A Wayfarer's Tales

Working with Baha'is who think or suspect that they are gay or homosexual

2012-01-04T15:49:00.004+08:00

I'm completely re-writing my presentation of my ideas. For the latest version see sites.google.com/site/jimhabegger/ .

Here is an extract:

Ideas for working with Baha'is who think they're gay or homosexual, or that they might be.

- Learn to appreciate the value of whatever parts of their personalities they're labeling that way, including any same-sex responses, and the value of their relationships with Baha'u'llah, including any concerns they might have about being gay or homosexual.

- Learn to share with them, as equals, ideas and experiences about same-sex relationships and about following Baha'u'llah.

- Learn to encourage and support them in their own investigation of their possibilities for the future.

- Learn to encourage and support them in their own investigation of laws and spiritual principles.

- Learn to trust them, as equals, to make their own decisions about how to practice the laws and apply the principles.

Ideas for reducing the hostility and harmfulness of the Baha'i community toward people who think or suspect that they're gay or homosexual.

- Study all available Baha'i writings, including those of Baha'u'llah, about love, marriage, romance, sex, chastity and homosexuality.

- Conduct an independent investigation in the writings about what is prohibited, and what is for individuals to decide for themselves.

- Learn to think about the questions without using the ambiguous terms that other people are using, including "homosexuality," "gay," "orientation," and "sexual relations."

- Stop applying the label "homosexual" to people's personalities.

- Stop applying the label "homosexuality" to other people's relationships and interactions.

- Develop close friendships with people who call themselves gay.

Gays and the Baha'i Faith: message in a bottle

2012-01-02T09:27:00.022+08:00

Please note that in the following I am not proposing that the partners in the marriage prescribed by Baha'u'llah can be two women or two men. I'm proposing that what Baha'u'llah says about marriage has no relevance at all to the lawfulness or unlawfulness of sexual and marriage relationships that do not potentially include coitus. I'm not proposing that two women or two men can have a "Baha'i marriage," in the sense of a marriage that is authenticated by a Baha'i institution. I'm proposing that there is nothing for any institution to authenticate, because there are no laws that apply to it.

Please note that in the following there is no underlying concept of "orientation" or "orientation change." What I mean by "gays" is people who call themselves gay, and sometimes, other people that gays call gay. What I mean by "straight" is whatever it might mean to whoever I'm talking to.

Please note that in the following there is no underlying fixed concept of homosexual or homosexuality. When I use those terms, I'm referring to whatever other people might mean when they use them.

Please note that in the following I'm not proposing any sweeping answer to whether same-sex sexuality is right or wrong. I'm proposing that, apart from some restrictions on the use of coital organs, it's a matter for individuals to decide for themselves.

I wrote to the Baha'i World Center about the note in the Kitab-i-Aqdas that says "The word translated here as 'boys' has, in this context, in the Arabic original, the implication of paederasty. Shoghi Effendi has interpreted this reference as a prohibition on all homosexual relations." In response, the research department said that those words were not actually taken from the writings of Shoghi Effendi. That note is someone else's interpretation of a cross-reference between the word "homosexuality" and the passage on "the subject of boys," in the margin of Shoghi Effendi's notes for the Kitab-i-Aqdas.

"Homosexual relations" seems too ambiguous to me, to resolve any questions about the lawfulness or unlawfulness of any kind of sexuality or marriage between two women or two men. Apart from that, it seems more plausible to me to imagine that Shoghi Effendi's cross-reference between the the word "homosexuality" and the passage on "the subject of boys" specifies what he meant by "homosexuality": whatever Baha'u'llah meant by "the subject of boys." In other words, the unfavorable terms that Shoghi Effendi applied to homosexuality, and the prohibition against it, might refer precisely to whatever Baha'u'llah meant by "the subject of boys." For now I'm imagining that Baha'u'llah was referring to cultural practices that revolve around using a man as a substitute for a woman, in an imitation of coitus.

I know there's nothing new in the idea that the passage on "the subject of boys" refers to such cultural practices. What I have not seen discussed is the possibility that Shoghi Effendi's cross reference between "homosexuality" and "the subject of boys" means that such cultural practices were precisely what he himself meant by "homosexuality."

----

Some ideas I'm proposing:

- Baha'u'llah's prescriptions for marriage, and prohibiting adultery, are for relationships that potentially include coitus, and have no relevance for the lawfulness or unlawfulness of sexuality and marriage between two women or two men.

- Baha'u'llah's prohibition against sodomy, and what He said about "the subject of boys," refer to cultural practices that revolve around using a man as a substitute for a woman, in an imitation of coitus.

- Apart from, possibly, some restrictions on the use of coital organs, sexuality and marriage between two women or two men are issues of chastity, not law, for individuals to decide for themselves, as long as they do not defame the Baha'i community.

- Although Baha'u'llah's prescriptions for marriage, and prohibitions against certain sexual acts, have no relevance to the lawfulness or unlawfulness of sexuality and marriage between two women or two men (apart from some restrictions on the use of coital organs), they might illuminate some relevant spiritual principles.

- Another spiritual principle that might apply is what Baha'u'llah said about our relationships with those in authority in general, and with Baha'i institutions in particular. For some gay members of the Baha'i Faith, in some communities, that might mean living apart from one's partner, and other deprivations, for an indefinite period of time. Those who are consequently deprived of sexual intimacy in their lives might be helped to face that in whatever ways people learn to live with being deprived of some other part of life, like seeing or hearing.

- One way to help end the stigma and needless restrictions on gay Baha'is might be to study and practice what Abdu'l-Baha said about teaching with wisdom, and apply it to teaching Baha'is about gays and homosexuality. Another way might be to cooperate with Baha'i institutions in protecting the reputation of the Baha'i community.

- One way to help protect gays from abuse by people trying to change them, might be to help gays who want to, to find safe and healthy ways to try to learn to have an honest, happy marriage with a person of the other sex. If no one helps them find safe and healthy ways to pursue that goal, they will have nowhere to go but to people who will harm them.

- What people mean by saying they're gay varies from person to person, but sometimes it's a deeply rooted part of their personality, like being introverted or extroverted.

- Regardless of what anyone thinks about the value of feelings for some people of the same sex that are commonly associated with sexuality, those feelings are closely intertwined with other, indisputably valuable personality traits, and can not be repressed without repressing those at the same time.

- There is no harm, necessarily, in trying to develop feelings for one sex or the other, that one has never felt before.

- If there is any possibility for a person who thinks he's gay or homosexual to have an honest, healthy and happy marriage with a person of the other sex, it will not be by trying to become a straight person. It will be by appreciating the value of the part of his personality that he calls gay or homosexual, and treating the temptations that come with it, and the feelings that don't, as challenges to be overcome like any of the other daunting challenges that most of us face in trying to have healthy and happy marriages.

Talisman liberation movement and me: NAQ (Never-Asked Questions)

2011-10-16T12:16:00.008+08:00

Talisman liberation movement and me: NAQ (Never-Asked Questions)

* Edit

The way this was originally titled and written seemed to equate the "Talisman liberation movement" with people "who have campaigned against the Universal House of Justice." That was a terrible injustice. There were many people involved in that movement, and I saw very few of them campaigning against the House of Justice. My abject apologies to anyone who might have been adversely affected by that. This is the introduction I should have written to avoid that misunderstanding.

From the home page of the Talisman9 Yahoo group:

"Talisman9 succeeds talisman@indiana.edu and talisman@umich.edu as a list for the free and open discussion of issues in the Baha'i Faith from an intellectual and spiritual point of view."

There's a long and eventful history behind that, which I call the "Talisman liberation movement," in which I see some efforts to free the religious spirit from what the Universal House of Justice calls "the shackles that have so far prevented it from bringing to bear the healing influence of which it is capable." There were many people involved in that movement, and I saw very few of them campaigning against the House of Justice, but my attention to the movement revolved largely around those few, and a few people who were feuding with them, in some Internet discussions. I posted quite a bit in those discussions, for many months, and I posted quite a bit about them in other discussions and in my blogs. My discussions and correspondence with them led to friendships with some of them, which some of my other friends disapproved of, to say the least.

* End edit

1. Why am I so interested in some members and former members of the Baha'i Faith who have campaigned against the Universal House of Justice?
2. Why am I still thinking about a feud that happened years ago?
3. What am I trying to do?

I've given up hope of anyone ever understanding my reasons, and I don't know of anyone who even cares, but I've decided to answer those questions here anyway.

1. Why am I so interested in some members and former members of the Baha'i Faith who have campaigned against the Universal House of Justice?

Because of the divisions that I see between them and some other Baha'is.

That might raise the question "Why single out those divisions, out of all the divisions between people in the world, for special attention?"

I'm not sure, but I've learned to trust my intuition about some things, and I'm trusting it about this.

Some possible reasons:

- I see a need for the Baha'i community to address its own social issues as frankly and openly as it addresses everyone else's.

- I see a need to focus on one division or another sometimes. I've also focused sometimes on some other specific divisions, including some revolving around race, class, gender, religion, ideology, language, culture, economics and gays.

- When I see people doing and saying things that alarm me, I feel a responsibility to try to see things their way, see the good in what they're doing, see what I can learn from them, and see how I might serve their best interests. That's deeply rooted in my understanding of following Baha'u'llah. I can't imagine anything more alarming to me than what I saw some people saying and doing, on both sides, in the feuding associated with Dialogue Magazine and the Baha'i Talisman lists. I spent some time with them trying to see things their way, see the good in what they were doing, see what I could learn from them, and see how I might serve their best interests. In the process I developed a friendly personal interest in some of them.

- Another reason might be the campaigns I've seen in each camp, trying to discredit the other, more than I've seen in other divisions between Baha'is.

2. Why am I still thinking about a feud that happened years ago?

I don't see the same open feuding in Internet discussions that I saw before, but I still see people drawing the same lines. I still see campaigns in each camp trying to discredit the other. I don't see any less need to do what I'm trying to do, than ever before.

3. What am I trying to do?

See:

Personal pages

fellowship
http://www.geocities.ws/geotalk/fellowship/fellowship.html

Deeds, Not Words
http://www.geocities.ws/netsofwonder/deedsnotwords/home.html

Glimpses of the Dialogue/Talisman Chronicles
http://www.oocities.org/geotalk/glimpses/

Ideas for working with abused and marginalized people
http://www.geocities.ws/ozpeople/home.html

- Messages from the Universal House of Justice

Letter to the World's Religious Leaders
http://bahai-library.com/published.uhj/religious.leaders.html

One Common Faith
http://reference.bahai.org/en/t/bic/OCF/

Wayfarer's tales revived, maybe

2011-01-16T10:00:00.001+08:00

I might start posting here again, now and then. I've enabled comments, and fixed two broken links.

How to find common ground with feuding Baha'is?

2011-01-15T08:12:00.003+08:00

In the past, in my relationships with people who claim allegiance to Baha'u'llah while continually depreciating what the House of Justice is promoting, and with their detractors, thinking of them as followers of Baha'u'llah has repeatedly led me to dead ends, contradictions, frustrations and confusion. I might give that up for a while. Taking their stated motives and purposes at face value also led me to dead ends, contradictions, frustrations and confusion. I might give that up for a while, too.

Where does that leave me? I don't know. Maybe try to find some common interests, possibly unrelated to Baha'u'llah, by trial and error. Maybe look for some enduring interests in their conversations, that interest me, and range farther and wider in discussing my own interests.

Closed until further notice

2009-12-23T12:40:00.000+08:00

I don't have access to Blogspot any more. I used a proxy to post this, and to disable comments, because they were being spammed.

Examining some questionable behavior

2009-03-13T07:21:00.005+08:00

It looks to me like I've been trying to be part of a fellowship that revolves around contempt for everything the House of Justice is promoting. If it looks that way to me, then it might look that way to some other people. If so, then some people might have doubts about my relationship with the House of Justice.

It might be true that I've been trying to be part of a fellowship that revolves around contempt for everything the House of Justice is promoting. I'll be considering that possibility and what to do about it. It might mean backing away from that fellowship somehow.

I do not imagine that it means backing away from my friendships with some of the people in that fellowship.

Status of projects

2009-03-07T13:36:00.003+08:00

I'm trying to take a break from Internet discussions, so my online projects are simmering for now, except for following a few blogs and corresponding with a few friends. I'm also continuing my posts on my Deeds Not Words blog, about doing things in the right spirit.

Off line, I'm working mostly on three lines of action:
1. Learning Chinese, to improve my capacity to develop friendships.
2. Memorizing verses about hearts possessed by God, and doing things in the right spirit.
2. Improving my practice of continual attention to doing things in the right spirit, and responding favorably to other people doing that.

Thoughts while reading some discussions about racism

2009-03-06T16:13:00.003+08:00

I feel very much at home in this article, except that I'm not interested in being a white ally:

For White Folks: How To Become An Ally

In a comment:

Today POC face the institution of slavery.

Ame13: Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted, shall exist within the United States, or any place subject to their jurisdiction

Now, considering the amount of drug convictions.

Considering the amount of people in prison.

Considering that most dealers and users are white…. but the people who get arrested for drugs are not.

Exactly. Slavery is alive and well today in America, complete with dogs, guns and ropes. I've seen it close up with my own eyes. One thing that's missing in the above outline is the work that inmates do for a few cents a day. and where they do it. They are obviously not in prison because of being considered dangerous criminals.

Thoughts while reading some discussions about racism

2009-03-06T15:15:00.005+08:00

Antiracism: Not for the faint of heart

I see some discussion here about the hazards of working with white allies. This is very unfamiliar territory to me. I have a vague idea of what that means, but if it's what I'm imagining, then I have very little experience with it. As far as I know I've never been involved in the kinds of activism that use white allies. That isn't at all what I've ever tried to be or wanted to be, and even if I did, I wouldn't know where to start.

I have seen firsthand some of the things I see people complaining about here, in myself and in others.

I keep thinking of Angela Davis's book Women, Race and Class.

As I see it, no amount of discussion, by itself, can bring someone who doesn't live under a non-white race label, to see what people are up against who do, and how people living under a white label benefit from that and help perpetuate it. I don't see that awakening happening without certain kinds of experiences.

I can see how tempting it might be to just exclude "white people" altogether from collective efforts to end oppression and/or counteract its effects. I can see that it might even be a good idea, some of the time, in some circumstances. It might not be possible for anyone living under a white label to avoid ruining everything if we're allowed to go wherever we want to, whenever we want to. I imagine it would needlessly impede progress to exclude all of us altogether, all the time, from what other people are doing.

Now I'm thinking of Davis's book again, and Sojourner Truth's "Ain't I a woman?" speech.

Responses to plundering, pillaging, slavery and oppression

2009-03-06T05:32:00.007+08:00

Ways of thinking and ways of doing things that are used to excuse, camouflage and otherwise facilitate plundering, pillaging, slavery and oppression, might not be well suited for responding to them. They might even be self-defeating.

For example, thinking and talking about oppression and what to do about it, using the exact same race classification system that is being used to excuse and camouflage it, with all the fire and smoke and red herrings that come with it, drawing the exact same lines, might do more to help perpetuate it than to help stop it.

I see the classification system itself, with its effects on people's ideas and feelings towards each other, and on their reactions to other people's adversities, as part of what helps perpetuate the oppression. I see much better ways to think and talk about oppression and what to do about it, without using that classification system.

White People and me

2009-03-03T12:49:00.006+08:00

(Edited 9 March 2009, to provide missing context)

The link to this post from RVCBard's blog puts this post in a context which might misrepresent and stigmatize me, so I want to fill in some things that are missing from that context.

Some time ago I started studying Bard's blog because my son said he thought we might have some interests in common. It seemed so to me, after I read some of her posts. It had nothing to do with trying to be a white ally.

In all of my personal relationships, I'm trying to learn to be a better friend and companion, and to offer the kind of encouragement and support that really helps. That includes my relationship with Bard.

Over a period of several months I've worked my way through her blog from the beginning, trying to learn what it's all about, trying to do the exercises she proposes, trying to learn what I can from her and to find ways to serve her interests. I've been imagining that some of my responses were helpful because she has explicitly told me so. All along, I've commented in her blog, responded to her comments in mine, and devoted some posts here to subjects she has brought up. I've tried to respond completely and transparently to all of her questions. I've studied everything she has said about what kind of help she's looking for, and tried to learn to offer that kind of help.

I was thrilled by the implications of her post about her play as a black play, and I said so. I wrote a post linking to it because I would like other people to see it. She posted a question in a comment to that post, and in response I poured out my heart, just saying everything that came to mind, without trying to organize it, and without considering what false implications anyone might draw from it. It was a very personal answer to a very personal question from someone who seemed to me to have friendly intentions. I'm reproducing that post and the comments here, because they're an important part of the context of this post.

Wednesday, February 25, 2009

A New Reality

"This piece I'm working on now is thoroughly Black yet creates a world rooted in myth, religion, and art - expressions drawn from the depths of human existence - and White people are not at the center or at the root of it."

RVCBard, My Play as a Black Play

Posted by Jim Habegger at 6:18 AM

3 comments:

RVCBard said...

What was it about that post that connected with you so much?
March 1, 2009 9:15 AM

Jim Habegger said...

Pretty much everything. What you're saying about your play, and your thoughts and feelings about it. The way you seem to feel about it is as thrilling to me as what you're saying about it.

". . . a play that is by and about Black people without it being about Being Black [in America]."

". . . thoroughly Black yet creates a world rooted in myth, religion, and art - expressions drawn from the depths of human existence - and White people are not at the center or at the root of it."

"My Play, a play written by a Black woman and about Black people, does not define Blackness as the fucked up shit White people do to us, but as our stories, our songs, our beliefs, and our rituals as they are passed across generations through words, through blood, and through spirit.

"My play, a play written by a Black woman about Black people, does not express its Blackness as tragic, ridiculous, enraged, pathetic, or simplistic but as creative, enchanting, fluid, complex, and heroic.

"My play, a play written by a Black woman and about Black people, does not reflect Blackness as shown in mass media, but as it is lived on an individual and collective level.

"My play, a play written by a Black woman and about Black people, does not recreate history or document life as it is today, but creates the world anew through a lens colored by the deeper currents of the human experience.

"My play, a play written by a Black woman and about Black people, does not downplay its Blackness to make it more palatable, more 'universal,' but assumes universality from the start.

"My play, a play written by a Black woman and about Black people, does not set out to make a statement about The Black Experience, but to invite you - all of you - into a new reality."

"Do you have any idea how fucking rare that is?"

Yes!

"Do you have any idea what this means?"

Yes!

March 2, 2009 12:28 PM

RVCBard said...

I find your response very interesting in light of the fact that, in the status quo, White people are deeply uncomfortable with the world not revolving around them. So how does that influence or change your connection to this piece?

March 3, 2009 6:10 AM

Here is the original content of this post:

In a comment to the post before this one, RVCBard wrote:

"I find your response very interesting in light of the fact that, in the status quo, White people are deeply uncomfortable with the world not revolving around them. So how does that influence or change your connection to this piece?"

I decided to respond to that in a new post.

The first thought that comes to my mind is two lines from a poem that I wrote for the Just Poetry Slam in Richmond:

"You could call me White, but it's not cut and dried. It doesn't quite match all my feelings inside."

"That isn't it. I'm not ashamed of my face, but who I am can't be reduced to one race."

Another thought that comes to mind is about the time when I asked around, trying to find out what makes a person black, and I thought about doing some research to try to find one of my black ancestors, looking for some substantiation I could use to call myself black. I even went to the NAACP, to see if anyone there could tell me what makes a person black.

On another topic, but not totally unrelated, I did some research once to find out if I could reasonably call myself bisexual, so I could come out as bisexual in my Baha'i community.

Another thought is about the bio that I wrote for Bridges Across the Divide. Bridges Across the Divide is about divisions over gays and homosexuality (two entirely different subjects in my mind), but there was a lot in my bio about racial issues. Besides, I see a lot of overlap between gay issues and racial issues. And gender issues.

Here's an extract from the bio:
"We're going to live in a black neighborhood."

That was my then 21-year old daughter, in the plane, in August 1997. The white suburbanite family I belong to was on the way to live in the U.S. after 14 years in Martinique as pioneers for the Baha'i Faith. My then 19-year-old son, my wife, and I pondered a few seconds, and said "Yes, of course."

One of our central concerns, in trying to make ourselves useful in God's plan, is helping to bring together people who have been divided from each other by racism. None of us knew what good it might do for us to move into a black neighborhood, but we all felt called to do it.

My feeling at the time was, "Somebody gotta do something besides talk." After we were there for a while, I found some ways to explain what we were doing there. One is that one of my responses when I see people being abused, is to try to put myself in the line of fire, try to make myself a target for the abuse.
Some years ago I noticed that putting White People at the center of the universe is popular not only among white people, but also among their detractors. As I see it, making White People the source of all evil, and treating racism as exclusively a White problem, helps perpetuate the evils. I started thinking about how to get White People away from the center of everything. One of my ideas was, in order for White People to move away from the center, they need to have someplace else to go. I started practicing and promoting interest in our European cultural heritages. As I see it, that would also help respond to the problem of White People not getting it when they see other people affirming their cultural heritages. It's like "Why do you want to accentuate our differences like that?"
That brings up another insight that I learned, of all places, from a White supremacist. I see some well-intentioned White people imagining that all the people of the world are really White People inside. That seems to me to explain some things about well-intentioned White People, that often baffle other people.
Another thought that comes to mind is that it wasn't enough to try to integrate people from other cultures into White society. We also need to integrate White people into other cultures. It looks to me like that idea makes people in other cultures just as uncomfortable as it makes White People, with good reason: a fear of White People taking over.
Another thought is that racism is not only between White People and other people, and discounting the racism between other people is another way of perpetuating the problems.

A New Reality

2009-02-25T06:18:00.002+08:00

"This piece I'm working on now is thoroughly Black yet creates a world rooted in myth, religion, and art - expressions drawn from the depths of human existence - and White people are not at the center or at the root of it."

RVCBard, My Play as a Black Play

What exactly is the framework for action the House of Justice is promoting?

2009-02-18T16:47:00.001+08:00

I started this some time ago, and never finished it. Now I need to take a break. I'll post this as it is. Maybe I'll finish it some time.

----

In its 2007 Ridvan message, the House of Justice wrote:

"The first year of the Five Year Plan bears eloquent testimony to the spirit of devotion with which Bahá’u’lláh’s followers have embraced the framework for action presented in our message of 27 December 2005 and their commitment to advancing the process of entry by troops. Where this framework has been applied coherently in all its dimensions in a cluster, steady progress is being achieved, both in terms of the participation of the believers and their friends in community life and in terms of numerical growth, with some clusters reporting enrolments in the hundreds every few months and others in scores. Vital to this development has been a heightened awareness of the spiritual nature of the enterprise, together with an increased understanding of those decision-making instruments that are defined by the principal features of the Plan."

In that message of 27 December 2005, it wrote:

The elements required for a concerted effort to infuse the diverse regions of the world with the spirit of Baha'u'llah's Revelation have crystallized into a framework for action that now needs only to be exploited.

So the purpose of the framework for action is a concerted effort to infuse the diverse regions of the world with the spirit of Baha'u'llah's Revelation.

Our 26 December 1995 message, which focused the Baha'i world on a path of intense learning about the sustained, rapid growth of the Faith, described in general terms the nature of the work that would have to be undertaken in meeting the challenges ahead. As a first step, Baha'i communities were urged to systematize their efforts to develop the human resources of the Cause through a network of training institutes. While every national community took measures to create institutional capacity to perform this essential function, it was not until the outset of the Five Year Plan that the significance of a well-conceived programme of training became widely appreciated. The introduction of the concept of the cluster made it possible for the friends to think about the accelerated growth of the community on a manageable scale and to conceive of it in terms of two complementary, reinforcing movements: the steady flow of individuals through the sequence of institute courses and the movement of clusters from one stage of development to the next. This image helped the believers to analyse the lessons being learned in the field and to employ a common vocabulary to articulate their findings. Never before have the means for establishing a pattern of activity that places equal emphasis on the twin processes of expansion and consolidation been better understood. Indeed, so consistent has been the experience with intensive programmes of growth, implemented on the basis of this understanding in divers clusters, that no cause for equivocation remains. The way forward is clear, and at Ridvan 2006 we will call upon the believers to steel their resolve and to proceed with the full force of their energies on the course that has been so decidedly set.

It looks to me like the framework for action is about intensive programs of growth, implemented on the basis of a steady flow of individuals through the sequence of institute courses and a movement of clusters from one stage of development to the next, in a concerted effort to infuse the diverse regions of the world with the spirit of Baha'u'llah's Revelation. I note that it says "implemented on the basis of," and not "exclusively limited to."

In presenting to you the features of the coming Five Year Plan, the subject of your deliberations in this conference, we will review the record of recent accomplishments of the Baha'i world and indicate how current approaches, methods and instruments should be carried to this next stage. What the analysis will make evident is that the wholehearted response of the individual believer, the community and the institutions to the guidance they received five years ago has raised their capacity to new levels. The continued development of this capacity will remain essential to the aim of advancing the process of entry by troops--the focus of the Baha'i world through the final years of the first century of the Formative Age.

It looks to me like the framework for action is about developing the capacity of the individual believer, the community and the institutions, for a concerted effort to infuse the diverse regions of the world with the spirit of Baha'u'llah's Revelation.

After the introduction, there are four headings:
- The Individual
- The Community
- The Institutions
- Intensive Programs of Growth

It looks to me like the framework for action is about the roles of individuals, communities, institutions and intensive programs of growth, in developing our capacity for a concerted effort to infuse the diverse regions of the world with the spirit of Baha'u'llah's Revelation.

The Individual

- Attitudes and qualities to be developed: sense of initiative and resourcefulness; courage and audacity; consecration, zeal, confidence and tenacity; spirit of enterprise.

- A sequence of courses that seeks to build capacity for service by concentrating on the application of the spiritual insights gained through profound study of the Writings.

- Intense effort to extend the training to hundreds of thousands more over the five years of the Plan.

- A steady increase in the exercise of individual initiative, disciplined by an understanding of the requirements of systematic action in advancing the process of entry by troops, pursued in a humble posture of learning within the framework defined by the Plan.

- Closer association with people of many walks of life, engaging them in earnest conversation on themes of spiritual import.

- Sharing a portion of Baha'u'llah's Revelation, adapting the presentation to the seeker's needs, employing direct teaching methods that draw on the Writings to offer the message in a manner both forthcoming and inviting.

- Learning to assist others also striving to tread a path of service.

The Community

- Steady multiplication of study circles, devotional meetings and children's classes.

- Enrollment of a percentage of new believers in the institute courses.

- A graceful integration of the arts into diverse activities.

- Home visits.

- Cluster reflection meetings.

- Learning woven into the fabric of decision making.

- Strengthening appreciation for systematic action: a unified vision of growth based on a realistic assessment of possibilities and resources; strategies that lend structure to it; plans of action commensurate with capacity; necessary adjustments while maintaining continuity; building on accomplishments.

- Opening certain aspects of community life to the wider public.

- A nurturing environment in which each individual is encouraged to progress at his or her own pace without the pressure of unreasonable expectations.

- Collective action governed more and more by the principle that Baha'u'llah's message should be given liberally and unconditionally to humanity.

- Endeavours being made to reach receptive populations with the teachings of the Faith.

- An uncompromising appreciation for a diversity of backgrounds and for the strength it confers on the whole.

- Maintaining focus on the Plan, without neglecting special needs and interests, and without dropping any essential activities.

Examining some questionable behavior

2009-02-13T05:38:00.005+08:00

I'm examining some recurring questionable behavior of mine, which reached a low point in my "Jim's List" post.

I keep wanting to write about something that keeps bothering me in some people's behavior.

!

That's exactly what's bothering me in their behavior: They keep writing about something that keeps bothering them in some other people's behavior.

Fascinating.

I want to examine this behavior of mine, because it occasionally leads to something like "Jim's List."

I started wondering again what's bothering me, and what to do about it, but I don't think that's what I need to examine now. I've done plenty of that already. I don't see my efforts to understand what's bothering me, and to consider what to do about it, as problems in themselves. The problem I see is wandering off sometimes into unhealthy ways of responding.

!

That's exactly my problem with what I see them doing!

It might not be very complicated. Maybe I just need more practice in paying attention to my alarms, and stopping when they come on.

Status of projects

2009-02-12T23:19:00.003+08:00

Two of my projects involved a series of posts about the framework for action along with another topic. The other topic in my Deeds Not Words blog was going to be passages in the writings of Baha'u'llah addressed to the "people of Baha." The other topic in this blog was going to be related to the interests of my Baha'i Watch journalists. Now, more specifically, I'm thinking of writing about values they mention in their discussions of what's wrong with the Baha'i community. For example:

- Fred mentions freedom of conscience.

- Baquia mentions unity in diversity, decentralization, personal and independent initiative, unfettered investigation of truth, free expression of our perception of it, qualitative aspects of the community, administration as a tool rather than as a substitute for the Faith, and open and transparent due process.

- Alison mentions what she calls "the movement within."

- Wahid mentions truth, freedom, justice and working with downtrodden people.

Not apostates: another look

2009-02-11T10:37:00.003+08:00

In the previous post I quoted Baquia saying "by using the social science model and vocabulary he has chosen, it is Momen who is implying that the Baha’i Faith is a cult!" Baquia commented that she got the idea from Karen. I read Karen's post that she pointed me to, but I didn't see that idea in it. Then I searched on the Internet to see if anyone else had noticed, and it looks to me like Sen did. In his response to the journal that published Momen's paper he wrote:

Momen has drawn heavily on research inspired by Bromley's studies of contested exits from the high-tension New Religious Movements (NRM) founded in the 1970's . . . However, the Baha'i Faith can not usefully be treated as a cult . . .

I also discovered that Momen himself touched on it:

The manner in which Baha'i apostates have deliberately sought to position the Baha'i community as a cult-like group, a "subversive group" in the terminology of Bromley (1998b), at exactly the time that the Baha'is themselves are trying to position the community as a main-line religion, an "allegiant group" in Bromley's terminology, is a phenomenon that, although commented upon in other papers regarding other groups (see for example Johnson, 1988; Richardson, 1988), has not been studied in any detail.

In my understanding of Bromley's terminology, Momen's paper itself positions the Baha'i community as a "subversive group," by calling some former members "apostates" and specifying that it uses Bromley's definition. To be fair though, I want to point out that he also argues against viewing it that way:

In Bromley's typology, the Baha'i Faith would therefore be regarded in the West as an allegiant organisation or, at most, a contestant organisation.

. . .

The Baha'i Faith has a number of features that militate against its being categorised as a subversive group. As noted above, converts are not isolated in separate communities; continued contact with one's family is encouraged; those who are not "us" are not considered necessarily bad and those who are "us" are not necessarily good; those who wish to leave can do so freely by indicating their desire to the relevant Baha'i institution. There is a strong leadership but it is vested in elected councils rather than charismatic leaders. Individuals are free to hold their own theological opinions as long as they do not press them to the extent of forming schisms. Furthermore, since the 1920s, the Baha'i community has been striving to achieve allegiant status by seeking where possible the official status of a recognized religion (by seeking for example official recognition of Baha'i marriages and having Baha'i holy days recognized by being exempt from attendance at work or school); making legal incorporations of its local elected councils; and obtaining charitable status.

Not apostates

2009-02-08T12:25:00.002+08:00

In her commentary on Momen's "Marginality and Apostasy in the Baha’i Community," Baquia wrote:

". . . by using the social science model and vocabulary he has chosen, it is Momen who is implying that the Baha’i Faith is a cult!"

After reading a preview of The Politics of Religious Apostasy, I agree. I would say that in the context of David Bromley's terminology, which Momen uses in his paper, calling some former members of the Baha'i Community "apostates," and their mutual encouragement and support an "oppositional coalition," puts the Baha'i Community in the category of "subversive organizations," along with "some of the more controversial alternative religious movements, radical rightist and leftist political movements, and various forms of underground economies."

I don't see the Baha'i Community that way, and I don't want to encourage others to do so, so I won't use the word "apostates" any more for any members or former members of the Baha'i Community.

Status of projects

2009-02-06T13:53:00.003+08:00

I might need to take another break from Internet discussions for a few months. In case there's anyone reading this blog who might be interested, here is the status of some of my projects:

1.Developing friendships.
The idea was to spend time with people, doing things that interest them. I've been trying to read people's blogs, and participate in their discussions, sometimes by commenting in their blogs, sometimes by responding in mine. Sometimes it's been hard for me resist temptations to wander off in contentious directions.

I had chosen one person's blog for sustained and systematic efforts, and I will continue that.

2. Reading people's blogs, learning from them, learning to offer encouragement and support that really helps, and helping them find and use support networks.
That will continue with one person. I haven't started on the part about helping the person to find and use support networks.

3. Looking for the best spirit and fruits I can find, in something I've scorned.
I might try that with the interests of the US government, of Microsoft and of the music and movie industries. That might include trying to find some good in the American hegemony movement, and in the "intellectual property" movement.

4. Series of posts about the framework for action and the views of my AO apostates.
Suspended until after my break.

5. Series of posts in my Deeds Not Words blog, about the framework for action and the people of Baha.
Suspended until after my break.

6. Helping to transmit encouragement, support and learning through walls of prejudice and over gulfs of estrangement, between my apostates and other people who are interested in the writings of Baha'u'llah.
I haven't really started trying to develop friendships with people who might be divided from my apostates. That might have to wait until after my break.

7. Fred's parliament of poets.
That might have to wait until after my break.

8. Learning to ignore signs of disapproval of my ideas and interests, and of what I'm doing with my life.
I haven't really been working on that much. I need to think about that some more.

9. Rediscovering Baha'u'llah.
I've been neglecting that recently. I might spend more time on it during my break.

Myths about the Ruhi courses

2009-02-05T07:23:00.001+08:00

One way I see to help dispel myths about the Ruhi courses is to look through Book 7. Another way is to read what the House of Justice and the International Teaching Center have actually said about them, in their own words. One way to do that is with the Ocean Library.

Jim's List (bad joke)

2009-01-31T20:02:00.006+08:00

I've moved the original contents of this post to a comment. It was a bad joke, and I don't want it here. I'm only keeping it because I don't like people trying to cover up their mistakes and wrongdoings by deleting records.

Ruhi courses in Baha'i growth plans

2009-01-30T17:24:00.005+08:00

Describing the Ruhi courses as I see them might include:
- Their contents
- The ways they're conducted
- The ways they're used in Baha'i growth plans
- The context in which they're used in Baha'i growth plans
- The reasons they're used in Baha'i growth plans
- Their effects on individuals and communities

In this post I'll list the titles and summaries of the current series, from the Ruhi Resources site:

1. Reflections on the Life of the Spirit is the first in a course sequence designed to raise up human resources capable of fostering the growth of the Baha'i Community with efficiency and love. It provides insight into spiritual matters, imparts knowledge of the Faith, and helps develop skills and human resources for Service.

This course has three main purposes for the participants:

* understanding the Baha'i Writings in order to fulfill the obligation of studying the Writings every day
* developing the required attitudes toward prayer, and acquiring the habit of memorizing them
* understanding that the true significance of life is to be found in the development of the soul

2. Arising to Serve is the second in a course sequence designed to raise up human resources capable of fostering the growth of the Baha'i Community with efficiency and love. The units of the Ruhi Institute aim, in their entirety, at achieving three overall objectives: providing insights into spiritual matters, imparting knowledge about the Faith, and helping to develop specific acts of service. The units of Book 1 basically seek to help the students gain insights into certain spiritual matters. Book 2 is largely concerned with skills and abilities for specific acts of service.

3. Teaching Children's Classes, Grade 1 is designed to develop the capabilities needed to conduct children's classes. It is the third in a course sequence designed to raise up human resources capable of fostering the growth of the Baha'i Community with efficiency and love.

3A. Teaching Children's Classes, Grade 2 is the second in a series in the area of the spiritual education of children and youth. It follows Book 3 and, in many ways, is a continuation of it. It offers thirty lessons for youngsters entering the second year of a Baha'i educational program, which the teacher is expected to apply to the particular circumstances of his or her class. The material in the book is also intended to help those who, though not interested in teaching formal classes, wish to develop some of the skills related to child education and gain a more profound understanding of its dynamics.

4. The Twin Manifestations is the fourth in a course sequence designed to raise up human resources capable of fostering the growth of the Baha'i Community with efficiency and love. The three units that comprise Book 4 are devoted to helping students acquire a thorough and systematic knowledge of the lives of the Bab and Baha'u'llah.

5. Raising up Animators of Junior Youth Groups is in development.

6. Teaching the Cause is the sixth in a course sequence designed to raise up human resources capable of fostering the growth of the Baha'i Community with efficiency and love. The units of the Ruhi Institute aim, in their entirety, at achieving three overall objectives: providing insights into spiritual matters, imparting knowledge about the Faith, and helping to develop specific acts of service. After Book 2's initial introduction to teaching and having now gained some practical experience, the participants in the program are no doubt eager to embark on a more in-depth exploration of the subject of teaching in Book 6.

7. Walking Together on a Path of Service. The main sequence of courses (Books 1-6) offered by the Ruhi Institute is designed to impart to the participants the knowledge, qualities and skills that would enable them to serve as tutors. The aim of Book 7 is to prepare tutors who can effectively introduce these books to others.

Looking deeper into Baha'i Watch views

2009-01-30T14:06:00.002+08:00

I'd like my BW journalists to look deeper into what Baha'u'llah says about Himself. To improve my practice of what I'm promoting, I've been trying to look deeper into their views. Now I'm considering looking deeper into Sen's views, even though I wasn't thinking of Him as a Baha'i Watch journalist. Now that I think of it, I have seen some posts from Him about what's wrong with the Baha'i Community. I see more room for me to explore in his writings, than where I've been looking.

Scenario x.03 and the stated interests of the House of Justice

2009-01-30T13:00:00.003+08:00

In my list of possible responses to scenario x.03, I wrote:

5. Encourage Baha'is, on line and off line, to investigate for themselves what the House of Justice is promoting, by reading the relevant messages.

6. Help Baha'is, on line and off line, learn to distinguish and separate the interests stated in messages of the House of Justice from possible interests of its members and representatives, of Baha'i celebrities, and of members and representatives of other Baha'i institutions,

Some people might wonder why anyone who sees nothing but harm in what the House of Justice is promoting, and who thinks it's wrong for any Baha'is to promote or support anything that it's promoting, would want to encourage Baha'is to read its messages, and consider its interests.

I would argue that:
- If Baha'is who choose to serve the interests of the House of Justice learn to investigate for themselves what it's promoting, and learn to distinguish and separate its stated interests from possible interests of its members and representatives, of Baha'i celebrities and of members and representatives of other Baha'i institutions, it will be an improvement, even from that point of view.
- Many Baha'is would be much more open to investigating for themselves what the House of Justice is promoting, and separating its interests from the interests of its members and everyone else, than they would to ignoring its interests.
- It would be hard even for Baha'i vigilantes to argue against it.

Possible responses to scenario x.03

2009-01-30T11:00:00.003+08:00

1. Abandon the Baha'i community to its fate.
2. Post articles in Internet forums and blogs about what's wrong with the Baha'i community.
3. Try to change the way Baha'is think about the administration by writing articles and books about it, and finding ways to get them past the censorship to as many Baha'is as possible.
4. Encourage Baha'is, on line and off line, to ignore signs of disapproval of their ideas and what they're doing with their lives, from anyone, including Baha'i celebrities, and Baha'i institutions and their members and representatives.
5. Encourage Baha'is, on line and off line, to investigate for themselves what the House of Justice is promoting, by reading the relevant messages.
6. Help Baha'is, on line and off line, learn to distinguish and separate the interests stated in messages of the House of Justice from possible interests of its members and representatives, and of Baha'i celebrities, and of members and representatives of other Baha'i institutions,
8. Investigate what other faith communities have done to address this problem (see RVCBard's comment).
7. Some combination of the above.

I would welcome any other ideas about how to respond to the scenario of fictional view x.03.

Fictional view x.03

2009-01-30T08:31:00.004+08:00

Fictional view x.03:

Baha'is could be doing a lot more good if they followed their own interests and ideas, instead of what the House of Justice is promoting. Everything the House of Justice is promoting is harmful and contemptible. No one has any better reason for promoting or supporting it than a false understanding of "infallibility" and the Covenant. The only things preventing anyone from promoting their own interests and ideas are censorship and repression by the House of Justice, and other people's false understandings of the Covenant.

Any comments from any direction will be welcome.

Baquia's Ruhi

2009-01-30T08:30:00.006+08:00

In this post I'll summarize what I see in Baquia's description of the Ruhi courses, here and here, and where I agree and disagree. In a later post I'll describe the courses as I see them, from my own experience with them. The parts in parentheses are not explicit in Baquia's description. I've added them because they're part of what I might imagine from reading what she says, if I didn't know otherwise.

(They're impoverished imitations of the Christian Alpha course that took off in the early 1990's). Their whole essence is is blind and unquestioning imitation in action or belief. They're a jumble of authenticated Baha’i texts, pilgrims notes and the commentary and interpretation of the authors of the courses, with no distinction between them. They consist of (nothing but) reading, writing answers to questions, repeating, and memorizing. They're based on an unquestioned assumption that a systematic and standardized curriculum is better. They became sacrosanct in a very short time because they're the only such courses mentioned repeatedly by name by the House of Justice and the ITC in their official communiques, and they have strongly recommended them and aggressively promoted them. (No one has any better reason for promoting or supporting them). They have crowded out other activities like the Mashriq’ul-Adhkar, charitable and SED projects, deepenings and teaching projects. Any criticism of the weaknesses of Ruhi is interpreted as a direct criticism or attack on the House of Justice and the ITC. Any member of the Faith who doesn't participate is branded as covenantally weak. That is having poisonous effects on the Baha’i world which will increase.

In the Ruhi courses there is no interest in reaching out to the world and connecting with other people and groups with similar values; no interest in seeing how we can help those in need, or those less fortunate; and no interest in truly deepening in the Writings through independent investigation of truth. There is no interest in Baha'u'llah or Abdu'l-Baha. There is no room for imagination, intelligence or creativity. Communities become desperately and passionately preoccupied with how many of their members have done how many courses. Mind-numbing drivel passes for wisdom. You can see what they are like by attending a Jehovah's witness Bible study class.

Now I'll list the statements, and indicate where I agree and disagree.

- (Impoverished imitations of the Christian Alpha course that took off in the early 1990's).

Maybe. I don't know anything about the Alpha course.

- Their whole essence is is blind and unquestioning imitation in action or belief.

I disagree. The falsity of that can be seen by examining all the books.

- They're a jumble of authenticated Baha’i texts, pilgrims notes and the commentary and interpretation of the authors of the courses, with no distinction between them.

I agree.

- They consist of (nothing but) reading, writing answers to questions, repeating, and memorizing.

I disagree. There is much more to them than that, as anyone can see by browsing through all the books.

- They're based on an unquestioned assumption that a systematic and standardized curriculum is better.

I'm not sure what that means. Unquestioned by whom? Better than what, for whom, and for what purposes? If it means that the only reason anyone has for promoting or supporting them is because they're systematic and standardized, I disagree.

- They became sacrosanct in a very short time because they're the only such courses mentioned repeatedly by name by the House of Justice and the ITC in their official communiques, and they have strongly recommended them and aggressively promoted them.

I disagree.

- (No one has any better reason for promoting or supporting them).

I disagree.

- They have crowded out other activities like the Mashriq’ul-Adhkar, charitable and SED projects, deepenings and teaching projects.

I see people being pressured to participate in the Ruhi courses and and a few other activities, and to give up doing anything else.

- Any criticism of the weaknesses of Ruhi is interpreted as a direct criticism or attack on the House of Justice and the ITC. Any member of the Faith who doesn't participate is branded as covenantally weak. That is having poisonous effects on the Baha’i world which will increase.

Maybe, on line. I haven't seen that off line. What I have seen is disapproval of anyone not participating in the courses and a few other activities, and disapproval of anyone doing anything else. I agree that the effects are poisonous

- In the Ruhi courses there is no interest in reaching out to the world and connecting with other people and groups with similar values; no interest in seeing how we can help those in need, or those less fortunate; and no interest in truly deepening in the Writings through independent investigation of truth.

I disagree.

- There is no interest in Baha'u'llah or Abdu'l-Baha.

I disagree. The falsity of that can be seen by examining all the books.

- There is no room for imagination, intelligence or creativity.

I disagree. The falsity of that can be seen by examining all the books.

- Communities become desperately and passionately preoccupied with how many of their members have done how many courses.

Maybe. I've seen a preoccupation with steadily increasing the numbers, at the expense of quality, but I haven't seen anything desperate or passionate about it.

- Mind-numbing drivel passes for wisdom.

I've always seen that in the Baha'i community, everywhere. I don't see what it has to do with the Ruhi courses.

- You can see what they are like by attending a Jehovah's Witness Bible study class.

- I disagree, and I'm speaking from experience.

In a later post I'll describe the courses as I see them, from my own experience with them starting in the late 1980's or early 1990's.

Traveling companions

2009-01-28T12:14:00.007+08:00

In a followup to a post about people supporting each other, rvcbard wrote:

"I'd hoped blogging would be a way to get the more aesthetic conversations I crave."

"There are things beyond the topic of the day that I'm interested in. Things like experimentations in form and content, problem-solving for shoestring budgets, balancing theater with 'real life' responsibilities, deepening and expanding our theatre vocabulary, giving ourselves more tools to understand and evaluate avant-garde work, etc."

I've longed for that too. Someone to talk to about what I've been doing, who shows some interest. Someone who has some interests in common with me. Talking to each other about our ideas and experiences, we would enjoy each other's company, and feel encouraged and supported, and learn from each other.

I've also thought a lot about how I might offer that kind of companionship, encouragement and support to others. I've been thinking of that separately from wishing for that kind of companionship for myself. Now, considering how I might offer that kind of support to rvcbard, the two ideas came together in my mind.

First, I thought of asking her some questions, to learn how to have the kinds of conversations with her that she would like to have. Then I had some doubts about whether she could see me as the kind of artist she would like to have those conversations with. Then I thought about what I might do to try to find people for me to talk to.

Then it came to me that a conversation like that does not have to be confined to one person's blog. What a person posts in her blog might be influenced by what she reads in my blog, and what I post in mine might be influenced by what I read in hers. She might not see the connection, or I might not see the connection, in any specific post. Even so, we are learning from each other, and that conversation between us might feel encouraging and supporting to both of us, even if we never comment in each other's blogs.

I've always been aware of conversations going on between blogs, but I've never thought of it happening with companionship and mutual support conversations. That might happen more easily than companionship and support conversation within one person's blog.

That opens up new possibilities for me, for ways to look for traveling companions. Look for bloggers with interests similar to mine, and read their blogs, and invite them to read mine.

Saigyo

2009-01-25T12:47:00.001+08:00

http://www.poemhunter.com/saigyo/biography/

23 year old Norikiyo Satoh, an elite warrior who served the retired emperor, became a Buddhist monk and called himself Saigyo. His reasons for becoming a monk are not known.

However, it is said that the actual person was quite different from the rustic image one might have of a wandering Buddhist monk and hermit. He had connections with the highest authorities of his time, such as the retired emperor Suitoku, worked with Taira no Kiyomori as a warrior, met with the first Shogun, Minamoto no Yoritomo, and left us with many episodes from his time as a political coordinator, at which he worked even after becoming a monk.

He was, of course, also a famous poet. Since his death, his life has become legend in Japan. But where can we find the true Saigyo? Perhaps in the "suffering spiritual flower" of his poems. ..

Chang'an

2009-01-25T11:15:00.001+08:00

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chang%27an

"Chang'an is an ancient capital of more than ten dynasties in Chinese history. Chang'an literally means "Perpetual Peace" in Classical Chinese. During the short-lived Xin Dynasty, the city was renamed "Constant Peace" (常安, pronounced the same way in Mandarin Chinese); yet after its fall in the year 23 AD, the old name was restored. By the time of the Ming Dynasty, the name was again changed to Xi'an, meaning "Western Peace", which has remained its name to the present day."

Mogao Caves, Dunhuang, China

2009-01-25T08:56:00.000+08:00

Mogao Caves
http://www.sacred-destinations.com/china/mogao-caves.htm

The Mogao Caves (aka Mogao Grottoes, Caves of the Thousand Buddhas, or Caves of Dunhuang) are a system of Buddhist cave temples near the city of Dunhuang in Gansu province. They were a center of culture on the Silk Road from the 4th to the 14th centuries and contain a religious artworks spanning that entire period. There are about 600 surviving cave temples, of which 30 are open to the public.

Hanuman and Angkor Wat

2009-01-25T08:34:00.003+08:00

Hanuman
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hanuman

"Hanuman , known also as 'Anjaneya' (son of Anjana), is one of the most popular concepts of devotees of God (bhakti) (devotion to God) in Hinduism and one of the most important personalities in the Indian epic, the Ramayana. His most famous feat, as described in the Hindu epic scripture the Ramayana, was leading a monkey army to fight the demon King Ravana."

Angkor Wat
http://www.sacredsites.com/asia/cambodia/angkor_wat.html

"The temples of Angkor, built by the Khmer civilization between 802 and 1220 AD, represent one of humankind's most astonishing and enduring architectural achievements. From Angkor the Khmer kings ruled over a vast domain that reached from Vietnam to China to the Bay of Bengal. The structures one sees at Angkor today, more than 100 stone temples in all, are the surviving remains of a grand religious, social and administrative metropolis whose other buildings - palaces, public buildings, and houses - were built of wood and are long since decayed and gone."

Castles in the air

2009-01-25T07:06:00.007+08:00

I'm imagining:
- More and more people doing more and more good, for themselves and for everyone else.
- Peace, justice, beauty, kindness and companionship growing and spreading to more and more people.

I'm imagining that that includes:
- People seeing the possibilities and pursuing them. That includes arts, crafts, sciences, and individual and community development and service.
- People turning to God. That includes putting His prescriptions fully into practice, and developing and using His institutions as He prescribes.
- People encouraging and supporting each other in promoting their own evolving ideas and pursuing their own evolving initiatives, individually and together.
- People working together on evolving local, national and international community goals, plans, programs and projects.
- Evolving training, mentoring, encouragement and support programs and networks to help people develop and apply their knowledge, wisdom, vision, qualities and capacities.
- People improving their capacity to see where and how they might do the most good, in their own initiatives and in local, national and international community programs and projects.
- Inclusion of people of all ages, including children, in all of the above.
- Other things that I won't list now, or that I haven't thought of yet.

One question I see is, how will people measure progress, in their own initiatives and in community programs and projects?

The time frame of effects to measure range from immediate to hundreds of years or more. Some of the good that people want to do can be seen immediately, or within a few minutes, hours, days, weeks, months or years, and from their own experience or their familiarity with the experience of others.

Some effects of our actions and activities, on ourselves and the people around us, are easy to see. Some other effects, rippling out into the world, locally, nationally and globally, and combining with others, might be impossible to sort out.

Maybe effects decades or centuries in the future, and on communities, can be estimated by testing theories about community development in voluntary experimental communities. Some ideas might need to be tested in a community with members from every corner of the world and every corner of society, who have turned to Baha'u'llah and agreed to subordinate all other purposes to His, and to put His prescriptions fully into practice in that context.

Some ideas might need to be tested in other kinds of communities, including ones whose members are interested in the writings of Baha'u'llah but who don't agree to subordinate all other purposes to His, and to put His prescriptions fully into practice in that context.

Some ideas might need to be tested in other kinds of communities, with other ways of looking at Baha'u'llah, including rejection, or not even considering Him at all.

Some experimental communities might be highly organized and incorporated, with an administration which evolves very slowly. Others might be accidental fellowships with no administration at all.

Some experimental communities might include or embrace others. For example, a community of people who are interested in the writings of Baha'u'llah, which does not require unqualified commitment to His purposes, might include or embrace one which does.

Washing machine rides, imaginary space adventures, and puffed up sheets

2009-01-23T12:56:00.001+08:00

Just to let you know I'm thinking about you.

And us.

Looking deeper into the views of my Baha'i Watch journalists

2009-01-23T11:24:00.002+08:00

Thoughts after reading Baquia's introduction

"I simply hope that by voicing these thoughts, I can come to grips with the spiritual challenges that I am wrestling with personally."

Okay. That helps me put her rants into perspective.

Unity equated with conformity and uniformity in the Baha'i community, sterile group think, excessive centralization, depreciation of personal initiatives, obstacles to investigation and expression, neglect of qualitative aspects, neglect of mystical and spiritual dimensions including the Dawning Place, worship of Shoghi Effendi and the House of Justice opacity. I see all that.

"As Baha’is, we are asked to share our concerns, criticisms and feedback directly with the institutions of the Faith. Unfortunately, this does not seem to be working. It is a most human need to want to be heard and acknowledged.When Baha’is, like myself, do not feel that the institutions fulfill this need, they reluctantly seek other channels. This is not motivated by malice, but by extreme frustration and a hunger for justice."

I see a need for that too, and that also helps me put her rants into perspective.

A way of trying to work things out, and to be heard and acknowledged.

Some ways to help remedy defects in the Baha'i Community

2009-01-21T20:26:00.002+08:00

1. Encourage Baha'is to learn to ignore signs of disapproval of their ideas and of what they're doing with their lives, from anyone, including Baha'i institutions and their members and representatives.

2. Encourage Baha'is to investigate for themselves what the House of Justice is promoting, by reading the relevant messages, before accepting or repeating what anyone else says about it.

Maybe, if Baha'is see those two ideas being promoted by people who see nothing but harm in what the House of Justice is promoting, and from people who see nothing but good in what it's promoting, at the same time, it might have some impact.

Ask and ye shall receive

2009-01-20T14:43:00.002+08:00

After I wrote that I'm trying to look deeper into the views of my Baha'i Watch journalists, I started wondering how I might ask Baquia about hers. I went over to her blog, and clicked "About," and found exactly what I was looking for!

The Baha'i Community, and people who are interested in Baha'u'llah's writings

2009-01-20T12:39:00.005+08:00

As I see it, the Baha'i community which is currently administered by the Universal House of Justice on Mount Carmel was created by and for people who have agreed to put what Baha'u'llah says about Himself at the center of their common ground. I'll call that "the recognition community." Its supreme stated purpose is, and always has been, to put that agreement into practice, to serve Baha'u'llah's purposes, in accordance with His prescriptions. All other purposes are, and always have been, subordinated to that, in the administration of that community. Apart from some mismanagement of some "mass teaching" projects, accepting that has always been a clearly stated requirement for membership.

Some people who agree with some of what Baha'u'llah says, but who disagree with what He says about Himself, might want to be part of a community of like-minded people, possibly including some members of the recognition community. It seems unfair to me (in both senses), unhealthy and contrary to *everything* Baha'u'llah was promoting, to insist on using the recognition community itself for that purpose, against its constitution and the will of its administrators.

A question arises about how such communities might develop without being stigmatized in the recognition community. My first thought is that it might not be possible for any collective activity associated with Baha'u'llah to develop outside the recognition community without being stigmatized within it. In my experience it's hardly even possible for any new activity associated with Baha'u'llah, collective or not, to develop *inside* the Baha'i community without being stigmatized. Short of that, I have some ideas about how to minimize adverse reactions to alternative Baha'i communities.

Some people who agree with some of Baha'u'llah's purpose might themselves have doubts about creating alternative communities, because of its potential divisiveness. I don't see that it has to be divisive, if it's done in the right spirit, certainly not in terms of Baha'u'llah writings. As for what Abdu'l-Baha and Shoghi Effendi said about schisms, that might be more debatable, but I still don't see that it excludes alternative communities for people who are interested in the writings of Baha'u'llah.

Another question is what to do for people who were raised in the recognition community, who disagree with the whole reason for its existence. It isn't enough for me to say that they are welcome to withdraw. It seems to me that the community has some responsibility to sympathize with their dilemma, and help resolve it.

Looking deeper into the views of my Baha'i Watch journalists

2009-01-20T10:57:00.003+08:00

I've been thinking that it might be better for my Baha'i Watch journalists, and for human progress, if they:
- Look deeper into what Baha'u'llah says about Himself, and about His role in human well-being and progress.
- Practice and promote serving the stated interests of the House of Justice, sharply distinguishing them from the possible interests of its members and representatives, the interests of members and representatives of other institutions, and the interests of Baha'i celebrities.

To improve my practice of what I'm promoting, I'm trying to look deeper into the views of my Baha'i Watch journalists about Baha'u'llah, about the betterment of the world, about the best possibilities in life, or about whatever is close to their hearts.

Ways of using writings of the House of Justice

2009-01-19T09:34:00.002+08:00

I see the Baha'i Community partially disabled by people repressing some of their ideas, interests and capacities. I see that as partly a result of possible reactions from others, reinforced by bandwagon abuse, administration/celebrity worship and impoverished views of what the House of Justice is promoting.

I see three ways of using writings of the House of Justice that need to be clearly distinguished, in order to avoid discouraging individual initiatives.

1. One way is to study them in a thoughtful, sympathetic and self-questioning way, looking for ideas about how to serve Baha'u'llah's purposes.

2. Another way is to use them as exhibits in discussions about what's wrong with the Baha'i Community.

3. Another way is to use them in responses to attacks on the Faith.

I imagine that all three ways can serve Baha'u'llah's purposes if they are done in the right spirit. I mostly use them the first way.

Those three ways of using them might naturally lead to different ideas about what they mean. My own study in the first mode has reinforced my interest in appreciating, encouraging and supporting every person's initiatives, regardless of how well anyone thinks it fits into what the House of Justice is promoting. Some of the interpretations I've seen from people using the other modes seem to me to reinforce an impoverished view of the what the House of Justice is promoting, and fear of doing or promoting anything outside of it. Of course if that's what a person really thinks after careful investigation, I would want her to feel welcome to say so. Obviously, if I'm really serious about encouraging individual initiative.

I would just want people to be aware of how those interpretations might discourage individual initiative, and consider how to help counteract that effect. One way might be to encourage people, at the same time, to:
- ignore signs of disapproval of their ideas and interests from members and representatives of institutions.
- investigate for themselves, from its own writings, what the House of Justice is promoting.

Interests of my House of Justice: Something I might have missed

2009-01-19T07:54:00.002+08:00

Now I'll look at the response of the House of Justice to the US National Spiritual Assembly's 2007 Annual Report. I'm looking for statements of its interests that might be used as arguments for discouraging people from promoting their own ideas and pursuing their own initiatives. The only statement I see that might be used that way is this:

"However, what is essential is for such roles and functions to take shape within the framework for action that has been elaborated in the message dated 27 December 2005 to the Conference of the Continental Boards of Counsellors."

Apart from that, another argument might be that the interests stated in this message seem to be exclusively about the framework for action. A person might use that as an argument that the House of Justice has no interest in anyone doing anything outside of the framework.

Going back to the recommendations in the report, they all look to me like recommendations for regional and local institutions, and cluster agencies. None of them look like recommendations to individuals. The House of Justice is responding to recommendations for institutions and cluster agencies. Here is the full context of what it says about roles and functions taking shape within the framework for action:

"In this light, what must be recognized is that the most recent sharp decline from some 2,000 to 1,000 annual enrollments occurred between 1997 and 2003, a period during which an appreciation for the provisions of the global Plans had not yet been fully gained in the United States and, as a result, emphasis was being given to certain kinds of measures to proclamation through the media, to initiatives designed specifically for and by Local Spiritual Assemblies, to inspirational appeals intended to capture the believers' imagination and stir them to action, and to extensive analyses of diverse topics. It should be clear, then, that a return to such measures will not serve the needs of the American Baha'i community. This is not to suggest that there is no room for proclamation in the plans of action, for example, for a cluster in which the institute process is sufficiently advanced and in which new souls need to be attracted to firesides and core activities. Nor is it to diminish the importance of the evolving role Local Assemblies play in the new realities being created at the grassroots. However, what is essential is for such roles and functions to take shape within the framework for action that has been elaborated in the message dated 27 December 2005 to the Conference of the Continental Boards of Counsellors."

What I understand from that is that it wouldn't help for institutions and cluster agencies to go back to emphasizing the kinds of measures that were being emphasized between 1997 and 2003.

The House of Justice says explicitly that this does not exclude proclamation in the plans of action.

It also looks to me like what the House of Justice is discussing here is the plans of action for clusters, not for individuals. It says that it is essential for the plans of action for clusters to take shape within the framework for action.

Next: What exactly is the framework for action?

Interests of my House of Justice: Something I might have missed

2009-01-19T06:45:00.003+08:00

Earlier I posted the modest proposal of the US National Spiritual Assembly in its 2007 Annual Report. Before I discuss the response from the House of Justice, I want to discuss the concerns raised in the report, leading to the recommendations.

"Yet, there is a pervasive feeling of confusion and dislocation among many Local Spiritual Assemblies, including those in 'A' clusters."

"We are concerned that feelings of disempowerment and mixed signals regarding roles and responsibilities are robbing the current Plan of the spiritual benefits that flow from the wholehearted participation of these divine institutions, and the many significant contributions these highly capable Assemblies could make to the progress of the teaching work in a number of areas of the country."

"In many areas, exclusive focus on the two essential movements has led to misunderstandings as to the kinds of activities that are permissible for the friends to be engaged in and that are consistent with the Plan. The result is a narrowly defined model of growth that permits a small range of initiative, allows little creativity, and accepts few real innovations."

"The problem we face is that proclamation is widely considered to be inconsistent with the framework for action in the Five Year Plan, making it difficult to engage the friends in serious discussion of the uses of media to generate seekers in advanced clusters."

"We are concerned that - notwithstanding the persistent emphasis the House of Justice has placed on the importance of having an outward-looking orientation - hardly a word is spoken about who seekers are, what they want, or how they experienced their contact with the Baha'i community."

"Another limiting factor is that our discourse about teaching does not sufficiently take into consideration issues of broad social concern."

"However, throughout the country the visionary messages of the past and present are seldom mentioned or employed in the service of teaching, although they remain relevant to broad social concerns."

"Today, this sense of mission is often challenged by a narrow understanding of Five Year Plan strategies and tactics and an all-too-often inflexible system of implementation."

"We feel a particular need for flexibility and innovation in reaching out to young people-Baha'is and others—as well as to populations that have shown historic receptivity to growth."

What I'm considering here is possible counterarguments to my idea that discouraging people from promoting their own ideas and pursuing their own initiatives, is contrary to the stated interests of the House of Justice. One possible counterargument is the response of the House of Justice to this Annual Report.

The report mentions:
- Misunderstandings as to the kinds of activities that are permissible for the friends to be engaged in and that are consistent with the Plan.
- A narrowly defined model of growth that permits a small range of initiative, allows little creativity, and accepts few real innovations.
- A narrow understanding of Five Year Plan strategies and tactics and an all-too-often inflexible system of implementation.
- A need for flexibility and innovation.

It recommends:
- Giving the friends a freer hand to act.
- Supporting the full expression of unity, self-organization, initiative and innovation.
- Supporting a wider range of initiatives with the core activities at the hub.
- Encouraging cluster initiative.

Now I'll look at the response from House of Justice.

The great poets of all nations assembled on the moon

2009-01-16T13:51:00.002+08:00

The Parliament of Poets: An Epic Poem

"I seek to sift, ponder, and sum up not only American historical experience but the human experience of the major regions of the globe under the impact of modernism."

"Homer and Virgil from our Greek and Roman foundation; Dante, Spenser, and Milton hail from the Judeo-Christian West; Rumi, Attar, and Hafiz step forward from Islam; Tu Fu and Li Po, Basho and Zeami, step forth from China and Japan; the poets of the Bhagavad Gita and the Ramayana meet on that plain; griots from Africa; shamans from Indonesia and Australia; poets and seers of all ages, bards, troubadours, and minstrels, ancient and modern, major and minor, hail across the halls of time and space."

"Undergirding my writing is the gradual, continuing development of international federal institutions. The defeat of communism and the numerous crises since then demonstrate that the slowly, painfully evolving authority of the United Nations remains the only hope for a comparatively peaceful world."

India, China, Korea and Japan

2009-01-16T13:41:00.003+08:00

Fred, that's so exciting!

It finally sunk in, what you said earlier: a rough draft of the first three books, after all these years of having it all ahead of you.

Learning to ignore disapproval

2009-01-16T12:53:00.002+08:00

One way I see to help free the Baha'i community from its shackles, is for Baha'is to learn to ignore signs of disapproval of what they're thinking and doing, from members and representatives of Baha'i institutions.

Interests of my House of Justice: something I might have missed

2009-01-16T06:29:00.008+08:00

First, I'll look at the modest proposal in the 2007 Annual Report of the US National Spiritual Assembly:

1. Emphasize vision at the local level.

The friends need constant reinforcement of the great spiritual processes at the heart of Baha'u'llah's revelation—"souls must be transformed, new models of life thereby consolidated." They must be inspired to relate the seminal teachings of our Faith to the great problems of society. And they must be given a freer hand to act. Analysis, planning, and strategic focus are essentials to growth, and there is no doubt about the importance of acquiring such skills. But they are matters of the intellect, and are secondary to matters of the heart in inspiring commitment and initiative.

People will make sacrifices for a great purpose that they will not make for activities. A focus on activities at the expense of vision will yield a community that is rule-bound and prone to conflict, where a culture of learning and innovation are nearly impossible, where individuals are treated as "insiders" or "outsiders" according to perceptions of their obedience to direction, and where expression of legitimate concerns is viewed as uninformed or disloyal.

A sense of vision and purpose, complemented by a practical strategy for accomplishment, inspires unity, self-organization, initiative, and innovation. We see each of these elements in the "framework for action" of the Five Year Plan, and we are wholeheartedly confident that support of their full expression will inspire a wave of teaching that will bring dramatic results.

2. Encourage the participation of Local Spiritual Assemblies through emphasis of the full range of guidance on the role of Assemblies in the Five Year Plan.

3. Support a wider range of initiatives with the core activities at the hub.

Experimental approaches to media proclamation, fireside campaigns, innovative responses to seekers' needs and preferences fit easily within the "framework for action" and would stimulate the release of a great storehouse of energy among the friends. The core activities of systematic engagement with the Word of God, communal devotions, and the spiritual education of children and junior youth will always remain the foundation of Baha'i community vitality and will only be strengthened by the complementary activities of the friends.

4. Encourage understanding among the friends and institutional members of the complementary function of centralized Baha'i schools and neighborhood classes.

The community must learn that both are needed and both should be multiplied. The friends must also learn to appreciate the complementary relationship between Ruhi Book 3 and the Core Curriculum. Ruhi Book 3 provides 15 lessons for children ages five and six. The Core Curriculum extends the Baha'i education of children for seven years providing systematic education on topics including the Central Figures, the Covenant, Baha'i history and social teachings, dealing with peers, and learning to teach the Baha'i Faith. These two approaches must be harmonized to gain the full benefits of our efforts.

5. Engage in a deeper examination of the factors contributing to current growth.

In our experience at regional and cluster meetings, it is routinely assumed for purposes of analysis that all enrollments in any given cluster can be attributed directly and only to the core activities. Further investigation almost always yields a far more complex picture that includes proclamations, firesides, striking innovations in approach, and other types of activity that go unacknowledged.

The Native American Baha'i Institute (NABI) is a good example of the benefits of broadening the scope of our work. The National Spiritual Assembly and its agencies have worked closely with NABI for many years, and some Counselors have called the cluster that is home to NABI the most advanced cluster in the United States. The core activities are thriving on the Navajo reservation with high levels of non-Baha'i participation. They serve as the foundation of a variety of services and teaching activities that are designed to meet the specific needs of the resident populations. Special gatherings, social and economic development projects, social services, teaching projects, and other activities complement the core activities to sustain the advancement of growth in that cluster. These must all be taken into consideration to get an accurate picture of the NABI formula for growth.

6. Encourage evaluation of our implementation of the institute training process.

To date, the achievement of 6,000 tutors in the United States has not yielded growth in enrollments, nor is the growth of the core activities themselves commensurate with the number of Baha'is who have completed courses (for example, only seven percent of those who have completed Book 1 have started devotional gatherings).

We are firm in our belief that tutor accompaniment is an important part of the solution to improving the Ruhi Institute program's effectiveness, but perhaps other ingredients are also necessary. Careful assessments could be instructive to our understanding of the dynamics of the courses' effectiveness with Baha'is and with seekers, and would, of course, be sent to the Universal House of Justice for its consideration.

7. Encourage cluster initiative.

8. Promote unity and mitigate conflict about the process of growth.

The FACT (Faith Communities Today) Study on the dynamics of growth and decline in American congregations, in which 742 Local Spiritual Assemblies participated, noted that conflict on teaching methods and roles are primary impediments to the growth of faith communities. We fear that the widespread feelings of confusion and dislocation among Spiritual Assemblies are significant factors impeding our growth at this time. This year, withdrawals (369) from Baha'i membership have risen 30 percent. Our Office of Community Administration reported that this unfortunate increase in withdrawals is partly attributable to the growth of conflict in the community.

In its conclusion, the report mentions a letter from the House of Justice dated 19 May 1994. In that letter I found this:

"A new burst of energy would accrue to the operation of the Three Year Plan if the friends, both individually and collectively, could feel a greater sense of freedom to engage in a wide range of activities originating with themselves. Even if you are doing nothing deliberately to discourage such freedom, their accumulated impression of institutional disapproval, however derived, and their fear of criticism are, to a considerable extent, inhibiting their exercise of initiative."

I'll come back to that later.

Next: The 19 April 2007 letter from the House of Justice, in response to the annual report

Interests of my House of Justice: something I might have missed

2009-01-16T06:04:00.003+08:00

I said earlier that I'd like my critical writers to look deeper into what Baha'u'llah says about the possibilities of human life, the role of God's manifestations, Baha'u'llah as one of them, and what to do about it. To improve my practice of what I want to promote, I wanted to look deeper into what they see, to see what I might have missed.

I've been thinking that it's contrary to the stated interests of the House of Justice to depreciate and discourage initiatives outside of the framework for action. In its 19 April 2007 letter to the US National Spiritual Assembly, it looks to me like the House of Justice has done precisely that.

I'll be looking deeper into that.

What good is entry by troops, and what comes after it?

2009-01-13T13:20:00.010+08:00

I've been thinking about possible reasons for the activities of the Baha'i community to revolve around entry by troops. I see that Shoghi Effendi looked forward to it, and he says that Abdu'l-Baha did too, although I haven't found any examples.

According to Shoghi Effendi, entry by troops will be a prelude to mass conversion, which will "revolutionize the fortunes of the Faith, derange the equilibrium of the world, and reinforce a thousandfold the numerical strength as well as the material power and the spiritual authority of the Faith of Baha'u'llah."

(Shoghi Effendi, Citadel of Faith, p. 117)

According to the House of Justice, entry by troops has already started (See note below). That might be a reason for putting it at the center of some worldwide community activities. I can see some possible value for Baha'u'llah's purposes, in promoting some common activities for all Baha'i communities, with a common goal of accelerating that process. As I see it, the problems that I see my critical writers associating with the framework for action, arise from administration/celebrity worship and abusive bandwagons. That includes members and representatives of Baha'i institutions disapproving of Baha'is doing anything besides what they see as part of the framework, and other people falling in line.

Accelerating the process of entry by troops might continue to be a central goal for worldwide community activities until mass conversion begins. One central goal used to be the establishment of functioning Baha'i communities and institutions in every corner of the world and every corner of society. Maybe the next center of activity will be accelerating the process of mass conversion. After that, maybe it will shift to building the world commonwealth.

Some form of a world super-state must needs be evolved, in whose favor all the nations of the world will have willingly ceded every claim to make war, certain rights to impose taxation and all rights to maintain armaments, except for purposes of maintaining internal order within their respective dominions. Such a state will have to include within its orbit an international executive adequate to enforce supreme and unchallengeable authority on every recalcitrant member of the commonwealth; a world parliament whose members shall be elected by the people in their respective countries and whose election shall be confirmed by their respective governments; and a supreme tribunal whose judgment will have a binding effect even in such cases where the parties concerned did not voluntarily agree to submit their case to its consideration. A world community in which all economic barriers will have been permanently demolished and the interdependence of Capital and Labor definitely recognized; in which the clamor of religious fanaticism and strife will have been forever stilled; in which the flame of racial animosity will have been finally extinguished; in which a single code of international law -- the product of the considered judgment of the world's federated representatives -- shall have as its sanction the instant and coercive intervention of the combined forces of the federated units; and finally a world community in which the fury of a capricious and militant nationalism will have been transmuted into an abiding consciousness of world citizenship -- such indeed, appears, in its broadest outline, the Order anticipated by Baha'u'llah, an Order that shall come to be regarded as the fairest fruit of a slowly maturing age.

(Shoghi Effendi, The World Order of Baha'u'llah, p. 40)

Note (added 15 January 2009):

Announcement of the Nine Year Plan

October 1963, To the Followers of Baha'u'llah throughout the world

"We stand now upon the threshold of the second epoch of 'Abdu'l-Bahá's Divine Plan, with the outposts of the Cause established in the remotest corners of the earth, and having already witnessed the beginnings of that entry into the Faith by troops promised by the Master Himself."

http://bahai-library.com/file.php?file=uhj_wellspring_guidance#14

Some thoughts after reading Alison's hopes for the future

2009-01-12T13:06:00.002+08:00

Hopes for the future

I'll start by saying that I love, I cherish the framework for action that I see my House of Justice promoting. I see it being partly appropriated by abusive bandwagons, but in my view that does not lessen its value for people who are not carried off in the bandwagons.

Next, I'll elaborate on something I touched on in an earlier post. I see Baha'is responding more, possibly much more, to the interests of members and representatives of Baha'i institutions, and of Baha'i celebrities, than to interests explicitly stated in messages from the Universal House of Justice. As I've said before, I imagine that encouraging Baha'is to distinguish the stated interests of the House of Justice from the interests of its members and representatives, and members and representatives of other institutions, and to give priority to the stated interests of the House of Justice, would help remedy the defects I've seen discussed by my critical writers.

I also want to say that I don't measure the interest of my House of Justice in any activity by how much of its writings it devotes to that activity. It might have just as much interest in some activity that it rarely mentions, as in some activity that it mentions in most of its messages, and discusses extensively.

In distinguishing the stated interests of the House of Justice from those other interests, I don't mean to say they have nothing in common. I mean that I see some consequential differences between them. In some ways I even see them diametrically opposed to each other.

----

It might look to some people like the Baha'i community has abandoned all its educational programs except the Ruhi courses. Again, that impression might be a result of celebrity worship and bandwagon abuse. I have seen some of those initiatives stalled, and people diverted from them, but they're a long way from being abandoned. They are continuing and evolving, and the Ruhi courses themselves are evolving. Anyone who is looking for something better, and experimenting with other ideas, is serving some of the vital interests of my House of Justice.

The idea that every member must participate in the study circles and core activities, is contrary to the interests of my House of Justice.

----

Alison wrote:

"My principal wish is that the faith will emerge from obscurity and gain currency with the masses. I assume that this is also the dream behind the current institutional teaching plans and their goal of mass growth. But I do not believe that the goal will be achieved in the way that they are going about it - although, it's not for me to say that it won't."

I don't see that as the only aim, or even the primary aim, of the current framework for action. I see it more as a way, for people who are interested, to improve their capacity to contribute to the betterment of the world.

"I think the way forward on this is to capture the imagination of the masses through the vehicle of popular culture."

That might be a good way. It looks like a good way to me. As I see it, people who are working on that are serving vital interests of my House of Justice, no matter how much their initiatives are depreciated by members and representatives of Baha'i institutions.

"But probably what will happen - and this is based on the way I understand God to have worked in the past - is that some event - and we won't be able to predict what it will be - will suddenly take the interest of the media and the people and, to our amazement, overnight it'll be talked about globally."

We may not be able to predict the specific event, but I've thought it might somehow be associated with the arts.

"But, ideally, if the spirit of revelation were allowed to take root in the hearts of the believers, instead of lying latent under the constraints of an imposed, prefabricated religious expression, innovative believers would eventually create expressions of the faith that attracted popular culture."

I'm not sure if the "imposed, prefabricated religious expression" means the institutional teaching plans mentioned earlier. Some examples of what I see constraining Baha'is, in relation to the framework for action, are an impoverished view of what the House of Justice is promoting, a worship of the administration and of Baha'i celebrities, and abusive bandwagons. I see all of that as contrary to some of the interests stated in messages from the House of Justice, and as part of the shackles that it says have been preventing the religious spirit from bringing to bear the healing influence of which it is capable.

"Currently, however, Baha'i scholars exist in a ghetto area of the Baha'i community; for the all-encompassing plans offer Ruhi as the only acceptable means of learning about, and understanding, the faith, and require everyone to participate wholesale in the core activities. There is no space for vain, time-wasting activities, such as studying the original languages, translating, studying history (that's all accounted for), studying Baha'u'llah's more mystical and obscure tablets, or writing materials that explain to Westerners the religious and philosophical context of the writings."

Again, that impression might be a result of administration and celebrity worship, and abusive bandwagons, which would lose their power if Baha'is learned to distinguish the stated interests of the House of Justice from other interests.

"But these materials will be needed, not just if the faith lights a spark in popular culture, but when declarants that are coming into the community now later fall prey to doubts, either because they have bad experiences with the Baha'is or because they find out that the faith teaches things they don't like, and want to know more. They won't be looking for Ruhi; they'll want real answers to real questions and we who've been round the block and know the landscape have a responsibility to be there for them."

That will serve the interests of my House of Justice very well.

It might be better to practice and promote serving the interests of my House of Justice

2009-01-12T06:27:00.003+08:00

I'm imagining that some of my critical writers would object to practicing and promoting serving the interests of my House of Justice, for a variety of reasons, including:
- what they see as harmful consequences of Baha'is following the House of Justice.
- what they see as wrongdoings, misguided interests, malicious motives and harmful intentions of the House of Justice.

As a reminder, by "my critical writers" I mean some people I'm personally interested in who continually write about defects in the Baha'i community and its institutions.

It might help to give some examples of what I mean by serving the interests of my House of Justice, and I've already given a few in some of my posts. I might give some more. I have some new ideas after reading Haleh Arbab's paper.

It might also help to consider the issues of wrongdoings of the House of Justice, and signs of malicious motives and harmful intentions, in relation to what I'm proposing:

Here are some examples of what some people have seen as wrongdoings of the House of Justice, and signs of malicious motives and harmful intentions:
- Refusal to discontinue the review policy
- Responses to "A Modest Proposal"
- Responses to the Service of Women paper
- Messages to some people in the dialogue/Talisman movement, finding fault with their behavior
- Responses to the Majnun post
- Messages about a campaign of internal opposition
- Removal of some people from the membership
- Various messages about the study of the Baha'i Faith

I would like to invite my critical writers to experiment with encouraging Baha'is to serve the interests of my House of Justice. I'm suggesting that doing so might:
- Improve their own lives
- Improve their own efforts for human progress
- help remedy the defects in the Baha'i community that I've seen my critical writers discussing.
- help improve what the Baha'i community is doing for human progress

I would like to invite my critical writers to consider these questions:
1. If they are right in their views about wrongdoings, malicious motives and harmful intentions of the House of Justice, does it follow necessarily that I'm wrong about the good it might do to encourage Baha'is to serve the interests explicitly stated in messages from the House of Justice, without regard for the interests of its members, as I have been doing?
2. If I'm right about the good it might do, would their views about wrongdoings, malicious motives and harmful intentions of the House of Justice argue necessarily against doing it?

Seeking a wider embrace

2009-01-11T15:37:00.002+08:00

"Across my dreams,
With nets of wonder,
I chase the bright elusive butterfly of love."
- Bob Lind

In Generation of Knowledge and the Advancement of Civilization, Haleh Arbab says:

The founders of FUNDAEC decided early on that issues related to the generation, application, and flow of knowledge need to be approached with a much more sophisticated conception of development, one which recognizes that no enduring change can be brought about without the full participation of the people themselves—they must be the real protagonists of the development process. If indeed that is the conception to which one adheres, then it is no longer acceptable to view the development of a people merely as the object of academic study. Rather, development should be the object of learning of an institution that somehow belongs to the people themselves and which enables them to promote and systematize their own learning. Every developing region, FUNDAEC suggested, is in need of an institution devoted to the formal generation, application, and propagation of knowledge, not necessarily in the forefront of modern science and technology, but in areas where the natural and social sciences must together tackle specific problems of specific people. It then set out to create such an institution in a particular region, an institution that over the years came to be called University for Integral Development. In the context of development as capacity building, the essential function of this university is research, action, and training that are related to the entire spectrum of processes of social, economic, and cultural life of the population it serves. It is not concerned with mere academic activity, but with research carried out with the participation of the population in the very spaces where they are engaged in such undertakings as agricultural and industrial production, marketing, education, socialization of values, and cultural enrichment.

I like that vision very much.

I would like to add something to that vision about attending to divisions that arise between the community and other people, and to people who are adversely affected by the behavior of the community. That seems to me to be an inseparable part of moving towards the unity and justice envisioned in the writings of Baha'u'llah. That has been part of my lifework, in the margins of the Baha'i community and of other communities, on line and off line.

"They [Spiritual Assemblies] must endeavor to promote amity and concord amongst the friends, efface every lingering trace of distrust, coolness and estrangement from every heart, and secure in its stead an active and whole-hearted cooperation for the service of the Cause."

(Compilations, NSA USA - Developing Distinctive Baha'i Communities)

The administrators of the Faith of God must be like unto shepherds. Their aim should be to dispel all the doubts, misunderstandings and harmful differences which may arise in the community of the believers."

(Compilations, NSA USA - Developing Distinctive Baha'i Communities)

The interests of my House of Justice

2009-01-11T12:23:00.002+08:00

The interests of my House of Justice can not be deduced from the interests of its members, or from what is popular among Auxiliary Board members, which might sometimes even be diametrically opposed to its interests.

For example, I've seen Auxiliary Board members depreciating any initiative which they do not see as contributing to the current growth plans. That is diametrically opposed to the interests of my House of Justice.

As a reminder, "my House of Justice" is short for "Baha'u'llah's House of Justice as I understand it."

Scholarship and community building

2009-01-11T08:50:00.002+08:00

Now I'm considering how to set what I'm doing, what my critical writers and their detractors are doing, and the dialogue/Talisman movement, in the context of Haleh Arbab's vision.

Generation of Knowledge and the Advancement of Civilization

While I was searching for a good link to that, I learned about the Scholarship and Community Building conference of the Association for Bahá’í Studies–North America.

Scholarship and Community Building

-Arvind Auluck-Wilson • Dialectics, Materialism and Religion: Bahá’í Faith and the Advancement of Civilization
- Susan Brill de Ramirez • For a Postcolonial and Post-Diasporic World: The Progressive yet Ancient Heuristic of the Conversive
- A. Jane Faily • The Heart and the Art of Community Building: A View of Recent Psychological Research Relating to Community Development
- Frank Fahdad Fani • The Role of Intuition and Logic in Science Research
- Geza Farkas • Divine English: The Guardian and the King James Bible
- Gerald Filson • Evolving Relationships: Communities of Scholars and External Affairs Work
- Michael Karlberg • The Press as a Consultative Public Forum
- Kathleen Kettler Lehman • Planet Bahá’í: Reflections on an Online Community
- Timothy Kraft • The Role of Science in an Ideal Community

Critical writers and the interests of my House of Justice

2009-01-10T20:41:00.002+08:00

Some examples of how it might be better for my critical writers to practice and promote serving the interests of my House of Justice:
- It might help remedy the defects in the Baha'i community that I've seen them writing about.
- It might help improve what the community is doing for human progress.
- It might improve their own lives.
- It might improve what they're doing for human progress.

The interests of my House of Justice

2009-01-10T06:48:00.013+08:00

Here are some examples to help clarify what I mean by serving the interests of my House of Justice, the interests explicitly stated in its messages, without regard for the possible interests of its members.

The censorship, repression, bandwagon abuse, monopolization of people's time, and worship of Baha'i administration that I've seen discussed in revitalization writings, are all diametrically opposed to the interests of my House of Justice.

- A person who has ideas he thinks are contrary to the views of the House of Justice, and tries to promote them while learning to do it in accordance with Baha'u'llah's purposes and prescriptions, is serving the interests of my House of Justice. That includes promoting the inclusion of women on the House of Justice, gay equality, discontinuation of the review policy, election reform, a Guardian after Shoghi Effendi, and reconsideration of the infallibility, role, functions and policies of the House of Justice, Shoghi Effendi, Abdu'l-Baha and Baha'u'llah.
- Maligning, scolding and pestering anyone, including people who are campaigning against the House of Justice, is diametrically opposed to the interests of my House of Justice.
- Shunning former members is diametrically opposed to the interests of my House of Justice, regardless of the views they're promoting, and regardless of whether they withdrew or were removed.
- Practicing friendship with former members who have been removed by the House of Justice, is serving the interests of my House of Justice.
- Supporting and encouraging members in initiatives that are not derived from community goals, no matter how much they are depreciated by members of Baha'i institutions, is serving the interests of my House of Justice.
- Refusing to participate in Ruhi courses, after sympathetic and self-questioning consideration, is serving the interests of my House of Justice.
- Passing in a ritual round of prayers that you didn't volunteer for, is serving the interests of my House of Justice.
- Refusing to treat any of the writings of the House of Justice as authoritative interpretations of the writings, is serving the interests of my House of Justice.

Revitalization writings and the framework for action

2009-01-09T18:49:00.004+08:00

I started working on an outline of the framework for action, and I thought I might try to make some kind of diagram, along with discussing each of the elements. Now, before that, I might try discussing what some revitalization writings say about the framework for action, and my observations and impressions.

(later) I've been looking for revitalization writings about the framework for action, and was surprised to find very little. I googled "house of justice" and "framework," in a general search, on trb, and on the Web sites of Baha'is Online, Alison Marshall, Baquia, Sen and Priscilla. Here's what I've found so far:
- Baha'i Rants, Ridvan Message 2007 From the House of Justice
- Alison's Meditations on Baha'u'llah, Learning the Lingo
-
I know there have been discussions of the study circles and other elements of the framework, but I'm really surprised to see so few remarks about the framework as a whole. It isn't that new. The terminology goes back at least as far as 2005.

After I discuss what those two articles say about the framework for action, I might look through some more revitalization articles for discussions about the framework or its elements.

It might be better to practice and promote serving the interests of my House of Justice

2009-01-09T13:44:00.004+08:00

(Revised - See below)

I'll try to explain more what I mean by that, and how it might be better, and give examples of how to do it.

One example of how it might be better is that it might help remedy the defects in the Baha'i community that I've seen discussed in revitalization writings. Another way is that it might help improve the effects of what the Baha'i community is doing for human progress, supposing that what it's doing is not 100% useless or worse. What the Baha'i community is doing might do more good, if it's done in the right way and in the right spirit.

I've already explained that what I mean by "the interests of my House of Justice," are the interests explicitly stated in messages from the Universal House of Justice seated on Mount Carmel.

Some of my revitalization writers might feel like it would be contrary to their interests to practice and promote serving the interests of the House of Justice. As I understand it, one of their interests is for the Baha'i community to be freed from the cruel and disabling effects of worshiping the administration, of sectarian attitudes and practices, and of the pious bandwagon abuse associated with the goals and plans of the House of Justice. They might think that what is needed is for Baha'is to serve the interests of the House of Justice less, not more.

It might help to:
- clarify the distinction I'm making between the interests of my House of Justice and the possible interests of its members.
- look deeper into the worship of the administration, the sectarian attitudes and practices, and the pious bandwagon abuse; and how they might change.

Some examples of how to practice and promote serving the interests of my House of Justice:
- Highlight the interests stated in its messages and distinguish them explicitly from other interests that people might imagine, especially ideas that are currently popular in the Baha'i community.
- Look for ways to help do what it's inviting people to do, and help other people do the same. That would not necessarily mean actually doing them. Many people, after considering what they might do to help, might decide, with good reason, not to use their time and talents that way.
- Describe its interests in different terms that might make more sense to a variety of people.
- Write about what's missing from the current framework for action, in terms of its interests. I imagine that all of the ideas for liberating the Faith that I've seen among my revitalization writers can be expressed in terms of the interests of my House of Justice.

Revisions
(1) 2008-01-10
"One example of how it might be better is that it might do more than anything I've seen my revitalization writers doing, to help remedy the defects in the Baha'i community that I've seen them writing about."
changed to:
"One example of how it might be better is that it might help remedy the defects in the Baha'i community that I've seen discussed in revitalization writings."

Revitalization writings and the framework for action

2009-01-09T07:26:00.011+08:00

Plan C.1.32g r29.3

I might write a series of articles about some revitalization writings and the framework for action of the House of Justice. By "revitalization writings" I mean some writings of some people who interest me personally, that revolve around defects in the Baha'i community, and what I've been calling "liberation" views.

A series of articles like that might serve several purposes for me at the same time. It could be a way for me to spend time with the authors of those writings, doing things that interest them, in order to deepen my friendships with them. It could be a way for me to improve my practice of some things I want to promote, including serving the interests of my House of Justice, and looking deeper into what other people see, to see what I might be missing.

At the same time I would be writing a series of articles in my Deeds Not Words blog, about the people of Baha and the framework for action, and inviting authors of popular Baha'i blogs to look through them for ideas they can use.

Together, those two projects could be a way for me to help transmit encouragement, support and learning through walls of prejudice and over gulfs of estrangement between people who are interested in Baha'u'llah and the Baha'i Faith.

I might alternate for now between discussing revitalization writings, and discussing the framework for action, independently, but I'm imagining that the two subjects will intertwine progressively.

Some examples of what I might do with the framework for action:
- Outline it
- Discuss each element
- Give examples of how to find ways to help

It might be better to practice and promote serving the interests of my House of Justice

2009-01-08T18:47:00.002+08:00

I say "my" House of Justice because it looks to me like what I call the House of Justice is different in practical and consequential ways from what other people call the House of Justice, especially my friends that I'm writing for here, and their detractors.

My House of Justice is not clearly defined. What is clearly defined for me is its interests. Its interests are the ones that are explicitly stated in messages which I imagine have been distributed as messages from the Universal House of Justice, with the approval of the Universal House of Justice seated on Mount Carmel. Examples would be messages on the Web site of a national spiritual assembly, and messages included in the Ocean software library. The interests of my House of Justice and the interests of its members are sharply distinguished in my mind, and can even be diametrically opposed. I try to avoid speculating about any interests other than those explicitly stated.

One way that I practice serving its interests is by studying its messages with these questions in mind:
- What can I learn from this?
- What can I do about it?

I spend more time on parts that look wrong to me, trying to find some honest and fair way to agree with them, and practice and promote them.

As I said, I won't be trying to substantiate these ideas. I'll be trying to explain them.

It might be better to look deeper into what Baha'u'llah says about . . .

2009-01-08T16:41:00.002+08:00

It might be better to look deeper into what Baha'u'llah says about the possibilities of human life, and the role of God's manifestations in human well-being and progress.

Here are some examples of what I see Baha'u'llah saying:
1. Turning to Him will improve anyone's life, and anyone's capacity to help improve the world.
2. There is no better way for anyone to help improve the world, than by learning to serve His purposes, in accordance with His prescriptions.
3. There will always be differences between Baha'u'llah's purposes and prescriptions, and everyone's understanding of them.
4. There is no way for the world to move away from today's injustice, cruelty, violence and other ugliness, and towards the best possibilities in human life, that does not include doing everything that Baha'u'llah says needs to be done.
5. Part of what needs to be done can not be done without recognizing Baha'u'llah as everything He claims to be, and turning to Him.

It doesn't matter, for my purposes now, if anyone agrees or disagrees with any of that. Those are examples of what I think people might find by looking deeper into what Baha'u'llah says about the role of God's manifestations in human well-being and progress.

What I mean by looking deeper includes:

- Investigating what Baha'u'llah says about the possibilities of human life, the role of God's manifestations, Baha'u'llah as one of them, and what to do about it.
- Imagining that all of it might be true.
- Considering how to find out if it is all true or not.
- Investigating what Baha'u'llah says about how to find out if it is all true or not.
- Trying to find out if it is all true or not.

It might be better to . . .

2009-01-08T16:38:00.002+08:00

I want to try to describe and explain my feeling that it might be better for some of my friends, and for human progress, for them to:
- look deeper into what Baha'u'llah says about God's role and the role of His manifestations in human well-being and progress.
- practice and promote serving the interests of my House of Justice.

I won't be trying to substantiate those ideas. I will be trying to explain what I mean well enough that my friends can respond in ways that will help me see what they see, that I might be missing. I would like them to look deeper into what Baha'u'llah says, looking for possibilities they might be missing for improving their lives and improving the world. I'm trying to improve my practice of what I'm promoting, so I want to try to look deeper into what they're thinking and doing, looking for possibilities that I might be missing.

Some thoughts while reading Alison's blog

2009-01-08T08:38:00.005+08:00

The Baha'i modernist worldview
http://meditationsonbahaullah.blogspot.com/2008/09/bahai-modernist-worldview.html

And because Baha'is are stuck in a Guardian time warp, they still see the faith in a modernist way. Key features of this include: a centralised administration that wields absolute authority using the ideology that the administration is, exclusively, the Baha'i Faith. This is justified on the basis of a self-serving, narrow interpretation of the covenant, backed up with the idolatrous doctrine of infallibility. All those wishing to join are persuaded to accept this claim, encouraged to put all their resources into carrying out the centralised plans, and indoctrinated to believe that there is no salvation outside this realm. All activity must take place within the acceptable spheres of participation; those who follow their own star are ostracised and those who speak out in a persuasive way are disenrolled.

I'm considering how I might explain all that to a Baha'i in the middle of it all who doesn't see it.

I don't imagine that anyone would disagree that the House of Justice wields absolute authority in the current practice of the Baha'i community. For "the ideology that the administration is, exclusively, the Baha'i Faith," I might give examples of Auxiliary Board members and assistants depreciating any initiative that is not derived from the goals and plans of the House of Justice. For "self-serving, narrow interpretation of the Covenant," I might discuss the popular view of reducing the Covenant to the infallibility of the central figures and the House of Justice, and shunning people they call Covenant breakers. It seems obvious to me how that could be self-serving for the central figures and the House of Justice. To show how narrow it is, I would invite the person to study Abdu'l-Baha'is Will and Testament with me, to see what else it says besides that.

For "idolatrous doctrine of infallibility," I might give examples of people using the writings of the House of Justice for guidance and inspiration in preference to those of Baha'u'llah, including one person who said in an Internet discussion "I don't care what Baha'u'llah said. I only care what the House of Justice says He said."

I don't imagine anyone would disagree that all those wishing to join are persuaded to accept this claim, and encouraged to put all their resources into carrying out the centralized plans. I'm wondering now how many might see something wrong with this. Because people aren't protesting, doesn't mean they don't see anything wrong with it. It might mean that they think it would be wrong to protest, or even to question it. They might equate popular views of infallibility with those of the central figures. They might think it would be wrong to question them. They might imagine that monopolization of people's time, and the depreciation of initiatives outside of the plans, are coming from the institutions, which is partly true. They might imagine that it would be wrong to do otherwise, or even question it.

For "indoctrinated to believe that there is no salvation outside this realm," I might point to some parts of the Ruhi courses.

"All activity must take place within the acceptable spheres of participation; those who follow their own star are ostracized and those who speak out in a persuasive way are disenrolled."

I imagine most people have seen examples of Auxiliary Board members and assistants depreciating initiatives not explicitly set in the framework. I would have no trouble giving examples of people who have been ostracized for following their own star, and disenrolled after speaking out.

Continuing through the blog:

"A crucial idea that helps to prop up this ideological structure is the argument that the term 'unenrolled Baha'i' is an oxymoron (a contradiction in terms) - to be a Baha'i, one must be a member of the Baha'i community."

That's so ironic. At the same time, it is popular among Baha'is to call people Baha'is who have not yet joined, but who agree with some of our popular ideology.

The idea that people who have left the Faith can not be Baha'is might come at least partly from the idea that there can be no schism in the Baha'i Faith. Seeing people who have rejected the community calling themselves Baha'is might seem like a contradiction to that, especially when they encourage and support each other. One way out of the dilemma is to say that they are not Baha'is.

"Don't glance out the window, keep facing straight ahead, don't lose your chance. I swear, I've spent nearly three decades running around in a panic because of that quote"

I've suffered a lot from that, and I've seen many others suffering from it. I eventually came out of it, and I've seen many others do that, too.

"I'm going to follow my own star; I'm going to fulfil my duties to Baha'u'llah according to my spiritual calling; I'm going to do things I would never have done had I remained a member of the Baha'i community; and I'm going to discover things about myself I wouldn't have discovered otherwise."

Yes, yes, please do! Make your own kind of music! Sing your own special song! And keep encouraging others to do the same!

"And one day - it'll come - the Baha'i administration will realise that it needs to get out of the world of thought, stop indoctrinating its members according to its self-serving ideology, and get down to the virtuous business of making good law."

I've seen some people in Internet discussions about Baha'i social and theological issues, who seem to imagine that any idea which has ever received unfavorable attention from the House of Justice has to be discarded, or that it's wrong for any of us to promote any ideas that we see as contrary to the views of one of the central figures or the House of Justice. That seems very unhealthy to me, and if that's a popular view in Baha'i studies, it might seriously impede our progress. I'm not sure how popular it is. I've seen articles in Baha'i Studies reviews that don't seem to be hampered in that way. I have seen that view poisoning every Baha'i Internet discussion, and it was a factor in the decision not to include the Service of Women paper in the Bahá'í Library Online.

". . . get down to the virtuous business of making good law."

I've sometimes wondered how a person can imagine that the only function of Baha'u'llah's House of Justice is to make laws, other than by blinding himself to everything else Baha'u'llah, Abdu'l-Baha and Shoghi Effendi say about it. Now I can see it as the best way some people have found to counteract the disabling effects of some popular Baha'i views of the Covenant.

Rediscovering Baha'u'llah

2009-01-08T08:09:00.004+08:00

I've always had trouble trying to describe the thoughts and feelings that lead to me wanting to rediscover Baha'u'llah. One way is by reference to this:

From the sweet-scented streams of Thine eternity give me to drink, O my God, and of the fruits of the tree of Thy being enable me to taste, O my Hope! From the crystal springs of Thy love suffer me to quaff, O my Glory, and beneath the shadow of Thine everlasting providence let me abide, O my Light! Within the meadows of Thy nearness, before Thy presence, make me able to roam, O my Beloved, and at the right hand of the throne of Thy mercy, seat me, O my Desire! From the fragrant breezes of Thy joy let a breath pass over me, O my Goal, and into the heights of the paradise of Thy reality let me gain admission, O my Adored One! To the melodies of the dove of Thy oneness suffer me to hearken, O Resplendent One, and through the spirit of Thy power and Thy might quicken me, O my Provider! In the spirit of Thy love keep me steadfast, O my Succorer, and in the path of Thy good-pleasure set firm my steps, O my Maker! Within the garden of Thine immortality, before Thy countenance, let me abide for ever, O Thou Who art merciful unto me, and upon the seat of Thy glory stablish me, O Thou Who art my Possessor! To the heaven of Thy loving-kindness lift me up, O my Quickener, and unto the Day-Star of Thy guidance lead me, O Thou my Attractor! Before the revelations of Thine invisible spirit summon me to be present, O Thou Who art my Origin and my Highest Wish, and unto the essence of the fragrance of Thy beauty, which Thou wilt manifest, cause me to return, O Thou Who art my God!

(Baha'u'llah, Prayers and Meditations by Baha'u'llah, p. 257)

I've always imagined that turning to God would feel more and more like that. Sweet-scented streams, crystal springs, shadow of providence, fragrant breezes, melodies of the dove, firm steps in a path, abiding in a garden. Was that just an idle fancy? Sometimes I miss feeling that way, and I start thinking that maybe I need to rediscover Baha'u'llah.

I used to have more of some of the feelings I've missed, before I turned Baha'u'llah into an authority figure. I recovered some of that after my dialogue/Talisman adventures, but I'm still a long way from what I'm longing for. Hm. Maybe that's why it's called "longing."

Fictional view x.02

2009-01-07T21:06:00.006+08:00

Fictional view x.02:

The Baha'i Faith is impeding human progress by diverting some of the people who could do the most good into less beneficial activities, and even harmful ones. Many people who might otherwise be doing a lot more to help improve the world are drawn into the Baha'i Faith by its public face, and then trapped in its delusional, fruitless rat race.

Comments from any direction will be welcome.

Some thoughts while reading "For the betterment of the world"

2009-01-07T09:37:00.004+08:00

In Sen's blog: "For the betterment of the world"

"'Discouraging active political involvement' on the one hand and preaching 'open revolution' on the other are two extremes. But there is a middle ground: the Bahai Teachings encourage political and social activism, where it is possible without partisanship."

In my understanding, "strive to translate that which hath been written into reality and action" (Gleanings p. 249) includes trying to help remedy social ills and improve political systems. I see Baha'u'llah advising us how to go about that without doing more harm than good. As I see it, some popular ways of trying to remedy social ills and improve political systems are self defeating in that they actually help perpetuate and sometimes even aggravate the underlying causes of social ills and abusive behavior of political systems. Current Baha'i policies against involvement in contentious politics might be a result of consultation in Baha'i institutions about how to apply that advice from Baha'u'llah. That consultation would of course include consideration of how it was applied by Abdu'l-Baha and Shoghi Effendi.

"The Bahais are intended to be in the party of progress, the party for the betterment of human condition, and they share this stance with many people of all religions."

Exactly. As I see it, one of the things Baha'is need to do, to help end global violence, is to learn to treat people of all religions, and non-religious people who are working to improve the world, as equal partners in that enterprise.

Sen concludes:

"When we look at what Abdu’l-Baha and Shoghi Effendi said and did, as regards politics and the Bahais’ role in it, we need to consider which kind of society they are talking about: a premodern society with a weak state and no politics, or a society of the modern age, with a strong ideological state and politics that dominate life and intrude into civil spheres — and then we need to apply the principles, not the detailed rules, to whatever more-or-less postmodern state we are dealing with ourselves. The stark choice between 'discouraging active political involvement' and preaching open revolution is one which we face in only the worst kind of modernist state, which is an abnormal condition for a human society."

I don't imagine that the possibilities are ever reduced to those two, even in the worst kind of modernist state. Also, the possibilities are different for different people, and we always need different people doing different things, complementing and reinforcing each other's efforts. There are always some people in a position to directly and personally influence the behavior of governments, or counteract its harmful effects, and some popular kinds of activism might help, or they might get in the way. And even if they help, that doesn't mean that there is no better way for anyone to help, or that anyone who doesn't jump on that bandwagon or wear that uniform is wrong. There might be other things some people can do that will help even more, and make better use of their interests, capacities, resources and time.

"and then we need to apply the principles, not the detailed rules"

That brings up what I said in my fictional view in an earlier post, that the biggest obstacle to progress in the Baha'i community is worship of the administration. That includes blind resistance to changing any administrative policies or practices initiated by Abdu'l-Baha or Shoghi Effendi.

Going back to an earlier part of Sen's post, it looks to me like he's equating Baha'u'llah's "ever-advancing civilization," "reformation of this age," rehabilitating "the fortunes of mankind," "betterment of the world" and "reconstruct the world" with what he calls the program of "the party of progress."

As I see it, Baha'u'llah's "betterment of the world" is not synonymous with any program of any party, including Sen's "party of progress," and it never will be. In my understanding, Baha'u'llah's "betterment of the world" is far, far better than any program anyone can imagine now, and necessarily in some ways contrary to everyone's ideas of progress.

As I see it, equating Baha'u'llah's "betterment of the world" with any fixed ideas of progress can have detrimental consequences for anyone who does so, and for the world. At the same time, in my view, we can serve Baha'u'llah's purposes much better if we have some concrete ideas about what we're aiming for. For some people, whatever Sen means by the program of the party of progress might serve that purpose very well. It becomes detrimental if we depreciate people whose ideas are contrary to ours, or if our ideas are not continually evolving in a context of learning from Baha'u'llah, and serving Him.

Fictional view x.01 (continued)

2009-01-06T19:55:00.020+08:00

Fictional view x.01

I'm not sure now that the Baha'i Faith ever was the progressive force I thought it was when I first joined, or that it ever will be. If it ever will be, there's no telling how long it will take. I'm still hoping that it will be, and I'd like to help move it in that direction, by awakening its members to what has happened and what is happening to the community, and by bringing to their attention the possibilities that I see, as far as possible in the face of campaigns of censorship and repression, and of vilification against those of us who are trying to do that.

The administration of the Baha'i Faith is now dominated by obsolete and superstitious ideas, and by some people's private interests and personal prejudices, which are impeding the growth and development of the Baha'i community, and preventing it from doing the good that it could be doing. A variety of afflictions including censorship, repression, bandwagon abuse, monopolization of people's time, self-perpetuating leadership, and worship of Baha'i administration prevent the community from learning better ways of thinking and better ways of doing things. Some people who have tried to change that have been penalized, stigmatized and socially isolated from the rest of the community, sometimes by the House of Justice itself.

What are the possibilities for us in this situation?

We need different people doing different things, according to their knowledge, interests and capacities (contrary to what has been popular in the Baha'i community). For example:
- Some of us may find ways to avoid the stigmatization and isolation, and still continue to work for change as members within our local communities.
- Some of us may do better working openly in spite of it, with or without loss of our membership.
- Some of us may do better with an anonymous Internet presence.
- Some of us may do better keeping the rest of us informed, or helping us develop conceptual frameworks for our work.
- Some of us may do better entertaining and stimulating the rest of us in various ways, including clowning, jesting and parodies of opposition and defense.
- Some of us may do better with a conciliatory approach.
- Some of us may do better with a wrathful approach.
- Some of us may do better creating our own models of the kind of community we believe in.

It might be lonely work for some of us because the work we've chosen to do, and way we've chosen to do it, make us look unenlightened, or even foolish, to most or all of the others.

We all have different ideas about what the Baha'i community could or should be doing. Some other people's ideas might even be diametrically opposed to mine. I might disagree with some ideas of some other people, but I don't want any of them to be excluded from consideration in the Baha'i community. Besides promoting my own ideas, I want to help open up the Baha'i community to exploring all of our ideas. I want every person to feel free, and to be free, to promote her ideas. One of the biggest obstacles I see to that is worship of Baha'i administration. Without that, other obstacles might be much easier to overcome.

I'll be looking for ways I can help promote a better view of Baha'i administration among Baha'is.

All comments from any direction will be welcome.

Fictional view x.01

2009-01-06T14:36:00.007+08:00

This is for practice. I'm not trying now to approach the point of view of any one person. I just want to practice looking at Baha'u'llah and the Baha'i Faith from some kind of liberation point of view, different from the views I've been using.

Fictional view x.01

I'm not sure now that the Baha'i Faith ever was the progressive force I thought it was when I first joined, or that it ever will be. If it ever will be, there's no telling how long it will take. I'm still hoping that it will be, and I'd like to help move it in that direction, by awakening its members to what has happened and what is happening to the community, and by bringing to their attention the possibilities that I see, as far as possible in the face of the current censorship, repression, and vilification campaigns against those of us who feel this way.

All comments from any direction will be welcome.

Baha'u'llah and liberation of the Baha'i Faith

2009-01-06T08:01:00.002+08:00

I would like to post a series of articles looking at Baha'u'llah and the Baha'i Faith from various imaginary points of view that I'm calling "liberation" views for now. Some examples of what I might discuss are Baha'i social issues, wrongdoings of Baha'i institutions, worship of the administration and the House of Justice, What Went Wrong and how it might be corrected. In the process I would be discussing some of the resources that Baha'u'llah says are available to his followers for responding to the situation we're in according to those points of view. I'm hoping to arouse more interest among some people in learning more about Baha'u'llah, and in learning more from Him.

Part of my preparation would be to review some of the writings of Karen, Alison, Sen, Fred and others, about liberation issues. When I discuss Baha'u'llah and the Baha'i Faith from various imaginary points of view, it might look like I'm misrepresenting the views of those people, because I will be trying to approach them as closely as possible, and of course I will miss the mark. Even though I won't attach names to the points of view I'm discussing, and I will present them as imaginary, the better I succeed in what I'm trying to do, the more recognizable they will be as approaches to the views of those people.

One reason I'll be trying to do that is to help them and other people with similar views see the relevance of the resources I'll be discussing to their interests.

Baha'u'llah's words addressed to the people of Baha

2009-01-06T07:59:00.001+08:00

I've decided to move that discussion back to my "Deeds, Not Words" blog.

Baha'u'llah and the framework for action of the House of Justice

2009-01-05T22:57:00.002+08:00

I'd like to write a series of articles discussing Baha'u'llah's words addressed to the "people of Baha," and how the framework for action that is being promoted by the House of Justice might be used by the people of Baha to serve His purposes. Then I would invite some popular Baha'i bloggers to look through those articles for ideas they can use in their blogs.

Baha'u'llah's resources from a liberation point of view

2009-01-05T22:50:00.002+08:00

I'd like to write a series of articles from a liberation point of view, discussing Baha'i social issues and wrongdoings of institutions and other liberation issues, what has happened to the Baha'i community, what's wrong, and how it might be corrected. Then I would discuss the resources that Baha'u'llah says are available to His followers, and how they might respond to some of the questions and needs that come up in that discussion. I would be hoping to arouse interest in learning more about Baha'u'llah, and learning more from Him.

Part of my preparation for that would be to review what Karen, Alison, Sen and some others have written about liberation issues.

Baha'u'llah's Universal House of Justice?

2009-01-04T10:49:00.005+08:00

For years I've been wondering if Baha'u'llah Himself, in His own writings, really established a Universal House of Justice or not. I don't see it. I've never seen anything in the writings of Baha'u'llah explicitly establishing a Universal House of Justice. The only argument I've seen for saying that He did, is that some of the functions He assigns to the "House of Justice" or the "Trustees" could only apply to a global House of Justice. That seems very inconclusive to me.

Today I was searching again in the Ocean Library for clues, and I found this:

"In former Epistles We have enjoined upon the Trustees of the House of Justice either to choose one language from among those now existing or to adopt a new one, and in like manner to select a common script, both of which should be taught in all the schools of the world."

(Baha'u'llah, Tablets of Baha'u'llah, p. 127)

That started to look pretty convincing, although now that I think of it, no more conclusive than anything else I've seen. I searched some more, looking for extracts from the "former Epistles," and I found this:

"Likewise He saith: Among the things which are conducive to unity and concord and will cause the whole earth to be regarded as one country is that the divers languages be reduced to one language and in like manner the scripts used in the world be confined to a single script. It is incumbent upon all nations to appoint some men of understanding and erudition to convene a gathering and through joint consultation choose one language from among the varied existing languages, or create a new one, to be taught to the children in all the schools of the world."

(Baha'u'llah, Tablets of Baha'u'llah, p. 165)

In the first passage, Baha'u'llah says that He has enjoined upon the House of Justice to choose a language and a script to be taught in all the schools of the world. In the second passage, He says that it is incumbent upon all nations to appoint some men of understanding and erudition to convene a gathering to choose a language to be taught in all the schools of the world.

I also found this (addressed to Kamal Pasha in Constantinople):

"It beseemeth you and the other officials of the Government to convene a gathering and choose one of the divers languages, and likewise one of the existing scripts, or else to create a new language and a new script to be taught children in schools throughout the world. They would, in this way, be acquiring only two languages, one their own native tongue, the other the language in which all the peoples of the world would converse. Were men to take fast hold on that which hath been mentioned, the whole earth would come to be regarded as one country, and the people would be relieved and freed from the necessity of acquiring and teaching different languages."

(Baha'u'llah, Epistle to the Son of the Wolf, p. 137)

Later, He wrote to the Son of the Wolf:

"We fain would hope that the Persian Government will adopt it and carry it out. At present, a new language and a new script have been devised. If thou desirest, We will communicate them to thee."

(Baha'u'llah, Epistle to the Son of the Wolf, p. 137)

On the face of it, it looks to me like He was advising the Persian Government to choose a language and a script to be taught in all the schools of the world. Considering the passage about a gathering of men from all nations, He might have been advising the Persian Government to convene such a gathering. That would make more sense than imagining that He intended the Persian government, by itself, to choose a language and a script for all the schools of the world.

That leaves me with a prescription for the Trustees of the House of Justice to choose the universal language, and a prescription for the kings and rulers of the world to appoint some people to convene a gathering to choose it.

To be continued . . .

Some thoughts while reading "A Churchless Faith"

2009-01-03T18:08:00.006+08:00

These are some of my thoughts while reading "A Churchless Faith" by Alan Kevin Jamieson. Thanks to Alison Marshall for pointing it out in her blog.

"The formation of groups of church leavers are considered and an ongoing dialogue between them and the leaders of evangelical Pentecostal and charismatic churches proposed."

My first thought was that I would love to see that happening with Baha'is. My second thought was that it is happening with Baha'is. It just isn't obvious because the participants are not publicly describing it that way.

"I met four pastors in New Zealand and three in Melbourne whose concern for church leavers had encouraged them to become involved personally in supporting leavers in their faith and helping them to find faith communities more responsive to their concerns."

That's what I like to see!

"This renewed focus on redefining secularisation either by a return to some of the key theorists or in the work of neo-secularisation theorists has focused attention on religious change rather than religious decline."

"A common component found in both the work of Tschannen and Dobbelaere and the neosecularisationists is their focus on the privatisation of religion."

That intrigues me. I would need to think about it some more to be able to explain why.

I love chapter twelve.

12.2 Those at the ‘Margins’ Critique Those at the ‘Centre’
12.2.1 Those on the ‘Margins’ Have an Inherent Connection with the Emerging
Postmodern Culture
12.2.2 Those on the ‘Margins’ Have Given Priority to the Questions of a New Age
12.2.3. Those on the ‘Margins’ Have Learned From the Journey of Exile
12.2.4 Those on the ‘Margins’ Indicate Other Ways of Structuring Christian
Community than that Typically Employed by ‘EPC' Churches
12.2.5 Those on the ‘Margins’ Have an Openness to People who Think Differently
12.2.6 Those on the ‘Margins’ Have a Broad Eclectic Approach to Liturgy and Worship
12.2.7 Those on the ‘Margins’ Point to a Difficult Journey for the ‘EPC' Church

12.3 Those at the ‘Centre’ Critique those at the Margins
12.3.1 Those at the ‘Centre’ Perceive a Priority to Mission
12.3.2 Those at the ‘Centre’ Perceive a Priority for Evangelism and Conversion
12.3.3 Those at the ‘Centre’ Perceive the Need for Investment in the Faith of the Next Generation
12.3.4 Those at the ‘Centre’ Perceive a Need of Somewhere to Belong
12.3.5 Those at the ‘Centre’ Have a Preparedness to Learn from the Classics of the Faith
12.3.6 Those at the ‘Centre’ Perceive the Need to Maintain Connections with Other
Larger Conglomerations of People
12.3.7 Those at the ‘Centre’ Perceive the Need for Energy and Risk Taking in the Name of Faith

"Here I will suggest the possibility of an ongoing dialogue between the margins and the centre. A dialogue that respects and acknowledges the validity of the stance of the other. By acknowledging the stance of the other I am suggesting that those within the ‘EPC' church leadership need to acknowledge the validity of Christian faith outside of their doors too. They need to recognise the legitimacy of these people’s faith journey. Conversely many of those who have left the church need to remember that others may choose to remain part of the church community and do not need to leave simply to be acceptable in their eyes. For both those in the church and outside of it this implies the acknowledgement of each other’s belonging to the faith and a preparedness to listen to each other."

"Not only that there is room for such dialogue, but that the possibilities of fruitful engagement with an increasingly postmodern society demand such dialogue."

(Quoting Veling) "Separatism, while it may appear the more radical stance, only serves the needs of the institutional order, demanding that communities either stay or leave on its terms."

(Veling again) "One way to redeem rebellion is to lead marginal communities out of a paralyzing critical mode into the hermeneutical openness of the question, from the driving wedge of constant criticism into the cutting edge of ongoing questioning. . . . Gadamer’s preference is for giving a priority to the mode of open questioning over against the dominance of a critical thinking that too often distances the interpreter from the subject matter at hand"

"As the ‘EPC' church rises in prominence it needs to remain open to the divergent voices within its own tradition that speak on behalf of the marginalised. These are the victims, prophets, poets, artists, visionaries, musicians and academics whose questions, suffering, experiences and self constructed faith demand space in the margins from which to interpret again Christian faith in a postmodern world."

Some thoughts about what the House of Justice is promoting

2008-12-20T09:05:00.004+08:00

"O SON OF MAN!
Veiled in My immemorial being and in the ancient eternity of My essence, I knew My love for thee; therefore I created thee, have engraved on thee Mine image and revealed to thee My beauty.

"O SON OF MAN!
I loved thy creation, hence I created thee. Wherefore, do thou love Me, that I may name thy name and fill thy soul with the spirit of life."

(Baha'u'llah, The Arabic Hidden Words)

"I bear witness, O my God, that Thou hast created me to know Thee and to worship Thee."

(Baha'u'llah, Prayers and Meditations by Baha'u'llah, p. 313)

"Having created the world and all that liveth and moveth therein, He, through the direct operation of His unconstrained and sovereign Will, chose to confer upon man the unique distinction and capacity to know Him and to love Him -- a capacity that must needs be regarded as the generating impulse and the primary purpose underlying the whole of creation...."

(Baha'u'llah, Gleanings from the Writings of Baha'u'llah, p. 64)

"All men have been created to carry forward an ever-advancing civilization. The Almighty beareth Me witness: To act like the beasts of the field is unworthy of man. Those virtues that befit his dignity are forbearance, mercy, compassion and loving-kindness towards all the peoples and kindreds of the earth."

(Baha'u'llah, Gleanings from the Writings of Baha'u'llah, p. 214)

"The Great Being saith: O ye children of men! The fundamental purpose animating the Faith of God and His Religion is to safeguard the interests and promote the unity of the human race, and to foster the spirit of love and fellowship amongst men."

(Baha'u'llah, Gleanings from the Writings of Baha'u'llah, p. 214)

----

I see in what the House of Justice is promoting a framework, for people who are interested, to work together to develop and apply their capacities to help people learn to know and love God and carry forward an ever-advancing civilization, using resources that came into the world with Baha'u'llah.

And no, I did not use the Random Policy Generator!

Atheist values

2008-12-18T15:46:00.004+08:00

Thinking of critical thinking, I remembered some ideas I had about the values of some people I met in an Internet discussion who called themselves atheists. On the face of it, their atheism consisted of a bashing contest against people who believe in God, especially people they labelled "fundamentalists."

When I looked deeper, to see what values might be behind their decision to call themselves atheists, I thought of these:
- Sound reasoning
- A free mind
- Open discussion
- Loving self knowledge

It wasn't so much that I saw them practicing those principles themselves. It was more that their complaints seemed to revolve around the systematic repression of those values among people who claim to believe in God.

The Kitab-i-Hearsay

2008-12-18T15:40:00.004+08:00

Maybe Baha'i training should include a section on the Kitab-i-Hearsay, the Kitab-i-Imitation, and the Kitab-i-Bandwagon.

Better than that, we need training in critical thinking, courage and wisdom.

"The institution" as a synonym for spiritual assembly

2008-12-18T15:09:00.002+08:00

Some thoughts after reading Sen's "The Supreme Institution":

Sen says he first noticed people calling the House of Justice "The Supreme Institution" about 1985. That's the same time I first noticed people using "the Institution" as a synonym for "the Spiritual Assembly." I remember one person at a spiritual assembly meeting saying very sternly that is was time to start calling our spiritual assembly by its proper name, "the Institution."

Besides the fact that I see no grounds for that in any of the authoritative writings of the Faith, one of my objections is that it seems to me to undermine the other divine institutions, including the Nineteen Day Feast, the family, the Right of God and the Dawning Place.

At the time I thought it might have come from people who wanted Baha'is to be more aware of the spiritual assembly as an institution, and who sometimes said "the institution" instead of "the spiritual assembly," to emphasize that it is an institution. Also, in prolonged discussions about a spiritual assembly, it's easier to say "the institution" instead of "the spiritual assembly." Fewer syllables. I don't see anything wrong with that. The trouble comes when other people imitate it without understanding it, and turn it into a law.

I definitely would like to see that clarified in Baha'i training.

Jim's Baha'i studies project: framework

2008-12-18T14:10:00.005+08:00

Contents:
1. What it's about
2. Some of my current ideas about Baha'i training

1. What it's about

I was thinking that some friends of mine might do more good with the writings of Baha'u'llah if they had a better vision of possibilities, and if they were less distracted by Baha'i feuding. That led to the idea of helping to transmit encouragement, support and learning through walls of prejudice and over gulfs of estrangement. That led to the idea of reading and commenting thoughtfully and sympathetically on people's writings.

I think it might help me to be looking for ideas to improve Baha'i training. I haven't considered how any of this might actually be incorporated into Baha'i training. Some possibilities do come to mind, but the value of this for me doesn't depend on that.

I might also look for ideas about how to improve the framework of this project.

2. Some of my current ideas about Baha'i training

It might help me to set this in a context of learning and teaching resources in general, for Baha'u'llah's purposes. Examples of resources might include models, study materials, workshops, classes, mentoring, divine institutions, prayer and other spiritual practices, consultation, encouragement skills, fellowship, Neuro-Linguistic Programming, spiritual qualities and Neo-Pagan concepts and practices.

I might generalize what I'm looking for in my reading to any ideas that might help improve any kind of learning and teaching resource for Baha'u'llah's purposes.

Considering the content and methods of training, my thoughts have mostly revolved around mentoring, Baha'i training institutes, and the Ruhi courses as a starting point for widespread training for general purposes. I'm imagining an evolution in mentoring, in the Ruhi courses, and in other training programs which will respond to all of the current possibilities for serving Baha'u'llah's purposes; and to the whole range of interests, concerns and capacities of all the people who are trying to serve them.

Examples of evolution might include improvement in concepts, in ways of developing skills, and in ways of developing our relationships with Baha'u'llah.

Jim's Baha'i studies project

2008-12-18T12:05:00.005+08:00

Background: See previous post

I was reading a friend's blog (Vigdisdotter), and I thought of this project and decided to include her in it.

I need to do some more thinking about how to do what I'm trying to do in this project. Meanwhile, I'll just post some disorganized thoughts about training that come to me while I'm reading the blog.

1. A monotheistic view can impoverish our relationship with the world around us.

2. It's good to start with basics.

3. I might like Baha'i training to include making better use of our intuition, the color wheel of life, seeing the magic all around us, finding our own path, gods and guiding spirits, and not depreciating any of our ideas or parts of our personality, no matter how much other people do, including our companions.

Jim's Baha'i studies project

2008-12-17T08:54:00.004+08:00

Project:
Helping to transmit encouragement, support and learning through walls of prejudice and over gulfs of estrangement, between people who are interested in the writings of Baha'u'llah

Special interest:
People involved in Baha'i Internet feuds

Some other people to include:
Artists, people involved in Baha'i studies associations, bloggers, people involved in Baha'i community development programs, people involved in other community service and development projects, people around me whose ideas I've neglected

Current line of action:
Talking to people and reading people's writings, looking for ideas about how to improve Baha'i training programs

Yesterday I talked to one of my friends whose ideas I've neglected in the past. I asked him if he had any ideas about how to improve Baha'i training programs. Here are my notes:

- It would be better to start with people who are interested and committed.
- More activities for practical and occupational training, like in computers and other technology. The training would include writings from Baha'u'llah, in the context of the practical and occupational training.
- Build activities around the most popular educational tools, especially the Internet.
- Include training about the difference between prejudice and preference.
- Include training to help remedy prejudice and misusing people.

(edited to clarify an example)

Reminder to me

2008-12-17T08:53:00.001+08:00

1. Develop friendships
2. Improve my practice of whatever I want to promote.

Infallibility of the House of Justice

2008-12-14T19:25:00.002+08:00

Abdu'l-Baha might have meant that the House of Justice can't fail.

In any case, I'm imagining that we can't fail by following the House of Justice.

Blog reading lessons

2008-12-14T10:10:00.000+08:00

That's (blog reading) lessons, not blog (reading lessons).

Blog reading lesson #1:

Before I comment on a blog post, I need to read the other comments.

Some ideas about Baha'i training programs

2008-12-14T07:38:00.005+08:00

I didn't try to organize this at all.

1. I sometimes think of current Baha'i training programs as training programs for people who are working to spread peace, justice, beauty and kindness.

2. I sometimes think of what we're learning to do in the training programs as bringing a new spirit into the life of society.

3. I would like there to be a more clear and sharp distinction in the Ruhi courses, between the writings of Baha'u'llah and the opinions of the authors.

4. I would like to see more encouragement and support for mentoring, to make part of the training available to people who are not well served by formal classes.

5. I would like to see better support for the practices. More ideas, more training in helping people do them.

6. I would like to see more in all the training about developing our relationship with Baha'u'llah, together.

7. I would like to see more visible and systematic efforts to improve the training, and more encouragement and support for all people to participate in that development.

8. I would like the training to include:
- freedom from estrangement
- learning to offer encouragement and support that really helps, to every person
- better appreciation for other initiatives besides those that are derived from community goals
- not stigmatizing members who dissociate themselves from community goals and plans, including Ruhi courses

9. Some possible references for encouragement training:
- Dinkmeyer and Losoncy
- Gerard Egan

10. I think a lot can be learned for training purposes from Neuro-Linguistic Programming.

Rediscovering Baha'u'llah

2008-12-12T08:12:00.002+08:00

One of my ideas to help me rediscover Baha'u'llah is to study and practice passages addressed to the "people of Baha." I'm starting with The Summons of the Lord of Hosts" because I've been wanting to read that. I read the whole tablet in which I found the first passage. Then I thought about how I could practice subduing the citadels of people's hearts with the swords of wisdom and of utterance. Then I thought about memorizing more of Baha'u'llah's words. I chose a passage from Ruhi Book 6, which led me to the tablet to Siyyid Mihdiy-i-Dahaji. In that tablet, Baha'u'llah says:

"In such manner hath the Kitáb-i-Aqdas been revealed that it attracteth and embraceth all the divinely appointed Dispensations. Blessed those who peruse it. Blessed those who apprehend it. Blessed those who meditate upon it. Blessed those who ponder its meaning. So vast is its range that it hath encompassed all men ere their recognition of it. Ere long will its sovereign power, its pervasive influence and the greatness of its might be manifested on earth. Verily, thy God is the All-Knowing, the All-Informed."

(Baha'u'llah, Tablets of Baha'u'llah, p. 199)

Now I'm going through the Kitab-i-Aqdas again, trying to memorize one paragraph each day, and think about it throughout the day.

What to do about defects in Baha'i administration

2008-12-11T15:23:00.006+08:00

A person who has a favorable view of Baha'u'llah, and wants to do something about defects in Baha'i administration, might look through the writings of Baha'u'llah for ideas about what to do. There might be some good ideas in His writings about what to do if His estate is being administered in ways contrary to His purposes.

Memorize and recite

2008-12-09T11:03:00.001+08:00

"The sanctified souls should ponder and meditate in their hearts regarding the methods of teaching. From the texts of the wondrous, heavenly Scriptures they should memorize phrases and passages bearing on various instances, so that in the course of their speech they may recite divine verses whenever the occasion demandeth it, inasmuch as these holy verses are the most potent elixir, the greatest and mightiest talisman. So potent is their influence that the hearer will have no cause for vacillation. I swear by My life! This Revelation is endowed with such a power that it will act as the lodestone for all nations and kindreds of the earth. Should one pause to meditate attentively he would recognize that no place is there, nor can there be, for anyone to flee to."

(Baha'u'llah, Tablets of Baha'u'llah, p. 199)

That's exactly what I was thinking when I thought of memorizing more of Baha'u'llah's words!

Baha'i feuding and Baha'u'llah's purposes

2008-12-09T10:51:00.003+08:00

I keep thinking about how the training, experience, interests and ideas that I see behind Baha'i feuding on the Internet could be turned more towards serving Baha'u'llah's purposes. This morning while I was studying the Tablet to Siyyid Mihdiy-i-Dahaji, I thought of going through some feud-related writings to look for ideas that might help people teach the Cause of Baha'u'llah. Later I thought more specifically of looking for ideas that might improve our training programs.

Rediscovering Baha'u'llah

2008-12-09T09:23:00.002+08:00

The verse I'm trying to practice now is:

"O people of Baha! Subdue the citadels of men's hearts with the swords of wisdom and of utterance."

(Baha'u'llah, The Summons of the Lord of Hosts, p. 76)

I thought it might help me to memorize some more of Baha'u'llah's words. I looked in Ruhi Book 6, because I'm currently involved in a Book 6 study circle. I memorized this:

"Say: To assist Me is to teach My Cause. This is a theme with which whole Tablets are laden. This is the changeless commandment of God, eternal in the past, eternal in the future. Comprehend this, O ye men of insight."

(Baha'u'llah, Tablets of Baha'u'llah, p. 196)

Now I'm reading the whole tablet (Tablet to Siyyid Mihdiy-i-Dahaji).

Liz Lerman Dance Exchange

2008-12-08T14:14:00.002+08:00

I found this while I was looking for some ideas about what to call my new blog and Web pages:

http://www.danceexchange.org/performance/criticalresponse.html
"Liz Lerman’s Critical Response Process is a widely-recognized method that nurtures the development of artistic works-in-progress through a four-step, facilitated dialogue between artists, peers, and audiences."

Milestones: in medias res

2008-12-06T08:18:00.003+08:00

"In medias res, also medias in res (Latin for 'into the middle of things'), is a literary and artistic technique where the narrative starts in the middle of the story instead of from its beginning (ab ovo or ab initio)."

Fred, I'm so, so happy to see this. I've dreamed of something like this, longed for it, for years. I wish I could at least offer you some moral support, or even find someone who could.

I love the photos.

Some Responses to the writings of Baha'u'llah

2008-12-03T08:04:00.002+08:00

I've been wondering what to call my new blog and Web pages, about transmitting encouragement, support and learning through walls of prejudice and over gulfs of estrangement. I'm thinking now of calling them "Some Responses to the Writings of Baha'u'llah."

I might start by an overview of what I've seen in some people's responses to the writings of Baha'u'llah. I'm thinking in particular of people I've seen depreciated by others. That would include the House of Justice and its members, Fred, Wahid, Karen, Alison, Steve, Sen, Susan, firestorminitiative, Eric, Darrick, Moojan Momen and George Wesley Dannells.

I also want to include other kinds of responses besides ideas. Artistic responses and practicing responses, for example.

Eric Stetson's apology

2008-11-29T08:26:00.002+08:00

Eric Stetson has asked me to publish his apology.

An Apology to the Baha'is of This World and the World Beyond
by Eric Stetson - November 12, 2008
http://www.bahai-faith.com/apology.html

Here's the first paragraph, to set the context:

I declared my faith in the Baha'i religion on March 21, 1998; was an observant and active Baha'i for about four years; and resigned my membership in the Baha'i community on November 5, 2002, about six years ago. Before leaving the faith, I wrote and published on the internet a book calling for reform of the Baha'i Faith and claiming prophetic authority to do so, but soon decided I no longer believed in Baha'u'llah's claim of prophethood nor my own. I became a Christian and a strong critic of Baha'u'llah, the Baha'i faith and its organization. Because of the high visibility of my website, www.Bahai-Faith.com, many thousands of people were exposed to my critical views, which I couched as a Christian witness to the truth of Christ and the falsehood of Baha'u'llah and his religion. I apparently became well enough known among Baha'is that I was identified in an academic article by Baha'i author Moojan Momen as one of twelve noteworthy modern "apostates" of the Baha'i Faith.

Note to Fred

2008-11-25T14:22:00.002+08:00

Fred, I love your new blog, The Globe, and I'd like to find some way to encourage and support what you're doing there. The last I knew, you didn't want me to try to contact you, so I'm writing to you here, because I can't think of any better place to do it. Maybe you'll read this some time.

I was disappointed when you took "Letters from the American Desert" off line. Many times I've wished to see again the person I saw in those letters. Now I see him again. Thank you, thank you!

I'm very happy about the awakening that you're describing in that blog. It's wonderful to be able to watch it while it's happening.

I'll be thinking about what you're trying to do there, and how I might help.

Exploring the Ocean Together

2008-11-22T05:16:00.003+08:00

I've been awake since 4:30 this morning thinking about an idea. In my new blog I might post examples of what I'm learning with other people in exploring the writings of Baha'u'llah, especially with people I see being scorned, defamed and stigmatized by others. That would include people I myself have been tempted to scorn and malign.

Now I'm imagining a series of articles sympathetically discussing ideas about the writings of Baha'u'llah from people I've seen scorned, defamed and stigmatized, including:
- people I've associated with the Dialogue/Talisman Chronicles.
- people I've been tempted to scorn and malign.
- the House of Justice.
- members of the House of Justice.
- people promoting a Guardian after Shoghi Effendi.
- loners.

Performance and Self

2008-11-21T07:20:00.004+08:00

I see RVCBard wondering how to get outside the box of revolving around a concept of self in our performances. She quotes Isaac Butler at Parabasis:

". . . most acting methods center around finding some kind of true self of the character."

After some discussion of that, she asks:

"What other ideas of Self can we use or create that include seeming contradictions?"

I have an image of a performer asking herself "Who am I? What kind of person am I?"

How can that help us do whatever we're trying to do with our performances? How can it confine us? What can we do about it? Can we free ourselves from the limitations without losing the benefits?

I have some ideas of how it can help, but I'll leave that for some other time. Now I want to discuss concepts of self, and how we might get outside the box of revolving around them.

Concept of Self

My concept of who I am, what kind of person I am, might include some qualities, interests and capacities. My qualities, interests and capacities are different in different circumstances, and continually evolving. Considering what people might mean by "true self," one idea that comes to mind is that I see us all repressing some of our ideas and parts of our personalities, because of how other people might react to them. A person might think of the ideas and parts of his personality that he represses as part of her true self. Another idea is that sometimes we try to put on an appearance of having qualities, interests and capacities that we don't really see in ourselves, in order to be admired, to be part of a fellowship, or to influence people. A person might think of those as not part of her true self. One way or another, a person might think of some of her qualities, interests and capacities as part of her true self.

I'm using qualities, interests and capacities as examples. Other people might have other ideas of what a person's true self is composed of.

In my performances I'm trying to shape my life to illustrate visions I see in the writings of Baha'u'llah. To exhibit those performances, I'm hoping to either learn to write stories about them myself, or find a good story teller who would like to do it for me. In my case I'm not revolving around a concept of qualities, interests and capacities I already have. I'm revolving around a concept of qualities, interests and capacities I would like to have. Interestingly, according to Baha'u'llah, that is my true self.

I want to do all the good I can do, and be the best person I can be. The individuality of that comes from the possibility that the good I can do might be different from the good that another person can do. The best person I can be might be different from the best person another can be.

That might raise red flags for some people. It would have for me, some time ago. I want us all to love ourselves the way we are.

Now I don't see trying to improve ourselves, and loving ourselves the way we are, as mutually exclusive. In fact, they might be complementary.

How to get out of the box

I have an image of a fish wondering how to get out of its fish bowl, without even having a clear idea of what it is. It sees some other fish in other fishbowls. It watches what one of them does, and tries to learn to do the same, trying to imagine itself in the other fishbowl. It does the same with some of the others. What it learns helps it get a clearer idea of its own fish bowl, and how to get out of it.

That brings up a question. Where will I be, if I get out of my box? If a fish jumps out of its bowl without jumping into some other water, it will die. Maybe, at the right time, it can jump into a pond, or a lake or an ocean.

I'm trying to jump out of my fish bowl into Baha'u'llah's fathomless and surging Ocean.

What are some other ways a performer might get out of his fish bowl? One way might be to spend some time with other performers in their fish bowls. Another way might be, instead of asking "Who am I, what kind of person am I?" to ask "Who am I, what kind of person am I, in this scene at this time?" looking for different answers, even contrary answers, in different cases.

Exploring Baha'u'llah's writings together

2008-11-20T22:28:00.004+08:00

One purpose of my blog and Web pages for exploring Baha'u'llah's writings together will be to help transmit encouragement, support and learning through walls of prejudice and across gulfs of estrangement.

Here are some ideas for visions, goals, strategies and references.

Visions

http://www.geocities.com/geotalk/fellowship/fellowship.html

http://www.geocities.com/ozpeople/home.html

Goals

1. Learn more from a wider variety of people about using Baha'u'llah's writings, and about encouraging and supporting people.

2. Offer encouragement, support and learning opportunities to a wider variety of people.

3. Encourage and support other people doing the same.

Strategies

1. Spend time with people, doing things that interest them.

2. Study and practice ways of using Baha'u'llah's writings.

References

1. Tablet of the true seeker

2. Writings of the House of Justice about the study of the Baha'i Faith

Other ideas

Some people I might try to spend more time with:

1. Some people I've associated with the Dialogue/Talisman chronicles.

2. People whose articles are published in Baha'i Studies journals.

3. Authors of Baha'i blogs.

Dominant culture in the arts

2008-11-20T11:43:00.003+08:00

RVCBard asks:

How and in what way do you see the arts (whatever your specialty) as being dominated by a particularly White and masculine aesthetic? To what extent is the current artistic climate able to enter meaningful discourse with divergent works? How should artists and audiences go about doing that? What can we do to expand our artistic paradigms (and vocabulary) to incorporate different methods of artistic expression?

My specialty is a performance art in which I try to shape my life to illustrate visions I see in the writings of Baha'u'llah. I do see what I would call a dominance of white male interests among Baha'is. I've seen a lot of discussion of that, and what to do about it, among Baha'is. One idea I've been practicing and promoting is to spend time with people from other cultures, immersed in their cultures, doing things that interest them.

Exploring Baha'u'llah's writings together

2008-11-19T18:29:00.002+08:00

Today I was thinking about some friends of mine who are interested in Baha'u'llah's writings, and who might do more good with them if they had a better vision of the possibilities, and if they weren't continually distracted by Baha'i feuding. I was also thinking about all the people who are interested in His writings, but whose prejudices and estrangement from each other are getting in the way of them encouraging and supporting each other, and learning from each other.

One way I've thought of helping is to study and practice what the House of Justice has written about the study of the Baha'i Faith. Another way was with my Dialogue/Talisman Chronicles. Now I've thought of another way: I'd like to help transmit encouragement and support and learning through the walls of prejudice and across the gulfs of estrangement.

I've decided to create some new Web pages and a new blog for that purpose. I don't imagine that any of my blogs and Web pages will ever be widely read. It's mostly for my own reference, and for the possibility that some of my ideas will find their way into blogs that are widely read. I've seen that happen already.

One way I might help is to deepen my existing friendships with some people who are interested in Baha'u'llah's writings, and to develop new friendships with others. The existing friendships are mostly with people I associate with the Dialogue/Talisman Chronicles. Two places I might look for new friends are in Baha'i blogs and in Baha'i Studies associations.

Rediscovering Baha'u'llah

2008-11-19T08:36:00.002+08:00

Yesterday I thought of some of my favorite prayers that seem related to my feelings about rediscovering Baha'u'llah. One is the one that begins "O God! Guide me . . ." Another is "O God! Refresh and gladden my spirit . . ." Another is "Make firm our steps in Thy Path, O Lord . . ."

Today I was thinking that my project of practicing and promoting what the House of Justice has written about the study of the Baha'i Faith might help me in rediscovering Baha'u'llah. More about that later.

I started posting in my "Deeds, Not Words" blog about searching for passages in the writings of Baha'u'llah addressed to the "people of Baha," to study and practice them. I've decided to move that discussion here.

I've started my search in The Summons of the Lord of Hosts because I've been wanting to read that.

"O people of Baha! Subdue the citadels of men's hearts with the swords of wisdom and of utterance."

(Baha'u'llah, The Summons of the Lord of Hosts, p. 78)

In the other blog I posted some of the context of that passage. I won't re-post all that here. It's from a letter to Napoleon. Among other things, Baha'u'llah says to Napoleon: "Adorn the body of Thy kingdom with the raiment of My name, and arise, then, to teach My Cause." Then he says some things that seem to be addressed to all people, along with some things addressed specifically to the people of Baha. After that he addresses the priests and monks.

After I read the whole letter, I'd like to consider this section addressed to the people, one sentence at a time, and look for ways to improve my practice of what Baha'u'llah is saying.

I'm sitting here wonder how I might do that. What can I do, for example, to improve my practice of "O people of Baha! Subdue the citadels of men's hearts with the swords of wisdom and of utterance."? I just remembered that I can always practice in make believe if I don't find any other way. I can try to think of examples of subduing the citadels of men's hearts with the swords of wisdom and of utterance, and act them out.