Diet and Promised Kingdom III
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Today, I will share my transcription of the first half of part II of Bill Sears’ Talk, “The Promised Kingdom.” But first, some words about vegetarian diets.
I met an acquaintance, a young man, not a Baha’i, the other day who is grossly obese and on dialysis. The latest news from the doctors is that unless he loses weight fast he will need but not get a kidney transplant and will be left to die. His life literally depends upon his losing a lot of weight, fast. Coincidentally, I stumbled upon this brief video using StumbleUpon video, called “Raw Food Weight Loss over 100 pounds,”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7DWxlNQ0Enc&mode=related&search=
I have not gone over to the strict vegan, raw food diet that this guy recommends, but I have increased the amount of raw food in my diet, especially with my twice daily gazpacho soup, and I have lost a good 35 pounds over my peak a few years ago, so I have no doubt that this could work. Another remarkable-if-true video I found was a trailer for a new film that bills itself as the reverse of SuperSize Me!” called, “Raw for Thirty Days,” the story of a group of diabetics who were cured of that ailment after thirty days of a raw, vegan diet. It is at this URL:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ynXGA6fCEgU
I was forced to go on to something close to the diet that these patients use simply because I could not digest red meat and milk products, and I felt terrible, got constant migraines, etc. My very obese aunt Gloria in the 1990’s did the same thing the people in this film did on her own, she lost tons of weight and was ruled “cured” of diabetes, something that all the textbooks say is impossible. The specialists came and took pictures of her for the journals. The medical community seems to be in denial about diabetes. Oh, wait, I think I heard something. Was it, “Katching?” Sure there is a lot of money to be made by ignoring diet and letting people keep on those expensive drug therapy programs.
If health reasons are not enough to make you consider becoming a vegetarian, there are compelling compassionate reasons too. Check out a video on YouTube, called “Meet your Meat.” It was put out by PETA and uses footage secretly taken and smuggled out of the euphemistically named “Rendering Industry.” Before they gained the political power they have today, they used to be called what they are: slaughterhouses.
Part II, First installment on Part II of Bill Sears’ Talk, “The Promised Kingdom”
Well, beloved friends, the intermission is over and we are coming back to (our discussion of) this great
Of course the beloved Guardian, the sign of God on earth… (points there on chart) and as one of his remnants, one of the hands of the Cause, if I were to tell you of all I feel about him and all he said in his writings we really would be here until the coming of the next Manifestation of God had come, and even then we would have hardly begun. I would suggest you read The Priceless Pearl, that literary masterpiece of Amatu’l-Baha Ruhiyyih Khanum, that will tell you .. much you know much already, of course ...
And (pointing) the Universal house of justice, freed from all error, the sole refuge of a tottering civilization, perhaps these words of the beloved Guardian about the wondrous Universal House of Justice, this glorious house of the Lord of Hosts, will say it best for us:
“The unity of the Cause of God and the victory of His faith will even as the sun become manifest in that exalted body, the Universal House of Justice.” …?
also
[“The purpose of so much perpetual and intensive emphasis on the support and consolidation of these Spiritual Assemblies is this -- that the foundation of the Cause of God must become broader and stronger day by day, that no confusion ever enter the divine order, that new and strong ties be forged between East and West, that Bahá'í unity be safeguarded and illumine the eyes of the people of the world with its resplendent beauty, so that upon these Assemblies God's Houses of Justice may be firmly established and upon these secondary Houses of Justice the lofty edifice of the Universal House of Justice may, with complete order, perfection and glory, and with no delay, be raised up.] When the Universal House of Justice shall have stepped forth from the realm of hope into that of visible fulfilment and its fame be established in every corner and clime of the world, then that august body -- solidly grounded and founded on the firm and unshakable foundation of the entire Bahá'í community of East and West, and the recipient of the bounties of God and His inspiration -- will proceed to devise and carry out important undertakings, world-wide activities and the establishment of glorious institutions. By this means the renown of the Cause of God will become world-wide and its light will illumine the whole earth.” (Shoghi Effendi, 1924, to the Bahá'ís of the East, "The Bahá'í World" vol. XIV, p. 436, Compilation of Compilations vol. I, #741, p. 329)
Can you imagine such a thing? We are already seeing the undertakings and institutions it has founded. We are looking at some of the new institutions right now. Oh … and this is too good not to read; it is about the National Spiritual Assemblies, too…,
“The National Spiritual Assemblies, like unto pillars, will be gradually and firmly established in every country on the strong and fortified foundations of the Local Assemblies. On these pillars, the mighty edifice, the Universal House of Justice, will be erected, raising high its noble frame above the world of existence. The unity of the followers of Bahá'u'lláh will thus be realized and fulfilled from one end of the earth to the other. [The explicit ordinances of His Most Holy Book will be promulgated, applied and carried out most befittingly in the world of creation, and the living waters of everlasting life will stream forth from that fountain-head of God's World Order upon all the warring nations and peoples of the world, to wash away the evils and iniquities of the realm of dust, heal man's age-old ills and ailments. Then will the visible sovereignty of the Most Great Name shake the foundations of the countries and nations of the world, strike fear and remorse in the hearts of some of the traditional ecclesiastical divines of various creeds and nations, and cause others to become frustrated, disturbed, vanquished and obliterated... In these days the things that are regarded as the most imperative of all and upon which will depend the development of the Cause of God, the enhancement of its position and prestige and the promulgation of the laws of His Faith, are but two momentous tasks: first, to expedite preparations for the formation of the divinely ordained, the Supreme House of Justice; second, to complete the construction of the Temple in the United States.] (
And the living waters will heal man’s ills…
I won’t talk about the Hands of the Cause, but (points) I have a quote for you that will say it all for you about this
“is one of those world shaking world directing institutions erected on the arc on
[“For it must be clearly understood, nor can it be sufficiently emphasized, that the conjunction of the resting-place of the Greatest Holy Leaf with those of her brother and mother incalculably reinforces the spiritual potencies of that consecrated Spot which, under the wings of the Báb's overshadowing Sepulchre, and in the vicinity of the future Mashriqu'l-Adhkar, which will be reared on its flank, is destined to evolve into the focal center of those world-shaking, world-embracing, world-directing administrative institutions, ordained by Bahá'u'lláh and anticipated by 'Abdu'l-Bahá, and which are to function in consonance with the principles that govern the twin institutions of the Guardianship and the Universal House of Justice. Then, and then only, will this momentous prophecy which illuminates the 33 concluding passages of the Tablet of Carmel be fulfilled: "Ere long will God sail His Ark upon thee (Carmel), and will manifest the people of Baha who have been mentioned in the Book of Names.]" (Shoghi Effendi, Messages to America, p. 32)
Another one of the promised institutions, the National Spiritual Assemblies, the link that binds together the Universal House of Justice and the Local Spiritual Assemblies, and will throughout all the ages. It says to us, whatever the deficiency in our lives, it will be compensated … we have God’s promise (“… the comforting thought that if we rise to play nobly our part every deficiency in our lives will be more than compensated by the all-conquering spirit of His grace and power.” Shoghi Effendi, Baha'i Administration, p. 88)
These local assemblies, I have a little paragraph to read about that, we know a lot about them, but it is nice to know more. I have a little paragraph from the beloved Guardian, you know, he said to me at the pilgrim’s table, he looked over right at me and he said, “Do you remember what is on page 332 of God Passes By?” I looked behind me that he could be looking at, just me, you know. I said, yes beloved Guardian, but I am going to go home and read it again! And I had – you can see what kind of shape my God Passes By is in, I said, Yes, I have read it. But he said, have you read? I said, “Yes, Guardian, I have but this time I will go home and read it again and this time I will really remember it. It is just one short paragraph, we all should. Just listen to this about our assemblies.
"These Spiritual Assemblies," is 'Abdu'l-Bahá's testimony, in a Tablet addressed to an American believer, "are aided by the Spirit of God. Their defender is 'Abdu'l-Bahá. Over them He spreadeth His Wings. What bounty is there greater than this?" "These Spiritual Assemblies," He, in that same Tablet has declared, "are shining lamps and heavenly gardens, from which the fragrances of holiness are diffused over all regions, and the lights of knowledge are shed abroad over all created things. From them the spirit of life streameth in every direction. They, indeed, are the potent sources of the progress of man, at all times and under all conditions." (Shoghi Effendi, God Passes By, p. 332)
You hear that? What bounties could be greater? All regions! That is your local assembly. At all times and under all conditions… Just think of it, not just
Well, the Auxiliary Board Members and their assistants, I haven’t talked about very much but I … maybe I can read again just one paragraph that will say it all for you. This is from a letter which the Universal House of Justice sent to the
The supreme body [that is, the Universal House of Justice] gives its assurance that the tremendous endeavors and the sacrificial services … the Auxiliary Board Members are the source of many bounties and blessings… They add to the luster of teaching activities and add to the firs of love in the hearts of the believers and eliminated the darkness of misunderstanding and inactivity. They give hope and comfort to the despondent. [this letter is not in Ocean, but may be a reference to the following:]
“The Universal House of Justice wishes to reaffirm at this time the tribute which it felt moved to pay to the Hands of the Cause of God at the World Congress, those precious souls who have brought the Cause safely to victory in the name of Shoghi Effendi. We wish also to remember the devoted work of their Auxiliary Board members, as well as the services of the Knights of Bahá'u'lláh, of the army of pioneers, the members of the national and regional spiritual assemblies, the services and prayers and sacrifices of the believers everywhere, all of which in the sum total have attracted such bounties and favors from Bahá'u'lláh.” (The Universal House of Justice, Wellspring of Guidance, Messages 1963-1968, p. 5)
The Auxiliary board members of course we know they are all over the planet. I will just pick it up in the middle, “Should they fulfill all these conditions and report regularly to their National Assemblies these board members and assistance will behold what stirring, what fervor, eagerness, warmth and fire would become manifest among the believers of God…”
There is a great deal more. Of course the whole idea of the program is to get you to read and study more about it, the holy Word. You know I remember when I was on pilgrimage – you know that is a most marvelous experience – the beloved Guardian said one night, I was not an Auxiliary Board member and did not know I was to be one when I came, you know he said that the Guardian was the sun and the hands were the moons to them, and the Auxiliary Board members were the satellites circling around the hands. And that the Cause would grow so quickly that in the future the Auxiliary Board members would have to have their own satellites circling around them. And every time I see an assistant I remember that prophesy and that I was there present at the spiritual birth of one of the institutions of God, the Assistants. And now they are working in that same industrious way as the (points) UHJ, the ITC, the Counselors, the Auxiliary Board Members, and of course their assistants.
So that gives you a little picture of the Institutions, but of course it is just one drop from the
And now I want to talk more about this
Let me just again read to you from God Passes By, page 351,
"When the foundation of the Mashriqu'l-Adhkar is laid in
As you see it says that it marks the inception of the
Well, I cannot finish without talking about the dependencies around the Temple, Hadiratu’l-Quds, home for the orphans, never again in the history of the world will there be a child, unwanted, abandoned, unwanted, forgotten (his voice breaks), that child will be the charge of the Local Assembly and the community and they will love it and cherish it in such a way that people will weep with happiness.
Home for the aged, one already, a prototype, already in action, one of many institutions to be built around this house of worship in
Schools, universities, colleges, where the people can be educated, and if the child has not the resources this
Hospitals for the injured…
To Be Continued…
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