(7363,189,'2012-08-06 12:54:16','2012-08-06 19:54:16','Explain the two words spoken by Jesus—“Follow me”—in 1000 words or less? Hmmm. Maybe I should just stop right there and let you think this through on your own.\n\nMy understanding of what it means to follow Him has changed over the years. Perhaps our understanding of “following” is <em>supposed</em> to change over time as our maturity in the Lord grows in response to the leading of the Holy Spirit and the ways we experience Him with others. Because I can’t claim to know <em>everything</em> about following Jesus, the best I can offer is to share <em>some</em> of the things I’ve learned about following Jesus—beginning with what “following Jesus” is <strong><em>not</em><em>.</em></strong>\n\n<strong>Following Jesus is not the same thing as: </strong>\n<ul>\n	<li>Following the teachings of Jesus, or following doctrines, creeds, or denominational statements of faith.</li>\n	<li>Following a Bible Reading Plan, memorizing scripture, or claiming a “life verse”.</li>\n	<li>Following “religious convictions”, or acting upon those convictions, alone or as a group, purely for the sake of acting upon convictions.</li>\n	<li>Attending a weekly worship service, and maybe a midweek prayer meeting or Bible study, or meeting with a small group or accountability partner.</li>\n</ul>\nThere isn’t anything wrong with doing these things. In fact, I  follow  Jesus today because others encouraged me to do these things over the course of my spiritual journey.  “Christian practices” are not the same thing as following Jesus. <em></em>I know a lot <em>about</em> <em>Jesus</em> by studying, talking about or meditating on these things—but knowing a lot <em>about Jesus</em> isn’t the same as <em>knowing Jesus</em>. It helps to know Who you’re following.<strong><em></em></strong>\n\n<strong><em>“Follow me.”</em></strong>  Two words caused Simon and Andrew to drop their fishing nets.  James and John “left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired men and went off after Him.” (Mark 1:20 Amplified). Levi, son of Alphaeus, left his tax booth: “he arose and joined Him and His disciples and sided with His party and accompanied Him.” (Mark 2:14 Amp). Philip ran to find his friend Nathanael and they too followed Him. Twelve men, in all, apparently left their life’s work to follow Jesus.\n\nI find it interesting that the Amplified Version conveys that the words “follow me” carry the connotation, “side with my party\".  Against the backdrop of  first century Hebrew culture—oppressed by the conquering Romans, looking for Messiah to deliver the Children of Israel and fulfill all the promises of the Old Testament—we read Nathanael’s confession, “Teacher, You are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!” (John 1:49) and the reason the twelve “followed” begins to come into focus.  Over the course of the next three and a half years, these men—and later Saul of Tarsus, among others—would come to understand that following Jesus isn’t about following teachings, doctrines, scriptures, convictions or attending religious meetings.  Men and women down through centuries found, in the Gospels and other writings of the New Testament, not <em>something</em> to believe in and follow, but rather <strong><em>Someone</em></strong> to believe in and follow.\n\nTo follow Jesus is to follow a living <strong><em>Person!</em></strong>\n<blockquote><strong><em> </em></strong>“And the Word (Christ) became flesh (human, incarnate) and tabernacled (fixed His tent of flesh, lived awhile) among us; and we [actually] saw His glory (His honor, His majesty), such glory as an only begotten son receives from his father, full of grace (favor, loving-kindness) and truth.”__John 1:14 (Amp)\n\n“For it has <strong>pleased</strong> [the Father] that all the divine fullness (the sum total of the divine perfection, powers, and attributes) should <strong>dwell</strong> in Him permanently.”__ Colossians 1:19 (Amp)</blockquote>\nFollowing a living Person, who is the Christ, comes with a cost, which He explained Himself to His disciples:\n<blockquote>“And He said to all, If any person wills to come after Me, let him deny himself [disown himself, <sup> </sup>forget, lose sight of himself and his own interests, refuse and give up himself] and take up his cross daily and follow Me [cleave steadfastly to Me, conform wholly to My example in living and, if need be, in dying also].” __Luke 9:23 (Amp)</blockquote>\nWhat do we have to gain by following this all-wonderful, all-glorious, all-divine Person? What is the outcome we look forward to? For starters, eternal life! Make that eternal, <strong><em>abundant</em> </strong>life, sustained by Christ who <strong><em>is</em></strong> our life! Many more “rewards” are promised to faithful followers who overcome the trials and temptations of this world—check out the letters to the seven churches in John’s last book!\n\nThere’s another important thing I’ve learned about following Jesus: it’s something we do <strong><em>together</em></strong>.\n\nFollowing Jesus is following a living <strong><em>Person</em></strong>…<strong><em>together!</em></strong>\n<blockquote>“When Christ, Who is our life, appears, then you also will appear with Him in [the splendor of His] glory. __Colossians 3:4 (Amp)</blockquote>','Two Words','','inherit','open','open','','7337-autosave','','','2012-08-06 12:54:16','2012-08-06 19:54:16','',7337,'http://provoketive.com/2012/07/31/7337-autosave/',0,'revision','',0),(5468,30,'2012-03-15 06:52:01','2012-03-15 13:52:01','<em>We\'ve got a generation now who were born with semi-equality. They don\'t know how it was before, so they think, this isn\'t too bad. We\'re working. We have our attaché\' cases and our three piece suits. I get very disgusted with the younger generation of women. We had a torch to pass, and they are just sitting there. They don\'t realize it can be taken away. Things are going to have to get worse before they join in fighting the battle.</em>\n<div>\n\n<strong>~Erma Bombeck</strong>\n\n</div>\n<strong>\n</strong>\n\nI\'m pretty sure Erma was talking about me in that quote.\n\nI was born in 1974, right in the midst of second-wave feminism. By the time I started elementary school, things had pretty much died down on the feminism front. We had a female Supreme Court justice. A woman ran for Vice President. Murphy Brown and Designing Women taught me that women were strong, smart, capable people. Feminism had done it\'s job. Equality had been more or less achieved.\n\nIn my early 20\'s, I was in an email ring with a bunch of women who were a bit older than me. They had actually lived through second-wave feminism and were often telling me that I needed to be more alert. They would tell me that while things were better, they weren\'t perfect. And they would remind me that any freedoms gained could be snatched away at any point.','Apologies to the Old Feminists','','inherit','open','open','','5465-revision-2','','','2012-03-15 06:52:01','2012-03-15 13:52:01','',5465,'http://provoketive.com/2012/03/15/5465-revision-2/',0,'revision','',0),(5469,30,'2012-03-15 07:04:33','2012-03-15 14:04:33','<em>We\'ve got a generation now who were born with semi-equality. They don\'t know how it was before, so they think, this isn\'t too bad. We\'re working. We have our attaché\' cases and our three piece suits. I get very disgusted with the younger generation of women. We had a torch to pass, and they are just sitting there. They don\'t realize it can be taken away. Things are going to have to get worse before they join in fighting the battle.</em>\n<div>\n\n<strong>~Erma Bombeck</strong>\n\n</div>\n<strong>\n</strong>\n\nI\'m pretty sure Erma was talking about me in that quote.\n\nI was born in 1974, right in the midst of second-wave feminism. By the time I started elementary school, things had pretty much died down on the feminism front. We had a female Supreme Court justice. A woman ran for Vice President. Murphy Brown and Designing Women taught me that women were strong, smart, capable people. Feminism had done it\'s job. Equality had been more or less achieved.\n\nIn my early 20\'s, I was in an email ring with a bunch of women who were a bit older than me. They had actually lived through second-wave feminism and were often telling me that I needed to be more alert. They would tell me that while things were better, they weren\'t perfect. And they would remind me that any freedoms gained could be snatched away at any point.\n\nI suppose I knew this was a possibility, but it seemed so unlikely that I never gave it more than a cursory thought. Of course women would continue to enjoy the freedoms that they had. Of course men would listen to women about issues that affected women. Of course dignity and civility would be the','Apologies to the Old Feminists','','inherit','open','open','','5465-revision-3','','','2012-03-15 07:04:33','2012-03-15 14:04:33','',5465,'http://provoketive.com/2012/03/15/5465-revision-3/',0,'revision','',0),(5470,30,'2012-03-15 07:43:57','2012-03-15 14:43:57','<em>We\'ve got a generation now who were born with semi-equality. They don\'t know how it was before, so they think, this isn\'t too bad. We\'re working. We have our attaché\' cases and our three piece suits. I get very disgusted with the younger generation of women. We had a torch to pass, and they are just sitting there. They don\'t realize it can be taken away. Things are going to have to get worse before they join in fighting the battle.</em>\n<div>\n\n<strong>~Erma Bombeck</strong>\n\n</div>\n<strong>\n</strong>\n\nI\'m pretty sure Erma was talking about me in that quote.\n\nI was born in 1974, right in the midst of second-wave feminism. By the time I started elementary school, things had pretty much died down on the feminism front. We had a female Supreme Court justice. A woman ran for Vice President. Murphy Brown and Designing Women taught me that women were strong, smart, capable people. Feminism had done it\'s job. Equality had been more or less achieved.\n\nIn my early 20\'s, I was in an email ring with a bunch of women who were a bit older than me. They had actually lived through second-wave feminism and were often telling me that I needed to be more alert. They would tell me that while things were better, they weren\'t perfect. And they would remind me that any freedoms gained could be snatched away at any point.\n\nI suppose I knew this was a possibility, but it seemed so unlikely that I never gave it more than a cursory thought. Of course women would continue to enjoy the freedoms that they had. Of course men would listen to women about issues that affected women. Of course dignity and civility would be the primary mode of conversations. The need for angry bra-burning and protests was behind us. Certainly <em>I</em> wasn\'t going to be participating in that. I shook my head at those old feminists and refused to listen to their warnings, borne of experience. You invited me to run with you and I sat.\n\nThen one state after another began considering and passing laws requiring <a href=\"http://motherjones.com/mojo/2012/03/transvaginal-ultrasounds-coming-soon-state-near-you\" target=\"_blank\">transvaginal ultrasounds</a> before women could have an abortion. And bills about <a href=\"http://www.slate.com/blogs/xx_factor/2012/02/14/memo_to_mario_rubio_and_roy_blunt_your_contraception_bills_are_bad_strategy_.html\" target=\"_blank\">personhood</a> that could stop the sale of oral contraceptives. And bills requiring women to say <a href=\"http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/03/14/arizona-birth-control-bill-contraception-medical-reasons_n_1344557.html?ref=fb&amp;src=sp&amp;comm_ref=false\" target=\"_blank\">why she was taking an oral contraceptive</a>. And celebrities call women that they disagree with sluts.\n\nSuddenly those old feminists don\'t sound so crazy. That torch that Erma was talking about is starting to look pretty dim.\n\nI\'m sorry I didn\'t pay attention. I\'m sorry that I rested on what you had done instead of being vigilant. I\'m sorry that I allowed black and white thinking about complicated issues cloud my ability to see how women were being devalued. I\'m sorry that I ignored inequality in the church and in society.\n\nTo Erma and all of you old feminists? I\'m not sitting here any more. I know I\'ve let things get away, but I\'m running. And when it\'s time to pass the torch on to my daughters, I\'m going to run with them.','The Old Feminists Were Right','','inherit','open','open','','5465-revision-4','','','2012-03-15 07:43:57','2012-03-15 14:43:57','',5465,'http://provoketive.com/2012/03/15/5465-revision-4/',0,'revision','',0),(5472,154,'2012-03-24 08:00:20','2012-03-24 15:00:20','It was the last week of April and, as usual, we were taking our weekly walk down the tiny trails trying to get to know our neighbors.  We had been in Paraguay about seven months when talk of Mother’s Day rolled around. While we visited that day I noticed a lot of small children. It’s not uncommon for a struggling family to still have six or more kids.\r\n\r\nI looked at the economic condition of these people living in what amounted to lean-to’s. Two, sometimes three walls of split coco-palm logs lashed together with vines and topped with grass provided cover from rain. I knew they didn’t have many possessions. I thought how sad it must be for these mothers to watch their little ones grow up and not have any memorabilia of their childhood. Seeing all these little ones bouncing around an idea bounced into my head.\r\n\r\nI decided, with each family’s permission, that I would take photos of the kids, have them printed, and mount them in a simple frame as a gift for these hard-working moms. So off we went, walking the 2 ½ kilometers away from the dirt road down foot paths. We spent the afternoon convincing our neighbors that we were not with the CIA and that we were not going to profit from the photos.\r\n\r\nI began to snap shots and chat. The more we chatted the more photos we took. Not all of the photos were of the kids; some were of other members of this community. One in particular was of an elderly couple. They were sisters who had lived many years out in these woods. They were probably in their late 60’s and looked enough alike that it was clear they were siblings. I took their picture and told them we would be back to bring the gift in a few days.\r\n\r\nTwo weeks passed and we had our photos printed and put in sturdy frames. We piled them in bags and trudged off down the dusty path. After the first couple of drop-offs the kids ran ahead and word spread. Folks were waiting on us as we got close to their homes. Everyone was thrilled with their memories in hand. Then, maybe the oddest thing in my life happened.\r\n\r\nOne of the sisters came to get their photo while the other had gone to the creek to fetch water. When she took it, my wife pointed to her face in the picture, saying the word for <em>pretty</em>. <strong>The woman asked who it was.</strong>  We stood there stunned.\r\n\r\n<strong>By that question she was telling us that she didn’t know what she looked like.</strong>\r\n\r\nShe didn’t have a mirror. She shared clothing with her sister, so that didn’t tip her off. They had no transportation and lived nearly two miles from the closest road that could accommodate a vehicle. They had lived there much of their lives down that winding trail. I don’t know if she had never seen her face reflected or if it had been so long that she had forgotten, but I was caught totally off guard.\r\n\r\nOf all the things I take for granted, never once has my reflection even made the list. My wife pointed her out again in the photo, and the lady said “Are you sure?”\r\n\r\nShe started touching her hair and face and straightening her clothes like women do. She touched her face with one hand and her image with the other. While we stood there trying to shake away the shock the other woman came back from the creek.\r\n\r\nOur friend called out for her to come and see the photo we had brought. The other sister came and looked and asked, “Which one am I?”\r\n\r\nThis time her sister pointed out “They said this is me and that one is you.” The second sister primped a little and asked the same question as the first, “Are you sure?”\r\n\r\nThere are days I get up and I go to my bathroom and look into that mirror. I wonder, “Who is that guy looking at me?” Then I hear the whisper of my God speak something to my soul and tell me who I am. Stunned I stare back and ask “Are you sure?”\r\n\r\n<strong>Have you ever forgotten who you are? Do you trust God when He tells you who you are?</strong>','Are You Sure?','','publish','open','open','','are-you-sure','','','2012-03-23 09:30:46','2012-03-23 16:30:46','',0,'http://provoketive.com/?p=5472',0,'post','',10),(5473,154,'2012-03-15 11:24:46','2012-03-15 18:24:46','It was the last week of April and, as usual, we were taking our weekly walk down the tiny trails trying to get to know our neighbors.  We had been in Paraguay about seven months when talk of Mother’s Day rolled around. While we visited that day I noticed a lot of small children. It’s not uncommon for a struggling family to still have six or more kids.\n\nI looked at the economic condition of these people living in what amounted to lean-to’s. Two, sometimes three walls of split coco-palm logs lashed together with vines and topped with grass provided cover from rain. I knew they didn’t have many possessions. I thought how sad it must be for these mothers to watch their little ones grow up and not have any memorabilia of their childhood. Seeing all these little ones bouncing around an idea bounced into my head.\n\nI decided, with each family’s permission, that I would take photos of the kids, have them printed, and mount them in a simple frame as a gift for these hard-working moms. So off we went, walking the 2 ½ kilometers away from the dirt road down foot paths. We spent the afternoon convincing our neighbors that we were not with the CIA and that we were not going to profit from the photos.\n\nI began to snap shots and chat. The more we chatted the more photos we took. Not all of the photos were of the kids; some were of other members of this community. One in particular was of an elderly couple. They were sisters who had lived many years out in these woods. They were probably in their late 60’s and looked enough alike that it was clear they were siblings. I took their picture and told them we would be back to bring the gift in a few days.\n\nTwo weeks passed and we had our photos printed and put in sturdy frames. We piled them in bags and trudged off down the dusty path. After the first couple of drop-offs the kids ran ahead and word spread. Folks were waiting on us as we got close to their homes. Everyone was thrilled with their memories in hand. Then, maybe the oddest thing in my life happened.\n\nOne of the sisters came to get their photo while the other had gone to the creek to fetch water. When she took it, my wife pointed to her face in the picture, saying the word for <em>pretty</em>. <strong>The woman asked who it was.</strong>  We stood there stunned.\n\n<strong>By that question she was telling us that she didn’t know what she looked like.</strong>\n\nShe didn’t have a mirror. She shared clothing with her sister, so that didn’t tip her off. They had no transportation and lived nearly two miles from the closest road that could accommodate a vehicle. They had lived their much of their lives down that winding trail. I don’t know if she had never seen her face reflected or if it had been so long that she had forgotten, but I was caught totally off guard.\n\nOf all the things I take for granted, never once has my reflection even made the list. My wife pointed her out again in the photo, and the lady said “Are you sure?”\n\nShe started touching her hair and face and straightening her clothes like women do. She touched her face with one hand and her image with the other. While we stood their trying to shake away the shock the other woman came back from the creek.\n\nOur friend called out for her to come and see the photo we had brought. The other sister came and looked and asked, “Which one am I?”\n\nThis time her sister pointed out “They said this is me and that one is you.” The second sister primped a little and asked the same question as the first, “Are you sure?”\n\nThere are days I get up and I go to my bathroom and look into that mirror. I wonder, “Who is that guy looking at me?” Then I hear the whisper of my God speak something to my soul and tell me who I am. Stunned I stare back and ask “Are you sure?”\n\n<strong>Have you ever forgotten who you are? Do you trust God when He tells you who you are?</strong>','Are You Sure?','','inherit','open','open','','5472-revision','','','2012-03-15 11:24:46','2012-03-15 18:24:46','',5472,'http://provoketive.com/2012/03/15/5472-revision/',0,'revision','',0),(5257,1,'2012-02-23 21:42:03','2012-02-24 05:42:03','','waiting','','inherit','open','open','','waiting-2','','','2012-02-23 21:42:03','2012-02-24 05:42:03','',5205,'http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/waiting.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(5258,1,'2012-02-20 10:44:14','2012-02-20 18:44:14','It’s amazing the power of one word.\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px\">One word can heal.</p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px\">One word can encourage.</p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px\">Also…one word can destroy.</p>\r\nLooking back into scripture, we see the example of words bringing life about. Words created what we live today…even the negative of it. So it should come as no surprise when we discover that one word spoken from our lips…or our fingertips…can demolish our character in a nanosecond.\r\n\r\nStumbling upon this <a href=\"http://www.thegrio.com/local/chicago/white-chicago-teacher-sues-to-use-n-word-in-class.php\" target=\"_blank\">article</a> helped me really take assessment of the words I speak, or have spoken, toward others and myself.\r\n\r\nThe teacher in question here was noted as stating, in his defense of utilizing a derogatory word in the education environment as a means of teaching his students what is inappropriate.\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px\"><em>\"My character has been assassinated.\"</em></p>\r\nIt’s amazing how quickly we humans are apt to jump to conclusions before understanding one’s motive.\r\n\r\nNow while the word this teacher used, by societal standards, is derogatory, there must be an intentionally place ourselves in positions of examining a situation…and someone’s character…to determine truth rather than what someone has said. In essence, <strong>it takes character on our parts to help determine another\'s character.</strong>\r\n\r\nWe are an imperfect species. Due to a fallen nature that has been within the human race since only moments after the dawn of humanity itself, we are trapped with this innate “gut feeling” to always react rather than respond to situations that ruffle our feathers.\r\n\r\nHowever, scripture clearly informs us to be lead by the Holy Spirit – whose fruits will be revealed through a key character trait that isn’t innate in humans by nature.\r\n\r\nPatience.\r\n\r\nIn always redirecting my nearly four-year old son to have patience, when his little mind and body cry out, <em>“I want it now!”</em>…I have to slow his mind down, have him focus on my eyes and voice and let him know, <em>“Slow down buddy…patience. We need to wait for the things we want.”</em>\r\n\r\n<em>“Okay, mommy. I\'m sorry.”</em> It is normative response I accrue from him. Yet, most times right now, within five minutes he goes right back to reacting in his nature…rather than using his mind to remember to slow down.\r\n\r\nMany of us, including myself, could do with a good dose of this lesson in our own lives to help remind us…\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px\">…slow down.</p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px\">…listen.</p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px\">…examine.</p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px\">…evaluate.</p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px\">…wait.</p>\r\nOh waiting…such a curse word that rings through our ears! How dare anyone ask us to wait…to explain where we are coming from…to not understand us from the moment we speak (or even do something).\r\n\r\nThe truth is…if we as Christians are to truly operate in His Spirit…we need to be letting our lives reveal the fruit of His Spirit.\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px\"><em>“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, <strong>patience</strong>, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, <strong>self-control</strong>; against such things there is no law. Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.  <strong>If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit</strong>.” </em>Gal 5:22-25 (NASB)</p>\r\nThis situation is a great example of how easy it is in our own spirits, aside from God, to jump to conclusions and assert our beliefs without truly seeking the truth of a matter.\r\n\r\nWhen we take matters completely into our own hands, we will not only misunderstand something of someone else, we will potentially destroy who they are to others. This is not how God operates, and unfortunately I all too often have been privy to moments (either directed at me personally…or toward someone else) where another Christian slanders another based upon one word without truly understanding where that person is coming from.\r\n\r\nIt’s evident in pulpits too from very well known pastors and church leaders today…and this honestly ails my heart.\r\n\r\nFriends, our lives are to be guided by the direction the Holy Spirit gives…and that isn’t by<em> “gut feelings.”</em> There\'s a distinct difference between a <em>“gut feeling”</em> and knowing when God has directed you to do something (and usually, those somethings go against the grains of what society does, believes and even how it responds).\r\n\r\nA great lesson we can take from this situation, as Christians, is this…learn to<strong> lean on Christ through every aspect of our lives – especially moments when another’s character is coming into question.</strong>\r\n\r\nWe must be diligent about seeking His wisdom above our own findings, beliefs, feeling and evaluations. We must be diligent about slapping everything that crosses our paths – even one single word – up against scripture to see if it is being used in a manner that edifies and glorifies Him (even words that by society’s standards are “unacceptable”). For to anything otherwise, edifies ourselves…and diminishes Him.\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center\">***********************</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center\"><em>“Trust in the LORD with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding.”</em> –Proverbs 3:5 (NASB)</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center\"><em>“Instead, let us test and examine our ways. Let us turn back to the LORD.”</em> –Lam 3:40 (NLT)</p>','A Lesson From One Word','','inherit','open','open','','5205-revision-2','','','2012-02-20 10:44:14','2012-02-20 18:44:14','',5205,'http://provoketive.com/2012/02/20/5205-revision-2/',0,'revision','',0),(5291,82,'2012-02-24 17:02:32','2012-02-25 01:02:32','It’s amazing the power of one word.\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px\">One word can heal.</p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px\">One word can encourage.</p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px\">Also…one word can destroy.</p>\r\nLooking back into scripture, we see the example of words bringing life about. Words created what we live today…even the negative of it. So it should come as no surprise when we discover that one word spoken from our lips…or our fingertips…can demolish our character in a nanosecond.\r\n\r\nStumbling upon this <a href=\"http://www.thegrio.com/local/chicago/white-chicago-teacher-sues-to-use-n-word-in-class.php\" target=\"_blank\">article</a> helped me really take assessment of the words I speak, or have spoken, toward others and myself.\r\n\r\nThe teacher in question here was noted as stating, in his defense of utilizing a derogatory word in the education environment as a means of teaching his students what is inappropriate.\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px\"><em>\"My character has been assassinated.\"</em></p>\r\nIt’s amazing how quickly we humans are apt to jump to conclusions before understanding one’s motive.\r\n\r\nNow while the word this teacher used, by societal standards, is derogatory, we must  intentionally place ourselves in positions of examining a situation…and someone’s character…to determine truth rather than what someone has said. In essence, <strong>it takes character on our parts to help determine another\'s character.</strong>\r\n\r\nWe are an imperfect species. Due to a fallen nature that has been within the human race since only moments after the dawn of humanity itself, we are trapped with this innate “gut feeling” to always react rather than respond to situations that ruffle our feathers.\r\n\r\nHowever, scripture clearly informs us to be lead by the Holy Spirit – whose fruits will be revealed through a key character trait that isn’t innate in humans by nature.\r\n\r\nPatience.\r\n\r\nIn always redirecting my nearly four-year old son to have patience, when his little mind and body cry out, <em>“I want it now!”</em>…I have to slow his mind down, have him focus on my eyes and voice and let him know, <em>“Slow down buddy…patience. We need to wait for the things we want.”</em>\r\n\r\n<em>“Okay, mommy. I\'m sorry.”</em> It is normative response I accrue from him. Yet, most times right now, within five minutes he goes right back to reacting in his nature…rather than using his mind to remember to slow down.\r\n\r\nMany of us, including myself, could do with a good dose of this lesson in our own lives to help remind us…\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px\">…slow down.</p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px\">…listen.</p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px\">…examine.</p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px\">…evaluate.</p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px\">…wait.</p>\r\nOh waiting…such a curse word that rings through our ears! How dare anyone ask us to wait…to explain where we are coming from…to not understand us from the moment we speak (or even do something).\r\n\r\nThe truth is…if we as Christians are to truly operate in His Spirit…we need to be letting our lives reveal the fruit of His Spirit.\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px\"><em>“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, <strong>patience</strong>, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, <strong>self-control</strong>; against such things there is no law. Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.  <strong>If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit</strong>.” </em>Gal 5:22-25 (NASB)</p>\r\nThis situation is a great example of how easy it is in our own spirits, aside from God, to jump to conclusions and assert our beliefs without truly seeking the truth of a matter.\r\n\r\nWhen we take matters completely into our own hands, we will not only misunderstand something of someone else, we will potentially destroy who they are to others. This is not how God operates, and unfortunately I all too often have been privy to moments (either directed at me personally…or toward someone else) where another Christian slanders another based upon one word without truly understanding where that person is coming from.\r\n\r\nIt’s evident in pulpits too from very well known pastors and church leaders today…and this honestly ails my heart.\r\n\r\nFriends, our lives are to be guided by the direction the Holy Spirit gives…and that isn’t by<em> “gut feelings.”</em> There\'s a distinct difference between a <em>“gut feeling”</em> and knowing when God has directed you to do something (and usually, those somethings go against the grains of what society does, believes and even how it responds).\r\n\r\nA great lesson we can take from this situation, as Christians, is this…learn to<strong> lean on Christ through every aspect of our lives – especially moments when another’s character is coming into question.</strong>\r\n\r\nWe must be diligent about seeking His wisdom above our own findings, beliefs, feeling and evaluations. We must be diligent about slapping everything that crosses our paths – even one single word – up against scripture to see if it is being used in a manner that edifies and glorifies Him (even words that by society’s standards are “unacceptable”). For to anything otherwise, edifies ourselves…and diminishes Him.\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center\">***********************</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center\"><em>“Trust in the LORD with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding.”</em> –Proverbs 3:5 (NASB)</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center\"><em>“Instead, let us test and examine our ways. Let us turn back to the LORD.”</em> –Lam 3:40 (NLT)</p>','A Lesson From One Word','','inherit','open','open','','5205-revision-5','','','2012-02-24 17:02:32','2012-02-25 01:02:32','',5205,'http://provoketive.com/2012/02/24/5205-revision-5/',0,'revision','',0),(5262,134,'2012-02-29 08:00:13','2012-02-29 16:00:13','Lent is here. It\'s the time of penance and giving up something we like.\r\n<blockquote>\"The traditional purpose of Lent is the penitential preparation of the believer—through <a title=\"Prayer\" href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prayer\" target=\"_blank\">prayer</a>, <a title=\"Penance\" href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Penance\" target=\"_blank\">penance</a>, <a title=\"Repentance (theology)\" href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Repentance_(theology)\" target=\"_blank\">repentance</a>, <a title=\"Almsgiving\" href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Almsgiving\" target=\"_blank\">almsgiving</a>, and <a title=\"Asceticism\" href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asceticism\" target=\"_blank\">self-denial</a>. Its institutional purpose is heightened in the annual commemoration of <a title=\"Holy Week\" href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Holy_Week\" target=\"_blank\">Holy Week</a>, marking the <a title=\"Death and Resurrection of Jesus\" href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Death_and_Resurrection_of_Jesus\" target=\"_blank\">Death and Resurrection of Jesus</a>, which recalls the events of the <a title=\"Passion (Christianity)\" href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Passion_(Christianity)\" target=\"_blank\">Passion of Christ</a> on <a title=\"Good Friday\" href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Good_Friday\" target=\"_blank\">Good Friday</a>, which then culminates in the celebration on <a title=\"Easter Sunday\" href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Easter_Sunday\" target=\"_blank\">Easter Sunday</a> of the <a title=\"The Resurrection of Jesus\" href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Resurrection_of_Jesus\" target=\"_blank\">Resurrection of Jesus Christ</a>.\r\nDuring Lent, many of the faithful commit to <a title=\"Fasting\" href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fasting\" target=\"_blank\">fasting</a> or giving up certain types of <a title=\"Luxury\" href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Luxury\" target=\"_blank\">luxury</a> as a form of penitence.\"\r\n<a title=\"Lent\" href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lent\" target=\"_blank\">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lent</a></blockquote>\r\nAs in previous years, I\'ll give up some things (<a title=\"Sin\" href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sin\" target=\"_blank\">sins</a>) I like, which I hope not to do again.\r\n\r\nGrowing up in&nbsp;<a title=\"Roman Catholics\" href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roman_Catholics\" target=\"_blank\">Catholic</a> home that didn\'t observe traditions (<a title=\"Roman Catholics\" href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roman_Catholics\" target=\"_blank\">Catholic</a> for being born in a&nbsp;<a title=\"Roman Catholics\" href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roman_Catholics\" target=\"_blank\">Catholic</a> home, inheritance), many of my friends and I would simply ignore Lent and party during <a title=\"Holy Week\" href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Holy_Week\" target=\"_blank\">Holy Week</a>.\r\n\r\nLooking back we were stupid, but we didn\'t know any better. We had no real spiritual guide. Yes, there were priests, but they were part of the Sunday tradition of going to <a title=\"Mass (liturgy)\" href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mass_%28liturgy%29\" target=\"_blank\">Mass</a> (immediate <a title=\"Mortal sin\" href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mortal_sin\" target=\"_blank\">mortal sin</a> if not going on any given Sunday).\r\n\r\nNow going to a <a title=\"Presbyterian\" href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Presbyterian\" target=\"_blank\">Presbyterian</a> church, I see many differences. Traditions and rites have a meaning and are not just part of the Sunday obligation of going to church. This for me has been a true experience and a joy to be part of a congregation.','Lent: then and now','','publish','open','open','','lent-then-and-now','','','2012-02-28 10:57:24','2012-02-28 18:57:24','',0,'http://provoketive.com/?p=5262',0,'post','',0),(5263,134,'2012-02-24 06:04:57','2012-02-24 14:04:57','','800px-St.Ulrich_am_Pillersee_-_Deckenfresko_1b_500x250','','inherit','open','open','','800px-st-ulrich_am_pillersee_-_deckenfresko_1b_500x250','','','2012-02-24 06:04:57','2012-02-24 14:04:57','',5262,'http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/800px-St.Ulrich_am_Pillersee_-_Deckenfresko_1b_500x250.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0);


INSERT INTO `wp_posts` VALUES (6813,185,'2012-05-28 18:29:32','2012-05-29 01:29:32','Reviewing via film a “documentary poem” about creativity and faith is a little daunting for people, like me, because I am by nature a very straightforward, no-nonsense, and practical kind of person.  Not that I didn’t expect to learn a few new things or find something that would be useful to friends whom I consider “creative”—but I did not anticipate the extent to which “Made as Makers” would expand my own understanding of faith. I thought that a film about creativity would be about bringing artistic elements into our worship, not about using creativity to approach our faith and our understanding of God. Since the latter is true (though not to the exclusion of the former), I found that I really did have a bit to say about this film. As Callid Keefe-Perry says, “I think that every single person has something to add to the conversation where God is concerned because I think that God is concerned with every single person.”\n<div>\n\nIn “Made as Makers<a href=\"/Users/Kellie/Downloads/Made%20as%20Makers.KBedited%20(1).docx#_msocom_1\">[KB1]</a> ,” the filmmaker interviews women, men, artists, church leaders, theologians and everyday people and records his own conversations with them about God, faith, and hope for the church.  I was delighted to find that from the moment the film started, I was invited—no, pulled into—this conversation. There is no room to sit back as a detached observer, the so-called third wheel in a two-person dialogue. The opening sequences of the film begin with Callid Keefe-Perry talking to you, to me, directly.  While he talks there with us there is an empty chair behind him -- is it for another member of this conversation, for God, for both? By artfully leaving “space” Callid Keefe-Perry invites God and us to explore these questions with him<a href=\"/Users/Kellie/Downloads/Made%20as%20Makers.KBedited%20(1).docx#_msocom_2\">[KB2]</a> .\n\nSince this is a conversation that we join, not one that we observe from a distance, I’m going to deviate from standard reviewing practice and not go over the main points of the film. You can, and should, watch it and do that yourself. Instead, I am going to review the places where I found myself joining the conversation, where I resonated, and where light shone in my spirit. On second thought, if you watch this film and try to outline the “main points” then you’ve probably missed the main point because the main point really is whatever you have to add to the conversation about God, faith, and hope for the church.\n\nThe themes that really jumped out at me were <em>space</em> and <em>practice</em>. The empty chair behind Callid Keefe-Perry in the opening sequences of the film captivated me. I thought, “We are leaving space for God. God is going to meet us here. He is going to fill that chair.” Later, we hear a woman talking about how faith, and the necessity of having to have faith, really sucks because those around her appear to have a meaningful faith life with little effort while she struggles to “get it right.” I have frequented that place of struggle and comparison quite regularly myself, so it was comforting to hear another woman speak about her journey to find a community that created the space necessary for her to practice faith from her gut. In this sense, then, “Made as Makers” highlighted that creativity in faith includes the importance of matching people to practice, the experimentation required to discover what fits, and the necessary balance between what fits and pushing boundaries of comfort. For example, I naturally find more spiritual and creative space in structured, repetitive environments; too much free form leads me into spiritual desert. I know many people for whom this is the exact opposite.\n\nOnce you’re in this conversation about creative faith, it is really kind of hard to leave. I found myself thinking about these themes of space and practice long after watching the film. I was in the car and listening to an interview with Tracy K. Smith about her struggle to write six lines of poetry, and it got me wondering about the parallels between creative struggle and spiritual struggle, between writer’s block and the dark night of the soul. And then in church we sang a hymn with the line “classrooms and labs, loud boiling test tubes, sing to the Lord a new song!” I was a little bit giddy because my upstairs neighbor is a chemist, who spends her days with petri dishes and pipettes, and I began to think about creative chemists and what that looks like and how somewhere in something that confuses me she finds the space to praise God.\n\nI did have the opportunity to eavesdrop on how “Made as Makers” resonated with a few other people. One viewer highlighted the emphasis on the creative possibilities in a relationship with God where “we don’t have to do it all.” Another was moved by the tension between the experience of faith in which we live and our inability to communicate our experience in such a way that another fully grasps the impact of our experience.  He thought that perhaps creativity and poetry might offer the space to experience faith with one another.  Some were overwhelmed by a desire to go out and do something creative and artistic.\n\nI believe that this opportunity to process “Made as Makers” with others is essential. This isn’t a conversation to be had between me and a film but within members of the broader Christian community. The hope is that a number of us will watch this and get talking, find an open space, and see what new thing God creates with us. May you watch and add your voice to the conversation as well.\n\n</div>','A Review Callid Keefe-Perry’s documentary “Made as Makers” ','','inherit','open','open','','6812-revision','','','2012-05-28 18:29:32','2012-05-29 01:29:32','',6812,'http://provoketive.com/2012/05/28/6812-revision/',0,'revision','',0),(6006,12,'2012-04-17 22:01:29','2012-04-18 05:01:29','','selfrighteous','','inherit','open','open','','selfrighteous','','','2012-04-17 22:01:29','2012-04-18 05:01:29','',0,'http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/selfrighteous.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(6007,12,'2012-04-17 22:02:49','2012-04-18 05:02:49','','organ grinder','','inherit','open','open','','organ-grinder','','','2012-04-17 22:02:49','2012-04-18 05:02:49','',0,'http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/organ-grinder.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(6819,185,'2012-05-29 05:07:19','2012-05-29 12:07:19','Reviewing via film a “documentary poem” about creativity and faith is a little daunting for people, like me, because I am by nature a very straightforward, no-nonsense, and practical kind of person.  Not that I didn’t expect to learn a few new things or find something that would be useful to friends whom I consider “creative”—but I did not anticipate the extent to which “Made as Makers” would expand my own understanding of faith. I thought that a film about creativity would be about bringing artistic elements into our worship, not about using creativity to approach our faith and our understanding of God. Since the latter is true (though not to the exclusion of the former), I found that I really did have a bit to say about this film. As Callid Keefe-Perry says, “I think that every single person has something to add to the conversation where God is concerned because I think that God is concerned with every single person.”\n<div>\n\nIn “Made as Makers,” the filmmaker interviews women, men, artists, church leaders, theologians and everyday people and records his own conversations with them about God, faith, and hope for the church.  I was delighted to find that from the moment the film started, I was invited—no, pulled into—this conversation. There is no room to sit back as a detached observer, the so-called third wheel in a two-person dialogue. The opening sequences of the film begin with Callid Keefe-Perry talking to you, to me, directly.  While he talks there with us there is an empty chair behind him -- is it for another member of this conversation, for God, for both? By artfully leaving “space” Callid Keefe-Perry invites God and us to explore these questions with him.\n\nSince this is a conversation that we join, not one that we observe from a distance, I’m going to deviate from standard reviewing practice and not go over the main points of the film. You can, and should, watch it and do that yourself. Instead, I am going to review the places where I found myself joining the conversation, where I resonated, and where light shone in my spirit. On second thought, if you watch this film and try to outline the “main points” then you’ve probably missed the main point because the main point really is whatever you have to add to the conversation about God, faith, and hope for the church.\n\nThe themes that really jumped out at me were <em>space</em> and <em>practice</em>. The empty chair behind Callid Keefe-Perry in the opening sequences of the film captivated me. I thought, “We are leaving space for God. God is going to meet us here. He is going to fill that chair.” Later, we hear a woman talking about how faith, and the necessity of having to have faith, really sucks because those around her appear to have a meaningful faith life with little effort while she struggles to “get it right.” I have frequented that place of struggle and comparison quite regularly myself, so it was comforting to hear another woman speak about her journey to find a community that created the space necessary for her to practice faith from her gut. In this sense, then, “Made as Makers” highlighted that creativity in faith includes the importance of matching people to practice, the experimentation required to discover what fits, and the necessary balance between what fits and pushing boundaries of comfort. For example, I naturally find more spiritual and creative space in structured, repetitive environments; too much free form leads me into spiritual desert. I know many people for whom this is the exact opposite.\n\nOnce you’re in this conversation about creative faith, it is really kind of hard to leave. I found myself thinking about these themes of space and practice long after watching the film. I was in the car and listening to an interview with Tracy K. Smith about her struggle to write six lines of poetry, and it got me wondering about the parallels between creative struggle and spiritual struggle, between writer’s block and the dark night of the soul. And then in church we sang a hymn with the line “classrooms and labs, loud boiling test tubes, sing to the Lord a new song!” I was a little bit giddy because my upstairs neighbor is a chemist, who spends her days with petri dishes and pipettes, and I began to think about creative chemists and what that looks like and how somewhere in something that confuses me she finds the space to praise God.\n\nI did have the opportunity to eavesdrop on how “Made as Makers” resonated with a few other people. One viewer highlighted the emphasis on the creative possibilities in a relationship with God where “we don’t have to do it all.” Another was moved by the tension between the experience of faith in which we live and our inability to communicate our experience in such a way that another fully grasps the impact of our experience.  He thought that perhaps creativity and poetry might offer the space to experience faith with one another.  Some were overwhelmed by a desire to go out and do something creative and artistic.\n\nI believe that this opportunity to process “Made as Makers” with others is essential. This isn’t a conversation to be had between me and a film but within members of the broader Christian community. The hope is that a number of us will watch this and get talking, find an open space, and see what new thing God creates with us. May you watch and add your voice to the conversation as well.\n\nwww.madeasmakers.org\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n</div>','A Review Callid Keefe-Perry’s documentary “Made as Makers” ','','inherit','open','open','','6812-revision-5','','','2012-05-29 05:07:19','2012-05-29 12:07:19','',6812,'http://provoketive.com/2012/05/29/6812-revision-5/',0,'revision','',0),(6814,185,'2012-05-28 18:30:20','2012-05-29 01:30:20','Reviewing via film a “documentary poem” about creativity and faith is a little daunting for people, like me, because I am by nature a very straightforward, no-nonsense, and practical kind of person.  Not that I didn’t expect to learn a few new things or find something that would be useful to friends whom I consider “creative”—but I did not anticipate the extent to which “Made as Makers” would expand my own understanding of faith. I thought that a film about creativity would be about bringing artistic elements into our worship, not about using creativity to approach our faith and our understanding of God. Since the latter is true (though not to the exclusion of the former), I found that I really did have a bit to say about this film. As Callid Keefe-Perry says, “I think that every single person has something to add to the conversation where God is concerned because I think that God is concerned with every single person.”\r\n<div>\r\n\r\nIn “Made as Makers,” the filmmaker interviews women, men, artists, church leaders, theologians and everyday people and records his own conversations with them about God, faith, and hope for the church.  I was delighted to find that from the moment the film started, I was invited—no, pulled into—this conversation. There is no room to sit back as a detached observer, the so-called third wheel in a two-person dialogue. The opening sequences of the film begin with Callid Keefe-Perry talking to you, to me, directly.  While he talks there with us there is an empty chair behind him -- is it for another member of this conversation, for God, for both? By artfully leaving “space” Callid Keefe-Perry invites God and us to explore these questions with him.\r\n\r\nSince this is a conversation that we join, not one that we observe from a distance, I’m going to deviate from standard reviewing practice and not go over the main points of the film. You can, and should, watch it and do that yourself. Instead, I am going to review the places where I found myself joining the conversation, where I resonated, and where light shone in my spirit. On second thought, if you watch this film and try to outline the “main points” then you’ve probably missed the main point because the main point really is whatever you have to add to the conversation about God, faith, and hope for the church.\r\n\r\nThe themes that really jumped out at me were <em>space</em> and <em>practice</em>. The empty chair behind Callid Keefe-Perry in the opening sequences of the film captivated me. I thought, “We are leaving space for God. God is going to meet us here. He is going to fill that chair.” Later, we hear a woman talking about how faith, and the necessity of having to have faith, really sucks because those around her appear to have a meaningful faith life with little effort while she struggles to “get it right.” I have frequented that place of struggle and comparison quite regularly myself, so it was comforting to hear another woman speak about her journey to find a community that created the space necessary for her to practice faith from her gut. In this sense, then, “Made as Makers” highlighted that creativity in faith includes the importance of matching people to practice, the experimentation required to discover what fits, and the necessary balance between what fits and pushing boundaries of comfort. For example, I naturally find more spiritual and creative space in structured, repetitive environments; too much free form leads me into spiritual desert. I know many people for whom this is the exact opposite.\r\n\r\nOnce you’re in this conversation about creative faith, it is really kind of hard to leave. I found myself thinking about these themes of space and practice long after watching the film. I was in the car and listening to an interview with Tracy K. Smith about her struggle to write six lines of poetry, and it got me wondering about the parallels between creative struggle and spiritual struggle, between writer’s block and the dark night of the soul. And then in church we sang a hymn with the line “classrooms and labs, loud boiling test tubes, sing to the Lord a new song!” I was a little bit giddy because my upstairs neighbor is a chemist, who spends her days with petri dishes and pipettes, and I began to think about creative chemists and what that looks like and how somewhere in something that confuses me she finds the space to praise God.\r\n\r\nI did have the opportunity to eavesdrop on how “Made as Makers” resonated with a few other people. One viewer highlighted the emphasis on the creative possibilities in a relationship with God where “we don’t have to do it all.” Another was moved by the tension between the experience of faith in which we live and our inability to communicate our experience in such a way that another fully grasps the impact of our experience.  He thought that perhaps creativity and poetry might offer the space to experience faith with one another.  Some were overwhelmed by a desire to go out and do something creative and artistic.\r\n\r\nI believe that this opportunity to process “Made as Makers” with others is essential. This isn’t a conversation to be had between me and a film but within members of the broader Christian community. The hope is that a number of us will watch this and get talking, find an open space, and see what new thing God creates with us. May you watch and add your voice to the conversation as well.\r\n\r\n</div>','A Review Callid Keefe-Perry’s documentary “Made as Makers” ','','inherit','open','open','','6812-revision-2','','','2012-05-28 18:30:20','2012-05-29 01:30:20','',6812,'http://provoketive.com/2012/05/28/6812-revision-2/',0,'revision','',0),(6807,182,'2012-05-28 16:26:05','2012-05-28 23:26:05','I was not born contemplative.\r\n\r\nI was taught from an early age to believe that it is more valuable to know things than it is to learn things. Learning, after all, is a step on the path toward knowing; knowing is the result of learning. Whether at home, in school, or at church, it is far better to know the right answer than to be in the process of learning. Learning means that you have not yet arrived at knowing.\r\n\r\nKnowing is also much more fun than learning. Learning requires patience, practice, and being open to new insights. Learning means that you try new things and make mistakes, which just reinforces that you do not know the right answer.\r\n\r\nYou do not do well in school by learning, you do well by knowing the right answers.\r\n\r\nThe great thing about knowing the answer is that you have successfully completed learning. You do not not need to be open to new insights if you already know the answers.\r\n\r\nFor a long time, my understanding of my faith was based in the same approach. I had the right answers, and my mental energies went into sharing and defending those answers rather than being open to gaining new understanding. I was committed to the accuracy of my perspective and, at the same time, beginning to feel stuck because the need to be right is so demanding.\r\n\r\nThe spiritual practices I followed were essentially my homework for church. They were the things I needed to do so I could give the right answers and get a good grade.\r\n\r\nThe first time someone suggested that I read Benedict’s Rule, I was not very interested. I was both intrigued by and anxious about contemplative spirituality, and quite confident that I already had more than enough rules in my life.\r\n\r\nSlowly and surely, the monastic tradition drew me.\r\n\r\nI realized that my answers were not always right.\r\n\r\nI found a church that values solitude and silence. I gained an appreciation for the ways that liturgy provides a supportive framework for inner work and reflection. I began learning practices and disciplines that helped me recognize that God was always with me, loving me and drawing me closer. I began talking with a spiritual director.\r\n\r\nI came to appreciate asking good questions more than having the right answers.\r\n\r\nA friend suggested that I might be interested in Benedictine spirituality. After much reading and several retreats at different monasteries, I was received as a lay oblate at a Benedictine monastery and hermitage in Big Sur, California.\r\n\r\nAn oblate is a person who commits to following a rule of life and is in relationship to a particular monastery and monastic order. The rule I follow includes a variety of spiritual practices such as regular prayer, Bible study, and silence and solitude. At least once each year I spend some time at the monastery.\r\n\r\nMy faith continues to deepen and mature. I continue to be drawn more deeply into contemplative life, and reflect on ways to be a contemplative in today’s world. Contemplation gives me opportunities to find peace and to recognize the presence of the divine each day. Life is not about sitting and reflecting, but about connecting to the peace and gratefulness that can spread through the people around me.\r\n\r\nThere are many possible distractions. I wondered, for example, whether social media would keep me from being contemplative. I continue to learn about the history of monasticism, and to overcome my own preconceived notions of what monastic people are like. I am exploring the balance that encompasses both contemplation and activism.\r\n\r\nContemplation has turned my understanding of my own faith upside down. My connection to the holy is no longer about getting a good grade, no longer about being right. My spirituality has nothing to do with getting the teacher to like me or earning divine good favor.\r\n\r\nEach day is different, yet each is framed in practices which, step by step, redeem my perspective.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;','Contemplative in the City','','inherit','open','open','','6801-revision-5','','','2012-05-28 16:26:05','2012-05-28 23:26:05','',6801,'http://provoketive.com/2012/05/28/6801-revision-5/',0,'revision','',0),(6808,182,'2012-05-28 16:26:10','2012-05-28 23:26:10','I was not born contemplative.\r\n\r\nI was taught from an early age to believe that it is more valuable to know things than it is to learn things. Learning, after all, is a step on the path toward knowing; knowing is the result of learning. Whether at home, in school, or at church, it is far better to know the right answer than to be in the process of learning. Learning means that you have not yet arrived at knowing.\r\n\r\nKnowing is also much more fun than learning. Learning requires patience, practice, and being open to new insights. Learning means that you try new things and make mistakes, which just reinforces that you do not know the right answer.\r\n\r\nYou do not do well in school by learning, you do well by knowing the right answers.\r\n\r\nThe great thing about knowing the answer is that you have successfully completed learning. You do not not need to be open to new insights if you already know the answers.\r\n\r\nFor a long time, my understanding of my faith was based in the same approach. I had the right answers, and my mental energies went into sharing and defending those answers rather than being open to gaining new understanding. I was committed to the accuracy of my perspective and, at the same time, beginning to feel stuck because the need to be right is so demanding.\r\n\r\nThe spiritual practices I followed were essentially my homework for church. They were the things I needed to do so I could give the right answers and get a good grade.\r\n\r\nThe first time someone suggested that I read Benedict’s Rule, I was not very interested. I was both intrigued by and anxious about contemplative spirituality, and quite confident that I already had more than enough rules in my life.\r\n\r\nSlowly and surely, the monastic tradition drew me.\r\n\r\nI realized that my answers were not always right.\r\n\r\nI found a church that values solitude and silence. I gained an appreciation for the ways that liturgy provides a supportive framework for inner work and reflection. I began learning practices and disciplines that helped me recognize that God was always with me, loving me and drawing me closer. I began talking with a spiritual director.\r\n\r\nI came to appreciate asking good questions more than having the right answers.\r\n\r\nA friend suggested that I might be interested in Benedictine spirituality. After much reading and several retreats at different monasteries, I was received as a lay oblate at a Benedictine monastery and hermitage in Big Sur, California.\r\n\r\nAn oblate is a person who commits to following a rule of life and is in relationship to a particular monastery and monastic order. The rule I follow includes a variety of spiritual practices such as regular prayer, Bible study, and silence and solitude. At least once each year I spend some time at the monastery.\r\n\r\nMy faith continues to deepen and mature. I continue to be drawn more deeply into contemplative life, and reflect on ways to be a contemplative in today’s world. Contemplation gives me opportunities to find peace and to recognize the presence of the divine each day. Life is not about sitting and reflecting, but about connecting to the peace and gratefulness that can spread through the people around me.\r\n\r\nThere are many possible distractions. I wondered, for example, whether social media would keep me from being contemplative. I continue to learn about the history of monasticism, and to overcome my own preconceived notions of what monastic people are like. I am exploring the balance that encompasses both contemplation and activism.\r\n\r\nContemplation has turned my understanding of my own faith upside down. My connection to the holy is no longer about getting a good grade, no longer about being right. My spirituality has nothing to do with getting the teacher to like me or earning divine good favor.\r\n\r\nEach day is different, yet each is framed in practices which, step by step, redeem my perspective.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;','Contemplative in the City','','inherit','open','open','','6801-revision-6','','','2012-05-28 16:26:10','2012-05-28 23:26:10','',6801,'http://provoketive.com/2012/05/28/6801-revision-6/',0,'revision','',0),(6809,182,'2012-05-28 16:26:44','2012-05-28 23:26:44','I was not born contemplative.\r\n\r\nI was taught from an early age to believe that it is more valuable to know things than it is to learn things. Learning, after all, is a step on the path toward knowing; knowing is the result of learning. Whether at home, in school, or at church, it is far better to know the right answer than to be in the process of learning. Learning means that you have not yet arrived at knowing.\r\n\r\nKnowing is also much more fun than learning. Learning requires patience, practice, and being open to new insights. Learning means that you try new things and make mistakes, which just reinforces that you do not know the right answer.\r\n\r\nYou do not do well in school by learning, you do well by knowing the right answers.\r\n\r\nThe great thing about knowing the answer is that you have successfully completed learning. You do not not need to be open to new insights if you already know the answers.\r\n\r\nFor a long time, my understanding of my faith was based in the same approach. I had the right answers, and my mental energies went into sharing and defending those answers rather than being open to gaining new understanding. I was committed to the accuracy of my perspective and, at the same time, beginning to feel stuck because the need to be right is so demanding.\r\n\r\nThe spiritual practices I followed were essentially my homework for church. They were the things I needed to do so I could give the right answers and get a good grade.\r\n\r\nThe first time someone suggested that I read Benedict’s Rule, I was not very interested. I was both intrigued by and anxious about contemplative spirituality, and quite confident that I already had more than enough rules in my life.\r\n\r\nSlowly and surely, the monastic tradition drew me.\r\n\r\nI realized that my answers were not always right.\r\n\r\nI found a church that values solitude and silence. I gained an appreciation for the ways that liturgy provides a supportive framework for inner work and reflection. I began learning practices and disciplines that helped me recognize that God was always with me, loving me and drawing me closer. I began talking with a spiritual director.\r\n\r\nI came to appreciate asking good questions more than having the right answers.\r\n\r\nA friend suggested that I might be interested in Benedictine spirituality. After much reading and several retreats at different monasteries, I was received as a lay oblate at a Benedictine monastery and hermitage in Big Sur, California.\r\n\r\nAn oblate is a person who commits to following a rule of life and is in relationship to a particular monastery and monastic order. The rule I follow includes a variety of spiritual practices such as regular prayer, Bible study, and silence and solitude. At least once each year I spend some time at the monastery.\r\n\r\nMy faith continues to deepen and mature. I continue to be drawn more deeply into contemplative life, and reflect on ways to be a contemplative in today’s world. Contemplation gives me opportunities to find peace and to recognize the presence of the divine each day. Life is not about sitting and reflecting, but about connecting to the peace and gratefulness that can spread through the people around me.\r\n\r\nThere are many possible distractions. I wondered, for example, whether social media would keep me from being contemplative. I continue to learn about the history of monasticism, and to overcome my own preconceived notions of what monastic people are like. I am exploring the balance that encompasses both contemplation and activism.\r\n\r\nContemplation has turned my understanding of my own faith upside down. My connection to the holy is no longer about getting a good grade, no longer about being right. My spirituality has nothing to do with getting the teacher to like me or earning divine good favor.\r\n\r\nEach day is different, yet each is framed in practices which, step by step, redeem my perspective.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;','Contemplative in the City','','inherit','open','open','','6801-revision-7','','','2012-05-28 16:26:44','2012-05-28 23:26:44','',6801,'http://provoketive.com/2012/05/28/6801-revision-7/',0,'revision','',0),(6812,185,'2012-06-01 13:00:10','2012-06-01 20:00:10','Reviewing via film a “documentary poem” about creativity and faith is a little daunting for people, like me, because I am by nature a very straightforward, no-nonsense, and practical kind of person.  Not that I didn’t expect to learn a few new things or find something that would be useful to friends whom I consider “creative”—but I did not anticipate the extent to which “Made as Makers” would expand my own understanding of faith. I thought that a film about creativity would be about bringing artistic elements into our worship, not about using creativity to approach our faith and our understanding of God. Since the latter is true (though not to the exclusion of the former), I found that I really did have a bit to say about this film. As Callid Keefe-Perry says, “I think that every single person has something to add to the conversation where God is concerned because I think that God is concerned with every single person.”\r\n<div>\r\n\r\nIn “Made as Makers,” the filmmaker interviews women, men, artists, church leaders, theologians and everyday people and records his own conversations with them about God, faith, and hope for the church.  I was delighted to find that from the moment the film started, I was invited—no, pulled into—this conversation. There is no room to sit back as a detached observer, the so-called third wheel in a two-person dialogue. The opening sequences of the film begin with Callid Keefe-Perry talking to you, to me, directly.  While he talks there with us there is an empty chair behind him -- is it for another member of this conversation, for God, for both? By artfully leaving “space” Callid Keefe-Perry invites God and us to explore these questions with him.\r\n\r\nSince this is a conversation that we join, not one that we observe from a distance, I’m going to deviate from standard reviewing practice and not go over the main points of the film. You can, and should, watch it and do that yourself. Instead, I am going to review the places where I found myself joining the conversation, where I resonated, and where light shone in my spirit. On second thought, if you watch this film and try to outline the “main points” then you’ve probably missed the main point because the main point really is whatever you have to add to the conversation about God, faith, and hope for the church.\r\n\r\nThe themes that really jumped out at me were <em>space</em> and <em>practice</em>. The empty chair behind Callid Keefe-Perry in the opening sequences of the film captivated me. I thought, “We are leaving space for God. God is going to meet us here. He is going to fill that chair.” Later, we hear a woman talking about how faith, and the necessity of having to have faith, really sucks because those around her appear to have a meaningful faith life with little effort while she struggles to “get it right.” I have frequented that place of struggle and comparison quite regularly myself, so it was comforting to hear another woman speak about her journey to find a community that created the space necessary for her to practice faith from her gut. In this sense, then, “Made as Makers” highlighted that creativity in faith includes the importance of matching people to practice, the experimentation required to discover what fits, and the necessary balance between what fits and pushing boundaries of comfort. For example, I naturally find more spiritual and creative space in structured, repetitive environments; too much free form leads me into spiritual desert. I know many people for whom this is the exact opposite.\r\n\r\nOnce you’re in this conversation about creative faith, it is really kind of hard to leave. I found myself thinking about these themes of space and practice long after watching the film. I was in the car and listening to an interview with Tracy K. Smith about her struggle to write six lines of poetry, and it got me wondering about the parallels between creative struggle and spiritual struggle, between writer’s block and the dark night of the soul. And then in church we sang a hymn with the line “classrooms and labs, loud boiling test tubes, sing to the Lord a new song!” I was a little bit giddy because my upstairs neighbor is a chemist, who spends her days with petri dishes and pipettes, and I began to think about creative chemists and what that looks like and how somewhere in something that confuses me she finds the space to praise God.\r\n\r\nI did have the opportunity to eavesdrop on how “Made as Makers” resonated with a few other people. One viewer highlighted the emphasis on the creative possibilities in a relationship with God where “we don’t have to do it all.” Another was moved by the tension between the experience of faith in which we live and our inability to communicate our experience in such a way that another fully grasps the impact of our experience.  He thought that perhaps creativity and poetry might offer the space to experience faith with one another.  Some were overwhelmed by a desire to go out and do something creative and artistic.\r\n\r\nI believe that this opportunity to process “Made as Makers” with others is essential. This isn’t a conversation to be had between me and a film but within members of the broader Christian community. The hope is that a number of us will watch this and get talking, find an open space, and see what new thing God creates with us. May you watch and add your voice to the conversation as well.\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://madeasmakers.org\" target=\"_blank\">www.madeasmakers.org</a>\r\n\r\n</div>','A Review Callid Keefe-Perry’s documentary “Made as Makers” ','','publish','open','open','','a-review-callid-keefe-perrys-documentary-made-as-makers','','','2012-06-01 09:23:14','2012-06-01 16:23:14','',0,'http://provoketive.com/?p=6812',0,'post','',3),(6815,185,'2012-05-28 18:46:46','2012-05-29 01:46:46','Reviewing via film a “documentary poem” about creativity and faith is a little daunting for people, like me, because I am by nature a very straightforward, no-nonsense, and practical kind of person.  Not that I didn’t expect to learn a few new things or find something that would be useful to friends whom I consider “creative”—but I did not anticipate the extent to which “Made as Makers” would expand my own understanding of faith. I thought that a film about creativity would be about bringing artistic elements into our worship, not about using creativity to approach our faith and our understanding of God. Since the latter is true (though not to the exclusion of the former), I found that I really did have a bit to say about this film. As Callid Keefe-Perry says, “I think that every single person has something to add to the conversation where God is concerned because I think that God is concerned with every single person.”\n<div>\n\nIn “Made as Makers,” the filmmaker interviews women, men, artists, church leaders, theologians and everyday people and records his own conversations with them about God, faith, and hope for the church.  I was delighted to find that from the moment the film started, I was invited—no, pulled into—this conversation. There is no room to sit back as a detached observer, the so-called third wheel in a two-person dialogue. The opening sequences of the film begin with Callid Keefe-Perry talking to you, to me, directly.  While he talks there with us there is an empty chair behind him -- is it for another member of this conversation, for God, for both? By artfully leaving “space” Callid Keefe-Perry invites God and us to explore these questions with him.\n\nSince this is a conversation that we join, not one that we observe from a distance, I’m going to deviate from standard reviewing practice and not go over the main points of the film. You can, and should, watch it and do that yourself. Instead, I am going to review the places where I found myself joining the conversation, where I resonated, and where light shone in my spirit. On second thought, if you watch this film and try to outline the “main points” then you’ve probably missed the main point because the main point really is whatever you have to add to the conversation about God, faith, and hope for the church.\n\nThe themes that really jumped out at me were <em>space</em> and <em>practice</em>. The empty chair behind Callid Keefe-Perry in the opening sequences of the film captivated me. I thought, “We are leaving space for God. God is going to meet us here. He is going to fill that chair.” Later, we hear a woman talking about how faith, and the necessity of having to have faith, really sucks because those around her appear to have a meaningful faith life with little effort while she struggles to “get it right.” I have frequented that place of struggle and comparison quite regularly myself, so it was comforting to hear another woman speak about her journey to find a community that created the space necessary for her to practice faith from her gut. In this sense, then, “Made as Makers” highlighted that creativity in faith includes the importance of matching people to practice, the experimentation required to discover what fits, and the necessary balance between what fits and pushing boundaries of comfort. For example, I naturally find more spiritual and creative space in structured, repetitive environments; too much free form leads me into spiritual desert. I know many people for whom this is the exact opposite.\n\nOnce you’re in this conversation about creative faith, it is really kind of hard to leave. I found myself thinking about these themes of space and practice long after watching the film. I was in the car and listening to an interview with Tracy K. Smith about her struggle to write six lines of poetry, and it got me wondering about the parallels between creative struggle and spiritual struggle, between writer’s block and the dark night of the soul. And then in church we sang a hymn with the line “classrooms and labs, loud boiling test tubes, sing to the Lord a new song!” I was a little bit giddy because my upstairs neighbor is a chemist, who spends her days with petri dishes and pipettes, and I began to think about creative chemists and what that looks like and how somewhere in something that confuses me she finds the space to praise God.\n\nI did have the opportunity to eavesdrop on how “Made as Makers” resonated with a few other people. One viewer highlighted the emphasis on the creative possibilities in a relationship with God where “we don’t have to do it all.” Another was moved by the tension between the experience of faith in which we live and our inability to communicate our experience in such a way that another fully grasps the impact of our experience.  He thought that perhaps creativity and poetry might offer the space to experience faith with one another.  Some were overwhelmed by a desire to go out and do something creative and artistic.\n\nI believe that this opportunity to process “Made as Makers” with others is essential. This isn’t a conversation to be had between me and a film but within members of the broader Christian community. The hope is that a number of us will watch this and get talking, find an open space, and see what new thing God creates with us. May you watch and add your voice to the conversation as well.\n\n</div>','A Review Callid Keefe-Perry’s documentary “Made as Makers” ','','inherit','open','open','','6812-revision-3','','','2012-05-28 18:46:46','2012-05-29 01:46:46','',6812,'http://provoketive.com/2012/05/28/6812-revision-3/',0,'revision','',0),(6296,31,'2012-04-30 08:00:28','2012-04-30 15:00:28','I sat in the minister’s office on a Wednesday night, nervous with my parents seated on either side of me.\r\n\r\n“Why now?” he asked.\r\n\r\n“I’m not ready,” I replied.\r\n\r\nConfusion spread across the minister\'s face, and he glanced at my parents doubtfully.\r\n\r\nMy dad turned toward me and asked gently, “Then why are we here, David, if you aren’t ready?”\r\n\r\nMy heart pounded and I saw this moment — my most important moment — begin to slip away from me, and I knew I couldn’t let that happen. I might not get this chance again. If I didn’t seize this moment, I feared I might never get another one, and it would be too late.\r\n\r\n“No, no, no,” I replied, voice shaky and quiet. “I’m not ready to die.”\r\n\r\n“What do you mean?” asked my youth minister.\r\n\r\n“If I died, I think I would go to Hell,” I replied.\r\n\r\nThe room grew quiet.\r\n\r\nI was 10.\r\n\r\nJust a decade old, I had become convinced that I needed to be saved from the specter hell and an eternity with Satan.\r\n\r\nDespite the fact that I had attended church for my entire life, whenever the doors were open — Sunday mornings, Sunday evenings, Wednesday nights. Despite the fact that my family religiously read the Bible together. Despite the fact that I already had faith in Jesus, in God. Despite the fact that Jesus loved me, this I knew.\r\n\r\nMy youth minister talked briefly with me, before finally deciding that I was indeed of the age of accountability and could be baptized. He asked if I wanted to “come forward” on Sunday or just go ahead and be baptized that night.\r\n\r\nThe situation was much too urgent to wait four days. It was now or never.\r\n\r\nWithin a half hour, after he scrounged up some witnesses and I donned thin white clothes, I had been baptized. Until I felt the cool rush of the waters, I was terrified that something would happen and that I would perish unbaptized, unsaved, destined for Satan’s clutches.\r\n\r\nBut it took years, another decade almost, for the fear to stop.\r\n\r\nRichard Nixon reportedly once said, “People react to fear, not love. They don’t teach that in Sunday School, but it’s true.”\r\n\r\nBut, in truth, that is the exact messages echoing throughout Sunday Schools and churches throughout Christianity, where sermons based on fear of Satan and eternal damnation move more people toward the altar than sermons inspired by God, justice, generosity and love.\r\n\r\nIn my own experience of salvation, Satan loomed much larger — and more powerful a motivator — than did God. I didn’t want to commit my life to God because of the divine love offered to me but because I was a terrified 10-year-old. I had the hell scared right out of me.\r\n\r\nNow, this is the perfect place to criticize fear-based religion, to lampoon the notion of sinners dangling in the hands of an angry God. Instead of grasping at low-hanging fruit, however, I want to propose something else. In addition to being psychologically damaging and spiritually abusive, the figure of Satan is fundamentally unorthodox, at odds with Christianity\'s claims of monotheism.\r\n\r\nIn other words, Satan, as much of Christianity has conceived of him and how the idea of him has functioned, is heresy of the highest degree.\r\n\r\nAnd it is a heresy that Christians for millenia have embraced.\r\n\r\nSuppose for a moment you were studying a new religion. In it, there was an eternal being, with supernatural powers to influence the world and humanity, who commanded a legion of angels to do his will, and who would stop at nothing to gain the allegiance of humans.\r\n\r\nThis paragraph describes a god. It certainly could be said to describe traditional Christianity’s God. But it could equally be said to describe its traditional understanding of Satan.\r\n\r\nChristianity, in effect, through its discourse about Satan, has mutated from a monotheistic religion to a ditheistic one, with rival gods battling for the souls of humans. Christians will pay lip service to the notion that God is all-powerful and has or will defeat Satan, while at the same time, acknowledging that the temporal battle is all but lost to the forces of evil.\r\n\r\nIn any other religion, such a dualistic counterpart, locked in eternal warfare with God, would also be considered a god and monotheistic claims would be sneered at.\r\n\r\nAt some point, Christianity needs to face its own unspoken anathema — the theological Frankenstein it created — that Satan has become a god.\r\n\r\nNow, to be clear, I don’t believe that a being called Satan exists. Neither do I think it is biblical or reasonable to do so. At most, I would say that Satan is the human personification of the evil that is present in the world, conceived as a theodicy of sorts to balance the sorry state of affairs on earth with the belief in a good God.\r\n\r\nA clear example of this can be found in the Old Testament during a census ordered by King David. There are two accounts of this story in different books, and they are exactly the same, save for one significant detail. In the earlier one, it is the anger of the Lord which goads David to take the census. In the latter one, it is Satan.\r\n\r\nAn adversary has been made.\r\n\r\nA scapegoat created. But it is not a scapegoat to carry away the sins of the people. Rather, it is a scapegoat created by the people for the misbehavior of their God.\r\n\r\nEventually, Satan comes to function as humanity’s scapegoat as well, the animal that carries off the sins so far away into the dark wilderness that we no longer can claim responsibility for our sins at all. Over the centuries, the figure of Satan has been used to justify all sorts of bad behavior in the world. Humanity’s moral failings are blamed on the influence of Satan, lifting responsibility for deplorable evil to a supernatural level outside the control of humankind. In other instances, our evil work — the Inquisition comes to mind — is justified as a righteous attempt to stamp out Satan’s work. Further, humanity’s infatuation with violence, racism and war are blamed on the work of the Evil One rather than our cravings for power and security.\r\n\r\nHonestly, Satan can be an attractive alternative to the truth of our own culpability in injustice and evil. It is much easier to blame a metaphysical boogeyman with horns, a pitchfork and a fiery lair beneath the earth than it is to look at the blood on our own hands. While Jesus might offer forgiveness of our sins, Satan offers us the chance to disavow responsibility for them completely.\r\n\r\nIt\'s no wonder so many Christians seem to focus more on Satan than on Jesus.\r\n\r\nWhat seems more attractive, confessing our failings or blaming them on someone else?','The Making of an Adversary: Satan and Christianity\'s Unspoken Heresy','','publish','open','open','','the-making-of-an-adversary-satan-and-christianitys-unspoken-heresy','','','2012-04-25 10:30:14','2012-04-25 17:30:14','',0,'http://provoketive.com/?p=6296',0,'post','',36),(6014,173,'2012-04-26 08:00:14','2012-04-26 15:00:14','<a href=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/Adoption.jpg\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-6015 alignleft\" src=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/Adoption-199x300.jpg\" alt=\"Adoption\" width=\"199\" height=\"300\" /></a>We sat on damp sofa cushions in the mud and straw shack, a one-room dwelling that Teddy was clearly proud of. I’m not sure how many children and babies she’s helped since becoming local chairperson of her district, which is a slum in Kampala, Uganda — but our son was one of them. I removed my shoes before entering.\r\n\r\nWe had just visited another shack after navigating the twisting maze of the slum — the place where our son had spent the first six months of his life.\r\n\r\nTeddy began telling Benjamin’s mother’s story in her soft-spoken, lilting Luganda. Our driver and friend interpreted. His mother had been just 19 years old. “These women, they do not have money to go to the clinic, so they go to a neighborhood place to deliver, or some of them stay home,” Teddy said. “But if something goes wrong, they cannot be saved.”\r\n\r\nI blinked and swallowed, looking up at the dark ceiling as I held her son, now my son, in my lap. He was starting to get hungry.\r\n\r\nIt was my first deeply personal taste of injustice, and it hasn’t left me since. Any adoption involves such staggering, fundamental loss.\r\n\r\nAnd because I’m Benjamin\'s mother now, that loss is part of me, too.\r\n\r\nI wish it didn’t have to happen to him or his mother. If I could prevent him from ever having to shoulder this burden of loss, I would. In a heartbeat.\r\n<h2><strong>Half of the story</strong></h2>\r\nLooking at adoption from the outside — and particularly Christian adoption, with its themes of redemption and ties to gospel and savior messages — it’s tempting to focus solely on the healing and wholeness that can occur after a child is home.\r\n\r\nThe predominant idea is that they once were lost, and now they’re found. “I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you,” says the scripture in John 14 (NIV), and we imagine our story as the real-life parallel. This child had no one, and now he has a home and a family and a future.\r\n\r\nBut once we dove into adoption for real, the fantasy-rescue storyline of adoption started to look thin. By the time we were face-to-face with our son, it had completely disappeared.\r\n\r\nAdoption can be redemptive, but it’s the second half of the child’s story. And I believe that if we truly want to make a difference for “orphans… in their distress” (James 1:27, NIV), the first half of the story is where our focus should be.\r\n<h2><strong>Preventing adoption</strong></h2>\r\nFor my son’s sake, and for his mother’s, my focus is now on preventing adoption from ever having to be considered.\r\n\r\nI’m involved in an organization (<a href=\"http://www.mercyformamas.com\">Mercy for Mamas</a>) that purchases sterile birthing kits for pregnant women in Uganda, a $7 set of supplies that saves women’s lives by preventing infection and allowing them to give birth in a better-equipped medical center.\r\n\r\nI’m exploring how educating girls may be the single most powerful way to prevent unplanned pregnancies.\r\n\r\nI’m reading about efforts to train and retain mid-level birthing experts like midwives and nurse practitioners in some of the poorer regions of Africa.\r\n\r\nI’m supporting sustainable clean water efforts, as well as initiatives to provide free mosquito nets, both to stop the spread of diseases that are especially hard on pregnant women.\r\n\r\nBecause even if it means an American family has to wait longer for their African baby to come home, I want to prevent adoption from being necessary for that baby in the first place.\r\n\r\n<strong><em>How could we do better in supporting maternal survival and family preservation? If you care about adoption and orphans, do you think these are important issues?</em></strong>','Preventing Adoption','','publish','open','open','','preventing-adoption','','','2012-04-25 10:08:47','2012-04-25 17:08:47','',0,'http://provoketive.com/?p=6014',0,'post','',11),(6015,173,'2012-04-18 04:47:37','2012-04-18 11:47:37','','Adoption','','inherit','open','open','','adoption','','','2012-04-18 04:47:37','2012-04-18 11:47:37','',6014,'http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/Adoption.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(6016,173,'2012-04-18 05:03:23','2012-04-18 12:03:23','','Adoption','','inherit','open','open','','adoption2','','','2012-04-18 05:03:23','2012-04-18 12:03:23','',6014,'http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/Adoption2.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(6017,173,'2012-04-18 05:05:44','2012-04-18 12:05:44','<p style=\"text-align: center\"><a href=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/Adoption.jpg\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-6015 aligncenter\" src=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/Adoption-199x300.jpg\" alt=\"Adoption\" width=\"199\" height=\"300\" /></a></p>\nWe sat on damp sofa cushions in the mud and straw shack, a one-room dwelling that Teddy was clearly proud of. I’m not sure how many children and babies she’s helped since becoming local chairperson of her district, which is a slum in Kampala, Uganda — but our son was one of them. I removed my shoes before entering.\n\nWe had just visited another shack after navigating the twisting maze of the slum — the place where our son had spent the first six months of his life.\n\nTeddy began telling Benjamin’s mother’s story in her soft-spoken, lilting Luganda. Our driver and friend interpreted. His mother had been just 19 years old. “These women, they do not have money to go to the clinic, so they go to a neighborhood place to deliver, or some of them stay home,” Teddy said. “But if something goes wrong, they cannot be saved.”\n\nI blinked and swallowed, looking up at the dark ceiling as I held her son, now my son, in my lap. He was starting to get hungry.\n\nIt was my first deeply personal taste of injustice, and it hasn’t left me since. Any adoption involves such staggering, fundamental loss.\n\nAnd because I’m Benjamin\'s mother now, that loss is part of me, too.\n\nI wish it didn’t have to happen to him or his mother. If I could prevent him from ever having to shoulder this burden of loss, I would. In a heartbeat.\n\n&nbsp;\n<h2><strong>Half of the story</strong></h2>\nLooking at adoption from the outside — and particularly Christian adoption, with its themes of redemption and ties to gospel and savior messages — it’s tempting to focus solely on the healing and wholeness that can occur after a child is home.\n\nThe predominant idea is that they once were lost, and now they’re found. “I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you,” says the scripture in John 14 (NIV), and we imagine our story as the real-life parallel. This child had no one, and now he has a home and a family and a future.\n\nBut once we dove into adoption for real, the fantasy-rescue storyline of adoption started to look thin. By the time we were face-to-face with our son, it had completely disappeared.\n\nAdoption can be redemptive, but it’s the second half of the child’s story. And I believe that if we truly want to make a difference for “orphans… in their distress” (James 1:27, NIV), the first half of the story is where our focus should be.\n<h2><strong>Preventing adoption</strong></h2>\nFor my son’s sake, and for his mother’s, my focus is now on preventing adoption from ever having to be considered.\n\nI’m involved in an organization (mercyformamas.com) that purchases sterile birthing kits for pregnant women in Uganda, a $7 set of supplies that saves women’s lives by preventing infection and allowing them to give birth in a better-equipped medical center.\n\nI’m exploring how educating girls may be the single most powerful way to prevent unplanned pregnancies.\n\nI’m reading about efforts to train and retain mid-level birthing experts like midwives and nurse practitioners in some of the poorer regions of Africa.\n\nI’m supporting sustainable clean water efforts, as well as initiatives to provide free mosquito nets, both to stop the spread of diseases that are especially hard on pregnant women.\n\nBecause even if it means an American family has to wait longer for their African baby to come home, I want to prevent adoption from being necessary for that baby in the first place.\n\n&nbsp;\n\n<strong><em>How could we do better in supporting maternal survival and preventing the spread of HIV? If you care about adoption and orphans, do you think these are important issues?</em></strong>','Preventing Adoption','','inherit','open','open','','6014-revision','','','2012-04-18 05:05:44','2012-04-18 12:05:44','',6014,'http://provoketive.com/2012/04/18/6014-revision/',0,'revision','',0),(6018,1,'2012-04-25 10:08:17','2012-04-25 17:08:17','<a href=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/Adoption.jpg\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-6015 alignleft\" src=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/Adoption-199x300.jpg\" alt=\"Adoption\" width=\"199\" height=\"300\" /></a>We sat on damp sofa cushions in the mud and straw shack, a one-room dwelling that Teddy was clearly proud of. I’m not sure how many children and babies she’s helped since becoming local chairperson of her district, which is a slum in Kampala, Uganda — but our son was one of them. I removed my shoes before entering.\n\nWe had just visited another shack after navigating the twisting maze of the slum — the place where our son had spent the first six months of his life.\n\nTeddy began telling Benjamin’s mother’s story in her soft-spoken, lilting Luganda. Our driver and friend interpreted. His mother had been just 19 years old. “These women, they do not have money to go to the clinic, so they go to a neighborhood place to deliver, or some of them stay home,” Teddy said. “But if something goes wrong, they cannot be saved.”\n\nI blinked and swallowed, looking up at the dark ceiling as I held her son, now my son, in my lap. He was starting to get hungry.\n\nIt was my first deeply personal taste of injustice, and it hasn’t left me since. Any adoption involves such staggering, fundamental loss.\n\nAnd because I’m Benjamin\'s mother now, that loss is part of me, too.\n\nI wish it didn’t have to happen to him or his mother. If I could prevent him from ever having to shoulder this burden of loss, I would. In a heartbeat.\n<h2><strong>Half of the story</strong></h2>\nLooking at adoption from the outside — and particularly Christian adoption, with its themes of redemption and ties to gospel and savior messages — it’s tempting to focus solely on the healing and wholeness that can occur after a child is home.\n\nThe predominant idea is that they once were lost, and now they’re found. “I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you,” says the scripture in John 14 (NIV), and we imagine our story as the real-life parallel. This child had no one, and now he has a home and a family and a future.\n\nBut once we dove into adoption for real, the fantasy-rescue storyline of adoption started to look thin. By the time we were face-to-face with our son, it had completely disappeared.\n\nAdoption can be redemptive, but it’s the second half of the child’s story. And I believe that if we truly want to make a difference for “orphans… in their distress” (James 1:27, NIV), the first half of the story is where our focus should be.\n<h2><strong>Preventing adoption</strong></h2>\nFor my son’s sake, and for his mother’s, my focus is now on preventing adoption from ever having to be considered.\n\nI’m involved in an organization (<a href=\"http://www.mercyformamas.com\">Mercy for Mamas</a>) that purchases sterile birthing kits for pregnant women in Uganda, a $7 set of supplies that saves women’s lives by preventing infection and allowing them to give birth in a better-equipped medical center.\n\nI’m exploring how educating girls may be the single most powerful way to prevent unplanned pregnancies.\n\nI’m reading about efforts to train and retain mid-level birthing experts like midwives and nurse practitioners in some of the poorer regions of Africa.\n\nI’m supporting sustainable clean water efforts, as well as initiatives to provide free mosquito nets, both to stop the spread of diseases that are especially hard on pregnant women.\n\nBecause even if it means an American family has to wait longer for their African baby to come home, I want to prevent adoption from being necessary for that baby in the first place.\n\n<strong><em>How could we do better in supporting maternal survival and family preservation? If you care about adoption and orphans, do you think these are important issues?</em></strong>','Preventing Adoption','','inherit','open','open','','6014-autosave','','','2012-04-25 10:08:17','2012-04-25 17:08:17','',6014,'http://provoketive.com/2012/04/18/6014-autosave/',0,'revision','',0),(6303,1,'2012-04-18 05:06:38','2012-04-18 12:06:38','<p style=\"text-align: center\"><a href=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/Adoption.jpg\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-6015 aligncenter\" src=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/Adoption-199x300.jpg\" alt=\"Adoption\" width=\"199\" height=\"300\" /></a></p>\r\nWe sat on damp sofa cushions in the mud and straw shack, a one-room dwelling that Teddy was clearly proud of. I’m not sure how many children and babies she’s helped since becoming local chairperson of her district, which is a slum in Kampala, Uganda — but our son was one of them. I removed my shoes before entering.\r\n\r\nWe had just visited another shack after navigating the twisting maze of the slum — the place where our son had spent the first six months of his life.\r\n\r\nTeddy began telling Benjamin’s mother’s story in her soft-spoken, lilting Luganda. Our driver and friend interpreted. His mother had been just 19 years old. “These women, they do not have money to go to the clinic, so they go to a neighborhood place to deliver, or some of them stay home,” Teddy said. “But if something goes wrong, they cannot be saved.”\r\n\r\nI blinked and swallowed, looking up at the dark ceiling as I held her son, now my son, in my lap. He was starting to get hungry.\r\n\r\nIt was my first deeply personal taste of injustice, and it hasn’t left me since. Any adoption involves such staggering, fundamental loss.\r\n\r\nAnd because I’m Benjamin\'s mother now, that loss is part of me, too.\r\n\r\nI wish it didn’t have to happen to him or his mother. If I could prevent him from ever having to shoulder this burden of loss, I would. In a heartbeat.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<h2><strong>Half of the story</strong></h2>\r\nLooking at adoption from the outside — and particularly Christian adoption, with its themes of redemption and ties to gospel and savior messages — it’s tempting to focus solely on the healing and wholeness that can occur after a child is home.\r\n\r\nThe predominant idea is that they once were lost, and now they’re found. “I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you,” says the scripture in John 14 (NIV), and we imagine our story as the real-life parallel. This child had no one, and now he has a home and a family and a future.\r\n\r\nBut once we dove into adoption for real, the fantasy-rescue storyline of adoption started to look thin. By the time we were face-to-face with our son, it had completely disappeared.\r\n\r\nAdoption can be redemptive, but it’s the second half of the child’s story. And I believe that if we truly want to make a difference for “orphans… in their distress” (James 1:27, NIV), the first half of the story is where our focus should be.\r\n<h2><strong>Preventing adoption</strong></h2>\r\nFor my son’s sake, and for his mother’s, my focus is now on preventing adoption from ever having to be considered.\r\n\r\nI’m involved in an organization (<a href=\"http://www.mercyformamas.com\">Mercy for Mamas</a>) that purchases sterile birthing kits for pregnant women in Uganda, a $7 set of supplies that saves women’s lives by preventing infection and allowing them to give birth in a better-equipped medical center.\r\n\r\nI’m exploring how educating girls may be the single most powerful way to prevent unplanned pregnancies.\r\n\r\nI’m reading about efforts to train and retain mid-level birthing experts like midwives and nurse practitioners in some of the poorer regions of Africa.\r\n\r\nI’m supporting sustainable clean water efforts, as well as initiatives to provide free mosquito nets, both to stop the spread of diseases that are especially hard on pregnant women.\r\n\r\nBecause even if it means an American family has to wait longer for their African baby to come home, I want to prevent adoption from being necessary for that baby in the first place.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<strong><em>How could we do better in supporting maternal survival and family preservation? If you care about adoption and orphans, do you think these are important issues?</em></strong>','Preventing Adoption','','inherit','open','open','','6014-revision-2','','','2012-04-18 05:06:38','2012-04-18 12:06:38','',6014,'http://provoketive.com/2012/04/18/6014-revision-2/',0,'revision','',0),(7360,189,'2012-07-31 10:36:22','2012-07-31 17:36:22','Explain the two words spoken by Jesus—“Follow me”—in 1000 words or less? Hmmm. Maybe I should just stop right there and let you think this through on your own.\r\n\r\nMy understanding of what it means to follow Him has changed over the years. Perhaps our understanding of “following” is <em>supposed</em> to change over time as our maturity in the Lord grows in response to the leading of the Holy Spirit and the ways we experience Him with others. Because I can’t claim to know <em>everything</em> about following Jesus, the best I can offer is to share <em>some</em> of the things I’ve learned about following Jesus—beginning with what “following Jesus” is <strong><em>not</em><em>.</em></strong>\r\n\r\n<strong>Following Jesus is not the same thing as: </strong>\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li>Following the teachings of Jesus, or following doctrines, creeds, or denominational statements of faith.</li>\r\n	<li>Following a Bible Reading Plan, memorizing scripture, or claiming a “life verse”.</li>\r\n	<li>Following “religious convictions”, or acting upon those convictions, alone or as a group, purely for the sake of acting upon convictions.</li>\r\n	<li>Attending a weekly worship service, and maybe a midweek prayer meeting or Bible study, or meeting with a small group or accountability partner.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\nThere isn’t anything wrong with doing these things. In fact, I  follow  Jesus today because others encouraged me to do these things over the course of my spiritual journey.  “Christian practices” are not the same thing as following Jesus. <em></em>I know a lot <em>about</em> <em>Jesus</em> by studying, talking about or meditating on these things—but knowing a lot <em>about Jesus</em> isn’t the same as <em>knowing Jesus</em>. It helps to know Who you’re following.<strong><em></em></strong>\r\n\r\n<strong><em>“Follow me.”</em></strong>  Two words caused Simon and Andrew to drop their fishing nets.  James and John “left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired men and went off after Him.” (Mark 1:20 Amplified). Levi, son of Alphaeus, left his tax booth: “he arose and joined Him and His disciples and sided with His party and accompanied Him.” (Mark 2:14 Amp). Philip ran to find his friend Nathanael and they too followed Him. Twelve men, in all, apparently left their life’s work to follow Jesus.\r\n\r\nI find it interesting that the Amplified Version conveys that the words “follow me” carry the connotation, “side with my party\".  Against the backdrop of  first century Hebrew culture—oppressed by the conquering Romans, looking for Messiah to deliver the Children of Israel and fulfill all the promises of the Old Testament—we read Nathanael’s confession, “Teacher, You are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!” (John 1:49) and the reason the twelve “followed” begins to come into focus.  Over the course of the next three and a half years, these men—and later Saul of Tarsus, among others—would come to understand that following Jesus isn’t about following teachings, doctrines, scriptures, convictions or attending religious meetings.  Men and women down through centuries found, in the Gospels and other writings of the New Testament, not <em>something</em> to believe in and follow, but rather <strong><em>Someone</em></strong> to believe in and follow.\r\n\r\nTo follow Jesus is to follow a living <strong><em>Person!</em></strong>\r\n<blockquote><strong><em> </em></strong>“And the Word (Christ) became flesh (human, incarnate) and tabernacled (fixed His tent of flesh, lived awhile) among us; and we [actually] saw His glory (His honor, His majesty), such glory as an only begotten son receives from his father, full of grace (favor, loving-kindness) and truth.”__John 1:14 (Amp)\r\n\r\n“For it has <strong>pleased</strong> [the Father] that all the divine fullness (the sum total of the divine perfection, powers, and attributes) should <strong>dwell</strong> in Him permanently.”__ Colossians 1:19 (Amp)</blockquote>\r\nFollowing a living Person, who is the Christ, comes with a cost, which He explained Himself to His disciples:\r\n<blockquote>“And He said to all, If any person wills to come after Me, let him deny himself [disown himself, <sup> </sup>forget, lose sight of himself and his own interests, refuse and give up himself] and take up his cross daily and follow Me [cleave steadfastly to Me, conform wholly to My example in living and, if need be, in dying also].” __Luke 9:23 (Amp)</blockquote>\r\nWhat do we have to gain by following this all-wonderful, all-glorious, all-divine Person? What is the outcome we look forward to? For starters, eternal life! Make that eternal, <strong><em>abundant</em> </strong>life, sustained by Christ who <strong><em>is</em></strong> our life! Many more “rewards” are promised to faithful followers who overcome the trials and temptations of this world—check out the letters to the seven churches in John’s last book!\r\n\r\nThere’s another important thing I’ve learned about following Jesus: it’s something we do <strong><em>together</em></strong>.\r\n\r\nFollowing Jesus is following a living <strong><em>Person</em></strong>…<strong><em>together!</em></strong>\r\n<blockquote>“When Christ, Who is our life, appears, then you also will appear with Him in [the splendor of His] glory. __Colossians 3:4 (Amp)</blockquote>','Two Words','','inherit','open','open','','7337-revision-21','','','2012-07-31 10:36:22','2012-07-31 17:36:22','',7337,'http://provoketive.com/2012/07/31/7337-revision-21/',0,'revision','',0),(6021,1,'2012-04-18 11:43:50','2012-04-18 18:43:50','','hope synchroblog 1 2012','','inherit','open','open','','hope-synchroblog-1-2012','','','2012-04-18 11:43:50','2012-04-18 18:43:50','',4042,'http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/hope-synchroblog-1-2012.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(6022,1,'2012-01-18 22:45:12','2012-01-19 06:45:12','January\'s Synchroblog is about hope. Below is a list of writer\'s who are thinking and dreaming about it.  We believe the power of voice has tremendous capacity to inspire and give hope to people.\r\n\r\nBelow is a list of participant\'s and their posts:\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://provoketive.com/2012/01/18/the-trouble-with-hope/\" target=\"_blank\">The Trouble With Hope</a>: <a href=\"http://www.johnptacek.com/\" target=\"_blank\">John Ptacek</a>\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://provoketive.com/2012/01/18/hope-possibility-x-imagination/\" target=\"_blank\">Hope = Possibility x Imagination</a>: <a href=\"http://markysroom.blogspot.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Wayne Rumsby</a>\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://provoketive.com/2012/01/18/little-reminders/\" target=\"_blank\">Little Reminders</a>: <a href=\"http://stillanightowl.wordpress.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Mike Victorino</a>\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://provoketive.com/2012/01/18/where-is-my-hope/\">Where Is My Hope</a>: <a href=\"http://jonathanbrink.com\" target=\"_blank\">Jonathan Brink</a>\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://provoketive.com/2012/01/18/hope-for-hypocrites/\" target=\"_blank\">Hope for Hypocrites</a>: <a href=\"http://www.tillhecomes.org/\" target=\"_blank\">Jeremy Myers</a>\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://provoketive.com/2012/01/18/now-these-three-remain/\" target=\"_blank\">Now These Three Remain</a>: <a href=\"http://www.lookthrough.net/\" target=\"_blank\">Sonny Lemmons</a>\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://provoketive.com/2012/01/18/perplexed-but-still-hopeful/\" target=\"_blank\">Perplexed, But Still Hopeful</a>: <a href=\"http://wordshalfheard.blogspot.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Carol Kuniholm</a>\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://provoketive.com/2012/01/18/a-hope-that-lives/\" target=\"_blank\">A Hope that Lives</a>: <a href=\"http://unchainedfaith.wordpress.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Amy Mitchell</a>\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://provoketive.com/2012/01/18/generations-come-and-generations-go/\" target=\"_blank\">Generations Come and Generations Go</a>: <a href=\"http://www.missionaljourneyman.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Adam Gonnerman</a>\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://provoketive.com/2012/01/18/demystifying-hope/\" target=\"_blank\">Demystifying Hope</a>: <a href=\"http://glennhager1.wordpress.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Glenn Hager</a>\r\n\r\n<a href=\"etive.com/2012/01/18/god-in-the-dark-on-hope/\" target=\"_blank\">God in the Dark: On Hope</a>: <a href=\"http://www.quietanthem.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Renee Ronika Klug</a>\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://provoketive.com/2012/01/18/keeping-hope-alive/\" target=\"_blank\">Keeping Hope Alive</a>: <a href=\"http://mauricebroaddus.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Maurice Broaddus</a>\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://provoketive.com/2012/01/18/are-we-afraid-to-hope/\" target=\"_blank\">Are We Afraid to Hope?</a>: <a href=\"http://godspace.wordpress.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Christine Sine</a>\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://provoketive.com/2012/01/18/on-wobbly-wheels-split-churches-and-fear/\" target=\"_blank\">On Wobbly Wheels, Split Churches and Fear</a>: <a href=\"http://lauradroege.wordpress.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Laura Droege </a>\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://provoketive.com/2012/01/18/adopting-hope/\" target=\"_blank\">Adopting Hope</a>: <a href=\"http://earthtourist.org/\" target=\"_blank\">Travis Klassen</a>\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://provoketive.com/2012/01/18/hope-is-held-between-us/\" target=\"_blank\">Hope is Held Between Us</a>: <a href=\"http://ellenharoutunian.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Ellen Haroutunian</a>\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://provoketive.com/2012/01/18/hope-in-the-hands-of-the-creatively-maladjusted/\" target=\"_blank\">Hope: In the Hands of the Creatively Maladjusted</a>: <a href=\"http://miheekimkort.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Mihee Kim-Kort</a>\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://provoketive.com/2012/01/18/paradox-hope-and-revival/\" rel=\"bookmark\">Paradox, Hope and Revival</a>: <a href=\"http://desertspiritsfire.blogspot.com/\" target=\"_blank\">City Safari</a>\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://provoketive.com/2012/01/18/good-theology-saves/\" target=\"_blank\">Good Theology Saves</a>: <a href=\"http://theologybird.wordpress.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Reverend Robyn</a>\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://provoketive.com/2012/01/18/linear-never-was-never-will-be/\">Linear: Never Was, Never Will Be</a>: <a href=\"http://kathyescobar.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Kathy Escobar</a>\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://provoketive.com/2012/01/18/better-than-hope/\" target=\"_blank\">Better Than Hope</a>: <a href=\"http://gracerules.wordpress.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Liz Dyer</a>\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://provoketive.com/2012/01/18/caroline-for-congress-hope-for-the-future/\" rel=\"bookmark\">Caroline for Congress: Hope for the Future</a>: <a href=\"http://wendymccaig.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Wendy McCaig</a>\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://provoketive.com/2012/01/18/fumbling-the-ball-on-hope/\">Fumbling the Ball on Hope</a>: <a href=\"http://morechrist.blogspot.com/\" target=\"_blank\">KW Leslie</a>\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://provoketive.com/2012/01/18/content-to-hope/\">Content to Hope</a>: <a href=\"http://www.alise-write.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Alise Wright </a>\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://provoketive.com/2012/01/18/hope-oh-the-humanity/\">Hope: Oh, the Humanity!</a>: <a href=\"http://www.soullikeaspider.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Deanna Ogle</a>\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://provoketive.com/2012/01/18/synchroblog-hope/\">Hope</a>: <a href=\"http://heysonnie.wordpress.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Sonnie </a>\r\n\r\nA Synchroblog is a collective response to a particular topic.  Everyone writes about the same issue and then links to each other’s post.','Synchroblog On Hope','','inherit','open','open','','4042-revision-21','','','2012-01-18 22:45:12','2012-01-19 06:45:12','',4042,'http://provoketive.com/2012/01/18/4042-revision-21/',0,'revision','',0),(6023,1,'2012-04-18 11:44:02','2012-04-18 18:44:02','January\'s Synchroblog is about hope. Below is a list of writer\'s who are thinking and dreaming about it.  We believe the power of voice has tremendous capacity to inspire and give hope to people.\r\n\r\nBelow is a list of participant\'s and their posts:\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://provoketive.com/2012/01/18/the-trouble-with-hope/\" target=\"_blank\">The Trouble With Hope</a>: <a href=\"http://www.johnptacek.com/\" target=\"_blank\">John Ptacek</a>\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://provoketive.com/2012/01/18/hope-possibility-x-imagination/\" target=\"_blank\">Hope = Possibility x Imagination</a>: <a href=\"http://markysroom.blogspot.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Wayne Rumsby</a>\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://provoketive.com/2012/01/18/little-reminders/\" target=\"_blank\">Little Reminders</a>: <a href=\"http://stillanightowl.wordpress.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Mike Victorino</a>\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://provoketive.com/2012/01/18/where-is-my-hope/\">Where Is My Hope</a>: <a href=\"http://jonathanbrink.com\" target=\"_blank\">Jonathan Brink</a>\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://provoketive.com/2012/01/18/hope-for-hypocrites/\" target=\"_blank\">Hope for Hypocrites</a>: <a href=\"http://www.tillhecomes.org/\" target=\"_blank\">Jeremy Myers</a>\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://provoketive.com/2012/01/18/now-these-three-remain/\" target=\"_blank\">Now These Three Remain</a>: <a href=\"http://www.lookthrough.net/\" target=\"_blank\">Sonny Lemmons</a>\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://provoketive.com/2012/01/18/perplexed-but-still-hopeful/\" target=\"_blank\">Perplexed, But Still Hopeful</a>: <a href=\"http://wordshalfheard.blogspot.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Carol Kuniholm</a>\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://provoketive.com/2012/01/18/a-hope-that-lives/\" target=\"_blank\">A Hope that Lives</a>: <a href=\"http://unchainedfaith.wordpress.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Amy Mitchell</a>\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://provoketive.com/2012/01/18/generations-come-and-generations-go/\" target=\"_blank\">Generations Come and Generations Go</a>: <a href=\"http://www.missionaljourneyman.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Adam Gonnerman</a>\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://provoketive.com/2012/01/18/demystifying-hope/\" target=\"_blank\">Demystifying Hope</a>: <a href=\"http://glennhager1.wordpress.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Glenn Hager</a>\r\n\r\n<a href=\"etive.com/2012/01/18/god-in-the-dark-on-hope/\" target=\"_blank\">God in the Dark: On Hope</a>: <a href=\"http://www.quietanthem.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Renee Ronika Klug</a>\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://provoketive.com/2012/01/18/keeping-hope-alive/\" target=\"_blank\">Keeping Hope Alive</a>: <a href=\"http://mauricebroaddus.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Maurice Broaddus</a>\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://provoketive.com/2012/01/18/are-we-afraid-to-hope/\" target=\"_blank\">Are We Afraid to Hope?</a>: <a href=\"http://godspace.wordpress.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Christine Sine</a>\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://provoketive.com/2012/01/18/on-wobbly-wheels-split-churches-and-fear/\" target=\"_blank\">On Wobbly Wheels, Split Churches and Fear</a>: <a href=\"http://lauradroege.wordpress.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Laura Droege </a>\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://provoketive.com/2012/01/18/adopting-hope/\" target=\"_blank\">Adopting Hope</a>: <a href=\"http://earthtourist.org/\" target=\"_blank\">Travis Klassen</a>\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://provoketive.com/2012/01/18/hope-is-held-between-us/\" target=\"_blank\">Hope is Held Between Us</a>: <a href=\"http://ellenharoutunian.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Ellen Haroutunian</a>\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://provoketive.com/2012/01/18/hope-in-the-hands-of-the-creatively-maladjusted/\" target=\"_blank\">Hope: In the Hands of the Creatively Maladjusted</a>: <a href=\"http://miheekimkort.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Mihee Kim-Kort</a>\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://provoketive.com/2012/01/18/paradox-hope-and-revival/\" rel=\"bookmark\">Paradox, Hope and Revival</a>: <a href=\"http://desertspiritsfire.blogspot.com/\" target=\"_blank\">City Safari</a>\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://provoketive.com/2012/01/18/good-theology-saves/\" target=\"_blank\">Good Theology Saves</a>: <a href=\"http://theologybird.wordpress.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Reverend Robyn</a>\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://provoketive.com/2012/01/18/linear-never-was-never-will-be/\">Linear: Never Was, Never Will Be</a>: <a href=\"http://kathyescobar.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Kathy Escobar</a>\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://provoketive.com/2012/01/18/better-than-hope/\" target=\"_blank\">Better Than Hope</a>: <a href=\"http://gracerules.wordpress.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Liz Dyer</a>\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://provoketive.com/2012/01/18/caroline-for-congress-hope-for-the-future/\" rel=\"bookmark\">Caroline for Congress: Hope for the Future</a>: <a href=\"http://wendymccaig.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Wendy McCaig</a>\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://provoketive.com/2012/01/18/fumbling-the-ball-on-hope/\">Fumbling the Ball on Hope</a>: <a href=\"http://morechrist.blogspot.com/\" target=\"_blank\">KW Leslie</a>\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://provoketive.com/2012/01/18/content-to-hope/\">Content to Hope</a>: <a href=\"http://www.alise-write.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Alise Wright </a>\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://provoketive.com/2012/01/18/hope-oh-the-humanity/\">Hope: Oh, the Humanity!</a>: <a href=\"http://www.soullikeaspider.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Deanna Ogle</a>\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://provoketive.com/2012/01/18/synchroblog-hope/\">Hope</a>: <a href=\"http://heysonnie.wordpress.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Sonnie </a>\r\n\r\nA Synchroblog is a collective response to a particular topic.  Everyone writes about the same issue and then links to each other’s post.','Synchroblog On Hope','','inherit','open','open','','4042-revision-22','','','2012-04-18 11:44:02','2012-04-18 18:44:02','',4042,'http://provoketive.com/2012/04/18/4042-revision-22/',0,'revision','',0),(6024,35,'2012-04-18 11:50:57','2012-04-18 18:50:57','','Angry Mother','','inherit','open','open','','angry-mother','','','2012-04-18 11:50:57','2012-04-18 18:50:57','',6020,'http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/Angry-Mother.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(6025,35,'2012-04-18 11:48:39','2012-04-18 18:48:39','Most Christians focus on every word and incident in Jesus’ life as recorded in the four Gospels.  But I’m also drawn to the people involved.  How did they relate to Jesus?  What was their story?Being the mother of three children, there is an event in the Bible I totally understand from Mary’s point of view.  She was Jesus’ mom and caught him teaching the religious teachers in the Temple in Jerusalem at the age of 12 after he had been missing for three days.  Here’s the story in Luke 2:41-52.\n<blockquote>Every year Jesus’ parents went to Jerusalem for the Passover festival. When Jesus was twelve years old, they attended the festival as usual. After the celebration was over, they started home to Nazareth, but Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem. His parents didn’t miss him at first, because they assumed he was among the other travelers. But when he didn’t show up that evening, they started looking for him among their relatives and friends.\n\nWhen they couldn’t find him, they went back to Jerusalem to search for him there. Three days later they finally discovered him in the Temple, sitting among the religious teachers, listening to them and asking questions. All who heard him were amazed at his understanding and his answers.\n\nHis parents didn’t know what to think. “Son,” his mother said to him, “why have you done this to us? Your father and I have been frantic, searching for you everywhere.”\n\n“But why did you need to search?” he asked. “Didn’t you know that I must be in my Father’s house?”</blockquote>\nI can imagine what happened next:\n\nMary: “I don’t care WHO you are.  Don’t talk to your mother like that.”\n\nGod: “I don’t care WHO you are.  Don’t talk to your mother like that.”\n\nJoseph:  “You’re grounded for the next week when we get home, and don’t EVER pull a stunt like this again.”\n\nJesus got the message.\n<blockquote>Then he returned to Nazareth with them and was obedient to them.</blockquote>\nWait a minute…..how dare Mary talk to Jesus like this!  She knew he was God’s Son, the Messiah.  The angel Gabriel had told her so on the front end.  But Mary had given birth to him and raised him, and was living with a 12-year-old kid.  Have you ever wanted to strangle a pre-teen?  Jesus was fully God, but also fully human.  Verse 52 says \"Jesus grew in wisdom and in stature and in favor with God and all the people.\"  Well, he had a lot of growing up left to do when this incident happened, and his parents were stuck with the job.\n\nI think one of the reasons God picked Mary to be the mother of His Son was she had the guts and strength to take on the challenge.\n\nIn my book, <em>Uncensored Prayer: The Spiritual Practice of Wrestling With God</em>, I wrote what I think about this woman.  According to Luke, here’s what Mary did after the angel announced she would give birth to the Messiah:\n<blockquote>Then she immediately ran to see Elizabeth, excited to tell her the good news.\n\nI wish Scripture told us more about Mary’s three month visit with her relative. When did reality set in?  For Mary, the pregnancy meant tremendous public scorn, possibly death by stoning.  What would her parents say?  Would Joseph reject her?  At some point, Mary had to think, “What is God doing to me?  Was I insane to agree to this?”  I bet she and God had a world-class wrestling match on the mat with Uncensored Prayer.  We like to think of Mary as pious and demure, but I think she was more than that.\n\nWhat if God selected her for this challenge of faith and commitment because she was a fighter? I think the key to her courage was she knew that even though Gabriel had left, God hadn’t and wouldn’t.  He was her partner, and she knew she could trust Him to help her handle everything that lay ahead.  Mary was one of the three women who had the courage at stand at the foot of the cross watching Jesus die, even though every one of the disciples except John had abandoned him.  She had faith in God that overcame her fear.</blockquote>\nI really like Mary.  I wouldn’t have wanted her job, but we would have been great friends.  She was a lot like me.\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n<span style=\"font-family: Times New Roman;font-size: small\"> </span>','The Gospel According to Mary, Jesus\' Mom','','inherit','open','open','','6020-revision','','','2012-04-18 11:48:39','2012-04-18 18:48:39','',6020,'http://provoketive.com/2012/04/18/6020-revision/',0,'revision','',0),(6026,35,'2012-04-18 11:51:37','2012-04-18 18:51:37','Most Christians focus on every word and incident in Jesus’ life as recorded in the four Gospels.  But I’m also drawn to the people involved.  How did they relate to Jesus?  What was their story?Being the mother of three children, there is an event in the Bible I totally understand from Mary’s point of view.  She was Jesus’ mom and caught him teaching the religious teachers in the Temple in Jerusalem at the age of 12 after he had been missing for three days.  Here’s the story in Luke 2:41-52.\r\n<blockquote>Every year Jesus’ parents went to Jerusalem for the Passover festival. When Jesus was twelve years old, they attended the festival as usual. After the celebration was over, they started home to Nazareth, but Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem. His parents didn’t miss him at first, because they assumed he was among the other travelers. But when he didn’t show up that evening, they started looking for him among their relatives and friends.\r\n\r\nWhen they couldn’t find him, they went back to Jerusalem to search for him there. Three days later they finally discovered him in the Temple, sitting among the religious teachers, listening to them and asking questions. All who heard him were amazed at his understanding and his answers.\r\n\r\nHis parents didn’t know what to think. “Son,” his mother said to him, “why have you done this to us? Your father and I have been frantic, searching for you everywhere.”\r\n\r\n“But why did you need to search?” he asked. “Didn’t you know that I must be in my Father’s house?”</blockquote>\r\nI can imagine what happened next:\r\n\r\nMary: “I don’t care WHO you are.  Don’t talk to your mother like that.”\r\n\r\nGod: “I don’t care WHO you are.  Don’t talk to your mother like that.”\r\n\r\nJoseph:  “You’re grounded for the next week when we get home, and don’t EVER pull a stunt like this again.”\r\n\r\nJesus got the message.\r\n<blockquote>Then he returned to Nazareth with them and was obedient to them.</blockquote>\r\nWait a minute…..how dare Mary talk to Jesus like this!  She knew he was God’s Son, the Messiah.  The angel Gabriel had told her so on the front end.  But Mary had given birth to him and raised him, and was living with a 12-year-old kid.  Have you ever wanted to strangle a pre-teen?  Jesus was fully God, but also fully human.  Verse 52 says \"Jesus grew in wisdom and in stature and in favor with God and all the people.\"  Well, he had a lot of growing up left to do when this incident happened, and his parents were stuck with the job.\r\n\r\nI think one of the reasons God picked Mary to be the mother of His Son was she had the guts and strength to take on the challenge.\r\n\r\nIn my book, <em>Uncensored Prayer: The Spiritual Practice of Wrestling With God</em>, I wrote what I think about this woman.  According to Luke, here’s what Mary did after the angel announced she would give birth to the Messiah:\r\n<blockquote>Then she immediately ran to see Elizabeth, excited to tell her the good news.\r\n\r\nI wish Scripture told us more about Mary’s three month visit with her relative. When did reality set in?  For Mary, the pregnancy meant tremendous public scorn, possibly death by stoning.  What would her parents say?  Would Joseph reject her?  At some point, Mary had to think, “What is God doing to me?  Was I insane to agree to this?”  I bet she and God had a world-class wrestling match on the mat with Uncensored Prayer.  We like to think of Mary as pious and demure, but I think she was more than that.\r\n\r\nWhat if God selected her for this challenge of faith and commitment because she was a fighter? I think the key to her courage was she knew that even though Gabriel had left, God hadn’t and wouldn’t.  He was her partner, and she knew she could trust Him to help her handle everything that lay ahead.  Mary was one of the three women who had the courage at stand at the foot of the cross watching Jesus die, even though every one of the disciples except John had abandoned him.  She had faith in God that overcame her fear.</blockquote>\r\nI really like Mary.  I wouldn’t have wanted her job, but we would have been great friends.  She was a lot like me.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-family: Times New Roman;font-size: small\"> </span>','The Gospel According to Mary, Jesus\' Mom','','inherit','open','open','','6020-revision-2','','','2012-04-18 11:51:37','2012-04-18 18:51:37','',6020,'http://provoketive.com/2012/04/18/6020-revision-2/',0,'revision','',0),(6305,1,'2012-04-30 12:38:30','2012-04-30 19:38:30','Most Christians focus on every word and incident in Jesus’ life as recorded in the four Gospels.  But I’m also drawn to the people involved.  How did they relate to Jesus?  What was their story?\n\nBeing the mother of three children, there is an event in the Bible I totally understand from Mary’s point of view.  She was Jesus’ mom and caught him teaching the religious teachers in the Temple in Jerusalem at the age of 12 after he had been missing for three days.  Here’s the story in Luke 2:41-52.\n<blockquote>Every year Jesus’ parents went to Jerusalem for the Passover festival. When Jesus was twelve years old, they attended the festival as usual. After the celebration was over, they started home to Nazareth, but Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem. His parents didn’t miss him at first, because they assumed he was among the other travelers. But when he didn’t show up that evening, they started looking for him among their relatives and friends.\n\nWhen they couldn’t find him, they went back to Jerusalem to search for him there. Three days later they finally discovered him in the Temple, sitting among the religious teachers, listening to them and asking questions. All who heard him were amazed at his understanding and his answers.\n\nHis parents didn’t know what to think. “Son,” his mother said to him, “why have you done this to us? Your father and I have been frantic, searching for you everywhere.”\n\n“But why did you need to search?” he asked. “Didn’t you know that I must be in my Father’s house?”</blockquote>\nI can imagine what happened next:\n\nMary: “I don’t care WHO you are.  Don’t talk to your mother like that.”\n\nGod: “I don’t care WHO you are.  Don’t talk to your mother like that.”\n\nJoseph:  “You’re grounded for the next week when we get home, and don’t EVER pull a stunt like this again.”\n\nJesus got the message.\n<blockquote>Then he returned to Nazareth with them and was obedient to them.</blockquote>\nWait a minute…..how dare Mary talk to Jesus like this!  She knew he was God’s Son, the Messiah.  The angel Gabriel had told her so on the front end.  But Mary had given birth to him and raised him, and was living with a 12-year-old kid.  Have you ever wanted to strangle a pre-teen?  Jesus was fully God, but also fully human.  Verse 52 says \"Jesus grew in wisdom and in stature and in favor with God and all the people.\"  Well, he had a lot of growing up left to do when this incident happened, and his parents were stuck with the job.\n\nI think one of the reasons God picked Mary to be the mother of His Son was she had the guts and strength to take on the challenge.\n\nIn my book, <em>Uncensored Prayer: The Spiritual Practice of Wrestling With God</em>, I wrote what I think about this woman.  According to Luke, here’s what Mary did after the angel announced she would give birth to the Messiah:\n<blockquote>Then she immediately ran to see Elizabeth, excited to tell her the good news.\n\nI wish Scripture told us more about Mary’s three month visit with her relative. When did reality set in?  For Mary, the pregnancy meant tremendous public scorn, possibly death by stoning.  What would her parents say?  Would Joseph reject her?  At some point, Mary had to think, “What is God doing to me?  Was I insane to agree to this?”  I bet she and God had a world-class wrestling match on the mat with Uncensored Prayer.  We like to think of Mary as pious and demure, but I think she was more than that.\n\nWhat if God selected her for this challenge of faith and commitment because she was a fighter? I think the key to her courage was she knew that even though Gabriel had left, God hadn’t and wouldn’t.  He was her partner, and she knew she could trust Him to help her handle everything that lay ahead.  Mary was one of the three women who had the courage to stand at the foot of the cross watching Jesus die, even though every one of the disciples except John had abandoned him.  She had faith in God that overcame her fear.</blockquote>\nI really like Mary.  I wouldn’t have wanted her job, but we would have been great friends.  She was a lot like me.\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n<span style=\"font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;\"> </span>','The Gospel According to Jesus\' Mom','','inherit','open','open','','6020-autosave','','','2012-04-30 12:38:30','2012-04-30 19:38:30','',6020,'http://provoketive.com/2012/04/25/6020-autosave/',0,'revision','',0),(6027,35,'2012-04-18 11:58:21','2012-04-18 18:58:21','Most Christians focus on every word and incident in Jesus’ life as recorded in the four Gospels.  But I’m also drawn to the people involved.  How did they relate to Jesus?  What was their story?\r\n\r\nBeing the mother of three children, there is an event in the Bible I totally understand from Mary’s point of view.  She was Jesus’ mom and caught him teaching the religious teachers in the Temple in Jerusalem at the age of 12 after he had been missing for three days.  Here’s the story in Luke 2:41-52.\r\n<blockquote>Every year Jesus’ parents went to Jerusalem for the Passover festival. When Jesus was twelve years old, they attended the festival as usual. After the celebration was over, they started home to Nazareth, but Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem. His parents didn’t miss him at first, because they assumed he was among the other travelers. But when he didn’t show up that evening, they started looking for him among their relatives and friends.\r\n\r\nWhen they couldn’t find him, they went back to Jerusalem to search for him there. Three days later they finally discovered him in the Temple, sitting among the religious teachers, listening to them and asking questions. All who heard him were amazed at his understanding and his answers.\r\n\r\nHis parents didn’t know what to think. “Son,” his mother said to him, “why have you done this to us? Your father and I have been frantic, searching for you everywhere.”\r\n\r\n“But why did you need to search?” he asked. “Didn’t you know that I must be in my Father’s house?”</blockquote>\r\nI can imagine what happened next:\r\n\r\nMary: “I don’t care WHO you are.  Don’t talk to your mother like that.”\r\n\r\nGod: “I don’t care WHO you are.  Don’t talk to your mother like that.”\r\n\r\nJoseph:  “You’re grounded for the next week when we get home, and don’t EVER pull a stunt like this again.”\r\n\r\nJesus got the message.\r\n<blockquote>Then he returned to Nazareth with them and was obedient to them.</blockquote>\r\nWait a minute…..how dare Mary talk to Jesus like this!  She knew he was God’s Son, the Messiah.  The angel Gabriel had told her so on the front end.  But Mary had given birth to him and raised him, and was living with a 12-year-old kid.  Have you ever wanted to strangle a pre-teen?  Jesus was fully God, but also fully human.  Verse 52 says \"Jesus grew in wisdom and in stature and in favor with God and all the people.\"  Well, he had a lot of growing up left to do when this incident happened, and his parents were stuck with the job.\r\n\r\nI think one of the reasons God picked Mary to be the mother of His Son was she had the guts and strength to take on the challenge.\r\n\r\nIn my book, <em>Uncensored Prayer: The Spiritual Practice of Wrestling With God</em>, I wrote what I think about this woman.  According to Luke, here’s what Mary did after the angel announced she would give birth to the Messiah:\r\n<blockquote>Then she immediately ran to see Elizabeth, excited to tell her the good news.\r\n\r\nI wish Scripture told us more about Mary’s three month visit with her relative. When did reality set in?  For Mary, the pregnancy meant tremendous public scorn, possibly death by stoning.  What would her parents say?  Would Joseph reject her?  At some point, Mary had to think, “What is God doing to me?  Was I insane to agree to this?”  I bet she and God had a world-class wrestling match on the mat with Uncensored Prayer.  We like to think of Mary as pious and demure, but I think she was more than that.\r\n\r\nWhat if God selected her for this challenge of faith and commitment because she was a fighter? I think the key to her courage was she knew that even though Gabriel had left, God hadn’t and wouldn’t.  He was her partner, and she knew she could trust Him to help her handle everything that lay ahead.  Mary was one of the three women who had the courage at stand at the foot of the cross watching Jesus die, even though every one of the disciples except John had abandoned him.  She had faith in God that overcame her fear.</blockquote>\r\nI really like Mary.  I wouldn’t have wanted her job, but we would have been great friends.  She was a lot like me.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-family: Times New Roman;font-size: small\"> </span>','The Gospel According to Mary, Jesus\' Mom','','inherit','open','open','','6020-revision-3','','','2012-04-18 11:58:21','2012-04-18 18:58:21','',6020,'http://provoketive.com/2012/04/18/6020-revision-3/',0,'revision','',0),(6335,176,'2012-05-05 08:00:19','2012-05-05 15:00:19','What is happiness? To one person it means owning eight cars. To another it means being in a great relationship. To a third it’s about getting blissed out in kirtan. Happiness means different things to different people. But, despite the discrepancy, one thing is certain — nice things and experiences only offer temporary pleasure. Cars die, relationships end, memories fade. Any definition of happiness based on attaining something or achieving a “positive” state of mind is built on a deck of cards.\r\n\r\nAccording to Ven. Sanghasena, a Buddhist monk and spiritual leader in India, equanimity is a higher state of happiness that is steady and long lasting. It is not based on the dualities of pleasure or pain, happy or sad, rich or poor. Rather than the ups and downs that come from a state of happiness based on sensual desires, equanimity is a state of non-attachment based on acceptance of what is happening in the <a href=\"http://www.themindfulword.org/2010/present-moment-presence-process/\">present moment</a> — “good” or “bad,” “pleasure” or “pain” are all concepts created in our minds. With equanimity, all is good.\r\n\r\nThe term “equanimity” first entered the English language in the 17<sup>th</sup> century from the Latin “<em>aequanimitas</em>,” which comes from “<em>aequus”</em> (equal) and “<em>animus”</em> (mind). According to the <em>Oxford English Dictionary</em>, it means “calmness and composure, especially in a difficult situation” — though that general definition doesn’t capture the true essence of this powerful meta-virtue.\r\n\r\n<strong>In Theory</strong>\r\n\r\nAll the major spiritual traditions of the world regard equanimity as central to their teachings. In verse 2.48 of the sacred Hindu text, the Bhagavad Gita, Krishna teaches: \"Perform your duty equipoised, O Arjuna, abandoning all attachment to success or failure. Such equanimity is called yoga.\" Hindus and yogis define yoga as “union with God,” designating equanimity as the one all-important virtue to realizing their divinity. Krishna advises Arjuna to maintain non-attachment because it’s that even-mindedness that enables us to escape the ego’s firm grip that constantly compels us to strive for this and avoid that. While abiding in equanimity, we can see more clearly that all those events happening on the surface of our existence are only as relevant as we believe them to be. In equanimity, we experience our true Selves.\r\n\r\nLooking beyond the spiritual traditions originating in India, Christianity too embraces equanimity as an important part of its beliefs. St. Paul writes in Philippians 4:11-13 about focusing on the divine rather than getting swayed by externalities: \"I have learned to be content with whatever I have. I know what it is to have little, and I know what it is to have plenty. In any and all circumstances I have learned the secret of being well-fed and of going hungry, of having plenty and of being in need. I can do all things through him who strengthens me.\"\r\n\r\nAccording to Rabbi Chaim Vital, equanimity (“<em>hishtavut” </em>in Hebrew<em>)</em>is a prerequisite to meditation, which in turn is a prerequisite to realizing divine inspiration and prophecy. Unless we can maintain equanimity, we need to further attach our consciousness to G-d. Rabbi Avner, in a teaching on the secret of equanimity, says to “surrender your heart even more, a true surrendering, until you have attained equanimity. Then you will be able to meditate.”\r\n\r\nThe word Islam comes from the Arabic <em>aslama</em>, which means “surrender.” When Muslims pray to Allah they surrender to Allah’s will, which can be considered a state of peaceful acceptance no different than equanimity. The similar sounding Arabic word <em>salam</em> is a greeting that means peace: a peace that can come through surrendering to Allah’s will.\r\n\r\nBut when hearing the term equanimity in a spiritual context, it is Buddhism people generally think of, because of the virtue’s intrinsic importance to the spiritual tradition. The ancient Sanskrit word “upeksha” roughly translates to equanimity, which along with loving kindness (maitri), compassion (karuna) and joy (mudita), is one of the four immeasurables (the same as the four sublime attitudes in Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras).\r\n\r\nVietnamese Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh translates upeksha as follows in <em>Teachings on Love</em>: “In Sanskrit, ‘<em>upa’</em> means over and ‘<em>iksh’</em> means ‘to look.’ You climb the mountain to be able to look over the whole situation, not bound by one side or the other.” From that vantage point one accesses another aspect of equanimity, “<em>samatajnana</em>” or the wisdom of equality, which Nhat Hanh describes as “the ability to see everyone as equal and not discriminate between ourselves and other people.” When embroiled in conflict, the equanimous will maintain impartiality in an effort to truly understand others’ points of view. They drop their discrimination in order to truly love. In this way, the self, the ego, diminishes and they become one.\r\n\r\nAccording to Nhat Hanh’s understanding of equanimity, it is a way to connect. Yet, a common misconception is that it’s a state of indifference. Theravadan Buddhist monk Bhikkhu Bodhi counters that claim: “It is evenness of mind, unshakeable freedom of mind, a state of inner equipoise that cannot be upset by gain and loss, honour and dishonour, praise and blame, pleasure and pain. Upekkha is freedom from all points of self-reference; it is indifference only to the demands of the ego-self with its craving for pleasure and position, not to the well-being of one’s fellow human beings.” When dropping the ego, we naturally connect with others and become better able to assist them.\r\n\r\n<strong>In Practice</strong>\r\n\r\nVipassana is one of India’s most ancient forms of meditation and has become increasingly popular in recent years partly because of its effectiveness at generating equanimity. Though the Buddha rediscovered it and made it part of the Buddhist practice, it is non-sectarian in nature. “Vipassana is a way of self-transformation through self-observation,” says S.N Goenka, one of many Vipassana teachers popularizing the technique worldwide. “It focuses on the deep interconnection between mind and body, which can be experienced directly by disciplined attention to the physical sensations that form the life of the body, and that continuously interconnect and condition the life of the mind.”\r\n\r\nVipassana meditators focus on the constantly changing sensations in the body to realize the essential impermanence — and thus limited importance — of all these sensations. It is known as insight meditation, because in developing equanimity with whatever is happening, meditators gain insight into the impermanent reality of life.\r\n\r\nThough Vipassana meditators try to apply the principles of their practice in everyday life, their focus is on sitting meditation. In mindfulness, also a non-sectarian practice associated with Buddhism, practitioners focus on being in the present moment throughout the day by using a variety of daily practices such as walking and eating meditation, so when any event occurs, they are aware of it and accept it as just another event. “In touch with the flowers (or any other pleasure or aversion), I breathe in. Smiling with the flowers (or any other pleasure or aversion), I breathe out” is a guided meditation that mindfulness practitioners repeat to themselves as a means of appreciating, but at the same time not clinging to desires or averting themselves from negativities.\r\n\r\nAs we become aware of our emotions we can choose to act responsibly rather than react unskillfully. Mindfulness practitioners train themselves to be constantly aware of whatever enters the mind, feeling the emotions and their effect before acting. Equanimity cultivates an acceptance of our emotional vagaries, allowing us to show compassion for ourselves. As we show compassion for ourselves, we can more easily show compassion for others.\r\n<div>\r\n\r\nThe push-pull drama called the pursuit of happiness doesn’t lead to satisfaction, but to the ego trap of attachment and aversion. Setting a goal to attain something that will make us happy inevitably compounds the belief that there is something bad to avoid. Equanimity undoes that errant thinking. It frees us from that dichotomy of good and bad that will forever hound us as much as we believe in those concepts. In letting go of the ego’s grasp through acceptance of all that is, we realize contentment. And with the success struggle out of the way, we realize gratitude for all that we already have.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<div align=\"center\">\r\n\r\n<hr align=\"center\" size=\"2\" width=\"100%\" />\r\n\r\n</div>\r\n<a href=\"https://plus.google.com/101556749885182449997\">Kiva Bottero</a> edits and writes for the Engaged Living Network. You can read his writing at <a href=\"http://www.themindfulword.org\">The Mindful Word</a>, <a href=\"http://greenbuildingcanada.ca\">Green Building Canada</a>, <a href=\"http://www.greenhomegnome.com\">Green Home Gnome</a> and <a href=\"http://www.greenhousegnome.com\">Greenhouse Gnome</a>.\r\n\r\nphoto courtesy 350.org (<a title=\"Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike License\" href=\"http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/2.0/\">Creative Commons – some rights reserved</a>)\r\n\r\n</div>','A Higher State of Happiness','','publish','open','open','','a-higher-state-of-happiness','','\nhttp://www.themindfulword.org/2010/present-moment-presence-process/','2013-02-16 02:34:57','2013-02-16 10:34:57','',0,'http://provoketive.com/?p=6335',0,'post','',2),(6464,12,'2012-05-07 08:00:19','2012-05-07 15:00:19','All-Pro NFL linebacker Junior Seau, who spent most of his amazing career with the San Diego Chargers ended his life recently with a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the chest. There is much speculation on why he did it. That\'s not what this article is about.\r\n\r\nI got to see Seau play in person twice in his career. Once against the Colts and once against the Rams. He was an amazing leader and ball player. When the play ended, he was almost always where the ball was. He was the true definition of a football player.\r\n\r\nOne of the most touching tributes to Seau was by Saints offensive lineman Eric Olsen. <a href=\"http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/05/02/junior-seau-dead-suicide-eric-olsen-twitter_n_1472482.html\">Take time to read the story at Huffington Post.</a> Without Seau\'s encouragement, Olsen would probably have never pursued a football career.\r\n\r\nThis morning, I was listening to sports radio and a caller to one of the programs used one of my least favorite phrases when it comes to suicide. The caller said, \"he took the easy way out.\"\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/seau2.jpg\"><img class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-6466\" style=\"margin-left: 6px; margin-right: 6px;\" src=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/seau2.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"296\" height=\"298\" /></a>The easy way out. There are a lot of reasons I abhor that phrase. First, it is extremely insensitive to the family of anyone who has lost someone due to suicide. For the family who is suffering the loss of a loved one who took their own life, there are few words of comfort. There are broken pieces that need to be picked up, and that will never be put back together again. Using phrases like, \"he took the easy way out,\" is not a way to help.\r\n\r\nIt\'s almost as bad as saying to the family, \"he picked a long-term solution for a short-term problem.\" Yeah, we get what you mean, but those are not words to console with.\r\n\r\nI had a grief counselor tell me once that those left behind in the wake of suicide are all left wondering, \"Why? Was there something I could have done? Was it something I did?\" And each of those people all carry with them a piece of that person and a disturbing part of the questions unanswered.\r\n\r\nSecondly, using the phrase, \"the easy way out,\" typically comes from those who have no understanding of what severe depression is like. The type of depression that leads one down a path where seemingly, the only door available to them is one that leads them to self-destruction. It\'s an awful place to be, when suddenly, one believes that the world would be a better place without them or that things are never going to improve. The path to that door is not easy. It is terrible, awful and heartbreaking.\r\n\r\nThere may be signs that someone is considering suicide that we can watch for. Suicide is not the answer for problems, obviously. But grieving families need support, proper words and consoling, instead of cliche, speculation and strange looks.\r\n\r\nThere comes a moment when we all need to be wary of the words we use and ask ourselves why we use them. This might be one of those moments where we remove a certain phrase from our vocabulary.\r\n\r\n______________________________\r\n\r\nLinks:\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://www.webmd.com/depression/guide/depression-recognizing-signs-of-suicide\">WebMD Suicide and Depression: Signs and Symptoms</a>\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://www.console.ie/index.php?contentid=Suicide&amp;sectionid=suicide-bereavement\">Console: Suicide Bereavement</a>\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://www.suicidepreventionlifeline.org/\">National Suicide Prevention Hotline</a>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;','Junior Seau and \"The Easy Way Out\"','','publish','open','open','','junior-seau-and-the-easy-way-out','','','2012-05-06 20:49:26','2012-05-07 03:49:26','',0,'http://provoketive.com/?p=6464',0,'post','',3),(6031,46,'2012-04-28 08:00:01','2012-04-28 15:00:01','I think Thomas gets a bad rep. After all, he wasn’t in the room with the other disciples when the risen Christ appeared to them. He didn’t see the nail-scarred hands himself; neither did he stick his hand where Jesus was speared. All he had was the word of his fellow disciples, and they’ve obviously gone crackers!\r\n\r\nJesus is dead, remember? They were all there when He died, so they should know. They saw the man they called Lord for three years hanging on a Roman cross, despised and humiliated. They saw the blood pouring from his hands, feet, brow, and side. He’s <em>dead!</em> Dead people don’t just get up and walk around, right? So Thomas says, “Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe” (John 20:25).\r\n\r\nCan you blame him? I know I would have said the same thing if I were Thomas. In fact, I already do.\r\n\r\nIf I can be honest with you, I have trouble believing in the Resurrection. No, it’s not because of anything I read by Marcus Borg or any other Jesus Seminar scholars. It’s because the Resurrection means that death has been defeated. It means that God is restoring God’s creation and God’s kingdom. It means we are free. Yet when I look around, all I see are bondage, misery, suffering, and death.\r\n\r\nThat’s why I’ve always had a hard time getting into the Easter season. I can get ecstatic about Advent, Ash Wednesday, Lent, and Good Friday, though. I understand waiting for God to restore the world. I understand death and how we will all return to dust someday. I understand brokenness. And I definitely understand suffering, pain, humiliation, and persecution.\r\n\r\nBut resurrection? Death has been defeated? God making all things new? Pfft, I’ll believe it when I see it!\r\n\r\nThe other day I was talking to a friend of mine about this. She said she sometimes wants to see the nail-scarred hands, too. “But then I realize,” she said, “<em>we</em> are the proof. Me and you. The sin in my life has been defeated. My life has been resurrected. We are the proof of the Resurrection to the world.”\r\n\r\nMaybe she’s right. I can’t see Jesus’ scars, but I can see my own, and God knows I have plenty of them! And yet, I’m still here. I’m breathing. I’m alive. Despite all the pain, suffering, and doubt I’ve been through—and will no doubt go through in the future—I’m somehow able to stand before people and show them my scars.\r\n\r\nIf <a href=\"http://provoketive.com/2012/04/04/the-suffering-god/\">God suffers with us</a>, then we resurrect with Jesus. Or as Paul puts it, “we have been united with [Jesus] in a death like his, we will certainly also be united with him in a resurrection like his” (Romans 6:5). So maybe I don’t need to see Jesus’ scars to believe in the Resurrection. I just need to look at my own.','Seeing The Scars','','publish','open','open','','seeing-the-scars','','','2012-04-25 10:19:00','2012-04-25 17:19:00','',0,'http://provoketive.com/?p=6031',0,'post','',0),(6032,46,'2012-04-18 13:11:58','2012-04-18 20:11:58','I think Thomas gets a bad rep. After all, he wasn’t in the room with the other disciples when the risen Christ appeared to them. He didn’t see the nail-scarred hands himself; neither did he stick his hand where Jesus was speared. All he had was the word of his fellow disciples, and they’ve obviously gone crackers!\n\nJesus is dead, remember? They were all there when He died, so they should know. They saw the man they called Lord for three years hanging on a Roman cross, despised and humiliated. They saw the blood pouring from his hands, feet, brow, and side. He’s <em>dead!</em> Dead people don’t just get up and walk around, right? So Thomas says, “Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe” (John 20:25).\n\nCan you blame him? I know I would have said the same thing if I were Thomas. In fact, I already do.\n\nIf I can be honest with you, I have trouble believing in the Resurrection. No, it’s not because of anything I read by Marcus Borg or any other Jesus Seminar scholars. It’s because the Resurrection means that death has been defeated. It means that God is restoring God’s creation and God’s kingdom. It means we are free. Yet when I look around, all I see are bondage, misery, suffering, and death.\n\nThat’s why I’ve always had a hard time getting into the Easter season. I can get ecstatic about Advent, Ash Wednesday, Lent, and Good Friday, though. I understand waiting for God to restore the world. I understand death and how we will all return to dust someday. I understand brokenness. And I definitely understand suffering, pain, humiliation, and persecution.\n\nBut resurrection? Death has been defeated? God making all things new? Pfft, I’ll believe it when I see it!\n\nThe other day I was talking to a friend of mine about this. She said she sometimes wants to see the nail-scarred hands, too. “But then I realize,” she said, “<em>we</em> are the proof. Me and you. The sin in my life has been defeated. My life has been resurrected. We are the proof of the Resurrection to the world.”\n\nMaybe she’s right. I can’t see Jesus’ scars, but I can see my own, and God knows I have plenty of them! And yet, I’m still here. I’m breathing. I’m alive. Despite all the pain, suffering, and doubt I’ve been through—and will no doubt go through in the future—I’m somehow able to stand before people and show them my scars.\n\nIf <a href=\"http://provoketive.com/2012/04/04/the-suffering-god/\">God suffers with us</a>, then we resurrect with Jesus. Or as Paul puts it, “we have been united with [Jesus] in a death like his, we will certainly also be united with him in a resurrection like his” (Romans 6:5). So maybe I don’t need to see Jesus’ scars to believe in the Resurrection. I just need to look at my own.','Seeing The Scars','','inherit','open','open','','6031-revision','','','2012-04-18 13:11:58','2012-04-18 20:11:58','',6031,'http://provoketive.com/2012/04/18/6031-revision/',0,'revision','',0),(6033,1,'2012-01-18 22:43:44','2012-01-19 06:43:44','Hope in the promise of yet another spring to come\r\nis what keeps us from chopping down the firewood\r\nof the apparently dead trees of winter.','SynchroBlog: Hope','','inherit','open','open','','4411-revision-7','','','2012-01-18 22:43:44','2012-01-19 06:43:44','',4411,'http://provoketive.com/2012/01/18/4411-revision-7/',0,'revision','',0),(6035,30,'2012-04-18 15:46:18','2012-04-18 22:46:18','Birth control has been in the news a lot lately.\n\nWell, let me rephrase.\n\nBirth control <strong>for women</strong> has been in the news a lot lately.\n\nWhether it\'s on the political spectrum or in the entertainment industry, women\'s reproductive rights have been hotly contested in the past months.\n\nAs this is discussed, women themselves are discussed. Are they using birth control for the \"right\" reasons? This has become one of the key issues.\n\nIn a rush not to paint women as \"sluts,\" people are quick to point out the many uses for oral contraceptives. It\'s beneficial for cramps. It helps with acne problems. It\'s used to control premenstrual syndrome.\n\nThese are all good and true. Most women who use oral contraceptives use it for more than <em>just</em> contraception.\n\nBut most women use it for contraception as well. They use it because they want to have sex and not get pregnant.\n\n<strong>This is okay.</strong>\n\nThe discussion about birth control revolves around women because we still have a problem with women having sex just for fun. We have accepted a \"boys will be boys\" mindset, so insurance covering things like vasectomies or medicine for erectile dysfunction doesn\'t raise eyebrows, but when it comes to women, we prefer to think that they simply react to men, rather than have sex drives of their own.\n\nAnd while trying to keep women from enduring name-calling, many have stepped unwittingly into the realm of shaming those who use the pill for no other reason than to avoid pregnancy. When we insist on framing the support for coverage of birth control around things that have nothing to do with sex, we add fuel to the idea that sex is of less importance to women. Unfortunately, this contributes to the culture that insists on labeling a woman who enjoys sex as a slut or whore.\n\nYes, it\'s important to cover birth control for issues unrelated to pregnancy. But it\'s equally important to cover it for women who don\'t want to have babies but do want to have sex. Trying to soften this truth by ignoring that group hurts all women.\n\nHaving sex for enjoyment is okay, even for women.','It\'s Not Just About Healthcare','','inherit','open','open','','5800-autosave','','','2012-04-18 15:46:18','2012-04-18 22:46:18','',5800,'http://provoketive.com/2012/04/18/5800-autosave/',0,'revision','',0),(6036,1,'2012-04-18 15:40:53','2012-04-18 22:40:53','','birth control','','inherit','open','open','','birth-control','','','2012-04-18 15:40:53','2012-04-18 22:40:53','',5800,'http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/birth-control.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(6037,1,'2012-04-09 20:37:17','2012-04-10 03:37:17','Birth control has been in the news a lot lately.\r\n\r\nWell, let me rephrase.\r\n\r\nBirth control <strong>for women</strong> has been in the news a lot lately.\r\n\r\nWhether it\'s on the political spectrum or in the entertainment industry, women\'s reproductive rights have been hotly contested in the past months.\r\n\r\nAs this is discussed, women themselves are discussed. Are they using birth control for the \"right\" reasons? This has become one of the key issues.\r\n\r\nIn a rush not to paint women as \"sluts,\" people are quick to point out the many uses for oral contraceptives. It\'s beneficial for cramps. It helps with acne problems. It\'s used to control premenstrual syndrome.\r\n\r\nThese are all good and true. Most women who use oral contraceptives use it for more than <em>just</em> contraception.\r\n\r\nBut most women use it for contraception as well. They use it because they want to have sex and not get pregnant.\r\n\r\n<strong>This is okay.</strong>\r\n\r\nThe discussion about birth control revolves around women because we still have a problem with women having sex just for fun. We have accepted a \"boys will be boys\" mindset, so insurance covering things like vasectomies or medicine for erectile dysfunction don\'t raise eyebrows, but when it comes to women, we prefer to think that they simply react to men, rather than have sex drives of their own.\r\n\r\nAnd while trying to keep women from enduring name-calling, many have stepped unwittingly into the realm of shaming those who use the pill for no other reason than to avoid pregnancy. When we insist on framing the support for coverage of birth control around things that have nothing to do with sex, we add fuel to the idea that sex is of less importance to women. Unfortunately, this contributes to the culture that insists on labeling a woman who enjoys sex as a slut or whore.\r\n\r\nYes, it\'s important to cover birth control for issues unrelated to pregnancy. But it\'s equally important to cover it for women who don\'t want to have babies but do want to have sex. Trying to soften this truth by ignoring that group hurts all women.\r\n\r\nHaving sex for enjoyment is okay, even for women.','It\'s Not Just About Healthcare','','inherit','open','open','','5800-revision-15','','','2012-04-09 20:37:17','2012-04-10 03:37:17','',5800,'http://provoketive.com/2012/04/09/5800-revision-15/',0,'revision','',0),(6038,1,'2012-04-10 11:55:32','2012-04-10 18:55:32','[caption id=\"attachment_5934\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"300\" caption=\"Eric Elnes\"]<a href=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/eric-elnes-570x362.jpg\"><img src=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/eric-elnes-570x362-300x190.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"190\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-5934\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nThis week we talk with Rev. Eric Elnes, Ph.D. about his weekly interactive webcast, Darkwood Brew.\r\n\r\nElnes hosts the weekly show and is also the pastor of Countryside Community Church in Omaha, Nebraska and has published several books along the way, including the Phoenix Affirmations.\r\n\r\nEric shares how three (seemingly) separate events in his life all came together to not only take his passion for small groups to a new level, but also bring the show to fruition.\r\n\r\n[audio=\"http://somethingbeautifulpodcast.com/podcast/033012.mp3\"]','Something Beautiful - Eric Elnes','','inherit','open','open','','5933-revision-3','','','2012-04-10 11:55:32','2012-04-10 18:55:32','',5933,'http://provoketive.com/2012/04/10/5933-revision-3/',0,'revision','',0),(6039,30,'2012-04-18 15:41:22','2012-04-18 22:41:22','Birth control has been in the news a lot lately.\r\n\r\nWell, let me rephrase.\r\n\r\nBirth control <strong>for women</strong> has been in the news a lot lately.\r\n\r\nWhether it\'s on the political spectrum or in the entertainment industry, women\'s reproductive rights have been hotly contested in the past months.\r\n\r\nAs this is discussed, women themselves are discussed. Are they using birth control for the \"right\" reasons? This has become one of the key issues.\r\n\r\nIn a rush not to paint women as \"sluts,\" people are quick to point out the many uses for oral contraceptives. It\'s beneficial for cramps. It helps with acne problems. It\'s used to control premenstrual syndrome.\r\n\r\nThese are all good and true. Most women who use oral contraceptives use it for more than <em>just</em> contraception.\r\n\r\nBut most women use it for contraception as well. They use it because they want to have sex and not get pregnant.\r\n\r\n<strong>This is okay.</strong>\r\n\r\nThe discussion about birth control revolves around women because we still have a problem with women having sex just for fun. We have accepted a \"boys will be boys\" mindset, so insurance covering things like vasectomies or medicine for erectile dysfunction don\'t raise eyebrows, but when it comes to women, we prefer to think that they simply react to men, rather than have sex drives of their own.\r\n\r\nAnd while trying to keep women from enduring name-calling, many have stepped unwittingly into the realm of shaming those who use the pill for no other reason than to avoid pregnancy. When we insist on framing the support for coverage of birth control around things that have nothing to do with sex, we add fuel to the idea that sex is of less importance to women. Unfortunately, this contributes to the culture that insists on labeling a woman who enjoys sex as a slut or whore.\r\n\r\nYes, it\'s important to cover birth control for issues unrelated to pregnancy. But it\'s equally important to cover it for women who don\'t want to have babies but do want to have sex. Trying to soften this truth by ignoring that group hurts all women.\r\n\r\nHaving sex for enjoyment is okay, even for women.','It\'s Not Just About Healthcare','','inherit','open','open','','5800-revision-16','','','2012-04-18 15:41:22','2012-04-18 22:41:22','',5800,'http://provoketive.com/2012/04/18/5800-revision-16/',0,'revision','',0),(6040,30,'2012-04-18 15:46:25','2012-04-18 22:46:25','Birth control has been in the news a lot lately.\r\n\r\nWell, let me rephrase.\r\n\r\nBirth control <strong>for women</strong> has been in the news a lot lately.\r\n\r\nWhether it\'s on the political spectrum or in the entertainment industry, women\'s reproductive rights have been hotly contested in the past months.\r\n\r\nAs this is discussed, women themselves are discussed. Are they using birth control for the \"right\" reasons? This has become one of the key issues.\r\n\r\nIn a rush not to paint women as \"sluts,\" people are quick to point out the many uses for oral contraceptives. It\'s beneficial for cramps. It helps with acne problems. It\'s used to control premenstrual syndrome.\r\n\r\nThese are all good and true. Most women who use oral contraceptives use it for more than <em>just</em> contraception.\r\n\r\nBut most women use it for contraception as well. They use it because they want to have sex and not get pregnant.\r\n\r\n<strong>This is okay.</strong>\r\n\r\nThe discussion about birth control revolves around women because we still have a problem with women having sex just for fun. We have accepted a \"boys will be boys\" mindset, so insurance covering things like vasectomies or medicine for erectile dysfunction doesn\'t raise eyebrows, but when it comes to women, we prefer to think that they simply react to men, rather than have sex drives of their own.\r\n\r\nAnd while trying to keep women from enduring name-calling, many have stepped unwittingly into the realm of shaming those who use the pill for no other reason than to avoid pregnancy. When we insist on framing the support for coverage of birth control around things that have nothing to do with sex, we add fuel to the idea that sex is of less importance to women. Unfortunately, this contributes to the culture that insists on labeling a woman who enjoys sex as a slut or whore.\r\n\r\nYes, it\'s important to cover birth control for issues unrelated to pregnancy. But it\'s equally important to cover it for women who don\'t want to have babies but do want to have sex. Trying to soften this truth by ignoring that group hurts all women.\r\n\r\nHaving sex for enjoyment is okay, even for women.','It\'s Not Just About Healthcare','','inherit','open','open','','5800-revision-17','','','2012-04-18 15:46:25','2012-04-18 22:46:25','',5800,'http://provoketive.com/2012/04/18/5800-revision-17/',0,'revision','',0),(6041,1,'2012-04-18 19:50:03','2012-04-19 02:50:03','Birth control has been in the news a lot lately.\r\n\r\nWell, let me rephrase.\r\n\r\nBirth control <strong>for women</strong> has been in the news a lot lately.\r\n\r\nWhether it\'s on the political spectrum or in the entertainment industry, women\'s reproductive rights have been hotly contested in the past months.\r\n\r\nAs this is discussed, women themselves are discussed. Are they using birth control for the \"right\" reasons? This has become one of the key issues.\r\n\r\nIn a rush not to paint women as \"sluts,\" people are quick to point out the many uses for oral contraceptives. It\'s beneficial for cramps. It helps with acne problems. It\'s used to control premenstrual syndrome.\r\n\r\nThese are all good and true. Most women who use oral contraceptives use it for more than <em>just</em> contraception.\r\n\r\nBut most women use it for contraception as well. They use it because they want to have sex and not get pregnant.\r\n\r\n<strong>This is okay.</strong>\r\n\r\nThe discussion about birth control revolves around women because we still have a problem with women having sex just for fun. We have accepted a \"boys will be boys\" mindset, so insurance covering things like vasectomies or medicine for erectile dysfunction doesn\'t raise eyebrows, but when it comes to women, we prefer to think that they simply react to men, rather than have sex drives of their own.\r\n\r\nAnd while trying to keep women from enduring name-calling, many have stepped unwittingly into the realm of shaming those who use the pill for no other reason than to avoid pregnancy. When we insist on framing the support for coverage of birth control around things that have nothing to do with sex, we add fuel to the idea that sex is of less importance to women. Unfortunately, this contributes to the culture that insists on labeling a woman who enjoys sex as a slut or whore.\r\n\r\nYes, it\'s important to cover birth control for issues unrelated to pregnancy. But it\'s equally important to cover it for women who don\'t want to have babies but do want to have sex. Trying to soften this truth by ignoring that group hurts all women.\r\n\r\nHaving sex for enjoyment is okay, even for women.','It\'s Not Just About Healthcare','','inherit','open','open','','5800-revision-18','','','2012-04-18 19:50:03','2012-04-19 02:50:03','',5800,'http://provoketive.com/2012/04/18/5800-revision-18/',0,'revision','',0),(6042,1,'2012-04-13 14:35:34','2012-04-13 21:35:34','Hardships. Trials. Pain. Unless you subscribe to the particular brand of Christianity that purports true faith reveals itself in God-bestowed private jets, mansions, and perfect health until the day God takes you up like Enoch, these are words you likely understand all too well.  As Christ said so matter-of-factly to the disciples, in the world we have tribulation (John 16:33b). It isn\'t a question of if, but of when. Whether it\'s persecution or just the universal struggles that afflict every person in a fallen world (rain falls on the just and unjust alike, does it not?), life will bring us difficulties and pain.\n\nLately, I keep hearing the same adage coming out of the mouths of fellow Christians regarding trials, that our faith grows the most during times of suffering and adversity. Maybe I\'m just primed to notice this expression or maybe I\'m hanging out with a lot of down-and-out people; I\'m not really sure. However, it has caused me to pause and consider: is that really true? Do we really grow the most in hard times?\n\nThe Bible is rife with imagery comparing the faithful and righteous to flourishing plants and trees. Any gardener can tell you that plants and trees thrive and show the greatest growth under ideal conditions. For the largest plants, lushest leaves,  and juiciest fruit, plants need just the right amount of sunlight and water, as well as fertile soil with just the right pH level, free from weeds, etc.  Sure, plants can still grow, flower and bear fruit in less than ideal conditions, even in poor conditions, but the greatest growth occurs in the most favorable environments.\n\nMany a sermon has invoked the taproot to illustrate how trials and difficulty can cause growth in the faith life of a Christian. Taproots are a specific type of root found in certain plants and trees (but not all), which go straight down, deep into the soil, enabling the plant to withstand wind, drought, and other harsh conditions. In some cases, taproots may grow deeper during times of drought, searching for a water source. This can result in the plant becoming more resilient and thus likelier to survive future droughts. To be sure, hardiness is an excellent trait, perhaps a necessary one in the life of a Christian, but it is a completely different phenomenon than growth.\n\nTrials and hardships are a testing of our faith.  As it says in James 1: 2-3: “Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance.” Like with the taproot, these trials can make us sturdier Christians, better able to withstand further difficulties in the future. But tests don\'t produce growth; tests function to reveal our current state and show us just how much we can, or cannot, handle.\n\nI think an idea has been perpetuated throughout Christian communities that times of ease are detrimental to our faith, causing us to become complacent or even lukewarm. Yes, sometimes people do drift away from God when they are comfortable. But, for all those who become lukewarm when things are easy, there are just as many people turning their backs on God in anger when tragedy and suffering strikes. What doesn\'t kill you doesn\'t always make you stronger; sometimes it weakens you until the next wave finishes you off. Hardship only results in resiliency if you go through it with the right attitude, looking to God to sustain you.\n\nThe “Good Times” have gotten a bad rap, and it is time for us to stop. It may make it easier to deal with difficult periods in our lives if we promote them as the best times for Christian growth, but this is not their place and furthermore, it is far from accurate. When things are going well and it seems like everything is fitting into place, when you feel comfortable, when spiritually, your cup is overflowing---- this is when you grow. Embrace these times of refreshing and flourish in them. Afflictions will come, as they are an unfortunate byproduct of living in a sinful world. While God can and does use them for our good, this is not where we thrive, it is where we endure, and where we prove what we gained in the previous season of growth.\n\n&nbsp;\n\n<em>Photo credit: Lydur Skulason</em>\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;','Christian Growth: In Defense of \"Good Times\"','','inherit','open','open','','5945-revision-8','','','2012-04-13 14:35:34','2012-04-13 21:35:34','',5945,'http://provoketive.com/2012/04/13/5945-revision-8/',0,'revision','',0),(6043,1,'2012-04-18 22:26:12','2012-04-19 05:26:12','','sprout','','inherit','open','open','','sprout','','','2012-04-18 22:26:12','2012-04-19 05:26:12','',5945,'http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/sprout.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(6044,1,'2012-04-18 22:22:33','2012-04-19 05:22:33','Hardships. Trials. Pain. Unless you subscribe to the particular brand of Christianity that purports true faith reveals itself in God-bestowed private jets, mansions, and perfect health until the day God takes you up like Enoch, these are words you likely understand all too well.  As Christ said so matter-of-factly to the disciples, in the world we have tribulation (John 16:33b). It isn\'t a question of if, but of when. Whether it\'s persecution or just the universal struggles that afflict every person in a fallen world (rain falls on the just and unjust alike, does it not?), life will bring us difficulties and pain.\r\n\r\nLately, I keep hearing the same adage coming out of the mouths of fellow Christians regarding trials, that our faith grows the most during times of suffering and adversity. Maybe I\'m just primed to notice this expression or maybe I\'m hanging out with a lot of down-and-out people; I\'m not really sure. However, it has caused me to pause and consider: is that really true? Do we really grow the most in hard times?\r\n\r\nThe Bible is rife with imagery comparing the faithful and righteous to flourishing plants and trees. Any gardener can tell you that plants and trees thrive and show the greatest growth under ideal conditions. For the largest plants, lushest leaves,  and juiciest fruit, plants need just the right amount of sunlight and water, as well as fertile soil with just the right pH level, free from weeds, etc.  Sure, plants can still grow, flower and bear fruit in less than ideal conditions, even in poor conditions, but the greatest growth occurs in the most favorable environments.\r\n\r\nMany a sermon has invoked the taproot to illustrate how trials and difficulty can cause growth in the faith life of a Christian. Taproots are a specific type of root found in certain plants and trees (but not all), which go straight down, deep into the soil, enabling the plant to withstand wind, drought, and other harsh conditions. In some cases, taproots may grow deeper during times of drought, searching for a water source. This can result in the plant becoming more resilient and thus likelier to survive future droughts. To be sure, hardiness is an excellent trait, perhaps a necessary one in the life of a Christian, but it is a completely different phenomenon than growth.\r\n\r\nTrials and hardships are a testing of our faith.  As it says in James 1: 2-3: “Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance.” Like with the taproot, these trials can make us sturdier Christians, better able to withstand further difficulties in the future. But tests don\'t produce growth; tests function to reveal our current state and show us just how much we can, or cannot, handle.\r\n\r\nI think an idea has been perpetuated throughout Christian communities that times of ease are detrimental to our faith, causing us to become complacent or even lukewarm. Yes, sometimes people do drift away from God when they are comfortable. But, for all those who become lukewarm when things are easy, there are just as many people turning their backs on God in anger when tragedy and suffering strikes. What doesn\'t kill you doesn\'t always make you stronger; sometimes it weakens you until the next wave finishes you off. Hardship only results in resiliency if you go through it with the right attitude, looking to God to sustain you.\r\n\r\nThe “Good Times” have gotten a bad rap, and it is time for us to stop. It may make it easier to deal with difficult periods in our lives if we promote them as the best times for Christian growth, but this is not their place and furthermore, it is far from accurate. When things are going well and it seems like everything is fitting into place, when you feel comfortable, when spiritually, your cup is overflowing---- this is when you grow. Embrace these times of refreshing and flourish in them. Afflictions will come, as they are an unfortunate byproduct of living in a sinful world. While God can and does use them for our good, this is not where we thrive, it is where we endure, and where we prove what we gained in the previous season of growth.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<em>Photo credit: Lydur Skulason</em>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;','In Defense of \"Good Times\"','','inherit','open','open','','5945-revision-9','','','2012-04-18 22:22:33','2012-04-19 05:22:33','',5945,'http://provoketive.com/2012/04/18/5945-revision-9/',0,'revision','',0),(6050,1,'2012-04-20 07:45:25','2012-04-20 14:45:25','There was a moment a few weeks ago when I looked out across my living room, guitar in hand, and watched Spirit bring people to their knees. Others were dancing, some were praying, some may have been a bit distracted by other things, but in that moment I had the immediate revelation that what I was witnessing was a glimpse of the type of community that God has defined for us in the example of the Trinity.\n\nAnd in that moment, my wife and I opening up our apartment each week to host house church made perfect sense.\n\nIt doesn’t always make as much sense as it did in that moment, and there will be plenty of times in the future where it will be a big struggle. But the necessity of us allowing God to move through our community is not predicated on the ease at which it happens. As we have grown into this role over the past year and a half, I have come to realize more and more that the refinement we go through as human beings created in the image of God is meant to be an experience that is shared and transparent. The love so freely poured into us by God is meant to be spread throughout a small group of likeminded people. The unity that Paul speaks to us as what our hearts should desire to be eagerly maintained is far more easily pursued with 20 than with 20,000.\n\nSomething I have come to realize lately is that I am far more in touch with what house church should NOT be than ever before, and in analyzing these things we can get a far better view of what house church should be.\n\n1. House church is not an event\n\nIn our church society here in the West, the past several decades have seen us not only shift to the extreme of severe separation from culture at hand on the one side of things to casting ourselves as cultural doppelgangers, producing and distributing faulty reproductions of what we feel people really want under the banner of “Christianity”. Part of that mimicry is the false notion that in order for people to attend church regularly it must be promoted and held aloft by regular events.\n\nHouse church could not be farther from this type of thing.\n\nAnd people attending house churches with the paradigm that it is some sort of revival, some sort of promotional tool used to make them get excited about “real” church will never come to a place of truly diving in deep with a community of people because they will always see these gatherings as a chance for them to be entertained. The early church gathered in houses because they did not have access to large buildings and because, due in large part to the governmental oppression they faced, meeting in larger groups would have been dangerous to the vibrancy of their congregation. Also, I genuinely feel that God guided the church to develop in this way because of the level of intimacy that can be achieved unique to this type of setting.\n\n2. House church is not “more biblical” than institutional church\n\nAgain, many in our society (specifically those that have grown up in a church setting) have become polarized when it comes to how the church in the West has represented itself to the world at large. Apart from the more historical hypocrisies such as the Inquisition and the Crusades, the church has faced its fair share of bastardizing from those within it, in hugely detrimental ways during the past few decades.\n\nBut as quick as many believers are to separate themselves from these misuses, we must be careful to remember that we should not separate ourselves from the church itself. First, and most importantly, the Church is Christ’s bride. As an institution, it represents the relationship that Jesus wants to have with each one of us on a personal level. Secondly, the church was created by God, guided by God, and continues to get its breath from God. Apart from the things done in its name that are against God himself, the Church is where it is today because God wants to use it in our society, broken as it is, right now. Thus, the institution of the church should not be abandoned simply because of its wounds.\n\n3. House church is not a response to what the church is doing wrong\n\nThis follows closely from the last point, but can be further clarified. Many of the people I have encountered that find fulfillment and growth within a house church environment also bring with them severe amounts of baggage and anger at the traditional church. If you approach a house church setting with the idea that you are countering the woes of “big church” then you run the dangerous risk of allowing yourself to create an “us vs. them” mentality that is cancerous. Our house church exists as a response to what we feel Christ wants to do right through us, not what we feel the church is doing wrong. Making yourself or your group an island, setting a precedent that what you are doing is any better than what anyone else is doing is a quick route to letting your pride and lack of accountability crumble what God wants to do through you.\n\n4. House church is not perfect\n\nAs leaders, we realize the huge responsibility we have to shepherd. We realize that it is vital for us to be under the leadership and accountability of a larger body. And while we realize that none of them are perfect, we realize that God has set them in place above us and our submission is necessary for our growth. Our teachings, our decisions, and our mission should all be tested and prayed into by not only ourselves but our leaders as well. To blindly assume that, in our broken state, we can fully trust what we feel is the Holy Spirit teaching us directly through the Scriptures is an ominous and arrogant path to tread. It must be remembered that much of the New Testament deals with the heresies arising from within the church itself. And with the structure we see them clinging to, those heresies came about in the midst of house churches. There is no guarantee that our teaching or leadership is protected from false doctrine, nor should those from within our group be so bold as to assume that they are free from it either.\n\n5. House church is not traditional church\n\nI have said a lot about the important distinctions between house church and institutional church, but it is important to remember that there are some awesome ways in which house church does not at all look like traditional church, nor should it. House church opens immense opportunities for the community. It removes many barriers unintentionally imposed in a larger congregation that keep people from using the gifts God wants to manifest through them. It massively increases the level of intimacy between members, simply because if done well a house church results in lives lived in close contact with others. It disintegrates the commonly-assumed divide between clergy and laity, the wall that has for years single-handedly kept members lazy and pastors overworked. It gives more freedom to worship, simply because it doesn’t “have” to look like regular church.\n\nAnd it allows, if you step back and watch, a closer look at what the body of Christ is meant to look like. If people realize something just will not work without their help, they are far more likely to step in and do their job.\n\nThe biggest challenge that I currently face in leading this house church is making sure I am offering a space with equal amounts of invitation and challenge. While I desire in my heart for it to be a place where any and all are welcome with open arms, that invitation does come at a cost. It comes with the cost of knowing what you are responsible for. I lead from a place of being led. I feel there should be submission because I myself am submitting. I understand the importance of both work and rest, and want all alongside me to pursue both of those things as well.\n\nAnd, ultimately, I recognize that the church at large is not broken. It is filled with broken people, but it should not be abandoned. It has places that should be refined, but we must allow God to refine us before thinking we could make something better.\n\nThe promise that I make is to seek unity through humbly leading a ministry that I seek God and my leaders about on a daily basis, to boldly pursue what God leads no matter the cost while never allowing my pride to tell me I can do it alone, to seek the voice of the Father and the guidance of the Spirit while making sure that the things I hear and the paths I seek are tested by others, and to worship with full abandon as a member within a body that, while still ugly and broken, is being pruned, fired, and washed in the constant care of my God and the church that is His Son’s bride. And all I ask is that you promise the same.\n\nThe invitation is open, but making the promise is required.\n\nThat is what house church is to me.\n\n1 Corinthians 14:26 – “What then, brothers? When you come together, each one has a hymn, a lesson, a revelation, a tongue, or an interpretation. Let all things be done for building up.”','What House Church Is to Me','','inherit','open','open','','5880-autosave','','','2012-04-20 07:45:25','2012-04-20 14:45:25','',5880,'http://provoketive.com/2012/04/20/5880-autosave/',0,'revision','',0),(6052,0,'2012-04-20 10:57:39','2012-04-20 17:57:39','Faith (any of the topics included therein), relationships, and social justice\n<!--more-->\nAUTHOR: Christine Organ\nAUTHOR EMAIL: christine.organ@yahoo.com\nAUTHOR URL: http://www.randomreflectionz.com\nSUBJECT: Provoketive Magazine Writing For Provoketive\nIP: 98.228.225.9\nArray\n(\n    [Name] =&gt; Christine Organ\n    [Email] =&gt; christine.organ@yahoo.com\n    [Existing Blog or Website] =&gt; http://www.randomreflectionz.com\n    [List the topic you are interested writing about] =&gt; Faith (any of the topics included therein), relationships, and social justice\n    [Current or New WordPress Login Name (We\'ll send you a password.)] =&gt; randomreflectionz\n)\n','Christine Organ - 2012-04-20 10:57:39','','publish','open','open','','576b534a1c978155814a4f236a71c524','','','2012-04-20 10:57:39','2012-04-20 17:57:39','',358,'http://provoketive.com/?post_type=feedback&p=6052',0,'feedback','',0),(6053,1,'2012-04-20 13:22:17','2012-04-20 20:22:17','','steeple','','inherit','open','open','','steeple','','','2012-04-20 13:22:17','2012-04-20 20:22:17','',5880,'http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/steeple.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(6054,1,'2012-04-15 09:41:26','2012-04-15 16:41:26','There was a moment a few weeks ago when I looked out across my living room, guitar in hand, and watched Spirit bring people to their knees. Others were dancing, some were praying, some may have been a bit distracted by other things, but in that moment I had the immediate revelation that what I was witnessing was a glimpse of the type of community that God has defined for us in the example of the Trinity.\r\n\r\nAnd in that moment, my wife and I opening up our apartment each week to host house church made perfect sense.\r\n\r\nIt doesn’t always make as much sense as it did in that moment, and there will be plenty of times in the future where it will be a big struggle. But the necessity of us allowing God to move through our community is not predicated on the ease at which it happens. As we have grown into this role over the past year and a half, I have come to realize more and more that the refinement we go through as human beings created in the image of God is meant to be an experience that is shared and transparent. The love so freely poured into us by God is meant to be spread throughout a small group of likeminded people. The unity that Paul speaks to us as what our hearts should desire to be eagerly maintained is far more easily pursued with 20 than with 20,000.\r\n\r\nSomething I have come to realize lately is that I am far more in touch with what house church should NOT be than ever before, and in analyzing these things we can get a far better view of what house church should be.\r\n\r\n1. House church is not an event\r\n\r\nIn our church society here in the West, the past several decades have seen us not only shift to the extreme of severe separation from culture at hand on the one side of things to casting ourselves as cultural doppelgangers, producing and distributing faulty reproductions of what we feel people really want under the banner of “Christianity”. Part of that mimicry is the false notion that in order for people to attend church regularly it must be promoted and held aloft by regular events.\r\n\r\nHouse church could not be farther from this type of thing.\r\n\r\nAnd people attending house churches with the paradigm that it is some sort of revival, some sort of promotional tool used to make them get excited about “real” church will never come to a place of truly diving in deep with a community of people because they will always see these gatherings as a chance for them to be entertained. The early church gathered in houses because they did not have access to large buildings and because, due in large part to the governmental oppression they faced, meeting in larger groups would have been dangerous to the vibrancy of their congregation. Also, I genuinely feel that God guided the church to develop in this way because of the level of intimacy that can be achieved unique to this type of setting.\r\n\r\n2. House church is not “more biblical” than institutional church\r\n\r\nAgain, many in our society (specifically those that have grown up in a church setting) have become polarized when it comes to how the church in the West has represented itself to the world at large. Apart from the more historical hypocrisies such as the Inquisition and the Crusades, the church has faced its fair share of bastardizing from those within it, in hugely detrimental ways during the past few decades.\r\n\r\nBut as quick as many believers are to separate themselves from these misuses, we must be careful to remember that we should not separate ourselves from the church itself. First, and most importantly, the Church is Christ’s bride. As an institution, it represents the relationship that Jesus wants to have with each one of us on a personal level. Secondly, the church was created by God, guided by God, and continues to get its breath from God. Apart from the things done in its name that are against God himself, the Church is where it is today because God wants to use it in our society, broken as it is, right now. Thus, the institution of the church should not be abandoned simply because of its wounds.\r\n\r\n3. House church is not a response to what the church is doing wrong\r\n\r\nThis follows closely from the last point, but can be further clarified. Many of the people I have encountered that find fulfillment and growth within a house church environment also bring with them severe amounts of baggage and anger at the traditional church. If you approach a house church setting with the idea that you are countering the woes of “big church” then you run the dangerous risk of allowing yourself to create an “us vs. them” mentality that is cancerous. Our house church exists as a response to what we feel Christ wants to do right through us, not what we feel the church is doing wrong. Making yourself or your group an island, setting a precedent that what you are doing is any better than what anyone else is doing is a quick route to letting your pride and lack of accountability crumble what God wants to do through you.\r\n\r\n4. House church is not perfect\r\n\r\nAs leaders, we realize the huge responsibility we have to shepherd. We realize that it is vital for us to be under the leadership and accountability of a larger body. And while we realize that none of them are perfect, we realize that God has set them in place above us and our submission is necessary for our growth. Our teachings, our decisions, and our mission should all be tested and prayed into by not only ourselves but our leaders as well. To blindly assume that, in our broken state, we can fully trust what we feel is the Holy Spirit teaching us directly through the Scriptures is an ominous and arrogant path to tread. It must be remembered that much of the New Testament deals with the heresies arising from within the church itself. And with the structure we see them clinging to, those heresies came about in the midst of house churches. There is no guarantee that our teaching or leadership is protected from false doctrine, nor should those from within our group be so bold as to assume that they are free from it either.\r\n\r\n5. House church is not traditional church\r\n\r\nI have said a lot about the important distinctions between house church and institutional church, but it is important to remember that there are some awesome ways in which house church does not at all look like traditional church, nor should it. House church opens immense opportunities for the community. It removes many barriers unintentionally imposed in a larger congregation that keep people from using the gifts God wants to manifest through them. It massively increases the level of intimacy between members, simply because if done well a house church results in lives lived in close contact with others. It disintegrates the commonly-assumed divide between clergy and laity, the wall that has for years single-handedly kept members lazy and pastors overworked. It gives more freedom to worship, simply because it doesn’t “have” to look like regular church.\r\n\r\nAnd it allows, if you step back and watch, a closer look at what the body of Christ is meant to look like. If people realize something just will not work without their help, they are far more likely to step in and do their job.\r\n\r\nThe biggest challenge that I currently face in leading this house church is making sure I am offering a space with equal amounts of invitation and challenge. While I desire in my heart for it to be a place where any and all are welcome with open arms, that invitation does come at a cost. It comes with the cost of knowing what you are responsible for. I lead from a place of being led. I feel there should be submission because I myself am submitting. I understand the importance of both work and rest, and want all alongside me to pursue both of those things as well.\r\n\r\nAnd, ultimately, I recognize that the church at large is not broken. It is filled with broken people, but it should not be abandoned. It has places that should be refined, but we must allow God to refine us before thinking we could make something better.\r\n\r\nThe promise that I make is to seek unity through humbly leading a ministry that I seek God and my leaders about on a daily basis, to boldly pursue what God leads no matter the cost while never allowing my pride to tell me I can do it alone, to seek the voice of the Father and the guidance of the Spirit while making sure that the things I hear and the paths I seek are tested by others, and to worship with full abandon as a member within a body that, while still ugly and broken, is being pruned, fired, and washed in the constant care of my God and the church that is His Son’s bride. And all I ask is that you promise the same.\r\n\r\nThe invitation is open, but making the promise is required.\r\n\r\nThat is what house church is to me.\r\n\r\n1 Corinthians 14:26 – “What then, brothers? When you come together, each one has a hymn, a lesson, a revelation, a tongue, or an interpretation. Let all things be done for building up.”','What House Church Is to Me','','inherit','open','open','','5880-revision-2','','','2012-04-15 09:41:26','2012-04-15 16:41:26','',5880,'http://provoketive.com/2012/04/15/5880-revision-2/',0,'revision','',0),(6055,1,'2012-04-20 13:22:45','2012-04-20 20:22:45','There was a moment a few weeks ago when I looked out across my living room, guitar in hand, and watched Spirit bring people to their knees. Others were dancing, some were praying, some may have been a bit distracted by other things, but in that moment I had the immediate revelation that what I was witnessing was a glimpse of the type of community that God has defined for us in the example of the Trinity.\r\n\r\nAnd in that moment, my wife and I opening up our apartment each week to host house church made perfect sense.\r\n\r\nIt doesn’t always make as much sense as it did in that moment, and there will be plenty of times in the future where it will be a big struggle. But the necessity of us allowing God to move through our community is not predicated on the ease at which it happens. As we have grown into this role over the past year and a half, I have come to realize more and more that the refinement we go through as human beings created in the image of God is meant to be an experience that is shared and transparent. The love so freely poured into us by God is meant to be spread throughout a small group of likeminded people. The unity that Paul speaks to us as what our hearts should desire to be eagerly maintained is far more easily pursued with 20 than with 20,000.\r\n\r\nSomething I have come to realize lately is that I am far more in touch with what house church should NOT be than ever before, and in analyzing these things we can get a far better view of what house church should be.\r\n\r\n1. House church is not an event\r\n\r\nIn our church society here in the West, the past several decades have seen us not only shift to the extreme of severe separation from culture at hand on the one side of things to casting ourselves as cultural doppelgangers, producing and distributing faulty reproductions of what we feel people really want under the banner of “Christianity”. Part of that mimicry is the false notion that in order for people to attend church regularly it must be promoted and held aloft by regular events.\r\n\r\nHouse church could not be farther from this type of thing.\r\n\r\nAnd people attending house churches with the paradigm that it is some sort of revival, some sort of promotional tool used to make them get excited about “real” church will never come to a place of truly diving in deep with a community of people because they will always see these gatherings as a chance for them to be entertained. The early church gathered in houses because they did not have access to large buildings and because, due in large part to the governmental oppression they faced, meeting in larger groups would have been dangerous to the vibrancy of their congregation. Also, I genuinely feel that God guided the church to develop in this way because of the level of intimacy that can be achieved unique to this type of setting.\r\n\r\n2. House church is not “more biblical” than institutional church\r\n\r\nAgain, many in our society (specifically those that have grown up in a church setting) have become polarized when it comes to how the church in the West has represented itself to the world at large. Apart from the more historical hypocrisies such as the Inquisition and the Crusades, the church has faced its fair share of bastardizing from those within it, in hugely detrimental ways during the past few decades.\r\n\r\nBut as quick as many believers are to separate themselves from these misuses, we must be careful to remember that we should not separate ourselves from the church itself. First, and most importantly, the Church is Christ’s bride. As an institution, it represents the relationship that Jesus wants to have with each one of us on a personal level. Secondly, the church was created by God, guided by God, and continues to get its breath from God. Apart from the things done in its name that are against God himself, the Church is where it is today because God wants to use it in our society, broken as it is, right now. Thus, the institution of the church should not be abandoned simply because of its wounds.\r\n\r\n3. House church is not a response to what the church is doing wrong\r\n\r\nThis follows closely from the last point, but can be further clarified. Many of the people I have encountered that find fulfillment and growth within a house church environment also bring with them severe amounts of baggage and anger at the traditional church. If you approach a house church setting with the idea that you are countering the woes of “big church” then you run the dangerous risk of allowing yourself to create an “us vs. them” mentality that is cancerous. Our house church exists as a response to what we feel Christ wants to do right through us, not what we feel the church is doing wrong. Making yourself or your group an island, setting a precedent that what you are doing is any better than what anyone else is doing is a quick route to letting your pride and lack of accountability crumble what God wants to do through you.\r\n\r\n4. House church is not perfect\r\n\r\nAs leaders, we realize the huge responsibility we have to shepherd. We realize that it is vital for us to be under the leadership and accountability of a larger body. And while we realize that none of them are perfect, we realize that God has set them in place above us and our submission is necessary for our growth. Our teachings, our decisions, and our mission should all be tested and prayed into by not only ourselves but our leaders as well. To blindly assume that, in our broken state, we can fully trust what we feel is the Holy Spirit teaching us directly through the Scriptures is an ominous and arrogant path to tread. It must be remembered that much of the New Testament deals with the heresies arising from within the church itself. And with the structure we see them clinging to, those heresies came about in the midst of house churches. There is no guarantee that our teaching or leadership is protected from false doctrine, nor should those from within our group be so bold as to assume that they are free from it either.\r\n\r\n5. House church is not traditional church\r\n\r\nI have said a lot about the important distinctions between house church and institutional church, but it is important to remember that there are some awesome ways in which house church does not at all look like traditional church, nor should it. House church opens immense opportunities for the community. It removes many barriers unintentionally imposed in a larger congregation that keep people from using the gifts God wants to manifest through them. It massively increases the level of intimacy between members, simply because if done well a house church results in lives lived in close contact with others. It disintegrates the commonly-assumed divide between clergy and laity, the wall that has for years single-handedly kept members lazy and pastors overworked. It gives more freedom to worship, simply because it doesn’t “have” to look like regular church.\r\n\r\nAnd it allows, if you step back and watch, a closer look at what the body of Christ is meant to look like. If people realize something just will not work without their help, they are far more likely to step in and do their job.\r\n\r\nThe biggest challenge that I currently face in leading this house church is making sure I am offering a space with equal amounts of invitation and challenge. While I desire in my heart for it to be a place where any and all are welcome with open arms, that invitation does come at a cost. It comes with the cost of knowing what you are responsible for. I lead from a place of being led. I feel there should be submission because I myself am submitting. I understand the importance of both work and rest, and want all alongside me to pursue both of those things as well.\r\n\r\nAnd, ultimately, I recognize that the church at large is not broken. It is filled with broken people, but it should not be abandoned. It has places that should be refined, but we must allow God to refine us before thinking we could make something better.\r\n\r\nThe promise that I make is to seek unity through humbly leading a ministry that I seek God and my leaders about on a daily basis, to boldly pursue what God leads no matter the cost while never allowing my pride to tell me I can do it alone, to seek the voice of the Father and the guidance of the Spirit while making sure that the things I hear and the paths I seek are tested by others, and to worship with full abandon as a member within a body that, while still ugly and broken, is being pruned, fired, and washed in the constant care of my God and the church that is His Son’s bride. And all I ask is that you promise the same.\r\n\r\nThe invitation is open, but making the promise is required.\r\n\r\nThat is what house church is to me.\r\n\r\n1 Corinthians 14:26 – “What then, brothers? When you come together, each one has a hymn, a lesson, a revelation, a tongue, or an interpretation. Let all things be done for building up.”','What House Church Is to Me','','inherit','open','open','','5880-revision-3','','','2012-04-20 13:22:45','2012-04-20 20:22:45','',5880,'http://provoketive.com/2012/04/20/5880-revision-3/',0,'revision','',0),(6056,12,'2012-04-29 08:00:39','2012-04-29 15:00:39','Women are typically infinitely more creative than men. I think that can be proven through the dreams we have. Allison and I try to share our dreams each day from the night before.\r\n\r\nHere\'s the conversation we just had. Be warned. Her dreams go on for a long time. And feel free to analyze it.\r\n\r\nRay: Hey, sweetie, I had this amazing dream last night. You ever...\r\n\r\nAllison: Oh, let me tell you about my dream. I dreamt we had adopted a little girl from Fiji, but we hadn\'t legally adopted her. The courts were letting us have her until all the paperwork went through.\r\n\r\nR: That sounds legal.\r\n\r\n<em>(Frown)</em> A: Anyway, when they gave her to us, she had nothing. No good clothes to wear or anything. So next thing I know, we were in that little restaurant in Greenville, Kentucky. You, know, the one with the benches.\r\n\r\nR: McDonalds?\r\n\r\nA: No, the one with booths.\r\n\r\nR: Arby\'s?\r\n\r\nA: Stop being silly.\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/phillys.jpg\"><img class=\"alignleft  wp-image-6058\" style=\"margin-left: 6px; margin-right: 6px;\" src=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/phillys-300x224.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"232\" height=\"173\" /></a>R: Philly\'s.\r\n\r\nA: Yeah. And our other three girls were all over our little adopted girl, loving on her. And I said to you, \"We can\'t just let her go out without some new shoes and just a beat up dress! She can\'t go out barefoot!\"\r\n\r\nR: Let me guess, I said, \"Sure we can, it\'s Kentucky.\"\r\n\r\n<em>(Bigger frown)</em> A: So we went out and got her some clothes. And all the way the girls were welcoming into our family, talking about how we could make her a new room with a big bed and give her a beautiful new life. Isn\'t that wonderful?\r\n\r\nR: Oh, yeah. Beautiful dream. You always have such heart warming dreams, sweetie.\r\n\r\nA: Oh, what did you dream about?\r\n\r\nR: Uh, it\'s not quite the heart-warming drama variety.\r\n\r\nA: Is it ever?\r\n\r\nR: Do you ever have a really awesome dream and wake up thinking, \"That dream would be the most awesome movie! I\'ve got to write down the plot points and mail it to Tim Burton!\"\r\n\r\nA: Yeah, sometimes.\r\n\r\nR: Well, I woke up and could only remember the last few seconds of it. It ticked me off. <a href=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/abebazooka1.jpg\"><img class=\"alignright  wp-image-6060\" src=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/abebazooka1-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"238\" height=\"179\" /></a>\r\n\r\nA: What were the last few seconds?\r\n\r\nR: Abe Lincoln had a bazooka in his hand. He made dead aim for the Golden Gate bridge and blew it up. Then he put down the smoking bazooka and said, \"You had it coming you stupid bridge.\"\r\n\r\n<em>(Silence)</em>\r\n\r\nA: Inspiring.\r\n\r\nR: I thought so.','Men\'s Dreams vs. Women\'s Dreams','','publish','open','open','','mens-dreams-vs-womens-dreams','','','2012-04-25 10:21:59','2012-04-25 17:21:59','',0,'http://provoketive.com/?p=6056',0,'post','',1),(6057,12,'2012-04-20 22:05:18','2012-04-21 05:05:18','','couple','','inherit','open','open','','couple','','','2012-04-20 22:05:18','2012-04-21 05:05:18','',6056,'http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/couple.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(6058,12,'2012-04-20 22:07:12','2012-04-21 05:07:12','','phillys','','inherit','open','open','','phillys','','','2012-04-20 22:07:12','2012-04-21 05:07:12','',6056,'http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/phillys.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(6059,12,'2012-04-20 22:09:12','2012-04-21 05:09:12','','abebazooka','','inherit','open','open','','abebazooka','','','2012-04-20 22:09:12','2012-04-21 05:09:12','',6056,'http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/abebazooka.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(6060,12,'2012-04-20 22:09:49','2012-04-21 05:09:49','','abebazooka','','inherit','open','open','','abebazooka-2','','','2012-04-20 22:09:49','2012-04-21 05:09:49','',6056,'http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/abebazooka1.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(6061,12,'2012-04-20 22:10:05','2012-04-21 05:10:05','Women are typically infinitely more creative than men. I think that can be proven through the dreams we have. Allison and I try to share our dreams each day from the night before.\n\nHere\'s the conversation we just had. Be warned. Her dreams go on for a long time. And feel free to analyze it.\n\nRay: Hey, sweetie, I had this amazing dream last night. You ever...\n\nAllison: Oh, let me tell you about my dream. I dreamt we had adopted a little girl from Fiji, but we hadn\'t legally adopted her. The courts were letting us have her until all the paperwork went through.\n\nR: That sounds legal.\n\n<em>(Frown)</em> A: Anyway, when they gave her to us, she had nothing. No good clothes to wear or anything. So next thing I know, we were in that little restaurant in Greenville, Kentucky. You, know, the one with the benches.\n\nR: McDonalds?\n\nA: No, the one with booths.\n\nR: Arby\'s?\n\nA: Stop being silly.\n\n<a href=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/phillys.jpg\"><img class=\"alignleft  wp-image-6058\" style=\"margin-left: 6px;margin-right: 6px\" src=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/phillys-300x224.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"232\" height=\"173\" /></a>R: Philly\'s.\n\nA: Yeah. And our other three girls were all over our little adopted girl, loving on her. And I said to you, \"We can\'t just let her go out without some new shoes and just a beat up dress! She can\'t go out barefoot!\"\n\nR: Let me guess, I said, \"Sure we can, it\'s Kentucky.\"\n\n<em>(Bigger frown)</em> A: So we went out and got her some clothes. And all the way the girls were welcoming into our family, talking about how we could make her a new room with a big bed and give her a beautiful new life. Isn\'t that wonderful?\n\nR: Oh, yeah. Beautiful dream. You always have such heart warming dreams, sweetie.\n\nA: Oh, what did you dream about?\n\nR: Uh, it\'s not quite the heart-warming drama variety.\n\nA: Is it ever?\n\nR: Do you ever have a really awesome dream and wake up thinking, \"That dream would be the most awesome movie! I\'ve got to write down the plot points and mail it to Tim Burton!\"\n\nA: Yeah, sometimes.\n\nR: Well, I woke up and could only remember the last few seconds of it. It ticked me off. <a href=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/abebazooka1.jpg\"><img class=\"alignright  wp-image-6060\" src=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/abebazooka1-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"238\" height=\"179\" /></a>\n\nA: What were the last few seconds?\n\nR: Abe Lincoln had a bazooka in his hand. He made dead aim for the Golden Gate bridge and blew it up.\n\n<em>(Silence)</em>\n\nA: Inspiring.\n\nR: I thought so.','Men\'s Dreams vs. Women\'s Dreams','','inherit','open','open','','6056-revision','','','2012-04-20 22:10:05','2012-04-21 05:10:05','',6056,'http://provoketive.com/2012/04/20/6056-revision/',0,'revision','',0),(6062,1,'2012-04-25 10:20:41','2012-04-25 17:20:41','Women are typically infinitely more creative than men. I think that can be proven through the dreams we have. Allison and I try to share our dreams each day from the night before.\n\nHere\'s the conversation we just had. Be warned. Her dreams go on for a long time. And feel free to analyze it.\n\nRay: Hey, sweetie, I had this amazing dream last night. You ever...\n\nAllison: Oh, let me tell you about my dream. I dreamt we had adopted a little girl from Fiji, but we hadn\'t legally adopted her. The courts were letting us have her until all the paperwork went through.\n\nR: That sounds legal.\n\n<em>(Frown)</em> A: Anyway, when they gave her to us, she had nothing. No good clothes to wear or anything. So next thing I know, we were in that little restaurant in Greenville, Kentucky. You, know, the one with the benches.\n\nR: McDonalds?\n\nA: No, the one with booths.\n\nR: Arby\'s?\n\nA: Stop being silly.\n\n<a href=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/phillys.jpg\"><img class=\"alignleft  wp-image-6058\" style=\"margin-left: 6px; margin-right: 6px;\" src=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/phillys-300x224.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"232\" height=\"173\" /></a>R: Philly\'s.\n\nA: Yeah. And our other three girls were all over our little adopted girl, loving on her. And I said to you, \"We can\'t just let her go out without some new shoes and just a beat up dress! She can\'t go out barefoot!\"\n\nR: Let me guess, I said, \"Sure we can, it\'s Kentucky.\"\n\n<em>(Bigger frown)</em> A: So we went out and got her some clothes. And all the way the girls were welcoming into our family, talking about how we could make her a new room with a big bed and give her a beautiful new life. Isn\'t that wonderful?\n\nR: Oh, yeah. Beautiful dream. You always have such heart warming dreams, sweetie.\n\nA: Oh, what did you dream about?\n\nR: Uh, it\'s not quite the heart-warming drama variety.\n\nA: Is it ever?\n\nR: Do you ever have a really awesome dream and wake up thinking, \"That dream would be the most awesome movie! I\'ve got to write down the plot points and mail it to Tim Burton!\"\n\nA: Yeah, sometimes.\n\nR: Well, I woke up and could only remember the last few seconds of it. It ticked me off. <a href=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/abebazooka1.jpg\"><img class=\"alignright  wp-image-6060\" src=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/abebazooka1-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"238\" height=\"179\" /></a>\n\nA: What were the last few seconds?\n\nR: Abe Lincoln had a bazooka in his hand. He made dead aim for the Golden Gate bridge and blew it up. Then he put down the smoking bazooka and said, \"You had it coming you stupid bridge.\"\n\n<em>(Silence)</em>\n\nA: Inspiring.\n\nR: I thought so.','Men\'s Dreams vs. Women\'s Dreams','','inherit','open','open','','6056-autosave','','','2012-04-25 10:20:41','2012-04-25 17:20:41','',6056,'http://provoketive.com/2012/04/20/6056-autosave/',0,'revision','',0),(6063,12,'2012-04-20 22:10:13','2012-04-21 05:10:13','Women are typically infinitely more creative than men. I think that can be proven through the dreams we have. Allison and I try to share our dreams each day from the night before.\r\n\r\nHere\'s the conversation we just had. Be warned. Her dreams go on for a long time. And feel free to analyze it.\r\n\r\nRay: Hey, sweetie, I had this amazing dream last night. You ever...\r\n\r\nAllison: Oh, let me tell you about my dream. I dreamt we had adopted a little girl from Fiji, but we hadn\'t legally adopted her. The courts were letting us have her until all the paperwork went through.\r\n\r\nR: That sounds legal.\r\n\r\n<em>(Frown)</em> A: Anyway, when they gave her to us, she had nothing. No good clothes to wear or anything. So next thing I know, we were in that little restaurant in Greenville, Kentucky. You, know, the one with the benches.\r\n\r\nR: McDonalds?\r\n\r\nA: No, the one with booths.\r\n\r\nR: Arby\'s?\r\n\r\nA: Stop being silly.\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/phillys.jpg\"><img class=\"alignleft  wp-image-6058\" style=\"margin-left: 6px;margin-right: 6px\" src=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/phillys-300x224.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"232\" height=\"173\" /></a>R: Philly\'s.\r\n\r\nA: Yeah. And our other three girls were all over our little adopted girl, loving on her. And I said to you, \"We can\'t just let her go out without some new shoes and just a beat up dress! She can\'t go out barefoot!\"\r\n\r\nR: Let me guess, I said, \"Sure we can, it\'s Kentucky.\"\r\n\r\n<em>(Bigger frown)</em> A: So we went out and got her some clothes. And all the way the girls were welcoming into our family, talking about how we could make her a new room with a big bed and give her a beautiful new life. Isn\'t that wonderful?\r\n\r\nR: Oh, yeah. Beautiful dream. You always have such heart warming dreams, sweetie.\r\n\r\nA: Oh, what did you dream about?\r\n\r\nR: Uh, it\'s not quite the heart-warming drama variety.\r\n\r\nA: Is it ever?\r\n\r\nR: Do you ever have a really awesome dream and wake up thinking, \"That dream would be the most awesome movie! I\'ve got to write down the plot points and mail it to Tim Burton!\"\r\n\r\nA: Yeah, sometimes.\r\n\r\nR: Well, I woke up and could only remember the last few seconds of it. It ticked me off. <a href=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/abebazooka1.jpg\"><img class=\"alignright  wp-image-6060\" src=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/abebazooka1-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"238\" height=\"179\" /></a>\r\n\r\nA: What were the last few seconds?\r\n\r\nR: Abe Lincoln had a bazooka in his hand. He made dead aim for the Golden Gate bridge and blew it up.\r\n\r\n<em>(Silence)</em>\r\n\r\nA: Inspiring.\r\n\r\nR: I thought so.','Men\'s Dreams vs. Women\'s Dreams','','inherit','open','open','','6056-revision-2','','','2012-04-20 22:10:13','2012-04-21 05:10:13','',6056,'http://provoketive.com/2012/04/20/6056-revision-2/',0,'revision','',0),(6068,38,'2012-05-09 08:00:57','2012-05-09 15:00:57','<div>\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_6071\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"150\" caption=\"A photo of Carl\"]<a href=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/Carl_Marshall.jpg\"><img class=\"size-thumbnail wp-image-6071 \" src=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/Carl_Marshall-150x150.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n<h2>About Carl</h2>\r\nCarl Marshall, a Bahá’í gentleman from Detroit, Michigan, moved his coffee across the table. “We are in the middle of a fasting month—or actually at the very end of it—so I should probably stop eating. I think the sun rises at 7:35 today.”\r\n\r\n</div>\r\nThe Bahá\'í calendar has nineteen months with nineteen days in each month. During the last month of the year, which falls between March 2<span style=\"font-size: 11px\">nd</span> and March 21<span style=\"font-size: 11px\">st</span>, members participate in a fast very similar to Ramadan.\r\n\r\nMy first encounter with the Baha’i faith was with a gentleman that sat next to me on a plane from Orlando to Detroit. We first started talking about the book I was reading, but once I learned what religion he was a part of (how this happened, I have no idea) I asked him all sorts of questions and we talked for the remainder of the flight. It was one of the most wonderful and fascinating conversations I’ve ever had.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_6092\" align=\"alignright\" width=\"300\" caption=\"Bahá’í Lotus Temple in Delhi, India\"]<a href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/jeeheon/4663379544/\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-6092  \" src=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/bahai-lotus-temple_flickr_jeeheon-300x198.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"198\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nCarl grew up as a Christian in Detroit his mother attending Reverend C.L. Franklin’s church. He eventually moved to the Hawaiian Islands, where he became a Baha\'i in 1973.\r\n<h2>About Progressive Revelation</h2>\r\nCarl was reading a book about comparative religion, and he said that the world’s religions seemed separate, compartmentalized, and without connection to each other. But then he met some Bahá\'í s and they explained the concept of Progressive Revelation.\r\n\r\n“What that means is that it’s just one God and one Religion, and every thousand years or so, God sends forth a new messenger, and these messengers have been the founders of the world’s great religions.”\r\n\r\nBahá\'u\'lláh, the founder of the Bahá’í religion, is the most recent messenger and is the Promised One of all the religions. “So I saw the unity there, where everything is not coming from a different source, but just a different messenger that’s giving a newer revelation of the previous religion.”\r\n\r\nThe interesting thing about Progressive Revelation is that it gives The Bahá’ís the ability to learn about and appreciate each of the world religions because they are all part of a greater movement through time. “In the Bible you have the Old and New Testament. In the Bahá’í faith, Bahá\'u\'lláh’s revelation consist of the New Testament, and all the previous religions are accepted as the Old Testament.”\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_6095\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"191\" caption=\"Two children in front of the Bahá’í temple in Wilmette, Illinois\"]<a href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/upsand/427782737/in/photostream/\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-6095 \" src=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/children-bahai-temple_flickr_upsilon-andromedae-191x300.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"191\" height=\"300\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nThey believe in all the major figures of religions across the world: Moses, His Holiness Christ, Zoroaster, Krishna, Buddha, and Mohammed because they are all key messengers with a holy book from God.  Because he is The Promised One of all religions, Bahá\'u\'lláh is believed to have fulfilled the prophecies that were given throughout all of the different holy books. “Bahá\'u\'lláh didn’t come to belittle <em>any</em> religion but to unify, connect and fulfill the previous dispensations.”\r\n\r\nCarl says that this is what the world really needs right now, and in another thousand years there will be another messenger to address the next millennium’s needs, which will occur approximately in the year 2852 AD. “It has to be that way because society advances. So, for example, Moses unified the tribes; Jesus, the church and state; Mohammed, a nation; and now Bahá\'u\'lláh has come to unify the world.”\r\n<h2>Beliefs of the Bahá’í Faith</h2>\r\nMany of the spiritual principles that govern Bahá’í conduct are contained in the book called, “The Hidden Words” of Bahá\'u\'lláh. There are twelve main principles of the Bahá’í faith. One is the elimination of prejudice, and another is the equality of men and women. “It’s not just lip service; it’s one of the founding principles of our faith, and we live by that,” Carl says. There is no clergy or priest hood in the Bahá’í Faith. However elections are held on the 21<span style=\"font-size: 11px\">st</span> of April of each year to elect 9 individuals who consult of the teaching, and administrative affairs within their city. Individuals are elected on the basis of their service, purity of heart, and firmness in the covenant.\r\n\r\nThe 9 individuals elected form what is known as the local Spiritual Assembly. Often times women outnumber the men on local spiritual assemblies. “I believe that one reason for this, and this is my own personal opinion, is that women are more spiritually evolved than men. They suffer more and have more test and trials. The equality of women began with the Bahá’í faith. The Bahá’í faith recognized that women have just as much to offer in the way of teaching and spiritual growth as men.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_6097\" align=\"alignright\" width=\"150\" caption=\"Mt. Carmel where the Shrine and holy scriptures are\"]<a href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/bwags/3048517550/sizes/z/in/photostream/\"><img class=\"size-thumbnail wp-image-6097\" src=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/mt-carmel_flickr_brett-wagner-150x150.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nSo how do the Bahá’ís practice their faith on a daily basis? Carl says that Bahá\'u\'lláh came to renew religion and remove ritual from faith. However, they are required to fast during the last month of the Bahá’í calendar (called ‘Ala), are required to pray and read from the holy writings in every morning and night.\r\n\r\n“So, for instance, today I got up, I read from the writings and I prayed,” Carl says that according to the research department in the Holy Land the revelation of the Bab, the prophet herald of Bahá\'u\'lláh, contains almost five million words. In relation to Bahá\'u\'lláh, the role of the Bab was similar to the role of John the Baptist to Christ. The revelation of Bahá\'u\'lláh however, contains over six million words which is equivalent of more than 100 volumes.\r\n\r\n“Being a Bahá’í is not something you do on Sunday; it’s a way of life. Since I live from a set of spiritual principles, every time I encounter someone it’s a test, as far as how you react and respond to them.” The Bahá’í faith is one based on love. When you meet someone, Carl says that you try to show them—depending on their age and sex—the kind of love you would give to a brother, sister, father or mother.\r\n\r\nRegarding daily life, Abdu\'l-Bahá (the son of Bahá\'u\'lláh and the perfect Bahá’í) said \"Should any one of you enter a city, he should become a center of attraction by reason of his sincerity, his faithfulness and love, his honesty and fidelity, his truthfulness and loving-kindness towards all the peoples of the world, so that the people of that city may cry out and say: \'This man is unquestionably a Bahá\'í, for his manners, his behavior, his conduct, his morals, his nature, and disposition reflect the attributes of the Bahá\'ís.\'\"\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_6100\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"225\" caption=\"The Bahá’í temple in Wilmette, Illinois\"]<a href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/jaygalvin/230687375/in/photostream/\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-6100\" src=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/shrine-bab_flickr_jay-galvin-225x300.jpg\" alt=\"Shrine of the Báb\" width=\"225\" height=\"300\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n<h2>Misconceptions</h2>\r\nOne misconception about the Baha\'i faith is that it’s a cult. Cults are usually small groups that are governed by a radical leader who tries to isolate the group from society and tries to keep them from listening to anyone else. Yet, one of the twelve principles of the Bahá’í faith is the independent study and vetting of your faith. So, in other words, Bahá\'u\'lláh says that his books are open and that you should not believe something because someone tells you to, but because you’ve investigated and discovered the faith for yourself.\r\n\r\nAlso the Bahá’í faith is not a division of any previous religion. It is a new and independent revelation from God. The revelation of Bahá’u’lláh consist of over 100 volumes which are located on God’s holy mountain: Mt. Carmel in Haifa, Israel.\r\n\r\nOne of the things Carl loves about being a Bahá’í is the fasting because it has nothing to do with losing weight. “It’s designed to purify the heart and cleanse the soul. And so what happens when you fast is you become detached and it increases your spiritual awareness, which allows for the other thing I love about it, which is the understanding of religion in general. You reach a point of certitude where you understand how everything is connected together. Things have a deeper meaning.”\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_6102\" align=\"alignright\" width=\"300\" caption=\"Dome of Light in the Bahai Temple, North of Chicago\"]<a href=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/dome-of-light_flickr_ctot-not-def.jpg\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-6102\" src=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/dome-of-light_flickr_ctot-not-def-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nThe way his faith has helped Carl through difficult times in his life is by strengthening his faith. “Basically, a ‘difficult time’ is a test. So, say for instance someone was saying something mean or inappropriate to me. I can react the old way or the Baha\'i way. Bahá\'u\'lláh says there is always a choice. The Bahá’í way is to forgive the person, and ultimately get to the point where it doesn’t bother me anymore. A difficult time is a test used to perfect my character. I know that whatever happens, everything is temporary. So, I think I can make it. I can get through this stuff.”\r\n<h2>Gatherings</h2>\r\nGlobally, the Bahá’í practices are consistent, so anywhere in the world you go, the Bahá\'ís will have the same four types of gatherings.\r\n<ol start=\"1\">\r\n	<li>The <strong>Devotional Gathering</strong> is designed to connect hearts through prayer. They are designed to be a bit more social so people have a way to connect with the larger community and find a home in this tumultuous world. Often times a devotional gathering leads to a Fireside. These take place in the home and during the Fireside a short talk is presented on the Bahá’í Faith and then the floor for questions.</li>\r\n	<li><strong>Study Circles</strong> are open to all, and often take place in the home. Course material is based on the revelation of Bahá\'u\'lláh. The first Study Circle deals with Prayer, the soul and the afterlife.</li>\r\n	<li><strong>Junior youth classes</strong> are available.</li>\r\n	<li><strong>Children’s classes</strong> are offered. The goal is to establish more through the metro Detroit area, although some people are not very receptive to them since they are not Christian.</li>\r\n</ol>\r\nAs far as the afterlife, Bahá\'u\'lláh says that your soul is destined to undergo a spiritual evolution until it attains the presence of God. This spiritual evolution is eternal.” Quoting from Abdu\'l-Bahá, Carl says, “When you die, your soul is plunged in the ocean of God’s mercy. Your behavior in this life and the decisions you make impacts your station in eternity. The degree of purity you attain in this world determines where you start in the afterlife.”\r\n\r\nBut what happens to those who don’t become a Bahá\'í? Are there consequences?  “Well, there isn’t any place where you go and you burn, if that\'s what you\'re asking.” Carl says. According to the Bahá’í writings “The spiritual meaning of burning in hell refers to the burning desire to be closer to the creator. Those who choose to ignore Bahá\'u\'lláh in this life will be remote from him in the afterlife. I would define hell as acute and grievous remorse for not recognizing the promised one. This remorse is eternal due to remoteness from God.”\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_6088\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"150\" caption=\"The symbol for the Bahá&#039;í Faith (Wikimedia Commons)\"]<a href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Bahai_star.svg\"><img class=\"size-thumbnail wp-image-6088 \" src=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/400px-Bahai_star-150x150.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n<h2>Conclusion</h2>\r\nOne thing I noticed immediately about the Bahá’í faith is the emphasis on unity. I love the fact that two of their main pillars of faith are the elimination of prejudice and the equality of men and women. It’s not just something they try to do when they are in the mood, but it’s something that their faith is built upon.\r\n\r\nAnother thing that I find beautiful is the fact that they have a way of valuing all the different religions. To them, there is a thread running through all of history. Humanity has a greater story than divisions between rival religious factions, arguments between different denominations, or religiously perpetrated bigotry. Humanity has a beautiful story that is being continually shaped and is still growing and changing.\r\n\r\nCarl was extremely kind and very open to any questions I had. He corrected me a couple of times when I got nervous over a stupid question by saying “No, no question is stupid!” Even since our conversation I have emailed him about other things and he has taken the time to answer all of them, and has told me any time I have other questions he will set aside time to talk to me.\r\n\r\nI look forward to future conversations and appreciate him taking time to share his story and his faith with me.\r\n\r\n<strong>Thank you to Carl Marshall for his kindness, generosity, and for meeting with me to share his faith with me.</strong>\r\n\r\n<em><strong><em><strong>Hear about gurus, turbans, and the Five K\'s from </strong></em>Mandheer Singh, a Sikh gentleman from Rochester Hills next.</strong></em>\r\n\r\n<em>Photo credit: Flickr / <a href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/35176612@N03/3755376430/in/photostream/\" target=\"_blank\">random exposure</a> (the Bahá’í temple in Wilmette, Illinois), <a href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/jeeheon/4663379544/in/photostream/\" target=\"_blank\">jeeheon</a> (Bahai Lotus Temple), <a href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/upsand/427782737/in/photostream/\" target=\"_blank\">Upsilon Andromedae</a> (siblings at the Shrine), <a href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/bwags/3048517550/sizes/z/in/photostream/\" target=\"_blank\">brett.wagner</a> (view from Mt. Carmel), <a href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/jaygalvin/230687375/in/photostream/\" target=\"_blank\">jay galvin</a> (the Bahá’í temple in Wilmette, Illinois<em>), <a href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/ctot_non_def/1434223112/in/photostream/\" target=\"_blank\">ctot_not_def</a> (Dome of Light)</em> <a href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Bahai_star.svg\" target=\"_blank\">Wikimedia Commons</a> (the symbol for the Bahá\'í faith)</em>','Faith Interview Series: The Bahá\'í Faith','','publish','open','open','','faith-interview-series-the-bahai-faith','','','2012-05-12 21:32:37','2012-05-13 04:32:37','',0,'http://provoketive.com/?p=6068',0,'post','',2),(6069,38,'2012-04-21 21:55:13','2012-04-22 04:55:13','<div>\n\nFaith Interview Series: The Bahá\'í Faith\n\n</div>\nBy Deanna Ogle\nApril 7, 2012\n\nCarl Marshall, a Bahá’í gentleman from Detroit, Michigan, moved his coffee across the table. “We are in the middle of a fasting month—or actually at the very end of it—so I should probably stop eating. I think the sun rises at 7:35 today.”\n\nThe Bahá\'í calendar has nineteen months with nineteen days in each month. During the last month of the year, which falls between March 2<sup>nd</sup> and March 21<sup>st</sup>, members participate in a fast very similar to Ramadan.\n\nMy first encounter with the Baha’i faith was with a gentleman that sat next to me on a plane from Orlando to Detroit. We first started talking about the book I was reading, but once I learned what religion he was a part of (how this happened, I have no idea) I asked him all sorts of questions and we talked for the remainder of the flight. It was one of the most wonderful and fascinating conversations I’ve ever had.\n\nCarl grew up as a Christian in Detroit his mother attending Reverend C.L. Franklin’s church. He eventually moved to the Hawaiian Islands, where he became a Baha\'i in 1973. He was reading a book about comparative religion, and he said that the world’s religions seemed separate, compartmentalized, and without connection to each other. But then he met some Bahá\'í s and they explained the concept of Progressive Revelation.\n\n“What that means is that it’s just one God and one Religion, and every thousand years or so, God sends forth a new messenger, and these messengers have been the founders of the world’s great religions.”\n\nBahá\'u\'lláh, the founder of the Bahá’í religion, is the most recent messenger and is the Promised One of all the religions. “So I saw the unity there, where everything is not coming from a different source, but just a different messenger that’s giving a newer revelation of the previous religion.”\n\nThe interesting thing about Progressive Revelation is that it gives The Bahá’ís the ability to learn about and appreciate each of the world religions because they are all part of a greater movement through time. “In the Bible you have the Old and New Testament. In the Bahá’í faith, Bahá\'u\'lláh’s revelation consist of the New Testament, and all the previous religions are accepted as the Old Testament.”\n\nThey believe in all the major figures of religions across the world: Moses, His Holiness Christ, Zoroaster, Krishna, Buddha, and Mohammed because they are all key messengers with a holy book from God.  Because he is The Promised One of all religions, Bahá\'u\'lláh is believed to have fulfilled the prophecies that were given throughout all of the different holy books. “Bahá\'u\'lláh didn’t come to belittle <em>any</em> religion but to unify, connect and fulfill the previous dispensations.”\n\nCarl says that this is what the world really needs right now, and in another thousand years there will be another messenger to address the next millennium’s needs, which will occur approximately in the year 2852 AD. “It has to be that way because society advances. So, for example, Moses unified the tribes; Jesus, the church and state; Mohammed, a nation; and now Bahá\'u\'lláh has come to unify the world.”\n\nMany of the spiritual principles that govern Bahá’í conduct are contained in the book called, “The Hidden Words” of Bahá\'u\'lláh. There are twelve main principles of the Bahá’í faith. One is the elimination of prejudice, and another is the equality of men and women. “It’s not just lip service; it’s one of the founding principles of our faith, and we live by that,” Carl says. There is no clergy or priest hood in the Bahá’í Faith. However elections are held on the 21<sup>st</sup> of April of each year to elect 9 individuals who consult of the teaching, and administrative affairs within their city. Individuals are elected on the basis of their service, purity of heart, and firmness in the covenant.\n\nThe 9 individuals elected form what is known as the local Spiritual Assembly. Often times women outnumber the men on local spiritual assemblies. “I believe that one reason for this, and this is my own personal opinion, is that women are more spiritually evolved than men. They suffer more and have more test and trials. The equality of women began with the Bahá’í faith. The Bahá’í faith recognized that women have just as much to offer in the way of teaching and spiritual growth as men.\n\nSo how do the Bahá’ís practice their faith on a daily basis? Carl says that Bahá\'u\'lláh came to renew religion and remove ritual from faith. However, they are required to fast during the last month of the Bahá’í calendar (called ‘Ala), are required to pray and read from the holy writings in every morning and night.\n\n“So, for instance, today I got up, I read from the writings and I prayed,” Carl says that according to the research department in the Holy Land the revelation of the Bab, the prophet herald of Bahá\'u\'lláh, contains almost five million words. In relation to Bahá\'u\'lláh, the role of the Bab was similar to the role of John the Baptist to Christ. The revelation of Bahá\'u\'lláh contains over six million words, equivalent of more than 100 volumes.   “Being a Bahá’í is not something you do on Sunday; it’s a way of life. Since I live from a set of spiritual principles, every time I encounter someone it’s a test, as far as how you react and respond to them.”\n\nThe Bahá’í faith is one based on love. When you meet someone, Carl says that you try to show them—depending on their age and sex—the kind of love you would give to a brother, sister, father or mother.\n\nRegarding out daily life; Abdu\'l-Bahá has said; Should any one of you enter a city, he should become a center of attraction by reason of his sincerity, his faithfulness and love, his honesty and fidelity, his truthfulness and loving-kindness towards all the peoples of the world, so that the people of that city may cry out and say: \'This man is unquestionably a Bahá\'í, for his manners, his behavior, his conduct, his morals, his nature, and disposition reflect the attributes of the Bahá\'ís.\n\n&nbsp;\n\nOne misconception about the Baha\'i faith is that it’s a cult. Cults are usually small groups that are governed by a radical leader who tries to isolate the group from society and tries to keep them from listening to anyone else. Yet, one of the twelve principles of the Bahá’í faith is the independent study and vetting of your faith. So, in other words, Bahá\'u\'lláh says that his books are open and that you should not believe something because someone tells you to, but because you’ve investigated and discovered the faith for yourself.\n\nAlso the Bahá’í faith is not a division of any previous religion. It is a new and independent revelation from God. The revelation of Bahá’u’lláh consist of over 100 volumes which are located on God’s holy mountain; Mt. Carmel in Haifa Israel.\n\nOne of the things Carl loves about being a Bahá’í is the fasting because it has nothing to do with losing weight. “It’s designed to purify the heart and cleanse the soul. And so what happens when you fast is you become detached and it increases your spiritual awareness, which allows for the other thing I love about it which is the understanding of religion in general. You reach a point of certitude where you understand how everything is connected together. Things have a deeper meaning.”\n\nThe way his faith has helped Carl through difficult times in his life is by strengthening his faith. “Basically, a ‘difficult time’ is a test. So, say for instance someone was saying something mean or inappropriate to me. I can react the old way or the Baha\'i way. Bahá\'u\'lláh says there is always a choice. The Bahá’í way is to forgive the person, and ultimately get to the point where it doesn’t bother me anymore. A difficult time is a test used to perfect my character. I know that whatever happens, everything is temporary. So, I think I can make it. I can get through this stuff.”\n\nGlobally, the Bahá’í practices are consistent, so anywhere in the world you go, the Bahá\'ís will have the same four types of gatherings.\n<ol start=\"1\">\n	<li>The Devotional Gathering is designed to connect hearts through prayer. They are designed to be a bit more social so people have a way to connect with the larger community and find a home in this tumultuous world. Often times a devotional gathering leads to a Fireside. These take place in the home and during the Fireside a short talk is presented on the Bahá’í Faith and then the floor for questions.</li>\n	<li>Study Circles are open to all, and often take place in the home. Course material is based on the revelation of Bahá\'u\'lláh. The first Study Circle deals with Prayer, the soul and the afterlife.</li>\n	<li>Junior youth classes are available.</li>\n	<li>Children’s classes are offered. The goal is to establish more through the metro Detroit area, although some people are not very receptive to them since they are not Christian.</li>\n</ol>\nAs far as the afterlife, Bahá\'u\'lláh says that your soul is destined to undergo a spiritual evolution until it attains the presence of God. This spiritual evolution is eternal.” Quoting from Abdu\'l-Bahá, the son of Bahá\'u\'lláh, Carl says, “When you die, your soul is plunged in the ocean of God’s mercy. Your behavior in this life and the decisions you make impacts your station in eternity. The degree of purity you attain in this world determines where you start in the afterlife.”\n\nBut what happens to those who don’t become a Bahá\'í? Are there consequences?  “Well, there isn’t any place where you go and you burn.” Carl says. According to the Bahá’í writings “The spiritual meaning of burning in hell refers to the burning desire to be closer to the creator. Those who choose to ignore Bahá\'u\'lláh in this life will be remote from him in the afterlife. I would define hell as acute and grievous remorse for not recognizing the promised one. This remorse is eternal due to remoteness from God.”\n\nOne thing I noticed immediately about the Bahá’í faith is the emphasis on unity. I love the fact that two of their main pillars of faith are the elimination of prejudice and the equality of men and women. It’s not just something they try to do when they are in the mood, but it’s something that their faith is built upon.\n\nAnother thing that I find beautiful is the fact that they have a way of valuing all the different religions. To them, there is a thread running through all of history. Humanity has a greater story than divisions between rival religious factions, arguments between different denominations, or religiously-perpetrated bigotry. Humanity has a beautiful story that is being continually shaped and is still growing and changing.\n\nCarl was extremely kind and very open to any questions I had. He corrected me a couple of times when I got nervous over a stupid question by saying “No, no question is stupid!” Even since our conversation I have emailed him about other things and he has taken the time to answer all of them, and has told me any time I have other questions he will set aside time to talk to me.\n\nI look forward to future conversations and appreciate him taking time to share his story and his faith with me.\n\n&nbsp;','Faith Interview Series: ','','inherit','open','open','','6068-revision','','','2012-04-21 21:55:13','2012-04-22 04:55:13','',6068,'http://provoketive.com/2012/04/21/6068-revision/',0,'revision','',0),(6070,38,'2012-04-21 21:55:38','2012-04-22 04:55:38','<div>\r\n\r\nFaith Interview Series: The Bahá\'í Faith\r\n\r\n</div>\r\nBy Deanna Ogle\r\nApril 7, 2012\r\n\r\nCarl Marshall, a Bahá’í gentleman from Detroit, Michigan, moved his coffee across the table. “We are in the middle of a fasting month—or actually at the very end of it—so I should probably stop eating. I think the sun rises at 7:35 today.”\r\n\r\nThe Bahá\'í calendar has nineteen months with nineteen days in each month. During the last month of the year, which falls between March 2<sup>nd</sup> and March 21<sup>st</sup>, members participate in a fast very similar to Ramadan.\r\n\r\nMy first encounter with the Baha’i faith was with a gentleman that sat next to me on a plane from Orlando to Detroit. We first started talking about the book I was reading, but once I learned what religion he was a part of (how this happened, I have no idea) I asked him all sorts of questions and we talked for the remainder of the flight. It was one of the most wonderful and fascinating conversations I’ve ever had.\r\n\r\nCarl grew up as a Christian in Detroit his mother attending Reverend C.L. Franklin’s church. He eventually moved to the Hawaiian Islands, where he became a Baha\'i in 1973. He was reading a book about comparative religion, and he said that the world’s religions seemed separate, compartmentalized, and without connection to each other. But then he met some Bahá\'í s and they explained the concept of Progressive Revelation.\r\n\r\n“What that means is that it’s just one God and one Religion, and every thousand years or so, God sends forth a new messenger, and these messengers have been the founders of the world’s great religions.”\r\n\r\nBahá\'u\'lláh, the founder of the Bahá’í religion, is the most recent messenger and is the Promised One of all the religions. “So I saw the unity there, where everything is not coming from a different source, but just a different messenger that’s giving a newer revelation of the previous religion.”\r\n\r\nThe interesting thing about Progressive Revelation is that it gives The Bahá’ís the ability to learn about and appreciate each of the world religions because they are all part of a greater movement through time. “In the Bible you have the Old and New Testament. In the Bahá’í faith, Bahá\'u\'lláh’s revelation consist of the New Testament, and all the previous religions are accepted as the Old Testament.”\r\n\r\nThey believe in all the major figures of religions across the world: Moses, His Holiness Christ, Zoroaster, Krishna, Buddha, and Mohammed because they are all key messengers with a holy book from God.  Because he is The Promised One of all religions, Bahá\'u\'lláh is believed to have fulfilled the prophecies that were given throughout all of the different holy books. “Bahá\'u\'lláh didn’t come to belittle <em>any</em> religion but to unify, connect and fulfill the previous dispensations.”\r\n\r\nCarl says that this is what the world really needs right now, and in another thousand years there will be another messenger to address the next millennium’s needs, which will occur approximately in the year 2852 AD. “It has to be that way because society advances. So, for example, Moses unified the tribes; Jesus, the church and state; Mohammed, a nation; and now Bahá\'u\'lláh has come to unify the world.”\r\n\r\nMany of the spiritual principles that govern Bahá’í conduct are contained in the book called, “The Hidden Words” of Bahá\'u\'lláh. There are twelve main principles of the Bahá’í faith. One is the elimination of prejudice, and another is the equality of men and women. “It’s not just lip service; it’s one of the founding principles of our faith, and we live by that,” Carl says. There is no clergy or priest hood in the Bahá’í Faith. However elections are held on the 21<sup>st</sup> of April of each year to elect 9 individuals who consult of the teaching, and administrative affairs within their city. Individuals are elected on the basis of their service, purity of heart, and firmness in the covenant.\r\n\r\nThe 9 individuals elected form what is known as the local Spiritual Assembly. Often times women outnumber the men on local spiritual assemblies. “I believe that one reason for this, and this is my own personal opinion, is that women are more spiritually evolved than men. They suffer more and have more test and trials. The equality of women began with the Bahá’í faith. The Bahá’í faith recognized that women have just as much to offer in the way of teaching and spiritual growth as men.\r\n\r\nSo how do the Bahá’ís practice their faith on a daily basis? Carl says that Bahá\'u\'lláh came to renew religion and remove ritual from faith. However, they are required to fast during the last month of the Bahá’í calendar (called ‘Ala), are required to pray and read from the holy writings in every morning and night.\r\n\r\n“So, for instance, today I got up, I read from the writings and I prayed,” Carl says that according to the research department in the Holy Land the revelation of the Bab, the prophet herald of Bahá\'u\'lláh, contains almost five million words. In relation to Bahá\'u\'lláh, the role of the Bab was similar to the role of John the Baptist to Christ. The revelation of Bahá\'u\'lláh contains over six million words, equivalent of more than 100 volumes.   “Being a Bahá’í is not something you do on Sunday; it’s a way of life. Since I live from a set of spiritual principles, every time I encounter someone it’s a test, as far as how you react and respond to them.”\r\n\r\nThe Bahá’í faith is one based on love. When you meet someone, Carl says that you try to show them—depending on their age and sex—the kind of love you would give to a brother, sister, father or mother.\r\n\r\nRegarding out daily life; Abdu\'l-Bahá has said; Should any one of you enter a city, he should become a center of attraction by reason of his sincerity, his faithfulness and love, his honesty and fidelity, his truthfulness and loving-kindness towards all the peoples of the world, so that the people of that city may cry out and say: \'This man is unquestionably a Bahá\'í, for his manners, his behavior, his conduct, his morals, his nature, and disposition reflect the attributes of the Bahá\'ís.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nOne misconception about the Baha\'i faith is that it’s a cult. Cults are usually small groups that are governed by a radical leader who tries to isolate the group from society and tries to keep them from listening to anyone else. Yet, one of the twelve principles of the Bahá’í faith is the independent study and vetting of your faith. So, in other words, Bahá\'u\'lláh says that his books are open and that you should not believe something because someone tells you to, but because you’ve investigated and discovered the faith for yourself.\r\n\r\nAlso the Bahá’í faith is not a division of any previous religion. It is a new and independent revelation from God. The revelation of Bahá’u’lláh consist of over 100 volumes which are located on God’s holy mountain; Mt. Carmel in Haifa Israel.\r\n\r\nOne of the things Carl loves about being a Bahá’í is the fasting because it has nothing to do with losing weight. “It’s designed to purify the heart and cleanse the soul. And so what happens when you fast is you become detached and it increases your spiritual awareness, which allows for the other thing I love about it which is the understanding of religion in general. You reach a point of certitude where you understand how everything is connected together. Things have a deeper meaning.”\r\n\r\nThe way his faith has helped Carl through difficult times in his life is by strengthening his faith. “Basically, a ‘difficult time’ is a test. So, say for instance someone was saying something mean or inappropriate to me. I can react the old way or the Baha\'i way. Bahá\'u\'lláh says there is always a choice. The Bahá’í way is to forgive the person, and ultimately get to the point where it doesn’t bother me anymore. A difficult time is a test used to perfect my character. I know that whatever happens, everything is temporary. So, I think I can make it. I can get through this stuff.”\r\n\r\nGlobally, the Bahá’í practices are consistent, so anywhere in the world you go, the Bahá\'ís will have the same four types of gatherings.\r\n<ol start=\"1\">\r\n	<li>The Devotional Gathering is designed to connect hearts through prayer. They are designed to be a bit more social so people have a way to connect with the larger community and find a home in this tumultuous world. Often times a devotional gathering leads to a Fireside. These take place in the home and during the Fireside a short talk is presented on the Bahá’í Faith and then the floor for questions.</li>\r\n	<li>Study Circles are open to all, and often take place in the home. Course material is based on the revelation of Bahá\'u\'lláh. The first Study Circle deals with Prayer, the soul and the afterlife.</li>\r\n	<li>Junior youth classes are available.</li>\r\n	<li>Children’s classes are offered. The goal is to establish more through the metro Detroit area, although some people are not very receptive to them since they are not Christian.</li>\r\n</ol>\r\nAs far as the afterlife, Bahá\'u\'lláh says that your soul is destined to undergo a spiritual evolution until it attains the presence of God. This spiritual evolution is eternal.” Quoting from Abdu\'l-Bahá, the son of Bahá\'u\'lláh, Carl says, “When you die, your soul is plunged in the ocean of God’s mercy. Your behavior in this life and the decisions you make impacts your station in eternity. The degree of purity you attain in this world determines where you start in the afterlife.”\r\n\r\nBut what happens to those who don’t become a Bahá\'í? Are there consequences?  “Well, there isn’t any place where you go and you burn.” Carl says. According to the Bahá’í writings “The spiritual meaning of burning in hell refers to the burning desire to be closer to the creator. Those who choose to ignore Bahá\'u\'lláh in this life will be remote from him in the afterlife. I would define hell as acute and grievous remorse for not recognizing the promised one. This remorse is eternal due to remoteness from God.”\r\n\r\nOne thing I noticed immediately about the Bahá’í faith is the emphasis on unity. I love the fact that two of their main pillars of faith are the elimination of prejudice and the equality of men and women. It’s not just something they try to do when they are in the mood, but it’s something that their faith is built upon.\r\n\r\nAnother thing that I find beautiful is the fact that they have a way of valuing all the different religions. To them, there is a thread running through all of history. Humanity has a greater story than divisions between rival religious factions, arguments between different denominations, or religiously-perpetrated bigotry. Humanity has a beautiful story that is being continually shaped and is still growing and changing.\r\n\r\nCarl was extremely kind and very open to any questions I had. He corrected me a couple of times when I got nervous over a stupid question by saying “No, no question is stupid!” Even since our conversation I have emailed him about other things and he has taken the time to answer all of them, and has told me any time I have other questions he will set aside time to talk to me.\r\n\r\nI look forward to future conversations and appreciate him taking time to share his story and his faith with me.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;','Faith Interview Series: The Bahá\'í Faith','','inherit','open','open','','6068-revision-2','','','2012-04-21 21:55:38','2012-04-22 04:55:38','',6068,'http://provoketive.com/2012/04/21/6068-revision-2/',0,'revision','',0),(6071,38,'2012-04-21 21:56:37','2012-04-22 04:56:37','','Carl_Marshall','A photo of Carl','inherit','open','open','','carl_marshall','','','2012-04-21 21:56:37','2012-04-22 04:56:37','',6068,'http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/Carl_Marshall.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(6072,38,'2012-04-21 21:55:45','2012-04-22 04:55:45','<div>\r\n\r\nFaith Interview Series: The Bahá\'í Faith\r\n\r\n</div>\r\nBy Deanna Ogle\r\nApril 7, 2012\r\n\r\nCarl Marshall, a Bahá’í gentleman from Detroit, Michigan, moved his coffee across the table. “We are in the middle of a fasting month—or actually at the very end of it—so I should probably stop eating. I think the sun rises at 7:35 today.”\r\n\r\nThe Bahá\'í calendar has nineteen months with nineteen days in each month. During the last month of the year, which falls between March 2<sup>nd</sup> and March 21<sup>st</sup>, members participate in a fast very similar to Ramadan.\r\n\r\nMy first encounter with the Baha’i faith was with a gentleman that sat next to me on a plane from Orlando to Detroit. We first started talking about the book I was reading, but once I learned what religion he was a part of (how this happened, I have no idea) I asked him all sorts of questions and we talked for the remainder of the flight. It was one of the most wonderful and fascinating conversations I’ve ever had.\r\n\r\nCarl grew up as a Christian in Detroit his mother attending Reverend C.L. Franklin’s church. He eventually moved to the Hawaiian Islands, where he became a Baha\'i in 1973. He was reading a book about comparative religion, and he said that the world’s religions seemed separate, compartmentalized, and without connection to each other. But then he met some Bahá\'í s and they explained the concept of Progressive Revelation.\r\n\r\n“What that means is that it’s just one God and one Religion, and every thousand years or so, God sends forth a new messenger, and these messengers have been the founders of the world’s great religions.”\r\n\r\nBahá\'u\'lláh, the founder of the Bahá’í religion, is the most recent messenger and is the Promised One of all the religions. “So I saw the unity there, where everything is not coming from a different source, but just a different messenger that’s giving a newer revelation of the previous religion.”\r\n\r\nThe interesting thing about Progressive Revelation is that it gives The Bahá’ís the ability to learn about and appreciate each of the world religions because they are all part of a greater movement through time. “In the Bible you have the Old and New Testament. In the Bahá’í faith, Bahá\'u\'lláh’s revelation consist of the New Testament, and all the previous religions are accepted as the Old Testament.”\r\n\r\nThey believe in all the major figures of religions across the world: Moses, His Holiness Christ, Zoroaster, Krishna, Buddha, and Mohammed because they are all key messengers with a holy book from God.  Because he is The Promised One of all religions, Bahá\'u\'lláh is believed to have fulfilled the prophecies that were given throughout all of the different holy books. “Bahá\'u\'lláh didn’t come to belittle <em>any</em> religion but to unify, connect and fulfill the previous dispensations.”\r\n\r\nCarl says that this is what the world really needs right now, and in another thousand years there will be another messenger to address the next millennium’s needs, which will occur approximately in the year 2852 AD. “It has to be that way because society advances. So, for example, Moses unified the tribes; Jesus, the church and state; Mohammed, a nation; and now Bahá\'u\'lláh has come to unify the world.”\r\n\r\nMany of the spiritual principles that govern Bahá’í conduct are contained in the book called, “The Hidden Words” of Bahá\'u\'lláh. There are twelve main principles of the Bahá’í faith. One is the elimination of prejudice, and another is the equality of men and women. “It’s not just lip service; it’s one of the founding principles of our faith, and we live by that,” Carl says. There is no clergy or priest hood in the Bahá’í Faith. However elections are held on the 21<sup>st</sup> of April of each year to elect 9 individuals who consult of the teaching, and administrative affairs within their city. Individuals are elected on the basis of their service, purity of heart, and firmness in the covenant.\r\n\r\nThe 9 individuals elected form what is known as the local Spiritual Assembly. Often times women outnumber the men on local spiritual assemblies. “I believe that one reason for this, and this is my own personal opinion, is that women are more spiritually evolved than men. They suffer more and have more test and trials. The equality of women began with the Bahá’í faith. The Bahá’í faith recognized that women have just as much to offer in the way of teaching and spiritual growth as men.\r\n\r\nSo how do the Bahá’ís practice their faith on a daily basis? Carl says that Bahá\'u\'lláh came to renew religion and remove ritual from faith. However, they are required to fast during the last month of the Bahá’í calendar (called ‘Ala), are required to pray and read from the holy writings in every morning and night.\r\n\r\n“So, for instance, today I got up, I read from the writings and I prayed,” Carl says that according to the research department in the Holy Land the revelation of the Bab, the prophet herald of Bahá\'u\'lláh, contains almost five million words. In relation to Bahá\'u\'lláh, the role of the Bab was similar to the role of John the Baptist to Christ. The revelation of Bahá\'u\'lláh contains over six million words, equivalent of more than 100 volumes.   “Being a Bahá’í is not something you do on Sunday; it’s a way of life. Since I live from a set of spiritual principles, every time I encounter someone it’s a test, as far as how you react and respond to them.”\r\n\r\nThe Bahá’í faith is one based on love. When you meet someone, Carl says that you try to show them—depending on their age and sex—the kind of love you would give to a brother, sister, father or mother.\r\n\r\nRegarding out daily life; Abdu\'l-Bahá has said; Should any one of you enter a city, he should become a center of attraction by reason of his sincerity, his faithfulness and love, his honesty and fidelity, his truthfulness and loving-kindness towards all the peoples of the world, so that the people of that city may cry out and say: \'This man is unquestionably a Bahá\'í, for his manners, his behavior, his conduct, his morals, his nature, and disposition reflect the attributes of the Bahá\'ís.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nOne misconception about the Baha\'i faith is that it’s a cult. Cults are usually small groups that are governed by a radical leader who tries to isolate the group from society and tries to keep them from listening to anyone else. Yet, one of the twelve principles of the Bahá’í faith is the independent study and vetting of your faith. So, in other words, Bahá\'u\'lláh says that his books are open and that you should not believe something because someone tells you to, but because you’ve investigated and discovered the faith for yourself.\r\n\r\nAlso the Bahá’í faith is not a division of any previous religion. It is a new and independent revelation from God. The revelation of Bahá’u’lláh consist of over 100 volumes which are located on God’s holy mountain; Mt. Carmel in Haifa Israel.\r\n\r\nOne of the things Carl loves about being a Bahá’í is the fasting because it has nothing to do with losing weight. “It’s designed to purify the heart and cleanse the soul. And so what happens when you fast is you become detached and it increases your spiritual awareness, which allows for the other thing I love about it which is the understanding of religion in general. You reach a point of certitude where you understand how everything is connected together. Things have a deeper meaning.”\r\n\r\nThe way his faith has helped Carl through difficult times in his life is by strengthening his faith. “Basically, a ‘difficult time’ is a test. So, say for instance someone was saying something mean or inappropriate to me. I can react the old way or the Baha\'i way. Bahá\'u\'lláh says there is always a choice. The Bahá’í way is to forgive the person, and ultimately get to the point where it doesn’t bother me anymore. A difficult time is a test used to perfect my character. I know that whatever happens, everything is temporary. So, I think I can make it. I can get through this stuff.”\r\n\r\nGlobally, the Bahá’í practices are consistent, so anywhere in the world you go, the Bahá\'ís will have the same four types of gatherings.\r\n<ol start=\"1\">\r\n	<li>The Devotional Gathering is designed to connect hearts through prayer. They are designed to be a bit more social so people have a way to connect with the larger community and find a home in this tumultuous world. Often times a devotional gathering leads to a Fireside. These take place in the home and during the Fireside a short talk is presented on the Bahá’í Faith and then the floor for questions.</li>\r\n	<li>Study Circles are open to all, and often take place in the home. Course material is based on the revelation of Bahá\'u\'lláh. The first Study Circle deals with Prayer, the soul and the afterlife.</li>\r\n	<li>Junior youth classes are available.</li>\r\n	<li>Children’s classes are offered. The goal is to establish more through the metro Detroit area, although some people are not very receptive to them since they are not Christian.</li>\r\n</ol>\r\nAs far as the afterlife, Bahá\'u\'lláh says that your soul is destined to undergo a spiritual evolution until it attains the presence of God. This spiritual evolution is eternal.” Quoting from Abdu\'l-Bahá, the son of Bahá\'u\'lláh, Carl says, “When you die, your soul is plunged in the ocean of God’s mercy. Your behavior in this life and the decisions you make impacts your station in eternity. The degree of purity you attain in this world determines where you start in the afterlife.”\r\n\r\nBut what happens to those who don’t become a Bahá\'í? Are there consequences?  “Well, there isn’t any place where you go and you burn.” Carl says. According to the Bahá’í writings “The spiritual meaning of burning in hell refers to the burning desire to be closer to the creator. Those who choose to ignore Bahá\'u\'lláh in this life will be remote from him in the afterlife. I would define hell as acute and grievous remorse for not recognizing the promised one. This remorse is eternal due to remoteness from God.”\r\n\r\nOne thing I noticed immediately about the Bahá’í faith is the emphasis on unity. I love the fact that two of their main pillars of faith are the elimination of prejudice and the equality of men and women. It’s not just something they try to do when they are in the mood, but it’s something that their faith is built upon.\r\n\r\nAnother thing that I find beautiful is the fact that they have a way of valuing all the different religions. To them, there is a thread running through all of history. Humanity has a greater story than divisions between rival religious factions, arguments between different denominations, or religiously-perpetrated bigotry. Humanity has a beautiful story that is being continually shaped and is still growing and changing.\r\n\r\nCarl was extremely kind and very open to any questions I had. He corrected me a couple of times when I got nervous over a stupid question by saying “No, no question is stupid!” Even since our conversation I have emailed him about other things and he has taken the time to answer all of them, and has told me any time I have other questions he will set aside time to talk to me.\r\n\r\nI look forward to future conversations and appreciate him taking time to share his story and his faith with me.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;','Faith Interview Series: The Bahá\'í Faith','','inherit','open','open','','6068-revision-3','','','2012-04-21 21:55:45','2012-04-22 04:55:45','',6068,'http://provoketive.com/2012/04/21/6068-revision-3/',0,'revision','',0),(6088,38,'2012-04-22 12:31:14','2012-04-22 19:31:14','','400px-Bahai_star','','inherit','open','open','','400px-bahai_star','','','2012-04-22 12:31:14','2012-04-22 19:31:14','',6068,'http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/400px-Bahai_star.png',0,'attachment','image/png',0),(6073,38,'2012-04-21 21:57:14','2012-04-22 04:57:14','<div>\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_6071\" align=\"alignright\" width=\"150\" caption=\"A photo of Carl\"]<a href=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/Carl_Marshall.jpg\"><img class=\"size-thumbnail wp-image-6071 \" src=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/Carl_Marshall-150x150.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nCarl Marshall, a Bahá’í gentleman from Detroit, Michigan, moved his coffee across the table. “We are in the middle of a fasting month—or actually at the very end of it—so I should probably stop eating. I think the sun rises at 7:35 today.”\r\n\r\n</div>\r\nThe Bahá\'í calendar has nineteen months with nineteen days in each month. During the last month of the year, which falls between March 2<sup>nd</sup> and March 21<sup>st</sup>, members participate in a fast very similar to Ramadan.\r\n\r\nMy first encounter with the Baha’i faith was with a gentleman that sat next to me on a plane from Orlando to Detroit. We first started talking about the book I was reading, but once I learned what religion he was a part of (how this happened, I have no idea) I asked him all sorts of questions and we talked for the remainder of the flight. It was one of the most wonderful and fascinating conversations I’ve ever had.\r\n\r\nCarl grew up as a Christian in Detroit his mother attending Reverend C.L. Franklin’s church. He eventually moved to the Hawaiian Islands, where he became a Baha\'i in 1973. He was reading a book about comparative religion, and he said that the world’s religions seemed separate, compartmentalized, and without connection to each other. But then he met some Bahá\'í s and they explained the concept of Progressive Revelation.\r\n\r\n“What that means is that it’s just one God and one Religion, and every thousand years or so, God sends forth a new messenger, and these messengers have been the founders of the world’s great religions.”\r\n\r\nBahá\'u\'lláh, the founder of the Bahá’í religion, is the most recent messenger and is the Promised One of all the religions. “So I saw the unity there, where everything is not coming from a different source, but just a different messenger that’s giving a newer revelation of the previous religion.”\r\n\r\nThe interesting thing about Progressive Revelation is that it gives The Bahá’ís the ability to learn about and appreciate each of the world religions because they are all part of a greater movement through time. “In the Bible you have the Old and New Testament. In the Bahá’í faith, Bahá\'u\'lláh’s revelation consist of the New Testament, and all the previous religions are accepted as the Old Testament.”\r\n\r\nThey believe in all the major figures of religions across the world: Moses, His Holiness Christ, Zoroaster, Krishna, Buddha, and Mohammed because they are all key messengers with a holy book from God.  Because he is The Promised One of all religions, Bahá\'u\'lláh is believed to have fulfilled the prophecies that were given throughout all of the different holy books. “Bahá\'u\'lláh didn’t come to belittle <em>any</em> religion but to unify, connect and fulfill the previous dispensations.”\r\n\r\nCarl says that this is what the world really needs right now, and in another thousand years there will be another messenger to address the next millennium’s needs, which will occur approximately in the year 2852 AD. “It has to be that way because society advances. So, for example, Moses unified the tribes; Jesus, the church and state; Mohammed, a nation; and now Bahá\'u\'lláh has come to unify the world.”\r\n\r\nMany of the spiritual principles that govern Bahá’í conduct are contained in the book called, “The Hidden Words” of Bahá\'u\'lláh. There are twelve main principles of the Bahá’í faith. One is the elimination of prejudice, and another is the equality of men and women. “It’s not just lip service; it’s one of the founding principles of our faith, and we live by that,” Carl says. There is no clergy or priest hood in the Bahá’í Faith. However elections are held on the 21<sup>st</sup> of April of each year to elect 9 individuals who consult of the teaching, and administrative affairs within their city. Individuals are elected on the basis of their service, purity of heart, and firmness in the covenant.\r\n\r\nThe 9 individuals elected form what is known as the local Spiritual Assembly. Often times women outnumber the men on local spiritual assemblies. “I believe that one reason for this, and this is my own personal opinion, is that women are more spiritually evolved than men. They suffer more and have more test and trials. The equality of women began with the Bahá’í faith. The Bahá’í faith recognized that women have just as much to offer in the way of teaching and spiritual growth as men.\r\n\r\nSo how do the Bahá’ís practice their faith on a daily basis? Carl says that Bahá\'u\'lláh came to renew religion and remove ritual from faith. However, they are required to fast during the last month of the Bahá’í calendar (called ‘Ala), are required to pray and read from the holy writings in every morning and night.\r\n\r\n“So, for instance, today I got up, I read from the writings and I prayed,” Carl says that according to the research department in the Holy Land the revelation of the Bab, the prophet herald of Bahá\'u\'lláh, contains almost five million words. In relation to Bahá\'u\'lláh, the role of the Bab was similar to the role of John the Baptist to Christ. The revelation of Bahá\'u\'lláh contains over six million words, equivalent of more than 100 volumes.   “Being a Bahá’í is not something you do on Sunday; it’s a way of life. Since I live from a set of spiritual principles, every time I encounter someone it’s a test, as far as how you react and respond to them.”\r\n\r\nThe Bahá’í faith is one based on love. When you meet someone, Carl says that you try to show them—depending on their age and sex—the kind of love you would give to a brother, sister, father or mother.\r\n\r\nRegarding out daily life; Abdu\'l-Bahá has said; Should any one of you enter a city, he should become a center of attraction by reason of his sincerity, his faithfulness and love, his honesty and fidelity, his truthfulness and loving-kindness towards all the peoples of the world, so that the people of that city may cry out and say: \'This man is unquestionably a Bahá\'í, for his manners, his behavior, his conduct, his morals, his nature, and disposition reflect the attributes of the Bahá\'ís.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nOne misconception about the Baha\'i faith is that it’s a cult. Cults are usually small groups that are governed by a radical leader who tries to isolate the group from society and tries to keep them from listening to anyone else. Yet, one of the twelve principles of the Bahá’í faith is the independent study and vetting of your faith. So, in other words, Bahá\'u\'lláh says that his books are open and that you should not believe something because someone tells you to, but because you’ve investigated and discovered the faith for yourself.\r\n\r\nAlso the Bahá’í faith is not a division of any previous religion. It is a new and independent revelation from God. The revelation of Bahá’u’lláh consist of over 100 volumes which are located on God’s holy mountain; Mt. Carmel in Haifa Israel.\r\n\r\nOne of the things Carl loves about being a Bahá’í is the fasting because it has nothing to do with losing weight. “It’s designed to purify the heart and cleanse the soul. And so what happens when you fast is you become detached and it increases your spiritual awareness, which allows for the other thing I love about it which is the understanding of religion in general. You reach a point of certitude where you understand how everything is connected together. Things have a deeper meaning.”\r\n\r\nThe way his faith has helped Carl through difficult times in his life is by strengthening his faith. “Basically, a ‘difficult time’ is a test. So, say for instance someone was saying something mean or inappropriate to me. I can react the old way or the Baha\'i way. Bahá\'u\'lláh says there is always a choice. The Bahá’í way is to forgive the person, and ultimately get to the point where it doesn’t bother me anymore. A difficult time is a test used to perfect my character. I know that whatever happens, everything is temporary. So, I think I can make it. I can get through this stuff.”\r\n\r\nGlobally, the Bahá’í practices are consistent, so anywhere in the world you go, the Bahá\'ís will have the same four types of gatherings.\r\n<ol start=\"1\">\r\n	<li>The Devotional Gathering is designed to connect hearts through prayer. They are designed to be a bit more social so people have a way to connect with the larger community and find a home in this tumultuous world. Often times a devotional gathering leads to a Fireside. These take place in the home and during the Fireside a short talk is presented on the Bahá’í Faith and then the floor for questions.</li>\r\n	<li>Study Circles are open to all, and often take place in the home. Course material is based on the revelation of Bahá\'u\'lláh. The first Study Circle deals with Prayer, the soul and the afterlife.</li>\r\n	<li>Junior youth classes are available.</li>\r\n	<li>Children’s classes are offered. The goal is to establish more through the metro Detroit area, although some people are not very receptive to them since they are not Christian.</li>\r\n</ol>\r\nAs far as the afterlife, Bahá\'u\'lláh says that your soul is destined to undergo a spiritual evolution until it attains the presence of God. This spiritual evolution is eternal.” Quoting from Abdu\'l-Bahá, the son of Bahá\'u\'lláh, Carl says, “When you die, your soul is plunged in the ocean of God’s mercy. Your behavior in this life and the decisions you make impacts your station in eternity. The degree of purity you attain in this world determines where you start in the afterlife.”\r\n\r\nBut what happens to those who don’t become a Bahá\'í? Are there consequences?  “Well, there isn’t any place where you go and you burn.” Carl says. According to the Bahá’í writings “The spiritual meaning of burning in hell refers to the burning desire to be closer to the creator. Those who choose to ignore Bahá\'u\'lláh in this life will be remote from him in the afterlife. I would define hell as acute and grievous remorse for not recognizing the promised one. This remorse is eternal due to remoteness from God.”\r\n\r\nOne thing I noticed immediately about the Bahá’í faith is the emphasis on unity. I love the fact that two of their main pillars of faith are the elimination of prejudice and the equality of men and women. It’s not just something they try to do when they are in the mood, but it’s something that their faith is built upon.\r\n\r\nAnother thing that I find beautiful is the fact that they have a way of valuing all the different religions. To them, there is a thread running through all of history. Humanity has a greater story than divisions between rival religious factions, arguments between different denominations, or religiously-perpetrated bigotry. Humanity has a beautiful story that is being continually shaped and is still growing and changing.\r\n\r\nCarl was extremely kind and very open to any questions I had. He corrected me a couple of times when I got nervous over a stupid question by saying “No, no question is stupid!” Even since our conversation I have emailed him about other things and he has taken the time to answer all of them, and has told me any time I have other questions he will set aside time to talk to me.\r\n\r\nI look forward to future conversations and appreciate him taking time to share his story and his faith with me.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;','Faith Interview Series: The Bahá\'í Faith','','inherit','open','open','','6068-revision-4','','','2012-04-21 21:57:14','2012-04-22 04:57:14','',6068,'http://provoketive.com/2012/04/21/6068-revision-4/',0,'revision','',0),(6074,161,'2012-04-22 13:14:09','0000-00-00 00:00:00','[caption id=\"attachment_6076\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"300\" caption=\"(C) John Salmon. Used with permission. This is not a picture of the &#039;offending&#039; Church.\"]<a href=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/church-car-park.jpg\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-6076\" src=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/church-car-park-300x210.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"210\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nAfter a couple of weeks \'settling in\' to my new home in a new part of the country (aka being lazy) this morning I took a walk through the Centre of town looking for a church to attend. The sound of the Church bells ringing out alerted me to the presence of St Mary\'s Church of England church which was otherwise overshadowed by the much larger apartment blocks and shooping complex that surrounded it. AlthoughI\'m a nonconformist Christian at heart why not give it a go, I thought. And so with that decision made I followed the sound of the bells until I reached the building itself.\r\n\r\nBut, when it came to it, I did did not cross the Church doors.\r\n\r\nMy reason for not entering St Mary\'s was not any sudden reversal on my position on entering a \'Established\' State Church or a realisation that theism is bunk and atheism is the eay to go but rather an instinctual revulsion at the church car park. Here I was in a town where over a quarter of children officially live in poverty but what struck me as I approached the door was the fact that not one of the twenty or so cars was not gleaming or otherwise clearly not more than three years old. Among the cars was a healthy smattering of BMW\'s and other cars of the like. Instinctually I knew that this was not a church that embodied Jesus\' preference for \'the least of these\' which, in this town, must surely number among it the large percentage of those of the town residents who do not have a secure professional income and a lovely cottage in the country. Instinctively I apprehended as the book of James puts it a faith that does not result in changed behaviour is no faith at all. And so, I concluded, if this church was indistinguishable from urbane middle class life it had ostensibly failed to respond to the call of the gospel of Jesus Christ. With that thought I turned around and walked off.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nOf course, I do not \'know\' the character of St Mary\'s but I have a strong suspicion my instinct was right. So, here\'s the question: was I wrong to walk away?\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;','What Car Do You Drive to Church?','','draft','open','open','','','','','2012-04-22 13:14:09','2012-04-22 20:14:09','',0,'http://provoketive.com/?p=6074',0,'post','',0),(6075,161,'2012-04-22 04:29:47','2012-04-22 11:29:47','','What Car Do You Drive to Church?','','inherit','open','open','','6074-revision','','','2012-04-22 04:29:47','2012-04-22 11:29:47','',6074,'http://provoketive.com/2012/04/22/6074-revision/',0,'revision','',0),(6076,161,'2012-04-22 04:33:24','2012-04-22 11:33:24','','church car park','<div><span>Church car park</span> (<a rel=\"cc:attributionURL\" href=\"http://www.geograph.org.uk/profile/9419\">John Salmon</a>) / <a rel=\"license\" href=\"http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/\">CC BY-SA 2.0</a></div>','inherit','open','open','','church-car-park','','','2012-04-22 04:33:24','2012-04-22 11:33:24','',6074,'http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/church-car-park.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(6077,161,'2012-04-22 04:29:51','2012-04-22 11:29:51','','What Car Do You Drive to Church?','','inherit','open','open','','6074-revision-2','','','2012-04-22 04:29:51','2012-04-22 11:29:51','',6074,'http://provoketive.com/2012/04/22/6074-revision-2/',0,'revision','',0),(6078,161,'2012-04-22 04:39:05','2012-04-22 11:39:05','[caption id=\"attachment_6076\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"300\" caption=\"(C) John Salmon. Used with permission.\"]<a href=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/church-car-park.jpg\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-6076\" src=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/church-car-park-300x210.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"210\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nAfter a couple of weeks \'settling in\' to my new home in a new part of the country (aka being lazy) this morning I took a walk through the Centre of town looking for a church to attend. The sound of the Church bells ringing out alerted me to the presence of St Mary\'s Church of England church','What Car Do You Drive to Church?','','inherit','open','open','','6074-revision-3','','','2012-04-22 04:39:05','2012-04-22 11:39:05','',6074,'http://provoketive.com/2012/04/22/6074-revision-3/',0,'revision','',0),(6079,161,'2012-04-22 04:40:15','2012-04-22 11:40:15','[caption id=\"attachment_6076\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"300\" caption=\"(C) John Salmon. Used with permission.\"]<a href=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/church-car-park.jpg\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-6076\" src=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/church-car-park-300x210.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"210\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nAfter a couple of weeks \'settling in\' to my new home in a new part of the country (aka being lazy) this morning I took a walk through the Centre of town looking for a church to attend. The sound of the Church bells ringing out alerted me to the presence of St Mary\'s Church of England church','What Car Do You Drive to Church?','','inherit','open','open','','6074-revision-4','','','2012-04-22 04:40:15','2012-04-22 11:40:15','',6074,'http://provoketive.com/2012/04/22/6074-revision-4/',0,'revision','',0),(6080,161,'2012-04-22 04:40:25','2012-04-22 11:40:25','<p>[caption id=\"attachment_6076\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"300\" caption=\"(C) John Salmon. Used with permission.\"]<a href=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/church-car-park.jpg\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-6076\" src=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/church-car-park-300x210.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"210\" /></a>[/caption]</p>\r\n<p>After a couple of weeks \'settling in\' to my new home in a new part of the country (aka being lazy) this morning I took a walk through the Centre of town looking for a church to attend. The sound of the Church bells ringing out alerted me to the presence of St Mary\'s Church of England church</p>\r\n','What Car Do You Drive to Church?','','inherit','open','open','','6074-revision-5','','','2012-04-22 04:40:25','2012-04-22 11:40:25','',6074,'http://provoketive.com/2012/04/22/6074-revision-5/',0,'revision','',0),(6081,161,'2012-04-22 08:45:26','2012-04-22 15:45:26','[caption id=\"attachment_6076\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"300\" caption=\"(C) John Salmon. Used with permission. This is not a picture of the &#039;offending&#039; Church.\"]<a href=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/church-car-park.jpg\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-6076\" src=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/church-car-park-300x210.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"210\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nAfter a couple of weeks \'settling in\' to my new home in a new part of the country (aka being lazy) this morning I took a walk through the Centre of town looking for a church to attend. The sound of the Church bells ringing out alerted me to the presence of St Mary\'s Church of England church which was otherwise overshadowed by the much larger apartment blocks and shooping complex that surrounded it. Although a nonconformist Christian why not give it a go, I thought. And so with that decision made I followed the sound of the bells until I reached the building itself.\n\nBut, when it came to it, I did did not cross the Church doors.\n\nMy reason for not entering St Mary\'s was not any sudden reversal on entering a \'Established\' State Church or an apprehension of superiority of atheism but rather an instinctual revulsion at the church car park. Here I was in a town where over a quarter of children officially live in poverty but what struck me as I approached the door was the fact that not one of the twenty or so cars was not gleaming or otherwise clearly not more than 3 years old. Among the','What Car Do You Drive to Church?','','inherit','open','open','','6074-revision-6','','','2012-04-22 08:45:26','2012-04-22 15:45:26','',6074,'http://provoketive.com/2012/04/22/6074-revision-6/',0,'revision','',0),(6082,161,'2012-04-22 08:50:01','2012-04-22 15:50:01','[caption id=\"attachment_6076\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"300\" caption=\"(C) John Salmon. Used with permission. This is not a picture of the &#039;offending&#039; Church.\"]<a href=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/church-car-park.jpg\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-6076\" src=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/church-car-park-300x210.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"210\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nAfter a couple of weeks \'settling in\' to my new home in a new part of the country (aka being lazy) this morning I took a walk through the Centre of town looking for a church to attend. The sound of the Church bells ringing out alerted me to the presence of St Mary\'s Church of England church which was otherwise overshadowed by the much larger apartment blocks and shooping complex that surrounded it. AlthoughI\'m a nonconformist Christian at heart why not give it a go, I thought. And so with that decision made I followed the sound of the bells until I reached the building itself.\n\nBut, when it came to it, I did did not cross the Church doors.\n\nMy reason for not entering St Mary\'s was not any sudden reversal on my position on entering a \'Established\' State Church or a realisation that theism is bunk and atheism is the eay to go m but rather an instinctual revulsion at the church car park. Here I was in a town where over a quarter of children officially live in poverty but what struck me as I approached the door was the fact that not one of the twenty or so cars was not gleaming or otherwise clearly not more than 3 years old. Among the','What Car Do You Drive to Church?','','inherit','open','open','','6074-revision-7','','','2012-04-22 08:50:01','2012-04-22 15:50:01','',6074,'http://provoketive.com/2012/04/22/6074-revision-7/',0,'revision','',0),(6083,161,'2012-04-22 08:58:30','2012-04-22 15:58:30','[caption id=\"attachment_6076\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"300\" caption=\"(C) John Salmon. Used with permission. This is not a picture of the &#039;offending&#039; Church.\"]<a href=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/church-car-park.jpg\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-6076\" src=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/church-car-park-300x210.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"210\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nAfter a couple of weeks \'settling in\' to my new home in a new part of the country (aka being lazy) this morning I took a walk through the Centre of town looking for a church to attend. The sound of the Church bells ringing out alerted me to the presence of St Mary\'s Church of England church which was otherwise overshadowed by the much larger apartment blocks and shooping complex that surrounded it. AlthoughI\'m a nonconformist Christian at heart why not give it a go, I thought. And so with that decision made I followed the sound of the bells until I reached the building itself.\n\nBut, when it came to it, I did did not cross the Church doors.\n\nMy reason for not entering St Mary\'s was not any sudden reversal on my position on entering a \'Established\' State Church or a realisation that theism is bunk and atheism is the eay to go but rather an instinctual revulsion at the church car park. Here I was in a town where over a quarter of children officially live in poverty but what struck me as I approached the door was the fact that not one of the twenty or so cars was not gleaming or otherwise clearly not more than three years old. Among the cars was a healthy smattering of BMW\'s and other cars of the like. Instinctually I knew that this was not a church that embodied Jesus\' preference for \'the least of these\' which, in this town, must surely number among it the large percentage of those of the town residents who do not have a secure professional income and a lovely cottage in the country. Instinctively I apprehended as the book of James puts it a faith that does not result in changed behaviour is no faith at all. And so, I concluded, if this church was indistinguishable from urbane middle class life it had ostensibly failed to respond to the call of the gospel of Jesus Christ. With that thought I','What Car Do You Drive to Church?','','inherit','open','open','','6074-revision-8','','','2012-04-22 08:58:30','2012-04-22 15:58:30','',6074,'http://provoketive.com/2012/04/22/6074-revision-8/',0,'revision','',0),(6084,161,'2012-04-22 11:45:56','2012-04-22 18:45:56','[caption id=\"attachment_6076\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"300\" caption=\"(C) John Salmon. Used with permission. This is not a picture of the &#039;offending&#039; Church.\"]<a href=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/church-car-park.jpg\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-6076\" src=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/church-car-park-300x210.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"210\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nAfter a couple of weeks \'settling in\' to my new home in a new part of the country (aka being lazy) this morning I took a walk through the Centre of town looking for a church to attend. The sound of the Church bells ringing out alerted me to the presence of St Mary\'s Church of England church which was otherwise overshadowed by the much larger apartment blocks and shooping complex that surrounded it. AlthoughI\'m a nonconformist Christian at heart why not give it a go, I thought. And so with that decision made I followed the sound of the bells until I reached the building itself.\n\nBut, when it came to it, I did did not cross the Church doors.\n\nMy reason for not entering St Mary\'s was not any sudden reversal on my position on entering a \'Established\' State Church or a realisation that theism is bunk and atheism is the eay to go but rather an instinctual revulsion at the church car park. Here I was in a town where over a quarter of children officially live in poverty but what struck me as I approached the door was the fact that not one of the twenty or so cars was not gleaming or otherwise clearly not more than three years old. Among the cars was a healthy smattering of BMW\'s and other cars of the like. Instinctually I knew that this was not a church that embodied Jesus\' preference for \'the least of these\' which, in this town, must surely number among it the large percentage of those of the town residents who do not have a secure professional income and a lovely cottage in the country. Instinctively I apprehended as the book of James puts it a faith that does not result in changed behaviour is no faith at all. And so, I concluded, if this church was indistinguishable from urbane middle class life it had ostensibly failed to respond to the call of the gospel of Jesus Christ. With that thought I turned around and walked off.\n\nWas that fair or was it just prejudice on my part? Thinking on that question the one bona fide millionaire I ever recall talking to sprung to mind, a businessman at a church I was on the staff on for a year as a nineteen year old. He was one of the few congregants who exhibited genuine hospitality and I would have had (and I am sure still would were I to meet)\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;','What Car Do You Drive to Church?','','inherit','open','open','','6074-revision-9','','','2012-04-22 11:45:56','2012-04-22 18:45:56','',6074,'http://provoketive.com/2012/04/22/6074-revision-9/',0,'revision','',0),(6085,161,'2012-04-22 11:46:46','2012-04-22 18:46:46','[caption id=\"attachment_6076\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"300\" caption=\"(C) John Salmon. Used with permission. This is not a picture of the &#039;offending&#039; Church.\"]<a href=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/church-car-park.jpg\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-6076\" src=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/church-car-park-300x210.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"210\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nAfter a couple of weeks \'settling in\' to my new home in a new part of the country (aka being lazy) this morning I took a walk through the Centre of town looking for a church to attend. The sound of the Church bells ringing out alerted me to the presence of St Mary\'s Church of England church which was otherwise overshadowed by the much larger apartment blocks and shooping complex that surrounded it. AlthoughI\'m a nonconformist Christian at heart why not give it a go, I thought. And so with that decision made I followed the sound of the bells until I reached the building itself.\r\n\r\nBut, when it came to it, I did did not cross the Church doors.\r\n\r\nMy reason for not entering St Mary\'s was not any sudden reversal on my position on entering a \'Established\' State Church or a realisation that theism is bunk and atheism is the eay to go but rather an instinctual revulsion at the church car park. Here I was in a town where over a quarter of children officially live in poverty but what struck me as I approached the door was the fact that not one of the twenty or so cars was not gleaming or otherwise clearly not more than three years old. Among the cars was a healthy smattering of BMW\'s and other cars of the like. Instinctually I knew that this was not a church that embodied Jesus\' preference for \'the least of these\' which, in this town, must surely number among it the large percentage of those of the town residents who do not have a secure professional income and a lovely cottage in the country. Instinctively I apprehended as the book of James puts it a faith that does not result in changed behaviour is no faith at all. And so, I concluded, if this church was indistinguishable from urbane middle class life it had ostensibly failed to respond to the call of the gospel of Jesus Christ. With that thought I turned around and walked off.\r\n\r\nWas that fair or was it just prejudice on my part? Thinking on that question the one bona fide millionaire I ever recall talking to sprung to mind, a businessman at a church I was on the staff on for a year as a nineteen year old. He was one of the few congregants who exhibited genuine hospitality and I would have had (and I am sure still would were I to meet) have had no hesitation calling him a brother in Christ.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;','What Car Do You Drive to Church?','','inherit','open','open','','6074-revision-10','','','2012-04-22 11:46:46','2012-04-22 18:46:46','',6074,'http://provoketive.com/2012/04/22/6074-revision-10/',0,'revision','',0),(6087,43,'2012-04-27 09:00:15','2012-04-27 16:00:15','On April 17-19, 2012, students across New York State took the English Language Arts (ELA) test.  In a fail of epic proportions, a poorly constructed set of test questions was thrown out after an unnamed insider leaked that portion of the exam.  You can <a href=\"http://usny.nysed.gov/docs/the-hare-and-the-pineapple.pdf\">read the original test question</a> at the New York State Education Department web site.\r\n\r\nFor a little background, this section of the test included a brief story and six follow-up questions.  The text was adapted from part of a novel by author Daniel Pinkwater.  (You can read his comments and the original tale <a href=\"http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/education/pineapple-idiots-knew-book-world-dumbest-test-question-article-1.1065566\">here</a> and <a href=\"http://www.pinkwater.com/pzone/\">here</a>.)  Teachers and other NYSED employees are not allowed to discuss the test questions or publish them, online or elsewhere.  One bold individual shared the question, setting off a chain reaction of events which ultimately resulted in the question set being thrown out.\r\n\r\nFrom the glut of news articles on the Pineapple Debacle, one might get the impression that the problem here is one badly-worded question on a state test.  There\'s discussion about whether or not we can trust <em>any </em>of the test questions if one like that slipped through.  While it\'s true that the story is full of grammatical errors and bears no resemblance to the original, and the questions are poorly worded and intentionally misleading, those are not the real issues.\r\n\r\nThe problem is that transparency has been eliminated at all levels.  By refusing to allow educators to discuss the questions, even with colleagues, teachers cannot collaborate to ensure quality in state evaluations.  Parents are not informed about the content of the tests their children are taking, leading to broken trust when something like this surfaces.  If we\'re going to base our children\'s success as students on whether or not they can navigate pineapple-style questions, and we base teachers\' worth as educators on how well they teach to the test, then we need everyone to be certain that the tests are an accurate measure.  The consequences of failure here are dire.\r\n\r\nThis isn\'t a problem limited to New York State.  The rising panic over standards in education, pass/fail rates, and global competition are driving this push for education that \"proves\" success.  The pressure on schools and teachers is immense.  And why wouldn\'t it be?  If a school is on the watch list for school improvement, there are a limited number of options: Close the school permanently; close the school and reopen under a charter, or privatize; fire half the staff; or submit to a somewhat nebulous \"improvement\" campaign, which also results in at least some degree of job loss.  Every school in every district in the country is potentially at risk.  For that reason alone, it\'s imperative that we have as much integrity in the exams as possible.  A single bad question on a state test won\'t cause much trouble.  A bad test surely would.  Without transparency, there\'s no way to know whether the rest of the test is equally bizarre or whether it was a single oversight.\r\n\r\nWhoever blew the whistle on the pineapple question is my hero.  It doesn\'t take a lot of guts for me to sit here and write about the New York ELA test.  There\'s nothing at stake for me.  But that brave individual put his or her job on the line in order that the rest of us might be informed.  Those of us who are invested in public education, whether as employees or as parents, have a responsibility here.  We must stand together and demand that we have the right to know what goes on at the state Education Department.  We must take action and force lawmakers to recognize the flaws in the system.  We can\'t afford not to.','NYSED Fail: What We Can Learn from a Talking Pineapple','','publish','open','open','','nysed-fail-what-we-can-learn-from-a-talking-pineapple','','','2012-04-25 10:23:58','2012-04-25 17:23:58','',0,'http://provoketive.com/?p=6087',0,'post','',0),(6089,38,'2012-04-22 12:34:27','2012-04-22 19:34:27','<div>\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_6071\" align=\"alignright\" width=\"150\" caption=\"A photo of Carl\"]<a href=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/Carl_Marshall.jpg\"><img class=\"size-thumbnail wp-image-6071 \" src=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/Carl_Marshall-150x150.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nCarl Marshall, a Bahá’í gentleman from Detroit, Michigan, moved his coffee across the table. “We are in the middle of a fasting month—or actually at the very end of it—so I should probably stop eating. I think the sun rises at 7:35 today.”\n\n</div>\nThe Bahá\'í calendar has nineteen months with nineteen days in each month. During the last month of the year, which falls between March 2<sup>nd</sup> and March 21<sup>st</sup>, members participate in a fast very similar to Ramadan.\n\nMy first encounter with the Baha’i faith was with a gentleman that sat next to me on a plane from Orlando to Detroit. We first started talking about the book I was reading, but once I learned what religion he was a part of (how this happened, I have no idea) I asked him all sorts of questions and we talked for the remainder of the flight. It was one of the most wonderful and fascinating conversations I’ve ever had.\n\nCarl grew up as a Christian in Detroit his mother attending Reverend C.L. Franklin’s church. He eventually moved to the Hawaiian Islands, where he became a Baha\'i in 1973. He was reading a book about comparative religion, and he said that the world’s religions seemed separate, compartmentalized, and without connection to each other. But then he met some Bahá\'í s and they explained the concept of Progressive Revelation.\n\n“What that means is that it’s just one God and one Religion, and every thousand years or so, God sends forth a new messenger, and these messengers have been the founders of the world’s great religions.”\n\nBahá\'u\'lláh, the founder of the Bahá’í religion, is the most recent messenger and is the Promised One of all the religions. “So I saw the unity there, where everything is not coming from a different source, but just a different messenger that’s giving a newer revelation of the previous religion.”\n\nThe interesting thing about Progressive Revelation is that it gives The Bahá’ís the ability to learn about and appreciate each of the world religions because they are all part of a greater movement through time. “In the Bible you have the Old and New Testament. In the Bahá’í faith, Bahá\'u\'lláh’s revelation consist of the New Testament, and all the previous religions are accepted as the Old Testament.”\n\nThey believe in all the major figures of religions across the world: Moses, His Holiness Christ, Zoroaster, Krishna, Buddha, and Mohammed because they are all key messengers with a holy book from God.  Because he is The Promised One of all religions, Bahá\'u\'lláh is believed to have fulfilled the prophecies that were given throughout all of the different holy books. “Bahá\'u\'lláh didn’t come to belittle <em>any</em> religion but to unify, connect and fulfill the previous dispensations.”\n\nCarl says that this is what the world really needs right now, and in another thousand years there will be another messenger to address the next millennium’s needs, which will occur approximately in the year 2852 AD. “It has to be that way because society advances. So, for example, Moses unified the tribes; Jesus, the church and state; Mohammed, a nation; and now Bahá\'u\'lláh has come to unify the world.”\n\nMany of the spiritual principles that govern Bahá’í conduct are contained in the book called, “The Hidden Words” of Bahá\'u\'lláh. There are twelve main principles of the Bahá’í faith. One is the elimination of prejudice, and another is the equality of men and women. “It’s not just lip service; it’s one of the founding principles of our faith, and we live by that,” Carl says. There is no clergy or priest hood in the Bahá’í Faith. However elections are held on the 21<sup>st</sup> of April of each year to elect 9 individuals who consult of the teaching, and administrative affairs within their city. Individuals are elected on the basis of their service, purity of heart, and firmness in the covenant.\n\nThe 9 individuals elected form what is known as the local Spiritual Assembly. Often times women outnumber the men on local spiritual assemblies. “I believe that one reason for this, and this is my own personal opinion, is that women are more spiritually evolved than men. They suffer more and have more test and trials. The equality of women began with the Bahá’í faith. The Bahá’í faith recognized that women have just as much to offer in the way of teaching and spiritual growth as men.\n\nSo how do the Bahá’ís practice their faith on a daily basis? Carl says that Bahá\'u\'lláh came to renew religion and remove ritual from faith. However, they are required to fast during the last month of the Bahá’í calendar (called ‘Ala), are required to pray and read from the holy writings in every morning and night.\n\n“So, for instance, today I got up, I read from the writings and I prayed,” Carl says that according to the research department in the Holy Land the revelation of the Bab, the prophet herald of Bahá\'u\'lláh, contains almost five million words. In relation to Bahá\'u\'lláh, the role of the Bab was similar to the role of John the Baptist to Christ. The revelation of Bahá\'u\'lláh contains over six million words, equivalent of more than 100 volumes.   “Being a Bahá’í is not something you do on Sunday; it’s a way of life. Since I live from a set of spiritual principles, every time I encounter someone it’s a test, as far as how you react and respond to them.”\n\nThe Bahá’í faith is one based on love. When you meet someone, Carl says that you try to show them—depending on their age and sex—the kind of love you would give to a brother, sister, father or mother.\n\nRegarding out daily life; Abdu\'l-Bahá has said; Should any one of you enter a city, he should become a center of attraction by reason of his sincerity, his faithfulness and love, his honesty and fidelity, his truthfulness and loving-kindness towards all the peoples of the world, so that the people of that city may cry out and say: \'This man is unquestionably a Bahá\'í, for his manners, his behavior, his conduct, his morals, his nature, and disposition reflect the attributes of the Bahá\'ís.\n\n&nbsp;\n\nOne misconception about the Baha\'i faith is that it’s a cult. Cults are usually small groups that are governed by a radical leader who tries to isolate the group from society and tries to keep them from listening to anyone else. Yet, one of the twelve principles of the Bahá’í faith is the independent study and vetting of your faith. So, in other words, Bahá\'u\'lláh says that his books are open and that you should not believe something because someone tells you to, but because you’ve investigated and discovered the faith for yourself.\n\nAlso the Bahá’í faith is not a division of any previous religion. It is a new and independent revelation from God. The revelation of Bahá’u’lláh consist of over 100 volumes which are located on God’s holy mountain; Mt. Carmel in Haifa Israel.\n\nOne of the things Carl loves about being a Bahá’í is the fasting because it has nothing to do with losing weight. “It’s designed to purify the heart and cleanse the soul. And so what happens when you fast is you become detached and it increases your spiritual awareness, which allows for the other thing I love about it which is the understanding of religion in general. You reach a point of certitude where you understand how everything is connected together. Things have a deeper meaning.”\n\nThe way his faith has helped Carl through difficult times in his life is by strengthening his faith. “Basically, a ‘difficult time’ is a test. So, say for instance someone was saying something mean or inappropriate to me. I can react the old way or the Baha\'i way. Bahá\'u\'lláh says there is always a choice. The Bahá’í way is to forgive the person, and ultimately get to the point where it doesn’t bother me anymore. A difficult time is a test used to perfect my character. I know that whatever happens, everything is temporary. So, I think I can make it. I can get through this stuff.”\n\nGlobally, the Bahá’í practices are consistent, so anywhere in the world you go, the Bahá\'ís will have the same four types of gatherings.\n<ol start=\"1\">\n	<li>The Devotional Gathering is designed to connect hearts through prayer. They are designed to be a bit more social so people have a way to connect with the larger community and find a home in this tumultuous world. Often times a devotional gathering leads to a Fireside. These take place in the home and during the Fireside a short talk is presented on the Bahá’í Faith and then the floor for questions.</li>\n	<li>Study Circles are open to all, and often take place in the home. Course material is based on the revelation of Bahá\'u\'lláh. The first Study Circle deals with Prayer, the soul and the afterlife.</li>\n	<li>Junior youth classes are available.</li>\n	<li>Children’s classes are offered. The goal is to establish more through the metro Detroit area, although some people are not very receptive to them since they are not Christian.</li>\n</ol>\nAs far as the afterlife, Bahá\'u\'lláh says that your soul is destined to undergo a spiritual evolution until it attains the presence of God. This spiritual evolution is eternal.” Quoting from Abdu\'l-Bahá, the son of Bahá\'u\'lláh, Carl says, “When you die, your soul is plunged in the ocean of God’s mercy. Your behavior in this life and the decisions you make impacts your station in eternity. The degree of purity you attain in this world determines where you start in the afterlife.”\n\nBut what happens to those who don’t become a Bahá\'í? Are there consequences?  “Well, there isn’t any place where you go and you burn.” Carl says. According to the Bahá’í writings “The spiritual meaning of burning in hell refers to the burning desire to be closer to the creator. Those who choose to ignore Bahá\'u\'lláh in this life will be remote from him in the afterlife. I would define hell as acute and grievous remorse for not recognizing the promised one. This remorse is eternal due to remoteness from God.”\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_6088\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"150\" caption=\"The symbol for the Bahá&#039;í Faith (Wikimedia Commons)\"]<a href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Bahai_star.svg\"><img class=\"size-thumbnail wp-image-6088 \" src=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/400px-Bahai_star-150x150.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nOne thing I noticed immediately about the Bahá’í faith is the emphasis on unity. I love the fact that two of their main pillars of faith are the elimination of prejudice and the equality of men and women. It’s not just something they try to do when they are in the mood, but it’s something that their faith is built upon.\n\nAnother thing that I find beautiful is the fact that they have a way of valuing all the different religions. To them, there is a thread running through all of history. Humanity has a greater story than divisions between rival religious factions, arguments between different denominations, or religiously-perpetrated bigotry. Humanity has a beautiful story that is being continually shaped and is still growing and changing.\n\nCarl was extremely kind and very open to any questions I had. He corrected me a couple of times when I got nervous over a stupid question by saying “No, no question is stupid!” Even since our conversation I have emailed him about other things and he has taken the time to answer all of them, and has told me any time I have other questions he will set aside time to talk to me.\n\nI look forward to future conversations and appreciate him taking time to share his story and his faith with me.\n\n&nbsp;','Faith Interview Series: The Bahá\'í Faith','','inherit','open','open','','6068-revision-5','','','2012-04-22 12:34:27','2012-04-22 19:34:27','',6068,'http://provoketive.com/2012/04/22/6068-revision-5/',0,'revision','',0),(6090,38,'2012-04-22 12:49:18','2012-04-22 19:49:18','','shrine-bab-haifa_flickr_random-exposure','Shrine of the Báb and Baha\'i Gardens in Haifa, Israel','inherit','open','open','','shrine-bab-haifa_flickr_random-exposure','','','2012-04-22 12:49:18','2012-04-22 19:49:18','',6068,'http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/shrine-bab-haifa_flickr_random-exposure.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(6091,38,'2012-04-22 12:34:35','2012-04-22 19:34:35','<div>\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_6071\" align=\"alignright\" width=\"150\" caption=\"A photo of Carl\"]<a href=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/Carl_Marshall.jpg\"><img class=\"size-thumbnail wp-image-6071 \" src=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/Carl_Marshall-150x150.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nCarl Marshall, a Bahá’í gentleman from Detroit, Michigan, moved his coffee across the table. “We are in the middle of a fasting month—or actually at the very end of it—so I should probably stop eating. I think the sun rises at 7:35 today.”\r\n\r\n</div>\r\nThe Bahá\'í calendar has nineteen months with nineteen days in each month. During the last month of the year, which falls between March 2<sup>nd</sup> and March 21<sup>st</sup>, members participate in a fast very similar to Ramadan.\r\n\r\nMy first encounter with the Baha’i faith was with a gentleman that sat next to me on a plane from Orlando to Detroit. We first started talking about the book I was reading, but once I learned what religion he was a part of (how this happened, I have no idea) I asked him all sorts of questions and we talked for the remainder of the flight. It was one of the most wonderful and fascinating conversations I’ve ever had.\r\n\r\nCarl grew up as a Christian in Detroit his mother attending Reverend C.L. Franklin’s church. He eventually moved to the Hawaiian Islands, where he became a Baha\'i in 1973. He was reading a book about comparative religion, and he said that the world’s religions seemed separate, compartmentalized, and without connection to each other. But then he met some Bahá\'í s and they explained the concept of Progressive Revelation.\r\n\r\n“What that means is that it’s just one God and one Religion, and every thousand years or so, God sends forth a new messenger, and these messengers have been the founders of the world’s great religions.”\r\n\r\nBahá\'u\'lláh, the founder of the Bahá’í religion, is the most recent messenger and is the Promised One of all the religions. “So I saw the unity there, where everything is not coming from a different source, but just a different messenger that’s giving a newer revelation of the previous religion.”\r\n\r\nThe interesting thing about Progressive Revelation is that it gives The Bahá’ís the ability to learn about and appreciate each of the world religions because they are all part of a greater movement through time. “In the Bible you have the Old and New Testament. In the Bahá’í faith, Bahá\'u\'lláh’s revelation consist of the New Testament, and all the previous religions are accepted as the Old Testament.”\r\n\r\nThey believe in all the major figures of religions across the world: Moses, His Holiness Christ, Zoroaster, Krishna, Buddha, and Mohammed because they are all key messengers with a holy book from God.  Because he is The Promised One of all religions, Bahá\'u\'lláh is believed to have fulfilled the prophecies that were given throughout all of the different holy books. “Bahá\'u\'lláh didn’t come to belittle <em>any</em> religion but to unify, connect and fulfill the previous dispensations.”\r\n\r\nCarl says that this is what the world really needs right now, and in another thousand years there will be another messenger to address the next millennium’s needs, which will occur approximately in the year 2852 AD. “It has to be that way because society advances. So, for example, Moses unified the tribes; Jesus, the church and state; Mohammed, a nation; and now Bahá\'u\'lláh has come to unify the world.”\r\n\r\nMany of the spiritual principles that govern Bahá’í conduct are contained in the book called, “The Hidden Words” of Bahá\'u\'lláh. There are twelve main principles of the Bahá’í faith. One is the elimination of prejudice, and another is the equality of men and women. “It’s not just lip service; it’s one of the founding principles of our faith, and we live by that,” Carl says. There is no clergy or priest hood in the Bahá’í Faith. However elections are held on the 21<sup>st</sup> of April of each year to elect 9 individuals who consult of the teaching, and administrative affairs within their city. Individuals are elected on the basis of their service, purity of heart, and firmness in the covenant.\r\n\r\nThe 9 individuals elected form what is known as the local Spiritual Assembly. Often times women outnumber the men on local spiritual assemblies. “I believe that one reason for this, and this is my own personal opinion, is that women are more spiritually evolved than men. They suffer more and have more test and trials. The equality of women began with the Bahá’í faith. The Bahá’í faith recognized that women have just as much to offer in the way of teaching and spiritual growth as men.\r\n\r\nSo how do the Bahá’ís practice their faith on a daily basis? Carl says that Bahá\'u\'lláh came to renew religion and remove ritual from faith. However, they are required to fast during the last month of the Bahá’í calendar (called ‘Ala), are required to pray and read from the holy writings in every morning and night.\r\n\r\n“So, for instance, today I got up, I read from the writings and I prayed,” Carl says that according to the research department in the Holy Land the revelation of the Bab, the prophet herald of Bahá\'u\'lláh, contains almost five million words. In relation to Bahá\'u\'lláh, the role of the Bab was similar to the role of John the Baptist to Christ. The revelation of Bahá\'u\'lláh contains over six million words, equivalent of more than 100 volumes.   “Being a Bahá’í is not something you do on Sunday; it’s a way of life. Since I live from a set of spiritual principles, every time I encounter someone it’s a test, as far as how you react and respond to them.”\r\n\r\nThe Bahá’í faith is one based on love. When you meet someone, Carl says that you try to show them—depending on their age and sex—the kind of love you would give to a brother, sister, father or mother.\r\n\r\nRegarding out daily life; Abdu\'l-Bahá has said; Should any one of you enter a city, he should become a center of attraction by reason of his sincerity, his faithfulness and love, his honesty and fidelity, his truthfulness and loving-kindness towards all the peoples of the world, so that the people of that city may cry out and say: \'This man is unquestionably a Bahá\'í, for his manners, his behavior, his conduct, his morals, his nature, and disposition reflect the attributes of the Bahá\'ís.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nOne misconception about the Baha\'i faith is that it’s a cult. Cults are usually small groups that are governed by a radical leader who tries to isolate the group from society and tries to keep them from listening to anyone else. Yet, one of the twelve principles of the Bahá’í faith is the independent study and vetting of your faith. So, in other words, Bahá\'u\'lláh says that his books are open and that you should not believe something because someone tells you to, but because you’ve investigated and discovered the faith for yourself.\r\n\r\nAlso the Bahá’í faith is not a division of any previous religion. It is a new and independent revelation from God. The revelation of Bahá’u’lláh consist of over 100 volumes which are located on God’s holy mountain; Mt. Carmel in Haifa Israel.\r\n\r\nOne of the things Carl loves about being a Bahá’í is the fasting because it has nothing to do with losing weight. “It’s designed to purify the heart and cleanse the soul. And so what happens when you fast is you become detached and it increases your spiritual awareness, which allows for the other thing I love about it which is the understanding of religion in general. You reach a point of certitude where you understand how everything is connected together. Things have a deeper meaning.”\r\n\r\nThe way his faith has helped Carl through difficult times in his life is by strengthening his faith. “Basically, a ‘difficult time’ is a test. So, say for instance someone was saying something mean or inappropriate to me. I can react the old way or the Baha\'i way. Bahá\'u\'lláh says there is always a choice. The Bahá’í way is to forgive the person, and ultimately get to the point where it doesn’t bother me anymore. A difficult time is a test used to perfect my character. I know that whatever happens, everything is temporary. So, I think I can make it. I can get through this stuff.”\r\n\r\nGlobally, the Bahá’í practices are consistent, so anywhere in the world you go, the Bahá\'ís will have the same four types of gatherings.\r\n<ol start=\"1\">\r\n	<li>The Devotional Gathering is designed to connect hearts through prayer. They are designed to be a bit more social so people have a way to connect with the larger community and find a home in this tumultuous world. Often times a devotional gathering leads to a Fireside. These take place in the home and during the Fireside a short talk is presented on the Bahá’í Faith and then the floor for questions.</li>\r\n	<li>Study Circles are open to all, and often take place in the home. Course material is based on the revelation of Bahá\'u\'lláh. The first Study Circle deals with Prayer, the soul and the afterlife.</li>\r\n	<li>Junior youth classes are available.</li>\r\n	<li>Children’s classes are offered. The goal is to establish more through the metro Detroit area, although some people are not very receptive to them since they are not Christian.</li>\r\n</ol>\r\nAs far as the afterlife, Bahá\'u\'lláh says that your soul is destined to undergo a spiritual evolution until it attains the presence of God. This spiritual evolution is eternal.” Quoting from Abdu\'l-Bahá, the son of Bahá\'u\'lláh, Carl says, “When you die, your soul is plunged in the ocean of God’s mercy. Your behavior in this life and the decisions you make impacts your station in eternity. The degree of purity you attain in this world determines where you start in the afterlife.”\r\n\r\nBut what happens to those who don’t become a Bahá\'í? Are there consequences?  “Well, there isn’t any place where you go and you burn.” Carl says. According to the Bahá’í writings “The spiritual meaning of burning in hell refers to the burning desire to be closer to the creator. Those who choose to ignore Bahá\'u\'lláh in this life will be remote from him in the afterlife. I would define hell as acute and grievous remorse for not recognizing the promised one. This remorse is eternal due to remoteness from God.”\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_6088\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"150\" caption=\"The symbol for the Bahá&#039;í Faith (Wikimedia Commons)\"]<a href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Bahai_star.svg\"><img class=\"size-thumbnail wp-image-6088 \" src=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/400px-Bahai_star-150x150.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nOne thing I noticed immediately about the Bahá’í faith is the emphasis on unity. I love the fact that two of their main pillars of faith are the elimination of prejudice and the equality of men and women. It’s not just something they try to do when they are in the mood, but it’s something that their faith is built upon.\r\n\r\nAnother thing that I find beautiful is the fact that they have a way of valuing all the different religions. To them, there is a thread running through all of history. Humanity has a greater story than divisions between rival religious factions, arguments between different denominations, or religiously-perpetrated bigotry. Humanity has a beautiful story that is being continually shaped and is still growing and changing.\r\n\r\nCarl was extremely kind and very open to any questions I had. He corrected me a couple of times when I got nervous over a stupid question by saying “No, no question is stupid!” Even since our conversation I have emailed him about other things and he has taken the time to answer all of them, and has told me any time I have other questions he will set aside time to talk to me.\r\n\r\nI look forward to future conversations and appreciate him taking time to share his story and his faith with me.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;','Faith Interview Series: The Bahá\'í Faith','','inherit','open','open','','6068-revision-6','','','2012-04-22 12:34:35','2012-04-22 19:34:35','',6068,'http://provoketive.com/2012/04/22/6068-revision-6/',0,'revision','',0),(6094,38,'2012-04-22 13:04:41','2012-04-22 20:04:41','<div>\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_6071\" align=\"alignright\" width=\"150\" caption=\"A photo of Carl\"]<a href=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/Carl_Marshall.jpg\"><img class=\"size-thumbnail wp-image-6071 \" src=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/Carl_Marshall-150x150.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nCarl Marshall, a Bahá’í gentleman from Detroit, Michigan, moved his coffee across the table. “We are in the middle of a fasting month—or actually at the very end of it—so I should probably stop eating. I think the sun rises at 7:35 today.”\n\n</div>\nThe Bahá\'í calendar has nineteen months with nineteen days in each month. During the last month of the year, which falls between March 2<sup>nd</sup> and March 21<sup>st</sup>, members participate in a fast very similar to Ramadan.\n\nMy first encounter with the Baha’i faith was with a gentleman that sat next to me on a plane from Orlando to Detroit. We first started talking about the book I was reading, but once I learned what religion he was a part of (how this happened, I have no idea) I asked him all sorts of questions and we talked for the remainder of the flight. It was one of the most wonderful and fascinating conversations I’ve ever had.\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_6092\" align=\"alignright\" width=\"300\" caption=\"Bahá’í Lotus Temple in Delhi, India\"]<a href=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/bahai-lotus-temple_flickr_jeeheon.jpg\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-6092 \" src=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/bahai-lotus-temple_flickr_jeeheon-300x198.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"198\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nCarl grew up as a Christian in Detroit his mother attending Reverend C.L. Franklin’s church. He eventually moved to the Hawaiian Islands, where he became a Baha\'i in 1973. He was reading a book about comparative religion, and he said that the world’s religions seemed separate, compartmentalized, and without connection to each other. But then he met some Bahá\'í s and they explained the concept of Progressive Revelation.\n\n“What that means is that it’s just one God and one Religion, and every thousand years or so, God sends forth a new messenger, and these messengers have been the founders of the world’s great religions.”\n\nBahá\'u\'lláh, the founder of the Bahá’í religion, is the most recent messenger and is the Promised One of all the religions. “So I saw the unity there, where everything is not coming from a different source, but just a different messenger that’s giving a newer revelation of the previous religion.”\n\nThe interesting thing about Progressive Revelation is that it gives The Bahá’ís the ability to learn about and appreciate each of the world religions because they are all part of a greater movement through time. “In the Bible you have the Old and New Testament. In the Bahá’í faith, Bahá\'u\'lláh’s revelation consist of the New Testament, and all the previous religions are accepted as the Old Testament.”\n\nThey believe in all the major figures of religions across the world: Moses, His Holiness Christ, Zoroaster, Krishna, Buddha, and Mohammed because they are all key messengers with a holy book from God.  Because he is The Promised One of all religions, Bahá\'u\'lláh is believed to have fulfilled the prophecies that were given throughout all of the different holy books. “Bahá\'u\'lláh didn’t come to belittle <em>any</em> religion but to unify, connect and fulfill the previous dispensations.”\n\nCarl says that this is what the world really needs right now, and in another thousand years there will be another messenger to address the next millennium’s needs, which will occur approximately in the year 2852 AD. “It has to be that way because society advances. So, for example, Moses unified the tribes; Jesus, the church and state; Mohammed, a nation; and now Bahá\'u\'lláh has come to unify the world.”\n\nMany of the spiritual principles that govern Bahá’í conduct are contained in the book called, “The Hidden Words” of Bahá\'u\'lláh. There are twelve main principles of the Bahá’í faith. One is the elimination of prejudice, and another is the equality of men and women. “It’s not just lip service; it’s one of the founding principles of our faith, and we live by that,” Carl says. There is no clergy or priest hood in the Bahá’í Faith. However elections are held on the 21<sup>st</sup> of April of each year to elect 9 individuals who consult of the teaching, and administrative affairs within their city. Individuals are elected on the basis of their service, purity of heart, and firmness in the covenant.\n\nThe 9 individuals elected form what is known as the local Spiritual Assembly. Often times women outnumber the men on local spiritual assemblies. “I believe that one reason for this, and this is my own personal opinion, is that women are more spiritually evolved than men. They suffer more and have more test and trials. The equality of women began with the Bahá’í faith. The Bahá’í faith recognized that women have just as much to offer in the way of teaching and spiritual growth as men.\n\nSo how do the Bahá’ís practice their faith on a daily basis? Carl says that Bahá\'u\'lláh came to renew religion and remove ritual from faith. However, they are required to fast during the last month of the Bahá’í calendar (called ‘Ala), are required to pray and read from the holy writings in every morning and night.\n\n“So, for instance, today I got up, I read from the writings and I prayed,” Carl says that according to the research department in the Holy Land the revelation of the Bab, the prophet herald of Bahá\'u\'lláh, contains almost five million words. In relation to Bahá\'u\'lláh, the role of the Bab was similar to the role of John the Baptist to Christ. The revelation of Bahá\'u\'lláh contains over six million words, equivalent of more than 100 volumes.   “Being a Bahá’í is not something you do on Sunday; it’s a way of life. Since I live from a set of spiritual principles, every time I encounter someone it’s a test, as far as how you react and respond to them.”\n\nThe Bahá’í faith is one based on love. When you meet someone, Carl says that you try to show them—depending on their age and sex—the kind of love you would give to a brother, sister, father or mother.\n\nRegarding out daily life; Abdu\'l-Bahá has said; Should any one of you enter a city, he should become a center of attraction by reason of his sincerity, his faithfulness and love, his honesty and fidelity, his truthfulness and loving-kindness towards all the peoples of the world, so that the people of that city may cry out and say: \'This man is unquestionably a Bahá\'í, for his manners, his behavior, his conduct, his morals, his nature, and disposition reflect the attributes of the Bahá\'ís.\n\n&nbsp;\n\nOne misconception about the Baha\'i faith is that it’s a cult. Cults are usually small groups that are governed by a radical leader who tries to isolate the group from society and tries to keep them from listening to anyone else. Yet, one of the twelve principles of the Bahá’í faith is the independent study and vetting of your faith. So, in other words, Bahá\'u\'lláh says that his books are open and that you should not believe something because someone tells you to, but because you’ve investigated and discovered the faith for yourself.\n\nAlso the Bahá’í faith is not a division of any previous religion. It is a new and independent revelation from God. The revelation of Bahá’u’lláh consist of over 100 volumes which are located on God’s holy mountain; Mt. Carmel in Haifa Israel.\n\nOne of the things Carl loves about being a Bahá’í is the fasting because it has nothing to do with losing weight. “It’s designed to purify the heart and cleanse the soul. And so what happens when you fast is you become detached and it increases your spiritual awareness, which allows for the other thing I love about it which is the understanding of religion in general. You reach a point of certitude where you understand how everything is connected together. Things have a deeper meaning.”\n\nThe way his faith has helped Carl through difficult times in his life is by strengthening his faith. “Basically, a ‘difficult time’ is a test. So, say for instance someone was saying something mean or inappropriate to me. I can react the old way or the Baha\'i way. Bahá\'u\'lláh says there is always a choice. The Bahá’í way is to forgive the person, and ultimately get to the point where it doesn’t bother me anymore. A difficult time is a test used to perfect my character. I know that whatever happens, everything is temporary. So, I think I can make it. I can get through this stuff.”\n\nGlobally, the Bahá’í practices are consistent, so anywhere in the world you go, the Bahá\'ís will have the same four types of gatherings.\n<ol start=\"1\">\n	<li>The Devotional Gathering is designed to connect hearts through prayer. They are designed to be a bit more social so people have a way to connect with the larger community and find a home in this tumultuous world. Often times a devotional gathering leads to a Fireside. These take place in the home and during the Fireside a short talk is presented on the Bahá’í Faith and then the floor for questions.</li>\n	<li>Study Circles are open to all, and often take place in the home. Course material is based on the revelation of Bahá\'u\'lláh. The first Study Circle deals with Prayer, the soul and the afterlife.</li>\n	<li>Junior youth classes are available.</li>\n	<li>Children’s classes are offered. The goal is to establish more through the metro Detroit area, although some people are not very receptive to them since they are not Christian.</li>\n</ol>\nAs far as the afterlife, Bahá\'u\'lláh says that your soul is destined to undergo a spiritual evolution until it attains the presence of God. This spiritual evolution is eternal.” Quoting from Abdu\'l-Bahá, the son of Bahá\'u\'lláh, Carl says, “When you die, your soul is plunged in the ocean of God’s mercy. Your behavior in this life and the decisions you make impacts your station in eternity. The degree of purity you attain in this world determines where you start in the afterlife.”\n\nBut what happens to those who don’t become a Bahá\'í? Are there consequences?  “Well, there isn’t any place where you go and you burn.” Carl says. According to the Bahá’í writings “The spiritual meaning of burning in hell refers to the burning desire to be closer to the creator. Those who choose to ignore Bahá\'u\'lláh in this life will be remote from him in the afterlife. I would define hell as acute and grievous remorse for not recognizing the promised one. This remorse is eternal due to remoteness from God.”\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_6088\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"150\" caption=\"The symbol for the Bahá&#039;í Faith (Wikimedia Commons)\"]<a href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Bahai_star.svg\"><img class=\"size-thumbnail wp-image-6088 \" src=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/400px-Bahai_star-150x150.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nOne thing I noticed immediately about the Bahá’í faith is the emphasis on unity. I love the fact that two of their main pillars of faith are the elimination of prejudice and the equality of men and women. It’s not just something they try to do when they are in the mood, but it’s something that their faith is built upon.\n\nAnother thing that I find beautiful is the fact that they have a way of valuing all the different religions. To them, there is a thread running through all of history. Humanity has a greater story than divisions between rival religious factions, arguments between different denominations, or religiously-perpetrated bigotry. Humanity has a beautiful story that is being continually shaped and is still growing and changing.\n\nCarl was extremely kind and very open to any questions I had. He corrected me a couple of times when I got nervous over a stupid question by saying “No, no question is stupid!” Even since our conversation I have emailed him about other things and he has taken the time to answer all of them, and has told me any time I have other questions he will set aside time to talk to me.\n\nI look forward to future conversations and appreciate him taking time to share his story and his faith with me.\n\n<em>Photo credit: Flickr / <a href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/35176612@N03/3755376430/in/photostream/\" target=\"_blank\">random exposure</a> (Shrine of the Báb and Bahá\'í Gardens), <a href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/jeeheon/4663379544/in/photostream/\" target=\"_blank\">jeeheon</a> (Bahai Lotus Temple) <a href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Bahai_star.svg\" target=\"_blank\">Wikimedia Commons</a> (the symbol for the Bahá\'í faith)</em>','Faith Interview Series: The Bahá\'í Faith','','inherit','open','open','','6068-revision-8','','','2012-04-22 13:04:41','2012-04-22 20:04:41','',6068,'http://provoketive.com/2012/04/22/6068-revision-8/',0,'revision','',0),(6093,38,'2012-04-22 13:02:41','2012-04-22 20:02:41','<div>\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_6071\" align=\"alignright\" width=\"150\" caption=\"A photo of Carl\"]<a href=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/Carl_Marshall.jpg\"><img class=\"size-thumbnail wp-image-6071 \" src=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/Carl_Marshall-150x150.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nCarl Marshall, a Bahá’í gentleman from Detroit, Michigan, moved his coffee across the table. “We are in the middle of a fasting month—or actually at the very end of it—so I should probably stop eating. I think the sun rises at 7:35 today.”\n\n</div>\nThe Bahá\'í calendar has nineteen months with nineteen days in each month. During the last month of the year, which falls between March 2<sup>nd</sup> and March 21<sup>st</sup>, members participate in a fast very similar to Ramadan.\n\nMy first encounter with the Baha’i faith was with a gentleman that sat next to me on a plane from Orlando to Detroit. We first started talking about the book I was reading, but once I learned what religion he was a part of (how this happened, I have no idea) I asked him all sorts of questions and we talked for the remainder of the flight. It was one of the most wonderful and fascinating conversations I’ve ever had.\n\nCarl grew up as a Christian in Detroit his mother attending Reverend C.L. Franklin’s church. He eventually moved to the Hawaiian Islands, where he became a Baha\'i in 1973. He was reading a book about comparative religion, and he said that the world’s religions seemed separate, compartmentalized, and without connection to each other. But then he met some Bahá\'í s and they explained the concept of Progressive Revelation.\n\n“What that means is that it’s just one God and one Religion, and every thousand years or so, God sends forth a new messenger, and these messengers have been the founders of the world’s great religions.”\n\nBahá\'u\'lláh, the founder of the Bahá’í religion, is the most recent messenger and is the Promised One of all the religions. “So I saw the unity there, where everything is not coming from a different source, but just a different messenger that’s giving a newer revelation of the previous religion.”\n\nThe interesting thing about Progressive Revelation is that it gives The Bahá’ís the ability to learn about and appreciate each of the world religions because they are all part of a greater movement through time. “In the Bible you have the Old and New Testament. In the Bahá’í faith, Bahá\'u\'lláh’s revelation consist of the New Testament, and all the previous religions are accepted as the Old Testament.”\n\nThey believe in all the major figures of religions across the world: Moses, His Holiness Christ, Zoroaster, Krishna, Buddha, and Mohammed because they are all key messengers with a holy book from God.  Because he is The Promised One of all religions, Bahá\'u\'lláh is believed to have fulfilled the prophecies that were given throughout all of the different holy books. “Bahá\'u\'lláh didn’t come to belittle <em>any</em> religion but to unify, connect and fulfill the previous dispensations.”\n\nCarl says that this is what the world really needs right now, and in another thousand years there will be another messenger to address the next millennium’s needs, which will occur approximately in the year 2852 AD. “It has to be that way because society advances. So, for example, Moses unified the tribes; Jesus, the church and state; Mohammed, a nation; and now Bahá\'u\'lláh has come to unify the world.”\n\nMany of the spiritual principles that govern Bahá’í conduct are contained in the book called, “The Hidden Words” of Bahá\'u\'lláh. There are twelve main principles of the Bahá’í faith. One is the elimination of prejudice, and another is the equality of men and women. “It’s not just lip service; it’s one of the founding principles of our faith, and we live by that,” Carl says. There is no clergy or priest hood in the Bahá’í Faith. However elections are held on the 21<sup>st</sup> of April of each year to elect 9 individuals who consult of the teaching, and administrative affairs within their city. Individuals are elected on the basis of their service, purity of heart, and firmness in the covenant.\n\nThe 9 individuals elected form what is known as the local Spiritual Assembly. Often times women outnumber the men on local spiritual assemblies. “I believe that one reason for this, and this is my own personal opinion, is that women are more spiritually evolved than men. They suffer more and have more test and trials. The equality of women began with the Bahá’í faith. The Bahá’í faith recognized that women have just as much to offer in the way of teaching and spiritual growth as men.\n\nSo how do the Bahá’ís practice their faith on a daily basis? Carl says that Bahá\'u\'lláh came to renew religion and remove ritual from faith. However, they are required to fast during the last month of the Bahá’í calendar (called ‘Ala), are required to pray and read from the holy writings in every morning and night.\n\n“So, for instance, today I got up, I read from the writings and I prayed,” Carl says that according to the research department in the Holy Land the revelation of the Bab, the prophet herald of Bahá\'u\'lláh, contains almost five million words. In relation to Bahá\'u\'lláh, the role of the Bab was similar to the role of John the Baptist to Christ. The revelation of Bahá\'u\'lláh contains over six million words, equivalent of more than 100 volumes.   “Being a Bahá’í is not something you do on Sunday; it’s a way of life. Since I live from a set of spiritual principles, every time I encounter someone it’s a test, as far as how you react and respond to them.”\n\nThe Bahá’í faith is one based on love. When you meet someone, Carl says that you try to show them—depending on their age and sex—the kind of love you would give to a brother, sister, father or mother.\n\nRegarding out daily life; Abdu\'l-Bahá has said; Should any one of you enter a city, he should become a center of attraction by reason of his sincerity, his faithfulness and love, his honesty and fidelity, his truthfulness and loving-kindness towards all the peoples of the world, so that the people of that city may cry out and say: \'This man is unquestionably a Bahá\'í, for his manners, his behavior, his conduct, his morals, his nature, and disposition reflect the attributes of the Bahá\'ís.\n\n&nbsp;\n\nOne misconception about the Baha\'i faith is that it’s a cult. Cults are usually small groups that are governed by a radical leader who tries to isolate the group from society and tries to keep them from listening to anyone else. Yet, one of the twelve principles of the Bahá’í faith is the independent study and vetting of your faith. So, in other words, Bahá\'u\'lláh says that his books are open and that you should not believe something because someone tells you to, but because you’ve investigated and discovered the faith for yourself.\n\nAlso the Bahá’í faith is not a division of any previous religion. It is a new and independent revelation from God. The revelation of Bahá’u’lláh consist of over 100 volumes which are located on God’s holy mountain; Mt. Carmel in Haifa Israel.\n\nOne of the things Carl loves about being a Bahá’í is the fasting because it has nothing to do with losing weight. “It’s designed to purify the heart and cleanse the soul. And so what happens when you fast is you become detached and it increases your spiritual awareness, which allows for the other thing I love about it which is the understanding of religion in general. You reach a point of certitude where you understand how everything is connected together. Things have a deeper meaning.”\n\nThe way his faith has helped Carl through difficult times in his life is by strengthening his faith. “Basically, a ‘difficult time’ is a test. So, say for instance someone was saying something mean or inappropriate to me. I can react the old way or the Baha\'i way. Bahá\'u\'lláh says there is always a choice. The Bahá’í way is to forgive the person, and ultimately get to the point where it doesn’t bother me anymore. A difficult time is a test used to perfect my character. I know that whatever happens, everything is temporary. So, I think I can make it. I can get through this stuff.”\n\nGlobally, the Bahá’í practices are consistent, so anywhere in the world you go, the Bahá\'ís will have the same four types of gatherings.\n<ol start=\"1\">\n	<li>The Devotional Gathering is designed to connect hearts through prayer. They are designed to be a bit more social so people have a way to connect with the larger community and find a home in this tumultuous world. Often times a devotional gathering leads to a Fireside. These take place in the home and during the Fireside a short talk is presented on the Bahá’í Faith and then the floor for questions.</li>\n	<li>Study Circles are open to all, and often take place in the home. Course material is based on the revelation of Bahá\'u\'lláh. The first Study Circle deals with Prayer, the soul and the afterlife.</li>\n	<li>Junior youth classes are available.</li>\n	<li>Children’s classes are offered. The goal is to establish more through the metro Detroit area, although some people are not very receptive to them since they are not Christian.</li>\n</ol>\nAs far as the afterlife, Bahá\'u\'lláh says that your soul is destined to undergo a spiritual evolution until it attains the presence of God. This spiritual evolution is eternal.” Quoting from Abdu\'l-Bahá, the son of Bahá\'u\'lláh, Carl says, “When you die, your soul is plunged in the ocean of God’s mercy. Your behavior in this life and the decisions you make impacts your station in eternity. The degree of purity you attain in this world determines where you start in the afterlife.”\n\nBut what happens to those who don’t become a Bahá\'í? Are there consequences?  “Well, there isn’t any place where you go and you burn.” Carl says. According to the Bahá’í writings “The spiritual meaning of burning in hell refers to the burning desire to be closer to the creator. Those who choose to ignore Bahá\'u\'lláh in this life will be remote from him in the afterlife. I would define hell as acute and grievous remorse for not recognizing the promised one. This remorse is eternal due to remoteness from God.”\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_6088\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"150\" caption=\"The symbol for the Bahá&#039;í Faith (Wikimedia Commons)\"]<a href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Bahai_star.svg\"><img class=\"size-thumbnail wp-image-6088 \" src=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/400px-Bahai_star-150x150.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nOne thing I noticed immediately about the Bahá’í faith is the emphasis on unity. I love the fact that two of their main pillars of faith are the elimination of prejudice and the equality of men and women. It’s not just something they try to do when they are in the mood, but it’s something that their faith is built upon.\n\nAnother thing that I find beautiful is the fact that they have a way of valuing all the different religions. To them, there is a thread running through all of history. Humanity has a greater story than divisions between rival religious factions, arguments between different denominations, or religiously-perpetrated bigotry. Humanity has a beautiful story that is being continually shaped and is still growing and changing.\n\nCarl was extremely kind and very open to any questions I had. He corrected me a couple of times when I got nervous over a stupid question by saying “No, no question is stupid!” Even since our conversation I have emailed him about other things and he has taken the time to answer all of them, and has told me any time I have other questions he will set aside time to talk to me.\n\nI look forward to future conversations and appreciate him taking time to share his story and his faith with me.\n\n<em>Photo credit: Flickr / <a href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/35176612@N03/3755376430/in/photostream/\" target=\"_blank\">random exposure</a> (Shrine of the Báb and Bahá\'í Gardens), <a href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/jeeheon/4663379544/in/photostream/\" target=\"_blank\">jeeheon</a> (Bahai Lotus Temple) <a href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Bahai_star.svg\" target=\"_blank\">Wikimedia Commons</a> (the symbol for the Bahá\'í faith)</em>','Faith Interview Series: The Bahá\'í Faith','','inherit','open','open','','6068-revision-7','','','2012-04-22 13:02:41','2012-04-22 20:02:41','',6068,'http://provoketive.com/2012/04/22/6068-revision-7/',0,'revision','',0),(6092,38,'2012-04-22 13:02:54','2012-04-22 20:02:54','','bahai-lotus-temple_flickr_jeeheon','Bahai Lotus Temple in Delhi, India','inherit','open','open','','bahai-lotus-temple_flickr_jeeheon','','','2012-04-22 13:02:54','2012-04-22 20:02:54','',6068,'http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/bahai-lotus-temple_flickr_jeeheon.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(6095,38,'2012-04-22 13:08:19','2012-04-22 20:08:19','','children-bahai-temple_flickr_upsilon-andromedae','Two children in front of the Shrine of Bab','inherit','open','open','','children-bahai-temple_flickr_upsilon-andromedae','','','2012-04-22 13:08:19','2012-04-22 20:08:19','',6068,'http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/children-bahai-temple_flickr_upsilon-andromedae.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(6096,38,'2012-04-22 13:09:24','2012-04-22 20:09:24','<div>\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_6071\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"150\" caption=\"A photo of Carl\"]<a href=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/Carl_Marshall.jpg\"><img class=\"size-thumbnail wp-image-6071 \" src=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/Carl_Marshall-150x150.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nCarl Marshall, a Bahá’í gentleman from Detroit, Michigan, moved his coffee across the table. “We are in the middle of a fasting month—or actually at the very end of it—so I should probably stop eating. I think the sun rises at 7:35 today.”\n\n</div>\nThe Bahá\'í calendar has nineteen months with nineteen days in each month. During the last month of the year, which falls between March 2<sup>nd</sup> and March 21<sup>st</sup>, members participate in a fast very similar to Ramadan.\n\nMy first encounter with the Baha’i faith was with a gentleman that sat next to me on a plane from Orlando to Detroit. We first started talking about the book I was reading, but once I learned what religion he was a part of (how this happened, I have no idea) I asked him all sorts of questions and we talked for the remainder of the flight. It was one of the most wonderful and fascinating conversations I’ve ever had.\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_6092\" align=\"alignright\" width=\"300\" caption=\"Bahá’í Lotus Temple in Delhi, India\"]<a href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/jeeheon/4663379544/\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-6092  \" src=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/bahai-lotus-temple_flickr_jeeheon-300x198.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"198\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nCarl grew up as a Christian in Detroit his mother attending Reverend C.L. Franklin’s church. He eventually moved to the Hawaiian Islands, where he became a Baha\'i in 1973. He was reading a book about comparative religion, and he said that the world’s religions seemed separate, compartmentalized, and without connection to each other. But then he met some Bahá\'í s and they explained the concept of Progressive Revelation.\n\n“What that means is that it’s just one God and one Religion, and every thousand years or so, God sends forth a new messenger, and these messengers have been the founders of the world’s great religions.”\n\nBahá\'u\'lláh, the founder of the Bahá’í religion, is the most recent messenger and is the Promised One of all the religions. “So I saw the unity there, where everything is not coming from a different source, but just a different messenger that’s giving a newer revelation of the previous religion.”\n\nThe interesting thing about Progressive Revelation is that it gives The Bahá’ís the ability to learn about and appreciate each of the world religions because they are all part of a greater movement through time. “In the Bible you have the Old and New Testament. In the Bahá’í faith, Bahá\'u\'lláh’s revelation consist of the New Testament, and all the previous religions are accepted as the Old Testament.”\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_6095\" align=\"alignright\" width=\"191\" caption=\"Two children in front of the Shrine of the Báb\"]<a href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/upsand/427782737/in/photostream/\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-6095 \" src=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/children-bahai-temple_flickr_upsilon-andromedae-191x300.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"191\" height=\"300\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nThey believe in all the major figures of religions across the world: Moses, His Holiness Christ, Zoroaster, Krishna, Buddha, and Mohammed because they are all key messengers with a holy book from God.  Because he is The Promised One of all religions, Bahá\'u\'lláh is believed to have fulfilled the prophecies that were given throughout all of the different holy books. “Bahá\'u\'lláh didn’t come to belittle <em>any</em> religion but to unify, connect and fulfill the previous dispensations.”\n\nCarl says that this is what the world really needs right now, and in another thousand years there will be another messenger to address the next millennium’s needs, which will occur approximately in the year 2852 AD. “It has to be that way because society advances. So, for example, Moses unified the tribes; Jesus, the church and state; Mohammed, a nation; and now Bahá\'u\'lláh has come to unify the world.”\n\nMany of the spiritual principles that govern Bahá’í conduct are contained in the book called, “The Hidden Words” of Bahá\'u\'lláh. There are twelve main principles of the Bahá’í faith. One is the elimination of prejudice, and another is the equality of men and women. “It’s not just lip service; it’s one of the founding principles of our faith, and we live by that,” Carl says. There is no clergy or priest hood in the Bahá’í Faith. However elections are held on the 21<sup>st</sup> of April of each year to elect 9 individuals who consult of the teaching, and administrative affairs within their city. Individuals are elected on the basis of their service, purity of heart, and firmness in the covenant.\n\nThe 9 individuals elected form what is known as the local Spiritual Assembly. Often times women outnumber the men on local spiritual assemblies. “I believe that one reason for this, and this is my own personal opinion, is that women are more spiritually evolved than men. They suffer more and have more test and trials. The equality of women began with the Bahá’í faith. The Bahá’í faith recognized that women have just as much to offer in the way of teaching and spiritual growth as men.\n\nSo how do the Bahá’ís practice their faith on a daily basis? Carl says that Bahá\'u\'lláh came to renew religion and remove ritual from faith. However, they are required to fast during the last month of the Bahá’í calendar (called ‘Ala), are required to pray and read from the holy writings in every morning and night.\n\n“So, for instance, today I got up, I read from the writings and I prayed,” Carl says that according to the research department in the Holy Land the revelation of the Bab, the prophet herald of Bahá\'u\'lláh, contains almost five million words. In relation to Bahá\'u\'lláh, the role of the Bab was similar to the role of John the Baptist to Christ. The revelation of Bahá\'u\'lláh contains over six million words, equivalent of more than 100 volumes.   “Being a Bahá’í is not something you do on Sunday; it’s a way of life. Since I live from a set of spiritual principles, every time I encounter someone it’s a test, as far as how you react and respond to them.”\n\nThe Bahá’í faith is one based on love. When you meet someone, Carl says that you try to show them—depending on their age and sex—the kind of love you would give to a brother, sister, father or mother.\n\nRegarding out daily life; Abdu\'l-Bahá has said; Should any one of you enter a city, he should become a center of attraction by reason of his sincerity, his faithfulness and love, his honesty and fidelity, his truthfulness and loving-kindness towards all the peoples of the world, so that the people of that city may cry out and say: \'This man is unquestionably a Bahá\'í, for his manners, his behavior, his conduct, his morals, his nature, and disposition reflect the attributes of the Bahá\'ís.\n\n&nbsp;\n\nOne misconception about the Baha\'i faith is that it’s a cult. Cults are usually small groups that are governed by a radical leader who tries to isolate the group from society and tries to keep them from listening to anyone else. Yet, one of the twelve principles of the Bahá’í faith is the independent study and vetting of your faith. So, in other words, Bahá\'u\'lláh says that his books are open and that you should not believe something because someone tells you to, but because you’ve investigated and discovered the faith for yourself.\n\nAlso the Bahá’í faith is not a division of any previous religion. It is a new and independent revelation from God. The revelation of Bahá’u’lláh consist of over 100 volumes which are located on God’s holy mountain; Mt. Carmel in Haifa Israel.\n\nOne of the things Carl loves about being a Bahá’í is the fasting because it has nothing to do with losing weight. “It’s designed to purify the heart and cleanse the soul. And so what happens when you fast is you become detached and it increases your spiritual awareness, which allows for the other thing I love about it which is the understanding of religion in general. You reach a point of certitude where you understand how everything is connected together. Things have a deeper meaning.”\n\nThe way his faith has helped Carl through difficult times in his life is by strengthening his faith. “Basically, a ‘difficult time’ is a test. So, say for instance someone was saying something mean or inappropriate to me. I can react the old way or the Baha\'i way. Bahá\'u\'lláh says there is always a choice. The Bahá’í way is to forgive the person, and ultimately get to the point where it doesn’t bother me anymore. A difficult time is a test used to perfect my character. I know that whatever happens, everything is temporary. So, I think I can make it. I can get through this stuff.”\n\nGlobally, the Bahá’í practices are consistent, so anywhere in the world you go, the Bahá\'ís will have the same four types of gatherings.\n<ol start=\"1\">\n	<li>The Devotional Gathering is designed to connect hearts through prayer. They are designed to be a bit more social so people have a way to connect with the larger community and find a home in this tumultuous world. Often times a devotional gathering leads to a Fireside. These take place in the home and during the Fireside a short talk is presented on the Bahá’í Faith and then the floor for questions.</li>\n	<li>Study Circles are open to all, and often take place in the home. Course material is based on the revelation of Bahá\'u\'lláh. The first Study Circle deals with Prayer, the soul and the afterlife.</li>\n	<li>Junior youth classes are available.</li>\n	<li>Children’s classes are offered. The goal is to establish more through the metro Detroit area, although some people are not very receptive to them since they are not Christian.</li>\n</ol>\nAs far as the afterlife, Bahá\'u\'lláh says that your soul is destined to undergo a spiritual evolution until it attains the presence of God. This spiritual evolution is eternal.” Quoting from Abdu\'l-Bahá, the son of Bahá\'u\'lláh, Carl says, “When you die, your soul is plunged in the ocean of God’s mercy. Your behavior in this life and the decisions you make impacts your station in eternity. The degree of purity you attain in this world determines where you start in the afterlife.”\n\nBut what happens to those who don’t become a Bahá\'í? Are there consequences?  “Well, there isn’t any place where you go and you burn.” Carl says. According to the Bahá’í writings “The spiritual meaning of burning in hell refers to the burning desire to be closer to the creator. Those who choose to ignore Bahá\'u\'lláh in this life will be remote from him in the afterlife. I would define hell as acute and grievous remorse for not recognizing the promised one. This remorse is eternal due to remoteness from God.”\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_6088\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"150\" caption=\"The symbol for the Bahá&#039;í Faith (Wikimedia Commons)\"]<a href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Bahai_star.svg\"><img class=\"size-thumbnail wp-image-6088 \" src=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/400px-Bahai_star-150x150.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nOne thing I noticed immediately about the Bahá’í faith is the emphasis on unity. I love the fact that two of their main pillars of faith are the elimination of prejudice and the equality of men and women. It’s not just something they try to do when they are in the mood, but it’s something that their faith is built upon.\n\nAnother thing that I find beautiful is the fact that they have a way of valuing all the different religions. To them, there is a thread running through all of history. Humanity has a greater story than divisions between rival religious factions, arguments between different denominations, or religiously-perpetrated bigotry. Humanity has a beautiful story that is being continually shaped and is still growing and changing.\n\nCarl was extremely kind and very open to any questions I had. He corrected me a couple of times when I got nervous over a stupid question by saying “No, no question is stupid!” Even since our conversation I have emailed him about other things and he has taken the time to answer all of them, and has told me any time I have other questions he will set aside time to talk to me.\n\nI look forward to future conversations and appreciate him taking time to share his story and his faith with me.\n\n<em>Photo credit: Flickr / <a href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/35176612@N03/3755376430/in/photostream/\" target=\"_blank\">random exposure</a> (Shrine of the Báb and Bahá\'í Gardens), <a href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/jeeheon/4663379544/in/photostream/\" target=\"_blank\">jeeheon</a> (Bahai Lotus Temple) <a href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Bahai_star.svg\" target=\"_blank\">Wikimedia Commons</a> (the symbol for the Bahá\'í faith)</em>','Faith Interview Series: The Bahá\'í Faith','','inherit','open','open','','6068-revision-9','','','2012-04-22 13:09:24','2012-04-22 20:09:24','',6068,'http://provoketive.com/2012/04/22/6068-revision-9/',0,'revision','',0),(6097,38,'2012-04-22 13:12:11','2012-04-22 20:12:11','','mt-carmel_flickr_brett-wagner','Mt. Carmel where the Shrine and holy scriptures are','inherit','open','open','','mt-carmel_flickr_brett-wagner','','','2012-04-22 13:12:11','2012-04-22 20:12:11','',6068,'http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/mt-carmel_flickr_brett-wagner.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(6098,38,'2012-04-22 13:11:25','2012-04-22 20:11:25','<div>\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_6071\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"150\" caption=\"A photo of Carl\"]<a href=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/Carl_Marshall.jpg\"><img class=\"size-thumbnail wp-image-6071 \" src=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/Carl_Marshall-150x150.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nCarl Marshall, a Bahá’í gentleman from Detroit, Michigan, moved his coffee across the table. “We are in the middle of a fasting month—or actually at the very end of it—so I should probably stop eating. I think the sun rises at 7:35 today.”\n\n</div>\nThe Bahá\'í calendar has nineteen months with nineteen days in each month. During the last month of the year, which falls between March 2<sup>nd</sup> and March 21<sup>st</sup>, members participate in a fast very similar to Ramadan.\n\nMy first encounter with the Baha’i faith was with a gentleman that sat next to me on a plane from Orlando to Detroit. We first started talking about the book I was reading, but once I learned what religion he was a part of (how this happened, I have no idea) I asked him all sorts of questions and we talked for the remainder of the flight. It was one of the most wonderful and fascinating conversations I’ve ever had.\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_6092\" align=\"alignright\" width=\"300\" caption=\"Bahá’í Lotus Temple in Delhi, India\"]<a href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/jeeheon/4663379544/\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-6092  \" src=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/bahai-lotus-temple_flickr_jeeheon-300x198.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"198\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nCarl grew up as a Christian in Detroit his mother attending Reverend C.L. Franklin’s church. He eventually moved to the Hawaiian Islands, where he became a Baha\'i in 1973. He was reading a book about comparative religion, and he said that the world’s religions seemed separate, compartmentalized, and without connection to each other. But then he met some Bahá\'í s and they explained the concept of Progressive Revelation.\n\n“What that means is that it’s just one God and one Religion, and every thousand years or so, God sends forth a new messenger, and these messengers have been the founders of the world’s great religions.”\n\nBahá\'u\'lláh, the founder of the Bahá’í religion, is the most recent messenger and is the Promised One of all the religions. “So I saw the unity there, where everything is not coming from a different source, but just a different messenger that’s giving a newer revelation of the previous religion.”\n\nThe interesting thing about Progressive Revelation is that it gives The Bahá’ís the ability to learn about and appreciate each of the world religions because they are all part of a greater movement through time. “In the Bible you have the Old and New Testament. In the Bahá’í faith, Bahá\'u\'lláh’s revelation consist of the New Testament, and all the previous religions are accepted as the Old Testament.”\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_6095\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"191\" caption=\"Two children in front of the Shrine of the Báb\"]<a href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/upsand/427782737/in/photostream/\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-6095 \" src=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/children-bahai-temple_flickr_upsilon-andromedae-191x300.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"191\" height=\"300\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nThey believe in all the major figures of religions across the world: Moses, His Holiness Christ, Zoroaster, Krishna, Buddha, and Mohammed because they are all key messengers with a holy book from God.  Because he is The Promised One of all religions, Bahá\'u\'lláh is believed to have fulfilled the prophecies that were given throughout all of the different holy books. “Bahá\'u\'lláh didn’t come to belittle <em>any</em> religion but to unify, connect and fulfill the previous dispensations.”\n\nCarl says that this is what the world really needs right now, and in another thousand years there will be another messenger to address the next millennium’s needs, which will occur approximately in the year 2852 AD. “It has to be that way because society advances. So, for example, Moses unified the tribes; Jesus, the church and state; Mohammed, a nation; and now Bahá\'u\'lláh has come to unify the world.”\n\nMany of the spiritual principles that govern Bahá’í conduct are contained in the book called, “The Hidden Words” of Bahá\'u\'lláh. There are twelve main principles of the Bahá’í faith. One is the elimination of prejudice, and another is the equality of men and women. “It’s not just lip service; it’s one of the founding principles of our faith, and we live by that,” Carl says. There is no clergy or priest hood in the Bahá’í Faith. However elections are held on the 21<sup>st</sup> of April of each year to elect 9 individuals who consult of the teaching, and administrative affairs within their city. Individuals are elected on the basis of their service, purity of heart, and firmness in the covenant.\n\nThe 9 individuals elected form what is known as the local Spiritual Assembly. Often times women outnumber the men on local spiritual assemblies. “I believe that one reason for this, and this is my own personal opinion, is that women are more spiritually evolved than men. They suffer more and have more test and trials. The equality of women began with the Bahá’í faith. The Bahá’í faith recognized that women have just as much to offer in the way of teaching and spiritual growth as men.\n\nSo how do the Bahá’ís practice their faith on a daily basis? Carl says that Bahá\'u\'lláh came to renew religion and remove ritual from faith. However, they are required to fast during the last month of the Bahá’í calendar (called ‘Ala), are required to pray and read from the holy writings in every morning and night.\n\n“So, for instance, today I got up, I read from the writings and I prayed,” Carl says that according to the research department in the Holy Land the revelation of the Bab, the prophet herald of Bahá\'u\'lláh, contains almost five million words. In relation to Bahá\'u\'lláh, the role of the Bab was similar to the role of John the Baptist to Christ. The revelation of Bahá\'u\'lláh contains over six million words, equivalent of more than 100 volumes.   “Being a Bahá’í is not something you do on Sunday; it’s a way of life. Since I live from a set of spiritual principles, every time I encounter someone it’s a test, as far as how you react and respond to them.”\n\nThe Bahá’í faith is one based on love. When you meet someone, Carl says that you try to show them—depending on their age and sex—the kind of love you would give to a brother, sister, father or mother.\n\nRegarding out daily life; Abdu\'l-Bahá has said; Should any one of you enter a city, he should become a center of attraction by reason of his sincerity, his faithfulness and love, his honesty and fidelity, his truthfulness and loving-kindness towards all the peoples of the world, so that the people of that city may cry out and say: \'This man is unquestionably a Bahá\'í, for his manners, his behavior, his conduct, his morals, his nature, and disposition reflect the attributes of the Bahá\'ís.\n\nOne misconception about the Baha\'i faith is that it’s a cult. Cults are usually small groups that are governed by a radical leader who tries to isolate the group from society and tries to keep them from listening to anyone else. Yet, one of the twelve principles of the Bahá’í faith is the independent study and vetting of your faith. So, in other words, Bahá\'u\'lláh says that his books are open and that you should not believe something because someone tells you to, but because you’ve investigated and discovered the faith for yourself.\n\nAlso the Bahá’í faith is not a division of any previous religion. It is a new and independent revelation from God. The revelation of Bahá’u’lláh consist of over 100 volumes which are located on God’s holy mountain; Mt. Carmel in Haifa Israel.\n\nOne of the things Carl loves about being a Bahá’í is the fasting because it has nothing to do with losing weight. “It’s designed to purify the heart and cleanse the soul. And so what happens when you fast is you become detached and it increases your spiritual awareness, which allows for the other thing I love about it which is the understanding of religion in general. You reach a point of certitude where you understand how everything is connected together. Things have a deeper meaning.”\n\nThe way his faith has helped Carl through difficult times in his life is by strengthening his faith. “Basically, a ‘difficult time’ is a test. So, say for instance someone was saying something mean or inappropriate to me. I can react the old way or the Baha\'i way. Bahá\'u\'lláh says there is always a choice. The Bahá’í way is to forgive the person, and ultimately get to the point where it doesn’t bother me anymore. A difficult time is a test used to perfect my character. I know that whatever happens, everything is temporary. So, I think I can make it. I can get through this stuff.”\n\nGlobally, the Bahá’í practices are consistent, so anywhere in the world you go, the Bahá\'ís will have the same four types of gatherings.\n<ol start=\"1\">\n	<li>The Devotional Gathering is designed to connect hearts through prayer. They are designed to be a bit more social so people have a way to connect with the larger community and find a home in this tumultuous world. Often times a devotional gathering leads to a Fireside. These take place in the home and during the Fireside a short talk is presented on the Bahá’í Faith and then the floor for questions.</li>\n	<li>Study Circles are open to all, and often take place in the home. Course material is based on the revelation of Bahá\'u\'lláh. The first Study Circle deals with Prayer, the soul and the afterlife.</li>\n	<li>Junior youth classes are available.</li>\n	<li>Children’s classes are offered. The goal is to establish more through the metro Detroit area, although some people are not very receptive to them since they are not Christian.</li>\n</ol>\nAs far as the afterlife, Bahá\'u\'lláh says that your soul is destined to undergo a spiritual evolution until it attains the presence of God. This spiritual evolution is eternal.” Quoting from Abdu\'l-Bahá, the son of Bahá\'u\'lláh, Carl says, “When you die, your soul is plunged in the ocean of God’s mercy. Your behavior in this life and the decisions you make impacts your station in eternity. The degree of purity you attain in this world determines where you start in the afterlife.”\n\nBut what happens to those who don’t become a Bahá\'í? Are there consequences?  “Well, there isn’t any place where you go and you burn.” Carl says. According to the Bahá’í writings “The spiritual meaning of burning in hell refers to the burning desire to be closer to the creator. Those who choose to ignore Bahá\'u\'lláh in this life will be remote from him in the afterlife. I would define hell as acute and grievous remorse for not recognizing the promised one. This remorse is eternal due to remoteness from God.”\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_6088\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"150\" caption=\"The symbol for the Bahá&#039;í Faith (Wikimedia Commons)\"]<a href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Bahai_star.svg\"><img class=\"size-thumbnail wp-image-6088 \" src=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/400px-Bahai_star-150x150.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nOne thing I noticed immediately about the Bahá’í faith is the emphasis on unity. I love the fact that two of their main pillars of faith are the elimination of prejudice and the equality of men and women. It’s not just something they try to do when they are in the mood, but it’s something that their faith is built upon.\n\nAnother thing that I find beautiful is the fact that they have a way of valuing all the different religions. To them, there is a thread running through all of history. Humanity has a greater story than divisions between rival religious factions, arguments between different denominations, or religiously-perpetrated bigotry. Humanity has a beautiful story that is being continually shaped and is still growing and changing.\n\nCarl was extremely kind and very open to any questions I had. He corrected me a couple of times when I got nervous over a stupid question by saying “No, no question is stupid!” Even since our conversation I have emailed him about other things and he has taken the time to answer all of them, and has told me any time I have other questions he will set aside time to talk to me.\n\nI look forward to future conversations and appreciate him taking time to share his story and his faith with me.\n\n<em>Photo credit: Flickr / <a href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/35176612@N03/3755376430/in/photostream/\" target=\"_blank\">random exposure</a> (Shrine of the Báb and Bahá\'í Gardens), <a href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/jeeheon/4663379544/in/photostream/\" target=\"_blank\">jeeheon</a> (Bahai Lotus Temple) <a href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Bahai_star.svg\" target=\"_blank\">Wikimedia Commons</a> (the symbol for the Bahá\'í faith)</em>','Faith Interview Series: The Bahá\'í Faith','','inherit','open','open','','6068-revision-10','','','2012-04-22 13:11:25','2012-04-22 20:11:25','',6068,'http://provoketive.com/2012/04/22/6068-revision-10/',0,'revision','',0),(6100,38,'2012-04-22 13:16:27','2012-04-22 20:16:27','','shrine-bab_flickr_jay-galvin','','inherit','open','open','','shrine-bab_flickr_jay-galvin','','','2012-04-22 13:16:27','2012-04-22 20:16:27','',6068,'http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/shrine-bab_flickr_jay-galvin.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(6099,161,'2012-04-22 11:46:59','2012-04-22 18:46:59','[caption id=\"attachment_6076\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"300\" caption=\"(C) John Salmon. Used with permission. This is not a picture of the &#039;offending&#039; Church.\"]<a href=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/church-car-park.jpg\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-6076\" src=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/church-car-park-300x210.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"210\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nAfter a couple of weeks \'settling in\' to my new home in a new part of the country (aka being lazy) this morning I took a walk through the Centre of town looking for a church to attend. The sound of the Church bells ringing out alerted me to the presence of St Mary\'s Church of England church which was otherwise overshadowed by the much larger apartment blocks and shooping complex that surrounded it. AlthoughI\'m a nonconformist Christian at heart why not give it a go, I thought. And so with that decision made I followed the sound of the bells until I reached the building itself.\r\n\r\nBut, when it came to it, I did did not cross the Church doors.\r\n\r\nMy reason for not entering St Mary\'s was not any sudden reversal on my position on entering a \'Established\' State Church or a realisation that theism is bunk and atheism is the eay to go but rather an instinctual revulsion at the church car park. Here I was in a town where over a quarter of children officially live in poverty but what struck me as I approached the door was the fact that not one of the twenty or so cars was not gleaming or otherwise clearly not more than three years old. Among the cars was a healthy smattering of BMW\'s and other cars of the like. Instinctually I knew that this was not a church that embodied Jesus\' preference for \'the least of these\' which, in this town, must surely number among it the large percentage of those of the town residents who do not have a secure professional income and a lovely cottage in the country. Instinctively I apprehended as the book of James puts it a faith that does not result in changed behaviour is no faith at all. And so, I concluded, if this church was indistinguishable from urbane middle class life it had ostensibly failed to respond to the call of the gospel of Jesus Christ. With that thought I turned around and walked off.\r\n\r\nWas that fair or was it just prejudice on my part? Thinking on that question the one bona fide millionaire I ever recall talking to sprung to mind, a businessman at a church I was on the staff on for a year as a nineteen year old. He was one of the few congregants who exhibited genuine hospitality and I would have had (and I am sure still would were I to meet) have had no hesitation calling him a brother in Christ.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;','What Car Do You Drive to Church?','','inherit','open','open','','6074-revision-11','','','2012-04-22 11:46:59','2012-04-22 18:46:59','',6074,'http://provoketive.com/2012/04/22/6074-revision-11/',0,'revision','',0),(6101,38,'2012-04-22 13:17:18','2012-04-22 20:17:18','<div>\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_6071\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"150\" caption=\"A photo of Carl\"]<a href=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/Carl_Marshall.jpg\"><img class=\"size-thumbnail wp-image-6071 \" src=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/Carl_Marshall-150x150.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nCarl Marshall, a Bahá’í gentleman from Detroit, Michigan, moved his coffee across the table. “We are in the middle of a fasting month—or actually at the very end of it—so I should probably stop eating. I think the sun rises at 7:35 today.”\n\n</div>\nThe Bahá\'í calendar has nineteen months with nineteen days in each month. During the last month of the year, which falls between March 2<sup>nd</sup> and March 21<sup>st</sup>, members participate in a fast very similar to Ramadan.\n\nMy first encounter with the Baha’i faith was with a gentleman that sat next to me on a plane from Orlando to Detroit. We first started talking about the book I was reading, but once I learned what religion he was a part of (how this happened, I have no idea) I asked him all sorts of questions and we talked for the remainder of the flight. It was one of the most wonderful and fascinating conversations I’ve ever had.\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_6092\" align=\"alignright\" width=\"300\" caption=\"Bahá’í Lotus Temple in Delhi, India\"]<a href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/jeeheon/4663379544/\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-6092  \" src=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/bahai-lotus-temple_flickr_jeeheon-300x198.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"198\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nCarl grew up as a Christian in Detroit his mother attending Reverend C.L. Franklin’s church. He eventually moved to the Hawaiian Islands, where he became a Baha\'i in 1973. He was reading a book about comparative religion, and he said that the world’s religions seemed separate, compartmentalized, and without connection to each other. But then he met some Bahá\'í s and they explained the concept of Progressive Revelation.\n\n“What that means is that it’s just one God and one Religion, and every thousand years or so, God sends forth a new messenger, and these messengers have been the founders of the world’s great religions.”\n\nBahá\'u\'lláh, the founder of the Bahá’í religion, is the most recent messenger and is the Promised One of all the religions. “So I saw the unity there, where everything is not coming from a different source, but just a different messenger that’s giving a newer revelation of the previous religion.”\n\nThe interesting thing about Progressive Revelation is that it gives The Bahá’ís the ability to learn about and appreciate each of the world religions because they are all part of a greater movement through time. “In the Bible you have the Old and New Testament. In the Bahá’í faith, Bahá\'u\'lláh’s revelation consist of the New Testament, and all the previous religions are accepted as the Old Testament.”\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_6095\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"191\" caption=\"Two children in front of the Shrine of the Báb\"]<a href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/upsand/427782737/in/photostream/\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-6095 \" src=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/children-bahai-temple_flickr_upsilon-andromedae-191x300.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"191\" height=\"300\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nThey believe in all the major figures of religions across the world: Moses, His Holiness Christ, Zoroaster, Krishna, Buddha, and Mohammed because they are all key messengers with a holy book from God.  Because he is The Promised One of all religions, Bahá\'u\'lláh is believed to have fulfilled the prophecies that were given throughout all of the different holy books. “Bahá\'u\'lláh didn’t come to belittle <em>any</em> religion but to unify, connect and fulfill the previous dispensations.”\n\nCarl says that this is what the world really needs right now, and in another thousand years there will be another messenger to address the next millennium’s needs, which will occur approximately in the year 2852 AD. “It has to be that way because society advances. So, for example, Moses unified the tribes; Jesus, the church and state; Mohammed, a nation; and now Bahá\'u\'lláh has come to unify the world.”\n\nMany of the spiritual principles that govern Bahá’í conduct are contained in the book called, “The Hidden Words” of Bahá\'u\'lláh. There are twelve main principles of the Bahá’í faith. One is the elimination of prejudice, and another is the equality of men and women. “It’s not just lip service; it’s one of the founding principles of our faith, and we live by that,” Carl says. There is no clergy or priest hood in the Bahá’í Faith. However elections are held on the 21<sup>st</sup> of April of each year to elect 9 individuals who consult of the teaching, and administrative affairs within their city. Individuals are elected on the basis of their service, purity of heart, and firmness in the covenant.\n\nThe 9 individuals elected form what is known as the local Spiritual Assembly. Often times women outnumber the men on local spiritual assemblies. “I believe that one reason for this, and this is my own personal opinion, is that women are more spiritually evolved than men. They suffer more and have more test and trials. The equality of women began with the Bahá’í faith. The Bahá’í faith recognized that women have just as much to offer in the way of teaching and spiritual growth as men.\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_6097\" align=\"alignright\" width=\"150\" caption=\"Mt. Carmel where the Shrine and holy scriptures are\"]<a href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/bwags/3048517550/sizes/z/in/photostream/\"><img class=\"size-thumbnail wp-image-6097\" src=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/mt-carmel_flickr_brett-wagner-150x150.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nSo how do the Bahá’ís practice their faith on a daily basis? Carl says that Bahá\'u\'lláh came to renew religion and remove ritual from faith. However, they are required to fast during the last month of the Bahá’í calendar (called ‘Ala), are required to pray and read from the holy writings in every morning and night.\n\n“So, for instance, today I got up, I read from the writings and I prayed,” Carl says that according to the research department in the Holy Land the revelation of the Bab, the prophet herald of Bahá\'u\'lláh, contains almost five million words. In relation to Bahá\'u\'lláh, the role of the Bab was similar to the role of John the Baptist to Christ. The revelation of Bahá\'u\'lláh contains over six million words, equivalent of more than 100 volumes.   “Being a Bahá’í is not something you do on Sunday; it’s a way of life. Since I live from a set of spiritual principles, every time I encounter someone it’s a test, as far as how you react and respond to them.”\n\nThe Bahá’í faith is one based on love. When you meet someone, Carl says that you try to show them—depending on their age and sex—the kind of love you would give to a brother, sister, father or mother.\n\nRegarding out daily life; Abdu\'l-Bahá has said; Should any one of you enter a city, he should become a center of attraction by reason of his sincerity, his faithfulness and love, his honesty and fidelity, his truthfulness and loving-kindness towards all the peoples of the world, so that the people of that city may cry out and say: \'This man is unquestionably a Bahá\'í, for his manners, his behavior, his conduct, his morals, his nature, and disposition reflect the attributes of the Bahá\'ís.\n\n<a href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/jaygalvin/230687375/in/photostream/\"><img class=\"alignleft size-medium wp-image-6100\" src=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/shrine-bab_flickr_jay-galvin-225x300.jpg\" alt=\"Shrine of the Báb\" width=\"225\" height=\"300\" /></a>One misconception about the Baha\'i faith is that it’s a cult. Cults are usually small groups that are governed by a radical leader who tries to isolate the group from society and tries to keep them from listening to anyone else. Yet, one of the twelve principles of the Bahá’í faith is the independent study and vetting of your faith. So, in other words, Bahá\'u\'lláh says that his books are open and that you should not believe something because someone tells you to, but because you’ve investigated and discovered the faith for yourself.\n\nAlso the Bahá’í faith is not a division of any previous religion. It is a new and independent revelation from God. The revelation of Bahá’u’lláh consist of over 100 volumes which are located on God’s holy mountain; Mt. Carmel in Haifa Israel.\n\nOne of the things Carl loves about being a Bahá’í is the fasting because it has nothing to do with losing weight. “It’s designed to purify the heart and cleanse the soul. And so what happens when you fast is you become detached and it increases your spiritual awareness, which allows for the other thing I love about it which is the understanding of religion in general. You reach a point of certitude where you understand how everything is connected together. Things have a deeper meaning.”\n\nThe way his faith has helped Carl through difficult times in his life is by strengthening his faith. “Basically, a ‘difficult time’ is a test. So, say for instance someone was saying something mean or inappropriate to me. I can react the old way or the Baha\'i way. Bahá\'u\'lláh says there is always a choice. The Bahá’í way is to forgive the person, and ultimately get to the point where it doesn’t bother me anymore. A difficult time is a test used to perfect my character. I know that whatever happens, everything is temporary. So, I think I can make it. I can get through this stuff.”\n\nGlobally, the Bahá’í practices are consistent, so anywhere in the world you go, the Bahá\'ís will have the same four types of gatherings.\n<ol start=\"1\">\n	<li>The Devotional Gathering is designed to connect hearts through prayer. They are designed to be a bit more social so people have a way to connect with the larger community and find a home in this tumultuous world. Often times a devotional gathering leads to a Fireside. These take place in the home and during the Fireside a short talk is presented on the Bahá’í Faith and then the floor for questions.</li>\n	<li>Study Circles are open to all, and often take place in the home. Course material is based on the revelation of Bahá\'u\'lláh. The first Study Circle deals with Prayer, the soul and the afterlife.</li>\n	<li>Junior youth classes are available.</li>\n	<li>Children’s classes are offered. The goal is to establish more through the metro Detroit area, although some people are not very receptive to them since they are not Christian.</li>\n</ol>\nAs far as the afterlife, Bahá\'u\'lláh says that your soul is destined to undergo a spiritual evolution until it attains the presence of God. This spiritual evolution is eternal.” Quoting from Abdu\'l-Bahá, the son of Bahá\'u\'lláh, Carl says, “When you die, your soul is plunged in the ocean of God’s mercy. Your behavior in this life and the decisions you make impacts your station in eternity. The degree of purity you attain in this world determines where you start in the afterlife.”\n\nBut what happens to those who don’t become a Bahá\'í? Are there consequences?  “Well, there isn’t any place where you go and you burn.” Carl says. According to the Bahá’í writings “The spiritual meaning of burning in hell refers to the burning desire to be closer to the creator. Those who choose to ignore Bahá\'u\'lláh in this life will be remote from him in the afterlife. I would define hell as acute and grievous remorse for not recognizing the promised one. This remorse is eternal due to remoteness from God.”\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_6088\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"150\" caption=\"The symbol for the Bahá&#039;í Faith (Wikimedia Commons)\"]<a href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Bahai_star.svg\"><img class=\"size-thumbnail wp-image-6088 \" src=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/400px-Bahai_star-150x150.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nOne thing I noticed immediately about the Bahá’í faith is the emphasis on unity. I love the fact that two of their main pillars of faith are the elimination of prejudice and the equality of men and women. It’s not just something they try to do when they are in the mood, but it’s something that their faith is built upon.\n\nAnother thing that I find beautiful is the fact that they have a way of valuing all the different religions. To them, there is a thread running through all of history. Humanity has a greater story than divisions between rival religious factions, arguments between different denominations, or religiously-perpetrated bigotry. Humanity has a beautiful story that is being continually shaped and is still growing and changing.\n\nCarl was extremely kind and very open to any questions I had. He corrected me a couple of times when I got nervous over a stupid question by saying “No, no question is stupid!” Even since our conversation I have emailed him about other things and he has taken the time to answer all of them, and has told me any time I have other questions he will set aside time to talk to me.\n\nI look forward to future conversations and appreciate him taking time to share his story and his faith with me.\n\n<em>Photo credit: Flickr / <a href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/35176612@N03/3755376430/in/photostream/\" target=\"_blank\">random exposure</a> (Shrine of the Báb and Bahá\'í Gardens), <a href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/jeeheon/4663379544/in/photostream/\" target=\"_blank\">jeeheon</a> (Bahai Lotus Temple), <a href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/upsand/427782737/in/photostream/\" target=\"_blank\">Upsilon Andromedae</a> (siblings at the Shrine), <a href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/bwags/3048517550/sizes/z/in/photostream/\" target=\"_blank\">brett.wagner</a> (view from Mt. Carmel),  <a href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Bahai_star.svg\" target=\"_blank\">Wikimedia Commons</a> (the symbol for the Bahá\'í faith)</em>','Faith Interview Series: The Bahá\'í Faith','','inherit','open','open','','6068-revision-11','','','2012-04-22 13:17:18','2012-04-22 20:17:18','',6068,'http://provoketive.com/2012/04/22/6068-revision-11/',0,'revision','',0),(6102,38,'2012-04-22 13:19:48','2012-04-22 20:19:48','','dome-of-light_flickr_ctot-not-def','Dome of Light in the Bahai Temple, North of Chicago','inherit','open','open','','dome-of-light_flickr_ctot-not-def','','','2012-04-22 13:19:48','2012-04-22 20:19:48','',6068,'http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/dome-of-light_flickr_ctot-not-def.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(6103,38,'2012-04-22 13:18:13','2012-04-22 20:18:13','<div>\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_6071\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"150\" caption=\"A photo of Carl\"]<a href=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/Carl_Marshall.jpg\"><img class=\"size-thumbnail wp-image-6071 \" src=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/Carl_Marshall-150x150.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nCarl Marshall, a Bahá’í gentleman from Detroit, Michigan, moved his coffee across the table. “We are in the middle of a fasting month—or actually at the very end of it—so I should probably stop eating. I think the sun rises at 7:35 today.”\n\n</div>\nThe Bahá\'í calendar has nineteen months with nineteen days in each month. During the last month of the year, which falls between March 2<sup>nd</sup> and March 21<sup>st</sup>, members participate in a fast very similar to Ramadan.\n\nMy first encounter with the Baha’i faith was with a gentleman that sat next to me on a plane from Orlando to Detroit. We first started talking about the book I was reading, but once I learned what religion he was a part of (how this happened, I have no idea) I asked him all sorts of questions and we talked for the remainder of the flight. It was one of the most wonderful and fascinating conversations I’ve ever had.\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_6092\" align=\"alignright\" width=\"300\" caption=\"Bahá’í Lotus Temple in Delhi, India\"]<a href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/jeeheon/4663379544/\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-6092  \" src=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/bahai-lotus-temple_flickr_jeeheon-300x198.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"198\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nCarl grew up as a Christian in Detroit his mother attending Reverend C.L. Franklin’s church. He eventually moved to the Hawaiian Islands, where he became a Baha\'i in 1973. He was reading a book about comparative religion, and he said that the world’s religions seemed separate, compartmentalized, and without connection to each other. But then he met some Bahá\'í s and they explained the concept of Progressive Revelation.\n\n“What that means is that it’s just one God and one Religion, and every thousand years or so, God sends forth a new messenger, and these messengers have been the founders of the world’s great religions.”\n\nBahá\'u\'lláh, the founder of the Bahá’í religion, is the most recent messenger and is the Promised One of all the religions. “So I saw the unity there, where everything is not coming from a different source, but just a different messenger that’s giving a newer revelation of the previous religion.”\n\nThe interesting thing about Progressive Revelation is that it gives The Bahá’ís the ability to learn about and appreciate each of the world religions because they are all part of a greater movement through time. “In the Bible you have the Old and New Testament. In the Bahá’í faith, Bahá\'u\'lláh’s revelation consist of the New Testament, and all the previous religions are accepted as the Old Testament.”\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_6095\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"191\" caption=\"Two children in front of the Shrine of the Báb\"]<a href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/upsand/427782737/in/photostream/\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-6095 \" src=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/children-bahai-temple_flickr_upsilon-andromedae-191x300.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"191\" height=\"300\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nThey believe in all the major figures of religions across the world: Moses, His Holiness Christ, Zoroaster, Krishna, Buddha, and Mohammed because they are all key messengers with a holy book from God.  Because he is The Promised One of all religions, Bahá\'u\'lláh is believed to have fulfilled the prophecies that were given throughout all of the different holy books. “Bahá\'u\'lláh didn’t come to belittle <em>any</em> religion but to unify, connect and fulfill the previous dispensations.”\n\nCarl says that this is what the world really needs right now, and in another thousand years there will be another messenger to address the next millennium’s needs, which will occur approximately in the year 2852 AD. “It has to be that way because society advances. So, for example, Moses unified the tribes; Jesus, the church and state; Mohammed, a nation; and now Bahá\'u\'lláh has come to unify the world.”\n\nMany of the spiritual principles that govern Bahá’í conduct are contained in the book called, “The Hidden Words” of Bahá\'u\'lláh. There are twelve main principles of the Bahá’í faith. One is the elimination of prejudice, and another is the equality of men and women. “It’s not just lip service; it’s one of the founding principles of our faith, and we live by that,” Carl says. There is no clergy or priest hood in the Bahá’í Faith. However elections are held on the 21<sup>st</sup> of April of each year to elect 9 individuals who consult of the teaching, and administrative affairs within their city. Individuals are elected on the basis of their service, purity of heart, and firmness in the covenant.\n\nThe 9 individuals elected form what is known as the local Spiritual Assembly. Often times women outnumber the men on local spiritual assemblies. “I believe that one reason for this, and this is my own personal opinion, is that women are more spiritually evolved than men. They suffer more and have more test and trials. The equality of women began with the Bahá’í faith. The Bahá’í faith recognized that women have just as much to offer in the way of teaching and spiritual growth as men.\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_6097\" align=\"alignright\" width=\"150\" caption=\"Mt. Carmel where the Shrine and holy scriptures are\"]<a href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/bwags/3048517550/sizes/z/in/photostream/\"><img class=\"size-thumbnail wp-image-6097\" src=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/mt-carmel_flickr_brett-wagner-150x150.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nSo how do the Bahá’ís practice their faith on a daily basis? Carl says that Bahá\'u\'lláh came to renew religion and remove ritual from faith. However, they are required to fast during the last month of the Bahá’í calendar (called ‘Ala), are required to pray and read from the holy writings in every morning and night.\n\n“So, for instance, today I got up, I read from the writings and I prayed,” Carl says that according to the research department in the Holy Land the revelation of the Bab, the prophet herald of Bahá\'u\'lláh, contains almost five million words. In relation to Bahá\'u\'lláh, the role of the Bab was similar to the role of John the Baptist to Christ. The revelation of Bahá\'u\'lláh contains over six million words, equivalent of more than 100 volumes.   “Being a Bahá’í is not something you do on Sunday; it’s a way of life. Since I live from a set of spiritual principles, every time I encounter someone it’s a test, as far as how you react and respond to them.”\n\nThe Bahá’í faith is one based on love. When you meet someone, Carl says that you try to show them—depending on their age and sex—the kind of love you would give to a brother, sister, father or mother.\n\nRegarding out daily life; Abdu\'l-Bahá has said; Should any one of you enter a city, he should become a center of attraction by reason of his sincerity, his faithfulness and love, his honesty and fidelity, his truthfulness and loving-kindness towards all the peoples of the world, so that the people of that city may cry out and say: \'This man is unquestionably a Bahá\'í, for his manners, his behavior, his conduct, his morals, his nature, and disposition reflect the attributes of the Bahá\'ís.\n\n<a href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/jaygalvin/230687375/in/photostream/\"><img class=\"alignleft size-medium wp-image-6100\" src=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/shrine-bab_flickr_jay-galvin-225x300.jpg\" alt=\"Shrine of the Báb\" width=\"225\" height=\"300\" /></a>One misconception about the Baha\'i faith is that it’s a cult. Cults are usually small groups that are governed by a radical leader who tries to isolate the group from society and tries to keep them from listening to anyone else. Yet, one of the twelve principles of the Bahá’í faith is the independent study and vetting of your faith. So, in other words, Bahá\'u\'lláh says that his books are open and that you should not believe something because someone tells you to, but because you’ve investigated and discovered the faith for yourself.\n\nAlso the Bahá’í faith is not a division of any previous religion. It is a new and independent revelation from God. The revelation of Bahá’u’lláh consist of over 100 volumes which are located on God’s holy mountain; Mt. Carmel in Haifa Israel.\n\nOne of the things Carl loves about being a Bahá’í is the fasting because it has nothing to do with losing weight. “It’s designed to purify the heart and cleanse the soul. And so what happens when you fast is you become detached and it increases your spiritual awareness, which allows for the other thing I love about it which is the understanding of religion in general. You reach a point of certitude where you understand how everything is connected together. Things have a deeper meaning.”\n\nThe way his faith has helped Carl through difficult times in his life is by strengthening his faith. “Basically, a ‘difficult time’ is a test. So, say for instance someone was saying something mean or inappropriate to me. I can react the old way or the Baha\'i way. Bahá\'u\'lláh says there is always a choice. The Bahá’í way is to forgive the person, and ultimately get to the point where it doesn’t bother me anymore. A difficult time is a test used to perfect my character. I know that whatever happens, everything is temporary. So, I think I can make it. I can get through this stuff.”\n\nGlobally, the Bahá’í practices are consistent, so anywhere in the world you go, the Bahá\'ís will have the same four types of gatherings.\n<ol start=\"1\">\n	<li>The Devotional Gathering is designed to connect hearts through prayer. They are designed to be a bit more social so people have a way to connect with the larger community and find a home in this tumultuous world. Often times a devotional gathering leads to a Fireside. These take place in the home and during the Fireside a short talk is presented on the Bahá’í Faith and then the floor for questions.</li>\n	<li>Study Circles are open to all, and often take place in the home. Course material is based on the revelation of Bahá\'u\'lláh. The first Study Circle deals with Prayer, the soul and the afterlife.</li>\n	<li>Junior youth classes are available.</li>\n	<li>Children’s classes are offered. The goal is to establish more through the metro Detroit area, although some people are not very receptive to them since they are not Christian.</li>\n</ol>\nAs far as the afterlife, Bahá\'u\'lláh says that your soul is destined to undergo a spiritual evolution until it attains the presence of God. This spiritual evolution is eternal.” Quoting from Abdu\'l-Bahá, the son of Bahá\'u\'lláh, Carl says, “When you die, your soul is plunged in the ocean of God’s mercy. Your behavior in this life and the decisions you make impacts your station in eternity. The degree of purity you attain in this world determines where you start in the afterlife.”\n\nBut what happens to those who don’t become a Bahá\'í? Are there consequences?  “Well, there isn’t any place where you go and you burn.” Carl says. According to the Bahá’í writings “The spiritual meaning of burning in hell refers to the burning desire to be closer to the creator. Those who choose to ignore Bahá\'u\'lláh in this life will be remote from him in the afterlife. I would define hell as acute and grievous remorse for not recognizing the promised one. This remorse is eternal due to remoteness from God.”\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_6088\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"150\" caption=\"The symbol for the Bahá&#039;í Faith (Wikimedia Commons)\"]<a href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Bahai_star.svg\"><img class=\"size-thumbnail wp-image-6088 \" src=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/400px-Bahai_star-150x150.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nOne thing I noticed immediately about the Bahá’í faith is the emphasis on unity. I love the fact that two of their main pillars of faith are the elimination of prejudice and the equality of men and women. It’s not just something they try to do when they are in the mood, but it’s something that their faith is built upon.\n\nAnother thing that I find beautiful is the fact that they have a way of valuing all the different religions. To them, there is a thread running through all of history. Humanity has a greater story than divisions between rival religious factions, arguments between different denominations, or religiously-perpetrated bigotry. Humanity has a beautiful story that is being continually shaped and is still growing and changing.\n\nCarl was extremely kind and very open to any questions I had. He corrected me a couple of times when I got nervous over a stupid question by saying “No, no question is stupid!” Even since our conversation I have emailed him about other things and he has taken the time to answer all of them, and has told me any time I have other questions he will set aside time to talk to me.\n\nI look forward to future conversations and appreciate him taking time to share his story and his faith with me.\n\n<em>Photo credit: Flickr / <a href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/35176612@N03/3755376430/in/photostream/\" target=\"_blank\">random exposure</a> (Shrine of the Báb and Bahá\'í Gardens), <a href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/jeeheon/4663379544/in/photostream/\" target=\"_blank\">jeeheon</a> (Bahai Lotus Temple), <a href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/upsand/427782737/in/photostream/\" target=\"_blank\">Upsilon Andromedae</a> (siblings at the Shrine), <a href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/bwags/3048517550/sizes/z/in/photostream/\" target=\"_blank\">brett.wagner</a> (view from Mt. Carmel), <a href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/jaygalvin/230687375/in/photostream/\" target=\"_blank\">jay galvin</a> (Shrine of the <em>Báb)</em> <a href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Bahai_star.svg\" target=\"_blank\">Wikimedia Commons</a> (the symbol for the Bahá\'í faith)</em>','Faith Interview Series: The Bahá\'í Faith','','inherit','open','open','','6068-revision-12','','','2012-04-22 13:18:13','2012-04-22 20:18:13','',6068,'http://provoketive.com/2012/04/22/6068-revision-12/',0,'revision','',0),(6104,38,'2012-04-22 13:21:03','2012-04-22 20:21:03','<div>\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_6071\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"150\" caption=\"A photo of Carl\"]<a href=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/Carl_Marshall.jpg\"><img class=\"size-thumbnail wp-image-6071 \" src=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/Carl_Marshall-150x150.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nCarl Marshall, a Bahá’í gentleman from Detroit, Michigan, moved his coffee across the table. “We are in the middle of a fasting month—or actually at the very end of it—so I should probably stop eating. I think the sun rises at 7:35 today.”\r\n\r\n</div>\r\nThe Bahá\'í calendar has nineteen months with nineteen days in each month. During the last month of the year, which falls between March 2<sup>nd</sup> and March 21<sup>st</sup>, members participate in a fast very similar to Ramadan.\r\n\r\nMy first encounter with the Baha’i faith was with a gentleman that sat next to me on a plane from Orlando to Detroit. We first started talking about the book I was reading, but once I learned what religion he was a part of (how this happened, I have no idea) I asked him all sorts of questions and we talked for the remainder of the flight. It was one of the most wonderful and fascinating conversations I’ve ever had.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_6092\" align=\"alignright\" width=\"300\" caption=\"Bahá’í Lotus Temple in Delhi, India\"]<a href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/jeeheon/4663379544/\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-6092  \" src=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/bahai-lotus-temple_flickr_jeeheon-300x198.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"198\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nCarl grew up as a Christian in Detroit his mother attending Reverend C.L. Franklin’s church. He eventually moved to the Hawaiian Islands, where he became a Baha\'i in 1973. He was reading a book about comparative religion, and he said that the world’s religions seemed separate, compartmentalized, and without connection to each other. But then he met some Bahá\'í s and they explained the concept of Progressive Revelation.\r\n\r\n“What that means is that it’s just one God and one Religion, and every thousand years or so, God sends forth a new messenger, and these messengers have been the founders of the world’s great religions.”\r\n\r\nBahá\'u\'lláh, the founder of the Bahá’í religion, is the most recent messenger and is the Promised One of all the religions. “So I saw the unity there, where everything is not coming from a different source, but just a different messenger that’s giving a newer revelation of the previous religion.”\r\n\r\nThe interesting thing about Progressive Revelation is that it gives The Bahá’ís the ability to learn about and appreciate each of the world religions because they are all part of a greater movement through time. “In the Bible you have the Old and New Testament. In the Bahá’í faith, Bahá\'u\'lláh’s revelation consist of the New Testament, and all the previous religions are accepted as the Old Testament.”\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_6095\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"191\" caption=\"Two children in front of the Shrine of the Báb\"]<a href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/upsand/427782737/in/photostream/\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-6095 \" src=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/children-bahai-temple_flickr_upsilon-andromedae-191x300.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"191\" height=\"300\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nThey believe in all the major figures of religions across the world: Moses, His Holiness Christ, Zoroaster, Krishna, Buddha, and Mohammed because they are all key messengers with a holy book from God.  Because he is The Promised One of all religions, Bahá\'u\'lláh is believed to have fulfilled the prophecies that were given throughout all of the different holy books. “Bahá\'u\'lláh didn’t come to belittle <em>any</em> religion but to unify, connect and fulfill the previous dispensations.”\r\n\r\nCarl says that this is what the world really needs right now, and in another thousand years there will be another messenger to address the next millennium’s needs, which will occur approximately in the year 2852 AD. “It has to be that way because society advances. So, for example, Moses unified the tribes; Jesus, the church and state; Mohammed, a nation; and now Bahá\'u\'lláh has come to unify the world.”\r\n\r\nMany of the spiritual principles that govern Bahá’í conduct are contained in the book called, “The Hidden Words” of Bahá\'u\'lláh. There are twelve main principles of the Bahá’í faith. One is the elimination of prejudice, and another is the equality of men and women. “It’s not just lip service; it’s one of the founding principles of our faith, and we live by that,” Carl says. There is no clergy or priest hood in the Bahá’í Faith. However elections are held on the 21<sup>st</sup> of April of each year to elect 9 individuals who consult of the teaching, and administrative affairs within their city. Individuals are elected on the basis of their service, purity of heart, and firmness in the covenant.\r\n\r\nThe 9 individuals elected form what is known as the local Spiritual Assembly. Often times women outnumber the men on local spiritual assemblies. “I believe that one reason for this, and this is my own personal opinion, is that women are more spiritually evolved than men. They suffer more and have more test and trials. The equality of women began with the Bahá’í faith. The Bahá’í faith recognized that women have just as much to offer in the way of teaching and spiritual growth as men.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_6097\" align=\"alignright\" width=\"150\" caption=\"Mt. Carmel where the Shrine and holy scriptures are\"]<a href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/bwags/3048517550/sizes/z/in/photostream/\"><img class=\"size-thumbnail wp-image-6097\" src=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/mt-carmel_flickr_brett-wagner-150x150.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nSo how do the Bahá’ís practice their faith on a daily basis? Carl says that Bahá\'u\'lláh came to renew religion and remove ritual from faith. However, they are required to fast during the last month of the Bahá’í calendar (called ‘Ala), are required to pray and read from the holy writings in every morning and night.\r\n\r\n“So, for instance, today I got up, I read from the writings and I prayed,” Carl says that according to the research department in the Holy Land the revelation of the Bab, the prophet herald of Bahá\'u\'lláh, contains almost five million words. In relation to Bahá\'u\'lláh, the role of the Bab was similar to the role of John the Baptist to Christ. The revelation of Bahá\'u\'lláh contains over six million words, equivalent of more than 100 volumes.   “Being a Bahá’í is not something you do on Sunday; it’s a way of life. Since I live from a set of spiritual principles, every time I encounter someone it’s a test, as far as how you react and respond to them.”\r\n\r\nThe Bahá’í faith is one based on love. When you meet someone, Carl says that you try to show them—depending on their age and sex—the kind of love you would give to a brother, sister, father or mother.\r\n\r\nRegarding out daily life; Abdu\'l-Bahá has said; Should any one of you enter a city, he should become a center of attraction by reason of his sincerity, his faithfulness and love, his honesty and fidelity, his truthfulness and loving-kindness towards all the peoples of the world, so that the people of that city may cry out and say: \'This man is unquestionably a Bahá\'í, for his manners, his behavior, his conduct, his morals, his nature, and disposition reflect the attributes of the Bahá\'ís.\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/jaygalvin/230687375/in/photostream/\"><img class=\"alignleft size-medium wp-image-6100\" src=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/shrine-bab_flickr_jay-galvin-225x300.jpg\" alt=\"Shrine of the Báb\" width=\"225\" height=\"300\" /></a>One misconception about the Baha\'i faith is that it’s a cult. Cults are usually small groups that are governed by a radical leader who tries to isolate the group from society and tries to keep them from listening to anyone else. Yet, one of the twelve principles of the Bahá’í faith is the independent study and vetting of your faith. So, in other words, Bahá\'u\'lláh says that his books are open and that you should not believe something because someone tells you to, but because you’ve investigated and discovered the faith for yourself.\r\n\r\nAlso the Bahá’í faith is not a division of any previous religion. It is a new and independent revelation from God. The revelation of Bahá’u’lláh consist of over 100 volumes which are located on God’s holy mountain; Mt. Carmel in Haifa Israel.\r\n\r\nOne of the things Carl loves about being a Bahá’í is the fasting because it has nothing to do with losing weight. “It’s designed to purify the heart and cleanse the soul. And so what happens when you fast is you become detached and it increases your spiritual awareness, which allows for the other thing I love about it which is the understanding of religion in general. You reach a point of certitude where you understand how everything is connected together. Things have a deeper meaning.”\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_6102\" align=\"alignright\" width=\"300\" caption=\"Dome of Light in the Bahai Temple, North of Chicago\"]<a href=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/dome-of-light_flickr_ctot-not-def.jpg\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-6102\" src=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/dome-of-light_flickr_ctot-not-def-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nThe way his faith has helped Carl through difficult times in his life is by strengthening his faith. “Basically, a ‘difficult time’ is a test. So, say for instance someone was saying something mean or inappropriate to me. I can react the old way or the Baha\'i way. Bahá\'u\'lláh says there is always a choice. The Bahá’í way is to forgive the person, and ultimately get to the point where it doesn’t bother me anymore. A difficult time is a test used to perfect my character. I know that whatever happens, everything is temporary. So, I think I can make it. I can get through this stuff.”\r\n\r\nGlobally, the Bahá’í practices are consistent, so anywhere in the world you go, the Bahá\'ís will have the same four types of gatherings.\r\n<ol start=\"1\">\r\n	<li>The Devotional Gathering is designed to connect hearts through prayer. They are designed to be a bit more social so people have a way to connect with the larger community and find a home in this tumultuous world. Often times a devotional gathering leads to a Fireside. These take place in the home and during the Fireside a short talk is presented on the Bahá’í Faith and then the floor for questions.</li>\r\n	<li>Study Circles are open to all, and often take place in the home. Course material is based on the revelation of Bahá\'u\'lláh. The first Study Circle deals with Prayer, the soul and the afterlife.</li>\r\n	<li>Junior youth classes are available.</li>\r\n	<li>Children’s classes are offered. The goal is to establish more through the metro Detroit area, although some people are not very receptive to them since they are not Christian.</li>\r\n</ol>\r\nAs far as the afterlife, Bahá\'u\'lláh says that your soul is destined to undergo a spiritual evolution until it attains the presence of God. This spiritual evolution is eternal.” Quoting from Abdu\'l-Bahá, the son of Bahá\'u\'lláh, Carl says, “When you die, your soul is plunged in the ocean of God’s mercy. Your behavior in this life and the decisions you make impacts your station in eternity. The degree of purity you attain in this world determines where you start in the afterlife.”\r\n\r\nBut what happens to those who don’t become a Bahá\'í? Are there consequences?  “Well, there isn’t any place where you go and you burn.” Carl says. According to the Bahá’í writings “The spiritual meaning of burning in hell refers to the burning desire to be closer to the creator. Those who choose to ignore Bahá\'u\'lláh in this life will be remote from him in the afterlife. I would define hell as acute and grievous remorse for not recognizing the promised one. This remorse is eternal due to remoteness from God.”\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_6088\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"150\" caption=\"The symbol for the Bahá&#039;í Faith (Wikimedia Commons)\"]<a href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Bahai_star.svg\"><img class=\"size-thumbnail wp-image-6088 \" src=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/400px-Bahai_star-150x150.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nOne thing I noticed immediately about the Bahá’í faith is the emphasis on unity. I love the fact that two of their main pillars of faith are the elimination of prejudice and the equality of men and women. It’s not just something they try to do when they are in the mood, but it’s something that their faith is built upon.\r\n\r\nAnother thing that I find beautiful is the fact that they have a way of valuing all the different religions. To them, there is a thread running through all of history. Humanity has a greater story than divisions between rival religious factions, arguments between different denominations, or religiously-perpetrated bigotry. Humanity has a beautiful story that is being continually shaped and is still growing and changing.\r\n\r\nCarl was extremely kind and very open to any questions I had. He corrected me a couple of times when I got nervous over a stupid question by saying “No, no question is stupid!” Even since our conversation I have emailed him about other things and he has taken the time to answer all of them, and has told me any time I have other questions he will set aside time to talk to me.\r\n\r\nI look forward to future conversations and appreciate him taking time to share his story and his faith with me.\r\n\r\n<em>Photo credit: Flickr / <a href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/35176612@N03/3755376430/in/photostream/\" target=\"_blank\">random exposure</a> (Shrine of the Báb and Bahá\'í Gardens), <a href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/jeeheon/4663379544/in/photostream/\" target=\"_blank\">jeeheon</a> (Bahai Lotus Temple), <a href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/upsand/427782737/in/photostream/\" target=\"_blank\">Upsilon Andromedae</a> (siblings at the Shrine), <a href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/bwags/3048517550/sizes/z/in/photostream/\" target=\"_blank\">brett.wagner</a> (view from Mt. Carmel), <a href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/jaygalvin/230687375/in/photostream/\" target=\"_blank\">jay galvin</a> (Shrine of the <em>Báb), <a href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/ctot_non_def/1434223112/in/photostream/\" target=\"_blank\">ctot_not_def</a> (Dome of Light)</em> <a href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Bahai_star.svg\" target=\"_blank\">Wikimedia Commons</a> (the symbol for the Bahá\'í faith)</em>','Faith Interview Series: The Bahá\'í Faith','','inherit','open','open','','6068-revision-13','','','2012-04-22 13:21:03','2012-04-22 20:21:03','',6068,'http://provoketive.com/2012/04/22/6068-revision-13/',0,'revision','',0),(6105,38,'2012-04-22 13:21:58','2012-04-22 20:21:58','<div>\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_6071\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"150\" caption=\"A photo of Carl\"]<a href=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/Carl_Marshall.jpg\"><img class=\"size-thumbnail wp-image-6071 \" src=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/Carl_Marshall-150x150.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nCarl Marshall, a Bahá’í gentleman from Detroit, Michigan, moved his coffee across the table. “We are in the middle of a fasting month—or actually at the very end of it—so I should probably stop eating. I think the sun rises at 7:35 today.”\r\n\r\n</div>\r\nThe Bahá\'í calendar has nineteen months with nineteen days in each month. During the last month of the year, which falls between March 2<sup>nd</sup> and March 21<sup>st</sup>, members participate in a fast very similar to Ramadan.\r\n\r\nMy first encounter with the Baha’i faith was with a gentleman that sat next to me on a plane from Orlando to Detroit. We first started talking about the book I was reading, but once I learned what religion he was a part of (how this happened, I have no idea) I asked him all sorts of questions and we talked for the remainder of the flight. It was one of the most wonderful and fascinating conversations I’ve ever had.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_6092\" align=\"alignright\" width=\"300\" caption=\"Bahá’í Lotus Temple in Delhi, India\"]<a href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/jeeheon/4663379544/\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-6092  \" src=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/bahai-lotus-temple_flickr_jeeheon-300x198.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"198\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nCarl grew up as a Christian in Detroit his mother attending Reverend C.L. Franklin’s church. He eventually moved to the Hawaiian Islands, where he became a Baha\'i in 1973. He was reading a book about comparative religion, and he said that the world’s religions seemed separate, compartmentalized, and without connection to each other. But then he met some Bahá\'í s and they explained the concept of Progressive Revelation.\r\n\r\n“What that means is that it’s just one God and one Religion, and every thousand years or so, God sends forth a new messenger, and these messengers have been the founders of the world’s great religions.”\r\n\r\nBahá\'u\'lláh, the founder of the Bahá’í religion, is the most recent messenger and is the Promised One of all the religions. “So I saw the unity there, where everything is not coming from a different source, but just a different messenger that’s giving a newer revelation of the previous religion.”\r\n\r\nThe interesting thing about Progressive Revelation is that it gives The Bahá’ís the ability to learn about and appreciate each of the world religions because they are all part of a greater movement through time. “In the Bible you have the Old and New Testament. In the Bahá’í faith, Bahá\'u\'lláh’s revelation consist of the New Testament, and all the previous religions are accepted as the Old Testament.”\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_6095\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"191\" caption=\"Two children in front of the Shrine of the Báb\"]<a href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/upsand/427782737/in/photostream/\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-6095 \" src=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/children-bahai-temple_flickr_upsilon-andromedae-191x300.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"191\" height=\"300\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nThey believe in all the major figures of religions across the world: Moses, His Holiness Christ, Zoroaster, Krishna, Buddha, and Mohammed because they are all key messengers with a holy book from God.  Because he is The Promised One of all religions, Bahá\'u\'lláh is believed to have fulfilled the prophecies that were given throughout all of the different holy books. “Bahá\'u\'lláh didn’t come to belittle <em>any</em> religion but to unify, connect and fulfill the previous dispensations.”\r\n\r\nCarl says that this is what the world really needs right now, and in another thousand years there will be another messenger to address the next millennium’s needs, which will occur approximately in the year 2852 AD. “It has to be that way because society advances. So, for example, Moses unified the tribes; Jesus, the church and state; Mohammed, a nation; and now Bahá\'u\'lláh has come to unify the world.”\r\n\r\nMany of the spiritual principles that govern Bahá’í conduct are contained in the book called, “The Hidden Words” of Bahá\'u\'lláh. There are twelve main principles of the Bahá’í faith. One is the elimination of prejudice, and another is the equality of men and women. “It’s not just lip service; it’s one of the founding principles of our faith, and we live by that,” Carl says. There is no clergy or priest hood in the Bahá’í Faith. However elections are held on the 21<sup>st</sup> of April of each year to elect 9 individuals who consult of the teaching, and administrative affairs within their city. Individuals are elected on the basis of their service, purity of heart, and firmness in the covenant.\r\n\r\nThe 9 individuals elected form what is known as the local Spiritual Assembly. Often times women outnumber the men on local spiritual assemblies. “I believe that one reason for this, and this is my own personal opinion, is that women are more spiritually evolved than men. They suffer more and have more test and trials. The equality of women began with the Bahá’í faith. The Bahá’í faith recognized that women have just as much to offer in the way of teaching and spiritual growth as men.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_6097\" align=\"alignright\" width=\"150\" caption=\"Mt. Carmel where the Shrine and holy scriptures are\"]<a href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/bwags/3048517550/sizes/z/in/photostream/\"><img class=\"size-thumbnail wp-image-6097\" src=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/mt-carmel_flickr_brett-wagner-150x150.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nSo how do the Bahá’ís practice their faith on a daily basis? Carl says that Bahá\'u\'lláh came to renew religion and remove ritual from faith. However, they are required to fast during the last month of the Bahá’í calendar (called ‘Ala), are required to pray and read from the holy writings in every morning and night.\r\n\r\n“So, for instance, today I got up, I read from the writings and I prayed,” Carl says that according to the research department in the Holy Land the revelation of the Bab, the prophet herald of Bahá\'u\'lláh, contains almost five million words. In relation to Bahá\'u\'lláh, the role of the Bab was similar to the role of John the Baptist to Christ. The revelation of Bahá\'u\'lláh contains over six million words, equivalent of more than 100 volumes.   “Being a Bahá’í is not something you do on Sunday; it’s a way of life. Since I live from a set of spiritual principles, every time I encounter someone it’s a test, as far as how you react and respond to them.”\r\n\r\nThe Bahá’í faith is one based on love. When you meet someone, Carl says that you try to show them—depending on their age and sex—the kind of love you would give to a brother, sister, father or mother.\r\n\r\nRegarding out daily life; Abdu\'l-Bahá has said; Should any one of you enter a city, he should become a center of attraction by reason of his sincerity, his faithfulness and love, his honesty and fidelity, his truthfulness and loving-kindness towards all the peoples of the world, so that the people of that city may cry out and say: \'This man is unquestionably a Bahá\'í, for his manners, his behavior, his conduct, his morals, his nature, and disposition reflect the attributes of the Bahá\'ís.\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/jaygalvin/230687375/in/photostream/\"><img class=\"alignleft size-medium wp-image-6100\" src=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/shrine-bab_flickr_jay-galvin-225x300.jpg\" alt=\"Shrine of the Báb\" width=\"225\" height=\"300\" /></a>One misconception about the Baha\'i faith is that it’s a cult. Cults are usually small groups that are governed by a radical leader who tries to isolate the group from society and tries to keep them from listening to anyone else. Yet, one of the twelve principles of the Bahá’í faith is the independent study and vetting of your faith. So, in other words, Bahá\'u\'lláh says that his books are open and that you should not believe something because someone tells you to, but because you’ve investigated and discovered the faith for yourself.\r\n\r\nAlso the Bahá’í faith is not a division of any previous religion. It is a new and independent revelation from God. The revelation of Bahá’u’lláh consist of over 100 volumes which are located on God’s holy mountain; Mt. Carmel in Haifa Israel.\r\n\r\nOne of the things Carl loves about being a Bahá’í is the fasting because it has nothing to do with losing weight. “It’s designed to purify the heart and cleanse the soul. And so what happens when you fast is you become detached and it increases your spiritual awareness, which allows for the other thing I love about it which is the understanding of religion in general. You reach a point of certitude where you understand how everything is connected together. Things have a deeper meaning.”\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_6102\" align=\"alignright\" width=\"300\" caption=\"Dome of Light in the Bahai Temple, North of Chicago\"]<a href=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/dome-of-light_flickr_ctot-not-def.jpg\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-6102\" src=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/dome-of-light_flickr_ctot-not-def-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nThe way his faith has helped Carl through difficult times in his life is by strengthening his faith. “Basically, a ‘difficult time’ is a test. So, say for instance someone was saying something mean or inappropriate to me. I can react the old way or the Baha\'i way. Bahá\'u\'lláh says there is always a choice. The Bahá’í way is to forgive the person, and ultimately get to the point where it doesn’t bother me anymore. A difficult time is a test used to perfect my character. I know that whatever happens, everything is temporary. So, I think I can make it. I can get through this stuff.”\r\n\r\nGlobally, the Bahá’í practices are consistent, so anywhere in the world you go, the Bahá\'ís will have the same four types of gatherings.\r\n<ol start=\"1\">\r\n	<li>The Devotional Gathering is designed to connect hearts through prayer. They are designed to be a bit more social so people have a way to connect with the larger community and find a home in this tumultuous world. Often times a devotional gathering leads to a Fireside. These take place in the home and during the Fireside a short talk is presented on the Bahá’í Faith and then the floor for questions.</li>\r\n	<li>Study Circles are open to all, and often take place in the home. Course material is based on the revelation of Bahá\'u\'lláh. The first Study Circle deals with Prayer, the soul and the afterlife.</li>\r\n	<li>Junior youth classes are available.</li>\r\n	<li>Children’s classes are offered. The goal is to establish more through the metro Detroit area, although some people are not very receptive to them since they are not Christian.</li>\r\n</ol>\r\nAs far as the afterlife, Bahá\'u\'lláh says that your soul is destined to undergo a spiritual evolution until it attains the presence of God. This spiritual evolution is eternal.” Quoting from Abdu\'l-Bahá, the son of Bahá\'u\'lláh, Carl says, “When you die, your soul is plunged in the ocean of God’s mercy. Your behavior in this life and the decisions you make impacts your station in eternity. The degree of purity you attain in this world determines where you start in the afterlife.”\r\n\r\nBut what happens to those who don’t become a Bahá\'í? Are there consequences?  “Well, there isn’t any place where you go and you burn.” Carl says. According to the Bahá’í writings “The spiritual meaning of burning in hell refers to the burning desire to be closer to the creator. Those who choose to ignore Bahá\'u\'lláh in this life will be remote from him in the afterlife. I would define hell as acute and grievous remorse for not recognizing the promised one. This remorse is eternal due to remoteness from God.”\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_6088\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"150\" caption=\"The symbol for the Bahá&#039;í Faith (Wikimedia Commons)\"]<a href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Bahai_star.svg\"><img class=\"size-thumbnail wp-image-6088 \" src=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/400px-Bahai_star-150x150.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nOne thing I noticed immediately about the Bahá’í faith is the emphasis on unity. I love the fact that two of their main pillars of faith are the elimination of prejudice and the equality of men and women. It’s not just something they try to do when they are in the mood, but it’s something that their faith is built upon.\r\n\r\nAnother thing that I find beautiful is the fact that they have a way of valuing all the different religions. To them, there is a thread running through all of history. Humanity has a greater story than divisions between rival religious factions, arguments between different denominations, or religiously perpetrated bigotry. Humanity has a beautiful story that is being continually shaped and is still growing and changing.\r\n\r\nCarl was extremely kind and very open to any questions I had. He corrected me a couple of times when I got nervous over a stupid question by saying “No, no question is stupid!” Even since our conversation I have emailed him about other things and he has taken the time to answer all of them, and has told me any time I have other questions he will set aside time to talk to me.\r\n\r\nI look forward to future conversations and appreciate him taking time to share his story and his faith with me.\r\n\r\n<em>Photo credit: Flickr / <a href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/35176612@N03/3755376430/in/photostream/\" target=\"_blank\">random exposure</a> (Shrine of the Báb and Bahá\'í Gardens), <a href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/jeeheon/4663379544/in/photostream/\" target=\"_blank\">jeeheon</a> (Bahai Lotus Temple), <a href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/upsand/427782737/in/photostream/\" target=\"_blank\">Upsilon Andromedae</a> (siblings at the Shrine), <a href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/bwags/3048517550/sizes/z/in/photostream/\" target=\"_blank\">brett.wagner</a> (view from Mt. Carmel), <a href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/jaygalvin/230687375/in/photostream/\" target=\"_blank\">jay galvin</a> (Shrine of the <em>Báb), <a href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/ctot_non_def/1434223112/in/photostream/\" target=\"_blank\">ctot_not_def</a> (Dome of Light)</em> <a href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Bahai_star.svg\" target=\"_blank\">Wikimedia Commons</a> (the symbol for the Bahá\'í faith)</em>','Faith Interview Series: The Bahá\'í Faith','','inherit','open','open','','6068-revision-14','','','2012-04-22 13:21:58','2012-04-22 20:21:58','',6068,'http://provoketive.com/2012/04/22/6068-revision-14/',0,'revision','',0),(6106,38,'2012-04-22 13:22:28','2012-04-22 20:22:28','<div>\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_6071\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"150\" caption=\"A photo of Carl\"]<a href=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/Carl_Marshall.jpg\"><img class=\"size-thumbnail wp-image-6071 \" src=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/Carl_Marshall-150x150.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nCarl Marshall, a Bahá’í gentleman from Detroit, Michigan, moved his coffee across the table. “We are in the middle of a fasting month—or actually at the very end of it—so I should probably stop eating. I think the sun rises at 7:35 today.”\r\n\r\n</div>\r\nThe Bahá\'í calendar has nineteen months with nineteen days in each month. During the last month of the year, which falls between March 2<sup>nd</sup> and March 21<sup>st</sup>, members participate in a fast very similar to Ramadan.\r\n\r\nMy first encounter with the Baha’i faith was with a gentleman that sat next to me on a plane from Orlando to Detroit. We first started talking about the book I was reading, but once I learned what religion he was a part of (how this happened, I have no idea) I asked him all sorts of questions and we talked for the remainder of the flight. It was one of the most wonderful and fascinating conversations I’ve ever had.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_6092\" align=\"alignright\" width=\"300\" caption=\"Bahá’í Lotus Temple in Delhi, India\"]<a href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/jeeheon/4663379544/\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-6092  \" src=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/bahai-lotus-temple_flickr_jeeheon-300x198.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"198\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nCarl grew up as a Christian in Detroit his mother attending Reverend C.L. Franklin’s church. He eventually moved to the Hawaiian Islands, where he became a Baha\'i in 1973. He was reading a book about comparative religion, and he said that the world’s religions seemed separate, compartmentalized, and without connection to each other. But then he met some Bahá\'í s and they explained the concept of Progressive Revelation.\r\n\r\n“What that means is that it’s just one God and one Religion, and every thousand years or so, God sends forth a new messenger, and these messengers have been the founders of the world’s great religions.”\r\n\r\nBahá\'u\'lláh, the founder of the Bahá’í religion, is the most recent messenger and is the Promised One of all the religions. “So I saw the unity there, where everything is not coming from a different source, but just a different messenger that’s giving a newer revelation of the previous religion.”\r\n\r\nThe interesting thing about Progressive Revelation is that it gives The Bahá’ís the ability to learn about and appreciate each of the world religions because they are all part of a greater movement through time. “In the Bible you have the Old and New Testament. In the Bahá’í faith, Bahá\'u\'lláh’s revelation consist of the New Testament, and all the previous religions are accepted as the Old Testament.”\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_6095\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"191\" caption=\"Two children in front of the Shrine of the Báb\"]<a href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/upsand/427782737/in/photostream/\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-6095 \" src=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/children-bahai-temple_flickr_upsilon-andromedae-191x300.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"191\" height=\"300\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nThey believe in all the major figures of religions across the world: Moses, His Holiness Christ, Zoroaster, Krishna, Buddha, and Mohammed because they are all key messengers with a holy book from God.  Because he is The Promised One of all religions, Bahá\'u\'lláh is believed to have fulfilled the prophecies that were given throughout all of the different holy books. “Bahá\'u\'lláh didn’t come to belittle <em>any</em> religion but to unify, connect and fulfill the previous dispensations.”\r\n\r\nCarl says that this is what the world really needs right now, and in another thousand years there will be another messenger to address the next millennium’s needs, which will occur approximately in the year 2852 AD. “It has to be that way because society advances. So, for example, Moses unified the tribes; Jesus, the church and state; Mohammed, a nation; and now Bahá\'u\'lláh has come to unify the world.”\r\n\r\nMany of the spiritual principles that govern Bahá’í conduct are contained in the book called, “The Hidden Words” of Bahá\'u\'lláh. There are twelve main principles of the Bahá’í faith. One is the elimination of prejudice, and another is the equality of men and women. “It’s not just lip service; it’s one of the founding principles of our faith, and we live by that,” Carl says. There is no clergy or priest hood in the Bahá’í Faith. However elections are held on the 21<sup>st</sup> of April of each year to elect 9 individuals who consult of the teaching, and administrative affairs within their city. Individuals are elected on the basis of their service, purity of heart, and firmness in the covenant.\r\n\r\nThe 9 individuals elected form what is known as the local Spiritual Assembly. Often times women outnumber the men on local spiritual assemblies. “I believe that one reason for this, and this is my own personal opinion, is that women are more spiritually evolved than men. They suffer more and have more test and trials. The equality of women began with the Bahá’í faith. The Bahá’í faith recognized that women have just as much to offer in the way of teaching and spiritual growth as men.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_6097\" align=\"alignright\" width=\"150\" caption=\"Mt. Carmel where the Shrine and holy scriptures are\"]<a href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/bwags/3048517550/sizes/z/in/photostream/\"><img class=\"size-thumbnail wp-image-6097\" src=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/mt-carmel_flickr_brett-wagner-150x150.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nSo how do the Bahá’ís practice their faith on a daily basis? Carl says that Bahá\'u\'lláh came to renew religion and remove ritual from faith. However, they are required to fast during the last month of the Bahá’í calendar (called ‘Ala), are required to pray and read from the holy writings in every morning and night.\r\n\r\n“So, for instance, today I got up, I read from the writings and I prayed,” Carl says that according to the research department in the Holy Land the revelation of the Bab, the prophet herald of Bahá\'u\'lláh, contains almost five million words. In relation to Bahá\'u\'lláh, the role of the Bab was similar to the role of John the Baptist to Christ. The revelation of Bahá\'u\'lláh contains over six million words, equivalent of more than 100 volumes.   “Being a Bahá’í is not something you do on Sunday; it’s a way of life. Since I live from a set of spiritual principles, every time I encounter someone it’s a test, as far as how you react and respond to them.”\r\n\r\nThe Bahá’í faith is one based on love. When you meet someone, Carl says that you try to show them—depending on their age and sex—the kind of love you would give to a brother, sister, father or mother.\r\n\r\nRegarding out daily life; Abdu\'l-Bahá has said; Should any one of you enter a city, he should become a center of attraction by reason of his sincerity, his faithfulness and love, his honesty and fidelity, his truthfulness and loving-kindness towards all the peoples of the world, so that the people of that city may cry out and say: \'This man is unquestionably a Bahá\'í, for his manners, his behavior, his conduct, his morals, his nature, and disposition reflect the attributes of the Bahá\'ís.\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/jaygalvin/230687375/in/photostream/\"><img class=\"alignleft size-medium wp-image-6100\" src=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/shrine-bab_flickr_jay-galvin-225x300.jpg\" alt=\"Shrine of the Báb\" width=\"225\" height=\"300\" /></a>One misconception about the Baha\'i faith is that it’s a cult. Cults are usually small groups that are governed by a radical leader who tries to isolate the group from society and tries to keep them from listening to anyone else. Yet, one of the twelve principles of the Bahá’í faith is the independent study and vetting of your faith. So, in other words, Bahá\'u\'lláh says that his books are open and that you should not believe something because someone tells you to, but because you’ve investigated and discovered the faith for yourself.\r\n\r\nAlso the Bahá’í faith is not a division of any previous religion. It is a new and independent revelation from God. The revelation of Bahá’u’lláh consist of over 100 volumes which are located on God’s holy mountain; Mt. Carmel in Haifa Israel.\r\n\r\nOne of the things Carl loves about being a Bahá’í is the fasting because it has nothing to do with losing weight. “It’s designed to purify the heart and cleanse the soul. And so what happens when you fast is you become detached and it increases your spiritual awareness, which allows for the other thing I love about it which is the understanding of religion in general. You reach a point of certitude where you understand how everything is connected together. Things have a deeper meaning.”\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_6102\" align=\"alignright\" width=\"300\" caption=\"Dome of Light in the Bahai Temple, North of Chicago\"]<a href=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/dome-of-light_flickr_ctot-not-def.jpg\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-6102\" src=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/dome-of-light_flickr_ctot-not-def-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nThe way his faith has helped Carl through difficult times in his life is by strengthening his faith. “Basically, a ‘difficult time’ is a test. So, say for instance someone was saying something mean or inappropriate to me. I can react the old way or the Baha\'i way. Bahá\'u\'lláh says there is always a choice. The Bahá’í way is to forgive the person, and ultimately get to the point where it doesn’t bother me anymore. A difficult time is a test used to perfect my character. I know that whatever happens, everything is temporary. So, I think I can make it. I can get through this stuff.”\r\n\r\nGlobally, the Bahá’í practices are consistent, so anywhere in the world you go, the Bahá\'ís will have the same four types of gatherings.\r\n<ol start=\"1\">\r\n	<li>The Devotional Gathering is designed to connect hearts through prayer. They are designed to be a bit more social so people have a way to connect with the larger community and find a home in this tumultuous world. Often times a devotional gathering leads to a Fireside. These take place in the home and during the Fireside a short talk is presented on the Bahá’í Faith and then the floor for questions.</li>\r\n	<li>Study Circles are open to all, and often take place in the home. Course material is based on the revelation of Bahá\'u\'lláh. The first Study Circle deals with Prayer, the soul and the afterlife.</li>\r\n	<li>Junior youth classes are available.</li>\r\n	<li>Children’s classes are offered. The goal is to establish more through the metro Detroit area, although some people are not very receptive to them since they are not Christian.</li>\r\n</ol>\r\nAs far as the afterlife, Bahá\'u\'lláh says that your soul is destined to undergo a spiritual evolution until it attains the presence of God. This spiritual evolution is eternal.” Quoting from Abdu\'l-Bahá, the son of Bahá\'u\'lláh, Carl says, “When you die, your soul is plunged in the ocean of God’s mercy. Your behavior in this life and the decisions you make impacts your station in eternity. The degree of purity you attain in this world determines where you start in the afterlife.”\r\n\r\nBut what happens to those who don’t become a Bahá\'í? Are there consequences?  “Well, there isn’t any place where you go and you burn.” Carl says. According to the Bahá’í writings “The spiritual meaning of burning in hell refers to the burning desire to be closer to the creator. Those who choose to ignore Bahá\'u\'lláh in this life will be remote from him in the afterlife. I would define hell as acute and grievous remorse for not recognizing the promised one. This remorse is eternal due to remoteness from God.”\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_6088\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"150\" caption=\"The symbol for the Bahá&#039;í Faith (Wikimedia Commons)\"]<a href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Bahai_star.svg\"><img class=\"size-thumbnail wp-image-6088 \" src=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/400px-Bahai_star-150x150.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nOne thing I noticed immediately about the Bahá’í faith is the emphasis on unity. I love the fact that two of their main pillars of faith are the elimination of prejudice and the equality of men and women. It’s not just something they try to do when they are in the mood, but it’s something that their faith is built upon.\r\n\r\nAnother thing that I find beautiful is the fact that they have a way of valuing all the different religions. To them, there is a thread running through all of history. Humanity has a greater story than divisions between rival religious factions, arguments between different denominations, or religiously perpetrated bigotry. Humanity has a beautiful story that is being continually shaped and is still growing and changing.\r\n\r\nCarl was extremely kind and very open to any questions I had. He corrected me a couple of times when I got nervous over a stupid question by saying “No, no question is stupid!” Even since our conversation I have emailed him about other things and he has taken the time to answer all of them, and has told me any time I have other questions he will set aside time to talk to me.\r\n\r\nI look forward to future conversations and appreciate him taking time to share his story and his faith with me.\r\n\r\n<em>Thank you to Carl Marshall for meeting with me and sharing his faith and passion with me.</em>\r\n\r\n<em>Photo credit: Flickr / <a href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/35176612@N03/3755376430/in/photostream/\" target=\"_blank\">random exposure</a> (Shrine of the Báb and Bahá\'í Gardens), <a href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/jeeheon/4663379544/in/photostream/\" target=\"_blank\">jeeheon</a> (Bahai Lotus Temple), <a href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/upsand/427782737/in/photostream/\" target=\"_blank\">Upsilon Andromedae</a> (siblings at the Shrine), <a href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/bwags/3048517550/sizes/z/in/photostream/\" target=\"_blank\">brett.wagner</a> (view from Mt. Carmel), <a href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/jaygalvin/230687375/in/photostream/\" target=\"_blank\">jay galvin</a> (Shrine of the <em>Báb), <a href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/ctot_non_def/1434223112/in/photostream/\" target=\"_blank\">ctot_not_def</a> (Dome of Light)</em> <a href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Bahai_star.svg\" target=\"_blank\">Wikimedia Commons</a> (the symbol for the Bahá\'í faith)</em>','Faith Interview Series: The Bahá\'í Faith','','inherit','open','open','','6068-revision-15','','','2012-04-22 13:22:28','2012-04-22 20:22:28','',6068,'http://provoketive.com/2012/04/22/6068-revision-15/',0,'revision','',0),(6107,38,'2012-05-12 21:33:55','2012-05-13 04:33:55','<div>\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_6071\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"150\" caption=\"A photo of Carl\"]<a href=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/Carl_Marshall.jpg\"><img class=\"size-thumbnail wp-image-6071 \" src=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/Carl_Marshall-150x150.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" /></a>[/caption]\n<h2>About Carl</h2>\nCarl Marshall, a Bahá’í gentleman from Detroit, Michigan, moved his coffee across the table. “We are in the middle of a fasting month—or actually at the very end of it—so I should probably stop eating. I think the sun rises at 7:35 today.”\n\n</div>\nThe Bahá\'í calendar has nineteen months with nineteen days in each month. During the last month of the year, which falls between March 2<span style=\"font-size: 11px\">nd</span> and March 21<span style=\"font-size: 11px\">st</span>, members participate in a fast very similar to Ramadan.\n\nMy first encounter with the Baha’i faith was with a gentleman that sat next to me on a plane from Orlando to Detroit. We first started talking about the book I was reading, but once I learned what religion he was a part of (how this happened, I have no idea) I asked him all sorts of questions and we talked for the remainder of the flight. It was one of the most wonderful and fascinating conversations I’ve ever had.\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_6092\" align=\"alignright\" width=\"300\" caption=\"Bahá’í Lotus Temple in Delhi, India\"]<a href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/jeeheon/4663379544/\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-6092  \" src=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/bahai-lotus-temple_flickr_jeeheon-300x198.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"198\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nCarl grew up as a Christian in Detroit his mother attending Reverend C.L. Franklin’s church. He eventually moved to the Hawaiian Islands, where he became a Baha\'i in 1973.\n<h2>About Progressive Revelation</h2>\nCarl was reading a book about comparative religion, and he said that the world’s religions seemed separate, compartmentalized, and without connection to each other. But then he met some Bahá\'í s and they explained the concept of Progressive Revelation.\n\n“What that means is that it’s just one God and one Religion, and every thousand years or so, God sends forth a new messenger, and these messengers have been the founders of the world’s great religions.”\n\nBahá\'u\'lláh, the founder of the Bahá’í religion, is the most recent messenger and is the Promised One of all the religions. “So I saw the unity there, where everything is not coming from a different source, but just a different messenger that’s giving a newer revelation of the previous religion.”\n\nThe interesting thing about Progressive Revelation is that it gives The Bahá’ís the ability to learn about and appreciate each of the world religions because they are all part of a greater movement through time. “In the Bible you have the Old and New Testament. In the Bahá’í faith, Bahá\'u\'lláh’s revelation consist of the New Testament, and all the previous religions are accepted as the Old Testament.”\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_6095\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"191\" caption=\"Two children in front of the Bahá’í temple in Wilmette, Illinois\"]<a href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/upsand/427782737/in/photostream/\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-6095 \" src=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/children-bahai-temple_flickr_upsilon-andromedae-191x300.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"191\" height=\"300\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nThey believe in all the major figures of religions across the world: Moses, His Holiness Christ, Zoroaster, Krishna, Buddha, and Mohammed because they are all key messengers with a holy book from God.  Because he is The Promised One of all religions, Bahá\'u\'lláh is believed to have fulfilled the prophecies that were given throughout all of the different holy books. “Bahá\'u\'lláh didn’t come to belittle <em>any</em> religion but to unify, connect and fulfill the previous dispensations.”\n\nCarl says that this is what the world really needs right now, and in another thousand years there will be another messenger to address the next millennium’s needs, which will occur approximately in the year 2852 AD. “It has to be that way because society advances. So, for example, Moses unified the tribes; Jesus, the church and state; Mohammed, a nation; and now Bahá\'u\'lláh has come to unify the world.”\n<h2>Beliefs of the Bahá’í Faith</h2>\nMany of the spiritual principles that govern Bahá’í conduct are contained in the book called, “The Hidden Words” of Bahá\'u\'lláh. There are twelve main principles of the Bahá’í faith. One is the elimination of prejudice, and another is the equality of men and women. “It’s not just lip service; it’s one of the founding principles of our faith, and we live by that,” Carl says. There is no clergy or priest hood in the Bahá’í Faith. However elections are held on the 21<span style=\"font-size: 11px\">st</span> of April of each year to elect 9 individuals who consult of the teaching, and administrative affairs within their city. Individuals are elected on the basis of their service, purity of heart, and firmness in the covenant.\n\nThe 9 individuals elected form what is known as the local Spiritual Assembly. Often times women outnumber the men on local spiritual assemblies. “I believe that one reason for this, and this is my own personal opinion, is that women are more spiritually evolved than men. They suffer more and have more test and trials. The equality of women began with the Bahá’í faith. The Bahá’í faith recognized that women have just as much to offer in the way of teaching and spiritual growth as men.\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_6097\" align=\"alignright\" width=\"150\" caption=\"Mt. Carmel where the Shrine and holy scriptures are\"]<a href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/bwags/3048517550/sizes/z/in/photostream/\"><img class=\"size-thumbnail wp-image-6097\" src=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/mt-carmel_flickr_brett-wagner-150x150.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nSo how do the Bahá’ís practice their faith on a daily basis? Carl says that Bahá\'u\'lláh came to renew religion and remove ritual from faith. However, they are required to fast during the last month of the Bahá’í calendar (called ‘Ala), are required to pray and read from the holy writings in every morning and night.\n\n“So, for instance, today I got up, I read from the writings and I prayed,” Carl says that according to the research department in the Holy Land the revelation of the Bab, the prophet herald of Bahá\'u\'lláh, contains almost five million words. In relation to Bahá\'u\'lláh, the role of the Bab was similar to the role of John the Baptist to Christ. The revelation of Bahá\'u\'lláh however, contains over six million words which is equivalent of more than 100 volumes.\n\n“Being a Bahá’í is not something you do on Sunday; it’s a way of life. Since I live from a set of spiritual principles, every time I encounter someone it’s a test, as far as how you react and respond to them.” The Bahá’í faith is one based on love. When you meet someone, Carl says that you try to show them—depending on their age and sex—the kind of love you would give to a brother, sister, father or mother.\n\nRegarding daily life, Abdu\'l-Bahá (the son of Bahá\'u\'lláh and the perfect Bahá’í) said \"Should any one of you enter a city, he should become a center of attraction by reason of his sincerity, his faithfulness and love, his honesty and fidelity, his truthfulness and loving-kindness towards all the peoples of the world, so that the people of that city may cry out and say: \'This man is unquestionably a Bahá\'í, for his manners, his behavior, his conduct, his morals, his nature, and disposition reflect the attributes of the Bahá\'ís.\'\"\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_6100\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"225\" caption=\"The Bahá’í temple in Wilmette, Illinois\"]<a href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/jaygalvin/230687375/in/photostream/\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-6100\" src=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/shrine-bab_flickr_jay-galvin-225x300.jpg\" alt=\"Shrine of the Báb\" width=\"225\" height=\"300\" /></a>[/caption]\n<h2>Misconceptions</h2>\nOne misconception about the Baha\'i faith is that it’s a cult. Cults are usually small groups that are governed by a radical leader who tries to isolate the group from society and tries to keep them from listening to anyone else. Yet, one of the twelve principles of the Bahá’í faith is the independent study and vetting of your faith. So, in other words, Bahá\'u\'lláh says that his books are open and that you should not believe something because someone tells you to, but because you’ve investigated and discovered the faith for yourself.\n\nAlso the Bahá’í faith is not a division of any previous religion. It is a new and independent revelation from God. The revelation of Bahá’u’lláh consist of over 100 volumes which are located on God’s holy mountain: Mt. Carmel in Haifa, Israel.\n\nOne of the things Carl loves about being a Bahá’í is the fasting because it has nothing to do with losing weight. “It’s designed to purify the heart and cleanse the soul. And so what happens when you fast is you become detached and it increases your spiritual awareness, which allows for the other thing I love about it, which is the understanding of religion in general. You reach a point of certitude where you understand how everything is connected together. Things have a deeper meaning.”\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_6102\" align=\"alignright\" width=\"300\" caption=\"Dome of Light in the Bahai Temple, North of Chicago\"]<a href=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/dome-of-light_flickr_ctot-not-def.jpg\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-6102\" src=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/dome-of-light_flickr_ctot-not-def-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nThe way his faith has helped Carl through difficult times in his life is by strengthening his faith. “Basically, a ‘difficult time’ is a test. So, say for instance someone was saying something mean or inappropriate to me. I can react the old way or the Baha\'i way. Bahá\'u\'lláh says there is always a choice. The Bahá’í way is to forgive the person, and ultimately get to the point where it doesn’t bother me anymore. A difficult time is a test used to perfect my character. I know that whatever happens, everything is temporary. So, I think I can make it. I can get through this stuff.”\n<h2>Gatherings</h2>\nGlobally, the Bahá’í practices are consistent, so anywhere in the world you go, the Bahá\'ís will have the same four types of gatherings.\n<ol start=\"1\">\n	<li>The <strong>Devotional Gathering</strong> is designed to connect hearts through prayer. They are designed to be a bit more social so people have a way to connect with the larger community and find a home in this tumultuous world. Often times a devotional gathering leads to a Fireside. These take place in the home and during the Fireside a short talk is presented on the Bahá’í Faith and then the floor for questions.</li>\n	<li><strong>Study Circles</strong> are open to all, and often take place in the home. Course material is based on the revelation of Bahá\'u\'lláh. The first Study Circle deals with Prayer, the soul and the afterlife.</li>\n	<li><strong>Junior youth classes</strong> are available.</li>\n	<li><strong>Children’s classes</strong> are offered. The goal is to establish more through the metro Detroit area, although some people are not very receptive to them since they are not Christian.</li>\n</ol>\nAs far as the afterlife, Bahá\'u\'lláh says that your soul is destined to undergo a spiritual evolution until it attains the presence of God. This spiritual evolution is eternal.” Quoting from Abdu\'l-Bahá, Carl says, “When you die, your soul is plunged in the ocean of God’s mercy. Your behavior in this life and the decisions you make impacts your station in eternity. The degree of purity you attain in this world determines where you start in the afterlife.”\n\nBut what happens to those who don’t become a Bahá\'í? Are there consequences?  “Well, there isn’t any place where you go and you burn, if that\'s what you\'re asking.” Carl says. According to the Bahá’í writings “The spiritual meaning of burning in hell refers to the burning desire to be closer to the creator. Those who choose to ignore Bahá\'u\'lláh in this life will be remote from him in the afterlife. I would define hell as acute and grievous remorse for not recognizing the promised one. This remorse is eternal due to remoteness from God.”\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_6088\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"150\" caption=\"The symbol for the Bahá&#039;í Faith (Wikimedia Commons)\"]<a href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Bahai_star.svg\"><img class=\"size-thumbnail wp-image-6088 \" src=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/400px-Bahai_star-150x150.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" /></a>[/caption]\n<h2>Conclusion</h2>\nOne thing I noticed immediately about the Bahá’í faith is the emphasis on unity. I love the fact that two of their main pillars of faith are the elimination of prejudice and the equality of men and women. It’s not just something they try to do when they are in the mood, but it’s something that their faith is built upon.\n\nAnother thing that I find beautiful is the fact that they have a way of valuing all the different religions. To them, there is a thread running through all of history. Humanity has a greater story than divisions between rival religious factions, arguments between different denominations, or religiously perpetrated bigotry. Humanity has a beautiful story that is being continually shaped and is still growing and changing.\n\nCarl was extremely kind and very open to any questions I had. He corrected me a couple of times when I got nervous over a stupid question by saying “No, no question is stupid!” Even since our conversation I have emailed him about other things and he has taken the time to answer all of them, and has told me any time I have other questions he will set aside time to talk to me.\n\nI look forward to future conversations and appreciate him taking time to share his story and his faith with me.\n\n<strong>Thank you to Carl Marshall for his kindness, generosity, and for meeting with me to share his faith with me.</strong>\n\n<em><strong><em><strong>Hear about gurus, turbans, and the Five K\'s from </strong></em>Mandheer Singh, a Sikh gentleman from Rochester Hills next.</strong></em>\n\n<em>Photo credit: Flickr / <a href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/35176612@N03/3755376430/in/photostream/\" target=\"_blank\">random exposure</a> (the Bahá’í temple in Wilmette, Illinois), <a href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/jeeheon/4663379544/in/photostream/\" target=\"_blank\">jeeheon</a> (Bahai Lotus Temple), <a href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/upsand/427782737/in/photostream/\" target=\"_blank\">Upsilon Andromedae</a> (siblings at the Shrine), <a href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/bwags/3048517550/sizes/z/in/photostream/\" target=\"_blank\">brett.wagner</a> (view from Mt. Carmel), <a href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/jaygalvin/230687375/in/photostream/\" target=\"_blank\">jay galvin</a> (the Bahá’í temple in Wilmette, Illinois<em>), <a href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/ctot_non_def/1434223112/in/photostream/\" target=\"_blank\">ctot_not_def</a> (Dome of Light)</em> <a href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Bahai_star.svg\" target=\"_blank\">Wikimedia Commons</a> (the symbol for the Bahá\'í faith)</em>','Faith Interview Series: The Bahá\'í Faith','','inherit','open','open','','6068-autosave','','','2012-05-12 21:33:55','2012-05-13 04:33:55','',6068,'http://provoketive.com/2012/04/22/6068-autosave/',0,'revision','',0),(6108,38,'2012-05-14 08:00:43','2012-05-14 15:00:43','[caption id=\"attachment_6153\" align=\"alignright\" width=\"150\" caption=\"Rabbi Jason Miller\"]<a href=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/rabbi-jason-miller-2.jpg\"><img class=\"size-thumbnail wp-image-6153 \" src=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/rabbi-jason-miller-2-150x150.jpg\" alt=\"Rabbi Jason Miller\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nRabbi Jason Miller grew up in West Bloomfield, Michigan. He attended James Madison College at Michigan State University where he graduated with a degree in International Relations. He then went to the Jewish Theological Seminary in New York where he became an ordained Rabbi and earned a master’s degree in Education.\r\n\r\nI asked Rabbi Jason how he came to the Jewish faith. “I was raised in the Jewish faith,” he told me. When he was in college he became involved in the Jewish community on campus. “That led me to make the decision that after I graduated I would attend rabbinical school instead of law school.”\r\n\r\nHow does one practice the Jewish faith on a daily basis? Rabbi Jason replied: “I’m an observant Jew. I have daily prayer, I keep kosher, Sabbath and all the Jewish holidays.”\r\n\r\nA misconception that people have about him when he talks about being a Rabbi is that people automatically think he must be in charge of a large congregation. He is not, but is instead a businessman and social media guru. “I’m a teacher, entrepreneur, businessman, visiting Rabbi at several congregations, and I perform ceremonies for life cycle events,” Rabbi Jason said.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_6151\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"150\" caption=\"Synagogue of Pécs in Hungary\"]<a href=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/synagogue-hungary_flickr_Emmanuel-Dyan.jpg\"><img class=\"size-thumbnail wp-image-6151\" src=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/synagogue-hungary_flickr_Emmanuel-Dyan-150x150.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nThe Huffington post named Rabbi Jason as one of the top ten most influential Jews in social media and he recently won a Jewish Influencer award from the National Jewish Outreach Program. He <a href=\"http://www.huffingtonpost.com/rabbi-jason-miller\">writes articles</a> for The Huffington Post and has a <a href=\"http://blog.rabbijason.com/\">personal blog</a> which he has run since 2003. He took over the family business, Access Computer Technology, from his father in 2010. The company began in 1994 and provides IT support, social media marketing, and website design/build. He also owns Kosher Michigan, a kosher certification agency.\r\n\r\nI asked him how social media interacts with his faith and he said, “Through social media, the global Jewish community appears smaller than it used to be. Traditional borders and barriers that have kept us from each other have virtually disappeared. We’re becoming much more interconnected educationally, religiously, socially, and culturally.”\r\n<h2>About Judaism</h2>\r\nJudaism is an Abrahamic faith and is one of the oldest surviving monotheistic faiths in the world. <a href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Judaism\">According to Wikipedia</a>, in 2010 there were an estimated 13.4 million Jews around the world, 42% of which live in Jerusalem and another 42% of which live in the United States or Canada.\r\n\r\nLife cycle events in the Jewish faith include things like birth and the first month of life (ritual circumcision on the eighth day for baby boys), bar and bat mitzvahs, divorce, marriage, and death and grieving.\r\n\r\nRabbi Jason Miller loves being a part of the Jewish faith. He said “I love the time-honored traditions, celebrations, and also the emphasis on education.”\r\n\r\nJudaism does not have a set of things you absolutely have to believe to be a Jew, but there is a list of 13 principles that encompass the most widely accepted principles written by Rabbi Moshe ben Maimon.  These principles work hand-in-hand with the <a href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/10_Commandments\">10 Commandments</a>.\r\n<h2><strong>13 Principles of Faith</strong></h2>\r\n<ol>\r\n	<li>God exists</li>\r\n	<li>God is one and unique</li>\r\n	<li>God is incorporeal</li>\r\n	<li>God is eternal</li>\r\n	<li>Prayer is to be directed to God alone and to no other</li>\r\n	<li>The words of the prophets are true</li>\r\n	<li>Moses\' prophecies are true, and Moses was the greatest of the prophets</li>\r\n	<li>The Written Torah (first 5 books of the Bible) and Oral Torah (teachings now contained in the Talmud and other writings) were given to Moses</li>\r\n	<li>There will be no other Torah</li>\r\n	<li>God knows the thoughts and deeds of men</li>\r\n	<li>God will reward the good and punish the wicked</li>\r\n	<li>The Messiah will come</li>\r\n	<li>The dead will be resurrected</li>\r\n</ol>\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_6157\" align=\"alignright\" width=\"150\" caption=\"A synagogue in Budapest\"]<a href=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/synagoge_flickr_parissharing.jpg\"><img class=\"size-thumbnail wp-image-6157 \" src=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/synagoge_flickr_parissharing-150x150.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nRabbi Jason does not believe this personally, but the reason you will sometimes see the word “God” written by Jews with the dash in place of the “o” is because according to some Jewish traditions one should not speak or write the name of God frivolously, which is the third commandment. Also, it is rooted in a respect for God; His name is to remain sacred and not spoken unless in prayer or recitation. Substitutions like “Hashem” are sometimes used in place of God’s name.\r\n\r\nOne of the core tenets of the Jewish faith is that Jews do not believe that Jesus was/is the Messiah (which is a Christian belief). In one of his most recent articles written for The Huffington Post called “<a href=\"http://www.huffingtonpost.com/rabbi-jason-miller/jesus-we-can-finally-talk_b_1241538.html\">Jesus, We Can Finally Talk about Jesus</a>”, Rabbi Jason Miller talked about how at the end of his time at the Jewish Theological Seminary, he was asked to do a presentation for a group of undergrads at The College of St. Elizabeth.\r\n<blockquote>In preparation for my visit [the teacher] asked the students to submit a list of five questions each that they would like me to consider. Without any exaggeration, a full 90 percent of the students included at least one question about Jesus Christ in their list. […] Many of the women in that class at the College of St. Elizabeth were surprised to learn that Jews do not consider Jesus to be the messiah and the entire class was shocked to discover that Jesus\' teachings were not part of the required coursework I was doing in my rabbinical school studies.</blockquote>\r\n<em>Kosher</em> (“kashrut” in Hebrew) is a <a href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kosher_foods\">set of dietary laws</a> for those of the Jewish faith to ensure that their food is fit to eat, though the work can also mean things that are proper, legitimate, or approved for use. From a historical context, this code was a way of ensuring <a href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kosher_foods#Ritual_slaughter\">humane slaughtering</a>, kept the Jews from eating animals prone to infection, and kept their food disease free.\r\n<h2><strong>Holidays</strong></h2>\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_6160\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"150\" caption=\"A Rabbi in traditional dress\"]<a href=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/rabbi_flickr_molotalk.jpg\"><img class=\"size-thumbnail wp-image-6160 \" src=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/rabbi_flickr_molotalk-150x150.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nJews celebrate a lot of holidays throughout the year and the celebrations can vary from group to group, but here are a few of the top holidays that are celebrated by almost all of them.\r\n\r\n<strong>Passover</strong> – This holiday commemorates the Israelite’s exodus from a tyrannical reign in Egypt. This holiday lasts seven days for Israel and for the Reform Movement, and eight days for all other Jews. Passover begins on the first full moon in April.\r\n\r\n<strong>Rosh Hashanah</strong> – This is the Jewish New Year according to the Judaic calendar. It lasts between one to two days and falls between Labor Day and Columbus Day. (On the site <a href=\"http://www.jewfaq.org/holidayg.htm\">JewFAQ.org</a>, they mention that ‘You\'ve heard of \"twice-a-year Christians’ who go to church only on Christmas and Easter? ‘Twice-a-year Jews’ go to synagogue only on Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur.”\r\n\r\n<strong>Yom Kippur</strong> – This holiday occurs on the ninth day after the first day of Rosh Hashanah. It is a somber holiday that is used as an annual day of repentance for sins that have been committed throughout the previous year.\r\n\r\n<strong>Chanukkah (Hanukkah)</strong> – This is the festival of lights which starts sometime between Thanksgiving and Christmas. Chanukkah is in memory of the Israelites\' rededication the temple in Jerusalem after a successful revolt against Seleucid Greeks.\r\n\r\nHis faith has helped him through difficult times in his life through learning what it means to truly engage with faith, through connecting with G-d in prayer, and through reliance on the community. He said, “Here in Detroit we have a very close-knit community that transcends denominations and different walks of life. It’s wonderful.”\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_6161\" align=\"alignright\" width=\"150\" caption=\"A Star of David, a symbol of Judaism\"]<a href=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/star-david_flickr_Klearchos-Kapoutsis.jpg\"><img class=\"size-thumbnail wp-image-6161 \" src=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/star-david_flickr_Klearchos-Kapoutsis-150x150.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nOne of the central ideas that originates from Jewish culture is that of <em>chesed</em>, which roughly means “loving-kindness” and going the extra mile to take care of others. I have heard translated to mean “Love God, Love Man”. Another key idea is <em>tikkun olam</em> which means “repairing the world”. Basically, Jews aren’t supposed to simply focus on self-preservation but work for the healing and restoration of the world we live in. Followers of the Jewish faith are to build their lives on these two ideas and show love and kindness to everyone they interact with.\r\n<h2>Conclusion</h2>\r\nRabbi Jason Miller has devoted his life to the Jewish way of life and connecting the community. Through social media he is doing his part to bring the Jewish world together. Through his companies he is working to better the lives of Jews and non-Jews alike in Detroit. And through his writing he is challenging and inspiring fellow Jews and Detroiters.\r\n\r\n<strong>I appreciate Rabbi Jason taking the time to talk to me and I hope that someday it is be said of me that I have done even a fraction of what he has for his community.</strong>\r\n\r\n<em><strong>Ever met a Druid? Now you\'ll get the chance to! We\'ll hear from Robert, a Neopagan Druid from South Lyon, Michigan.</strong></em>\r\n\r\n<em>Photo credit: Flickr / <a href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/shankbone/3380936274/\" target=\"_blank\">david_shankbone</a> (A Jew kissing the Wailing Wall) <a href=\"http://www.rabbijason.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Jason Miller</a> (used with permission), Flickr / <a href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/emmanueldyan/5131506614/in/photostream/\" target=\"_blank\">Emmanuel Dyan</a> (Syangogue in Hungary), <a href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/14599621@N02/4185625144/in/photostream/\" target=\"_blank\">Chatham University JKM Library</a> (Nazareth), <a href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/parisharing/6809648392/in/photostream/\" target=\"_blank\">ParisSharing</a> (synagogue in Budapest), <a href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/molotalk/5895823303/in/photostream/\" target=\"_blank\">molotalk</a> (Rabbi), <a href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/klearchos/3065649911/in/photostream/\" target=\"_blank\">Klearchos Kapoutsis</a> (Star of David)</em>','Faith Interview Series: Jew','','publish','open','open','','faith-interview-series-jew','','','2012-05-17 08:29:58','2012-05-17 15:29:58','',0,'http://provoketive.com/?p=6108',0,'post','',0),(6112,38,'2012-04-22 13:39:32','2012-04-22 20:39:32','','Dr. Bob Cornwall','Dr. Bob Cornwall','inherit','open','open','','bob-headshot-92010','','','2012-04-22 13:39:32','2012-04-22 20:39:32','',6110,'http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/Bob-headshot-92010.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(6111,38,'2012-04-22 13:33:58','2012-04-22 20:33:58','For the section about Christianity, I ended up talking to two different men, a pastor and interfaith leader, and a former pastor who is now an elder and school teacher. Both of them serve very different roles in their community, but they both have been affected greatly by Christianity and have devoted their lives to it.\n\nDr. Bob Cornwall, pastor of Central Woodward Christian Church in Troy, Michigan. He is a Disciples of Christ pastor who has been ordained for 25 years and has been pastoring for about 14 of them. He’s a graduate of Fuller Seminary with a PhD in Historical Theology.\n\nHis passion is ecumenical interfaith conversation and building bridges between people of different faiths. He also does a lot of writing for a living. Along with being a pastor of a church, he has written a couple of books, done a lot of academic writing, and a few years ago he wrote a regular column in a local newspaper.\n\nCurt Motsinger is a school teacher and an elder at Grace Chapel Church in Waterford, Michigan. He spent his teenage years living at a youth camp that his parents ran in in Rose City. He attended Liberty University. “I had hoped to get onto the wrestling team, but since I had to pay my bills somehow I auditioned for a student missionary singing team,” he said. He met his wife Arli, a Philippine woman, while travelling on tour with the team.\n\nHe used to be a full-time pastor at Shepherd Fellowship Church, but he left a couple years ago and now teaches a class for adults and is an elder at a small, non-denomination church called Grace Chapel. He also teaches K-12<sup>th</sup> Physical Education and 7<sup>th</sup> and 8<sup>th</sup> grade Math and Science for a classical style school.\n<h2>Coming to Faith</h2>\nDr. Bob’s family was Episcopalian growing up and he doesn’t remember having a moment where he came to faith specifically. However, in high school he did have a type of conversion experience which lead to him leaving his Episcopalian background and become a Pentecostal.\n\n“Changing from being an Episcopalian to being a Pentecostal was a major change for me. It came out of a deep need for me to be more connected with a community that really took my faith seriously (which I didn’t feel what happening at the Episcopalian church),” he said. Episcopalians are much more liturgically based than Baptist or non-denominational churches. Pentecostal churches are charismatic, which often have boisterous worship services, and practice things like speaking in tongues and healing (which is generally unique to their denomination).\n\nDr. Bob said, “I pretty much went from one extreme to another.”\n\nDr. Bob eventually found the Pentecostals to be overly-emotional and not very intellectual based. He knew he needed to go someplace else, but he wasn’t quite ready to go back to the Episcopalians. “So that’s how I ended up with the Disciples of Christ, who are non-creedal, so it has a lot of freedom. It allowed me to be me.”\n\nCurt was also raised in the faith, but he remembers one moment from his childhood that changed his understanding of life.\n\n“When I was eight years old I was given a BB gun for Christmas. One afternoon I was hunting big game in my backyard. I squeezed the trigger and a robin dropped onto her nest. I ran over and picked up the nest and she was just lying there over those powder blue eggs. I gave it to my mom and she said, ‘Oh Curty, that’s the Michigan state bird!’ And I just knew the cops were coming to take me away.”\n\nCurt explained that he was a good kid, so the concept of sin didn’t make much sense to him at the time. “I believed that Jesus died on the cross for me, but I didn’t <em>need</em> him at that point, and then suddenly I did.  And that was what showed me my need for a savior. I knew all I needed to do was trust in him.”\n\nA few weeks after this happened, there was a man who came to Curt’s church to preach on the different levels of Hell. He said that <a href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cain\">Cain</a> would be hanging onto the bars saying “Am I my brother’s keeper?” The man went through a few more examples when he came to <a href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agrippa_I\">King Agrippa</a>. Paul gives his testimony to Agrippa and he responds, “You almost persuade me to become a Christian.” (<a href=\"http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Acts+26&amp;version=NKJV\">Acts 26:28</a>) The speaker said that’s what Agrippa would be saying in his room in Hell. The message was concluded with the question: “What would you be saying?”\n\n“I wanted to jump up and say, ‘I didn’t know it was the state bird!’” Curt said.\n<h2>About Christianity</h2>\nChristianity is an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion which claims 2.07 billion people across the globe. This makes it the largest religion in the world with over 32% of the world’s citizenship. Below are some of the basic beliefs that Christian adherents believe (there are variations and exceptions between sects):\n<ul>\n	<li>God is the creator of the universe</li>\n	<li>God is omnipresent (always present), omniscient (all knowing), and omnipotent (all powerful)</li>\n	<li>God sent his son, Jesus, to be born into the human world</li>\n	<li>Jesus was born fully God and fully human from a virgin woman</li>\n	<li>Since Jesus was fully God, he was incapable of sinning in his lifetime. When he was put to death by the religious leaders and people of his time, this meant he died 100% innocent. Because he was 100% innocent when he died, he was punished undeservingly.</li>\n	<li>Jesus was put to death on a cross and came back to life three days later and ascended into Heaven, showing that even Death has no power of God</li>\n	<li>Sin is anything that separates man from God (sin means crime, “missing the target,” or an act that violates the nature of man or God) and all people have sinned</li>\n	<li>The penalty for sin is eternal death (Hell)</li>\n	<li>God is holy, meaning he cannot have sin in his presence (Heaven). Since all people have sinned, they cannot ever be with God. But since Jesus was took a punishment he didn’t deserve, he took the punishment for the sin of people across the world so that they would not be sent to Hell and could enter into Heaven</li>\n	<li>Salvation is not obligatory or automatic. Christians say things like “Salvation is a gift. You can accept the gift, or deny the gift.”</li>\n	<li>To be saved you must believe that Jesus is the savior of the world and is the way to God and eternal life</li>\n</ul>\nThe holy scriptures of the Christian religion is the Bible, which is made up of 66 books. Christians believe that the Bible is inspired by God (meaning man wrote it, but God spoke through them) and that it is infallible text. Christians also believe that salvation isn’t just a once-and-done, but a living part of their life. Thus, they strive to have a personal relationship with God.\n<h2>Daily Practice</h2>\n“Back in the day there was a computer term called ‘GIGO’ (Garbage In, Garbage Out),” Curt said. “My dad always said that the world feed us all kinds of garbage and we needed offset that with scripture. Romans 12 says to continually renew our minds. So I try to do that on a regular basis,” he added. He explained to me that he tries to live out the scripture in his life and express it to his students as well.\n\nDr. Bob answered, “I’m professionally religious. So everything I do is rooted in and connected to that.” He tries to pray often and study as much as he can. “I read and work with scripture all the time for teaching and studying.”\n\nHe said that he loves Christianity because he feels grounded and like he has a vision for his life. “I’m not in this on my own, and I know God is with me. It gives me comfort and confidence,” he added.\n\nCurt loves being a Christian because of the brotherhood. In college he had some friends that met together for a Bible study, called the Agape group, which turned into a close-knit group of friends. He has remained in constant contact with them through adulthood and they have been there for each other through immense difficulties.\n<h2>Misconceptions about Christianity</h2>\nDr. Bob mentioned that one misconception is that people think Christianity is narrow, and that Christians are narrow-minded and bigots. “I mean, a lot of them <em>are</em>. But the misconception is that people think that Christians are all the same, that Jerry Fallwell or Rick Santorum represent everybpdy. Well, they don’t represent me and they don’t represent a lot of people.”\n\nCurt says that there’s a misconception in the political arena that Christians are mean, angry, self-righteous and hypocritical. “Some of which is deserved, and I think some of mainline Christianity has created that,” he said. “But I hope to prove that wrong in my life.”\n<h2>Conclusion</h2>\nDr. Bob and Curt are two people who seem to really be living out their faith. Dr. Bob is very active with the Troy Interfaith Group (along with Padma Kuppa and Saeed Kahn) and he is bringing members of his congregation with other faith groups across metro Detroit together. Through TIG he is promoting understanding, education, and is helping others see how they can find good causes to work together on for make this world a better place. He was immediately willing to talk to me and invited me to stay for a TIG event after our conversation.\n\nCurt and his wife tried for 7 years to have children, after which they decided to adopt a baby girl from a friend from high school who had a dream that she gave them her child. “We were on our way to get her when we found out that she had spinobifida. But we already felt that God had given her to us so we went and got her, and that was 18 years ago.” They are incredible parents to her and one of the reasons that Curt stepped down from being a pastor was to spend more time with his daughter, Abbey.\n\nCurt has been very influential in my husband’s life and is a living example of the love that Christians aim to show. He also conducted our marriage counseling and presided over our wedding. Through it all it he was very kind to us and imparted practical wisdom for being better spouses and people.\n\nI appreciate Curt and Dr. Bob taking time to talk to me, and for being the kind of people that are not armchair Christians. They don’t just give lip service; they are working every day to live out the kind of change they wish to see in the world.\n\n<strong>Thank you to Dr. Bob Cornwall and Curt Motsinger for meeting with me. Also, if you’ve liked what you have read so far of Dr. Bob, check out his <a href=\"http://www.bobcornwall.com/\">blog</a> and his recently released book, “<a href=\"http://www.amazon.com/Faith-Public-Square-Robert-Cornwall/dp/189372946X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1335057353&amp;sr=8-1\">Faith in the Public Sqare: Living Faithfully in 21<sup>st</sup> Century America</a>”. </strong>','','','inherit','open','open','','6110-revision','','','2012-04-22 13:33:58','2012-04-22 20:33:58','',6110,'http://provoketive.com/2012/04/22/6110-revision/',0,'revision','',0),(6109,38,'2012-04-22 13:31:00','2012-04-22 20:31:00','Rabbi Jason Miller grew up in West Bloomfield, Michigan. He attended James Madison College at Michigan State University where he graduated with a degree in International Relations. He then went to the Jewish Theological Seminary in New York where he became an ordained Rabbi and earned a master’s degree in Education.\n\nI asked Rabbi Jason how he came to the Jewish faith. “I was raised in the Jewish faith,” he told me. When he was in college he became involved in the Jewish community on campus. “That led me to make the decision that after I graduated I would attend rabbinical school instead of law school.”\n\nHow does one practice the Jewish faith on a daily basis? Rabbi Jason replied: “I’m an observant Jew. I have daily prayer, I keep kosher, Sabbath and all the Jewish holidays.”\n\nA misconception that people have about him when he talks about being a Rabbi is that people automatically think he must be in charge of a large congregation. He is not, but is instead a businessman and social media guru. “I’m a teacher, entrepreneur, businessman, visiting Rabbi at several congregations, and I perform ceremonies for life cycle events,” Rabbi Jason said.\n\nThe Huffington post named Rabbi Jason as one of the top ten most influential Jews in social media and he recently won a Jewish Influencer award from the National Jewish Outreach Program. He <a href=\"http://www.huffingtonpost.com/rabbi-jason-miller\">writes articles</a> for The Huffington Post and has a <a href=\"http://blog.rabbijason.com/\">personal blog</a> which he has run since 2006. He took over the family business, Access Computer Technology, from his father in 2010. The company began in 1994 and provides IT support, social media marketing, and website design/build. He also owns Kosher Michigan, a kosher certification agency.\n\nI asked him how social media interacts with his faith and he said, “Through social media, the global Jewish community <span style=\"text-decoration: line-through\">is</span> appears smaller than it used to be. Traditional borders and barriers that have kept us from each other have virtually disappeared. We’re becoming much more interconnected educationally, religiously, socially, and culturally.”\n\nJudaism is an Abrahamic faith and is one of the oldest surviving monotheistic faiths in the world. <a href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Judaism\">According to Wikipedia</a>, in 2010 there were an estimated 13.4 million Jews around the world, 42% of which live in Jerusalem and another 42% of which live in the United States or Canada.\n\nLife cycle events in the Jewish faith include things like birth and the first month of life (ritual circumcision on the eighth day for baby boys), bar and bat mitzvahs, divorce, marriage, and death and grieving.\n\nRabbi Jason Miller loves being a part of the Jewish faith. He said “I love the time-honored traditions, celebrations, and also the emphasis on education.”\n\nJudaism does not have a set of things you absolutely have to believe to be a Jew, but there is a list of 13 principles that encompass the most widely accepted principles written by Rabbi Moshe ben Maimon.  These principles work hand-in-hand with the <a href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/10_Commandments\">10 Commandments</a>.\n\n<strong>13 Principles of Faith</strong>\n<ol>\n	<li>God exists</li>\n	<li>God is one and unique</li>\n	<li>God is incorporeal</li>\n	<li>God is eternal</li>\n	<li>Prayer is to be directed to God alone and to no other</li>\n	<li>The words of the prophets are true</li>\n	<li>Moses\' prophecies are true, and Moses was the greatest of the prophets</li>\n	<li>The Written Torah (first 5 books of the Bible) and Oral Torah (teachings now contained in the Talmud and other writings) were given to Moses</li>\n	<li>There will be no other Torah</li>\n	<li>God knows the thoughts and deeds of men</li>\n	<li>God will reward the good and punish the wicked</li>\n	<li>The Messiah will come</li>\n	<li>The dead will be resurrected</li>\n</ol>\nRabbi Jason does not believe this personally, but the reason you will sometimes see the word “God” written by Jews with the dash in place of the “o” is because according to some Jewish traditions one should not speak or write the name of God frivolously, which is the fourth commandment. Also, it is rooted in a respect for God; His name is to remain sacred and not spoken unless in prayer or recitation. Substitutions like “Adonai” are often used in place of God’s name.\n\nThe majority of Jews do not read the New Testament or believe Jesus was the Messiah, which is where Christianity and Judaism part ways. In one of his most recent articles written for The Huffington Post called “<a href=\"http://www.huffingtonpost.com/rabbi-jason-miller/jesus-we-can-finally-talk_b_1241538.html\">Jesus, We Can Finally Talk about Jesus</a>”, Rabbi Jason Miller talked about how at the end of his time at the Jewish Theological Seminary, he was asked to do a presentation for a group of undergrads at The College of St. Elizabeth.\n\nIn preparation for my visit [the teacher] asked the students to submit a list of five questions each that they would like me to consider. Without any exaggeration, a full 90 percent of the students included at least one question about Jesus Christ in their list. […] Many of the women in that class at the College of St. Elizabeth were surprised to learn that Jews do not consider Jesus to be the messiah and the entire class was shocked to discover that Jesus\' teachings were not part of the required coursework I was doing in my rabbinical school studies.\n\n<em>Kosher</em> (“kashrut” in Hebrew) is a <a href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kosher_foods\">set of dietary laws</a> for those of the Jewish faith to ensure that their food is fit to eat, though the work can also mean things that are proper, legitimate, or approved for use. From a historical context, this code was a way of ensuring <a href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kosher_foods#Ritual_slaughter\">humane slaughtering</a>, kept the Jews from eating animals prone to infection, and kept their food disease free.\n\n<strong>Holidays</strong>\n\nJews celebrate a lot of holidays throughout the year and the celebrations can vary from group to group, but here are a few of the top holidays that are celebrated by almost all of them.\n\n<strong>Passover</strong> – This holiday commemorates the Israelite’s exodus from a tyrannical rein in Egypt. This holiday typical lasts from seven to eight days and starts on the first full moon in April.\n\n<strong>Rosh Hashanah</strong> – This is the Jewish New Year according to the Judaic calendar. It lasts between one to two days and falls between Labor Day and Columbus Day. (On the site <a href=\"http://www.jewfaq.org/holidayg.htm\">JewFAQ.org</a>, they mention that ‘You\'ve heard of \"twice-a-year Christians’ who go to church only on Christmas and Easter? ‘Twice-a-year Jews’ go to synagogue only on Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur.”\n\n<strong>Yom Kippur</strong> – This holiday occurs on the ninth day after the first day of Rosh Hashanah. It is a somber holiday that is used as an annual day of repentance for sins that have been committed throughout the previous year.\n\n<strong>Chanukkah (Hanukkah)</strong> – This is the festival of lights which starts sometime between Thanksgiving and Christmas. Chanukkah is in memory of the Israelites rededicating the temple in Jerusalem after a successful revolt against Seleucid Greeks.\n\nHis faith has helped him through difficult times in his life through learning what it means to truly engage with faith, through connecting with G-d in prayer, and through reliance on the community. He said, “Here in Detroit we have a very close-knit community that transcends denominations and different walks of life. It’s wonderful.”\n\nOne of the central ideas that originates from Jewish culture is that of <em>chesed</em>, which roughly means “loving-kindness” and going the extra mile to take care of others. I have heard translated to mean “Love G-d, Love Man”. Another key idea is <em>tikkun olam</em> which means “repairing the world”. Basically, Jews aren’t supposed to simply focus on self-preservation but work for the healing and restoration of the world we live in. Followers of the Jewish faith are to build their lives on these two ideas and show love and kindness to everyone they interact with.\n\nRabbi Jason Miller has devoted his life to the Jewish way of life and connecting the community. Through social media he is doing his part to bring the Jewish world together. Through his companies he is working to better the lives of Jews and non-Jews alike in Detroit. And through his writing he is challenging and inspiring fellow Jews and Detroiters.\n\nI appreciate him taking the time to talk to me and I hope that someday it be said of me that I have done even a fraction of what he has for his community.','Faith Interview Series: Judaism','','inherit','open','open','','6108-revision','','','2012-04-22 13:31:00','2012-04-22 20:31:00','',6108,'http://provoketive.com/2012/04/22/6108-revision/',0,'revision','',0),(6153,38,'2012-04-23 17:23:55','2012-04-24 00:23:55','','rabbi-jason-miller-2','Rabbi Jason Miller','inherit','open','open','','rabbi-jason-miller-2','','','2012-04-23 17:23:55','2012-04-24 00:23:55','',6108,'http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/rabbi-jason-miller-2.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),