The Hidden Words (continued)

I worked for about 40 years on learning to possess a pure heart. Then a few years ago I started noticing a lot of unkindness in my posts in Internet discussions. That might surprise some people. Some people have told me I'm very kind. Maybe they see me trying not to do any harm to anyone, and showing concern about people's feelings, and learning to walk with and work with abused and marginalized people. I do see a lot of kindness in my intentions.

I became aware of unkindness in my posts, and I started seeing much more in the idea of kindness than I had ever seen before. I'm not sure which came first. Anyway, I decided that even though I'm still a long way from having a pure heart, it might be time to focus on kindness. Then maybe in twenty years I'll focus on radiance. I don't want to wait 40 years this time.

The Hidden Words

Many years ago, when I was a student at Purdue University, I decided to try systematically mastering the knowledge in the writings of Baha'u'llah the way I did with books on mathematics: study the material and do exercises. I decided to start with the hidden words. I spent a year searching for ideas about what it might mean to possess a pure heart, and how to go about it.

One day I was searching for books about purity in the card catalog at the library, and I saw this title: "Purity of Heart is to Will One Thing."

I didn't even need to look at the book. The title itself answered all my questions.

Baha'i fellowship and me

One of my ideas to help check the disease of sectarian hatreds has been to practice and promote fellowship among people who are divided over Baha'i administration. I was thinking about that this morning, and I thought of my decision not to attend the Baha'i foreigners devotions here in Shanghai, because it looks and feels so much like the Baha'i church that I detest. The thought came to me that going to those devotions and developing a friendship with other people who go there might be a good way for me to practice what I'm promoting.

This morning, in the middle of the night, I was thinking about Karen and Alison and Steve and other friends I've met on the Internet in connection with AO feuds, and about my periodic concern that their preoccupation with Baha'i administration might be holding them down and holding them back. The thought came to me that I could try showing more interest in other things they do which seem more healthy and potentially fruitful to me.