Presentation given by Jesse Villagomez at Texas Bahá'í School September 2010

1. Presentation given by Jesse Villagomez at Texas Bahá'í School September 2010

2. Baha’u’llah says: “is not the object of every Revelation to effect a transformation in the whole character of mankind, a transformation that shall manifest itself both outwardly and inwardly, that shall affect both its inner life and external conditions?” (Baha'u'llah, The Kitab-i-Iqan, p. 240)

3. Isaiah "they shall beat their swords into ploughshares and their spears into pruning hooks, and nation shall not rise up against nation, neither shall they learn war no more?“ Isaiah 2 King James Version

4. Painted by Leonardo da Vinci

5.  ”Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.” Mark 16:15-16 (King James Version)

6. The disciples of Christ…scattered far and wide and engaged in calling the peoples of the world to the Divine Guidance, till at last they made the world another world, illumined the surface of the earth…Let them that are men of action follow in their footsteps! (Abdu'l-Baha, Baha'i World Faith - Abdu'l-Baha Section, p. 442)

7. Christ, in His blessed day, in reality only educated eleven men… … With this small army Christ conquered the world of the East and the West. His name, beloved and adored by a few disciples, now commands the reverence of kings and nations of the world...The little army of disciples has become a mighty cohort of millions. Abdu’l-Baha

8. From 11 Apostles to 2.1 billion Christians in the World Today

9. Some of them were catchers of fish. Most of them were ignorant men, not trained in the knowledge of this world. All of them were men of the least consequence in the eyes of the world… (Abdu'l-Baha, The Promulgation of Universal Peace, p. 5) The two great apostles, St Peter and St John the Evangelist, were once simple, humble workmen, toiling for their daily bread. (Abdu'l-Baha, Paris Talks, p. 59) The leader of the apostles was Peter and on the night of the crucifixion… denied Christ… (Abdu'l-Baha, Divine Philosophy, p. 49)

10. "Peter…was…incapable of keeping count of the days of the week. Whenever he decided to go fishing, he would tie up his weekly food into seven parcels, and every day he would eat one of them, and when he had reached the seventh, he would know that the Sabbath had arrived…" If the Son of Man was capable of infusing into apparently so crude and helpless an instrument such potency as to cause, in the words of Bahá'u'lláh, "the mysteries of wisdom and of utterance to flow out of his mouth," and to exalt him above the rest of His disciples, and render him …the founder of His Church, how much more can the Father, Who is Bahá'u'lláh, empower the most puny and insignificant among His followers to achieve… such wonders as would dwarf the mightiest achievements of even the first apostle of Jesus Christ! (Compilations, The Compilation of Compilations vol II, p. 214)

11. O ye apostles of Bahá'u'lláh, -- May my life be sacrificed for you! …Like unto the apostles of Christ, who were filled with Him, these souls also have become filled with His Holiness Bahá'u'lláh; that is, the love of Bahá'u'lláh has so mastered every organ, part and limb of their bodies, as to leave no effect from the promptings of the human world… Any soul from among the believers of Bahá'u'lláh who attains to this station will become known as the Apostle of Bahá'u'lláh. Therefore strive ye with heart and soul so that ye may reach this lofty and exalted position (Abdu'l-Baha, Tablets of the Divine Plan, p. 48) (Abdu'l-Baha, Tablets of the Divine Plan, p. 48)

12. “Ours is the duty to… strive to widen our vision, and to deepen our comprehension of this Cause, and to arise,…to play our part, however small, in this greatest drama of the world's spiritual history. (Shoghi Effendi, The World Order of Baha'u'llah, p. 25) "May all the privileged participators, enlisting under the banner of Bahá'u'lláh…distinguish themselves by such deeds of heroism as will rival, nay outshine, the feats accomplished nineteen hundred years ago, by that little band of God-intoxicated disciples who, fearlessly preaching the Gospelof a newly arisen Messiah, contributed so decisively to the illumination, the regeneration and the advancement of the entire European continent.“ Shoghi Effendi, The Advent of Divine Justice, p. 72)

13. six month trip across 2,000 miles of difficult country

14. Flys at the speed of 567 mph, it has an intercontinental range of 8,350 miles.Can accommodate up to 524 passengers.

16. Act Plan Check Do

19. The Apollo 11 space flight landed the first humans on Earth's Moon on July 20, 1969. Neil Armstrong – first man on the moon.

20. Flys at the peed of 567 mph, it has an intercontinental range of 8,350 miles.[13] The 747-400 passenger version can accommodate up to 524 passengers.

22. …in 1935…Shoghi Effendi called upon national communities to adopt formal teaching plans. He described meetings to promote world unity as “an experiment to test the efficacy of the indirect method of teaching” Over time certain approaches – such as firesides and pioneering– proved through experiments to be more effective than others, all communities were encouraged to adopt them and they became mainstays of propagation. Pg 68 Revelation & Social Reality: Learning to Translate What Is Written into Reality.

23. The Beloved Guardian explained that the growth of the Faith would go through three stages • Steady flow of fresh recruits followed by • Entry by troops and • Mass Conversion

24. In 1996 the Universal House of Justice focusedall Bahá'ís the world over with a new course of action: “advance in the process of entry by troops.” Revelation & Social Reality – Learning to Translate What Is Written into Reality Pgs. 76 - 78

25. The Four Year Plan, the Twelve Month Plan, The Five Year Plans beginning in 2001 and 2006 and the subsequent Plans that will unfolduntil the year 2021 are a series of progressivesteps… in which the Bahá'í world is learning how to advance the process of entry by troops. “culture of learning” Revelation & Social Reality – Learning to Translate What Is Written into Reality Pgs. 76 - 78

26. Process in a “culture of Learning” for the: • Individual • Institutions • Community

27. Act Plan Check Do

28. The Bahá'í Culture of Learning (Process) The Word is the firstinstructor in the schoolof existence…Every word that proceedethout the mouth of God, Is endowed with suchpotency as can instill new life into everyhuman frame” Baha’u’llah Study of the Writings

29. The Bahá'í Culture of Learning (Process) "The purpose of consultation is to show that the views of several individuals are assuredly preferable to one man, even as the power of a number of men is of course greater than the power of one man… Thus consultation… hath been enjoined upon the believers, so that they may confer upon ordinary and personal matters, as well as on affairs which are general in nature and universal…In short, consultation…in all things and on all issues." Abdu’l-Baha Study of the Writings Consultation

30. The Bahá'í Culture of Learning (Process) The attainment of any object is conditioned upon knowledge, volition and action. Unless these three conditions are forthcoming there is no execution or accomplishment. Abdu'l-Baha Study of the Writings Consultation Action

31. The Bahá'í Culture of Learning (Process) Through the faculty of meditation man attains to eternal life; through it he receives the breath of the Holy Spirit -- the bestowal of the Spirit is given in reflection and meditation. (Abdu'l-Baha) Reflection Study of the Writings Action Consultation

32. The Bahá'í Culture of Learning (Process) Reflection Study of the Writings Action Consultation

34. …the Cause has so many burdens to bear at this time, we are forced to do as 'Abdu'l-Bahá said -- give up the important for the most important. (Compilations, The Compilation of Compilations vol II, p. 117)

35. Say: O people, the first duty is to recognize the one true God -- magnified be His glory -- the second is to show forth constancy in His Cause and, after these, one's duty is to purify one's riches and earthly possessions according to that which is prescribed by God. • Bahá’u’lláh, Huqúqu'lláh Compilation 2007 #2

36. What is the Huqúqu'lláh After one has paid all his necessary expenses 19% of what is left is then taken by him and given as Huqúq. ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, Huqúqu’lláh, C46

37. God Abraham Krishna Moses Zoroaster Buddha Christ Muhammad The Báb Bahá'u'lláh Tithing – 10% Giving Alms Tithing – 10% Giving Alms Giving Alms Tithing – 10% Khums – “one-fifth of wealth” Huqúqu'lláh - 19% Huqúqu'lláh - 19% after necessary expenses

38. Huqúqu’lláh Is Incumbent Upon All Huqúqu’lláh is indeed a great law. It is incumbent* upon all to make this offering, because it is the source of grace, abundance, and of all good. Bahá’u’lláh, Huqúqu’lláh, C13 The Right of God is an obligation upon everyone…(Bahá'u'lláh, Compilations, Huqúqu'lláh p. 14) *Meaning of incumbent: Obligatory

39. With humility before our sovereign Lord, we now announce that as of Ridván 1992, the beginning of the Holy Year, the Law of Huqúqu’lláh, the Right of God, will become universally applicable. All are lovingly called to observe it. • The Universal House of Justice, Ridván Message, 1991, Huqúqu'lláh Compilation 2007, #28

40. Payment of the Right of God is a spiritual obligation that is fulfilled voluntarily. Just as the laws of obligatory prayer, daily recitation of the Greatest Name, and fasting are left to the conscience of the believer…observance of the law of the Right of God is a devotional practice left to the faith and conscience of the individual.

41. To demand the Huquq is in no wise permissible…. (Compilations, Huqúqu'lláh)

42. Income $1000

43. Income $1000 “Necessary” Expenses $900

44. Income $1000 “Necessary” Expenses $900 Savings $100

45. Income $1000 “Necessary” Expenses $900 Savings $100 $19Right of God $81 Belongs to you

46. Huqúqu’lláh Is Incumbent Upon All Huqúqu’lláh is indeed a great law. It is incumbent* upon all to make this offering, because it is the source of grace, abundance, and of all good. Bahá’u’lláh, Huqúqu’lláh, C13 The Right of God is an obligation upon everyone…(Bahá'u'lláh, Compilations, Huqúqu'lláh p. 14) *Meaning of incumbent: Obligatory

47. Person calculates to see if they owe the Right of God $4000 Income with “necessary” expenses of $4000 Has this person observed the law of the Right of God?

48. Person does not calculate to see if they owe Right of God $4000 Income unknown amount of necessary expenses Has this person observed the law of the Right of God?

49. Person “A” Savings of$5,000

50. Person “B” Savings of$5,000