We ask God graciously to grant that all may evince such fairness of character, such goodliness of deed and kindliness of word as will meet with His good pleasure. It hath been decreed that the citadels of men’s hearts should be subdued through the hosts of a noble character and praiseworthy deeds. Contention, discord, strife and sedition have all been forbidden in the Book of God. Beseech the Lord that He deprive not His dominions of the effulgent light of the sun of trustworthiness, nor deny them the radiance of the Day-Star of truthfulness or the splendour of the orb of justice and…
Baha'i Faith
-
Most Topular Stories
-
June 19
Bahái Words18 Jun 2013 | 9:01 pm -
Uncovering the Secrets of Penetrating Speech, Part II
Bahá’í Perspectives:: Bahá’í Perspectives13 Jun 2013 | 10:16 amIf you read my last post, it may not be clear why the title makes reference to penetrating speech, and not impressive speech, or well-rehearsed speech? Well, the Baha’i Writings make numerous references to the importance of developing the power of utterance, and the metaphor often used in this respect is that of utterance being like a sword. As we know, the nature and capacity of the sword is to penetrate. Unless a sword be thrust into an object, it cannot be said to have fulfilled its intended purpose. This is what makes the metaphor so potent when applied to speech, for what we are… -
“New” National Spritual Assembly Members Elected
Baha'i Rants3 Jun 2013 | 1:06 pmThe delegates of the 15th Baha’i National Convention elected the new members of the NSA for the United States. But to be fair, they are not all that new. Basically every single previous member was re-elected to the National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha’is of the US (in descending order of votes received): Kenneth E. Bowers Muin Afnani Juana C. Conrad David F. Young Jacqueline Left Hand Bull S. Valerie Dana Fariba Aghdasi Erica Toussaint-Brock Robert C. Henderson Likewise, the delegates of the National Convention in Canada re-elected the exact same individuals to serve on the… -
Insights from the Frontiers of Learning
The Cormorant Baker8 Jun 2013 | 10:45 pmI had a quick look through the new document from the International Teaching Centre: It makes various bold claims, and I’d like to focus on this one: “In this way, over a span of many cycles, there is a steady increase in the number of new believers, of core activities and participants, and of those [...] -
"Five Years Too Many" campaign leads to global outpouring of support
Baha'i World News Service Headlines13 Jun 2013 | 3:00 amA global outpouring of support and concern for the plight of the seven Iranian Baha'i leaders – and for the situation of other prisoners of conscience in Iran – marked worldwide commemorations of the fifth anniversary of the arrest of these Baha'is. Statements calling for the immediate release of the seven came from every continent, issued by government officials, religious leaders, human...
-
Baha'i World News Service Headlines
-
"Five Years Too Many" campaign leads to global outpouring of support
13 Jun 2013 | 3:00 amA global outpouring of support and concern for the plight of the seven Iranian Baha'i leaders – and for the situation of other prisoners of conscience in Iran – marked worldwide commemorations of the fifth anniversary of the arrest of these Baha'is. Statements calling for the immediate release of the seven came from every continent, issued by government officials, religious leaders, human... -
New video for House of Worship in Chile released
12 Jun 2013 | 3:00 amA new video for the House of Worship for the South American continent in Santiago, Chile has recently been made available in English and Spanish. It can be viewed online at the House of Worship's official website. Titled "the Blossoming of a Vibrant Community", the newsreel is the third in an ongoing series of presentations about the... -
Iranian Baha'is face "widespread and entrenched" discrimination says UN Committee
23 May 2013 | 3:00 amYesterday the UN Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights issued a series of pointed recommendations to the Iranian government – recommendations that included a plea for Iran to ensure that all citizens, regardless of religious belief, enjoy full rights without any discrimination. The Committee specifically referred to the Baha'i community, expressing its concern that Iranian Baha'is... -
Four top UN human rights experts call for immediate release of seven imprisoned Iranian Baha'i leaders
13 May 2013 | 3:00 amFour high-level United Nations human rights experts today called on Iran to immediately release the seven imprisoned Baha'i leaders. In a press release issued on the eve of the fifth anniversary of the arrest of the seven, the four experts emphasized that the seven are held solely because of their religious beliefs, that their continued imprisonment is unjust and wrongful, and that Iran's... -
"Five Years Too Many" campaign gathers momentum
12 May 2013 | 3:00 amThroughout the world people are raising their voices in a global campaign to free the seven imprisoned Iranian Baha'i leaders. The "Five Years Too Many" campaign marks the fifth anniversary of the arrest of the seven and seeks to highlight their entirely unjust and wrongful imprisonment and the deteriorating human rights situation in Iran. "Midway through our ten-day campaign we have seen an...
-
Bahá’í Perspectives:: Bahá’í Perspectives
-
Uncovering the Secrets of Penetrating Speech, Part II
13 Jun 2013 | 10:16 amIf you read my last post, it may not be clear why the title makes reference to penetrating speech, and not impressive speech, or well-rehearsed speech? Well, the Baha’i Writings make numerous references to the importance of developing the power of utterance, and the metaphor often used in this respect is that of utterance being like a sword. As we know, the nature and capacity of the sword is to penetrate. Unless a sword be thrust into an object, it cannot be said to have fulfilled its intended purpose. This is what makes the metaphor so potent when applied to speech, for what we are… -
Balancing material and spiritual aspects of our lives
9 Jun 2013 | 2:01 amIt is important that the material and the spiritual aspects of our lives advance together in order for humanity to prosper and be happy. As stated in the Bahá’í Writings: ..we must thank God that He has created for us both material blessings and spiritual bestowals. He has given us material gifts and spiritual graces, outer sight to view the lights of the sun and inner vision by which we may perceive the glory of God. Our contemporary world is often ruled by the materialistic values and standards. People evaluate success in the course of their lives with materialistic outcomes. -
Uncovering the Secrets of Penetrating Speech, Part I
28 May 2013 | 5:43 amOpen, O people, the city of the human heart with the key of your utterance. ~ Bahá’u’lláh Words have power. Words have the capacity to transform. We know that at certain times and under certain conditions they will shift the course of the hearer’s life forever. This mysterious dynamic – the connections formed between two friends, or between speaker and audience – can have a powerfully lingering effect, yet its true nature seems challenging to define. Shutting my eyes for a second, I replay echoes of the most lingering words said to me over the years. There are plenty… -
Lost Wallet
19 May 2013 | 3:59 amIf I miss this yoga class again, that black mark will be next to my name in their books. The taxi finally stopped. One hand on the door handle, I stretched out to pay, but the driver went a meter further and stopped again to be more precise. Oh for Pete’s sake, that was unnecessary! The clock is ticking. And for the love of God, why did he have to count my change twice? I grabbed the bills and dashed out the door. “I’m here. Here’s my membership card..” There was an empty space in my purse where my wallet usually resided. My frantic fingers searched to find the familiar wad… -
Gonna buy a gun and start a war
12 May 2013 | 3:25 amFar too often we hear about a mass shooting, be it in a school, movie theatre or shopping mall. The subsequent headlines in the news have become predictable: the perennial debate concerning gun control laws becomes passionately reignited, only to fizzle out in the blink of an eye. What’s more, the issue of gun control always seems to be the focal point of the discussion, even though it seems many are now realising that adopting improved gun control regulations is a necessary step in mitigating only the outlier elements. Following the shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School late last…
-
Baha'i Views
-
On Seeing Green: Through eyes that aren’t jaded
19 Jun 2013 | 6:27 amAt first the infant finds it very difficult to reconcile itself to its new existence. It cries as if not wishing to be separated from its narrow abode and imagining that life is restricted to that limited space. It is reluctant to leave its home, but nature forces it into this world. Having come into its new conditions, it finds that it has passed from darkness into a sphere of radiance; from gloomy and restricted surroundings it has been transferred to a spacious and delightful environment. … Its new life is filled with brightness and beauty; it looks with wonder and delight upon the… -
On Wildlife of the Pacific Northwest: Instructive encounters
14 Jun 2013 | 5:46 amhttp://pnwwildlife.blogspot.com/?view=magazine http://pnwwildlife.blogspot.com/ New blog. A total amateur’s photographic encounter with wildlife while canoeing and camping in the great Pacific Northwest. There is so much we can learn contemplating the life of birds and animals. -gw …with nearly all animals—there is a kind of justice and equality. Thus equality exists in a shepherd’s flock and in a herd of deer in the country. Likewise, among the birds of the prairie, of the plain, of the hills or of the orchard, and among every kind of animal some kind of equality prevails. -
On Visiting the Oldest Designated Wildlife Area in Washigton State: Canoeing Fish Lake
14 Jun 2013 | 5:44 amFish Lake, Okanogon, a set on Flickr. Overcast from the outset, windy soon after we rounded the first bend, Fish Lake was thrilling to revisit after a few years away. The Sinlahekin Wildlife Area will always be a favorite. -gw Thou hast led those with parched lips to the fountain of guidance; Thou hast suffered the thirsty fish to reach the ocean of reality; and Thou hast invited the wandering birds to the rose garden of grace. Abdu’l-Bahá -
On a Question Answered: What's in your heart?
14 Jun 2013 | 5:41 amWhat’s in their hearts, a set on Flickr. Gathered for devotions at Matt and Christy’s last week, after rounds of prayers the friends went around again, each answering the question “What’s in your heart?” -gw -
On Man Is Organic With the World: His inner life moulds the environment
12 Jun 2013 | 7:05 pmThe attitude of Baha’is towards the environment — including the environment of our hearts — and how that is embedded in what Baha’is are doing on a global scale is addressed in this position paper by the Baha’i International Community. -gw The Bahá’í Writings state: “We cannot segregate the human heart from the environment outside us and say that once one of these is reformed everything will be improved. Man is organic with the world. His inner life moulds the environment and is itself also deeply affected by it. The one acts upon the other and every…
-
Bahái Words
-
June 19
18 Jun 2013 | 9:01 pmWe ask God graciously to grant that all may evince such fairness of character, such goodliness of deed and kindliness of word as will meet with His good pleasure. It hath been decreed that the citadels of men’s hearts should be subdued through the hosts of a noble character and praiseworthy deeds. Contention, discord, strife and sedition have all been forbidden in the Book of God. Beseech the Lord that He deprive not His dominions of the effulgent light of the sun of trustworthiness, nor deny them the radiance of the Day-Star of truthfulness or the splendour of the orb of justice and… -
June 18
17 Jun 2013 | 9:01 pmThe most acceptable prayer is the one offered with the utmost spirituality and radiance; its prolongation hath not been and is not beloved of God. The more detached and the purer the prayer, the more acceptable is it in the presence of God. ~ The Báb The post June 18 appeared first on Bahái Words. -
June 17
16 Jun 2013 | 9:01 pmBe always kind to everyone and a refuge for those who are without shelter. Be daughters to those who are older than you. Be sisters to those who are of your own age. Be mothers to those who are younger than yourselves. Be nurses to the sick, treasurers for the poor, and supply heavenly food to the hungry. ~ ‘Abdu’l-Bahá The post June 17 appeared first on Bahái Words. -
June 16
15 Jun 2013 | 9:01 pmWhen any souls grow to be true believers, they will attain a spiritual relationship with one another, and show forth a tenderness which is not of this world. They will, all of them, become elated from a draught of divine love, and that union of theirs, that connection, will also abide forever. Souls, that is, who will consign their own selves to oblivion, strip from themselves the defects of humankind, and unchain themselves from human bondage, will beyond any doubt be illumined with the heavenly splendours of oneness, and will all attain unto real union in the world that dieth not. ~… -
June 15
14 Jun 2013 | 9:01 pmFor the betterment of the world Baha’u'llah endured all the hardships, ordeals and vicissitudes of life, sacrificing His very being and comfort, forfeiting His estates, possessions and honor – all that pertains to human existence – not for one year, nay, rather, for nearly fifty years. ~ ‘Abdu’l-Bahá The post June 15 appeared first on Bahái Words.
-
The Baha'i Community of Arlington, Virginia
-
Declaration of the Bab and the inauguration of a new spiritual era
22 May 2013 | 8:21 pmTwo hours after sunset on May 22, Arlington Bahá’ís along with countless others throughout the world celebrated through programs consisting of prayers, songs, and story-telling a momentous event which marks the beginning of the Bahá’í Faith and the inauguration of a new spiritual era. On the evening of May 22, Baha’is throughout the world commemorate the Declaration of the Bab, which took place in this room (pictured) in the Persian city of Shiraz in 1844. The Báb—born Siyyid `Alí-Muhammad in Shiraz, Persia (now Iran)—announced on May 22, 1844, that He was the bearer of a… -
Arlington Prayer Meeting for the wrongfully imprisoned Iranian Baha’is
9 May 2013 | 2:05 pm“O Lord! These souls have tasted bitter agony in this earthly life and have, as a sign of their love for the shining beauty of Thy countenance and in their eagerness to attain Thy celestial kingdom, tolerated every gross indignity that the people of tyranny have inflicted upon them.” ~ Baha’u’llah To mark the five year anniversary of the wrongful imprisonment of the seven Iranian Baha’i leaders, the Baha’i International Community is launching a campaign to call for their immediate release – and to draw attention to the deteriorating human rights situation in Iran. -
Arlington Mormons Host Interfaith Evening of Sharing with Arlington Baha’is
23 Apr 2013 | 7:44 pmA wonderful evening on Monday of sharing friendship and views on faith and unity with a terrific group of Mormons at the LDS church in Arlington and members of the Arlington Baha’i community. The wonderful hospitality of the youth congregation of the Latter Day Saints church in Arlington created such a warm environment where we had a chance to talk about the history of the Baha’i Faith, its teachings and the way we strive to live Baha’i life. The questions our generous hosts raised were sincere, friendly and truly thought-provoking. And, we Baha’is learned that we share… -
Ridván – The Holiest of Bahá’í Days
17 Apr 2013 | 11:10 amCelebrating the 150th Anniversary of Baha’u'llah’s Declaration Former Washington, D.C. resident, Shastri Purushotma, offered the following thoughts on April 8, on Huffington Post about the upcoming 150th anniversary of Ridván, the 12-day celebration of Bahá’u'lláh’s Announcement of His Revelation. “On April 21 this year, the Baha’i community will celebrate the 150th anniversary of the day when Baha’u'llah, the founder of the Baha’i Faith, first publicly announced His mission in a garden in Baghdad, thus beginning the Baha’i community… -
Diverse religions come together as volunteers to help others
10 Mar 2013 | 8:32 amA group of Baha’is from Arlington recently carpooled to Maryland to donate a few hours on a Saturday packing sweet potatoes from North Carolina and cabbage in banana cartons to be delivered to people in need in the Washington, DC, area. The Arlington Baha’is were joined by a diverse group of others volunteers — a multilingual group of Mormons who had travelled on missions as far as Japan and Madagascar, a young Muslim lady from Somalia, a Mandarin-speaking Voice of America broadcaster, a woman from the central valley of California who spoke with others in her native…
-
Persecution of Bahá'ís in Iran
-
“Five Years Too Many” campaign leads to global outpouring of support
13 Jun 2013 | 8:59 amBAHA’I WORLD NEWS SERVICE A global outpouring of support and concern for the plight of the seven Iranian Baha’i leaders – and for the situation of other prisoners of conscience in Iran – marked worldwide commemorations of the fifth anniversary of the arrest of these Baha’is. Statements calling for the immediate release of the seven [...] -
“The Gardener” by Mohsen Makhmalbaf premieres in the United States
4 Jun 2013 | 2:46 pmThe Gardener, a film by renowned Iranian filmmaker Mohsen Makhmalbaf, will premiere in the United States on June 11 and 12, 2013 in the Washington DC area. The film follows Makhmalbaf as he travels to Israel with his son, Maysam, to explore the question, “what is the role of religion in society today?” and to [...] -
VOA Broadcasts Editorial on Five Year Anniversary of the Yaran
30 May 2013 | 2:11 pmOn May 24, Voice of America’s View from Washington broadcast an editorial highlighting the five year imprisonment of the seven Baha’i leaders in Iran. The editorial featured excerpts from remarks made by U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary of State in the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor Thomas Melia at the “Five Years Too Many” [...] -
Congressmen Moran and Engel Submit Statements to Congressional Record
28 May 2013 | 9:57 amOn May 22 and 23, 2013, Congressmen James Moran of Virginia and Eliot Engel of New York entered statements into the Congressional Record marking the May 14 fifth anniversary of the imprisonment of the seven Baha’i leaders in Iran. Both statements list the members of the seven-person group, known as the Yaran-i-Iran, or Friends of Iran, by name and [...] -
Iranian Baha’is face “widespread and entrenched” discrimination says UN Committee
24 May 2013 | 2:10 pmBAHA’I WORLD NEWS SERVICE GENEVA — On May 22, 2013, the UN Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights issued a series of pointed recommendations to the Iranian government – recommendations that included a plea for Iran to ensure that all citizens, regardless of religious belief, enjoy full rights without any discrimination. The Committee specifically [...]
-
Befriended Stranger
-
Prayer Stations and Fireside Discussions
18 Jun 2013 | 8:15 pmI have pretty much dedicated my Sunday evenings for community building events focused on music, inspiring writings and prayers. Here is a brief summary of what is happening during the remainder of June: Musical Prayer Station On Father’s Day Sunday, Katharine Key did a superb job singing her authentic songs and leading us into reflection and meditation on the spiritual meaning of tests and difficulties! “The mind and spirit of man advance when he is tried by suffering. The more the ground is ploughed the better the seed will grow, the better the harvest will be. Just as the… -
30 years ago in Shiraz ten Baha’i women sacrificed their lives for their Faith
18 Jun 2013 | 6:46 pm30 years ago I had just graduated from high school and every possibility of life was open infront of me. That was not the case for a beautiful girl only a year younger than me who, together with nine other innocent women, was executed in the historic Iranian city of Shiraz for their belief in the Baha’i Faith. Despite my ongoing interest in world affairs, in my post-graduation joy I had been unaware of that atrocious event. Today, 30 years later, the story of the martyred Baha’i women of Shiraz needs to be retold and shared widely as the fate of their coreligionists in Iran,… -
Arlington Fireside Discussion “Discovering Gleanings: The Greatness of this Day”
5 Jun 2013 | 4:05 pm“…even doubters would find a powerful strength in it, if they would read it alone, and would give their souls time to expand.” ~ Queen Marie of Rumania Dear friends! What nurtures your soul? What makes your heart tender? Prayers and Holy Writings, music, fellowship, banana bread baked with love, tea poured in peace, sweets shared with smile? Whatever the answer might be, sharing with friends what inspires us, gets us all closer to the Creator and recharges us for the week ahead. Discovering Gleanings from the Writings of Bahá’u'lláh Discovering Gleanings… -
Arlington Prayer Station “Education of Children”
29 May 2013 | 8:29 pm“Direct your children onto the right path, and when they are older, they will not leave it.” Christianity, Holy Bible, Proverbs 22:6 “O God! Educate these children. These children are the plants of Thine orchard, the flowers of Thy meadow, the roses of Thy garden. Let Thy rain fall upon them; let the Sun of Reality shine upon them with Thy love. Let Thy breeze refresh them in order that they may be trained, grow and develop, and appear in the utmost beauty. Thou art the Giver. Thou art the Compassionate.” Bahá’í Faith, Prayer by ‘Abdu’l-Bahá Dear friends! -
Tests and Difficulties from a Spiritual Perspective – Musical Prayer Station with Katharine Key
27 May 2013 | 7:31 pm“Should prosperity befall thee, rejoice not and should abasement come upon thee, grieve not, for both shall pass away and be no more.” ~ Baha’u’llah, The Hidden Words, #52 Dear friends! What nurtures your soul? What makes your heart tender? Prayer, music, fellowship, delectable refreshments, 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 days ahead. “what the fire is” – CD by Katharine Key Tests and…
-
doberman pizza.
-
relationships: crucial to resilience
17 Jun 2013 | 12:20 pmHumanity is no stranger to adversity and suffering. Maybe it’s due to my own growing awareness of world events, but since the turn of the 21st century, it seems like the world has been confronted with an ever-accelerating chain of shocks—ever more frequent, ever more varied and costly ones. Natural disasters like Hurricanes Katrina and Sandy, or the tsunami in the Indian Ocean and off northeastern Japan, or earthquakes in Iran, Kashmir, China and Haiti. Widespread droughts in places like the Western United States and the Sahel, threatening food security and human well-being. Growing… -
diversity, cause of love and harmony
3 Jun 2013 | 6:39 pmThe diversity in the human family should be the cause of love and harmony, as it is in music where many different notes blend together in the making of a perfect chord. If you meet those of different race and colour from yourself, do not mistrust them and withdraw yourself into your shell of conventionality, but rather be glad and show them kindness. Think of them as different coloured roses growing in the beautiful garden of humanity, and rejoice to be among them. ‘Abdu’l-Bahá -
worldwide support for “five years too many” campaign
26 May 2013 | 12:41 pmAs the Five Years Too Many campaign continues, support for the Yarán—the seven wrongfully imprisoned Bahá’í leaders in Iran—continues to pour in from around the world. One of the most impressive things I’ve found so far is the unofficial Five Years Too Many tumblr, which has been gathering photos of men and women of all ages and races, from many different nations, holding up their hands in solidarity with the Yarán. It’s been quite touching to see the groundswell of support in such a visual way! Beyond a simple grassroots campaign, however, the Five Years Too Many… -
five years too many
14 May 2013 | 7:33 amThe plight of these seven is representative of the countless Iranian men and women who have been jailed for defending their freedom and human rights. Our message to the seven is this: The world has not forgotten you, and we will continue to fight for your freedom and that of other Iranian prisoners of conscience. Firuzeh Mahmoudi, United4Iran It was five years ago today. Six law-abiding Iranian Bahá’ís, members of a committee devoted to looking after the minimum needs of the long-persecuted Bahá’í community in their homeland, were arrested in early morning raids by government… -
overcoming lethargy and apathy
8 May 2013 | 4:00 amShoghi Effendi, in a passage written not long before his passing, referred to the future of the American nation. And one of the things he mentioned as being within the future of the American nation has arrested my attention in recent years. He said, at that time, that the Bahá’ís of America faced a future challenge. And what was that challenge? In the message published in the book Citadel of Faith, Shoghi Effendi refers to a number of challenges before the American friends, one of which was that “apathy and lethargy [would] paralyze their spiritual faculties in the…
-
Baha'i Rants
-
“New” National Spritual Assembly Members Elected
3 Jun 2013 | 1:06 pmThe delegates of the 15th Baha’i National Convention elected the new members of the NSA for the United States. But to be fair, they are not all that new. Basically every single previous member was re-elected to the National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha’is of the US (in descending order of votes received): Kenneth E. Bowers Muin Afnani Juana C. Conrad David F. Young Jacqueline Left Hand Bull S. Valerie Dana Fariba Aghdasi Erica Toussaint-Brock Robert C. Henderson Likewise, the delegates of the National Convention in Canada re-elected the exact same individuals to serve on the… -
Keep Calm and Ruhi On – Thoughts on the Frontiers of Learning Video
26 May 2013 | 5:47 pmLast year the ITC sent a team around to world to document the success of four Baha’i communities in implementing the core activities. This film was released during the international Baha’i convention and has become a central focus of attention and conversation for Baha’is around the world. A reader of this blog, Rowland, mentioned the video recently in the post about the election of the UHJ. In case you haven’t yet, I invite you to watch the video. I wanted to briefly share my thoughts on it and what it means from a broader perspective about the Baha’i worldwide… -
Universal House of Justice: Ridvan Message 2013 (170 BE)
14 May 2013 | 7:44 pmThis year’s annual Ridvan message from the Universal House of Justice can be summarized with just a few words: “Keep Calm and Ruhi On”. More on this and the recently released video, Frontiers of Learning, in the coming days. Until then, you’ll find the complete Ridvan message below: Related posts: Universal House of Justice: Ridvan Message 2011 Universal House of Justice: Ridvan Message 2008 Universal House of Justice: Ridvan Message 2009 -
Election of Universal House of Justice 2013
4 May 2013 | 4:20 pmA few days ago National Spiritual Assembly members from around the world gathered in Haifa at the 11th International Baha’i Convention to elect the members of the Universal House of Justice. The occassion also marked the 50th anniversary of the first election of the institution in 1963. The new members of the Universal House of Justice are (in order of votes): Paul Lample, Firaydoun Javaheri, Payman Mohajer, Gustavo Correa, Shahriar Razavi, Stephen Birkland, Stephen Hall, Chuungu Malitonga, and Ayman Rouhani. The two vacancies made available due to the retirement of Dr. Farzam Arbab and… -
UK Census 2011: 5,021 Baha’i Adherents
12 Dec 2012 | 11:36 amThe UK government’s Office for National Statistics has released data for the 2011 census. The census data for Wales and the UK shows a surprisingly large influx of foreigners, especially from Poland. Among the various datasets, the religious make up of Wales and the UK continues to show a predictable transformation. Christianity, while by far the largest religious affiliation, continues to decline: The number of residents who stated that their religion was Christian in 2011 was fewer than in 2001. The size of this group decreased 13 percentage points to 59 per cent (33.2 million) in…
-
Bahais Online
-
What Does Hassan Rouhani, Iran’s New Reformist Leader, Mean For Baha’is in Iran?
17 Jun 2013 | 6:23 pmIt’s likely Iran’s Baha’is will not see any strong action from Rouhani in their favor, but they may see an alleviation of persecution of their communities. On Saturday, after Iranians turned out en masse to vote in Iran’s presidential elections, the tallied votes were called in favor Hassan Rouhani, a long-time politician, lawyer and cleric. International media have proclaimed Rouhani Iran’s “Reformist candidate”, his politics a “moderate” alternative to the hardline policies of Ahmadinajed. Celebrations in support of the President-elect have flooded have overwhelmed Tehran,… -
The Trial of Corinne Knight True
17 Jun 2013 | 6:16 pmCorinne Knight True was born near Louisville, Kentucky, on November 1, 1861, seven months after the Civil War began. Her father, Moses Knight, was Presbyterian minister. Her mother, Martha Duerson, was Southern aristocrat who had inherited a plantation and some thirty slaves. When they married, Moses persuaded her to free the slaves. Nevertheless, he would side with his neighbors during the war – Moses was a proud Southerner. After the Great Chicago Fire of 1871, Moses moved his family to the city – he had invested in real estate there, a fortuitous move that soon made the family wealthy. -
Religion in the Contemporary World: A Sociological Introduction
16 Jun 2013 | 3:45 pmReligion in the Contemporary World: A Sociological Introduction, p. 177-8: The Baha'i faith, which arose in an Islamic context, shows some similarities to these two Christian movements [Quakers and Unitarians]. Baha'is profess that women and men are equal. They embrace science and education. They lack a professional priesthood and formal rituals. They are pacifists. Like Muslims, they are averse to other-worldly asceticism, and specifically forbid the monastic life. They give responsibility to local congregations within a worldwide administrative framework. They are opposed to racism,… -
US National Spiritual Assembly re-circulates Jan. 3rd 2011 letter on homosexuality and human rights
13 Jun 2013 | 7:49 pmIn an interesting development National asks Americans Baha'is to study the January 3rd 2011 letter on homosexuality to better understand what manner is "appropriate" when engaging in discourse in public forums and social media dealing with this topic. I want to ask how "appropriate" it is for individuals lecturing the US Baha'i community at ABS conferences and local communities with a pro reparative therapy agenda with National's knowledge and support. I want to also ask if it is "appropriate" for an official agency of the US NSA to belong to the controversial and damaging reparative therapy… -
An interesting Baha’i description
11 Jun 2013 | 7:33 pmI’ve been doing a little research on the Baha’i religion, another Eastern-based belief system rapidly growing around the world. I thought I’d share this screen capture I took of how the largest Baha’i organization describes itself: I find this to be rather interesting as we are seeing these words reshape and re-define mainline Evangelicalism. What do you think? Full story... (http://standupforthetruth.com/2013/06/an-interesting-bahai-description/)
-
A Wayfarer's Tales
-
Networking about service-learning initiatives
17 Jun 2013 | 12:34 amI've been wondering how to search for people of all faiths all over the world to correspond with, to share our ideas and experiences in learning to help improve the world. An idea just came to me to search on the Web for service-learning initiatives. With Baha'is that would include the framework for action that's being promoted by the House of Justice. -
Fellowship across divides
15 May 2013 | 11:50 pmPhoto credit: Audrey Johnson via Stock.XCHNGWhat do a smiling student "overwhelmed by the grace and love of my Savior, Jesus Christ," a "Catholic creature unlike any other," a Rabbi who is co-director of a youth fellowship, and an atheist dedicated to breaking free from irrational belief and opposing Christian extremism, have in common?I'm having lots of fun, and learning a lot, reading their blogs!I would need to be a much better story teller to even begin to share the fun I've been having, and what I've been learning. All I can do is offer a tiny glimpse:Goals and deadlinesI've always… -
Status update on projects
11 Apr 2013 | 4:42 amContents:1. Practicing and promoting better conduct on the Internet.2. Cheering and refreshing the down-cast.3. Overcoming my own prejudices.4. Cross-pollination across ideological boundaries.5. Cross-pollination between professional scholars and other people.6. Practicing and promoting blogging.7. Helping people find and use resources.8. Finding better ways to serve on the Internet.9. Finding ways to project the framework for action into Internet neighborhoods.10. Studying and practicing the ideas on the Baha'i Internet Agency Web site.11. Learning to be a better friend.12. Helping… -
Ideas for promoting gay equality in the Baha'i Faith
27 Mar 2013 | 6:18 am1. Stop trying to prove there's nothing wrong with gays, or with what some of them might be doing. No one should have to prove there's nothing wrong with them, or what they do, to be treated kindly and fairly.2. Don't strike back at the wall of quotes. Just ignore it as out of context, and irrelevant to whether gays should be treated kindly and fairly.3. Stop arguing about gay marriage. Just do it.4. If you want gay marriages to be registered as "Baha'i" marriages, then propose some ideas about how, precisely, *all* the marriage laws could be applied to two women or two men. -
Thoughts of a lover of Baha'u'llah about some issues
27 Mar 2013 | 5:09 amI might put up some Web pages "Some thoughts of a lover of Baha'u'llah about some issues associated with campaigns against the House of Justice."- Infallibility- Authenticity, authority, role and functions of the House of Justice- Women on the House of Justice- Guardians after Shoghi Effendi- Disenrollments- Separation of church and state- Censorship and repression- Corruption of institutions- The framework for action- Baha'i theologians- Gays and homosexuality- Freedom of conscience- Influence, reputation and future of the Baha'i Faith- Modernity and post-modernity- Fundamentalism- Liberal…
-
Meditations on Baha'u'llah
-
Depression is a hell
9 Jun 2013 | 7:14 pmLast night I had a dream about hell. Never mind the details - they aren't nice. The point is that it got me thinking about hell again and about the fact that I spent a good part of my life depressed - right up until my late 40s. I want to say here, in case it helps others, how I managed to get out of my recurring depressed states. Finally, I actually managed to talk myself out of depression. For me, depression was all about the fight between the darkness and the light. I don't know about others, but that's what it boiled down to for me. I was depressed because I kept believing, on the basis… -
The difference between holiness and conformity
3 Jun 2013 | 7:11 pmI am reading the Iqan again and have just finished reading the part where Baha'u'llah discusses how Moses was a murderer and how Jesus was a fatherless child, whose mother appeared for all the world as unchaste. But God deliberately set these situations up this way, so that his manifestations would appear morally questionable. As a result, most people denounced these manifestations for being immoral, much less messengers of God. However, the hidden truth was that these 'immoral' manifestations were in fact the holy ones, and the people who denounced them were the unholy ones. It got me… -
Flying with Baha'u'llah
3 Jun 2013 | 7:05 pmWhen I do briefly look at what the Bahai's get up to, I always think that they miss the point of why Baha'u'llah came. I know that the Baha'is like to emphasise the uniting of humanity - and that is certainly one goal - but it is a social goal and it misses the very personal nature of the revelation, which is addressed to each one of us in a very intimate fashion. As I read the writings, Baha'u'llah had another purpose - one that is central to his revelation - and that is to offer each one of us the opportunity to make the spiritual journey to join him in his spiritual realm of eternal glory. -
More on the journey to eternity
12 Aug 2012 | 1:19 amIn this audio, I look at the two stages on our journey to God, which Baha'u'llah calls "The City (or Valley) of Search" and "The City (or Valley) of Divine Unity". These stages are described in two books: The Seven Valleys and Gems of Divine Mysteries. Using passages from Gems, I discuss how, in the City of Search, we see contradictions in the world and that, if we want to journey on to the City of Divine Unity, we must detach from these things - and, in fact, all in heaven and earth. In the City of Divine Unity, we stop seeing contradictions and begin to see God in everything. Hence our… -
Knowledge and virtue
5 Aug 2012 | 1:02 amIn this audio, I explain what I see as the "state of being" that stands behind the virtues that Baha'u'llah emphasises, which include forbearance, resignation to what God wills, contentment with God's will, patience, and thankfulness in the face of tribulation. I suggest that these virtues are all linked by one "state of being" in which we sort of 'stand back' within ourselves and become detached from what's happening to us. I liken it to seeing our body and soul as a kind of theatre, in which we sit in the audience watching the drama of our life unfold on the stage. This inner state of being…
-
The Cormorant Baker
-
Insights from the Frontiers of Learning
8 Jun 2013 | 10:45 pmI had a quick look through the new document from the International Teaching Centre: It makes various bold claims, and I’d like to focus on this one: “In this way, over a span of many cycles, there is a steady increase in the number of new believers, of core activities and participants, and of those [...] -
Vote Male
21 Apr 2013 | 3:27 pmI’m off to Haifa for a week to be part of the activities surrounding the 11th International Bahá’í Convention in Haifa. No, I won’t be one of the more than 1000 delegates, but I will be assisting them carry out their sacred responsibilities. Those delegates come from all over the world and my job will [...] -
A diversity of tomatoes
26 Feb 2013 | 2:41 pmA diversity of tomatoes. They’re all the fruits of one growing tunnel. Except that little green one. It’s off a potato plant and is pure poison. -
Djinn in quartz
22 Feb 2013 | 10:46 pmIt’s amazing what you can buy on the Internet: Up for auction is a C5 Bahai Djinn. Female, 9,321 yrs old. Housed in a Rose Quartz gemstone. All Sales Final, No Returns. -
You will be assimilated
19 Feb 2013 | 10:32 pm“We welcome everyone” “Except gays” “Oh no. We welcome gays… …except as members” “And obese people.” “No, I’m sure that’s not right.” “Well, I read a blog entry where…” “Oh yes, I read that too. But we do welcome obese people who want to be thin.” “Yeah, we welcome everyone, But you’ve got to want [...]
-
The Muslim Network for Baha'i Rights
-
Bahai Rights Media Round-Up: Week of June 17th, 2013
18 Jun 2013 | 5:57 pmBaha’i Iranian refugee Sobhan, who spoke to EuroNews about Baha’i persecution. News Escape to Turkey: Turkey opens its doors to refugees, but few are allowed to stay (National Geographic – June 7th) National Geographic published a feature story in its April issue detailing the plight of refugees in Turkey and the conditions of the refugee camps on its borders. In a section on persecuted minorities, the piece dedicates some space to Iran’s Baha’i population, who flee to Kayseri to seek asylum and escape the hostility of Iranian intelligence. Kayseri is often a… -
What Does Hassan Rouhani, Iran’s New Reformist Leader, Mean For Baha’is in Iran?
16 Jun 2013 | 11:15 pmOn Saturday, after Iranians turned out en masse to vote in Iran’s presidential elections, the tallied votes were called in favor Hassan Rouhani, a long-time politician, lawyer and cleric. International media have proclaimed Rouhani Iran’s “Reformist candidate”, his politics a “moderate” alternative to the hardline policies of Ahmadinajed. Celebrations in support of the President-elect have flooded have overwhelmed Tehran, according to media reports, and Iran’s liberal voters see Rouhani as a new beginning for Iranian politics. It will be difficult for… -
Baha’i Rights Media Round-Up: Week of June 10th, 2013
10 Jun 2013 | 9:40 pmNews Adnan Rahmat-Penah remains in limbo (Sen’s Daily – June 2nd) In the past six months, as Rahmat-Penah, a Baha’i from Shiraz, has been waiting in`Adel-Abad prison, the date for his sentencing trial has been rescheduled several times. THe sentencing process was first scheduled for April 16, then moved to the 17, then once again to the 30th. His family was finally told that the revolutionary court would hand him his sentencing on May 23rd, but once again they were sent away. Officials blame filing for the delay. Omid Djalili: ‘I’m taking on the Iranian… -
“Existence Exiled”, a Photo Series Documenting the Shadowy Existence of Bahai’s In Egypt
9 Jun 2013 | 3:55 pmDocumentary photographer Quamrul Abedin visited Egypt to photograph the lives of Baha’i youth living in Egypt, where their faith is not recognized by the government. The blurry, out-of-focus photos portray a life of living in the shadows and the confusion that characterizes the lives of religious minorities in the Middle East. The faces of Abedine’s subjects are either over-exposed or hidden in darkness, conveying a loss of selfhood as their right to religion is denied. One of the photographs depicts an identification card recognizing its Baha’i owner as… -
Baha’i Rights Media Round-Up: Week of June 3rd, 2013
3 Jun 2013 | 6:08 pmNews Seventy Seven guilty verdicts issued by appeals courts (HRIRAN – May 29th) In the past year, the appeals courts has issued 77 guilty verdicts, many of those cases involving Baha’i citizens. There’s a list at the link. Four Baha’i citizens were sentenced to 152 months imprisonment (Sen’s Daily – May 31st) The group sentenced includes sisters Nika and Nava Kholoose, Adib Sho’aie, and Mahsa Mahdavi. They’re carved with disseminating “propaganda against the regime” and participating in Baha’i organizations. Baha’i Citizens…
-
Iran Press Watch
-
Status Update: Iran Press Watch is under design
13 Jun 2013 | 3:00 pmDear Readers, Many of you have followed the efforts of Iran Press Watch over the last several years to bring the plight of Baha’is in Iran to the attention of the global public, especially for English speaking people. When it launched its operations in 2006, it was the only comprehensive source for such coverage which also offered space for discussion by concerned individuals. Recently, other initiatives have sprung up, with varied and complementary activities: Education Under Fire, United4Iran, International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran –these are but a few of the more… -
Two more arrests in Karaj
20 Nov 2012 | 11:01 pmTwo Bahais from Karaj, the brothers Saman and Eshkan Nadiyyeh-ye Azani ( سامان بادیهای آرنی و اشکان بادیهای آرنی ), have been in detention in Karaj for about two weeks. It is reported that they were tried today (November 30.)It is not known where they are being held. Eshkan was able to contact their family after about 7 days in detention, but there has been no word from Saman. Saman was arrested previously, about 4 years ago, and has been free on bail. — Source English: Sen’s daily http://wp.me/pNMoJ-1yl Source Persian:… -
Hungarian Folk Singer, Ms. Márta Sebestyen, on Human Rights in Iran
20 Nov 2012 | 2:00 amClick here to view the embedded video. Hungarian Folk Singer, Ms. Márta Sebestyen [see IMDb and "The English Patient"] — Source: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-X6imnXH2BI -
Mrs. Goncz Kinga, Member of European Parliament
20 Nov 2012 | 1:51 amClick here to view the embedded video. “Prominent Hungarians for Human Rights in Iran” is a project to show solidarity to people in Iran who because of their beliefs, political views, journalistic integrity, defense of the rights of women and championing of human rights are being persecuted. The Project is motivated by a firm conviction that human rights violations are always unacceptable. By bringing to light human rights abuses by the Iranian government to its own people, we strive to create a situation where these crimes receive sustained international attention and cannot be… -
Foad Khanjani’s condition serious
16 Nov 2012 | 9:38 am[chrr.biz, 15 Nov 2012] A day after undergoing surgery for internal bleeding and a cyst in the abdomen, the health condition of Foad Khanjani (فواد خانجانی) is a cause for grave concern. On the night following his surgery, the officers from Rajai Shahr prison who were responsible for guarding him in the hospital shackled him hand and foot throughout the night and subjected him to religious insults, with the result that his blood pressure rose and his condition deteriorated. — source: english: Sen’s Daily http://wp.me/pNMoJ-1y3 persian:…
-
Sen's daily
-
New Zealand “Supreme Commitment Award” for the prisoner Aziz Samandari
19 Jun 2013 | 5:13 amDominion Post, June 17 Azizullah Samandari ( عزیزالله سمندری ), a 40 year-old Baha’i IT specialist who is serving a 5-year prison sentence in Raja’i Shahr prison, has been selected for the New Zealand Parliament’s “Supreme Commitment Award.” Mr. Samandari took part in the 2010 Global Enterprise Experience (GEE), which is supported by Victoria University in Wellington, New Zealand. He received the award in absentia at Parliament last week. The charges against him included communicating with foreigners, a possible reference to his participation in the… -
Kamran Rahimiyan and Foad Khanjani meet family in Evin prison
19 Jun 2013 | 12:45 amHRANA, June 18 Kamran Rahimiyan ( کامران رحیمیان ) and Fu’ad Khanjani (فواد خانجانی), two Bahai prisoners in Raja’i Shahr prison, near Tehran, have been allowed to meet family members who are imprisoned in Evin prison in Tehran. Kamran Rahimiyan and his wife Faran Hesami ( فاران حسامی ) are both serving 4-year prison sentences for their work as teachers at the Bahai Open University (BIHE). On June 17 Mr. Rahimiyan was moved to Evin prison and was allowed to see his wife. It is six months since the couple last met. The couple have a son, Artin… -
Rozita Vaseghi denied medical treatment
17 Jun 2013 | 4:20 amHRANA, June 16 Rozita Vaseghi ( رزیتا واثقی ), a Bahai who is serving two five-year sentences in Vakil Abad prison in Mashhad, is in need of immediate medical attention, but the authorities are against it. Since the (Persian) week of May 22-29, she has suffered (according to the prison doctor’s diagnosis) from swollen and painful gums requiring immediate surgery. However, the Prosecutor for Mashhad, the judge overseeing prison and the Mashhad branch of the Ministry of Intelligence have opposed this treatment. Rozita Vaseghi has also been deprived of the right to furlough,… -
Overview of Iranian Bahai university students’ attendance and expulsion
12 Jun 2013 | 12:11 pmIOPHR, June 12, 2013 A report from a students’ rights group in Iran presents a useful overview of how, for a period, some Bahai students came to be at university there, despite a government policy to hamper the development of the community by limiting Bahais’ rights to employment and education, and of how they have been expelled. The report also covers restrictions on the right of women to education, and the expulsion of “starred” (outspoken) students. As regards the Bahais it says: Religious Minorities Banned From Education According to the Supreme Cultural Revolution… -
Election time shenanigans in Iran
4 Jun 2013 | 2:16 pmEditorial, June 4 Iranian media in English are reporting the exposure of a spy ring affiliated with the “enemies of Iran and Islam.” The story (probably 100% fiction) says that the head of the ring was recruited several years ago by an Arab intelligence service that is close to Israel. He was put in touch with Mossad and sent to Israel for intelligence and military training, before going to Iran to spy for Mossad. Then he went to the Indian subcontinent and “met with two heads of the Zionist espionage operation, the Baha’is” and established contacts and coordinated with…
