The NSA letter is so indicative of so many things wrong with Baha'i. It's very congratulatory about the many small things the various communities have been up to. I thought the building of a bench was particularly indicative of this false positivity that runs through much of Bahai'speak. I mean, it's all nice and all that, but it's certainly not very realistic. It's reminiscent of those 'positive parenting' parents I used to run into when I taught. Ne'er a realistic word, just positivity through and through. It gives the kid a sense he can do absolutely no wrong. I know one such poor child that is now stuck in jail for assault and battery, his parents couldn't bail him out of that. But having read quite a bit now, here and elsewhere, it;s easy to see exaggeration, and false bragging when it's there.
Of course then it goes on with the lament about how most of the people who attended these events were guests, and not actually Baha'i, and again with the encouragement to convert convert convert, as if converting is somehow magically going to make you a better person. It's a problem for many ex-Baha'i, the fact that there is little action outside of finding new converts. What about some real charity, some counseling, sone rejoice at celebrating with others without the addendum for conversion. But it's all about the next big 8 year plan, following all the ___ year plans that have come before, failing miserably,yet again awaiting patiently the onset of thousands into this big deal.
The real deal about Cut Knife certainly wouldn't be Cut knife itself, but the several surrounding First Nations communities in the area, and the fact that Baha'i (and other missionary religions preceding them) have had some success converting on the First Nations, if only because the First nations peoples are a troubled lot, and may be looking for anything with any semblance of hope. But it won't last. They're slowly finding their roots, thank goodness. Perhaps the Baha'i sould do something more charitable like have a major food bank drive and give it to the impoversished areas of North Battleford. I won't be holding my breath on that one.
