Dear james
you write: internet lists have, at times,
raised eyebrows precisely because someone makes a comment that is
derrogatory about an institution or individuals on an institution.
IMO, to make such a comment is never acceptable. The internet, however, seems
to breed it and that, I feel, turns the stomach of many.
raised eyebrows precisely because someone makes a comment that is
derrogatory about an institution or individuals on an institution.
IMO, to make such a comment is never acceptable. The internet, however, seems
to breed it and that, I feel, turns the stomach of many.
I have no time for anybody who tries to indiscriminate any individual. With institutions, I have a more tolerant approach. I can understand the despair sometimes behind the remark.
Did you ever look upon the certainty and the trust you have in the institutions of the faith as a bounty that has been vouchsafed to you by God? I do look upon it myself like that. Even though I have had some struggles to do, I know that I could never have survived the tests if God had not lead me. I think only because I turned to God in prayer for guidance every time I felt very challenged by an institution in my faith, I was considered worthy to receive such a bounty. Yet God could easily have let me struggle on my own, and coudl have told me time and again how despicable I was to have but one single syllable of doubt in my heart.
Some people cannot see immediately what to you and me is obvious. A raised eyebrow does not help much here, nor does it help the serious seeker after truth (whether he has been a Bahai for donkeys years does not matter) . It may only turn them more desparing and cynical.
Usually there is pain behind sneering remarks on the institutions. And sometimes a doubtful approach is interpreted by Bahais as close to covenant breaking. Someone in my community said, after hearing that some people I knew on the internet had great difficulty with that ruhi is now so much promoted and questioned the wisdom of that, she said: that is covenant breaking, because ruhi is approved by the UHJ and the ITC and it is a decision of the House to have ruhi done all over the world (I had to correct her on that).
And the above is an attitude I think will lead to fundamentalism and shows that unity in diversity is not very well understood and that all the writings this person reads relating to how we should be with one another and how loving and kind we should be to one another are not understood. Because loving and kind is fine, to this person, wonderful even, but only to those who understand what she understands and see things the way she sees them. This attitude will never help the process of the realisation here in this world of matter of a spiritual truth: that mankind is essentially one.
Some people simply do not know how to be not critical and sneering when they are in pain. That does not always mean that they have an aversion to the institutions or are completely disrespectful to it. It just means that they are in pain. On further probing it becomes quite quickly clear whether that person is attached to their opinion or whether that person is willing to let go and investigate whether they have maybe a big prejudice.
much love,
janine van rooij
dublin, ireland
James Mock <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
James Mock <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
>
>I have heard Dr. Arbab make remarks to this effect, however I think it was
>Paul Lample who persuaded the NSA not to offer an alternative to Ruhi as
>they had originally tried to do and even developed the materials for.
Paul is very aware of the tendency for the American community to become
gemicky.....he seeks a sustained process. Let's start out by focusing on
one set of materials; after we have mastered that, then we move on. I know
there is more to his thinking than simply Ruhi.
>"This one has never seen on this list a condemnation of the Comprehensive
>Deepening Materials (US in the 70s), which were produced by NSA member Dan
>Jordan."
>
>Yeah, I think the difference is that people didn't feel that the
>Comprehensive Deepening Program was being imposed on them the same way Ruhi
>! is. It was simply made available and the friends could take it or leave it.
I have never felt that Ruhi has been "imposed" upon me....only that a
process has been encouraged.
>"Friends, while we are on the subject, Ruhi is about a PROCESS, not about
>specific MATERIALS. It is about developing human resources in a systematic
>manner."
>
>I think it would be more precise to say that Study Circles are about a
>Process. Ruhi represents certain materials designed to further that
>process.
Ah! Susan. Look at my words....I said "Ruhi is ABOUT process," not that it
IS the process.
>
>But I would agree with you that we should not suggest things that tarnish
>the reputation of faithful servants of the Cause. There is no reason to
>think anyone is promoting Ruhi for any other reason than they believe it
>would serve the best interests of the Faith.
Susan, this is one point that concerns ! me: internet lists have, at times,
raised eyebrows precisely because someone makes a comment that is
derrogatory about an institution or individuals on an institution. IMO, to
make such a comment is never acceptable. The internet, however, seems to
breed it and that, I feel, turns the stomach of many.
I purposefully didn't look at the name of the person who made that
statement, because I don't want to bias my view on things they may say in
the future, but this is an issue (Paul Lample) where I have personal
experience and, I know, the implications are totally unjustified.
James
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