March 24, 2024 • 41 mins
In this episode we explore the recent message which the Universal House of Justice sent to the Baha'is in Iran on Naw Ruz (March 20th, 2024). The message is not only important for the love and admiration which the Universal House of Justice showers on the Persian Bahá’i community, suffering under intense and relentless persecution, but also because in many ways, it represents the next chapter, building on its November 28, 2023 message - helping us navigate a path to universal peace. The episode also explores the Universal House of Justice's message of January 18, 2019, which they reference here, exploring strategies for peace building and the promotion of the oneness of the human race.
Key references
Mar 20, 2024 Naw Ruz Message: https://payamha-iran.org/en/document/833
Nov 28, 2023 Message: https://www.bahai.org/library/authoritative-texts/the-universal-house-of-justice/messages/20231128_001/1
Jan 18, 2019 Message: https://www.bahai.org/library/authoritative-texts/the-universal-house-of-justice/messages/20190118_001/1
CONTENTS:
0:00 Introduction
2:12 Love for Persian Baha’is
7:55 State of the World
12:40 Key Milestones for Peace
19:44 Disintegration on the Rise
24:07 A Crisis of Identity
29:36 Agency & Peace Building
34:11 Peace as Meta Narrative
37:19 Closing Thoughts
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:01):
Society Builders pave the way to a betterworld to a better day.
A united approach to building a new society.
Join the conversation, for social transformation.
Society Builders.
Society Builders – with your host, DuaneVaran.
(00:26):
Welcome to another exciting episode of SocietyBuilders – and thanks for joining the conversation
for social transformation.
We interrupt our normal broadcast scheduleto explore insights from yet another amazing
letter from the Universal House of Justicethat just came out a few days ago, on Naw
(00:49):
Ruz.
Now today, we were going to start the processof wrapping up and bringing synthesis to the
sequence of episodes that we’ve had on thescience of depolarization.
But a few days ago, the Universal House ofJustice sent this message to the Baha’is
in Iran – and this message was packed withincredible insights that just blew me away
(01:11):
and clearly bring new light to our journeyof society building.
And so naturally, I wanted to immediatelydive in and engage with all of this in a conversation
with you about this new message.
So put a pause on the science of depolarization.
Cause we’ll get back to that soon.
(01:32):
But today, we’re going to explore this latestguidance which builds on that message of November
28, 2023 that we studied together in episode24.
Today, we’re going to study the messageof March 20, 2024 – that’s Naw Ruz of
(01:53):
181 – to the followers of the Greatest Nameand the helpers of the Ancient Beauty in the
sacred land of Iran
Now I want to start, once again, with a disclaimer.
(02:16):
Remember – this podcast is not an officialinstrument of any Baha’i agency.
I have absolutely no authority – my viewsare no different than yours.
This podcast is just a personal initiative.
Like you, I study Baha’i Writings and guidance,reflect, try to read the societies around
(02:39):
me and translate all of this into action – andon a very personal level, this podcast is
a tool for helping me do all that.
It’s a commitment for regularly study andreflection.
And in this context, I’m thrilled to joinwith you in sharing in this journey and adventure.
(03:00):
And I share this in the spirit of consultation– as thoughts you can weigh and either accept
or reject as you see fit.
OK – so on with today’s show.
Now – this message of the Universal Houseof Justice is another precious gift – not
only for its direct recipients, the Baha’isin Iran – but for the entire world.
(03:23):
Because in many ways, this message is a continuationof that incredible message of November 28,
2023 that we studied together in episode 24.
In fact, the second paragraph of this messageprovides an incredible summary of the November
28th message.
So you’ll want to read this paragraph toremind you of that message – of the incredible
(03:47):
treasures they reveal explaining our socialevolution as a community over the past hundred
years.
But it also goes beyond the original message– giving it new direction and insight.
Now for me personally, there are two thingsthat really stand out in this message.
(04:07):
The first is that this is clearly a love letterfrom the Universal House of Justice to the
Baha’is in Iran.
I mean, the Universal House of Justice showersthe Persian community here with so much praise
and admiration – it’s just such a remarkableexpression of the incredible love which the
Universal House of Justice clearly feels here.
(04:30):
And it’s a respect which was clearly hardwon – by that community’s exemplary response
to the relentless campaigns of persecutionwhich they’ve endured and continue to endure.
And hopefully these words give some comfortand solace to such a persecuted community
(04:52):
Just listen to all the different kinds ofterms they use throughout the message to refer
to the Persian Baha’is (04:56):
They call them followers of the Greatest Name, helpers of the Ancient
Beauty, the sorely tried and devoted compatriotsof the Blessed Beauty, lovers of Abdul-Baha,
that they’re like sweetly singing birdsraised by the Beloved’s own hand, warbling
(05:17):
in the garden of rapture and servitude, thattheir hearts are aflame with the fire of the
love of God, and their breasts illumined byHis heavenly counsels.
That at all times they have been at the frontranks and advanced at the vanguard, as valiant
horsemen who have from the beginning of theFaith to the present day ceaselessly urged
(05:41):
on the steed of endeavor in the arena of service,overcome every hurdle and obstacle and obtained
the highest prize and honor.
That they are guardians of truthfulness andintegrity.
They say that they are the solace of the eyesof the Universal House of Justice who remembers
them at every moment, lauds their perseverancein the face of unnumbered adversities and
(06:05):
that they beseech at the Sacred Thresholdthe well-being, genuine happiness and true
liberty for those beloved of their heartsand souls.
I mean WOW – you see what I mean here whenI say that they are showering the community
with their love and admiration here, right?
(06:26):
So that’s one dimension of the message.
It’s a love letter.
But much of the rest of the message, I think,is really an extension of the November 28th
message.
It’s the next chapter – with new insightsin understanding the path to society building.
As I mentioned earlier, this starts with anamazing summary of the message – I mean,
(06:47):
this is THE summary that you should use wheneveryou’re trying to remind yourself of the
contents of that message – a summary ofthe treasures which they revealed in that
treatise.
Then starting with paragraph 5, the messagereiterates themes from the Nov 28th message
– again painting a picture of the dark crisisfacing humanity – and of our necessary response.
(07:10):
We’re going to explore these themes furtherlater in our episode today.
But then, starting with the 7th paragraph,the Universal House of Justice brings a new
a sharper focus to our response going forward– and this is centered on the theme of us
contributing to the establishment of UniversalPeace.
(07:32):
And in this context, they encourage us tostudy their message of January 18, 2019, where
they explore this theme of peace much further.
Wow!
So let’s dive in and start exploring someof this.
(07:56):
We want to start today really from the 5thparagraph of the Naw Ruz message where the
Universal House of Justice begins, I think,further elaborating further on their November
28th message.
Some of this, of course, is reiterating andadding color to that message.
But where this message goes further, I think– and remember, this is all just personal
(08:18):
reflection – but I see this message as givingus a much sharper focus on the cause of Universal
Peace.
This is a sign post which they Universal Houseof Justice is giving us in helping us navigate
our journeys of society building.
And in fact, towards the end of the messagethey encourage us to study a message which
(08:41):
they previously wrote, on January 18, 2019,which specifically addresses this theme of
world peace.
So we’ve got a lot to discuss here.
Now we need to bring this message, the November28th message and the January 18th message
into alignment.
(09:01):
So let’s start with how the Universal Houseof Justice describes the state of the world
today.
This is something I always look for in thesemessages – because it is such a precious
gift that we get- this ability to understandwhat’s happening in the world around us.
It’s such a privilege.
So how does the Universal House of Justicedescribe it in this message:
(09:25):
Again, it’s dark.
Very similar to how they describe it in theNov 28th message.
In fact, there’s a particularly powerfulsection where they say this:
“The world is thus facing a profound andfar-reaching crisis that is destabilizing
(09:46):
and disrupting its order.
Although this crisis is not new, and the reasonsfor it are not unknown to the people of Bahá,
yet its destructive results and the consequentconfusion are more apparent than at any time
past.”
Wow!
(10:07):
It’s destructive results and the consequentconfusion are more apparent than at any time
past.
That’s powerful, right.
That means something.
I mean think about how much suffering we’veseen over the past few centuries – and yet
THIS is the time where its destructive resultsare more apparent than ever.
(10:30):
And think about the world’s confusion – yetthis is the time where the consequent confusion
are more apparent than ever.
I mean this is powerful, right!
And they also say (10:41):
“It is no wonder then that, as a result of this crisis, conflict
and contention among peoples and war and strifeamong nations are increasing day by day, and
every pure heart and illumined conscienceis oppressed and saddened thereby.”
(11:05):
And I think we can all relate to this.
It weighs so heavily on our very souls, right.
So once again, we see in this message a reflectionon the state of the world – with the disintegration
eating away at our social orders.
I mean it’s a dire picture.
But, of course, the Universal House of Justiceshares this not to frighten us but to help
(11:32):
us embrace our responsibility in working torelease constructive forces to mitigate the
suffering – much more of which is likelystill to come.
And this is the thrust of the guidance – onhelping us understand our role in the unfolding
drama.
(11:52):
And in this context, I want to jump towardsthe end of the message – where they translate
this response into a very sharp point of focus.
Indeed, they say (11:59):
“Today, the spiritual duty and moral responsibility of every conscientious
soul is to serve the cause of the peace andunity of the world.”
And here they give us that other gift – areminder to study their message of January
(12:20):
18, 2019 which provides much more detail onour path in promoting world peace.
So let’s explore that message.
(12:41):
Now the January 18th message was written fora very special occasion – it was for the
centenary of the Paris Peace Conference atthe end of the First World War.
This is really the start of the process ofbuilding machinery for our collective security
as a planet.
And as the Universal House of Justice explains,there were three key moments where humanity
(13:04):
reached out for a real, lasting peace – butalways fell short because of weaknesses it
could not overcome.
So the first of these was the League of Nationswhich grew out of the Paris Peace Conference
at the end of the first World War.
The world had experienced unprecedented devastationin the Great War and there was a hunger – a
(13:26):
true yearning – not to see this happen again.
And the Universal House of Justice explainshow this was the first time that a system
of collective security, enjoined on the world’srulers by Baha’u’llah, was seriously “envisaged,
discussed and tested”.
(13:47):
But tragically, of course, it ultimately failedthat test because it was fatally flawed from
the outset.
You know, when embracing change, people wantto keep the status quo as much as possible
– and in this exchange between a new worldorder and the existing one – the limits
placed on the new - rendered it incapableof preventing the outbreak of the Second World
(14:10):
War.
So the second key moment happens after theSecond World War – again, in the ashes of
the devastation that THAT war brought.
Again, there was a hunger for change – butalso that tension between the old and the
new – and so new institutions were bornto help uphold a peace.
(14:31):
Foremost here, of course, is the United Nations– but it was more than just the UN – it
was also a system of international economicinstitutions and historic advances in human
rights and international law.
Territories under colonial rule became independent,and all kinds of regional and global cooperation
(14:53):
grew in both depth and range.
Now – none of us listening today would havebeen around for that first moment – at the
end of the first World War.
Some of us might have been around for thesecond moment – with the birth of the UN
– but if you’re 90 today, you would havebeen only 10 at the time – so your understanding
(15:14):
and memory of that event might be limited.
But, I think, there were many of us who vividlyremember the third moment – those days when
we were watching our TVs and saw the fallingof the Berlin Wall.
You know, shortly after the end of the SecondWorld War – a new global competition evolved
between the world’s two major power blocs– a period we call the Cold War.
(15:39):
And for many decades, we lived in fear ofthe outbreak of a nuclear war.
But the Cold War wasn’t just about thisfear of a head-to-head US-Soviet battle – it
was a global battle for dominance – andit popped up in numerous wars and conflicts
across various regions (15:57):
Vietnam, Korea, Afghanistan and it fed into countless civil wars across
Africa, South America, Europe and Asia.
So let’s go back to that moment in 1989when we were glued to our TVs watching the
(16:17):
Berlin Wall fall.
It was a moment that none of us could believe.
All of a sudden, there was a glimmer of thepossibility for true peace.
I know – because I was there.
At that time, I was part of a group of 40Baha’i youth that had been invited into
(16:39):
the then Soviet Union – the Promise of WorldPeace tour organized by the Baha’is of Hawaii.
It was such an amazing moment.
And let me tell you – the Russian peoplecraved peace just as much as we did.
Probably even more so.
(16:59):
And suddenly it felt like we were going tosee the establishment of the Lesser Peace.
A little side note.
I was saying how surprised we all were atthe time.
I mean the end of the Cold War just seemedimpossible.
(17:20):
But I remember on the eve of this all happeningthat there was a clue that something was going
to happen.
And the clue was found in the Six Year Planlaunched in 1986 – just three years before
the fall of the Berlin Wall.
And in that Plan, the Universal House of Justicehad assigned goals – and one of the goals
(17:45):
for the US Baha’i community was to settlepioneers in the Ukraine.
The Ukraine?
Really?
I mean, this truly felt impossible.
I remember as youth we looked at this withpure confusion – how was this even possible?
(18:08):
You just couldn’t get behind the Iron Curtain.
But three years later, things changed.
So the end of the Cold War was an opportunity– and even though we didn’t get the Lesser
(18:30):
Peace, there was considerable progress inall kinds of international cooperative initiatives.
Now the Universal House of Justice calls outa specific set of initiatives, the Millennium
Development Goals which was a set of goalsand targets addressing global poverty, education,
the empowerment of women, child mortality,health, the environment – broadly social
(18:52):
and economic development.
And while you may have heard of this – itprobably isn’t top of mind for any of us.
I mean, it barely made the news right.
But here the Universal House of Justice positionsthe Millennium initiatives not in terms of
their imperfections but in terms of its contributionto the inexorable rise in global consciousness
(19:16):
and our attraction to universal justice, solidarity,collaboration, compassion and equality.
So it was an important step forward.
So these three key moments stand out in ouradvance towards World Peace.
(19:38):
But then the Universal House of Justice beginsexploring the new challenges that we have
faced as we came into the new millennium.
And in many ways, this was a retreat.
Instead of bringing us together – thesenew forces increasingly pulled us apart.
(20:03):
Although we were successful in decreasingmany of the extremes of poverty, wealth further
concentrated.
There were new tensions in the interactionbetween citizen, governments and society.
Religious fundamentalism warped the characterof communities and even nations.
And with the failing of so many institutions,public trust declined – and with the growing
(20:29):
loss of truth, there was systematic exploitationto further erode the credibility of all sources
of knowledge.
Suddenly, shared ethical principles whichwere on the rise began eroding, challenging
our understanding of right and wrong.
And the drive to international collectiveaction which had been gaining so much momentum
(20:53):
became assailed by forces of racism, nationalismand factionalism.
And so it is that the forces of disintegrationare on the rise.
Now I want to pause for a second to furtherexplore this picture – because I don’t
think it’s easy to see the full vista ofjust how bad this all really is.
(21:18):
Of why this is all so unprecedented.
These past few days, I’ve been watchingthe news about Haiti.
The images on TV are horrific.
I mean every day you see the desperation – deadcorpses burnt in the streets, government ministry
(21:39):
buildings abandoned, desolate and now occupiedby the homeless.
Governments desperately trying to evacuatetheir citizens.
I mean, it’s devastating stuff.
But how does a nation like Haiti get overrunby what was previously just small gangs and
hoodlums.
(22:00):
We all tend to look at the moment it all goeswrong – but the truth is – it was going
wrong well before then.
Societies like Haiti were being corroded fromwithin.
As social institutions break down – as publictrust and confidence erode – society becomes
(22:21):
vulnerable.
And this is what, I think, this disintegrationis doing.
It’s corroding our societies – makingthem fragile.
Now none of us knows what the specific formof what follows might be – but when you’re
vulnerable like that – it only takes a spark.
(22:45):
Now we know that none of this effects areultimate destiny – as the Universal House
of Justice reminds us, the unification ofhumanity is unstoppable by any human force.
It’s the next stage in our global evolution– because it’s the only way we can address
our problems in our interdependent world.
(23:09):
So peace is inevitable.
But the question we face is what price wepay for it.
We can either embrace our future responsibly– or resist it – and pay a higher price.
And the Universal House of Justice makes itclear what the consequence is here.
They say (23:30):
“As long as that call goes unheeded, there is no reason to doubt that the world’s
current state of disorder and confusion willworsen—possibly with catastrophic consequences—until
a chastened humanity sees fit to take anothersignificant step, perhaps this time decisive,
(23:56):
towards enduring peace.”
Now, we have a responsibility to help theworld respond to this call as best we can.
But how?
(24:17):
And here, the Universal House of Justice helpsfurther paint the picture.
You see, the Universal House of Justice explainsthat achieving this vision of world peace
requires a historic feat of statesmanshipfrom the leaders of the world.
But the will to even attempt this is lacking.
(24:40):
And a big part of the reason for that is thathumanity is gripped by a crisis of identity.
Now identity is one of these watch words ofthe new Plans.
You see references to identity in almost everymessage from the Universal House of Justice
– so that tells us that it’s a very importantconstruct.
(25:02):
And this crisis is one where people struggleto define themselves, their place in the world
and how they should act.
And what’s missing here is a shared identityand common purpose.
So without that vision – they fall intocompeting ideologies and power struggles – into
(25:24):
the us vs. them paradigm of identity.
And over time, this splintering has weakenedour social cohesion.
What all of this is missing is the understandingthat above all of this, humanity is on a common
journey in which we are all its protagonists.
(25:48):
Now for our discussion today, let’s callthis the ‘oneness of humanity’ paradigm.
It’s a lens through which we see everything.
There is no us and them – there is one humanity.
We are a single interconnected social organism.
(26:09):
We are one.
And yet – there is a paradox.
Because we believe that diversity is an asset– we appreciate diversity.
How can we advocate for one humanity and diversityin the same breath?
And here, the Universal House of Justice explainsthis so beautifully – it clarifies our path.
(26:35):
“It is through love for all people, and by subordinating lesser loyalties to the
best interests of humankind, that the unityof the world can be realized and the infinite
expressions of human diversity find theirhighest fulfilment.”
(26:55):
So it’s our love for humanity which cultivatesour appreciation for its diversity.
How beautiful is that, right?
And how do we cultivate this selfless lovefor humanity – well, that’s the task for
religion.
(27:15):
It’s a spiritual ambition – centered oncultivating fellowship and concord.
But so many who claim to be religious insteaduse religion to fan the flames of fanaticism
and prejudice.
And so we need to help remind and reawakenpeople to the true need for religion – as
(27:40):
a powerful instrument in unifying all of us– as one humanity.
Because as Abdul-Baha reminds us, “our desirefor peace is not derived merely from the intellect:
It is a matter of religious belief and oneof the eternal foundations of the Faith of
(28:01):
God.”
And this then links back to our collectivecrisis of identity.
Because another one of those key constructsthat you now see in so many messages of the
Universal House of Justice is the coherenceconstruct.
And part of what coherence is about is havea balance between the spiritual and material
(28:26):
dimensions of life.
The crisis of identity is in part the productof us reducing our life experience to the
material realm alone.
But when you think about it, what really definesus – what really differentiates us – is
(28:48):
our character.
That’s who we really are.
That’s what really defines us.
And understanding that at a collective level,that character is about unifying us, about
conquering our prejudices – about that unifiedparadigm I was talking about earlier – that’s
(29:12):
what we’re talking about here.
And so we promote the oneness of humanityas a fundamental spiritual principle, critical
to our progress as a planet.
(29:36):
Now there’s another construct which we see,really almost always, in the messages of the
Universal House of Justice – and that’sa construct we can call ‘agency’ – that
we empower people to become protagonists intheir own progress.
(29:58):
And this is another really big idea.
We are not trying to convert the world toour views.
We’re working to empower people to see truthfor themselves and chart their own destinies
towards the betterment of the world.
And as the Universal House of Justice remindsus: “In this important undertaking, every
(30:24):
member of the human family has a share.
In purifying the heart and cleansing its mirrorfrom prejudice on the one hand, and in creating
the social conditions for peace and unityon the other, every individual has agency
and the capacity to play a part.
(30:45):
All souls are able to promote the cultureof peace and unity in their interactions with
friend and stranger alike.”
Now – let’s explore this idea a littlefurther here – because it’s such a powerful
idea.
(31:06):
Remember earlier when I was talking aboutHaiti – how it had become a society corroded
from within that was fragile and vulnerable– this is the story unfolding almost everywhere.
So what can we do to strengthen our socialfabric – to create the conditions for peace.
(31:27):
I’d like to go back to what some of ourrecent guests on this podcast have shared.
Remember how in episode 21, Dr. Peter Colemantalked about nations that had taken measures
to address their threats to peace.
In Botswana – having seen how tribalismhad destroyed neighboring countries, they
introduced the truly radical requirement forcivil servants to have to regularly rotate
(31:52):
the region they were serving in – to getup and move to a different region for a few
years - facilitating intergroup contact acrosstheir nation.
He also shared how following a violent CivilWar, Costa Rica introduced a peace curriculum
in its schools – and how this has translatedto it being a sea of calm in a region often
(32:16):
plagued by internal strife.
These are remarkable stories which highlightthe benefits of peace building –
Then in episode 25, Andrea Bartoli referredus to Galtung’s framework for peace: with
peace keeping, peace making and peace building.
(32:37):
This goes beyond negative peace – to anexpression of positive peace.
And this was also something which Nealin Parkerwas talking about in our last episode – how
what really unites those 6,700 organizationsin America alone that are working to address
polarization is their ambition for this kindof peace building – for a positive peace.
(33:05):
And that’s our lane.
That’s what we’re promoting.
We are working to strengthen our collectivesocial fabric.
And whether or not this averts catastrophes,it at least gives us the tools we need to
best navigate through them.
So here, in this Naw Ruz message, the UniversalHouse of Justice is calling on us to act as
(33:30):
catalysts working to awaken people’s capacityto cultivate this kind of culture of peace,
working to create, as Abdul-Baha says (33:42):
“genuine love, spiritual communion and durable bonds
among individuals.”
And that’s why this is all about our workin the Plans – because this kind of culture
of peace is what the Plans are working tobuild.
(34:11):
Now there’s one more reference in the NawRuz message which I’d like to draw your
attention to.
They say (34:17):
“Participation in the discourse on peace and oneness, in all its numerous
facets, is another way in which the followersof Bahá’u’lláh assist souls to look
to the future with a vision transcending thechallenges and limitations of society today,
(34:40):
and work together to better understand theessential prerequisites of a peaceful society
and make it a reality.”
Now what stood out to me here is that we oftenthink about very specific discourses in which
we engage – like race unity – or the environment.
But I think, and remember, this is a personalview here – but I think the Universal House
(35:04):
of Justice here is helping us see that ‘peaceand oneness’ is a meta narrative – because
they frame it as a meta discourse with ‘allits numerous facets’.
So for me – on a personal level – thiscreates a banner under which so many of our
(35:28):
discourse-related initiatives will land – andthat’s this call for participation in the
discourse on peace and oneness.
And of course, there’s the inspiring close– where they quote from Abdul-Baha.
“I hope this New Year will be happy andblessed and will become the cause of the attainment
(35:54):
of divine assistance and confirmation, sothat ye may become the cause of the unity
of the world and proclaim the oneness of thehuman race, may change enemies into friends
and make those who are deprived the confidantsof the mysteries of the world’s Great Peace.”
(36:17):
So let’s reflect on the three ambitionsthat Abdul-Baha voices for us.
First, that we become the cause of the unityof the world and proclaim the oneness of the
human race.
That’s our message.
Then – that we change enemies into friends.
(36:40):
I mean, this is a lot of what we’ve beenexploring in our sequence on the science of
depolarization.
It’s the ultimate challenge, right?
So this is our method.
And finally, that we make those who are deprivedthe confidants of the mysteries of the world’s
(37:03):
Great Peace.
Wow – That’s the result.
How truly inspiring.
Wow – this message was so powerful in helpingus look beyond the doom and gloom – so we
(37:28):
could see just how urgent the hour is – howimportant the mission – and how critical
the need for us to arise and promote the causeof the universal peace and the oneness of
humanity.
Now remember, this podcast is not a substitutefor your own study.
(37:49):
Hopefully it will help inspire you to studythese three messages for yourself and see
how they speak to you.
And my review here is brief – I didn’tcover all aspects of the message.
Further reason for you to study itself.
(38:10):
And my apologies for my inadequacy in bettercovering the full depth of this message.
As I was doing the research for today’spodcast, I often felt overwhelmed – like
how could I possibly fully express the ideashere – because they’re so powerful.
So be forgiving in overlooking some of myshortcomings here.
(38:31):
But that’s what our journey together isall about, right?
Us working our best to find our path forward.
Well – that’s it for today.
Once again, I want to thank you for joiningus in our journey today – and I hope you’ll
join me again next time – on Society Builders.
(38:52):
Society builders pave the wayTo a better world – to a better day
A united approach to building – a new society
There’s a crisis facing humanityPeople suffer from a lack of unity
It’s time for a better path to a new society
Join our conversationFor social transformation
(39:28):
Society builders
So engage with your local communitiesAnd explore all the exciting possibilities
We can elevate the atmosphere in which wemove
The paradigm is shiftingIt is so very uplifting
It’s a new beat, a new song, a brand newgroove
(39:49):
Join our conversationFor social transformation
Society builders
The Baha’i Faith has a lot to sayHelping people to discover a better way
(40:18):
With discourse and social action framed byunity
Now the time has come to lift our gameAnd apply the teachings of the Greatest Name
And rise to meet the glory of our destiny
Join our conversationFor social transformation
(40:40):
Society builders
Join our conversationFor social transformation
Society builders
Society Builders pave the way to a betterworld to a better day.
A united approach to building a new society.
Join the conversation, for social transformation.
Society Builders.
Society Builders – with your host, DuaneVaran.
(00:26):
Welcome to another exciting episode of SocietyBuilders – and thanks for joining the conversation
for social transformation.
We interrupt our normal broadcast scheduleto explore insights from yet another amazing
letter from the Universal House of Justicethat just came out a few days ago, on Naw
(00:49):
Ruz.
Now today, we were going to start the processof wrapping up and bringing synthesis to the
sequence of episodes that we’ve had on thescience of depolarization.
But a few days ago, the Universal House ofJustice sent this message to the Baha’is
in Iran – and this message was packed withincredible insights that just blew me away
(01:11):
and clearly bring new light to our journeyof society building.
And so naturally, I wanted to immediatelydive in and engage with all of this in a conversation
with you about this new message.
So put a pause on the science of depolarization.
Cause we’ll get back to that soon.
(01:32):
But today, we’re going to explore this latestguidance which builds on that message of November
28, 2023 that we studied together in episode24.
Today, we’re going to study the messageof March 20, 2024 – that’s Naw Ruz of
(01:53):
181 – to the followers of the Greatest Nameand the helpers of the Ancient Beauty in the
sacred land of Iran
Now I want to start, once again, with a disclaimer.
(02:16):
Remember – this podcast is not an officialinstrument of any Baha’i agency.
I have absolutely no authority – my viewsare no different than yours.
This podcast is just a personal initiative.
Like you, I study Baha’i Writings and guidance,reflect, try to read the societies around
(02:39):
me and translate all of this into action – andon a very personal level, this podcast is
a tool for helping me do all that.
It’s a commitment for regularly study andreflection.
And in this context, I’m thrilled to joinwith you in sharing in this journey and adventure.
(03:00):
And I share this in the spirit of consultation– as thoughts you can weigh and either accept
or reject as you see fit.
OK – so on with today’s show.
Now – this message of the Universal Houseof Justice is another precious gift – not
only for its direct recipients, the Baha’isin Iran – but for the entire world.
(03:23):
Because in many ways, this message is a continuationof that incredible message of November 28,
2023 that we studied together in episode 24.
In fact, the second paragraph of this messageprovides an incredible summary of the November
28th message.
So you’ll want to read this paragraph toremind you of that message – of the incredible
(03:47):
treasures they reveal explaining our socialevolution as a community over the past hundred
years.
But it also goes beyond the original message– giving it new direction and insight.
Now for me personally, there are two thingsthat really stand out in this message.
(04:07):
The first is that this is clearly a love letterfrom the Universal House of Justice to the
Baha’is in Iran.
I mean, the Universal House of Justice showersthe Persian community here with so much praise
and admiration – it’s just such a remarkableexpression of the incredible love which the
Universal House of Justice clearly feels here.
(04:30):
And it’s a respect which was clearly hardwon – by that community’s exemplary response
to the relentless campaigns of persecutionwhich they’ve endured and continue to endure.
And hopefully these words give some comfortand solace to such a persecuted community
(04:52):
Just listen to all the different kinds ofterms they use throughout the message to refer
to the Persian Baha’is (04:56):
They call them followers of the Greatest Name, helpers of the Ancient
Beauty, the sorely tried and devoted compatriotsof the Blessed Beauty, lovers of Abdul-Baha,
that they’re like sweetly singing birdsraised by the Beloved’s own hand, warbling
(05:17):
in the garden of rapture and servitude, thattheir hearts are aflame with the fire of the
love of God, and their breasts illumined byHis heavenly counsels.
That at all times they have been at the frontranks and advanced at the vanguard, as valiant
horsemen who have from the beginning of theFaith to the present day ceaselessly urged
(05:41):
on the steed of endeavor in the arena of service,overcome every hurdle and obstacle and obtained
the highest prize and honor.
That they are guardians of truthfulness andintegrity.
They say that they are the solace of the eyesof the Universal House of Justice who remembers
them at every moment, lauds their perseverancein the face of unnumbered adversities and
(06:05):
that they beseech at the Sacred Thresholdthe well-being, genuine happiness and true
liberty for those beloved of their heartsand souls.
I mean WOW – you see what I mean here whenI say that they are showering the community
with their love and admiration here, right?
(06:26):
So that’s one dimension of the message.
It’s a love letter.
But much of the rest of the message, I think,is really an extension of the November 28th
message.
It’s the next chapter – with new insightsin understanding the path to society building.
As I mentioned earlier, this starts with anamazing summary of the message – I mean,
(06:47):
this is THE summary that you should use wheneveryou’re trying to remind yourself of the
contents of that message – a summary ofthe treasures which they revealed in that
treatise.
Then starting with paragraph 5, the messagereiterates themes from the Nov 28th message
– again painting a picture of the dark crisisfacing humanity – and of our necessary response.
(07:10):
We’re going to explore these themes furtherlater in our episode today.
But then, starting with the 7th paragraph,the Universal House of Justice brings a new
a sharper focus to our response going forward– and this is centered on the theme of us
contributing to the establishment of UniversalPeace.
(07:32):
And in this context, they encourage us tostudy their message of January 18, 2019, where
they explore this theme of peace much further.
Wow!
So let’s dive in and start exploring someof this.
(07:56):
We want to start today really from the 5thparagraph of the Naw Ruz message where the
Universal House of Justice begins, I think,further elaborating further on their November
28th message.
Some of this, of course, is reiterating andadding color to that message.
But where this message goes further, I think– and remember, this is all just personal
(08:18):
reflection – but I see this message as givingus a much sharper focus on the cause of Universal
Peace.
This is a sign post which they Universal Houseof Justice is giving us in helping us navigate
our journeys of society building.
And in fact, towards the end of the messagethey encourage us to study a message which
(08:41):
they previously wrote, on January 18, 2019,which specifically addresses this theme of
world peace.
So we’ve got a lot to discuss here.
Now we need to bring this message, the November28th message and the January 18th message
into alignment.
(09:01):
So let’s start with how the Universal Houseof Justice describes the state of the world
today.
This is something I always look for in thesemessages – because it is such a precious
gift that we get- this ability to understandwhat’s happening in the world around us.
It’s such a privilege.
So how does the Universal House of Justicedescribe it in this message:
(09:25):
Again, it’s dark.
Very similar to how they describe it in theNov 28th message.
In fact, there’s a particularly powerfulsection where they say this:
“The world is thus facing a profound andfar-reaching crisis that is destabilizing
(09:46):
and disrupting its order.
Although this crisis is not new, and the reasonsfor it are not unknown to the people of Bahá,
yet its destructive results and the consequentconfusion are more apparent than at any time
past.”
Wow!
(10:07):
It’s destructive results and the consequentconfusion are more apparent than at any time
past.
That’s powerful, right.
That means something.
I mean think about how much suffering we’veseen over the past few centuries – and yet
THIS is the time where its destructive resultsare more apparent than ever.
(10:30):
And think about the world’s confusion – yetthis is the time where the consequent confusion
are more apparent than ever.
I mean this is powerful, right!
And they also say (10:41):
“It is no wonder then that, as a result of this crisis, conflict
and contention among peoples and war and strifeamong nations are increasing day by day, and
every pure heart and illumined conscienceis oppressed and saddened thereby.”
(11:05):
And I think we can all relate to this.
It weighs so heavily on our very souls, right.
So once again, we see in this message a reflectionon the state of the world – with the disintegration
eating away at our social orders.
I mean it’s a dire picture.
But, of course, the Universal House of Justiceshares this not to frighten us but to help
(11:32):
us embrace our responsibility in working torelease constructive forces to mitigate the
suffering – much more of which is likelystill to come.
And this is the thrust of the guidance – onhelping us understand our role in the unfolding
drama.
(11:52):
And in this context, I want to jump towardsthe end of the message – where they translate
this response into a very sharp point of focus.
Indeed, they say (11:59):
“Today, the spiritual duty and moral responsibility of every conscientious
soul is to serve the cause of the peace andunity of the world.”
And here they give us that other gift – areminder to study their message of January
(12:20):
18, 2019 which provides much more detail onour path in promoting world peace.
So let’s explore that message.
(12:41):
Now the January 18th message was written fora very special occasion – it was for the
centenary of the Paris Peace Conference atthe end of the First World War.
This is really the start of the process ofbuilding machinery for our collective security
as a planet.
And as the Universal House of Justice explains,there were three key moments where humanity
(13:04):
reached out for a real, lasting peace – butalways fell short because of weaknesses it
could not overcome.
So the first of these was the League of Nationswhich grew out of the Paris Peace Conference
at the end of the first World War.
The world had experienced unprecedented devastationin the Great War and there was a hunger – a
(13:26):
true yearning – not to see this happen again.
And the Universal House of Justice explainshow this was the first time that a system
of collective security, enjoined on the world’srulers by Baha’u’llah, was seriously “envisaged,
discussed and tested”.
(13:47):
But tragically, of course, it ultimately failedthat test because it was fatally flawed from
the outset.
You know, when embracing change, people wantto keep the status quo as much as possible
– and in this exchange between a new worldorder and the existing one – the limits
placed on the new - rendered it incapableof preventing the outbreak of the Second World
(14:10):
War.
So the second key moment happens after theSecond World War – again, in the ashes of
the devastation that THAT war brought.
Again, there was a hunger for change – butalso that tension between the old and the
new – and so new institutions were bornto help uphold a peace.
(14:31):
Foremost here, of course, is the United Nations– but it was more than just the UN – it
was also a system of international economicinstitutions and historic advances in human
rights and international law.
Territories under colonial rule became independent,and all kinds of regional and global cooperation
(14:53):
grew in both depth and range.
Now – none of us listening today would havebeen around for that first moment – at the
end of the first World War.
Some of us might have been around for thesecond moment – with the birth of the UN
– but if you’re 90 today, you would havebeen only 10 at the time – so your understanding
(15:14):
and memory of that event might be limited.
But, I think, there were many of us who vividlyremember the third moment – those days when
we were watching our TVs and saw the fallingof the Berlin Wall.
You know, shortly after the end of the SecondWorld War – a new global competition evolved
between the world’s two major power blocs– a period we call the Cold War.
(15:39):
And for many decades, we lived in fear ofthe outbreak of a nuclear war.
But the Cold War wasn’t just about thisfear of a head-to-head US-Soviet battle – it
was a global battle for dominance – andit popped up in numerous wars and conflicts
across various regions (15:57):
Vietnam, Korea, Afghanistan and it fed into countless civil wars across
Africa, South America, Europe and Asia.
So let’s go back to that moment in 1989when we were glued to our TVs watching the
(16:17):
Berlin Wall fall.
It was a moment that none of us could believe.
All of a sudden, there was a glimmer of thepossibility for true peace.
I know – because I was there.
At that time, I was part of a group of 40Baha’i youth that had been invited into
(16:39):
the then Soviet Union – the Promise of WorldPeace tour organized by the Baha’is of Hawaii.
It was such an amazing moment.
And let me tell you – the Russian peoplecraved peace just as much as we did.
Probably even more so.
(16:59):
And suddenly it felt like we were going tosee the establishment of the Lesser Peace.
A little side note.
I was saying how surprised we all were atthe time.
I mean the end of the Cold War just seemedimpossible.
(17:20):
But I remember on the eve of this all happeningthat there was a clue that something was going
to happen.
And the clue was found in the Six Year Planlaunched in 1986 – just three years before
the fall of the Berlin Wall.
And in that Plan, the Universal House of Justicehad assigned goals – and one of the goals
(17:45):
for the US Baha’i community was to settlepioneers in the Ukraine.
The Ukraine?
Really?
I mean, this truly felt impossible.
I remember as youth we looked at this withpure confusion – how was this even possible?
(18:08):
You just couldn’t get behind the Iron Curtain.
But three years later, things changed.
So the end of the Cold War was an opportunity– and even though we didn’t get the Lesser
(18:30):
Peace, there was considerable progress inall kinds of international cooperative initiatives.
Now the Universal House of Justice calls outa specific set of initiatives, the Millennium
Development Goals which was a set of goalsand targets addressing global poverty, education,
the empowerment of women, child mortality,health, the environment – broadly social
(18:52):
and economic development.
And while you may have heard of this – itprobably isn’t top of mind for any of us.
I mean, it barely made the news right.
But here the Universal House of Justice positionsthe Millennium initiatives not in terms of
their imperfections but in terms of its contributionto the inexorable rise in global consciousness
(19:16):
and our attraction to universal justice, solidarity,collaboration, compassion and equality.
So it was an important step forward.
So these three key moments stand out in ouradvance towards World Peace.
(19:38):
But then the Universal House of Justice beginsexploring the new challenges that we have
faced as we came into the new millennium.
And in many ways, this was a retreat.
Instead of bringing us together – thesenew forces increasingly pulled us apart.
(20:03):
Although we were successful in decreasingmany of the extremes of poverty, wealth further
concentrated.
There were new tensions in the interactionbetween citizen, governments and society.
Religious fundamentalism warped the characterof communities and even nations.
And with the failing of so many institutions,public trust declined – and with the growing
(20:29):
loss of truth, there was systematic exploitationto further erode the credibility of all sources
of knowledge.
Suddenly, shared ethical principles whichwere on the rise began eroding, challenging
our understanding of right and wrong.
And the drive to international collectiveaction which had been gaining so much momentum
(20:53):
became assailed by forces of racism, nationalismand factionalism.
And so it is that the forces of disintegrationare on the rise.
Now I want to pause for a second to furtherexplore this picture – because I don’t
think it’s easy to see the full vista ofjust how bad this all really is.
(21:18):
Of why this is all so unprecedented.
These past few days, I’ve been watchingthe news about Haiti.
The images on TV are horrific.
I mean every day you see the desperation – deadcorpses burnt in the streets, government ministry
(21:39):
buildings abandoned, desolate and now occupiedby the homeless.
Governments desperately trying to evacuatetheir citizens.
I mean, it’s devastating stuff.
But how does a nation like Haiti get overrunby what was previously just small gangs and
hoodlums.
(22:00):
We all tend to look at the moment it all goeswrong – but the truth is – it was going
wrong well before then.
Societies like Haiti were being corroded fromwithin.
As social institutions break down – as publictrust and confidence erode – society becomes
(22:21):
vulnerable.
And this is what, I think, this disintegrationis doing.
It’s corroding our societies – makingthem fragile.
Now none of us knows what the specific formof what follows might be – but when you’re
vulnerable like that – it only takes a spark.
(22:45):
Now we know that none of this effects areultimate destiny – as the Universal House
of Justice reminds us, the unification ofhumanity is unstoppable by any human force.
It’s the next stage in our global evolution– because it’s the only way we can address
our problems in our interdependent world.
(23:09):
So peace is inevitable.
But the question we face is what price wepay for it.
We can either embrace our future responsibly– or resist it – and pay a higher price.
And the Universal House of Justice makes itclear what the consequence is here.
They say (23:30):
“As long as that call goes unheeded, there is no reason to doubt that the world’s
current state of disorder and confusion willworsen—possibly with catastrophic consequences—until
a chastened humanity sees fit to take anothersignificant step, perhaps this time decisive,
(23:56):
towards enduring peace.”
Now, we have a responsibility to help theworld respond to this call as best we can.
But how?
(24:17):
And here, the Universal House of Justice helpsfurther paint the picture.
You see, the Universal House of Justice explainsthat achieving this vision of world peace
requires a historic feat of statesmanshipfrom the leaders of the world.
But the will to even attempt this is lacking.
(24:40):
And a big part of the reason for that is thathumanity is gripped by a crisis of identity.
Now identity is one of these watch words ofthe new Plans.
You see references to identity in almost everymessage from the Universal House of Justice
– so that tells us that it’s a very importantconstruct.
(25:02):
And this crisis is one where people struggleto define themselves, their place in the world
and how they should act.
And what’s missing here is a shared identityand common purpose.
So without that vision – they fall intocompeting ideologies and power struggles – into
(25:24):
the us vs. them paradigm of identity.
And over time, this splintering has weakenedour social cohesion.
What all of this is missing is the understandingthat above all of this, humanity is on a common
journey in which we are all its protagonists.
(25:48):
Now for our discussion today, let’s callthis the ‘oneness of humanity’ paradigm.
It’s a lens through which we see everything.
There is no us and them – there is one humanity.
We are a single interconnected social organism.
(26:09):
We are one.
And yet – there is a paradox.
Because we believe that diversity is an asset– we appreciate diversity.
How can we advocate for one humanity and diversityin the same breath?
And here, the Universal House of Justice explainsthis so beautifully – it clarifies our path.
(26:35):
“It is through love for all people, and by subordinating lesser loyalties to the
best interests of humankind, that the unityof the world can be realized and the infinite
expressions of human diversity find theirhighest fulfilment.”
(26:55):
So it’s our love for humanity which cultivatesour appreciation for its diversity.
How beautiful is that, right?
And how do we cultivate this selfless lovefor humanity – well, that’s the task for
religion.
(27:15):
It’s a spiritual ambition – centered oncultivating fellowship and concord.
But so many who claim to be religious insteaduse religion to fan the flames of fanaticism
and prejudice.
And so we need to help remind and reawakenpeople to the true need for religion – as
(27:40):
a powerful instrument in unifying all of us– as one humanity.
Because as Abdul-Baha reminds us, “our desirefor peace is not derived merely from the intellect:
It is a matter of religious belief and oneof the eternal foundations of the Faith of
(28:01):
God.”
And this then links back to our collectivecrisis of identity.
Because another one of those key constructsthat you now see in so many messages of the
Universal House of Justice is the coherenceconstruct.
And part of what coherence is about is havea balance between the spiritual and material
(28:26):
dimensions of life.
The crisis of identity is in part the productof us reducing our life experience to the
material realm alone.
But when you think about it, what really definesus – what really differentiates us – is
(28:48):
our character.
That’s who we really are.
That’s what really defines us.
And understanding that at a collective level,that character is about unifying us, about
conquering our prejudices – about that unifiedparadigm I was talking about earlier – that’s
(29:12):
what we’re talking about here.
And so we promote the oneness of humanityas a fundamental spiritual principle, critical
to our progress as a planet.
(29:36):
Now there’s another construct which we see,really almost always, in the messages of the
Universal House of Justice – and that’sa construct we can call ‘agency’ – that
we empower people to become protagonists intheir own progress.
(29:58):
And this is another really big idea.
We are not trying to convert the world toour views.
We’re working to empower people to see truthfor themselves and chart their own destinies
towards the betterment of the world.
And as the Universal House of Justice remindsus: “In this important undertaking, every
(30:24):
member of the human family has a share.
In purifying the heart and cleansing its mirrorfrom prejudice on the one hand, and in creating
the social conditions for peace and unityon the other, every individual has agency
and the capacity to play a part.
(30:45):
All souls are able to promote the cultureof peace and unity in their interactions with
friend and stranger alike.”
Now – let’s explore this idea a littlefurther here – because it’s such a powerful
idea.
(31:06):
Remember earlier when I was talking aboutHaiti – how it had become a society corroded
from within that was fragile and vulnerable– this is the story unfolding almost everywhere.
So what can we do to strengthen our socialfabric – to create the conditions for peace.
(31:27):
I’d like to go back to what some of ourrecent guests on this podcast have shared.
Remember how in episode 21, Dr. Peter Colemantalked about nations that had taken measures
to address their threats to peace.
In Botswana – having seen how tribalismhad destroyed neighboring countries, they
introduced the truly radical requirement forcivil servants to have to regularly rotate
(31:52):
the region they were serving in – to getup and move to a different region for a few
years - facilitating intergroup contact acrosstheir nation.
He also shared how following a violent CivilWar, Costa Rica introduced a peace curriculum
in its schools – and how this has translatedto it being a sea of calm in a region often
(32:16):
plagued by internal strife.
These are remarkable stories which highlightthe benefits of peace building –
Then in episode 25, Andrea Bartoli referredus to Galtung’s framework for peace: with
peace keeping, peace making and peace building.
(32:37):
This goes beyond negative peace – to anexpression of positive peace.
And this was also something which Nealin Parkerwas talking about in our last episode – how
what really unites those 6,700 organizationsin America alone that are working to address
polarization is their ambition for this kindof peace building – for a positive peace.
(33:05):
And that’s our lane.
That’s what we’re promoting.
We are working to strengthen our collectivesocial fabric.
And whether or not this averts catastrophes,it at least gives us the tools we need to
best navigate through them.
So here, in this Naw Ruz message, the UniversalHouse of Justice is calling on us to act as
(33:30):
catalysts working to awaken people’s capacityto cultivate this kind of culture of peace,
working to create, as Abdul-Baha says (33:42):
“genuine love, spiritual communion and durable bonds
among individuals.”
And that’s why this is all about our workin the Plans – because this kind of culture
of peace is what the Plans are working tobuild.
(34:11):
Now there’s one more reference in the NawRuz message which I’d like to draw your
attention to.
They say (34:17):
“Participation in the discourse on peace and oneness, in all its numerous
facets, is another way in which the followersof Bahá’u’lláh assist souls to look
to the future with a vision transcending thechallenges and limitations of society today,
(34:40):
and work together to better understand theessential prerequisites of a peaceful society
and make it a reality.”
Now what stood out to me here is that we oftenthink about very specific discourses in which
we engage – like race unity – or the environment.
But I think, and remember, this is a personalview here – but I think the Universal House
(35:04):
of Justice here is helping us see that ‘peaceand oneness’ is a meta narrative – because
they frame it as a meta discourse with ‘allits numerous facets’.
So for me – on a personal level – thiscreates a banner under which so many of our
(35:28):
discourse-related initiatives will land – andthat’s this call for participation in the
discourse on peace and oneness.
And of course, there’s the inspiring close– where they quote from Abdul-Baha.
“I hope this New Year will be happy andblessed and will become the cause of the attainment
(35:54):
of divine assistance and confirmation, sothat ye may become the cause of the unity
of the world and proclaim the oneness of thehuman race, may change enemies into friends
and make those who are deprived the confidantsof the mysteries of the world’s Great Peace.”
(36:17):
So let’s reflect on the three ambitionsthat Abdul-Baha voices for us.
First, that we become the cause of the unityof the world and proclaim the oneness of the
human race.
That’s our message.
Then – that we change enemies into friends.
(36:40):
I mean, this is a lot of what we’ve beenexploring in our sequence on the science of
depolarization.
It’s the ultimate challenge, right?
So this is our method.
And finally, that we make those who are deprivedthe confidants of the mysteries of the world’s
(37:03):
Great Peace.
Wow – That’s the result.
How truly inspiring.
Wow – this message was so powerful in helpingus look beyond the doom and gloom – so we
(37:28):
could see just how urgent the hour is – howimportant the mission – and how critical
the need for us to arise and promote the causeof the universal peace and the oneness of
humanity.
Now remember, this podcast is not a substitutefor your own study.
(37:49):
Hopefully it will help inspire you to studythese three messages for yourself and see
how they speak to you.
And my review here is brief – I didn’tcover all aspects of the message.
Further reason for you to study itself.
(38:10):
And my apologies for my inadequacy in bettercovering the full depth of this message.
As I was doing the research for today’spodcast, I often felt overwhelmed – like
how could I possibly fully express the ideashere – because they’re so powerful.
So be forgiving in overlooking some of myshortcomings here.
(38:31):
But that’s what our journey together isall about, right?
Us working our best to find our path forward.
Well – that’s it for today.
Once again, I want to thank you for joiningus in our journey today – and I hope you’ll
join me again next time – on Society Builders.
(38:52):
Society builders pave the wayTo a better world – to a better day
A united approach to building – a new society
There’s a crisis facing humanityPeople suffer from a lack of unity
It’s time for a better path to a new society
Join our conversationFor social transformation
(39:28):
Society builders
So engage with your local communitiesAnd explore all the exciting possibilities
We can elevate the atmosphere in which wemove
The paradigm is shiftingIt is so very uplifting
It’s a new beat, a new song, a brand newgroove
(39:49):
Join our conversationFor social transformation
Society builders
The Baha’i Faith has a lot to sayHelping people to discover a better way
(40:18):
With discourse and social action framed byunity
Now the time has come to lift our gameAnd apply the teachings of the Greatest Name
And rise to meet the glory of our destiny
Join our conversationFor social transformation
(40:40):
Society builders
Join our conversationFor social transformation
Society builders
Popular Podcasts
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Special Summer Offer: Exclusively on Apple Podcasts, try our Dateline Premium subscription completely free for one month! With Dateline Premium, you get every episode ad-free plus exclusive bonus content.
On Purpose with Jay Shetty
I’m Jay Shetty host of On Purpose the worlds #1 Mental Health podcast and I’m so grateful you found us. I started this podcast 5 years ago to invite you into conversations and workshops that are designed to help make you happier, healthier and more healed. I believe that when you (yes you) feel seen, heard and understood you’re able to deal with relationship struggles, work challenges and life’s ups and downs with more ease and grace. I interview experts, celebrities, thought leaders and athletes so that we can grow our mindset, build better habits and uncover a side of them we’ve never seen before. New episodes every Monday and Friday. Your support means the world to me and I don’t take it for granted — click the follow button and leave a review to help us spread the love with On Purpose. I can’t wait for you to listen to your first or 500th episode!