In Time of Generosity, 600,000 Nepalis Denied Urgent Food Aid

In this season of giving, a sad plight to reflect on. The number of lives affected is staggering, while the money needed is, as shown below, relatively little. In this connection, 'Abdu'l-Bahá stated:

The greatest means for prevention [of extreme poeverty] is that whereby the laws of the community will be so framed and enacted that it will not be possible for a few to be millionaires and many destitute. One of Bahá'u'lláh's teachings is the adjustment of means of livelihood in human society.

Hence the urgency of spreading knowledge of this divine System!

A satisfactory solution to the world's present economic crisis lies in a profound change of heart and mind which only religion can produce.
- Bahá'í International Community, Teachings

U.N. stops food aid to over half a million Nepalis

NEW DELHI (AlertNet) - The United Nations has been forced to stop feeding over half a million people in Nepal due to a critical funding shortfall caused by the financial downturn, a World Food Programme (WFP) official said on Wednesday.

The U.N. agency says it needs $20 million to continue feeding 600,000 people -- more than a quarter of the total number it was assisting -- in the impoverished Himalayan nation over the next three months. ...

Nepal already has the some of the world's highest rates of child malnutrition, with about 48 percent of children under five considered poor or inadequately fed. "This is essentially a silent emergency," said Hyde [WFP's deputy country representative]. "This is because those who are being impacted the greatest are in some of the most isolated places on earth."

From Reuters AlertNet - access here.

"We must be like the fountain or spring that is continually emptying itself of all that it has and is continually being refilled from an invisible source... [T]his is the secret of right living."
 - Shoghi Effendi, Compilation

From the Bahá'í writings on caring for those in need:

What could be better before God than thinking of the poor? For the poor are beloved by our heavenly Father. When Christ came upon the earth, those who believed in Him and followed Him were the poor and lowly, showing that the poor were near to God. ... [T]he poor are especially beloved of God. Their lives are full of difficulties, their trials continual, their hopes are in God alone. Therefore, you must assist the poor as much as possible, even by sacrifice of yourself. No deed of man is greater before God than helping the poor. ... Each one of you must have great consideration for the poor and render them assistance. Organize in an effort to help them and prevent increase of poverty. The greatest means for prevention is that whereby the laws of the community will be so framed and enacted that it will not be possible for a few to be millionaires and many destitute. One of Bahá'u'lláh's teachings is the adjustment of means of livelihood in human society. Under this adjustment there can be no extremes in human conditions as regards wealth and sustenance. ...

- 'Abdu'l-Bahá, PUP 216

Photo sources are here and here (latter copyright Bahá'í International Community).

The vision of a peaceful world

Bahá'u'lláh wrote in the 19th century: "Let your vision be world embracing, rather than confined to your own selves."
How might we participate in this vision, and what might it enable us to do?
Here from the head of Worldwide Federation of UN Associations (WFUNA):

"Global citizenship has been an ongoing theme for the WFUNA in the past year. Every individual who is a part of our network is a Global Citizen. We are all committed to the ideals of the United Nations, express an acute interest in today's global issues, and are working towards a world of peaceful cooperation, sustainable development, and human rights for all people."

- Bonian Golmohammadi, Secretary-General http://is.gd/5ALZz

    God's greatest gift to man is that of intellect, or understanding...
    Possessing this gift, he...can frequently...reach out with prophetic vision.
    God gave this power to man that it might be used for the advancement of civilization, for the good of humanity, to increase love and concord and peace. ... Christ has commanded that [we] should love [our fellow-creatures as ourselves]!
    I hope that you will use your understanding to promote the unity and tranquillity of mankind, to give enlightenment and civilization to the people, to produce love in all around you, and to bring about the universal peace. ...
   [A]cquire more and more knowledge. Assuredly one may learn to the end of one's life! Use your knowledge always for the benefit of others; so may war cease on the face of this beautiful earth, and a glorious edifice of peace and concord be raised.

    If you desire with all your heart, friendship with every race on earth, your thought, spiritual and positive, will spread; it will become the desire of others, growing stronger and stronger, until it reaches the minds of all men.
    Do not despair! Work steadily. Sincerity and love will conquer hate. How many seemingly impossible events are coming to pass in these days! Set your faces steadily towards the Light of the World. ...

    By the fire of the Love of God the veil is burnt which separates us from the Heavenly Realities, and with clear vision we are enabled to struggle onward and upward, ever progressing in the paths of virtue and holiness, and becoming the means of light to the world. 

- 'Abdu'l-Bahá http://is.gd/5ANxU, http://is.gd/5ANvv, http://is.gd/5AP4p

Photo copyright Bahá'í International Community. View here.

The mysterious power in God's mention, in glorifying His praise

Consider this passage:

Blessed is the spot, and the house, and the place, and the city, and the heart, and the mountain, and the refuge, and the cave, and the valley, and the land, and the sea, and the island, and the meadow where mention of God hath been made, and His praise glorified.

- Bahá'u'lláh http://is.gd/5ztAo

What is there, actually, in such a heavenly "blessing"?




Photo copyright Bahá'í International Community. View here.

The gift of remembrance - an opportunity to understand history

Excerpts from a thought-provoking article in the New York Times, and from the House of Justice's analysis of the significance of the events of the 20th century, Century of Light.

"...the gift of remembrance for peoples, as for individuals, is the beginning of any psychological cure. Hence the importance of the theme of decline.
"...one simple truth: Those who have the best tools to make history are also those who have the sharpest awareness of its tragic character. The great disasters of the 20th century are all part of our heritage. We are creatures of the decline and the abyss, thirsty for rebirth and salvation."

- The Decline of the West by THÉRÈSE DELPECH, published on NYTimes.com, December 21, 2009

    The twentieth century, the most turbulent in the history of the human race, has reached its end. ...

    Only as humanity comes to understand the implications of what occurred during this [great turning point through which our world has passed in these crucial hundred years] will it be able to meet the challenges that lie ahead. The value of the contribution we as Bahá'ís can make to the process demands that we ourselves grasp the significance of the historic transformation wrought by the twentieth century. ... It is this opportunity that the following pages address.

- Century of Light, The Universal House of Justice, p. 1

Book cover from here.

Time to wait?

Time to contemplate?

"There is no time to lose. There is no room left for vacillation. Multitudes hunger for the Bread of Life. The stage is set. The firm and irrevocable Promise is given. God's own Plan has been set in motion. It is gathering momentum with every passing day. The powers of heaven and earth mysteriously assist in its execution. Such an opportunity is irreplaceable. Let the doubter arise and himself verify the truth of such assertions. To try, to persevere, is to insure ultimate and complete victory."


"The Kingdom of God," writes 'Abdu'l-Bahá, "is possessed of limitless potency. Audacious must be the army of life if the confirming aid of that Kingdom is to be repeatedly vouchsafed unto it…. Vast is the arena, and the time ripe to spur on the charger within it. Now is the time to reveal the force of one's strength, the stoutness of one's heart and the might of one's soul." ...

- Shoghi Effendi, both excerpts from letter of January 28, 1939
http://is.gd/5wSkV, http://is.gd/5wRkM

Image source: sxu.hu

Here and now

So much to do, so little time.
Yet above all, contentment, thankfulness;
Life doesn't end at death -
the here and NOW spells our eternal quest. 

Be not troubled because of hardships and ordeals; turn unto God, bowing in humbleness and praying to Him, while bearing every ordeal, contented under all conditions and thankful in every difficulty.


- 'Abdu'l-Bahá, Tablets 51


The virtues and attributes pertaining unto God are all evident and manifest, and have been mentioned and described in all the heavenly Books. Among them are...contentment with the things His Will hath provided, patience, nay, thankfulness in the midst of tribulation, and complete reliance, in all circumstances, upon Him.


- Bahá'u'lláh, Gleanings 290


From amongst all mankind hath He chosen you, and your eyes have been opened to the light of guidance and your ears attuned to the music of the Company above; and blessed by abounding grace, your hearts and souls have been born into new life. Thank ye and praise ye God that the hand of infinite bestowals hath set upon your heads this gem-studded crown, this crown whose lustrous jewels will forever flash and sparkle down all the reaches of time.
To thank Him for this, make ye a mighty effort, and choose for yourselves a noble goal. Through the power of faith, obey ye the teachings of God, and let all your actions conform to His laws. Read ye The Hidden Words, ponder the inner meanings thereof, act in accord therewith. Read, with close attention, the Tablets of Tarazát (Ornaments), Kalímát (Words of Paradise), Tajallíyyát (Effulgences), Ishráqát (Splendours), and Bishárát (Glad Tidings), and rise up as ye are bidden in the heavenly teachings. Thus may each one of you be even as a candle casting its light, the centre of attraction wherever people come together; and from you, as from a bed of flowers, may sweet scents be shed.


- 'Abdu'l-Bahá, Selections 35-6


"Success or failure, gain or loss, must...depend upon man's own exertions. The more he striveth, the greater will be his progress."


- Bahá'u'lláh, Gleanings 81-2

Photo source: stock.xchng

Second threat of carbon emissions: Ocean acidification

Some relevant reports on this topical issue.

Excerpts from a Times Online article:

The changes being observed [in ocean acidity] are beginning to disrupt the ability of any organism to make shells out of calcium carbonate. Organisms that do this include corals, crabs, lobsters, small creatures vital to the diet of fish and plankton...

Video (3 min.) of U.S. Rep. Jay Inslee making a statement on global climate change science
Statement made in a December 2, 2009, governmental hearing. Two other videos (7 min.) referred to in the article included below can be viewed here and here.

In its statement, "Seizing the Opportunity: Redefining the challenge of climate change", the Bahá'í International Community wrote (2008):

[T]he search for solutions to climate change has revealed the limits of traditional technological and policy approaches. ... [They] have brought us...the [tremendous] opportunity to take the next step in the transition from a state-centered mode of interacting on the world stage to one rooted in the unity which connects us as the inhabitants of one biosphere, the citizens of one world and the members of one human civilization. ...
Source: BIC Statements

A graph from the BBC-article "'Acidifying oceans' threaten food supply, UK warns" showing the chemistry of acidification:

Regarding the hacked emails that stirred controversy recently over the science of climate change (more on that here):

[Mr. Yvo de Boer, the UN's top climate official] said the emails hacked from the British university fuelled scepticism... [Yet he] defended the rigorous review process by some 2,500 scientists of climate change research as solid and thorough.

Source: telegraph.co.uk

From The Sunday Times

December 13, 2009

If climate change doesn't grab you, meet its evil twin

by Charles Clover

Whoever leaked that clutch of Climategate emails last month... has unleashed upon the rest of us the phenomenon of the born-again climate sceptic, the kind of man...that...has been having second thoughts about climate change.
My first instinct is always to humour him... My follow-up question is this: "Do you know that climate change is not the only reason to be uneasy about carbon emissions?" ...
Ocean acidification has been quite scandalously left out of the reckoning in the past few weeks. I am not for a moment belittling the science behind man-made global warming. ... That levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere are rising is not disputed. ...
We know the ocean absorbs about 25% of the carbon dioxide we emit each year. This CO2 dissolves through wind and wave action to form carbonic acid. This is altering the chemistry of the seas in ways that are not disputed and are far simpler to understand than the effect the same pollutants are having on the atmosphere. I recommend the startling practical demonstration on YouTube of what acidity will do to the oceans given by Jane Lubchenco, administrator of the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration...this month.
Since the beginning of the industrial revolution in about 1750, sea water acidity has increased by 30%. The speed and degree of this change are faster than anything that had happened for 55m (million) years. The changes being observed are beginning to disrupt the ability of any organism to make shells out of calcium carbonate. Organisms that do this include corals, crabs, lobsters, small creatures vital to the diet of fish and plankton...
Projections show that by 2060, given the current rate of fossil-fuel emissions, sea water acidity could have increased by 120%. Lubchenco showed Congress a scary picture of what a shell would look like if it had spent a month in water as acidic as this. The shell had begun to dissolve.
Such an effect could trigger a chain of reactions through entire ecosystems, from whales to fish and shellfish, with huge implications for economies and wildlife. It could even stop the sea absorbing as much carbon dioxide as it does now, accelerating global warming. ...
Predictably, the science of ocean acidification, which is accepted by governments on both sides of the Atlantic, does not go uncontested by the global warming sceptics. They say you can't acidify the ocean because it washes over alkaline rocks. This process of weathering rocks is indeed how the alkalinity of the ocean will recover, but leading scientists say it will take hundreds of thousands of years. At the unprecedented speed that acidification is happening, the marine organisms will be knocked out before the rocks can dilute the acid [no reference here - A.].
There is plenty we still need to know about the acidification of the ocean. However, it looks as if unpleasant things start to happen if we go beyond 450 parts per million of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere (bear in mind we reached 390ppm earlier this year). That is, coincidentally, the threshold for holding the Earth's average temperature rise down to a relatively "safe" 2C.
So ocean acidification, which people are beginning to call climate change's "evil twin", may be an even more pressing reason to move to a low-carbon economy than climate change itself. ...
Source: timesonline.co.uk

Photo source: stock.xchng

Human Rights issue at crux of nations' development, prosperity

"[T]oday on Human Rights Day, the United Nations is urging everyone everywhere in the world to embrace diversity and end discrimination."

Following are excerpts from a compelling statement by a top U.N. official on the universal imperative of safeguarding the rights of the poor and underprivileged in all countries.

Bahá'u'lláh has likewise highlighted the virtue of unity in diversity -

"[R]egard ye not one another as strangers. Ye are the fruits of one tree, and the leaves of one branch."(1)

From UN Dispatch.

Special Guest Post for Human Rights Day: Navi Pillay

Mark Leon Goldberg - December 9, 2009

By Navi Pillay, United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights

Old and new forms of discrimination and intolerance continue to divide communities all over the world. Sentiments of xenophobia are on the rise. They are often manipulated for demagogic purposes or even for sinister political agendas. Day after day, their corrosive effects undermine the rights of countless victims. This is why today on Human Rights Day, the United Nations is urging everyone everywhere in the world to embrace diversity and end discrimination. ...


Persons with disabilities make up the world's largest and most disadvantaged minority. For example, 98% of children with disabilities in developing countries do not attend school. Indigenous peoples represent 5% of the world's population, but 15% of its poorest people. Women account for two-thirds of the world's working hours and produce half of the world's food. Yet, due to discrimination and stereotypical gender roles, they earn only 10% of the world's income and own less than 1% of the world's property.
History has proved time and again that, when discrimination, inequality and intolerance are allowed to take root, they may shatter the very foundations of societies and damage them for generations. Left unchecked, they may spill across borders and poison relations among nations. ...
It is undeniable that progress has been remarkable, but we should not pause. Discrimination does not go away by itself. It must be challenged at every turn. We must move forward and move quickly.


We must never lose sight of the fact that the enjoyment of human rights enriches us all. Conversely, when human dignity is undercut or denied by human rights violations, then such abuses affect all of us. This is particularly true in our increasingly multi-ethnic and multicultural societies. ...
On this very day in 1948, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights stated unequivocally that all human beings are born equal in dignity and rights. More than sixty years later, these words resonate with unaltered poignancy. Let us make the Universal Declaration of Human Rights' principles of equality, freedom and dignity for all a reality everywhere. Universal tolerance and respect for diversity is our goal.

Source: http://www.undispatch.com/node/9243
Logo obtained here.


Notes:
(1) Bahá'u'lláh, Tablets 164
 

Temples symbolize human rights, oneness of humanity

Human Rights Day is marked in Germany with concern expressed over human rights violations in Iran.

"The Baha'i House of Worship is itself an architectural monument to human rights, since different religions come into contact here."

- Kordula Schulze-Asche, chairwoman of the Green Party in the German federal state of Hesse.

The Bahá'í House of Worship in Langenhain, Germany

Full story: "Human Rights Day in Germany puts spotlight on Iran" http://news.bahai.org/story/740

There are spiritual principles, or what some call human values, by which solutions can be found for every social problem. ... [G]ood intentions and practical knowledge are usually not enough. The essential merit of spiritual principle is that it not only presents a perspective which harmonizes with that which is immanent in human nature, it also induces an attitude, a dynamic, a will, an aspiration, which facilitate the discovery and implementation of practical measures. ... [A]ll in authority would be well served in their efforts to solve problems if they would first seek to identify the principles involved and then be guided by them.

- The Universal House of Justice, The Promise of World Peace http://info.bahai.org/article-1-7-2-1.html

Musician Anke Keitel explains the ties she feels with the young people of Iran.

Photos Copyright Bahá'í International Community. View here and here.

Prayer -> action: a wholesome recipe for balanced living

Devotional meeting, then children's class - the perfect combination for a successful day. Thanks to those who made it happen!

The Keynote of success in the teaching field is study of the Word, Prayer, Meditation; and then action. Above all, perseverance in action. When these steps are followed in the realm of self-sacrifice, success will be achieved.

- Shoghi Effendi through his secretary, in High Endeavors, p. 27.

Devotional at the Bahá'í Center in Oslo

Love, contentment, tranquillity

Contentment is where tranquility is found;
in assurance that one was "created rich,"
that all that befalls one is of "profit" to oneself
so long as one can be "content" therewith.

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.
- Bahá'u'lláh, The Hidden Words, A4

The cell occupied by Bahá’u’lláh in ‘Akká (Acre), Israel, restored.

O SON OF BEING!
Thou art My lamp and My light is in thee.
Get thou from it thy radiance and seek none other than Me.
For I have created thee rich and have bountifully shed My favor upon thee.
- Bahá'u'lláh, The Hidden Words, A11



I swear by My life!
Nothing save that which profiteth them can befall My loved ones.
To this testifieth the Pen of God, the Most Powerful, the All-Glorious, the Best Beloved.
- Bahá'u'lláh, quoted in The Advent of Divine Justice, 82


O SON OF SPIRIT!
Ask not of Me that which We desire not for thee,
then be content with what We have ordained for thy sake,
for this is that which profiteth thee,
if therewith thou dost content thyself.
- Bahá'u'lláh, The Hidden Words, A18

Photo Copyright 2009, Bahá'í International Community. View here.

Dizzying power of "one righteous act"!

One righteous act is endowed with a potency that can so elevate the dust as to cause it to pass beyond the heaven of heavens. It can tear every bond asunder, and hath the power to restore the force that hath spent itself and vanished….

- Bahá'u'lláh, Gleanings 287

Informal picture of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá with Pauline Morse in His arms, Green Acre, United States of America. August 1912.

Photo Copyright Bahá'í International Community. View here.

A lesson in moderation - balancing professionalism with humanity in sport - as per Tiger Woods

The sempiternal lesson: moderation. Here from the Bahá'í writings:

"Whatsoever passeth beyond the limits of moderation will cease to exert a beneficial influence."

"Whoso cleaveth to justice, can, under no circumstances, transgress the limits of moderation. He discerneth the truth in all things, through the guidance of Him Who is the All-Seeing. ... All...things are subject to this same principle of moderation."

- Bahá'u'lláh, in Tablets 169 and Gleanings 343-4 respectively.

Below are experts from a very thoughtful article in The Times Online that highlights the limits of specialization (and idolization) in sports, with reference to pro-golfer Tiger Woods. Read it in full here.

December 3, 2009

Tiger must grow up – and his fans must let him

by Ed Smith

Once sport was a way to build character, now it tries to eliminate it. So it’s no surprise when the cracks start to show

The Woods legend has entrenched the cult of professional obsession, the Malcolm Gladwell view that anyone can be a genius so long as they practise for 10,000 hours. Woods has been the ultimate pin-up boy for that way of life. It’s long overdue for a serious rethink. Brilliant sportsmen, whatever they may tell you, are a lot like everyone else. Yes, sportsmen have to make sacrifices to get to the top; yes, there is a lot of pressure when they get there; yes, it’s a tough life. So is being a great surgeon, so is being a great teacher, so is being a great actor.

The pursuit of excellence, whatever the discipline, demands bravery and dedication. Sporting exceptionalism — that sport is a special realm populated by a superbreed — is a myth sold to gullible fans to boost TV viewing figures. ...

Doing only one thing for ever, without ever wondering if it can be entirely fulfilling, suits very few human beings.

It is a practical point as well as a moral one. Excessive narrowness isn’t just bad for you as a person, it’s bad for you as a performer. ...

The monomania of Tiger Woods or Geoff Boycott doesn’t work for many people. Now we are learning that it isn’t even working for Tiger Woods.

And anyway, surely one day it is only natural that golfers must fall out of love with golf. ...

Tiring of sport should be considered an essential part of growing up, a human badge of honour, not a cause for reproach. Professional sport is stuck in a dangerous state of arrested development where it demands that grown adults indefinitely retain the egotistical narrow-mindedness of teenagers. ...

Let's hope Woods’ unravelling prompts a shift in mood. So far he has been the standard-bearer for our age of professionalism: workaholic relentlessness, nothing left to chance, the elimination of emotion, it’s only the winning that counts, say nothing, follow the endorsements. ...

Now it is time for Act II... It’s time we all grew up — and allowed sportsmen to do the same.

Ed Smith is a former England cricketer. He is now a Times leader writer. www.edsmith.org.uk

Read the full article here.
Image from stock.xchng. View here (Image ID: 1166782).

Motion, movement an inseparable concomitant of existence

If the full moon is almost straight above my head,
then the sun is almost directly below my feet.
And where am I?
On a globe traversing the heavens!

(The following is from 'Abdu'l-Bahá's "Tablet of the Universe")

Divine and all-encompassing Wisdom hath ordained that motion be an inseparable concomitant of existence, whether inherently or accidentally, spiritually or materially. This movement must be governed by some check or rein, some regulator or director, otherwise order will be disrupted and the spheres and bodies will fall from the heavens. For this reason God brought into being a universal attractive force between these bodies to hold sway over them and govern them, a force deriving from the firm ties, the mighty correspondence and affinity that exist between the realities of these limitless worlds. By the operation of this attractive force those holy and resplendent suns, with their luminous worlds, satellites and planets, circling and orbiting in their heavens, at once exerted attraction and were subject to it, induced motion and were themselves moved, began orbiting and set into orbit other bodies, shone forth and caused others to shine. ... Glory be to Him Who attracted them, laid firm hold on them, imbued them with effulgence, ordered them and set them in motion; and far from His glory be that which any of his creatures can affirm of Him or attribute to Him. ...

Know thou that the expressions of the creative hand of God throughout His limitless worlds are themselves limitless. Limitations are a characteristic of the finite, and restriction is a quality of existent things, not of the reality of existence.

This being the case, how can one, without proof or testimony, conceive of creation being bound by limits? Gaze with penetrating vision into this new cycle. Hast thou seen any matter in which God is bounded by limits which He cannot overstep? Nay, by the excellence of His glory! On the contrary, His tokens have encompassed all things and are sanctified and exalted beyond computation in the world of creation.

These are spiritual truths relating to the spiritual world. In like manner, from these spiritual realities infer truths about the material world. For physical things are signs and imprints of spiritual things; every lower thing is an image and counterpart of a higher thing. Nay, earthly and heavenly, material and spiritual, accidental and essential, particular and universal, structure and foundation, appearance and reality and the essence of all things, both inward and outward -- all of these are connected one with another and are interrelated in such a manner that you will find that drops are patterned after seas, and that atoms are structured after suns in proportion to their capacities and potentialities. ... Universal and particular are in reality incidental and relative considerations. The mercy of thy Lord, verily, encompasseth all things!

- 'Abdu'l-Bahá, Tablet of the Universe (provisional translation), read it here.

Photos of tonight's moon by the undersigned.

The poor as an inspiration

"[A]ssist the poor as much as possible, even by sacrifice of yourself."

Show me a greater motivating power to work for the common weal than this -

What could be better before God than thinking of the poor? For the poor are beloved by our heavenly Father. When Christ came upon the earth, those who believed in Him and followed Him were the poor and lowly, showing that the poor were near to God. When a rich man believes and follows the Manifestation of God, it is a proof that his wealth is not an obstacle and does not prevent him from attaining the pathway of salvation. After he has been tested and tried, it will be seen whether his possessions are a hindrance in his religious life. But the poor are especially beloved of God. Their lives are full of difficulties, their trials continual, their hopes are in God alone. Therefore, you must assist the poor as much as possible, even by sacrifice of yourself. No deed of man is greater before God than helping the poor. Spiritual conditions are not dependent upon the possession of worldly treasures or the absence of them. When one is physically destitute, spiritual thoughts are more likely. Poverty is a stimulus toward God. Each one of you must have great consideration for the poor and render them assistance.

- `Abdu'l-Bahá, The Promulgation of Universal Peace, p. 216

Teaching the Faith in Nedrini, Panama

Photo © Bahá’í World Centre - view here

LIBERIA: Health facilities in disarray - malnutrition, unsanitary conditions stifle the young

What will be a country's end when the youth, its greatest hope, are left to fend for themselves, unattended and neglected (both materially and spiritually)! Let this be a sobering lesson to us all. (Excerpt:)

Liberia's population is estimated at 3.5 million. "Over three million Liberians have no access to safe sanitation facilities," says Muyatwa Sitali, communications officer with Oxfam UK...

A relevant quotation from a sacred text states in this regard:

O YE RICH ONES ON EARTH! The poor in your midst are My trust; guard ye My trust, and be not intent only on your own ease.

- Hidden Words of Bahá'u'lláh

WATER: Poor Sanitation Killing Liberia's Young
By Rebecca Murray

This is 7-month-old Inga Phillips's third visit to the Slipway health centre. The clinic's is unable to care for severely malnourished children with diarrhoea and dehydration. Credit: Rebecca Murray/IPS

MONROVIA and BOPOLU, Liberia, Nov 23 (IPS) - Nineteen-year-old Beauty Phillips clutches her emaciated baby tightly to her chest. At seven months, Inga suffers from malnutrition.

On this chaotic Friday morning in the Slipway Clinic registration room, over one hundred mothers, their crying infants wrapped in traditional lappa cloth, wait on narrow wooden benches for hours to be seen.

"She is always sickly," explains Phillips about Inga's constant vomiting and diarrhoea. "I get my water from the community hand pump, and for my toilet I'm going to the waterside or common toilet. This is why I think my daughter is getting sick."

One out of nine Liberian children die before their fifth birthday, or 110 out of every 1,000 live births, according to the Liberia Demographic Health Survey in 2007. Thirty-nine percent of children are stunted or short for their age. ...

Liberia's population is estimated at 3.5 million. "Over three million Liberians have no access to safe sanitation facilities," says Muyatwa Sitali, communications officer with Oxfam UK, which spearheads Liberia's water, sanitation and hygiene consortium. ...

President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf has implemented a free nationwide public health care policy for children under five years old, a crucial step towards her promise to provide universal health care for all Liberians.

Still reeling from the decades-long civil war, Liberia's 2008 Poverty Reduction Strategy estimates almost two-thirds of its citizens live below the poverty line. ...

Read the full article here.

Chant of Masnavi by Abdul-Bahá

Enjoy this heavenly chant (click on red link here or at bottom), on the heels of 'Abdu'l-Bahá's Day of the Covenant (which marks His birthday - though it doesn't coincide with it - see note at end) and in anticipation of tomorrow's sober marking of His passing.

`Abdu'l-Bahá walking outside his home in Haifa, Israel.

Masnavi by Abdul-Bahá - "Take..."
http://www.box.net/shared/rg7olextea

Note:
The Day of the Covenant "marks the [anniversary] of the birth of...'Abdu'l-Bahá," as stated in these letters written through Shoghi Effendi's secretary (link to them here):

"...the anniversaries of the birth and the ascension of 'Abdu'l-Bahá are not to be regarded as days on which work is prohibited...." (Shoghi Effendi's secretary then notes:) "These are the words of the Guardian." (8 March 1951)
"The Day of the Covenant Nov. 26th, and the Day of the Ascension, Nov. 28th, anniversaries of the birth and the Ascension of 'Abdu'l-Bahá must be observed by the friends coming together, but work is not prohibited." (21 January 1951)
Source of both letters here.

Thanks to whoever it was that uploaded the chant!

Photo Copyright Bahá'í International Community

Freedom of expression in belief

This quotation from a talk by 'Abdu'l-Bahá caught my eye:

Every religion and every religious aspiration may be freely voiced and expressed here. Just as in the world of politics there is need for free thought, likewise in the world of religion there should be the right of unrestricted individual belief. Consider what a vast difference exists between modern democracy and the old forms of despotism. Under an autocratic government the opinions of men are not free, and development is stifled, whereas in democracy, because thought and speech are not restricted, the greatest progress is witnessed. It is likewise true in the world of religion. When freedom of conscience, liberty of thought and right of speech prevail -- that is to say, when every man according to his own idealization may give expression to his beliefs -- development and growth are inevitable. Therefore, this is a blessed church because its pulpit is open to every religion, the ideals of which may be set forth with openness and freedom.

- 'Abdu'l-Bahá, The Promulgation of Universal Peace, p. 197 http://is.gd/54l67

It is stated here that development and growth are INEVITABLE (!) when "every man according to his own idealization may give expression to his beliefs."
What, then, is keeping us from expressing these thoughts of ours (about how to make things better), since we would, by articulation them, improve upon the world?

Bahá'í House of Worship in Ashkhabad before its destruction by an earthquake.

In my understanding, it is saying that even misdirected belief, as long as sincere, well-meaning and conciliatory, should be allowed to be voiced - kind of explodes any conceptions about "absolute truth" one might hold (hail to humility!). Regarding the principle of consultation, 'Abdu'l-Bahá has stated:

Take counsel together in such wise that no occasion for ill-feeling or discord may arise. This can... be attained when every member expresseth with absolute freedom his own opinion and setteth forth his argument... The shining spark of truth cometh forth only after the clash of differing opinions."
- 'Abdu'l-Bahá, Selections From the Writings of 'Abdu'l-Bahá http://reference.bahai.org/en/t/ab/SAB/sab-45.html

Photo Copyright 2009, Bahá'í International Community
http://media.bahai.org/subjects/locations/temples/Turkmenistan/7041/details

S. Korea as model of development

This OECD statement would reflect the fundamental principle of the interdependence of all nations. And that a nation's priority should be, first, to get on its own feet (often with the help of other, more advanced nations), and second, to fulfil its duty to assist less advanced nations.

"For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required."(1)

Korea's story demonstrates the changing face of international development assistance. "Making good use of this assistance," said Oh Joon, "we worked hard to overcome poverty and achieve development. For many Koreans, including myself, it happened in our own lifetime. As a child, I went to an elementary school where we drank milk and ate corn bread that came in containers marked 'United Nations' or 'US Government'. A few months ago, I visited a kindergarten in Mongolia where children were studying with textbooks marked as gifts from the Republic of Korea."

"This is happening in the middle of an economic crisis," remarked OECD Secretary-General Angel Gurría, "when many countries are holding back, Korea is signalling the way forward, as it has done in many areas."

"OECD Development Assistance Committee (DAC) welcomes Korean membership," 26 November 2009 © OECD
http://www.oecd.org/document
/50/0,3343,en_2649_33721_44141618_1_1_1_1,00.html
Note: (1) From a letter written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi
http://bahai-library.com/compilations/living.life.html

"Hindu" Barbie doll pictured in front of India's Bahá'í Temple

The "Hindu" Barbie doll blends nicely into the beautiful gardens surrounding the Bahá'í "Lotus" Temple in New Delhi, India.

Toys can certainly be used to promote spiritual values, as here - hypothetically - unity in diversity!

Ye are all fruits of one tree, the leaves of one branch, the flowers of one garden.
Bahá'í writings

Sites on the temple:

Photos of the Bahá'í House of Worship, New Delhi, India

Baha'i Temple in India continues to receive awards and recognitions

Distinguished visitors praise Baha'i Temple

Barbie-photo source: View it here. Copyright metadata:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/leonardlow/ / CC BY 2.0

Aerial photo of the Bahá'í House of Worship © 2009 Bahá'í International Community

The experience of eloquent speech - here on issues of governance in E.U.

It's rare to find such outstanding diction and expression as is wielded here - by former President of Latvia Ms. Vike-Freiberga.
(Excerpt:)

...Europe. Now, for the first time, it has a common voice on the international stage. It must use it well and use it sparingly. That means worrying less about detail and concentrating on the big ...issues — a little less time worrying about the curvature of bananas and a little more devotion to energy security and the environment.

"Be anxiously concerned with the needs of the age ye live in, and centre your deliberations on its exigencies and requirements." - Bahá'u'lláh

November 21, 2009

Focus on the big issues, not the bananas

Open elections, greater democracy, energy and aid should head the list for Europe's new leaders

Vaira Vike-Freiberga

Yesterday was a good morning for Europe. Now, for the first time, it has a common voice on the international stage. It must use it well and use it sparingly. That means worrying less about detail and concentrating on the big issues — a little less time worrying about the curvature of bananas and a little more devotion to energy security and the environment.

It also means addressing valid concerns that the European Union's governing structures should be more democratic. Choosing Herman Van Rompuy as first President of the European Union and Baroness Ashton of Upholland as High Representative for Foreign and Security Policy long before the sea bass and wild mushrooms were discreetly placed on the dinner table on Thursday evening in Brussels hardly assuages those concerns.

Making the selection somewhat more transparent would no doubt have enhanced the EU's democratic credentials. There is no reason why all candidates could not declare themselves publicly beforehand. The citizens of the EU's 27 states would surely have felt more confident if they had heard candidates set out their vision on television.

It isn't difficult to communicate with the public, especially with the new technologies available to us. I was surprised by the volume of response that my candidacy received on the internet; it showed that it is wrong to say Europeans don't care who is appointed.

Ultimately, I suspect, the president might be elected. In the future, it might be possible — indeed exciting — for 500 million people to elect their president directly. It is a goal worth aiming for if we are to carry the confidence of Europe's citizens.

The union was founded to cement Europe in peace. We risk losing that if people feel alienated, have no interest in voting for their European parliamentarians and don't care what they are doing. It hardly needs a historian to point out the dangers of such sentiments becoming commonplace in a recession.

Europe is as democratic as it can be for now. It is quite a challenge to stitch together this varied group of countries, different in size, weight and economic clout, with disparate pasts and levels of internal democracy. While Western European countries have taken decades or even centuries to hone their democracies, the countries that emerged from communism are only now evolving theirs. To get this far has been a huge achievement.

We must continue to be courageous. In my lifetime I have experienced the horror of war and totalitarian rule. Europe can never again have a political system imposed on it from above. Nor can powerful countries impress their will on smaller ones. There needs to be equality at some level regardless of disparities in size. This happens in federations such as Canada and the United States. Prince Edward Island (population, 140,000) is not the same as Ontario (population 13 million); New Hampshire (1.3 million) is not the same as California (36 million).

That is not to say that Europe is ready to become a federation. In 50 years' time, perhaps, but it is not something that can be imposed. If it is to evolve, it must happen slowly and openly.

There has been much debate about whether the president of the European Council should be a consensus builder or a strong personality. One would hope to find people with both qualities. The idea that a conciliatory politician must necessarily be a boring personality is nonsense. This is a presidential position. Europe's leaders should be exciting, inspiring and able to give citizens confidence in their future.

The time for faceless bureaucracy and high-table deal-making is over. European citizens expect their representatives to be visible and to talk to them. We hope to see the new leaders on television, explaining what they are doing to the citizens of all member nations of the EU.

In ten years' time I hope Europe will be speaking with one voice on the crucial issues of the day where common interests transcend individual countries' needs. A common energy policy with respect to the sourcing and distribution of gas and oil, for example, should exist at a European level. As a big customer Europe can get a better price from a powerful supplier such as Russia than separate countries trying to get a deal piece by piece.

In terms of foreign policy, Europe spends three times as much on aid to developing countries as the US, but makes less of an impact because it is done in a scattered way. Better value would be achieved through stronger co-ordination of European efforts.

Now that the EU is working within the framework of the Lisbon treaty it must avoid the risk of getting stuck in technical detail. The larger it grows, the more it must rise above the minutiae of administration and put more oil on its wheels. Maybe it should do fewer jobs, but do them really well.

The European Union's founding fathers knew that it had to be built brick by brick if it was to be accepted. We are an extraordinary continent of diverse sovereign states collaborating more and more closely, cautiously delegating elements of our sovereignty into a central pot.

Europe has come a long way. To get where we are today took courage and grit. The worst is behind us. Though we will still be hit by crises and challenges, we have a structure for peace and stability. Let's use it well. Go to it, Europe.

Vaira Vike-Freiberga was President of Latvia 1999-2007. She is vice-chairman of the Reflection group on the long-term future of the European Union

Source: http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/columnists/guest_contributors/article6926160.ece

Baha'i House of Worship gains new admirerers

Not surprising that people should become attracted to these unique structures! Here on a photo-technique site. Photo of the Bahá'í House of Worship in Wilmette, Illinois.

(View original here)
Twilight Blue - Photograph at BetterPhoto.com

"Bahá'í architecture is very different from the sacred architecture of any other era, because its goals are to unify the people of many different races, backgrounds, and religions into one central area where peaceful and harmonious thoughts prevail." http://is.gd/4ZbQP, http://is.gd/4ZbRC

Build ye houses of worship throughout the lands
The Bahá'í House of Worship is dedicated to the praise of God. The House of Worship forms the central edifice of the Mashriqu'l-Adhkár (the Dawning-place of the Praise of God), a complex which, as it unfolds in the future, will comprise in addition to the House of Worship a number of dependencies dedicated to social, humanitarian, educational, and scientific pursuits. 'Abdu'l-Bahá describes the Mashriqu'l-Adhkár as "one of the most vital institutions in the world", and Shoghi Effendi indicates that it exemplifies in tangible form the integration of "Bahá'í worship and service". Anticipating the future development of this institution, Shoghi Effendi envisages that the House of Worship and its dependencies "shall afford relief to the suffering, sustenance to the poor, shelter to the wayfarer, solace to the bereaved, and education to the ignorant". In the future, Bahá'í Houses of Worship will be constructed in every town and village.

http://bahai-library.com/writings/bahaullah/aqdas/notes.html

November 2009 - Man confirms the existence of water on the moon

"There is water on the Moon, scientists stated unequivocally on Friday.
"Indeed yes, we found water," Anthony Colaprete, the principal investigator for NASA's Lunar Crater Observation and Sensing Satellite, said in a news conference. "And we didn't find just a little bit. We found a significant amount."

Mission Finds Water on Moon, NASA Scientists Say - NYTimes.com

Source: www.nytimes.com

The discovery, which came out of a mission a month ago, confirmed scientists' suspicions and could help explorers.

CNN: http://www.cnn.com/2009/TECH/space/11/13/water.moon.nasa/index.html

NASA, via Reuters

This artist's rendering released by NASA shows the Lunar Crater Observation and Sensing Satellite as it crashed into the moon to test for the presence of water last month.

In the days to come, ye will, verily, behold things of which ye have never heard before. - Bahá'u'lláh
http://is.gd/4V7dQ

Soundbites from Farhang's talk at the Baha'i Center in Oslo today

Some highlights from the talk, which was about Farhang's experiences with using the Institute courses to promote the Faith's growth, in Spain.
The world of humanity is sick. The purpose of the Ruhi courses (http://is.gd/4UvJU) is to create healthy "cells" in this ailing "body". It is not about study, but about learning, through practice, to become able servants to our fellow men. We focus on man's spiritual reality. Begin by nurturing ourselves (reflect on the holy verses morning & evening), then nurture others by sharing with them the verses & prayers at opportune moments. Thereby the heart is connected to the heavenly Source (the Baha'i Scriptures).

"....the whole human race is encompassed with great, with incalculable afflictions... Incline your ears to the sweet melody of this Prisoner." http://is.gd/4UvUW
(Like to join a course with me here? :-) Excerpts: http://is.gd/4UvTx )

Passing of University founder, prominent philanthropist, Dr. Eloy Anello [SERVICE], [LOVE]

A truly dedicated servant to humanity, founder of Bolivias premiere University, Nur, has passed - bless his memory!

"No one who crossed his path could fail to be touched by his unbounded energy, by his sincere love of humanity, which he brought to every enterprise he undertook in service to the Faith." - The Universal House of Justice (full message below)

A favorite prayer of his:

If it be Thy pleasure, make me to grow as a tender herb in the meadows of Thy grace, that the gentle winds of Thy will may stir me up and bend me into conformity with Thy pleasure, in such wise that my movement and my stillne...ss may be wholly directed by Thee. - Baha'u'llah http://is.gd/45IDx

Flowers at the World Centre.

Listen to an edifying talk on Social and Economic Development (for download, in middle of the list) here: http://sed.skyrunner.net/list.php.
Two papers written by him on Moral Leadership:
http://is.gd/45His, http://is.gd/45HjB.
A report on a project he helped initiate: http://is.gd/45HNv
Facebook group in honor of his memory:
http://www.facebook.com/pages/in-memory-of-Eloy-Anello/145648438862

A member of the Continental Board of Counsellors, Eloy Anello, of Bolivia, spoke on the topic "The Life of Dr. Muhajir" at the "Growth and Victories" conference in Ecuador.

Message from the Universal House of Justice (of October 6 or 7) on the occasion of the passing of Dr. Eloy Anello:

"With heavy hearts we received the news of the passing of Eloy Anello, indefatigable and valiant servant of Baha'u'llah. Nearly forty years ago, as the Nine Year Plan was drawing to a close, we urged the friends everywhere to emulate the Baha'i youth, "whose recent surge forward into the van of proclamation and teaching" was "one of the most encouraging and significant trends in the Faith" and who stormed "the gates of heaven for support in their enterprises by long-sustained, precedent and continuing prayer." Among those who had stepped into the vanguard was dear Eloy, who, as a young man, left the United States and settled in Bolivia in the early 1970s, making it his home and dedicating himself to the upliftment of its people. No one who crossed his path could fail to be touched by his unbounded energy, by his sincere love of humanity, which he brought to every enterprise he undertook in service to the Faith. Especially noteworthy were the valuable contributions he made to the progress of the Cause as a member of the Continental Board of Counsellors in the Americas for two decades. How many young people were awakened to the crying needs of humanity as a result of his efforts in this capacity. How many were galvanized to arise and serve the Cause. So dedicated was he to nurturing young minds that he co-founded Universidad Nur in Santa Cruz--an institution striving to apply Baha'i principles to higher education and to programs for the advancement of the indigenous populations.

"May his life of consecration to the Cause serve as an inspiration to those laboring to meet the requirements of the current stage of the Divine Plan. To his family and many friends, we extend our loving condolences. Our most fervent prayers at the Sacred Threshold join yours for the progress of his noble soul throughout the realms of God. We call on all National Spiritual Assemblies in the Americas to hold memorial gatherings in his honor.

- The Universal House of Justice

A yearning* for beloved Anello

[courtesy translation] *[translator’s note: The Spanish word for “yearning” (anhelo) and the name Anello are homonyms]

It seems that for him time did not exist. He confronted time and the hands of the clock obeyed; time was his steed and he was the expert, highly experienced rider who took it wherever he wanted to go and with it he put on the best displays. His time was that of service and he would always say when we undertook a project “I can dedicate myself ‘part time’ either to this one or the other one.” He often used the expression “part time”, so one day I asked him, “Dear Eloy, how much ‘part time’ do you have in your life to do all this?” He laughed out loud and was happy.
His spirit sought out his body until the very last minute in order to serve. Whenever he proclaimed the Bahá’í Faith in his talks his illness would disappear and his spirit took the reins and the controls of his body; his face became incomparably radiant and the connection between his soul and spirit even made him forget about the present and carried his thoughts into the distant future; his strength enabling him to be in the present and in the future was astonishing.
This indomitable strength that enabled him enlarge his services and to prepare the way for those who would follow him, was admired by many, as were his great skills which were always exercised in great humility; his sensitive soul was in constant communion with his Beloved, Bahá’u’lláh, and when he would recount stories of the Faith, the sacrifices of the friends, the early Bahá’ís of Bolivia, his own family whom he so loved, his travels and encounters with those who serve the Cause, his voice would suddenly tremble, his translucent eyes reflecting the pure feelings of his heart, filling with tears reflecting the love even more.
His beautiful letter to me which was mailed while I was traveling last week, created the image that my beloved friend Eloy had already prepared his path and in the depths of his heart saw the light of Bahá and was yearning to be united with Him, as he wrote, “I am now waiting for Bahá’u’lláh’s call; you must come here quickly so I can see you for the last time in this world.”
When I read this, the beautiful history of our acquaintance over the last twenty years, having been with him on so many occasions, so close to him and his family, unfolded before my eyes and the memories of seeing him “riding” in different limitless fields of service passed in a flash before my inner vision.
Shortly after receiving the letter we were now approaching Santa Cruz, unaware that our beloved friend Eloy had departed for the Kingdom just hours earlier when his noble soul stopped receiving the painful blows of this mortal world. On Friday, October 2 at 5:30 in the morning the pain in his weakened body ceased and his soul, like lightning, saw there was no time left in this contingent world and departed in that flash to the other worlds of God.
He had served for more that 40 years since his youth in Latin America and other countries around the world --a service at such a pace that time seemed limitless. His research, his written essays, his talks to the youth, his publications on highly-involved social issues, his moral leadership in service to the Faith, his incredible efforts in the founding of Nur University and the infinite love he felt as he saw it grow, his services as a Continental Counsellor for more than twenty years, the guidance he gave to those who supported any project – all this was as a constant “accompaniment” for this and for future generations.
The room was prepared with a simple, beautiful photograph of him as founder of Nur University, denoting his simple but dedicated life. On the first day many friends came from different parts of Bolivia. The room was constantly stirring with his beloved friends, those from the Bahá’í institutions, people from the academic world, from society in general, a beloved Counsellor from Africa, a dearly-loved friend from Indonesia, pioneers, youth, each one with their prayers shared the secret of his heart, each remembering moments with him, yearning for the exaltation of his praiseworthy spirit.
The night of the reception where the friends could say their prayers did not end until dawn of the following morning.
On Saturday, October 3, the room where his body was laid at rest was, in the final moments witness to a gathering of the friends. His wife, with firm conviction, was there. She had been with him to the very end and shared with the audience that the entire program, the prayers, the sequence and the details of the gathering had all been chosen by beloved Eloy, who had even chosen his resting place in the shade of some beautiful trees. His leadership continued to direct the gathering of the friends through his valiant spirit; the prayers being chosen by him, each a sign of his profound gratitude in this life and his great humility before the threshold of the Blessed Beauty as he neared His presence. His children had been asked by him to read the prayers; their souls in contact with that of their father in uniting all the souls there present. A close friend told moving stories about his life, stories full of happiness, enthusiasm, stories about his passion for teaching and his desire to be always with his beloved friend, Dr. Muhajir.
The immortal life after death and the sacred quotes informed the minds of those present in the room that the life to come is one full of hope and is a road to perfection. There was a reading of some of the messages from friends around the world. The sharing of these gave physical dimension to the love felt for Eloy around the globe.
The time had come to detach ourselves from the physical presence of one so dear to our hearts and, even more, to begin to attach ourselves spiritually to his radiant soul in the hope that he might be with us as we serve. There were thousands of flowers, prayers sung and chanted by the friends. The special prayer for those who leave this world was read by the beloved Counsellor.
Beautiful intonations of Ya Bahá’ul’Abhá and Ya, Alí’u’alláh were recited by his beloved daughters, each one increasing our desire for the exaltation of his spirit. The Concourse on High was dancing with joy, feeling even more fortified because of the arrival of an indefatigable warrior of the army of light into their mighty ranks. Pure and holy souls strewed flowers along the pathway to receive an incomparable soldier carrying the tablets of victories won in a 40-year span of service during a short earthly lifetime, yet enriched with unconditional service.
Junior youth, youth, adults, academicians, scientists, educators, sociologists, psychologists, researchers, writers and above all these, the servants of the Cause whose love is to serve humanity with great humility will very much and always miss his physical presence, his motivating speeches, his inspiring expositions, his articles of guidance his counsel given with such affection and infinite love in this world; but they know that the physical body is like a cloud which once it disappears the intensity of the sun’s light becomes evident, after momentarily being hidden from view. We will always have the rays of his sun to cultivate the fields in which he so loved to serve and so will continue his “part time” projects.
We join his beloved family in our deepest yearning that through our prayers the Blessed Beauty will beautify the perpetual existence our beloved Anello through His confirmations and that He will care for his family under the beams of His protection.

With deepest love,
Sohrab Yazdani.

Source: http://www.ertn.org/. Direct link to PDF version: http://www.ertn.org/Anello/Eloy%20Anello_ENG.pdf

Photos copyright Bahá'í International Community
http://media.bahai.org/subjects/5794/details
http://media.bahai.org/subjects/locations/holy_places_hai/shrine_bab_gard/6941/details