Archive for September, 2007

Liz remembers the power of prayer in a post of reflection. -gw

I remember how when I was a little girl, I was absolutely afraid to go down into the basement of our house. The only way I could get down those stairs was to say one of the first Baha’i prayers my mother taught me. “Is there any Remover of difficulties save God? Say: Praised be God! He is God! All are His servants, and all abide by His bidding!”

Liz, “Put the ‘P’ in Percolator,” Los Angelista’s Guide To The Pursuit Of Happiness: Musings on life and love in the City of Angels as we dive into the ever changing ocean of the spirit

Perhaps God would have turned her basement into glory if she had read the following prayer. (Oldest Baha’i pun in the world, I know.) -gw

Thou art He Who changeth through His bidding abasement into glory …

http://www.bahaiprayers.org/morning4.htm

Of the previous Baha’i Views post “On The New Atheism Reconsidered: Is God a Delusion? Stanford event offering”

SAM said…
“Sounds interesting. Could you share a few words on it, afterwards?”

The posts marked with an asterisk below are by a Stanford student who attended Dr.Steven Phelps talk. The student, Nikhil Ravi, is himself an extraordinary soul, if the quality of his postings are any indication. Dr Phelps is the author of a review of Dawkins’ book The God Delusion on One Country, the Baha’i online newsletter. -gw

*God - the unknowable essence
A blessing for the journey
*The new atheism
The source of morality
Something to check out
Living in a state of prayer
Be the change

“Columbia University - Iran Protest ”
Uploaded on September 24, 2007 by keith.wick on flickr

Does not the controversy surrounding the presentation by the Iranian President at Columbia University today put in front of a watching world the name of the Faith in a most dramatic fashion?

As President Ahmadinejad rises to address the student body, Columbia President Lee Bollinger must rise in defense of every Baha’i student expelled from an Iranian university. This is a defining moment for our new century. http://ambivablog.typepad.com/ambivablog/2007/09/ahmadinejads-kr.html

Makini Boothe, a Barnard College senior who spoke on behalf of Baha’i students, said her faith believes that “from the clash of opinions comes the spark of truth,” and so she supported Mr. Ahmadinejad’s right to speak.
http://patdollard.com/2007/09/24/columbia-students-shocked-and-outraged-that-bollinger-said-ahmadinejad-was-a-bad-guy/

And so I ask you — (applause) — and so I ask you, why have women, members of the Baha’i faith, homosexuals and so many of our academic colleagues become targets of persecution in your country?
http://www.tnr.com/blog/the_plank?pid=146073

OK, I’ve been MIA because of my sister’s wedding, midterms, and Ahmadinejad’s visit to Columbia. He’s the President of Iran, where Baha’i denial of education continues as a subtle persecution that is going unnoticed
http://melodicharmony.livejournal.com/205691.html

MODERATOR: We have many questions regarding the Baha’i religious minority in Iran. Many of our questioners say that the Baha’i minority has been deprived of their human rights. What would your response be to that?
AHMADINEJAD (THROUGH TRANSLATOR): In our constitution, Christianity, Judaism, Islam and Zoroastrianism are recognized as the official religions.
http://community.livejournal.com/ljbahai/462720.html

He has just called Ahmadinejad a “petty and cruel dictator” and is asking him about oppression of women, academics, Baha’i, the press, and other minorities and dissidents.
http://blog.cudemocrats.com/2007/09/liveblogging.html

{Photo licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 2.0 Generic}

Presentations at the Association of Baha’i Studies Conference in August were a source of great stimulation to the 1200 attendees. -gw

Although not a member of the Baha’i Faith, Professor Homer-Dixon said he agrees with Baha’is that individuals must become knowledgeable about problems and solutions rather than waiting for leaders to provide top-down strategies.

Baha’i World News Service,”Rebirth can follow breakdown, says best-selling author,” re-posted in Sorry Gnat: World Citizen Resource yenta for relationships, jobs, rent on the planet of Haiku, book suggestions, writing groups, people of note, guide to Baha’i Writings, Happenings

Here is a listing of blog posts on the passing of Hand of the Cause of God Varqa. -gw

Dr. ‘Alí-Muhammad Varqá (1912 - 2007)

in loving memory

Dr. ‘Alí-Muhammad Varqá

Fallece el Mano de la Causa de Dios Dr. ‘Ali-Muhammad Varqa

Heavy Baha’i stuff

dr. ‘alí-muhammad varqá

Dr. Ali Muhammad Varqa

I went to the funeral today for Dr. Varqa

The passing of a link with Baha’i history

Baha’i world loses most distinguished member

Going upstairs for devotions is always a good thing. -gw

Yom Kippur was quite special last night as I attended a Baha’i interfaith devotional upstairs at Cathy’s.

mambolica, posted on 2007.09.23 at 01:36, Meandotherthings: Not quite the real thing

The fanatical opposition to the Baha’i Faith taken up by a secret organization known as Hojjatieh formed in the 1950’s in Iran is described in Section 2 of a piece in The Middle East and Other Musings, subtitled “Who is Mahmoud Ahmadinejad?” .

Here is what Baha’i.org has to say about the Hojjatieh Society. -gw

WHAT IS THE HOJJATIEH SOCIETY? Founded in 1953 as a specifically anti-Bahá’í organization by a charismatic Shiite Muslim cleric, the Hojjatieh Society has today re-emerged in Iran as an influential if secretive faction that has been linked in news articles and web blogs with the current Iranian administration… More>

We decided last week to explore our own neighborhood this weekend, and that we did. We live in the St. Johns area of north Portland, and we realized there were some new shops and other things around that we hadn’t noticed before … byroncaloz, being the big history geek that he is, told me all about the building that used to be the post office and is now the local Baha’i meeting house.

Sister Medusa, “Weekend Report,” There will be no foolish wand-waving or silly incantations in this journal

Baha’u'llah came to revive mankind spiritually. Among the songs on my “spiritual music” playlist, are these three with the same name. In these three there is a sort of “unity in diversity,” to my ipod-lovin’ ears at least. -gw

“Revival,” Rev Horton Heat, Revival

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“Revival,” The Allman Brothers, Stand Back: The Anthology

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“Revival,” Me Phi Me, Reality Bites

Last spring, I witnessed a tragic romance. My roommate who was a Southern Baptist briefly dated a woman who was raised Baha’i from birth.