A Bahá'í-inspired blog aimed at addressing many issues- local and global. This blog is meant to serve as inspiration and a resource for those who just want to make the world a better place through social and economic development. This site has links to other sites pre-categorized for readers. Viewers can comment on posts and give feedback on what they want from this blog.
The members of A Bahá'í Point have now made it possible for people around the world to access, view, download, and share the Ruhi Books online. The A Bahá'í PointGroup has also offered to help facilitate Ruhi Book Study Circles.
Please Click on the page in this blog that is designated for the Ruhi Books. You will be able to access the Ruhi Books from there. Also, clicking on the picture of Ruhi Book 1 at the bottom of this post would suffice.
What Are Study Circles?
The term study circle has become common terminology in the Bahá'í Faith to describe a specific type of gathering for the study of the Bahá'í teachings, with an emphasis on "promoting the well-being of humanity."[1]
Study circles are a form of distance learning designed to systematically bring education about spiritual concepts to the grassroots level. Because they are intended to be sustainable and reproducible on a large scale, study circles shy away from formally taught classes, opting instead for participatory methods. They are usually led by a tutor whose role is not to act as an expert but rather to facilitate the rhythm and pace of the study circle. In this way, attendees of study circles are expected to become active participants in their own learning process.
Another foundational principle of study circles is a heavy emphasis on the Bahá'í writings as a means of finding unity of vision and action by focusing on the essentials of Bahá'í belief.
At the present time, the most common curriculum used in study circles is one that was originally developed at the Ruhi Institute in Colombia but is now used in Bahá'í communities all over the world. Because of its origin, most Bahá'ís refer to this curriculum as the Ruhi sequence or Ruhi materials. Additional courses used by study circles vary from country to country and include the "Fundamental Verities" and "Core Curriculum" materials developed in the United States, among others.
Notes
^ The introduction to 'Reflections on the Life of the Spirit' states that the Institute's purpose is "to use the courses as means of serving the Cause and promoting the well-being of humanity." (p. 1)
References
Ruhi Foundation (reprinted 2003), written at Colombia, Book 7: Walking Together on a Path of Service, Ruhi Institute, West Palm Beach, Florida: Palabra Publications, ISBN 1890101079
Author's note: The description above was copied from Wikipedia.
Computers these days are getting smaller, yet their power is increasing at an exponential rate. However, as technological aspects of life improve, the grasp of materialism tightens on the hearts of mankind. Artificial intelligence, in particular is a growing scientific field and obsession. It has been predicted by artificial intelligence scientists that within only a few decades, computers will have surpassed the processing power and cognitive capabilities of human beings many times over. Some have said that before this century is finished, a single computer will have the processing power of nine trillion human brains!
Now, this may be exaggerated and a bit overly optimistic. Nevertheless, the prospect is quite possible and brings some intriguing questions to mind. Will computers or robots ever have consciousness? If so, should they be granted the same rights as humans? Could the human race be eventually taken over by ingenious, self-aware machines? Indirect answers to these questions can all be found in Some Answered Questions by 'Abdul-Baha. When demonstrating the proofs and evidences of the existence of God, 'Abdul-Baha states that:
"It is certain and indisputable that the creator of man is not like man because a powerless creature cannot create another being. The maker, the creator, has to possess all perfections in order that he may create.
Can the creation be perfect and the creator imperfect? Can a picture be a masterpiece and the painter imperfect in his art? For it is his art and his creation. Moreover, the picture cannot be like the painter; otherwise, the painting would have created itself. However perfect the picture may be, in comparison with the painter it is in the utmost degree of imperfection."
(Abdu'l-Baha, Some Answered Questions, p. 3)
Humans are obviously not perfect in any way, let alone all ways. Thus, man is incapable of creating an artificial intelligence that possesses consciousness and self-awareness. Moreover, machines do not have free will like humans. All machines are limited by their physical design and their programming, their hardware and their software. They do and will unhesitatingly comply with all reasonable orders given to them if programmed properly and as long as viruses don't interfere. Unlike humans, machines don't take the time to consider if an act is morally right or not. Machines, somewhat like animals, can't go against their programming or instincts, although animals are capable of some voluntary actions. A major distinction in the Baha'i Faith between human beings and animals is that humans have souls, can know and love God, and can control their instincts. 'Abdul-Baha asserts:
"But when you look at Nature itself, you see that it has no intelligence, no will. For instance, the nature of fire is to burn; it burns without will or intelligence. The nature of water is fluidity; it flows without will or intelligence. The nature of the sun is radiance; it shines without will or intelligence. The nature of vapor is to ascend; it ascends without will or intelligence. Thus it is clear that the natural movements of all things are compelled; there are no voluntary movements except those of animals and, above all, those of man. Man is able to resist and to oppose Nature because he discovers the constitution of things, and through this he commands the forces of Nature; all the inventions he has made are due to his discovery of the constitution of things. For example, he invented the telegraph, which is the means of communication between the East and the West. It is evident, then, that man rules over Nature."
(Abdu'l-Baha, Some Answered Questions, p. 3)
There are people who channel the majority of their attention, time, and money towards attempting in vain to create an inorganic life-form that can rival humans in all aspects. It will be interesting to see how close man can come to making an intelligent, conscious entity that surpasses even himself in humanity's present condition. Robots can undoubtedly be valuable in doing labor and calculations. In the future, numerous computers may be used to operate houses, cars, and numerous other things, yet hostile takeovers by machines will remain in the realms of science fiction. Overall, no matter how much potential machines may have, our resources should be completely devoted to relieving the world's ailments and uniting the human race, rather than trying to construct an artificial race.
Recently, numerous proposals have been given to stop the oil spill, however the common disunion between our members of government continues to impede the progress of the oil spills clean up. However, when the lives of millions our at stake from the rise of prices of seafood to the death of innocent people from contaminated waters, we must stand united against such a foul foe.
Obama’s administration has attempted to fix the problem by hiring some experts on the environmental disaster. Among his workers are Ken Salazar, Steven Chu, Carol M. Browner, Ray Mabus, and Michael R. Bromwich. Although people have been brought to attempt to solve the problem, no solution or real effort has been aroused to solve this issue. Constantly the news reports of the disastrous oil spill and efforts being considered to end such a catastrophe, but the danger has not been stopped which will eventually pose a threat to all of life in the world.
BP has been one of the few to make an effort to resolve this issue, but keep in mind that because they had started the problem, it is their responsibility to solve it. Currently, BP has lost 86 billion dollars in attempts to solve the oil spill disaster, considering that the explosion of their rig had caused the undersea well to be blown. However, BP says that they will handle the remaining damage claims in 30 to 45 days, by this time the oil spill would be too deadly to prevent any irreversible damage. Some tar balls have been seen recently on Florida beaches, as an example of the nearing danger that approaches even the United States.
Now BP has made a statement saying that in the future they will take and receive people who make various claims within 30 to 60 days. Although this may seem dim, progress has been made because in the past this was not allowed. Also through this disaster we have proven that nations can stand for the greater good. Twenty-two other nations, including Britain, have offered us various machines to clean up the spill. However, these offers all come with price tags that would further the United State’s debt. Although humanity has made some progress in somewhat unifying to solve a world problem, mankind must realize that in order for us to continue to thrive, humanity must not be caught on material wealth, and should strive to assist each other without any conditions.
In today’s current society education is most often mistaken with instruction. The purpose of instruction is to transfer knowledge from one person to another, much like children and their teachers at school. When one is properly educated this individual will truly understand himself and the world around him. The lesson being taught to the child will also have a profound effect on the child, and make him or her more useful to mankind. The Bahai view upon the purpose of education is that every individual should be considered as a treasure house in which God has deposited jewels that should be manifested through the process of education, thereby benefiting mankind.
Unfortunately, numerous universities do not delve within a child’s mind and attempt to discover the potential within. The most frequent thing done is that if a child cannot learn the material it is presented then he or she will be left behind. The children who eventually are left behind become neglected and therefore left in a wilderness of ignorance. Numerous types of these children will eventually participate in unscrupulous actions and other various wrongdoings due to their lack of true education.
However, each child has a true potential to be manifested through proper education. For example, there was once a king of India who had four sons and wished for his sons to have private tutoring in subjects such as philosophy, mythology, and other subjects for that time period. The teacher had given them a sentence to memorize and write one hundred times for the first lesson and the sentence was “Don’t ever grow impatient, no matter the circumstances, and keep smiling.” After the first lesson one of the four boys reported to the teacher that he had not yet learned the phrase, but the teacher did not wait and continued to teach the other students.
After some months had passed, the king and some ministers had attended class with the four boys. The teacher first explained and said that, “These three boys have advanced very much. They have memorized so many books and homework, but alas, your majesty, this one has not yet learned the first sentence I have given him.” The kind and one of his ministers had rebuked him for his ignorance and lack of success. However, the child had kept on smiling and patiently listening while they yelled at him. His teacher had then discovered that this child was the one who had truly learned and had said, “Your majesty, he is the one who has learned. The others only have memorized.” Thereby, exemplifying the importance of proper education and not instruction in today’s society.
Although the path to true education may not be a viable option currently. The difference between instruction and education must be known for humanity to truly prosper. The children of this century each have numerous qualities waiting to be manifested, but only through the proper education process and not pure memorization. Hopefully, the world will recognize each child’s potential and properly educate each child so that they may be beneficial to the prosperity of humanity.
With an oil spill that has been sending oil into the ocean for over a month, a severe threat is presented to the marine life, the local economy, and the future of the oil industry. With such a disaster like the oil spill, the destiny of the world hangs in the balance. The formation of methane ''ice crystals'' (formally known as a methane hydrate) along with the inaccessibility of the oil pipe has created a virtual disaster for BP in its efforts to stop the flow of oil into the Gulf of Mexico. The demise of BP can be possible with the propable legal actions to ensue.
The legal problems that BP faces is only a glimpse of the waning oil industry. The need for a global change in the reliance on oil, particularly in the USA, is an issue to be dealt with. The increase in the production of alternative fuels is a necessity to drive the world in a new direction. The picture below stands as a testimony to the horrors of this oil spill and those to occur in the future.
(This photo is courtesy of NewsWeek)
The world must realize that sacrificing the world's natural resources is not worth the short term energy gains from oil. The peoples of the world must realize that the short term gains are not worth the long term losses. Sometimes, the best choices are not the easiest to carry out. In this case, it is clearly visible that offshore drilling is not the remedy to an addiction on oil. More people are using more energy everyday. If the energy capacity of the world needs to grow to meet demand, proper actions must be carried out. A revision in the energy infrastructure of the world is neccessary. The future starts today.
This disaster in the Gulf of Mexico might not be in vain. The possibilities of change are apparent. As a global community, everyone can learn from their mistakes and work together to create a better world. This oil spill is a wake-up call to the world. The world can learn from all of the aspects of the oil spill, and avoid another. The future belongs to everyone, and it is the responsibility of all to ensure a good one.
A Word of Wisdom
O SON OF MAN!
My calamity is My providence, outwardly it is fire and vengeance, but inwardly it is light and mercy. Hasten thereunto that thou mayest become an eternal light and an immortal spirit. This is My command unto thee, do thou observe it. -Baha'u'llah (From the Hidden Words of Baha'u'llah)
Finally, the Launch Date for the Chevy Volt has been announced.
It starts selling in California by November 2010, only months away from now.
Why is it so important?
The car seen above is revolutionary. The Nissan Leaf may be a great all-electric car with a range of 100 miles, but the Chevy Volt offers something else. The Chevy Volt performs more than the Nissan Leaf can with the ability to still use gasoline. With an initial electric range of 40 miles, the Chevy Volt can utilize power from fossil fuels and charge its battery when the battery runs out. That extends its life to cover a lot more than 100 miles.
In summary, the production of these kinds of cars is setting the stage for a new future which includes a need to upgrade the energy grid to support electric cars. Eventually, mass transit will become more developed in areas previously without it. Progress is very good. People are now going to work for tomorrow.
Let us all hope that this is a start to a larger wave of more efficient transportation.
With an oil spill threatening the lives of many in the Gulf of Mexico, people can see that producing more oil is not the answer to their problems. If the world can harness alternative fuels, everyone will be happier... except for oil companies that don't want to start producing alternative fuels.
Below are links to the web sites that give more information on both cars:
Today, it is well-known that a consumer culture is dominating the world stage. Businesses compete with one another to exploit people everyday to come and buy their product. Many can argue that this highly competitive atmosphere is just business as usual. On the other hand, a rift is forming between producers and consumers. Producers are producing more while consumers are consuming more until they can no longer.
There is one question: can prosperity be achieved solely through the accumulation of wealth or belongings?
The International Baha'i Community is addressing this issue. Click on the link above below the title of this article to find out more.
