Clearwater Baha'is

Sunday Morning Devotionals - August 9, 2020 Performers: Mr. Ballard and Mr. King

Sponsored by the Baha'i's of Clearwater, FL https://clearwaterbahais.org SESSION NINE: New social teachings of Bahá’u’lláh (continued) -Gender Inequality - Role of Religion -Abrogation of the Hudud and Huab Islam at the Crossroads can be purchased from the following: Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Islam-at-Crossroads-Lameh-Fananapazir/dp/0853985987/ This is the US website. The softcover and kindle editions are available from Amazon in all countries. George Ronald: http://www.grbooks.com/george-ronald-publisher-books/other-faiths/islam-at-the-crossroads-1432734615 US Baha'i Distribution Service: https://www.bahaibookstore.com/Islam-at-the-Crossroads-P8107.aspx Australia Baha'i Distribution Service: https://bahaibooks.com.au/products/islam-at-the-crossroads?_pos=1&_sid=c3263df73&_ss=r Baha'i Books UK: https://www.bahaibooks.org.uk/PBSCProduct.asp?ItmID=18028161 Speaker Biography: Dr. Lameh Fananapazir was born in Iran and spent his youth in Africa. He is a graduate of Edinburgh Medical School. He trained in Cardiology and further specialized in Electrophysiology at Duke Medical Center. He worked for 15 years as a research scientist at the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, Maryland studying causes of sudden death in athletes and those with inherited heart conditions. He has published more than 500 scientific papers and has given many presentations at national and international conferences. He spent two and a half years as Director of Health Services at the Bahá’í World Centre in Haifa, Israel. He currently resides in Cumberland, Maryland where for 11 years he was in practice as a cardiologist and electrophysiologist. Dr. Fananapazir is a Bahá’í who has had a lifelong interest in the study of religion and its impact on the world. He is the author of “Islam at the Crossroads”; which was published in 2015 and examines current issues facing Islam and their potential solutions. He has also recently authored ‘A Companion to the Study of Epistle to the Son of the Wolf.

This week’s topic:The Coming of the Glory: How the Hebrew Bible reveals the plan of God.Vol. 1 goes from Göbekli Tepe (9600 BCE) through to Elijah.The PowerPoint talk starts with the divinely inspired, the Paleolithic temple site of Göbekli Tepe (9600 to 7000s BCE) and animism, it then goes through the Neolithic phase with a tiered cosmos, to the Prophet Adam and Mesopotamia with its explosion of civilization of its spring/summer and the cults of the deities and the development of warfare as we know it during its fall/winter. Then the Prophet Abraham, and then the Prophet Moses and the Mosaic Code. Finishing with David, whom Bahá’u’lláh recognized as a prophet alongside Isaiah and Ezekiel, and his prophecy about Akka and the “strong city.” NOTES re: "God Passes By" by Shoghi Effendi, a reference mentioned in this video: Here are two items regarding the origin of the title "God Passes By." The first item is an excerpt from the biography "George Townsend", written by David Hoffman. George Townsend was appointed a Hand of the Cause in 1951. "The choosing of the title for this ‘survey’, as all the Guardian’s correspondence called it, taxed George’s imaginative invention. Only after letters and two cables urging the point had been received did inspiration come to him. He cabled ‘God Passes By’ and received the instant reply ‘DELIGHTED TITLE EAGERLY AWAITING LETTER’." (David Hofman, "George Townshend", p. 69) The second item is the attached audio clip. This is Mr. Hoopder Dunbar speaking at the Bosch Baha'i School during a Q&A. I don't know the date, but I got in from Youtube about 8 or 9 years ago. He also says that George Townsend suggested the title to Shoghi Effendi. George Townsend was a Biblical scholar. Some Baha'is have pointed out that there are verses in the Bible referring to God, or the Spirit, passing by. The speculation is that these may, or may not, have influenced George Townsend. Here a few of these excerpts: From Exodus: 33:18 And he [Moses] said, I beseech thee, shew me thy glory. 33:19 And he [the LORD] said, I will make all my goodness pass before thee, and I will proclaim the name of the LORD before thee... 33:20 And he said, Thou canst not see my face: for there shall no man see me, and live. 33:21 And the LORD said, Behold, there is a place by me, and thou shalt stand upon a rock: 33:22 And it shall come to pass, while my glory passeth by, that I will put thee in a clift of the rock, and will cover thee with my hand while I pass by: 33:23 And I will take away mine hand, and thou shalt see my back parts: but my face shall not be seen… 34:6 And the LORD passed by before him, and proclaimed, The LORD, The LORD God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abundant in goodness and truth... From I Kings: 19:11 And he said, Go forth, and stand upon the mount before the LORD. And, behold, the LORD passed by, and a great and strong wind rent the mountains... (King James Bible)

Sponsored by the Baha'i's of Clearwater, FL https://clearwaterbahais.org SESSION EIGHT: New social teachings of Bahá’u’lláh Islam at the Crossroads can be purchased from the following: Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Islam-at-Crossroads-Lameh-Fananapazir/dp/0853985987/ This is the US website. The softcover and kindle editions are available from Amazon in all countries. George Ronald: http://www.grbooks.com/george-ronald-publisher-books/other-faiths/islam-at-the-crossroads-1432734615 US Baha'i Distribution Service: https://www.bahaibookstore.com/Islam-at-the-Crossroads-P8107.aspx Australia Baha'i Distribution Service: https://bahaibooks.com.au/products/islam-at-the-crossroads?_pos=1&_sid=c3263df73&_ss=r Baha'i Books UK: https://www.bahaibooks.org.uk/PBSCProduct.asp?ItmID=18028161 Speaker Biography: Dr. Lameh Fananapazir was born in Iran and spent his youth in Africa. He is a graduate of Edinburgh Medical School. He trained in Cardiology and further specialized in Electrophysiology at Duke Medical Center. He worked for 15 years as a research scientist at the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, Maryland studying causes of sudden death in athletes and those with inherited heart conditions. He has published more than 500 scientific papers and has given many presentations at national and international conferences. He spent two and a half years as Director of Health Services at the Bahá’í World Centre in Haifa, Israel. He currently resides in Cumberland, Maryland where for 11 years he was in practice as a cardiologist and electrophysiologist. Dr. Fananapazir is a Bahá’í who has had a lifelong interest in the study of religion and its impact on the world. He is the author of “Islam at the Crossroads”; which was published in 2015 and examines current issues facing Islam and their potential solutions. He has also recently authored ‘A Companion to the Study of Epistle to the Son of the Wolf.

When Payam Zamani started the website BahaiTeachings.org in 2012, and brought David Langness on as its first editor, they wanted to utilize the vast reach of the online medium through the written and spoken arts to spread the teachings of Baha’u’llah: O ye beloved of God! Repose not yourselves on your couches, nay bestir yourselves as soon as ye recognize your Lord, the Creator, and hear of the things which have befallen Him, and hasten to His assistance. Unloose your tongues, and proclaim unceasingly His Cause. – Gleanings from the Writings of Baha’u’llah, p. 329. BahaiTeachings.org has now become a powerful global teaching tool for the Faith, with an audience of millions of people, most of them seekers. Join David Langness on Sunday, July 26 as he discusses the imperative to teach the Faith through the written and spoken word, and how individuals and communities can join in: Effort must be made that slumbering souls may be awakened, the heedless become vigilant, and that the divine teachings, which constitute the spirit of this age, may reach the ears of the people of the world, may be propagated in the press and set forth with brilliance and eloquence in the assemblages of men. – Abdu’l-Baha, Selections from the Writings of Abdu’l-Baha, p. 223. Speaker: David Langness

An Update to Coronavirus and the Unity of Humanity Speaker Biography: Vafa Bayat, M.D. PhD. is a research scientist and physician with diverse diagnostic and basic research training from Baylor College of Medicine and Stanford University in neurodegeneration, genetic diseases, and oncology/pathology. I have a broad range of professional, hands-on experience including: Vafa Bayat is Program Head of Research and Development at healthcare Artificial Intelligence company, Bitscopic, presently in its efforts to serve veterans through the development of artificial intelligence tools that will improve healthcare delivery, identify new relationships between diseases and other health-related variables, diagnose COVID-19, and conduct epidemiologic research. This week’s topic: An Update to Coronavirus and Understanding of the Connectedness of Humanity.

Sponsored by the Baha'i's of Clearwater, FL https://clearwaterbahais.org SESSION SEVEN: Bahá’u’lláh, the promise of Islám: fulfilled eschatology (continued) Islam at the Crossroads can be purchased from the following: Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Islam-at-Crossroads-Lameh-Fananapazir/dp/0853985987/ This is the US website. The softcover and kindle editions are available from Amazon in all countries. George Ronald: http://www.grbooks.com/george-ronald-publisher-books/other-faiths/islam-at-the-crossroads-1432734615 US Baha'i Distribution Service: https://www.bahaibookstore.com/Islam-at-the-Crossroads-P8107.aspx Australia Baha'i Distribution Service: https://bahaibooks.com.au/products/islam-at-the-crossroads?_pos=1&_sid=c3263df73&_ss=r Baha'i Books UK: https://www.bahaibooks.org.uk/PBSCProduct.asp?ItmID=18028161 Speaker Biography: Dr. Lameh Fananapazir was born in Iran and spent his youth in Africa. He is a graduate of Edinburgh Medical School. He trained in Cardiology and further specialized in Electrophysiology at Duke Medical Center. He worked for 15 years as a research scientist at the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, Maryland studying causes of sudden death in athletes and those with inherited heart conditions. He has published more than 500 scientific papers and has given many presentations at national and international conferences. He spent two and a half years as Director of Health Services at the Bahá’í World Centre in Haifa, Israel. He currently resides in Cumberland, Maryland where for 11 years he was in practice as a cardiologist and electrophysiologist. Dr. Fananapazir is a Bahá’í who has had a lifelong interest in the study of religion and its impact on the world. He is the author of “Islam at the Crossroads”; which was published in 2015 and examines current issues facing Islam and their potential solutions. He has also recently authored ‘A Companion to the Study of Epistle to the Son of the Wolf.

Powered by Restream https://restream.io/ Principles Beliefs all humanity was created by one God and is part of one human race.work performed in the spirit of service is a form of worship.the soul, created at the moment of conception, is destined by God to reach the afterlife, where it will continue to progress until it attains the presence. Practices the purpose of life is to know and worship God, to acquire virtues, to promote the oneness of humankind and to carry forward an ever-advancing civilization.all humanity was created by one God and is part of one human race.work performed in the spirit of service is a form of worship.the soul, created at the moment of conception, is destined by God to reach the afterlife, where it will continue to progress until it attains the presence of God.

Today's topic is Happiness. Hosted by Farhad Naderi.

Sponsored by the Baha'i's of Clearwater, FL https://clearwaterbahais.org SESSION SIX:Bahá’u’lláh, the promise of Islám: fulfilled eschatology Islam at the Crossroads can be purchased from the following: Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Islam-at-Crossroads-Lameh-Fananapazir/dp/0853985987/ This is the US website. The softcover and kindle editions are available from Amazon in all countries. George Ronald: http://www.grbooks.com/george-ronald-publisher-books/other-faiths/islam-at-the-crossroads-1432734615 US Baha'i Distribution Service: https://www.bahaibookstore.com/Islam-at-the-Crossroads-P8107.aspx Australia Baha'i Distribution Service: https://bahaibooks.com.au/products/islam-at-the-crossroads?_pos=1&_sid=c3263df73&_ss=r Baha'i Books UK: https://www.bahaibooks.org.uk/PBSCProduct.asp?ItmID=18028161 Speaker Biography: Dr. Lameh Fananapazir was born in Iran and spent his youth in Africa. He is a graduate of Edinburgh Medical School. He trained in Cardiology and further specialized in Electrophysiology at Duke Medical Center. He worked for 15 years as a research scientist at the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, Maryland studying causes of sudden death in athletes and those with inherited heart conditions. He has published more than 500 scientific papers and has given many presentations at national and international conferences. He spent two and a half years as Director of Health Services at the Bahá’í World Centre in Haifa, Israel. He currently resides in Cumberland, Maryland where for 11 years he was in practice as a cardiologist and electrophysiologist. Dr. Fananapazir is a Bahá’í who has had a lifelong interest in the study of religion and its impact on the world. He is the author of “Islam at the Crossroads”; which was published in 2015 and examines current issues facing Islam and their potential solutions. He has also recently authored ‘A Companion to the Study of Epistle to the Son of the Wolf.

We’re all playing a game. It’s called the “Game of Life,” and it has rules. We’re playing the game, and we’re bound by the rules, whether we know them or not. If you don’t know the rules, you can’t play a very good game and will suffer, and cause others to suffer too. In this chaotic world, there is a missing link in education, and we will begin to explore it by focusing our attention on these rules. Speaker Biography: Mr. Scott A. Kinsey, Esq. is an evaluative consultant for families and businesses, focusing on relationships. He is married and the father of five adult children.

Powered by Restream https://restream.io/ Join Tony Ballard while he leads our Sunday Morning Devotionals in beautiful song and prayer!

Sponsored by the Baha'i's of Clearwater, FL https://clearwaterbahais.org SESSION FIVE: ‘Islám: the promise of the Torah and the New Testament • Apparent contradictions Islam at the Crossroads can be purchased from the following: Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Islam-at-Crossroads-Lameh-Fananapazir/dp/0853985987/ This is the US website. The softcover and kindle editions are available from Amazon in all countries. George Ronald: http://www.grbooks.com/george-ronald-publisher-books/other-faiths/islam-at-the-crossroads-1432734615 US Baha'i Distribution Service: https://www.bahaibookstore.com/Islam-at-the-Crossroads-P8107.aspx Australia Baha'i Distribution Service: https://bahaibooks.com.au/products/islam-at-the-crossroads?_pos=1&_sid=c3263df73&_ss=r Baha'i Books UK: https://www.bahaibooks.org.uk/PBSCProduct.asp?ItmID=18028161 Speaker Biography: Dr. Lameh Fananapazir was born in Iran and spent his youth in Africa. He is a graduate of Edinburgh Medical School. He trained in Cardiology and further specialized in Electrophysiology at Duke Medical Center. He worked for 15 years as a research scientist at the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, Maryland studying causes of sudden death in athletes and those with inherited heart conditions. He has published more than 500 scientific papers and has given many presentations at national and international conferences. He spent two and a half years as Director of Health Services at the Bahá’í World Centre in Haifa, Israel. He currently resides in Cumberland, Maryland where for 11 years he was in practice as a cardiologist and electrophysiologist. Dr. Fananapazir is a Bahá’í who has had a lifelong interest in the study of religion and its impact on the world. He is the author of “Islam at the Crossroads”; which was published in 2015 and examines current issues facing Islam and their potential solutions. He has also recently authored ‘A Companion to the Study of Epistle to the Son of the Wolf.

Powered by Restream https://restream.io/ Principles Beliefs all humanity was created by one God and is part of one human race.work performed in the spirit of service is a form of worship.the soul, created at the moment of conception, is destined by God to reach the afterlife, where it will continue to progress until it attains the presence. Practices the purpose of life is to know and worship God, to acquire virtues, to promote the oneness of humankind and to carry forward an ever-advancing civilization.all humanity was created by one God and is part of one human race.work performed in the spirit of service is a form of worship.the soul, created at the moment of conception, is destined by God to reach the afterlife, where it will continue to progress until it attains the presence of God.

Powered by Restream https://restream.io/ Principles Beliefs all humanity was created by one God and is part of one human race.work performed in the spirit of service is a form of worship.the soul, created at the moment of conception, is destined by God to reach the afterlife, where it will continue to progress until it attains the presence. Practices the purpose of life is to know and worship God, to acquire virtues, to promote the oneness of humankind and to carry forward an ever-advancing civilization.all humanity was created by one God and is part of one human race.work performed in the spirit of service is a form of worship.the soul, created at the moment of conception, is destined by God to reach the afterlife, where it will continue to progress until it attains the presence of God.

Sponsored by the Baha'i's of Clearwater, FL https://clearwaterbahais.org SESSION FOUR: Exclusivity and finality in Judaism (the Torah), in Christianity and Islám. Islam at the Crossroads can be purchased from the following: Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Islam-at-Crossroads-Lameh-Fananapazir/dp/0853985987/ This is the US website. The softcover and kindle editions are available from Amazon in all countries. George Ronald: http://www.grbooks.com/george-ronald-publisher-books/other-faiths/islam-at-the-crossroads-1432734615 US Baha'i Distribution Service: https://www.bahaibookstore.com/Islam-at-the-Crossroads-P8107.aspx Australia Baha'i Distribution Service: https://bahaibooks.com.au/products/islam-at-the-crossroads?_pos=1&_sid=c3263df73&_ss=r Baha'i Books UK: https://www.bahaibooks.org.uk/PBSCProduct.asp?ItmID=18028161 Speaker Biography: Dr. Lameh Fananapazir was born in Iran and spent his youth in Africa. He is a graduate of Edinburgh Medical School. He trained in Cardiology and further specialized in Electrophysiology at Duke Medical Center. He worked for 15 years as a research scientist at the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, Maryland studying causes of sudden death in athletes and those with inherited heart conditions. He has published more than 500 scientific papers and has given many presentations at national and international conferences. He spent two and a half years as Director of Health Services at the Bahá’í World Centre in Haifa, Israel. He currently resides in Cumberland, Maryland where for 11 years he was in practice as a cardiologist and electrophysiologist. Dr. Fananapazir is a Bahá’í who has had a lifelong interest in the study of religion and its impact on the world. He is the author of “Islam at the Crossroads”; which was published in 2015 and examines current issues facing Islam and their potential solutions. He has also recently authored ‘A Companion to the Study of Epistle to the Son of the Wolf.

Next year will be the anniversary of the centenary of passing of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, the eldest son of Baha’u’llah, His successor and the Center of His covenant. The Bahá’í community is in the process of building a Shrine for the earthly remains of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, planned for dedication in November 2021. The Shrine of the Báb was built with a great deal of difficulty and lack of resources under the direction of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá. During this presentation we will be discussing the details of how this location on Mount Carmel was selected as the site of the Shrine of the Báb; how ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s internal and external enemies mis-represented the character and purpose of this holy place to prevent the building of the Shrine and how He personally directed the building of the Shrine while under house arrest far removed from the building site. ‘Abdu’l-Bahá himself referring to the Shrine of the Báb was heard many times to remark: “Every stone of that building, every stone of the road leading to it I have with infinite tears and at tremendous cost, raised and placed in position” The earthly remains of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá have been entombed in the same building which will be moved from the current location to its final resting place. It has been worthy to study what ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, Shoghi Effendi and the Bahá’í community has achieved in times of turmoil.

Powered by Restream https://restream.io/ Devotional meetings spring up naturally in a community where a conversation about the spiritual dimension of human existence is growing. In diverse settings, Bahá’ís and their friends and families unite with one another in prayer. There are no rituals; no one individual has any special role. Meetings consist largely of reading prayers and passages from the Bahá’í sacred texts in an informal yet respectful atmosphere. A spirit of communal worship is generated by these simple gatherings, and this spirit begins to permeate the community’s collective endeavours. Today thousands upon thousands of such regular devotional meetings are held in localities throughout the world—in urban and suburban neighbourhoods, in hamlets and villages alike. A more thorough exploration of the Bahá’í teachings on the subject of devotional life, including quotations from the Bahá’í writings on the topic, can be found in the Devotion topic collection within the What Bahá’ís Believe area of the website.

Next year will be the anniversary of the centenary of passing of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, the eldest son of Baha’u’llah, His successor and the Center of His covenant. The Bahá’í community is in the process of building a Shrine for the earthly remains of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, planned for dedication in November 2021. The Shrine of the Báb was built with a great deal of difficulty and lack of resources under the direction of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá. During this presentation we will be discussing the details of how this location on Mount Carmel was selected as the site of the Shrine of the Báb; how ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s internal and external enemies mis-represented the character and purpose of this holy place to prevent the building of the Shrine and how He personally directed the building of the Shrine while under house arrest far removed from the building site. ‘Abdu’l-Bahá himself referring to the Shrine of the Báb was heard many times to remark: “Every stone of that building, every stone of the road leading to it I have with infinite tears and at tremendous cost, raised and placed in position” The earthly remains of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá have been entombed in the same building which will be moved from the current location to its final resting place. It has been worthy to study what ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, Shoghi Effendi and the Bahá’í community has achieved in times of turmoil. Speaker Biography: Jamshíd Afnán is a Bahá’í author and historian. He was born in Shiraz to a Bahá’í family as a fifth generation Bahá’í. To further his education, he moved to the United States in the mid-1970s, where he studied Computer Science and Applied Mathematics. He has been married to his wife Názly for 33 years and has two children — a daughter and son. Jamshid has always been interested in history, especially the history of the Bábí and Bahá’í faiths. In 2016 Jamshid co-authored a book titled: “Stories from the Cradle of the Faith, Narratives of Heroism, Sacrifice and Transformation in the Bahá’í Community of Iran”. Professionally Jamshid has worked in the Power Industry since 1980 and is currently the Chief Information and Cybersecurity officer for the bulk power system operator for the six New England states. Jamshid has been giving talks and presentations about the different aspects of the Bahá’í Faith for decades.

Sponsored by the Baha'i's of Clearwater, FL https://clearwaterbahais.org Speaker: Dr. Lameh Fananapazir SESSION THREE: Objections to earlier prophets, including Prophet Muhammad, Objections to Bahá’u’lláh – accusations of causing mischief and warring against Alláh Islam at the Crossroads can be purchased from the following: Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Islam-at-Crossroads-Lameh-Fananapazir/dp/0853985987/ This is the US website. The softcover and kindle editions are available from Amazon in all countries. George Ronald: http://www.grbooks.com/george-ronald-publisher-books/other-faiths/islam-at-the-crossroads-1432734615 US Baha'i Distribution Service: https://www.bahaibookstore.com/Islam-at-the-Crossroads-P8107.aspx Australia Baha'i Distribution Service: https://bahaibooks.com.au/products/islam-at-the-crossroads?_pos=1&_sid=c3263df73&_ss=r Baha'i Books UK: https://www.bahaibooks.org.uk/PBSCProduct.asp?ItmID=18028161 Speaker Biography: Dr. Lameh Fananapazir was born in Iran and spent his youth in Africa. He is a graduate of Edinburgh Medical School. He trained in Cardiology and further specialized in Electrophysiology at Duke Medical Center. He worked for 15 years as a research scientist at the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, Maryland studying causes of sudden death in athletes and those with inherited heart conditions. He has published more than 500 scientific papers and has given many presentations at national and international conferences. He spent two and a half years as Director of Health Services at the Bahá’í World Centre in Haifa, Israel. He currently resides in Cumberland, Maryland where for 11 years he was in practice as a cardiologist and electrophysiologist. Dr. Fananapazir is a Bahá’í who has had a lifelong interest in the study of religion and its impact on the world. He is the author of “Islam at the Crossroads”; which was published in 2015 and examines current issues facing Islam and their potential solutions. He has also recently authored ‘A Companion to the Study of Epistle to the Son of the Wolf.

Worldviews in Crisis As Humanity Grows from Adolescence into the Age of Maturity - Shoghi Effendi observes: “Humanity is now experiencing the commotions invariably associated with the most turbulent stage of its evolution, the stage of adolescence, when the impetuosity of youth and its vehemence reach their climax, and must gradually be superseded by the calmness, the wisdom, and the maturity that characterize the stage of manhood. Then will the human race reach that stature of ripeness which will enable it to acquire all the powers and capacities upon which its ultimate development must depend?… Unification of the whole of mankind is the hallmark of the stage in which human society is now approaching…A world, growing to maturity, must abandon this fetish, recognize the oneness and wholeness of human relationships, and establish once for all the machinery that can best incarnate this fundamental principle of its life.” (The World Order of Baha’u’llah). There are growing pains associated with this process. In order to keep these under control, we must make certain adjustments to various facets of our worldview. We will be discussing a new worldview, offered by Baha’u’llah, which is the subject of this presentation.

Shoghi Effendi observes: “Humanity is now experiencing the commotions invariably associated with the most turbulent stage of its evolution, the stage of adolescence, when the impetuosity of youth and its vehemence reach their climax, and must gradually be superseded by the calmness, the wisdom, and the maturity that characterize the stage of manhood. Then will the human race reach that stature of ripeness which will enable it to acquire all the powers and capacities upon which its ultimate development must depend?… Unification of the whole of mankind is the hallmark of the stage in which human society is now approaching…A world, growing to maturity, must abandon this fetish, recognize the oneness and wholeness of human relationships, and establish once for all the machinery that can best incarnate this fundamental principle of its life.” (The World Order of Baha’u’llah). There are growing pains associated with this process. In order to keep these under control, we must make certain adjustments to various facets of our worldview. We will be discussing a new worldview, offered by Baha’u’llah, which is the subject of this presentation. The Speaker’s purpose is for the audience to walk away with more questions than answers. We are exposing you to new ideas. Please investigate this further after attending this session! This week’s presenter: Kamran Hakim Speaker Biography: He has been married for 37 years. He has three children (two daughters and one son), and four grandchildren. Mr. Hakim currently lives in Northborough Massachusetts. Kamran Hakim and his wife are members of the Worcester Bahá’í Community. Mr. Hakim was born into a Bahá’í family. Mr. Hakim’s religious ancestry is from Jewish descent on his father’s side, and from Muslim descent on his mother’s side. Mr. Hakim does not consider himself to be a Baha’i by birth. Mr. Hakim declared himself a Baha’i through his own investigation after he moved to the United States in 1976 for continuing his education. Being away from his family provided Mr. Hakim the opportunity to examine his beliefs. Mr. Hakim explored the Bahá’í Faith, along with other religions and ideologies, before he chose the Bahá’í Faith in his Spiritual Path. Mr. Hakim has a master’s degree in Materials Science & Engineering from State University of New York at Stony Brook, Long Island, NY. Mr. Hakim is a device reliability engineer by profession. Over the past four decades, philosophical writings and Scriptures of various religions have continued to attract Mr. Hakim’s attention. He has continued to explore them both as his hobby. Given his professional background, naturally, Mr. Hakim likes to look at religion and philosophy from an engineering perspective. Some have characterized this approach as “the more comprehensive epistemological perspective.” Mr. Hakim’s presentation should, therefore, be considered in this light. Mr. Hakim was very active in various USENET Newsgroups from 1982-1992, then to a lesser extent from 1993-1998, through private communication with various people throughout the world. Mr. Hakim has worked on deep-diving into the Bahá’í Writings with several groups of youth (ages 13-18) over the past two decades.