TRUTH

1. When two people meet, the prize always goes to the one with the most self-insight. He/she will be calmer, more confident, more at ease with the other.

2. Never permit the behavior of other people to tell you how to feel.

3. Pay little attention to what people say or do. Instead, try to see their innermost motive for speaking and acting. (Now, apply this very same rule to yourself and you become an enlightened person!)

4. Any friendship requiring the submission of your original nature and dignity to another person is all wrong.

5. Mystically speaking, there is no difference between you and another person. This is why we cannot hurt another without hurting ourselves, nor help another without helping ourselves.

6. When we are free of all unnecessary desires toward other people, we can never be deceived or hurt.

7. You take a giant step toward psychological maturity when you refuse to angrily defend yourself against unjust slander. For one thing, resistance disturbs your own peace of mind.

8. You understand others to the exact degree that you really understand yourself. Work for more self-knowledge.

9. Do not be afraid to fully experience everything that happens to you in your human relations, especially the pains and disappointments. Do this, and everything becomes clear at last.

10. The individual who really knows what it means to love has no anxiety when his love is unseen and rejected.

11. If you painfully lose a valuable friend, do not rush out at once for a replacement. Such action prevents you from examining your heartache and breaking free of it.

12. Do not be afraid to be a nobody in the social world. This is a deeper and richer truth than appears on the surface.

13. Every unpleasant experience with another person is an opportunity to see people as they are, not as we mistakenly idealize them. The more unpleasant the other person is, the more he can teach you.

14. You can be so wonderfully free from a sense of injury and injustice that you are surprised when you hear others complain of them.

15. We cannot recognize a virtue in another person that we do not possess in ourselves. It takes a truly loving and patient person to recognize those virtues in another.

16. Do not mistake desire for love. Desire leaves home in a frantic search for one gratification after another. Love is at home with itself.

17. There are parts of you that want the loving life and parts that do not. Place yourself on the side of your positive forces; do all you can to aid and encourage them.

18. You must stop living so timidly, from fixed fears of what others will think of you and of what you will think of yourself.

19. Do not contrive to be a loving person; work to be a real person. Being real is being loving.

20. The greatest love you could ever offer to another is to so transform your inner life that others are attracted to your genuine example of goodness.

Do not worry about anything.

Do not worry about anything.

What you are not certain about, you will become more certain about as your time moves forward.

Convey the truth as you know it, be yourself, share what you feel, what you think.

It will change one day, but it may still be valid now.

Tune in to the person in front of you.

Be in the heart: it knows what to do and what to say.

No one knows -- and no one needs -- the whole story. They need the part, the chapter where they are at.

If you are uncertain, be in silence. Let Spirit choose. You do not have to offer a whole library.

Perhaps only a flower, a hand to hold, a few words carefully chosen.

When you are fulfilled, you are like a pitcher that can fill other glasses.

All you have to do is put in a little tilt. The glass has to be under there willingly, and then it is perfect.

So it is flowing, so it is honest, so it is real. If it is real, it will prevail.

Where it is more difficult and uncertain, perhaps it is a time to wait.

To get more familiar with the waters in that part of the ocean?

Pretty soon you will be swimming in the depths and you will look back on the time of wondering how, and you will understand that you moved right through those waters.

Let this time be like the bird preparing to fly out of the nest, soar through the skies and discover a bigger reality.

Once the bird takes flight, the wings take over. They know just what to do.

Think of it as the dormant angel in you.

Open the wings of your heart and discover how good it feels to let them take you places.

To take you into the glory of a New Morning!

Ontario Legislature adds Baha’i text to set of new opening prayers

Toronto, Ontario, 19 June 2008 (CBNS) — In a move towards greater religious inclusivity, Ontario legislators voted late last week to supplement the daily recitation of the Lord’s Prayer in the Ontario Legislature with prayers from several other major religious traditions, including a Baha’i prayer.

The Ontario Legislature building, where new prayers will now be said. [Photo by wyliepoon]MPP’s voted unanimously 58-0 to retain the Lord’s Prayer but also to add a second prayer said in rotation. Other sacred texts selected for the new prayer list include: Baha’i, Buddhist, Hindu, Islamic, Jewish, Sikh, and Native. As well, a non-denominational prayer blessing Queen Elizabeth and a moment of silence have also been added out of respect for those with other religious beliefs.

Premier Dalton McGuinty first raised the question of how to move the Ontario Legislature prayer practice “to a more inclusive approach that reflects 21st century Ontario” back in February. Since then, more than 20,000 Ontario residents wrote in, the vast majority wishing to retain the Lord’s Prayer and the practice of prayer in the Legislature, more generally.

An all-party committee, which spent months studying the issue and invited many groups, including the Baha’i Community of Canada, to submit feedback, eventually came to the multi-faith recommendation.

Within days of the change to the Ontario Legislature prayer practice, news coverage of the story was picked up by more than 100 Canadian newspapers and radio stations across the country, including articles in the National Post and Globe & Mail.

pilgrim progress

Wendi's Wanders blog

25 May 2008 04:27 PM CDT
. . . although pilgrims upon earth we should travel the road of the heavenly kingdom’ `Abdu’l-Bahá, Bahá’í writings
One hundred and ten years ago, in the summer of 1898, Phoebe Apperson Hearst - philanthropist, promoter of women’s education and founder of the National Congress of Mothers (a forerunner of the Parent Teacher Association) - became a Baha’i.

A few weeks later, on 22 September, a small group of Baha’is, invited by Mrs Hearst, set out on the first Bahá’í pilgrimage to be undertaken by westerners. Travelling via New York and Paris, the group of 15 arrived in the holy land on 10 December. They split themselves into three parties, using Cairo as a staging post, with each small party visiting the holy land for a few days.
It was a period of `firsts’ for the new religion. Not only was it the first pilgrimage of western Bahá’ís, but included in the first party was Robert Turner, Mrs Hearst’s butler and the first black person to become a Bahá’í anywhere in the world. On 31 January 1899, before the third party could make its pilgrimage, the remains of the Bab, forerunner to Bahá’u'lláh, arrived in the holy land for burial. Shortly afterwards the foundation stone for the Shrine of the Bab was laid by`Abdu’l-Bahá. And in the spring of 1899, on return home from her pilgrimage and inspired by what she learned there, May Bolles established the first Bahá’í group on the European continent, in Paris.
Today, following in the footsteps of Phoebe Hearst and her friends and co-workers, Bahá’í pilgrims converged on Haifa, across the bay from `Akka, to begin their pilgrimage. But this time there are more than 30 times the number there were 110 years ago. This time people come from every background imaginable - many from Iran and the United States, but also large numbers from Europe, Africa, Asia, the Pacific and the Americas. There are tiny children, including a newborn infant, and very elderly people. The pilgrim groups are divided on language lines - Persian, English, German, Russian. A Portuguese pilgrim wonders whether he should go with the English or the Persian group; the Mongolians go with the Russians. The Australians and Pacific Islanders are exhausted after their 24 hours of travelling but of course they came by air, not by sea as Mrs Hearst’s party did.
The first visit is to the environs of the Shrine of the Báb. When the first western pilgrims visited, there was no shrine - the remains of the Báb were yet to arrive. Not so long ago all the pilgrims were able to enter the Shrine together to say prayers - now there are so many pilgrims that the best that can be achieved is a circumambulation of the Shrine, with people squeezing into the Shrine afterwards to say their individual prayers.

Already one can see how inspired people are - the buzz at the lunch tables about the direct teaching of the Faith and the new Baha’is who have recently entered as a result is surely born of the same excitement and love of Bahá’u'lláh that prompted May Bolles to create a Bahá’í community in Paris.
Tomorrow we are off on the next leg of the journey - to Bahjí, where Bahá’u'lláh Himself is buried - and we meet the newly elected Universal House of Justice - something that was only a dream in 1898.

THE FACES OF THE BAHA'I WORLD

HAIFA, Israel, 12 May 2008 (BWNS) -- Experiencing the diversity of the human family can be humbling, as Baha'is attending their recent international convention learned.

One can meet an industrialist from Italy, a civil engineer from Barbados, and a presidential advisor from South Africa - but realize that a 25-year-old student from South America is equally impressive with her knowledge of how to organize classes for children and youth.

Or discover that the Ph.D. who works with the international research agency speaks two languages, but the woman who owns a small business in Cameroon speaks five.

A thousand delegates from more than 150 countries came to Haifa for the 10th International Baha'i Convention, and at least some participants say the diversity was unprecedented.

Gregory C. Dahl, who formerly worked at the International Monetary Fund and has attended many U.N.-related meetings, had never seen anything like it.

"This is easily the most diverse gathering of people on the planet," he said of the convention. He compared it to a U.N. meeting but said the diversity at the Baha'i gathering came not just from the different nationalities but from the backgrounds of the participants.

"At the United Nations, there are representatives from many countries, but not from so many different social, economic, and professional classes," said Mr. Dahl, who attended the Baha'i convention as a delegate from Bulgaria. He noted that the others from Bulgaria included someone who works for a coal-mining company, another employed by an insurance company, a musician, and a secretary.

The purpose of the Baha'i convention, held every five years, is to elect the Universal House of Justice, the international governing body of the Baha'i Faith. Delegates also consult about their experiences and concerns. The nine delegates from each nation are themselves the elected members of the National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha'is of their country.

Alan Smith of the Virgin Islands was attending his sixth International Baha'i Convention and said he noticed a difference this year.

"It's feeling far more international," he said, attributing the change not to additional countries but to more diverse groups of delegates from within each country.

Among the delegates from Russia, for example, were two ethnic Russians; one Russian with Estonian ancestry; two individuals of Buryat-Mongolian ethnicity from Eastern Siberia; a Tatar, whose family background is Muslim; an Osetin woman from the Caucasus; and an American-born man descended from Russian Jews who is married to a Russian and lives in Siberia.

From the United States came a federal judge, a psychologist, a medical doctor, a corporate retirement plan manager, and an administrator who works with health-care issues for Native Americans. Some are white, some are black, and one is American Indian of the Rosebud Sioux Tribe of the Sicangu Lakota.

From Albania came a police officer, a lawyer, a teacher, a secretary, some from the northern part of the country, some from the south.

From Venezuela came "younger" and "older" - three of the delegates were 25 years old, and two were in their 60s or older.

Daniel Woodard, an engineering student from Caracas, said he realized at the convention that not only is the Baha'i community diverse but that it truly encompasses the whole world. He was even more heartened by the unified spirit, as Baha'is and others work together to create a better world.

"Despite the fact that there are now many of us, and we are so diverse, nobody is being left behind," he said of the people he saw. "We are so intertwined that as we move forward, if someone falters or has difficulties, they will be sustained and helped by the others."

More about the delegates to the International Baha'i Convention:

-- The oldest delegate, from Niger, was 82. The youngest was a woman from Belarus who turned 21 last August and was elected to her National Assembly in a by-election in November. (The minimum age for election is 21.)

-- Delegates came from almost everywhere, from Greenland in the north to Chile, Argentina, and New Zealand in the south; from Kiribati just west of the international date line, around the world to Samoa just east of the date line. Those remote islands were balanced by delegates from the world's great cities - London, Los Angeles, Tokyo, Buenos Aires.

-- Twelve delegates were 25 years old or younger.

-- English was the main language, and most participants apparently were comfortable with it because only about 320 participants requested earphones to listen to translation to Spanish, French, or Russian. (Convention organizers also noted that a small handful of people might not have been able to manage any of the four official languages and required one-on-one help with translation.)

-- More than 40 percent of the convention delegates were women.

NewsChannel 5.com - Nashville, Tennessee - Issues of Faith

Mona Heern tells her story of faith and persecution as a Bahai child in Iran at the Utah Valley National Day of Prayer Commemoration on Thursday, May 1, 2008.

City united by desire to believe


Janice Peterson -DAILY HERALD

People of all faiths gathered Thursday night to pray and learn about one another's faiths in the Provo Tabernacle for Utah Valley's National Day of Prayer celebration. The keynote speaker for the night was Mona Heern, who spoke of her experiences with religious intolerance in Iran.

"My family experienced a lot of persecution there, and it still continues," she said.
Heern grew up in the largest minority faith in Iran, Baha'i. The Baha'i were among the first people to be attacked in the 1979 revolution, and Heern was forced to leave school at the age of 8 because of her religion. The Baha'i were no longer allowed to attend school, teach school, hold positions of power or work in certain jobs. Instead, Heern said she attended secret underground schools taught by Baha'i teachers who were no longer allowed to work.
Heern said her father went to work one day and never came back. For seven months, the family searched from prison to prison to find him, and were only given visitation rights after 10 months. Even then, Baha'i families visiting their loved ones were forced to arrive at the prison once a month at 7 a.m. and wait until 4 p.m. for 10 minutes of visitation. One day, the family waited for hours to visit her father, and when it was their turn Heern's mother presented the visitation card to the guard.
"This man looked at the card and he just started laughing and laughing," Heern explained, saying she could never forget his laugh.
"Why didn't they tell you?" he asked. "We killed him a month ago."
After her father's death, Heern's mother sold all her jewelry to escape the country, fearing for the safety of her children. The family was smuggled into Pakistan in the middle of the night and spent years as refugees before moving on to Germany.
Despite all the struggles her family went through, Heern said she wanted to make the point that there are good people everywhere, including good people of other faiths who helped her family along the way.
Heern is now a teacher in Salt Lake City, and she said her students often ask if she wants to return home. Heern tells them that she could not be who she is if she were to return.
"I know, in this country, not a lot of people want to become teachers, but I remember sitting in Iran thinking, 'I want to be a teacher,' " she said.
Heern concluded with a Baha'i prayer for humanity and unity. She said she believes the message is important because there are many people in the world who do not have religious freedom, but it is time for different faiths to unite.
The world is becoming a global village, and people cannot close their eyes to other cultures anymore, she said. Heern said she believes her message is especially important to residents in Utah Valley, because many do not know who the Baha'i are or about much of the religious persecution in the world.
"To me, the root of prejudice is ignorance," she said.
The theme of the night was "From Tolerance to Love," which Chaplain Linda P. Walton of Utah Valley State College, chairwoman of the event, said implies that there must be more than just tolerance for other religions.
Walton said the National Day of Prayer is a time for all religions to come together in prayer, but she believes it is also a celebration of the Bill of Rights. Walton read the First Amendment to the audience, which includes freedom of religion, and copies of the Bill of Rights were handed out to attendees.
"We need to celebrate that we have the right to do religion or not to do religion," she said.
Walton said the day is one for citizens to be reminded of their freedoms and pray for those who provide it, such as government leaders and those in uniform.
The celebration included scripture readings from books of several faiths, music by the One Voice Children's Choir and the Utah Valley Handbell Choir, and prayers for the military and religious freedom.
Connie Giblon of Tooele said she attended the event because her daughter was in the handbell choir, but she believes the celebration is important for people of different faiths.
"Whatever religion you are, that's a time to come together and have our purpose be the same," she said.
Giblon said she thinks it is important for people of all faiths to get together and the day of prayer is important for a country that was founded on the basis of religious freedom.
The National Day of Prayer is a time for people to remember the problems in the world and pray for all people, she said.
"I think it's a good thing. I think there's too much emphasis on taking prayer out of people's lives."

SYSTEMATIC TRAINING INITIATIVE SHOWING RESULTS, SAY CONVENTION DELEGATES
HAIFA, Israel, 2 May 2008 (BWNS) -- There is a new wind blowing in the Baha'i world.
That message came through loud and clear in three days of consultations at the 10th International Baha'i Convention.
Delegates from 153 countries described how a systematic, grassroots process of community-building -- focused on training, learning and service -- is creating a new dynamism in Baha'i communities worldwide and striking a chord in wider society.
On the convention floor and in the hallways, delegates talked about how the emphasis on service to humanity through four core activities - children's classes, devotional meetings, study circles, and programs for young teens - is starting to yield results in country after country.
In India, for example, more than 80,000 people have completed a study circle based on material from the Ruhi Institute in Colombia, and some 6,000 people have advanced to the seventh book in the same series of material.
As a consequence, said Nazneen Rowhani, a delegate from India, many people have become interested in the Baha'i Faith, and thousands have become Baha'is since last May.
"So India's challenge has been how to mobilize a substantial percentage of these new believers into the field of service," said Ms. Rowhani.
Reports from other countries described similar degrees of success at both energizing Baha'is and reaching out to others - all with the ultimate goal of addressing the ills that afflict humanity.
-- In Colombia, in an area known as Norte del Cauca, the number of people involved in core activities has risen dramatically since 2005, when a cyclical campaign to inspire more involvement was begun. Hundreds of young teens have participated in the junior youth empowerment program, and a thousand have attended devotional gatherings. There are about a hundred neighborhood children's classesAs a result of this increased activity, said Carmen Caldas Hernandez, the number of Baha'is has doubled.
"Our reflection gatherings have become like a party, like a feast, where we celebrate the achievements of the previous cycle," said Ms. Hernandez, describing the atmosphere at periodic Baha'i meetings to assess the progress of core activities.
-- In Kenya, since January 2005, the number of people who have completed Ruhi Book 7 in an area known as Tiriki West has risen sharply and the number in children's classes has reached more than 1,000.
-- In Brazil, an effort to reach out to young teens around Porto Alegre now has hundreds of participants. Such classes for "junior youth" do not teach the Baha'i Faith but rather focus on improving literacy and thinking and articulation skills, and encouraging better moral choices - all designed to "empower" young people.
The classes have been so successful, said Katherine Monajjem, a delegate from Brazil, that some local public school officials have embraced them as a model. "One school supervisor was so impressed that, although she is a Baptist, she asked that her young son be trained in the program," said Ms. Monajjem.
Such reports were echoed, often on a smaller scale, by delegates from countries where Baha'i communites have also begun more intensive outreach efforts.
"What we're seeing are the fruits of a worldwide education process that is trying to empower the Baha'i community with the skills that it needs to enrich their own community and also carry the message of Baha'u'llah to others," said Joan Lincoln, a Counsellor at the International Teaching Centre at the Baha'i World Centre in Haifa. She is involved in monitoring many of these efforts.
"What Baha'i children's classes have to offer is character development," she said. "What junior youth programs have to offer is assistance to young people trying to find their place in a very chaotic world."
The situation in the world at large was very much on the minds of the some 1,000 delegates at the convention. In addition to the mechanics of systematized study and outreach, delegates discussed wider topics relating to the deteriorating social conditions in the world, from the crisis in moral education to the impact of HIV/AIDs in Africa.
In particular, many delegates responded passionately to a letter from the Universal House of Justice, the international governing body of the Baha'i Faith, that discussed the new dynamism in Baha'i communities worldwide and said its impact on wider society will only come to the degree that Baha'is live lives of high morality and "champion the cause of justice."
"Sustaining growth ... will depend on the qualities that distinguish your service to the peoples of the world," said the message, released as part of the Festival of Ridvan observed by Baha'is at this time every year.
"So free must be your thoughts and actions of any trace of prejudice - racial, religious, economic, national, tribal, class, or cultural - that even the stranger sees in you loving friends.
"So high must be your standard of excellence and so pure and chaste your lives that the moral influence you exert penetrates the consciousness of the wider community," said the message.
Muin Afnan, a delegate from the United States, like others, observed that the essential teachings of the Baha'i Faith emphasize the importance of service to humanity at large.
"When we look at the life of 'Abdu'l-Baha, we see that service meant serving the poor and people of all classes, all ranks," said Dr. Afnani. "The core activities of the plan are really bringing us back to a focus on serving the people."
Gregory Dahl, a delegate from Bulgaria, explained that the new emphasis on a few core activities, along with a systematic process of learning and reflection, is indeed aimed at building up the Baha'i community's capacity for such service.
"The whole orientation of the Baha'i Faith is service to humankind, and we can do that better if we can do that systematically," said Mr. Dahl.

THE INTERNATIONAL BAHAI CONVENTION A PLACE WHERE NONE EXIST EXCEPT LOVE AND UNITY

BAHA'IS ELECT UNIVERSAL HOUSE OF JUSTICE

HAIFA Israel, 30 April 2008 (BWNS) --








The results of the election of the nine members of the Universal House of Justice, the governing body of the Baha'i Faith, have been announced.
Delegates to the Tenth International Baha'i Convention cast ballots yesterday for membership in the council that serves as the head of the religion.
Those elected are Farzam Arbab, Kiser Barnes, Peter Khan, Hooper Dunbar, Firaydoun Javaheri, Paul Lample, Payman Mohajer, Shahriar Razavi, and Gustavo Correa.
Members are elected for five-year terms.
The Universal House of Justice has its permanent seat at the Baha'i World Centre in Haifa, Israel. Membership requires residence in Haifa.
Any Baha'i male age 21 and over is eligible for election. Both women and men are eligible for election or appointment to all other Baha'i institutions.
In His teachings, Baha'u'llah provided for the elected institution of the Universal House of Justice, which gives a continuing source of divine authority to guide the worldwide Baha'i community and to legislate on matters not spelled out in the Baha'i sacred writings.
The delegates that voted in the election are themselves members of national Baha'i governing bodies from around the world. They were chosen in earlier elections in their own countries.
The Baha'i Faith, which has more than 5 million followers, is established in almost every nation.
The members of the Universal House of Justice are, from left to right, Farzam Arbab, Kiser Barnes, Peter Khan, Hooper Dunbar, Firaydoun Javaheri, Paul Lample, Payman Mohajer, Shahriar Razavi, and Gustavo Correa. They were elected by delegates to the 10th International Baha’i Convention in Haifa. Election results were announced on 30 April.
To view the photos and additional features click here:http://news.bahai.org
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BAHA'IS ELECT UNIVERSAL HOUSE OF JUSTICE
HAIFA, Israel, 30 April 2008 (BWNS) -- The results of the election of the nine members of the Universal House of Justice, the governing body of the Baha'i Faith, have been announced.
Delegates to the Tenth International Baha'i Convention cast ballots yesterday for membership in the council that serves as the head of the religion.
Those elected are Farzam Arbab, Kiser Barnes, Peter Khan, Hooper Dunbar, Firaydoun Javaheri, Paul Lample, Payman Mohajer, Shahriar Razavi, and Gustavo Correa.
Members are elected for five-year terms.
The Universal House of Justice has its permanent seat at the Baha'i World Centre in Haifa, Israel. Membership requires residence in Haifa.
Any Baha'i male age 21 and over is eligible for election. Both women and men are eligible for election or appointment to all other Baha'i institutions.
In His teachings, Baha'u'llah provided for the elected institution of the Universal House of Justice, which gives a continuing source of divine authority to guide the worldwide Baha'i community and to legislate on matters not spelled out in the Baha'i sacred writings.
The delegates that voted in the election are themselves members of national Baha'i governing bodies from around the world. They were chosen in earlier elections in their own countries.
The Baha'i Faith, which has more than 5 million followers, is established in almost every nation.
The members of the Universal House of Justice are, from left to right, Farzam Arbab, Kiser Barnes, Peter Khan, Hooper Dunbar, Firaydoun Javaheri, Paul Lample, Payman Mohajer, Shahriar Razavi, and Gustavo Correa. They were elected by delegates to the 10th International Baha’i Convention in Haifa. Election results were announced on 30 April.
To view the photos and additional features click here:http://news.bahai.org/
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BAHA'IS CELEBRATE MOST IMPORTANT FESTIVAL AT MOST HOLY SITE
ACRE, Israel, 30 April 2008 (BWNS) --
Followers of Baha'u'llah from more than 150 countries gathered yesterday at what for them is the holiest spot on earth - the tomb of Baha'u'llah - to celebrate Ridvan, their most important festival.
This year's celebration at Bahji, outside Acre in northern Israel, was special because it came during the 10th International Baha'i Convention, currently under way in nearby Haifa.
A thousand delegates from around the world - a true representation of the global community of five million Baha'is - joined with nearly a thousand other Baha'is for a program of prayers and readings and to circumambulate together the Shrine of Baha'u'llah.
With 2,000 people in attendance, the stream of Baha'is making their way through the beautiful gardens of Bahji stretched more than half a kilometer as they walked together around the sacred tomb, where in 1892 the earthly remains of Baha'u'llah were laid to rest.
The nine members of the Universal House of Justice, the international governing body of the Baha'i Faith, led the procession. Many of the convention delegates came in distinctive native dress, highlighting the diversity and international character of the Baha'i community.
Gerda Haug, a delegate from Germany who was participating in such an event for the first time, said circumambulating the Shrine of Baha'u'llah with Baha'is from around the world was a memorable experience.
"It was a symbol to me," she said, "not just something spiritual but more than that: We were all walking together in one direction, devoted to what Baha'u'llah taught, guided by the Universal House of Justice - it was a great moment."
Ridvan - Arabic for "paradise" - is a 12-day festival commemorating the 12 days in 1863 that Baha'u'llah spent in the Garden of Ridvan in Baghdad. It was during that period that He announced publicly for the first time that He was God's Messenger for this age, the latest in a line of divine teachers that includes Jesus, Mohammad, Buddha, Krishna, Moses, Zoroaster, and others.
The Festival of Ridvan goes from 21 April to 2 May, and the first, ninth, and 12th days of the period are marked as specific holy days. Yesterday's commemoration was for the ninth day of Ridvan.
To view the photos and additional features click here:http://news.bahai.org
--29-sw-080430-1-08CONVENTION-628-S
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IN A GLOBAL PROCESSION, BALLOTS ARE CAST FOR THE UNIVERSAL HOUSE OF JUSTICE

HAIFA, Israel, 29 April 2008 (BWNS) --

In a ceremony that combined spiritual dignity with global diversity, a thousand Baha'cs from 153 countries cast ballots today in an election to choose the nine members of the Universal House of Justice, the international governing body of the Baha'i Faith.
For nearly three hours, delegates to the 10th International Baha'i Convention filed decorously, one by one, onto a majestically adorned stage, each dropping a ballot into a simple wooden box.
The votes will be tallied overnight and the results announced here tomorrow.
The event was a study in globalism, a hallmark of the Baha'i Faith, which has some five million followers and is established in virtually every nation.
Delegates were called by name, in alphabetical order by country. Many proudly wore traditional or native dress, an acknowledgment of their belief in the concept of unity in diversity.
The result was colorful and joyous, as women in bright ethnic dresses or simple pantsuits mixed with men in Western business suits or gaily decorated tribal costumes.
The balloting process began with prayers, followed by brief remarks from Penny Walker, chairman of the convention.
"We gather together here with hearts full of excitement at the achievements of the Baha'i world in the last year, and with hearts full of gratitude to Baha'u'llah for making it possible that this extraordinary assembly of His followers, from every corner of the earth, could come together in the Holy Land, to elect the Universal House of Justice, the supreme body of our Faith," said Dr. Walker.
Dr. Walker, who holds the position of International Counsellor in the Baha'i Faith, outlined the voting procedure, in which the delegates write down the names of nine men they feel are most qualified to serve on the Universal House of Justice.
"As you know, the Baha'i electoral process is finally spiritual in character, a unique feature of our divinely ordained administration," she said. "Let us remember the words of Shoghi Effendi, which urged us to approach this task of election with selflessness and detachment, ... 'with a purity of motive, a freedom of spirit and a sanctity of heart.'"
The delegates to the convention are the members of the Baha'i National Spiritual Assemblies of the world, who were themselves elected by delegates chosen at the grassroots level in their own countries. Thus virtually every adult Baha'i in the world had the opportunity to participate in the election of their supreme body, an event that occurs every five years.
About 500 of the 1494 delegates could not be present for voting, for personal or other reasons. Those who could not attend sent ballots by mail, and there were numerous pauses in the procession as tellers brought forward absentee ballots, removed an identifying outer envelope, and dropped the inner contents into the ballot box.
In the case of Iran, where 300,000 Baha'is face intense persecution and Baha'i administration has been outlawed, the absence of delegates was noted by the placement of 95 red roses at the front of the stage and the reading of a message from Iranian Baha'is.
"Even though circumstances deprive us of the bounty of attending this luminous gathering, we are nonetheless with you in spirit, and present to you this bouquet of flowers as a token of our love and affection," the message said.
The nature of Baha'i elections
Today's balloting reflected a unique election process that emphasizes qualifications over promises, and inclusiveness over money or other barriers to office.
There are no parties or platforms, all forms of campaigning are strictly avoided, and no nominations are made. Rather, after prayer and reflection, each delegate simply writes down the names of nine individuals who he or she feels are best qualified to serve.
These instructions are followed in all Baha'i elections, guided by the statement in the Baha'i writings that electors should vote for people who posses qualities "of selfless devotion, of a well-trained mind, of recognized ability and mature experience."
At the local and national levels, any adult Baha'i is eligible for election. For the Universal House of Justice, any adult male Baha'i from anywhere in the world is eligible for election. Membership is limited to men because of a specific stipulation in the Baha'i sacred writings, the wisdom of which will become clear in the future.
While some observers have asked how it is possible to manage an election without parties, campaigning or nominations, Baha'is believe their system helps protect against divisiveness and such things as vote-mongering, campaign debts, or factionalism.
"Because there is no nomination process -- there are no 'candidates' per se -- and therefore no campaign," said Susanne Tamas, a delegate from Canada.
"As a result, there is no opportunity for individuals to be encouraging others to vote for them, whether by magnifying their own qualities or finding fault with other candidates.
"Underlying this whole process is reliance on prayer and efforts of the delegates to keep themselves informed of the activities of the Baha'i community worldwide," she said.
Ballot integrity
During the voting, a number of procedures were taken to ensure the integrity of the balloting process - some of which were visible and others less so.
Foremost, the current Universal House of Justice was seated as a body, front and center, as obvious observers to the process.
Then, as vote casting began, the ballot box was tipped towards the assembled delegates, to show that it was empty. And when the voting was completed, it was sealed with tape bearing the signature of the chief teller, Thelma Khalghati, a delegate from Guinea.
Ms. Khelghati was assisted by three other tellers on stage, who carefully checked voters and absentee ballots against a master list of delegates and observed to be sure that ballots were carefully placed in the box.
There were 19 tellers plus the chief head teller and an assistant, and the names of all were announced. They had been selected by the Universal House of Justice, receiving notification of their role upon arrival in Haifa.
"The tellers come from all parts of the world, from different backgrounds, so they are there to witness and vouch for the process," said Baharieh Rouhani Ma'ani, the ballot officer for the convention.
This year, delegates from Australia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, France, Guinea, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Jamaica, the Marshall Islands, Papua New Guinea, Singapore, Taiwan, Turkey, Uganda, the United Kingdom, the United States, Vanuatu, and Zambia were selected as tellers.
The tellers will be sequestered in a counting room at the Seat of the Universal House of Justice until the ballots are counted and cross-checked, a process that in some past years has taken well beyond midnight.
"The electoral process actually began last year, with the election of the National Spiritual Assemblies, ... when the process of verifying those names began," said Ms. Ma'ani. Members of those national councils serve as delegates to the International Convention.
"Then, when the ballots come in by mail, every name is checked against a database to be sure that the person sending the ballot is indeed a member of the National Spiritual Assembly," she said.
The ballots themselves are sheets of paper printed with blank rectangular fields for nine names (and another field for the country or other identifying term as may be needed). The ballots are perforated between each name, and once in the counting room, the tellers separate each ballot into nine strips, yielding more than 13,000 individual votes.
The tellers work in teams of two, said Ms. Ma'ani, under the supervision of the head tellers, cross checking and then sorting the paper strips into a series of alphabetized boxes to complete the tally.
"The process is completely manual," said Ms. Ma'ani. "There is no doubt."
No one leaves until the counting is done. Meals, as necessary, are brought in once the ballot box is unsealed. When finished, the tellers all sign the results and they are presented to the Universal House of Justice for approval.
To view the photos and additional features click here:http://news.bahai.org/
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CONVENTION DELEGATES PRAY AT HOLY PLACES

ACRE, Israel, 28 April 2008 (BWNS) --

Less than a kilometer outside thisfortified medieval city in northern Israel is a whitewashed mansion,
surrounded by elaborate gardens, known as Bahji.
For Baha'is, it is the holiest place on earth.
Beneath one of the buildings in the garden, the earthly remains ofBaha'u'llah were laid to rest in 1892 - and today that
structure is known as the Shrine of Baha'u'llah.
It is understandable, then, that delegates arriving from 153 countries forthe 10th International Baha'i Convention are
streaming to Bahji as part of the process to prepare themselves fortomorrow's election of the Universal House of Justice,
the supreme governing body of the Baha'i Faith.
"We came out Saturday night, on the last bus, at 11 p.m." said BahiaEttehadieh, 53, a delegate from Austria, "and it was
amazing to see so many friends still here at midnight.
"They had come from the remotest places on earth, and many had beentraveling for 24 hours or more, very tired, but they were
so full of spirit and happiness," she said.
The Baha'i writings offer explicit instructions about how Baha'i electionsare to be conducted - and the first and foremost
prerequisite is that they be held in an atmosphere of prayer and reflection.
The 1,000 some delegates gathered here followed those instructions byvisiting not only Bahji but many of the other Baha'i
holy sites in the Acre-Haifa area in northern Israel.
Dashan Fox of the Bahamas visited the House of Abbud in Acre Sunday morning.It was there, in 1873, that Baha'u'llah revealed
the Kitab-i-Aqdas, "the Most Holy Book," which outlines the main principlesand laws of the Baha'i Faith.
"Ultimately, what Baha'is get out of the experience of going to these holyplaces is a centering," said Mr. Fox, a young
civil engineer who like other delegates is a member of the NationalSpiritual Assembly of the Baha'is in his home nation.
"We all take away a little of that experience into the election process. Itreminds us of the sacrifice others have gone
through for the Faith," he said.
Polin Rafat of Norway was deeply moved after visiting the prison cell inAcre where Baha'u'llah was incarcerated for two
years after His arrival in the holy land in 1868.
"Baha'u'llah suffered in that cell so that we could stand here today in thisbeauty and prepare to elect the House of
Justice," said Ms. Rafat, referring to the beauty of the gardens at Bahjiand elsewhere in the Acre-Haifa area that Baha'is
have since adorned their holy places with.
For some of the delegates, it was their first time in the holy land - andthey were overwhelmed.
"I was in seventh heaven," Agim Kotoni, 56, of Albania, said after his visitto Bahji. "I was looking so much forward to
seeing something like this, and Baha'u'llah has fulfilled my wish."
For Mr. Kotoni and others, an added feature of the experience was visitingthe shrines and holy places in the presence such a
diversity of Baha'is from all parts of the world.
"The Baha'is in my city, it is like we are a family," said Mr. Kotoni, whois a police officer in Kabaja. "But now, here, I
see that we are also a single family all over the world.
"Everyone you meet, it is not like I am meeting them for the first time -it's like I have known them for years," he said.
"They offer so much love and respect and spirituality. I am uplifted andfull of emotions."
Hilda Abelinti, 41, of Suriname, was likewise struck by the sense ofcommunity she felt with other Baha'is from around the
globe.
"Every time I meet a new person, I believe more what Baha'u'llah says - thatwe are 'one people,'" she said.
"Everyone may speak a different language, but we all believe the same thing- we try to do what Baha'u'llah teaches - to live
in unity and respect."
To view the photos and additional features click here:http://news.bahai.org/
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DELEGATES ARRIVE IN HAIFA FOR INTERNATIONAL BAHA I CONVENTION

HAIFA, Israel, 27 April 2008 (BWNS) -
- A thousand delegates from 153countries have arrived from the southern tip of Africa, to Siberia, to theAmericas, to remote Pacific islands to participate in the 10thInternational Bah Convention.
On Tuesday, 29 April, they will gather to elect the nine members of theUniversal House of Justice, the international governing body of the Bah Faith, a task that delegates view as both a sacred duty and a supremeprivilege.
I ve been preparing myself since November, when I got the ballot, saidBakary Bojang, 31, a delegate from Gambia. I give praise that I have theopportunity and the health to be here.
The convention, held every five years, runs from 29 April to 2 May at theHaifa International Convention Center. In addition to the election, it willinclude consultation on issues and concerns facing the worldwide Baha icommunity.
The delegates are all members of the National Spiritual Assembly of theBaha is of their countries, elected councils that oversee Baha i activity ina particular jurisdiction. The balloting process to elect the UniversalHouse of Justice is unlike any other election system in the world.
There are no nominations and no campaigning, said Erica Toussaint, 61, adelegate from the United States. Rather, each elector writes down the namesof nine people they feel are the most qualified to serve.
The process is free from the constraints that I ve seen in other electoralprocesses around the world, which for me makes it very profound and moving, she said.
Preparing for the four-day convention presented a number of logisticalhurdles, said Anja Nicke, project manager of the International ConventionOffice.
One of the biggest challenges was just communications with NationalSpiritual Assemblies, said Ms. Nicke, 35, who was a schoolteacher beforecoming to the Bah World Centre as a volunteer in September 2004.
For us, it is a simple matter to send an e-mail or make a telephone call, she said. But some National Assemblies are in countries that are torn bywar or poverty, and such types of communications are not always so easy.
In one case, she said, a National Assembly was out of contact for two weeksbecause someone had stolen the wires that connected them to the Internet andtelephone system.
For delegates, the importance of prayer was foremost in their minds as theydiscussed how they would prepare themselves for voting.
We have many things to pray for, said Francis Reimers, 65, from theMarshall Islands, explaining the process by which he decides who to votefor. I come and I mix with people and I pray about who I am going to votefor and I try to reflect on the people I know.
The Baha i writings say that in all Bah elections, which take placeannually at the local and national levels and every five yearsinternationally, the emphasis is on choosing individuals with qualities ofselfless devotion, of a well-trained mind, of recognized ability and matureexperience.
Thelma Khelghati, a delegate from Guinea, said Bah elections differ fromtraditional electoral systems where aggressive, ambitious individuals withinfluence and financial means, or at least the ability to mobilize financialmeans, end up being the ones we elect.
Rather, she said, Bah elections are a spiritual process where thedelegates or voters reflect on the demonstrated qualities and experience ofall whom they know, and then vote for those whom they feel best combine theneeded qualities for a given post.
Lise Raben, a delegate from Denmark who has participated in fiveinternational Baha i conventions, said the entire process is a greatexperience. The feeling of unity is very strong when you see hundreds ofpeople gathered to elect our supreme institution that governs the Bah world. The feeling of love and unity makes an International Convention veryspecial and absolutely different from political elections, where thedifferent candidates often try to exhibit their opposites in a bad light.
The Universal House of Justice has its permanent seat on Mount Carmel inHaifa. Situated in the Akka/Haifa area are many holy sites of the Baha iFaith, including its holiest, the burial place of Baha u llah, the founderof the religion.
The Universal House of Justice is the international governing council of theBah Faith. It guides the worldwide Bah community in its development and inits response to changing world conditions.
To view the photos and additional features click here:http://news.bahai.org
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LEAVING AFTER MANY YEARS OF SERVICE IN THE HOLY LAND
HAIFA, Israel, 23 April 2008 (BWNS) --
Two members of the Universal House ofJustice, the international governing body of the Baha'i Faith, are leavingafter many years of service in the Holy Land.
The Universal House of Justice announced in November 2007 that it had givenpermission to Mr. Hartmut Grossmann and Mr. Glenford E. Mitchell torelinquish their membership, but they will continue serving until the nextelection of the body, scheduled for next week.
Mr. Mitchell was first elected as a member of the Universal House of Justicein 1982 and after that to successive five-year terms. Mr. Grossmann waselected in 2003. The Seat of the Universal House of Justice is located atthe Baha'i World Centre in Haifa.
All nine members of the Universal House of Justice are elected at theInternational Baha'i Convention, which is held every five years. The 10thsuch convention is scheduled for 29 April to 2 May in Haifa, with anexpected attendance of more than 1,000 delegates.
Mr. Mitchell, 73, was born in Jamaica and has worked in the United States asan assistant editorial director for a publishing company, a magazine editorand a managing editor. He taught English and journalism at HowardUniversity. He served as the secretary of the National Spiritual Assembly ofthe United States from 1968 until his 1982 election to the Universal Houseof Justice. He and his wife, Bahia, will be returning to the United States.
Mr. Grossmann, 74, who was born in Germany, was a lecturer and head of theGerman Department at Joensuu University in Finland. He has served on theNational Spiritual Assemblies of the Baha'is of Germany and of Finland andwas a member of the Baha'i Continental Board of Counsellors for Europe. In1988, he was appointed to serve on the Baha'i International Teaching Centrein Haifa. He and his wife, Ursula, will be moving to Finland when they leaveHaifa next month.
To view the photos and additional features click here:http://news.bahai.org/
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Baha'i] Ridvan Greetings from Prime Minister, Leader of the Opposition, and Leader of the Liberal Democrats








--National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha'is of the United Kingdomnsa@bahai.org.uk
Dearly loved friends - The National Spiritual Assembly is pleased to be able to share with you Ridvan greetings it has received from the Prime Minister, the Leader of the Opposition and the Leader of the Liberal Democrats. Their messages have been sent on the occasion of the annual reception of the All-Party Parliamentary Friends of the Baha'is group, being held at the House of Commons on Tuesday 22 April. "I would like to express my respect and admiration to those attendingthis reception, and the wider Baha’í community which makes an importantcontribution to British life. I very much recognise and welcome thoseof the Baha’í faith as a distinguished and valuable part of our rich andmulti-cultural society. The Baha’í community has a long, proud and respected tradition andcontributes much to today’s Britain. Your faith includes a clear obligationto work towards religious tolerance and respect for other faiths, anaim shared by both myself and a wide range of different communitiesacross Britain. I commend you for promoting and understanding and explorations of yourfaith to wider British society. The Baha’í community can be proud ofits success in working to foster cohesive and integrated communities." The Rt Hon Gordon Brown MP, the Prime Minister "I am delighted to send my best wishes to everyone attending the AllParty Parliamentary Friends of the Baha’is Group reception to mark thefestival of Ridvan. I would like to take this opportunity to also send mybest wishes to the wider Baha’í community in the UK. Not only is Ridvan an important time for communal prayers andcelebration, and for electing local governing councils, but it can also be atime for reflection on the principles which the Baha’í community holdsdear. These principles include unity, the promotion of social justice, abelief in the importance of family life, and a concern for theenvironment. I know that you will also be thinking of your co-religionistselsewhere who may be facing persecution because of their beliefs. May I once again send my good wishes to you and your families at thistime." The Rt Hon David Cameron MP, Leader of the Opposition "I would like to take this opportunity to wish the Baha’í community inthe United Kingdom and your guests a very happy Ridvan. I am sure thatthis celebration will help raise awareness of the issues facing theBaha’í community and that you will have a wonderful evening." The Rt Hon Nick Clegg, Leader of the Liberal Democrats With loving Baha'i greetings National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha'is of the United KingdomDr Kishan Manocha, Secretary

President Pervez Musharraf greets Ridvan: President greets Bahai community

Tuesday, April 22, 2008ISLAMABAD: President Pervez Musharraf has extended heartfelt congratulations to the Bahai Community of Pakistan on the occasion of Eid-e-Rizwan festival being observed today (Tuesday).
The president said the government of Pakistan was committed to preserving for equal rights of all minority communities as enshrined in the Constitution. "Minorities are a sacred trust for Pakistan. The founder of the nation had affirmed this pledge on the creation of Pakistan that the policy of equality, freedom and security for all communities shall be ensured," the president said in a message on the occasion of Eid-e-Rizwan festival.
The president said all religions teach high values like equality, social justice and human rights, as Islam also strongly preaches fair, equal and just treatment for all. The president said: "Eid-e-Rizwan is also an opportunity to remind us and to reaffirm our commitment to work hard for betterment of humanity. I wish a very happy Eid-e-Rizwan to the Bahai community, especially those who live in Pakistan."

in quest of a study circle
the work of a regional institute coordinator is pretty hard…

Connection between racism and mass atrocities addressed by panel

Mark Weitzman of the Simon Weisenthal Center and Yvette Rugasaguhunga, a survivor of the Rwanda genocide of 1994, were among nine speakers at a discussion titled "Eliminate Racism: Prevent Mass Atrocities." Two United Nations ambassadors and representatives of the U.N. human rights office also spoke.

NEW YORK
7 April 2008 (BWNS)

The relationship between racism and mass atrocities was the focus of a panel discussion co-sponsored by the Baha'i International Community to mark the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination.

"Genocide is not a natural disaster," said Payam Akhavan, an associate professor of law at McGill University, whose appearance was sponsored by the Baha'is. "It is a man-made disaster, an instrument through which ruthless leaders exercise power at the expense of millions."

Professor Akhavan and eight others spoke on 27 March 2008 at the Church Center at United Nations Plaza in New York.

The event, titled "Eliminate Racism: Prevent Mass Atrocities," was sponsored by the Sub-Committee for the Elimination of Racism of the NGO Committee on Human Rights at the United Nations, in cooperation with the Dutch and Jamaican U.N. missions and the New York Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights. Nine other organizations were co-sponsors.

Craig Mokhiber of the U.N. human rights office in New York had a somber assessment: "The struggle against racism is unfortunately not on the forward path many of us thought it was on a decade ago."

Racism is a global phenomenon, he said, made worse by impunity for the perpetrators of atrocities committed under its influence. The concept of "the other" is what perpetuates racism, he said.

Payam Akhavan of McGill University said governments sometimes turn a blind eye to events that lead up to atrocities against groups of people.

Mr. Mokhiber suggested that racism is the result of "us," plus "the other," added to an unequal power structure and hatred inflamed by politicians and the media.

"Defeating this paradigm is the central struggle against racism today," he said.

The Dutch ambassador to the United Nations, Piet de Klerk, agreed that racism is alive in many forms and that making a connection between racism and atrocities is "very appropriate."

Reducing individuals to representatives of specific groups makes it easy to perpetrate mass atrocities, he said.

Among the others who spoke at the event were Raymond O. Wolfe, the Jamaican ambassador to the United Nations; Yvette Rugasaguhunga, a survivor of the 1994 Rwandan massacre; and Mark Weitzman of the Simon Wiesenthal Center. The discussion was moderated by Tahirih Naylor, a representative to the United Nations of the Baha'i International Community.

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Realizing Dr. King’s dream, Baha'i style

Realizing Dr. King’s dream, Baha'i style

January 17, 2008 - 6:28pm

If you’re a member of a minority, and you’re not involved in decision-making at an administrative level, then society is still far from realizing the dream of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., says Phillipe Copeland, a Baha'i in Boston who examines social issues from an African-American perspective on his blog, Baha'i Thought.

Reflecting on the Jan. 21 observance of Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Mr. Copeland says Dr. King envisioned “a multiracial democratic community, which means more than people of different races simply being in the same physical space at the same time.”

Mr. Copeland says it’s “rare in our society to see communities in which racial diversity is reflected in administrative structure and governance.”

Rare, but not non-existent. Mr. Copeland points to the administrative structure of the Baha'i Faith as an example of what Dr. King had in mind: Members elected by other members to serve on councils at the local, national and international level.

And because of the Baha'i Faith core beliefs in the oneness of humanity and the elimination of prejudice, among others, Baha'i communities tend to be made up of an unusually diverse population.

Indeed, the Faith not only approves of interracial marriage, it encourages and supports it.


Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.“Baha'is in the United States and other countries are raising multiracial families in intentionally diverse communities. That’s a “significant contribution in helping to erase prejudice,” Mr. Copeland says. “Maybe I’m just really proud of the Baha'i Faith, but I challenge people to find other institutions where this happens regularly.”

Mr. Copeland, who became a Baha'i 11 years ago, is married to Maura, a Caucasian woman whose family of origin includes Russian Jews, German Lutherans, a sister adopted from India and a sister-in law from China. As a lifelong Baha'i, she fully expected to marry a man of another “race.”

Although the Copelands and other Baha’is take interracial unions for granted, society doesn’t, Mr. Copeland says.

“There’s still a big gap in what Dr. King hoped for and what is. He’s still way ahead of his time. Segregation is everywhere. The oneness of humanity is still considered optional,” says Mr. Copeland, who has a Master’s degree in Theological Studies from Harvard Divinity School. “A lot of people subscribe to it, but don’t feel morally compelled to act on it. They don’t measure themselves on it in their daily life.”

Mr. Copeland says he believes the idealism of Dr. King can be put into action by following the precepts revealed by Baha’u’llah, Founder of the Faith.

“The Baha'i Faith addresses the needs of all people,” he says. “We all just need to build the system that Baha’u’llah has created and the rest takes care of itself

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God as Friend

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by Dale E. Lehman Appeared: 01/11/2008

Bahá'u'lláh’s The Hidden Words consists of 153 brief exhortations, 71 in Arabic and 82 in Persian. Each which begins with a salutation:

O son of spirit!

O son of being!

O ye people that have minds to know and ears to hear!

O son of earth!

O my children!

Some of these appear only once, while others are repeated a number of times. Some appear only in the Arabic section, others only in the Persian section. Nine of the Persian exhortations, for example, refer to the reader as “friend”.

That’s an interesting statistic. In nine of 82, just over one-tenth of them, God calls us His friends. This relationship is not mentioned at all in the Arabic section but forms a significant part of the Persian, wherein God not only names us friend but challenges us to be as true a friend to Him as He is to us.

O My friend in word! Ponder awhile. Hast thou ever heard that friend and foe should abide in one heart? Cast out then the stranger, that the Friend may enter His home.
(Baha'u'llah, The Hidden Words, Persian 26)

O children of negligence and passion! Ye have suffered My enemy to enter My house and have cast out My friend, for ye have enshrined the love of another than Me in your hearts. Give ear to the sayings of the Friend and turn towards His paradise. Worldly friends, seeking their own good, appear to love one the other, whereas the true Friend hath loved and doth love you for your own sakes; indeed He hath suffered for your guidance countless afflictions. Be not disloyal to such a Friend, nay rather hasten unto Him. Such is the daystar of the word of truth and faithfulness, that hath dawned above the horizon of the pen of the Lord of all names. Open your ears that ye may hearken unto the word of God, the Help in peril, the Self-existent.
(Baha'u'llah, The Hidden Words, Persian 52)

A special Friend is often mentioned in these passages, one whose love is pure and true, who has suffered for our sakes, and who gives us the best counsel. This is the Manifestation of God, and His portrayal as a true Friend is nothing new. Abraham is called “the Friend of God” in the Bible, the Qur’án, and the Bahá’í Holy Writings, while Jesus spoke of His followers as friends:

This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you. Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you. Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you. (John 15:12-15, KJV)

Muhammad, too, spoke of the friendship between God, His Manifestation, and humanity:

Your (real) friends are (no less than) Allah, His Messenger, and the (fellowship of) believers, those who establish regular prayers and regular charity, and they bow down humbly (in worship).
(Qur'án 5:55, Yusuf Ali’s translation; some translations give “protector” instead of “friend”)

Finally, as we have seen, Bahá'u'lláh spoke frequently of these friendships, and they are powerful indeed. Friendship is one of the most fundamental of human relationships, a relationship with which everyone has at least some experience, no matter how imperfectly. We all at least know the spirit of true friendship and recognize true friends by their actions. Our friends are concerned for our well-being, are willing to lend a helping hand even when doing so calls for sacrifice. Selfish motives don’t interpose themselves between friends.

Now if we recognize all this from our human friendships, which after all have a tendency to be imperfect over the long haul, the infinite friendship of the Manifestations of God and of God Himself should be as clear as the noonday sun. Overwhelming, certainly, and unfathomable, but no less clear for that. For instance, Bahá'u'lláh wrote this of the sacrifices He had made on our behalf:

The Ancient Beauty hath consented to be bound with chains that mankind may be released from its bondage, and hath accepted to be made a prisoner within this most mighty Stronghold that the whole world may attain unto true liberty. He hath drained to its dregs the cup of sorrow, that all the peoples of the earth may attain unto abiding joy, and be filled with gladness. This is of the mercy of your Lord, the Compassionate, the Most Merciful. We have accepted to be abased, O believers in the Unity of God, that ye may be exalted, and have suffered manifold afflictions, that ye might prosper and flourish. He Who hath come to build anew the whole world, behold, how they that have joined partners with God have forced Him to dwell within the most desolate of cities!
(Bahá'u'lláh, Gleanings from the Writings of Bahá'u'lláh, XLV, p. 99-100)

The events of His life—the loss of all material wealth; forty years of imprisonment and exile, the extreme hardships He faced when forced to move from place to place, repeated tortures and attempts on His life, and betrayal by members of His own family, to name the most significant—are accurately reflected in this passage. It would have been so easy for Him to avoid all that and remain what He had once been: a wealthy man liked and respected by high and low alike.

But when God’s summons came, He was God’s true Friend and ours. He gave up everything to bring God’s new Message to us, not so as to gain anything for Himself but solely to give us a chance to approach God and build a better world.

That’s true friendship, to a degree we can’t fully comprehend. But we surely know it when we see it. The question then becomes, having seen it what do we do about it?

Friendship, after all, is a two-way street.

Planet Bahá'í

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