from:"Mark Foster"

Re: Neoscholasticism/Perennial Philosophy

2008-06-20 Thread Mark Foster - Sociology

Ian Kluge wrote:
> This is especially true vis-à-vis the ontological reality of categories and
> species. SAQ is strongly anti-nominalist.

As you know, I read those talks differently. However, we have already discussed 
the subject at great length.

> BTW, people should be aware that not all neo-thomists or neo-scholastics are
> Catholics.

Yes, some are Protestants. However, that is mostly a 20th-century development, 
and it began to diminish in the 1960s.

--
Regards, Mark A. Foster, Ph.D.  *  http://www.markfoster.net
"... the modern challenge is how to live with uncertainty. The
basic fault lines today are not between people with different
beliefs but between people who hold these beliefs with an
element of uncertainty and people who hold these beliefs with
a pretense of certitude." — Peter L. Berger, sociologist

The information contained in this e-mail and any attachments thereto ("e-mail") 
is sent by the Johnson County Community College ("JCCC") and is intended to be 
confidential and for the use of only the individual or entity named above. The 
information may be protected by federal and state privacy and disclosures acts 
or other legal rules. If the reader of this message is not the intended 
recipient, you are notified that retention, dissemination, distribution or 
copying of this e-mail is strictly prohibited. If you have received this e-mail 
in error please immediately notify JCCC by email reply and immediately and 
permanently delete this e-mail message and any attachments thereto. Thank you.

__
You are subscribed to Baha'i Studies as: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
Unsubscribe: send a blank email to mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
Subscribe: send subscribe bahai-st in the message body to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Subscribe: http://list.jccc.edu:8080/read/all_forums/subscribe?name=bahai-st
Baha'i Studies is available through the following:
Mail - mailto:bahai-st@list.jccc.edu
Web - http://list.jccc.edu:8080/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/[EMAIL PROTECTED]
New Public - http://www.mail-archive.com/bahai-st@list.jccc.edu

RE: criteria for appropriateness Re: Interesting thread

2005-10-28 Thread Mark Foster

Hi, folks,

Okay. Please calm down everyone. This thread, even by this alternate subject 
heading , has been closed.

Mark A. Foster, Ph.D. * Prof. of Sociology * [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Johnson County Community College, Overland Park, Kansas
913-469-8500 x3376 * Fax 913-469-2589 * VOIP 347-983-0161
Mobile 913-768-4244 * http://MarkFoster.net * Office GEB 151D



 
 
The information contained in this e-mail and any attachments thereto ("e-mail") 
is sent by the Johnson County Community College ("JCCC") and is intended to be 
confidential and for the use of only the individual or entity named above. The 
information may be protected by federal and state privacy and disclosures acts 
or other legal rules. If the reader of this message is not the intended 
recipient, you are notified that retention, dissemination, distribution or 
copying of this e-mail is strictly prohibited. If you have received this e-mail 
in error please immediately notify JCCC by email reply and immediately and 
permanently delete this e-mail message and any attachments thereto. Thank you.
 
 
__
 

You are subscribed to Baha'i Studies as: mailto:archive@mail-archive.com
Unsubscribe: send a blank email to mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
Subscribe: send subscribe bahai-st in the message body to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Subscribe: http://list.jccc.edu:8080/read/all_forums/subscribe?name=bahai-st
Baha'i Studies is available through the following:
Mail - mailto:bahai-st@list.jccc.edu
Web - http://list.jccc.edu:8080/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

RE: banu qurayzah: Re: Interesting thread

2005-10-28 Thread Mark Foster

Hi, folks,

This thread has been closed.

Mark A. Foster, Ph.D. * Prof. of Sociology * [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Johnson County Community College, Overland Park, Kansas
913-469-8500 x3376 * Fax 913-469-2589 * VOIP 347-983-0161
Mobile 913-768-4244 * http://MarkFoster.net * Office GEB 151D


 
 
The information contained in this e-mail and any attachments thereto ("e-mail") 
is sent by the Johnson County Community College ("JCCC") and is intended to be 
confidential and for the use of only the individual or entity named above. The 
information may be protected by federal and state privacy and disclosures acts 
or other legal rules. If the reader of this message is not the intended 
recipient, you are notified that retention, dissemination, distribution or 
copying of this e-mail is strictly prohibited. If you have received this e-mail 
in error please immediately notify JCCC by email reply and immediately and 
permanently delete this e-mail message and any attachments thereto. Thank you.
 
 
__
 

You are subscribed to Baha'i Studies as: mailto:archive@mail-archive.com
Unsubscribe: send a blank email to mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
Subscribe: send subscribe bahai-st in the message body to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Subscribe: http://list.jccc.edu:8080/read/all_forums/subscribe?name=bahai-st
Baha'i Studies is available through the following:
Mail - mailto:bahai-st@list.jccc.edu
Web - http://list.jccc.edu:8080/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

RE: Fwd: Interesting thread

2005-10-20 Thread Mark Foster

Hi, Gilberto,

>>I'm not trying or intending to assume omniscience. It's all a work in 
>>progress. It's all tentative. Suppose there are two people and one of
them says "I believe in 6 gods" while the other one says, "I believe in 203 
gods". It might turn out that the two of them can sit down
together and try to clarify what they mean by "gods" and they clarify that 
maybe what one person is calling a "god" can be seen as having
different aspects which the other person would call seperate and distinct 
"gods". etc. And maybe at the end of the day they will hug
and say "Actually we both agree, we are just using different terminology"<<

What I am arguing for is contextualization. It is difficult enough comparing 
narratives of the same religious category (different Baha'i faiths, Islams, 
Buddhisms, etc.) Comparing narratives produced within different historical and 
cultural contexts is treacherous. Difference or linguistic contradiction is not 
necessarily a measure of spiritual validity.

>>If two people are looking at an unidentified white powder and one of them 
>>says "It's arsenic" and the other person says "There is no
arsenic in there. It is just confectioner's sugar" then those two claims 
actually negate one another.<<

That is empirical. It is different if one is discussing ethics and spirituality.

Mark A. Foster, Ph.D. * Prof. of Sociology * [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Johnson County Community College, Overland Park, Kansas
913-469-8500 x3376 * Fax 913-469-2589 * VOIP 347-983-0161
Mobile 913-768-4244 * http://MarkFoster.net * Office GEB 151D


 
 
The information contained in this e-mail and any attachments thereto ("e-mail") 
is sent by the Johnson County Community College ("JCCC") and is intended to be 
confidential and for the use of only the individual or entity named above. The 
information may be protected by federal and state privacy and disclosures acts 
or other legal rules. If the reader of this message is not the intended 
recipient, you are notified that retention, dissemination, distribution or 
copying of this e-mail is strictly prohibited. If you have received this e-mail 
in error please immediately notify JCCC by email reply and immediately and 
permanently delete this e-mail message and any attachments thereto. Thank you.
 
 
__
 

You are subscribed to Baha'i Studies as: mailto:archive@mail-archive.com
Unsubscribe: send a blank email to mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
Subscribe: send subscribe bahai-st in the message body to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Subscribe: http://list.jccc.edu:8080/read/all_forums/subscribe?name=bahai-st
Baha'i Studies is available through the following:
Mail - mailto:bahai-st@list.jccc.edu
Web - http://list.jccc.edu:8080/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

RE: The Sanctified Imam Rid.a [the 8th Imam quotes the Bible]

2005-10-18 Thread Mark Foster

Hi, Gilberto,

>>But what I would wonder is the following. Given that Islamic teachings about 
>>Jesus are in certain respects radically different from Christian teachings 
>>about Jesus, how long should it actually take for Muslims to read Christian 
>>writings and decide that they were not authentic?<<

Speaking as an individual Baha'i, in most cases where I have seen Christians 
criticize the Qur'an or Muslims criticize the New Testament literature, they 
both have either (1) interpreted certain passages differently from how they are 
explained in the Baha'i scriptures or (2) relied upon commentators, such as 
Paul and James (rather than on the reported statements of Christ). That is the 
most I can say (confidently). Obviously, it would not be appropriate for me to 
comment on the appropriate response of Muslims to the New Testament.

>>Sure but Paul would be a source of difference... especially given how the 
>>current conversation has been progressing in here.<<

I don't take the statements of Paul differently from how I would take those of 
any commentator, i.e., with a grain of salt. Where I think we can learn from 
Paul is on the question of the historical context of the first-century church, 
not necessarily on his understandings of the Gospel of Christ.

>>Was the Torah put together "accidentally" ?<<

I assume that those who complied it had some object in mind. However, that is 
different from intentional alteration.

>>Sure but the Catechism of the Catholic Church lists them all as being part of 
>>the Old Testament and the ultimate decision came down on
saying that they were canonical.<<

That is the dominant view right now. There are, however, some Catholic 
theologians who even today question the authenticity of the deuterocanonical 
books. 

My point was that there is a historical precedent within Roman Catholicism for 
Protestants relegating the Apocrypha to non-canonical status. In other words, 
the Protestants didn't originate the debate. Whatever the dominant view in 
Roman Catholicism in 2005, the issue has been debated within both branches of 
Christendom.

Mark A. Foster, Ph.D. * Prof. of Sociology * [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Johnson County Community College, Overland Park, Kansas
913-469-8500 x3376 * Fax 913-469-2589 * VOIP 347-983-0161
Mobile 913-768-4244 * http://MarkFoster.net * Office GEB 151D


 
 
The information contained in this e-mail and any attachments thereto ("e-mail") 
is sent by the Johnson County Community College ("JCCC") and is intended to be 
confidential and for the use of only the individual or entity named above. The 
information may be protected by federal and state privacy and disclosures acts 
or other legal rules. If the reader of this message is not the intended 
recipient, you are notified that retention, dissemination, distribution or 
copying of this e-mail is strictly prohibited. If you have received this e-mail 
in error please immediately notify JCCC by email reply and immediately and 
permanently delete this e-mail message and any attachments thereto. Thank you.
 
 
__
 

You are subscribed to Baha'i Studies as: mailto:archive@mail-archive.com
Unsubscribe: send a blank email to mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
Subscribe: send subscribe bahai-st in the message body to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Subscribe: http://list.jccc.edu:8080/read/all_forums/subscribe?name=bahai-st
Baha'i Studies is available through the following:
Mail - mailto:bahai-st@list.jccc.edu
Web - http://list.jccc.edu:8080/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

RE: The Sanctified Imam Rid.a [the 8th Imam quotes the Bible]

2005-10-14 Thread Mark Foster

Gilberto,

>>I'm saying about the Bible and what the Bahai writings say about the Bible is 
>>a matter of degree.<<

IMO, it is more than a matter of degree. Most contemporary Muslims make the 
assumption that the texts of the Bible were deliberately altered. Baha'u'llah 
specifically rejected that point of view in the Kitab-i-Iqan. Any errors in the 
biblical literature are presumably the results of human limitations in memory 
and understanding (selective perception, selective exposure, and selective 
retention).

Mark A. Foster, Ph.D. * Prof. of Sociology * [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Johnson County Community College, Overland Park, Kansas
913-469-8500 x3376 * Fax 913-469-2589 * VOIP 347-983-0161
Mobile 913-768-4244 * http://MarkFoster.net * Office GEB 151D


 
 
The information contained in this e-mail and any attachments thereto ("e-mail") 
is sent by the Johnson County Community College ("JCCC") and is intended to be 
confidential and for the use of only the individual or entity named above. The 
information may be protected by federal and state privacy and disclosures acts 
or other legal rules. If the reader of this message is not the intended 
recipient, you are notified that retention, dissemination, distribution or 
copying of this e-mail is strictly prohibited. If you have received this e-mail 
in error please immediately notify JCCC by email reply and immediately and 
permanently delete this e-mail message and any attachments thereto. Thank you.
 
 
__
 

You are subscribed to Baha'i Studies as: mailto:archive@mail-archive.com
Unsubscribe: send a blank email to mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
Subscribe: send subscribe bahai-st in the message body to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Subscribe: http://list.jccc.edu:8080/read/all_forums/subscribe?name=bahai-st
Baha'i Studies is available through the following:
Mail - mailto:bahai-st@list.jccc.edu
Web - http://list.jccc.edu:8080/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

RE: Interesting thread

2005-10-13 Thread Mark Foster

Hi, Gilberto,

>>That's a totally seperate question. What you are saying about the Quran 
>>doesn't follow from what you are saying about the Gospels,
especially given what the Bahai writings themselves say about the Quran.<<

Shoghi Effendi said that the Qur'an is an "absolutely authenticated repository 
of the Word of God," whereas it is only those portions of the Gospels 
referenced in the Baha'i scriptures which are authenticated. However, 
authenticated does not, in my view, refer to verbal inerrancy or to complete 
accuracy. 

It may be that certain authenticated passages are, in addition, factually 
accurate, but these two ideas are not necessarily synonymous. I am also not 
convinced that "authenticated" implies verbatim quotations from a Prophet.

In other words, a Prophet may, according to the Baha'i texts, have made a 
certain statement or expressed a particular thought which would, by definition, 
make it authentic (from a Baha'i point of view). However, it could conceivably 
be factually inaccurate, too.

Mark A. Foster, Ph.D. * Prof. of Sociology * [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Johnson County Community College, Overland Park, Kansas
913-469-8500 x3376 * Fax 913-469-2589 * VOIP 347-983-0161
Mobile 913-768-4244 * http://MarkFoster.net * Office GEB 151D



 
 
The information contained in this e-mail and any attachments thereto ("e-mail") 
is sent by the Johnson County Community College ("JCCC") and is intended to be 
confidential and for the use of only the individual or entity named above. The 
information may be protected by federal and state privacy and disclosures acts 
or other legal rules. If the reader of this message is not the intended 
recipient, you are notified that retention, dissemination, distribution or 
copying of this e-mail is strictly prohibited. If you have received this e-mail 
in error please immediately notify JCCC by email reply and immediately and 
permanently delete this e-mail message and any attachments thereto. Thank you.
 
 
__
 

You are subscribed to Baha'i Studies as: mailto:archive@mail-archive.com
Unsubscribe: send a blank email to mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
Subscribe: send subscribe bahai-st in the message body to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Subscribe: http://list.jccc.edu:8080/read/all_forums/subscribe?name=bahai-st
Baha'i Studies is available through the following:
Mail - mailto:bahai-st@list.jccc.edu
Web - http://list.jccc.edu:8080/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

RE: A couple of questions

2005-10-12 Thread Mark Foster

Susan,

>>I would certainly see Jesus words as doing that even if Paul made an
exception in regards to adultery or a pagan spouse wishing a divorce. In
Judaism grounds for divorce were much broader, at least for the male.<<

If I said Paul, I meant Jesus (would need to check my messages when I 
get home). It was Jesus who reportedely made that exception. In other 
words, there is no statement in the NT which "forbids" divorce.

Mark A. Foster, Ph.D. * Prof. of Sociology * [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Johnson County Community College, Overland Park, Kansas
913-469-8500 x3376 * Fax 913-469-2589 * VOIP 347-983-0161
Mobile 913-768-4244 * http://MarkFoster.net * Office GEB 151D



 
 
The information contained in this e-mail and any attachments thereto ("e-mail") 
is sent by the Johnson County Community College ("JCCC") and is intended to be 
confidential and for the use of only the individual or entity named above. The 
information may be protected by federal and state privacy and disclosures acts 
or other legal rules. If the reader of this message is not the intended 
recipient, you are notified that retention, dissemination, distribution or 
copying of this e-mail is strictly prohibited. If you have received this e-mail 
in error please immediately notify JCCC by email reply and immediately and 
permanently delete this e-mail message and any attachments thereto. Thank you.
 
 
__
 

You are subscribed to Baha'i Studies as: mailto:archive@mail-archive.com
Unsubscribe: send a blank email to mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
Subscribe: send subscribe bahai-st in the message body to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Subscribe: http://list.jccc.edu:8080/read/all_forums/subscribe?name=bahai-st
Baha'i Studies is available through the following:
Mail - mailto:bahai-st@list.jccc.edu
Web - http://list.jccc.edu:8080/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

Re: A humble Plea

2005-08-30 Thread Mark Foster

Title: Re: A humble Plea

>>In relation to the unconditional claim to truth, which has been raised by all the world religions, it is absolute. The truth that emanates from God is absolute. We can accept or reject it, but once accepted it is authoritative, categorical, above criticism and not in need of rational justification.<<

Personally, I can't think of *any* exceptions to relativity. IMO, such relativity is an implication of the particularity of all beings, including God. In other words, the fact that each entity can exist in relation to other entities would, it seems to me, indicate that they are all distinct.

If my own truth perspectives are framed by the social constructions of reality, will, and knowledge around me, does not God, Who is a supreme and independent Agent, have the authority to construct, destruct, and reconstruct whatever He wills?

As I see it, "truth," or knowledge construction ("structurization"), is relative to Dispensations, to time periods within Dispensations, to societies, to communities, and to individuals. There are, IMO, no truth systems apart from volitional, or willful, actors.

An individual's truth system may or may not be consonant with the one revealed by a particular Prophet, but it is still *a* truth system. Each person and group can construct knowledge and will in their own determined fashions.

"Were He to decree as lawful the thing which from time immemorial had been forbidden, and forbid that which had, at all times, been regarded as lawful, to none is given the right to question His authority. Whoso will hesitate, though it be for less than a moment, should be regarded as a transgressor."
-- Baha'u'llah, Gleanings from the Writings of Baha'u'llah, p.86

"... should he encounter One Who layeth claim to a Cause from God, and Who holdeth from His Lord a testimony beyond the power of men to produce, he must needs follow Him in all that He pleaseth to proclaim, command and ordain, even were He to decree the sea to be land, or to pronounce earth to be heaven, or that the former lieth above the latter or below it "
-- Baha'u'llah, Gems of Divine Mysteries, p.23

Via moderna, Mark A. Foster • http://markfoster.net
... since [a] word is said to be common, it can be called
a universal. - Wm. of Ockham, Summa Logicae, part I
Structurization Tech: http://tech.structurization.com

The information contained in this e-mail and any attachments thereto ("e-mail") is sent by the Johnson County Community College ("JCCC") and is intended to be confidential and for the use of only the individual or entity named above. The information may be protected by federal and state privacy and disclosures acts or other legal rules. If the reader of this message is not the intended recipient, you are notified that retention, dissemination, distribution or copying of this e-mail is strictly prohibited. If you have received this e-mail in error please immediately notify JCCC by email reply and immediately and permanently delete this e-mail message and any attachments thereto. Thank you.

You are subscribed to Baha'i Studies as: mailto:archive@mail-archive.com

Unsubscribe: send a blank email to mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]

Subscribe: send subscribe bahai-st in the message body to [EMAIL PROTECTED]

Subscribe: http://list.jccc.edu:8080/read/all_forums/subscribe?name=bahai-st

Baha'i Studies is available through the following:

Mail - mailto:bahai-st@list.jccc.edu

Web - http://list.jccc.edu:8080/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

Re: God's Covenant in Three Holy Books

2005-08-30 Thread Mark Foster

Title: Re: God's Covenant in Three Holy Books

Hi, Gilberto,

At 04:10 PM 8/29/2005, you wrote:
>>And what is really interesting (to me anyway) is that there are actually Noachides.<<

With few exceptions, the Noachides are non-Jewish members of the Lubavicher Chasidim (Chabad). The Lubavicher, who have long had outreach programs to secular Jews have, with their Noachide movement, extended it to non-Jews.

You are subscribed to Baha'i Studies as: mailto:archive@mail-archive.com

Unsubscribe: send a blank email to mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]

Subscribe: send subscribe bahai-st in the message body to [EMAIL PROTECTED]

Subscribe: http://list.jccc.edu:8080/read/all_forums/subscribe?name=bahai-st

Baha'i Studies is available through the following:

Mail - mailto:bahai-st@list.jccc.edu

Web - http://list.jccc.edu:8080/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

Re: Religious truth relative (was Re: A humble Plea)

2005-08-30 Thread Mark Foster

Title: Re: Religious truth relative (was Re: A humble Plea)









Hi, Alex

Regarding:
"...religious truth is not absolute but relative..."
Shoghi Effendi

You wrote:
>>For the sake of dispassionate argument, I disagree with this quote by Shoghi Effendi. What could he possibly have meant by saying this?<<

Here is Shoghi Effendi's statement in some context:

  "Far from the Mashriqu'l-Adhkar offering such a spectacle of incoherent and confused sectarian observances and rites, a condition wholly incompatible with the provisions of the Aqdas and irreconcilable with the spirit it inculcates, the central House of Baha'i worship, enshrined within the Mashriqu'l-Adhkar, will gather within its chastened walls, in a serenely spiritual atmosphere, only those who, discarding forever the trappings of elaborate and ostentatious ceremony, are willing worshipers of the one true God, as manifested in this age in the Person of Baha'u'llah. To them will the Mashriqu'l-Adhkar symbolize the fundamental verity underlying the Baha'i Faith, that religious truth is not absolute but relative, that Divine Revelation is not final but progressive."
-- Shoghi Effendi, Baha'i Administration, p.185

and:

   "Its [the Baha'i Revelation's] teachings revolve around the fundamental principle that religious truth is not absolute but relative, that Divine Revelation is progressive, not final. Unequivocally and without the least reservation it proclaims all established religions to be divine in origin, identical in their aims, complementary in their functions, continuous in their purpose, indispensable in their value to mankind."
-- Shoghi Effendi, The World Order of Baha'u'llah, p.57

To my understanding, religious truth is entirely relative to what has been revealed by a particular Prophet:

   "Know thou that whoso seeketh to scale the summits of the divine mysteries must needs strive to the utmost of his power and capacity for his Faith, that the pathway of guidance may be made clear unto him. And should he encounter One Who layeth claim to a Cause from God, and Who holdeth from His Lord a testimony beyond the power of men to produce, he must needs follow Him in all that He pleaseth to proclaim, command and ordain, even were He to decree the sea to be land, or to pronounce earth to be heaven, or that the former lieth above the latter or below it, or to ordain any change or transformation, for He, verily, is aware of the celestial mysteries, the unseen subtleties, and the ordinances of God."
-- Baha'u'llah, Gems of Divine Mysteries, p.23

As I see it, "religious truth" is simply a name for what has been revealed by a particular Prophet. That truth is relative (and progressive) to each Prophet. It is also horizontally and vertically relative to individuals and societies:

   "It is clear to thine Eminence that all the variations which the wayfarer in the stages of his journey beholdeth in the realms of being, proceed from his own vision. We shall give an example of this, that its meaning may become fully clear: Consider the visible sun; although it shineth with one radiance upon all things, and at the behest of the King of Manifestation bestoweth light on all creation, yet in each place it becometh manifest and sheddeth its  19  bounty according to the potentialities of that place. For instance, in a mirror it reflecteth its own disk and shape, and this is due to the sensitivity of the mirror; in a crystal it maketh fire to appear, and in other things it showeth only the effect of its shining, but not its full disk. And yet, through that effect, by the command of the Creator, it traineth each thing according to the quality of that thing, as thou observest.
   "In like manner, colors become visible in every object according to the nature of that object. For instance, in a yellow globe, the rays shine yellow; in a white the rays are white; and in a red, the red rays are manifest. Then these variations are from the object, not from the shining light. And if a place be shut away from the light, as by walls or a roof, it will be entirely bereft of the splendor of the light, nor will the sun shine thereon."
-- Baha'u'llah, The Seven Valleys, p.18

Via moderna, Mark A. Foster • http://markfoster.net
... since [a] word is said to be common, it can be called
a universal. - Wm. of Ockham, Summa Logicae, part I
Structurization Tech: http://tech.structurization.com









 
 

The information contained in this e-mail and any attachments thereto ("e-mail") is sent by the Johnson County Community College ("JCCC") and is intended to be confidential and for the use of only the individual or entity named above. The information may be protected by federal and state privacy and disclosures acts or other legal rules. If the reader of this message is not the intended recipient, you are notified that retention, dissemination, distribution or copying of this e-mail is strictly prohibited. If you have received this e-mail in error please immediately notify J

Hi, folks,

2005-08-29 Thread Mark Foster

Title: Hi, folks,

Hi, folks,

Susan and I called for an end to this discussion earlier in the day, and it is not getting any friendlier. Please, people, no more posts on this subject.

You are subscribed to Baha'i Studies as: mailto:archive@mail-archive.com

Unsubscribe: send a blank email to mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]

Subscribe: send subscribe bahai-st in the message body to [EMAIL PROTECTED]

Subscribe: http://list.jccc.edu:8080/read/all_forums/subscribe?name=bahai-st

Baha'i Studies is available through the following:

Mail - mailto:bahai-st@list.jccc.edu

Web - http://list.jccc.edu:8080/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

RE: 2000 Years of suffering (Was Baha'is in Nazi Germany)

2005-08-29 Thread Mark Foster

>>I think this discussion is generating more heat than light. Why don't we 
cut this thread off at this point?<<

I second that. 

However, Iskandar, although I have never seen the point of this entire 
discussion, I don't think that Gilberto was attacking you. As I read it, 
he was saying that, as a Muslim, his concerns would be different than 
yours.

Mark A. Foster, Ph.D. * Prof. of Sociology * [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Johnson County Community College, Overland Park, Kansas
913-469-8500 x3376 * Fax 913-469-2589 * VOIP 347-983-0161
Mobile 913-768-4244 * http://MarkFoster.net * Office GEB 151D



 
 
The information contained in this e-mail and any attachments thereto ("e-mail") 
is sent by the Johnson County Community College ("JCCC") and is intended to be 
confidential and for the use of only the individual or entity named above. The 
information may be protected by federal and state privacy and disclosures acts 
or other legal rules. If the reader of this message is not the intended 
recipient, you are notified that retention, dissemination, distribution or 
copying of this e-mail is strictly prohibited. If you have received this e-mail 
in error please immediately notify JCCC by email reply and immediately and 
permanently delete this e-mail message and any attachments thereto. Thank you.
 
 
__
 

You are subscribed to Baha'i Studies as: mailto:archive@mail-archive.com
Unsubscribe: send a blank email to mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
Subscribe: send subscribe bahai-st in the message body to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Subscribe: http://list.jccc.edu:8080/read/all_forums/subscribe?name=bahai-st
Baha'i Studies is available through the following:
Mail - mailto:bahai-st@list.jccc.edu
Web - http://list.jccc.edu:8080/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

Re: 2000 Years of suffering

2005-08-28 Thread Mark Foster

Title: Re: 2000 Years of suffering

Gilberto,

At 12:30 AM 8/29/2005, you wrote:
>>I'm "accusing" Bahais of being susceptible to the same temptations as every other human being.<<

I must admit that I do not understand where you are going with this thread.

For instance, how can you accuse Baha'is of being susceptible to oppressing Muslims, or of being tempted to do so, when no Baha'is are in any position to do so? Presumably, susceptibility can only be judged through outright threats or actions.

Having a particular understanding, correct or incorrect, of a statement in the Baha'i literature concerning the sufferings of certain Muslims is entirely different from engaging in some kind of religious persecution.

And how can a denial of non-empirical speculations be bizarre? The burden of proof is on the person making the accusation; and, IMO, you have not provided any persuasive evidence to support your position.

You are subscribed to Baha'i Studies as: mailto:archive@mail-archive.com

Unsubscribe: send a blank email to mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]

Subscribe: send subscribe bahai-st in the message body to [EMAIL PROTECTED]

Subscribe: http://list.jccc.edu:8080/read/all_forums/subscribe?name=bahai-st

Baha'i Studies is available through the following:

Mail - mailto:bahai-st@list.jccc.edu

Web - http://list.jccc.edu:8080/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

Re: next Prophet=+1,000 solar or lunar years?

2005-08-27 Thread Mark Foster

Title: Re: next Prophet=+1,000 solar or lunar years?

>>I would like to know your thoughts about "twelve months according to the Qur'an, and of nineteen months of nineteen days each, according to the Bayan", since the months and years have different numbers of days, this would result in different dates from 1852 AD to 1,000 years.<<

It appears to me to be simply a device for adding special emphasis. In other words, no matter whether you use the solar or the lunar calender, the next Prophet won't arrive for 1,000 years.

If, for instance, He had not mentioned solar and lunar calendars, someone might have argued that a Prophet might appear after only 1,000 lunar years.

You are subscribed to Baha'i Studies as: mailto:archive@mail-archive.com

Unsubscribe: send a blank email to mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]

Subscribe: send subscribe bahai-st in the message body to [EMAIL PROTECTED]

Subscribe: http://list.jccc.edu:8080/read/all_forums/subscribe?name=bahai-st

Baha'i Studies is available through the following:

Mail - mailto:bahai-st@list.jccc.edu

Web - http://list.jccc.edu:8080/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

RE: 2000 Years of suffering (Was Baha'is in Nazi Germany)

2005-08-27 Thread Mark Foster

Title: RE: 2000 Years of suffering (Was Baha'is in Nazi Germany)

"The Universal Court of Arbitration and the International Tribunal are the same. When the Bahá'í State will be established they will be merged in the Universal House of Justice."
-- From a letter, dated June 17, 1933, written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi
http://bahai-library.com/?file=uhj_equality_monogamy_uhj

It appears to me as though the Guardian believed that the International (or Supreme) Tribunal, which he elsewhere connected with the Lesser Peace, would, in a "Baha'i State," become an agency of the Universal House of Justice. Although I see this as the most likely reading, there are other possibilities, too.

The above sentences may reflect Shoghi Effendi's expections at the time, but, as we have recently seen with the Lesser Peace, I don't think anyone will know until the time has come.

You are subscribed to Baha'i Studies as: mailto:archive@mail-archive.com

Unsubscribe: send a blank email to mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]

Subscribe: send subscribe bahai-st in the message body to [EMAIL PROTECTED]

Subscribe: http://list.jccc.edu:8080/read/all_forums/subscribe?name=bahai-st

Baha'i Studies is available through the following:

Mail - mailto:bahai-st@list.jccc.edu

Web - http://list.jccc.edu:8080/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

Re: 2000 Years of suffering (Was Baha'is in Nazi Germany)

2005-08-25 Thread Mark Foster

Title: Re: 2000 Years of suffering (Was Baha'is in Nazi Germany)

Gilberto,

At 09:50 PM 8/25/2005, you wrote:
>>But I also think that you can appreciate the fact that for me it is not an article of faith and so it isn't necessarily true.<<

I suppose I am unclear in what you are asking. Although, purely as a matter of faith, I highly doubt whether such persecutions of Muslims would ever occur in a hypothetical Baha'i society, as a sociologist, I do not see how there can be any basis for even speculating on it.

Responding to your question would require a detailed understanding of the social conditions in a future society. However, futurists, including those who have published for the World Future Society, have a less than impressive (actually pretty miserable) record in such forecasting. For that reason, futurism has always remained on the peripheries of American academia.

You are subscribed to Baha'i Studies as: mailto:archive@mail-archive.com

Unsubscribe: send a blank email to mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]

Subscribe: send subscribe bahai-st in the message body to [EMAIL PROTECTED]

Subscribe: http://list.jccc.edu:8080/read/all_forums/subscribe?name=bahai-st

Baha'i Studies is available through the following:

Mail - mailto:bahai-st@list.jccc.edu

Web - http://list.jccc.edu:8080/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

Re: Unity without Social Justice

2005-08-24 Thread Mark Foster

Title: Re: Unity without Social Justice

Hi, Tim,

>>The word unity, as I am using it, means that the prevailing attitude and behavior of people is that all of us, of any race, religion, national background, economic class, or either sex, all of us are one family, that we are all the servants of the same God.<<

Yes, but I still don't see how that is a prerequisite for social justice.

>>Any society that is based on that kind of unity will be a just society because if people truly believe, and act on the principle that we are all one family, then they will not allow unfair discrimination to prevail.<<

There may be some association, but that doesn't tell us that one is a prerequisite for the other.

>>The counterpart of this is that, to the extent that social justice is
the dominant social pattern, I expect it will be the result of
belief in the oneness of humanity by the majority of people in a society, or at least the most influential members of that society.<<

Personally, I would want to avoid any attempt to reify unity (or social justice). They are names which point to perceived or imagined social constructions. However, I see no reason why unity, including in the usual Baha'i sense, is a prerequisite for social justice. Certainly, the Baha'i International Community office at the United Nations has supported and worked for social justice causes. However, many of those societies are far from being united.

>>By social justice I mean that everyone is equal before the law, and that everyone has a fair opportunity for education, health care, jobs, decent housing, that everyone benefits from protection from crime...etc.<<

I might add other factors, such as the elimination of corporate capitalism and the deconstruction of contemporary concepts of race, gender, class, ethnicity, and age. However, I accept that your categories wwould usually be included in definitions of social justice.

>>In the world of human interactions, nothing is absolute.
As you are well aware, sociology is not mathematics.<<

Even mathematics is not mathematics. ;-) In other words, the popular perception that math is an exact field with no disputes is not true. Perhaps Gilberto would like to comment on this subject.

>>The well-being of mankind, its peace and security, are unattainable unless and until its unity is firmly established. This unity can never be achieved so long as the counsels which the Pen of the Most High hath revealed are suffered to pass unheeded.
>>(Baha'u'llah, Gleanings from the Writings of Baha'u'llah, p. 286)<<

I don't see how that makes unity a prerequisite for social justice.

Mark A. Foster, PhD • Prof. of Sociology • [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Johnson County Community College, Overland Park, Kansas, US
913-469-8500x3376 • Mobile 913-768-4244 • VOIP 347-983-0161
Fax 913-469-2589 • http://MarkFoster.net • Office GEB 151-D

You are subscribed to Baha'i Studies as: mailto:archive@mail-archive.com

Unsubscribe: send a blank email to mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]

Subscribe: send subscribe bahai-st in the message body to [EMAIL PROTECTED]

Subscribe: http://list.jccc.edu:8080/read/all_forums/subscribe?name=bahai-st

Baha'i Studies is available through the following:

Mail - mailto:bahai-st@list.jccc.edu

Web - http://list.jccc.edu:8080/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

RE: Unity without Social Justice

2005-08-24 Thread Mark Foster

Title: RE: Unity without Social Justice

>>... distinguishing between true human unity under God, and a more generic kind of unity. Unity and unanimity are not necessarily the same thing, though I believe they are often confused, even by Baha’is.<<

The usual Baha'i definition of unity is unity in diversity. However, I am not aware that unity in diversity is regarded a sufficient, or even necessary, condition for social justice in the Baha'i primary sources.

The U.S. began to practice social justice toward African Americans back in the 1950s - in spite of the fact that the areas "targeted" for social justice, many in the South, were anything but united around the subject.

You are subscribed to Baha'i Studies as: mailto:archive@mail-archive.com

Unsubscribe: send a blank email to mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]

Subscribe: send subscribe bahai-st in the message body to [EMAIL PROTECTED]

Subscribe: http://list.jccc.edu:8080/read/all_forums/subscribe?name=bahai-st

Baha'i Studies is available through the following:

Mail - mailto:bahai-st@list.jccc.edu

Web - http://list.jccc.edu:8080/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

Re: Baha'is in Nazi Germany

2005-08-23 Thread Mark Foster

Title: Re: Baha'is in Nazi Germany









Gilberto,

>>I'm refering to the idea that Jewish suffering for the past 2000 years or so was somehow due to the things which *some* Jews might have tried to do to Jesus. Or the idea that Muslims might be suffering due to what *some* Muslims might have done to Bahais.<<

For what it's worth, I see no evidence that God has caused Muslims or Jews to suffer. Rather, I think that, when people are not conforming to His Will, He may, at His discretion, withold His protection.

However, that is not to say that those who do not conform to God's Will will necessarily suffer, or that those who attempt to follow His Will are always protected from suffering.

Mark A. Foster, PhD • Prof. of Sociology • [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Johnson County Community College, Overland Park, Kansas, US
913-469-8500x3376 • Mobile 913-768-4244 • VOIP 347-983-0161
Fax 913-469-2589 • http://MarkFoster.net • Office GEB 151-D









 
 

The information contained in this e-mail and any attachments thereto ("e-mail") is sent by the Johnson County Community College ("JCCC") and is intended to be confidential and for the use of only the individual or entity named above. The information may be protected by federal and state privacy and disclosures acts or other legal rules. If the reader of this message is not the intended recipient, you are notified that retention, dissemination, distribution or copying of this e-mail is strictly prohibited. If you have received this e-mail in error please immediately notify JCCC by email reply and immediately and permanently delete this e-mail message and any attachments thereto. Thank you.



 
 

__



 



You are subscribed to Baha'i Studies as: mailto:archive@mail-archive.com

Unsubscribe: send a blank email to mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]

Subscribe: send subscribe bahai-st in the message body to [EMAIL PROTECTED]

Subscribe: http://list.jccc.edu:8080/read/all_forums/subscribe?name=bahai-st

Baha'i Studies is available through the following:

Mail - mailto:bahai-st@list.jccc.edu

Web - http://list.jccc.edu:8080/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

Re: Unity without Social Justice

2005-08-23 Thread Mark Foster

Title: Re: Unity without Social Justice









Tim,

>>As I understand it, unity is a prerequisite for social justice, and justice, in the sense of fairness and equity, is the natural fruit of real unity.  So, I doubt that it is possible to have a society that is truly united but which lacks social justice. Can you give any examples where this has been the case?<<

Do you have a reference to support your view? I have never seen a statement which  makes the development of one absolutely dependent on the development of the other.

Mark A. Foster, PhD • Prof. of Sociology • [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Johnson County Community College, Overland Park, Kansas, US
913-469-8500x3376 • Mobile 913-768-4244 • VOIP 347-983-0161
Fax 913-469-2589 • http://MarkFoster.net • Office GEB 151-D









 
 

The information contained in this e-mail and any attachments thereto ("e-mail") is sent by the Johnson County Community College ("JCCC") and is intended to be confidential and for the use of only the individual or entity named above. The information may be protected by federal and state privacy and disclosures acts or other legal rules. If the reader of this message is not the intended recipient, you are notified that retention, dissemination, distribution or copying of this e-mail is strictly prohibited. If you have received this e-mail in error please immediately notify JCCC by email reply and immediately and permanently delete this e-mail message and any attachments thereto. Thank you.



 
 

__



 



You are subscribed to Baha'i Studies as: mailto:archive@mail-archive.com

Unsubscribe: send a blank email to mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]

Subscribe: send subscribe bahai-st in the message body to [EMAIL PROTECTED]

Subscribe: http://list.jccc.edu:8080/read/all_forums/subscribe?name=bahai-st

Baha'i Studies is available through the following:

Mail - mailto:bahai-st@list.jccc.edu

Web - http://list.jccc.edu:8080/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

test - please ignore

2005-08-23 Thread Mark Foster

Title: test - please ignore









test

Mark A. Foster, PhD • Prof. of Sociology • [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Johnson County Community College, Overland Park, Kansas, US
913-469-8500x3376 • Mobile 913-768-4244 • VOIP 347-983-0161
Fax 913-469-2589 • http://MarkFoster.net • Office GEB 151-D 







 
 

The information contained in this e-mail and any attachments thereto ("e-mail") is sent by the Johnson County Community College ("JCCC") and is intended to be confidential and for the use of only the individual or entity named above. The information may be protected by federal and state privacy and disclosures acts or other legal rules. If the reader of this message is not the intended recipient, you are notified that retention, dissemination, distribution or copying of this e-mail is strictly prohibited. If you have received this e-mail in error please immediately notify JCCC by email reply and immediately and permanently delete this e-mail message and any attachments thereto. Thank you.



 
 

__



 



You are subscribed to Baha'i Studies as: mailto:archive@mail-archive.com

Unsubscribe: send a blank email to mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]

Subscribe: send subscribe bahai-st in the message body to [EMAIL PROTECTED]

Subscribe: http://list.jccc.edu:8080/read/all_forums/subscribe?name=bahai-st

Baha'i Studies is available through the following:

Mail - mailto:bahai-st@list.jccc.edu

Web - http://list.jccc.edu:8080/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

RE: Baha'is in Nazi Germany

2005-08-23 Thread Mark Foster

Over the years, I have become completely unimpressed with the ability of 
political action to solve the social problems I care about. There is virtually 
no difference, in any way which matters to me, between either of the two major 
parties. Given the predominantly conservative inclinations of most Americans, 
at least when compared with "average" Europeans, there is, IMNSHO, no chance in 
hell that anyone who can accomplish any good, as I define it, can be elected 
anyway.

>From my own value standpoint, I can only come up with two options for change: 

1. a continuing global revolution against Western, especially U.S., hegemony
*** IMO, the defeat of that revolution is the real object of the so-called 
global war on terror (or, as the U.S. government now calls it, "the struggle 
against violent extremism"). 

2. spiritual transformation

Personally, I suspect that both of these may play a part. Political action? No 
way.

Mark Foster
-- 


 



 
 
The information contained in this e-mail and any attachments thereto ("e-mail") 
is sent by the Johnson County Community College ("JCCC") and is intended to be 
confidential and for the use of only the individual or entity named above. The 
information may be protected by federal and state privacy and disclosures acts 
or other legal rules. If the reader of this message is not the intended 
recipient, you are notified that retention, dissemination, distribution or 
copying of this e-mail is strictly prohibited. If you have received this e-mail 
in error please immediately notify JCCC by email reply and immediately and 
permanently delete this e-mail message and any attachments thereto. Thank you.
 
 
___ 
 

Halloween Trivia: What method was used to kill those found guilty of witchcraft 
at the famous Salem witch trials of the 17th Century?

postmaster.co.uk
http://www.postmaster.co.uk/cgi-bin/meme/quiz.pl?id=27

__
You are subscribed to Baha'i Studies as: mailto:archive@mail-archive.com
Unsubscribe: send a blank email to mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
Subscribe: send subscribe bahai-st in the message body to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Subscribe: http://list.jccc.edu:8080/read/all_forums/subscribe?name=bahai-st
Baha'i Studies is available through the following:
Mail - mailto:bahai-st@list.jccc.edu
Web - http://list.jccc.edu:8080/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

Re: 60's protests

2005-08-23 Thread Mark Foster

Gilberto,

At 05:54 PM 8/22/2005, you wrote:
>>Yeah, you have no idea how bad that sounds.<<

IMO, discrimination and unity are two different, though arguably related, 
issues. For what it's worth, I would *never* subordinate the elimination of 
discrimination to unity.

Combatting discrimination is more an issue of social justice than of unity, and 
a society which is united but absent social justice is not one in which I would 
want to live.

Mark Foster
-- 


 



 
 
The information contained in this e-mail and any attachments thereto ("e-mail") 
is sent by the Johnson County Community College ("JCCC") and is intended to be 
confidential and for the use of only the individual or entity named above. The 
information may be protected by federal and state privacy and disclosures acts 
or other legal rules. If the reader of this message is not the intended 
recipient, you are notified that retention, dissemination, distribution or 
copying of this e-mail is strictly prohibited. If you have received this e-mail 
in error please immediately notify JCCC by email reply and immediately and 
permanently delete this e-mail message and any attachments thereto. Thank you.
 
 
___ 
 

Halloween Humour: Why was the ghost arrested?

0

postmaster.co.uk
http://www.postmaster.co.uk/cgi-bin/meme/quiz.pl?id=149

__
You are subscribed to Baha'i Studies as: mailto:archive@mail-archive.com
Unsubscribe: send a blank email to mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
Subscribe: send subscribe bahai-st in the message body to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Subscribe: http://list.jccc.edu:8080/read/all_forums/subscribe?name=bahai-st
Baha'i Studies is available through the following:
Mail - mailto:bahai-st@list.jccc.edu
Web - http://list.jccc.edu:8080/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

RE: Baha'is in Nazi Germany

2005-08-22 Thread Mark Foster

Susan,

Unless the UN took over the operation, and the U.S. and all the countries which 
were involved in the Iraq War bowed out.

Mark A. Foster, Ph.D. * Prof. of Sociology * [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Johnson County Community College, Overland Park, Kansas
913-469-8500 x3376 * Fax 913-469-2589 * VOIP 347-983-0161
Mobile 913-768-4244 * http://MarkFoster.net * Office GEB 151D




 
 
The information contained in this e-mail and any attachments thereto ("e-mail") 
is sent by the Johnson County Community College ("JCCC") and is intended to be 
confidential and for the use of only the individual or entity named above. The 
information may be protected by federal and state privacy and disclosures acts 
or other legal rules. If the reader of this message is not the intended 
recipient, you are notified that retention, dissemination, distribution or 
copying of this e-mail is strictly prohibited. If you have received this e-mail 
in error please immediately notify JCCC by email reply and immediately and 
permanently delete this e-mail message and any attachments thereto. Thank you.
 
 
__
 

You are subscribed to Baha'i Studies as: mailto:archive@mail-archive.com
Unsubscribe: send a blank email to mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
Subscribe: send subscribe bahai-st in the message body to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Subscribe: http://list.jccc.edu:8080/read/all_forums/subscribe?name=bahai-st
Baha'i Studies is available through the following:
Mail - mailto:bahai-st@list.jccc.edu
Web - http://list.jccc.edu:8080/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

test-ignore

2005-03-09 Thread Mark Foster

Please ignore. I am testing some some minor changes I made to the list
settings.

Sincerely yours, Mark A. Foster, Ph.D. * Professor of Sociology
Johnson County Community College, Overland Park, Kansas
913-469-8500 x3376 * Fax: 913-469-2589 * [EMAIL PROTECTED]
My fifteen websites: http://MarkFoster.net * Office: GEB 151-D
"Sacred cows make the tastiest hamburger." --- Abbie Hoffman

__
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]
http://list.jccc.net:8080/read/all_forums/subscribe?name=bahai-st (web 
subscribe)
Baha'i Studies is available through the following:
Mail - mailto:bahai-st@list.jccc.edu
Web - http://list.jccc.edu:8080/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

I believe this is LaPain's Dissertation (translated into English)

2005-03-09 Thread Mark Foster

I believe that this is Jean Marc LePain's dissertation. (I can 
read most of it, but I miss every four or five words.)

http://tinyurl.com/435wv

Here is a translation produced by AltaVista's "BabelFish" program.

http://tinyurl.com/66ut4

Each time you click on a link, there will be a delay as Altavista 
translates the page.

Sincerely yours, Mark A. Foster, Ph.D. * Professor of Sociology
Johnson County Community College, Overland Park, Kansas
913-469-8500 x3376 * Fax: 913-469-2589 * [EMAIL PROTECTED]
My fifteen websites: http://MarkFoster.net * Office: GEB 151-D
"Sacred cows make the tastiest hamburger." --- Abbie Hoffman

__
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

RE: Psychic phenomena

2005-02-16 Thread Mark Foster

Hi, Dave,

>> I haven't been there since we heard the voice on the tape.  
Weird, huh.<<

Perhaps such things happen. I don't know. However, what I have 
noticed from the various accounts of hauntings I have read is 
that the more people fret over, and focus on, them, the more 
they appear to occur.

Sincerely yours, Mark A. Foster, Ph.D. * Professor of Sociology
Johnson County Community College, Overland Park, Kansas
913-469-8500 x3376 * Fax: 913-469-2589 * [EMAIL PROTECTED]
My fifteen websites: http://MarkFoster.net * Office: GEB 151-D
"Sacred cows make the tastiest hamburger." --- Abbie Hoffman


__
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

RE: Rethinking the list scope and function

2005-02-09 Thread Mark Foster

Steve,

>>How about renaming the group in a symbolic restart, 
International Baha'i Studies. Probably would need a 
reasonable roster of moderators.? Also I  miss 
discussion of actual books and texts and chapters and 
essays and papers.<<

In terms of moderation, as I said, Susan and I have 
discussed the subject in the past and have decided 
against it. There is, IMO, really no need to moderate a 
list as long as the managers are carefully monitoring it.

We have, on rare occasions, removed people from the list.
However, that was only done as a last resort, and, 
thankfully, we haven't had to take sucy extreme measures 
in the last few years.

Personally, the name "international Baha'i studies" 
sounds to me like it would focus on a Baha'i approach to 
international relations (whatever that would be) or to 
crosscultural understanding.

Book studies have been tried numerous times - on this 
and many other lists. Most recently, someone attempted it 
here on the Kitab-i-Iqan. I have almost never seen them 
work. What usually happens is that passages will be posted, 
but no one will respond (including to direct questions). 
Perhaps someone will come up with an approach that will be 
effective, but I have come to question whether email lists 
are the best medium for that sort of activity.

Sincerely yours, Mark A. Foster, Ph.D. * Professor of Sociology
Johnson County Community College, Overland Park, Kansas
913-469-8500 x3376 * Fax: 913-469-2589 * [EMAIL PROTECTED]
My fifteen websites: http://MarkFoster.net * Office: GEB 151-D
"Sacred cows make the tastiest hamburger." --- Abbie Hoffman




__
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

RE: Islamic Prophecies and the Baha'i Faith

2005-02-09 Thread Mark Foster

Gilberto,

>>I guess "these threads" means threads with me.<<

Only because you were involved in all of them. However, 
the decision was made to end the threads comparing the 
Baha'i Faith and Islam (at least for now). It was not 
intended to be personal.

Sincerely yours, Mark A. Foster, Ph.D. * Professor of Sociology
Johnson County Community College, Overland Park, Kansas
913-469-8500 x3376 * Fax: 913-469-2589 * [EMAIL PROTECTED]
My fifteen websites: http://MarkFoster.net * Office: GEB 151-D
"Sacred cows make the tastiest hamburger." --- Abbie Hoffman



__
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

RE: Islamic Prophecies and the Baha'i Faith - 2 [MM]

2005-02-07 Thread Mark Foster

Gilberto,

>>The prophecy says that when Jesus comes back he will break the 
cross, kill the pig, abolish the jizya.<<

I am not usually impressed with prophecies. However, the way I
see it is that Jesus has thus far returned three times, not only 
once: Muhammad, the Bab, and Baha'u'llah. (All the Prophets are 
the returns of Their Predecessors.)

Each of these Prophets abrogated the laws of the Prophet Who came 
before Him.

Sincerely yours, Mark A. Foster, Ph.D. * Professor of Sociology
Johnson County Community College, Overland Park, Kansas
913-469-8500 x3376 * Fax: 913-469-2589 * [EMAIL PROTECTED]
My fifteen websites: http://MarkFoster.net * Office: GEB 151-D
"Sacred cows make the tastiest hamburger." --- Abbie Hoffman

__
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

RE: Prophets seeing the future

2005-02-01 Thread Mark Foster

IMO, Prophets can know the future, if they want to. Therefore, 
I don't think that there is necessarily a conflict between 
the words of a Prophecy reflecting God's Will and being a 
prediction, at least to some degree, of future events.

As I see it, the issue has been addressed by both Baha'u'llah 
(irrevocable and impending in Gleanings, p.133) and `Abdu'l-Baha 
(decreed and conditional in Some Answered Questions, p.244).

Presumably, with irrevocable or decreed matters, the Prophet 
has chosen to know the future in whole or in part. With respect 
to impending or conditional situations, the Prophet may either 
have decided not to obtain that knowledge or, for whatever reason, 
not to divulge the information.

In any case, I agree with that a Prophet can, for His Own reasons, 
change His mind (baba), too.

Sincerely yours, Mark A. Foster, Ph.D. â Professor of Sociology
Johnson County Community College, Overland Park, Kansas
913-469-8500 x3376 â Fax: 913-469-2589 â [EMAIL PROTECTED]
My fifteen websites: http://MarkFoster.net â Office: GEB 151-D
"Sacred cows make the tastiest hamburger." --- Abbie Hoffman



__
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

Re: More on the Authority and Infallibility of the House of Justi ce

2005-01-26 Thread Mark Foster

Susan,

Okay. I have a few hours to kill waiting for the publisher to show up 
here in my office:

The House of Justice has been provided with the power to elucidate the 
texts in order to carry out its legislative functions. In that sense, 
elucidation is an extension of the House's legislative magisterium. 

However, "elucidation" refers to an elaboration on what has already 
been written or said by Baha'u'llah, `Abdu'l-Baha, and the Guardian. 
Rather than new meanings being extracted from these sources, existing 
texts and interpretations are classified and applied by the House.

If this proposition seems plausible, the next steps would be to refine 
it (i.e., by formulating some criteria to distinguish elucidation from 
interpretation) and to see if it is supported by the evidence.

Sincerely yours, Mark A. Foster, Ph.D. * Professor of Sociology
Johnson County Community College, Overland Park, Kansas
913-469-8500 x3376 * Fax: 913-469-2589 * [EMAIL PROTECTED]
My fifteen websites: http://MarkFoster.net * Office: GEB 151-D
"Sacred cows make the tastiest hamburger." --- Abbie Hoffman

__
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

RE: age of maturity

2005-01-26 Thread Mark Foster




>>My guess is that this is one of those 
things that will be adjusted 
in the future like the Bab and Baha'u'llah's 
birthday. In the meantime, 
we can keep it the way it is . After all, 
Westerners need longer to 
grow up. ;-} <<
 
What a shame; 
and to to think that, when I was 14 years old, I 

nagged my 
parents into giving me their written permission to 
become a 
Baha'i for nothing. I should have told the LSA that, 

as far 
as Baha'u'llah was concerned, I was already 15. 
;-)
 
Sincerely yours, Mark A. Foster, Ph.D. * Professor of 
SociologyJohnson County Community College, Overland Park, 
Kansas913-469-8500 x3376 * Fax: 913-469-2589 * [EMAIL PROTECTED]My 
fifteen websites: http://MarkFoster.net * Office: GEB 151-D"Sacred cows make 
the tastiest hamburger." --- Abbie Hoffman
__

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

RE: The Bab's wife

2005-01-26 Thread Mark Foster

Gilberto,

>>So is there some powerful significant moral change which happens 
at 15? Or is the year just arbitrary?<<

It is significant because Baha'u'llah designated it.

Sincerely yours, Mark A. Foster, Ph.D. * Professor of Sociology
Johnson County Community College, Overland Park, Kansas
913-469-8500 x3376 * Fax: 913-469-2589 * [EMAIL PROTECTED]
My fifteen websites: http://MarkFoster.net * Office: GEB 151-D
"Sacred cows make the tastiest hamburger." --- Abbie Hoffman


__
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

More on the Authority and Infallibility of the House of Justice

2005-01-26 Thread Mark Foster

Here is an interesting posting from soc.religion.bahai. The 
writer, Carl Brehmer, argues that "there is no reason to believe 
that their [the House's] deliberations on 'problems', 'questions', 
and 'matters' that have nothing to do with Baha'i law specifically 
have no authority":

http://www.usenet.com/newsgroups/soc.religion.bahai/msg00205.html

More from Carl Brehmer:

http://www.usenet.com/newsgroups/soc.religion.bahai/msg00193.html

His perspective is intriguing, but he did not address the point 
made by the House of Justice that its elucidations derive from 
its legislative authority.

Finally, here is a response by John MacLeod, which seems quite 
sensible to me (although it still does not address the relationship 
between elucidation and legislation):

http://www.usenet.com/newsgroups/soc.religion.bahai/msg00211.html

Sincerely yours, Mark A. Foster, Ph.D. * Professor of Sociology
Johnson County Community College, Overland Park, Kansas
913-469-8500 x3376 * Fax: 913-469-2589 * [EMAIL PROTECTED]
My fifteen websites: http://MarkFoster.net * Office: GEB 151-D
"Sacred cows make the tastiest hamburger." --- Abbie Hoffman

__
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

RE: Quran 3:85 and Aqdas 1:1-1:2

2005-01-20 Thread Mark Foster

Gilberto,

>>Bahais, are typically going to be "attached" to Bahaullah.<<

There is a difference between being attached to Baha'u'llah, 
as the Soul Who incarnates the Will, Word, and Cause of God
and being attached to the historical personality of Mirza
Husayn Ali. 

The Souls of Baha'u'llah, of Christ, of the Buddha, etc. are 
different from the Persons of Mirza Husayn Ali, of Jesus, 
of Shakyamuni, etc. It is an attachment to the Persons which 
becomes like a cloud or veil preventing people from accepting 
the latest Manifestation of God, not an attachment to the 
Soul Who manifests God.

Again, the viewpoint you expressed indicates the differences
between perennial Traditionalism and (at least my own 
understanding of) the Baha'i perspective.

Sincerely yours, Mark A. Foster, Ph.D. * Professor of Sociology
Johnson County Community College, Overland Park, Kansas
913-469-8500 x3376 * Fax: 913-469-2589 * [EMAIL PROTECTED]
My fifteen websites: http://MarkFoster.net * Office: GEB 151-D
"Sacred cows make the tastiest hamburger." --- Abbie Hoffman

__
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

RE: To Brent: one point

2004-12-09 Thread Mark Foster

Hi, Richard,

>>Often times the dictionary definition does not help much in the 
understanding of the phrase in which the word is found; especially 
if one is using a dictionary that does not give the specific nuance 
the author intends.<<

Depending on the dictionary. However, don't you think that is 
different from simply recommending against their use in general?

I will stick with my analogy to some of the fundamentalist 
Christian groups I have encountered. IMO, Ruhi comes pretty close 
(in several respects).

Regards, Mark A. Foster, Ph.D. * Professor of Sociology
Johnson County Community College, Overland Park, Kansas
Students: http://MarkFoster.org * 913-469-8500 ext. 3376
All 15 Sites: http://MarkFoster.net * Fax: 913-469-2589
Office: GEB 151-D * Hours: TTh 9:55-10:55 & 12:20-1:40



---
Outgoing mail is certified virus free.
Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com).
Version: 6.0.805 / Virus Database: 547 - Release Date: 12/3/04
 

__
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:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
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

RE: Book of Daniel fulfilled

2004-12-09 Thread Mark Foster

Hi, James,

You quoted:
>>The religion of God has two aspects in this world. The spiritual (the
real) 
and the formal (the outward). The formal side changes, as man changes from 
age to age. The spiritual side which is the Truth, never changes. The 
Prophets and Manifestations of God bring always the same teaching; at first 
men cling to the Truth but after a time they disfigure it. The Truth is 
distorted by man-made outward forms and material laws. The veil of substance

and worldliness is drawn across the reality of Truth.
>>'Abdu'l-Bahá, 'Abdu'l-Bahá in London, p. 56<<

IMO, the spiritual truth which "never changes" is the Covenant, not any 
particular set of doctrines. The problem with the "perennial philosophy,"
interpretation of `Abdu'l-Baha's apparent views on this subject, and I will 
post some more on that subject after I get home, is its Platonic realism. 
It assumes that there are certain fixed essential truths which are simply 
repeated by various religious or spiritual leaders.

In effect, the perennial philosophy holds God captive to "truths." It is 
not God's Will which is sovereign but certain ideal forms according to which
God supposedly operates. God is reduced to an automaton who functions 
according to a system of programming ("eternal truths"). Therefore, the  
"perennial philosophy," Traditionalist or otherwise, interpretation of
`Abdu'l-Baha's comments is reductionist.

Regards, Mark A. Foster, Ph.D. * Professor of Sociology
Johnson County Community College, Overland Park, Kansas
Students: http://MarkFoster.org * 913-469-8500 ext. 3376
All 15 Sites: http://MarkFoster.net * Fax: 913-469-2589
Office: GEB 151-D * Hours: TTh 9:55-10:55 & 12:20-1:40





 

---
Outgoing mail is certified virus free.
Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com).
Version: 6.0.805 / Virus Database: 547 - Release Date: 12/3/04
 

__
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:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
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

RE: To Brent: one point

2004-12-09 Thread Mark Foster




Richard,
 
You 
quoted:
>>In 
fact, most tutors find that using a dictionary to help the participants 

understand difficult words actually interferes 
with their learning.  It 
seems far more useful to help them learn how to 
infer the meanings 
of words through discussion of whole phrases and 
paragraphs<<
 
I think I had seen 
that before. It reminds me of the the way in which 
many fundamentalist 
Christian organizations and churches discourage 
their 
members from using biblical 
aids.
 
I was once 
asked to leave a fundamentalist Christian chatroom 
on 
PalTalk 
for asking a question in which I referred to the Koine 
Greek.
 
Perhaps Ruhi is 
cultivating a similar type of thinking.
 
Regards, Mark A. Foster, Ph.D. * Professor of 
SociologyJohnson County Community College, Overland Park, 
KansasStudents: http://MarkFoster.org * 913-469-8500 ext. 
3376All 15 Sites: http://MarkFoster.net * Fax: 
913-469-2589Office: GEB 151-D * Hours: TTh 9:55-10:55 & 12:20-1:40
__

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:[EMAIL PROTECTED]

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



---
Outgoing mail is certified virus free.
Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com).
Version: 6.0.805 / Virus Database: 547 - Release Date: 12/3/04

RE: Metaphorical Certitude

2004-10-12 Thread Mark Foster

Hi, Ron,

>>By the way, from 1988 until 1994 I lived in 
Overland Park (Nottingham Forest) within 
walking distance of Johnson County CC. I wish 
I had been a Baha'i then, it would have been 
a pleasure to have made your acquantance.<<

Cool. I know several faculty members and administrators 
who live there. It would have been nice to meet you 
face to face, too.

>>My family and I really loved Johnson County, Ks. 
It was the best place we ever lived. So, I envy you 
for living there ;-)))<<

It is a very nice place - the people as well as the 
location. Most people I know who have moved here 
never want to leave. Even our retired faculty 
typically remain in the county.

Regards, Mark A. Foster, Ph.D. * Professor of Sociology
Johnson County Community College, Overland Park, Kansas
Students: http://MarkFoster.org * 913-469-8500 ext. 3376
All 18 Sites: http://MarkFoster.net * Fax: 913-469-2589
Office: GEB 151-D * Hours: TTh 9:55-10:55 & 12:20-1:40

---
Outgoing mail is certified virus free.
Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com).
Version: 6.0.775 / Virus Database: 522 - Release Date: 10/8/04
 

__
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:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
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/[EMAIL PROTECTED]
New Public - http://www.mail-archive.com/[EMAIL PROTECTED]

My Mother

2004-10-12 Thread Mark Foster

Hi, folks,

My mother, Corinne, passed on this morning. Any prayers aimed in her
direction would be appreciated.

Regards, Mark A. Foster, Ph.D. * Professor of Sociology
Johnson County Community College, Overland Park, Kansas
Students: http://MarkFoster.org * 913-469-8500 ext. 3376
All 18 Sites: http://MarkFoster.net * Fax: 913-469-2589
Office: GEB 151-D * Hours: TTh 9:55-10:55 & 12:20-1:40

---
Outgoing mail is certified virus free.
Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com).
Version: 6.0.775 / Virus Database: 522 - Release Date: 10/8/04
 

__
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:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
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/[EMAIL PROTECTED]
New Public - http://www.mail-archive.com/[EMAIL PROTECTED]

Are you a fundamentalist

2004-10-07 Thread Mark Foster

Interesting test - but not terribly profound. I graded everything false.

http://www.dogchurch.org/narthex/fundie.html

Regards, Mark A. Foster, Ph.D. * Professor of Sociology
Johnson County Community College, Overland Park, Kansas
Students: http://MarkFoster.org * 913-469-8500 ext. 3376
All 18 Sites: http://MarkFoster.net * Fax #: 913-469-2589
Office: GEB 151-D * Hours: TTh 9:55-10:55 & 12:20-1:40

---
Outgoing mail is certified virus free.
Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com).
Version: 6.0.772 / Virus Database: 519 - Release Date: 10/1/04
 

__
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:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
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/[EMAIL PROTECTED]
New Public - http://www.mail-archive.com/[EMAIL PROTECTED]

RE: Gay Marriage and politics

2004-02-11 Thread Mark Foster

Brent,

You wrote:
>>I think that, as Baha'is (and Baha'i institutions), we 
need to avoid making allies out of the Christian right, or 
even having it appear as such."

>>I'd like to address this point, not the individual who 
made it, but my own view that this represents the attitude 
of a great many Baha'is.  It seems to me that as Baha'is 
we promote our issues, but want to do so in a way that we 
don't take any heat.  The above is an example of a way we 
do so -- distancing ourselves from others who promote 
public morality.  While it is legitimate to distance 
ourselves from those who actually are different from us, 
I think a lot of this is cowardice on our part.<<

My idea is not based on cowardice or a desire not to 
"take any heat" but a conviction that the agenda of the
Christian right should be avoided by the Baha'i community.
Also, in my view, we Baha'is should not try to impose our
social laws on the rest of the world.

Regards, Mark A. Foster, Ph.D. * Professor of Sociology
Johnson County Community College, Overland Park, Kansas
Students: http://MarkFoster.org * 913-469-8500 ext. 3376
All Other Sites: http://MarkFoster.net * Fax: 913-469-2589
Office: GEB 151-D * Hours: MWF 12:55-1:55; TTh 11:25-12:25

---
Outgoing mail is certified virus free.
Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com).
Version: 6.0.580 / Virus Database: 367 - Release Date: 2/6/04

__
You are subscribed to Baha'i Studies as: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
To unsubscribe send a blank email to mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
Baha'i Studies is available through the following:
Mail - mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
Web - http://list.jccc.edu/read/?forum=bahai-st
News - news://list.jccc.edu/bahai-st
http://www.escribe.com/religion/bahaist (public)
http://www.mail-archive.com/[EMAIL PROTECTED] (public)

44 matches

Mail list logo