Category: Baha’i
Interpretation of Scripture
“Should they say: “These words are indeed from God, and have no interpretation other than their outward meaning”, then what objection can they raise against the unbelievers among the people of the Book? For when the latter saw the aforementioned passages in their Scriptures and heard the literal interpretations of their divines, they refused to recognize God in those who are the Manifestations of His unity, the Exponents of His singleness, and the Embodiments of His sanctity, and failed to believe in them and submit to their authority. The reason was that they did not see the sun darken, or the stars of heaven fall to the ground, or the angels visibly descend upon the earth, and hence they contended with the Prophets and Messengers of God. Nay, inasmuch as they found them at variance with their own faith and creed, they hurled against them such accusations of imposture, folly, waywardness, and misbelief as I am ashamed to recount.”
(Bahá’u'lláh, Gems of Divine Mysteries, p. 11)
If you are interested in dialoguing more on the topic of “Interpretation of Scripture” we invite you to join the Arlington Bahá’í Community on this Friday January 16, 2009 at 7:30pm. There will be a short introduction of the Bahá’í Faith followed by a lively discussion and some light refreshments. For more information or directions, please contact the Bahá’ís of Arlington.
Arlington Baha’is Share in Changing Times
While my wife, Kit Bigelow, and I had the honor to be featured speakers at the recent Changing Times Conference, held in Hluboka, Czech Republic, someone emailed me to ask who was behind … who was sponsoring … the truly outstanding event at the Townshend International School in the southern Czech Republic. The organizers are seen in the photo at the right … five young adult professionals from Europe, America and the Middle East.
There is no corporate sponsor, no deep-pockets. Simply five visionary young adults – Ruha Reyhani, Clare O’Brien, Vahid Khamsi, Martin Kummel and Neysan Zölzer. They and the 230 young adult professionals from 40 nations who have attended this week-long conference on defining the future are, in my opinion, among the best and brightest of tomorrow’s leaders.
The five organizers all have “day jobs” yet have found the time to communicate and coordinate … mostly by email … a major conference that focuses on defining visionary leadership principles. In the process, they have attracted speakers from all over the world, ranging from actor Rainn Wilson, 
writer Holiday Reinhorn and Italian business leader Giuseppe Robiati to Dr. Moshe Sharon, a distinguished scholar from Hebrew University, and Mr. Ian Semple, retired member of the Baha’i Universal House of Justice (on the right).
It was intense – daily lectures and workshops for eight to 12 hours. But, then, tomorrow’s leaders know the meaning of hard work.
I have never before seen, known or participated in such a meaningful conference. My wife, Kit Bigelow, who was one of the speakers, has described the event simply as, “humorously soul uplifting.” I looked at the faces of the young adults, and saw the world’s future. Incidentally, we are both members of the Arlington Baha’i community.
Check out this cool animated slideshow the Changing Times leaders created at the end of the conference, featuring the music of Andy Grammer.
~ David Henderson, an Arlington Baha’i.
From the Writings of Bahá’u’lláh
Be generous in prosperity, and thankful in adversity. Be worthy of the trust of thy neighbor, and look upon him with a bright and friendly face. Be a treasure to the poor, an admonisher to the rich, an answerer of the cry of the needy, a preserver of the sanctity of thy pledge. Be fair in thy judgment, and guarded in thy speech. Be unjust to no man, and show all meekness to all men. 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. Let integrity and uprightness distinguish all thine acts. Be a home for the stranger, a balm to the suffering, a tower of strength for the fugitive. Be eyes to the blind, and a guiding light unto the feet of the erring. Be an ornament to the countenance of truth, a crown to the brow of fidelity, a pillar of the temple of righteousness, a breath of life to the body of mankind, an ensign of the hosts of justice, a luminary above the horizon of virtue, a dew to the soil of the human heart, an ark on the ocean of knowledge, a sun in the heaven of bounty, a gem on the diadem of wisdom, a shining light in the firmament of thy generation, a fruit upon the tree of humility.
(Baha’u'llah, Gleanings from the Writings of Baha’u'llah, p. 284)
Stamford, CT Bahá’í Conference
The Bible and the Bahá’í writings
“Thank God, for He hath uncovered the veil from before thine eye, and that thou hast witnessed the great signs of the greatest glad-tidings which have been revealed in the Gospel, Bible and the Psalms; and wert confirmed that verily those glad-tidings have allusions to the appearance of the Kingdom of God during this time, and that the horizons shall brighten through the light of the effulgence in this age, which is the age of the lights and the century of thy God, the Powerful, the Almighty!” ~ ‘Abdu’l-Bahá
To find out more about the Bible and the Bahá’í writings, we invite you to join the Arlington Bahá’í Community on Friday December 19, 2008 at 7:30pm for a lively discussion and light refreshments. For more information or directions, please contact the Bahá’ís of Arlington. Before the discussion there will be a brief overview of the Bahá’í Faith as well as music provided by Hillary Chapman.
