Expert: Ron Price - 1/23/2011

Question
QUESTION: Allah'u' abha,
I'm are new Baha'i would like to ask about fire table. Can we say fire table prayer when we want a answer form God for a problem? Can we say this prayer for any reason, any situation and any time? Thank you.

ANSWER: The short answer is "yes."-Ron.....There is much information on the internet about the Baha'i view on prayer if you want more information. Just google the words "The Baha'i Faith and Prayer" and you will see what I mean.-Ron

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QUESTION: Dear Mr. Ron,

I'm living in Malaysian. I really need help, assistance and advise regarding my marriage plan problem from Bahais. But it really difficult to find a suitable person for share. I'm worry I will do wrong decision and maybe my decision will be effect my faith in future. Please tell me to whom can I share, a person can be mutual understanding and fellowship among nations, cultures, and peoples in Malaysian or other outstation Bahai via e-mail.

Thank you.

Regards,
Subaini

ANSWER: This answer is from Mr. Ron  Price of Tasmania
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CONTEXT FOR THIS ROLE OF EXPERT
AT THE “ABOUT SITE”

Note: Before reading my attempt at an answer to the question you sent to the About internet site today, please read the following three A-4 pages and 1500 words which sets a framework for my response to your question.  I have set this framework outout below.  It is a framework that tries to place my remarks in a general and relevant context.  If I do not fully answer your question immediately on seeing your question, I will try to get back to you within 24 hours.  In addition, if you do not find my answer to your question satisfactory, then: (a) feel free to write again, (b) try one of the other experts at this site, (c) go to one of the many Bahá'í forums and internet locations now in existence on the internet, and/or (d) go to the official internaitonal Baha’I site at: bahai.org.

If you just insert the following words into your search engine: (1) Bahá'í Forums or (2) Web Forums about the Baha'i Faith or (3) the Bahá'í Faith followed by whatever topic is of interest to you; for example: the trinity, reincarnation, miracles, healing, inter alia--you will get yet another base of information to provide an immediate response to your area of interest.
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The function of an expert at this “About Site” is to act within the terms of reference as outlined by the About moderators.  These terms of reference specifically define the general objectives and methods of an expert.  I see my role as serving the specific need of an individual who writes to this site with a question and who is seeking an answer to that question.  I am not here to dictate arbitrarily to anyone, but rather to serve as one of the multitude of unifying factors at work in the Baha’i Faith, unifying factors that in this case function to answer the questions of seekers, those who simply want answers to their questions.  I attempt to be courteous and tactful on the one hand and to respond in a frank and honest way on the other in dealing with questions and comments that come in. Courtesy and frankness are difficult qualities to combine.   I also aim to foster a spirit of independence rather than a spirit which excessively relies on others to carry out their research and their study of the Baha’i Faith.

Whether the questioner is a Bahá’í, an interested observer or, indeed, someone without any special interest in this new world Faith, often the answer to their question can easily be found on the internet at one or more of the millions of sites, Baha’i and other, now in existence.  Often in answering a question, I direct the questioner to one or more of those sites for a more complete answer than the one I am providing.  Often, too, I provide an article, an essay and several relevant quotations, at least relevant as I see them, if not always seen as relevant by the recipient.  In the process, I have found over the six years I have been involved in answering questions that I sometimes provide too much information. sometimes I provide too little; sometimes questioners feel I have not even answered their question; sometimes they simply do not like my answer. The evaluation of my answers by questioners reflects my success from the point of view of questioners.  As in life, so on the internet with the question and answering process.

It is important for Baha’is and also for others who write in to utilize the many sources of assistance within both Baha’i administration and the burgeoning number of locations for expertise available in our diverse society. Government organizations, non-government organizations and special interest groups, inter alia and inter alter, are now available at the press of a button, the dialling of a number and a few clicks on the internet. So, too, are books, journals, pamphlets and a vast cornucopia of print and electronic media.   Evolution is forcing humanity to engage in a cooperative enterprize that is global--interplanetary--intergalactic now--in its reach.  This site at About and my contribution to the discourse is but a small part of this vast cooperative enterprize.  My approach and my words here are in many ways tentative ideas put forward as the limited and fallible views of one individual.  They should not be unthinkingly adopted as truth and I hope they would not pose a threat to the heartfelt strivings of any believer.

There are generally two kinds of Baha’i literature or writings about this Faith. One presents the/an official view and has the voice of authority behind it.  Such words are not the personal opinions of individual Baha’is.  There is a second category which includes all other writing.  The writing that I place here exists in this latter category, although from time to time I insert quotations that belong to the first category to explain my answer to a particular question.  The quotations, of course, are used by me in a certain way and form a part of an interpretive schema that becomes part of the second category--that is, opinion.  For readers who would like an excellent commentary on the whole question of interpretation I encourage them to read an article published in Bahá'í Studies Review, Volume 5.1, 1995.  It is entitled: Interpretation in the Bahá'í Faith.

Truth, the correct and only answer to a question, often cannot be found. This is mainly because there are often many truths, many answers, depending on the circumstances and situations—and many perspectives depending on the person answering the question and the person to whom one is writing.  To put this complexity or conundrum, this enigma, this apparent contradiction and paradox briefly, I could simply say that truth is relative, especially religious truth which is the main variety I deal with here and with which the various questions that come in are concerned. We are all struggling in our own way to come to terms with problems of understanding and knowledge.  

As much as possible I try to draw on relevant quotations from the voluminous Baha’i Scriptures.  Sometimes I simply do not have access to the relevant literature on a specific question since Baha’i literature in its many forms has become burgeoning, especially in the last quarter-century, since the 1980s and 1990s.  The Baha’i Faith had some 200,000 adherents in 1953 when I first came in contact with this new Faith which claims to be the emerging world religion on the planet.  It now has some 5 to 6 million.  In those six decades much of its literature, originally in Persian and Arabic, has been translated into English.  Still, there is much that remains untranslated.

Each Baha’i seeks to acquire, in his or her own way, a deeper understanding of the Revelation of Baha’u’llah. What is written here represents some of the fruits of my own efforts, limited as they are.  As I have said above, my words are not authoritative. This part of the About site for Baha’i expertise offers but one source of opinion and this opinion is written in accordance with my capacity and understanding.  Readers might like to try drawing on other Baha’i volunteer-experts at this site, as I have suggested above,  if they find my answers not to their satisfaction.  

The Universal House of Justice, the internationally elected body of the Baha’i Faith since 1963, pointed out recently that “the exercise of wisdom calls for a measure of love and the development of a sensitive conscience.”(1)  I am only too well aware of my incapacities on these fronts.  I feel somewhat presumptuous in taking on this role of expert, but I took on the role since I felt I could be the source of some social good, as ‘Abdu’l-Bahá expresses one of the main roles of knowledge.  I do not seek any preference or distinction; I do not regard my ideas or myself as superior in anyway. I do not regard my answers as ‘the last word’ on the subject.  All of one’s talents in life are a gift from God, a gift as one writer put it, of some combination of merit and unmerited grace.  

After more than 50 years of association with a global Force that makes such a significant claim to be the emerging world religion on this planet, I offer these words and any answers I might give to questions simply as a service to others.  If questioners would like a more personal, direct and continued communication with me just write to the email address that I have provided below. -Ron Price, http://www.allexperts.com.   This is an updated statement written on 13 January 2010.  The original statement was placed at this site in response to a question in September 2004.
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(1) “Extracts from Letters of the Universal House of Justice on issues Related to the Study of the Baha’i Faith,” in Baha’i Canada, May 1998, p.18.
__________________
Ron Price
Email      : ronprice9@gmail.com
Snailmail: 6 Reece Street
         Pipe Clay Bay
         George Town 7253
         Tasmania Australia
Tel          : 03-63824790-from mainland Australia; or
         dial your international access code #  & then
         613-63824790 if calling from outside Australia
____________________
Bahá'í marriage is union of a man and a woman. Its purpose is mainly spiritual and is to foster harmony, fellowship and unity between the two partners. The Bahá'í teachings on marriage call it a fortress for well-being and salvation and place marriage and the family as the foundation of the structure of human society.

The Bahá'í teachings on marriage see it as an eternal bond that survives past the lives of the partners in the physical life, and into the spiritual worlds. Thus the teachings stress that during courting the partners must take the utmost care to become acquainted with each other's character. Furthermore, the husband and wife should be united not only physically, but also spiritually, so that they can improve the spiritual life of each other, and that they can spiritually advance towards God.

Engagement

For the two partners to become engaged they must obtain consent of all living biological parents. Before getting married, the parents cannot interfere with the selection of the person their child wants to get married to, but to be engaged all living parents must give approval of the marriage. The purpose of this law is to foster unity between the two families, since the Bahá'í teachings see marriage and the family as the foundation of the structure and society, and having disunity between two families is not conducive to that. The consent of all parents is needed even if one of the partners is not a Bahá'í.

Bahá'ís see this aspect of Bahá'í marriage as combining marriages practices from the East and West; in the East arranged marriage is common, and in the west marriages sometimes go forward with no input from the parents. The Bahá'í marriage gives full freedom of the individuals to select their partner, but places certain gratitude and respect to the parents.

   "A couple should study each other's character and spend time getting to know each other before they decide to marry, and when they do marry it should be with the intention of establishing an eternal bond." (The Universal House of Justice, November 2, 1982, in Baha'i Marriage and Family Life, p. 20)

Waiting period

From the time that the consent of all parents is obtained to the time of the marriage ceremony should not exceed 95 days. The 95-day period of engagement is currently applicable only to Persian believers. [1]

Ceremony

The Bahá'í marriage ceremony is done differently in each culture. The only compulsory part of the wedding is the reading of the wedding vows prescribed by Bahá'u'lláh which both the groom and the bride read,  "We will all, verily, abide by the Will of God"[2] in the presence of two witnesses.

Most Bahá'í marriage ceremonies consist of the reading of Bahá'í writings, prayers and music followed by a talk about the spiritual nature of Bahá'í marriage, and then the reading of the vows.

Laws

There are a number of laws that concern Bahá'í marriage

   * Marriage is not obligatory, but is highly recommended.
   * Marriage is defined between a man and a woman (see Homosexuality and Bahá'í Faith).
   * Only married couples may engage in sexual activity.
   * Having more than one wife or husband is forbidden.
   * Both partners must be at least 15 years of age at the time of engagement. (The civil laws
         of their country must be obeyed)
   * Marriage is conditional on the consent of both parties and their parents.
   * Marriage with non-Bahá'ís is permitted (see Interreligious marriage).
   * The period of engagement must not exceed ninety-five days. (Not currently universally
         applicable)
   * A marriage should condition a payment of a dowry. The payment, if the husband lives in a city, is nineteen mithqáls (approx. 2.22 troy ounces) of pure gold, and if the husband lives outside a city the same amount in silver. Bahá'u'lláh also set a maximum permitted dowry amount of 95 mithqáls (approx. 11.1 troy ounces). (Not currently universally applicable)

Children and parenting

Following the natural and appropriate extension of the union of marriage, children, whether adopted or biological, should be raised in this same spiritual atmosphere. Formal duties exist between parents and children (of education and obedience, training and respect.) Second to discovering God for oneself is respect for one's parents. Reversing the degradation of women and children is a subject of much attention in the Bahá'í Faith.

References

   * `Abdu'l-Bahá (1911). `Abdu'l-Bahá in London. London, UK: Bahá'í Publishing Trust: 1982. ISBN 0900125500. http://reference.bahai.org/en/t/ab/ABL/.

   * Bahá'u'lláh (1873). The Kitáb-i-Aqdas: The Most Holy Book. Wilmette, Illinois, USA: Bahá'í Publishing Trust. ISBN 0853989990. http://reference.bahai.org/en/t/b/KA/.

   * Universal House of Justice (2001). Letter: Applicability of the Laws and Ordinances of the Kitáb-i-Aqdas. Haifa, Israel: The Bahá'í World Centre Department of the Secretariat.

   * Relationship between Husband and Wife by the Universal House of Justice, 1980.
   * Violence Against Women and Children by Universal House of Justice, 1993.
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I have provided some very general information, Subaini; I can not tell you to whom you can share your life with.  I can not be involved in selecting a person with the mutual understanding you desire.  If you are looking for someone with who you can share fellowship among people from other nations, cultures, and peoples in Malaysian society or some other country of the world be persistent. I am unable to give you any specific email addresses.

You might try the following 2 internet sites for some specific help:

Susan and Michael - Two Doves - Baha'i singles website, Bahai ...
And we had both joined the Bahá'í Singles internet forum within a few weeks ...
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sign-in - Two Doves - Baha'i singles website, Bahai dating, Baha'i ...
This site is an individual and unofficial initiative. The official Bahá'í ...
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I trust this has been of help.-Ron

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Mr Ron,

Please apology me because my above question is not correct. Please give a opportunity to ask again. Actual I and my partner have a problem to get marriage. We both come from different nations, religion, cultures, and peoples. For that I'm searching a Bahai person can mutually understand and fellowship among nations, cultures, and peoples and in Malaysian or from outstation Bahai via e-mail to me to share my problem.

Mr Ron thank you.

Thank you.

Regards,
Subaini

Answer
I wish I could help you, Subaini, but I do not know anyone in Malaysia. You might try the National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha'is of Malaysia or go to: The official site of the Baha'is of Malaysia.--Ron Price, Tasmania
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The Bahá'í Community of Malaysia's Address is:

No 12, 1st & 2nd Floor, Jalan 2/109E
Desa Business Center
Taman Desa, Jalan Klang Lama
58100 Kuala Lumpur
Malaysia
Tel: 603 7981 9059 and 603 7981 9073
Fax: 603 7980 2058
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Write to them or call them on the telephone.
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Their email address is:

E-mail:   nsa-sec@bahai.org.my
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