About several Baha'i things.

Most Baha'is are familiar with this passage from "PAIN AND SORROW," a
talk by Abdu'l-Baha given in Paris on November 22nd, 1911:




"In this world we are influenced by two sentiments, Joy and Pain. Joy
gives us wings! In times of joy our strength is more vital, our
intellect keener, and our understanding less clouded. We seem better
able to cope with the world and to find our sphere of usefulness. But
when sadness visits us we become weak, our strength leaves us, our
comprehension is dim and our intelligence veiled. The actualities of
life seem to elude our grasp, 110 the eyes of our spirits fail to
discover the sacred mysteries, and we become even as dead beings."
(Abdu'l-Baha, Paris Talks, p. 109)




Now scientific evidence is backing up this view of the practical value
of happiness to intelligence. See the following blog caast from CBC's
science program, Quirks and Quarks:


"This is your Brain on Rose-Coloured Glasses. Sure, being in a good
mood changes the way you see the world, but it also looks like it
changes the way the brain works." To hear the whole thing, go to:


http://www.cbc.ca/quirks/archives/08-09/qq-2009-06-20.html
Again, most Baha'is are familiar with this passage from the Lawh-i-Maqsud:




"Concerning thine own affairs, if thou wouldst content thyself with whatever might come to pass it would be praiseworthy. To engage in some profession is highly commendable, for when occupied with work one is less likely to dwell on the unpleasant aspects of life. God willing thou mayest experience joy and radiance, gladness and exultation in any city or land where thou mayest happen to sojourn. This lowly servant will never forget that distinguished and kind friend. He hath
remembered and will continue to remember thee. The decree lieth with God, the Lord of all worlds. I fain would hope He may vouchsafe divine assistance and grant confirmation in that which is pleasing and acceptable unto Him." (Baha'u'llah, Tablets of Baha'u'llah, p. 175)




I was intrigued to find a modern philosopher come to very much the same conclusion in a study of our work lives. I am thinking particularly of part 8 in this talk, under the subtitle, "The Importance of Work." Truly work is a distraction. It is very much like worship in that it is a very good kind of distraction, a placebo in the best sense of the word.


FORA.tv's Summer Book Club; Alain de Botton on the Pleasures and Sorrows of Work, at:


http://fora.tv/2009/04/23/Alain_de_Botton_on_the_Pleasures_and_Sorrows_of_Work#fullprogram




Here is a grab bag of more discoveries of general interest to Baha'is.



From the Hamilton Baha'i Newsletter


Upcoming Junior Youth Summer Camps near Toronto this summer. Below is the link to the information that Brian Graham presented at the Reflection Meeting last night. If you have any further questions about these wonderful opportunities, please email:
info@buildingcapabilities.org
http://www.fusionconcept.com/keynote/presentation.mov


A real treasure... translations into English of recollections from early Friends.


http://ahang.rabbani.googlepages.com/


Here is just some of what is listed on that page...
Published eBooks
•Vol 1 The Genesis of the Babi-Baha'i Faiths in Shiraz
•Vol 2 The Babis of Nayriz: History and Documents
•Vol 3 Eight Years Near Abdu'l-Baha: The Diary of Dr. Habib Mu'ayyad





My thanks to David Bowie, dcbowie@dccnet.com, whose mailing list is a constant source of news on such discoveries. Here are some more recent links and notes from him. His wife Carol is a former Auxiliary Board Member for Ontario. They are now living in British Columbia.


You might be interested in listening to the following segment from the "Tell Me More" blog of the US National Public Radio Service (http://www.npr.org/blogs/tellmemore/). If I understand it correctly, this 5 ½-minute segment would not have been broadcast, but is available only on the web. It's worth a listen! Thanks to several Bahá'í friends on Facebook who linked it there.


http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=105576958&sc=fbc



Now you'll be able to download and listen to great talks and presentations by the Hands of the Cause, Adib Taherzadeh, Ali Nakhjavani and many others!


http://bahaimp3.narod.ru/ENG.htm



Finally, from the wonderful blog on the persecutions in Iran:



Why is there no universal right to believe? Here are some words of a martyr addressing her persecutors:


"Freedom is a heavenly gift; so do not deprive yourselves of such a gift! By God; it is a pitiful sin to do so! God has granted this freedom within the essence of every human; and therefore you as a creature of God cannot deprive me of it; and I, as a creature of God, shall not grant you permission to deprive me of it." For more, see:


http://www.iranpresswatch.org/post/4006



John Taylor
email: badijet@gmail.com
blog: http://badiblog.blogspot.com/


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