I just wrote a short essay, in response to this question: "How do you overcome adversity." I drew heavily from the writings of Abdu'l-Baha. My essay should appear among the comments on this web site: http:derrickhayes.com/essay-contest.
Sue Chehrenegar
Wednesday, June 23, 2010
Sunday, June 13, 2010
Thoughts on a Documentary
Yesterday I read about a new documentary that was created by two young filmmakers. They had been asked to use the movie camera as a way to look at Los Angeles through the eyes of scriptures. In response, they made the film called "Finding God in the City of the Angels."
What impressed me most about their film is what they had discovered while making it. One of the filmmakers, Jennifer Jessum said this to an reporter from the Los Angeles Times: "[Each of the faith groups] had different names to idenify things, but they were saying the same thing. Everbody had something about being good to other people."
In my work with various religious groups, I have found that each of the world's faiths has something similar to the golden rule. Jessum's observation confirmed my own realization.
I enjoyed the one comment made by Simon Joseph, the other member of the filmmaking pair. Joseph said, "It was a tightrope to walk between unity and diversity." Back in the summer of 1990, I taught a one week course on unity and diversity at a Bah'ai summer school in Los Angeles. I recall trying to explain the concept of unity and diversity to five and six year olds.
I remember taking them out on the parking lot and letting them play with bubbles. I talked about how every bubble was different, but every bubble came from the same soap and water solution. I wonder if any of those children, now 25 and 26 will view this new documentary.
Sue Chehrenegar
What impressed me most about their film is what they had discovered while making it. One of the filmmakers, Jennifer Jessum said this to an reporter from the Los Angeles Times: "[Each of the faith groups] had different names to idenify things, but they were saying the same thing. Everbody had something about being good to other people."
In my work with various religious groups, I have found that each of the world's faiths has something similar to the golden rule. Jessum's observation confirmed my own realization.
I enjoyed the one comment made by Simon Joseph, the other member of the filmmaking pair. Joseph said, "It was a tightrope to walk between unity and diversity." Back in the summer of 1990, I taught a one week course on unity and diversity at a Bah'ai summer school in Los Angeles. I recall trying to explain the concept of unity and diversity to five and six year olds.
I remember taking them out on the parking lot and letting them play with bubbles. I talked about how every bubble was different, but every bubble came from the same soap and water solution. I wonder if any of those children, now 25 and 26 will view this new documentary.
Sue Chehrenegar
Monday, June 7, 2010
Thoutghts about a Video
Yesterday a friend of mine sent me this link:
http://ww.youtube.com/watch_popup?v=NINOxRxze9k
After I viewed this I wanted to share it with all my readers. This clip was shot in 1906 from a cable car in San Francisco. Since Abdu'l-Baha visited San Francisco in 1912, I feel that this clip provides a sense of what he saw there.
We are fortunate to have this clip, which was taken just four days before the big earthquake of 1906. The film had been sent to New York for processing.
Sue Chehrenegar
http://ww.youtube.com/watch_popup?v=NINOxRxze9k
After I viewed this I wanted to share it with all my readers. This clip was shot in 1906 from a cable car in San Francisco. Since Abdu'l-Baha visited San Francisco in 1912, I feel that this clip provides a sense of what he saw there.
We are fortunate to have this clip, which was taken just four days before the big earthquake of 1906. The film had been sent to New York for processing.
Sue Chehrenegar
Monday, May 31, 2010
Thoughts about a Controversy
Today a lot of questions are being raised about Israel's decision to attack a Turkish ship, a ship headed towards the Gaza Strip. This blogger does not plan to take sides in that controversy. She does, however, plan to write about another time when a Turkish ship visited the land that we now call Israel.
This took place in the early part of the 20th Century, when that land was called Palestine. Abdu'l-Baha and his family lived across the bay from Palestine. Turkish authorities heard that Abdu'l-Baha had purchased some land in northern Palestine, and was building some momuments to the Baha'i Faith on his land.
The Turkish government sent a ship to examine what changes had been made on Palestinian soil. After making their inspection, the ship headed back across the bay. Abdu'l-Baha's friends and family were afraid that the Turkish authorities would put Abdu'l-Baha under arrest.
Abdu'l-Baha went to his room and prayed. Eventually the ship changed course, and headed back to Turkey. An incident in Turkey demanded the attention of the men on board the ship. They abandoned their plan to confront Abdu'l-Baha. Today Baha'i buildings and monuments add to the beauty of Haifa, Israel.
Sue Chehrenegar
This took place in the early part of the 20th Century, when that land was called Palestine. Abdu'l-Baha and his family lived across the bay from Palestine. Turkish authorities heard that Abdu'l-Baha had purchased some land in northern Palestine, and was building some momuments to the Baha'i Faith on his land.
The Turkish government sent a ship to examine what changes had been made on Palestinian soil. After making their inspection, the ship headed back across the bay. Abdu'l-Baha's friends and family were afraid that the Turkish authorities would put Abdu'l-Baha under arrest.
Abdu'l-Baha went to his room and prayed. Eventually the ship changed course, and headed back to Turkey. An incident in Turkey demanded the attention of the men on board the ship. They abandoned their plan to confront Abdu'l-Baha. Today Baha'i buildings and monuments add to the beauty of Haifa, Israel.
Sue Chehrenegar
Monday, May 24, 2010
Thoughts on an International Order
On Saturday, May 22, 2010, when speaking to graduates at West Point, President Obama talked about creation of an "international order. " He envisioned that entity as something that could do more than fight battles. He saw it as a way to help the world to deal with economic and environmental problems.
The concept of an international order is not much different from the World Order that Abdu'l-Baha spoke and wrote about. In fact, the Baha'i administrative bodies are designed to foster cooperation, because each of those bodies consists of nine people. Those nine people are supposed to get together and tackle community problems.
On a local level, they are supposed to focus on local issues; on a national level, they should address national problems; and on an international level they are expected to study all of the challenges that face people everywhere in the world.
Sue Chehrenegar
The concept of an international order is not much different from the World Order that Abdu'l-Baha spoke and wrote about. In fact, the Baha'i administrative bodies are designed to foster cooperation, because each of those bodies consists of nine people. Those nine people are supposed to get together and tackle community problems.
On a local level, they are supposed to focus on local issues; on a national level, they should address national problems; and on an international level they are expected to study all of the challenges that face people everywhere in the world.
Sue Chehrenegar
Tuesday, May 18, 2010
Thoughts on a Few Words
Today I was reading about some of the words that came into the English language during the first decade of the 20th Century, the decade preceding Abdu'l-Baha's trip to the United States.
One word on the list that stood out in my mind was the word "pussyfoot."
Did some people "pussyfoot" around the issue in the early part of the 20th Century? If so, Abdu'l-Baha certainly did not follow their example. When reporters asked him why he had come to the United States, he made it clear that he saw his trip as a way to encourage movement of society, and indeed the whole world towards a more united, a more peaceful civilization.
The word "muckracker" also come into use during the first decade of the 20th Century. While muckrackers focused on the horrible aspects of the situation that they wanted to change, Abdu'l-Baha would only touch on the "evil" associated with any given practice. He would then introduce his vision for the future, one in which the objectionable behavior or system had no place.
Abdu'l-Baha took no sides in the argument between those that opposed to a state religion and those who objected to such opposition. Instead he spoke about the unity of all religions. Reporters who covered Abdu'l-Baha never had to struggle with including the words disestablishmentarianism or antidisestablishmentarianism in any of their articles.
Sue Chehrenegar
One word on the list that stood out in my mind was the word "pussyfoot."
Did some people "pussyfoot" around the issue in the early part of the 20th Century? If so, Abdu'l-Baha certainly did not follow their example. When reporters asked him why he had come to the United States, he made it clear that he saw his trip as a way to encourage movement of society, and indeed the whole world towards a more united, a more peaceful civilization.
The word "muckracker" also come into use during the first decade of the 20th Century. While muckrackers focused on the horrible aspects of the situation that they wanted to change, Abdu'l-Baha would only touch on the "evil" associated with any given practice. He would then introduce his vision for the future, one in which the objectionable behavior or system had no place.
Abdu'l-Baha took no sides in the argument between those that opposed to a state religion and those who objected to such opposition. Instead he spoke about the unity of all religions. Reporters who covered Abdu'l-Baha never had to struggle with including the words disestablishmentarianism or antidisestablishmentarianism in any of their articles.
Sue Chehrenegar
Sunday, May 16, 2010
A Follow-up to Friday's Thoughts
On Friday, May 14, I posted what I called "Thoughts for Friends." I directed my thoughts and prayers at the seven Baha'is who are in a prison cell, in Iran. Today I have had a chance to read about other thoughts on that same group. Some of those thoughts were aired publicly on May 14, when various Baha'i communities marked the passing of two years since the arrest of those seven innocent Baha'is.
A number of non-Baha'is joined with the Baha'i community, in marking that sad anniversary. I encourage the readers of this blog to read about the many related events that took place on May 14, 2010.
Readers who would like to read comments from well known figures should click onto this site: http://iran.bahai.us.
Readers who wanted to become more familiar with the degree to which Baha'is have been persecuted by the government of Iran should click onto this site: http://news.bahai.org.
A number of non-Baha'is joined with the Baha'i community, in marking that sad anniversary. I encourage the readers of this blog to read about the many related events that took place on May 14, 2010.
Readers who would like to read comments from well known figures should click onto this site: http://iran.bahai.us.
Readers who wanted to become more familiar with the degree to which Baha'is have been persecuted by the government of Iran should click onto this site: http://news.bahai.org.
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