Responsibilities: The Most Vital and Challenging Issue

"It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat."

Let's check in with each other next Sunday. Check your email.

This Sunday's meeting is cancelled. Attending my 101 year old aunt's funeral.

Dear Friends, I need to cancel our planned meeting coming up Sunday July 27th. I will be in Ohio attending my 101 year old aunt's funeral that weekend so I am distracted. I do ask that we support one of our family members, Glen Cotten at his community's gathering sharing stories of Abdul-Baha's actions in addressing racism in the US during His visit here. Please reach out to Glen for details. We support him and his community in this effort to inform, enlighten, inspire and encourage our action plans. Prayers for my family and all of you. Stay Strong!

Dear Friends,
I am sure for all of us this has been a whirlwind of a month. All the more reason why we should check-in with each other next Sunday. See link below. The proposed agenda:

I. Opening: African tradition of calling out the names of those who have gone on
II. Temperature Check: Large Group, how are you doing?
III. Small Group Work: What have you been doing to educate yourself or actively been involved in the eradication of racism in the Americas
IV. What are the learnings from this month's action plans?
V. Where do we go from here?

I don''t know if there will be time to reflect on the Pupil of the Eye conference for those who participated. We may schedule another Zoom meeting for that. Let me know your desire.

Please be aware this group is for those already on the ground, already involved in elevated conversations and actions plans. This is not a group to explain what is going on in the US/ in the Americas. You already know and are doing something about it. With that being said, you are free to share this invitation aware of the focus participants, soldiers on the ground, the serried lines, those who are accompanying others in their material and spiritual transformation.

Also please be reminded, our Wilmette Study group starts this week on Anti-Black, Racism in America. Currently, the spaces are full.

If you haven't already please view the vidoe attached, it was inform our opening at Sunday's meeting.

Be Safe Out There,
Talibah

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fr-FyI-3wZ0

Talibah Sun is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.

Topic: Responsibilities in addressing The Most Vital and Challenging Issue
Time: Jun 28, 2020 11:00 AM Central Time (US and Canada)
Every month on the Last Sun, until Dec 27, 2020, 7 occurrence(s)
Jun 28, 2020 11:00 AM
Jul 26, 2020 11:00 AM
Aug 30, 2020 11:00 AM
Sep 27, 2020 11:00 AM
Oct 25, 2020 11:00 AM
Nov 29, 2020 11:00 AM
Dec 27, 2020 11:00 AM
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Things we can do...create safe spaces, physically, emotionally and spiritually.

A New Approach To Racial Trauma: Black Residents Build Safe Spaces In Wake Of Stephon Clark’s Death Black community leaders will soon fan out across the Sacramento area to lead emotional emancipation circles. They say the talk groups provide a much-needed space to process racism, violence and other trauma dating back generations.

https://www.newsandguts.com/video/trevor-noah-black-americans-have-seen-their-principles-completely-delegitimized/?fbclid=IwAR3FY1GgFPo4pql3cqO7DZ4pnwZhi3rD9L-6rumaksyMtE41_sIpA4iSObg

Trevor Noah: "Black Americans Have Seen Their Principles Completely Delegitimized" - News & Guts Media The Daily Show’s Trevor Noah “shares his thoughts on the killing of George Floyd, the protests in Minneapolis, the dominos of racial injustice and police brutality, and how the contract between society and black Americans has been broken time and time again.” “If you felt unease watching tha...

https://sojo.net/articles/our-white-friends-desiring-be-allies

For Our White Friends Desiring to Be Allies Ask when you don’t know — but do the work first.

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/race-police-the-pandemic/id1277250997?i=1000476499610

‎The FRONTLINE Dispatch: Race, Police & The Pandemic on Apple Podcasts ‎Show The FRONTLINE Dispatch, Ep Race, Police & The Pandemic - Jun 1, 2020

An example of "...a corresponding effort"

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=10157156997316135&id=682756134

6th and Jefferson in Louisville. This is a line of white people forming a barrier between Black protestors and the police. This is love. This is what you do with your privilege.
Photo credit: Tim Druck

Next Session: Sunday, June 28th 11-1pm CT. Homework: do something with the doc. and come back sharing your challenges and victories. Need the doc? pm me

Today's first session was very fruitful! Servants and Handmadiens seek support with their passion to address "The Most Vital and Challenging Issue". Instant camaraderie was established with the assistance of the collective writing and adherence to the agreed rule of engagement. We committed to participate in authentic conversations where we each felt safe.. Trusting relationships will continue to grow as we share our challenges and victories in facing and addressing racism in America as expounded by the Guardian Shoghi Effendi. A Zoom poll was generated in which the participants answered based on their own personal experience. The instant results showed that this diverse group had a lot in common. In small groups of 4 participants choose question, concept or experience to focus upon. regarding the responsibilities of people of European and African descent. At the end of our session, each participant felt heard and respected. We will meet the last Sunday of June. But, there is homework! Do something with the proposed document. Share with neighbors, friends with whomever you designate as your community. Come back to the larger group and share. Email addresses will be exchanged for continual support. Less talk, more action, with the Guidance on the Faith readily available. Looking forward to meeting your soldiers again June 28th 11 am - 1pm CT, 9 PT, 12 noon ET. Mark your calendars oh people of Baha!

If you are interested in joining us on Sunday to share our responsibilities and experiences with addressing "The Most Vital and Challenging Issue" please pre-register and answer the questions on the announcement. The purpose of the questions in this announcement, additional questions sent in an email and a survey that will be conducted on the Zoom meeting is to gain an understanding as to where we are individually and collectively as we respond to the recent letters from our Beloved Institutions. Quite honestly, I don't have a pre-conceived agenda other than us sharing and consulting. Not sure if it's even necessary to meet periodically, we will decide that. However, my main objective is for you to use the reflections I offered with your own communities. I hope the questions have stimulating thought and action. Let's not talk about it, let's be about it. "...deeds not words..."

You are invited to a Zoom meeting.
When: May 24, 2020 11:00 AM Central Time (US and Canada)

Register in advance for this meeting:
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After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.

Welcome! You are invited to join a meeting: Responsibilities in addressing The Most Vital and Challenging Issue. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email about joining the meeting. Exploring experiences in relationship to the responsibilities of people of European descent and African descent in addressing "The Most Vital and Challenging Issue"

The Pupil of the Eye The Bahá'í Library Online: Bahai articles, books, translations, and historical materials

Let the white make a supreme effort
in their resolve to contribute their share
to the solution of this problem,
to abandon once for all
their usually inherent and at times subconscious
sense of superiority, to correct their tendency
towards revealing a patronizing attitude
towards the members of the other race,
to persuade them through their intimate,
spontaneous and informal association with them
of the genuineness of their friendship
and the sincerity of their intentions,
and to master their impatience
of any lack of responsiveness
on the part of a people who have received,
for so long a period,
such grievous and slow-healing wounds."

The Guardian feels very strongly
that the Negro Bahá'ís have great responsibilities,
both towards their own race
and towards their fellow-believers.
They must not only arise to teach the Cause
to the members of their own race,
but must do all in their power
to ensure that within their Bahá'í Community itself
the Negro and white believers
understand and love each other
and are truly as one soul
in different bodies."
-Shoghi Effendi

https://bahaiteachings.org/racism-the-dark-false-and-crooked-doctrine

Racism: The Dark, False and Crooked Doctrine Eric Dozier, discusses the racial chaos we've seen over the past few months and the learnings we can draw from Shoghi Effendi's 'Advent of Divine Justice.'

The Most Vital and Challenging Issue: Goal and Responsibilities
"Verily, God has chosen you for His love and knowledge;
God has chosen you for the worthy service
of unifying mankind;
God has chosen you
for the purpose of investigating reality
and promulgating international peace;
God has chosen you
for the progress
and development of humanity,
for spreading and proclaiming true education,
for the expression of love toward your fellow creatures
and the removal of prejudice;
God has chosen you
to blend together human hearts
and give light to the human world."
-`Abdu'l-Bahá

Sharing of Experiences and Action Plans Zoom gathering Sunday May 24th 11 am CT. Details will be given.

Know thou, of a truth," He significantly affirms, "these great oppressions that have befallen the world are preparing it for the advent of the Most Great Justice." "Say," He again asserts, "he hath appeared with that Justice wherewith mankind hath been adorned, and yet the people are, for the most part, asleep." "The light of men is Justice," He moreover states, "Quench it not with the contrary winds of oppression and tyranny. The purpose of justice is the appearance of unity among men." "No radiance," He declares, "can compare with that of justice. The organization of the world and the tranquility 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." "Bestir yourselves, O people," is His emphatic warning, "in anticipation of the days of Divine justice, for the promised hour is now come. Beware lest ye fail to apprehend its import, and be accounted among the erring." "The day is approaching," He similarly has written, "when the faithful will behold the day-star of justice shining in its full splendor from the day-spring of glory."