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Nassim, from ROBSI summer camp.
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The aim of the Five Year Plan, and indeed of the Plan before it and the ones that lie immediately ahead, is
to advance the process of entry by troops. |
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The Universal House of Justice, 2001 May, Participation in Training Institutes |
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The Five Year Plan...requires concentrated and sustained attention to two essential movements. The
first is the steady flow of believers through the sequence of courses offered by training institutes, for the purpose of developing the human
resources of the Cause. The second, which receives its impetus from the first, is the movement of geographic clusters from one stage of growth to
the next. |
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The Universal House of Justice, 2001 Dec 22, Eighth ASEAN Youth Conf. in Thailand |
Mike Musoke (left) a.k.a. The tourist, a.k.a. Black Mike
Shervin innocently pilfering the donuts.
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A long, long time ago (circa 1997) I took a picture with a friend, Haleh, who then moved to
Pennsylvania. We then lost touch. Two weeks before the conference I posted pictures Afshun sent me from back in the day. When I saw her I knew that
I needed to take another picture in a similar pose for posterity. See old picture |
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The same thing happens in Ottawa with certain
individuals...you know who you are!
Ladan a cousin of the four notorious Khorsandian sisters and
thus an immediate friend of ours. We love you Ladan!
Counselor David Smith
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I always enjoy hearing Counselor David Smith speak. He always manages to share something I haven't
heard before or fully appreciated. The quote below is just one example. It began to teach me true detachment, having my will accord with Thine. I had been smitten by Arash Abizadeh's talk on Engaged Detachment at the Unravel the
Mysteries Conference which effected my mind...but this talk truly effected my heart and sparked a call to action. |
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If, however, for a few days, in compliance with God's all-encompassing wisdom, outward affairs should run
their course contrary to one's cherished desire, this is of no consequence and should not matter. Our intent is that all the friends
should fix their gaze on the Supreme Horizon, and cling to that which hath been revealed in the Tablets. |
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Bahá'u'lláh in Compilations, Fire and Light, p. 10 |
Eric Dozier: A former Baptist Minister who, upon
recognizing Bahá'u'lláh, had to resign from his comfortable position in the church and find his place in the Bahá'í Community. His performance was
stunning.
Brian is just making sure Michael remembered his wallet.
I was never convinced that these trucks actually existed so once I saw one I knew I'd have to take a picture of it.
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Analysis: Unraveling the Divine Plan: The Real da Vinci Code, Mr. Nafis Zebarjadi
The above picture and the five below were all from his workshop. Here Mr. Zebarjadi began
with an excellent demonstration where a subject was shown the first sheet and asked to decipher a code. When unsuccessful, he was shown the second
sheet (above) and was able to do it because it was arranged in a coherent manner. Analogously, when we pore over the Holy Writings we must try to
see the bigger picture, and put information in context for it to be functionally meaningful. We then were split into groups and given a collection
of quotes in which we had to find patterns and look for deeper meanings. (I included a personal quote below that I feel ties in with this)
Overall, it was a useful exercise. There was at least one person who went in expecting to discover the secrets of the universe and had to settle on
a deepening on the core activities, but with time limited both in the session and in the world, what could have been more pertinent? |
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According to ‘Abdu’l-Bahá: There
are only four accepted methods of comprehension—that is to say, the realities of things are understood by these four methods.
The first method is by the senses—that is to say, all that the eye, the ear, the
taste, the smell, the touch perceive is understood by this method. Many educated people say that the principal method of gaining knowledge is
through the senses; they consider it supreme, although it is imperfect, for it commits errors. For example, the greatest of the senses is the power
of sight. The sight sees the mirage as water, and it sees images reflected in mirrors as real and existent; large bodies which are distant appear to
be small, and a whirling point appears as a circle. The sight believes the earth to be motionless and sees the sun in motion, and in many similar
cases it makes mistakes. Therefore, we cannot trust it.
The second is the method of reason, which was that of the ancient philosophers,
the pillars of wisdom; this is the method of the understanding. They proved things by reason and held firmly to logical proofs; all their arguments
are arguments of reason. Notwithstanding this, they differed greatly, and their opinions were contradictory. They even changed their views—that is
to say, during twenty years they would prove the existence of a thing by logical arguments, and afterward they would deny it by logical arguments. A
philosopher would firmly uphold a theory for a time with strong arguments and proofs to support it, which afterward he would retract and contradict
by arguments of reason. Therefore, it is evident that the method of reason is not perfect, for the differences of philosophers, the lack of
stability and the variations of their opinions, prove this. For if it were perfect, all ought to be united in their ideas and agreed in their
opinions.
The third method of understanding is by tradition—that is, through the text of
the Holy Scriptures—for people say, "In the Old and New Testaments, God spoke thus." This method equally is not perfect, because the traditions
are understood by the reason. As the reason itself is liable to err, how can it be said that in interpreting the meaning of the traditions it will
not err, for it is possible for it to make mistakes, and certainty cannot be attained. For the reason is like a balance, and the meanings contained
in the text of the Holy Books are like the thing which is weighed. If the balance is untrue, how can the weight be ascertained?
Know then: that which is in the hands of people, that which they believe, is liable to
error. For, in proving or disproving a thing, if a proof is brought forward which is taken from the evidence of our senses, this method, as has
become evident, is not perfect; if the proofs are intellectual, the same is true; or if they are from Scriptures, such proofs also are not perfect.
Therefore, there is no standard in the hands of people upon which we can rely.
But the bounty of the Holy Spirit gives the true method of comprehension which is infallible and
indubitable. This is through the help of the Holy Spirit which comes to man, and this is the condition in which certainty can alone be
attained. |
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‘Abdu'l-Baha, Some Answered Questions, p. 297 |
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Consider whether there exists anywhere in creation a principle mightier in every sense than religion, or
whether any conceivable power is more pervasive than the various Divine Faiths, or whether any agency can bring about real love and fellowship and
union among all peoples as can belief in an almighty and all-knowing God, or whether except for the laws of God there has been any evidence of an
instrumentality for educating all mankind in every phase of righteousness. Religion is the light of
the world, and the progress, achievement, and happiness of man result from obedience to the laws set down in the holy Books. Briefly, it is
demonstrable that in this life, both outwardly and inwardly the mightiest of structures, the most solidly established, the most enduring, standing
guard over the world, assuring both the spiritual and the material perfections of mankind, and protecting the happiness and the civilization of
society -- is religion. It is certain that the greatest of instrumentalities for achieving the
advancement and the glory of man, the supreme agency for the enlightenment and the redemption of the world, is love and fellowship and unity among
all the members of the human race. Nothing can be effected in the world, not even conceivably, without unity and agreement, and the perfect means
for engendering fellowship and union is true religion.
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‘Abdu'l-Baha, The Secret of Divine Civilization, p. 70 - 83 |
Full Impulse.
Maximum Warp.
Take out Kebab!
The Muslim owner who was very friendly to the Baha'is.
Delara had something that made her sick (no fault of the
restaurant)
Delta was dying laughing.
Mr. Dozier with an ad hoc choir assembled at the event!
Justice Leeg, the originators of Baha'i Rap, reunited for a powerful performance.
Smith and Dragoman are in the house! See their recent Ottawa Performance
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