احیای عظمت ایران

فیلمی کوتاه دربارۀ تاریخ پرشکوه و گذشته پرعظمت ایران و پیش بینی آیندۀ این کشور از دیدگاه دیانت بهائی

... polish the mirrors of hearts ...

The light of the sun becomes apparent in each object according to the capacity of that object. The difference is simply one of degree and receptivity. The stone would be a recipient only to a limited extent; another created thing might be as a mirror wherein the sun is fully reflected; but the same light shines upon both.

The most important thing is to polish the mirrors of hearts in order that they may become illumined and receptive of the divine light. One heart may possess the capacity of the polished mirror; another, be covered and obscured by the dust and dross of this world. Although the same Sun is shining upon both, in the mirror which is polished, pure and sanctified you may behold the Sun in all its fullness, glory and power, revealing its majesty and effulgence; but in the mirror which is rusted and obscured there is no capacity for reflection, although so far as the Sun itself is concerned it is shining thereon and is neither lessened nor deprived. Therefore, our duty lies in seeking to polish the mirrors of our hearts in order that we shall become reflectors of that light and recipients of the divine bounties which may be fully revealed through them.
‘Abdu’l-Bahá

The Promulgation of Universal Peace

Today the world of humanity is in need of international unity and conciliation. To establish these great fundamental principles a propelling power is needed. It is self-evident that the unity of the human world and the Most Great Peace cannot be accomplished through material means. They cannot be established through political power, for the political interests of nations are various and the policies of peoples are divergent and conflicting. They cannot be founded through racial or patriotic power, for these are human powers, selfish and weak. The very nature of racial differences and patriotic prejudices prevents the realization of this unity and agreement. Therefore, it is evidenced that the promotion of the oneness of the kingdom of humanity, which is the essence of the teachings of all the Manifestations of God, is impossible except through the divine power and breaths of the Holy Spirit. Other powers are too weak and are incapable of accomplishing this.

For man two wings are necessary. One wing is physical power and material civilization; the other is spiritual power and divine civilization. With one wing only, flight is impossible. Two wings are essential. Therefore, no matter how much material civilization advances, it cannot attain to perfection except through the uplift of spiritual civilization.

'Abdu'l-Bahá

When a true seeker determineth...

When a true seeker determineth to take the step of search in the path leading unto the knowledge of the Ancient of Days, he must, before all else, cleanse his heart, which is the seat of the revelation of the inner mysteries of God, from the obscuring dust of all acquired knowledge, and the allusions of the embodiments of satanic fancy. He must purge his breast, which is the sanctuary of the abiding love of the Beloved, of every defilement, and sanctify his soul from all that pertaineth to water and clay, from all shadowy and ephemeral attachments. He must so cleanse his heart that no remnant of either love or hate may linger therein, lest that love blindly incline him to error, or that hate repel him away from the truth. Even as thou dost witness in this Day how most of the people, because of such love and hate, are bereft of the immortal Face, have strayed far from the Embodiments of the Divine mysteries, and, shepherdless, are roaming through the wilderness of oblivion and error.

Only when the lamp of search, of earnest striving, of longing desire, of passionate devotion, of fervid love, of rapture, and ecstasy, is kindled within the seeker's heart, and the breeze of His loving-kindness is wafted upon his soul, will the darkness of error be dispelled, the mists of doubts and misgivings be dissipated, and the lights of knowledge and certitude envelop his being.

Gleanings From the Writings of Bahá'u'lláh

Bahai Video!LET YOUR VISION BE WORLD-EMBRACING ♡ BAHAULLAH Part 1 of 3 ...

The new 30 minute documentary production The Promise of World Peace - A Bahai Perspective was released in September 2006, produced and directed with association of Clear Sky Pictures, an award-winning, non-Bahai film producing company in Portland, Oregon. Weaving together interviews, historical documents and footage from around the globe. This documentary takes us inside the Bahai way of life and the daily struggle to promote unity in a conflicted world.

To be pure and holy in all things is ...

O Friends of the Pure and Omnipotent God! To be pure and holy in all things is an attribute of the consecrated soul and a necessary characteristic of the unenslaved mind. The best of perfections is immaculacy and the freeing of oneself from every defect. Once the individual is, in every respect, cleansed and purified, then will he become a focal centre reflecting the Manifest Light. 
First in a human being’s way of life must be purity, then freshness, cleanliness, and independence of spirit. First must the stream bed be cleansed, then may the sweet river waters be led into it. Chaste eyes enjoy the beatific vision of the Lord and know what this encounter meaneth; a pure sense inhaleth the fragrances that blow from the rose gardens of His grace; a burnished heart will mirror forth the comely face of truth.
My meaning is this, that in every aspect of life, purity and holiness, cleanliness and refinement, exalt the human condition and further the development of man’s inner reality. Even in the physical realm, cleanliness will conduce to spirituality, as the Holy Writings clearly state. And although bodily cleanliness is a physical thing, it hath, nevertheless, a powerful influence on the life of the spirit. It is even as a voice wondrously sweet, or a melody played: although sounds are but vibrations in the air which affect the ear’s auditory nerve, and these vibrations are but chance phenomena carried along through the air, even so, see how they move the heart. A wondrous melody is wings for the spirit, and maketh the soul to tremble for joy. The purport is that physical cleanliness doth also exert its effect upon the human soul.

Selections From the Writings of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá

AMERICA AND THE MOST GREAT PEACE

“O ye apostles of Bahá’u’lláh!” ‘Abdu’l-Bahá thus addresses them in oneof His Tablets, “May my life be sacrificed for you!… Beholdthe portals which Bahá’u’lláh hath opened before you! Consider howexalted and lofty is the station you are destined to attain; howunique the favors with which you have been endowed.” “Mythoughts,” He tells them in another passage, “are turned towardsyou, and my heart leaps within me at your mention. Could ye knowhow my soul glows with your love, so great a happiness would floodyour hearts as to cause you to become enamored with each other.”“The full measure of your success,” He declares in another Tablet,“is as yet unrevealed, its significance still unapprehended. Ere longye will, with your own eyes, witness how brilliantly every one ofyou, even as a shining star, will radiate in the firmament of yourcountry the light of Divine Guidance and will bestow upon its peoplethe glory of an everlasting life.” “The range of your future achievements,”He once more affirms, “still remains undisclosed. I ferventlyhope that in the near future the whole earth may be stirred andshaken by the results of your achievements.”
“The Almighty,” Heassures them, “will no doubt grant you the help of His grace, willinvest you with the tokens of His might, and will endue your soulswith the sustaining power of His holy Spirit.” “Be not concerned,”He admonishes them, “with the smallness of your numbers, neitherbe oppressed by the multitude of an unbelieving world… Exertyourselves; your mission is unspeakably glorious. Should succescrown your enterprise, America will assuredly evolve into a centerfrom which waves of spiritual power will emanate, and the throneof the Kingdom of God will, in the plentitude of its majesty andglory, be firmly established.”

Shoghi Effendi :The World Order of Bahá’u’lláh

Victories of the Covenant (1 of 2)

Victories of the Covenant (2 of 2)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1jdrgMzvmpE&feature=related

Justice is, in this day, bewailing its plight,

Justice is, in this day, bewailing its plight, and Equity groaneth beneath the yoke of oppression. The thick clouds of tyranny have darkened the face of the earth, and enveloped its peoples. Through the movement of Our Pen of glory We have, at the bidding of the omnipotent Ordainer, breathed a new life into every human frame, and instilled into every word a fresh potency. All created things proclaim the evidences of this world-wide regeneration. This is the most great, the most joyful tidings imparted by the Pen of this Wronged One to mankind. Wherefore fear ye, O My well-beloved ones? Who is it that can dismay you? A touch of moisture sufficeth to dissolve the hardened clay out of which this perverse generation is moulded. The mere act of your gathering together is enough to scatter the forces of these vain and worthless people. 

Strife and conflict befit the beasts of the wild. It was through the grace of God and with the aid of seemly words and praiseworthy deeds that the unsheathed swords of the Bábí community were returned to their scabbards. Indeed through the power of good words, the righteous have always succeeded in winning command over the meads of the hearts of men. Say, O ye loved ones! Do not forsake prudence. Incline your hearts to the counsels given by the Most Exalted Pen and beware lest your hands or tongues cause harm unto anyone among mankind.Bahá’u’lláh

..... trials and tribulations .....

Know ye that trials and tribulations have, from time immemorial, been the lot of the chosen Ones of God and His beloved, and such of His servants as are detached from all else but Him, they whom neither merchandise nor traffic beguile from the remembrance of the Almighty, they that speak not till He hath spoken, and act according to His commandment. Such is God’s method carried into effect of old, and such will it remain in the future. Blessed are the steadfastly enduring, they that are patient under ills and hardships, who lament not over anything that befalleth them, and who tread the path of resignation….

Delight not yourselves in the things of the world and its vain ornaments, neither set your hopes on them. Let your reliance be on the remembrance of God, the Most Exalted, the Most Great.
~ Bahá’u’lláh

Earth is not man’s home,but .....

The highest of created beings fighting to obtain the lowest form of matter, earth! Land belongs not to one people, but to all people. This earth is not man’s home, but his tomb. It is for their tombs these men are fighting. There is nothing so horrible in this world as the tomb, the abode of the decaying bodies of men.
.... I charge you all that each one of you concentrate all the thoughts of your heart on love and unity. When a thought of war comes, oppose it by a stronger thought of peace. A thought of hatred must be destroyed by a more powerful thought of love. Thoughts of war bring destruction to all harmony, well-being, restfulness and content.
Thoughts of love are constructive of brotherhood, peace, friendship, and happiness.
When soldiers of the world draw their swords to kill, soldiers of God clasp each other’s hands! So may all the savagery of man disappear by the Mercy of God, working through the pure in heart and the sincere of soul. Do not think the peace of the world an ideal impossible to attain!
If you desire with all your heart, friendship with every race on earth, your thought, spiritual andpositive, will spread; it will become the desire of others, growing stronger and stronger, until it reaches the minds of all men.
Do not despair! Work steadily. Sincerity and love will conquer hate. How many seemingly impossible events are coming to pass in these days! Set your faces steadily towards the Light of the World. Show love to all; ‘Love is the breath of the Holy Spirit in the heart of Man’. Take courage! God never forsakes His children who strive and work and pray! Let your hearts be filled with the strenuous desire that tranquillity and harmony may encircle all this warring world. So will success crown your efforts, and with the universal brotherhood will come the Kingdom of God in peace and goodwill.
`Abdu'l-Bahá

THE FOUR KINDS OF LOVE

What a power is love! It is the most wonderful, the greatest of all living powers.

Love gives life to the lifeless. Love lights a flame in the heart that is cold. Love brings hope to the hopeless and gladdens the hearts of the sorrowful.

There are four kinds of love.
The first is the love that flows from God to man; it consists of the inexhaustible graces, the Divine effulgence and heavenly illumination. Through this love the world of being receives life. Through this love man is endowed with physical existence, until, through the breath of the Holy Spirit—this same love—he receives eternal life and becomes the image of the Living God. This love is the origin of all the love in the world of creation.
The second is the love that flows from man to God. This is faith, attraction to the Divine, enkindlement, progress, entrance into the Kingdom of God, receiving the Bounties of God, illumination with the lights of the Kingdom. This love is the origin of all philanthropy; this love causes the hearts of men to reflect the rays of the Sun of Reality.
The third is the love of God towards the Self or Identity of God. This is the transfiguration of His Beauty, the reflection of Himself in the mirror of His Creation. This is the reality of love, the Ancient Love, the Eternal Love. Through one ray of this Love all other love exists.
The fourth is the love of man for man. The love which exists between the hearts of believers is prompted by the ideal of the unity of spirits. This love is attained through the knowledge of God, so that men see the Divine Love reflected in the heart. Each sees in the other the Beauty of God reflected in the soul, and finding this point of similarity, they are attracted to one another in love. This love will make all men the 181waves of one sea, this love will make them all the stars of one heaven and the fruits of one tree. This
love will bring the realization of true accord, the foundation of real unity.

`Abdu'l-Bahá

Arising to Act

Verily, I say unto thee, every soul which ariseth today to guide others to the path of safety and infuse in them the Spirit of Life, the Holy Spirit will inspire that soul with evidences, proofs and facts and the lights will shine upon it from the Kingdom of God.

Therefore, the believers of God throughout all the Republics of America, through the divine power, must become the cause of the promotion of heavenly teachings and the establishment of the oneness of humanity. Every one of the important souls must arise, blowing over all parts of America the breath of life conferring upon the people a new spirit, baptizing them with the fire of the love of God, the water of life, and the breaths of the Holy Spirit -- so that the second birth may become realized.

The highest righteousness of all is for blessed souls to take hold of the hands of the helpless and deliver them out of their ignorance and abasement and poverty, and with pure motives, and only for the sake of God, to arise and energetically devote themselves to the service of the masses, forgetting their own worldly advantage and working only to serve the general good.

Abdu'l-Baha

Arising to Act

Baha'u'llah (may my life, my soul, my spirit, be offered up as a sacrifice unto His lowly servants) hath, during His last days on earth, given the most emphatic promise that, through the outpourings of the grace of God and the aid and assistance vouchsafed from His Kingdom on high, souls will arise and holy beings appear who, as stars, would adorn the firmament of divine Guidance; illumine the dayspring of loving kindness and bounty; manifest the signs of the unity of God; shine with the light of sanctity and purity; receive their full measure of divine inspiration; raise high the sacred torch of faith; stand firm as the rock and immovable as the mountain; and grow to become luminaries in the heavens of His Revelation, mighty channels of His grace, means for the bestowals of God's bountiful care, heralds calling forth the name of the one true God, and establishers of the world's supreme foundation.

      These shall labor ceaselessly by day and by night, shall heed neither trial nor woe, shall suffer no respite in their efforts, shall seek no repose, shall disregard all ease and comfort and, detached and unsullied, shall consecrate every fleeting moment of their life to the diffusion of the divine fragrance and the exaltation of God's holy Word. Their face will radiate heavenly gladness, and their hearts be filled with joy. Their souls will be inspired, and their foundation stand secure. They shall scatter in the world, and travel throughout all regions. They shall raise their voice in every assembly, and adorn and revive every gathering. They shall speak in every tongue, and interpret every hidden meaning. They shall reveal the mysteries of the Kingdom, and manifest unto every one the signs of God. They shall burn brightly even as a candle in the heart of every assembly, and beam forth as a star upon every horizon. The gentle breeze wafted from the garden of their hearts shall perfume and revive the souls of men, and the revelations of their minds, even as showers, reinvigorate the peoples and nations of the world.

      I am waiting, eagerly waiting for these holy ones to appear; and yet, how long will they delay their coming? My prayer and ardent supplication, at eventide and at dawn, is that these shining stars may soon shed their radiance upon the world, that their sacred countenance may be unveiled to mortal eyes, and the billows of grace, rising from His oceans above, may flow upon all mankind. Pray ye also and supplicate unto Him that through the bountiful aid of the Ancient Beauty these souls may be unveiled to the eyes of the world.

Abdu'l-Baha

The whole duty of man in this Day is

 The whole duty of man in this Day is to attain that share of the flood of grace which God poureth forth for him. Let none, therefore, consider the largeness or smallness of the receptacle. The portion of some might lie in the palm of a man’s hand, the portion of others might fill a cup, and of others even a gallon-measure.


Every eye, in this Day, should seek what will bestpromote the Cause of God. He, Who is the Eternal Truth, beareth Me witness! Nothing whatever can, in this Day, inflict a greater harm upon this Cause than dissension and strife, contention, estrangement and apathy, among the loved ones of God. Flee them, through the power of God and His sovereign aid, and strive ye to knit together the hearts of men, in His Name, the Unifier, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.
Beseech ye the one true God to grant that ye may taste the savor of such deeds as are performed in His path, and partake of the sweetness of such humility and submissiveness as are shown for His sake. Forget your own selves, and turn your eyes towards your neighbor. Bend your energies to whatever may foster the education of men. Nothing is, or can ever be, hidden from God. If ye follow in His way, His incalculable and imperishable blessings will be showered upon you. This is the luminous Tablet, whose verses have streamed from the moving Pen of Him Who is the Lord of all worlds. Ponder it in your hearts, and be ye of them that observe its precepts.

Gleanings From the Writings of Bahá’u’lláh

Selfishness and egotism.

“Men keep their possessions for their own enjoyment and do not share sufficiently with others the bounty received from God. Spring is thus changed into the winter of selfishness and egotism. 

Jesus Christ said ‘Ye must be born again’ so that divine Life may spring anew within you. Be kind to all around and serve one another; love to be just and true in all your dealings; pray always and so live your life that sorrow cannot touch you. Look upon the people of your own race and those of other races as members of one organism; sons of the same Father; let it be known by your behaviour that you are indeed the people of God. Then wars and disputes shall cease and over the world will spread the Most Great Peace.”

هفتم وادی فنا است

.............

ای حبیب من ، نغمات روح را به جان و دل گوش کن و چون بصر حفظش نما که همیشه ایام معارف الهی به مثابۀ ابر نیسانی بر اراضی قلوب انسانی جاری نیست . سحاب رحمت جانان جز بر ریاض جان نبارد و در غیر بهاران این کرم نفرماید . فصول دیگر را از این فضل اکبر نصیبی نیست و اراضی جُرُز را از این کرم قسمتی نه .

ای  برادر ، هر بحری لولو ندارد و هر شاخی گل نیارد و بلبل بر آن نسراید.
پس تا بلبل بوستان معنوی به گلستان الهی بازنگشت و انوار صبح معانی به شمس حقیقی راجع نشد ، سعی کنید که شاید در این گلخن فانی بویی از گلشن باقی بشنوید و در زلّ اهل این مدینۀ جاوید بمانید .
و چون به این رتبۀ بلند اعلی رسیدی و به این درجۀ عظما فائز شدی یار بینی و اغیار فراموش کنی .

یار بی پرده از در و دیوار در تجلیست یا اولوالابصار

از قطرۀ جان گذشتی و به بحر جانان واصل شدی .
ای عجب که یار چون شمس آشکار و اغیار در طلب زخارف و دینار .
بلی ، از شدت ظهور پنهان مانده و از کثرت بروز مخفی گشته .
حق عیان چون مهر رخشان آمده حیف کــاندر شهــر کـوران آمـده

مرثیه ای برای انتظار
شعری در توصیف شهادت حضرت رب اعلی

MARTYRDOM OF THE BAB

It would indeed be no exaggeration to say thatnowhere in the whole compass of the world's religious literature, except in theGospels, do we find any record relating to the death of any of thereligion-founders of the past comparable to the martyrdom suffered by theProphet of Shiraz. So strange, so inexplicable a phenomenon, attested byeye-witnesses, corroborated by men of recognized standing, and acknowledged bygovernment as well as unofficial historians among the people who had swornundying hostility to the Bábí Faith, may be truly regarded as the mostmarvelous manifestation of the unique potentialities with which a Dispensationpromised by all the Dispensations of the past had been endowed. 

The passion ofJesus Christ, and indeed His whole public ministry, alone offer a parallel tothe Mission and death of the Bab, a parallel which no student of comparativereligion can fail to perceive or ignore. In the youthfulness and meekness ofthe Inaugurator of the Bábí Dispensation; in the extreme brevity and turbulenceof His public ministry; in the dramatic swiftness with which that ministrymoved towards its climax; in the apostolic order which He instituted, and theprimacy which He conferred on one of its members; in the boldness of Hischallenge to the time-honored conventions, rites and laws which had been woveninto the fabric of the religion He Himself had been born into; in the rolewhich an officially recognized and firmly entrenched religious hierarchy playedas chief instigator of the outrages which He was made to suffer; in theindignities heaped upon Him; in the suddenness of His arrest; in theinterrogation to which He was subjected; in the derision poured, and thescourging inflicted, upon Him; in the public affront He sustained; and,finally, in His ignominious suspension before the gaze of a hostile multitude-- in all these we cannot fail to discern a remarkable similarity to thedistinguishing features of the career of Jesus Christ.

Shoghi Effendi,

The peoples of the world are fast asleep. Were they to wake from their slumber, they would hasten with eagerness unto God, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise. They would cast away everything they possess, be it all the treasures of the earth, that their Lord may remember them to the extent of addressing to them but one word. Such is the instruction given you by Him Who holdeth the knowledge of things hidden, in a Tablet which the eye of creation hath not seen, and which is revealed to none except His own Self, the omnipotent Protector of all worlds. So bewildered are they in the drunkenness of their evil desires, that they are powerless to recognize the Lord of all being, Whose voice calleth aloud from every direction: “There is none other God but Me, the Mighty, the All-Wise.”

Say: Rejoice not in the things ye possess; tonight they are yours, tomorrow others will possess them. Thus warneth you He Who is the All-Knowing, the All-Informed. Say: Can ye claim that what ye own is lasting or secure? Nay! By Myself, the All-Merciful, ye cannot, if ye be of them who judge fairly. The days of your life flee away as a breath of wind, and all your pomp and glory shall be folded up as were the pomp and glory of those gone before you. Reflect, O people! What hath become of your bygone days, your lost  centuries? Happy the days that have been consecrated to the remembrance of God, and blessed the hours which have been spent in praise of Him Who is the All-Wise. By My life! Neither the pomp of the mighty, nor the wealth of the rich, nor even the ascendancy of the ungodly will endure. All will perish, at a word from Him. He, verily, is the All-Powerful, the All-Compelling, the Almighty. What advantage is there in the earthly things which men possess? That which shall profit them, they have utterly neglected. Erelong, they will awake from their slumber, and find themselves unable to obtain that which hath escaped them in the days of their Lord, the Almighty, the All-Praised. Did they but know it, they would renounce their all, that their names may be mentioned before His throne. They, verily, are accounted among the dead.

Bahá'u'lláh

The Hidden Words

O Son of Desire!
How long wilt thou soar in the realms of desire? Wings have I bestowed upon thee, that thou mayest fly to the realms of mystic holiness and not the regions of satanic fancy. The comb, too, have I given thee that thou mayest dress My raven locks, and not lacerate My throat.

O Son of Being!
If poverty overtake thee, be not sad; for in time the Lord of wealth shall visit thee. Fear not abasement, for glory shall one day rest on thee.

                                                     O Son of Spirit!

I created thee rich, why dost thou bring thyself down to poverty! Noble I made thee, wherewith dost thou abase thyself? Out of the essence of knowledge I gave thee being, why seekest thou enlightenment from anyone beside Me? Out of the clay of love I molded thee, how dost thou busy thyself with another? Turn thy sight unto thyself, that thou mayest find Me standing within thee, mighty, powerful and self-subsisting.

 O Son of Spirit!
The best beloved of all things in My sight is Justice; turn not away therefrom if thou desirest Me, and neglect it not that I may confide in thee. By its aid thou shalt see with thine own eyes and not through the eyes of others, and shalt know of thine own knowledge and not through the knowledge of thy neighbor. Ponder this in thy heart; how it behooveth thee to be. Verily justice is My gift to thee and the sign of My loving-kindness. Set it then before thine eyes.



~ Bahá’u’lláh from The Hidden Words

The virtues that befit his dignity are ....

The heights which, through the most gracious favor of God, mortal man can attain, in this Day, are as yet unrevealed to his sight. The world of being hath never had, nor doth it yet possess the capacity for such a revelation. The day, however, is approaching when the potentialities of so great a favor will, by virtue of His behest, be manifested unto men. Though the forces of the nations be arrayed against Him, though the kings of the earth be leagued to undermine His Cause, the power of His might shall stand unshaken. He, verily, speaketh the truth, and summoneth all mankind to the way of Him Who is the Incomparable, the All-Knowing.

All men have been created to carry forward an ever-advancing civilization. The Almighty beareth Me witness: To act like the beasts of the field is unworthy of man. Those virtues that befit his dignity are forbearance, mercy, compassion and loving-kindness towards all the peoples and kindreds of the earth. Say: O friends! Drink your fill from this crystal stream that floweth through the heavenly grace of Him Who is the Lord of Names. Let others partake of its waters in My name, that the leaders of men in every land may fully recognize the purpose for which the Eternal Truth hath been revealed, and the reason for which they themselves have been created.

قسم بعزّت و بزرگواری تو ای مولای من و مقتدای من و حبيب من

قسم بعزّت و بزرگواری تو ای مولای من و مقتدای من و حبيب من كه شكايت نميكنم بسوی تو از آنچه وارد شد از حضرت تو و ظاهر شد از جانب تو بلكه سرهای عاشقان تو طالب كمندهای محكم است و گردنهای طالبان روی تو منتظر شمشيرهای برنده و سينه های منيره از جذب و شوق مترصّد تيرهای زهر آلوده . زهرهای كشنده نزد عاشقان از خمرهای حيوان نيكوتر و زخمهای هلاك كننده از شربتهای  لطيف پاكيزه‌تر . پس معدوم شود نفسيكه در راه عشق تو جان نبازد.

و مفقود شود وجوديكه در طلب وصل تو سر نيندازد و بميرد قلبی كه بذكر تو زنده نگردد و دور شود هيكلی كه بجان طالب قرب نشود و مشقّتهای باديه عشق را نچشد. و لكن ای سيّد من باز گشت و توبه مينمايم بآنچه مشغول شدم در ساحت قدس تو باين كلماتيكه ظاهر نشده مگر از غفلت اين عبد از مقامات قرب و وصل . زيرا كه هر كه بتو رسيد  از غير تو باز ماند و هر كه از تو گذشت بغير تو مشغول شد . پس وای بر كسيكه از تو بريد و بغير تو پيوست و در وادی حيرت نفس سرگردان بماند و بمرد و از مدينه حيات باقيه و زندگانی دائمه محروم ماند .
 و بعزّت و جلال تو ای پرورگار من كه مشاهده ميكنم دوستان و مُحرمان كعبه وصال تو را و سرمستان خمر جمال تو را كه مشعوفند ببدائع قضای تو و مسرورند ببلاهای نازله از نزد تو اگر چه قهر صرف باشد و يا غضب  بحت . زيرا كه اين قهر مالك لطفهاست و اين غضب سلطان مهرها و اين سمّ محيی جانها . جبروت عزّت طائف اين ذلّت است و ملكوت غنا طالب اين فقر .
 و تو ای مولای من راجع فرمودی اين طير را از جسد ظلمانی بلاهوت معانی و از غذاهای روحانی مرزوق گشته و بنعمتهای صمدانی محظوظ شده و بتو راجع گرديده و بر تو وارد آمده و ارتقا برفارف قدس تو جسته و در جوار رحمت تو مستريح گشته و بر كرسيّ افتخار مقرّ  گزيده و در هواهای عزّ روح طيران مينمايد و از باده‌های وصال احديّه مينوشد و از شرابهای لقای صمديّه می آشامد . و چون بحكمتهای بالغه مستور فرمودی اين مراتب را در پرده‌های قدرت خود لهذا صعب گشته بر عباد حكم فراق و سخت است بر ايشان امر طلاق و بجزع می‌آيد نفوس از ملاحظه آن و بفزع ميآيد عقول از مشاهده آن . و از جمله آن بلايای مقدّره و مصيبتهای جليّه مستوره اين مصيبت بديعه و اين  بليّه جديده است كه باو محترق شد اكباد و مشتعل شد حقائق عباد و مضطرب گشت اهل بلاد . پس نماند چشمی مگر آنكه خون گريست و باقی نماند قلبی مگر آنكه كأس الم بچشيد و رؤوس عالين برهنه و عريان شد و نفوس راضين از غم نالان گشت فؤادها مكدّر شد و نورها تاريك و مظلم گشت و منقطع شد روح از اماكن خود و تبديل گشت سرور از محافل خود . پس وای وای از آنچه ظاهر شد و هويدا گشت و اين است از قضاهای ثابت تو در شجره ظهور تو ای پروردگار من.

Entitlement philosophy and an earning based philosophy

Belchen, Germany (trekearth.com)

A. Quebec is more deserving than Winnipeg?

I still do not consider myself an NHL fan. I am a fan of European football, Manchester United, Arsenal, and the UEFA Champions League. I am an observer of the NHL and not a follower like I was when I was younger. I still am not impressed by how the League is run, especially in regard to franchise location, although I like how the League is seemingly being somewhat forced into reevaluating that philosophy and recently relocated Atlanta to Winnipeg which had lost its team in 1996. Winnipeg lost its team due to a variety of economic reasons and the fact it had an old outdated arena and no prospects for a new one, or a local owner that wanted to continue losing money. It now has a newer arena and a billionaire co-owner. The League also has revenue sharing and a salary cap. Quebec also lost its team one season prior to Winnipeg for similar reasons including an old outdated arena and no prospects for a new one, and no local owner that wanted to continue losing money. When Winnipeg received Atlanta via relocation the Mayor of Quebec reportedly stated in the Montreal Gazette:

Montreal Gazette

'"Today we should be thrilled. The best thing that could happen to us is to see Winnipeg get its team. Usually, we could be next on the list," the mayor told reporters.'

The idea having been implied by the League which has also been discussed by the media in both Canada and the United States is that if Quebec, like Winnipeg builds a 15, 000 seats NHL size/type arena it will very likely be next in line to receive a franchise should one become available.

However, former Quebec Nordiques or Nordique great and member of the European Parliament Peter Stastny took a negative route according to the Winnipeg Free Press:

Winnipeg Free Press

'BRUSSELS, Belgium -- With apologies to Winnipeg, former Quebec Nordiques great Peter Stastny says Quebec City should have been first to see the return of the NHL.

Stastny even admits he was less than thrilled to learn that the Manitoba capital got an NHL club before Quebec City.

"Personally, I was sad," Stastny said Wednesday, adding that Quebec was more deserving of the distinction.'

Further

'Despite Stastny's assessment, Winnipeg had several advantages over its Quebec rival.

The Manitoba capital has a larger population and a completed, modern arena -- built mainly with private cash.'

My take is that, not knowing his heart (motives) of course, is that because he played for Quebec and because the NHL Quebec team, not the WHA team, did generally better than Winnipeg on the ice, he may think it sad that Quebec did not receive a franchise back first, and that Quebec should have received this distinction first.

This type of thinking comes across as entitlement philosophy as opposed to an earning based philosophy. Let us face it, entitlement philosophy it is often associated with both Canada and Europe more so than the United States, although it does exist there also. Winnipeg builds the 15, 000 plus seat/type NHL arena owned by suitable people that could own an NHL club in 2004 and in 2011 and Quebec still has not, although it is being planned and it does have suitable ownership. Winnipeg was in a position to purchase and properly support a franchise, Quebec was not.

Therefore, Stastny is philosophically mistaken.

Further, as side issues, I hope Quebec does receive either the next relocated franchise or the next one after that, if not Southern Ontario receives it. Actually when I a kid, I received Stastny's autograph, he was a nice man.


Political map of Canada, please click for magnification.

B. Rights

I tried to find a good definition of Entitlement in one of my philosophy texts but there was nothing suitable, and so I went to the 'Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy' which I used for my PhD and it is reliable and it uses the term entitlements is the context of defining rights. Rights are a type of entitlement by this definition and so I suppose are a useful example here.

Stanford

'Rights are entitlements (not) to perform certain actions, or (not) to be in certain states; or entitlements that others (not) perform certain actions or (not) be in certain states.'


Chevreuse, France (trekearth.com)

The West? Is this tied to an attitude of entitlement too often?

C. The Work of Christ as Remedy to the Problem of Evil

From my MPhil (Wales) of 2003 Edited

I think, however, the philosophical discussion needs to be complemented by the theological remedy. I can understand Alister McGrath’s perspective on suffering as in many post-Enlightenment works the faith has been under attack because of the problem of evil. The attacks were of a philosophical nature and thus dealt with so, but ultimately the defence of Christianity comes down to divine revelation. McGrath stated in Iustitia Dei:

'The central teaching of the Christian faith is that reconciliation has been effected between and God and sinful man through Jesus Christ, and that this new relation between God and man is a present possibility for those outside the church, and a present actuality for those within its bounds. McGrath (1986: 1).'

Since to McGrath this is the central teaching, it makes sense in apologetics featuring the problem of evil, that the work of Jesus Christ in atonement which includes restoration and reconciliation, must be central. He thus thinks discussions on the problem of evil that do not deal with this in strong fashion, are lacking. Suffering was written to comfort those struggling with the problem of evil and to inform them that ultimate victory over suffering will be had through Jesus Christ.

McGRATH, A. (1986) Iustitia Dei, Cambridge, Cambridge University Press.

McGRATH, A. (1992) Bridge-Building, Leicester, Inter-Varsity Press.

McGRATH, A. (1992) Suffering, London, Hodder and Stoughton Limited.

Interestingly, those in Christ are entitled to punishment (Romans 1-3) but the atonement is for sin and the elect are in Christ (Romans 8, Ephesians 1), and those in Christ are saved by grace through faith unto good works.

D. Satirical look at career prospects


That job is in the tank...

Larry Potter?


Match I attended with Uncle Chucky


Thank you to Philip for sending this to me.