I am finding in “A Course in Miracles” (ACIM), access to a way of being with these concepts of myself.  ”A Course in Miracles” presents an idea about the ego as that which creates the illusion, or perhaps, even, a delusion, that we come to believe as ourselves and the world, to protect its own self from recognition of the Holy Spirit and God.

I find it has provided wonderful insight into some of the writings of Baha’u'llah. This morning, for example, I read a section titled, ‘Grandeur and Grandiosity”. Baha’u'llah writes the name of God, Grandeur, as one of the nineteen months on the Baha’i calendar. I am immediately intrigued.

ACIM: “Grandeur is of God, and only of Him. Therefore it is in you.”

Baha’u'llah:

“O SON OF MAN! My majesty is My gift to thee, and My grandeur the token of My mercy unto thee.” (The Arabic Hidden Words)

” How wondrous is the unity of the Living, the Ever-Abiding God — a unity which is exalted above all limitations, that transcendeth the comprehension of all created things! He hath, from everlasting, dwelt in His inaccessible habitation of holiness and glory, and will unto everlasting continue to be enthroned upon the heights of His independent sovereignty and grandeur. How lofty hath been His incorruptible Essence, how completely independent of the knowledge of all created things, and how immensely exalted will it remain above the praise of all the inhabitants of the heavens and the earth!” (Gleanings from the Writings of Baha’u'llah, p. 261)

“All created things have borne witness unto that which the Tongue of Thy grandeur hath testified ere their creation. Verily Thou art God; there is none other God but Thee!” (Epistle to the Son of the Wolf, p. 3)

“Thou didst bring mankind into being to know Thee and to serve Thy Cause, that their station might thereby be elevated upon Thine earth and their souls be uplifted by virtue of the things Thou hast revealed in Thy Scriptures, Thy Books and Thy Tablets” (Tablets of Baha’u'llah, p. 111)

“O SON OF THE THRONE! Thy hearing is My hearing, hear thou therewith. Thy sight is My sight, do thou see therewith, that in thine inmost soul thou mayest testify unto My exalted sanctity, and I within Myself may bear witness unto an exalted station for thee.” (The Arabic Hidden Words)

Prayer: “I testify unto that whereunto have testified all created things, and the Concourse on high, and the inmates of the all-highest Paradise, and beyond them the Tongue of Grandeur itself from the all-glorious Horizon, that Thou art God, that there is no God but Thee, and that He Who hath been manifested is the Hidden Mystery, the Treasured  Symbol, through Whom the letters B and E (Be) have been joined and knit together. I testify that it is He whose name hath been set down by the Pen of the Most High, and Who hath been mentioned in the Books of God, the Lord of the Throne on high and of earth below.” (The Kitab-i-Aqdas, p. 96)

ACIM: “God’s Grandeur establishes your freedom. .. The ego will make every effort to recover and mobilise its energies against your release. It will tell you that you are insane, and argue that grandeur cannot be a real part of you because of the littleness it believes. But you grandeur is of God who created it out of love for you.”

Baha’u'llah: “O SON OF MAN! I loved thy creation, hence I created thee. Wherefore, do thou love Me, that I may name thy name and fill thy soul with the spirit of life.” (Arabic Hidden Words)

ACIM: “your grandeur is your abundance. …you cannot be anywhere except in the Mind of God. When you forget this you will despair and you will attack. .. if you are willing to look upon your grandeur you cannot despair …. Littleness and grandiosity can and must alternate, since both are untrue … truth does not vacillate … when grandeur slips away from you, you will have replaced it with something else… Your grandeur will never deceive you but your illusions always will… (In) grandeur, love is returned and pride is not… its obviousness lies in the joy it brings to its witnesses, who show it to you. God wants you to behold what He created because it is His joy.”

 Baha’u'llah:

“O SON OF SPIRIT! I created thee rich, why dost thou bring thyself down to poverty? Noble I made thee, wherewith dost thou abase thyself? Out of the essence of knowledge I gave thee being, why seekest thou enlightenment from anyone beside Me? Out of the clay of love I molded thee, how dost thou busy thyself with another? Turn thy sight unto thyself, that thou mayest find Me standing within thee, mighty, powerful and self-subsisting.”       (Baha’u'llah, The Arabic Hidden Words)

ACIM: “you cannot replace yourself. God who knows your value, would not have it so, and so it is not so… To accept yourself as God created you cannot be arrogance. “

Baha’u'llah:

“O SON OF MAN! Thou art My dominion and My dominion perisheth not; wherefore fearest thou thy perishing? Thou art My light and My light shall never be extinguished; why dost thou dread extinction? Thou art My glory and My glory fadeth not; thou art My robe and My robe shall never be outworn. Abide then in thy love for Me, that thou mayest find Me in the realm of glory.” (The Arabic Hidden Words)

“We have chosen you out of the world to know and recognize Our Self. We have caused you to draw nigh unto the right side of Paradise — the Spot out of which the undying Fire crieth in manifold accents: “There is none other God besides Me, the All-Powerful, the Most High!” … depend not on the sight of any one except your self, for God hath never burdened any soul beyond its power. Thus hath it been sent down unto the Prophets and Messengers of old, and been recorded in all the Scriptures.

Strive, O people, to gain admittance into this vast Immensity for which God ordained neither beginning nor end, in which His voice hath been raised, and over which have been wafted the sweet savors of holiness and glory. Divest not yourselves of the Robe of grandeur, neither suffer your hearts to be deprived of remembering your Lord, nor your ears of hearkening unto the sweet melodies of His wondrous, His sublime, His all-compelling, His clear, and most eloquent voice.” (Gleanings from the Writings of Baha’u'llah, p. 106)

ACIM: “To accept your littleness is arrogant, because it means that you believe you evaluation of yourself it truer than God’s… your evaluation of yourself must be God’s… you did not establish your value and it needs no defense. Nothing can attack it or prevail over it. It does not vary. It merely is. Ask the Holy Spirit what it is and He will tell you, but do not be afraid of His answer because it comes from God… He would have you replace the ego’s belief in littleness with His Own exalted Answer to what you are, so that you can cease to question it and know it for what it is.”

 Baha’u'llah:

“Tear asunder, in My Name, the veils that have grievously blinded your vision, and, through the power born of your belief in the unity of God, scatter the idols of vain imitation. Enter, then, the holy paradise of the good-pleasure of the All-Merciful. Sanctify your souls from whatsoever is not of God, and taste ye the sweetness of rest within the pale of His vast and mighty Revelation, and beneath the shadow of His supreme and infallible authority. Suffer not yourselves to be wrapt in the dense veils of your selfish desires, inasmuch as I have perfected in every one of you My creation, so that the excellence of My handiwork may be fully revealed unto men. It follows, therefore, that every man hath been, and will continue to be, able of himself to appreciate the Beauty of God, the Glorified. Had he not been endowed with such a capacity, how could he be called to account for his failure? …For the faith of no man can be conditioned by any one except himself.

This is one of the verities that lie enshrined in My Revelation — a verity which I have revealed in all the heavenly Books, which I have caused the Tongue of Grandeur to utter, and the Pen of Power to inscribe. Ponder a while thereon, that with both your inner and outer eye, ye may perceive the subtleties of Divine wisdom and discover the gems of heavenly knowledge which, in clear and weighty language, I have revealed in this exalted and incorruptible Tablet, and that ye may not stray far from the All-Highest Throne, from the Tree beyond which there is no passing, from the Habitation of everlasting might and glory. ”            (Gleanings from the Writings of Baha’u'llah, p. 143)

“Emerge from behind the veil, by the leave of thy Lord, the All-Glorious, the Most Powerful, and seize, before the eyes of those who are in the heavens and those who are on the earth, the Chalice of Immortality, in the name of thy Lord, the Inaccessible, the Most High, and quaff thy fill, and be not of them that tarry. I swear by God! The moment thou touchest the Cup with thy lips, the Concourse on high will acclaim thee saying, “Drink with healthy relish, O man that hast truly believed in God!” and the inhabitants of the Cities of Immortality will cry  out, “Joy be to thee, O thou that hast drained the Cup of His love!” and the Tongue of Grandeur will hail thee, “Great is the blessedness that awaiteth thee, O My servant, for thou hast attained unto that which none hath attained, except such as have detached themselves from all that is in the heavens and all that is on the earth, and who are the emblems of true detachment.” (Gleanings from the Writings of Baha’u'llah, p. 148)

“Sanctified be the Lord of all mankind, at the mention of Whose name all the atoms of the earth have been made to vibrate, and the Tongue of Grandeur hath been moved to disclose that which had been wrapt in His knowledge and lay concealed within the treasury of His might. He, verily, through the potency of His name, the Mighty, the All-Powerful, the Most High, is the ruler of all that is in the heavens and all that is on earth.” (Tablets of Baha’u'llah, p. 4)

“They came to the shore of the Sea of Grandeur. The knower straightway flung himself into the waves, but the grammarian stood lost in his reasonings, which were as words that are written on water. The knower called out to him, “Why dost thou not follow?” The grammarian answered, “O Brother, I dare not advance. I must needs go back again.” Then the knower cried, “Forget what thou didst read in the books (of grammar and rhetoric) and cross the water.” ‘The death of self is needed here, not rhetoric: Be nothing, then, and walk upon the waves’ “[The Mathnavi.] (The Four Valleys, p. 51)

“From the exalted source, and out of the essence of His favor and bounty He hath entrusted every created thing with a sign of His knowledge, so that none of His creatures may be deprived of its share in expressing, each according to its capacity and rank, this knowledge. This sign is the mirror of His beauty in the world of creation. The greater the effort exerted for the refinement of this sublime and noble mirror, the more faithfully will it be made to reflect the glory of the names and attributes of God, and reveal the wonders of His signs and knowledge. Every created thing will be enabled (so great is this reflecting power) to reveal the potentialities of its pre-ordained station, will recognize its capacity and limitations, and will testify to the truth that “He, verily, is God; there is none other God besides Him.”…  (Gleanings from the Writings of Baha’u'llah, p. 261)

“Quaff then, O My brother, from the living waters that We have caused to flow in the oceans of these words. Methinks the seas of grandeur are surging within them, and the gems of divine virtue are shining within and upon them. Divest then thyself of that which debarreth thee from this fathomless crimson sea, and to the cry of “In the name of God and by His grace!” immerse thyself therein. Let the fear of no one dismay thee. Trust in the Lord, thy God, for He is sufficient unto whosoever trusteth in Him. He, verily, shall protect thee, and in Him shalt thou abide in safety.”  (Baha’u'llah, Gems of Divine Mysteries, p. 60)

“O SON OF WORLDLINESS! Pleasant is the realm of being, wert thou to attain thereto; glorious is the domain of eternity, shouldst thou pass beyond the world of mortality; sweet is the holy ecstasy if thou drinkest of the mystic chalice from the hands of the celestial Youth. Shouldst thou attain this station, thou wouldst be freed from destruction and death, from toil and sin.” (The Persian Hidden Words)

Baha’u'llah goes on in His teachings to clarify that there is an enormous transformation that will occur in all of the global society as we open to God’s grandeur, and dissipate our ego. Firstly He establishes the truth of the past, the perfection of God’s revelation, in His own Being. “The Tongue of Grandeur saith: By Myself that speaketh the truth! In this most mighty Revelation all the Dispensations of the past have attained their highest and final consummation.” (Gleanings from the Writings of Baha’u'llah, p. 244)

He then reassures all humanity that an extraordinary transformation has been created. “O YE DWELLERS IN THE HIGHEST PARADISE! Proclaim unto the children of assurance that within the realms of holiness, nigh unto the celestial paradise, a new garden hath appeared, round which circle the denizens of the realm on high and the immortal dwellers of the exalted paradise. Strive, then, that ye may attain that station, that ye may unravel the mysteries of love from its wind-flowers and learn the secret of divine and consummate wisdom from its eternal fruits. Solaced are the eyes of them that enter and abide therein!” (The Persian Hidden Words)

And finally He relates a detailed vision of the human society. “The Tongue of Grandeur hath, however, in the day of His manifestation proclaimed: “It is not his to boast who loveth his country, but it is his who loveth the world.” Through the power released by these exalted words He hath lent a fresh impulse, and set a new direction, to the birds of men’s hearts, and hath obliterated every trace of restriction and limitation from God’s holy Book.” (Gleanings from the Writings of Baha’u'llah, p. 95)

There is a great deal of detail in Baha’u'llah’s social vision for humanity that I will not continue here.

Done with my obligation, after commencing a few chores, I sat to breakfast with a new book from the world of psychology, “Mistakes were Made (but not by me)” by Carol Tavris and Elliot Aronson, both eminent researchers of dissonance theory. As I came to the end of a section about our psychological blindspots, they write, “Introspection alone will not help our vision, because it willl simply confirm our self-justifying beliefs that we, personally, cannot be corrupted, coopted, and that our dislike or hatreds of other groups are not irrational. Blind spots enhance our pride and activate our prejudices.” And as I thought the question, “So what, then?” Sana’i's poem fell clearly into that space, “Wouldst thou that the mind not entrap thee?” Yes, that is the question. “Teach it the science of the love of God”. On this, Baha’u'llah went on, “Wherefore, a man should make ready his heart that it may be worthy of the descent of heavenly grace, and that the bounteous Cup-Bearer may give him to drink of the wine of bestowal from the merciful vessel.”

How would a person cleanse their heart? This question of logical inquiry leads me back to the beginning of another treatiss of Baha’u'llah on the spiritual journey, The Seven Valleys. Here he exhorts, “It is incumbent on the servants that they cleanse the heart – which is the wellspring of divine treaures – from every marking, that they turn away from imitation, which is following the traces of their forefathers and sire, and shut the door of friendliness and enmity upon all the people of the earth.” What, be neither friendly nor hateful? This teaching is to signify that if we let our friendships or our hatreds direct our choices, we will not open that heart to the bounties of God’s knowledge which is love, justice, and unity. In this state, we are not tricked by our tendency to self-justify who are our friends, who are our enemies and what we do because of that, but love them all, more.

This synchrony across 1,000 years makes it clear the effort we humans have been putting into raising ourselves to greater heights of ethical power across all cultures. How absolutely amazing are we.

In the modern era, laws of God are seen by many as punishments for doing bad things to others. They are, therefore, seen as either the foundations of the modern justice systems or a hindrance to justice. Indeed, the historical evidence bears out that the laws of God of all societies across the world have been instrumental in the construction of the justice systems of all societies.

Nonetheless, in just about every era, it does seem that the justice system, based as it is around imprisonment or corporal punishment, is quite ineffectual at preventing many people doing bad things to others on a regular basis. I would certainly give credence to the argument that the Law of God guides the socially competent rather than prevents the act of the social misfit. And in this the Law of God might best be described as a protection for people who are adaptable to a certain program of community, against those who are not adaptable. Thus, translated into the modern era, the Law of God as bought from Judaism or Islam (with a bit of fantastic tweaking by Christ), finds itself at a loss because it seems that a growing rate of the population are no longer adaptable to those Laws rite large in modern society.

However, if we consider this concept of the Law of God as community development (with the emphasis on the unity), and look at a couple of examples, we get an inkling of what the Law of God may more be about, than just a set of codes.

Firstly, in the days of Christ, Judaism was under a philosophical dilemma. Should we pay taxes to the idolator, Caesar, or not. Jesus famous dictum is, “Render unto Caesar, what belongs to Caesar.” Apart from the notion that Jesus was showing people the difference between worldly and heavenly things, he was also leaving for His followers, a door open into the Roman Empire. That door lead to the great expansion of Christianity and the eventual establishment of Christianity as the religion of European continent and UK. The Law of God, in the case of Christ, took to the largely unfettered pathway of the Roman Empire to ensure the delivery of the message of the distinction between worldliness and heavenliness spoken in that one comment that allowed them to take that pathway. Such is the exquisiteness of the revelation of God. This outcome is one of the firmest proofs of Christ’s own station.

Secondly, let us look at Muhammed’s quite different situation and response. Prior to Muhammed’s revelation, Christian teachers were completely denied access to the Arabian population, mainly by the death penalty. In Arabia, the Law of God, as extolled by Christ for the Roman and later European society, was completely denied in the Arabian Peninsular. Muhammed’s revelation, then, was, while initially modest, became more militant as the Arabs continued to deny access to the Law of God. Eventually that denial lead to a revelation of war. While this has been often interpreted as warmongering, it might clearer be understood as surgical approach to a cancer-filled society that was thrashing about on its death bed. Muhammed’s revelation removed the barrier to the healing of that society, and the rest is the history of an enormously successful and flourishing Islamic society taking in North Africa to India and beyond.

Today, Baha’u'llah has received a new revelation, the revelation to create a global community. While not completely unfettered, Baha’u'llah’s revelation stands on the tenet that “This is the Day not followed by Night”, with the assurance that, “He Who is come from the heaven of eternity through the power of the Most Great Name, (is) invested with so invincible an authority that all the powers of the earth are unable to withstand Him.”  even though that authority has dictated that “In this sacred Dispensation, conflict and contention are in no wise permitted.” Baha’u'llah’s vision of a Most Great Peace, might, then, be understood, as the teachings and the Laws of God that will clear or minimise all the barriers to a community of the Earth itself, a great healing, followed by a great flourishing of an extraordinary new type of society, a new type of human being. Baha’u'llah, Himself, cautioned at the introduction to The Most Holy Book, “Think not that We have revealed unto you a mere code of laws. Nay, rather, We have unsealed the choice Wine with the fingers of might and power.” It might be that some, investigating the teachings and Laws of Baha’u'llah, might find objection. I would recommend, consider those objections in the light of this argument and against your own philosophy, which might achieve the community of the planet: His or your own. Then ask, am I adaptable to the community of the planet as indicated by Baha’u'llah’s revelation? And to be fair to yourself perhaps consider whether: mostly, fairly, a little, hardly or not at all? I suspect, only if you rank yourself hardly or not at all, will you find yourself at the hard end of the Law of God, and, even then, mostly as consequence of your own actions. Such is the “Choice Wine”.

The philosophers, politicians, and economists of the 20th century have been shown to have, almost invariably, created erroneous policy for the solution to the great challenge. The lessons of the 20th Century were hard won. Yet, let us consider whether we might not have taken a more peaceful approach. And if we might once have taken a more peaceful approach, might we not yet take that approach and expedite a collaborative solution for humanity. Effort is required. Abdu’l Baha, in his 19th century treatise, ‘The Secret of the Divine Civilization’, refers many times to the effort required to produce societal results.

“..through the restoring waters of pure intention and unselfish effort, the earth of human potentialities will blossom with its own latent excellence and flower into praiseworthy qualities, and bear and flourish..”;

“What (is) urgently requires, however, is deep reflection, resolute action, training, inspiration and encouragement. (The) people must make a massive effort, and their pride must be aroused.”;

“..everything hinges on the efforts of the elected representatives. If their intention is sincere, desirable results and unforeseen improvements will be forthcoming; if not, it is certain that the whole thing will be meaningless, the country will come to a standstill and public affairs will continuously deteriorate…. that the happiness and greatness, the rank and station, the pleasure and peace, of an individual have never consisted in his personal wealth, but rather in his excellent character, his high resolve, the breadth of his learning, and his ability to solve difficult problems.”;

“would instead bend their efforts to the production of whatever will foster human existence and peace and well-being, and would become the cause of universal development and prosperity. Then every nation on earth will reign in honor, and every people will be cradled in tranquillity and content. A few, unaware of the power latent in human endeavor, consider this matter as highly impracticable, nay even beyond the scope of man’s utmost efforts. Such is not the case, however, on the contrary, thanks to the unfailing grace of God, the loving-kindness of His favored ones, the unrivaled endeavors of wise and capable souls, and the thoughts and ideas of the peerless leaders of this age, nothing whatsoever can be regarded as unattainable. Endeavor, ceaseless endeavor, is required. Nothing short of an indomitable determination can possibly achieve it.”

“Effort towards what?”, we might ask. And we might, again, look at those teachings of Baha’u'llah that were ignored by the great powers in the 19th century, and the various philosophers, economists and politicians in the 20th century. Might not the teachings of the one source who has, over the course of the last 150 years, had a 100% success rate, where applied, be deserved a closer look at the whole of His message. Let us take one ‘for instance’. Baha’u'llah’s teachings explicitly demands the equality of men and women. However, in the 19th century, He didn’t make a simple demand for men to bring women to equality, he went a much further step of empowerment by directing fathers to provide, if the circumstance arise, special bias in favour of the education of girls above boys. More recently, international reports on the economic development of nations find that the education of women is the most distinctive indicator of the welfare of a nation.

Baha’u'llah taught 12 broad social issues: There is One God, Religion is one; Humanity is one;  the unfettered independent search after truth; the elimination of prejudice; the equality of men and women; the universal education of children; the necessity and compatibility of science and religion; economic justice; universal peace; an international auxiliary language; and the power of the holy spirit. Of each of these he provided much encouragement for effort to exemplify and share the idea of these issues within a spiritual context ie effort towards purity of heart, love, generosity. He prohibited involvement of partisan politics as counter to the unity and spiritual education of humanity. He expounded a covenant with God and humanity. With this covenant He outlined an organisational framework to provide both universal participation in community life and leadership of the community at local, national and international levels.

Baha’is have built the organisational framework that Baha’u'llah provided, literally with blood, sweat and tears, but also with great love for humanity and a great willingness to learn. The Baha’i community have provided such effort as to be able to effect practice, often many decades before the world is politically assured. Being politically assured, the governments of the world are still unable to enact the degree of development that is being enacted in the Baha’i Faith. Mostly because the lessons of the 20th century are still being hard won. Effort is required to solve the great challenge of the future of humanity in the world. That effort is far better spent in the collaboration of Baha’u'llah’s teachings, than in any other. That is the effort to become a great lover of humanity, of human beings, to raise a generation of children and youth with a great love of humanity and service, to take an open and pure heart into all aspects of life.

Our connectiveness on the internet will have life when it has spiritual life – the effort to serve humanity through the teachings of Baha’u'llah.

Some religious commentators have also claimed that God’s hands are tied up by force of His creation of a religion. As each religion professes this, either only one is right or they are all wrong. Of this idea that God’s hands may be tied, Baha’u'llah provides a telling rebuke, “How can the hand of Him Who is the King in truth, ..how can the hand of such a One be chained and fettered? How can He be conceived as powerless to raise up yet another Messenger …? Behold the absurdity of their saying; how far it hath strayed from the path of knowledge and understanding! Observe how in this day also, all these people have occupied themselves with such foolish absurdities. .. Thou art surely aware of their idle contention, that all Revelation is ended, that the portals of Divine mercy are closed, that from the day-springs of eternal holiness no sun shall rise again, that the Ocean of everlasting bounty is forever stilled, and that out of the Tabernacle of ancient glory the Messengers of God have ceased to be made manifest. … These people have imagined that the flow of God’s all-encompassing grace and plenteous mercies, the cessation of which no mind can contemplate, has been halted. From every side they have risen and girded up the loins of tyranny, and exerted the utmost endeavour to quench with the bitter waters of their vain fancy the flame of God’s burning Bush, oblivious that the globe of power shall within its own mighty stronghold  protect the Lamp of God. The utter destitution into which this people have fallen doth surely suffice them, inasmuch as they have been deprived of the recognition of the essential Purpose and the knowledge of the Mystery and Substance of the Cause of God. For the highest and most excelling grace bestowed upon men is the grace of “attaining unto the Presence of God” and of His recognition, which has been promised unto all people. This is the utmost degree of grace vouchsafed unto man by the All-Bountiful, the Ancient of Days, and the fulness of His absolute bounty upon His creatures. ..And yet they have rejected it, and, after their own desire, misconstrued its meaning. Even as He hath revealed: … “Let him then who hopeth to attain the presence of his Lord work a righteous work.”

So God does not withdraw His hand from humanity. Nor trick humanity. Humans might trick themselves by believing in what is not real. Unaware that the Manifestation of God will not be nor act as they do.  Baha’u'llah explains, “Know ye that by “the world” is meant your unawareness of Him Who is your Maker, and your absorption in aught else but Him. The “life to come,” on the other hand, signifieth the things that give you a safe approach to God, the All-Glorious, the Incomparable. Whatsoever deterreth you, in this Day, from loving God is nothing but the world. Flee it, that ye may be numbered with the blest. Should a man wish to adorn himself with the ornaments of the earth, to wear its apparels, or partake of the benefits it can bestow, no harm can befall him, if he alloweth nothing whatever to intervene between him and God, for God hath ordained every good thing, whether created in the heavens or in the earth, for such of His servants as truly believe in Him. Eat ye, O people, of the good things which God hath allowed you, and deprive not yourselves from His wondrous bounties. Render thanks and praise unto Him, and be of them that are truly thankful.”

So the Law of God establishes the parameters of ‘partaking of benefits’ in order that there is a ‘safe approach to God” Therefore we might consider that the Law of God does change, depending on the barriers in the social life of humanity to the effectualness of the Word of God on humanity.In this, Baha’u'llah has completed abrogated from the Book of Laws, any force, violence, or war. “Conflict and contention are categorically forbidden in His Book. This is a decree of God in this Most Great Revelation.” This global civilisation, drawing towards a “Most Great Peace” requires extraordinary spiritual development, great effort to be loving, sharing, serving. With this effort all barriers and all separations are finally unrealised. Nonetheless, all humans will find the Law of God, testing, as we prefer some elements of the world above the Law of God. In that we all share a pathway to greater love and unity.

However religions became, they became in order to bring humanity to this day of unity. However they are, now, is a reflection of the new effort required by humanity to find the ‘safe approach to God’.

Photosynthesis is the process where plants use light energy to make their food. It is important for the planet in many ways. For example, through this process oxygen gas is produced. Could this fundamental process also have other environmental benefits?

Researchers have modified photosynthesis to produce hydrogen gas. In regular photosynthesis, light energy is used to energise electrons. The electrons are then passed along transport chains to an enzyme which combines a hydrogen ion and chemical to produce a compound used to make plant food.

The scientists replaced that enzyme with hydrogenase. Instead of using the electrons to make plant food, hydrogenase combines electrons with hydrogen ions to produce hydrogen gas.

Why is hydrogen gas useful? It could be used as an alternative fuel source. Fossil fuels such as petrol and coal produce the greenhouse gas carbon dioxide when they combust, as well as other pollutants such as particulates. When hydrogen combusts with oxygen they produce water vapour. This mix doesn’t produce the other pollutants of fossil fuels, so it is a cleaner form of energy.

Here’s an excerpt:

A New York City subway train holds 1,200 people. This blog was viewed about 4,400 times in 2011. If it were a NYC subway train, it would take about 4 trips to carry that many people.

In 2011, there were 80 new posts, growing the total archive of this blog to 453 posts. The busiest day of the year was July 2nd with 71 views. The most popular post that day was The Child Must Suffer. Interestingly this was a 2009 post about the optimization of child development. I wonder what provoked the interest on that day? Nonetheless it shows that posts can be relevant to readers long after they have been posted.

click here to see the complete report.

Owen overlooking Lake Marshall

We heard our name called out

from the boarding desk.

Standing around, talking,

we nearly missed our flight out of Cairns.

In Brisbane we caught our flight

in a timely fashion,

not a moment to spare.

15 hours and 5 movies later,

we queued in a customs snake.

Behind us by a few,

a girl with a puppy dog tic

brought the officers to alert,

running to inspect

for illegal importation of a dog.

Her sister had to explain loudly.

We hoped she wasn’t too embarrassed.

Finally, joyfully, we saw

 Nathan and Danielle

had risen early, early, on a

cold, rainy day LA,

bringing to my mind the song

“It never rains in Southern California”

forgetting that the following line of the song is

“but it pours..”

That night we slept deeply

in exhaustion

waking with Danielle’s loud telephone voice.

M’God, it’s 10:30

No plans.

Danielle went to a class at St Benardino University

We went with her.

To a fabulous little art museum

showing exciting colourful, evocative works,

a Buddha plasticine sculpture activity,

then prowled the campus.

As evening fell

Soroor and Danielle organised

a visit to Nathan’s work

to meet a cheerful team of

Evelyn, Gustavo,  Kristine, Patty, Ron.

Dinner at the Olive Garden.

Tues Day 3 Soroor ran to catch a bus

while I hobbled on knees

that seemed to have died on the flight over.

We took the bus to the other end of Riverside

to Galleria on Tyler.

Soroor noticed “You’re a minority on this bus”,

in a smug, I’m feeling quite comfortable, voice.

And Tigga went “Sigh, I hadn’t noticed”

At Galleria we over-ate for one.

Our bus trip back was planned meticulously.

Spending time looking around the Mission Inn,

then coffee,

and missed the bus.

Soroor borrowed a phone.

We caught the next one.

Dressed up and experienced

a nocturnal freeway drive

to the Baha’i Feast in Corona

Wednes Day four Nathan takes work for the Thanksgiving weekend

Took a drive

California State orange orchard / Lake Marshall / Chipalettos

Dropping in on Nathan’s boss, Linda

Soroor is relaxed and secure,

everyone loves her baby.

Another freeway ride

to Murrietta

Jazzae played Basketball

we cheered.

She shot, she scored.

we cheered.

We went on to

Tash and Afshin’s

for Thanksgiving.

Thurs Day five I got up a dawn

as the Arneson family rose

to prepare Thanksgiving repast.

The turkey took a basting.

I stepped in as Tash’ stunt arm.

Drank coffee, distracted the children

looking for Thanksgiving songs with the IPad,

peered at Tash’ nicnacks

more guests arrived,

we ate and talked,

sang a Slim Dusty song,

and late, drove the freeway back to east riverside.

Fri Day six slowly offered the possibility of

a trip to a wholesaler.

I took a hike on the hill nearby,

surprised at the sponginess of the grass and soil,

and the steepness and openness of the slope,

reminding me I am scared of falling from heights.

I hiked down.

We got back on the freeway

to Corona to study

a Baha’i course, RuhiBk8, with a local group

Satur Day seven saw a tour

of the UCR botanical Garden

that has cacti, rocks, and a view of the suburb.

Soroor and Danielle cooked dinner

for her family and later enjoyed

the Riverside Christmas Lights display.

Sun Day eight a longer excursion to

Newport beach and a Kebab & Persian shop.

Staying awake to attend a commemoration,

the Ascension Abdu’l-Baha’

in San Marino.

Mon Day nine we caught the bus

on time to Las Vegas.

Booking in to the 26th floor of the Luxor,

a pyramid of rooms,

with quarter wall corridors,

looking down into the foyer,

reminding me

that I am very scared of falling from heights.

Soroor leans over the balcony to get a good view.

Prowling the lights,

hungrily we stopped at a grill

where the food was quite boring and the sport TV very loud.

Walking on we came across

our first delight

the Bellagio fountains.

Diving in and out every hotel we came,

we learnt that dodging show spruikers

was part of the Las Vegas game.

Tues Day ten began with brunch in Denney’s

 - yippee -

And then we walked the strip

for hours,

deciding that Caesar’s Palace is número uno

and back to the hotel next to our hotel

 the Mandalay to see

“The Lion King”

- so grand, so fantastically enjoyable -

Sweet Crepes became a late dinner.

Wednes day eleven straight to Denney’s for breakfast

Walked more of the strip

Costumed buskers – Kandy Floss, Transformers, Elvis, Mickey, Garfield, Willy Wonker,

Club spruikers, Moving billboards selling girls

Treasur Island, Wynns, Palazzo, Venetian

it goes on.

We hit a large buffet for lundinner

Then to the

Phantom of the Opera

at the Venetian.

As if to set the mood, the evening turned very cold and windy.

It was mindboggling.

The chandeliers flew around the ceiling,

and fell.

Reminding Soroor in a scream

that she is scared of things falling on her.

Thurs Day twelve we slpt in to check out

Breakfast at MacDonald’s inside the Luxor.

Bus back to cold, cold,

Fremont st, the original casino area of LA

Bus back to Riverside

The traffic inbound to Las Vegas,

a sight to behold.

At Barstow in the desert,

we got out of the bus for a break.

We missed the Bus.

It left without us.

Taking our bags, iPad, and camera.

“There are no more greyhounds ’till tomorrow”, says the greyhound ticketer,

who sent a message to riverside bus depot

that Danielle would meet it and get our bags.

We caught an American Lion to Colton

Danielle and Nathan did the circuit

picking bags, then us up

and fed us Curry.

Fri Day thirteen we went shopping

Sorted photos,

Watched wedding video of Kelsey and Nathan

Went back to study Ruhi Bk 8

At Burritos at Albertos

-a must for all food adventurers-

Satur Day fourteen got up slowly

Bags all packed

Took the freeway to Hollywood

walked head down,

dodging spruikers in costumes,

checking out the stars on the footpath

and the handprints

at Sid’s Chinese Theatre.

Lunched on the roof

Soroor searched for souvenirs

Sun already going down

Found our way to the Getty Museum

amazingly sitting on a rock overlooking LA

Millions of dollars of art

reminding me I am scared of falling from heights.

Soroor fell down

on a marbled floor.

Plenty of time to catch our flight for a midnight departure,

Burritos near Venice beach

then to the airport by 9:45

“Wait by the phone,” we joke with Danielle and Nathan “in case we miss the plane”.

“Check in is quiet”, noticed Soroor to the lone check in guy.

“Because the flight is about to close”, he chastises.

“What!” we exclaimed, “for a midnight flight?”

“It leaves at 10:45, maam”, he replies boredly.

We keep it straight.

Later, we giggle a lot.

Couldn’t wait to tell Danielle.

Three movies and a some deep sleep to Brisbane,

we had breakfast with Kels, Sep, Reubs.

The prices are outrageous.

]]> http://owen59.wordpress.com/2011/12/26/riverside-2011-a-poem/feed/ 0 owen59 Over Lake Marshall http://owen59.wordpress.com/2011/12/24/2011-year-in-australian-science/ http://owen59.wordpress.com/2011/12/24/2011-year-in-australian-science/#comments Sat, 24 Dec 2011 07:14:57 +0000 owen59 http://owen59.wordpress.com/?p=1373 ]]> From the ABC Science Program

DISASTERS
La Nina caused flooding across large parts of Australia.
Cyclone Yasi, one of the largest tropical storms to cross the Australian coast.
Devastating Christchurch earthquake, which has geologists re-evaluating what lays beneath New Zealand’s surface.
Japan earthquake resulting in a tsunami and subsequent meltdown at the Fukushima power plant.
31 October 2011 was the day the Earth’s human population passed the 7 billion mark.

Shining bright

The discovery of two interstellar clouds of gas thought to contain elements from the universe’s birth.
Squeezing light past the quantum limit.
Neutrinos appearing to travel faster than the speed of light.
Mmonster black holes and the discovery of a star that shouldn’t exist rounded out the top five.
Closing in on the Higgs boson, creating light out of nothing and teleporting Schrödinger’s cat.
Finding Earth-like planets three times; peering deep inside red giants, confirming how some supernova form and discovering a planet made of diamond.
Astronomer Professor Brian Schmidt was awarded the Nobel Prize for Physics.
China launched its proto-type space station called Heavenly Palace into orbit.
NASA eased its Messenger spacecraft into orbit around Mercury and launched the SUV-sized rover Curiosity to Mars.

Animal smarts

Asian elephants are as clever as chimpanzees when it comes to teamwork.
Pigeons can count, wasps and crows never forget a face, and dogs can sniff out cancer.
Emperor penguins use Mexican waves to stay warm, shrimp use rap to entice a mate, and that Tasmanian tigers weren’t capable of killing sheep.

Climate Change
Australian government passed a carbon reduction scheme.
Arctic sea ice reached a new low.
Australian scientists announced a successful carbon capture trial.

What’s good and bad for you

Drinking cocoa is good for memory, eating fish is good for the heart; comfort eating staves off depression and green tea may shave a few points off ‘bad’ cholesterol.
Too little salt is bad for you, sex may kill you, exercise could damage your heart.
Laughter really is the best medicine.

Drowning in friends and data

The more Facebook friends you have, the bigger your amygdala; and the site is a reliable method of measuring an individual’s ‘personality score’.
US researchers estimate we already have close to 600 exabytes stored on discs, chips and hard drives. And in May, German researchers announced they had transmitted data at a rate of 26 terabits per second – 260,000 times faster than the NBN.
Comic Sans font improves learning and some phone numbers elicit an emotional response.

Palaeontology
Found – one set of enormous eyes that roamed the oceans, Lucy the hominid was not a swinger and that Archaeopteryx is once again top of the evolutionary bird tree.