Play Songs!
You are looking at posts that were written in the month of January in the year 2007.
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Posted on January 18th, 2007 by JonathanLIVE.
Categories: Faith.
Although man is unworthy, he can nevertheless become an embodiment of heavenly attributes once he attires himself with the vesture of faith. For it is through having faith and believing in the manifestation of God for this age that the individual becomes the recipient of divine assistance from on high.
‘Abdu’l-Bahá is reported to have said these words in the course of His parting address to the first group of western pilgrims who visited Him in ‘Akká in 1899:
And now I give you a commandment which shall be for a covenant between you and Me — that ye have faith; that your faith be steadfast as a rock that no storms can move, that nothing can disturb, and that it endure through all things even to the end; even should ye hear that your Lord has been crucified, be not shaken in your faith; for I am with you always, whether living or dead, I am with you to the end. As ye have faith so shall your powers and blessings be. This is the balance — this is the balance — this is the balance.
 (Adib Taherzadeh, The Revelation of Baha’u'llah v 4, p. 217)
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One of my all time favorite quotes. One I say to myself often. A mathematical equation revealed to which a measure can be give in understanding the unseen… the spiritual reality. I decided to quote from Mr. Taherzadeh’s book because of his earlier mention which I also like with his contrasting of the lowly and unwrothy nature of man with the heavenly potentials.
This particular passage was one of the selections at our Feast tonight. So I thought I would share it. 
Posted on January 18th, 2007 by JonathanLIVE.
Categories: Thoughts.
Well, it took half the season, but winter finally hit Toronto Canada this week. Do you think people are more aware of the changes in climate now? I think most will quickly forget. However, this year has been the strangest in the history of weather as we know it. I know this might sound strange, but I am not so convinced that the changing climate is entirely an environmental one. I mean, I agree that things are bad, and yada yada, but I have this idea that the changing patterns we are seeing are more reflections of a changing world thought.
I heard not to long ago about the EGG project. An interesting experiment on how our consciousness can actually physically alter data. Fascinating idea. What is more interesting is that they actually have several years of data that shows a rather sizeable amount of evidence that correlates to world events.
We have a new world emerging today that is unlike any period in the history of humanity. The trials and tribulations of that birth in my estimation have a certain influence over the world about us. The EGG project seems to be some scientific backing that suggests that my beliefs and ideas of the unseen certainly are not as far fetched as I find most quick to think.
If it is indeed the events of the world that affect how we see the world and thus affect how our global consciousness alters it, what do you think will happen as we move further away from wars, and close towards peace? Could it be that the misbalance, the upsetting of the equilibrium of the world has taken place only in our heads and our hearts, and thus, is where the solution exists to the environmental situation of the world?
As a Baha’i, this is well in line with most of what I know in my own studies. Baha’is of course are among the most active participants in the world of environmental restoration and development. We also know that the the solution to the worlds problems will not be found in technology or new laws and governments, but will take place in the hearts of the people. The one place most seem to deny acknowledgement of as the source. I find most religious folks prefer to put the blame/responsibility to save the world directly in the hands of God. Makes believing a lot more comfortable that way… you got nothing to do but pray. I digress.
Next time you want to change the environment, start with your head, move it to your heart, then teach another to do the same. 
For more on the EGG Project you can check out the good people at Princeton University: http://noosphere.princeton.edu/
Posted on January 17th, 2007 by JonathanLIVE.
Categories: Faith.
If you want to see a fine example of Baha’i individual initiative, you only need to visit www.bahai-education.org. Chad has done a fantastic job of creating the best religious study companion in the way of a full reference library from every world faith. I have used many various programs through out there years in my own studies. Even in the old DOS days … but Ocean has gone way beyond any of them by referencing the most extensive library I have every seen.
The beauty of this program which is once again so in line with the Baha’i principle of the Independent Investigation of Truth is that any person of any religious background, or non-religious background can use this program to quickly gain authoritative reference to the holy text of every faith without prejudice. I have recommended this program on many occasions and consider this program a MUST to anybody who is seriously seeking God, or wanting to investigate the claims of any of the Messengers of God.
After just a few searches, without the dogmas, without the superstitions, and without the interpretations of a clergy, priesthood, or pastor, anyone can see with their own eyes what God has revealed to humanity all through out the ages. It’s been my experience though, that most just do not make the effort because they are just far to comfortable not knowing. There is a great quote from the Bible that comes to mind as I write this. Took me just a few seconds to reference it in Ocean to quote here :
3:14 And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God;
3:15 I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot.
3:16 So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.
3:17 Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked:
3:18 I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see.
(King James Bible, Revelation)
God prefers you to be for or against Him. God only deals with the passionate.. hot or cold.. but if your a lukewarm drab, you’re spit out … He goes on to list some of the excuses that people make, and then judges your real state of being. He then goes on to counsel you to do what is difficult, to seek good from God, that you may be truely rich, and can ’see’. I like this quote a lot, like many other quotes from the Bible. It’s interesting how God often refers to lukewarm people as the worst kind in other references through out all Holy Writings. How do I know? Ocean gave me a quick and easy reference to see over all of them.
Gee I think I am getting off topic here… bringing it back.. the lukewarm won’t care for the Ocean Library, but the hot or cold, will LOVE it
To go directly to the download page you can go here: http://bahai-education.org/ocean/
FaithPosted on January 17th, 2007 by JonathanLIVE.
Categories: Poetry.
Roses are red
Violets are blue
Bio-engineering
Will change that too!
By: Jonathan Tranter
January 17, 2007
Posted on January 16th, 2007 by JonathanLIVE.
Categories: Dreams.
Last night yet another dream visited me. This one in greater detail, and with more twists and turns than any of the previously strange dreams I have been having.
It started off with me owning a jet. Not just a commercial jet, it was some kind of fighter, like an F-16, grey, but with the capacity to seat 5. I was in a dark place, a very dark place that was big… big walls, high ceilings and was very wealthy. I had to get out of there, and so got into the jet. Strangely enough, my father was the only other one with me and was at the controls. Some kind of characters were coming after us to stop us. My father has always been the slow and cautious type when it came to driving, so no surprise that in my dream he was taking his sweat time taking off. I was somehow at the back end of the jet like at the open end of a truck as I was fighting off these characters trying to stop us. The run way to take off was not straight, but curved everywhere, as the situation worsened with my fight against these characters at the back, my father actually did speed up and was handling the curves in the roads rather well. Several times I thought we would tip over being in a jet and all.
Finally we took off and left behind some of those things we fought on the ground. The battle didn’t end there though. One more appeared and was able to fly as well. He was comical, and cute, in a sort of washed out stupid way. He kept throwing play balls at me that were actually bombs which I kept throwing out before they could go off. At one point he made his way onto the jet and I somehow started to talk to him, tried to reason with him, and for a few moments he let his guard down. That’s when I kicked his ass off the jet said so-long!
When we landed, I received word that someone very special to me died. She was someone whom I planned to spend the rest of my life with. So I guess I should say someone most important to me. Anyhow, when I received word of this, I was not sad. Somehow, I knew that it meant she had made progress.
While walking out of a building which for some reason reminds me of elementary school, I was talking to this girl who also owned a jet. This girl looked like a girl I knew from 4-5 years ago who was very hung up on worldly possessions, ‘keeping up with the joneses‘ etc. She was blond with blue eyes, and very sophisticated looking and attractive as I recall. In my dream she was wearing business attire that included a tight skirt to the knees and a business coat. As we walked she talked about the terrible situation she was in because she did not have the outfit she wanted to wear to the wake for the person who just died. I suggested that when she got to LA (which was her destination) that she should just buy her outfits again. She thought that was a fabulous idea. We were about to head off when she asked me if I would be joining her in LA. I said no, I am not going in that direction.
Rather than fly the jet most of the time, I found myself driving it on the roads of my city haha… but I arrived at home. I found everything to be cluttered, like when you have those spring cleanups and everything that was put away is now all over the place to either be sorted or trashed? Like that… I came into my room where strangely enough there was a baby crib there. Among all the clutter I saw a laptop. A message appeared in an ICQ instant message window. It was her. The one whom I was told has died.
She sent me a messages via ICQ tell me all about how she has been making progress. How some of what she had been through was difficult, but she has gotten past much of it now and sees her journey ending soon. She said that very shortly she will be seeing me. I was not surprised by seeing that she was not dead as everyone had reported her to be, while at the same time was happy to see the news of her pending arrival.
That was it. There is meaning to this dream. Though I don’t think it was something which was of meaning to myself, but more so to the one whom I refer to. The starting out in the dark place, the characters fighting to keep from leaving, the jet to take flight from the world into heaven, the death and rebirth… the connection to me… it seemed like this dream was just a glimpse to show me things to come in a metaphorical sense.
Dreams
