http://www.planetbahai.org Short essays on life, the universe, and everything from a Baha'i perspective. Thursday, 31 December 2009 16:36:8 GMT en-us http://www.planetbahai.org/cgi-bin/articles.pl?article=373 http://www.planetbahai.org/cgi-bin/articles.pl?article=373 Thursday, 31 December 2009 17:00:00 GMT The Bahá'í Faith teaches the equality of women and men, and encourages the participation of women in all aspects of life. Yet homemaking and child-rearing are also portrayed as extremely important activities. How do we balance these two ideas? http://www.planetbahai.org/cgi-bin/articles.pl?article=372 http://www.planetbahai.org/cgi-bin/articles.pl?article=372 Sunday, 27 December 2009 17:00:00 GMT Bahá'ís may find themselves in a quandary at this time of year, when so many people are celebrating holidays but they are not. On the other hand, what's wrong with spreading a bit of holiday cheer, even if it's someone else's holiday? http://www.planetbahai.org/cgi-bin/articles.pl?article=139 http://www.planetbahai.org/cgi-bin/articles.pl?article=139 Friday, 26 December 2003 17:00:00 GMT Human beings were created to know joy. Joy does not come from plans, activities, or organizations, but is a fundamentally spiritual state. Remedying the thirst for this state, says guest author John Wiegley, is the aim of religion. http://www.planetbahai.org/cgi-bin/articles.pl?article=371 http://www.planetbahai.org/cgi-bin/articles.pl?article=371 Saturday, 17 October 2009 17:00:00 GMT Not one, but two doomsdays are in the offering. One is the celebrated 2012 date, based on speculations about the Mayan calendar. The other is a prediction about the Rapture, which some say will happen in 2011. Is there any value in such predictions? Any reason to worry? And how, if at all, do such prophecies fit in with the Bahá'í Faith? http://www.planetbahai.org/cgi-bin/articles.pl?article=16 http://www.planetbahai.org/cgi-bin/articles.pl?article=16 Saturday, 14 October 2000 17:00:00 GMT One of eleven Bahá'í Holy Days, the Birth of the Báb is celebrated each year on October 20th. Little is known about the actual event, but the Báb's childhood bears remarkable resemblance to that of Jesus. http://www.planetbahai.org/cgi-bin/articles.pl?article=370 http://www.planetbahai.org/cgi-bin/articles.pl?article=370 Friday, 21 August 2009 17:00:00 GMT When people think about refinement, they often think in terms of "high class," which can be off-putting. But Baha'u'llah calls His followers to become refined, as indeed has every Manifestation of God. So what does it really mean to be refined? http://www.planetbahai.org/cgi-bin/articles.pl?article=332 http://www.planetbahai.org/cgi-bin/articles.pl?article=332 Friday, 26 October 2007 17:00:00 GMT Just as a potter makes pots with varying capacities, God has created His creatures with varying capacities. But how do we know what our capacity is, and is it fixed for all time or can it change? http://www.planetbahai.org/cgi-bin/articles.pl?article=369 http://www.planetbahai.org/cgi-bin/articles.pl?article=369 Friday, 17 July 2009 17:00:00 GMT The passing of pop icon Michael Jackson sparked some memories at our place, as a number of key moments in his music career coincided with significant events in our Bahá'í lives. Kathy remembers... http://www.planetbahai.org/cgi-bin/articles.pl?article=156 http://www.planetbahai.org/cgi-bin/articles.pl?article=156 Friday, 25 July 2003 17:00:00 GMT How do we define religion? Is it a matter of laws and beliefs, of congregations and administrative structures? Not really. According to the Bahá'í view, religion is primarily a matter of experience. It is a love relationship with the divine. http://www.planetbahai.org/cgi-bin/articles.pl?article=368 http://www.planetbahai.org/cgi-bin/articles.pl?article=368 Friday, 12 June 2009 17:00:00 GMT Bahá'ís are called to a very high moral and spiritual standard, yet we all imperfect beings living in and affected by a world beset with problems. How do we react to Bahá'ís who may do good things one day and bad things the next? There is a two-fold answer...