
of life to a Baha'i?" As the Guardian
repeated his answer to me
(I had not been present with the visitor),
indeed, before he did, I
wondered in my own mind what it had been.
Had he told the man
that to us the object of life is to know
God, or perfect our own
character? I never really dreamed of the
answer he had given, which
was this: the object of life to a Baha'i
is to promote the oneness of
mankind. The whole object of our lives is
bound up with the lives of
all human beings: not a personal salvation
we are seeking, but a
universal one. We are not to cast eyes
within ourselves and say
"Now get busy saving you soul and
reserving a comfortable berth in
the Next World!" No, we are to get busy on bringing Heaven to
the
Planet. That is a very big concept. The
Guardian then went on to
explain that our aim is to produce a world
civilization which will in
turn react on the character of the
individual. It is, in a way, the inverse
of Christianity which started with the
individual unit and through it
reach out to the conglomerate life of men.
A letter to the Baha'i youth from Ruhiyyih Khanum, 1948
http://www.fragrant.demon.co.uk/bahai.html
_____________________________________________________
We add 10 subscribers today who did not
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