Tag Archives: Baha’i

The Road to 65, Mile 133: Silver and Gold

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April 10, 2015, Eloy, AZ- Three of us took a drive down here, from Prescott, this evening, and will spend the better part of the weekend in conference with about 50 other people, on the relationship of the Baha’i Faith to our wider society. I will write more about that, in the next two posts.

More urgent for me, today, is another consideration of my expanding and evolving circle of friends.  I don’t use people, nor do I let myself be used. Some “friendships”, in days long past, have ended abruptly, once I got the idea that the person was not to be trusted.

All in all, though, I am very rich, in the friends department. I will not want for hugs, warm greetings, and help when I need it- from my longtime friends who, as the old song says, are “gold”. Neither will they want for reciprocity from me. I have recently made more new friendships, and let the silver stock build also. These friends, two in particular, bring artistic bounty to my world. I have missed that, somewhat, since Penny’s voice was stilled.

I thought of this, on the way down, as I momentarily felt alone. There was something else, also. When there is disagreement between people, however slight, one must have the presence of mind to know that there are others who will reassure each person, and help their respective journeys resume. We need both “silver” and “gold” friends, to reinforce the structure of our own self-worth.

The Road to 65, Mile 128: Risen

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April 5, 2015, Prescott- Easter was important to me as a child, for two reasons: The first was that it meant the end of hearing of Christ’s suffering, which I could not understand until my teen years and the second was that there was lots of candy. The first part bothered me because Jesus, to me, has always been the Epitome of Love. I could not see any good reason for either the chief priests’ persecution of Him, nor for Judas’ betrayal. The second part had a relatively brief shelf life. My parents never bought Peeps, preferring jelly beans, Jordan almonds, creme eggs and chocolate bunnies. I outgrew all except chocolate, and occasional Jelly Bellies (during the Reagan years, especially).

Nowadays,as a Baha’i, I recognize spiritual truth as being progressively revealed, across human time.  Christ brought a focus on letting God deal with peoples’ iniquities, on overcoming tribal affiliations, on loving others in spite of their shortcomings. He also brought the Sword of Truth, not making excuses for one’s behaviour, but challenging oneself to rise higher on the spiritual plane.

Closeness to the Light has had its place in the hearts of men for a multitude of millennia. There have, however, been limits to awareness, and a tendency to revert to the mores and customs that pre-date a Spiritual Messenger, as soon as that Messenger has departed this earthly life. So it was with Moses, with Krishna, with Gautama Siddhartha (Buddha), with Christ and with Mohammad. Those outside a given religion, or with a perfunctory understanding of it, see mythology as creed, hearsay as doctrine.

When Christ was crucified, the Romans reported that He had cried out: “My God,My God, why hast Thou forsaken me?” I n fact, an examination of the Aramaic and Greek, shows an affirmation of His role as Saviour: “My God, My God, for this I was kept”. His Rising, then, is a spiritual act, a confirmation that the Word of God can never be silenced. Baha’u’llah tells us as much, in The Hidden Words: “My Light can never be extinguished. Why dost thou dread extinction?” The Creator does not abandon His Creation, or the creatures that comprise it.

Easter, then, is a day to be universally celebrated, a key point along the collective spiritual journey of Mankind. Without Christ’s ultimate sacrifice, we would have no way to comprehend the Call to Nationhood, of Mohammad, or the Summons to the entire human race, of Al-Bab and of Baha’u’llah. Without His having resurrected the despairing souls of His Disciples, by appearing to them after the Crucifixion, there would have been no Christian Faith, and the journey of mankind would have been a more immediate, and far deeper, descent into the Dark Ages than it actually was.

These are only my own measured opinions, yet no matter how much I ponder this most essential of processes, I arrive at the same conclusion I drew as a teenager: The Spiritual Teachers are vital to our overall well-being and there is no daylight between any One of Them, in comparison to the Others.

The Road to 65, Mile 91: Fervour

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February 27, 2015, Prescott- A university education is pretty much seen as a right, in this day and age- albeit a right that has elements of privilege, including payment of one’s own tuition. In the Islamic Republic of Iran, however, this right is denied members of my Faith: Baha’i. There are various ruses and pretexts for this government policy, but the bottom line is: Baha’i has no clergy, which the mullahs, hojatoleslamim and ayatollahs take to mean- “You’re fired!”. Given their track record, would that were the case.

In reality, however, we Baha’is respect the right of other Faiths to maintain clergy, as long as the members of those Faiths regard them as necessary. We just have a system of elected assemblies, to handle our administrative affairs, with individuals being responsible for their own spiritual growth, through daily prayer, meditation and study of Scripture.

This has never gone over well with those for whom a career in the Cloth entails making relatively large sums of money, as well as amassing considerable personal power. Such a blur between the sacred and the profane exists in Faiths other than Islam- It was a wealthy Hindu priest who arranged the assassination of Mahatma Gandhi, after all, and it remains that the Vatican is a repository of vast wealth. Yet, no opponents of Baha’i in countries outside Iran’s sphere of influence have gone to the extent of denying us basic human rights.

This evening, sixteen of us gathered in a large room at Yavapai College, on the east end of town, and viewed a film entitled “To Light A Candle”. The persecution of Baha’is began with the emergence of Baha’u’llah, our Faith’s Founder, in 1853. It was pre-dated by the persecution of the followers of Baha’u’llah’s immediate Predecessor, Al Bab (Arabic for “The Gate”), from His Declaration, in May, 1844, through the 1840’s and ’50’s. This persecution, rife with torture, imprisonment and death, continues to this day.

It’s largely about money and power, as all religious pogroms are, in essence. Common believers in Islam are duped into participating in the carnage, by appealing to their religious fervour and tailoring sermons to include lies and half-truths. This is nothing new- commentary on Scripture is frequently filled with gibberish and fabulism. We have only to recall the medieval Inquisitions and “How many angels dance on the head of a pin?” Christianity, however, has not, for the most part, gone in for savagery, since the Age of Enlightenment.

It’s time for a new Enlightenment, with people of goodwill and sincere devotion to truth leading the charge. Baha’i represents individual investigation of truth, and devotion to the concept of Progressive Revelation. As do all other human institutions, religion progresses gradually. Attempts to bring humanity backwards invariably lead to heartache and suffering, all of it unnecessary. Look for example, at the plight of the Assyrians and Chaldeans, in Iraq. They are kindred to us Baha’is, and deserve the support of every righteous soul.

“To Light A Candle” is being shown in various locations across the planet, over the next several weeks. It is worth seeing and pondering, regardless of one’s Faith.

The Road to 65, Mile 55: Challenges

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Posted by on in Hiking and Nature, Personal goals, Social, Travel

January 22, 2015, Prescott- I got a call at 5:38 AM, got out of bed, fumbled with the phone, hit the wrong button, and ended up with no work today. It always goes the way it is supposed to go, though. While I won’t earn money from today’s activities, I did reassure a transient friend that he has allies in this community, got him where he needed to go, and spent some time with a friend in Prescott Valley, at a restaurant on the north side of the sprawling town. The place is called The Chalk Board. It’s a breakfast and lunch spot and has an inventive, well-prepared menu- like Soldi, here on the hilltop. Several of us will probably gather there on Saturday morning, for breakfast. I want to look for the trailhead where I left off of the Black Canyon Trail, last Spring, so a hearty breakfast, en route, will be a great start.

Slow days like this are a good time to look at challenges that lie ahead. So, between now and the end of May, I have these:

Work- The full-time job will happen, if it’s meant to, by the end of February. Otherwise, I will show up at every charter school in Prescott and Chino Valley, give them each a copy of my sub certificate, focus on building my Essential Oils business (which I’ll do, anyway) and sock money away.

Service- I am with the Red Cross as a volunteer, regardless. American Legion? My continuing there, past May, will depend on the political climate. Right now, it looks iffy. Prescott Family Shelter is on my volunteer radar screen, also, unless I get full-time work.

Recreation and Travel- Colorado, next weekend, is my most immediate focus- for a Winter Summit. Texas, the Gulf Coast and central Florida follow, from Feb. 6-17. My MIL has a birthday during that time, in Leesburg. Weekend hikes will be many, from mid-February until late May: Continuing down the Black Canyon, McDowell Mountains’ Pemberton Trail(Scottsdale), Spur Cross Ranch (Cave Creek),Kendrick Peak (west of Flagstaff), Tucson’s Sahuaro National Park-West Unit, a few more places in Sedona and the rest of Tonto Natural Bridge State Park’s trails. Then, there are the hikes I will no doubt take, on the spur of the moment.

Faith- Baha’i, like random acts of service, makes up the built-in cabinets and shelving of my Life House. My growth, and that of the community, will continue in tandem with all of the above.

These may seem like trifling challenges, and they are. Then again, I’m autistic. Everything is a challenge.

The Road to 65, Mile 54: Who Serves Whom?

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January 21, 2015, Prescott- I am a member of the Baha’i Faith, as many of you know. The Baha’i concept of service is one of humility and reverence for the human spirit. It was modeled by the eldest son of our Faith’s Founder, Baha’u’llah. This eldest son is known to posterity by His title, ‘Abdu’l-Baha. The title is Arabic, and translates as “Servant of the Light”, in English. Although ‘Abdu’l-Baha was, and is, revered by all Baha’is, in His lifetime, He walked a humble path of service to others. For example, He organized and saw the establishment of a series of storehouses in the Galilee, during and immediately after World War I. He visited North America and Europe, during the period, 1911-13, and would often prepare meals for His visitors, in the course of His travels.

I will have more to say about ‘Abdu’l-Baha, in later posts. The above anecdotes, though, form the backdrop for my own view of what public service is. The person working with the public is in a position of trust. The teacher is responsible for the education, welfare and safety of all students with whom she comes in contact, during the day. The bus driver, both school and public transit, is responsible for the safe transport of paying and subsidized riders, for the duration of their travel in his vehicle, as well as safe ingress and egress. The health care worker, be he or she a physician, nurse, pharmacist or medical technician, is responsible for the well-being of any patient in a care situation, within his or her purview.

Most such public servants know these responsibilities, and take them to heart. So, too, there are a large number of people serving in the social welfare field who do their jobs with the best interests of their clients in mind. There are, unfortunately, a disconcerting number who view the people coming to their offices as wards, as people to be pushed around, browbeaten and treated in an undignified manner- because they are down on their luck.

It’s time to take the “Kick Me” signs off. I received word today, from a credible source, that one of the local offices purporting to help veterans is engaging in browbeating and intimidating the homeless, and refusing service to those who stand up for themselves in a respectful manner. It is past time for the veterans of our Armed Forces to be treated as full human beings, and not just in the VA Hospitals, where slow, but considerable, progress is being made in that regard. Anyone who hangs out their shingle as a Veterans’ Resource Center has no business refusing service to someone for not going along with psychological gamesmanship, or not wanting to indulge a caseworker’s quirky behaviour, or for just being homeless.

I mention all this because I am tired. I am sick to death of the patronizing, bullying, gamesmanship and dereliction of duty that I have witnessed from various government officials, both elected and appointed, at the Federal, state and municipal levels, over the past eight years. From the hired thugs who threatened to beat a man for stopping to eat an apple, on a sidewalk in Washington, in 2007, to a mayor and several councilmen of a small city, who personalized a conflict with a constituent, over the past year or so, there is an increasing air of arrogance, and “Feed my ego” seems the name of the game.

I serve in a few capacities. I am not the greatest Chaplain the American Legion has ever seen, and at least one member of the Auxiliary can’t wait to see me go, but I approach my fellow members in a spirit of service. I take any posting as a Substitute Teacher seriously, and am well-regarded by students and colleagues, precisely because their well-being and quality experiences trump any desire I might have to be revered or obeyed. I take any work I do with the Red Cross seriously, or any recommendations I make to people, regarding use of Essential Oils, because there are lives and healthful situations at stake. Because of the way I was raised, ego gratification is not an option.

It ought not be an option for anyone in public service.

The Road to 65, Mile 46: Gaiea

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January 13, 2015, Prescott- (This is my third attempt at this post.  Word Press has CENSORED the first two).

Now, then, there are many who are bothered by the idea of world government, including, apparently the people who run this site. I will once again address three areas of concern that have been expressed to me by good friends who are political conservatives, and presenting the Baha’i point of view on each.

1. Global dictatorship: Historically, every leader, or group, who have come to the fore by advancing themselves as Masters of the Planet, have been primarily interested in self-aggrandizement. This has transcended the “men of their time” argument, which may have been applicable to Hammurabi, at the dawn of civilization- then again he wasn’t interested in ruling the planet. The others, from Nebuchadnezzar and Ramses II to Hitler, Stalin and Saddam Hussein, as well as the dangerous “wannabes” of Islamic State, have shown more than a slight narcissistic tinge to the eye of history. Naturally, then, people turn a jaundiced eye towards any call for an international government.

The Baha’i Teachings acknowledge the need for, and progression towards, an international governmental structure. Our commercial systems have been global for several centuries now, and the systems of transportation and communication are commensurate with commerce. Technology has advanced to the point of near instantaneous contact with all but the most remote communities in the world. There are many conditions which are of concern to all residents of the planet.

The difference between the global system advocated by Baha’u’llah and those previously sought by authoritarian leaders is, simply, put: The people of the world will bring the former into being, not by violent revolution and uncontrollable blood lust, but by a carefully considered and informed, “ground-up” democratic process. There is no place in said global system for an army of jackbooted warriors, or for undisciplined thugs.

2. Deception: Scriptures of the past warn us to not fall for the honey-tongued promises of a false prophet. This is sage advice. Whenever change is widely-accepted as necessary, there are scores of individuals who come forth with “Our own” programs for healing the ills of the world. Again, most of these prove to be rooted in narcissism, if not greed. We are warned to “separate the wheat from the chaff” and “be alert to discern” good from evil masking as good. We see these readily today, in those who predicate their acts of terror on service to the Prophet, or to the Lord.

The Baha’i Teachings call for independent investigation of truth, for comparing the lives of leaders with their words. A life is a person’s most telling proof of honour and trustworthiness.  Baha’u’llah writes “Let deeds, not words, be your adorning.” Universal, compulsory education is also essential, as an educated people are less likely to be duped.

3. Loss of identity: This is the primary allure of nationalist, tribalist and religious fundamentalist movements. The fear of many is that, as large governments tend to be disconnected from the people they purport to rule, a global system would be far worse, and anonymity would befall the vast majority of the populace. Therefore, the words are: “Resist, stand your ground”.

Baha’u’llah teaches us to love unequivocally: Oneself, family, neighbours,community, town or city, state, nation and planet. In the world that is emerging, there is no need to sacrifice the social structure of the planet, at any level. “Be fair to yourself, and others”. “O ye beloved of the Lord! Commit not that which defileth the limpid stream of love or destroyeth the sweet fragrance of friendship. By the righteousness of the Lord! Ye were created to show love one to another and not perversity and rancour. Take pride not in love for yourselves but in love for your fellow-creatures. Glory not in love for your country, but in love for all mankind. Let your eye be chaste, your hand faithful, your tongue truthful and your heart enlightened. Abase not the station of the learned 139 in Bahá and belittle not the rank of such rulers as administer justice amidst you. Set your reliance on the army of justice, put on the armour of wisdom, let your adorning be forgiveness and mercy and that which cheereth the hearts of the well-favoured of God.”- LAWḤ-I-HIKMAT (Tablet of Wisdom)

I fully expect that, this time, this post will be on my site, to be read or ignored, freely, by those who happen upon it, without censorship.

The Road to 65, Mile 20: Now, Then

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Posted by on in Hiking and Nature, Personal goals, Social, Travel

December 18, 2014, Prescott- I found out, early this morning, that someone had pushed the wrong button, in the course of my last financial transaction. The deposit which should have been posted yesterday, never made it. This will slightly alter my spiritual journey to western New Mexico, which I had planned on starting Friday night. No matter, I will get a good night’s sleep here, and most likely be able to set out on Saturday morning.

Zuni, where Penny and I first met, in December, 1980, is first on my itinerary. El Morro National Monument, near there, is next, and I will head, in succession, to Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge, where we went crane watching, Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument and Silver City, which we wanted to visit, but never did, Cochise Stronghold (one of my favourite meditation spots), and Tucson, where a few friends await.

Christmas weekend will find me at the Grand Canyon Baha’i Conference, where I have spent each of the past twenty-two years, save 1997. It is a good place for spiritual regeneration, and coming on the heals of my time in the forests of western New Mexico and the serene desert near Vail and Avra Valley, it represents a double dose. Of course, the crowds at GCBC are large, but I draw energy from the youth, and regard many of them as friends. I have watched so many grow up from infancy, in the time I’ve been back in Arizona. Now, they are taking on the world, on their own terms.

I sat down this morning with several of the Red Cross Disaster Response Team members, with whom I would be working, if chosen for the position mentioned earlier. There is a plethora of detail to be worked out, each time a disaster happens. Good thing there is no I in team. It is nice to be an active member of a team handling somewhat chaotic emergencies. There is a reason for everything.

This evening gave me an hour’s worth of study on Essential Oils, vis-a-vis women’s health issues. It is also going to come in handy, and this area was not something with which I had much familiarity, until now. That goes to show, in this day and age, an old dog had best learn new tricks, and skills, without hesitation.

Thankfulness

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November 27,2014, San Diego- Buddha essentially instructed His followers to “want what you have”. Thankfulness for what already is, I have found, is also a springboard to the greater. I can look back on 2014, and look around at what is right in front of me, in recounting my blessings. As my sixty-fourth year winds to close, and I start the long countdown to Birthday 65, on Nov. 28, 2015, I give thanks for these:

A healthy, vibrant 26-year-old son, who has proven, time and again, that parenthood is one of the best investments of time, energy and resources that a person can ever make.

A body which, while looking every bit of its 64 years, nonetheless keeps up with the challenges I face-and craves more physical activity, in the form of hiking and my exercise regiment at Planet Fitness.

Having discovered essential oils. Not only have they helped overcome what few health challenges I have faced, over the past year, (most recently including a visit from Senor Streptococcus), but they are a vehicle for me to share holistic health practices with others, almost on a daily basis.

Having such a vibrant network of family and friends, both online and in real time. We spent maybe two hours on the phone today, all told, and spoke with each of my siblings, my two sisters-in-law and both mothers. I’m sure my dear soul mate and our Dads were listening in, from the other side of the fence.

Having had a wealth of enriching experiences this past year: Hiking in places like Seven Falls in Tucson; Bill Williams Mountain; Cave Creek and parts of the Black Canyon National Recreation Trail; touring Kartchner Caverns; being on Utah Beach, Normandy, on the 70th anniversary of D-Day; visiting the ruins of the church where my paternal ancestors were baptized, in Rouen, France; paying homage to St. Jeanne d’Arc, at the sites of her imprisonment and immolation; seeing several of the great sites in Paris, Mont St. Michel, Amiens, Brussels, Brugge, Ghent, Luxembourg, Heidelberg and Frankfurt; paying respects to the heroes of the Battle of the Bulge, in Bastogne; getting the chilling reminder of my late father-in-law’s wartime suffering, while visiting the ruins of the POW camp, where he was held prisoner, in Berga, Germany; enjoying 1 1/2 days in Honolulu; sailing from that lovely city to San Diego, aboard my son’s ship and two trips to San Diego and other parts of southern California, besides.

Feeling ever more confirmed in my faith, and seeing how Baha’i helps those who place trust in God transcend the urge to conform to the prevailing sentiments of our larger society- Materialism, nationalism, racism and outmoded traditions. The journey of the spirit is an endless one, and I feel like I’m just getting started, even after the passage of 33 years as a Baha’i.

The year ahead is looking to be equally busy and fulfilling; stay tuned.