The emergence of a cohesive interracial fellowship in Jim Crow-era South Carolina was unlikely and dangerous. However, members of the Baha'i Faith in the Palmetto State rejected segregation, broke away from religious orthodoxy, and defied the odds, eventually becoming the state's largest religious minority. The religion, which emphasizes the spiritual unity of all humankind, arrived in the United States from the Middle East at the end of the nineteenth century via urban areas in the Northeast and Midwest. Expatriate South Carolinians converted and when they returned home, they brought their newfound religion with them. Despite frequently being the targets of intimidation, and even violence, by neighbors, the Ku Klux Klan, law enforcement agencies, government officials, and conservative clergymen, the Baha'is remained resolute in their faith and their commitment to an interracial spiritual democracy. In the latter half of the twentieth century, their numbers continued to grow, from several hundred to over twenty thousand. In No Jim Crow Church, Louis Venters traces the history of South Carolina's Baha'i community from its early origins through the civil rights era and presents an organizational, social, and intellectual history of the movement. He relates developments within the community to changes in society at large, with particular attention to race relations and the civil rights struggle. Venters argues that the Baha'is in South Carolina represented a significant, sustained, spiritually-based challenge to the ideology and structures of white male Protestant supremacy, while exploring how the emergence of the Baha'i Faith in the Deep South played a role in the cultural and structural evolution of the religion.

Baha'i Faith is a global religion of spiritual and social transformation. Baha'i Faith seeks to assist in the process of unification of all persons by breaking down barriers of race, nation, class and creed. This book gives an overview of the Bahai Faith system that can be understood on a conversational level. This book includes a section for notes and keeping a journal and is presented by The Universal Life Church Monastery of Massachusetts (ULCMM).

Iran again finds itself in the forefront of world events. After Islam, the largest religious minority in Iran is the Baha'i Faith-a religion born there in the mid-Nineteenth Century. According to many scholars of Iranian society and history, the Baha'is, in a century and a half, have proven to be a significant social and moral force capable of modernizing and democratizing that country-the cradle of one of the most remarkable civilizations in history. The followers of this religion which, according to the Encyclopedia Britannica, is the second most widespread in the world after Christianity, number more than six million globally...

In Quotations for Manifesting Your Potential in the Baha'i Faith, author Nathan Thomas has compiled a collection of passages from the Baha'i Holy Writings and other sources to help introduce this new religion to the world as a message of spiritual development for all people. The book is a companion to Manifest Your Potential in the Baha'i Faith, How the Beliefs, Practices, and Vision of the Baha'i Faith Can Change Your Life, written by the same author. Through the use of quotations from the Central Figures of the Baha'i Faith, which include the Bab, Baha'u'llah, and 'Abdu'l-Baha, along with quotations from the Guardian and the Universal House of Justice and its agencies, Quotations for Manifesting Your Potential in the Baha'i Faith how the beliefs of this new world religion inspire a new understanding for reality, how the practices of this faith empower us to become more effective individuals in our spiritual and material lives, and how the vision of Baha'u'llah brings people together to transform the world around us into a heavenly kingdom for all mankind. In the process, the book provides a guide to how to approach the Baha'i Faith as a toolkit for realizing the greatness in all people.

This volume was compiled as a sequence of correlated passages that would be conducive to spiritual growth. The majority of the material presented in this compilation is comprised of passages from the Writings of Baha'u'llah, with one text from the Bab, some from 'Abdu'l-Baha, one passage from a letter written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi, and one ap- pendix from a letter written on behalf of the Universal House of Justice.

In Manifest Your Potential in the Baha'i Faith, How the Beliefs, Practices, and Vision of the Baha'i Faith Can Change Your Life, author Nathan Thomas explores how people use the spiritual toolkit provided by this new world religion to create a better life for themselves and their communities. The book looks at the core beliefs of the Baha'i Faith which offers a rational, empowering, and unifying perspective to the modern day spiritual seeker. From a logical conception of God, to a rational approach to religion, to a universally accessible path to happiness and contentment for all people; this book offers a compelling picture of the beliefs of this new world religion that has inspired people from so many backgrounds to investigate it. In addition, it offers insight into how the practices of Baha'i life can actually help people become more effective human beings. Through daily prayer, meditation, and a commitment to family and community in everything they do; the Baha'i Faith offers tools for Baha'is to transform themselves into more spiritually empowered people. Lastly, the book looks at the vision that drives the Baha'i community forward in its work of transforming the world. Provided by the founder of the Baha'i Faith, a man called Baha'u'llah, this vision galvanizes His worldwide community of millions of followers into collective effort by inspiring a new concept of world citizenship that transcends all national and ethnic boundaries, a community approach to solving problems that uplifts and empowers everyone in the process, and a lifelong commitment to service to humanity in all aspects of our lives. With the help of illustrative stories, quotations from the Baha'i Holy Writings, analogies, and a brisk and conversational style, Manifest Your Potential in the Baha'i Faith can help people from any background discover the life-changing power of this faith in their lives.

Este libro es un di logo franco, abierto y sincero entre un cristiano y un baha'i. El cristiano expone, propone, argumenta y hace preguntas impertinentes al baha'i comenzando con una actitud de mera curiosidad que se va transformando en una b squeda sincera por entender, comprender, profundizar y asimilar las ense anzas, principios y pilares de la Fe Bah 'i como fueron presentados por su fundador, Bah 'u'll h. En dicho di logo multitud de aspectos son tocados, explicados, ampliados, comparados como le ocurri a tanto jud o cuando escuch por primera vez el revolucionario Mensaje de Jes s. En forma paralela y similar el cristiano se ve avocado, frente a Bah 'u'll h que declara ser el Retorno del Esp ritu de Jes s, a pasar por un proceso similar de cuestionamiento, de desaf o, de reflexi n, de investigaci n que tuvo que pasar un jud o cuando escuch los principios de la Revelaci n de Jes s, pero que, para el cristiano de hoy d a, es la Revelaci n dada por Bah 'u'll h. Frente a Bah 'u'll h no hay 'medias tintas'; o se le acepta como l afirma Quien es, la Manifestaci n de Dios m s reciente para la Humanidad, o se le rechaza como un impostor, un loco, o un profeta falso. El libro es una franca investigaci n para esclarecer cu l es la verdad ineludible de Qui n es Bah 'u'll h. Tendr s una amplia oportunidad de forjarte una idea clara al respecto cuando aceptes la invitaci n de leer el libro hasta el ltimo cap tulo. Esta es pues, una c lida invitaci n a vivenciar la m s revolucionaria aventura espiritual que hasta este momento hayas tenido oportunidad de realizar.

God Can the existence of God be scientifically explained, and, if so, how important is God anyway?

Religion What's it really all about and why do we need it?

Life Do we have a purpose, and, if so, does it include finding the blueprint to finally unify the seven billion of us living on our planet? Does this blueprint really exist?

Death Is death finality or is there a hereafter? Do we really go somewhere, and, if so, where?

Our soul Just what is our soul, our spirit, and what does it have to do with the reality of it all?

Proof Where is it? If all of the above questions can be answered, can those answers be proven?

"The Reality of It All" is extremely thoughtprovoking and somewhat controversial in that it tries to answer difficult questions that arise within most people at some time in their lives. The answers, as astounding as they may be, hopefully will be inspiration enough to light the pathway for each of us to begin our own independent investigation of truth. The reality of it all is that there are only two possibilities: the ideas presented are either true or false. Or put another way, they are good and right for the advancement of individuals, societies, and civilizations or they're not

Truth, once discovered, is reality, whether it is accepted or not. Has the time come for all of us to find out the reality of it all?

This practical, easy-to-use teacher's guide contains nine hands-on workshops on Baha'i Public Speaking. It is designed to prepare Baha'is of all ages with the skills and qualities needed to become more effective teachers of the Faith. Participants will learn to speak clearly and with confidence-from the kitchen table to the conference hall. Communicate effectively, whether giving a fireside, sharing a Feast report, telling stories at a Holy Day celebration, offering a prayer at a devotional gathering, teaching a children's class, presenting materials to public officials, speaking at a large event, or talking with family members during a home visit. Using a step-by-step approach, participants will learn to stand up with courage in front of a group, speak with a strong clear voice, research the Baha'i Writings, memorize selected passages, answer questions about the Faith, give short fireside talks, and develop their own speaking style. Complete with copy-ready student handouts, each lesson includes: * Warm-up activities * Speaking tips * Practice exercises * Homework assignment Baha'i Public Speaking is a great resource for junior youth groups and campus clubs. Local Assemblies will also find it to be a useful tool for seeker response representatives and public information officers. Opportunities to share Baha'i passages and speak directly about the Faith are multiplying. Be prepared

Shoghi Effendi stated that the first duty, and the focus of sustained efforts, of every faithful follower of the Baha'i Faith is to strive to acquire a more adequate understanding of the Revelation of Baha'u'llah. Although a full comprehension of such a Revelation is beyond the limits of our understanding, a clearer understanding of its basic truths will empower us to derive fresh inspiration and to gain further spiritual nourishment, which in turn will support and maintain our services to the Cause (Shoghi Effendi, The World Order of Baha'u'llah, p. 100). Shoghi Effendi wrote "The Dispensation of Baha'u'llah" in 1934 in the form of a letter addressed to the Baha'is of the West to assist them to fulfil the obligation of deepening their understanding. The letter was published together with a selection of his other letters in 1938 in the book entitled The World Order of Baha'u'llah. "The Dispensation of Baha'u'llah" provides an accurate and clear description of the fundamental verities of the Baha'i Faith concerning the station of its Central Figures as well as the twin crowning institutions of the Guardianship and the Universal House of Justice. Grasping and upholding these verities will enrich the spiritual life of the individual. This tutorial is designed to assist you in studying and assimilating the content of "The Dispensation of Baha'u'llah." It is called a tutorial to emphasize the concept underlying its development. In a tutorial, a tutor facilitates learning for an individual or a small group. This book has been designed and developed to simulate, as much as possible, the tutor-tutored relationship in a self-paced personal study. The tutorial identifies the main themes covered in Shoghi Effendi's letter and splits related paragraphs into chapters. Hence, the 130 paragraphs of "The Dispensation of Baha'u'llah" are apportioned for study across 27 chapters. The size and complexity of each chapter reflects the content and intricacy of the issues addressed in the paragraphs included therein. The title chosen for each chapter reflects the main theme covered in the paragraphs. In addition, two extra chapters address those questions that arose following the sudden passing of Shoghi Effendi and the lack of any lineal descendant to succeed him as the next Guardian. The first chapter explores the possible reasons that Shoghi Effendi did not leave a will nor appoint a successor. The second chapter examines the defection of Charles Mason Remey after the passing of Shoghi Effendi, and his unsubstantiated claim to the Guardianship.

"The harmony of religious belief with reason is a new vista which Baha'u'llah has opened for the soul of man." 'Abdu'l-Baha Six thought-provoking essays cutting through the 'jargon jungle' that permeates and distorts the current stand-off between those who believe in a God or Creator and those who reject such beliefs, in particular the increasingly popular 'New Atheists'. The book addresses the mental struggle of many sincere seekers who are trying to rationalize their convictions in this scientific age, and highlights the urgent need for dialogue between religion and science. The author draws on the writings of the Baha'i Faith, and particularly of 'Abdu'l-Baha, who in many of his writings and public speeches elaborated on the Baha'i principle of harmony between religion and science and the necessity of investigating reality with an open mind.