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FHU IS BREAKING FOR THE FAST UNTIL 3/29/2021
CLICK ON GRAPHIC FOR FASTING STUDY DOCUMENT!
“You cannot apply the name `man' to any being void of this faculty of meditation; without it he would be a mere animal, lower than the beasts.”
(`Abdu'l-Baha: Paris Talks*, Pages: 174-175)
FEBRUARY 10, 2021: FACILITATOR: NAT WHITE
FEBRUARY 3, 2021: CAROL MCGRATH
PUTTING THE PRINCIPLES OF JUSTICE INTO PRACTICE
Police violence is a leading cause of death of young men in the United States with black men 2.5 times more likely to be killed by law enforcement over their lifetime than white men, research finds. "For young men of color, police use of force is among the leading causes of death." "We find that African American men and women, American Indian/Alaska Native men and women, and Latino men face higher lifetime risk of being killed by police than do their white peers. We find that Latina women and Asian/Pacific Islander men and women face lower risk of being killed by police than do their white peers.
Risk is highest for black men, who (at current levels of risk) face about a 1 in 1,000 chance of being killed by police over the life course. The average lifetime odds of being killed by police are about 1 in 2,000 for men and about 1 in 33,000 for women. Risk peaks between the ages of 20 y and 35 y for all groups. For young men of color, police use of force is among the leading causes of death. "
"Since 1980, more than 260,000 black men have been killed in America. Mitch Landrieu, the mayor of New Orleans, is on a crusade to stop the killing. In late April of 1994, a 9-year-old African American boy from the broken-down Central City neighborhood of New Orleans wrote a letter to President Bill Clinton, asking him to bring about an end to the violence that was devastating his city.“
Dear Mr. Clinton,” James Darby began. “I want you to stop the killing in the city. People is dead and I think that somebody might kill me. So would you please stop the people from deading. I’m asking you nicely to stop it. I know you can do it. Do it. I now you could.” He signed the letter, “Your friend, James.”
"Ten days later, on May 8, Mother’s Day, Darby was visiting A. L. Davis Park with several members of his family. ...Two other people, including Darby’s uncle, were wounded when they were struck by fragments of the boy’s skull. Janice Payne laid herself atop her son and told him that she loved him. The 9-year-old who had feared being killed lay dead on the street. .”
THE VISION OF RACE UNITY "It is entirely human to fail if that which is most important to people's self-perception is denied them--namely, the dignity they derive from a genuine regard by others for their stature as human beings. No educational, economic, or political plan can take the place of this essential human need. "
WHY ARE BLACK PEOPLE DYING AT HIGHER COVID19 RATES?
" There is a saying—“When America catches a cold, Black people get the flu.”
Well, in 2020, when America catches coronavirus, Black people die. Blacks in about every state with racial data available have higher contraction rates and higher death rates of COVID-19.
EDUCATION AND SOCIO-ECONOMICAL LEVELS EFFECTS ON LIFE SPAN
"Estimates in this paper for men aged 25 to 64 show that about half of the difference in risk of death between blacks and all other races was explained by education level—the measure of socioeconomic status employed. At ages 65 to 90, black men were not found to have a significantly higher risk of death than men of all other races. "
ALARMING BLACK WOMEN MORTALITY DURING CHILDBIRTH RATES
According to the CDC, black mothers in the U.S. die at three to four times the rate of white mothers, one of the widest of all racial disparities in women's health. Put another way, a black woman is 22 percent more likely to die from heart disease than a white woman, 71 percent more likely to perish from cervical cancer, but 243 percent more likely to die from pregnancy- or childbirth-related causes. In a national study of five medical complications that are common causes of maternal death and injury, black women were two to three times more likely to die than white women who had the same condition. "
February 3, 202: Facilitator (Carol McGrath)
January 27, 2021 Facilitator (Quita Crump)
Facilitators (Quita Crump and Cynthia Phillips)
LAST STUDIED August 5, 2020
JUSTICE GUIDANCE
Watch over yourselves, for the Evil One is lying in wait, ready to entrap you. Gird yourselves against his wicked devices, and, led by the light of the name of the All-Seeing God, make your escape from the darkness that surroundeth you. Let your vision be world-embracing, rather than confined to your own self. The Evil One is he that hindereth the rise and obstructeth the spiritual progress of the children of men.
(Baha'u'llah, Gleanings from the Writings of Baha'u'llah, p. 94)
1. OPPRESSORS ON EARTH! Withdraw your hands from tyranny, for I have pledged Myself not to forgive any man's injustice. This is My covenant which I have irrevocably decreed in the preserved tablet and sealed with My seal. Bahá’u’lláh, Hidden Words, Persian 64
2. The essence of all that We have revealed for thee is Justice, is for man to free himself from idle fancy and imitation, discern with the eye of oneness His glorious handiwork, and look into all things with a searching eye. Bahá’u’lláh, Tablets of Bahá’u’lláh, p. 157
3. The Kingdom of God is founded upon equity and justice, and also upon mercy, compassion, and kindness to every living soul. Strive ye then with all your heart to treat compassionately all humankind. ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, Selections from the Writings of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, p. 158
4. The best beloved of all things in My sight is Justice; turn not away therefrom if thou desirest Me, and neglect it not that I may confide in thee. By its aid thou shalt see with thine own eyes and not through the eyes of others, and shalt know of thine own knowledge and not through the knowledge of thy neighbor. Ponder this in thy heart; how it behooveth thee to be. Verily justice is My gift to thee and the sign of My loving-kindness. Set it then before thine eyes. - Bahá’u’lláh
5. Be fair to yourselves and to others, that the evidences of justice may be revealed, through your deeds, among Our faithful servants.
Baha'u'llah, Gleanings from the Writings of Baha'u'llah
6. And if thine eyes be turned towards justice, choose thou for thy neighbor that which thou choosest for thyself.
Bahá’u’lláh, Epistle to the Son of the Wolf, p. 29
7. Justice is not limited, it is a universal quality. Its operation must be carried out in all classes, from the highest to the lowest. Justice must be sacred, and the rights of all the people must be considered. Desire for others only that which you desire for yourselves. Then shall we rejoice in the Sun of Justice, which shines from the Horizon of God.
‘Abdu’l-Bahá, Paris Talks, p. 159-160
8. As forgiveness is one of the attributes of the Merciful One, so also justice is one of the attributes of the Lord. The tent of existence is upheld upon the pillar of justice, and not upon forgiveness. The continuance of mankind depends upon justice and not upon forgiveness. So if, at present, the law of pardon were practised in all countries, in short time the world would be disordered and the foundations of human life would crumble. To recapitulate: the constitution of the communities depends upon justice, not upon forgiveness. -
‘Abdu’l-Bahá, Principles of Bahá’í Administration, p. 37
9. At present the state of affairs is in turmoil, tribulations are manifold and the authorities have launched attacks from every direction. However, the invisible Hand of God is at work and the wrathful Avenger is watching over the oppressed community of the righteous and the pious. Things that were hidden will be revealed and realities that were unknown will become clear and evident. The innocence of those long-suffering and sanctified beings will definitely be proved and established, and every act of injustice, of iniquity and malice wrought by the evil-doers will be laid bare. The day-star of glory, as is prophesied, will shine forth from that land with such radiance that all men, high or low, of the rulers or the ruled, friend or foe, whether far or near, will be astonished and bewildered.
Now is the time for steadfastness. Now is the ripe moment for the stalwart warriors and champions to show forth courage and to demonstrate their heroism in the arena of service, until such time as God will exalt His Cause, will remove the distress and anxiety of His friends and trusted servants, and glorify those who were brought low among His creatures, to make them spiritual leaders among men, and to make them God's heirs.
Bahá’u’lláh, Fire and Light, p. 36
10. Members of the human race! Hold ye fast by the Cord which no man can sever. This will, indeed, profit you all the days of your life, for its strength is of God, the Lord of all worlds. Cleave ye to justice and fairness, and turn away from the whisperings of the foolish, them that are estranged from God, that have decked their heads with the ornament of the learned, and have condemned to death Him Who is the Fountain of wisdom. My name hath uplifted them to lofty grades, and yet, no sooner did I reveal Myself to their eyes than they, with manifest injustice, pronounced the sentence of My death. Thus hath Our Pen revealed the truth, and yet the people are sunk in heedlessness.
Whoso cleaveth to justice, can, under no circumstances, transgress the limits of moderation. He discerneth the truth in all things, through the guidance of Him Who is the All-Seeing. The civilization, so often vaunted by the learned exponents of arts and sciences, will, if allowed to overleap the bounds of moderation, bring great evil upon men. Thus warneth you He Who is the All-Knowing. If carried to excess, civilization will prove as prolific a source of evil as it had been of goodness when kept within the restraints of moderation. Meditate on this, O people, and be not of them that wander distraught in the wilderness of error. The day is approaching when its flame will devour the cities, when the Tongue of Grandeur will proclaim: "The Kingdom is God's, the Almighty, the All-Praised!"
(Baha'u'llah, Gleanings from the Writings of Baha'u'llah, p. 341)
11. Justice hath a mighty force at its command. It is none other than reward and punishment for the deeds of men. By the power of this force the tabernacle of order is established throughout the world, causing the wicked to restrain their natures for fear of punishment.
Bahá’u’lláh, Tablets of Bahá’u’lláh, p. 164
12. Each man has been placed in a post of honour, which he must not desert. A humble workman who commits an injustice is as much to blame as a renowned tyrant. Thus, we all have our choice between justice and injustice. ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, Paris Talks, p. 159
13. Sustaining growth in cluster after cluster will depend on the qualities that distinguish your service to the peoples of the world. So free must be your thoughts and actions of any trace of prejudice, racial, religious, economic, national, tribal, class, or cultural, that even the stranger sees in you loving friends. So high must be your standard of excellence and so pure and chaste your lives that the moral influence you exert penetrates the consciousness of the wider community. Only if you demonstrate the rectitude of conduct to which the writings of the Faith call every soul will you be able to struggle against the myriad forms of corruption, overt and subtle, eating at the vitals of society. Only if you perceive honour and nobility in every human being, this independent of wealth or poverty, will you be able to champion the cause of justice. Universal House of Justice, Ridvan Message 2008
14. Trust in the capacity of this generation to disentangle itself from the embroilments of a divided society. To discharge your responsibilities, you will have to show forth courage, the courage of those who cling to standards of rectitude, whose lives are characterized by purity of thought and action, and whose purpose is directed by love and indomitable faith. As you dedicate yourselves to healing the wounds with which your peoples have been afflicted, you will become invincible champions of justice.
The Universal House of Justice, message to the Paraguay Youth Congress, 2000
15. Wherever they reside, Bahá’ís endeavour to uphold the standard of justice, addressing inequities directed towards themselves or towards others, but only through lawful means available to them, eschewing all forms of violent protest. Universal House of Justice, To the Bahá’ís of Iran, 2 March 2013
16. The word of God which the Supreme Pen hath recorded on the sixth leaf of the Most Exalted Paradise is the following: The light of men is Justice. Quench it not with the contrary winds of oppression and tyranny. The purpose of justice is the appearance of unity among men.
(Baha'u'llah, Tablets of Baha'u'llah, p. 66)
[What "oppression" is more grievous than that a soul seeking the truth, and wishing to attain unto the knowledge of God, should know not where to go for it and from whom to seek it?]
(Baha'u'llah, The Kitab-i-Iqan, p. 31)
17. We entreat God to deliver the light of equity and the sun of justice from the thick clouds of waywardness, and cause them to shine forth upon men. No light can compare with the light of justice. The establishment of order in the world and the tranquility of the nations depend upon it.
(Baha'u'llah, Epistle to the Son of the Wolf, p. 28)
18. The Great Being saith: The heaven of statesmanship is made luminous and resplendent by the brightness of the light of these blessed words which hath dawned from the dayspring of the Will of God: It behoveth every ruler to weigh his own being every day in the balance of equity and justice and then to judge between men and counsel them to do that which would direct their steps unto the path of wisdom and understanding. This is the cornerstone of statesmanship and the essence thereof. From these words every enlightened man of wisdom will readily perceive that which will foster such aims as the welfare, security and protection of mankind and the safety of human lives.
(Baha'u'llah, Tablets of Baha'u'llah, p. 166)
19. "No radiance," He declares, "can compare with that of justice. The organization of the world and the tranquillity of mankind depend upon it." "O people of God!" He exclaims, "That which traineth the world is Justice, for it is upheld by two pillars, reward and punishment. These two pillars are the sources of life to the world." "Justice and equity," is yet another assertion, "are two guardians for the protection of man. They have appeared arrayed in their mighty and sacred names to maintain the world in uprightness and protect the nations."
(Shoghi Effendi, The Advent of Divine Justice, p. 27)
(20) Racism is a profound deviation from the standard of true morality. It deprives a portion of humanity of the opportunity to cultivate and express the full range of their capability and to live a meaningful and flourishing life, while blighting the progress of the rest of humankind. It cannot be rooted out by contest and conflict. It must be supplanted by the establishment of just relationships among individuals, communities, and institutions of society that will uplift all and will not designate anyone as "other''. The change required is not merely social and economic, but above all moral and spiritual. Within the context of the framework governing your activities, it is necessary to carefully examine the forces unfolding around you to determine where your energies might reinforce the most promising initiatives, what you should avoid, and how you might lend a distinctive contribution. It is not possible for you to effect the transformation envisioned by Baha'u'llah merely by adopting the perspectives, practices, concepts, criticisms, and language of contemporary society. Your approach, instead, will be distinguished by maintaining a humble posture of learning, weighing alternatives in the light of His teachings, consulting to harmonize differing views and shape collective action, and marching forward with unbreakable unity in serried lines.
July 22, 2020- Universal House of Justice
(21) Be anxiously concerned with the needs of the age ye live in,” Bahá’u’lláh states, “and center your deliberations on its exigencies and requirements.” ‘Abdu’l-Bahá urges the friends to “become distinguished in all the virtues of the human world—for faithfulness and sincerity, for justice and fidelity, for firmness and steadfastness, for philanthropic deeds and service to the human world, for love toward every human being, for unity and accord with all people, for removing prejudices and promoting international peace.”
23 December 2008 (Universal House of Justice)
(22- added Dr. King)
We are going to win our freedom because both the sacred heritage of our nation and the eternal will of the Almighty God are embodied in our echoing demands. So however difficult it is during this period, however difficult it is to continue to live with the agony and the continued existence of racism, however difficult it is to live amidst the constant hurt, the constant insult and the constant disrespect, I can still sing we shall overcome. We shall overcome because the arc of the moral universe is long but it bends towards justice.
We shall overcome because Carlisle is right. "No lie can live forever." We shall overcome because William Cullen Bryant is right. "Truth crushed to earth will rise again." We shall overcome because James Russell Lowell is right. "Truth forever on the scaffold, wrong forever on the throne." Yet that scaffold sways the future. We shall overcome because the Bible is right. "You shall reap what you sow." With this faith we will be able to hew out of the mountain of despair, a stone of hope. With this faith we will be able to transform the jangling discords of our nation into a beautiful symphony of brotherhood. With this faith we will be able to speed up the day when all of God's children all over this nation - black men and white men, Jews and Gentiles, Protestants and Catholics will be able to join hands and sing in the words of the old negro spiritual, "Free at Last, Free at Last, Thank God Almighty, We are Free At Last."
Closing Paragraphs From The Speech By
Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr.
Grosse Pointe High School
March 14, 1968
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WEDNESDAY IS A JOINT CONSULTATION DAY
WEDNESDAY: The LSA's Role in Eradicating Racial Prejudice
SPECIAL GUEST TODAY: TOD EWING - Addressing Race, Class, and Culture in the Baha'i Community
September 2, 2020 Facilitator (Barbara Talley)- August 26, 2020 Facilitator (Ladjamaya Green)- August 18, 2020 (Barbara Talley- Facilitator)
"As to you, O ye other handmaids who are enamoured of the heavenly fragrances, arrange ye holy gatherings, and found ye Spiritual Assemblies, for these are the basis for spreading the sweet savours of God, exalting His Word, uplifting the lamp of His grace, promulgating His religion and promoting His Teachings, and what bounty is there greater than this? These Spiritual Assemblies 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 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. What bounty is there greater than this? "(Abdu'l-Baha, Selections from the Writings of Abdu'l-Baha, p. 80)
Reflections on the August 18, 2020 Feast Letter to the American Bahá’í community for the Feast of ‘Asmá’ and the DC Letter on Addressing Race, Class, and Culture in the Baha'i Community
‘Every organized community enlisted under the banner of Bahá’u’lláh should feel it to be its first and inescapable obligation to nurture, encourage, and safeguard every minority belonging to any faith, race, class, or nation within it.’ Shoghi Effendi
What do I need to START, STOP, or CONTINUE DOING to:
- Take advantage of this “moment of historic portent” which “holds significance for the destiny of America anticipated in the Sacred Writings?
- Fulfill "the mission entrusted to our community by the hand of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá?”
- Play a decisive role in eradicating the stain of racial prejudice from the fabric of our nation?
- Read our reality?
- Assess our reality in light of the teachings of the Faith and take meaningful action according to those teachings?
- Engage in honest reflection?
- Refine my efforts as new insights emerge?
- Assist my Local Spiritual Assembly to play a key role?
- Integrate questions of race, class, and culture into the life of the community and in all of our consultations?
- Approach this topic with the 5-year plan in mind and with the intention that this is an aspect of a process of learning?
- "Stay in the ring" when things get intense?
- Build capacity through systematic action and reflection?
SPECIAL GUEST TODAY: TOD EWING - Addressing Race, Class, and Culture in the Baha'i Community
September 2, 2020 Facilitator (Barbara Talley)- August 26, 2020 Facilitator (Ladjamaya Green)- August 18, 2020 (Barbara Talley- Facilitator)
"As to you, O ye other handmaids who are enamoured of the heavenly fragrances, arrange ye holy gatherings, and found ye Spiritual Assemblies, for these are the basis for spreading the sweet savours of God, exalting His Word, uplifting the lamp of His grace, promulgating His religion and promoting His Teachings, and what bounty is there greater than this? These Spiritual Assemblies 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 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. What bounty is there greater than this? "(Abdu'l-Baha, Selections from the Writings of Abdu'l-Baha, p. 80)
Reflections on the August 18, 2020 Feast Letter to the American Bahá’í community for the Feast of ‘Asmá’ and the DC Letter on Addressing Race, Class, and Culture in the Baha'i Community
‘Every organized community enlisted under the banner of Bahá’u’lláh should feel it to be its first and inescapable obligation to nurture, encourage, and safeguard every minority belonging to any faith, race, class, or nation within it.’ Shoghi Effendi
What do I need to START, STOP, or CONTINUE DOING to:
- Take advantage of this “moment of historic portent” which “holds significance for the destiny of America anticipated in the Sacred Writings?
- Fulfill "the mission entrusted to our community by the hand of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá?”
- Play a decisive role in eradicating the stain of racial prejudice from the fabric of our nation?
- Read our reality?
- Assess our reality in light of the teachings of the Faith and take meaningful action according to those teachings?
- Engage in honest reflection?
- Refine my efforts as new insights emerge?
- Assist my Local Spiritual Assembly to play a key role?
- Integrate questions of race, class, and culture into the life of the community and in all of our consultations?
- Approach this topic with the 5-year plan in mind and with the intention that this is an aspect of a process of learning?
- "Stay in the ring" when things get intense?
- Build capacity through systematic action and reflection?
SPECIAL GUEST TODAY: TOD EWING - Addressing Race, Class, and Culture in the Baha'i Community
September 2, 2020 Facilitator (Barbara Talley)- August 26, 2020 Facilitator (Ladjamaya Green)- August 18, 2020 (Barbara Talley- Facilitator)
"As to you, O ye other handmaids who are enamoured of the heavenly fragrances, arrange ye holy gatherings, and found ye Spiritual Assemblies, for these are the basis for spreading the sweet savours of God, exalting His Word, uplifting the lamp of His grace, promulgating His religion and promoting His Teachings, and what bounty is there greater than this? These Spiritual Assemblies 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 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. What bounty is there greater than this? "(Abdu'l-Baha, Selections from the Writings of Abdu'l-Baha, p. 80)
Reflections on the August 18, 2020 Feast Letter to the American Bahá’í community for the Feast of ‘Asmá’ and the DC Letter on Addressing Race, Class, and Culture in the Baha'i Community
‘Every organized community enlisted under the banner of Bahá’u’lláh should feel it to be its first and inescapable obligation to nurture, encourage, and safeguard every minority belonging to any faith, race, class, or nation within it.’ Shoghi Effendi
What do I need to START, STOP, or CONTINUE DOING to:
- Take advantage of this “moment of historic portent” which “holds significance for the destiny of America anticipated in the Sacred Writings?
- Fulfill "the mission entrusted to our community by the hand of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá?”
- Play a decisive role in eradicating the stain of racial prejudice from the fabric of our nation?
- Read our reality?
- Assess our reality in light of the teachings of the Faith and take meaningful action according to those teachings?
- Engage in honest reflection?
- Refine my efforts as new insights emerge?
- Assist my Local Spiritual Assembly to play a key role?
- Integrate questions of race, class, and culture into the life of the community and in all of our consultations?
- Approach this topic with the 5-year plan in mind and with the intention that this is an aspect of a process of learning?
- "Stay in the ring" when things get intense?
- Build capacity through systematic action and reflection?
WEDNESDAY IS CONSULTATION DAY: TOPIC - "LIFE AFTER DEATH"
"Entering the Ocean of Light...The Souls Journey"
with Clyde, NanYuma, Ruby, and Carmen
(1) Verily, we are God's, and to Him shall we return.
Bahá’u’lláh, Gleanings from the Writings of Bahá’u’lláh, p. 345
(2) 32. O SON OF THE SUPREME!
I have made death a messenger of joy to thee. Wherefore dost thou grieve? I made the light to shed on thee its splendor. Why dost thou veil thyself therefrom?
(Baha'u'llah, The Arabic Hidden Words)
(3) Through his ignorance man fears death, but the death he shrinks from is imaginary and absolutely unreal; it is only human imagination.
‘Abdu’l-Bahá, The Promulgation of Universal Peace, p. 87
(4) When our days are drawing to a close let us think of the eternal worlds,
and we shall be full of joy!
‘Abdu’l-Bahá, Paris Talks, p. 110
(5) Man is destined by God to undergo a spiritual development that extends throughout eternity. His life upon this earth is only the first stage of that development. When we outgrow our physical form, and are considered by God ready to reap the fruit of our spiritual development, we proceed to the other world. We term it death only because of our short sightedness. A more proper term would be 'a more abundant life.' it is a forward step we have taken.
Shoghi Effendi, Lights of Guidance, p. 203-204
(6) That beloved child addresseth thee from the hidden world: "O thou kind Mother, thank divine Providence that I have been freed from a small and gloomy cage and, like the birds of the meadows, have soared to the divine world -- a world which is spacious, illumined, and ever gay and jubilant. Therefore, lament not, O Mother, and be not grieved; I am not of the lost, nor have I been obliterated and destroyed. I have shaken off the mortal form and have raised my banner in this spiritual world. Following this separation is everlasting companionship. Thou shalt find me in the heaven of the Lord, immersed in an ocean of light."
‘Abdu’l-Bahá, Selections from the Writings of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, p. 201
(7) Therefore think not that he hath perished. Indeed he will endure in the heavenly kingdom as long as God Himself endureth. And this calleth for gratitude, not grieving.
When he findeth that thou art happy he becometh more cheerful, but when he perceiveth that thou art disconsolate, this provoketh anguish in his heart.
Bahá’u’lláh, Fire and Light, p. 9
(8) O thou beloved maid-servant of God, although the loss of a son is indeed heart-breaking and beyond the limits of human endurance, yet one who knoweth and understandeth is assured that the son hath not been lost but, rather, hast stepped from this world into another, and she will find him in the divine realm. That reunion shall be for eternity, while in this world separation is inevitable and bringeth with it a burning grief.
Therefore be thou not disconsolate, do not languish, do not sigh, neither wail nor weep; for agitation and mourning deeply affect his soul in the divine realm.
‘Abdu’l-Bahá, Selections from the Writings of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, p. 201
(9) When two people, husband and wife for instance, have been completely united in this life their souls being as one soul, then after one of them has passed away,
this union of heart and soul would remain unbroken.
‘Abdu’l-Bahá, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá in London, p. 75
(10) All men are in God's hands, and even if they do get killed
we know there is another life beyond this that can hold great hope and happiness for the soul.
Shoghi Effendi, Lights of Guidance, p. 237
(11) One of the distinguishing characteristics of this most great Dispensation is that the kin of such as have recognized and embraced the truth of this Revelation and have, in the glory of His name, the Sovereign Lord, quaffed the choice, sealed wine from the chalice of the love of the one true God, will, upon their death, if they are outwardly non-believers, be graciously invested with divine forgiveness and partake of the ocean of His Mercy. This bounty, however, will be vouchsafed only to such souls as have inflicted no harm upon Him Who is the Sovereign Truth nor upon His loved ones. Thus hath it been ordained by Him Who is the Lord of the Throne on High and the Ruler of this world and of the world to come.
Bahá’u’lláh, The Compilation of Compilations vol. I, p. 386
(12) Those who have never had any opportunity of hearing of the Faith but who lived good lives will no doubt be treated with the greatest love and mercy in the next world and reap their full reward.
Shoghi Effendi, Directives from the Guardian, p. 40
(13) The conception of annihilation is a factor in human degradation, a cause of human debasement and lowliness, a source of human fear and abjection. It has been conducive to the dispersion and weakening of human thought whereas the realization of existence and continuity has upraised man to sublimity of ideals, established the foundations of human progress and stimulated the development of heavenly virtues; therefore it behoves man to abandon thoughts of non-existence and death which are absolutely imaginary and see himself ever living, everlasting in the divine purpose of his creation. He must turn away from ideas which degrade the human soul,
so that day by day and hour by hour he may advance upward and higher to spiritual perception of the continuity of the human reality. If he dwells upon the thought of non-existence he will become utterly incompetent; with weakened will-power his ambition for progress will be lessened and the acquisition of human virtues will cease.
‘Abdu’l-Bahá, Bahá’í World Faith, p. 265-266
(14) Blessed is the soul which, at the hour of its separation from the body, is sanctified from the vain imaginings of the peoples of the world. Such a soul liveth and moveth in accordance with the Will of its Creator, and entereth the all-highest Paradise. The Maids of Heaven, inmates of the loftiest mansions, will circle around it, and the Prophets of God and His chosen ones will seek its companionship. With them that soul will freely converse, and will recount unto them that which it hath been made to endure in the path of God, the Lord of all worlds.
Bahá’u’lláh, Gleanings from the Writings of Bahá’u’lláh, p. 155
(15) Death proffereth unto every confident believer the cup that is life indeed. It bestoweth joy,
and is the bearer of gladness. It conferreth the gift of everlasting life.
Bahá’u’lláh, Gleanings from the Writings of Bahá’u’lláh, p. 345
(16) The mysteries of man's physical death and of his return have not been divulged, and still remain unread. By the righteousness of God! Were they to be revealed, they would evoke such fear and sorrow that some would perish, while others would be so filled with gladness as to wish for death, and beseech, with unceasing longing, the one true God -- exalted be His glory -- to hasten their end . . . As to those that have tasted of the fruit of man's earthly existence, which is the recognition of the one true God, exalted be His glory, their life hereafter is such as We are unable to describe.
Bahá’u’lláh, Gleanings from the Writings of Bahá’u’lláh, p. 344-345
(17) The people of Bahá, who are the inmates of the Ark of God, are, one and all, well aware of one another's state and condition, and are united in the bonds of intimacy and fellowship. Such a state, however, must depend upon their faith and their conduct. They that are of the same grade and station are fully aware of one another's capacity, character, accomplishments and merits. They that are of a lower grade, however, are incapable of comprehending adequately the station, or of estimating the merits, of those that rank above them. Each shall receive his share from thy Lord. Blessed is the man that hath turned his face towards God, and walked steadfastly in His love, until his soul hath winged its flight unto God, the Sovereign Lord of all, the Most Powerful, the Ever-(Forgiving, the All-Merciful.
Bahá’u’lláh, Gleanings from the Writings of Bahá’u’lláh, p. 170
(18) The world beyond is as different from this world as this world is different from that of the child while still in the womb of its mother.
Bahá’u’lláh, Gleanings from the Writings of Bahá’u’lláh, p. 157
(19) Thou hast asked Me whether man, as apart from the Prophets of God and His chosen ones, will retain, after his physical death, the self-same individuality, personality, consciousness, and understanding that characterize his life in this world. If this should be the case, how is it, thou hast observed, that whereas such slight injuries to his mental faculties as fainting and severe illness deprive him of his understanding and consciousness, his death, which must involve the decomposition of his body and the dissolution of its elements, is powerless to destroy that understanding and extinguish that consciousness? How can any one imagine that man's consciousness and personality will be maintained, when the very instruments necessary to their existence and function will have completely disintegrated?
Know thou that the soul of man is exalted above, and is independent of all infirmities of body or mind. That a sick person showeth signs of weakness is due to the hindrances that interpose themselves between his soul and his body, for the soul itself remaineth unaffected by any bodily ailments. Consider the light of the lamp. Though an external object may interfere with its radiance, the light itself continueth to shine with undiminished power. In like manner, every malady afflicting the body of man is an impediment that preventeth the soul from manifesting its inherent might and power. When it leaveth the body, however, it will evince such ascendancy, and reveal such influence as no force on earth can equal. Every pure, every refined and sanctified soul will be endowed with tremendous power, and shall rejoice with exceeding gladness.
Bahá’u’lláh, Gleanings from the Writings of Bahá’u’lláh, p. 153
(20) "Can a departed soul converse with someone still on earth?"
‘Abdu’l-Bahá. -- "A conversation can be held, but not as our conversation. There is no doubt that the forces of the higher worlds interplay with the forces of this plane. The heart of man is open to inspiration; this is spiritual communication. As in a dream one talks with a friend while the mouth is silent, so is it in the conversation of the spirit. A man may converse with the ego within him saying: 'May I do this? Would it be advisable for me to do this work?'
Such as this is conversation with the higher self."
‘Abdu’l-Bahá, Paris Talks, p. 178
(21) As at the time of death, the real and eternal self of man, his soul, abandons its physical garment to soar in the realms of God, we may compare the body to a vehicle which has been used for the journey through earthly life and no longer needed once the destination has been reached.
Universal House of Justice, Lights of Guidance, p. 201
(22) You ask an explanation of what happens to us after we leave this world: This is a question which none of the Prophets have ever answered in detail, for the very simple reason that you cannot convert to a person's mind something entirely different from everything they have ever experienced. ‘Abdu’l-Bahá gave the wonderful example of the relation of this life to the next life being like the child in the womb; it develops eyes, ears, hands, feet, a tongue, and yet it has nothing to see or hear, it cannot walk or grasp things or speak; all these faculties it is developing for this world. If you tried to explain to an embryo what this world is like could never understand- but it understands when it is born, and its faculties can be used. So we cannot picture our state in the next world. All we know is that our consciousness, our personality, endures in some new state, and that that world is as much better than this one as this one is better than the dark womb of our mother was.
Shoghi Effendi, Lights of Guidance, p. 208-209
(23) You will find many of the wealthy exposed to dangers and troubled by difficulties, and in their last moments upon the bed of death there remains the regret that they must be separated from that to which their hearts are so attached. They come into this world naked, and they must go from it naked. All they possess they must leave behind and pass away solitary, alone. Often at the time of death their souls are filled with remorse; and worst of all, their hope in the mercy of God is less than ours.
‘Abdu’l-Bahá, The Promulgation of Universal Peace, p. 33
(24) As at the time of death, the real and eternal self of man, his soul, abandons its physical garment to soar in the realms of God, we may compare the body to a vehicle which has been used for the journey through earthly life and no longer needed once the destination has been reached.
Universal House of Justice, Lights of Guidance, p. 201
(25) Again, all phenomena of the material world are subject to mortality and death, but the immortal spirit does not belong to the phenomenal world; it is holy and sanctified above material existence. If the spirit of man belonged to the elemental existence, the eye could see it, the ear hear it, the hand touch. As long as these five senses cannot perceive it, the proof is unquestioned that it does not belong to the elemental world and, therefore, is beyond death or mortality, which are inseparable from that material realm of existence. If being is not subject to the limitation of material life, it is not subject to mortality.
‘Abdu’l-Bahá, The Promulgation of Universal Peace, p. 306
(26) Certainly for an intelligent man death is better than sin . . . .
‘Abdu’l-Bahá, Some Answered Questions, p. 265
GLEANINGS
(27) CLXV: Know thou that every hearing ear, if kept…
Know thou that every hearing ear, if kept pure and undefiled, must, at all times and from every direction, hearken to the voice that uttereth these holy words: “Verily, we are God’s, and to Him shall we return.” The mysteries of man’s physical death and of his return have not been divulged, and still remain unread. By the righteousness of God! Were they to be revealed, they would evoke such fear and sorrow that some would perish, while others would be so filled with gladness as to wish for death, and beseech, with unceasing longing, the one true God—exalted be His glory—to hasten their end. Death proffereth unto every confident believer the cup that is life indeed. It bestoweth joy, and is the bearer of gladness. It conferreth the gift of everlasting life. As to those that have tasted of the fruit of man’s earthly existence, which is the recognition of the one true God, exalted be His glory, their life hereafter is such as We are unable to describe. The knowledge thereof is with God, alone, the Lord of all worlds.
(28) Replying to another questioner, he said that when two people, husband and wife for instance, have been completely united in this life their souls being as one soul, then after one of them has passed away, this union of heart and soul would remain unbroken.
(Abdu'l-Baha, Abdu'l-Baha in London, p. 75)
(29) When, therefore, the people of Baha undertake to marry, the union must be a true relationship, a spiritual coming together as well as a physical one, so that throughout every phase of life, and in all the worlds of God, their union will endure; for this real oneness is a gleaming out of the love of God.
In the same way, when any souls grow to be true believers, they will attain a spiritual relationship with one another, and show forth a tenderness which is not of this world. They will, all of them, become elated from a draught of divine love, and that union of theirs, that connection, will also abide forever. Souls, that is, who will consign their own selves to oblivion, strip from themselves the defects of humankind, and unchain themselves from human bondage, will beyond any doubt be illumined with the heavenly splendours of oneness, and will all attain unto real union in the world that dieth not.
(Abdu'l-Baha, Selections from the Writings of Abdu'l-Baha, p. 117)
(30) You had asked concerning the disclosure of spirits after the dissolution of bodies. Undoubtedly the other world is a world of disclosure and vision, for there the veil will be removed and the human spirit will witness the souls above it, beneath it, or of an equal rank with it. ... The spirits of the believers at the time of their appearance in the world of bodies are equal, and are all pure and unsullied. But in this world they will find distinction. Some attain to a lofty station, some seek an intermediate grade, some stagnate in the early stages. This equality is in the original state of their being, and this distinction is after their ascension from this earthly life.
(Compilations, Baha'i Scriptures, p. 492)
(31) The whole duty of man in this Day is to attain that share of the flood of grace which God poureth forth for him. Let none, therefore, consider the largeness or smallness of the receptacle. The portion of some might lie in the palm of a man's hand, the portion of others might fill a cup, and of others even a gallon-measure.
(Provisional Translations, Tablet to Jamal-I Burujirdi)
(32) 'Know thou that all men have been created in the nature made by God, the Guardian, the Self-Subsisting. Unto each one hath been prescribed a preordained measure, as decreed in God's mighty and guarded Tablets. All that which ye potentially possess can, however, be manifested only as a result of your own volition."
(BW - Baha'i World Volumes, Volume 18, p. 941)
(33) How often do we see a man, poor, sick, miserably clad, and with no means of support, yet spiritually strong. Whatever his body has to suffer, his spirit is free and well! Again, how often do we see a rich man, physically strong and healthy, but with a soul sick unto death.
(a) It is quite apparent to the seeing mind that a man's spirit is something very different from his physical body.
(b) The spirit is changeless, indestructible. The progress and development of the soul, the joy and sorrow of the soul, are independent of the physical body.
(c) If we are caused joy or pain by a friend, if a love prove true or false, it is the soul that is affected. If our dear ones are far from us -- it is the soul that grieves, and the grief or trouble of the soul may react on the body.
(d) Thus, when the spirit is fed with holy virtues, then is the body joyous; if the soul falls into sin, the body is in torment!
(e) When we find truth, constancy, fidelity, and love, we are happy; but if we meet with lying, faithlessness, and deceit, we are miserable.
(f) These are all things pertaining to the soul, and are not bodily ills. Thus, it is apparent that the soul, even as the body, has its own individuality. But if the body undergoes a change, the spirit need not be touched. When you break a glass on which the sun shines, the glass is broken, but the sun still shines! If a cage containing a bird is destroyed, the bird is unharmed! If a lamp is broken, the flame can still burn bright!
(g) The same thing applies to the spirit of man. Though death destroy his body, it has no power over his spirit -- this is eternal, everlasting, both birthless and deathless.
(h) As to the soul of man after death, it remains in the degree of purity to which it has evolved during life in the physical body, and after it is freed from the body it remains plunged in the ocean of God's Mercy.
(i) From the moment the soul leaves the body and arrives in the Heavenly World, its evolution is spiritual, and that evolution is: The approaching unto God.
(j) In the physical creation, evolution is from one degree of perfection to another. The mineral passes with its mineral perfections to the vegetable; the vegetable, with its perfections, passes to the animal world, and so on to that of humanity. This world is full of seeming contradictions; in each of these kingdoms (mineral, vegetable and animal) life exists in its degree; though when compared to the life in a man, the earth appears to be dead, yet she, too, lives and has a life of her own. In this world things live and die, and live again in other forms of life, but in the world of the spirit it is quite otherwise.
(k) The soul does not evolve from degree to degree as a law -- it only evolves nearer to God, by the Mercy and Bounty of God.
(l) It is my earnest prayer that we may all be in the Kingdom of God, and near Him.
(Abdu'l-Baha, Paris Talks, p. 65)
(34) He admonished all that we must be the servants of the poor, helpers of the poor, remember the sorrows of the poor, associate with them; for thereby we may inherit the Kingdom of heaven. God has not said that there are mansions prepared for us if we pass our time associating with the rich, but He has said there are many mansions prepared for the servants of the poor, for the poor are very dear to God. The mercies and bounties of God are with them. The rich are mostly negligent, inattentive, steeped in worldliness, depending upon their means, whereas the poor are dependent upon God, and their reliance is upon Him, not upon themselves. Therefore, the poor are nearer the threshold of God and His throne.
(Abdu'l-Baha, The Promulgation of Universal Peace, p. 33)
Many thought that re-union with those we had loved, and who had passed on to the future life, would only take place after a long period of time had elapsed. She wished to know whether one would be re-united with those who had gone before immediately after death.
'Abdu'l-Bahá answered that this would depend upon the respective stations of the two. If both had the same degree of development, they would be re-united immediately after death. The questioner then said, how could this state of development be acquired? 'Abdu'l-Bahá replied, by unceasing effort, striving to do right, and to attain spiritual qualities.
(Abdu'l-Baha, Abdu'l-Baha in London, p. 73)
more info....
BOOK RECOMMENDATIONS
Life, Death, and Immortality: The Journey of the Soul
Private Dowding: The persanal story of a soldier killed in battle
1) Neither Gone Neither Forgotten
2) Interfaith Meditation on the LIfe to Come
3) Entering the Ocean
4) Always - Interfaith Assurances That Our Loved Ones Will Be with Us Always
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POLICE VIOLENCE
"For young men of color, police use of force is among the leading causes of death."
"We find that African American men and women, American Indian/Alaska Native men and women, and Latino men face higher lifetime risk of being killed by police than do their white peers. We find that Latina women and Asian/Pacific Islander men and women face lower risk of being killed by police than do their white peers. Risk is highest for black men, who (at current levels of risk) face about a 1 in 1,000 chance of being killed by police over the life course. The average lifetime odds of being killed by police are about 1 in 2,000 for men and about 1 in 33,000 for women. Risk peaks between the ages of 20 y and 35 y for all groups. For young men of color, police use of force is among the leading causes of death. "
In late April of 1994, a 9-year-old African American boy from the broken-down Central City neighborhood of New Orleans wrote a letter to President Bill Clinton, asking him to bring about an end to the violence that was devastating his city.
“Dear Mr. Clinton,” James Darby began. “I want you to stop the killing in the city. People is dead and I think that somebody might kill me. So would you please stop the people from deading. I’m asking you nicely to stop it. I know you can do it. Do it. I now you could.” He signed the letter, “Your friend, James.”
"Ten days later, on May 8, Mother’s Day, Darby was visiting A. L. Davis Park with several members of his family. ...Two other people, including Darby’s uncle, were wounded when they were struck by fragments of the boy’s skull. Janice Payne laid herself atop her son and told him that she loved him. The 9-year-old who had feared being killed lay dead on the street. .”
"It is entirely human to fail if that which is most important to people's self-perception is denied them--namely, the dignity they derive from a genuine regard by others for their stature as human beings. No educational, economic, or political plan can take the place of this essential human need. "
When someone commits an act of terrorism against in the United States, which rightfully leads to anger and sadness, no one asks, “Well what about how many Americans kill other Americans each year?” Because that would crazy, now wouldn’t it?
But, by all means, let’s talk about “black on black crime.” You’ve probably heard a statistic like this before – The majority of black people murdered are killed by other black people. That’s true, but also misleading. The overwhelming majority of white murder victims each year are killed by white assailants.
So, when’s the last time you heard the term “white on white crime?
As shocking as it may be for some to hear, people generally commit crimes against people they know or live near. If you want to have a real discussion about crime, let’s talk about the factors that contribute to it happening in the first place.
White supremacists have attributed the fact that crime rates are higher among African Americans than whites to people of color being biologically more prone to violence. In reality, crime is directly linked more to poverty than race or any other factor.
According to the Bureau for Justice Statistics, People living in households with income below the federal poverty threshold are twice as likely to commit a violent crime than people in high-income households, regardless of race.
We live in a country where the poverty rate is more than twice as high among black Americans than white. And that has as much to do with 400 years of systematic racism than anything else.”
Similarly, research has found that many young black men — the group most likely to be perpetrators and victims of gun homicides — suffer from a condition similar to PTSD, brought on by repeated exposure to violence, extreme poverty, high unemployment, drug and alcohol abuse and other social ills that create a sense of hopelessness.
A 2017 report in the Guardian newspaper found that much of America’s gun homicide problem “happens in a relatively small number of predictable places, often driven by predictable groups of high-risk people, and its burden is anything but random.”
... With so much media focus on urban homicides — many local news outlets keep a running tally — suicide, which kills twice as many people, gets comparatively less coverage. Still, the result of such historically lopsided coverage is that the public face of gun violence in this country is that of a young black man rather than a middle-aged white one.
“Reporting the truth about who’s committing suicide would require acknowledging that the contemporary narrative — in which men in general and white men in particular are a universally privileged class and have no legitimate problems — is false,” columnist Armin Brott wrote last year in a health and wellness newsletter.
When white men respond to their life circumstances with gun violence, it’s treated as a public health problem, brought on by mental illness and stress. When black men do, it’s portrayed almost solely as a criminal issue, caused by lawlessness and moral failing. The multiplier in both epidemics is lawmakers’ blind devotion to the NRA. Zealously protecting their right to bear arms has come at a huge cost, and as quiet as it is kept, it’s not just the black community that is paying.
WHY ARE BLACK PEOPLE DYING AT HIGHER COVID19 RATES?
" There is a saying—“When America catches a cold, Black people get the flu.”
Well, in 2020, when America catches coronavirus, Black people die. Blacks in about every state with racial data available have higher contraction rates and higher death rates of COVID-19.
EDUCATION AND SOCIO-ECONOMICAL LEVELS EFFECTS ON LIFE SPAN
"Estimates in this paper for men aged 25 to 64 show that about half of the difference in risk of death between blacks and all other races was explained by education level—the measure of socioeconomic status employed. At ages 65 to 90, black men were not found to have a significantly higher risk of death than men of all other races. "
ALARMING BLACK WOMEN MORTALITY DURING CHILDBIRTH RATES
According to the CDC, black mothers in the U.S. die at three to four times the rate of white mothers, one of the widest of all racial disparities in women's health. Put another way, a black woman is 22 percent more likely to die from heart disease than a white woman, 71 percent more likely to perish from cervical cancer, but 243 percent more likely to die from pregnancy- or childbirth-related causes. In a national study of five medical complications that are common causes of maternal death and injury, black women were two to three times more likely to die than white women who had the same condition. "
OUR DISCUSSION FOR WEDNESDAY, JUNE 3, 2020
The Social Upheaval in the Wake of Killings (Gene Marie -Facilitator)
We can recognize the reality, yet be encouraged; there is a Divine remedy for the anti-black racism in America, but can we afford to delay applying the prescribed treatment any longer?
The attainment of any object is conditioned upon knowledge, volition and action. Unless these three conditions are forthcoming there is no execution or accomplishment.
(Abdu'l-Baha, Foundations of World Unity, p. 100)
"If the races do not come to an agreement, there can be no question or doubt of bloodshed. When I was in America, I told the white and colored people that it was incumbent upon them to be united or else there would be the shedding of blood. I did not say more than this that they might not be saddened. But, indeed, there is a greater danger than only the shedding of blood. It is the destruction of America. Because aside from the racial prejudice there is another agitating factor. It is that of America's enemies.
These enemies are agitating both sides, that is, they are stirring up the white race against the colored race and the colored race against the white race. But of this the Americans are submerged in the sea of ignorance. They will regret it. But of what use will their regret be after the destruction of America? Will it be of any use then? . . . the importance lies in what is coming, which is the destruction of America. Now is the time for the Americans to take up this matter and unite both the white and the colored races.
Otherwise, hasten ye towards destruction! Hasten ye toward devastation!"
-- 'Abdu'l-Bahá 1921
Star of the West, vol. 12, issue 6, p. 121 (compiled)
A rectitude of conduct, an abiding sense of undeviating justice, unobscured by the demoralizing influences which a corruption-ridden political life so strikingly manifests; a chaste, pure, and holy life, unsullied and unclouded by the indecencies, the vices, the false standards, which an inherently deficient moral code tolerates, perpetuates, and fosters; a fraternity freed from that cancerous growth of racial prejudice, which is eating into the vitals of an already debilitated society -- these are the ideals which the American believers must, from now on, individually and through concerted action, strive to promote, in both their private and public lives, ideals which are the chief propelling forces that can most effectively accelerate the march of their institutions, plans, and enterprises, that can guard the honor and integrity of their Faith, and subdue any obstacles that may confront it in the future.
This rectitude of conduct, with its implications of justice, equity, truthfulness, honesty, fair-mindedness, reliability, and trustworthiness, must distinguish every phase of the life of the Bahá'í community.
(Shoghi Effendi, The Advent of Divine Justice, p. 22)
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Wednesday- JOINT CONSULTATION DAY
Wednesday is a JOINT Consultation Day
Wednesday is a unique day in which we can discuss topics other than the most vital and challenging issue. Topics must be submitted in advance by completing this form. The organizing committee also makes sure that we have facilitators, recorders, and moderators assigned in advance for each of our daily discussions. We have three goals for Wednesdays:
- Learn how to consult better.
- Address questions that have come up during the other days when we were focused on other topics but felt that they deserved to be addressed relative to the most vital and challenging issue.
- Share helpful information on any topic (does not have to be on the most vital and challenging issue).
"The Bahá’ís must learn to forget personalities and to overcome the desire—so natural in people—to take sides and fight about it. They must also learn to really make use of the great principle of consultation." (From a letter written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi, To the National Spiritual Assembly of Germany and Austria, 30 June 1949)
"Settle all things, both great and small, by consultation. Without prior consultation, take no important step in your own personal affairs. Concern yourselves with one another. Help along one another's projects and plans. Grieve over one another. Let none in the whole country go in need. Befriend one another until ye become as a single body, one and all…"
(From a Tablet, translated from the Persian)
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"If five people meet together to seek for truth, they must begin by cutting themselves free from all their own special conditions and renouncing all preconceived ideas.
In order to find truth we must give up our prejudices, our own small trivial notions; an open receptive mind is essential.
If our chalice is full of self, there is no room in it for the water of life. The fact that we imagine ourselves to be right and everybody else wrong is the greatest of all obstacles in the path towards unity, and unity is necessary if we would reach truth, for truth is one."
(Abdu'l-Baha, Paris Talks, p. 136)