University Place Bahá’í Community

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OyLFiJWMv5U Very Interesting story about a new Bahá’í House of Worship

“A beacon of light and hope”: Bahá’í House of Worship inaugurated in Papua New Guinea More than 1,000 people from across Papua New Guinea (PNG) gathered in Port Moresby on Saturday for the inauguration ceremony of the country’s national Bahá’í...

Interesting video and perspective, "Adolescence to Maturity"

"Adolescence to Maturity" Panel - 2023 Parliament of the World's Religions Conference During this participatory discussion with panelists Nwandi Lawson, Joy DeGruy, Derik Smith, and Nanabah Foguth, an exploration of how particular identity cat...

https://youtu.be/sNpr35JvoSE?si=cUdC6_FxVWXg86I_

Global Crisis and Baha'i Vision for Future Society In a world characterized by uncertainty, conflict, and rapid change, the need for fresh perspectives and approaches to address global challenges has never be...

https://youtu.be/sNpr35JvoSE?si=m49zrrHQ4AWVFpJe

Global Crisis and Baha'i Vision for Future Society In a world characterized by uncertainty, conflict, and rapid change, the need for fresh perspectives and approaches to address global challenges has never be...

The Alternate Routes - Nothing More Lyrics (NCIS - Homesick)

The Alternate Routes - Nothing More Lyrics (NCIS - Homesick) Sung by 'The Alternate Routes', I heard this song at the very end of the 11th episode of NCIS S11 - Homesick.Initially produced for 'Newtown Kindness': http:...

Who Is Baha’u’llah?
Baha’is believe that God sends different prophets, or Manifestations of God, to reveal divine messages to humanity. These Manifestations include Abraham, Zoroaster, Moses, the Buddha, Krishna, Jesus Christ, Muhammad, the Bab, and the founder of the Baha’i Faith, Baha‘u’llah.
The Son of Baha’u’llah, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá prayed for the release of the transforming power of His Father’s Revelation. He beseeched God to "make happiness worldwide." He prayed the Lord to "kindle the light of Thy love in every heart," and to "breathe into men’s souls the spirit of Thy knowledge."
His prayer, Shoghi Effendi would later explain, was not merely to reawaken the "spirit of brotherhood and good-will among men." It was to build a system of institutions, of social and spiritual life, that would bring about "an organic change in the structure of present-day society, a change such as the world has not yet experienced."

The Bahá’í Faith and the Arts 2023 is a course currently being offered through Wilmette University--https://courses.wilmetteinstitute.org/. Written by Anis Pakrou in a discussion about the The Baháʼí dispensation & the arts--it's worth the read:
How are the arts viewed in the Bahá’í dispensation and how is this similar and/or different from how the arts have been viewed in the past?
This week's readings provided a thorough exploration of the Bahá’í perspective on the arts as well as how this perspective is different from previous dispensations. The following extract written by ʻAbdu'l-Bahá as a tablet to an individual believer, is helpful in elevating the station of the arts. He states, “I rejoice to hear that thou takest pains with thine art, for in this wonderful new age, art is worship. The more thou strivest to perfect it, the closer wilt thou come to God. What bestowal could be greater than this, that one's art should be even as the act of worshipping the Lord? That is to say, when thy fingers grasp the paint brush, it is as if thou wert at prayer in the Temple.” The analogy of engaging in painting as akin to praying in a temple perfectly exemplifies how honourable and crucial the arts in this dispensation, benefiting not only the individual engaging in the arts but also enriching the environment that their work can foster. This idea of art being a form of worship to God is further emphasised in the following quote, ʻAbdu'l-Bahá states, “In the Bahá’í Cause arts, sciences and all crafts are (counted as) worship. Briefly, all effort and exertion put forth by man from the fullness of his heart is worship, if it is prompted by the highest motives and the will to do service to humanity.”
Although ʻAbdu'l-Bahá elevates the arts and all crafts as forms of worship, certain criteria must be met for this status to be achieved.
An individual must put forth all his effort and exertion from the fullness of his heart.
Maintain the highest motives.
Aim to serve humanity.
ʻAbdu'l-Bahá goes on to add to this criteria, stating, “Although to acquire the sciences and arts is the greatest glory of mankind, this is so only on condition that man's river flow into the mighty sea, and draw from God's ancient source His inspiration. . . . By the one true God! If learning be not a means of access to Him, the Most Manifest, it is nothing but evident loss.” I appreciate this quote and especially the metaphor with the river flowing into the mighty sea. It emphasises how crucial it is to both “draw from God’s ancient source” while being mindful of the loss that comes when one fails to draw from the Most Manifest. All in all, I find that this quote by Baha'u'llah concludes this section well, “the common, the most general and fundamental aim of the arts and sciences, indeed of all human endeavours, however material or mundane they may seem, is to foster spiritual growth.”

From this exploration, it is evident that the Bahá’í faith elevates the arts to a level that has not been witnessed in previous religions before. As discussed in this week's readings, for several centuries, music, excluding the chanting of prayer and calligraphy, has been discouraged and even condemned in Islam. In contrast, the guidance provided in the Bahá’í faith on the arts has been in stark contrast to those presented in Islam, ʻAbdu'l-Bahá proclaims, “This wonderful age has rent asunder the veils of superstition and has condemned the prejudice of the people of the East. Among some of the nations of the Orient, music and harmony was not approved of, but the Manifested Light, Bahá'u'lláh, in this glorious period has revealed in Holy Tablets that singing and music are the spiritual food of the hearts and souls. In this dispensation, music is one of the arts that is highly approved and is considered to be the cause of the exaltation of sad and desponding hearts. Therefore ... set to music the verses and the divine words so that they may be sung with soul-stirring melody in the Assemblies and gatherings, and that the hearts of the listeners may become tumultuous and rise towards the Kingdom of Abha in supplication and prayer.” I resonate with this notion that ʻAbdu'l-Bahá presents in that singing and music are the spiritual food of the hearts and souls. I truly feel my soul being uplifted when I engage in a musical devotion with beautiful harmonies, or when I hear a beautiful, introspective, or reflective song.

Furthermore, It is also insightful to examine some of the writings referencing the Guardian’s outlook on this topic, which starkly contrasts the criteria for arts in the Bahá’í dispensation and that of Christianity**. “Music, as one of the arts, is a natural cultural development, and the Guardian does not feel that there should be any cultivation of "Bahá'í Music" any more than we are trying to develop a Bahá'í school of painting or writing. The believers are free to paint, write and compose as their talents guide them.”** The independence granted to Bahá'ís in this regard sharply contrasts with the approach of Christianity and the way that the Catholic church imposed certain guidelines for how Christian-related art could be represented and interpreted. It is heartening to note that as Bahá'ís we are free to channel art how we feel as long as we maintain principled, virtuous and reverent.

I thought I would conclude this long write-up by including this great summary of the serrafic arts.

“The Baha'i teachings appear to indicate, in sum, that the principal aims and highest aspirations of the seraffic arts are as follow:

On a mystical plane, to impart spiritual knowledge, attract the souls to the beauty of the All-Glorious, and brighten the flame of His love;
On a moral plane, to 'represent and inspire the noblest sentiments and highest aspirations', foster a desire for moral excellence and obedience to the divine teachings, and be a source of comfort and tranquility for troubled souls';
On a social plane, to promote social well-being, harmony, world unity, and universal brotherhood.”

https://www.facebook.com/100064742673834/posts/653573156810768/

On our differences and opinions

When you meet those whose opinions differ from your own, do not turn away your face from them. All are seeking truth, and there are many roads leading thereto. Truth has many aspects, but it remains always and forever one.
Do not allow difference of opinion, or diversity of thought to separate you from your fellow-men, or to be the cause of dispute, hatred and strife in your hearts. Rather, search diligently for the truth and make all men your friends. Every edifice is made of many different stones, yet each depends on the other to such an extent that if one were displaced the whole building would suffer; if one is faulty the structure is imperfect. - Abdu'l-Bahá

Staying Positive in Difficult Times If we truly want to bring about positive changes in the world, or on a small scale in our individual lives, we need to prevent our negative thoughts from taking control of our minds.

These words lead to more…