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A Voice Crying in the Wilderness

A Voice Crying in the Wilderness

Published July 7, 2019 by admin

The following is part of our series exploring the Gospels and how they are illuminated by the Revelation of Baha’u’llah. Today’s post is about how each revelation was heralded by a Prophet who prepared the people for the revelation. 

All four of the Gospels begin with the story of John the Baptist- a man described as the one “crying in the wilderness”.  The expression comes from the Hebrew Bible, where the prophet Isaiah foretold that one would come before the Messiah, to prepare the way and “make straight the path” to Him.    The Gospels describe John the Baptist as a prophetic figure, but the actual teachings he brought are obscure, other than the fact that he challenged the clergy and taught the repentance of sins for the “Kingdom of God’ was “drawing near’.  Though he wore simple clothes of “camel’s hair” and ate “wild locusts”, the people “flocked to him”, even from out of Jerusalem and the surrounding countryside. He was known for baptizing people by submerging them in water briefly, which he did in the river Jordan as a sign of spiritual transformation. 

John the Baptist was a controversial figure in his time. The center of religious authority was Jerusalem where the Jewish priestly structure held sway, and John clearly challenged that authority, referring to them as a “brood of vipers” and undermining their claims to authority as being the “children of Abraham”, stating that “God could produce children of Abraham out of these stones!”. Though Christ’s message would come to be known as one of love, John the Baptist’s message clearly had a sharper edge, particularly as he described the Messiah who was to come- “The axe already lies at the root of the tree, and the tree that fails to produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire. It is true that I baptise you with water as a sign of your repentance, but the one who follows me is far stronger than I am – indeed I am not fit to carry his shoes. He will baptise you with the fire of the Holy Spirit. He comes all ready to separate the wheat from the chaff and very thoroughly will he clear his threshing-floor – the wheat he will collect into the granary and the chaff he will burn with a fire that can never be put out.”

John the Baptist’s preaching overlapped with that of Jesus Himself, and John spoke of Jesus with great respect, describing Jesus as one whose “sandals he would not be worthy to untie”.  When Jesus came to the river to Himself be baptized, John said he was not worthy to baptize Him.  With some prodding, he agreed. at which point the Gospels describe that “suddenly the heavens opened and he saw the Spirit of God coming down like a dove and resting upon him (Jesus). And a voice came out of Heaven saying, “This is my dearly-loved son, in whom I am well pleased.” When John referred to Jesus as the “Lamb of God” and the Messiah he had come to foretell, many of his followers turned to Jesus and became his early followers. 

Some of John’s followers became suspicious of Jesus’ teaching and did not immediately accept Him, particularly when he freely associated with “tax collectors and sinners”. In one dialogue, John’s followers prodded Jesus on why he and His followers were not adherent to the fasting laws, Jesus replied “How can the guests of the bridegroom mourn while he is with them? The time will come when the bridegroom will be taken from them; then they will fast. No one sews a patch of unshrunk cloth on an old garment, for the patch will pull away from the garment, making the tear worse. Neither do people pour new wine into old wineskins. If they do, the skins will burst; the wine will run out and the wineskins will be ruined. No, they pour new wine into new wineskins, and both are preserved.”

This point about not pouring “new wine into old wineskins” is important, as it clearly reflects that Jesus’ new revelation was not going to be just an extension of traditional Judaism. Whereas John the Baptist appears not to have broken with Jewish law, and even seems to have encouraged that people follow it more strictly, Jesus took the stronger step of assuming authority to change it entirely.  One of the more interesting dialogues in the Gospel is when Jesus is asked about the laws of divorce-

“Then the Pharisees arrived with a test-question. “Is it right,” they asked, “for a man to divorce his wife on any grounds whatever?” “Haven’t you read,” he answered, “that the one who created them from the beginning ‘made them male and female’ and said: ‘For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh’? So they are no longer two separate people but one. No man therefore must separate what God has joined together.” “Then why,” they retorted, “did Moses command us to give a written divorce-notice and dismiss the woman?”. “It was because you knew so little of the meaning of love that Moses allowed you to divorce your wives! But that was not the original principle. I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife on any grounds except her unfaithfulness and marries some other woman commits adultery.”

With this statement, as well as others in the Gospels, Jesus was taking the challenging step of assuming the right to abrogate the laws of Moses- a clear challenge to the religious authority of the day and a statement that he was bringing a new revelation and founding a genuinely new religion. He was also asking them to adhere to a higher principle than they previously had been trained, stating that Moses didn’t hold them to it because “their hearts were hard”, a reference to the fact that they had spiritually evolved since the time of Moses and were now ready for a higher standard.

Not only was there an evolution of the teaching from Moses revelation to that of Jesus, but even within Jesus’ own Revelation, we see the gradual unfoldment of His message as the people developed more capacity. John the Baptist came and garnered the attention of a large population, ultimately funneling their attention into the one who was to come after him, to whom he swore personal allegiance. Jesus initially didn’t challenge Jewish law, but within his own revelation unfolded it gradually until the people were ready for the proclamation of a new religion.  Indeed, it was the challenging claims He made that eventually led to His crucifixion.

When we turn our attention to Baha’u’llah’s Revelation, we see a similar process unfold.  The Baha’i Faith is typically said to have been started when a young theology student named Mulla Husayn, who had been taught by his teachers that the messiah of his religion was about to come, met a young merchant from Shiraz Persia known as the Báb (the “Gate”).  The Báb invited Mulla Husayn to have tea with him, and in that meeting, the Báb was asked questions that led him to reveal, for the first time, a text that clearly spoke with divine authority.  Mullah Husayn would later describe the experience of listening to the Báb reveal his earliest text-

I sat spellbound by His utterance, oblivious of time and of those who awaited me. Suddenly the call of the muadhdhin, summoning the faithful to their morning prayer, awakened me from the state of ecstasy into which I seemed to have fallen. All the delights, all the ineffable glories, which the Almighty has recounted in His Book as the priceless possessions of the people of Paradise–these I seemed to be experiencing that night

For the next four years, Mulla Husayn and eighteen other fellow disciples, all who had come to be convinced of the Báb’s divinity, spread out throughout Persia to preach the new Faith.  Thousands of people responded to the message and it became a truly mass movement. Though the Báb’s writings were spiritually exhilarating, it was not clear what exactly He was claiming.  His Writings were superficially ambiguous, though if you read with attention, it was obvious He was claiming divine revelation. Nevertheless, the ambiguity allowed His message to spread while holding back the severe persecution that would result if His true claims were broadcast. Death was the punishment for the crime of apostasy in His society. To claim a new revelation was unthinkable. For that reason, He did not initially reveal a new law, and indeed asked his followers to excel in their strict following of Islamic law. 

It wasn’t until 1848, four years after His initial declaration to Mulla Husayn, when the Báb was brought before a council of priests, in the presence of the Crown Prince, that he formally declared his mission publicly, in dramatic fashion. After enduring several questions about his use or misuse of Arabic grammar in his writings, the Báb abruptly stood up and declared “I am the Promised One, I am the one whose name you have for a thousand years invoked, at whose mention you have risen, and who advent you have prayed God to hasten”.  Such a blasphemous claim from a 25 y.o. merchant, untrained in any religious school, was more than the leaders could take, and they ordered he be beaten and imprisoned. Nearly simultaneous with this event, a conference of his followers was occurring in which one of the Báb’s most ardent followers, a woman and talented poetess named Tahirih, removed her veil in the presence of other men, signaling that Islamic law had formally been abrogated in the new religion- a move that the Báb later condoned.

From that point on, the Báb was made a prisoner in a far flung fortress in the north of Persia and his Writings dramatically shifted. His claims were now crystal clear and he laid out the new theology of progressive revelation of religious truth, coming from an otherwise unknowable God.  He began to refer to His works as the “Bayan”, meaning “Exposition”.  But contrary to all expectations and prophecies, the Báb said that He Himself was sent to prepare the way for the one who would come after Him- the revelation of the exalted figure He described as “Him Whom God Shall Make Manifest”- the person who would come to be known as Baha’u’llah.  The young prophet’s description of Baha’u’llah is extraordinarily compelling and He clearly stated the entire purpose of His movement was to prepare a population who could accept Him- to “make straight the path” to Him. 

The glory of Him Whom God shall make manifest is immeasurably above every other glory, and His majesty is far above every other majesty. His beauty excelleth every other embodiment of beauty, and His grandeur immensely exceedeth every other manifestation of grandeur. Every light paleth before the radiance of His light, and every other exponent of mercy falleth short before the tokens of His mercy…

It behooveth you to await the Day of the appearance of Him Whom God shall manifest. Indeed My aim in planting the Tree of the Bayán hath been none other than to enable you to recognize Me. In truth I Myself am the first to bow down before God and to believe in Him. Therefore let not your recognition become fruitless, inasmuch as the Bayán, notwithstanding the sublimity of its station, beareth fealty to Him Whom God shall make manifest, and it is He Who beseemeth most to be acclaimed as the Seat of divine Reality, though indeed He is I and I am He. However, when the Tree of the Bayán attaineth its highest development, We shall bend it low as a token of adoration towards its Lord Who will appear in the person of Him Whom God shall make manifest. Perchance ye may be privileged to glorify God as it befitteth His august Self.

The Báb occasionally used metaphors akin to the Gospels to illustrate this point- like this one, which is similar to Jesus’ parable of the vineyard-

You are like unto the man who layeth out an orchard and planteth all kinds of fruit trees therein. When the time is at hand for him, the lord, to come, ye will have taken possession of the orchard in his name, and when he doth come in person, ye will shut him out from it…We have planted the Garden of the Bayán in the name of Him Whom God will make manifest, and have granted you permission to live therein until the time of His manifestation; then from the moment the Cause of Him Whom God will make manifest is inaugurated, We forbid you all the things ye hold as your own, unless ye may, by the leave of your Lord, be able to regain possession thereof. 

In July of 1850, the Báb was brought to the city of Tabriz and executed by a firing squad of 750 rifles.  On the eve of His execution, He was interviewed by a British physician who was sent to determine if he was sane, as His claims were punishable by death but they wanted to ensure He was making them with a sound mind. The physician described Him and shared some of his experience in a letter to a British historian-

You ask me for some particulars of my interview with the founder of the sect known as Babis. Nothing of any importance transpired in this interview, as the Báb was aware of my having been sent with two other Persian doctors to see whether he was of sane mind or merely a madman, to decide the question whether he was to be put to death or not. With this knowledge he was loth to answer any questions put to him. To all enquiries he merely regarded us with a mild look, chanting in a low melodious voice some hymns, I suppose. Two other Siyyids, his intimate friends, were also present, who subsequently were put to death with him, besides a couple of government officials. He only deigned to answer me, on my saying that I was not a Muslim and was willing to know something about his religion, as I might perhaps be inclined to adopt it. He regarded me very intently on my saying this, and replied that he had no doubt of all Europeans coming over to his religion.

By any measure, the Báb’s Revelation was extremely effective. He had raised up a new community in one of the religiously perilous parts of the world, now essentially divorced from the religion of their birth, and chastened them to accept the One who was to come after Him. Baha’u’llah himself would assume the mantle of authority of the Báb’s movement soon after the execution of the Báb in 1850.  Even then, he would devote another 10 years encouraging and evolving the conceptions of the community before declaring His own Revelation formally, and founding a new world religion. 

The Báb and John the Baptist have been compared to each other, and there are indeed many similarities.  Both heralded a divine revelation, gathering a group of followers, most of whom accepted the revelation they came to foretell.  Their messages were very challenging to the religious establishment of their time, and they were both executed for their teachings.  With the Báb however, we have a much clearer demonstration of what it means to “make straight the path” to a new revelation. We can see that God is actually very aware of our situation, and the challenges we face in accepting a new Revelation from God.  He gradually unveils the claims of the new Revelation so that we can come to a new understanding in an evolutionary way.  The Báb explicitly states that “in His first Book, (He) enjoined the observance of the laws of the Qur’án, so that the people might not be seized with perturbation by reason of a new Book and a new Revelation and might regard His Faith as similar to their own, perchance they would not turn away from the Truth and ignore the thing for which they had been called into being.”

Baha’u’llah Himself would later explain the principle in action here

Know of a certainty that in every Dispensation the light of Divine Revelation hath been vouchsafed unto men in direct proportion to their spiritual capacity. Consider the sun. How feeble its rays the moment it appeareth above the horizon. How gradually its warmth and potency increase as it approacheth its zenith, enabling meanwhile all created things to adapt themselves to the growing intensity of its light. How steadily it declineth until it reacheth its setting point. Were it, all of a sudden, to manifest the energies latent within it, it would, no doubt, cause injury to all created things…. In like manner, if the Sun of Truth were suddenly to reveal, at the earliest stages of its manifestation, the full measure of the potencies which the providence of the Almighty hath bestowed upon it, the earth of human understanding would waste away and be consumed; for men’s hearts would neither sustain the intensity of its revelation, nor be able to mirror forth the radiance of its light. 

We owe a great deal to John the Baptist and the Báb. Their missions were difficult ones, as they were on the front lines of the unfoldment of a new Revelation, and their early followers were “first responders”.  No wonder that their missions have come to be associated with the quality of sacrifice- given of oneself that others may benefit.  Many of the Báb’s prayers and writings bear testimony to the sacrifices He endured and we’ll conclude this essay with one significant passage-

I, verily, have not fallen short of My duty to admonish that people, and to devise means whereby they may turn towards God, their Lord, and believe in God, their Creator. If, on the day of His Revelation, all that are on earth bear Him allegiance, Mine inmost being will rejoice, inasmuch as all will have attained the summit of their existence, and will have been brought face to face with their Beloved, and will have recognized, to the fullest extent attainable in the world of being, the splendour of Him Who is the Desire of their hearts. If not, My soul will indeed be saddened. I truly have nurtured all things for this purpose. How, then, can anyone be veiled from Him? For this have I called upon God, and will continue to call upon Him. He, verily, is nigh, ready to answer.

Next post- The Love of God and the Love of Humanity

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Reading the Gospels in Light of a New Revelation

Reading the Gospels in Light of a New Revelation

Published July 6, 2019 by admin

For many Christians, the most challenging aspect of the Baha’i Faith is Baha’u’llah’s claim to be the return of Christ.  Baha’u’llah claimed this plainly and repeatedly- as in the following passage addressed to Christians-

O people of the Gospel! They who were not in the Kingdom have now entered it, whilst We behold you, in this day, tarrying at the gate. Rend the veils asunder by the power of your Lord, the Almighty, the All-Bounteous, and enter, then, in My name My Kingdom. Thus biddeth you He Who desireth for you everlasting life….’

In several other passages, He addresses Christians-

We, verily, have come for your sakes, and have borne the misfortunes of the world for your salvation. Flee ye the One Who hath sacrificed His life that ye may be quickened?… Open the doors of your hearts. He Who is the Spirit (Jesus) verily, standeth before them. Wherefore keep ye afar from Him Who hath purposed to draw you nigh unto a Resplendent Spot? Say: We, in truth, have opened unto you the gates of the Kingdom. Will ye bar the doors of your houses in My face? 

The fundamental theological concept of Baha’u’llah’s Revelation is the idea of progressive revelation.  Revelations from God come to humanity at different times in history, and they represent the unfoldment of One Religion.  Each revelation therefore represents the fulfillment of all those before it, and the Manifestation of God who brings the revelation is the “return” of all the other Manifestations of God that came before. 

When a new Revelation of God comes to humanity, it opens the doors of the “Kingdom of God” and a new garden is outspread before us- and all humanity is invited to enter it and receive the bounties it provides.  Baha’u’llah claimed to have outspread a new garden for our age in history. 

For centuries, Christians have been reading the Gospels as the fulfillment of the scriptures that came before. The “Hebrew Bible” became known as the “Old Testament” to reflect that it represented a previous series of revelations of God, fulfilled in Christ and the “New Testament”.   “Progressive revelation” is therefore inherent in the Christian interpretation of the Bible.  The fact that Baha’u’llah has come to bring a new Revelation simply means that the process of divine revelation did not end with Christ, but has continued. 

For people living in the time of Christ, His claim was extremely challenging. Jewish scripture told of a “king” who would “sit on the throne of David” and restore the rights of the Jewish people.  The idea that the Messiah would be a young prophet from Galillee, with no army and no traditional religious role, was ridiculous to them.  For many in that time, it was not even conceivable that Christ could be true.  They therefore thought little about crucifying him and persecuting His followers. 

For a Christian living today, the idea that the return of Christ was a man born into a Muslim family in 19th century Persia is equally ridiculous.  But Baha’u’llah’s claim and Revelation is magnificent, and if you look at with an open heart and unbiased mind, it opens up a new and wondrous garden before you. 

Another key idea in Baha’u’llah’s Revelation is that we need to make a distinction between the words of the Manifestation of God- those of Christ in this case- and the human scriptural interpretations that came after, and are often taught as being “Christianity”.  Human beings are fallible. They make mistakes, and the scriptural meanings are not always clear.  It is important then, to go back to the words of Christ Himself as that is the root of the tree.  If we are to consider Baha’u’llah’s claim in light of Christ’s teaching, we need to focus on the words of Christ Himself, not traditional scriptural interpretation. After all, if Baha’u’llah is the return of Christ, then it is His Words that are the standard, because He is the same Voice that spoke them the first time. 

In a series of posts, we will explore the Gospels of Jesus and the words of Jesus in light of Baha’u’llah’s Revelation.  We will find that indeed, many passages from the Gospels are illuminated by the perspective that a new Revelation from God brings.  We hope you enjoy the series!

Next post in series- A Voice Crying in the Wilderness

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Inner Beauty

Inner Beauty

Published June 29, 2019 by admin

O My handmaid! Concern not thyself with that which is outwardly apparent; fix thy gaze, rather, upon that which lieth within. Look thou upon the beauty of God’s loved ones with His eye. Should one not be possessed of an attractive appearance, know thou that inwardly they possess a beauty that arouseth the envy of every beloved one. Physical beauty is loved by self and passion, while spiritual beauty is loved by God. Which, then, wouldst thou choose? That which the Beloved Himself would choose hath, assuredly, ever been and will ever be the desire of His loved ones… (Baha’u’llah)

The above passage is taken from a provisionally translated Tablet made available by Adib Masumian. (Many thanks to Adib!). Baha’u’llah counsels a woman to not be concerned about her outward beauty because it is inner beauty that only concerns God. The duckling picture makes a connection to the story of the Ugly Duckling by Han Christian Andersen in which a young duckling was picked on for his ugly appearance but then grew up to be a beautiful swan. 

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Sifter of Dust Update

Sifter of Dust Update

Published June 27, 2019 by admin

Dear friends,

After a brief hiatus to reflect and plan, Sifter of Dust will now be posting regularly again.  We received feedback that people enjoyed the inspirational content during the 19 day challenge, so we will return to that as part of our regular posting, drawing on the Baha’i world and other sources.  We will also start the series that will introduce the Baha’i writings in context, called “Foundations of the Revelation”. There will also be a related series that will draw on the connection between the Gospels of Jesus and the Revelation of Baha’u’llah. So many Gospel passages are illumined and deepened in their meaning when read in the context of Baha’u’llah’s Revelation, and we will explore those connections.    

Sifter of Dust is committed to helping people discover the richness and beauty of God’s latest Revelation to humankind, to help people otherwise unfamiliar with it become familiar. Please do share our site with friends who may be interested in our content. 

Much love to all!

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Who speaks for us?

Who speaks for us?

Published June 10, 2019 by admin

In the famous children’s book by Dr Seuss known as the Lorax, all the trees are being cut down to feed a factory until the Lorax arrives to protest, stating that he “speaks for the trees” because they have no voice.  I often think of Baha’u’llah as being like the Lorax, and that line “I speak for the trees” reverberates. Like the Lorax, Baha’u’llah only had His Pen as a tool, as His Voice.  He was up against the imperialist and sovereign rules of the earth, the inveterate clergy whose authority he challenged, and a largely neglectful humanity who was engrossed in its material preoccupations. Baha’u’llah speaks with a challenging Voice, but he needed to in order to break through the walls that had built up between people and their own potential. 

By the righteousness of God, my Well-Beloved! I have never aspired after worldly leadership. My sole purpose hath been to hand down unto men that which I was bidden to deliver by God, the Gracious, the Incomparable, that it may detach them from all that pertaineth to this world, and cause them to attain such heights as neither the ungodly can conceive, nor the froward imagine.

Baha’u’llah not only speaks for the trees, He speaks for us, for the people. His teachings are for us. We are the ones who ultimately benefit.  “The one true God, exalted be His glory, hath wished nothing for Himself. The allegiance of mankind profiteth Him not, neither doth its perversity harm Him. The Bird of the Realm of Utterance voiceth continually this call: “All things have I willed for thee, and thee, too, for thine own sake.”

In His Tablets to the Kings, Baha’u’llah describes the importance of the people- who He describes as the “treasures of the earth”- and also the land and the earth through which they harvest their wealth. He warns the leaders not to neglect their true treasure-

If ye stay not the hand of the oppressor, if ye fail to safeguard the rights of the down-trodden, what right have ye then to vaunt yourselves among men? What is it of which ye can rightly boast? Is it on your food and your drink that ye pride yourselves, on the riches ye lay up in your treasuries, on the diversity and the cost of the ornaments with which ye deck yourselves? If true glory were to consist in the possession of such perishable things, then the earth on which ye walk must needs vaunt itself over you, because it supplieth you, and bestoweth upon you, these very things, by the decree of the Almighty. In its bowels are contained, according to what God hath ordained, all that ye possess. From it, as a sign of His mercy, ye derive your riches. Behold then your state, the thing in which ye glory! Would that ye could perceive it! Nay, By Him Who holdeth in His grasp the kingdom of the entire creation! Nowhere doth your true and abiding glory reside except in your firm adherence unto the precepts of God, your wholehearted observance of His laws, your resolution to see that they do not remain unenforced, and to pursue steadfastly the right course…

We now live in a world where people, not just the earth and the land, are considered “consumers”, “human capital”, and minds and hearts to be manipulated for their own ends. Even information is now “spun” to achieve the greatest effect, enriching someone’s “portfolio” or enhancing some selfish interest. Materialist scientists and other “public intellectuals” tell humans that they are nothing more than the result of mindless matter rearranging itself through chance and necessity to produce a biological machine without any soul, without any purpose. 

Baha’u’llah’s vision bring coherence back to the reality of our world. The religions of the world are not some gobbleygook of incoherent nonsense- as they sometimes appear- but steps in the evolution of humanity’s spiritual education. If they appear outworn, outmoded, or just plain old, it is partly because we have evolved beyond the messages and world view of those traditional religions. At the same time, all of them are true within their own station, and deserve our respect and honor. Nothing Baha’u’llah ever said even remotely suggested that we have to abandon the profound truth and beauty of the Revelations of the past. 

For many people, traditional religions have already been replaced by materialism. People are attracted to materialism as the intellectual theme of our time, but the nature of creation cannot simply be only matter. It simply can’t. You end up having to deny things we know exist- like human free will and even subjective consciousness itself.  Such a view is ultimately as incoherent as some of the teachings of traditional religion.  But we need a new framework through which to think about the world.

Baha’u’llah’s teachings are the way out of the trap, the gift we have been given to find our real humanity again.  In a remarkable and beautiful passage, He describes His commandments-

O ye peoples of the world! Know assuredly that My commandments are the lamps of My loving providence among My servants, and the keys of My mercy for My creatures. Thus hath it been sent down from the heaven of the Will of your Lord, the Lord of Revelation. Were any man to taste the sweetness of the words which the lips of the All-Merciful have willed to utter, he would, though the treasures of the earth be in his possession, renounce them one and all, that he might vindicate the truth of even one of His commandments, shining above the Dayspring of His bountiful care and loving-kindness…Think not that We have revealed unto you a mere code of laws. Nay, rather, We have unsealed the choice Wine with the fingers of might and power. To this beareth witness that which the Pen of Revelation hath revealed. Meditate upon this, O men of insight!

We have reviewed some of these “commandments” in this series of essays- teachings about the oneness of humanity, the education of women, the independent investigation of truth, avoidance of all forms of prejudice, and the need for religion to “make sense” and to be consistent with our findings in the scientific realm. There are many other critical ideas we could have discussed- and will highlight in future posts on Sifter of Dust- such as the importance of consultation in human decision making and the elimination of the extremes of wealth and poverty that exist in our world. All of these are ideals that Baha’is act with others to try and make into a reality world-wide.  We believe that a comprehensive approach is needed to tackle the range of challenges that afflict humanity world-wide. 

Beyond the social teachings however, there is a profound message in Baha’u’llah’s words to each one of us, to our innermost hearts.  The massive changes in our world in the last three centuries and the overturning of previous beliefs that rooted people in our own lives have left us vulnerable on the inside. We no longer trust ourselves.  We no longer trust our natural spiritual instincts that our lives have purpose and meaning and that we are built for something greater than ourselves. We are caught in a narrative about ourselves that we are material things built for material purposes only- and that is what we seek. Our inner spirituality has withered.

In one passage, Baha’u’llah states that “the beginning of religion is love for God…, and its end is to manifest that love to His servants”.  The core of the message Baha’u’llah brought into the world is spiritual transformation, to revive the love of God in our hearts.  He seeks to transform the world by transforming our inner reality.  But it’s not something we do alone. We do it in communities where we work with others to not only fuel the engine of our spirituality, but express that faith in lines of action that Baha’u’llah has outlined, the essence of which is “love to His servants”. 

In a beautiful passage, Baha’u’llah says that, in the past, humans would search their whole lives to find their inner beloved, but, in this Day, it is the Beloved Himself who is searching for his lovers-

For whereas in days past every lover besought and searched after his Beloved, it is the Beloved Himself Who now is calling His lovers and is inviting them to attain His presence. Take heed lest ye forfeit so precious a favor; beware lest ye belittle so remarkable a token of His grace. Abandon not the incorruptible benefits, and be not content with that which perisheth. Lift up the veil that obscureth your vision, and dispel the darkness with which it is enveloped, that ye may gaze on the naked beauty of the Beloved’s face, may behold that which no eye hath beheld, and hear that which no ear hath heard.

With that, we invite you to explore the beauty of Baha’u’llah’s Faith and the Revelation of God for our time in history.  There’s no rush, no pressure.  We all come to religion with all different perspectives and different histories that need to be worked through.  The kind of transformation we are engaged in is not one that can be rushed or forced.  We simply invite you to join us on the journey of exploration. 

Photo by Danka & Peter on Unsplash

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How to Save the World

How to Save the World

Published June 3, 2019 by admin

One of the primary themes in the Tablets and Writings of Baha’u’llah is the remarkable nature of the time in which we live, the significance of this “Day” in history.

This is the Day whereon the Ocean of God’s mercy hath been manifested unto men, the Day in which the Daystar of His loving-kindness hath shed its radiance upon them, the Day in which the clouds of His bountiful favor have overshadowed the whole of mankind. Now is the time to cheer and refresh the down-cast through the invigorating breeze of love and fellowship, and the living waters of friendliness and charity.

Baha’u’llah taught that the revelations of God come to humanity in line with humanity’s capacity to receive them, and that they are geared to humanity’s capacity at that time in history.  Our time in history is especially blessed because society had evolved to the point where it was ready for a great leap forward. Undoubtedly, from the late 1700s, humanity has been on quite a roller coaster ride of change, with a trajectory pointed straight up.  The growth of science, knowledge, technology, economic growth, energy production and use, population size, education and a host of other factors has expanded so dramatically that our world is almost unrecognizable to peoples who would have lived in the same places 300 years ago.  There is a graph of humanity’s technological development until the 1850’s- and then after.  It shows very slow growth with an almost completely horizontal line nearly paralleling the x-axis until 1850, then a dramatic upward turn in about 1850 such that the line now nearly parallels the y-axis- a full 90 degree turn straight up. 

This is the Day in which God’s most excellent favors have been poured out upon men, the Day in which His most mighty grace hath been infused into all created things. It is incumbent upon all the peoples of the world to reconcile their differences, and, with perfect unity and peace, abide beneath the shadow of the Tree of His care and loving-kindness. It behooveth them to cleave to whatsoever will, in this Day, be conducive to the exaltation of their stations, and to the promotion of their best interests. ..Beseech ye the one true God to grant that all men may be graciously assisted to fulfill that which is acceptable in Our sight. Soon will the present-day order be rolled up, and a new one spread out in its stead. Verily, thy Lord speaketh the truth, and is the Knower of things unseen.

Considering what we know about the world since the time of the revelation of these words, sometime in the mid to late 1800’s, we have to admit that they are astonishing.  Looking at recent history, it truly seems that a “most might grace hath been infused into all created things”.  The “order’ at the time of Baha’u’llah- imperialist kings with religious systems that had a firm grip on the conceptions of the people- are all gone and a new “order” is being rolled out as we speak. 

What are the features of that new “order”?  As our world hurdles into the future, what are the principles we can cling to so that we ensure our peace and security? Baha’u’llah not only knew our place in history but he also revealed the principles we needed to cling to in order that our roller coaster ride turns out ok.  The term “salvation” has had many meanings, and can be sort of a controversial word, but the image that always comes to mind is a life raft in the middle of a swirling sea, and we cling to that life raft to stay afloat and move forward in our journey.  The principles of Baha’u’llah are humanity’s salvation. 

Baha’u’llah taught that the fundamental principle to recognize and implement in our societies is the oneness of humanity.  As He says above, It is incumbent upon all the peoples of the world to reconcile their differences, and, with perfect unity and peace, abide beneath the shadow of the Tree of His care and loving-kindness. It behooveth them to cleave to whatsoever will, in this Day, be conducive to the exaltation of their stations, and to the promotion of their best interests”. The oneness of humanity has always been a spiritual truth, but now it needs to be a social truth as well.  As ‘Abdu’l-Baha’ further explained-

In cycles gone by, though harmony was established, yet, owing to the absence of means, the unity of all mankind could not have been achieved. Continents remained widely divided, nay even among the peoples of one and the same continent association and interchange of thought were well nigh impossible. Consequently intercourse, understanding and unity amongst all the peoples and kindreds of the earth were unattainable. In this day, however, means of communication have multiplied, and the five continents of the earth have virtually merged into one. And for everyone it is now easy to travel to any land, to associate and exchange views with its peoples, and to become familiar, through publications, with the conditions, the religious beliefs and the thoughts of all men. In like manner all the members of the human family, whether  peoples or governments, cities or villages, have become increasingly interdependent. For none is self-sufficiency any longer possible, inasmuch as political ties unite all peoples and nations, and the bonds of trade and industry, of agriculture and education, are being strengthened every day. Hence the unity of all mankind can in this day be achieved. Verily this is none other but one of the wonders of this wondrous age, this glorious century. Of this past ages have been deprived, for this century—the century of light—hath been endowed with unique and unprecedented glory, power and illumination. Hence the miraculous unfolding of a fresh marvel every day. Eventually it will be seen how bright its candles will burn in the assemblage of man.

Baha’u’llah outlined these realities in His Tablets to the Kings-

Be reconciled among yourselves, that ye may need armaments no more save in a measure to safeguard your territories and dominions. Be united, O concourse of the sovereigns of the world, for thereby will the tempest of discord be stilled amongst you and your peoples find rest. Should any one among you take up arms against another, rise ye all against him, for this is naught but manifest justice.”

Baha’u’llah praised the formation of representative democracies, stating that it “benefitted all the peoples of the earth” but gave guidance as to how the representatives should conduct themselves-  “It behoveth them, however, to be trustworthy among His servants, and to regard themselves as the representatives of all that dwell on earth. This is what counselleth them, in this Tablet, He Who is the Ruler, the All-Wise.”

As the world was increasing becoming interdependent, it was critical that the representatives see themselves as representing “all that dwell on earth”. He further stated that we needed to develop a “world-embracing vision”.   Like it or not, the world that was emerging in Baha’u’llah’s time and that has now arrived is one in which we- all over the world- are dependent on each other.  Baha’u’llah compared humanity to the human body, which required that all its various parts work in harmony for the system to work effectively.

Unfortunately, the kings and leaders of the world in the 19th century did not follow Baha’u’llah’s counsels. They continued to compete for world resources and engaged in petty skirmishes over issues that have been long since forgotten. One by one, their empires fell, some due to war, other due to the revolution from the people they had ignored and oppressed.  But no matter who was in charge, they continued to plot against each other, angling for wealth and influence. When ‘Abdu’l-Baha’ came to the United States and Europe in 1912, the world was already a tinderbox ready to explode.

‘Abdu’l-Baha’s presentations in America have been captured in a compilation known as the “Promulgation of Universal Peace”, and it is well-worth everyone’s time to read them.   He spoke with such clarity, focused on universal values, and exhibited such extraordinary kindness and wisdom that he quickly became a personality that newspapers would follow daily. Even government leaders- such as Supreme Court Justices, Presidential Cabinet Members- sought out his advice, and he was invited, though declined due to a scheduling conflict, to speak to Congress.

In ‘Abdu’l-Baha’s presentations, he laid out the principles of his Father’s Revelation, the principles of universal peace among nations. He taught that they should apply the principle of federalism that welded together the states in America- to world governance structure.  Such a system was the natural outcome of the nations increasing interdependence on each other and would provide an administrative structure for peace and coordination, while preserving national sovereignty and diversity.  ‘Abdu’l-Baha’ stated again and again that all prejudices- national, racial, religious, and political- were all unreal and the destroyer of the foundation of human solidarity.  He challenged even the most enlightened thinkers of the time.  For instance,  W.E.B Dubois, an influential intellectual, founder of the NAACP, and civil rights activist- and also a great admirer of ‘Abdu’l-Baha’- wouldn’t even touch the idea of inter-racial marriage.  ‘Abdu’l-Baha’ fearlessly addressed it in inter-racial gatherings that he himself sponsored in Washington, D.C.- actively encouraging people of different races to marry- for thereby the foundations of the oneness of humanity would be promoted. 

‘Abdu’l-Baha’ not only promoted women’s education and full engagement with the political and work world, but stated that the promotion of women’s rights would be a foundation of the world’s peace.  Indeed, we have seen since that time that the education of women is a key element- if not the most important element- in the social and economic development of a nation. 

But the most prominent theme in his talks was the value and truth of religion, and its fundamental oneness.  ‘Abdu’l-Baha’ stood for everything that was good about religion- promotion of virtue, high-mindedness, inspiration for social change- and he met with scores of religious leaders in his travels.  He promoted the progressive revelation of religious truth and stated that we all must look at the fundamentals of our own religion and see how they have been also part of other faiths.  He decried the increasingly materialistic turn of human thinking- both in economics and science- describing it as a profound limitation to the nature of reality and of human beings themselves. 

As we now sit 100 years after Baha’u’llah and ‘Abdu’l-Baha presented these ideas to the world, we now see how profound and important they are.  We have 100 years of history to reflect on since that time.  Two world wars ravaged the planet, after which a broken humanity founded the United Nations organization and it’s surrounding bodies like the WHO, UNICEF and others.  NATO was founded in Europe and promoted the principle of collective security- a principle Baha’u’llah had taught 100 years before to ensure peace among nations- and Europe has enjoyed over 60 years of peace and prosperity- the longest period of peace in it’s history.  Indeed, it is the degree to which we have implemented the principles revealed by Baha’u’llah and further explained by ‘Abdu’l-Baha’ that we have seen peace and success. But there is still much more work to do. 

Shoghi Effendi led the Baha’i community for 36 years and guided the development and growth of Baha’i institutions throughout the world. In his letters to those communities, he continued to expand on the ideas and principles of Baha’u’llah, and how they applied to the modern day.  We will conclude this essay with one of his most famous passages on the implications for the principle of the oneness of humankind.  As described, the oneness of humanity is not simply an ideal, but is a reality that implies an “organic change” in the way we have always done business, a transformation in our collective identity of who we are and how we structure our societies.

“The principle of the Oneness of Mankind—the pivot round which all the teachings of Bahá’u’lláh revolve—is no mere outburst of ignorant emotionalism or an expression of vague and pious hope. Its appeal is not to be merely identified with a reawakening of the spirit of brotherhood and good-will among men, nor does it aim solely at the fostering of harmonious coöperation among individual peoples and nations. Its implications are deeper, its claims greater than any which the Prophets of old were allowed to advance. Its message is applicable not only to the individual, but concerns itself primarily with the nature of those essential relationships that must bind all the states and nations as members of one human family. It does not constitute merely the enunciation of an ideal, but stands inseparably associated with an institution adequate to embody its truth, demonstrate its validity, and perpetuate its influence. It implies an organic change in the structure of present-day society, a change such as the world has not yet experienced. It constitutes a challenge, at once bold and universal, to outworn shibboleths of national creeds—creeds that have had their day and which must, in the ordinary course of events as shaped and controlled by Providence, give way to a new gospel, fundamentally different from, and infinitely superior to, what the world has already conceived. It calls for no less than the reconstruction and the demilitarization of the whole civilized world—a world organically unified in all the essential aspects of its life, its political machinery, its spiritual aspiration, its trade and finance, its script and language, and yet infinite in the diversity of the national characteristics of its federated units.

Photo by Tom Ezzatkhah on Unsplash

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The Reality of All Things

The Reality of All Things

Published May 31, 2019 by admin

In the early period of Baha’u’llah’s revelation, as He was educating the community the Bab had left him to mold, Baha’u’llah began the process of unfolding the spiritual and social teachings of His message with the revelation of a small book of short aphorisms known as the “Hidden Words”.  Hailed by Baha’u’llah as the “inner essence” of the revelations of God from the past, the work can be thought of as Baha’u’llah’s Revelation in the form of a seed that would then unfold over the next few decades as a full tree.  The Voice of God is the author, who speaks directly to the human heart, in a sublime and intimate manner. Though initially the language and form may seem different, when you ponder upon its meanings, spiritual insights unfold before you. At no time in the history of religion has God spoken to humanity with more intimacy, as a lover speaking to his beloved.

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.

‘Abdu’l-Baha’, Baha’u’llah’s son, described divine revelation as the “essential connection  that proceeds from the reality of all things”.  Within the Hidden Words, Baha’u’llah is revealing to us our true natures, as well as the nature of the world, and the truths that we need to appreciate in order to fully thrive as human beings.  As the passages above suggest, humans are not only fundamentally spiritual but have been brought into being to fulfill a fundamentally exalted purpose.

O SON OF SPIRIT! Noble have I created thee, yet thou hast abased thyself. Rise then unto that for which thou wast created.

Again and again, the Voice of God urges us to pull ourselves up out of our limited conceptions- filled with existential doubt about the true purpose of our lives-  to see ourselves and the world in its true and glorious dimension.

O FLEETING SHADOW! Pass beyond the baser stages of doubt and rise to the exalted heights of certainty. Open the eye of truth, that thou mayest behold the veilless Beauty and exclaim: Hallowed be the Lord, the most excellent of all creators!

O MOVING FORM OF DUST! I desire communion with thee, but thou wouldst put no trust in Me. The sword of thy rebellion hath felled the tree of thy hope. At all times I am near unto thee, but thou art ever far from Me. Imperishable glory I have chosen for thee, yet boundless shame thou hast chosen for thyself. While there is yet time, return, and lose not thy chance.

The Voice of God even pines away for us, sad that we have not risen to our true destiny, that of being an intimate lover of God.

O SON OF DUST! All that is in heaven and earth I have ordained for thee, except the human heart, which I have made the habitation of My beauty and glory; yet thou didst give My home and dwelling to another than Me; and whenever the manifestation of My holiness sought His own abode, a stranger found He there, and, homeless, hastened unto the sanctuary of the Beloved. Notwithstanding I have concealed thy secret and desired not thy shame.

This idea that we have given our heart to another, when our inmost hearts true desire is to be united with its spiritual Beloved is extraordinarily powerful and beautiful.  But who or what have we given our heart to, instead of to God?  Baha’u’llah teaches us that it is our “worldly affections”, our attachments to money, wealth, power, and ego, that keep us from finding our true selves and the Beloved within us.

O BEFRIENDED STRANGER! The candle of thine heart is lighted by the hand of My power, quench it not with the contrary winds of self and passion. The healer of all thine ills is remembrance of Me, forget it not. Make My love thy treasure and cherish it even as thy very sight and life.

ALAS! ALAS! O LOVERS OF WORLDLY DESIRE! Even as the swiftness of lightning ye have passed by the Beloved One, and have set your hearts on satanic fancies. Ye bow the knee before your vain imagining, and call it truth. Ye turn your eyes towards the thorn, and name it a flower. Not a pure breath have ye breathed, nor hath the breeze of detachment been wafted from the meadows of your hearts. Ye have cast to the winds the loving counsels of the Beloved and have effaced them utterly from the tablet of your hearts, and even as the beasts of the field, ye move and have your being within the pastures of desire and passion.

There is an extraordinarily profound reality at the root of all this.  Baha’u’llah is telling us that this journey we are all on called “life” is really fundamentally a moral and spiritual journey in which the destination is to ultimately find our true Beloved within us.  The ramifications of this perspective are so far reaching that it’s impossible to go into all its aspects.  Suffice it to say that every difficulty we face in life, and every bounty, is actually truly valuable to the degree that it moves us forward or backward along this spiritual journey. 

Take, for instance, the idea of wealth.  People go through great efforts to acquire wealth, often making it the object and purpose of nearly every waking moment.  But what value does wealth really have, when framed within the reality of the spiritual journey we are all on? 

O SON OF MAN! Thou dost wish for gold and I desire thy freedom from it. Thou thinkest thyself rich in its possession, and I recognize thy wealth in thy sanctity therefrom. By My life! This is My knowledge, and that is thy fancy; how can My way accord with thine?

In a later passage, Baha’u’llah will tell us that wealth is only truly valuable to people who have reached spiritual maturity, who see wealth as a means to an end, rather than an end in itself.  When complexed with the love of God, wealth can be a wonderful thing as people with spiritual maturity use it to benefit of others.

O MY SERVANT! The best of men are they that earn a livelihood by their calling and spend upon themselves and upon their kindred for the love of God, the Lord of all worlds.

Well is it then with him, who, being rich, is not hindered by his riches from the eternal kingdom, nor deprived by them of imperishable dominion. By the Most Great Name! The splendor of such a wealthy man shall illuminate the dwellers of heaven even as the sun enlightens the people of the earth!

The extremes of wealth and poverty we see in our world are really the expression of a fundamental ignorance about the true value of wealth.  Those who hoard it to a degree far beyond their means are really expressing a form of ignorance, as the wealth will ultimately become a major barrier in their own spiritual progress.

O CHILDREN OF DUST! Tell the rich of the midnight sighing of the poor, lest heedlessness lead them into the path of destruction, and deprive them of the Tree of Wealth. To give and to be generous are attributes of Mine; well is it with him that adorneth himself with My virtues.

Note in this passage it’s not that we should “tell the rich of the midnight sighing of the poor” to relieve the plight of the poor, but the wealthy!  They are the ones on the “path of destruction” because they are at risk for over-valuing their wealth and not developing their inner resources.

O SON OF MAN! Bestow My wealth upon My poor, that in heaven thou mayest draw from stores of unfading splendor and treasures of imperishable glory. But by My life! To offer up thy soul is a more glorious thing couldst thou but see with Mine eye.

The theme of the reality of our spiritual journey as human beings will course throughout Baha’u’llah’s revelation.  People who thirst for power, wealth, and influence will be portrayed as “ignorant”, victims of their own “idle fancies” and “vain imaginings”- ideas that only serve to feed our egos but are out of step with the underlying spiritual truths at the root of all reality.  These “veils” have imprisoned them within their own conceptions.  Baha’u’llah consistently, throughout the Hidden Words, implores us to listen to His Voice, and put aside those shadowy voices within us that are expressions of ignorance. 

O SON OF DUST! Blind thine eyes, that thou mayest behold My beauty; stop thine ears, that thou mayest hearken unto the sweet melody of My voice; empty thyself of all learning, that thou mayest partake of My knowledge; and sanctify thyself from riches, that thou mayest obtain a lasting share from the ocean of My eternal wealth. Blind thine eyes, that is, to all save My beauty; stop thine ears to all save My word; empty thyself of all learning save the knowledge of Me; that with a clear vision, a pure heart and an attentive ear thou mayest enter the court of My holiness.

The Hidden Words also lays the spiritual foundations of many of the social concepts that Baha’u’llah would later reveal in more detail, and ‘Abdu’l-Baha’ would further explain in his writings and talks in the West. 

For instance, the second Hidden Word counsels us about justice.

O SON OF SPIRIT! The best beloved of all things in My sight is Justice; turn not away therefrom if thou desirest Me, and neglect it not that I may confide in thee. By its aid thou shalt see with thine own eyes and not through the eyes of others, and shalt know of thine own knowledge and not through the knowledge of thy neighbor. Ponder this in thy heart; how it behooveth thee to be. Verily justice is My gift to thee and the sign of My loving-kindness. Set it then before thine eyes.

Note that Baha’u’llah is not only describing our typical sense of justice, as reflected in our legal system or the “rule of law’, although that sense of justice is undoubtedly part of it, but also about independence of mind and spirit- that we should look at things with our own eyes, know of our own knowledge and not be blind followers of others.  That sense of justice, of fair-mindedness, of independent truth seeking, is God’s “best beloved”.  ‘Abdu’l-Baha’ would later describe this as the principle of “independent investigation of truth” and he would say that blindly following tradition or one’s impressions without investigation it is at the root of all prejudice, and thus the cause of great and needless division in the world. 

The distinctive teaching of Baha’u’llah’s revelation is the oneness of humanity. This will later be described as “the pivot around which all the teachings of Baha’u’llah revolve”.  It’s far reaching implications, in our social and political systems, as well as in our daily lives and efforts will be developed more fully in both Baha’u’llah and ‘Abdu’l-Baha’s Writings, as well as later those of Shoghi Effendi, who led the Faith until the Universal House of Justice was elected in 1963. 

But even that concept follows from a fundamental spiritual reality expressed in the Hidden Words- that human beings are fundamentally all one. 

O CHILDREN OF MEN! Know ye not why We created you all from the same dust? That no one should exalt himself over the other. Ponder at all times in your hearts how ye were created. Since We have created you all from one same substance it is incumbent on you to be even as one soul, to walk with the same feet, eat with the same mouth and dwell in the same land, that from your inmost being, by your deeds and actions, the signs of oneness and the essence of detachment may be made manifest. Such is My counsel to you, O concourse of light! Heed ye this counsel that ye may obtain the fruit of holiness from the tree of wondrous glory.

The concept of the oneness of humanity also flows from the fact that all human beings were created out of love- “I loved thy creation, hence I created thee”.  All human beings are therefore loved, intimately and personally loved, by their Creator.  Moreover, we have been created for a noble purpose- “Noble have I created thee”.  These are foundational ideas about human nature with extended social implications.  Because love is a universal reality that extends to all humanity, no limits should be placed on its application- “It is not for him to pride himself who loveth his own country, but rather for him who loveth the whole world. The earth is but one country, and mankind its citizens.” God’s love is the basis of the concept of the oneness of humanity, and our love for God is the energy we can draw upon to actualize a love of all humanity, irrespective of their differences from us in terms of culture and habit. 

O SON OF MAN! Deny not My servant should he ask anything from thee, for his face is My face; be then abashed before Me.

Baha’u’llah would found all his social teachings on spiritual roots.  In another instance,  Baha’u’llah prohibits slavery as being against the law of God and expressed that “It is not for him who is himself a servant to buy another of God’s servants, and this hath been prohibited in His Holy Tablet. Thus, by His mercy, hath the commandment been recorded by the Pen of justice. Let no man exalt himself above another; all are but bondslaves before the Lord, and all exemplify the truth that there is none other God but Him. He, verily, is the All-Wise, Whose wisdom encompasseth all things.”.  The prohibition of slavery extended from a spiritual truth at the root of our reality- that we are created from love in a state of servitude to God- to a social and political teaching- that slavery must be abolished.

Unlike the various social thinkers of the 19th century or since, the principles of Baha’u’llah’s revelation all spring from spiritual roots, truths that well-up from the underlying reality of the world.  Baha’u’llah taught that that reality, and the reality of our consciousness, is ultimately and fundamentally spiritual, where the greatest commodity to own is virtue and authentic character.  Therefore, as much as civil liberties and secular equalities are valuable in their own right, the true and lasting basis of human civilization is the upliftment of human beings to their natural state of nobility and goodness, which will then flow out in many directions in the improvement of our world materially and socially.

As noted above, Baha’u’llah described the Hidden Words as the “inner essence” of the Revelations of the past.  It’s worth citing the entire preamble-

This is that which hath descended from the realm of glory, uttered by the tongue of power and might, and revealed unto the Prophets of old. We have taken the inner essence thereof and clothed it in the garment of brevity, as a token of grace unto the righteous, that they may stand faithful unto the Covenant of God, may fulfill in their lives His trust, and in the realm of spirit obtain the gem of divine virtue.

Baha’u’llah’s teaching about religion is that each revelation of God has two aspects- an inner changeless aspect, and an outer form that varies from age to age depending on humanity’s circumstances and maturity. The inner aspect is expressed in the Hidden Words and everyone- of whatever faith- will hear echoes of their own religion within them. These are the changeless principles of God- the foundation of true civilization.

Baha’u’llah will later encourage people of all faiths to look at the inner essence of their religion, abandon the traditions, forms, and structures that have build up over the centuries, and see the law and teachings of God as one Reality.

O contending peoples and kindreds of the earth! Set your faces towards unity, and let the radiance of its light shine upon you. Gather ye together, and for the sake of God resolve to root out whatever is the source of contention amongst you. ..There can be no doubt whatever that the peoples of the world, of whatever race or religion, derive their inspiration from one heavenly Source, and are the subjects of one God. The difference between the ordinances under which they abide should be attributed to the varying requirements and exigencies of the age in which they were revealed. All of them, except a few which are the outcome of human perversity, were ordained of God, and are a reflection of His Will and Purpose. Arise and, armed with the power of faith, shatter to pieces the gods of your vain imaginings, the sowers of dissension amongst you. Cleave unto that which draweth you together and uniteth you. This, verily, is the most exalted Word which the Mother Book hath sent down and revealed unto you. To this beareth witness the Tongue of Grandeur from His habitation of glory.

Religion itself, at its root, is the “essential connection that proceeds from the reality of all things”.  Humanity has covered up that reality in ceremonies, traditions, and dogmas that make religion- the expression of the fundamental reality at the root of all things- seem even irrational.  The solution is to turn to the root of faith, those truths that are at the heart of every religion, and see them as the expression of one Reality, and use that as a further basis to establish the oneness of humanity on a sure foundation. 

The social teachings that Baha’u’llah will subsequently reveal build on this foundation.  As humanity has evolved socially and politically, it has greater capacity to express spiritual truths in social structures.  For instance, it has always been true that all humanity are servants of one God, but we have now evolved where we can recognize that and eliminate slavery as a fundamental contradiction to that reality.  The same is true for the social equality of women. As humanity now has greater socio-economic capacity, the possibilities for women greatly expand.  Baha’u’llah says that “women and men have always been equal in the sight of God” but now that our social and economic structures have evolved, we can now see that expressed fully in society. 

In summary, the Hidden Words and Baha’u’llah’s revelation teaches us that the spiritual truths at the heart of all religion and all civilization are fundamentally one, but that it is us that changes.  As we change and evolve, we have greater capacity to manifest those truths in our social structures.  Baha’u’llah’s social teaching can thereby be seen as simply a further manifestation of the spiritual and moral truths at the heart of every religion.

With those introductory thoughts, we will turn in the next installment to some of more specific social teachings that are part of God’s “divine prescription” for our time in history.

Photo is of the Chilean Baha’i House of Worship and is courtesy of Baha’i Blog. 

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Introducing the Speaker

Introducing the Speaker

Published May 28, 2019 by admin

We are going to conclude the short series of introductory essays on the Baha’i Faith and the Revelation of Baha’u’llah with several installments that outline the basic social and spiritual teachings Baha’u’llah proclaimed to “save the world”.  These ideas are as relevant and compelling now as they were when they were first enunciated. Baha’u’llah came in the 19th century, a century rife with paralyzing divisions, but also a time of immense potential and transformation.  Most of the basis of our modern civilization was laid or solidified in that century.  It was also the century in which a rich and beautiful new revelation of God unfolded itself before humanity. 

Whenever someone gives a talk, at an academic conference or other settings, there is invariably a host who first welcomes everyone and then introduces the speaker. Oftentimes, these introductions take the form of reciting the speaker’s accomplishments, titles, and so forth- reasons that they are particularly worthy to give such a presentation.  Ultimately, the introduction is intended to convince you that you should pay attention to the speaker and the content they will deliver. 

When a new Manifestation of God comes into the world, they are often devoid of any of the “worldly titles” that tend to draw peoples attention.  Imagine if we were to introduce Christ to an audience of his contemporaries.  We would have nothing to say of His worldly titles.  He was not rich or known to have scholastic accomplishments. He didn’t write a book or lead an army.  There was nothing to acclaim His message except the power and truth of His own words.  This was true of every Manifestation of God we know of.  ‘Abdu’l-Baha’, Baha’u’llah’s son, once wrote that the Manifestations of God come into the world “dressed in nothing but their own poverty”. 

The host who introduced Baha’u’llah to the world was the herald-prophet known as the “The Báb”- a 26 yo merchant from Shiraz Iran, who, without any theological training or accomplishment, turned his country on end with His claim to be a Prophet of God.  The Báb’s story is absolutely fascinating.  In His early teachings, He presented his religion within the context of the theological world view of the time. Once he had gained an audience, numbering thousands of people, many of whom were so attracted to him that they would willingly give their lives, He pivoted all his teachings to the One who would come after Him.  His later writings are a single song of praise for the Manifestation of God who would soon come into the world and transform our conceptions radically.  Once He had the attention of an entire country, he funneled it all to the transformative figure he was sent to herald- Baha’u’llah. 

The Báb was introducing the speaker. He was telling us why we should pay attention- who the Speaker was in relation to us and to Him.  He did that through theological and philosophical explanation, but also through some truly remarkable passages, like this one- 

When the Day-Star of Bahá will shine resplendent above the horizon of eternity it is incumbent upon you to present yourselves before His Throne. Beware lest ye be seated in His presence or ask questions without His leave….Ye have, one and all, been called into being to seek His presence and to attain that exalted and glorious station. Indeed, He will send down from the heaven of His mercy that which will benefit you, and whatever is graciously vouchsafed by Him shall enable you to dispense with all mankind. Verily on that Day the learning of the learned shall prove of no avail, neither the accomplishments of the exponents of knowledge, nor the pomp of the highly honoured, nor the power of the mighty, nor the remembrance of the devout, nor the deeds of the righteous, nor the genuflexion of the kneeling worshipper, nor his prostration or turning towards the Qiblih, nor the honour of the honoured, nor the kinship of the highly born, nor the nobility of those of noble descent, nor the discourse of the eloquent, nor the titles of the prominent—none of these shall be of any avail unto them—inasmuch as all these and whatever else ye have known or comprehended were created by His word of command ‘Be’ and it is.

The Báb was executed by the Persian authorities, at the behest of the clergy, because his movement was thought to be a threat to the government, despite the fact that the Báb had written Tablets to the King emphasizing that He had no desire for worldly leadership. His mission was only to prepare the way for the One who would come after.  On the eve of His death, He revealed passages such as this one-

I, verily, have not fallen short of My duty to admonish that people, and to devise means whereby they may turn towards God, their Lord, and believe in God, their Creator. If, on the day of His Revelation, all that are on earth bear Him allegiance, Mine inmost being will rejoice, inasmuch as all will have attained the summit of their existence, and will have been brought face to face with their Beloved, and will have recognized, to the fullest extent attainable in the world of being, the splendour of Him Who is the Desire of their hearts. If not, My soul will indeed be saddened. I truly have nurtured all things for this purpose. How, then, can anyone be veiled from Him? For this have I called upon God, and will continue to call upon Him. He, verily, is nigh, ready to answer.

Nineteen years after the Báb had initiated His movement, Baha’u’llah formally declared Himself to be the Promise the Báb had foretold.  As a result of the Báb’s teaching, most of His followers almost immediately accepted Baha’u’llah and He molded that community into a new creation over the ensuing decades of His Revelation.  In place of division and discord, he taught them to be united.  Whole communities of Jews and Zoroastrians became Baha’is, and together with former Muslims, they would meet in secret to study the new Word of God and implement it in their families and communities. People who would normally not even associate in public life were now meeting together in secret, offering their possessions and even their lives for each other. 

While Baha’u’llah was molding the new community internally, He simultaneously announced His mission and teachings to the rest of humanity with Tablets and Letters to every significant government and religious authority on the planet.  These “Tablets to the Kings” form the proclamation of Baha’u’llah, both announcing the new Revelation, but also providing an overview of the social teachings that would underly His Revelation and unfold in more detail in the ensuing decades.  Like the passages from the Báb, the Tablets to the Kings contain equally compelling statements of divine authority-

Ye are but vassals, O Kings of the earth! He Who is the King of kings hath appeared, arrayed in His most wondrous glory, and is summoning you unto Himself, the Help in Peril, the Self-Subsisting. Take heed lest pride deter you from recognizing the Source of Revelation; lest the things of this world shut you out as by a veil from Him Who is the Creator of heaven. Arise, and serve Him Who is the Desire of all nations, Who hath created you through a word from Him, and ordained you to be, for all time, the emblems of His sovereignty.

For many who have come from Christian backgrounds, reading the passages addressed to Christians is eye-opening, as they clearly demonstrate the remarkable and compelling nature of His claim.

O people of the Gospel! They who were not in the Kingdom have now entered it, whilst We behold you, in this day, tarrying at the gate. Rend the veils asunder by the power of your Lord, the Almighty, the All-Bounteous, and enter, then, in My name My Kingdom. Thus biddeth you He Who desireth for you everlasting life… We behold you, O children of the Kingdom, in darkness. This, verily, beseemeth you not. Verily, He (Jesus) said: ‘Come ye after Me, and I will make you to become fishers of men.’ In this day, however, We say: ‘Come ye after Me, that We may make you to become quickeners of mankind.’

In this next passage, Baha’u’llah abolishes monasticism and priesthood! He then states that confessions of sins before human beings is no longer permitted. 

The pious deeds of the monks and priests among the followers of the Spirit (Christ)…are remembered in His presence. In this Day, however, let them give up the life of seclusion and direct their steps towards the open world and busy themselves with that which will profit themselves and others. We have granted them leave to enter into wedlock that they may bring forth one who will make mention of God, the Lord of the seen and the unseen, the Lord of the Exalted Throne.

When the sinner findeth himself wholly detached and freed from all save God, he should beg forgiveness and pardon from Him. Confession of sins and transgressions before human beings is not permissible, as it hath never been nor will ever be conducive to divine forgiveness. Moreover such confession before people results in one’s humiliation and abasement, and God—exalted be His glory—wisheth not the humiliation of His servants. Verily He is the Compassionate, the Merciful.

We don’t cite these passages to be controversial, but to truthfully state the extraordinary claims of Baha’u’llah as He Himself enunciated them.  He spoke with the Voice of God throughout His Revelation, with a compelling and powerful tone.  It is the combination of those extraordinary claims with the simultaneous reasonability, coherence, and uplifting nature of his teachings that makes Baha’u’llah so intriguing to any reflective reader.

After Baha’u’llah, his son ‘Abdu’l-Baha’ would then come to North America and Europe, where he would further expand on Baha’u’llah’s teachings to a Western audience.  In churches and synagogues, philosophical societies and social organizations, ‘Abdu’l-Baha’ proclaimed the oneness of humanity, encouraged the investigation of truth so that humanity would no longer be fettered by the prejudices of the past, and outlined with more specifics Baha’u’llah’s teachings. Taken all together, these represent God’s “divine prescription” for how we can save our world. Baha’u’llah described himself as a “physician” prescribing a remedy. 

The All-Knowing Physician hath His finger on the pulse of mankind. He perceiveth the disease, and prescribeth, in His unerring wisdom, the remedy. Every age hath its own problem, and every soul its particular aspiration. The remedy the world needeth in its present-day afflictions can never be the same as that which a subsequent age may require. Be anxiously concerned with the needs of the age ye live in, and center your deliberations on its exigencies and requirements…We can well perceive how the whole human race is encompassed with great, with incalculable afflictions. We see it languishing on its bed of sickness, sore-tried and disillusioned. They that are intoxicated by self-conceit have interposed themselves between it and the Divine and infallible Physician…Incline your ears to the sweet melody of this Prisoner. Arise, and lift up your voices, that haply they that are fast asleep may be awakened. Say: O ye who are as dead! The Hand of Divine bounty proffereth unto you the Water of Life. Hasten and drink your fill. Whoso hath been re-born in this Day, shall never die; whoso remaineth dead, shall never live.

This “divine prescription” contained remarkable elements, elements that were not traditionally  associated with religion but Baha’u’llah proclaimed were essential to the peace of the world.  Among them were universal education, reduction of the extremes of wealth and poverty, the education of women and full participation in the functions of society, the investigation of truth with an open and unbiased mind- a mind not limited by tradition or traditional assumptions.  He called upon world leaders to “reconcile their differences” and initiate a plan for collective security that would ensure the peace of the planet. 

Baha’u’llah urged us to “be anxiously concerned with the age in which ye live”. When we look around our world, we see it continues to be beset with many of the same problems that were present in the 19th century- marked disparities between the rich and poor, both on the levels of individuals and countries, the hoarding of wealth, rising nationalism, lack of a vision of world solidarity, and the continued oppression of women and minorities.  We have made great progress on many issues, and we will see that much of this progress is because humanity, even without specific knowledge of Baha’u’llah’s teachings, applied His principles to humanity’s problems- often after suffering the devastation of neglecting them first. 

 In the following installments of this essay entitled “How to Save the World”, we will outline these principles and how they unfolded within the Revelation of Baha’u’llah and also how they continue to apply to our modern world. 

Photo by Nikola Knezevic on Unsplash

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Do you believe in evolution?

Do you believe in evolution?

Published May 25, 2019 by admin

“Do you believe in evolution?’ Is a question Baha’is sometimes get when introducing their faith to others.  Evolution can mean several things so its helpful to parse out those meanings.  In the broadest sense, evolution means the change and development of things over time.  For that definition, Baha’is are most certainly evolutionists. Indeed, it can be said that one of the fundamental concepts of Baha’u’llah’s revelation is the evolution of all things. The central theological concept-progressive revelation- is that there is evolution in religion and revelation to meet humanity’s evolving needs.  The Baha’i writings frequently make reference to the dynamic and evolving nature of all reality- not just material- but also social and spiritual.  That aspect is therefore one of the unique and distinguishing elements of Baha’u’llah’s revelation.

On the biological level, evolution means the change and development of biological organisms over time, and that also the Baha’i writings explicitly accept.  Baha’u’llah taught that the universe and our earth are “ancient” and that our current reality evolved to be what it is after long stretches of time.  So none of these aspects of evolution are problematic for Baha’is. 

The part of Darwin’s theory of evolution which is potentially problematic for Baha’is is the same part that is problematic for all people who believe their lives have some higher purpose- that the process of biological evolution is completely random.  Darwin’s theory remains controversial because it presupposes that the entire process of biological evolution is mindless. Before Darwin, it was a basic belief of philosophers, scientists, and theologians, that the world was “designed”- that it was simply too marvelous to have come into being on its own.  Darwin’s theory challenged that because it proposed a mechanism- random mutation and natural selection with survival of the fittest- that could create the appearance of the world being designed without their being an intelligent force behind it.  The so-called “modern synthesis” is that random mutations of DNA  create new biological features that then confer upon an organism a selective advantage. The organism with the new feature then comes to dominate other organisms without that feature, leading to the evolution of that family of organisms over time.

Within that modern idea of Darwin’s theory, natural selection and survival of the fittest is not all that problematic for the question of ultimate purpose in life. It is now recognized to be part of the evolution of everything. Cars evolve because a feature that is initiated by one company is eventually adopted by all others because people choose to select and buy a car with only that feature.  NFL teams evolve their styles because a feature of their play style- West Coast offense, for instance- provides a competitive advantage leading one team to dominate until all teams begin to adopt that advantage. Of course, in those examples, the generation of the new feature is not random. Some creative intelligence- an automotive engineer or a football coach- creatively develops a new idea and begins to implement it. The source behind the evolution is thus intelligence, not randomness. 

Its really the idea that new features come into being randomly that is most controversial for the Darwinian mechanism, both theologically and scientifically. On the theological front- completely random processes would make biological evolution truly mindless, and therefore Darwin’s theory would be a challenge to any belief system that supported the idea of human purpose- including all religion.   If it were true, all the features of humanity- including our rationality- would be the outcome of a blind process and our entire lives would be ultimately meaningless. There are some people who believe that biological evolution was completely random but still hold to the idea of human purpose, but it’s clearly a challenging philosophical hurdle to maintain both ideas simultaneously. 

Occasionally, you will hear a scientist declare in the public space that Darwin’s theory is “settled science”, or that it is not at all controversial within the scientific community. That is largely true, certainly when it comes to whether biological organisms evolve over time or that natural selection is part of that process.  Those aspects are not controversial and were settled in the 20th century, if not the 19th. The part that remains problematic is that the generation of new features of organisms- that then come to dominate other organisms without that feature- is completely random or mindless.  It is not a question of why new features create a selective advantage, but how new organisms evolve those new features in the first place.  Darwin’s modern synthesis assumes its random, but there are serious questions about how that could be possible. Since that is also the crux of the matter theologically, it can truly be said that Darwin’s theory remains controversial for good and rational reasons. 

So is the generation of new biological forms random?  That is the tough nut to crack. Certainly some mutations would seem to be  random, but is that the underlying process that leads biological forms to have a new feature? The more we have learned about molecular biology, the more evident it is that organisms- even really simple ones- contain extraordinarily complex and integrated systems with all parts depending on each other for proper functioning.  How dose one random mutation lead to improvement in an organism if all parts depend on each other?  Wouldn’t a random event in an integrated system be almost certainly detrimental to the organism?  And how did these integrated systems evolve in the first place, when it seems that one part doesn’t have any value without the other part to which it is integrated? If only one part of a system has no selective advantage without the other, you would need both to happen simultaneously for something valuable to come of it- but the probability of two  synergistic mutations to happen simultaneously and both provide advantage is vanishingly small- so small that there is not enough time in the history of the universe for it to likely occur. That has led increasing numbers of thoughtful people- both scientists and laypeople- to conclude that our world could not have come into being mindlessly- that it requires some degree of planning to get the integrated physical and biological systems that create and sustain life. 

In the last post, we highlighted Dr Stephen Meyer, who is a particularly good explainer of these problems in modern science.  In the talk below, Dr Meyer outlines why he has come to believe that the basis of biological structures is information, and therefore ultimately intelligence.  If you are interested in these issues, his talk is definitely worth a listen. 

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A Scientific Perspective on the Existence of God

A Scientific Perspective on the Existence of God

Published May 22, 2019 by admin

One of the brightest thinkers in our world on the intersection between science and faith is Dr Stephen Meyer.  Dr Meyer is a Christian and holds a doctorate in the philosophy of science from Cambridge University. He is best known as a proponent of  “intelligent design”- the idea that the most coherent interpretation of modern scientific findings is that our world is the outcome of a transcendent intelligence, an assumption also at the root of all the major religions. “Intelligent design” makes specific challenges to science itself, but you don’t have to accept those challenges to appreciate the philosophical and intellectual value of Dr Meyer’s ideas. 

Dr Meyer is a joy to hear speak.  Eminently accessible, humble, fair minded, and well-versed in the history and philosophy of science as well as religion, he lays out his ideas with precision and elegance. Even if you don’t agree with him, it’s impossible not to come away respecting his intellectual integrity.  The video below was taped as part of a recent Science and Faith conference in Dallas TX.  The host of the show is Eric Metaxas, who developed “Socrates in the City”, a highly successful forum in NYC where thinkers present views on the great questions of life.  

The clip below is over an hour long, but rich with information on the most up to date scientific findings and how they relate to the question of God’s existence.  Well worth the time to listen. Enjoy!

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