Difference and diversity
Suzanne
I am doing a course in supervising counselors and have been asked to
do a presentation on the theme of awareness and skills for working
with difference and diversity.
This seems to be a theme which Baha'is would have a lot to same
about. Any thoughts?
All best wishes,
Suzanne
Douglas McAdam
I have a lot of materials along this line which are mostly indirectly
related. Such things as knowing the reality of human beings, our
purpose, powers, proper behavior, how to get along with others, etc.
which is a goal given us from the House way back in 1974. I will
contact you personally.
regards,
doug
Suzanne
That's wonderful, Doug. Thank you. Although, if it's quotes from the
Writings, I can't use them directly,since this isn't for Baha'is but
for counselors and therapists, and it wouldn't be appropriate. I have
to manage to present ithe deas without naming the source, if it's
religious. This is fine, since it is the spirit of the age anyway to
try to become aware and eliminate prejudices and treat all with
respect and dignity.. Difference and diversity is really the buzz-
word nowadays.
This presentation mostly needs to be on skills and awareness for
working with difference and diversity. I believe that we need to be
aware that we are all have prejudices in this world which we have
picked up unawares from the society around us, often when we were
children. To the extent that we are aware of our prejudices, we can
work with them and overcome them and not inflict damage on our clients
and supervisees. To the extent that we push them away and deny that
we have them any prejudices; or deny that differences matter; we are
in danger of not allowing a person to be with us in their fullness,
but to put them in a little box where they don't belong, and from
which they will either struggle or will feel uncomfortable and/or
shame but not know why. They would want to hide thoughts and feelngs
from us that they would think we wouldn't understand. They would be
afraid to be fully themselves with us. This is all really bad if you
are a counselor, therapist or a supervisor of someone with differences
to our own. We can inadvertently do great harm.
So I'd like to be pretty specific about what we need to be aware of in
ourselves in terms of prejudices. Prejudices aren't just the obvious
sort -- black and white, for instance -- but there can be all sorts of
differences which we can be prejudice against without even knowing
it. We can be prejudiced against people with different ways of
thinking, for instance. Jung pointed out that there are people who
are thinkers, feelers, judgers, sensates, extroverts, introverts,
etc. Neuroscience has shown that there are people who are intuitive
and jump to conclusions which are mostly right; and there are people
who need to plod through a thought process and doubt that any other
way would work. None of these types of people would naturally believe
in the others.
People who are speaking in a different language are at a disadvantage
too. They may not say exactly what they mean, and can be seen to be a
bit slow and stupid, if someone isn't aware.
So, my questions are really, "What sorts of differences are there?"
"What sorts of prejudices are there that we need to be aware of?"
"How do we notice when we've come up against a prejudice in
ourselves?" "What do we need to do, then, to work with it so that it
will eventually pass and be no more, and we won't do any harm to
another with it?" Do you know of any skills for working with
difference and diversity?
Best wishes,
Suzanne
Douglas McAdam
I guess maybe you might have missed several of my posts in which I
mentioned our SED project for Troubled Youth and Adult Offenders in
which we use a program whose concepts were directly drawn from the
Baha'i Writings but reworded to remove directly religious terminology
which then would pass the separation of church and state rule here in
America, and I suppose also in other countries. In other words the
concepts are directly drawn from the Baha'i Writings but the program
is not religious and it passes the separation of church and state. It
is more or less a practical application of the spiritual teachings of
religion in everyday living experiences. So no matter what religion a
person has this program will help them apply spiritual teachings in
their lives. We have a letter from the ACLU approving our program for
use in any govt, or tax paid facilities, schools, etc. It is holistic
and thus its applications are only limited by our imagination. I
have used it for mgmt. and staff training, sales training, marital
relations, problem solving and in short many other human relations
problems that need counseling help. I will send you a description
document privately.
You said below-
> So, my questions are really, "What sorts of differences are there?"
> "What sorts of prejudices are there that we need to be aware of?"
> "How do we notice when we've come up against a prejudice in
> ourselves?" "What do we need to do, then, to work with it so that it
> will eventually pass and be no more, and we won't do any harm to
> another with it?" Do you know of any skills for working with
> difference and diversity?
I would suggest you read Dan Jordan's pamphlet On Becoming Your True
Self as well as the Comprehensive Deepening Program. He defined
prejudice as an emotional commitment to an error in knowledge. In
this regard then there are all sorts of examples of prejudice
including and in addition to those you mention. There are two ways to
view a thing, i.e. our Personal View that is the result of our
upbringing in a highly materialistic world where many people suffer
from "blind beliefs" instead of having conscious knowledge by exposing
beliefs to reason, logic, science, experience, etc. , and then there
is the Overall View that comes from the harmony of faith and reason
which produces the harmony of science and religion. We have to expose
or root out those "long standing evils" or prejudices etc. to reality
in totality (material and spiritual) as revealed, discovered and
experienced by harmony of science and religion the two main bodies of
knowledge that form and maintain our way of life.
We suffer a lot from stereotyping people. If they are fat they must
be___________. If they are showing too much skin they must be
___________. If they drive big powerful cars they must be
______________. If they are Muslims they must be ____________. In
short just about anything that stimulates interest we can and often do
misunderstand and assign improper or unrealistic interpretations on.
Life is made up of reaction and there are three general steps: --
We see or become aware of something. This draws forth a degree of our
Knowing Power.
We feel something about what we see. This draws upon a degree of our
Loving Power.
We act upon what we feel and become aware of. This draws forth a
degree of our Knowing and Loving Powers.
So if we have prejudices it is the result of unrealistic knowledge
which in turn prompts certain feelings and actions. To change our
actions then we must change our perceptions by exposing our thoughts,
feelings and actions to holistic knowledge of body, mind and spirit
which we can gain from revelation, discovery and experience by
independent investigation. Obviously we cannot be independent if we
are somehow miseducated or misinterpreting things, acting mostly out
of blind beliefs, emotions and such and so we need to expose things to
the harmony of science and religion, not just one or the other.
You mentioned people who are intuitive. Well we all have that
capacity and it is often related to survival and is prominent in many
people raised in the socio-economically deprived areas who must
somehow "sense" things. But when we get comfortable, lots of resource
etc. we often lose that power or it is reduced somewhat. We also may
have relied upon it incorrectly by believing certain things and
putting too much emphasis on academic strength. In short we need to
have our knowing powers of the senses, intellect and faith/intuition
in harmony in order to be fully aware of what faces us moment to
moment, day by day in order to react successfully.
There is more but this will suffice for one email and I do hope I have
not offered too much,
God bless,
doug
Douglas McAdam
On Jan 12, 2010, at 3:21 AM, Suzanne wrote:
> So, my questions are really, "What sorts of differences are there?"
> "What sorts of prejudices are there that we need to be aware of?"
> "How do we notice when we've come up against a prejudice in
> ourselves?" "What do we need to do, then, to work with it so that it
> will eventually pass and be no more, and we won't do any harm to
> another with it?" Do you know of any skills for working with
> difference and diversity?
Hi Suzanne-
I just thought about another type of stress to consider.
We find this quote in the Writings-
*** Kitab-i-Iqan, page: 32 ***
"What "oppression" is greater than that which hath been recounted?
What "oppression" is more grievous than that a soul seeking the truth,
and wishing to attain unto the knowledge of God, should know not where
to go for it and from whom to seek it? For opinions have sorely
differed, and the ways unto the attainment of God have multiplied.
This "oppression" is the essential feature of every Revelation."
Also we know from other quotes we are created to know and worship God,
that we are created in the condition of servitude. So isn't it
possible then that we have an "inner desire" to realize these goals.
That is a different kind of stress. I know when I was growing up I
kept feeling there was something I needed to do, some inner urge to
fulfill and I ended up being highly motivated in sports but later
realized that was not the fulfillment i needed. It was not until I
discovered the Faith that I felt my inner urge being satisfied.
So I am wondering if this is not also a problem most people have, to
know and love God, etc. but they choose many of the wrong ways to
satisfy this and get into trouble.
regards,
doug
Suzanne
> I guess maybe you might have missed several of my posts in which I
> mentioned our SED project for Troubled Youth and Adult Offenders in
> which we use a program whose concepts were directly drawn from the
> Baha'i Writings but reworded to remove directly religious terminology
> which then would pass the separation of church and state rule here in
> America, and I suppose also in other countries.
HI Doug,
No. I didn't miss that. I probably didn't tend to think of it as
being material for developing skill for working with difference in
counselors and psychotherapists who are already striving to do good in
the world and to help others. I believe that it must be great in a
lot of ways, but I only have 40 minutes, and the audience will be
participating, so I need to be very specific to my personal theme.
Doug wrote:
> He defined
> prejudice as an emotional commitment to an error in knowledge.
I like that.
Doug:
In
> this regard then there are all sorts of examples of prejudice
> including and in addition to those you mention. There are two ways to
> view a thing, i.e. our Personal View that is the result of our
> upbringing in a highly materialistic world where many people suffer
> from "blind beliefs" instead of having conscious knowledge by exposing
> beliefs to reason, logic, science, experience, etc.
Right. In one of the books I was reading about Difference, the author
said that she was on a small riverboat in Egypt which was being
skippered by an 18 or 19 year old youth . Basically, she asked him
what he wanted to do when he grew up. He said he wanted to skipper
the river boat. She was taken aback because her societal prejudice
was that everyone had to go to college and aspire to a profession. He
was happy with what he was doing and could foresee doing it all his
life. There will always be people who need to skipper boats and sweep
streets too, and if they like what they do, then that is wonderful.
We mustn't assume too much about people, but ask questions which are
not loaded with expectations, and try to understand.
Doug:
> We suffer a lot from stereotyping people. If they are fat they must
> be___________. If they are showing too much skin they must be
> ___________. If they drive big powerful cars they must be
> ______________. If they are Muslims they must be ____________. In
> short just about anything that stimulates interest we can and often do
> misunderstand and assign improper or unrealistic interpretations on.
It's a kind of mental short-hand to put people in little easily
recognized boxes where we don't have to try to get to know them,
personally, or what's going on with them. Life is simple this way,
but we do great harm to people who either accept the boxes we might
have put them in, and then become cut off from their true selves, and
perhaps learn to dispise themselves; or endlessly struggle against
being placed in little boxes, and then are pathologized by certain
therapists and/or supervisors for always struggling and not accepting
authority. This is a problem. People often get to be therapists and/
or supervisors because they like having authority over other people,
and they abuse this authority. Of course this isn't the right
reason. It can do great harm.
A belief in the oneness of humanity, the inherent value of all souls,
that everyone is a "mine rich in gems of inestimable value", keeps
people humble servants of all. That is what is needed for people to
learn to value themselves and to shine.
Doug:
> Obviously we cannot be independent if we
> are somehow miseducated or misinterpreting things, acting mostly out
> of blind beliefs, emotions and such and so we need to expose things to
> the harmony of science and religion, not just one or the other.
Yes. I could say that people need to have a will to know and
understand their supervisees (science, and a will to help them develop
to the their utmost. (spirituality -- true religion).
Doug:
> There is more but this will suffice for one email and I do hope I have
> not offered too much,
No. That's fine. I can only use a small fragment, since, as I said,
the presentation is brief and needs to be specific, but that doesn't
mean that I'm not interested in hearing the rest. Thanks for thinking
along with me.
All best wishes,
Suzanne
compx2
You have to look at diversity, do you? How Baha'is accept it within
our religion? You won't be able to answer this one with your
standard, "we have both already said our peace, let's move on".... Or
will you?
Baha'is like us are very accepting of skin color and language
differences. But what about differences of culture and education?
What if the education is in matters of Baha'i interpretation? And the
culture involves wine or sex? Not so accepting then, are we?
Well, I should speak for myself. I am accepting of such things, but
my Baha'i brethren are not, in my lifelong experience. We say we are,
but Baha'is can't think for ourselves and be accepted, nor can we keep
ourselves from judging others who have sex or sip wine.
And no, I am no angry, or insane, or silly. I can give countless
examples from these pages and personal experience. It is my sole
purpose here to point out to Baha'is their arrogance and intolerance
of others. They deny it, say I am angry, need counselling.
Apparently we will try anything short of self examination.
Baha'u'llah did not come to found a future religion. He came to
change the world. Anyone who heard His message and acted as He wanted
us to act for Him can call ourselves Baha'i if we want. But I can
hear Him crying for those the Baha'i neglect, the Baha'is discount,
the Baha'is leave out of their community. These are people who act
for the One True God, but they refuse to call God by His New Name for
very, very good reasons.
Baha'is need to accept us. We are right to do God's bidding, to talk
to you straight, to tell you the error of your ways. We are Baha'is
and non-Baha'is, we are reasonable, happy, good people who love God
with all our might, and we want you to see us for who we are, for our
diversity, and hear the reasons we fail to join you. We don't join
you because of you, not because of us, not because of God, and not
because of Baha'u'llah.
The louder you scream that we are crazy, that we are wrong, that God
has a new purpose and that purpose is to impose a new name, well, the
more you sideline yourselves, your work, your faith, and the Baha'i
Faith. We know you need to accept us, and if you do the Glory of God
will come and shine on all of us. But until you do the Baha'i Faith
is a marginal influence, as some Queen of England once said, of no
account anyway.
It is a shame, a real shame that Baha'is don't listen but rather
preach. Not only is it against our religion, but it harms God and His
Most Great Purpose to unite humanity. Baha'is try to marginalize, but
in fact become marginalized themselves by trying to maringalize those
they disapprove of. It is so just, so fair and snidely funny. But
God's plan is to raise a religion who will do what Baha'is are
refusing to do: unite humanity. Baha'is certainly won't do it with
their present actions, and they don't listen to any unifying
influences, so secularism is the only way for reasonable people to go.
In any case, thank you for reading whatever little bit you did read of
the above. I am trying, but swimming against a very strong, very
dangerous tide.
Warm Baha'i love, --Kent
Suzanne
> So I am wondering if this is not also a problem most people have, to
> know and love God, etc. but they choose many of the wrong ways to
> satisfy this and get into trouble.
Hi Doug,
Yes, I"m sure that this is right. There is a big diffence between
someone who knows and loves God, and lives this out daily in their
lives, and someone who is oppressed by not knowing where to search.
Having found God, and the wealth of Writings which touch on this
subject, I find myself really engaged in this little project more than
if I had not, since it is one of the central teachings of our Faith:
the oneness of mankind; unity in diversity.
For my presentation, the most obvious instances of differences and
diversity are people who come from different cultures with different
sets of values and different ways of being and often with a different
native language. If people have never travelled or lived abroad or
had much dealings with people who are different, they may end up
seeing their differences in a really negative light. They may find
them to be disturbing. If the person who is being disturbed by
difference is actually the supervisor of the one who is different,
then they may react negatively to those differences; not understanding
that the differences are absolutely natural for people from wherever
they are from. Some supervisors, not understanding cultural
differences, might assess a supervisee as being "co-dependent" and/or
immature, for instance, when actually they come from a more collective
culture, and less of a culture of the individual, as ours has become.
They measure the supervisee against their own norms, and in so doing,
they misunderstand where the person is coming from.
Another thing I found personally (since I speak Dutch and went through
my training in that language) is that when you speak a second
language, it's often not the same level as your native tongue. You
may speak more simply and not say a lot, and you may come across as a
bit simple to people who are unaware that that's the problem. They
may assess you as being less intelligent than you really are. If a
supervisor assessed a supervisee as being not too bright, this would
be felt by the supervisee, and they may feel frustrated and
discouraged but unable to vindicate themselves; or they may take on
board the low assessment of themselves by one of of a higher station
-- a supervisor -- and start seeing themselves as being less bright
than they really are. This would be terrible.
Also, people who are the victims of prejudice often have sensitivities
which need to be understood and accepted and talked through if they
are activated. Awareness, love and humility are needed.
We have a wonderful vision given to us in the Baha'i Writings about
how to view diversity and difference. To start with, I think it's
important to look at how we are the same. In the Hidden Words
Baha'u'llah says:
"Know ye not why We created you all from the same dust? That no one
should exalt himself over the other. Ponder at all times in your
hearts how ye were created. Since We have created you all from one
same substance it is incumbent on you to be even as one soul, to walk
with the same feet, eat with the same mouth and dwell in the same
land, that from your inmost being, by your deeds and actions, the
signs of oneness and the essence of detachment may be made manifest."
(Baha'u'llah: Arabic Hidden Words, Page: 68)
We are all human souls who are in human form at this stage of our
journey. This is who we really are. This is our reality. No one is
superior to anyone else. We are all one. When we realize this, and
when we know and love God, we also know and love His creatures. This
is a good starting point for understanding diversity.
Then this quote from 'Abdu'l-Baha on how to approach differences comes
to mind:
"An orchard full of fruit trees is a delight; so is a plantation
planted with many species of shrubs. It is just the diversity and
variety that constitutes its charm; each flower, each tree, each
fruit, beside being beautiful in itself, brings out by contrast the
qualities of the others, and shows to advantage the special loveliness
of each and all.
Thus should it be among the children of men! The diversity in
the human family should be the cause of love and harmony, as it is in
music where many different notes blend together in the making of a
perfect chord. If you meet those of different race and colour from
yourself, do not mistrust them and withdraw yourself into your shell
of conventionality, but rather be glad and show them kindness. Think
of them as different coloured roses growing in the beautiful garden of
humanity, and rejoice to be among them.
Likewise, when you meet those whose opinions differ from your
own, do not turn away your face from them. All are seeking truth, and
there are many roads leading thereto. Truth has many aspects, but it
remains always and forever one.
Do not allow difference of opinion, or diversity of thought to
separate you from your fellow-men, or to be the cause of dispute,
hatred and strife in your hearts.
Rather, search diligently for the truth and make all men your
friends."
(`Abdu'l-Baha: Paris Talks*, Page: 53)
This is a vision of how to see diversity in a positive sense. The
differences are good and interesting, and valuable; not threatening.
The last sentence is the key: "search diligently for the truth and
make all men your friends." Investigate what is happening with this
person without assuming that you know or in the slightest superior to
them. Become their student. Learn from them. Value them.
Baha'u'llah assures us that each person has great value:
"Regard man as a mine rich in gems of inestimable value. Education
can, alone, cause it to reveal its treasures, and enable mankind to
benefit therefrom.."
(Baha'u'llah: Gleanings, Page: 260)
As the supervisor of someone who has gems which may be hidden to us,
and also to themselves, surely the task would be to help them reveal
these gems and to polish them. In other words, help them to become
their best and to shine before us. This would be a benefit to the
supervisee, personally, but also to all their clients.
And this quote also comes to my mind:
If you desire with all your heart, friendship with every race on
earth, your thought, spiritual and positive, will spread; it will
become the desire of others, growing stronger and stronger, until it
reaches the minds of all men.
(`Abdu'l-Baha: Paris Talks*, Pages: 29-30)
There is so much in our Writings on this subject, but the main points,
in my view are learning to see others as divine beings, with wonderful
gifts and potentials. Learn to see diversity as positive and
interesting, and not negative. And believe in the hiddent gifts of
all people, and develop the will to understand and see the best in
them. Love differences and diversity. Try to unravel what it all
means. Since we are all created in the image and likeness of God,
it's potentially a wonderful path towards knowing and loving God.
All best wishes,
Suzanne
Suzanne Gerstner
<<Baha'u'llah certainly has a sense of humor dealing with you, Suzanne.
You have to look at diversity, do you? >>
Dear Kent,
I have lived in three different countries -- one of which I functioned for
17 years in a language which isn't my native tongue. I worked for several
years in a refugee center with people from all different national, ethnic
and religious backgrounds. Functioned in a Baha'i community with Baha'is
from 10 different nationalities and social economic and educational levels.
Worked in a youth center with people who are much younger. Have worked with
clients who were elderly. And have seen clients with all different issues
and backgrounds. I do think I am pretty good at working with diversity. I
have also worked with clients who are alcholic and drug addicts. I have
treated all with the same love, dignity and respect. I actually moved
abroad to prove through my life and deeds that I do believe that "the earth
is but one country and mankind its citizens."
I have also worked with Baha'is on a local, regional and national level, and
have mixed with Baha'is on an international level. I don't recognize in the
Baha'is I know the stereotypes you seem to give to them as a whole. In my
experience Baha'is are the most mixed group on the planet, and they are
doing amazingly well at unity in diversity. So many of them are absolutely
wonderful. So humble, radiant and sincere. Baha'u'llah has indeed raised
up a new creation.
All best wishes,
Suzanne
Douglas McAdam
You are so right about seeing others as "gems" from which we can learn.
I well know from experience of operating our SED project for Troubled
Youth and Adult Offenders in our County Jail that it is I who is
really learning and benefitting from what I am teaching others. Most
citizens look upon these addicts, criminals, etc. as beneath them or
simply lazy, unintelligent or in some other negative way but I treat
them with respect and dignity and it is wonderful how this draws out
what intelligence and knowledge they have. They ask real good
questions. Course some are not really searching, they just want to
get out of their cells but I have found that in a few classes they
change and become more open and interested.
regards,
doug
Douglas McAdam
I have had similar experiences in different ways with different
people. My wife is Cherokee and I recall an old saying about the idea
that we cannot know unless we walk a mile in someone else's moccasins,
or something like that. I grew up in the "hood" worked seven years
in two "hoods" in CA, taught in two NA Reservations, and am well
traveled to different cultures, pioneering and travel teaching and can
also say what you said in your last paragraph. We are in our infancy
as Baha'is but there is no way I could go back to my former non-Baha'i
days. I just wish we had more. I love this Baha'i Faith.
God bless us all,
doug
Suzanne
wrote:
> Hi Suzanne-
> I have had similar experiences in different ways with different
> people. My wife is Cherokee and I recall an old saying about the idea
> that we cannot know unless we walk a mile in someone else's moccasins,
> or something like that. I grew up in the "hood" worked seven years
> in two "hoods" in CA, taught in two NA Reservations, and am well
> traveled to different cultures, pioneering and travel teaching and can
> also say what you said in your last paragraph. We are in our infancy
> as Baha'is but there is no way I could go back to my former non-Baha'i
> days. I just wish we had more. I love this Baha'i Faith.
>
> God bless us all,
> doug
> Hi Suzanne-
> I have had similar experiences in different ways with different
> people. My wife is Cherokee and I recall an old saying about the idea
> that we cannot know unless we walk a mile in someone else's moccasins,
> or something like that. I grew up in the "hood" worked seven years
> in two "hoods" in CA, taught in two NA Reservations, and am well
> traveled to different cultures, pioneering and travel teaching and can
> also say what you said in your last paragraph. We are in our infancy
> as Baha'is but there is no way I could go back to my former non-Baha'i
> days. I just wish we had more. I love this Baha'i Faith.
Hi Doug,
Thanks for sharing that. Yes. Baha'is are an extremely diverse group
of people. I mentioned that there were Baha'is in my community of the
Netherlands from 10 different nationalities. I didn't mention that
there were only 20 people in total. What other community attracts
such diversity? We didn't even have one common language among us, but
were always having things translated, and yet there was such love and
unity.
A great many Baha'is really have taken the teaching of the oneness of
humanity to heart. That's why in just over 150 years from its
inception the Baha'i Faith is the second most widespread religion on
earth. Baha'is have pioneered to the far-flung reaches of the earth,
and lived with solidarity and love with the people in all different
countries and territories, and, taught the Faith to those who wanted
to know. As a result, we are everywhere on the planet and our Holy
Books have been translated into over 800 different languages.
It is truly astonishing when one stops to think about it. There has
been a tremendous amount of sincere love and devotion since the
inception of the Faith making these facts possible.
I love the Faith too. When I was young I had such a strong feeling
that I wanted to go home, but I thought that was ridiculous since I
was already physically home. Then I found the Faith, and it became
clear that it was a heart longing for my spiritual home. It hasn't
always been easy, since, there one always has spiritual battles to
fight along the path of God, and many lessons to learn, but it has
been a wonderful journey being a Baha'i. I am so grateful to
Baha'u'llah for having guided me to the Faith.
Warmest regards,
Suzanne
Suzanne
In my meditation this morning I was thinking some more about diversity
in my life, and suddenly my son popped into my head. He has lived in
five western countries, because he believes in service to humanity, he
and has gotten his masters in international development, and during
the course of this study or after has spent periods of time in
Vietnam, India, a Somali refugee camp in Kenya; in Nairobi working in
the poorest area; and is currently working at an aid organization in
Afghanistan. His girlfriend is Kenyan, but is working in Zambia
helping to repatriate refugees from war in the Congo. They plan to
marry as soon as they can actually live and work in the same locality.
So this seeing the beauty in diversity, and viewing oneself as a world
citizen is something which goes through the generations. He is living
this out even more than I did, this vision of oneness, it seems to
me. And I am really happy and proud that my son may marry an African
woman because she is a wonderful person and because of the teachings
of the Faith.
"Colors are phenomenal, but the realities of men are essence. When
there exists unity of the essence what power has the phenomenal? When
the light of reality is shining what power has the darkness of the
unreal? If it be possible, gather together these two races, black and
white, into one Assembly, and put such love into their hearts that
they shall not only unite but even intermarry. Be sure that the
result of this will abolish differences and disputes between black and
white. Moreover, by the Will of God, may it be so. This is a great
service to humanity."
(`Abdu'l-Baha: Baha'i World Faith*, Page: 359)
Thanks for thinking this through with me.
All best wishes,
Suzanne
Douglas McAdam
So wonderful you son also is a Baha'i and experiencing all this
diversity.
It is my pleasure always to correspond with you and experience
pleasant exchanges.
regards,
doug
piedmont
difference. My heart and mind tells me there is no such thing.
It is 'wrong thinking' IMHO to perceive of humanity as anything other
than a whole. All people are virtually identical, DNA proves that.
Teachings tell us we are all souls in shells of mortality at various
levels of maturity.
I don't like to embrace what doesn't truly exist. I do think it is
perhaps a bridge for the challenged to be able to swallow change of mind
to at least stop really bad thoughts about other people that they
consider not like themselves. But can an addict come off drugs half way
and be healthy? No.
I'm always reminded of the old Star Trac episode of the last two aliens
of a planet torn apart by war between one group that was white on the
left side of the face and black on the right side, and they were
astonished when the crew said what difference, and they replied, why!
can't you see, he is black on the left side!
We see what we want.
My goal is to teach that there are no difference's externally. Culture
is a man made contraption caused by isolation, geography, local
preferences and bigotries. What's left, the differences in attire, what
is eaten? These are all circumstance of geography.
--
Michael
Suzanne
I agree. At a fundamental level there really is no difference. We
are all human souls. We are all one. Baha'u'llah says:
"O CHILDREN OF MEN! Know ye not why We created you all from the same
dust? That no one should exalt himself over the other. Ponder at all
times in your hearts how ye were created. Since We have created you
all from one same substance it is incumbent on you to be even as one
soul, to walk with the same feet, eat with the same mouth and dwell in
the same land, that from your inmost being, by your deeds and actions,
the signs of oneness and the essence of detachment may be made
manifest. Such is My counsel to you, O concourse of light!"
(Baha'u'llah: Arabic Hidden Words, Page: 68)
You believe that and so do I. That's one of the things that attracted
me to the Baha'i Faith.
We are all the same, and, at the same time we are all unique. There
has never been another you, and there never will be again.
And there are also differences. There are differences of culture,
language, age, gender, intelligence, learning styles, thinking/feeling
styles, (dis)abilities, education level, nationality, tribe, etc.
They may be man-made, but they are real and they exist.
Recognizing and respecting differences is not the same thing as being
prejudiced. It's realizing that not everyone thinks, feels and sees
things as you do, and learning to shake free from our own cultural
norms and mind-sets to learn to try to see things from very different
perspectives. This is an art and a skill. It isn't something we are
born knowing how to do.
Baha'is who serve on an Assembly with people who have a lot of
differences in nationality, education level, language, etc., may find
it challenging when people see things from extremely different
perspectives than them. It isn't easy to let go from our set ways and
to see things through different eyes and to respect those differences,
and realize that there is value in those differences which we might
have been ignorant of. There are many equally valid ways of seeing
the world and the way it works, and it is enriching to welcome
diveristy.
Also, as a counselor in a refugee center I have many times been with
someone from a very different part of the world, whose native language
is different from mine, whose culture is very different, who has
experienced the trauma of war and displacement, and tried to
understand fully their experience. It wasn't a matter of distancing
myself from them to admit they have differences. I felt a great deal
of love and solidarity with them. But the differences matter to
*them*. They wanted me to understand the context of their culture.
They wanted me to understand they come from -a warm, loving collective
culture, where elders are consulted on things, and there are always
people around, so that I could understand their misery about being
displaced to a cold, individualistic culture in the west. They needed
me to see them fully as they are, including the things that make them
the same, and the things that make them unique, and the things that
make them different.
And, also, most people have some prejudices somewhere even if they are
not consciously aware of them. It's important for counselors and
therapists to learn to identify their prejudices and not to harm their
clients by stereotyping them and not seeing them fully as they are.
This is what my presentation is about.
Best wishes,
Suzanne
piedmont
> Hi Michael,
>
> I agree. At a fundamental level there really is no difference. We
> are all human souls. We are all one. Baha'u'llah says:
> This is what my presentation is about.
>
> Best wishes,
>
> Suzanne
You should have a great presentation! any chance of an audio posted on line?
Michael Willsey
Suzanne
> You should have a great presentation! any chance of an audio posted on line?
Thanks, Michael. I'm afraid it's going to be an interactive
presenation with the other members of the group, so not subject to
recording. I will facilitate and, hopefully, draw out the thinking,
experiences and understanding of others on the subject, and not just
my own thoughts. But you have a lot of my thinking here.
Best wishes,
Suzanne