Halloween and the Baha’i Faith - Heart to Heart · Halloween and the Baha’i Faith Please note...

Halloween and the Baha’i Faith

Please note that this presentation is copyrighted and offered as a separate gift to all “Heart to Heart” users and teachers only. Please respect legal status of our CD. Permission to print copies is granted. All artists of graphics are listed in full on the CD.

Halloween and the Baha’i FaithCan spirits come back to haunt us?

The History Halloween

Halloween is on October 31st, the last day of the Celtic calendar. It was originally a pagan holiday, honoring the dead. Halloween was referred to as All Hallows Eve and dates back to over 2000 years ago.

All Hallows Eve is the evening before All Saints Day, which was created by Christians to convert pagans, and is celebrated on November 1st. The Catholic church honored saints on this designated day.

While there are many versions of the origins and old customs of Halloween, some remain consistent by all accounts. Different cultures view Halloween somewhat differently but traditional Halloween practices remain the same.

Halloween culture can be traced back to the Druids, a Celtic culture in Ireland, Britain and Northern Europe. Roots lay in the feast of Samhain, which was annually on October 31st to honor the dead.

Samhain signifies "summers end" or November. Samhain was a harvest festival with huge sacred bonfires, marking the end of the Celtic year and beginning of a new one. Many of the practices involved in this celebration were fed on superstition.

The Celts believed the souls of the dead roamed the streets and villages at night. Since not all spirits were thought to be friendly, gifts and treats were left out to pacify the evil and ensure next years crops would be plentiful. This custom evolved into trick-or-treating.

The Origin of Halloween

Halloween culture can be traced back to the Druids, a Celtic culture in Ireland, Britain and Northern Europe. Roots lay in the feast of Samhain, which was annually on October 31st to honor the dead.

Samhain signifies "summers end" or November. Samhain was a harvest festival with huge sacred bonfires, marking the end of the Celtic year and beginning of a new one. Many of the practices involved in this celebration were fed on superstition.

Marking the end of the Celtic Year

Are there other cultures that worship ancestors with gifts and food?

All Saints Day – Nov 1st Day to celebrate the dead Saints and Hero’s of the past

All Hallows Eve is the evening before All Saints Day, which was created by Christians to convert pagans, and is celebrated on November 1st. The Catholic church honored saints on this designated day.

Baha’i perspective oflife after death, souls and spirits

LAD, 1996-2009, HearttoHeartPublications.com, LLC

What is the purpose of life?

One must remember that the purpose of this life is to prepare the soul for the

next.

On behalf of the Universal House of Justice, February 6, 1973: Lights of Guidance, p. 359

JS, 1996-2009, HearttoHeartPublications.com, LLC

What are some of the soul's properties?

Soul

Associates with body but not “part

of” this body

Evaluates deeds after

death

Goes through endless stages

after death

Linked to body by the

mind

Prepares in this world

for the next

Travels through many

worlds

Active even in sleep

Not subject to decomposition

Repository of all knowledge and

experiences

Has power of discovery

Undergoes spiritual

development throughout

eternity

Unaffected by damaged

body

Has immortal

life

Never earthbound after death

Assumes “heavenly form” after

death

Progress is watched over

by God

Created at conception

Can function in

dreams

Will understand things unknown

in this world


What is the soul?

Consider again the sun when it is completely hidden behind the clouds. Though

the earth is still illumined with its light, yet the measure of light which it

receiveth is considerably reduced. Not until the clouds have dispersed, can the

sun shine again in the plentitude of its glory. Neither the presence of the cloud

nor its absence can, in any way, affect the inherent splendor of the sun. The soul

of man is the sun by which his body is illumined, and from which it draweth its

sustenance, and should be so regarded.

Bahá’u’lláh, Gleanings of the Writings of Bahá’u’lláh, p. 155

The soul, like the intellect, is an abstraction. Intelligence does not partake of the

quality of space, though it is related to man's brain. The intellect resides there,

but not materially.

‘Abdu’l-Bahá, Divine Philosophy, p. 127


How do I know that the soul survives after death?

The soul is not a combination of elements, it is not composed

of many atoms, it is of one indivisible substance and therefore

eternal. It is entirely out of the order of the physical creation; it

is immortal!

Scientific philosophy has demonstrated that a simple element

('simple' meaning 'not composed') is indestructible, eternal.

The soul, not being a composition of elements, is, in character,

as a simple element, and therefore cannot cease to exist.

The soul, being of that one indivisible substance, can suffer

neither disintegration nor destruction, therefore there is no

reason for its coming to an end. All things living show signs of

their existence, and it follows that these signs could not of

themselves exist if that which they express or to which they

testify had no being. A thing which does not exist, can, of

course, give no sign of its existence. The manifold signs of the

existence of the spirit are for ever before us.

‘Abdu’l-Bahá, Paris Talks, p. 90


What happens to us after we leave this world?

You ask an explanation of what happens to us after we leave this world: This is a question none

of the Prophets have ever answered in detail, for the very simple reason that you cannot convey

to a person's mind something entirely different from everything they have ever experienced…

the relation of this life to the next life being like the child in the womb; it develops eyes, ears,

hands, feet, a tongue, and yet it has nothing to see or hear, it cannot walk or grasp things or

speak; all these faculties it is developing for this world. If you tried to explain to an embryo

what this world is like it could never understand - but it understands when it is born, and its

faculties can be used. So we cannot picture our state in the next world. All we know is that our

consciousness, our personality, endures in some new state….

On behalf of Shoghi Effendi, October 3, 1943: Lights of Guidance, p. 208


What will the life after this physical life be like?

As to thy question regarding discoveries made by the soul after it hath put off

its human form: certainly, that world is a world of perceptions and

discoveries, for the interposed veil will be lifted away…. It is similar to the

condition of a human being in the womb, where his eyes are veiled, and all

things are hidden away from him…once he hath departed this life, he will

behold, in that world whatsoever was hidden from him here: but there he will

look upon and comprehend all things with his inner eye.

‘Abdu’l-Bahá, Selections from the Writings of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, p. 170


Where is the “other world" after death?

But if ye ask as to the place, know ye that the world of existence is a single world, although

its stations are various and distinct…. Tests and trials of God take place in this world, not in

the world of the Kingdom. In the other world the human reality doth not assume a physical

form, rather doth it take on a heavenly form, made up of elements of that heavenly

realm…upon the dissolution of their elemental frames, hasten away to the world of God, and

that world is within this world. The people of this world, however, are unaware of that world.

‘Abdu’l-Bahá, Selections of the Writings of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, pp. 193-195

Concerning the future life what Bahá’u’lláh says is that the soul will continue to ascend

through many worlds. What those worlds are and what their nature is we cannot know. The

same way the child in the matrix cannot know this world so we cannot know what the other

world is going to be.

On behalf of the Shoghi Effendi, October 18, 1932: Lights of Guidance, p. 204


Are heaven and hell physical places?

By "heaven" is meant the heaven of divine Revelation, which is

elevated with every Manifestation.

Bahá’u’lláh, The Book of Certitude, p. 44

They say: "Where is Paradise, and where is Hell?"

Say: "The one is reunion with Me; the other thine own self…."

Bahá’u’lláh, Tablets of Bahá’u’lláh, p.118


Where do we find paradise and hell?

The immortality of the spirit is mentioned in the Holy Books; it is the fundamental

basis of the divine religions. Now punishments and rewards are said to be of two

kinds: first, the rewards and punishments of this life; second, those of the other world.

But the paradise and hell of existence are found in all the worlds of God, whether in

this world or in the spiritual heavenly worlds. Gaining these rewards is the gaining of

eternal life.

‘Abdu’l-Bahá, Some Answered Questions, p. 223


What does being “in heaven” mean?

Blessed is the soul, which at the hour of its separation from the body, is sanctified

from the vain imaginings of the peoples of the world. Such soul liveth and

moveth in accordance with the will of its creator, and entereth the all-highest

paradise.

The Maids of Heaven, inmates of the loftiest mansions, will circle around and the

prophets of God and His Chosen Ones will seek its companionship. With them

that soul will freely converse, and will recount unto them that which it hath been

made to endure in the path of God, the Lord of all worlds.



Do angels really exist and can I become one?

Consider that the horizons of the world

were enlightened through the light of the

beauty of His Holiness Christ; yet all the

people were asleep, blind and sightless,

except a few whose eyes were opened and

perceived the lights. Now thou shalt thank

God that a beam of the light came to thy

sight. I ask God that thine inner sight may

be illumined so that thou mayest discover

the hidden mysteries of the Kingdom of

God. If thou become so, thou wilt be an

evident light and a divine angel in the

celestial dominion; then it dependeth on the

divine confirmation, according to thy

perseverance.

‘Abdu’l-Bahá, Tablets of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá v2, p. 409

Verily, We behold you from our realm of Glory, and shall aid whosoever will

arise for the triumph of Our Cause with the hosts of the Concourse on High

and a company of Our Favored Angels.



What does being “in hell” mean?

For such people there is no greater torture than being veiled from God, and no more severe

punishment than sensual vices, dark qualities, lowness of nature, engrossment in carnal

desires. When they are delivered through the light of faith from the darkness of these vices, and

become illuminated with the radiance of the sun of reality, and ennobled with all the virtues,

they esteem this the greatest reward, and they know it to be the true paradise. In the same way

they consider that the spiritual punishment -- that is to say, the torture and punishment of

existence -- is to be subjected to the world of nature; to be veiled from God; to be brutal and

ignorant; to fall into carnal lusts; to be absorbed in animal frailties; to be characterized with

dark qualities, such as falsehood, tyranny, cruelty, attachment to the affairs of the world, and

being immersed in satanic ideas. For them, these are the greatest punishments and tortures.


Can spirits haunt us?


Can I come back to this world after death?

Through the eternal bounty the worth and true ability of man becomes apparent and

visible by traversing the degrees of existence, and not returning. When the shell is once

opened, it will be apparent and evident whether it contains a pearl or worthless matter.

When once the plant has grown it will bring forth either thorns or flowers: there is not

need for it to grow up again…. Advancing and moving in the worlds in a direct order

according to the natural law is the cause of existence, and a movement contrary to the

system and law of nature is cause of nonexistence. The return of the soul after death is

contrary to the natural movement, and opposed to the divine system.

‘Abdu’l-Bahá, Some Answered Questions, pp. 324-326

JS, 1996-2009, HearttoHeartPublications.com, LLCJS, Page 23 1996-2009, HearttoHeartPublications.com, LLC

Can evil from the next world influence us?

One of the Bahá’í pilgrims from the West who asked ‘Abdu’l-Bahá about the

power exercised by evil souls who had passed to the next world, recorded His

answer as "There is no power exercised over the people by those evil souls

that have passed away. Good is stronger than evil and even when alive they

had very little power. How much less have they after they are dead…."

On behalf of Shoghi Effendi, 26 November 1939: Lights of Guidance, p. 521


Can spirits materialize?

Regarding the materialization of spirits through mediums: A person

finding himself in a state of trance, or unconsciousness, is like one

who sleeps; whatever he feels and sees he imagines to be matter and

of material things, but in reality they are wholly immaterial.

‘Abdu’l-Bahá, January 1906: Quoted by Helen Goodall in Daily lessons received at 'Akká, p.

85


Can a soul be possessed by an evil spirit?

Regarding your question relative to the condition of those

people who are described in the Gospel as being possessed

of devils; this should be interpreted figuratively; devil or

Satan is symbolic of evil and dark forces yielding to

temptation.

On behalf of Shoghi Effendi, November 2, 1938: Lights of Guidance, p. 513


What is the understanding of evil?

God has created all in His image and likeness. Shall we manifest hatred

for His creatures and servants? This would be contrary to the will of God

and according to the will of Satan, by which we mean the natural

inclinations of the lower nature. This lower nature in man is symbolized

as Satan - the evil ego within us, not an evil personality outside.

‘Abdu’l-Bahá, Promulgation of Universal Peace, p. 287


What aspects of our lives are within our control?

Some things are subject to the free will of man, such as justice, equity, tyranny and injustice, in other

words, good and evil actions; it is evident and clear that these actions are, for the most part, left to the will

of man. But there are certain things to which man is forced and compelled, such as sleep, death, sickness,

decline of power, injuries and misfortunes; these are not subject to the will of man, and he is not

responsible for them, for he is compelled to endure them. But in the choice of good and bad actions he is

free, and he commits them according to his own will.



What do the Bahá’í teachings say about astrology and séances?

The stars in the sky do not exert any spiritual influence on this world of dust; but

all the members and parts of the universe are very strongly linked together in that

limitless space, and this connection produceth a reciprocity of material effects.

Outside the bounty of the Holy Spirit, whatsoever thou hearest as to the effect of

trances, or the mediums' trumpets, conveying the singing voices of the dead, is

imagination pure and simple. As to the bounty of the Holy Spirit, however, relate

whatsoever thou wilt -- it cannot be overstated; believe, therefore, whatsoever

thou hearest of this. But the persons referred to, the trumpet-people, are entirely

shut out from this bounty and receive no portion thereof; their way is an illusion.



Can anyone else read or affect my mind through psychic powers?

You should not be afraid anyone can affect your mind.

Even when we want to catch the thoughts of those we

love most we cannot do so, how much less other people

succeed in penetrating our minds.

On behalf of Shoghi Effendi, January 18, 1951: Lights of Guidance, p. 518


What can heal the illnesses of human society?

It is my hope that the breaths of the Holy Spirit will so be breathed into your hearts that

your tongues will disclose the mysteries, and set forth and expound the inner meanings

of the Holy Books; that the friends will become physicians, and will, through the potent

medicine of the heavenly Teachings, heal the long-standing diseases that afflict the body

of this world; that they will make the blind to see, the deaf to hear, the dead to come

alive; that they will awaken those who are sound asleep.



Catching the spark of faith

Spirit of

Faith

Human

Spirit

Mind

Holy

Spirit

When the spark of faith exists

the essential Message is there,

and gradually everything else

can be added unto it.

On behalf of the Universal House of Justice,

dated May 5, 1982

The key to the conversion of people

to the Faith is the action of the

individual Bahá’í conveying the

spark of faith to individual seekers,

answering their questions and

deepening their understanding of

the teachings.

On behalf of the Universal House of Justice, dated

February 9, 1989


My holy, My divinely ordained

Revelation may be likened unto an

ocean in whose depths are concealed

innumerable pearls of great price,

of surpassing luster.

It is the duty of every seeker to bestir himself

and strive to attain the shores of this ocean,

so that he may, in proportion to the eagerness

of his search and the efforts he hath exerted,

partake of such benefits as have been

pre-ordained in God's irrevocable

and hidden Tablets.

Bahá’u’lláh, Gleanings from

the Writings of Bahá’u’lláh,

p. 325

How does Revelation enable the soul to draw nearer to God?

The soul draws ever

nearer to God

acquiring spiritual

qualities

The Prophets and

Messengers

sent by God

God

Spirit of

Faith

Holy

Spirit

“The Water

of life”


That mysterious station of the Messengers

of God

BCF, 1996-2009, HearttoHeartPublications.com, LLC

Why do we need Prophets and Messengers?

Holy Manifestations of God are the centers of the light of reality, of the

source of mysteries, and of the bounties of love. They are resplendent in the

world of hearts and thoughts, and shower eternal graces upon the world of

spirits; they give spiritual life and are shining with the light of realities and

meanings. The enlightenment of the world of thought comes from these

centers of light and sources of mysteries. Without the bounty of the splendor

and the instructions of these Holy Beings the world of souls and thoughts

would be opaque darkness…



Are all the world religions from one God?

PR, 1996-2009, HearttoHeartPublications.com, LLC

Have all the major world religions proceeded from One God?

The Prophets and Chosen Ones have all been commissioned by the One True God,

magnified be His glory, to nurture the trees of human existence….

Bahá’u’lláh, The Most Holy Book – Questions and Answers, p. 139


Who are some Who have spoken on behalf of God?

Know thou assuredly that the essence of all the Prophets of God is one and the same. Their unity is absolute. God, the Creator, saith: There is no distinction whatsoever among the Bearers of My Message….

The measure of the revelation of the Prophets of God in this world, however, must differ. Each and every one of them hath been the Bearer of a distinct Message, and hath been commissioned to reveal Himself through specific acts. It is for this reason that they appear to vary in their greatness.

…any apparent variation in the intensity of their light is not inherent in the light itself, but should rather be attributed to the varying receptivity of an ever-changing world.

Bahá’u’lláh, Gleanings from the Writings of Bahá’u’lláh, p. 78

God

One God – One Holy Spirit – One Word

3228 BC 2000/1700 BC 1300/1200 BC 1100 BC 232/273 BC 1-30 AD 570-632 AD 1819-’50 AD 1817-’92 AD


Who is Baha’u’llah?

1996-2009, HearttoHeartPublications.com, LLC

Who is Bahá’u’lláh?

•Bahá’ís believe that Bahá’u’lláh is the Messenger of God for this

day. His teachings are the basis of the Bahá’í Faith, whose primary

aim is the unity of mankind.

•Born in 1817, Bahá’u’lláh was a member of one of the great

patrician families of Persia. The family could trace its lineage to

the ruling dynasties of Persia's imperial past, and was endowed

with wealth and vast estates. Turning His back on the position at

court which these advantages offered Him, Bahá’u’lláh became

known for His generosity and kindliness which made Him deeply

loved among His countrymen.

•Engulfed in the waves of violence unleashed upon the Bábis after

the Báb's execution Bahá’u’lláh suffered not only the loss of all

His worldly endowments but was subjected to imprisonment,

torture, and a series of banishments. The first was to Baghdad

where, in 1863, He announced Himself as the One promised by

the Báb. From Baghdad, Bahá’u’lláh was sent to Constantinople, to

Adrianople, and finally to Acre, in the Holy Land, where He

arrived as a prisoner in 1868. He stayed a prisoner until his

passing.

•Bahá’u’lláh passed away in 1892 at Bahji, just north of Acre, and

is buried there.His message has spread to every country on earth.

His Shrine is today the focal point of the Bahá’í world.

• National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of the U.S., dated 2000:

• "Spiritual Institutions: The Unique Nature of Bahá’í Institutions"

The Shrine of the Bahá’u’lláh Bahji, Palestine

BB, 1996-2009, HearttoHeartPublications.com, LLC

Who are the Central Figures and what are the Institutions of the Bahá’í Faith?

The Báb and Bahá’u’lláh‘Abdu’l-Bahá

This divinely revealed World Order has two types of institutions which encircle the world like twin

arms. On the left side of the globe are the elected institutions. On the right side are the appointed

institutions, which guide and encourage elected initutions and draw us all to the guidance of God's

word…. The Universal House of Justice appoints the Continental Boards of Counselors every five years

to serve specific regions of the world. The Counselors appoint Auxiliary Board members, who encourage

teaching and help keep the Faith unified and safe from attacks…. Local Assemblies are composed of

individual believers who are like a solid foundation upon which are built the elected institutions of the

Faith. Individual believers elect Local Spiritual Assemblies which later elect Regional Councils. The

individuals in each area also come together to elect delegates, who in turn elect the National Spiritual

Assembly. National Assemblies elect the Universal House of Justice, the supreme administrative body of

the world.

National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of the U.S., dated 2000: "Spiritual Institutions: The Unique Nature of Bahá'i Institutions"

Elected Institutions Appointed Institutions

Universal House of Justice

National Spiritual Assemblies

Regional Bahá’í Councils

Local Spiritual Assemblies

International Teaching Center

Continental Boards of Counselors

Area Teaching Committees

Regional Training Institutes

Shoghi Effendi

Auxiliary Board Members


That Bahá’u’lláh is the

Manifestation of God

for this day and age

We are each responsible for

independently recognizing

God’s spiritual truths.

We cannot rely on the

traditional beliefs of our

parents, teachers or clergy.

Science and religion, and faith

and reason are not in conflict.

They are just different ways

of investigating reality.

Women and men are equal.

We are created noble.

Our free will is the key

to developing our spiritual

potential. We develop through

service to God and humanity.

World Peace is inevitable. It must

be founded on justice supported

by an International Federation

that is dedicated to promoting

unity and protecting diversity.

Everyone is needed in the

process of building a just and

peaceful world.

We are spiritual beings who are

shaped through our choices in

the tests of this life. After death,

we continue to learn and progress

as spiritual beings.

This world is just one family.

Prejudices of race and gender

are unacceptable.

God loves us all. Different

Prophets have, and will always,

come to mankind. Essential

truth is one, but our perception

of it is relative. Social laws

change according to mankind's

maturity.

You are already a Bahá’í when you believe…


What are some of the Bahá’í core activities?

Junior Youth Activities

Study Circles

Children’s Classes

Devotionals

• Study

• Meditate

• Reflect

• Character and Morality

• Spirituality and Prayers

• Worship

• Prayers and Music

P, 1996-2009, HearttoHeartPublications.com, LLC

A prayer for times of sorrow and anxiety

O God! Refresh and gladden my spirit. Purify my heart. Illumine my powers. I lay all my

affairs in Thy hand. Thou art my Guide and my Refuge. I will no longer be sorrowful and

grieved; I will be a happy and joyful being. O God! I will no longer be full of anxiety, nor

will I let trouble harass me. I will not dwell on the unpleasant things of life.

O God! Thou art more friend to me than I am to myself. I dedicate myself to Thee, O Lord.

‘Abdu’l-Bahá, Bahá’í Prayers, p. 13

Halloween and the Baha’i Faith - Heart to Heart · Halloween and the Baha’i Faith Please note...

Documents

Transcript of Halloween and the Baha’i Faith - Heart to Heart · Halloween and the Baha’i Faith Please note...