Dear Susan, One does not exclude the other. I also feel that your interpretation of what Abdu'l-Baha is trying to do is too narrow. I think it does apply not only to assembly members, but to all of the community. I will later post some quotes for the reason why I think this, when I am back at a machine which has ocean on it.
The focus on unity is very strong in Abdu'l-Bahas words and writings. Yet I do feel free to bring up anythign to the Assembly. I think I am quite unique in this, it seems that not many Bahais feel they can do this, or if that if they try they are rebuked. I think part of the problem is also the way we are trained to think in the west. We are trained to reject authority and to work for ourselves, to be competitive and to see the negative first before the positive. and to be very attached to our opinions. And to be argumentative, rather than proceed things in a manner of consultation. I am a very argumentative person. I quickly fall into a pro-contra discussion. here in Ireland that is not at all appreciated ;o) For a long time now I am asking myself how I can raise questions and issues I have with decisions taken by institutions and yet be cooperative and do it in a consultative way. by experimenting, not fearing the rejection of others, or disapproval, and open for correction, I am learning. The realisation that my opinion and interpretation of the writings is but an opinion and interpretation and not the absolute truth I so often feel it is, helps ;o) The realisation that I may see more than the average Bahai in my community or the country I am in, helps as well. And then the advice of Baha'u'llah to offer a truth in the utmost kindness, and if it is not accepted to be unconcerned by that, to be detached from that. I feel free to offer my insight, because I am not too concerned whether it is accepted or not. It may be that I am seeing more than another, it may be that i am just fooling myself. If I see more and itis not accepted, then clearly the community is not ripe for it. I can bring it up at another time. I am part of the process, andthe process is not in my hands, but in Gods hands. I can worry about it, but that does not help. Look what Abdu'l-Baha and Shoghi Effendi had to work with. Plans failign because people did not do what they needed to do and were told to do. And how patient and lovign they were. sometimes we have to turn to God and exert the utmost patience, because the community at large is not where we are, yet. And forcing it does not work. much love, janine van rooij dublin ireland --- Susan Maneck <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > Dear Scott, > > What Abdu'l-Baha was trying to do was make sure > that individual Assembly > members did not undermine the authority of the > institution as a whole by > opposing the decision that body made. For them not > to act in unity under > these circumstances is rather like parents arguing > discipline issues in > front of their children--almost never a good idea if > discipline is something > the parents hope to maintain. > > I think the problem with over-generalizing that > quotation from Abdu'l-Baha > and applying it to the community as a whole rather > than the individual > members of the Assembly that made the decision is > that it prevents the > Assembly from getting the feedback it requires to > determine whether or not > something they implemented is working so they *can* > change it if need be. If > the believers 'for the sake of unity' feel they > can't say what this isn't > working corrections will never be made. > > warmest, Susan > > > __________________________________________________ > You are subscribed to Baha'i Studies as: > mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] > To unsubscribe, send a blank email to > mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] > To subscribe, use subscribe bahai-st in the message > body to [EMAIL PROTECTED] > Baha'i Studies is available through the following: > Mail - mailto:bahai-st@list.jccc.edu > Web - http://list.jccc.edu/read/?forum=bahai-st > News - news://list.jccc.edu/bahai-st > Public - http://www.escribe.com/religion/bahaist > Old Public - > http://www.mail-archive.com/bahai-st@list.jccc.net > New Public - > http://www.mail-archive.com/bahai-st@list.jccc.edu > __________________________________ Do you Yahoo!? Yahoo! Mail - You care about security. So do we. http://promotions.yahoo.com/new_mail __________________________________________________ You are subscribed to Baha'i Studies as: mailto:archive@mail-archive.com To unsubscribe, send a blank email to mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] To subscribe, use subscribe bahai-st in the message body to [EMAIL PROTECTED] Baha'i Studies is available through the following: Mail - mailto:bahai-st@list.jccc.edu Web - http://list.jccc.edu/read/?forum=bahai-st News - news://list.jccc.edu/bahai-st Public - http://www.escribe.com/religion/bahaist Old Public - http://www.mail-archive.com/bahai-st@list.jccc.net New Public - http://www.mail-archive.com/bahai-st@list.jccc.edu
