http://bahaimirage.wordpress.com/2008/11/23/98/ Fri, 25 Dec 2009 23:37:55 +0000 http://wordpress.com/ hourly 1 http://bahaimirage.wordpress.com/2008/11/23/98/#comment-83 Rabbanai Ibn Tebah Fri, 25 Dec 2009 23:37:55 +0000 http://bahaimirage.wordpress.com/2008/11/23/98/#comment-83 In all of its forms is not religion merely an obscure lens through which man attempts to behold his maker; a dim glass through which the mortal squints to perceive the immortal; spectacles ground by the finite to glimpse the infinite; a mirror polished by the profane to reflect the holy. Religion is but a faint light by which the temporal strains to see the eternal. In all of its forms is not religion merely an obscure lens through which man attempts to behold his maker; a dim glass through which the mortal squints to perceive the immortal; spectacles ground by the finite to glimpse the infinite; a mirror polished by the profane to reflect the holy. Religion is but a faint light by which the temporal strains to see the eternal.

]]> http://bahaimirage.wordpress.com/2008/11/23/98/#comment-33 Table of contents « Bahai Mirage Sat, 20 Dec 2008 15:08:47 +0000 http://bahaimirage.wordpress.com/2008/11/23/98/#comment-33 [...] I withdrew from the Baha’i Faith after nearly fourteen years as a Baha’i [...] [...] I withdrew from the Baha’i Faith after nearly fourteen years as a Baha’i [...]

]]> http://bahaimirage.wordpress.com/2008/11/23/98/#comment-25 azaraf Tue, 16 Dec 2008 09:46:39 +0000 http://bahaimirage.wordpress.com/2008/11/23/98/#comment-25 Dear Duane It is true that a Tree will not grow a night but Bahaism is a"" rootles tree". The Universal House of Justice is not valid and has no authority because there is no Divine Guardianship heading it . Dear Duane
It is true that a Tree will not grow a night
but Bahaism is a”" rootles tree”.
The Universal House of Justice is not valid and has no authority because there is no Divine Guardianship heading it .

]]> http://bahaimirage.wordpress.com/2008/11/23/98/#comment-19 Duane Herrmann Thu, 27 Nov 2008 02:31:54 +0000 http://bahaimirage.wordpress.com/2008/11/23/98/#comment-19 I am very sorry for your frustration. I have been frustrated too at time during my forty years in the Baha'i community, mostly due to my expectations. They were often unrealistic. I knew what I thought a good Baha'i or good Baha'i community should be, but that involves people and people have their past and their problems, as I do too. I was told once that it was more a conflict of vision - they had their vision of what I should be as a good Baha'i and that was different from my attempts to be a good Baha'i. I've come to realize that as we go about fulfilling Baha'u'llah's mission of re-creating the social fabric of the planet, we are stumbling our way through forests of ignorance. No group of people have EVER before tried to transform the entire planet. How can we know what we're doing? How can we get it right? How can it be done in a life time? In a century? It can't. Baha'is have about 850 more years. And it's not dependent on just my efforts. Or just my life time. It takes decades to learn that observing the nineteen day feast is important. We may not understand the importance of it, and we certainly don't do it well, but getting the idea down of gathering every nineteen days for worship, consultation and fellowship is a major social change after two thousand years and more of meeting once every seven days. That a group of people can and should be governed by a consultative group of people flies in the face of all of human history where a powerful person (no matter how stupid or ignorant) has dominated everyone else. We still really haven't learned that, it's too novel. That all members of the community should participate in consultation about decisions is even more outlandish. We are turning the social order of all of mankind's experience on its ear! Of course it's not going to happen over night. Of course there's going to be bumps on the way. Of course we're not going to do it right the first time, nor maybe even the hundredth time, but eventually it will be seen as the right and only reasonable way for society to function. The other question I ask myself: "Is there any other option out in the world that even has a vision of a peaceful, coordinated, harmonious society where everyone will be able to participate? I don't think so. So I continue to do my best as I understand it to be, and I respect the other Baha'is who do the best they understand to be and eventually we accomplish a little bit, which is ultimately quite a bit. I'm sorry for your frustration. A tree can't grow overnight - even if you watch it. And, Rome didn't fall in a day. It fell over centuries and the people who lived through it, didn't even know it was happening. We are creating a new, global social network while western civilization, built on material acquisition (greed) is falling. It all takes time. sincerely, a friend. I am very sorry for your frustration. I have been frustrated too at time during my forty years in the Baha’i community, mostly due to my expectations. They were often unrealistic. I knew what I thought a good Baha’i or good Baha’i community should be, but that involves people and people have their past and their problems, as I do too. I was told once that it was more a conflict of vision – they had their vision of what I should be as a good Baha’i and that was different from my attempts to be a good Baha’i.
I’ve come to realize that as we go about fulfilling Baha’u'llah’s mission of re-creating the social fabric of the planet, we are stumbling our way through forests of ignorance. No group of people have EVER before tried to transform the entire planet. How can we know what we’re doing? How can we get it right? How can it be done in a life time? In a century?
It can’t. Baha’is have about 850 more years. And it’s not dependent on just my efforts. Or just my life time.
It takes decades to learn that observing the nineteen day feast is important. We may not understand the importance of it, and we certainly don’t do it well, but getting the idea down of gathering every nineteen days for worship, consultation and fellowship is a major social change after two thousand years and more of meeting once every seven days.
That a group of people can and should be governed by a consultative group of people flies in the face of all of human history where a powerful person (no matter how stupid or ignorant) has dominated everyone else. We still really haven’t learned that, it’s too novel.
That all members of the community should participate in consultation about decisions is even more outlandish. We are turning the social order of all of mankind’s experience on its ear!
Of course it’s not going to happen over night.
Of course there’s going to be bumps on the way.
Of course we’re not going to do it right the first time, nor maybe even the hundredth time, but eventually it will be seen as the right and only reasonable way for society to function.
The other question I ask myself: “Is there any other option out in the world that even has a vision of a peaceful, coordinated, harmonious society where everyone will be able to participate?
I don’t think so.
So I continue to do my best as I understand it to be, and I respect the other Baha’is who do the best they understand to be and eventually we accomplish a little bit, which is ultimately quite a bit.
I’m sorry for your frustration. A tree can’t grow overnight – even if you watch it. And, Rome didn’t fall in a day. It fell over centuries and the people who lived through it, didn’t even know it was happening.
We are creating a new, global social network while western civilization, built on material acquisition (greed) is falling.
It all takes time.
sincerely, a friend.

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