I've been forgetting about my blogs. Please remind me to post. I will be at Brigden Fair from Oct. 11 to 14, 2024. Look for the Orange Canopy.

What Motivates Us in a Time of Need?

I am doing quite well, at the moment.

This pandemic, and the resulting economic strains, it has put on some people has not affected me the way it has many others. I have been collecting OAS and CPP along with the guaranteed income supplement, so my income has not changed. The fact that I am getting the supplement shows that I am in the lowest bracket for those who depend on those age benefits, but it is enough and I believe I am living better than I ever did while employed. I have always lived below the poverty line, but I have never faced starvation and was only homeless for short periods. When it comes to government handouts, I am satisfied with what I have, and I really do not need more. At a time of crisis, let us concentrate on everyone having enough before we go on demanding more.

It seems that a time of crisis brings out the best and the worst in people. Many are working hard to bring this crisis under control. People are struggling and others are helping. People are risking death to keep others from dying. Some are doing without so others will have enough. These are the selfless ones that put others before themselves.

On the other side, we see the greedy. These ones are only concerned with their own well being and could care less if you starve or die of the pandemic. They are the ones who have earned and saved enough, often at the expense of those less fortunate, that they can now afford to go out and hoard goods so they will have plenty at a time of shortage. This action has effected a shortage, so they have caused the event that they prepared themselves for. Our economy is based on supply and demand, so, when demand is high, prices will naturally increase. The ones who could not afford to hoard will now have to pay higher prices if they can get their supplies at all. Manufacturers will benefit from this as the public turns from asking, “Can I get this at a good price?” to “Can I get this?” In this way, we see money siphoned from the poor into the hands of the rich.

Greed also appears among many as they attempt to seek financial benefit from the pandemic. If others are getting aid, they feel they are also entitled, although they do not really need it. It seems strange that those forced out of employment should get more from staying home than those on a fixed income, but, perhaps, their needs are greater. Since I live on a fixed income, I am renting a townhouse with low rent that is within my means. Someone who is paying a much higher rent, or paying off a huge mortgage, may be at risk of losing their homes. They may need temporary help in dollar amounts more than my fixed income. Perhaps, when they are back working again, they should be required to pay a little back each week, but first, let us get through this crisis and see where we stand at that time.

One common thing about people who have succeeded in the financial world is that they tend to turn setbacks into opportunities. Perhaps we do the same with a pandemic. If I start a charity to help those in need, I will look like I am a great guy, and I can pocket some cash myself. That sounds like a win, win situation. Therefore, many false charities arise that earn a lot of money for the charity, but very little gets to the people who need it. This is the epitome of greed. These are ones who take advantage of the disadvantaged for personal gain.

For everything, there is a purpose. Many times, we do not realize what is happening until we analyze it later. During a crisis, our energies are bent on ending the crises. After it is over, we can take time to reflect on what we have learned from it. If we learn our lessons well, the test will not need to be repeated. Unfortunately, humans can be slow learners, and it will take many disasters before we learn our lessons. My greatest fear is that we will not learn what we must at this time and other pandemics, much worse than this one, will fall upon us.

Scripture has foretold of times like these. As I was writing about how this crisis is bringing out the best and the worst of human nature, I could not help but think of the following scripture.

    When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory: And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats: And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left. Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, “Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: For I was an hungered, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in: Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me.”

    Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, “Lord, when saw we thee an hungered, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink? When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee? Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee?”

    And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, “Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.”

    Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, “Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels: For I was an hungered, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: naked, and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not.”

    Then shall they also answer him, saying, “Lord, when saw we thee an hungered, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee?”

    Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, “Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me.” And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.       ^{(Matthew 25: 31-46)}

God already knows our hearts. This dividing is for our benefit. By looking within our own hearts, we learn of our true nature, and, if we are wise, we will learn from it before it is too late. We must examine our every action and determine our motivation for such action. Are we working toward self-benefit or are we doing what needs to be done to help everyone? Are we willing to sacrifice to help others or do we expect others to sacrifice for our benefit? Do we see ourselves as individuals or are we a part of a greater whole?

This is not meant to be an easy test where everyone passes. It is tough and it will determine if we have made the grade.

Armageddon

The Common Enemy

Nothing unites people faster than having a common enemy. Today, we have that. It is so small we can’t see it and so horrible that it kills without remorse.

Mankind has had wars and rumours of wars. Although one country, established by war, has been at war through most of its existence, they could find no enemy worse than themselves, and it was the civil war in the 1860s that caused the most devastation to themselves. But have we learned our lesson?

Throughout the world, we have seen war and disaster. Both natural and manmade catastrophes have caused mayhem in various areas. Yet many of us were comforted by thinking, “It can’t happen here.” Now there is a virus. It started in a small area but has spread worldwide. It is happening everywhere, and if there are pockets of people that have not been affected, they are consumed in the fear of it.

I am not sure what is worse, the virus or the fear of it. I am more afraid of the fear and what that has done, and may yet do, to people. The fear has led to panic and panic leads to doing unreasonable things. At this time, it is more important than ever to remain calm, so I am not going to talk about the evils of this enemy, but I want to concentrate on how it is bringing us together in a world unity never before seen.

What has kept me calm is the knowledge that God is in control. Yes, I may catch the virus and I may die, but this life on earth is for a short time and we have eternity to think about. When God decides that it is time to call me home, I will be thrilled to go.

Yet, such days as these have been prophesied in the traditions of most religions. It is a sign of God’s displeasure. At a time when so many have turned their backs on God, when some deny His existence, and others start wars in His name, is it not the time for a wakeup call? He has, more recently, sent us a message of love and unity. He has told us he doesn’t want us to fight and that we must learn to get along together. Those of us who have heard the call have been given the task to spread it to others. Yet denial and stubbornness have resisted the call, and apathy has caused us to turn elsewhere for answers.

Have we finally reached the days of Armageddon? We were expecting a great foe but not one that was so small we couldn’t see it. We did not know it could hide on friends and relations. Those on the front lines of the most dangerous war we ever fought must constantly screen themselves to be assured that the enemy is not taking a ride on their own bodies. Without training, they are finding themselves thrust to the front line fighting an enemy that they know little about.

This is an amazing unity that the world has never seen. All over the world, the scene is being played out. Doctors, nurses, lab technicians, and everyone else in the medical profession has been called to the front to combat the enemy. All others stand in support of these fighters. In this, the whole world stands as one. Yet there are a few who would sow seeds of dissension. I have heard the rumors of conspiracy, seen the actions of greed, witnessed panic-stricken individuals out the protect themselves without thought of how it would affect others. But let us not concentrate on that. These are seeds sown by the enemy. We need to stand united to win this war. This time it is the entire population of the earth that is under attack and we must unite in our efforts if we want to eradicate the enemy.

In Matthew 24 verse 22 we find these words of comfort. “except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect's sake those days shall be shortened.” We know that God loves us. Although we may be witnessing the results of our error, we know that God will intervene and protect us from our own selves when necessary. He is patiently waiting for us to return His love. Unless we love Him, we can never feel the love He has for us.

Social distancing means that we can no longer gather for prayer, but we can still pray. More and more online prayer meetings are being arranged, so we can still pray together. Those who have been housebound due to injury or illness, and not been able to attend physical meetings,  can now join us.

This current crisis has given us an opportunity to unite. Let us now take advantage of this so we can shorten the days and prevent future crises.  

As Humans, are we spiritual beings with physical bodies? Many believe that, yet, to often, the spiritual nature of mankind gets neglected.

To make any significant change in the progress of humanity, we must begin with prayer. True prayer is communicating with God. When we couple prayer with the reading and meditation of Divine Revelation, we both talk to God and hear His Word. If we eliminate selfish desire and pray purely for the Betterment on the World, we will see results beyond our imagination.

Thus, I am starting an interfaith prayer group where we can join together in prayer and the study of God’s word. Everyone is invited, regardless of religious affiliation, to join together in UNITY in order to bring together the opposing factions of humanity and make the world a planet of peace and understanding. This will not be a venue to push one’s understanding of God on another, but one where we can all strive to understand each other’s point of view. In this way, it is hoped that we will all come to a clearer view of what we believe while allowing others to pursue Truth on their own terms. 

Peace Fest 2019

Hopefully, Peace Fest will be revived in 2019. I will be living in Forest, Ontario at that time so I will scout out a nice park and hold Peace Fest there. Hopefully, friends and strangers will join me to promote peace across the planet.

June 29, 2019, will be a Saturday, so it should be a good day for a great get together.

Leave comments if you have any ideas for the event.

Peace Fest June 29, 2017

With May fast approaching I am thinking about June 29 and Peace Fest. I usually hold this event in a local park on that day every year. The last couple of years I was very disorganized and I was the only one who attended.

This year I am not even certain that I will be in London, Ontario on that day, however I can celebrate Peace Fest anywhere. I you are interested in celebrating with me, send an email to george@sowingpeace.ca or leave a comment here.

On June 29, 1912, 'Abdu'l-Bahá gave a Unity Feast in New Jersey. During his speech, he stated that his very words would be repeated in assemblages held in the future to commemorate that event.

Below is a translation of the entire talk.

29 June 1912

Talk at Unity Feast, Outdoors

West Englewood, New Jersey

Notes by Esther Foster

76.1

This is a delightful gathering; you have come here with sincere intentions, and the purpose of all present is the attainment of the virtues of God. The motive is attraction to the divine Kingdom. Since the desire of all is unity and agreement, it is certain that this meeting will be productive of great results. It will be the cause of attracting a new bounty, for we are turning to the Kingdom of Abha, seeking the infinite bestowals of the Lord. This is a new Day, and this hour is a new Hour in which we have come together. Surely the Sun of Reality with its full effulgence will illumine us, and the darkness of disagreements will disappear. The utmost love and unity will result; the favors of God will encompass us; the pathway of the Kingdom will be made easy. Like candles these souls will become ignited and made radiant through the lights of supreme guidance. Such gatherings as this have no equal or likeness in the world of mankind, where people are drawn together by physical motives or in furtherance of material interests, for this meeting is a prototype of that inner and complete spiritual association in the eternal world of being.

 76.2

True Bahá'í meetings are the mirrors of the Kingdom wherein images of the Supreme Concourse are reflected. In them the lights of the most great guidance are visible. They voice the summons of the heavenly Kingdom and echo the call of the angelic hosts to every listening ear. The efficacy of such meetings as these is permanent throughout the ages. This assembly has a name and significance which will last forever. Hundreds of thousands of meetings shall be held to commemorate this occasion, and the very words I speak to you today shall be repeated in them for ages to come. Therefore, be ye rejoiced, for ye are sheltered beneath the providence of God. Be happy and joyous because the bestowals of God are intended for you and the life of the Holy Spirit is breathing upon you.

 76.3

Rejoice, for the heavenly table is prepared for you.

 76.4

Rejoice, for the angels of heaven are your assistants and helpers.

76.5
Rejoice, for the glance of the Blessed Beauty, Bahá'u'lláh, is directed upon you.

76.6

Rejoice, for Bahá'u'lláh is your Protector.

76.7

Rejoice, for the everlasting glory is destined for you.

76.8

Rejoice, for the eternal life is awaiting you.

76.9

How many blessed souls have longed for this radiant century, their utmost hopes and desires centered upon the happiness and joy of one such day as this. Many the nights they passed sleepless and lamenting until the very morn in longing anticipation of this age, yearning to realize even an hour of this time. God has favored you in this century and has specialized you for the realization of its blessings. Therefore, you must praise and thank God with heart and soul in appreciation of this great opportunity and the attainment of this infinite bestowal -- that such doors have been opened before your faces, that such abundance is pouring down from the cloud of mercy and that these refreshing breezes from the paradise of Abha are resuscitating you. You must become of one heart, one spirit and one susceptibility. May you become as the waves of one sea, stars of the same heaven, fruits adorning the same tree, roses of one garden in order that through you the oneness of humanity may establish its temple in the world of mankind, for you are the ones who are called to uplift the cause of unity among the nations of the earth.

76.10

First, you must become united and agreed among yourselves. You must be exceedingly kind and loving toward each other, willing to forfeit life in the pathway of another's happiness. You must be ready to sacrifice your possessions in another's behalf. The rich among you must show compassion toward the poor, and the well-to-do must look after those in distress. In Persia the friends offer their lives for each other, striving to assist and advance the interests and welfare of all the rest. They live in a perfect state of unity and agreement. Like the Persian friends you must be perfectly agreed and united to the extent and limit of sacrificing life. Your utmost desire must be to confer happiness upon each other. Each one must be the servant of the others, thoughtful of their comfort and welfare. In the path of God one must forget himself entirely. He must not consider his own pleasure but seek the pleasure of others. He must not desire glory nor gifts of bounty for himself but seek these gifts and blessings for his brothers and sisters. It is my hope that you may become like this, that you may attain to the supreme bestowal and be imbued with such spiritual qualities as to forget yourselves entirely and with heart and soul offer yourselves as sacrifices for the Blessed Perfection. You should have neither will nor desire of your own but seek everything for the beloved of God and live together in complete love and fellowship. May the favors of Bahá'u'lláh surround you from all directions. This is the greatest bestowal and supreme bounty. These are the infinite favors of God.

         ('Abdu'l-Bahá, The Promulgation of Universal Peace, p. 213, 215)

 

 

Just released, Singing in the Chapel / My Name is Margaret Harman

I have just released my second book. It contains the short story, "SINGING IN THE CHAPEL," along with the play by Jason Rip, "MY NAME IS MARGARET HARMAN." Jason started with my story and went a different direction with it. Ordering information is at https://www.9ca.ca/

THE ALTERNATIVE

My new book, "THE ALTERNATIVE," is now available. Go to https://www.9ca.ca/ for more information.
 

Peace Fest

The first London Peace fest in 2012 had 22 participants. In 2013 there was 3. In 2014 there was only myself. This year I am late and more disorganized than usual. I have been busy with many other things, but I feel it is important to remember the date.

On the 29^th of June 1912, 'Abdu'l-Bahá Talked at Unity Feast, Outdoors at West Englewood, New Jersey.

Near the beginning of his talk he said

The 19 day Fast

11 Núr 127 - June 15, 1970.

I became a Baha’i on the eleventh day of Núr in the year 127. That gave me some time before my first fast during the month of ‘Alá’ that year. How I anticipated that event and wondered how I would do. I would often go for long periods without food, but even a glass of water was not allowed during the fast. Worst of all, I would have to wake up and have breakfast before dawn each day. Not being an early riser, this would likely be the greatest challenge. But I met the challenge and proved to myself that I could do it.

Over the years I gained the knowledge that fasting was relatively easy for me. At first it was meeting the challenge that drove me to do it, but that soon ceased to be a reason. I learned that I could do it. Now I needed to learn why I should do it. I was relatively isolated from other Bahá’ís and no one would know if I took a sip of water. But I wasn’t doing it for other Baha’is. I learned that there were some health benefits to fasting, but I wasn’t doing it for my health. I learned that it was a part of the Baha’i Teachings and Baha’is all over the world were fasting, but I wasn’t doing it just because everyone else did. So Why was I fasting? It came down to the fact that God commanded those who love Him to fast so it was only my love for the Almighty God that urged me to deprive myself of food and drink for 12 hours each day.

But then there was all the other commandments of God. Pray every day. Read the writings day and night. Teach, teach, teach. Was I doing all those things? If I wasn’t, what good would it do to fast? If I didn’t take time to pray as I should, then fasting was all for nothing. Would my solution be do give up fasting or would I make a greater effort to find time to pray?

Fasting is part of a spiritual life style, and in a material world it is difficult to find reasons to do it. To fast faithfully and for the right reason, we must strive to become spiritual beings. Fasting may weaken the body, but it strengthens the spirit. When the spirit deprives the body of food for a period each day it becomes a victor over self and desire. We turn our thoughts away from the material and towards the spiritual.

As I am now approaching the end of my 45^th fast I am wondering what I have learned from it. Do I now pray enough? Am I studying the writings every day? Am I teaching and leading one new soul to the Truth each year? It is beginning to look like I need another 45 years to make improvements.

These things are very difficult to do in isolation. I keep hoping I’ll find another soul that would be supportive of my efforts that we may form a team to teach God’s word. Someone who would go through all the Ruhi books with me and team up with me to do all the practices. Someone who needs my help as much as I need theirs. Someone who can help me be a Baha’i.

'Abdu'l-Bahá says that “it is impossible for the loved ones of God to receive assistance unless they teach.” I desperately need assistance so I desperately need to teach.

 

209. O ye servants of the Blessed Beauty!... It is clear that in this day, confirmations from the unseen world are encompassing all those who deliver the divine Message. Should the work of teaching lapse, these confirmations would be entirely cut off, since it is impossible for the loved ones of God to receive assistance unless they teach.

Under all conditions, the teaching must be carried forward, but with wisdom. If the work cannot proceed openly, then let them teach in private, and thus engender spirituality and fellowship among the children of men. If, for example, each and every one of the believers would become a true friend to one of the unheeding, and, conducting himself with absolute rectitude, associate with this soul, treat him with the utmost kindness, himself exemplify the divine instructions he hath received, the good qualities and behaviour patterns, and at all times act in accord with the admonitions of God -- it is certain that little by little he will succeed in awakening that previously heedless individual, and in changing his ignorance to knowledge of the truth.

Souls are inclined toward estrangement. Steps should first be taken to do away with this estrangement, for only then will the Word take effect. If a believer showeth kindness to one of the neglectful, and, with great love, gradually leadeth him to an understanding of the validity of the Holy Cause, so that he may come to know the fundamentals of God's Faith and the implications thereof -- such a one will certainly be transformed, excepting only those seldom-encountered individuals who are even as ashes, whose hearts are 'hard as rocks, or harder still.'[1]

[1 Qur'án 2:69 ]

If every one of the friends should strive in this way to guide one soul aright, the number of believers will double every year; and this can be accomplished with prudence and wisdom, and no harm whatever would result therefrom.

Furthermore, the teachers must travel about, and if spreading the Message openly should cause a disturbance, then instead, let them stimulate and train the believers, inspire them, delight them, rejoice their hearts, revive and refresh them with the sweet savours of holiness.

    ('Abdu'l-Bahá, Selections from the Writings of 'Abdu'l-Bahá, p. 264 - 266)

Welcome to Sama Rahimian as an author of this blog. We look forward to seeing his posts. If you would like to become an author, send an email to george@sowingpeace.ca. Send a sample of what you will post and the email you used to sign up for google. (if you don't have a google account you will need to sign up before you can make a post)

Also enter your regular email into the follow by email box to the right so you will be notified by email each time someone makes a post.

Seeking the Truth

Therefore, the seeker must be endowed with certain qualities. First of all, he must be just and severed from all else save God; his heart must be entirely turned to the supreme horizon; he must be free from the bondage of self and passion, for all these are obstacles. Furthermore, he must be able to endure all hardships. He must be absolutely pure and sanctified, and free from the love or the hatred of the inhabitants of the world. Why? because the fact of his love for any person or thing might prevent him from recognizing the truth in another, and, in the same way, hatred for anything might be a hindrance in discerning truth. This is the condition of seeking, and the  seeker must have these qualities and attributes. Until he reaches this condition, it is not possible for him to attain to the Sun of Reality.

            ('Abdu'l-Bahá, Some AnsweredQuestions, p. 38, 39)

 

The first condition of a seeker is to be just and severed from all except God. How often it is that one is barred from the Truth because one is attacked to a particular religious form or a past Prophet. When Truth approaches from a different angle it is rejected. Those of one religion fail to see the Truth in all others. Christ said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.”[i] Yet Christ is rejected if He approaches from unfamiliar ground.

“Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am.”[ii] Yet His followers fail to see the timelessness of Him. When He appears at a different time in a different person, He is rejected. His followers will say, “this is not Christ who was born of a virgin, was crucified and rose from the dead.” Unless Christ returns again in the body of Jesus, they will not accept Him. What will He look like. They have all seen pictures of Jesus, so it is obvious that He is a white Anglo-Saxon protestant with long hair who will confirm everything they already believe. If He was to appear otherwise, He would assuredly be rejected. Thus attachment to the form, no matter how imaginary it is, causes them to reject the Truth when manifested in an unexpected way.

When people make up a God, they tend to make Him agreeable to all they believe, willing to do whatever they want Him to do, and of the same ethnicity as they are themselves. Such a God is their best friend and cannot do them any wrong, no matter how corrupt they are. It is very difficult to break anyone away from such a belief and when the One True God sends another Messenger with that same Christ Spirit that existed from the beginning that had no beginning and will be with us until the end that will never end, (in other words, He is with us for eternity), He is assuredly rejected by the masses because He does not conform to human expectation.  

Thus it is only those who are detached from such belief who recognize Him. We see in the Bible how the religious leaders of the day rejected Him, yet the devils recognized and feared Him.

And when he was come to the other side into the country of the Gergesenes, there met him two possessed with devils, coming out of the tombs, exceeding fierce, so that no man might pass by that way. And, behold, they cried out, saying, What have we to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of God? art thou come hither to torment us before the time?

            (Matthew 8: 28, 29)

It is clear that we must detach ourselves from pride, learning, religion, persons and anything at all that could bar us from recognizing the Truth. When Jesus said, “I am the Truth,” it was the Christ within Him that was speaking and whenever we find the Truth, we find Him. They will be known by their fruits. If the fruit is Truth, assuredly the Tree is Christ.

---

[i] (John 14: 6)

[ii] (John 8: 58)

 

Baha’is follow the Truth. But what is Truth?

Baha’is follow the Truth. But what is Truth?

As human beings we are inclined to error. At one time everyone believed the earth was flat. Did that make it true? All the earth once believed that the sun circled around our planet. If all believed it, was it the truth? In the future we may be astounded at how many things we believe to be the verifiable truth that will, one day, be disproved.

Humans are subject to error, but God is unerring. Once in about every one thousand years, God sends us the embodiment of Truth in the form of one who manifest His own being. Thus it is that “Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” (John 14:6)

As Baha’i’s we believe in the latest Manifestation of God who brought the Truth for this day. We also accept all the past Manifestations of God who brought Truth into the world. Moses brought to us the ten commandments and many of these are yet today embodied in civil law. The Word of God said “Thou shalt not kill” (Exodus 20:13) and throughout the world there are laws against murder. Moses led the people in Truth away from the land of bondage and to the land of the free.

Jesus said, “And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”              (John 8: 32) When Jesus was on the earth He found the people in bondage to sin. He confronted the Jews with these harsh words. “Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.” (John 8: 44) The shining light of Truth as manifest by Jesus is still visible today.

Mohammad  revealed in the Qur’an, “And those who believe in Allah and His messengers -- they are the Sincere (Lovers of truth), and the witnesses (who testify), in the eyes of their Lord: they shall have their Reward and their Light, but those who reject Allah and deny Our Signs -- they are the Companions of Hell-Fire.” (The Qur'an (Yusuf Ali translation), Surah  57: 19) again a Manifestation of God came to lead the people out of the darkness of error to the Light of Truth.

Bahá'u'lláh urges us, “Be a home for the stranger, a balm to the suffering, a tower of strength for the fugitive. Be eyes to the blind, and a guiding light unto the feet of the erring. Be an ornament to the countenance of truth, a crown to the brow of fidelity, a pillar of the temple of righteousness, a breath of life to the body of mankind, an ensign of the hosts of justice, a luminary above the horizon of virtue, a dew to the soil of the human heart, an ark on the ocean of knowledge, a sun in the heaven of bounty, a gem on the diadem of wisdom, a shining light in the firmament of thy generation, a fruit upon the tree of humility.” (Bahá'u'lláh, Epistle to the Son of the Wolf, p. 93)

In past dispensations there were parts of the world that were unknown. In this age we have not only discovered every part of the world but technology has advanced to the point where we know what is happening in every quarter. Communication flies around the world at lightning speed. Someone posts to a blog and instantly it is available all over the planet. Today, Truth can be Manifest in all parts and we can all come together under its power. No longer do we need to hate each other and lash out in fear of what we do not know. Truth has come to us in a Omnipotent way and we can all follow it in unity. If we love Truth it will set us free and we  will be free to love. Hatred and error are darkness. Truth and love are light. Today the light of Truth shines so brightly that even the blind can see.

Do you agree? How do you see the Truth? Is world unity and peace now possible? Please leave your comments or send me and email to blog@sowingpeace.ca. If you are committed to peace, let the world know.

the most laudable of all acts.

O HUSAYN! God grant thou shalt ever be bright and radiant, beaming with the light of the Sun of Truth, and  mayest unloose thy tongue in magnifying the Name of God, which is the most laudable of all acts.

 

                (Baha'u'llah, Tablets of Baha'u'llah, p. 234)

1.   laud·a·ble   (ˈlôdəbəl/)

adjective

adjective: laudable

1.    (of an action, idea, or goal) deserving praise and commendation.

"laudable though the aim might be, the results have been criticized"

synonyms:

praiseworthy, commendable, admirable, meritorious, worthy, deserving, creditable, estimable

Addition vs Subtraction

Celebrating 1,000 views.

I Started my fireside blog on 26^th of October 2012 and as of today, July 27^th, 2014 it has had 1,000 views. My more popular blog, the London World Peace Forum was started on June 6^th 2011 and it would take a year to break the 1,000 views mark. Then, in July of 2012 it had 602 view followed by 1,996 in August that year. Currently, at time of writing, it stands at 19,607 views.

I made a post on the Peace Forum blog on July 3^rd, 2012 that got a lot of attention. To date 2,047 people have viewed this post alone. I titled it “Addition vs Subtraction. I compared the Teachings of God to Mathematics and likened the rejection of God’s latest messenger to be the same as rejecting new concepts of math. The student that has just learned to add is now being asked to subtract and he wants nothing to do with it. There is an uprising among additionists as they try to squash the influence of subtraction, but the subtractionists explain that the full purpose of addition can never be realized without subtraction. I have repeated the argument below for your convenience.

 

Addition vs Subtraction

One and One is Two

Addition vs Subtraction

 

Additions argument:

I just love addition and I do not want to see it corrupted by subtraction. We all know from the very beginning of addition that one plus one is two. Now subtraction wants to confuse the issue by saying one minus one is zero. Tell subtraction to get a life. What good is zero? What do we do when there is nothing left? With addition we will always have more. Whatever we have we can add to it and get more. There is power in addition, but subtraction wants to take that away. If you love addition you will not allow subtraction make a negative impression on you. And if subtraction does take hold, what’s next? Multiplication, division or perhaps even fractions; we don’t need these. Addition serves all our needs. It gives and never takes away. Don’t let our pure methods of addition get corrupted with these new age ideas.

Subtractions argument:

Addition is good, but it doesn’t do everything. Addition is getting, but if we keep adding and never taking away, we will become bogged down in materialism.  Subtraction is giving and sharing. If I have ten apples and give five away, I still have five. Addition can’t do that. Without subtraction there would be no room for addition. Our storage facilities would be full and we would starve to death. Subtraction is necessary for live. If we have ten apples and we eat one, we have just subtracted. Yes, with addition we can get all we need, but we can’t use it without subtraction. If the additionalist would examine the principles of addition they would see it was just a first step leading to subtraction and beyond. Yes it will progress to multiplication, division and even fractions, but this is a fulfilment of addition and not a corruption.

It is plain to see that the Divine Teachers teach us what we are capable of learning at the time, but if we reject the Divine teachings of the present because they introduce new ideas that we are not familiar with and were not taught in the past, we lose big time. The new teachings do not negate the teachings of the past, but they add to it. It is not a denial of the past but a fulfillment of it. When we close our minds to the new ideas, we become handicap and the old ideas will no longer work for us. If we don’t learn to subtract, addition will lose its power and be of no use to us.

Moses brought the revelation of God to humanity in His age. He brought social and spiritual laws to help us live. Among them was the law of the Sabbath that was designed to give us humans a break and a day of rest. By the time Jesus appeared the followers of Moses had interpreted the law in such a manner that people became slaves to the law. Moses led the people out of slavery and Jesus found them in a new kind of slavery.

When Jesus introduced new spiritual and social concepts, He was rejected by the majority of the followers of Moses. When He explained that the law was made for man and not that man was made for the law, He was accused of blasphemy and corrupting the law of God. Have the followers of Jesus suffered for accepting His teachings? No, they went on to found great governments and establish kingdoms on earth. They did not reject the teachings of Moses, but added the teachings of Jesus to them. Many more became acquainted with the teachings of Moses through the efforts of the Christians and there was no harm whatsoever done to the law of Moses.

Again humanity progressed and became in need of new ideas and teachings. The people of the Arabic area were nomadic tribes living in a constant state of war. God sent Mohammad and the tribes were united into a great nation. The Muslim universities became renown over the world and even many Christian leaders were educated in these Muslim institutions. If you doubt the advantages of these new ideas, try balancing your bank account or filing your tax return using roman numerals. Our present number system and mathematics is an outcome of Muslim educational techniques.

Over the last few hundred years we have seen the world increasingly being ravaged by war. Each nation wanting to protect its way of life would rise up against anyone perceived to be a threat to its ideals.  Politics, religion and materialism all contributed to the greed of expanding territories and defeating the enemy. Christ’s injunction to “love your enemies” was forgotten as even one Christian ideology would rise up in war against another. At such a time, God’s twin Messengers, the Báb and Bahá’u’lláh came with a message of love and unity.  Bahá’u’lláh annulled the rule of the sword and replaced it with the power of utterance. He says;

Know thou that We have annulled the rule of the sword, as an aid to Our Cause, and substituted for it the power born of the utterance of men. Thus have We irrevocably decreed, by virtue of Our grace. Say: O people! Sow not the seeds of discord among men, and refrain from contending with your neighbor, for your Lord hath committed the world and the cities thereof to the care of the kings of the earth, and made them the emblems of His own power, by virtue of the sovereignty He hath chosen to bestow upon them. He hath refused to reserve for Himself any share whatever of this world's dominion. To this He Who is Himself the Eternal Truth will testify. The things He hath reserved for Himself are the cities of men's hearts, that He may cleanse them from all earthly defilements, and enable them to draw nigh unto the hallowed Spot which the hands of the infidel can never profane. Open, O people, the city of the human heart with the key of your utterance. Thus have We, according to a pre-ordained measure, prescribed unto you your duty.

 

   (Baha'u'llah, Gleanings from the Writings of Baha'u'llah, p. 303, 304)

 

We see in the past how, despite insurmountable odds and extreme opposition, the law of God was established and human society was advanced. We also see that, without these new ideas, human society was doomed and its destruction would have resulted. Now, more than ever we see the destruction of the human race looming on one side while the revelation of God is rushing in on the other to save it. The world is waiting for the life giving Message that has been entrusted to those faithful followers who have recognized it. The veils must be rent asunder, the clouds dispersed and the hearts unlocked so the revelation of Glory may shine with its life giving rays on all of humanity.

Yes; many problems can be solved with addition, but we need subtraction, multiplication, division and many other aspects to solve all the problems. Even so, the past revelation of God was good and sufficient to solve the problems of the Day in which it was revealed, to solve the problems of today we need the current revelation of God and we must learn the rules and conditions of the future world order which is currently being established.

 

 

The religion of God is for love and unity

From KITAB-I-'AHD (Book of the Covenant), Bahá'u'lláh states.

O ye that dwell on earth! The religion of God is for love and unity; make it not the cause of enmity or dissension. In the eyes of men of insight and the beholders of the Most Sublime Vision, whatsoever are the effective means for safeguarding and promoting the happiness and welfare of the children of men have already been revealed by the Pen of Glory. But the foolish ones of the earth, being nurtured in evil passions and desires, have remained heedless of the consummate wisdom of Him Who is, in truth, the All-Wise, while their words and deeds are prompted by idle fancies and vain imaginings.

                (Tablets of Bahá'u'lláh, p. 220)

Many wars have been fought and often the opponents both  had the belief that God was on their side. As they attempted to rid the world of evil forces they forgot to ask God if it was what He wanted them to do.

Bahá'u'lláh makes it clear that the religion of God is for love and unity. Many people see God as a warring God that divides humanity against itself and inspires people toward hatred and strife. Many atheists cannot believe in such a God. A friend of mine would often tell such people that she did not believe in the God that they didn’t believe in either. She explained that, in order to not believe in God they must have some concept of God that they don’t believe in, and that concept of God she did not accept either.

The Religion of God, in its pure form, is a very powerful thing. Unfortunately, even watered down, it can be very powerful and have a great influence. Thus evil men have used the religion of God to promote their own interests. By watering down and distorting the facts they come up with a new religion that resembles Truth but promotes hatred and division.

Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.

    (Matthew 7:15-20)

Thus the wolf comes in sheep’s clothing intent on dispersing the flock and devouring the weak ones. If we remain united, the wolf does not have  chance, so he must first divide the flock and scatter it into sects, religions, cults and other divisions that will weaken the True religion. Be assured that if anyone is attempting to divide God’s sheep, he is not the True Shepherd. When we realize that all of Gods Messengers taught us to love, we will all embrace the Ancient Faith of God and be in unity.

Let your principal concern be to rescue the fallen from the slough of impending extinction, and to help him embrace the ancient Faith of God.

    (Bahá'u'lláh, Gleanings from the Writings of Bahá'u'lláh, p. 316)

Did you find something in your scriptures that caught your attention? Why not share it with us. Click on comments below to leave your comments.

Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord

For I say unto you, Ye shall not see me henceforth, till ye shall say, Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord.                ^{(Matthew 23:39)}

Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you:  For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened. ^{(Matthew 7:7-8)}

Those who know the truth do not need to seek the truth but those who seek the Truth find the Truth. This common theme runs through all religion. Those who consider themselves learned and righteous feel they have no need of knowledge or forgiveness. Therefore they go on assured of salvation while despising the sinner. Yet, when one acknowledges sin and continues a lifelong search after Truth, he or she is rewarded abundantly.

But go ye and learn what that meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice: for I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.     ^{(Matthew 9:13)}

Until we say “Blessed is He that cometh in the Name of the Lord,” we can in no wise recognize Him. This is evident throughout scripture. How many Priests, Rabbis, Mullahs, Ministers or clergy of any religion have failed to recognize the one sent by God when they came face to face with Him? This is repeated throughout history. Those who believe they have perfect knowledge feel they need no more and therefore reject the Word of God even if they meet Him in person. Yet the true seeker recognizes His voice even if he or she is hearing His words hundreds of years after they were revealed.

But ye believe not, because ye are not of my sheep, as I said unto you. My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: ^{(John 10:26-27)}

If we love the Lord, Our God, we thirst after His Knowledge while ever mindful of our own shortcomings. We love our neighbor and, desiring that he suffer no shame, we hide his deficiencies any praise his attributes, but for ourselves, we must scrutinized our lives and always be working on bringing it more in accordance with God’s Will. We have only one live to control and that is our own. If we do that in accordance with the will of God while intently listening for the Voice of God, we will hear Him calling us into the unity of the One Fold under the One Shepherd.

And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd.    ^{(John 10:16)}

Now we have a challenge set before us. Can we do as the Holy Spirit guides us? Will we follow the Spirit of Truth when he comes to us with All Truth? When we go forth in humbleness to accomplish that which God has ordained our reward is beyond our imagination. We are being watched from the Heavenly Realm and He knows us better than we know ourselves. He knows our capabilities and when He says to try He knows we can succeed even if we feel the task is impossible. Yes, we need to look at our own shortcomings, but only so we can correct ourselves and learn how to lead a more Godly life. If we use these shortcomings as an excuse to fail, then we are not relying on our Almighty God to see us through. He will aid us so long as we try. He will bring a passage of His word to our minds when we need it most if we but take the time to read His Word.

Let your principal concern be to rescue the fallen from the slough of impending extinction, and to help him embrace the ancient Faith of God. Your behavior towards your neighbor should be such as to manifest clearly    the signs of the one true God, for ye are the first among men to be re-created by His Spirit, the first to adore and bow the knee before Him, the first to circle round His throne of glory. I swear by Him Who hath caused Me to reveal whatever hath pleased Him! Ye are better known to the inmates of the Kingdom on high than ye are known to your own selves. Think ye these words to be vain and empty? Would that ye had the power to perceive the things your Lord, the All-Merciful, doth see -- things that attest the excellence of your rank, that bear witness to the greatness of your worth, that proclaim the sublimity of your station! God grant that your desires and unmortified passions may not hinder you from that which hath been ordained for you. ^{(Bahá'u'lláh, Gleanings from the Writings of Bahá'u'lláh, p. 316 - 317)}

Still there are some who doubt the Power of God. They see evil in the world and think that God has lost control. We find ourselves in difficulty and doubt that God can help us, however at such times we are taught to pray:

Is there any Remover of difficulties save God? Say: Praised be God! He is God! All are His servants, and all abide by His bidding!  ^{(The Báb, Baha'i Prayers, p. 27)}

 

        He says, “all abide by His bidding.” It is hard for us to understand. He gives us free will and with that free will, we suffer the consequences of  the decisions we make, yet we are powerless to work outside of His will. He has perfect knowledge and therefore knew everything we would do even before He created us, so we wonder why. Why does He allow wars? Why does He allow little children to be abused? We cannot understand because we only see this earthly plain, but in His perfect Wisdom and Knowledge, He knows how much pain we need to correct our ways. We suffer when we turn away from Him and He allows that suffering in a measure that will help us to turn back to Him.

Many of us, with imperfect knowledge, would like to advise God and tell Him a better way of doing things, but He has perfect knowledge and knows what is best for us.

I can already hear the cry of the people. They will tell me that I don’t know what happened to themselves or their loved ones and how could I believe that was the will of God and I need to make clear that all that happens is not necessarily His will, but since it is His will to give us free will, we must also be allowed to suffer the consequences of our actions. Therefore, when people commit terrible acts there is terrible consequences. Many times innocent victims are hurt, but the recompense for their hurt will come. If not in this life time, it will surely come. Those who did the evil things will have to live with the knowledge of the results of what they did and they too will receive the recompense for their actions. And yet, we have a forgiving God. When we learn to be forgiving we will suffer much less.

And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. ^{(Matthew 6:12)}

How are you feeling today? Let me know your thoughts. Leave a comment.

Qualifications of the Truly Learned

O foolish one! Know thou that he is truly learned who hath acknowledged My Revelation, and drunk from the Ocean of My knowledge, and soared in the atmosphere of My love, and cast away all else besides Me, and taken firm hold on that which hath been sent down from the Kingdom of My wondrous utterance. He, verily, is even as an eye unto mankind, and as the spirit of life unto the body of all creation. Glorified be the All-Merciful Who hath enlightened him, and caused him to arise and serve His great and mighty Cause. Verily, such a man is blessed by the Concourse on high, and by them who dwell within the Tabernacle of Grandeur, who have quaffed My sealed Wine in My Name, the Omnipotent, the All-Powerful.

 

                (Baha'u'llah, Tablets of Baha'u'llah, p. 207, 208 )

This quote is  from a tablet written to Shaykh Muhammad Baqir. However I still wonder if the address, “O foolish one!” may also apply to myself.

“Know thou that he is truly learned who hath acknowledged My Revelation,”

I have acknowledged the Revelation of Bahá'u'lláh, so am I truly learned? Wait! There is more conditions.

“and drunk from the Ocean of My knowledge,”

Well I’ve taken a few sips from this Ocean.

“and soared in the atmosphere of My love,”

I know Bahá'u'lláh loves us, but am I soaring in the atmosphere of His love?”

“and cast away all else besides Me,”

This is tough. I’m not sure I’ve done that. If I’ve cast away most other things, does that count?”

“and taken firm hold on that which hath been sent down from the Kingdom of My wondrous utterance.”

I am trying. I am desperately trying to grasp every word that comes from Bahá'u'lláh, but can I say I have taken firm hold of it?

The words of praise that Bahá'u'lláh has for the truly learned makes one long for such a position, and yet how unworthy we feel. And this for a good reason. The qualifications for the truly learned are tough. Is there anyone who can honestly say they have met all those qualifications? I wonder what qualifications there would be for the fifty percent learned.