A Leaf Blown by the Wind of the Will of God

" Though the Manifestations of God are powerful and yield absolute power over mankind, yet they are wholly submitted unto God and have no will of their own. Bahá'u'lláh refers to Himself as `but a leaf which the winds of the Will of Thy Lord... have stirred'.And elsewhere He describes His Own station thus: `This station is the station in which one dieth to himself and liveth in God. Divinity, whenever I mention it, indicateth My complete and absolute self-effacement. This is the station in which I have no control over mine own weal or woe, nor over my life nor over my resurrection.'(Abdu'l-Baha, Selections from the Writings of Abdu'l-Baha, p. 247)

HOP ABOARD THE UNITY BANDWAGON

(THE EDITOR REGRETS TO REPORT THAT THIS IS A NON-FANTASY (TRUE) ITEM :)MrDonut says he is thinking about cancelling his subscription to the paper. He has an indefinable weariness from reading about Baha'is on bandwagons.

Bahai's join scores of other religions and sects to list themselves in the media and rally 'round the Dali Lama, even though most have not read a word of his history, that the priests of Tibet kept the peasants in poverty and ignorance, that China stands on a legitimate claim of sovereignty over the place. The Dali Lama ran, yes ran, when the Chinese were finally moving into Tibet. The Dali Lama's books are shallow and clumsily written.

The Baha'is are on the bandwagon in Nevada. They want to join 40 other religious groups and the government of the state of Nevada to erect a statue to honor Ghandi. Yes, the Ben Kingsly one. The name "Baha'i" is included in the list of other groups, including Moslem and Jewish,
both of which forbid the erection of idols. Will this reduce Nevada's number one crime rate?

The Baha'is are rallied thickly around the global warming issue. MrDonut recalls that years ago he heard or heard from a trustworthy source that Ruhiyyih Khanum was once pelted by anxious Baha'is with questions about Baha'is and the environment (this was when the environment was just starting to be an issue, globally). What were they to do about the earth?! The believers were almost frantic. Ruhiyyih Khanum then said, in her indomitable ethereal way, "God made it, He will fix it. Our job is to teach!"

That is what MrDonut hears every time the Baha'is jump on another bandwagon. Their religious affiliation notwithstanding, MrDonut is leery of academics who expect the same respect and acceptance for speaking on global warming as they do lecturing sophomores in college on Edmund Spenser's tailor. MrDonut gently bites his lip when he reads about Baha'is rallying around the latest cultural cult figure who seems to know three words in English: peace, love, and proceeds as in take. MrDonut wonders where the rank and file are, because in MrDonut's experience the rank and file do not put up with such things. "So great shall be the discernment of this seeker that he will discriminate between truth and falsehood, even as he doth distinguish sun from shadow." (Baha'u'llah, Gleanings). It reads to me like the true seeker does not put up with guff, and is real, real happy to have this ability bestowed upon him.

"If, :wonders MrDonut, "a Cause isn't mentioned in the Writings, then why do some Baha'is rally around it? The Writings attest to one Cause, the Cause of God. What does God want done? Look it up! He wants the Baha'is to Teach the Faith! Look at our Christian neighbors - they don't have the whole story, but the ones I know of adamantly support adoption, the right to life, the role of men and women in marriage, chastity, modesty and decency for youth, the right to control their childrens' schooling and environment, and perhaps in the forefront of all Christian causes today, the right to religious expression. These are all causes that Christians in America are championing! Why aren't the Baha'is? Somewhere Baha'u'llah says that if the Baha'is don't do what they're here to, He will raise up others who will. I believe, " MrDonut spoke confidently, " He has raised up others. Christians. Yes, and others."

"Years ago the Universal House of Justice asked the Baha'is to"Blazon the Name" of Baha'u'llah. Did anybody do that? For long? A community including wealthy professionals feels they have done their part by placing a $4 ad (which does not mention the Greatest Name) once a week on the church page. Don't ask what the churches think. They have books that tell, however falsely, about the Faith. It would be a poor Christian who didn't believe that this "Baha'i Faith", with no local listing, wasn't a cult."

MrDonut wishes the Baha'is would get back to the Books. He wishes they would just put the brakes on and stop chasing fads. Linking the name Baha'i Faith to something trendy is not blazoning the Name of Baha'u'llah. It makes Him look like nothing more than another celebrity. Christians aren't afraid to proclaim the crucifixion! One of the grisliest and most shameful deaths devised by man -so that listeners may realize that their is someone greater than themselves. Not Nobel Prize winners or Million-Dollar Club members but someone who is more than a man. "And," MrDonut affirmed, "a cat."

MrDONUT INVESTIGATES THE RIGHT TO READ

Fantasy Item: Making it clear, so Baha'is will know!

MrDonut the Ex-Bookstore Cat Reads Whatever He Likes!

MrDonut came by today with a thought. "I'll bet I can shed some light on this Covenant-Breaking issue."

"How's that?" I said.

"You don't know this, but before I was a shelter cat, I lived in the city and frequented an antiquarian bookstore there."

"You in a bookstore," I said. "Who would let you in a bookstore?"

MrDonut sniffed and turned his head slowly away. He was about to leave! Without divulging his secret! I made quick to apologize.

MrDonut sniffed and turned his head even more slowly back to me. "My father," he yawned, "was a library cat. We were welcomed to browse anywhere where books were sold."

"Mmmmm," I replied.

"Anywhere. Why?"

"Mmmmm, he grinned a little grin. "Sales!" He stifled another grin in deference to my human limitations. "We sold books! The very sight of us attracted people who wanted to buy books. They stayed in the store to talk to us and scratch us behind our ears and the longer they stayed the more books they bought. We worked better than candles, incense, and soft jazz. People brought us treats. My father got so fat he died."

"I'm sorry," I said.

"But I've kept you waiting," MrDonut admitted. "So here's the tale:

"One day the proprietor got a nice box full of religion books. It was a subject I was only partly familiar with, having spent but a few evenings chasing church mice. But here was a bonanza! Books fat and thin, plain and with photos....I pushed one out of the stacks and it fell open at my feet. I don't recall the title but it was a thin compilation of the sacred texts of various religions.

"I pawed through a few pages until my eyes landed on something familiar.. Hmmm! I said to myself. My father had showed me some of this in the library. So with eager interest I began to read until almost immediately I felt a sharp, swift blow to my eyes!

"Oh, MrDonut! How awful! Are you infected then?"

"Yes," he admitted. Infected with knowledge! I felt a slight electricity at the tip of my tail and a moment of exhilaration as Truth filled the cavity of ignorance. I believe I may have even purred."

"I am a cat, Sally. Cats cannot be infected. Only Baha'is. Only Baha'is can be trained to fear words on a page. Only Baha'is can be led by the nose by the people they are told know what is best for them, and swallow anything.

Sallly, I saw WORDS. Words cannot infect anything. If they did there would be no First Amendment. All I saw was words - words that presented a different point of view than the Baha'i Administration allows or wants its followers to know! A different point of view. The other side of the story. Events in the original words of the original players. This is justice, isn't it? Seeing with your own eyes and not with the eyes of others?

Sally, Baha'i Administration wants you to see one thing and that through their one eye/ They want you to see certain well-placed individual Baha'is as having the authority and power of God. You know that is preposterous!

What is this "infection" they threaten you with? Only KNOWLEDGE. No one ever got sick from knowing, Sally, but whole nations and peoples have perished for want of knowledge. Take the photo of Baha'u'llah! Why is it almost forbidden to look at? He's a nice-looking man, eyes full of love and power and humility. Why do they want you to spend $5,000 for a trip to Haifa to see it when it's there on the Internet? Aren't you worthy to download a copy for yourself? Isn't He your Lord? Why does Baha'i Administration work so hard to keep you down?

Drink your fill! And don't forget a bowl of Lactose-free whole milk for me.

"You mentioned that your father was a library cat. What did your mother do?

MrDonut looked up, startled. "Why, she stayed home and raised us!"



This tale has been altered from the original, which because of some extreme elements of style conveyed a point of view opposite to the author's intent. This is what happens when cats are competing for lap space.