Til að létta smá andrúmsloftið hérna ætla ég að setja inn nýjustu færsluna mína af myspace-inu mínu:
In one of my groups someone wrote:
In the movie Dogma, Salma Hayak's character Serendipity says: I have issues with anyone who treats faith as a burden instead of a blessing. You people don't celebrate your faith; you mourn it.

I think that's exactly what I do. I'm holding onto a very Misourri Synod Lutheran way of faith and seeing it as a punishment to be meted out. Or a way to pay for sins and that's all it is about.

I'm trying really hard to look at Baha'i as the blessing it is and not have the past experiences with another faith taint something new.

If I can get over that hurdle, things can get better.


Here is my reply:
Faith does not have to be a burden. If you look only at the things you are not supposed to do, then it can feel that way. But as psychologists say, if you only look at things you are not supposed/allowed to do then you will fail. This applies to everything. If you are trying to lose weight and you keep thinking about the things you can't eat, you will fail. The right way is to find out what you CAN eat.

It is a good habit to look at all the good things the faith teaches, and how we would be with out those things. Make a reminder to find something inspiring every day...or at least every now and then. Take for example the equality of men and women. Read the story of Tahirih, that's inspiring, especially the part where she takes off her veil. Be glad that our faith has such a courageous figure.

Here are some quotes:

Abandonment of "a frivolous conduct" does not imply that a Baha'i must be sour-faced or perpetually solemn. Humour, happiness, joy are characteristics of a true Baha'i life. Frivolity palls and eventually leads to boredom and emptiness, but true happiness and joy and humour that are parts of a balanced life that includes serious thought, compassion and humble servitude to God are characteristics that enrich life and add to its radiance. (8 May 1979 to an individual believer, cited in the compilation, A Chaste and Holy Life)

The duty of long years of love obey And tell the tale of happy days gone by, That land and sky may laugh aloud today, And it may gladden mind and heart and eye. (The Four Valleys, in The Seven Valleys and The Four Valleys (Wilmette: Baha'i Publishing Trust, 1995), pp. 59-60)

Humour is also important in the faith. Here is a little story of Abdu'l-Baha´:

On his last afternoon in London, a reporter called to ask him of his future plans, finding him surrounded by a number of friends who had called to bid him good-bye. When, in answer to this query, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá told in perfect English of his intention to visit Paris and go from there to Alexandria, the press representative evinced surprise at his faultless pronunciation. Thereupon ‘Abdu’l-Bahá proceeded to march with a free stride up and down the flower-scented drawing room, his Oriental garb contrasting strangely with his modern surroundings; and, to the amusement of the assembly, uttered a string of elaborate English words, laughingly ending, “Very difficult English words I speak!” Then, a moment later, with the swift transition of one who knows both how to be grave and gay, he showed himself terribly in earnest. (`Abdu'l-Baha in London, Pages 53-127)

And here are few Baha'i jokes I found on Wikipedia:

A Bahá'í pioneer was trespassing through the jungle of some tropical country, when suddenly he found himself surrounded by naked men with bones through their noses, waving spears. They tied him up and threw him in a stew-pot, then started piling firewood underneath. Drums sounded. In desperation the pioneer began reciting the "remover of difficulties" prayer. Suddenly the drumming stopped. One cannibal looked at another and said "Hey guys! I think we've just found the ninth member of our Local Spiritual Assembly!"

A Christian, Muslim, and Bahá'í all die at the same time. They come upon the gates of Heaven, and the angel Gabriel greets them and says "To enter Heaven you must answer one question correctly. If you get it right, you can enter. If you get it wrong, you will fall into a fiery abyss."
The Christian steps up, and Gabriel asks, "Who is the most recent Manifestation of God on earth?" The Christian confidently responds "Jesus Christ, the Son of God" Suddenly the ground opens and swallows him up.
The Muslim steps up, and Gabriel asks, "Who is the most recent Manifestation of God on earth?" The Muslim confidently responds "Muhammad, the Apostle of God" Suddenly the ground opens and swallows him up.
The Bahá'í steps up, and Gabriel asks, "Spell Huqúqu’lláh."

Two Bahá'í travelling teachers were in a small town, looking for a place to stay. The only place for rent was the basement of an old house that had a reputation for being haunted. They took the place and moved in. The neighbors were curious to see how long they would be able to stay in the haunted basement. A week passed, then two. The travelling teachers showed no signs of moving out. Finally, someone came and asked them how they could bear to stay, and weren't they afraid of the ghosts? "Oh no," one of the teachers replied, "We're Bahá'ís." "What does being Bahá'ís have to do with it?" the questioner inquired. "Well, you see, Bahá'u'lláh said, 'Fear not abasement...'"