Baha’i Perspectives

nava August 19th, 2008

Adam and Eve. Our progenitors. The Garden of Eden. The birthplace of shame and forbidden fruit, satanic snakes and temptressy women. Possibly one of the most famous Biblical accounts of all time. Certainly the most popular. But, what does it actually mean? What are the inherent values we are supposed to glean and learn from this anecdote?

A literal interpretation of this account proves troublesome as the numbers just don’t add up. From a scientific perspective, it is well-documented and proven that human beings have existed on this planet in some evolutionary form or another long before Sir Adam or Madame Eve ever made an appearance. From a biological point of view, the populating of the planet would seem miraculous if actually initiated by the two—who did their sons marry? And why didn’t all the children end up with severe disabilities (as modern medicine has proven time and again that the odds are way against us as a race when we marry within the bloodline)? From a spiritual stance, couldn’t a God who punishes perpetual generations of His creation for the sins of the first two be considered somewhat childish, if not outright cruel? Clearly, this story is not intended literally.

An early Baha’i believer from a Christian background asked Abdu’l-Baha, the son of the Founder of the Baha’i Faith, what the true significance of this allegory was. He explained that the story of Adam and Eve had many different meanings, one of which he would expound for her. He says the following regarding the symbolism of the main “protagonists” of this story (Adam, Eve, the tree of good and evil, the serpent, and the tree of life):

Adam signifies the heavenly spirit of Adam, and Eve His human soul. For in some passages in the Holy Books where women are mentioned, they represent the soul of man. The tree of good and evil signifies the human world; for the spiritual and divine world is purely good and absolutely luminous, but in the human world light and darkness, good and evil, exist as opposite conditions.

The meaning of the serpent is attachment to the human world. This attachment of the spirit to the human world led the soul and spirit of Adam from the world of freedom to the world of bondage and caused Him to turn from the Kingdom of Unity to the human world. When the soul and spirit of Adam entered the human world, He came out from the paradise of freedom and fell into the world of bondage. From the height of purity and absolute goodness, He entered into the world of good and evil.

The tree of life is the highest degree of the world of existence: the position of the Word of God, and the supreme Manifestation. Therefore, that position has been preserved; and, at the appearance of the most noble supreme Manifestation, it became apparent and clear. For the position of Adam, with regard to the appearance and manifestation of the divine perfections, was in the embryonic condition; the position of Christ was the condition of maturity and the age of reason; and the rising of the Greatest Luminary[1] was the condition of the perfection of the essence and of the qualities. This is why in the supreme Paradise the tree of life is the expression for the center of absolutely pure sanctity — that is to say, of the divine supreme Manifestation. From the days of Adam until the days of Christ, They spoke little of eternal life and the heavenly universal perfections. This tree of life was the position of the Reality of Christ; through His manifestation it was planted and adorned with everlasting fruits. [1= Baha’u’llah]

(Abdu’l-Baha, Some Answered Questions, p. 123)

In layman’s terms, Adam and Eve are one reality, Adam representing the physical self and Eve his soul. The tree of good and evil is this very world we exist in, a world full of dualities, as opposed to the spiritual worlds of God — the heavenly realms, as some theological language would term them — which are only good. The serpent represents attachment to this material world (maybe things like our looks, our cars, our status, our things) — the true source of evil. The tree of life represents the Manifestation of God (such as Christ and Baha’u’llah). They are the tree of life because They are the source of all spiritual good, and the true nature of man is spiritual. Though he is both a body and a soul, the body is the vehicle for the soul to progress through life acquiring the spiritual attributes he will need in the spiritual worlds of God. So when we forget our true reality, when we become so caught up in the affairs of the flesh that we neglect our souls, we not only succumb to evil, we bind ourselves to it.

Evil is not a seperate entity that exists on its own, stalking us through dark hallways and creepy dreams, waiting to plant itself in our bodies so that only an exorcism can restore us to humanity. Evil is a turning away from good; a daily struggle. A part of our very selves. A lower, animalistic nature which drives us to focus only on our worldly needs and turn away from the tree of life. From the laws of the Manifestation of God which are, in fact, the source of all good, and the only true sustenance of the spiritual reality of man.

Paradise and hell exist within our own selves — rest in the decisions we make every day. To be watchful or to neglect. To be godly or to be satanic. To be obedient or to rebel. To strive or to settle. To be wordly or to be heavenly.

Tags: Bible themes, good & evil

• Baha'i Concepts , General Interest
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geoffrey August 8th, 2008

Where are the poets? Where are the mentors of this age that take us deep, rip us apart, and heal us with those transitional words needed for an unsettled time? How are we to operate successfully in a world where those that speak with universal tongues are left silenced or relegated to a softer side of history?

We seek and sift through the dust waiting for those connections to form between us and generate those golden threads that break the gloomy dusk of lives being built without the strength, the vision - we seek those who speak in tightly packed moments of passion and vivacity.

Why is language lost, and not truly used as that art, that truth? I was emboldened one day when I came across a treasure trove nestled deep within nytimes.com - a multimedia presentation called “Three Poems” – it linked to an article entitled “Young American Indians Find Their Voice in Poetry”.

As I listened and viewed the pictures, completely blown away by the power and substance of their expressions – these high-school students – my heart was uplifted and I truly felt the fire of words that truly galvanize. After reading the article and listening to the three poems presented, I thought of four things: 1) a Baha’i perspective on art and poetry, 2) the power of words to affect, 3) the immense potential of youth and junior youth, and 4) how the native or indigenous populations of a country have such a role to play in the eventual upliftment of their home land.

A poet named Roger White, who was a Bahá’í and has since passed away, once wrote:

Art has a message for us. It says: care, grow, develop, adapt, overcome, nurture, protect, foster, cherish. It says; your reality is spiritual. It says achieve your full humanness. It invites us to laugh, reflect, cry, strive, persevere. It says rejoice! Above all, it says to us: be! We cannot turn our backs on art. Art heals.

Artists…will be a vital force in preventing inflexibility in our [world] community. They will be a source of rejuvenation. They will serve as a bulwark against fundamentalism, stagnation, and administrative sterility. Artists call us away from formulas, caution us against the fake, and accustom us to un-predictability—that trait which so characterizes life. They validate our senses. They link us to our own history. They clothe and give expression to our dreams and aspirations. They teach us impatience with stasis. They aid us to befriend our private experiences and heed our unexamined mechanistic responses to the world…Art conveys information about ourselves and our universe that can be found nowhere else.

Poetry stirs deeply within us because of the nature of its composition. It has the ability to transcend, and can be used as that vehicle for the expression of the divine. It has been recorded that often times, though also due to the cultural conditions of the time, when early believers in the Baha’i Faith wished to express their devotion to its Founder, Baha’u'llah, they would write to him in a poetic fashion. It is true also that the Baha’i Faith first originated in Persia, and the Persian language is in itself quite poetic.

Here is an excerpt from a response from Baha’u'llah:

Every word of thy poetry is indeed like unto a mirror in which the evidences of the devotion and love thou cherishest for God and His chosen ones are reflected.

(Baha’u'llah, Tablets of Baha’u'llah, p. 175)

Abdu’l-Baha, the son of Baha’u'llah, also says in relation to art:

All Art is a gift of the Holy Spirit. When this light shines through the mind of a musician, it manifests itself in beautiful harmonies. Again, shining through the mind of a poet, it is seen in fine poetry and poetic prose. When the Light of the Sun of Truth inspires the mind of a painter, he produces marvellous pictures. These gifts are fulfilling their highest purpose, when showing forth the praise of God.

(Lady Blomfield, “The Chosen Highway”, p. 167)

A Baha’i perspective on art could be read to mean that art is a release of self. It is a cleansing. It is a way of expressing a sense of openness to reach out and touch some portion of Truth. As Baha’u'llah says in the example above, that individual’s poetry was enough to show Him how strong his sense of devotion was, and how ardently he loved his new found Faith. The key, as noted by Abdu’l-Baha, is that the sole aim of Art must be, if it is to be called Art, to show ‘forth the praise of God”. And this concept is in itself a topic worth exploring (which I may be able to touch upon in the next post).

But before anything else, make sure you listen to “Three Poems”.

Tags: art, poetry

• Baha'i Concepts , General Interest , Inspiration
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nadim July 31st, 2008

This video is another gem from DoubleTake.tv, a site that contains a growing collection of short Baha’i-inspired documentaries. Watch how an innovative “white bloke” living on the island of Vanuatu rolls up his sleeves and gets down to finding a homegrown solution to the problem of rising fuel prices.

Finished watching?

Let’s reflect for a moment on the video and then turn our thoughts towards the bigger picture…

The Biofuel Conundrum

Biofuel production is without doubt one hot topic these days. It provokes an entire spectrum of opinions from advocates and critics alike. Having initially been devised as a mechanism to reduce the world’s dependence on crude oil, the mass production of biofuel using food crops has precipitated another crisis — in the form of rocketing food prices and increased global famine. What are the possible reasons for this wretched situation? Was this outcome inevitable, or was it somehow avoidable?

Being a regular user of public transport, I’ve had to endure yet another rise in the base taxi fare, as well as a significant price rise for bus tickets, all in the past month. Clearly, biofuels haven’t lowered fuel prices — not for me anyway — and the trip over to the local grocery store is becoming more and more of a nervous window-shopping experience. So what exactly has gone wrong?

As usual, I dive into the World Wide Web to try and figure things out. A Time magazine article, Solving the Biofuels vs. Food Problem, points out that in 2006 alone the U.S. produced 4.86 billion gallons of corn ethanol. That sounds like a lot, but what does it really mean? Well, United Nations expert Jean Ziegler, explains that it takes the same amount of corn to produce 13 gallons of ethanol as it does to feed a child for one year. Divide 4.86 billion by 13 and we have 374 million starving children who could have been fed, all by a single country!! And this was back in 2006 — I can only imagine the numbers would have shot up by now. Ziegler, clearly exasperated by this situation, goes on to comment:

…the effect of transforming hundreds and hundreds of thousands of tons of maize, of wheat, of beans, of palm oil, into agricultural fuel is absolutely catastrophic for the hungry people… So it’s a crime against humanity… What has to be stopped is… the growing catastrophe of the massacre (by) hunger in the world.

Based on this statistic alone, it would take a foolhardy person to reject Ziegler’s statement outright.

When Baha’u'llah, Prophet Founder of the Baha’i Faith, pronounced that the prevailing world order is “lamentably defective”, need we look any further for proof?

Couldn’t They Have Waited?

Both Ziegler and the author of the Time article state that non-food alternatives for biofuel, such as switchgrass (which is energy-efficient) and Jatropha shrubs (which grow well on poor land), are only a few years away from becoming viable for mass production. The Science Blog reports on an even more promising alternative, a grass called Miscanthus. Why then, do the economically advantaged countries not wait a little while longer? Surely it should be obvious that all this excess corn can quite easily feed the world’s hungry population. Why do these countries ruthlessly trade human lives in order for their citizens to drive a few extra miles on the highway?

In the masterpiece entitled Century of Light, which examines the successes and failures of the 20th century, the The Universal House of Justice explains:

Tragically, what Bahá’ís see in present-day society is unbridled exploitation of the masses of humanity by greed that excuses itself as the operation of “impersonal market forces”… What they find themselves struggling against daily is the pressure of a dogmatic materialism, claiming to be the voice of “science”, that seeks systematically to exclude from intellectual life all impulses arising from the spiritual level of human consciousness.

(Commissioned by The Universal House of Justice, Century of Light, p. 137)

This captures, in essence, what Baha’is believe to be the root cause of humanity’s ills. What is completely disregarded by our present economic and political systems are those universal spiritual qualities spoken of in the Holy Books of the world’s religions — justice, honesty, trustworthiness, generosity, love of one’s neighbour and so on. Indeed, it is puzzling to observe how these guiding principles, which govern the behaviour of righteous individuals across just about every society, are conveniently swept under the rug in debates on international policy.

Having said this, individual transformation, although vital, is alone not enough. It is becoming increasingly urgent for nations to acknowledge that they belong to a single common homeland known as planet Earth, and that the good of the whole can never be achieved without sincerely seeking the best for each and every part. This implies moving from a culture of competition for natural resources towards one of collaboration. The implications of this change of thinking would be nothing short of revolutionary, and revolution, it seems, is precisely what is needed.

Sure, it is easy to pass this off as some fanciful notion and continue seeking the latest popular explanation as to why our world systems are just so volatile. Commonly-heard phrases like “economic downturn”, “instability in the Middle East”, “rising interest rates”, “loss of investor confidence”, “farm subsidies” are forever making the rounds in the media, and people blindly accept these for the very reason that they are impersonal. These phrases, in my opinion, are comfortable to accept because they do not challenge the status quo. They do not challenge ingrained patterns of human and societal behaviour. Instead, all they do is mask the reality that we are governed by a system that has long passed it’s sell-by date; one which is described as “morally and intellectually bankrupt” by The Universal House of Justice. The only solution that will ensure a long-term future of peace and prosperity is spiritual — it can only be spiritual.

But what to do about the biofuel problem?

Ahh, the million dollar question. Obviously there is no such thing as a quick fix. Nevertheless, Baha’is believe that even the most complex economic problems can be solved through the application of spiritual principles. Now, supposing for a moment that Tony Deamer’s coconut fuel initiative in Vanuatu became a candidate for large-scale production. What are some questions that we would hope the Government would ask? What are some suggested potential international guidelines on this matter? Here is a quick list that came to my mind:

• What is the nutritional value of the crop in question? Is it a viable source of food for the world’s population?
• What is the current economic state of the country in question? In what ways can the money saved on importing fuel be channeled towards improving education, health care etc?
• Will the by-products of the fuel extraction process have any worth or be discarded as waste?
• What is the potential environmental impact in terms of greenhouse gas emissions etc?
• How do we “give back” to the land what has been taken from it?

In terms of coconut fuel in Vanuatu, you may find it interesting to read this article, in which Tony Deamer addresses some of the above questions.

Do you have any personal thoughts on this issue?

Tags: development, economics, fuel, materialism

• General Interest , News & Current Affairs , Principles in Action , Society
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Baha'i Perspectives July 6th, 2008

We should let the world know what the real aim of Bahá’u'lláh was. Up to the present Unity of Mankind was only of an academic importance. Now it is becoming more and more a subject for international statesmen to think of. It is coming to the field of practical politics. It is therefore a wonderful chance for us to come to the front and expound the teaching which is the goal and aim of the social precepts of Bahá’u'lláh. Shoghi Effendi hopes that the friends will re-echo this call to an organic unity of mankind until it forms part of the conscious faith of every living man in the world.

(From a letter written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi, The Compilation of Compilations vol II, p. 191)

As Baha’i Perspectives approaches it’s 6-month anniversary, we would like to pause a while and hear back from our dear readers. For this purpose we have come up with a survey that should only take a minute or two to complete. The aim, of course, is to know our readership better and receive any feedback that will help us to keep improving.

We would also like to offer a special thanks to all those who have helped advertise this site and linked to it from outside — your support and encouragement is always warmly appreciated, and indeed it inspires all of our contributors to press forward.

While you fill out this form, we will be going on a mini-break. See you back here in a week’s time .

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• General Interest
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Baha'i Perspectives June 27th, 2008

One of our readers, Samah Tokmachi, recently attended Pangea Day, an event whose aim is to bring the world together through the medium of film. Samah, himself a filmmaker, shares with us some of his experiences and observations from this historic event in a 2-part report. Thank you, Samah!

[Continued from Part I]

The next talk we heard was from Deborah Scranton, Matthew Modine and Lee Daniels on finding hope in telling terror tales. I very much appreciated this talk. Deborah has made a documentary on soldiers in Iraq called “War Tapes” and when she spoke of the need for her to remain non-political in her work, in order for people to listen to her, it resonated with me as a Bahá’í’. Matthew Modine addressed the tremendous changes wrought in the world since the American nation came into being, and how with less technology than is in your cell phone, we had landed on the moon. The theme he really brought home, which again resonated with my understanding of the Baha’i Faith, was how we as a species had been pulled together through technology. He added that the overriding narrative of our time is a global narrative. One thing in particular that Matthew said stays with me: “Your dreams as filmmakers can alter the way we live on this planet.”

Duncan North (”The Tao of Steve”) and Ondi Timoner (”Dig”) spoke about finding truth in a story. I was struck by Ondi’s comment that “Truth is achieved through a prism.” It reminded me of the Baha’i conception of consultation:

The shining spark of truth cometh forth only after the clash of differing opinions.

(Abdu’l-Baha, Selections from the Writings of Abdu’l-Baha, p. 87)

Following this was a talk by Udi Aloni (”Forgiveness”), Haile Gerima (”Sankofa”) and Marco Williams (”Banished”), who spoke on the subject of “Who tells the Story of the Other?” There was a lot of anger at the injustices in the world, as well as their lack of representation in the film industry. Haile, a Somali filmmaker, spoke at length on the difficulties faced by filmmakers of color. What impressed me greatly was her unifying statement that — while it is true that there is injustice — she had been touched by filmmakers of every hue and race, and that many different voices had empowered her as a filmmaker.

The last panel discussion was by Caroline Baron (”Capote”) and Alex Gibney (”Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room”). Together they spoke of the impact of film on our society. To that end, Alex cited an example he learned of in making “Taxi to the Dark Side”. He told the story of how the U.S. military begged the producers of the show “24″ to change the hardball tactics of Jack Bauer, since it was giving new recruits the wrong idea about how to conduct interrogations. That was interesting I thought, and spoke of the complexity of the world we live in.

The last activity we did in our groups: shoot little films with these new and very high quality camera phones. So now I can honestly say I made and co-starred in a film with Matthew Modine!

The next day was the Pangea Day event itself, pulled off with tremendous aplomb. Everywhere I looked, everything I saw, seemed to embody a world-embracing vision. I won’t bother describing the remarkable program of inspiring short films, world music and edifying talks, but I do encourage you to check it out at www.pangeaday.org. I felt deeply humbled to attend both the Pangea Day Filmmakers Retreat and Pangea Day itself, and to be in the company of so many visionary individuals. I am grateful that I had the opportunity to teach the Baha’i Faith in a few instances.

I left inspired and aware of my solidarity with those likeminded groups and individuals who also see the world as a single homeland and all of humanity its citizens. And as a result, I felt a greater sense of empowerment and obligation in my work as a filmmaker. A great yearning came to me. A yearning to see more work from Bahá’ís, both infused with spiritual vitality and made for a global audience. The world is waiting for us and doesn’t even know it…

Tags: film, unity

• Events , General Interest
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Baha'i Perspectives June 22nd, 2008

One of our readers, Samah Tokmachi, recently attended Pangea Day, an event whose aim is to bring the world together through the medium of film. Samah, himself a filmmaker, shares with us some of his experiences and observations from this historic event in a 2-part report. Thank you, Samah!

A number of you may have heard of Pangea Day (www.pangeaday.org), the event that recently took place around the world and was billed as the Earth’s first global campfire.

But you may not have known about the Pangea Day Filmmaker’s Retreat — an event which only certain selected filmmakers were invited to participate in. Fortunately, there were three Bahá’í filmmakers in attendance: Bita Haidarian, Josh Homnick and myself.

The following is summary of my experiences at this phenomenal and historically unprecedented event:

In the evening of Friday May 8^th, there was a poolside reception for all of the filmmakers. Hors d’oeuvres and cocktails were served, and it was a very impressive display indeed. Actually, I must add, the filmmakers were very well treated and well fed for the duration of the event. When I entered the reception area, I felt very much at home, surrounded as I was by filmmakers from all over the planet, and over the next few hours I met many more filmmakers, talking to them about their projects. I was deeply humbled to be in the company of so many accomplished film artists, all of whom were passionately committed to serving humanity in some way.

The next day was the Pangea Day Filmmakers retreat. To begin with, documentarian Jehane Noujaim and Chris Anderson, curator of the TED foundation, addressed us. It was highly significant to hear from these two individuals. Jehane’s work as a filmmaker was launched into the public’s consciousness with her documentary “Control Room“.

Soon after this newfound renown, Jehane won the TED Prize from its namesake foundation which gives winners $100,000 — and the opportunity to fulfill a wish. In Jehane’s case, her wish for world peace is a bit beyond TED’s mandate, so instead she chose to work towards it with Pangea Day — a live, global event simultaneously broadcasting from locations on every continent. The idea behind Pangea Day, Jehane explained, was to bring people from around the world together, through the universal language of film.

Chris Anderson reinforced this idea, sharing a thought I’ve really only heard articulated in depth in the literature of the Bahá’í’ Faith: “Whenever we look at the big problems we face, we see that they are global in nature. Therefore their solutions also need to be global. But in order to adequately meet these challenges we must unite humanity.”

He then said he regarded us as founding members of a movement of global filmmakers whose purpose is to build bridges into a new world.

After this stirring address, we were broken up into various groups with our own group leaders, all of who were accomplished in the world of cinema in some way. My group leader was Matthew Modine, the actor probably most known for his role in Full Metal Jacket. Matthew proved to be a truly lovely human being. Surprisingly, he had never heard of the Bahá’í’ Faith, but he seemed very interested upon hearing about it. We introduced ourselves and spoke about culture and how it informed our storytelling, as well as addressing the question of whether or not there was a universal narrative that connects us all…

[to be continued]

Tags: film, unity

• Events , General Interest
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nava June 15th, 2008

It seems that from culture to culture, no matter if you’re from Seychelles or France, Nova Scotia or the Yucatan, certain things are universally appealing. The pursuit of love, of a relationship, sitting perhaps atop the list of things people are seeking. Since the appearance of humans on this planet, one could safely guess, we have been trying to woo one another or convince one another that we are worthy of being wooed.

Sure, things have changed quite dramatically over the last century. In some parts of the world, it’s now almost even acceptable for the woman to chase the man, or at the very least, not play so hard to get.

But the word “play” is an interesting one when it comes to relationships. As divorce rates are on the rise, couples’ therapy sessions grow in popularity, and dating “How-to” guides stalk the shelves of many a book store, it seems we humans haven’t quite figured out this romantic love thing yet. Everybody wants it, but many are clueless about how to get it.

So, back to the word play. Why treat relationships like a game? Why treat one another falsely, manipulatively? Is this really the best way to lay a foundation with the person you could potentially build your life with? Perhaps part of it is human nature, hard-wired within us. Perhaps it’s just learned behavior. But either way, it doesn’t seem right. To understand the way to proceed before we are married, we need to understand the purpose of marriage, and the ideal form it should and can take.

Bahá’u'lláh explains that marriage was established because

…when He desired to manifest grace and beneficence to men, and set the world in order, He revealed observances and created laws; among them He established the law of marriage, made it as a fortress for well-being and salvation, and enjoined it upon us in that which was sent down out of the heaven of sanctity in His Most Holy Book.

‘Abdu’l-Bahá says the following:

Marriage, among the mass of the people, is a physical bond, and this union can only be temporary, since it is foredoomed to a physical separation at the close.

… however, marriage must be a union of the body and of the spirit as well, for here both husband and wife are aglow with the same wine, both are enamoured of the same matchless Face, both live and move through the same spirit, both are illumined by the same glory. This connection between them is a spiritual one, hence it is a bond that will abide forever. Likewise do they enjoy strong and lasting ties in the physical world as well, for if the marriage is based both on the spirit and the body, that union is a true one, hence it will endure. If, however, the bond is physical and nothing more, it is sure to be only temporary, and must inexorably end in separation.

In the Bahá’í Faith, the union between husband and wife is not viewed only as a form of companionship — though that is certainly part of it– nor is it just about someone who “makes me feel good”. It’s about service. It’s about a greater goal. Working towards something outside of yourselves as a couple, which brings you together as a couple. We see the bringing forth and raising up of children as one of the primary purposes of marriage.

So when you’re showing off your plumage, wooing one another, as it were, you have to bear in mind that this is the person you want to raise children with, spend all the worlds of God with.

What kind of partner is he/she? How well do you work together? Do you have similar goals and aspirations for your life? If they’re different, are they compatible?

Keeping these questions in mind, seeing the end in the beginning, we should then be able to re-orient and re-design this whole courtship process.

Rather than play games, why not be honest? Shouldn’t this process be a mature, thought-out one?

In addition to all of this, we live in a time that promotes and endorses frivolity in all of our human interactions. We are casual and superficial in our friendships. We are overly familiar with one another. Taking liberties with one another’s bodies and emotions. Blissfully unaware that in so doing, we establish bonds of intimacy that were never created to be broken. But inevitably these casual relationships fall apart, and eat at the vitals of human society, as we become less and less capable of being loyal to each other, truthful with one another. If we are somehow able to overcome those hurdles, there is always the matter of baggage. All of these past experiences which we drag into our new relationships, our marriages-how can we be impervious to them? Of course, they will manifest themselves in our interactions with another. We are, after all, creatures of habit. If we are habitually casual, promiscuous, unwilling to commit, how is marriage going to suddenly transform us? The people we are before we get married will certainly affect the marriage partners we become.

It’s a wonder that any marriages with these types of foundation last. But that doesn’t mean they exist in their highest form. ‘Abdu’l-Bahá explains that:

The Lord, peerless is He, hath made woman and man to abide with each other in the closest companionship, and to be even as a single soul. They are two helpmates, two intimate friends, who should be concerned about the welfare of each other.

If they live thus, they will pass through this world with perfect contentment, bliss, and peace of heart, and become the object of divine grace and favour in the Kingdom of heaven. But if they do other than this, they will live out their lives in great bitterness, longing at every moment for death, and will be shamefaced in the heavenly realm.

However, if we are able to thoughtfully, carefully, and truthfully investigate one another’s characters, and if we are able to maintain our focus on God, on service, on raising virtuous children, this is the type of family that may very well be ours:

Note ye how easily, where unity existeth in a given family, the affairs of that family are conducted; what progress the members of that family make, how they prosper in the world. Their concerns are in order, they enjoy comfort and tranquility, they are secure, their position is assured, they come to be envied by all. Such a family but addeth to its stature and its lasting honour, as day succeedeth day.

Tags: dating, love, marriage, relationships

• Baha'i Concepts , General Interest , Society
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leila June 12th, 2008

Some may argue that we live in one of the most materialistic, consumer-driven ages of humankind.

Even in times of economic downturn in the U.S., the yawning wealth gap ensures that the “ultrarich” keep spending-though across town, their neighbors continue to struggle.

An article published a few months ago in The New York Times, for example, profiles “ultrarich” New Yorkers who boast that the recession has done nothing to slow down their profligate spending. Speaking of a particularly extravagant vacation involving a private jet, massages, custom-rolled cigars, and guided rides in racing boats and fighter jets, one individual remarked: “It was just all out - it was insane. I’m not afraid to spend money like that.”

That said, let’s pause and turn to another article, published in the same paper. It profiles a relatively young couple, the Harrises, with two children who, after striking it rich with the dot-com boom, found themselves spending with increasing frequency, amassing a huge amount of “stuff”: toys, gadgets, clothes, cars.

Yet, instead of feeling secure, fulfilled, as if they had “made it,” all they felt was overwhelmed by the sheer volume of “stuff” they had accumulated.

So, they did the extreme. They rid themselves of nearly every material possession-including their wedding bands-and moved to a cabin in Vermont, where one partner would be working from home.

A friend of mine maintained that their example was aberrant, atypical of the norm. But I argued that it’s indicative of an increasingly common trend among affluent Americans: that of the move away from a wealth-at-any-cost, workaholic, materialistic mentality, and toward a career and life path that is more meaningful, holistic, and humane.

Take the Teach for America program, for instance, in which recent university graduates-after undergoing a rigorous application process-commit to spending two years teaching at poorly-performing public schools. A recent article reveals that many of its participants are high-achieving graduates of elite universities, who have chosen not, unlike many of their peers, to cash in their degrees for lucrative jobs in investment banking, for example.

Juxtapose these two diverging trends, and it looks like we’ve got a serious case of cognitive dissonance going on in the U.S.

What’s going on here? Why the extremes?

Your guess is as good as mine. The time-worn adage, “Money doesn’t buy happiness,” has persisted for years, yet we haven’t seemed to learn from past examples.

But I read a quotation the other day from a letter written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi, the Guardian of the Bahá’í Faith. Though it was written over seventy years ago, the words hold chilling relevance what the Harrises had felt, what had caused them to suddenly and dramatically reject their materialistic lifestyles:

The materialistic civilization of our age has so much absorbed the energy and interest of mankind that people in general do no longer feel the necessity of raising themselves above the forces and conditions of their daily material existence.

(Shoghi Effendi, Directives from the Guardian, p. 86)

Bahá’u'lláh, the Prophet-Founder of the Bahá’í Faith, speaks of the lofty nature of humankind; that we’re capable of reflecting those noble qualities of God. But, we’re also guilty of getting caught up with the crass materialism that runs rampant in society. He warns against this:

Ye are even as the bird which soareth, with the full force of its mighty wings and with complete and joyous confidence, through the immensity of the heavens, until, impelled to satisfy its hunger, it turneth longingly to the water and clay of the earth below it, and, having been entrapped in the mesh of its desire, findeth itself impotent to resume its flight to the realms whence it came. Powerless to shake off the burden weighing on its sullied wings, that bird, hitherto an inmate of the heavens, is now forced to seek a dwelling-place upon the dust. Wherefore, O My servants, defile not your wings with the clay of waywardness and vain desires, and suffer them not to be stained with the dust of envy and hate, that ye may not be hindered from soaring in the heavens of My divine knowledge.

(Baha’u'llah, Gleanings from the Writings of Baha’u'llah, p. 325)

Both passages refer to the conscious effort required to resist succumbing to overt materialism. I don’t think that forgoing all of one’s possessions and retreating to the woods is going to provide any lasting solution for humanity-for the Harrises, I can only infer that it made them feel less burdened personally.

What I can glean from studying the writings of the Bahá’í Faith, however, is that a much larger awakening must occur as to the limitations of rampant materialism as a quick-fix to happiness, alongside an outcry against the excessive wealth gap that continues to persist. We’re beginning to see the faint glimmerings of that today, but as it grows, I can only imagine that these efforts will flourish. And as humanity grows impatient with economic injustice and crass materialism, then just maybe, those efforts will bring about a more just and humane global society.

Tags: consumerism, materialism, wealth

• Baha'i Concepts , General Interest , Society
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