Soundtrack in my head:  Dif Juz, "No Motion"

First of all, I wanted to thank Baha'i Views for excerpting my posting of November 8 and linking to my posting of November 9,  and for the kind words offered.  I do read Baha'i Views on a regular basis.  The blog often quotes non-Baha'is and share with their impressions. 

I survived--okay, enjoyed--the devotional I put together for the Baha'i Center today.  The person who has led the study circle of Ruhi Book One contributed some rather stirring videos and music to the service.  (Some of his videos are on YouTube). One of his videos had a Baha'i choir that sang a tribute to Baha'u'llah that in many ways was equally as stirring as a rousing rendition of Handel's Messiah and the Hallelujah Chorus.  I really get into Christmas music--if it's well-written.  I'm still trying to wrap my mind around the notion that the birth of Baha'u'llah, which is celebrated starting at sunset tonight, is worthy of such spirited celebrations. 

Many of the writings that we went through in the last Ruhi Book One class were also stirring to my soul.  At the end of class, the study circle leader also gave me a beautiful laminated postcard marking the opening of the Terraces of the Shrine of the Bab on Mt. Carmel in Haifa, Israel back on May 23, 2001.  I haven't declared myself a Baha'i as of yet.  But in completing Ruhi Book One and doing a Baha'i devotional service, I have completed a stage of my exploration of the Baha'i Faith and I have some things to think about.

I took a nice long walk through the Bay Creek neighborhood around the Baha'i Center.  (My ankle is doing pretty good right now, though I still need to be careful.)  I like the neighborhood--it's a quiet respite from my busy neighborhood of downtown Madison.  The house are older and the trees often arch the streets.  Piles of leaves were everywhere as neighbors struggled to catch up with the raking duties.  Even now, there are still splashes of beautiful fall colors here in Madison.

I'm reluctant to put a name on the transition that I'm going through right now.  It's still continuing, so for me to call it my "journey from Mahikari to the Baha'i Faith" is kind of premature.  As I announced before, I've left Mahikari but I don't  want to make a big production about it.  I have some very strong feelings about that organization.  I'm sure I will look at them as a very important bridge between where I was and where I'm headed.  Names of spiritual paths can be so limiting at times.

Right now I believe that if there is a spiritual organization capable of making a positive difference in this world, it's the Baha'i Faith.  In all the books I've read, they seem to make the most sense as far as the broad-minded inclusiveness of the organization, clarity on what it takes to make a positive difference, and the intelligence behind the way the organization has developed.  I believe that the changes the world needs are spiritual in nature.  I don't believe that the Democratic Party or Republican Party or the Green Party is going to save the world--I've sensed for a long time that the change needs to be more fundamental and start at the individual level. 

So there's that level of intellectual understanding, but it's a whole different thing to believe in one's heart of hearts the teachings of a religion.  In many ways, I've become more skeptical of religion.  I'm acutely aware of the damage that misguided religious dogmatism can inflict on the lives of people--even if they don't resort to killing "in the name of God."  I'm glad the Baha'is welcome skepticism and independent inquiries--that's a refreshing change. They've given me a lot of food for thought--and I'm still thinking...

It's probably just as well that NaBloPoMo is challenging me to post every day of November.  It's a very interesting month so far.