Thooughts on an Anniversary

Today, the 47th anniversary of the speech given by Martin Luther King Jr., certain members of the media are talking about anger at a different speech. I wanted to see if Abdu'l-Baha had made a speech on August 28, 1912. He was traveling on that day, but he did give a talk on August 29, 1912. I think what he says provides important food for thought, in light of today's ongoing controversy.

Here are two paragraphs from his talk:


"When the man who is spiritually sagacious and possessed of insight views the world of humanity, he will observe that the lights of the divine bounty are flooding all mankind, just as the lights of the sun shed their splendor upon all existing things. All phenomena of material existence are revealed through the ray emanating from the sun. Without light nothing would be visible. Similarly, all phenomena in the inner world of reality receive the bounties of God from the source of divine bestowal. This human plane, or kingdom, is one creation, and all souls are the signs and traces of the divine bounty. In this plane there are no exceptions; all have been recipients of their bestowals through the heavenly bounty. Can you find a soul bereft of the nearness of God? Can you find one whom God has deprived of its daily sustenance? This is impossible. God is kind and loving to all, and all are manifestations of the divine bounty. This is the oneness of the world of humanity. "

"Prejudices of all kinds—whether religious, racial, patriotic or political—are destructive of divine foundations in man. All the warfare and bloodshed in human history have been the outcome of prejudice. This earth is one home and native land. God has created mankind with equal endowment and right to live upon the earth. As a city is the home of all its inhabitants although each may have his individual place of residence therein, so the earth’s surface is one wide native land or home for all races of humankind. Racial prejudice or separation into nations such as French, German, American and so on is unnatural and proceeds from human motive and ignorance. All are the children and servants of God. Why should we be separated by artificial and imaginary boundaries? In the animal kingdom the doves flock together in harmony and agreement. They have no prejudices. We are human and superior in intelligence. Is it befitting that lower creatures should manifest virtues which lack expression in man?"

The above quotes were taken from the book "The Promulgation of Universal Peace."

blog entry presented by Sue Chehrenegar

Thoughts on Power and Feebleness

This past weekend, I was with an entire group of people who are familiar with the writings of Abdu'l-Baha. As I waited for our meeting to begin, I reveiwed the papers in my folder. I found a statement made by Adu'l-Baha while he was traveling across Europe and North America. Here is the statement that I discovered:

"Look at me. I am so feeble, yet I have had the strength given me to come amongst you, a poor servant of God, who has been enabled to give you this message! I shall not be with you long! One must never consider one's own feebleness;...The thought of our own weakness could only bring despair. We must look higher than all earthly thoughts, detach ourselves from every material idea, crave for the things of the spirit, fix our eyes on the everlasting bountiful Mercy fo the Almighty, who will fill our souls with the gladness of joyful service to his command, 'Love one Another.' "

Thoughts on Power and Feebleness

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Thougts on Trust

Tonight I am going to look at the final question regarding my main character, Abdu'l-Baha. I plan to study how he would decide whether or not to trust someone. When someone first made a promise to Abdu'l-Baha, he would trust them to carry out their promise. However, if later they kept breaking any promise that they had made, then Abdu'l-Baha would not keep trusting them.

Abdu'l-Baha understood that the spiritual development of a person can not proceed as it should, if he or she is allowed to act in an untrustworthy manner. Therefore, he would put his greatest trust in those who he knew to be trustworthy.

Naturally, Abdu'l-Baha put a tremendous amount of trust in God. In fact, his grandson, who grew up seeing the trust of his grandfather, offered some advice about prayer and trust. He said that whenever someone arises from a moment of prayer, then he or she should trust in God to answer that prayer.

Sue Chehrenegar

Thoughts on a Deliberate Message

I have been looking at how the main character in my anthology story, Abdu'l-Baha would have answered certain questions. I am nearing the end of that list of questions. I find this next question hard to answer.

I am supposed to consider whether or not my main character is a deliberate speaker. I know that Abdu'l-Baha had pointed answers for the reporters who asked him why he had come to this country. He also made clear the sort of requests that he felt should be included in a prayer.

Here is a prayer of his that I received from a friend yesterday. It was suggested as a prayer for those Baha'is that are imprisoned in Iran:

"Alas! Alas! And again alas! Our hearts are burning! Our breasts are filled with sorrow and grief! The cry of lamentation is raised high and the shriek of mourning heard in all directions!..." Abdu’l-Baha’

I leave to my readers the job of deciding whether of not Abdu'l-Baha was a deliberate speaker.

Sue Chehrenegar

Thoughts on the Focus of My Character

Abdu'l-Baha, the main character in my anthology story does not focus on the past, although he does refer in his talks to past events. He does not focus on the present, although he is eager to hear what is happening in the here and now. Abdu'l-Baha was concerned about what would take place in the future. He wanted to help society move in the right direction.

The things he uttered almost 100 years ago have great relevance today. His actions as well can serve as a helpful guide. In fact, I pointed to those actions this past week, when I responded to a request from CNN. They wanted viewers to state what they thought should be discussed in a national conversation about race relations. I made reference to the attitude taken by Abdu'l-Baha, whenever he tackled that topic.


Sue Chehrenegar

Thoughts on the