Saturday, February 21, 2015
Review: A Lost History of the Baha’i Faith
Books that simultaneously address family history and religious studies appeal to both of my literary obsessions, and hence tend to be among my favorite reading material. Several years ago Prophet’s Daughter by Erin Prophet told the story of the rise and fall of the Church Universal and Triumphant in a way no one else ever could; the author being the ultimate insider yet also a complete outsider.
An insider in that she was a participant in all the events she describes, but an outsider in that she entirely rejects the belief system constructed by her parents. The finest book in the literature about Edgar Cayce, in my opinion, is Sidney Kirkpatrick’s biography Edgar Cayce: An American Prophet, because it goes into greater depth about the extended family of Edgar and Gertrude, their parents, siblings, children,and cousins, than any before or since.
It is not unusual for the descendants of a movement founder to find themselves at odds with the authorities who gain control of a religion’s governance. The entire family of Elizabeth Clare Prophet is now in such a position, but far more extensive are the descendants of Joseph Smith, Jr. Although the Utah Mormon church accounts for about 98% of LDS membership worldwide, most of the prophet’s descendants ended up in the Reorganized LDS church, which in 2001 became the Community of Christ. It is far more theologically liberal than the Utah church, for example having ordained women since the 1980s. According to certain traditions, the family of Jesus found themselves alienated from the authorities of the early Christian church. Although the Gospels name four brothers of Jesus and mention unnamed sisters, by the fourth century church authorities decided that he could not possibly have any siblings because Mary was a perpetual virgin, and this remains official church doctrine among Roman Catholics, Eastern Orthodox, and some Protestant groups. Although earlier historical records indicate that people had been recognized as blood relatives of Jesus in the first century, they were ultimately defined out of existence because they conflicted with a dogma based on metaphysics rather than history. But no case of a split between a prophet’s family and the religious authority structure of a faith community is as extreme and antagonistic as the example of the Baha’is. Eric Stetson has brought to light what he aptly entitles A Lost History of the Baha’i Faith, predominantly the unpublished writings of Shua Ullah Behai, grandson of the Baha’I founder Baha’u’llah. The collection includes the works of a dozen other individuals, almost all descendants of Baha’u’llah who have been not just alienated from, but demonized by the religious authorities who govern the contemporary Baha’i community.
The highest current authority is the Universal House of Justice, an all-male governing body that was first elected in 1963, six years after the death of the only Guardian of the Faith, Shoghi Effendi. The office of Guardian was ordained by the Will and Testament of Abdu’l Baha, oldest son of Baha’u'llah and grandfather of Shoghi Effendi, to last in perpetuity. But the Guardian was supposed to be a lineal descendant of Baha’u’llah, appointed by his predecessor; and Shoghi Effendi died without leaving a will and after excommunicating all his relatives, including his parents and siblings. Hence the Guardianship was declared abrogated. In this context as with the previous generation of leadership, excommunication is combined with shunning, and those shunned are called “covenant-breakers” and described as having a contagious spiritual disease. There are now several competing sects based on various claims by non-descendants to inherit the mantle of the Guardianship, but none of these have been supported by any of the Baha’I descendants. The new book now available is the work of an earlier category of “covenant-breakers,” those excommunicated by Abdu’l Baha, including two of his brothers and all their families—one of whom, a nephew, is the primary author of the book.
Stetson’s excellent introduction and conclusion are scholarly rather than polemical in tone, but the notes and comments in the body of the book show his admiration and sympathy for these excommunicated relatives. The surviving descendants who cooperated with Stetson and encouraged publication of the book have a positive message of inclusion and reconciliation. But like the great-great-great-nephews and nieces of Jesus, their very existence is an “inconvenient truth” to the belief system as it evolved under ecclesiastical authority over time.
The forthcoming volume of correspondence of Thomas Moore Johnson reveals a hitherto unsuspected connection between early American Baha’is and the HBofL. The phrase “Religion of the Stars” appeared as a catch-phrase of the astro-Masonic late 19th century group the Oriental Order othe Magi. The OOM, as it turns out, involved both Ibrahim Kheiralla, the first Baha’I missionary in the US, and some correspondents of Mr. Johnson. Mr. Kheiralla, who died in 1929, is one of the many “covenant-breaker” dissidents whose writings are included in A Lost History of the Baha’i Faith.
Make the jump here to read the original post
Via Sri Prem Baba: Flor do Dia - Flor del Día - Flower of the Day - 20/02/2015
“O nosso trabalho transita entre a esfera da ativação da consciência maior e a esfera da purificação dos porões do inconsciente. A ativação da consciência maior é quando você tem acesso à lembrança de quem é você; é quando você de alguma maneira entra em contato com expressões do Real, e experimenta fragrâncias da bem aventurança (amor, paz e liberdade). Mas essa experiência só é possível quando você já purificou em algum grau as marcas do passado do seu sistema, pois é justamente isso que te impede de sustentar o êxtase. Esse é o trabalho de cura e transformação do eu inferior, que tenho chamado de “ABC da Espiritualidade”. Essas duas esferas de trabalho precisam ser contempladas simultaneamente.”
“Nuestro trabajo se mueve entre la esfera de la activación de la
conciencia mayor y la esfera de la purificación de los sótanos del
inconsciente. La activación de la conciencia mayor es cuando tienes
acceso a la memoria de quién eres; es cuando de alguna manera entras en
contacto con expresiones de lo Real, y experimentas fragancias de la
bienaventuranza (amor, paz y libertad). Pero esta experiencia sólo es
posible cuando ya purificaste en algún grado las marcas del pasado de tu
sistema, porque eso es precisamente lo que te impide sustentar el
éxtasis. Este es el trabajo de cura y transformación del yo inferior,
que vengo llamando "ABC de la Espiritualidad". Estas dos esferas de
trabajo precisan ser contempladas simultáneamente.”
"Our work transitions between the spheres of activating our higher consciousness and purifying the dungeons of the unconscious. When you activate your higher consciousness, you can access the remembrance of who you are. When, in some way, you come into contact with the expressions of what is real, it allows you to experience the bliss of the fragrance of love, peace and freedom. But this experience is only possible when you have purified the marks of the past in your system to some degree, because that is precisely what prevents you from sustaining ecstasy. This is the work of healing and transforming the lower self, which I call the ‘ABC of Spirituality.’ These two spheres of work need to be addressed simultaneously."
"Our work transitions between the spheres of activating our higher consciousness and purifying the dungeons of the unconscious. When you activate your higher consciousness, you can access the remembrance of who you are. When, in some way, you come into contact with the expressions of what is real, it allows you to experience the bliss of the fragrance of love, peace and freedom. But this experience is only possible when you have purified the marks of the past in your system to some degree, because that is precisely what prevents you from sustaining ecstasy. This is the work of healing and transforming the lower self, which I call the ‘ABC of Spirituality.’ These two spheres of work need to be addressed simultaneously."
Via Daily Dharma
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Friday, February 20, 2015
Via Qwerty: Two Nice Jewish Boys Post Pic Of Their Unicorn Wedding Entrance, Internet Goes Wild
As far as wedding themes go, unicorns have to rank somewhere at the top of the list after drag and before Sir Ian McKellen officiating.
For one gay Jewish couple, the choice was obvious — ride in on a unicorn, blow everyone’s minds. So that’s what they did (which might be a Modern Family reference), and this photo surfaced shortly thereafter:
Just look at that woman’s face on the right. Pure joy. Like all her girlhood dreams all just came true.
But as is almost always the case, the internet took the photo and ran (galloped?), and we’d be remiss if we didn’t give some top-notch captions a proper shoutout.
For one gay Jewish couple, the choice was obvious — ride in on a unicorn, blow everyone’s minds. So that’s what they did (which might be a Modern Family reference), and this photo surfaced shortly thereafter:
Just look at that woman’s face on the right. Pure joy. Like all her girlhood dreams all just came true.
But as is almost always the case, the internet took the photo and ran (galloped?), and we’d be remiss if we didn’t give some top-notch captions a proper shoutout.
Here are our favorites:
- Looks like they have a… stable relationship.
- In the least derogatory way possible, that is as gay as it gets.
- Now I want to see a gay Hindu wedding where they ride in on an elephant dressed like a wooly mammoth.
- “Tonight, we ride.”
- Did no one else get the Friends reference here? The old lady’s gone! She’s no longer haunting Phobe! She’s seen it all!
- … so unicorn is kosher?
- Jewnicorn… anyone? Ok I’ll go…
- Those are some good looking Jews.
- Hmm. Kinda thought they would ride bareback….
- How brokeback mountain should of ended.
- 50 shades of neigh
- FAKE! Everyone knows unicorns aren’t Jewish!
- Is that unicorn horn circumcised?
VIA FB: Did you know that Baha'u'llah uses a "subject of boys" metaphor to describe himself?
Did you know that Baha'u'llah uses a "subject of boys" metaphor to describe himself?
The “beloved” (q.v.) in Persian lyrics is, as a rule, not a female, but a young male, often a pubescent or adolescent youth, or a young boy. // (Encyclopaedia Iranica)
http://www.iranicaonline.org/articles/homosexuality-iii
The “beloved” (q.v.) in Persian lyrics is, as a rule, not a female, but a young male, often a pubescent or adolescent youth, or a young boy. // (Encyclopaedia Iranica)
http://www.iranicaonline.org/articles/homosexuality-iii
\\ For whereas in days past every lover besought and searched after his
Beloved, it is the Beloved Himself Who now is calling His lovers and is
inviting them to attain His presence. //
(Baha'u'llah)
http://reference.bahai.org/en/t/b/GWB/gwb-151.html#gr2
Some more background information here:
https://books.google.co.nz/books…
(Baha'u'llah)
http://reference.bahai.org/en/t/b/GWB/gwb-151.html#gr2
Some more background information here:
https://books.google.co.nz/books…
Via Sri Prem Baba: Flor do Dia - Flor del Día - Flower of the Day - 20/02/2015
“Nuestro trabajo se mueve entre la esfera de la activación de la
conciencia mayor y la esfera de la purificación de los sótanos del
inconsciente. La activación de la conciencia mayor es cuando tienes
acceso a la memoria de quién eres; es cuando de alguna manera entras en
contacto con expresiones de lo Real, y experimentas fragancias de la
bienaventuranza (amor, paz y libertad). Pero esta experiencia sólo es
posible cuando ya purificaste en algún grado las marcas del pasado de tu
sistema, porque eso es precisamente lo que te impide sustentar el
éxtasis. Este es el trabajo de cura y transformación del yo inferior,
que vengo llamando "ABC de la Espiritualidad". Estas dos esferas de
trabajo precisan ser contempladas simultáneamente.”
"Our work transitions between the spheres of activating our higher consciousness and purifying the dungeons of the unconscious. When you activate your higher consciousness, you can access the remembrance of who you are. When, in some way, you come into contact with the expressions of what is real, it allows you to experience the bliss of the fragrance of love, peace and freedom. But this experience is only possible when you have purified the marks of the past in your system to some degree, because that is precisely what prevents you from sustaining ecstasy. This is the work of healing and transforming the lower self, which I call the ‘ABC of Spirituality.’ These two spheres of work need to be addressed simultaneously."
"Our work transitions between the spheres of activating our higher consciousness and purifying the dungeons of the unconscious. When you activate your higher consciousness, you can access the remembrance of who you are. When, in some way, you come into contact with the expressions of what is real, it allows you to experience the bliss of the fragrance of love, peace and freedom. But this experience is only possible when you have purified the marks of the past in your system to some degree, because that is precisely what prevents you from sustaining ecstasy. This is the work of healing and transforming the lower self, which I call the ‘ABC of Spirituality.’ These two spheres of work need to be addressed simultaneously."
Via Daily Dharma
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Thursday, February 19, 2015
JMG FLORIDA: Gay Man Refuses Jury Duty While Courthouse Refuses Gay Weddings
After a federal court ruled Florida’s same-sex marriage ban unconstitutional, Duval County Clerk of Court Ronnie Fussell said his office would comply with the law and issue marriage licenses. But he said his staff felt uncomfortable performing weddings for same-sex couples, so the clerk’s office wouldn’t host ceremonies for either straight or gay couples. “If they feel uncomfortable performing the weddings in the courthouse, then as an openly gay man I feel uncomfortable being here [at the courthouse],” Chapman said Tuesday. Chapman is 63, and he’s lived in the city since he was 2. He graduated from Andrew Jackson High School, then the University of North Florida. He’s owned a hair salon for 22 years on the Southside. “It’s my town, and I happen to be a gay man,” he said. “Don’t make it any more difficult than it has been. It’s my town, too."Chapman said that he was willing to be held in contempt, but the judge dismissed him from the jury pool without giving a reason.
JMG VIRGINIA: Gay Man Fires Back At Ex-Gay Crackpots With Billboard Of His Own
Remember the PFOX billboard in Virginia? Remember their humiliation when
it turned out that the model on their billboard, Kyle Roux, not only
isn't a twin but is proudly gay? It gets even better:
Reposted from Joe Jervis
Roux thinks that PFOX, which has since taken down the billboard, purchased the photos of him from a stock photography site. Legally, he said, there’s not much he can do. But this week, he’s striking back in his own way. On Wednesday, Planting Peace, a nonprofit organization based in Topeka, Kansas, erected a new billboard down the road from where the PFOX billboard once stood. The new sign, designed in the same color and style as the PFOX billboard and featuring new photographs of Roux, reads: “Dear PFOX: Identical twins? I’m not. I’m gay. Regardless of what you believe I was born gay. And I’m proud of who I am.” Aaron Jackson, the president of Planting Peace, reached out to Roux after media reports surfaced that he was openly gay. Jackson was concerned about young gays and lesbians who might see the billboard.(Tipped by JMG reader David)
Labels: advertising, brainwashing, crackpots, ex-gay, LGBT youth, Ooh SNAP, PFOX, religion, torture, Virginia
Via JMG: BREAKING: First Texas Same-Sex Marriage License Issued By Travis County Clerk, Couple Marries Immediately UPDATE: Judge's Order Only Applies To Them
Two Austin women were legally married Thursday morning after a Travis County judge ordered the county clerk to issue a marriage license. Sarah Goodfriend and Suzanne Bryant, together almost 31 years, said their vows before Rabbi Kerry Baker while standing in front of the Travis County Clerk’s Office sign on Airport Boulevard. The couple was denied a license in the same office building eight years ago. On Wednesday morning, state District Judge David Wahlberg, petitioned by a lawyer for Goodfriend and Bryant, ordered Travis County Clerk Dana DeBeauvoir to grant the couple a marriage license. The ceremony was a mix of personal – with friends and their teenage daughters, Dawn and Ting, standing nearby – and public statement, with photos of their vows in front of the county sign.More from Burnt Orange Report:
With careful consultation by County Attorney David Escamilla the legal grounds for DeBeauvoir to issue the first of its kind marriage license was set. The ceremony was conducted just outside Travis County’s main office on Airport Blvd. just after 9 a.m. It was crucial that a plan be worked out in such a way that the marriage could be validated before anyone in opposition could react or be tipped off. There is no legal way for the state to invalidate a marriage other than with the consent of individuals or by death, so this will further put the burden on the state to find a compelling interest for denying marriage, not to mention the horrible optics that come with trying to void a consensual marriage.It appears that the judge's order may only apply to this one couple.
UPDATE: Yup, just this one couple.
This is a historic day for fairness and equality in Texas. The family that Suzanne and Sarah have built together over more than three decades of commitment to each other mirrors the love between so many same-sex couples in Texas, all of whom deserve the freedom to marry. The 5th Circuit should quickly affirm Texas’ lower court ruling and ensure the freedom to marry across the Lone Star State.
Via JMG: CNN POLL: 63% Say Same-Sex Couples Have The Constitutional Right To Marry
From the poll: "63% of Americans say that gays and lesbians have a constitutional right
to marry and have their marriages recognized by the law as valid. That's
up from 49% in August 2010. Over that time, the share who see marriage
as a constitutional right has climbed 15 points among Republicans to 42%
and 19 points among Democrats to 75%."
Reposted from Joe Jervis
Via Huffington Post: Unearthed Letter From Freud Reveals His Thoughts On Gay People
In 1935, Sigmund Freud penned a response to a mother who had asked
him for help with her gay son. Despite the broader perceptions of
homosexuality at the time, Freud took a different approach, telling the
woman it's "nothing to be ashamed of."
"I gather from your letter that your son is a homosexual. I am most impressed by the fact that you do not mention this term for yourself in your information about him. May I question you why you avoid it?" he wrote. "Homosexuality is assuredly no advantage, but it is nothing to be ashamed of, no vice, no degradation; it cannot be classified as an illness; we consider it to be a variation of the sexual function, produced by a certain arrest of sexual development. Many highly respectable individuals of ancient and modern times have been homosexuals, several of the greatest men among them."
While the this correspondence sheds light on his personal communications, it has long been known that Freud did not view homosexuality as a pathology. He believed everyone was born bisexual and later became either straight or gay because of the relationships with those around them. In the letter, Freud does suggest "treatment" for homosexuality may be possible, but says the result "cannot be predicted."
The letter currently appears on display in London as part of an exhibition at Wellcome Collection called "The Institute of Sexology."
(Make the jump for full article and transcription.)
"I gather from your letter that your son is a homosexual. I am most impressed by the fact that you do not mention this term for yourself in your information about him. May I question you why you avoid it?" he wrote. "Homosexuality is assuredly no advantage, but it is nothing to be ashamed of, no vice, no degradation; it cannot be classified as an illness; we consider it to be a variation of the sexual function, produced by a certain arrest of sexual development. Many highly respectable individuals of ancient and modern times have been homosexuals, several of the greatest men among them."
While the this correspondence sheds light on his personal communications, it has long been known that Freud did not view homosexuality as a pathology. He believed everyone was born bisexual and later became either straight or gay because of the relationships with those around them. In the letter, Freud does suggest "treatment" for homosexuality may be possible, but says the result "cannot be predicted."
The letter currently appears on display in London as part of an exhibition at Wellcome Collection called "The Institute of Sexology."
(Make the jump for full article and transcription.)
Via Daily Dharma
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