swissheritage

This is one of those times when I ache with longing to see some people I haven't seen for years, and to have them back in my life again.

Random thoughts:

- Part of what I miss is The Way We Were and The Way it Used to Be. Seeing people I haven't seen for years rarely brings those back.

- Often the people I miss meant a lot more to me than I meant to them.

- I might mean more to some people than they have meant to me, and it might be good for me to get to know them better.

- Things we wish for may or may not be good for us and for others. What about this longing to have long lost friends back in my life again? If there could be good in it, for me and for them, what can I do about it?

- What about this longing for The Way We Were and The Way it Used to Be? If there could be good in it, for me and for others, what can I do about it?

I've been reminiscing about my experiences and the people I knew at Geocities. Sometimes I miss them intensely, and now is one of those times. I'd like to see some Web pages like "Memories of Geocities: The Way We Were," "Memories of Geocities: The Way it Used to Be" and "Geocities Community Leaders: Where Are They Now?" I might do it myself if no one else does.

I've already started Googling those phrases and others, looking for former community leaders and for discussions about memories of Geocities. I'll be posting some links.

I would love to see some comments here about how to do that, and especially I would like to find someone else to do it!

Ideas for example about:
- Where and how to collect the stories.
- How to find former community leaders.
- Where to put the stories and how to organize them.
- Who might host and manage them.

I just read the long healing prayer for BG and EG.

Started: 9:26 PM
Finished: 9:40 PM

One of my projects is learning to bring more of the spirit of God into community life. One of my strategies is to bring more of the spirit of God into my life, and to put more of myself into community life.

(more spirit of God in my life)*(more of myself in community life) =

(more spirit of God in community life)

I've been working most of my life to bring more of the spirit of God into my life by praying, studying Baha'i writings and other materials, trying to put them into practice, participating in Baha'i community life, and serving goals and plans of Baha'i institutions. Now the training institutes are helping me practice and promote all
that much better.

Recently I've had some new ideas about putting more of myself into the community life of my neighborhood, in service and development projects. Two of my service projects have been reading to children, and doing skits to entertain some neighbors. Another is picking up trash off the street and sidewalk. One of my development projects is strengthening my friendships with my neighbors. I'm learning to stop and talk to people more often, walking between my house and the bus and the corner store.

November 12, soon after I started thinking about what neighbors can do together to strengthen our friendships, someone was shot to death in the middle of the afternoon, in the intersection at the other end of my block. I thought of going over to that corner and saying some prayers, and the idea came to me that one thing neighbors might do together is pray. I went up and down the streets around my block, telling my neighbors that I was going to say some prayers at that corner the following Saturday, about the time of the shooting, inviting them to come and pray with me.

I stood at that corner for an hour last Saturday, November 19, reading prayers, for children, for people who have died, for the neighborhood, and for humanity. One person came and stood with me for a few minutes. A few others passed by and asked for copies of the prayers I was reading.

After that, I wrote this, to give to my neighbors:

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Ideas for a stronger and healthier neighborhood

One way I see to have a stronger and healthier neighborhood is to have stronger and healthier friendships between neighbors. One way I see for neighbors to have stronger and healthier friendships is to spend time together doing things that interest them.

Below is a list of some things that interest me, that I would do with neighbors. If you see anything that interests you, please let me know, and please let me know if you have any other interests that you would share with neighbors.

(my name, address, and phone number)

Some things that interest me,
that I would do with neighbors:

1. Activities with children, like reading, games, and crafts.
2. Origami, and other paper crafts.
3. Neighborhood variety shows and fairs.
4. Workshops, especially:
- Teaching children responsible behavior (Lee Canter lessons)
- Moral and spiritual education of children
- Cooperative games and sports
- Mentoring
- Spiritual growth
5. Prayers.
6. Sidewalk art.
7. Jigsaw puzzles.
8. Monopoly, Clue, and other board games.
9. Gardening and yard work.
10. Cleaning up streets and sidewalks.
11. Walking to the market or around the block.
12. Sitting on the front porch.

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Meanwhile, I'm planning to spend more time outside, in front of my house and here and there in the neighborhood, doing paper crafts, reading to children, doing sidewalk art, picking up trash in the street and on the sidewalk, jumping rope, playing with a yo-yo or frisbee, entertaining neighbors with skits, and whatever else I can think of that neighbors might do together.

To get ideas of what neighbors might do together, I've been thinking about what people do in other communities, like a religious community or a city. That's where I got some of the ideas above. For example, thinking of the art exhibits in my city gave me the idea to display some of my paper crafts in front of my house.

Jim

In my view there is an enormous wealth of wonderful possibilities waiting to come to life, in all our pursuits, including scholarship/SED, that will come about only when Baha'is in each field learn to have more faith in the Guidance of the House of Justice, to carefully and thoughtfully study its messages, and to embrace them and learn from them with all their hearts.

How can those of us who feel that need, help respond to it? How can we promote more faith in the guidance of the House of Justice in ourselves, among Baha'is in general, and in particular among Baha'is involved in scholarship/SED? Meanwhile, are there ways we can promote the goals and plans of the House of Justice among people, Baha'is or not, who lack faith in its guidance?

I'll be organizing my thoughts about this. My first thought is that more faith in the guidance of the House of Justice will come largely through more faith in Baha'u'llah.

Jim

Contents of this post:

* Harrowing consequences of unchecked sectarian hatreds
* Responsibility of religious leaders
* Need and hope for fundamental change
* Responsibility of Baha'is
* Need for deep understanding
* Responsibility to seek insights in the writings of Baha'u'llah
* Purpose of "One Common Faith"
* How to respond to this call
* How to promote responses from other Baha'is

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* Harrowing consequences of unchecked sectarian hatreds

"At Ridvan 2002, we addressed an open letter to the world's religious leaders. Our action arose out of awareness that the disease of sectarian hatreds, if not decisively checked, threatens harrowing consequences that will leave few areas of the world unaffected."

* Responsibility of religious leaders

"Above all, we expressed our conviction that the time has come when religious leadership must face honestly and without further evasion the implications of the truth that God is one and that, beyond all diversity of cultural expression and human interpretation, religion is likewise one. . . . recognition of this reality must operate at the heart of religious discourse, and it was with this in mind that we felt that our letter should be explicit in articulating it."

* Need and hope for fundamental change

"Discussions have turned readily to the need for fundamental change in the way the believing masses of humankind relate to one another . . . We feel hopeful that our initiative may serve as a catalyst opening the way to new understanding of religion's purpose."

* Responsibility of Baha'is

"However rapidly or slowly this change occurs, the concern of Baha'is must be with their own responsibility in the matter."

* Need for deep understanding

"If they are to respond to the need, Baha'is must draw on a deep understanding of the process by which humanity's spiritual life evolves."

* Responsibility to seek insights in the writings of Baha'u'llah

"Baha'u'llah's writings provide insights that can help to elevate discussion of religious issues above sectarian and transient considerations. The responsibility to avail oneself of this spiritual resource is inseparable from the gift of faith itself."

* Purpose of "One Common Faith"

Reflection on the challenge has prompted us to commission the commentary that follows.

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* What can each Baha'i do to respond to this call from the Universal House of Justice, and to promote responses from other Baha'is?

I went through it, paragraph by paragraph, looking for ways to put into practice what the House of Justice is saying. I returned again and again to each paragraph that I had trouble following or endorsing, seeking a better understanding, until I found a way to endorse it. Here are some treasures I came up with:

1. I found some wonderful new ideas for my service and development projects in my neighborhood.

2. I found a wonderful new way to look at what's happening in the world and what to do about it.

3. I found wonderful new ways to sympathize with both camps, about what the US government has been doing.

4. I found a wonderful new way to look at some Baha'i social problems, and what to do about them.

5. I found a wonderful new way to look at the growth plans the House of Justice is promoting.

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* Examples of responses to this call

I would like to see a response to this call growing and spreading among Baha'is. Here are some examples of what that might mean:

1. Learning to participate wholeheartedly in the development of core activities and clusters.

2. Learning to include non-members in our community activities.

3. Learning to participate in community service and development in the larger community.

4. Learning to treat people of other religions as equal partners in learning to serve God's Kingdom.

5. Learning to see how all that responds to each person's deepest concerns about what's happening in the world.

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* Strategies for promoting responses

For now, the only strategy I've found is:

1. Deepen and strengthen my friendships with other Baha'is.

2. Make the responses above, and any others I think of, a part of my life, and continually talk to everyone about that part of my life.

Jim

Youth Service Project
Started 6/5/05

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Day One:

Patty and I came home in the car. There was a crowd of young people hanging around at the corner. One of them was sitting on a bicycle where we usually park the car, and didn't move, so I parked somewhere else. I went up to the apartment with Patty, and got the mentoring book. I had decided that the next time I saw young people hanging around outside our apartment building, I would go out and talk to them about mentoring. The Book was "The Miracles of Mentoring," by Thomas W. Dortch, Jr. and The 100 Black Men of America, Inc., with a forward by Tom Joyner of the Tom Joyner Morning Show. Daniel was cheering me on.

I went out and said I'd like to talk to them about mentoring. I showed them the book, and said that they're all mentors, because they all have children in their lives, watching them and learning from them. The only question is, how good a mentor are you?

Some of the boys acted disdainful, but one of the two girls asked to see the book. She looked at it, and said it looked good. I said I'd like to get together with them sometimes, and go through the book together. The girl said we couldn't get together. I don't remember exactly what she said, but I got the idea that she meant someone would come and break it up. I said that I saw them getting together all the time. Then I said, "All right, whenever I see you hanging around here, I'm going to come out and read this book to you." She said that everyone would go away.

I started reading, and everyone started going away, only most of them just went across the street and stood on the corner there. I read louder, screaming at a few points that seemed especially significant to me. I was wondering if someone would call the police because of me, and sure enough, in a few minutes two police cars pulled up. I kept reading. The officers got out of their cars, but they didn't come to me. The went to the young people, and it looked like they were having a friendly conversation with them. Little by little, over a period of several minutes, they drifted away. I kept reading until the last one left, then I went to the officers and asked them if they wanted to talk to me. One of them gave me a big smile and said "No, you're fine!"

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Day 2:

There were some young people standing at the corner again, so I got the book and started reading it to them again. They walked half a block away and stood there. I kept reading, but I wasn't yelling this time. Sometimes two or three walked past me. One came to me and asked me if I was reading from the Bible. I said no, it's about mentoring. He asked me if I was getting paid for it. I said no, it was my own idea. I think he asked me if I live around here, and I said yes, right here in this house. Then he apologized and went away. I'm not sure what he was apologizing for.

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Day 3:

I went one block up and down the street, in all directions from our house, standing at corners, and in the middle of the block, saying the prayer for youth. I also went to the other end of our block, where Burley lives, and did my poem for the people who live there, who were sitting on the porch. Later, when I went with Anita to see Walter and say prayers with him, I told them both about about Day 1 and Day 2. I also told them about the poem, which tied for second place in the Just Poetry Slam May 30 at the Firehouse Theater. They suggested that I do the poem for the young people, and tell them about the Slam.

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Day 4:

I tried to talk to the young people about the poetry contest, but they just made fun of me.

I found someone to do skits with me for the people at the other end of the block, and I found some children to work with.

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Day 5:

I read with some children.

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Day 6:

I walked around the neighborhood in my pajamas.

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Day 7:

I walked around the neighborhood in my pajamas again.

I asked people to pray for the young people in our neighborhood to learn to serve the community.

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Day 8:

I read books with some children.

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Day 9:

I read books with some children.

I passed out a sheet to some of my neighbors, about ways I might be of service:

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Free services for neighbors

Offered by Jim Habegger

Examples:

- Help with computers and the Internet

- Help with learning crafts

- Helping children with reading and math

- Cooperative games with children

- Help with finding all kinds of information

Other services may be available. Just ask!

I saw someone complaining about some discussions that demoralized him, and saying that he won't post any more if that continues.

I would like every person to have a place on the Internet where she feels safe and welcome, and finds companionship.

The more a forum is managed to make some people feel safe and welcome, the more it will make others feel unsafe and unwelcome.

It's especially agonizing for people who are being abused, marginalized, and cast away by some community, to see members of that community maligning them, basking in their exclusive fellowship, bragging about the community, and living in denial of the abuse, with the abused and marginalized people being forbidden to protest, or being crucified if they do.

Still, I don't see any other way for a forum to be safe and comfortable for anyone, without being highly exclusive. I don't see anything wrong with having some exclusive forums to provide havens for various people. It think anyone who tries to have a forum that is both inclusive and safe, will have neither. I'm managing an online community that I want to be inclusive, so I won't pretend that it's safe for anyone. To provide havens for participants in that community, maybe I could have other, more exclusive forums, associated with that one.

Jim