Continue reading »]]> The persecution of young and innocent children whose parents are unjustly imprisoned due to their religious beliefs is a brutal expression of the violation of human rights.

May 19, 2013.  Barmaan was only one month old when his mother began serving a 23 month termi, in July 2012, in the overcrowded and oppressive women’s prison of Semnan, a city in northern Iran.  The crime of this young mother and her husband was belief in the Baha’i Faith, a religion which seeks nothing but peace and unity for humankind. His deplorable plight began earlier when his mother was about seven months pregnant with him.  After a harsh raid by guards on his family’s home, his mother was so emotionally affected by the disturbing situation that she gave birth to Barmaan two months prematurely.  His father had also been previously imprisoned in another section of the prison for men so the baby had to be taken into prison with his mother.  It was as if a cruel and unjust world had no room for him except in the confines of a terrible prison.[i]  One may wonder why a young mother was forced to endure prison with a nursing baby in her arms?  When she is released Barmaan will be two years old.

Science and psychology consider the first two years of the life of a child to be vital in its development.  Being deprived of proper care and nutrition as well as a safe environment are but a few of the hazards imposed by prison life for a child of this age.  Babies who are born in prison or brought into this kind of detention centre after birth may face dire consequences from malnutrition, infectious diseases, emotional problems as well as developmental challenges.  Jailed mothers are often subjected to psychological and physical insults and brutality.  But how long can mothers and infants survive in such an oppressive environment?

Entrance to the Citadel of Semnan

In recent years, in Europe and the United States, facilities have been developed for women prisoners.  However in Semnan and other cities in Iran it has been reported that there is hardly any space for women, let alone Baha’i women with babies.  In the case of Barmaan he had to face all the negative impact of such an environment as well as being born prematurely which certainly made him more vulnerable than babies born at term.

However, Barmaan is not the only baby of Baha’i parents to be serving a prison sentence with their mothers.  Two other infants are suffering the same fate.  At one point during 2012 there were seven babies under two years of age including four of Muslim mothers who were incarcerated with 70 women, some of whom are violent.  Because of limited space for so many women, some of the Baha’is sleep on the floor, which, for those with babies, is unsafe and intolerable.[ii]  And what is happening to the Baha’i and other women prisoners is not unique to Semnan. It also occurs in other Iranian cities.

The persecution of young and innocent children whose parents are unjustly imprisoned due to their religious beliefs is a brutal expression of the violation of human rights.  According to the Human Rights Activists News Agency of Iran (HRANA)  a 12 month-old Baha’i infant, Rassam who lived with his mother in prison developed a serious respiratory infection which required treatment in hospital.  Earlier, his mother had requested several times that he be sent for medical treatment outside of prison but the authorities ignored her pleas for help.  She too was imprisoned due to false accusations that she had been “teaching against government” and had been practicing her religion which included the education of children.  She was sentenced to 20 months in prison.  HRANA also reported other instances of prison atrocities which have had physical and emotional impact on women prisoners in Semnan.  In April 2013  many of them found pieces of broken glass in the meals served to them and therefore refused to eat that food.  Consequently, many nights they went to bed hungry as they were not allowed to buy food from the prison store.  Imagine what effect this would have on a nursing baby?  Furthermore, it was recently reported that a foundation that supports women and children decided to donate, on the occasion of Child’s Day (Rooz-e-Koodak) some money for each child in prison.  However, children of Baha’is were barred from receiving such aid because of their religion.  Although this deprivation was not materially significant, it was psychologically demeaning and discriminatory. [iii]

Imprisonment of women with babies, regardless of religious or political affiliation has been on the rise in the world.  As discussed above, it is creates a cruel and hazardous situation for the babies.  However, leaving babies or young children with caregivers is also fraught with many difficulties.  When children are separated from their mothers at a young age, they may be scarred for life by emotional isolation, depression, insomnia and suffer developmental consequences unless that are properly cared for and looked after.  The mother and child bonding and relationship takes place during the first two critical years of life when infants form a strong attachment to their mother.  Through this bond, a sense of security and trust develops and children learn about their need to love and be loved.  A forced separation of mothers and babies is a form of violence not only against women but is an abuse of the rights of children for safe and proper care, education and upbringing in a family environment.

Inciting hatred and oppressive persecution against the Baha’is of Iran has taken a new turn during recent years.  The Baha’is of Iran presently constitute the largest non-Muslim minority of Iran whose rights have been violated. Baha’is have been subjected to systematic and widespread attacks individually and collectively.  In some parts of the country their homes have been raided, their property confiscated or vandalized, their stores set on fire and hundreds of them have been arrested and imprisoned with physical and psychological torture and terror.

Although none of this is new in the 170 – year history of the Baha’i Faith in Iran, it seems that targeting individuals for persecution  is no longer confined to the adult population.  School children are discriminated against and ridiculed because of their beliefs.  The doors of universities are shut in the faces of  students for the same reason.  But as if this persecution was not enough, the authorities are now targeting the most vulnerable members of the community, those who are  unable to defend themselves – babies.  This constitutes perhaps one of the most despicable forms of oppression to date.

Since 2008 the Baha’is of Semnan have been targeted with relentless persecution including raids, arrests and imprisonment.  “Their cemeteries have been vandalized, their beliefs have been attacked in the media and from the pulpit of mosques.  Perhaps most ominously their children have been denounced in the city’s schools.” [iv]  In brief, this is a community under fire where, since last year, young mothers with newborn infants have been convicted and sentenced to prison, thus subjecting the latter to hardship and mistreatment, a few examples of which have been presented in this article.

Continue reading »]]> Character cannot be developed in ease and quiet. Only through experiences of trials and suffering can the soul be strengthened, vision cleared, ambition inspired, and success achieved.

Helen Keller

Nov 9, 2012: Why do we suffer and what is the meaning or purpose of suffering? What does it look like to live in a world completely free from pain and suffering? People are so scared of suffering and death, yet like birth, death comes whether we like it or not.

Imagine a world where there is no death and people keep aging and life goes on. What kind of life would that be? It would be like living in a world in which the day never ends, no night, no circadian cycle of day and night. Unless there is darkness we cannot appreciate the significance of light and vice versa. Likewise, in disease and suffering we begin to appreciate the moments of healthy life, free from pain and distress.

There are things in life that we can change and other things that we are unable to change. We can conquer disease and delay death but we cannot eradicate death and live an eternal physical life. Traditionally suffering has been perceived as a morbid experience and a sign of doom and gloom. But there are increasing research findings which suggest a potential relationship between creative development and life adversity. This shows that through suffering we do not always end up devastated, but rather amidst or soon after a calamity or tragedy we may build a creative resilience. In the face of severe stress like physical injury, the body immediately reacts physiologically by releasing a hormone which blocks the perception of pain for the initial moment. Study of soldiers during the war shows that when they are shot in the leg, for example, the initial reaction is numbness and later, pain begins to be felt. In this situation the body releases endorphin which has an analgesic effect and protects the person from excruciating pain and shock until help arrives.

The experience of suffering is as diverse as human beings and can be physical, emotional, mental, or social. However there is a silver lining to suffering which may turn the anguish of a disease or a calamity into potential creativity and bring about amazing positive compensations. Patients suffering from autism, Down’s syndrome, bipolar illness, depression and even certain forms of dementia have been stigmatized and looked down upon as individuals with a disability who deserve to be institutionalized, discriminated against or shunned because of their disability. However, during the past few decades, neuroscientists and researchers have discovered exceptional and extraordinary intellectual, artistic or musical talent and genius abilities among some of those who suffer from these disorders. It seems that the rate of this occurrence is higher among such individuals than the general population. The unusual and highly remarkable accomplishments of children who have grown up with Asperger’s syndrome, a high functioning type of autism, is discussed in an interesting book entitled “Genius Genes”.

Interest in unraveling possible enigmatic and intriguing connections between creativity and mental disorder goes back to centuries ago. Socrates and Plato in describing the emotional state of poets, spoke of divine mania or inspiration.

Aristotle was very puzzled by a possible connection between highly gifted individuals and depression writing, “Why is it that all men who are outstanding in philosophy, poetry or the arts are melancholic, and some to such an extent that they are infected by diseases arising from black bile…”

Suffering, especially when it is life threatening, is not only painful and a cause of distress, but also raises questions about the purpose of life and its meaning and ultimate destiny. Spiritual perspectives of life place individual suffering in the larger context of the universe and underscore the fact that suffering is a universal experience. Moreover spiritual teachings give a meaning to human suffering and guide us in how to accept and transcend this experience through faith and a deeper understanding of personal growth.

In Buddhism it is believed that suffering arises from attachment to the material world. Desire is the basis of this attachment. Life means suffering and cessation of suffering is a gradual process and is attainable by denial of desire and rejection of wants for gratification. In Judaism pain and suffering are perceived as part of human fate and the result of sin. Therefore, suffering is a process of atonement. In Christianity and Islam, the concept of suffering is related to punishment for sin. The Christian notion that a child is born with sin is considered the basis for the need for suffering in this world. According to the Baha’i teachings, a human being is born noble, not sinful. Proper education reveals this nobility. Therefore, personal growth for perfection in this material world is attainable not only through suffering but also through happiness.

If we reflect on the dynamics of the interaction of individual adversity and potential creative resilience we note that in the lives of many of those who rose to prominence in artistic, scientific, sport or philanthropic achievements, many of them suffered greatly during their lives. Behavioral scientists have been exploring the question as to whether adversity can fuel creativity in some people. If this is possible, what are the pathways and what is the mechanism? We are still at the beginning of a long road towards the enfoldment of this mystery. However the fact that there is no universally agreeable definition of creativity complicates the understanding of this connection. But the time has come for us to move forward in our research and celebrate the achievement of countless men and women who have overcome their physical or mental disabilities through creative adaptation and progress.

Helen Keller, a renowned American woman who was deaf and blind for most of her life believed that the development of character is strengthened and enriched through life trials and suffering. Resilience amidst life crisis is viewed as a process which consists of adaptation in the face of adversity. But this adaptation needs to be based on a vision of serving the common good rather than oriented toward status and self-glorification. As Viktor Frankl, a psychiatrist who survived the Nazi concentration camps wrote, “Suffering ceases to be suffering in some way at the moment it finds a meaning, such as the meaning of a sacrifice.” (Man’s Search for Meaning, p. 179)

Resilience is a dynamic process; it is not static. A person may be resilient to a distressful event and non-resilient or weak in the face of another event. Belief and culture play an important role in acquiring resilience in life. One of the characteristics of building resilience in response to a calamity is having faith and deriving a meaning from the trials and hardships experienced during one’s life (A-M. Ghadirian, Creative Dimensions of Suffering, p. 23).

Be thou strong and firm. Be thou resolute and steadfast. When the tree is firmly rooted, it will bear fruit…The trials of God are many, but if man remains firm and steadfast, test itself is a stepping stone for the progress of humanity.” (Abdu’l-Baha)

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This is the third in a series of posts on Science, Medicine, and Spirituality by Abdu’l-Missagh Ghadirian, a physician and professor at McGill University in Montreal. Dr. Ghadirian is an author and researcher with numerous scientific articles and several books in the fields of psychiatry and social sciences. In recent years he has been exploring creative aspects of suffering and the role of faith and resilience as well the impact of materialism and substance abuse on society. Currently, he teaches the interrelationship between medical science and spirituality in the healing process.

Continue reading »]]> “Since we cannot get what we like, let us like what we get.”

(Spanish proverb)

Abdu’l-Missagh Ghadirian

May 11, 2012. What is materialism?

Or to be a bit more specific, what is moral materialism?

Here is what the dictionary says: “moral materialism” is “a desire for wealth and material possessions with little interest in ethical or spiritual matters.”

We can elaborate. Materialism is a state of mind and a lifestyle chosen by those who believe that acquiring and owning material possessions is the most important ingredient in human happiness and well being.

Matter Over Spirit

People who hold to moral materialism often depend upon the possession of worldly belongings to build a sense of security and comfort. Matter takes precedence over mind and spirit, and life revolves around material satisfactions. Often, there are expectations that possessing more will result in a happier life.

But these expectations are not always met, and this leads to frustration and, often, a cycle of neediness. Consider the American dream and think how many have sought success, wealth, and fame through hard work and thrift. But now, with the development and progress of industrialization and the rise of modern forms of capitalism, this dream has eroded. It is increasingly replaced by a “get rich quick” philosophy.

Traditionally, since ancient times, people have procured goods according to their actual needs. But after the industrial revolution and, subsequently, the development of modern technology and the spread of consumerism promoted by marketing and advertisement, that has changed. Increasingly, people’s motivations are being manipulated to modify what they believe they need for day-to-day activities and to create cravings for things that they really don’t need.

Emptiness

The rise of the psychology of marketing and the shift in consciousness that it has created have brought tremendous benefits to commercial enterprise. But, it has not equally benefited the customers of those commercial enterprises who consume the goods and services they offer. Today, large numbers of people have every possession they want, but their needs are not satisfied.

People often complain of an emptiness which no material possessions can fill. In the midst of plenty, they are spiritually hungry, unhappy, and in despair – the modern symptoms of discontent. Consider – and it is just one small example – the anorexics, fashion models, actors, and ballet dancers who feel obliged to change their weight to comply with standards which take no account of their inner struggles or their health.

The purpose here is not to denounce money or wealth, or to glorify poverty, or to deny the pleasures of life. It is not money that causes this discontent and this sense of emptiness. Rather, the cause is the human mind and its over-dependence on worldly materials and possessions. It is the denial of deeper intrinsic values – of spiritual values. Research studies show that when poverty is overcome and incomes grow, happiness does not necessarily increase proportionately. Apparently, it is true that money can’t buy happiness.

Substance Abuse

As a result of the spread of materialistic lifestyles, a culture of self-indulgence and gratification flourishes around the world. According to United Nations reports [here], there are 210 million adults worldwide who suffer from substance abuse and addiction and 140 million more who suffer from addiction to alcohol (World Health Organization, 2001). Materialism: Moral and Social Consequences is a book I wrote discussing desire, over-attachment to material things, and the cycle of neediness in consumer cultures. I note that escaping inordinate desire is a daily challenge which requires moderation and self-discipline to avoid the “hedonistic treadmill”.

Success and happiness are not easily attained, especially in a highly competitive society, and people become discontented. As a result, some resort to the consumption of mood or mind-altering drugs and/or alcohol as a shortcut to both transient happiness and freedom from fear and anxiety. The result can be a lifestyle that impacts both the perception of the nature of true happiness and physical health. Contentment becomes a commodity that can be bought at the market, cultivated in a field, or kept in a cellar (for details, see Alcohol and Drug Abuse).

Materialism and Poverty

Materialism not only affects the wealthy and worldly, but also those who are poverty-stricken and exploited by the rich. Recently I visited two countries in Western Africa – Mali and Ghana – with very different cultures, language, religions and economic situations. Mali is beset by poverty and 50% of the population live on a daily income of $2 per day. People struggle. Ghana is better off and has more industry, more technological development, more wealth, and greater prosperity.

I was invited to speak on topics chosen by each country. To my surprise, I was often asked to speak about materialism in Mali – but not in Ghana. I asked why people in Mali were interested in discussing materialism and its consequences. I was told that although most people were poor, their lives were strongly affected by the materialism of – and exploitation by – other nations. In Ghana, there was more interest in learning about how to cope with life stress due to the competitiveness accompanying economic growth and progress.

So yes, poverty generates stress, but it is overshadowed by the exigencies of survival. And life is simpler and more family-oriented in impoverished countries like Mali. In progressive and industrialized countries, stress is perceived as the price one pays for growth.

A survey by the Chicago Tribune found that people who earned a salary of less than $30,000 per year said that they needed over $50,000 in order to fulfill their dreams. Those with an income of over $50,000 a year stated they would need to earn a yearly income of $250,000 to be satisfied. This and other research studies confirm that when goals for income are met, expectations of what is needed to achieve satisfaction move upward.

Contentment is a sense of inner satisfaction, and variations in contentment depend on expectations. Higher expectations of an unreasonable nature are likely to lead to increased dissatisfaction when expectations are not met. According to Kasser (2004), “the culture of consumption… not only degrades psychological health, but spreads seeds that may lead to its own destruction”.

What the Bahá’i Writings Say

The Bahá’i Writings encourage moderation and detachment from worldly excesses. They give a deeper understanding of the true purpose of life.

Bahá’u’lláh states:

“Busy not thyself with this world, for with fire We test the gold, and with gold We test Our servants.”

Bahá’u’lláh asks us to view the material world as transient and temporary, where we are to prepare for the spiritual world of eternity. He encourages balance and discourages greed and excessive attachment to the vanities of this world.

Or, as Socrates said:

“Contentment is natural wealth, luxury is artificial poverty.”

Continue reading »]]>

Abdu'l-Missagh Ghadirian

In recent years debate about the interrelationship between medical science and spirituality has been flourishing.  Modern medicine, despite its unprecedented discoveries and progress in identifying the cause and treatment of disease, has been viewed as overly “scientific”, and consequently “the healing bond between patient and physician” has been weakened (David Rosen, “Modern Medicine and the Healing Process”, Humane Medicine, 1989).

The world-renowned Canadian physician William Osler, over a century ago wrote,

“Nothing in life is more wonderful than faith – the one great moving force which we can neither weigh in the balance nor test in the crucible…Faith has always been an essential factor in the practice of medicine.”  (Osler W, The Faith that Heals, BMJ, 1910)

Medicine and spirituality/religion are complementary and not mutually exclusive or contradictory.  Human consciousness, the expression of which is mediated through neurophysiological processes, is basically a spiritual phenomenon.

Through medical science patients are treated and some are successfully cured.  But are a successful treatment and effective healing the same?  If this is the case, then why do some patients, after being cured feel that they have not been healed or are not whole?  The sense of “wholeness” may not depend on a cure.  For example, a woman who has lost her breast as a result of a cancer may acknowledge that her tumor was successfully removed but she may not feel “healed”.  This reflects her inability to perceive herself as a “whole” person as a result of the loss of part of her femininity.  To feel “whole” and healed requires a sense of inner contentment which often comes from a spiritual perspective of self, faith and a sense of higher fulfillment.

Patients seeking treatment for their medical problems may also have spiritual needs such as the need to understand the meaning of suffering and death, the role of prayer in healing, whether illness is a punishment by God, and the issue of guilt.  In some medical centers, spiritual care is provided to help these patients.  It is believed that, as one researcher puts it,

… the essence of spiritual care is founded on the assumption that all people are spiritual beings.  It recognizes the relationship between illness and the spiritual domain and acknowledges the possibility of a search for meaning in the big questions of life and death.  It responds to religious and humanistic needs … (Wright, MC, Palliative Medicine, 2002)  

Are our hospitals becoming increasingly dehumanized institutions and are physicians being turned into technocrats who interact with machines more than with persons?  Why do so many people feel empty and unhappy in spite of having everything and having access to the most advanced treatments?  In a materialistic society this feeling of emptiness is rampant and medicine should be aware of this.  (For more on this topic, see A. M. Ghadirian, Materialism: Moral and Social Consequences, 2010.)

The following case may help to make a point about the role of spirituality in health.  A 65-year-old man is brought to a palliative care unit with a diagnosis of advanced cancer.  The metastasis of his cancer is too extensive to allow for surgical intervention and it is too late for chemotherapy.  He is anxious, worried and has been unable to sleep since this diagnosis was made a week before.  In the hospital he finds himself in a ward where most of the patients are in their final stage of life.  His oncologist walks into the room and the first question the patient asks is “Doctor, how long am I going to live?”  For him this is the most critical question of his life!  The answer he gets is more painful than his question – that his stay will be very short.  His next question is: “What happens to me after I die, will I have any memory of my wife, children, and other loved ones?  Will there be another world or does death come like a dark and gloomy black hole and that will be the end?  What is the meaning of my life and suffering?”

Science has no answer for these questions.  Recording of heart rate, blood pressure, respiration and brain waves ceases, and death indeed occurs.  Is this the final word?

Taking this phenomenon in a broader context and with spiritual perspective on the meaning of death, it is not just an end but a new beginning.  Death is a gateway to a new world, a spiritual world.  This is what Elizabeth Kübler-Ross calls “the final stage of growth” and states that death is “an integral part of human existence”. (Kübler-Ross, E:  Death – The Final Stage of Growth, 1975)  In a palliative care unit, although almost all patients are in their final phase of life, not all are frightened and disturbed in anticipation of death. Surprisingly, some of the patients in a near-the-end of life condition appear serene and surrender their will to the will of God, accepting death with faith as a new reality.  They believe that in death, as in birth, there is a transformation of self to embrace in the realm of eternity.

In this article the words spirituality and religion are used interchangeably. Although the concept of spirituality is generally acknowledged, its definition remains far from clear.  Here, I view spirituality as a process which implies development and progress of the human soul or spirit.

Religion and science are intertwined with each other and cannot be separated.  These are two wings with which humanity must fly.  (`Abdu’l-Baha, `Abdu’l-Baha in London, 1982)  

Both science and religion search for truth – science through observation, verification, and methodological analysis; religion through knowledge of divine revelation and sacred writings.  The World Health Organization (WHO) in its definition of palliative medicine emphasizes the biopsychosocial as well as the spiritual aspects of patient care.

In the ancient world religion and medicine were intimately connected.  The temple was a venue for treatment and healing as well as for prayer and worship.  People were treated for their physical wounds and spiritual anguish.  In the West, during the middle ages, a separation between the Church and medical science developed which lasted for centuries due to contention and mistrust.  In the East, however, this division was avoided because of a positive relationship and solidarity between scientists, physicians, and spiritual leaders.  Religion provides a moral compass for society with reference to ethical values and rules for the betterment of people.  Moral values are not in the purview of scientific endeavours, just as the study of genetics and molecular biology are not the domain of religion.

Neuropsychological research shows the body translates positive behavioural attitudes, faith, and spiritual contentment and peaceful attitude, into positive biological responses: a decrease in the release of stress hormones like norepinephrine and corticosteroids.  The result of this is a decrease in heart rate, blood pressure and an increase in theta brain waves reflecting serenity.  (Benson H, Timeless Healing, 2007)

Integrating science and religion will allow us to extend our knowledge of the mysteries of the universe and the life beyond.  (“Is spirituality relevant to the practice of medicine?” A. M. Ghadirian, Medicine and Law Journal, 2008, also see www.medicineandspirituality.com.) The spiritual dimension of medicine can contribute to the improvement of a patient’s quality of life.  In our time, medicine needs to go beyond technological procedures, important as those are, and reach out to the sick and suffering with compassion, empathy, and spiritual care.

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This is the first of several posts on Science, Medicine, and Spirituality by Abdu’l-Missagh Ghadirian, a physician and professor at McGill University in Montreal, an author and researcher with numerous scientific articles and several books in the fields of psychiatry and social sciences.  In recent years he has been exploring creative aspects of suffering and the role of faith and resilience.  He also studies the impact of materialism and substance abuse on society.  Currently, he teaches the interrelationship between medical science and spirituality in the healing process.