Anis - Or More on the Story of the Bab

You may recall my last article, about the two different guys who came up to my booth and began to tell me the story of the martyrdom of the Bab. It was very amusing, and inspirational. It made me realize that we are, after all, doing a fairly decent job of letting people know about the stories of our Faith. That's quite wonderful, it is. So, thanks. Your hard work is paying off.

Now, as you may know, nature loves a balance. That is, of course, the theory behind Brownian motion, and so many other wonderful scientific principles.

So, to balance things out, last weekend a number of Baha'is came up to my booth. You may wonder how I knew they were Baha'i. Well, simple, really. They told me.

And why, you may wonder, did they tell me? Well, they told me after they asked me if I was Baha'i. And the reason for that is also quite simple. They saw the Greatest Name and the 9-pointed stars that I have sitting there on my tables.

Of course, while they were there we talked about the Faith, teaching, and all sorts of other wonderful things.

One of the wonderful things we talked about was my last article, or more particularly I told them the story of those two guys telling me about the Bab, for I don't think of my article as particularly wonderful. I told them about how they shared their version of the story.

"And then", one of them asked, "you shared your version , right?"

"No," I replied, "I rarely tell my version to people who are not Baha'i."

"Oh? And what is your version?"

Don't you just love it when people pick up on a thread.

Well, I proceeded to tell them a story I shared here quite some time ago.

But then later, as I was telling Marielle about my day, and this follow up to last week, it got me thinking. Or she got me thinking. I'm not quite sure how that worked. Either way, by the time we got home, I was thinking.

I was thinking about Anis, the young man who was martyred along with the Bab.

Now please, before I continue, please read that previous story, about story-telling and the martyrdom of the Bab. It is very relevant here. (You can click on the link above. I'll wait. Oh, you can also click here for it.) (See? I try to make it simple for you.) (Go on. I'll still wait.)

Ok. Ready? You're familiar with the story, and the slightly different view I like to share? Great.

You remember the point about the smoke clearing away, and how he, Anis, is expecting to be in paradise?

Let's think about that for a moment. Try to put yourself in his position again. You have already shown such dedication that you remained firm in the Faith, even though your father imprisoned you. You ran away from your home the moment you heard that the Bab was in the area, completely trusting in the vision you had of Him telling you that you would be His chosen companion. You have already shown such steadfastness that you were willing to take His very life that previous evening, if that was what He wished. At which point He reaffirmed that you would be with Him. Your spirit was so close to the Bab that you likely no longer had any will of your own, preferring, instead, to do His divine bidding.

And there you are, head on His blessed chest, hearing that primal heartbeat, feeling your arms thrust upwards as the ropes pulled on you, unaware of anything except His divine presence.

And then the sound of the guns. Your arms are suddenly free. You have likely fallen to the ground, but that doesn't matter, for you are free of these earthly shackles, your spirit soaring in eternal peace, completely unaware of the bullets that probably shattered your body. You open your eyes in the clouds, and as they disperse, what goes through your mind?

What, Anis, is it that goes through your mind, at that moment, the moment you realize that you are still in the square, unharmed, in Tabriz, here on this planet?

'Abdu'l-Baha says that the spirits of those in the other world can inspire us, can communicate with us in a way, but not in a way that we are used to. And so, Anis, as one who longs to be inspired by your story, I ask you what went through your mind? How did you feel?

The Master also talks about the iron and the fire, and how when the iron is close enough to the fire it takes on its attributes. It goes from being cold and hard, dark and dull, to hot and radiant, glowing and, perhaps, even flowing. What, dear Reader, could the impact of that moment, later in the day, when the actual martyrdom did take place, what could have possibly been the impact on Anis' very soul?

Never, in all of recorded history, has any human being been in the presence of a Manifestation of God under such circumstances. Martyred at the same moment. Head on His chest, hearing that heartbeat. Killed in such a way that their very bodies fused into one.

I can almost imagine a spiritual supernova emanating from the Bab at that moment.

So what was the impact on the soul of Anis? Just how close was he to the Bab?

Obviously he did not become a Manifestation, just as that piece of iron does not become the fire, but how was his soul propelled forward in the next world?

Once again, this is far, far beyond my imagination.

But it is interesting to wonder.

And so I have been praying for Anis, and the progress of his soul, and asking him if there is any possible way that he can convey just a glimmer of what he went through at that supreme moment.

For surely such a glimmer can help inspire us who are still here on this planet, striving to put into action all that he gave his life for.

Two Stories of the Bab, or One Twice Told

There I was, standing at my booth, selling my chain mail jewelry and artwork, minding my own business, when a man came up to me. Now, I know this man. He sells Persian food at a stand around the corner from my booth, and we have talked in the past. He's a cool guy. And he's from Shiraz.

So anyways, there I am, when he comes over and sees the nine-pointed stars in chain mail that I have done, as well as the Greatest Name in Arabic calligraphy. He looks a bit shocked, and asks, "Oh, are you Baha'i?" This comes as a bit of a surprise to me, as we have talked about my being Baha'i in the past, and how he is not religious, but loves people of all faiths.

"Are you a Baha'i?" "Well, yes, I am."

And he proceeds to tell me about the Bab.

"There was a man", he begins, "who was born in my town, Shiraz: Ali-Muhammad the Bab. He was a fascinating man. Have you ever heard of him?"

It didn't matter what I answered, for he really wanted to tell me this story.

He went on to tell me a little bit about His life, and then began to tell me of His martyrdom. He spoke of His charisma, and how He was shot at by a number of soldiers to be executed.

Then he told me something new. He said, "Ali-Muhammad the Bab was siyyid, a descendant of Muhammad. And for that reason some people respected him. Why? Because of some...I don't know...holy sperm? I'm a siyyid, too, and they show me respect, even though they don't know me."

This seemed to upset him, for he believes that people should be respected for who they are, not who their ancestors were.

But there he was, from Shiraz, standing at a craft market in Victoria, Canada, feeling the strong urge to share the miraculous story of the execution of the Bab with me, a relative stranger.

It was very interesting to hear it from his perspective. I thought about it for some time.

And then, if that wasn't enough, when I was getting ready to pack it all up for the day, another man comes up to my booth. He was wearing a t-shirt with a very interesting geometric design, and he had a pendant on that was laser engraved with another design. He was obviously spiritual, and had focused a lot of his attention onto sacred geometry. And he loved my work. He was so intrigued by the Mobius Ball that he bought one, for which I was grateful and thankful.

Then he saw the stars.

"Tell me", he said, "why you have used the nine-pointed star here."

I began by saying, "Well, I'm a member of the Baha'i Faith..." At which point he interrupted me and said, "Ahh, Baha'i. Have you ever heard of the Bab?"

I kind of stopped what I was doing as he proceeded to say, "He was a very interesting man. Have you ever heard the story of his execution?" And he went on with the story, from another very different perspective.

When he had finished telling it to me he went off, and left me standing there in mute wonder at the incredible power of that sacred Being, the Primal Point: the Bab.

"Behold", says Baha'u'llah, "how great and lofty is His station!"

Ridvan Message 2013, part 3

What a beautiful day. I woke up early (disgustingly early, as far as I'm concerned) and bounced out of bed bright-eyed and bushy tailed. Then I looked outside to see what the day held in store, only to discover that my neighbour's house was gone. I couldn't see it at all. In fact, it was as if the entire neighbourhood had vanished overnight.

Ah, the joys of fog.

There is something about the fog that I truly love. The mystery, the impenetrable brightness, and the drops that form on the face when walking through it.

Then, as I got ready to come into work today, it was pouring. The fog had melted away and the whole area was being scrubbed clean by the seemingly boundless rains.

Now it's sunny again.

This is a day of unexpected change and those of us who live here have to adapt. We all dress in layers, and everyone here either has a raincoat or umbrella that they are carrying, or a frown.

And all of this reminds me of the Baha'i community today.

Change is happening, faster, in most cases, than we can imagine. And we need to be ready to adapt. Survival, as Darwin pointed out, is not confined to the strongest, or the brightest, or the swiftest, but to those most capable of adapting to change.

Today, I want to continue to look at paragraph 3 of the Ridvan message, and see what other gems are contained within.

"In such places, the means for enabling an ever-rising number of individuals to strengthen their capacity for service are well understood." In what sort of places? In those places where they are consciously, and not randomly, advancing their frontiers of learning. In other words, when we consciously invite people to work with us, for example, in transforming society, or generally making the world a better place, we learn things. We learn what works. We learn what turns people off. We learn what helps motivate others to help serve their community. And as we learn, as we become better at inviting people to work shoulder to shoulder with us, we discover that some coordination is needed.

To go back to that construction analogy, we discover that we need a foreman. Without some sort of coordination, we will assign people who are great at painting the task of drilling, or other silly things like that. And we will readily discover many people who want to help become frustrated at not being able to serve effectively or efficiently.

How, we may ask, do we discover what skills people have? And, sometimes more importantly, how do we train people to have skills that are needed? "A vibrant training institute functions as the mainstay of the community's efforts to advance the Plan and, as early as possible, skills and abilities developed through participation in institute courses are deployed in the field."

We already know what skills we need to help build a new world, and the institute courses are like the training manual. People are being trained, and we need to get them to use those skills.

But how do we find those who want to help? Simple. "Some, through their everyday social interactions, encounter souls who are open to the exploration of spiritual matters carried out in a variety of settings; some are in a position to respond to receptivity in a village or neighbourhood, perhaps by having relocated to the area. Growing numbers arise to shoulder responsibility, swelling the ranks of those who serve as tutors, animators, and teachers of children; who administer and coordinate; or who otherwise labour in support of the work. The friends' commitment to learning finds expression through constancy in their own endeavours and a willingness to accompany others in theirs."

We meet people, talk to them, discover their interests, and show them what we are doing, all the while asking for their assistance. As they catch the vision, a number naturally arise to help. One of the best ways to help is to be trained in the needed skills and to help train others. The training, of course, comes with a practicum, the practices in the various books, as well as the services that the group decides to offer their community.

As we work on this, we also discover that different age groups have different needs, and different skills. We discover that certain things need certain amounts of time to happen, kind of like allowing the cement to cure before placing anything on top of it, or letting the paint dry, or putting together the frame before installing the dry-wall. Although there are many ways of doing things, there are some that require other things to be done first.

"Further, they are able to keep two complementary perspectives on the pattern of action developing in the cluster firmly in view: one, the three- month cycles of activity--the rhythmic pulse of the programme of growth--and the other, the distinct stages of a process of education for children, for junior youth, and for youth and adults. While understanding clearly the relationship that connects these three stages, the friends are aware that each has its own dynamics, its own requirements, and its own inherent merit."

And we also discover, as we work at bettering our community, our selves and helping each other do the same, that we are getting help from above. We soon discover that the ample use of prayer makes a difference. We discover that there are some blueprints hidden within the Writings. And we discover that we can learn about our effectiveness not only by reflecting on what we are doing, but also by recording what we are doing and studying the numbers. "Above all, they are conscious of the operation of powerful spiritual forces, whose workings can be discerned as much in the quantitative data that reflect the community's progress as in the array of accounts that narrate its accomplishments."

All of this to say that we are learning a lot about how to more effectively advance in our work, that we require people with diverse skills, and that the harmony of science and religion includes something as mundane as statistics in our teaching work.

And for those who do not see the need for the quantitative data, that's ok. They don't need to use it. But please, don't stop recording it for those who can learn something from it.

Oh! In regard to those numbers, I had an interesting realization the other day. I noticed, while poring over the National Assembly's annual report, that there were some odd anomalies. In British Columbia, there are twice as many people per capita in core activities than anywhere else in Canada. Of all the people in core activities in Canada, twice as many percentage-wise in the North are not Baha'i. It's like nearly 2/3 are from the Greater Community in the North, compared to 1/3 elsewhere in Canada. And out of all the people who are not Baha'i who are involved in core activities in Canada, twice as many are enrolling in the Faith on the prairies as anywhere else in Canada.

Why?

I have no idea.

And that's very important to realize. Whenever I have mentioned these statistical facts, people I've mentioned them to always seem to jump to some possibly right conclusion. But upon investigation, their guess does not hold up. If, for example, the culture on the prairies encourages those involved in core activities to enrol, then it would have been true in the past, but it wasn`t.

The basic fact is that we don`t know.

What we do know is that somehow the friends in BC have learned something about inviting people to core activities. In the North, the friends have learned something about engaging friends from the greater community in core activities. On the prairies, the friends have learned something about inviting people in core activities to join the Bahaì community.`And you know what? We need to take the time to learn from them all. We need to figure out just what it is they have learned, and then share that learning.

These statistics don't necessarily give us the answers. They merely tell us where to ask the questions.

Ridvan Message 2013, part 2

I know, I know. It's been a while. Sorry about that. I really have been meaning to get back to this message, but I've not really been sure what to write. I've been looking at it, studying it, and trying to wrap my mind around it. But more importantly, I've been working on trying to apply it, as much as I can in my own life.

I've already looked a bit at the first paragraph, so we might as well go straight to the second:

Beloved co-workers: This stirring pronouncement comes to mind unbidden when we see your consecrated efforts around the world in answer to the call of Baha'u'llah. The splendid response to His summons can be witnessed on every side. To those who pause to reflect on the unfoldment of the Divine Plan, it becomes impossible to ignore how the power possessed by the Word of God is ascendant in the hearts of women and men, children and youth, in country after country, in cluster after cluster.

To start, we are being referred to as "co-workers". This is a long and often used phrase, reminding us that we are all working shoulder to shoulder in our service to the Faith.

But then they say, "This stirring pronouncement". Which stirring pronouncement? The one quoted in the first paragraph. Those three quotes, in case I didn't mention it (which I didn't because I didn't notice it until just now), all come from Gleanings number 92. And you know what? It is worth reading that passage again. While the Universal House of Justice extracted a few key sentences, drawing our attention to particular aspects of that quote, the entire section (and it's quite short) reminds us of some important issues. Yes, the Book of God is wide open, but only a few have recognized it. Yes, the core activities of the Baha'i community are open for all, both as participants and as organizers, and they stir the spirit of all involved, but they have the greatest effect upon those who recognize Baha'u'llah as a Messenger of God. It's not that those participating have to become members of the community, but just that when we overcome those barriers in our own hearts that prevent us from embracing the Faith, the effect of the Writings is even greater.

It is worth noting that this letter is, after all, addressed to the Baha'is of the World, and yet in the extracts that the Universal House of Justice used in the opening paragraph they demonstrate their care in not alienating anyone. This is something that we can surely learn from.

Perhaps this is a hint as to why they call the response they have seen to our efforts "splendid". And when we "pause to reflect", we will better understand that it is this response to the Word of God by the general population, not necessarily the mere number of enrollments, that will have the great impact on the world. This effect that it is having on many thousands upon thousands in cluster after cluster is truly "impossible to ignore".

It is not until paragraph 3 that I feel we really get into the meat and potatoes of the message:

A worldwide community is refining its ability to read its immediate reality, analyse its possibilities, and apply judiciously the methods and instruments of the Five Year Plan. As anticipated, experience is most rapidly accumulating in clusters where the frontiers of learning are being consciously advanced. In such places, the means for enabling an ever-rising number of individuals to strengthen their capacity for service are well understood. A vibrant training institute functions as the mainstay of the community's efforts to advance the Plan and, as early as possible, skills and abilities developed through participation in institute courses are deployed in the field. Some, through their everyday social interactions, encounter souls who are open to the exploration of spiritual matters carried out in a variety of settings; some are in a position to respond to receptivity in a village or neighbourhood, perhaps by having relocated to the area. Growing numbers arise to shoulder responsibility, swelling the ranks of those who serve as tutors, animators, and teachers of children; who administer and coordinate; or who otherwise labour in support of the work. The friends' commitment to learning finds expression through constancy in their own endeavours and a willingness to accompany others in theirs. Further, they are able to keep two complementary perspectives on the pattern of action developing in the cluster firmly in view: one, the three- month cycles of activity--the rhythmic pulse of the programme of growth--and the other, the distinct stages of a process of education for children, for junior youth, and for youth and adults. While understanding clearly the relationship that connects these three stages, the friends are aware that each has its own dynamics, its own requirements, and its own inherent merit. Above all, they are conscious of the operation of powerful spiritual forces, whose workings can be discerned as much in the quantitative data that reflect the community's progress as in the array of accounts that narrate its accomplishments.

While it is very easy to read this paragraph as a summary of what we have done in the past year, it can also serve as a refocusing of our work.

To start, let's explore only that first sentence. (I'm sure that'll take up the rest of my time in the office today, so I'll try to get further tomorrow. Fair warning.) We are not learning to read our immediate reality. This is something we already know how to do. but let's be fair: we can do it better. And so they say that we are "refining" our ability to do this. but then we are not just refining our ability to read our reality, we are also refining our ability to analyse the possibilities found within that reality. We are not merely looking at what another community is doing and trying to recreate their activities. We are seeing what is happening in our own community, our own neighbourhoods, and better seeing the possibilities that lie within it. And then, if that wasn't enough (because, really, it isn't), we are refining our ability to "apply judiciously the methods and instruments of the Five year Plan".

So what does all that mean?

Obviously, more than I can go into here. But I'll try. (Why not?)

For years, many of us (myself being a prime example) looked at what others had learned in their teaching efforts and tried to do what they did. A musical fireside? Let's give it a try. Clean a park? Sure, why not? The list goes on. And all these activities were good, but they may not have had the same impact where we were living. Why not? Because the reality of the area was different. Perhaps the place we lived did not have as many hippy-type people, and so the musical fireside may not have had the same appeal. Perhaps the park near our home was not a hub of activity for the neighbourhood kids, and so it didn't impact their lives as much.

Now we are learning to better understand our community, our neighbourhood. Rather than looking at what it is that we want to do, we are seeing what others are interested in. We are better listening to their concerns, and this is helping us see what the Faith offers that directly addresses their concern. I mean, many of us have done that before, but we, as a community, are now doing it more effectively.

And we are seeing which of the tools we have at our disposal is best suited to addressing that concern.

They say that if all you have is a hammer, then everything begins to look like a nail.

Well, for a while, many Baha'is felt that a fireside was some sort of panacea. It was, after all, the most effective tool we had at the time the Guardian said that. he even qualified it in that manner. "Someone is interested in the Faith", we would say, "well, bring them to a fireside."

Then recently we felt that a study circle would address every problem we saw in our community, only to learn that we needed to include the practices, and so on and so forth. Now there are some who feel that we should drop everything and put all our attention on junior youth groups, no matter what we call them. Well, those few are now a minority. Most the friends in the community are looking at their friends and neighbours, their co-workers and even strangers, and beginning to ascertain what their interests really are. Instead of presuming that others want to do what we are interested in, or learn about the Faith in the same way that attracted us, we are being more discerning.

And while there are few surprises, for we know that everyone is concerned about the welfare of children, we see that there are nuances.

We no longer have only a hammer. We now have a screwdriver, and sandpaper, and a paintbrush, and pliers, and a piano, and all sorts of other implements of construction, and we can see what is needed and select the best tool for the job.

But as with any good construction project, we are not selecting our tools at random. (Can you just imagine the worker who says "Quick give me a tool! I have some nails that need to go into a board." No. He asks specifically for that hammer, and would probably stare in disbelief if his co-worker handed him the pliers.) We are consciously selecting them. (Perhaps the worker tries a wrench to drive in those nails, and discovers that the bigger wrenches work better. Trial and error. With time, and guidance, he will surely begin to use that hammer.)

Oh, and look: We made it to the second sentence. And just in time, too. I have to pack up my computer and get ready to go. (Maybe I should try a hammer to pack it up.)

I'll try to get to the rest of this paragraph later this week.

And if I fail, perhaps that hammer will come in useful for reminding me.

The Beatitudes, part 2

It seems that I forgot to mention one thing (at least one thing) in the previous post. I am of the opinion, and it really is just my own opinion and not official Baha'i doctrine, that everything in sacred text is there for a reason. I believe that when a Messenger of God puts things in a particular order, there is a wisdom and a message to that order, if we but care to look for it. Now, I may be wrong about this, of course, but I have always found it enlightening when striving to discover the reason for the order of things in these various texts.

Oh, and this also includes such things as the various Names of God mentioned in sacred texts. When Baha'u'llah uses a Name of God, such as the All-Knowing, I believe that He is calling to mind that exact attribute of God found within us, such as having a bit of knowledge.

Now, in the previous article, we finished with a bit about righteousness in the world. What's next?

"Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy." To start, this reminds me of "an eye for an eye", but in a more positive sort of way. I think this one also follows quite well from the previous "blessed are the" in another way. A few "blessed are the"s ago, I mentioned the idea of those who show meekness being necessary for the future of the planet, and in the previous "blessed are the" how it talks about those who long to see those others who abused the poor and downtrodden being brought to justice. Well, righteousness, as you know, cuts two ways. First, it punishes the unjust. Secondly, it rewards those who merit it. In terms of the first, it is quite possible to condemn absolutely every single individual upon this planet, especially the writer of these words whose latest karma catch-up occurred just a short time ago. (Note to self: When turning on the shower in the morning, make sure the shower head is facing inwards, and not towards the shower turner-onner who is likely standing outside the shower area.) But if we show mercy towards others, then we are more likely to have mercy shown towards us. (Note to self: Go back to the shower and point the shower head back into the inside. It's not really fair to set it up for the next person in some sort of morning vengeance thing.)

If we long to see righteousness, this is good, for it will help ensure the stability of the planet. But if we show mercy, too, then we don't fall into the trap of being overly legalistic, especially at the expense of others.

"Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God." A long time ago, I was reading something about the Greatest Holy Leaf, the sister of 'Abdu'l-Baha, and I could swear that she said, "The secret is not forgiveness. The secret is to not take offense in the first place." Even if she didn't say that, it's still a very cool concept. Those who are pure in heart, so I am told, tend to see the best in others. They overlook the faults of other people and help guide them through their example. When we do that, when we see the virtues that are there shining in the heart of another, aren't we, by definition, seeing God within them? And again, this follows so well from the concept of showing mercy to others, for isn't seeing the best in them yet another form, a higher form, of mercy? And this is not to ignore the problems, to be ignorant or naive, but to instead focus on the positive aspects that can be more easily built upon.

"Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God." When we see those virtues within others, when we overlook their sins, so to speak, and recognize them as noble creations of a noble Creator, we truly help bring peace to the planet. It is through this process that we can help overcome the effects of prejudice, or even backbiting. When someone says something bad about another person, by helping switch the focus to the good qualities of that other, are we not helping bring more peace into the world? And peace, like light, is a positive quality, a quality that continually be increased. Peace is not merely an absence of war. It is a positive quality that can be continually added to. We may not be at war, and yet still not find peace within our own heart. In terms of light, we begin with absolute darkness, and we can always add more photons. We can also start at absolute zero and always add more heat. So, too, with peace. And when we witness people in history who step up to this level of human interaction, do we not think of them as the true children of God? Whether it is Martin Luther King, Jr, or Mahatma Gandhi, or Nelson Mandela, or the schoolyard child who stood up to the bullies? There are countless others, especially on the more local scene, who come to mind, and they are the ones that I, at least, often think of as the children of God.

"Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven." And these people, these peacemakers, are often then persecuted. They are standing up for righteousness, standing up for freedom and justice, and all sorts of good things, and they often suffer for it. That schoolyard child is often beaten up by those very same bullies. King and Gandhi were both assassinated. Mandela spent many long years in prison. And you know what? "Theirs is the kingdom of heaven." This brings us right back to the very beginning, with the poor in spirit. It is as if God presumes that those poor in spirit would have made the very same noble choices that these great, often unsung, heroes of history had made. It is as if He is reminding us that we can all make those same choices. We can all step to that great level. We can all reach those noble heights and, inadvertently, attain that kingdom of heaven.

"Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you." And you know what? Have you noticed that Jesus switches referents here? He is no longer talking about others. Before it was blessed are those other people, who did thus and that. But now it is you who are blessed. You, who are taking the time to hear what Jesus has said, to read what He has said, to study what He has said. And He is preparing them. He knows that many false things will be said of them, as they are always said of those who are at the cutting edge of spirituality. Now it is not just people of whom lies are spread that are blessed, or those who suffer this abuse because they have done nasty things to others. (Why am I reminded of that shower head again?) It is particularly those of whom these things are done because of the Messenger of God. When we suffer this abuse because of our religion, then we are blessed. And why is that? Because we are truly emulating those Messengers of God in the best way we can, by living nobly and being steadfast in the face of this abuse.

Now, I need to go adjust a shower head upstairs.

The Beatitudes, part 1

It all began with a question.

Who, we wondered, are the poor in spirit?

This, as you probably know, is a reference to the first of the Beatitudes, the "Blessed are the..." section in Matthew 5:3-12, and begins the Sermon on the Mount. The whole section reads as follows:

“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God. Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you."

Now, before I begin looking at this, I wanted to share why it is going here, in a blog about applying the Baha'i Faith in my life. Simple. The methodology of looking at the Writings in detail and exploring the development of what they say is what led me to look at this piece from Jesus again. It seemed to me that if this was from the Pen of God, so to speak, then it is likely more than a series of disconnected statements. I wondered if it could be a beautiful and majestic path that He was leading us on.

And this is what I shared with a number of friends who are Christian, about how to re-examine their own Scripture.

"Who", I asked, "are the poor in spirit?" Because, really, it is a good question, isn't it? I mean, have you ever thought about it? I know I hadn't before this. The answers that the group gave were about what I expected, having gone down that same road myself only a little bit earlier.

"Murderers." "Thieves." "Atheists." (I found it interesting that atheists came in the same group here.) "People who are overly materialistic, or greedy, and don't care about others."

"Ok', I replied. "If that's the case, why do they get the Kingdom of Heaven?"

There was a bit of a stunned silence. Obviously their line of thought was going in a similar direction as mine had when I looked at this passage.

"What if", I offered, "the poor in spirit are those people with severe limited mental capacity, or those who die as infants? These are people who haven't had the opportunity to really search for God, so God, in His mercy, grants them the Kingdom of Heaven."

You see, dear reader, this also ties in with what 'Abdu'l-Baha said about those children who die very early, or are miscarried. "Be not grieved", is one of the many passages about this subject from the Pen of the Master, "at the death of that infant child, for it is placed in trust for thee before thy Lord in His great Kingdom."

And so, this passage from the Bible can offer us comfort in times of grief at the loss of a child, if we choose to read it that way. It can also offer us consolation regarding those we love who may have severe mental issues, or other troubles that influence their ability to make a conscious choice about investigating reality.

Then, in the second of the Beatitudes, Jesus carries us on. Oh, I should mention that the second and the third appear to be in either order, depending on the translation. I will go with the one above, just for the sake of ease, and to admit that we don't actually know which one came first. Please feel free to reverse them, if you want. It doesn't make a huge difference to my narrative here.

"Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted." As we move from those with no choice to to those who have a choice, we follow that path that was started way back in Genesis when we left the Garden. Now we have the ability to mourn. And while it is good to mourn, for it shows the depth of our heart, the nature of our feelings, this is not where we want to stay. It is only the beginning. If we remain stuck in our mourning, never able to move past it, then we are not truly showing a belief in the next world. We are trapped here in this world. Remember, Shoghi Effendi went catatonic at the news of his Grandfather's passing. He truly grieved and mourned. But he went on. He was fully aware of the Master's spirit in his life, and although he missed His presence, physically, it was likely the sustaining knowledge of His station in the next world that carried him past this grief. He was comforted.

"Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth." This is an interesting one. On the one hand, we could say that being meek is not all that great, for you don't show the assertiveness sometimes needed to move things forward, to defend that which is right. We could easily say that in the grand scheme of things, the earth is not all that great a reward. And we would be right. It is, after all, a dust heap. It is as nothing when compared to the Kingdom of God. But if we remain at that level of belief, then we are missing something else that is truly inspirational. Meekness is a form of humility. It is what begins us on our path. While being meek can mean that we are weak or easily imposed upon, it also means we are submissive. And when appropriate, submissiveness is a great virtue. When we show preference to others, we are being meek. When we listen to what others say, being careful to examine their perspective, sometimes despite our own, we are being meek. Not only can we gain great knowledge by being meek, this is also one of the virtues that is needed to "inherit the earth". Without it, the world will keep on being overrun by those who destroy it for their own gain. The time must come when we either make this planet uninhabitable for our species, or begin to better reward those who will take care of it. Truly the meek will inherit this earth, for no one else is worthy of its trust.

"Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled." Just as the line about those who mourn follows so nicely the idea of those who suffer the loss of a child, so this line follows nicely the idea of those who are the trustees of the planet. And just as those who mourn will be comforted either in this world or the next, so, too, will those who long for justice be filled. They will either see it meted out in this world through either the court system or karma, or they will witness it in the next. We can see the poor being trod upon. It is clear and evident. We see the rights of many being violated by those in power, and we cry at the injustice of it. But just as we see this, we also can witness many of them being called to trial in this life. We see the heavy hand of justice falling upon their shoulders. And if, somehow, they escape it in this world, we can rest assured that justice will be met in the next.

Now I would love to finish this little examination of the Beatitudes right now, but I have to go to work this morning. And so hopefully I will continue it later this weekend. And don't worry, I still haven't forgotten about the Ridvan Message. There's just so much to write about, and so little time.

Another Thought on the Devil

A friend and I were standing at the market where I sell my jewelry, and we were talking about religion. He sells his stuff across from me and we often chat when it's slow. It's a beautiful place to sell my stuff, what with looking over the Inner Harbour of Victoria, BC. And it was a very slow, but windy day, and we were very bored. So we took advantage of the situation.

At one point in the conversation he asked me if I believed in the devil.

As soon as he asked, a seagull flew overhead and pooped on us.

Seriously.

Really gross.

And I replied, "I do now."