Nature is God’s Will and…

Say: Nature in its essence is the embodiment of My Name, the Maker, the Creator. … Nature is God’s Will and is its expression in and through the contingent world. It is a dispensation of Providence ordained by the Ordainer, the All-Wise. … Indeed a man of insight can perceive naught therein save the effulgent splendor of Our Name, the Creator.
— Bahá’u’lláh, Lawḥ-i-Ḥikmat, Fountain of Wisdom

https://oceanlibrary.com/fountain-of-wisdom_bahaullah

Nature is not a backdrop. It is the Will of the Creator made visible. What would change if you walked outside today as a reader of that Book?

From the Bahá’í Writings.

This is the kick-off for a new weekly series, based off an event that has been happening weekly at the Baha'i Center of Clearwater on Sundays at 11AM. A Baha'i Point Group is sharing this content because we believe in expanding our frontiers of learning. This is one of the gems produced from efforts from around the world, showcased here for the mutual advancement of the content-creators and viewers like you. We hope that you can bring your questions and ideas to guide where this initiative can go next!

The video of the introductory presentation on March 29, 2020 is posted online for those who missed this event:

• Discovery of Reality - Introduction (Click here to view video)

Discovery of Reality - Introduction

• Discovery of Reality - Tools to Describe Reality (click here to view video)

Discovery of Reality - Tools to Describe Reality

More information:

• https://clearwaterbahais.org/events/sunday-adult-learning-classes

Dealing with the Coronavirus - One Individual Baha'is Perspective

It is rather apparent that the wisdom of the Divine teachings of Baha'u'llah has been made more apparent and manifested unto those with eyes to see and ears to hear. From the Aqdas' admonition of placing one's hand in a communal food bowl to not using public baths, the Baha'i Faith's teachings are synonymous with wisdom in this interconnected age and now one of a global pandemic. 

Recent research suggests that the consumption of alcohol and SARS-CoV-2 does not mix well. Smoking is admonished further because of the illness' impact on the lungs, and that fresh air and sunlight can be beneficial mentally, spiritually, and vitamin D is helpful against the fight of this disease .

It is often told how much Baha'u'llah and Abdul Baha loved gardens and the countryside. Culturally, many Baha'is are encouraged to live in the countryside--away from large cities and their even more prevalent materialism. I've never been more thankful to live on ten acres than now.

I believe Shoghi Effendi once commented that many of the friends are unduly swayed by the media in their respective countries. We know the importance of personal investigation of truth and the importance of science and reality. Understanding this, I have been watching this pandemic over the past couple months (before it was a pandemic) and realized the true dire situation that was to befall us. You may have seen my warnings in postings on Social Media. Naturally, I couldn't help everyone, so I figured that I would try to warn my fellow Baha'is first. Many of them didn't heed my unsolicited advice--perhaps understandably so--but those that did are better prepared than most. I have been able to assist some of those that didn't plan as much as they would have liked.

Abdul Baha was knighted because he planned ahead and fed many people in the aftermath of World War I. Trying to humbly follow in his footsteps as much as possible (something one can never truly do) I calmly, rationally and with steadfastness planned ahead. Having planned ahead months ago, I was able to get what I needed before the panic buying started, and enough to help others in this trying time. This has helped prevent further disruptions in the supply chain because I can allow others to get what they think they need.

Today I mailed a box of N95 masks and goggles to a Baha'i RN in Arizona because the hospital she works at refused to provide her with masks (I wore a mask and gloves as a precaution to the post office). I mentioned this to the post office worker, and she told me that it was very generous of me as opposed to what is happening on the news. I told her that I'm a Baha'i and we are called to be of service to humanity. She informed me that her daughter is a nurse in Tampa dealing with the same situation, so I gave her half a box of masks to hopefully tide her over until the hospitals get resupplied. 

Stay safe, calm, and at home if possible. However, use this time to be of service of others, don't forget your fellow Baha'is-- be their blessing.

Written by Chance Wilson

Sustainable Earth Rising

           Many people can claim to know the problems with industrial air pollution; however, pollution in our water can also be caused by everyday practices and can be just as harmful. The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) calls polluted runoff non-point source pollution. According to the EPA, non-point source pollution is caused by rainfall or snowmelt that moves over and through the ground. As the runoff moves, it picks up and carries away natural and human-made pollutants, finally depositing them into lakes, rivers, wetlands, coastal waters and ground waters. This kind of pollution is a very complex issue to consider because it is extremely hard to find the source.

Underwater video frame of the sea floor in the western Baltic 

covered with dead or dying crabs, fish and clams killed by oxygen depletion.

            When high concentrations of nutrients are found in the watershed due to human activities, hypoxic (low-oxygen) areas are formed that cause dead zones. These dead zones are caused by algae blooms that take large amounts of oxygen out of the water upon decomposition. One famous spot for low oxygen is located in the Gulf of Mexico dead zone because of its sheer size and geographical qualities. The dead zone in question is the drainage area for 41% of the continental United States and reaches sizes up to 21,756 square kilometers or 8,400 square miles (NOAA). Marine life is at risk to survive within such areas, hence the name “dead zone”. From large examples in the Mississippi Delta to the smaller ones in local lakes and ponds, water pollution caused by humans is running rampant in a society that does not know of its very existence.

            Polluted runoff can be created through many means. Excess fertilizers, herbicides, insecticides, sediment, salts, bacteria, and nutrients are all sources of pollution. Oil, grease, and toxic chemicals from urban runoff and energy production are also included as pollutants in runoff. There are more sources that cause nonpoint source pollution, adding to the complexity of the issue.

            Cities in the United States and around the world are creating initiatives to control rainwater runoff. Green areas – including ‘pocket parks,’ green roofs, and green walls – are being created to slow rainfall runoff. Green roofs capture 60% of rainfall and also improve air quality, vegetation and wildlife habitat.

Bureau of Environmental Services, Portland, Oregon

Rainwater flows into a sidewalk planter from a street in Portland, Oregon.

Sidewalk planters are just one method that is being used in an effort to allow rain water, normally unable to pass through concrete, to be absorbed into the ground below. The expansion of initiatives to reclaim water, such as in the South Cross Bayou Reclamation facility in St. Petersburg, FL, is an example of a practice for other cities to follow. Sustainable farming practices, like the use of hydroponics in growing produce, are able to drastically cut water usage and reduce runoff. Regardless, hydroponics does not require pesticides, since the whole process can be conducted in a controlled environment. The raising of livestock does not have to result in polluted runoff, because the waste is manageable. Eliminating the mismanagement of wastes in general can be an effective solution to polluted runoff.

            A basic tenet of business management for any company is the mastery of the art of doing more for less – efficiency. Far from ignoring the necessity of eliminating harmful pollutants from the environment, the incentives for businesses and communities to act benefit the environmental stewardship initiatives that are very crucial to expediting the necessary implementation of sustainable water management. The ability to control a problem that keeps running off is within the grasp of all humanity. The creation of economic incentives to do so will only bolster smarter and more efficient water management.

            Besides the sustainability projects mentioned above, there are a variety of others that are not related to water pollution. For example, Pavegen Systems, a London company, is developing unique tiles. These tiles acquire kinetic energy from a person’s footsteps and convert that energy into electricity. One challenge in the advancement of the tiles is ensuring that they are durable enough to withstand numerous footsteps and damage from weather. If the tiles become practical for long-term use, they can be utilized at a sports event so that athletes can generate some of the electricity needed to power the electronic used at the event. Similar to the tiles of Pavegen Systems is a wearable knee brace, made by the Canadian company Bionic Power, that takes kinetic energy as the wearer walks or runs. This technology is especially valuable to members of the military who work in places where electricity is not easily accessible. Another example of sustainability is a cooling panel designed by a team of Stanford scientists. The cooling panel can mostly reflect sunlight through the Earth’s atmosphere and back into space. Potentially, a cooling panel of this kind could be used to cool buildings, vehicles, and other structures. In developing countries, cooling panels could be used as a replacement or supplement to air conditioners while reducing the need for electricity. 

            All that has been stated is just an inkling of the possibilities open to all of humanity. If the human collective can unite and put its efforts together within the scope of a common goal, then the betterment of our planet can be made certain. “So powerful is the light of unity, that it can illuminate the whole earth.” We have the power to bring life to our planet, just as we have the power to destroy it. The advancing desertification on this planet can be halted and reversed. The droughts we have created in the Amazon can be reversed. The pollution and destruction wreaked on our planet can be undone and reversed through the unification of humanity's forces. The redirection of humanity’s efforts can be for the betterment of this planet.

References

"Copenhagen Plans Adaptation for Climate Change." Ec.europa.eu. Eco-innovation

Action Plan, n.d. Web. 23 Mar. 2013. .

"NOAA: Gulf of Mexico Dead Zone Predictions Feature Uncertainty." USGS News:

(6/21/2012 11:00:00 AM). N.p., n.d. Web. 23 Mar. 2013. .

"Polluted Runoff (Nonpoint Source Pollution) | US EPA." EPA. Environmental

Protection Agency, n.d. Web. 23 Mar. 2013. .

"Where Does the Water Go?" U.S. Cities Seek New Ways to Control Runoff. N.p., n.d.

Web. 23 Mar. 2013. .

Khadilkar, Dhananjay. "Energy-Harvesting Street Tiles Generate Power from Pavement

Pounder: Scientific American." Scientific American. Scientific American, Inc., 20 Apr

2013. Web. 3 May 2013.

pounders-at-paris-marathon-generate-power>.

Myers, Andrew. "Stanford scientists develop new type of solar structure that cools buildings in

full sunlight."Stanford News. Stanford University, 15 Apr 2013. Web. 3 May 2013. .

Bahá'u'lláh. Gleanings From the Writings of Bahá'u'lláh. Wilmette : US Bahá’í Publishing Trust,

1990. 346. Web. .

The Centenary of an Important Visit to the United States of America

Click On Me!

The year 1912, said US presidential candidate Eugene Debs, “is a year supreme with possibilities.” A fiercely contested election challenged Americans to decide what kind of country they wanted. Minorities and women fought for civil rights. Workers faced off against corporations. Soldiers landed on foreign shores, sparking debate on the nation’s role in the world. Did Americans really believe—like Theodore Roosevelt— that “The welfare of each of us is dependent fundamentally upon the welfare of all of us”?

On April 11, 1912, a new voice joined the conversation. It belonged to ‘Abdu’l-Bahá.

It was the unlikeliest of voices. ‘Abdu’l-Bahá had just been released by the Turkish government after 40 years as a prisoner of conscience. For 239 days he traveled across America, speaking about issues that still define us. He reached across political, religious, racial, class, and gender lines to confront Americans with a vision of human nature, social unity, and the nation’s future that was 100 years ahead of its time.

Prejudice is a Learned Behavior

In 1912, the country was torn with racial division, and “separate but equal” was the highest level of interracial relations to which the nation aspired. ‘Abdu’l-Bahá challenged America to go beyond tolerance, to embrace diversity completely, and to demolish racial barriers in law, education and even marriage.

Unity in Diversity: Watchword of the Bahá'í Community

Perhaps the most prominent social message that ‘Abdu’l-Bahá brought to the West was the need for international peace, which he called “the most momentous question of this day.” While much of the popular discussion involved the political requisites to peace, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá focused on social and spiritual issues, linking universal peace with such topics as women’s suffrage, a world tribunal, collective security, the necessity of religious unity and the need for justice.

'Abdu'l-Bahá Called for Greater Education and Opportunity for Women

‘Abdu’l-Bahá described gender equality through the powerful analogy of a bird attempting to fly:

The world of humanity is possessed of two wings: the male and the female. So long as these two wings are not equivalent in strength, the bird will not fly. Until womankind reaches the same degree as man, until she enjoys the same arena of activity … humanity cannot wing its way to heights of real attainment.

Ending Extremes of Wealth and Poverty

On the eve of ‘Abdu’l-Bahás journey across America, a new industrial order had emerged, creating nationwide prosperity, but also exacerbating crushing poverty and inequity. Publishers and industrialists grew very wealthy providing newspapers, magazines, automobiles and steel, building the railroads that crisscrossed the U.S. and the ships that transported American manufactured goods to Europe. In the midst of such vast wealth, the poor languished in crowded and often disease-ridden urban housing. The first decades of the 20th century saw huge numbers of children working in mines, glass factories, textiles, agriculture, canneries, and as newsboys, messengers, bootblacks, and peddlers. In 1904, the National Child Labor Committee was formed and a national child labor reform campaign began, but a law to actually prevent child labor would not be passed by Congress until the mid 1930s.

The year 1912 saw America with a population of 92 million, with a low 2% unemployment rate, but the chasm between the wealthy and the poor was impassible. Workplaces were profoundly unsafe. On the railroads alone, between 1890 and 1917, 72,000 workers were killed and more than 2 million injured. In addition, there was no social safety net—worker’s compensation was a new idea, passed by just 10 states by 1911. Neither Social Security, Medicare, nor Aid to Families with Dependent Children existed—so the elderly, widows, orphans and the ill were left to their own devices, meager as they were. Partly due to these social disparities, worsened by poor sanitation and a lack of good public health practices,U.S. life expectancy was on average just 48 years for men and 52 years for women.
Labor unions grew in size and influence as the middle classes became more unhappy and restless with the status quo. Poverty was on the rise, industrial monopolies continued to increase despite the Sherman Antitrust Act of 1890, safety for workers in the workplace was largely dismissed as irrelevant, and children were in the workplace in their thousands. Nearly 20% of urban children were undernourished and only one-third were enrolled in elementary school. Immigrants had flooded the cities, many—including Poles, Finns from Russia, and Macedonians and Bulgarians from Turkey—fleeing political or religious oppression. Others, like the Irish, fled famine and poverty, swelling the ranks of the poor.
Social reforms in the 1940s took the first small steps to redress these inequities through the Social Security system, whereby the aged would receive an income set aside from their earnings, and the poor would receive medical care. The U.S. GI bill after World War II enabled thousands of returning military men and women to obtain college degrees and rise to serve their countries in all the professions.

Below are some great links to obtain more information:

239 Days In America

US Bahá'í Community: Commemoration of the Centenary of 'Abdu'l-Bahá's Visit to America

Talks Given by 'Abdu'l-Bahá

Portraits of 'Abdu'l-Bahá

Photographs of 'Abdu'l-Bahá in the West

239 Days: 'Abdu'l-Bahá's Journey in America, By: Allan L. Ward

An Excerpt from 239 Days: 'Abdu'l-Bahá's Journey in America:

Chapter 2

First Days in America: New York City

---

The next day was Thursday, April 11, 1912, 'Abdu'l-Bahá's first day in America. As the Cedric came up the bay, reporters went out on the tugboat to board the ship at quarantine in order to interview 'Abdu'l-Bahá. Among them was Wendell Phillips Dodge, of the New York City News Association, whose report was sent out through the Associated Press. He wrote:

When the ship news reporters boarded the Cedric down the bay 'Abdu'l-Bahá was found on the upper deck, standing where he could see the pilot, his long, flowing oriental robe flapping in the breeze... His face was light itself as he scanned the harbor and greeted the reporters. His first words were about the press, saying: "The pages of swiftly appearing newspapers are indeed the mirror of the world... But it behooveth the editors of the newspapers to be sanctified from the prejudice of egotism and desire, and to be adorned with the ornament of equity and justice."

When the ship was abreast the Statue of Liberty, standing erect and facing it, 'Abdu'l-Bahá held his arms wide apart in salutation, and said: "There is the new world's symbol of liberty and freedom. After being forty years a prisoner I can tell you that freedom is not a matter of place. It is a condition. Unless one accept dire vicissitudes he will not attain. When one is released from the prison of self, that is indeed a release."... The ship now pointed its nose up the North River, and gazing ... at the ... skyscrapers, (He said): "These are the minarets of Western World commerce and industry... The ship now reached its pier, where were anxiously waiting several hundred Bahá'ís ... who had been craning their necks down the river for a first sight of him since early morning.'

- Please enjoy this wealth of information.

Click On Me!

A Photograph of 'Abdu'l-Bahá

‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s journeys in America lasted 239 days between April and December 1912. While much of his time was spent in the major metropolitan centers of the country, a number of small towns were also on the itinerary, and indeed ‘Abdu’l-Bahá never seemed to be as interested in material development as in spiritual capacity. Most of His cross-country travels were by train, which was the most convenient form of long-distance travel at the time. He spent 10 days in Canada, and a little over a month on the West coast, with the rest of the time shared among the cities and towns of the Eastern and Central United States.

For more information about the cities 'Abdu'l-Bahá visited: http://centenary.bahai.us/cities

---------

Below is a video that contains 'Abdu'l-Bahá's message in more depth, concluding this article. Please enjoy.

An Appeal for Education

Below is an appeal from Rainn Wilson (from The Office) regarding the attack on the Bahá'í Institute for Higher Education (BIHE). Please watch the video and share it with everyone.


Rainn Wilson BIHE Video Appeal from Education Under Fire on Vimeo.

No one deserves to be denied an education. Students denied an education in Iran deserve their human rights to be recognized. The Bahá'í Institute for Higher Education is now illegal in Iran. The one hope Bahá'í students had to gain a higher education has now been taken away. Society's quintessential rights are under attack. An attack upon human rights somewhere will always be an attack on human rights everywhere.

Everyone has the right to an education.

We cannot remain silent

People are standing up for human rights. Nobel Peace Prize laureates, Archbishop Desmond Tutu and President (of East Timor) José Ramos-Horta, have written an open letter about these abuses addressed to the International Academic Community. Everyone can participate. To take action, please click on this: TAKE ACTION


President and Nobel Peace Prize laureate Jose Ramos-Horta Defends the BIHE and the Baha’is in Iran from Education Under Fire on Vimeo.

A Warning From The Past

When the Nazis came for the communists,
I remained silent;
I was not a communist.

When they locked up the social democrats,
I remained silent;
I was not a social democrat.

When they came for the trade unionists,
I did not speak out;
I was not a trade unionist.

When they came for the Jews,
I remained silent;
I wasn't a Jew.

When they came for me,
there was no one left to speak out.

- Martin Niemöller


Other groups of people are now being targeted by the Iranian government. From political opposition to oppressing people who simply practice other religions, innocent people are now becoming victims of government sponsored persecution. If the Bahá'ís are never guaranteed their rights, the people of Iran will never be guaranteed their rights. It is clearly seen today in documented events as shown in the following websites:

Iranian Pastor Who Refuses to Reject Religion Faces Persecution

CNN: Iranian students barred for beliefs, say Campaigners

Standing for Education


Around the world, people are standing up in support of education. From the East and West, people are speaking out. Everyone can have a role.

UN Secretary General "deeply troubled" by developments in Iran

Letter of Endorsement From Amnesty International

Article from Amnesty International - New film on persecution of Bahá'ís to be released just as Iran slaps harsh sentences on Bahá'í educators

Iran Press Watch

An attack on education somewhere is an attack on education everywhere.
We cannot remain silent.

Take Action

Education For All

The importance of The Universal Declaration of Human Rights


     Human rights are taken for granted by many individuals. The right to equality before the law, to a fair trial, to religion, and thought are all human rights. Human rights, as it is currently known worldwide, became established in 1948. The United Nations can be given credit for the creation of The Universal Declaration of Human Rights. This simple document has enabled people to have a chance to gain the opportunities that have never been offered to them. The end to slavery, genocide, or any other kind of oppression upon any person(s) - that is the purpose of The Universal Declaration of Human Rights.


For more information:  The Universal Declaration of Human Rights (from the United Nations website)

                    In 30 Words - The Universal Declaration of Human Rights (Amnesty International video)


Denied Education


     Sadly, human rights are not enjoyed by everyone. Below is a video that will explain what is happening right now to the Bahá'ís in Iran.



Education Under Fire Trailer (3 min) from Education Under Fire on Vimeo.

For more informaiton: Education Under Fire

     Justice is important. The Bahá'ís in Iran don't have it. Unfounded defamatory speech against the Bahá'ís in Iran is supported by the Iranian Government. Bahá'ís are barred basic rights of citizenship like higher education. The constitutional protections in the Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Iran guarantees to every Iranian citizen rights which the Bahá'ís don't have. Educational programs set up to teach Bahá'í students have been targeted in raids. Arrests and convictions have been made solely on the basis of religion, and about 97 Iranian Bahá'ís are currently in prison today. Over 400 arrests have been made since August 2004, and many Bahá'ís are under unwarranted government surveilance. Bahá'í businesses are being looted among other acts without any government investigations to bring justice, and some businesses are even confiscated. Also, business licenses and jobs are denied to Bahá'ís. All of these facts don't amount to the number of Bahá'ís that lost their lives solely on the basis of belief. More facts about the injustices are being uncovered thanks to the efforts of people who won't stay silent as fellow human beings are persecuted.

The Universal Declaration of Human Rights guarantees Bahá'ís the human rights that others have taken away from them.

The Bahá'í World News Service: Human Rights in Iran and Egypt has more specific information

The Bahá'í Martyrs is a video that will show what has been happening to the Bahá'ís since the faith's inception. (Viewer discretion is advised.)

Conclusion

We cannot stay silent.