Social Action and Public Discourse with The Wilmette Institute

January 8, 2012

Unit 3 finished up by asking course participants their experiences with either social discourse or action to members of the general public. Below was my submission:

The message that Baha’u’llah brings to mankind is one that involves a total transformation to human society. A transformation that impacts all people and translates down to all of God’s creation. The Ba’b states in one of His prayers “…so that no created being may remain beyond the presence of Thy Good Pleasure.” To me, this involves a total re-arrangement of human affairs.

I was attending a previous workshop covering “spiritual economics”. One of the facilitators mentioned that very few people really know how economics works- and that the only meaningful positive changes could only be made through a type of “tweeking” of existing economic laws. Since, in his opinion, there is over 200 years of free market economics history to draw from, it is this knowledge and wisdom that needs to be utilized rather than to throw it all out and start something new.

Paradigm is a word that describes a reaction by any person who has been challenged. The Paradigm is our very own self-created perspective of the world around us. The spiritual economic system, with all of its associated attributes of Justice, Mercy, Compassion, Forbearance and more would be in conflict with another system value-based upon individual gain. But what works in present economic models is that aspect of self-interest and to a very limited way to mutual interest. I imagine the future Kingdom of God on Earth and the practical economics laws that govern it will have cohesion at its core.

I heard it said that it is nearly impossible for one to change his/her paradigm once it has been created. I believe that we Baha’is are some examples of those who indeed have. But for the rest of humanity who have heard alternative points of view but either do not believe them or dismiss them out of hand - they react according to the paradigm they have created.

I am convinced that those who persecute, ridicule, dismiss and/or ignore alternative ideas and programs do so NOT because they will not see it but because they cannot see it. I believe that it's not the person but his paradigm.

Social Action and Public Discourse with The Wilmette Institute

January 8, 2012

Happy New Year (Gregorian Calendar for those users). I must admit I was making rather merry over the holiday period and combined with the requirements of my employment, I've not had a chance to update the materials on this blog.

Unit 3 involved investigation and reading of several of the Ridvan letters from the Universal House of Justice. The key points as I understand them are listed below:

Ridvan 2010

Stressing the taking charge of one’s own or a community’s own spiritual, social and intellectual development.

The message of Baha’u’llah requires a profound change at both individual and societal levels.

• The necessary importance of reliance on the Creative Word as well as insights gained from accumulated knowledge.

• Laboring in the cluster activities will draw that cluster further into the life of society. This drawing in or to will involve both discourse and social action.

• Engaging in social action and public discourse is not to be judged by the ability to bring enrolments.

UHJ Letter Dated December 28, 2010

• Entering into discourse and social action will involve a learning process.

• Local Spiritual Assemblies play a 2-part role in the process of discourse and social action; Division of area units for consideration and familiarity of social spaces beyond geographic that animate them.

Ridvan 2011

• Look to the example of Abdu’l Baha’ for guiding behaviors and processes in both his words and deeds.

• Universal House of Justice, August 29, 2011

• The journey of Abdu’l Baha’ to the West was performed with purpose, wisdom and love…all of which still inspires people today.

• Referencing his ministry, let us find ways to advance the message and ideals of Baha’u’llah.

Aligned with the reading requirements was a personal reflection on some aspect within the Baha'i Faith or it's history that somehow illustrates the key points or how they could be carried out. Below is my analysis upon a lesson from the Ministry of Abdu'l Baha':

Abdu’l Baha’ gave a talk to the destitute of the New York City Bowery Mission. During his talk, he stated that he was one of them and that all of the Prophets of God were also poor. Reading between the lines of this address, it seems as if he were appealing to the assembled members to regain their dignity and nobility. Perhaps this is an indication of what we are required to do: to up-raise the downtrodden, give hope to the hopeless, be a friend to the friendless.

But there is another aspect of leading a life worthy of being a Baha’I …generosity. After his talk, Abdu’l Baha’ walked to the back of the room where he gave his talk and proceeded to pass out money directly to those in attendance. According to the historical accounts, some individuals got more and others got less...but all received from Abdu’l Baha’ what they needed that day.

I can use this example of the Master to orient myself on the required components of Discourse and Social Action. Communication happens through language and is the means to express and share ideas. But language, being an abstract, needs to have a physical model assigned to it for that idea to become reality. Discourse, being based in language, serves the increase of capacity and motivation and Social Action serves as an outward physical manifestation of what language expresses.

Social Action and Public Discourse with The Wilmette Institute

December 22, 2011

Unit 2 involves the reading of several documents from the Baha'i World Center as well as pointing out the high points of each document according to our understanding. Below is what I submitted to the class:

October 20, 1983

1. The need to have our beliefs mirrored in our deeds

2. The tools involving the application of spiritual principles, righteous conduct, and consultation will be used in the process of the uplifting individuals, communities and nations

Ridvan 2008 (available at the U.S. National Center)

1. Building of human capacity starts with the Creative Writings

2. The Creative Word is the origin for spiritual energies

3. The Institute Process is a means to apply the teachings to the growth of the Faith

4. Moral influences in communities are proportional to purity of motive, high standards of excellence and character

5. The aiding forces of The Concourse On High

Yerrinbool School

1. Areas of action include; expansion and consolidation of the Baha’i community, Social Action and participation in societal discourses

2. All Baha’is should engage in efforts and discourses of society

3. This is only one way of understanding the work Baha’i communities should do

Ridvan 2010, paragraph 29 (Available at the U.S. Baha'i National Center)

1. Endeavors are distinguished by their stated purpose to promote the well-being of people and their spiritual welfare

2. Primary concern of Social Action must be to build capacity within communities in the creation of a better world

Social Action and Public Discourse with The Wilmette Institute

December 20, 2011

Completion to Week 1

JK: There were 2 assignments given to fellow learners of this course: create a personal learning plan and read/comment on “what is discourse”. An accompanying paragraph was available for reflection:

“"Discourse" refers to the collective processes of social interchange and discussion relating to a particular subject area—for example, the international human rights discourse. More generally it can allude to a framework of concepts, shared understandings, and practices through which particular aspects of social reality are interpreted and constructed. The House of Justice is also using the idea of reading and undersanding "social spaces" in relation to participation in public discourse and this can be explored a bit--eg, professional, academic, civil society, local, and governmental spaces. Participation in the discourses of society implies a posture of learning with others and drawing upon both the insights of the Revelation and application of those insights in a way that enriches understanding about social challenges.”

JK: Many discussions addressed the speech and written language aspects of discourse and its needing to be used to “teach” the Cause of God. A few class members expressed interest in going beyond discourse to the creation of models that could be used to express our beliefs. This weekend also saw the Baha’i Social Economic Development Conference in Orlando Florida being conducted to attendees from around the world. Roya Bauman has “tweeted” on her Baha’I SED Conference Hosted by Rabbani Charitable Trust” site at Facebook her understanding of the various conference speakers. She references Mr. Ken Bowers talk on social discourse as follows:

“Ken Bowers is speaking this morning about participation in public discourse. So far, he has made reference to the massive and continuous changes that have affected the planet with increasing speed over the last several decades. He read the wonderful quote starting, "A tempest..." written by Shoghi Effendi in "The Promised Day is Come" in 1941. Now he is reading from "The World Order of Baha'u'llah", written in 1936; p. 203 -- "The unity of the human race as envisaged by Baha'u'llah...".

“We are somewhere in the middle of what these two passages speak of, being expected to participate in helping humanity become something it has never been. Forces of integration and disintegration.”

“Another spiritual concept too: being and doing. It's not enough to march out into the world with platitudes we don't practice. Will they mean anything if there is not behind them a sacrificial attempt to translate these ideals into reality?”

Comments?

JohnK

Social Action and Public Discourse with The Wilmette Institute

December 19, 2011

I am presently taking an on-line “Social Action and Public Discourse” class through The Wilmette Institute . The course is expected to progress to February 6, 2012 and cover various aspects featured in the latest communications from the Baha’i Universal House of Justice and other referencing Baha’i Institutions. The focus of this course is to allow attendees to deepen on several statements including the Ridvan letters and other documents and discuss their relevance to this time.

Since this course involves weekly readings, discussions, and exploration of topics, I will be reading and commenting as well. I’ve decided to share with the friends of NWOhio Baha’i Communities some of our group’s key understandings and discoveries using this blog. I plan to write a synopsis of course learning and understandings at least on a weekly basis. Each week's blog will appear at the top of this column and dated accordingly for easy review and reference.

If anyone in the NWOhio community have any questions or ideas on the subjects written about, please make your thoughts known by submitting them on to this blog’s COMMENT section. Perhaps, I may reference some of the issues stated in this blog's comment section in my class postings.

A final word about blogs… these are intended to be for the sharing of information and learning and not necessarily to be considered as a pure journalistic exercises. There are bound to be misspellings and grammar issues of which I beg your pardon in advance. My intentions are to somehow pass on the learning that I am experiencing in this group setting.

Please enjoy.

JohnK