Have we heard enough about injustices around the world to the point that we just want to ignore them? Do we even believe these stories or think that they are concocted by sensationalist media?
Do we find our morning coffee bittered with news of fresh oppressions suffered around the globe?
What about the drive to work? Do we reach to turn the radio to another station that does not disturb our fragile peace?

This is how THEY succeed.

The famous writer Elie Wiesel wrote:

“The opposite of love is not hate, it’s indifference. The opposite of art is not ugliness, it’s indifference. The opposite of faith is not heresy, it’s indifference. And the opposite of life is not death, it’s indifference.”

Baha’u’llah wrote:

“Be as a lamp unto them that walk in darkness, a joy to the sorrowful, a sea for the thirsty, a haven for the distressed, an upholder and defender of the victim of oppression.”

The oppressed in modern Iran are not just Baha’is. They are also Christians and Muslims, young men and women who do not fit the mold.

As stated by the national administrative body of the Baha’is of the United States, “Let us press on until they can enjoy the same precious freedoms we all too often take for granted.”

Please pray and call for the release of Pastor Youcef Nadarkahni, a Muslim convert to Christianity, who is sentenced to death for apostasy.

As a result of my present life circumstances, I am truly living what seems to be an upside-down life, with the evolution of the soul now placed at the forefront, as my primary desire. I must begin the second half of my life by taking a step back from the world of appearances to enter the abode of God’s love for me – there will I find all I need for true happiness. I am taking this on faith, since I often fall into fear, loneliness, self-doubt and want to take control of my life, rather than wait for God’s guidance and assistance. At these times, I take solace in the Baha’i Faith, which has given me tremendous insight into the nature of reality and my purpose here amongst the living.
I became a Baha’i at the Nelsons’ Fireside on the eve of last Thanksgiving, 2010, so this year’s Thornton Chase Memorial, commemorating the 100th year anniversary of his death (last Sunday, September 25th ), was my very first. The weather was perfect, the speakers were inspirational, the prayers were powerful, but I was especially moved by the music. It was through the artistry of Sandy Simmons-Williams, Jamie Findley, Walter Heath, Tim McLane, two friends from the Orange County/San Diego communities and the LA Baha’i Center Choir that I truly felt, to the depths of my soul, the sacredness of this hallowed ground, which Abdu’l-Bahá called the most sacred spot in North America. Indeed, by the end of this joyous occasion, I walked away with an insight into the path that Baha’u’llah is calling me to walk – one of service to God and the Faith through music. I can truly say, without hyperbole, that this event marked a turning point of profound impact for me.
I take inspiration not only from the life of service and sacrifice which Thornton Chase embodied, but also the living examples of Baha’is such as Wilma Ellis-Kazemzadeh, who spoke with such love and humor about the fact that Thornton Chase’s first name was James Brown! The joyous laughter continued later that evening at the Los Angeles Baha’i Center, where we were entertained with Rainn Wilson’s irreverent humor. Such living examples of the Baha’i Faith show me how daily life can be elevated to the level of actual embodiment of the prayers and writings of the Faith – through service, love, good will, music and laughter.
I came away from this celebration feeling uplifted, inspired and empowered to continue the journey inward which the Baha’i Faith entreats me to do. This is sometimes a daunting task, but through so much love, inspiration and powerful prayers, and with the holy ground where Abdu’l-Bahá actually walked so near, I feel supported in my desire to serve the Faith as so many, both living and in the next worlds, are doing every day. God, please help me to remember that I may call upon the guidance of Thornton Chase and the Concourse in times of hardship, fear and despair, and I know that they are there to help and guide me.

Lee Ann Edwards
September 27, 2011

Dr. Joy De Gruy Leary and Oscar DeGruy facilitated. What a paltry word for their rainbow of words, their dimensions of being which reflected spiritual warriors. Dr. Joy DeGruy is well received throughout our nation for her work on Post Traumatic Slave Syndrome, and Oscar DeGruy well known for his initiating Youth Workshops in dance, reflecting themes of unity, prejudice, diversity through dance.

The Bahá’í Writings compare people of African descent “to the black pupil of the eye surrounded by the white. In this black pupil…you see the reflection of that which is before it, and through it the light of the Spirit shines forth.” The administrative body for the Baha’is of Los Angles shared this concept in a letter addressed to the gathering:

The pupil of the eye appears black to us because most of the light that enters the pupil is absorbed by what’s inside the eye. Bahá’u’lláh’s reference is so compelling because light and vision are metaphors for understanding as in “I see,” “I see what you mean,” or “I get the picture.” Then when we consider that the “pupil” has another meaning – a student or one who learns – we appreciate Bahá’u’lláh’s words about the people of African descent in a new way.

Those who have been made to suffer for their ethnic distinctions may also become ennobled by the experience. With this understanding, we might all better appreciate the following words of the Master* writing about the difficulties one encounter sin life: “O thou who hast been sore afflicted on the pathway of the Covenant! Anguish and torment, when suffered on the pathway of the Lord, Him of manifest signs, is only favour and grace; affliction is but mercy and grief a gift from God.”
-*Abdu’l-Báha, son of Bahá’u’lláh

Some themes addressed at the Pupil of the Eye gathering are below. Also for those unfamiliar with the names of figures: ‘Abdu’l-Bahá means “Servant of God” and He was appointed by Bahá’u’lláh as one for the Baha’is to look for after Bahá’u’lláh’s passing. Shoghi Effendi, was ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s grandson, and when Abdu’l Baha died, His Will and Testament conferred upon Shoghi Effendi the station of Guardianship. I hope this helps.

THE NEED FOR HEALING. . .

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.
-Shoghi Effendi, Advent of Divine Justice, p. 40

THE ROLE OF BAHA’I’S IN SOCIAL JUSTICE

“Movements for social progress and social justice, as long as they are disassociated from both political and religious partisanship, should be supported by those Bahá’ís who feel urged to undertake such work. Consequently there is no reason why you should not work for the betterment of your race through channels that in no way conflict with our Bahá’í attitude.”
-(From a letter written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi to an individual believer, November 23, 1941) (Compilations, Lights of Guidance, p. 532)

. . . Yet, it is clear, too, from the Teachings that every people, through its inherent potentialities and particular range of experience, will make its own distinct contribution to the creation of a new civilization. To the extent that African-Americans who embrace the new Revelation arise to do their part by adhering to the Teachings will the gifts which are uniquely theirs be realized in the splendors of the Golden Age. The “pupil of the eye”, Bahá’u’lláh’s metaphoric reference to Black people, will no doubt acquire clear meaning as they conscientiously strive over time to fulfill the divine purpose for which the Blessed Beauty came. There can be no doubt that Americans of African descent can find in themselves the capacity, so well developed as a result of their long encounter with injustice, to recognize and respond to the vision of love and justice brought by the Promised One of all ages. Imbued with that vision, past and present sufferings are transformed into measures of patience, wisdom and compassion—qualities so essential to the effort to moderate the discordant ways of a confused world and aid the healing of its spiritual ills. What better than the transformed character of a bruised people to smooth the course, to offer perspectives for new beginnings toward world order!

As to the need for scholarly works that will interpret the meaning of the issues created by the cruelties of slavery, it is not an empty hope that souls illumined by the Teachings of Bahá’u’lláh and equipped with trained minds will arise to author the kinds of treatises and books you rightly feel will promote understanding
-The Universal House of Justice, Letter Dated 3 June 2007

“Race is a concept of society that insists there is a genetic significance behind human variations in skin color that transcends outward appearance. However, race has no scientific merit outside of sociological classifications. There are no significant genetic variations within the human species to justify the division of “races.”
-The Biology of Race, James King (Contemporary Science)

Who Are We?
Your beliefs become your thoughts, your thoughts become your words, your words become your actions, your actions become your habits, your habits become your values, your values become your destiny.
-Gandhi

“The principle of collective trusteeship creates also the right of every person to expect that those cultural conditions essential to his or her identity enjoy the protection of national and international law. Much like the role played by the gene pool in the biological life of humankind and its environment, the immense wealth of cultural diversity achieved over thousands of years is vital to the social and economic development of a human race experiencing its collective coming-of-age. It represents a heritage that must be permitted to bear its fruit in a global civilization. On the one hand, cultural expressions need to be protected from suffocation by the materialistic influences currently holding sway. On the other, cultures must be enabled to interact with one another in ever-changing patterns of civilization, free of manipulation for partisan political ends.”
-THE PROSPERITY OF HUMANKIND, a publication of the Bahá’í International Community 1995

THE IMPORTANCE OF CULTURE IN SAFEGUARDING THE SELF

Let me begin with the common empirical observations that people feel incomparably more alarmed by a threat to the psyche or the soul or the self than they are by a threat to the body. The death of the self is of far greater concern than the death of the body. People will willingly sacrifice their bodies if they perceive it as the only way to avoid “losing their souls,” “losing their minds,” or “losing face.” In addition, a person only develops a stable, integrated, and differentiated sense of selfhood or identity through the process of interacting with other humans in the community, or culture. The psyche is as dependent upon being nurtured by those modes of relationships and community, of childrearing and education, which we call culture, as the body is being nourished by food. One consequence of that fact is that a perceived threat to the integrity and survival of a person’s culture is perceived as a threat to the integrity and survival of the individuals personality or character, and to the viability of one’s ethical value system . . .Those are among the reasons why the death of one’s culture is tantamount to the death of one’s self. . .The loss of self-esteem is experienced subjectively as the death of the self. People will sacrifice anything to prevent the death and disintegration of their individual or group identity.
-James Gilligan, MD. (1997)

No less serious is the stress and strain imposed on the fabric of American society through the fundamental and persistent neglect, by the governed and governors alike, of the supreme, the inescapable and urgent duty — so repeatedly and graphically represented and stressed by ‘Abdu’l-Bahá in His arraignment of the basic weaknesses in the social fabric of the nation — of remedying, while there is yet time, through a revolutionary change in the concept and attitude of the average white American toward his Negro fellow citizen, a situation which, if allowed to drift, will, in the words of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, cause the streets of American cities to run with blood, aggravating thereby the havoc which the fearful weapons of destruction, raining from the air, and amassed by a ruthless, a vigilant, a powerful and inveterate enemy, will wreak upon those same cities.
The American nation, of which the community of the Most Great Name forms as yet a negligible and infinitesimal part, stands, indeed, from whichever angle one observes its immediate fortunes, in grave peril. The woes and tribulations which threaten it are partly avoidable, but mostly inevitable and God-sent, for by reason of them a government and people clinging tenaciously to the obsolescent doctrine of absolute sovereignty and upholding a political system, manifestly at variance with the needs of a world already contracted into a neighborhood and crying out for unity, will find itself purged of its anachronistic conceptions, and prepared to play a preponderating role, as foretold by ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, in the hoisting of the standard of the Lesser Peace, in the unification of mankind, and in the establishment of a world federal government on this planet. These same fiery tribulations will not only firmly weld the American nation to its sister nations in both hemispheres, but will through their cleansing effect, purge it thoroughly of the accumulated dross which ingrained racial prejudice, rampant materialism, widespread ungodliness and moral laxity have combined, in the course of successive generations, to produce, and which have prevented her thus far from assuming the role of world spiritual leadership forecast by ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s unerring pen — a role which she is bound to fulfill through travail and sorrow.
-SHOGHI EFFENDI in Citadel of Faith, p. 126

`Abdu’l-Bahá said: “…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? I told him of a letter which I had received from Chicago during the week, stating that two houses belonging to colored Bahá’ís had been bombed with dynamite. `Abdu’l-Bahá said: “I foretell things before they happen and I write about them before they occur. The destruction of two or three houses is of no importance, but the importance lies in what is coming, which is the destruction of America. The Arabs have many proverbs. For instance, `Heavy rains begin with drops before it pours,’ and `The dancer starts with shaking the shoulder, then the whole body.’ 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!”

Esther Bradley-DeTally
September 19, 2011

A man, Dr. Peter Khan, distinguished servant within the Bahá’í Community, across far-stretching global reaches of the Baha’i community had a life described as “remarkable.”

First, the facts: Dr. Khan was born in Bowral, New South Wales, Australia to a family originally from Khasi Kalan, Ludhiana, Punjab, India. He was a Fulbright postdoctoral fellow and later professor of electrical engineering at the University of Michigan. He also was visiting professor at the University of New South Wales and associate professor at the University of Queensland. He was elected to a national governing body of Bahá’ís of Australia (the National Spiritual Assembly), and held many other positions of service until 1987 when he was elected to the Universal house of Justice, where he served until 2010.

Well, that’s a wide-angled lens view of a life. Last night, at the Western Justice Center, a memorial was held, like many around the globe, and we honored this man. “He was ours,” someone said; others told stories; and a program of utmost beauty and simplicity honored this man, with a visual presentation. The prayer “Blessed is the Spot” ribboned its sounds into our hearts. Baha’i readings followed, after which Lee Ann Edwards and Thea Komen, accomplished flutists, performed Kuhlau flute duet. Silver notes vaulted to the ceiling, all the while our spirits absorbed a background of Peter Khan’s fluted accent, a mix of high English, with a dash of who knows what, and descriptions of “sense of humor.” “He galvanized and encouraged we Bahá’ís in America with his uncommon eloquence and endearing humor.” Peter Khan is how we referred to him, and as mentioned earlier, “He was ours.” Never mind that Baha’is in Chicago, Bombay, West Africa, were echoing the same thing.

He visited us across the United States often, and he encouraged us, talked to us as if we were intimate family, and in a sense, we are, cousins, sisters, brothers to all around the planet. One of his and his wife Janet’s passions dealt with equality of women and men. They co-authored a book together on this theme. Among his many subjects or themes was the concept of mental tests. He suggested we in America would be subject to strong mental tests, whereas, other countries would be exposed to other types of hardship. When we sat and listened to him, we knew he was preparing us for the future, for a future where suffering and love and compassion intertwined, where we humbly could go and feel our world’s pain, but offer draughts of hope and love and perception. He constantly encouraged us, speaking of the American Baha’is as “dutiful, patient, always dedicating their lives to service.” He spurred us on to higher endeavors, one might say.

From the grassroots community of Baha’is to the highest Institution, the world’s conception of power has taken a nose dive my friends. Formally, we could call it a paradigm shift. No matter small or great – power is now irrevocably to be used for service to humankind. Thus the members of the Universal House of Justice reflect majesty and humility.

At last night’s honoring of Dr. Khan, we were like a small group of birds gathered under a tree, and each of us felt the privilege of knowing this dear, dear soul, his humility, his galvanizing our minds and souls, and his complete and utter dedication to our beloved Faith.

Dr. Peter J. Khan passed away in Brisbane in the early hours of Friday the 15th of July, 2011, after a sudden short illness. A blessed passing. We will miss him, but we also will carry within the knowledge that we were blessed to know such a principled, loving, intelligent servant of Baha’u’llah.

Esther Bradley-DeTally
August 26, 2011

“The betterment of the world can be achieved through pure and goodly deeds, through commendable and seemly conduct.”

-Baha’u'llah

The Baha’is of Pasadena invite you to attend their community activities and to learn more about the Baha’i faith.

In May 2011 the Baha’is of Pasadena congratulated the City of Pasadena on the occasion of the celebration of its 125th anniversary.

Happy Birthday Pasadena! We are particularly gratified with the great strides achieved in Pasadena since the momentous visit of Sir Abdu’l-Baha’ Abbas, Exemplar of the Baha’i Faith in October 1912.
Our prayers are for a future filled with success and outstanding achievements for our community.

It was a happening, no doubt about it.  You know those films that show souls from unseen worlds speeding along overhead with an ambulance, or hurrying on to a wedding? That’s what it felt like. I write this as a dot, a mere dot, in a large universe of dots that loved Jim Nelson, human extraordinaire, and are equally dotty over his beloved wife Dorothy. The occasion?

The Memorial for James F. Nelson. That’s the facts, but here’s a sliver of a feeling, a perception of the day of his memorial. First, a week after he died, Dorothy continued the firesides, and as the first Wednesday evening came about without his physical presence, I sat there feeling like a small blip of a writer in observation mode.  I also felt as if a giant spaceship, filled with love, landed on the Nelsons’ roof.  I further felt as if Jim’s soul was tucked into this spaceship.  It was such a big spaceship, but still, I thought, he had to tuck in the edges of his soul, as it was so big it almost didn’t fit.

Exaggeration maybe.  Right up front let me say, “It’s never just Jim, as it is never just Dorothy.”  We, the gang on earth, left to carry on the torches of all those gone on in service, bend towards Dorothy, anxious to absorb within our own souls, any pain of loss or sorrow.  But meanwhile, we had a memorial to attend to.

Let’s just say, people in the surrounding community and from his long-time Bahá’í family followed Dorothy’s wishes, and all became like a human kaleidoscope, moving, stretching, bending, to the subtle needs of making this day, the day of Jim Nelson’s memorial, the best it could be.

As I prepared to be a volunteer, my soul felt an urgency, to rush, to be, to do, to join the other members of our community.  And you know, that’s just what happened.  The Baha’is worked together like meshed steel, and the people came.  All the law clerks, judges, members and participants of the legal field were there at the Pasadena Convention Center.  Then the Baha’is:  children who sang in a choir, “Love is just a magic penny, … just give it away,” Glenford Mitchell, distinguished retired member of the Universal House of Justice, most of the National Assembly of the Baha’is of the United States, noting the one not there was attending his daughter’s wedding.  Counselors past and present.

All told, there were close to 700 people, and the afternoon was interspersed with Judge’s comments, friends’ tributes, prayers, passages from the Baha’i writings, and songs by children.  A video, commencing with a resplendent baby in his birthday suit, brought “aawwws” and laughter.  We viewed Jim’s life in images, and we were a captive audience. More photographs showed Jim’s appointment as a Judge, while later, his measured voice filled with kindness, eloquence and love echoed in the background.  Images flashed to scenes of Jim, on behalf of the National Spiritual Assembly, speaking about the persecuted Baha’is in Iran, to a Congressional Hearing.  Some pictures of Jim as a fisherman, and a few interspersed showing Jim and Dorothy dancing.  The last slide showed their last dance.  Finally the program ended with a solo at the end, sung by someone who has the dusty voice of a winged bird.

Palpable love and unity floated between all of us, and later, we spilled out into the wide corridors surrounding the ballroom, and hugged and loved, and finally, went home, realizing as my daughter-in-law Laura said, “We all want to be better since attending this gathering.”

So that’s it.  Word dots in a giant mosaic, representing a heart.  Others will put it more eloquently, but as I said, “It was a happening.”

Esther Bradley-DeTally

Junior Youth celebrating after volunteering at the MS Walk in Pasadena

Here is one recent account from a participant in the classes Stephanie Jimenez, who asked to write about her experience: