Painting

 Baha’i Principles I . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

1) Equality of man and woman
2) World peace
3) “The world is but one country, and mankind its citizen”
4) Unity of all religions 

Baha’i Principles II

1) Universal education for all
2) Life after death (that’s a bird flying out of a cage up there, on top of someone lying in a bed - we still need to fix the cage …!)
3) Consultation
4) The family is the core of society

All images uploaded on May 30, 2008 by  mcsaindon on flickr

Tags French Guiana  2008  doekoe

Iran, May 29, 2008
Ignoring Baha’i plight hypocritical 

Original Source:

The National Post

 

• United against persecution
  Columbia Daily Tribune - Saturday, May 31, 2008 - Nieuwenhuizen remembers the fear she felt the day she was a 14-year-old and a group of 1,000 men, members of the “Party of God,” known today as Hezbollah, marched past her home toward the local Bahai center. “They were shaking their fists toward our house and shouting, “God is good. Death to the Bahais,” she said. “Every time they said the word ‘Bahai,’ they spit. … They did not want their mouths to be unclean.”

Baha’í ‘very concerned’ - Letter to the editor
Budapest Sun - Wednesday, May 28, 2008 - The persecution of Bahá’ís in Iran is ongoing since its inception in the 19th century, but dramatically increased after the Islamic revolution in 1979. Ever since, the Hungarian media has reported on many occasions about the human rights violations against the religious minority of Bahá’ís in Iran, and also about the activities of Hungarian Bahá’ís here, such as the social and economic development project (MESED) for Roma mothers and children.

Mass detention of religious minorities in Iran - First Bahai’s and now Christians
Western Standard - Friday, May 23, 2008

Baha’is worried about Iranian community
Jerusalem Post - Tuesday, May 20, 2008

Arrests of Leadership of Iranian Baha’is
U.S. Department of State - Thursday, May 15, 2008

Professing the Baha’i Faith and advocating for human rights have brought on intimidation to this Baha’i, but he he stands tall. -gw

Death threats have not intimidated pro-Latino activists in Georgia. Instead, they have spurred them to join forces across racial lines to counteract the anti-immigrant atmosphere that has taken on a sinister tone in the state.

Less than a week after Rich Pellegrino called a group of human rights organizations together to protest the sale of a racist T-shirt….

The incident also shocked him because even though he had received unpleasant e-mails and intimidating phone calls in the past from people who are against his pro-immigrant work, this was the first time he had received a threat of this type at his own home.

“I was in a state of shock — it reminded me of my experiences during the time of the civil rights movement and in the 80s when they arrested me for professing my Baha’i faith and holding meetings with African-Americans in South Carolina,” said Pellegrino. “I was threatened by the Ku Klux Klan and arrested by Anglo police officers there.”

“Latino Activists Face Death Threats in Georgia,”By Judith Martínez-Sadri, New America Media. http://www.alternet.org/rights/86483/

See also: http://darrellsongs.wordpress.com/2008/01/01/rich-pellegrino-an-italian-named-latino-person-of-the-year/

http://en.wikisource.org/wiki/WS:WPWB

Charles, the author of Awilum.com, thinks a religious tug of war is the inevitable result of any attempt to create a Wiki Bible. Religious | ideological commitments can’t be overcome, he believes, something contrary to Baha’i belief. -gw

Not to be elitist, but not everyone should have a hand in translating ancient texts, not even everyone who claims to “know” the language(s).  Translation is a very complicated and challenging process, especially when translating something as emotionally charged as the Bible.  Furthermore, religious/ideological commitments are bound to come into play.  What’s going to happen when several “editors” of the Wiki Bible say, from Pentecostal, Mormon, Presbyterian, Baha’i, secular, and Islamic backgrounds, have a tug of war match back and forth as they take turns altering the text

 http://awilum.com/?p=597

This appeal on . -gw

 This story affects me personally, and today, I ask for your prayers.

 It is no secret that I work for an Iranian-owned contracting company here in Houston. The president of the company, and close friend of mine, Kamal Khanjani, is a member of the Baha’i community, which is outlawed in Iran. He came to the United States after the Mullahs took over in Iran. At that time, his factory, his home, and all his personal belongings were confiscated by the government, but he did make it here and saved his life. While in the United States, his family gave birth to 2 children, one a girl, who a few years ago, graduated from the University of Montreal in Canada, then went to Iran at her own peril to teach at a school for women. This was against the law, but a woman named Shirin Ebadi, a Muslim herself, had shamed the Mullahs by using the Quran against them, and so the laws were not being enforced. Ms. Ebadi won the Nobel Prize for her work.

 This year, the Mullahs have once again come down hard on the Baha’i community in Iran. We just found out that, two weeks ago, Kamal’s brother, Jamal, who is one of Iran’s Ba’hai’ leaders, was arrested by the Mullahs, and is now in Evin Prison in Iran. This prison is like something out of the Middle Ages. The last time that members of the Baha’i leadership were arrested, in the 1980’s, they were all “disappeared” by the government and executed. The Government has become more open in the past few years, and no Ba’hai’s arrested, but there now appears to be a reversal, and Jamal’s life may now be in the balance.

 At this time, I ask for your prayers. I also ask you to contact your Congressman and Senator, and ask for their help. Also contact the White House. Anything you can do, would be greatly appreciated by me.

 Thank you.

Jamal Khanjani is the one in the middle, in the back.

http://www.politicalforum.com/latest-world-news/36718-iran-arrests-national-baha-i-leaders.html

 Cool photo on Barney’s blog of his

Meeting the Dalai Lama

and other senior faith representatives at Lambeth Palace, the Archbishop of Canterbury’s residence.  -gw

The NY Sun opined…

We’d be happy if Mr. Obama worried a little less about the Jewish vote in Florida and a little more about the Baha’i vote.

…to which I say, don’t worry, be happy. Rest assured, there is no Baha’i block vote. -gw

The Anti-Defamation League issued a statement this week calling attention to the fact that six Bahai leaders in Iran had been arrested May 14 and a seventh has been detained since March. “The arrests of leaders of the Bahai faith demonstrate the seriousness of the loss of basic religious freedoms and human rights in Iran,” the ADL said.

http://www.nysun.com/editorials/obamas-reassurance/77401/

Anyone come across the Baha’i faith?  I find their underlying message interesting - that all religions are essentially the same, one God.

08:10 PM May 14, 2008 from web

http://twitter.com/edwardharran

The twitter on the street. -gw

 Five more Baha’is detained in Iran, report rights groups

Washington 28 May (IranVNC)—Five more Baha’is in Iran have been arrested in recent days and taken to prison less than two weeks after the leaders of the country’s largest non-Muslim religious community were detained in Tehran’s Evin prison. 

«سه بهايی در ويلاشهر اصفهان بازداشت شدند»

 دو تن از مسئولين جامعه بهايی ويلاشهر اصفهان، به نامهای هوشمند طالبی و مهران زينی به همراه فرهاد فردوسيان يکی ديگر از بهائيان اين شهر روز سه شنبه بازداشت شدند.

http://www.radiofarda.com/Article/2008/05/29/o2_bahai_arrested.html

 INCOMMUNICADO!

Ayatollah Montazeri Decrees Baha’is Rightful Citizens of Iran A few of many links. -gw

 “Welcome” in over 325 languages 

Do you feel welcome at the picnic of the world? For Baha’is, the welcome mat is always out, for all races, religions, ages, and socio-economic backgrounds. Credit goes to Sincerae for finding the above and posting it on her blog A Very Fine Romance Redux: A Blog About Myriad Forms of ROMANCE.  Below is an excerpt from her most recent post on being with Baha’is. -gw

Getting back to Nasrin, I am glad a climate is slowly evolving in America where “race” is being spoken of in a positive way. America is never very stagnant like a lot of places. We slowly but surely start learning from our mistakes, one way or the other. We don’t waste a lot of time blaming others for their and our own shortcomings. I think the fact that Barack Obama has done so well is because we always see at various times a need for his favorite word, “Change.” Well, Nasrin just blurted out when I asked her if I would have any problems traveling to Iran because I am a single woman, “No, they like black people there.” She was not afraid to say this even though most of Ruthie’s guests were white. Many were Baha’is, and the color of one’s skin is not a problem with Baha’is. I think that mature and reasonable people can face up to the issues of their country’s past and present and their own personal issues past and present and will strive to solve them. …

I went to Ruthie’s party feeling down, but I left feeling warm and wonderful. I had hesitated to go because I felt so burdened Friday evening, but like one gentleman named George said to me, “It’s a good thing you came and got out of yourself.” I certainly did not expect or want to be the center of attention, but Nasrin, Judy, and I were at the center. People wanted to hear about my recent life experiences. In the end, Nasrin, Judy, and I exchanged phone numbers and e-mail addresses. When learning that I write, Nasrin said she would like for us to write together. Judy not only sings opera, but she is also the head of the Athens chapter of the
National League of Pen Women . She is interested in me coming to their next meeting which will be sometime later this year. I had even more to feel better about when I got home Friday night. I heard from the person I love very much who lives in the Turkish city of Edirne near the Greek and Bulgarian border. 

 

 http://veryfineromance.blogspot.com/2008/05/finale.html

[Reposted with permission]