What a brilliant talk, thanks for sharing this. I have always come up against educational prejudice. It is a hard prejudice to deal with. We often think of capacity as being education. We will always get what we have always got, if we always hold onto the prejudices we have always had. Those who serve on institutions are often elected to the position because of their position educationally. Yet many of the friends who have not got a highly educated mind, have more to offer than those educated folks. I guess we should start to look not at educational abilities, but at spiritual qualities. I also enjoyed her statement about prayers, and have often had to ask people to speak up so I can hear them, or even when playing a beautiful Baha'i song, it is so low that nobody can make out the words. I also took a keen interest in her statements about the use of fonts for Baha'i pamphlets and not being able to read the written word, because of the particular font used. The idea of using prayers in different languages and the fact that the prayer itself allows each of us to pray to God at the same time as the reader, has always been important to me. Yet, some will either say them so low as to make it nigh impossible to even know what is being said, or say it in a language other than the language of anyone in the community. It was an amazing talk. Thank God I have heard it today.
This is a topic that has played out much in my life recently. And, for me personally, the prejudice also is directed at me, mainly at my vocabulary (which i don't think is that outstanding). I did go to college, but didn't finish my degree, yet even among those in college, there's many socio-economic strata. One thought too is how much my generation in the US has had to question the institutions of "higher education". From this reign of dollar-driven universities, we must now come to a different understanding of what education means. And it was much to my dismay as a student how ignorant people with doctorate degrees can be, in some areas. So yes, the heart is most important. Though, i have always loved listening to prayers in languages i do not understand, same as music. The heart still feels moved.
It was the most honorable days in my life having privilage accompany Ruhiyyih Khanum to my home country of China. During these 3 unforgetable trips visiting friends in different parts of China, I have not only learnt many stories of the Faith from Her, but also deeply impressed by her compassion and her respectful gestures while we were with Her either on plan, in bus or riding on train......
Thank you forever, dear Amatu'l-Bahá, you have taught us the true Bahá'í attitude, reminding us in every of your talks how a Bahá'í should treat other fellow Bahá'ís and other fellow human beings.
Her compassion, loyalty and consistency of her love for her faith is unprecedented. I will never forget my own personal interaction with her when I was 13 years old. I love her dearly.
Just finishing the two volumes of Maxwells of Montreal and feel so humbled by the example and contribution of Ruhiyyih khanum, she is yet another gift Abdu'l-Baha gave to the Maxwells and the Cause of Baha'u'llah. I feel enriched and humbled by her example and history.
For Baha'is and non believers of the Baha'i faith, this address is a cornerstone of awakening our hearts on how we should believe and how we should share with our friends the holly words of God without worldly prejudice . Again I find it useful for Baha'is to take this as call for teaching the faith wherever we are and all the world of mankind. Allah U Abha!
This is a talk given by Amatul-Baha Rúhíyyih Khánum at Montreal 1982 Baha'i Conference. She is in my heart and my prayers. Love Amatul-Baha Rúhíyyih Khánum so much for her candor and service to the faith💕❤️
some of the greatest of the early Baha'is were illiterate and simple people. They were touched in the heart, which in many ways is more important than simple knowledge.
Ruhiyyih Khanum made reference to the year being 138 B.E., so depending on when in the calendar this fell, the year might have been 1981. Just my thoughts.
for those of us who are too young to know, what year was the 6th annual conference? How soon after the passing of the Guardian and the establishment of the Universal House of Justice? Could you edit your description to include this information?
