The spirit of the 2012 centenary commemorating ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s visit to America is pervading Bahá’í activity nationwide, ranging from the fnationally sponsored events to innumerable instances of individual dedication. The national Bahá’í schools, both permanent and seasonal, are seeking to support this special spirit by offering focused study that not only highlights ‘Abdu’l-Baha’s visit, but also assists with developing a deeper understanding of His vision for the American Bahá’í community. As the Universal House of Justice pointed out in its Aug. 29, 2010,…
Baha'i Faith
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Baha’i schools seek creative approaches to develop insight into the Master’s vision
Bahai Faith | Baha'i Faith | United States Official Website27 Jan 2012 | 9:19 am -
New crackdown highlights campaign to block progress of Iranian Baha'is
Baha'i World News Service Headlines26 Jan 2012 | 4:00 amThe Iranian government's systematic strategy to drive Baha'is to economic ruin shows no sign of abating. According to reports received by the Baha'i International Community, a renewed campaign is under way in Kerman, the major city in south central Iran. "We have learned that the Public Places Supervision Office is denying the renewal of licenses – and revoking some existing ones – for... -
American Dreamer
Bahá’í Thought15 Jan 2012 | 11:45 amArticle first published as Martin Luther King, Jr: American Dreamer on Blogcritics. The essence of the American Dream can be captured in two words: upward mobility. On more than one occasion, I have written about how for those left behind by the Great Recession, the American Dream has become a dream deferred. Research recently reported on in the New York Times suggests that the problem is deeper than I imagined: "Benjamin Franklin did it. Henry Ford did it. And American life is built on the faith that others can do it, too: rise from humble origins to economic heights. 'Movin’ on up,'… -
On Another Look at the Baha’i Holy Places: I can never get enough
Baha'i Views27 Jan 2012 | 4:43 pmA new Flickr contact, Paul, and his photo set on Israel. I can never get enough of the Baha'i Holy Places. -gw -
January 28
Baha'i Words27 Jan 2012 | 11:01 pmThe first and foremost duty prescribed unto men, next to the recognition of Him Who is the Eternal Truth, is the duty of steadfastness in His Cause. Cleave thou unto it, and be of them whose minds are firmly fixed and grounded in God. No act, however meritorious, did or can ever compare unto it. It is the king of all acts, and to this thy Lord, the All-Highest, the Most Powerful, will testify. ~ Bahá’u’lláh
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Bahai Faith | Baha'i Faith | United States Official Website
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Baha’i schools seek creative approaches to develop insight into the Master’s vision
27 Jan 2012 | 9:19 amThe spirit of the 2012 centenary commemorating ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s visit to America is pervading Bahá’í activity nationwide, ranging from the fnationally sponsored events to innumerable instances of individual dedication. The national Bahá’í schools, both permanent and seasonal, are seeking to support this special spirit by offering focused study that not only highlights ‘Abdu’l-Baha’s visit, but also assists with developing a deeper understanding of His vision for the American Bahá’í community. As the Universal House of Justice pointed out in its Aug. 29, 2010,… -
Nurturing human potential takes many forms at SED conference
26 Jan 2012 | 3:20 pm“Nurturing Human Potential” is not just a conference theme for the several hundred people who gathered in Orlando, Florida, Dec. 15-20. It’s their daily mission, one they gained a greater capacity to serve through the culture of learning fostered there. The Baha’i Conference on Social and Economic Development was the 19th sponsored by the Rabbani Charitable Trust but first in which the program was developed in collaboration with the National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha’is of the United States and its agencies. A planning committee was formed in response to… -
International service needs, winter 2012
26 Jan 2012 | 1:56 pmHungarian-speaking pioneers (short-term are welcome) The Bahá’í community of Hungary would warmly welcome some Hungarian-speaking pioneers, or pioneer families. In particular, one long-standing but struggling community in Hungary would really benefit from having a resident Hungarian-speaking Bahá’í with experience in tutoring and/or core activities. Even a three-month stay could help a lot. Pioneers needed in Japan Pioneers are sought to live in the area of Sapporo, Hokkaido, in northern Japan. Ideally, a couple is sought to settle and consolidate the core activities in this community… -
In the Caribbean, ‘it was Baha’u’llah guiding our steps’
26 Jan 2012 | 1:52 pmMichael and Lottie Chunowitz of Buckeye, Arizona, had already been of valuable service to the Faith in their home area. Baha’is of several decades’ standing, they were active in a variety of community activities and over the years had pioneered to several Phoenix-area locales where they were needed. What spurred them to expand their service to the international arena and spend six months supporting Baha’i communities in the U.S. Virgin Islands? A presentation on international pioneering at their Unit Convention in fall 2010 provided an early spark. “My wife said that maybe we should… -
Lifelong crocheter hooks more than yarn with her service
26 Jan 2012 | 12:35 pmBy Tom Mennillo Cecile Bigatin and her handicrafts have become a fixture at the annual Baha’i Conference on Social and Economic Development in Orlando, Florida. For five years the Savannah, Georgia, Baha’i has set up in the area where composer/musician Jack Lenz sells CDs and DVDs. Soon “oohs” and “aahs” are heard as conference-goers run the soft yarn through their fingers. Bigatin sells crocheted scarves, hats and the like, and she contributes the profits charitably. That’s laudable in itself, a 77-year-old taking a skill she learned as a child in…
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Baha'i World News Service Headlines
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New crackdown highlights campaign to block progress of Iranian Baha'is
26 Jan 2012 | 4:00 amThe Iranian government's systematic strategy to drive Baha'is to economic ruin shows no sign of abating. According to reports received by the Baha'i International Community, a renewed campaign is under way in Kerman, the major city in south central Iran. "We have learned that the Public Places Supervision Office is denying the renewal of licenses – and revoking some existing ones – for... -
Romanian personalities demand human rights for Iran's Baha'is
25 Jan 2012 | 4:00 amAlmost 70 prominent Romanians are calling upon the government of Iran to grant Baha'is their fundamental human rights. Sixty-eight celebrated figures – from the worlds of academia, arts, banking, business, media and medicine – have signed a petition, appealing to the Iranian authorities to cease its systematic campaign of persecution of the Baha'is, "who seek only their rights under the... -
Slovakian politicians call Iran's persecution of Baha'is "chilling" and "abhorrent"
20 Jan 2012 | 4:00 amTreatment of the Baha'is in Iran has "escalated to an institutionalised and blatant policy of persecution," according to a proclamation issued by the Foreign Affairs Committee of the Slovakian parliament. The proclamation describes the Iranian government's incitement to hatred based on religion and belief as "abhorrent." It also states that the "regime's endeavors to persecute Baha'is is... -
Even in death, Iran's Baha'is face persecution
19 Jan 2012 | 4:00 amEighteen years ago, Baha'is in the Iranian city of Sanandaj were allocated a one-hectare parcel of barren land at the side of a road for use as a cemetery. This rocky mountainside, devoid of vegetation, was hardly prime real estate but – after the first burial there in the autumn of 1993 – local Baha'is got together to landscape the site, dig out the rocks and replace the soil. They planted... -
Debate highlights dangerous escalation of religious persecution in Iran
13 Jan 2012 | 4:00 amMembers of Parliament here have sharply criticized Iran for its human rights violations, focusing especially on the "steep rise" in the persecution of religious minorities. In a debate held at Westminster Hall on Wednesday 11 January, MPs highlighted the fact that virtually every religious minority in Iran is now facing oppression. Some 19 MPs, representing the UK's three major parties,...
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Bahá’í Thought
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American Dreamer
15 Jan 2012 | 11:45 amArticle first published as Martin Luther King, Jr: American Dreamer on Blogcritics. The essence of the American Dream can be captured in two words: upward mobility. On more than one occasion, I have written about how for those left behind by the Great Recession, the American Dream has become a dream deferred. Research recently reported on in the New York Times suggests that the problem is deeper than I imagined: "Benjamin Franklin did it. Henry Ford did it. And American life is built on the faith that others can do it, too: rise from humble origins to economic heights. 'Movin’ on up,'… -
The Ocean of My Words
5 Jan 2012 | 5:33 amIn Man's Search for Meaning, Holocaust survivor and psychiatrist Viktor Frankl wrote: "There is nothing in the world…that would so effectively help one to survive even the worst conditions as the knowledge that there is meaning in one’s life." In the Baha'i Faith, the primary source of meaning in life are the words of Baha'u'llah (meaning The Glory of God in Arabic). Baha'u'llah (1817-1892) is the Founder of the Baha'i Faith and his writings are considered to be the revealed Word of God by Baha'is. These writings, totaling some one hundred volumes range from mysticism to laws, from… -
BEST OF 2011
31 Dec 2011 | 10:22 amAs Baha'i Thought celebrates it's seventh year (you heard that right folks), I wanted to continue the long standing tradition of ending the Gregorian Year with what I consider the nine best pieces from 2011. Here it goes in no particular order:1. Save Money. Work for Peace.2. The Soul of Unemployment3. The Paradox of Politics4. Left Behind5. Beyond Post-Racialism6. What to a Felon is the Fourth of July?7. Out of Deep Love8. Truth, Reconciliation and Occupation9. Money Cannot Be Eaten -
Gene Marks Is Right
18 Dec 2011 | 7:25 amArticle first published as Gene Marks Is Right on Blogcritics.Once again, someone has picked up their keyboard and whacked the hornet's nest of contemporary racial discourse in America. This time it was a self-described "short, balding and mediocre certified public accountant", named Gene Marks, writing for Forbes magazine. Marks used the occasion of President Obama's recent speech about inequality to engage in a thought experiment entitled, "If I Were a Poor Black Kid". This experiment yields the following breakthrough insight into escaping poverty: "It takes brains. It takes hard work. It… -
Money Cannot Be Eaten
11 Dec 2011 | 6:00 amArticle first published as Money Cannot Be Eaten on Blogcritics.As the last of the Occupy encampments are swept away across the nation, few can fail to recognize that whatever the future of this movement, its activists have successfully "occupied" public discourse. Some see President Obama's recent speech in Kansas as an indication of this success. The speech, which focused largely on the theme of economic inequality, nicely captured the essence of the "American Dream," which for so many has become a dream deferred. "If you gave it your all, you’d take enough home to raise your family, send…
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Baha'i Views
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On Another Look at the Baha’i Holy Places: I can never get enough
27 Jan 2012 | 4:43 pmA new Flickr contact, Paul, and his photo set on Israel. I can never get enough of the Baha'i Holy Places. -gw -
On the Baha’i Attitude Toward Sex Is Refreshing: The faith God always intended for me
27 Jan 2012 | 10:19 amOld posts still draw visitors. Below is a comment made just yesterday to a post that originally appeared in October of 2009. Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "On Premarital Sex: What is a relationship?": I find it refreshing…. I was sexually molested for many years, did lose my virginity willingly at 19, married and had a child then divorced. Shortly after in a sexual monogamous relationship which ended within two years. Chose celebacy for two years and again in a sexual monogamous relationship for 5 years, married and it ended within 2 days. I chose chastity… -
On They Lived in Salishan: Darachan and Kiri
26 Jan 2012 | 2:01 pmOne of the most enjoyable aspects of the Martin Luther King Day potluck at Tim and Deb’s was visiting with Baha’i friends we hadn’t seen in a long time. I was especially thrilled to see Darachan and her son Kiri. I met Darachan and her husband at the train station when they first arrived in Tacoma many years ago. Cambodian refugees who once lived in Camp 6 on the Thai border, they were on to careers of great service in our community. Another thing I distinctly remember was that they, too, once lived in Salishan, that neighborhood that has been so much a focus of… -
On God the Sovereign: The power, names and attributes of God are eternal, ancient
24 Jan 2012 | 11:04 amOur Feast of Sultan was cancelled last Wednesday because of ice, but is being held this Wednesday instead. A second chance to honor God's sovereignty.Thanks, Jamie, for the set. -gw God is eternal and ancient; not a new God. His sovereignty is of old, not recent; not merely existent these five or six thousand years. This infinite universe is from everlasting. The sovereignty, power, names and attributes of God are eternal, ancient. His names presuppose creation and predicate His existence and will. We say God is creator. This name creator appears when we connote creation. We say… -
On a Life Through Age 22: Recognizing the oneness of mankind
22 Jan 2012 | 10:27 pmMy son asked me to share more about my personal history. So I wrote him this as a "first chapter." -gw My earliest memory was sitting by my mother on a footstool as she read me a story. I was around 5. I always felt secure as a child. My mother gave me strength and a feeling of security. My father was one to tip-toe around a little. He was prone to profanity of all kinds and temperamental. But I felt loved by him. I was a completely planned child, the one he was going to "spoil," because he hadn't had the chance to be around my brother and sister because of World War…
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Baha'i Words
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January 28
27 Jan 2012 | 11:01 pmThe first and foremost duty prescribed unto men, next to the recognition of Him Who is the Eternal Truth, is the duty of steadfastness in His Cause. Cleave thou unto it, and be of them whose minds are firmly fixed and grounded in God. No act, however meritorious, did or can ever compare unto it. It is the king of all acts, and to this thy Lord, the All-Highest, the Most Powerful, will testify. ~ Bahá’u’lláh -
January 27
26 Jan 2012 | 11:01 pmToday the most important principle of faith is firmness in the Covenant, because firmness in the Covenant wards off differences. Therefore, you must be firm as mountains. ~ ‘Abdu’l-Bahá -
January 26
25 Jan 2012 | 11:01 pmTherefore, in the beginning one must make his steps firm in the Covenant so that the confirmations of Bahá’u’lláh may encircle from all sides, the cohorts of the Supreme Concourse may become the supporters and the helpers, and the exhortations and advices of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, like unto the pictures engraved on stone, may remain permanent and ineffaceable in the tablets of the hearts. ~ ‘Abdu’l-Bahá -
January 25
24 Jan 2012 | 11:01 pmThoughts are a boundless sea, and the effects and varying conditions of existence are as the separate forms and individual limits of the waves; not until the sea boils up will the waves rise and scatter their pearls of knowledge on the shore of life. ~ ‘Abdu’l-Bahá -
January 24
23 Jan 2012 | 11:01 pmUnder all conditions those who have remained firm in the Covenant have conquered, while the violators have met defeat, disappointment and dejection. ~ ‘Abdu’l-Bahá
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The Baha'i Community of Arlington, Virginia
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Musical Prayer Station & house concert with Hillary Chapman and Ruhi Reimer
24 Jan 2012 | 6:25 pm“We, verily, have made music as a ladder for your souls, a means whereby they may be lifted up unto the realm on high; make it not, therefore, as wings to self and passion.” (from the Baha’i Holy Writings) What nurtures your soul? What makes your heart tender? Prayer, music, fellowship, tea poured in peace, banana bread baked with love and shared with a smile? Whatever the answer might be, sharing songs and prayers with friends gets us all closer to the Creator and recharges us for the days ahead. You and your friends are warmly invited to a fabulous house concert with… -
The Spiritual Awakening of the Balkans – discussion with Michael Winger
16 Jan 2012 | 9:48 am“O ye close and dear friends of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá! In the Orient scatter perfumes, And shed splendours on the West. Carry light unto the Bulgar, And the Slav with life invest.” (Abdu’l-Baha, Selections from the Writings of Abdu’l-Baha, p. 270) You and your friends are warmly invited to a stimulating talk and discussion on the spiritual awakening of the Balkans with the world traveler, poet, writer, photographer, management consultant and overall inspiring fellow, Michael Winger. What: Discussion on the Spiritual Awakening of the Balkans When: Tuesday,… -
Abdu’l-Bahá in America – Calling America to Its Spiritual Destiny
10 Jan 2012 | 10:04 amIn 1912, Abdu’l-Bahá, the son of the founder of the Bahá’í Faith, traveled from coast to coast across the United States after decades of persecution and imprisonment. This year marks the centenary of Abdu’l-Bahá’s visit to America. Abdu’l-Bahá called on America to become a land of spiritual distinction and leadership and gave a powerful vision of America’s spiritual destiny — to lead the way in establishing the oneness of humanity. In regions across the United States, and throughout the world, Bahá’ís are following His example and vision to build… -
UN investigator who revealed Iran’s “Baha’i Question” memorandum passes away at age 93
10 Jan 2012 | 9:05 amReynaldo Galindo Pohl, a noted legal scholar who uncovered significant evidence of human rights violations in Iran in the late 1980s and early 1990s, passed away on Thursday, January 5th, 2012 in San Salvador, El Salvador. Professor Pohl’s 1993 report to the UN Commission on Human Rights was notable for its disclosure of the so-called “Baha’i Question” memorandum, a previously secret 1991 letter – issued by the Supreme Revolutionary Cultural Council in Iran – that established a national policy for dealing with Iran’s Baha’is, setting limits on their… -
Baha’i International Community mourns passing of human rights expert
8 Jan 2012 | 9:59 amThe Baha’i International Community has expressed its condolences over the passing of noted human rights lawyer and Tunisian jurist Abdelfattah Amor. Professor Amor – who has died at the age of 68 after suffering a heart attack – was best known internationally for his 11 years of service as the United Nations Special Rapporteur on freedom of religion or belief, from 1993 to 2004. In 1995, Dr. Amor visited Iran – among the few UN human rights investigators to do so – and subsequently issued a ground-breaking report that cataloged that country’s widespread discrimination…
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Persecution of Bahá'ís in Iran
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NEW VIDEO released in Angels of Iran documentary series: “Faith and Sacrifice: The Baha’is in Iran”
24 Jan 2012 | 12:28 pmAmnesty International, United4Iran, International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran, Education Under Fire, The Boroumand Foundation, Iran Human Rights Documentation Center, the Baha’i national communities of the United States and Canada, and other organizations will be encouraging their supporters to spread these new Angels of Iran videos far and wide through social media. -
“Angels of Iran” video series released by coalition of organizations supporting human rights in Iran
17 Jan 2012 | 10:56 amThe Education Under Fire initiative will release seven new "Angels of Iran" videos -- short films of Iranian citizens' personal stories of courage and resilience in the face of torture, imprisonment and execution under the Islamic Republic of Iran. Beginning Jan. 17, the videos will be released weekly. -
Baha’is mourn passing of two pivotal human rights supporters
10 Jan 2012 | 1:02 pmThe human rights world lost two of its staunch defenders this month. Abdelfattah Amor, a noted human rights lawyer and Tunisian jurist, and Reynaldo Galindo Pohl, a prominent diplomat and professor of law from El Salvador, played key roles in exposing the harsh treatment and unjust policies of the Iranian government toward the Baha'is in Iran. The Baha'i International Community released public statements expressing its condolences over their passing and extolling their contributions to the United Nations in their respective capacities as UN Special Rapporteur on freedom of religion or belief… -
Detailed Kansas City Public Radio Report on Religious Freedom for Baha’is in Iran
29 Dec 2011 | 4:02 pmFor a group that prides itself on tolerance, Baha’is have drawn a lot of intolerance, especially in Iran, where the religion originated. Ever since Baha’i began, its followers have come under attack by fundamentalist Muslims. An early incarnation of Baha’is, the Babis, saw 20,000 of their members killed in the mid-19th century, and Baha’is founder, Baha’u’llah, spent most of his life either in prison or in exile. -
Times Higher Education article: “Baha’is denied access to state universities face a new threat to their institute”
22 Dec 2011 | 3:44 pmOnce, during Ramadan in the mid-1990s, Erfan Sabeti was on his way to an all-day genetics class at the Baha'i Institute for Higher Education in Tehran.
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Befriended Stranger
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Musical Prayer Station & house concert with Hillary Chapman and Ruhi Reimer – Friday, Jan 27th, 8 pm
24 Jan 2012 | 5:17 pm“We, verily, have made music as a ladder for your souls, a means whereby they may be lifted up unto the realm on high; make it not, therefore, as wings to self and passion.” (from the Baha’i Holy Writings) Dear friends! What nurtures your soul? What makes your heart tender? Prayer, music, fellowship, tea poured in peace, banana bread baked with love and shared with a smile? Whatever the answer might be, sharing songs and prayers with friends gets us all closer to the Creator and recharges us for the days ahead. Please join me for a fabulous house concert with Nashville,… -
Prayer Station Invitation: Religion and Faith
8 Jan 2012 | 9:23 pmPure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, to visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world. (King James Bible, James, 1:27) And who hath a better religion than he who resigneth himself to God, who doth what is good, and followeth the faith of Abraham in all sincerity? (The Qur’an, Sura 4 – Women) The essence of religion is to testify unto that which the Lord hath revealed, and follow that which He hath ordained in His mighty Book… The essence of faith is fewness of words and abundance of… -
It Only Takes a Girl
15 Dec 2011 | 9:15 pmIt only takes a girl to make a small, unselfish, step towards helping other girls, and spread this important message. Here is a beautiful video making a very clear statement on the importance of educating girls: I am glad to see a girl making this statement. And I hope the boys — and men — will be equal partners in protecting the rights of girls, the future educators of next generations, for it actually takes both girls and boys to make a peaceful world. Work ye for the guidance of the women in that land, teach the young girls and the children, so that the mothers may educate… -
Arlington Prayer Station Invitation “Gratitude”
14 Dec 2011 | 3:57 pmO ye who believe! fear Allah as He should be feared, and die not except in a state of Islam (submission). And hold fast, all together, by the rope which Allah (stretches out for you), and be not divided among yourselves; and remember with gratitude Allah’s favor on you; for ye were enemies and He joined your hearts in love, so that by His grace, ye became brethren; and ye were on the brink of the pit of fire, and He saved you from it. Thus doth Allah make his signs clear to you: that ye may be guided. Let there arise out of you a band of people inviting to all that is good, enjoining… -
Arlington House Concert with Munirih Sparrow – Last Musical Prayer Station for 2011
3 Dec 2011 | 10:21 pmLike her Canadian prairie home, Munirih Sparrow’s sound is acoustically uncluttered and softly joyous; her groove is strong and soulful. You’ll be moved by her voice and story. Sparrow weaves Baha’i prayers and originally written songs resulting in an intimate performance exploring the interplay of spirituality and art. The performance is intuitive and genuine, leaving you with the feeling that you’ve just made a new friend. Dear friends! What nurtures your soul? What makes your heart tender? Prayer, music, fellowship, tea poured in peace, banana bread baked with love…
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borna's own blog
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going offline
25 Jan 2012 | 2:32 pmThree Powerful Lessons I Learned When I Got Offline - a very good article about how to have a properly balanced life when it comes to online access. this is surely also something that can be applied at the workplace; how often don't we waste time by checking this and that without really needing to? -
could slow typing be good?
23 Jan 2012 | 2:31 pmI am wondering if it could be beneficial to be a slow typer - otherwise there might be the risk of typing faster than the thought can be formulated, which can either cause total nonsense to come out, or, in the worst case, a not-so-well-thought-out statement. obviously there needs to be a balance as being too slow might cause you to lose your train of thought. is there perhaps an optimal words per minute to thought ratio? that would be interesting to investigate... -
I love this shot
20 Jan 2012 | 9:35 amit's just gorgeous: (taken by Carmen B) -
overnight success
15 Jan 2012 | 3:14 amfrom things we forget -
I have wakened...
14 Jan 2012 | 11:58 pmI have awakened in Thy shelter, O my God, and it becometh him that seeketh that shelter to abide within the Sanctuary of Thy Protection and the Stronghold of Thy defense. Illumine my inner being, O my Lord, with the splendors of the Dayspring of Thy Revelation, even as Thou didst illumine my outer being with the morning light of Thy favor. - Bahá'u'lláh
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Luminous Realities: Exploring the Creative Process
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"Lotus Temple": An Architect's Creative Process
31 Dec 2011 | 8:13 pmThe Baha'i House of Worship in New Delhi, India - photo by permission of Baha'i MediaThis stunningly beautiful building – people call it the “Lotus Temple” – is the Baha’i House of Worship in New Delhi, India. I cannot leave 2011 without a mention of this iconic temple – and the creative process of the award-winning architect who designed it. The temple was in the news in November when more than 5,000 visitors from 60 countries gathered on its grounds to celebrate the 25th anniversary of its opening. Open to people from all religions and walks of life – as are all Baha’i… -
Sale! The Story of Baha'u'llah + Reader Reviews & Resources
25 Oct 2011 | 8:42 pmCover by Robert ReddyOne more week! October 31st is the last day to get 40% off The Story of Baha’u’llah: Promised One of All Religions (and other Baha'i titles). Where? Online at the U.S. Baha’i bookstore. Buy one for yourself, or stock up with several copies to share with friends, give as gifts. Many readers say they do just that. See what else Readers Say about The Story of Baha’u’llah. For book clubs and study circles, in addition to study on your own, spark conversations with these Reader’s Guide Questions, written with… -
The "sun of knowledge . . . moon of wisdom . . . stars of understanding . . . shone brightly"
20 Oct 2011 | 1:09 pmShrine of the Bab at nightLast night, in our local Baha'i celebration of the Birth of the Bab, we enjoyed a selection of stories about the Bab (which means “the Gate” in Arabic). To set the stage we began with this excerpt from Chapter 39 of The Story of Baha’u’llah in which Bah'au'llah links together all of the Messengers of God: A human being is “the noblest and most perfect of all created things,” wrote Baha’u’llah in the Kitab-i-Iqan (Book of Certitude), and “the most distinguished and the most excellent” of all men are the Prophets, who are… -
The Destiny of America & the Promise of World Peace - Pressing the Refresh Button
15 Oct 2011 | 12:14 pmIn our collective American life we are going through a rough patch. We feel beseiged by forces without and battered by forces within, as the solid ground of the American dream shifts beneath our feet. Our united remembrance of the heroic and sacrifical on September 11th was followed all too quickly by the divisive voices of politics as usual. Like me, you may have skipped right over International Peace Day. Peace seems so very far away. UN Photo #15153 by Helena Mulkerns As we struggle in the current milieu of challenges on every horizon, there is a great collective desire to press the… -
Black Butterfly Moon
30 Sep 2011 | 2:10 pmBLACK BUTTERFLY MOONI step into September -- Black Butterfly Moon --like a diver steps with quickening heart to the edge,springs into the sweet pulse of air,reaches and arcs into the last hovering moment before descent. So many momentsgather into the soft, black wingsof September, gleanings of moons gone by --Leaf Moon, Mulberry Moon, Yellow Flower Moon -- bundled like sheaves of lightripened into this one taking-off moment,gathering strength to strength like prayers unfolding between heaven and earth. It is not yet the hard lean Moon When the Wolves Run Together, not yet the Ice Moon. It is…
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Bahais Online
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3 Clever Ways to Use Google Apps in Your Baha'i Community
27 Jan 2012 | 7:08 pmThe last thing you want is for members of your community to feel excluded because they don’t have access to the internet or aren’t great with computers. Over the years, I’ve lived in a lot of different Baha’i communities and every one is different. My current community is especially interesting to me because it’s quite tech-savvy. In particular, we use Google’s Apps services to organize a variety of administration and activity. So I thought I would share some ideas on how to do this for your own community. As you may know, Google offers a ton of different free services beyond its… -
Crooks Ransack A Springs Bahai Center
19 Jan 2012 | 10:24 pmThe Center For The Bahai faith was burglarized sometime between Wednesday night and Thursday afternoon. Members tell KKTV 11 News they held a meeting Wednesday night that ended around 10:30 and arrived at the church Thursday around 4 p.m. for another meeting. That's when they discovered someone had broken and destroyed much of their property. Full story... (http://www.kktv.com/home/headlines/Burglars_Ransack_A_Springs_Church_137738688.html) -
Interoffice Memoranda
18 Jan 2012 | 1:41 pmArmen’s job at the pizza place didn’t last. He walked back down the state Employment Development Department to look for his next job. He got something after a few days. This job was not in Santa Cruz at all, but up in the Santa Cruz Mountains near the community called Bonny Doon. He’d need a bike. It was a long, strenuous ride up the Empire Grade, a road that starts at the UC campus and climbs high into the mountains. The job would be at the encampment of what was known around Santa Cruz as “the memo cult.” It sounded a little weird, but knowing Santa Cruz itself to be weird, and… -
Harsh Punishments for Poor Mourning
14 Jan 2012 | 7:28 amPeople ... are being made to study the Joint New Year’s Editorial and the greatness of Kim Jong Eun in the morning and afternoon, with the sessions packed so tightly together without a break that people are just exhausted. The North Korean authorities have completed the criticism sessions which began after the mourning period for Kim Jong Il and begun to punish those who transgressed during the highly orchestrated mourning events. Daily NK learned from a source from North Hamkyung Province on January 10th, “The authorities are handing down at least six months in a labor-training camp to… -
Enjoying the Moment
11 Jan 2012 | 9:32 pmThe other Baha'is in the area went on and on about the core activities, but experience showed that nobody just came to them, except a few Baha'is. For those of you who have been reading this blog for a while, you are probably aware that I was asked to serve at the University of Victoria in their Multifaith Chaplaincy office. And while the official title is that of "Chaplain", which makes me both cringe and laugh at the thought of a "Baha'i Chaplain", I think of myself, and refer to myself as a "Baha'i Adviser". It's not that people weren't invited, but just that they weren't interested.
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A Wayfarer's Tales
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Working with Baha'is who think or suspect that they are gay or homosexual
4 Jan 2012 | 1:49 amI'm completely re-writing my presentation of my ideas. For the latest version see sites.google.com/site/jimhabegger/ .Here is an extract:Ideas for working with Baha'is who think they're gay or homosexual, or that they might be.- Learn to appreciate the value of whatever parts of their personalities they're labeling that way, including any same-sex responses, and the value of their relationships with Baha'u'llah, including any concerns they might have about being gay or homosexual.- Learn to share with them, as equals, ideas and experiences about same-sex relationships and about following… -
Gays and the Baha'i Faith: message in a bottle
1 Jan 2012 | 7:27 pmPlease note that in the following I am not proposing that the partners in the marriage prescribed by Baha'u'llah can be two women or two men. I'm proposing that what Baha'u'llah says about marriage has no relevance at all to the lawfulness or unlawfulness of sexual and marriage relationships that do not potentially include coitus. I'm not proposing that two women or two men can have a "Baha'i marriage," in the sense of a marriage that is authenticated by a Baha'i institution. I'm proposing that there is nothing for any institution to authenticate, because there are no laws that apply to… -
Talisman liberation movement and me: NAQ (Never-Asked Questions)
15 Oct 2011 | 11:16 pmTalisman liberation movement and me: NAQ (Never-Asked Questions)* EditThe way this was originally titled and written seemed to equate the "Talisman liberation movement" with people "who have campaigned against the Universal House of Justice." That was a terrible injustice. There were many people involved in that movement, and I saw very few of them campaigning against the House of Justice. My abject apologies to anyone who might have been adversely affected by that. This is the introduction I should have written to avoid that misunderstanding.From the home page of the Talisman9 Yahoo… -
Wayfarer's tales revived, maybe
15 Jan 2011 | 8:00 pmI might start posting here again, now and then. I've enabled comments, and fixed two broken links. -
How to find common ground with feuding Baha'is?
14 Jan 2011 | 6:12 pmIn the past, in my relationships with people who claim allegiance to Baha'u'llah while continually depreciating what the House of Justice is promoting, and with their detractors, thinking of them as followers of Baha'u'llah has repeatedly led me to dead ends, contradictions, frustrations and confusion. I might give that up for a while. Taking their stated motives and purposes at face value also led me to dead ends, contradictions, frustrations and confusion. I might give that up for a while, too.Where does that leave me? I don't know. Maybe try to find some common interests, possibly…
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Hadley-Ives family update
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Dream of Shame
21 Jan 2012 | 10:57 amI had a dream last night, that I can remember quite clearly. I was in the consciousness of someone who stood in the court of some sort of king, and there were several of us there, playing a sort of game. The game was that we had cards, which we turned over to find revealed some word or phrase, and we had to, spontaneously, say something poetic or profound on the theme or word revealed on the card.When it came my turn, the card revealed to me the word, "Shame" and I decided to keep it short, not wanting to go on and on about it. So, all I said (in the dream) was… -
Sebastian's summer video
21 Aug 2011 | 11:22 pmSebastian made a film with clips from the summer. It's worth watching if you want to know what we did this summer. -
Wildlife on the ride to and from school
15 Jul 2011 | 11:50 amAs we're in the middle of summer here in Springfield, I'm now riding my bike to school each day, usually four or three days per week. This morning there was a wild turkey just a few feet away from the bike trail, and it didn't flee as I rode past it. About a mile further along my way a small snake slithered across the bike path just in front of me. It wasn't a garter snake, although I have seen garter snakes along the route before. Back in May I was riding into school very early, around 8:00 a.m., and it was a foggy morning, and I found a doe standing in the middle of the road. It… -
Arthur's presentation on John Berryman
15 May 2011 | 10:09 pmArthur had to do a presentation on the poet John Berryman. It's up as a web page if you care to see it. -
Abbottabad seems like a nice place
1 May 2011 | 11:25 pmWell, I wonder if anyone I know has recently been in Abbottabad. Seems like a nice place to visit, or just hide out and get away from the world. They have a medical college there for women. Oh, there was a report of a helicopter crash there at night, evidently on May 1st, and the sound of gunfire.I'm sorry the correspondents on CBS and ABC I was watching tonight listed terrorist attacks and only mentioned ones against American targets (embassies, naval vessels, the 9-11 attacks), and didn't mention attacks in Madrid, London, or the many, many attacks in Iraq, and even…
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Meditations on Baha'u'llah
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Introduction to Tablet of Manifestation (Lawh-i zuhur)
31 Dec 2011 | 4:32 pm(Please note: In this introduction, for ease of reading, I have referred to the manifestation as ‘he’. I usually try to avoid this when the reference is to a generic manifestation and not a specific one. But in this case, making the text gender neutral became awkward.) The translation of Tablet of Manifestation was published in Horris Holley (ed), Baha'i Scriptures, 2nd ed, New York: Bahá'í Publishing Committee, 1923. It is reproduced at the Baha'i Library Online. The translator is not known, but appears to have had English as a second language. To make the translation easier to read, I… -
Introduction to Tablet of Joseph (Lawh-i Yusuf)
6 Dec 2011 | 5:59 pmThe translation to the Tablet of Joseph is by Anton Haddad and appears in a collection titled "Long tablets of the Manifestation", published in 1904 by the New York Baha'i Board of Counsel. A close facsimile of the original is found at the Baha'i Library Online. Because the original contains odd grammatical, spelling and usage choices, I edited it a little to make it easier for a modern reader to engage with the text. I am aware that this is a questionable thing to do, but I believe those oddities make the text difficult to follow. I therefore want to emphasise that the version on my site,… -
A richer nation
16 Nov 2011 | 5:18 pmIn a couple of weeks, New Zealand will have a general election. One of the political parties here is the Green Party of Aotearoa New Zealand, and I have been impressed by their billboards. The slogan on the boards says "For a richer New Zealand" and the picture is of a young boy with his hands on his hips and a big bright smile, standing in a rural setting in front of trees and a small stream in which a family is fishing. The graphic is lovely and sunny and colourful. (See the graphic here. Note, it's one of three that comes up in rotation.) Steve and I have commented to each other about how… -
God does suffice
5 Nov 2011 | 8:05 pmI discovered recently something new about the 'God sufficeth' prayer revealed by the Bab. The full version of the prayer appears on page 123 of Selections from the Writings of the Bab. "Say: God sufficeth all things above all things, and nothing in the heavens or in the earth or in whatever lieth between them but God, thy Lord, sufficeth. Verily, He is in Himself the Knower, the Sustainer, the Omnipotent." What I didn't know is that, in Persian Bayan 9:6, the Bab says that if a person recites this prayer 314 times, any question that person may have will be answered. Well, that is a very… -
Introduction to Surah of the Almighty (Surat al-Qadir)
21 Oct 2011 | 8:15 pmHistorical background Little is known about the background to Surah of the Almighty (also, All-Powerful, Omnipotent). Stephen Lambden suggests that the surah was probably written for a Babi with the title 'al-Qadir'.[1] In volume 1 of "Revelation of Baha'u'llah",[2] Adib Taherzadeh treats the surah as a Baghdad text. However, both Juan Cole and Stephen Lambden say it was written in Edirne, somewhere around 1866. Juan Cole argues that the surah contains three characteristics that do not appear in Baghdad texts: it contains explicit claims for Baha'u'llah, it openly refers to Azal's rebellion…
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Iran Press Watch
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Slovakian politicians call Iran’s persecution of Baha’is “chilling” and “abhorrent”
23 Jan 2012 | 1:55 pmMembers of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the National Council of the Slovak Republic met on 19 January to discuss a resolution condemning the Iranian regime's persecution of Baha'is. The Committee's chair, Dr. Frantisek Sebej, pictured center with red tie, said, "Though I do not expect that the Iranian Government will stop the persecution of Baha'is, at least it will not dare to do more horrific things while thinking that no one is watching and nobody cares." [BWNS, 20 Jan. 2012] BRATISLAVA, Slovakia —Treatment of the Baha’is in Iran has “escalated… -
Even in death, Iran’s Baha’is face persecution
23 Jan 2012 | 1:51 pmIn recent years, there have been dozens of incidents of vandalism, arson, or other problems related to Baha'i-owned cemeteries or efforts by Baha'is to bury their dead. Authorities are currently trying to confiscate and destroy the Baha'i cemetery in Sanandaj, some 400 kilometers west of Tehran. [BWNS, 19 Jan. 2012] GENEVA — Eighteen years ago, Baha’is in the Iranian city of Sanandaj were allocated a one-hectare parcel of barren land at the side of a road for use as a cemetery. This rocky mountainside, devoid of vegetation, was hardly prime real estate but – after the… -
Debate highlights dangerous escalation of religious persecution in Iran
13 Jan 2012 | 3:32 amMembers of the UK Parliament taking part in a debate on 11 January on Iran's human rights violations. Pictured from left to right: Alistair Burt, MP for North East Bedfordshire and Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office; Louise Ellman, MP for Liverpool Riverside; Andrew Selous, MP for South West Bedfordshire; and Kerry McCarthy, MP for Bristol East. [BWNS, 13 Jan. 2012] LONDON — Members of Parliament here have sharply criticized Iran for its human rights violations, focusing especially on the “steep rise” in the persecution of… -
Iran must stop persecuting minority religions
12 Jan 2012 | 11:49 pmPastor Youcef Nadarkhani is facing the death penalty for apostasy. Roxana Saberi [CNN By Roxana Saberi, Special to CNN] Editor’s note: Roxana Saberi, an Iranian-American journalist, is the author of “Between Two Worlds: My Life and Captivity in Iran.” (CNN) — In March 2009, when I was detained in Evin Prison in Iran, two evangelical Christians were arrested. I never met them but spotted them a few times through the barred window of my cell as they walked back and forth to the bathroom down the hall. I would later learn that Maryam Rostampour and Marzieh Amirizadeh had… -
UN investigator who revealed Iran’s “Baha’i Question” memorandum dies aged 93
12 Jan 2012 | 11:44 pmProfessor Reynaldo Galindo Pohl, 1918-2012. UN Photo by Yutaka Nagata. [BWNS, 10 Jan. 2012] SAN SALVADOR, El Salvador —Reynaldo Galindo Pohl, a noted legal scholar who uncovered significant evidence of human rights violations in Iran in the late 1980s and early 1990s, passed away here last Thursday. A prominent diplomat and professor of law, Prof. Galindo Pohl was well known internationally even before his 1987 appointment as the United Nations Commission on Human Rights’ Special Representative on Iran. He had served as El Salvador’s UN ambassador and was also – among other…
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Inspiration for Bahá'í Teaching
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Workings of Regional Council for England in pursuit of the Plan
31 Dec 2011 | 5:59 pm(UK, 13 December 2011) A categorical and purposeful message from the Baha’i Council for England to the friends in the region regarding the implementation of the provisions for the Five Year Plan (2011-2016) in the various clusters. Baha’i Council for England 13 December 2011 To all believers in England Dearly loved Friends, Your newly elected Baha’i Council for England held its first meeting on 26-27 November 2011…. The Council reviewed and consulted upon the goals of the Five Year Plan set by the National Spiritual Assembly [of the Bahá'ís of the United Kingdom]… -
A coordinator’s take on stimulating growth in emerging clusters
30 Nov 2011 | 4:59 pm(US – South, August 2011) One of various informed perspectives on the process of stimulating growth in clusters at early stages of their development. What, first and foremost, would you like to tell the Baha’is in these clusters? Aniela Costello, cluster development coordinator, South Central States: It’s really important for this Council to say, “Yes, there are hurt feelings out there. Yes, you felt left out. We hear you.” We hear from many of the emerging clusters, “Where were you?” But there are pockets within our advanced clusters, too, that felt left out, didn’t know… -
Creating the environment envisioned in the institute courses
31 Oct 2011 | 5:58 pmTwo reports from the latest number of Reflections on Growth from the International Teaching Centre. Strengthening the Training Institute: The Importance of Gatherings for Reflection In its message of Ridván 2010, the Universal House of Justice called upon the believers and institutions to strengthen the institute process, the instrument critical to realizing the potential of local populations to create the “dynamics of an irrepressible movement.” … In this issue, friends from different parts of the world share their experiences of consultation, action, and reflection at the… -
Theme of spirituality in devotional meeting, close follow up, yields results
30 Sep 2011 | 4:59 pm(US – IN, June 2010) Thoughtful, seeking people exist in every community, we are assured of by the beloved Guardian and the Universal House of Justice. This story shows how they were found through the persistent efforts of one of the friends in an Indiana town neighborhood, using one of the core activities as a meeting point. 3 adults and 4 children in my neighborhood enrolled into our Beloved Cause! Weekly devotions proved to work better on Thursday afternoons; and it is through these devotions that the enrollments occurred. By being exposed to the Word of God at these devotions and… -
UK NSA letter re teaching opportunities afforded by disorder, riots
31 Aug 2011 | 4:59 pm(UK, 15 August) A poignant letter from the NSA of the UK regarding the special opportunity for sharing the Message that the recent manifestation of social unrest in the country has opened up to the believers. National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of the United Kingdom nsa@bahai.org.uk 15 August 2011 To the Baha’is in the United Kingdom and their friends Dearly loved friends, With the events of recent days in the cities and streets of England, the National Spiritual Assembly wishes to join with…
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Sen's daily
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Bahai home raided in Sari
23 Jan 2012 | 4:34 amRAHANA, January 22 On January 21, six agents of the Ministry of Intelligence broke down the door of the home of Enayatullah Sana’i (عنایت الله سنایی), a Bahai author and poet living in Sari, and seized a number of religious books, CDs and tapes. Since Mr. Sana’i was not at home, they could not arrest him. His home had also been raided in August 2011: on that occasion with such brutality that his eardrum was rupture. Source (in Persian) Short link: http://wp.me/pNMoJ-184 Older items can be found in the archive, here. Even older news is here. Filed under: Bahai rights… -
Sentences of BIHE teachers confirmed
20 Jan 2012 | 8:52 pmCHRR, January 19 The prison sentences previously given to six of the staff of the Bahai Open University (BIHE) have been confirmed by the review court in Tehran. Kamran Morteza’i (کامران مرتضایی) was sentenced to five years in prison, while Mr. Riaz Sobhani, Ramin Ziba’i, Farhad Sadeqi, Mahmud Badevam, and Mrs. Nushin Khadem (ریاض سبحانی، رامین زیبائی، فرهاد صدقی، محمود بادوام و نوشین خادم) were sentenced to four years in prison. A seventh member of staff who was arrested at the same time, Vahid Mahmudi (وحید… -
Sanandaj Bahais pressured to abandon cemetery
18 Jan 2012 | 4:33 pmZandehbad Kurdistan Blog, January 17 This blog reports that in recent days the authorities have pressured Bahai families in Sanandaj and other towns in the region. Twelve Bahai families in Sanandaj have been summoned and questioned, and pressured to abandon the cemetery known as “Golestan Javid” in the village of Hassan Abad, which is held in the name of one of these families. Their homes have also been searched, and computers, photographs and books have been seized. Source (in Persian) Today's featured link: Trial of Mohammad Seifzadeh, prominent lawyer and one of the… -
Shahrukh Ta’ef begins his 4-year sentence
17 Jan 2012 | 6:42 pmRAHANA, January 17 Mr. Shahrukh Ta’ef ( شاهرخ طائف ), a Bahai of Tehran, has been summoned to Evin Prison to begin serving a four-year sentence. He has been found guilty of “membership of the Bahai community.” He was arrested on January 14, 2009, following a search of his home, and was held in solitary confinement until March 18, 2009, when he was released on bail. Today's featured link: The Guardian obituary for Ian Semple Source (in Persian) Short link: http://wp.me/pNMoJ-17L Older items can be found in the archive, here. Even older news is here. Filed under:… -
Fu’ad Khanjani’s 4-year sentence begins
17 Jan 2012 | 6:14 pmPCED, January 17 Fu’ad Khanjani ( فؤاد خانجانی ), a Bahai student excluded from tertiary education, has begun serving his 4-year prison sentence, in Evin Prison in Tehran. He had been studying Industrial Management in Isfahan, but was expelled because of his Bahai beliefs. He was arrested on April 27, 2010, and released on bail a few days later. He had previously been arrested on March 2, 2010. His father, `Ala-aldin Khanjani (علاءالدین خانجانی) and other members of the extended family have also been arrested. His sister, Leva Khanjani Mobasher’s two-year…
