Pangea and Feedback
By John Taylor; 2008 May 01, 04 Jamal, 165 BE
I am getting so much material for the Badi' List lately that I know I will be hearing complaints. Remember, you do not have to have this all sent to you, if you join Google Reader you will get it all without any clogging of your mailbox. That is how I keep up with the even more prolific Baha'i Views Blog. Google Reader is free, and easy enough even for the likes of me to figure out.
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Pangea Day
Reader Feedback
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As a fan of both movies and lectures, I think the following upcoming event should be a lot more fun than sitting in the dark for an hour, like people did for Earth Day. You can have your own mini-film festival for the four hours in your own living room by connecting to the world wide webcast at the site included below. What a great way to introduce Baha'i ideas to your neighbor without pushing them down anybody's throat!
Pangea Day
Pangea Day is a global event bringing the world together through film. Over 2,500 movies were submitted from 102 countries; the Pangea committee winnowed them down to 24 short movies, which will all be shown on May 10 in a four-hour marathon. In a world where people are often divided by borders, difference, and conflict, it's easy to lose sight of what we all have in common. Pangea Day seeks to overcome that to help people see themselves in others through the power of film.
Starting at
The 24 short films to be featured have been selected from an international competition that generated more than 2,500 submissions from over one hundred countries. The films were chosen based on their ability to inspire, transform, and allow us see the world through another person's eyes. Details on the Pangea Day films can be viewed here.
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Reader Feedback
Here in reverse chronological order, are some of the latest responses to essays featured on the Badi' Blog.
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From Jimbo, in response to my comments about the race of members of the UHJ
Hi John! I would think that it would be more important to look at the amazing services that these elected individuals have rendered over time, and also where they have served. A person who has served in a certain community most of his life would be as one molded by and representing that region of the world. No doubt in time God will raise up outstanding members from all races and ethnic backgrounds to remarkable and memorable Baha'i services in all Administrative and Counselling roles. I've heard it stated that the highest station of service in the Baha'i Religion is Counselor, which is represented by all racial backgrounds and both sexes, so it is decisively and vitally all-inclusive. And by the way, there is only one race, the human race, with thousands of cultures I would guess. As for the Persians, they mostly have been and continue to be amazing servants of the Cause of God. And I am so grateful for that.
Check out this talk by Peter Khan on "Unique Features of Baha'i Service" or "the Baha'i view of the model of our universe" from Auust 2, 2006 if you haven't seen it already. I think I read it before, but it is worth the second read.
http://www.scribd.com/doc/2362742/Unique-Features-of-Bahai-Service-Peter-Khan
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Ed, in response to a recent essay about the virtue of courtesy, the "prince" of virtues,
>>> As to your point about Courtesy being necessary for others to be acquired, in fact it's truthfulness and trustworthiness that hold that position, and are referred to as the "foundation of all virtues"
I know the Ruhi program puts great store in that quote about truthfulness being the foundation of all virtues. It comes from a letter the Master wrote to the early
On the other hand, Abdu'l-Baha also said that OH is the foundation of virtues:
"Consider the virtues of the human world and realize that the oneness of humanity is the primary foundation of them all." (Promulgation, p. 32)
In a much more important and better known Tablet translated by the Guardian himself the Master seems to include the entire body of principles and teachings of Baha'u'llah as the foundation,
"But the essential basis of all the Divine Religions which pertains to the virtues of the world of mankind and is the foundation of the welfare of the world of man, is found in the teachings of His Holiness Baha'u'llah in the most perfect presentation." (Tablet to the Hague, p. 9)
The Master also held trustworthiness to be a sort of co-foundation:
"Our meaning is that, in the sight of God, trustworthiness is the bedrock of His Faith and the foundation of all virtues and perfections." (AB, Tablet translated from the Persian, in, Compilation of Compilations vol II, p. 339)
Tablet to
As to the seven qualifications (of the divinely enlightened soul) of which thou hast asked an explanation, it is as follows:
1. KNOWLEDGE. Man must attain the knowledge of God.
2. FAITH.
3. STEADFASTNESS.
4. TRUTHFULNESS. Truthfulness is the foundation of all the virtues of the world of humanity. Without truthfulness, progress and success in all of the worlds of God are impossible for a soul. When this holy attribute is established in man, all the divine qualities will also become realized.
p. 460
5. UPRIGHTNESS. And this is one of the greatest divine attainments.
6. FIDELITY. This is also a beautiful trait of the heavenly man.
7. EVANESCENCE or HUMILITY. That is to say, man must become evanescent in God. Must forget his own selfish conditions that he may thus arise to the station of sacrifice. It should be to such a degree that if he sleep, it should not be for pleasure, but to rest the body in order to do better, to speak better, to explain more beautifully, to serve the servants of God and to prove the truths. When he remains awake, he should seek to be attentive, serve the Cause of God and sacrifice his own stations for those of God. When he attains to this station, the confirmations of the Holy Spirit will surely reach him, and man with this power can withstand all who inhabit the earth.
(Abdu'l-Baha, Tablets of Abdu'l-Baha v2, p. 459)
In reply, Ed responded,
Thanks so much for all this. It's really helpful. It's logical that a well-functioning community would nurture and protect virtues. Wouldn't it be wonderful if the world would begin to understand that, to have that vision of things instead of the more physically and financially based idea of community security.
A poem:
Running to virtue
Cold and hot, cold, hot, cold
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In response to our recent interest in environment, Jimbo offered the following suggestions:
Here is an environmental project that I just received word of in which a number of Baha'is are involved. In looking at their web site - www.twofest.com, I see that most of the performers are talented musical artists well known in and among the Baha'i community, and that this is being sent out to the Baha'is for our support. Some of the environmental TV clips are quite interesting, especially of the one of David Suzuki in an interview with WWF Australia from Sept 2006 which is quite telling of our environmental situation today. The project looks quite audacious and well planned. What do you think?
TwoFest (Music Festival)
TwoFest is a grass-roots, collaborative event in three locations (
We want to swarm all over the problem' of global warming on the web, in schools, non-profits and the media. We are creating sustained commitments!
We feel that it is imperative to bring awareness of cultural similarities in light of what is happening to the environment around the world. If we as a species do not grow beyond what we perceive to be unbending differences and begin to recognize one-another with, at the very least, a degree of acceptance, tolerance and respect, then we will soon see the demise of our environment and ultimately the planet as a whole.
To this end, Two Fest embraces cultural diversity and environmental consciousness by blending music with an educational, environmental and grass roots orientation.
For more information, go to www.twofest.com
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