Episode 29: The Ridvan Message of 2024

An exploration of the Ridvan Message of 2024 by the Universal House of Justice.

The message explores the interaction between the forces of disintegration and integration at work in the world today - highlighting the inescapable need for a sustained, rapid rise in the number of those committing their time, energy and concentration to the success of our peace-building initiatives.

CONTENTS:
0:00 Introduction
1:26 Dark Times
8:15 Our Role as Haven
11:24 Methods & Instruments
12:58 Our Message
16:19 Closing Thoughts

Episode Transcript

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Society Builders pave the wayTo a better world, to a better day
A united approach to building a new society.
Join the conversationFor social transformation
Society Builders.

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Society Builders with your host Duane Varan.
Welcome to another exciting episode of SocietyBuilders – and thanks for joining the conversation
for social transformation.
We’re again pausing our discussion on thescience of depolarization today– I promise – well
I almost promise – that we’ll pick upagain on that theme in our next episode – barring

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some new urgent development, of course. Butwe’re pausing this discussion today because
of another exciting opportunity – and that’sthe advent of some more guidance from the
Universal House of Justice – it’s RidvanMessage for 2024.
This comes to you HOT off the press – infact, it’s so hot off the press it’s still

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sizzling! Tsss.
So today, we explore the Ridvan Message of2024.
(Musical Interlude)
Now - by now, if you’ve been following thispodcast series, you know that episodes where

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we can explore the guidance from the UniversalHouse of Justice are our most exciting episodes
– because the insights they provide us withhere gives us so much deep guidance – guidance
that we can reflect on that directly relateto our conditions and opportunities today.
So I’m so excited to join with you todayin this journey of discovery.

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And once again, I start with my standard disclaimerhere – that my views are no more meritorious
than yours. I share my reflections with absolutely noauthority and my views are not the official
views of any Baha’i agency. So with thatdisclaimer let’s dive in.
Now – I think to fully appreciate the RidvanMessage, you really need to have explored

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the recent Naw Ruz Message of the UniversalHouse of Justice to the Baha’is in Iran.
That was the focus of our last episode. Becausethat message really sets the stage for this
one – and this message really builds onmuch of the foundations of that message.
So, for example, there is a reference in thismessage to us being “true practioners of

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peace” – and it’d be easy to read pastthat reference without critical reflection.
But when you frame these words within thecontext of the Naw Ruz Message, suddenly it
means something so much deeper. Like there’sa whole system of meaning behind those words.
So if you haven’t listened to our last episode yet,I’d encourage you to hear it – because

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it will help you understand this message ina much deeper light.
OK – by now you know that whenever I reflecton a message from the Universal House of Justice,
the first thing I do is look for is how they analyzethe conditions of the world. I mean, this
is our crystal ball. This is the best we can get to understand what’s happening in the

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world around us.
And again, if you follow this podcast, youknow that the recent messages of the Universal
House of Justice paint an incredibly darkpicture of the state of the world – a world
polarized and paralyzed, where collectiveprogress has seldom seemed gloomier, increasingly

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frustrated by the inability of present-daystructures to meet humanity’s needs. They
describe a plethora of destructive forcesand events which have left their traces in
blood and anguish on the pages of historyand the lives of billions, a crisis that is

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destabilizing and disrupting the world’sorder, with destructive results and consequent
confusion that are more apparent than anytime past. I mean DARK, right!
And in THIS message, the Universal House ofJustice really extends these brushstrokes

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– further elaborating on our dark, darktimes. It’s a moment of crisis. The condition
of the world is growing MORE desperate – andits divisions more severe. And this is having
its consequences – in despair – and conflict.

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Now similar to its other recent messages,this dark condition – these forces of disintegration
– are symbiotically tied to the counteringforces of integration – and the message
clearly focuses on our response to the painand suffering around us rather than on the

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gloom and doom that is growing.
And here, they quote from Shoghi Effendi whodescribes how "a process of 'progressive
deterioration in human affairs' is occurringin parallel with another process, a process
of integration, through which the 'Ark ofhuman salvation', society’s 'ultimate

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haven', is being built up."
Now this is a reference to a message fromthe beloved Guardian that was written in April
of 1957, just a little over six months beforehis passing. And in this passage, Shoghi Effendi
is describing the “violent derangement ofthe world's equilibrium; the trembling that

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will seize the limbs of mankind.” And inthis passage, the beloved Guardian goes on
to describe the response that this must evoke.
Now my personal read here is that towardsthe beginning of the message the Universal
House of Justice is praising the communityfor its progress over the past two years – the

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community has taken the new plan to heart– we’re seeing increased depth in our
understanding in the transition from communityto society building. So there’s a pat on
our back saying ‘good job commnity’ – but thisis where the plight of the world comes in.
It’s like we’re doing a good job, butthe world around us is growing more desperate

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– its divisions more severe. And so eventhough we’re doing a good job, all of this
makes new demands on us

And for me, personally, this is the main themeof the entire message – it’s a calling
to help sensitize us to the desperate plightof humanity so we can better understand the

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growing demands this makes on us both as individualsand as communities.
And this relates to a sentence that reallyleapt out to me. Which is their calling here.

They say (07:32):
“All of this points to an urgent, inescapable conclusion
rapid rise in the number of those committingtheir time, their energy, their concentration
to the success of this work.”
And that, I think, is the calling here. Fora “sustained, rapid rise in the number of

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those committing their time, their energy,their concentration to the success of this work."
(Musical Interlude)
OK – with that bird’s eye view of themessage, let’s now dive into some of its

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detail.
The second paragraph echoes a theme that theyhave previously elucidated on. Our suffering
is one with humanity. We are being and willbe impacted by the forces of destruction just
like everybody else. And in fact, the pointhere is not for us to try to avoid this – it’s

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not about us building bunkers. It’s theopposite. It’s about us rushing into the
field to help humanity through this criticalhour.
This is so important. It’s so powerful.
I don’t know if you remember – but inepisode 13 I shared the story of Dr. Zia Baghdadi

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and the race riots in Chicago in the summerof 1919. The Red Summer. At a time when black neighborhoods
were being burnt to the ground by white hooligans– a time of absolute terror – where even
the police and fire departments dared notenter – Dr. Baghdadi rushed into these black

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neighborhoods bringing them food and medicalcare. And that’s the image we should form
– that our times need us – and that weneed to rush to the aid of our fellow friends
and neighbors.
Yes – we are impacted by the forces of destruction– but we understand the forces at work – so

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we’re not paralyzed by them. We understandthe forces of an organic evolution that is
at work and we understand this with absoluteclarity on its direction and destiny. We have
a duty here – and it’s to provide a desperate,suffering humanity with the ‘ultimate haven’

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they need – the 'Ark of their salvation'.
They explain how even though we are affectedby the travails of society, and I quote here,

we’re: “…not confused by them; it is saddened (10:21):
undefined
by humanity’s sufferings, but not paralysedby them. Heartfelt concern must prompt sustained
effort to build communities that offer hopein place of despair, unity in place of conflict.”

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HOPE in place of despair
UNITY in place of conflict
So here the Universal House of Justice ishelping us understand our role in this drama
playing out in the world – in this battlebetween the forces of disintegration and integration.
In our need to provide humanity with the haventhey need to navigate through these difficult

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times – offering hope and helping cultivateunity.
(Musical Interlude)
Now – if that’s our role – HOW do wedo that? And here, the Universal House of

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Justice reminds us that the Plan providesus with the methods and instruments we need
– in a process that builds long-term, constructiveprocesses that unfold over generations.
And it’s here that they frame this as partof the practice of peace building – and

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again, this builds on their recent Naw Ruzmessage which, I think, is helping steer our
society building focus to this meta-narrativeof peace building. And here, they telescope
starting with the individual and growing upto family, neighborhood and community. They

say: “We see it in every account of a heart being (12:11):
undefined
enkindled with the love of God, a family openingup its home to new friends, collaborators
drawing on Bahá’u’lláh’s teachingsto address a social problem, a community strengthening
a culture of mutual support, a neighbourhoodor village learning to initiate and sustain

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the actions necessary for its own spiritualand material progress, a locality being blessed
with the emergence of a new Spiritual Assembly.”(Musical Interlude)

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So we have a clear role – the Plan providesus with our methods and instruments – but
the Universal House of Justice also provide us with our message forhumanity:

They say (13:11):
“Where else but in Bahá’u’lláh’s principle of the oneness of humankind can
the world find a vision broad enough to uniteall its diverse elements? How else but by
translating that vision into an order basedon unity in diversity can the world heal the

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social fractures that divide it? Who elsecan be the leaven through which the peoples
of the world can discover a new way of life,a pathway to enduring peace?”
And they call on us to “Extend then to everyonethe hand of friendship, of common endeavour,

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of shared service, of collective learning,and advance as one.”
So let’s reflect on thesetraits:
Extending the hand of friendship – arounda common endeavor, with shared service, collective
learning – and advancing as one.WOW!

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And they elaborate further on that theme ofservice – helping us understand the special
joy it creates. And joy is critical to navigatingthrough dark times, right?
“The call to service is an uplifting, all-embracing summons. It attracts every faithful

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soul, even those weighed down by cares andobligations. For in all the ways in which
that faithful soul is occupied can be discovereddeep-rooted devotion and a lifelong concern
for the well-being of others. Such qualitiesgive coherence to a life of manifold demands.

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And the sweetest moments of all for any enkindledheart are those spent with spiritual sisters
and brothers, tending to a society in needof spiritual nourishment.”
And by the way, there’s a special callinghere for our youth. They say while the entire
community must surge forward, our youth mustsoar. Wow!

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And they highlight some very specific qualitiesthat youth need to bring to this mission – immense
kindliness, courage, complete reliance onGod – all in a path for them reaching out
to their peers and inviting them to join inour important work.
And in their close, there is a nice celebration,I think, of our focus on training – they

say (15:55):
In the Holy Shrines, with overflowing hearts, we thank Bahá’u’lláh for having
raised you up and trained you in His ways,and we entreat Him to send you His blessing.”
So inspiring.(Musical interlude)

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Now as always – don’t rely on this podcastas a substitute for your own study of this
important message. My intent here is to furtherstimulate your study – both individually
and as communities. I mean, the Universal House ofJustice just sent YOU a letter – this is
a letter to you - so read it – and ask yourselfhow YOU want to respond to them.

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It’s critical that you read this messagefor yourself to understand how the message
speaks to you – and what your unique responseto it will be.
So with that thought, I leave you to reflect.Thanks again for joining the conversation
– for social transformation.I look forward to continuing our journey together

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– next time – on Society Builders.
Society Builders pave the way to a better world – to a better dayA united approach to buil-ding – a new society
There’s a crisis facing humanityPeople suffer from a lack of unity

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It’s time for a better path to a new society
Join our conversationFor social transformation
Society Builders

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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

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Join our conversationFor social transformation
Society Builders
The Baha’i Faith has a lot to sayHelping people to discover a better way

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With discourse and social action framed byun-i-ty
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
Society Builders

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Join our conversationFor social transformation
Society Builders