Here's the latest article from the Baha'i site at BellaOnline.com.

Joy and Laughter: The importance of laughter and using it for better spiritual and physical health.

http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art37686.asp

Basic teachings of the Bahá’í Faith emphasize the importance of recognizing one’s true nature as the only way to true joy and happiness. Further, understanding of the nature of human beings as a whole will be necessary in order to deal with problems that are worldwide in scope, and which have arisen because of ignorance of this.

Recently, the Bahá’í International Community issued a statement, via the United Nations Commission on Sustainable Development, challenging the common assumption that human beings are slaves to self-interest and consumerism. It says, among other things, that, “the human experience is essentially spiritual in nature: it is rooted in the inner reality – or what some call the ‘soul’.”

The document, “Rethinking Prosperity: Forging Alternatives to a Culture of Consumerism,” disputes the notion that there is an intractable conflict between what people want (supposedly to consume more) and what humanity needs. Rather, “The faculties needed to construct a more just a sustainable social order -- moderation, justice, love, reason, sacrifice and service to the common good --” must be harnessed instead of dismissed as naïve ideals. “The transition to sustainable consumption and production is one of the great challenges of our times, and to achieve it will require a transformation of both thought and action.” It makes very interesting reading.

For the entire document, go to http://bic.org/statements-and-reports/bic-statements/10-0503.htm

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Cheryll Schuette, Baha'i Editor
http://bahai.bellaonline.com