Archive for February, 2009

[W]hen will the museum of spiritual behaviour and positive thinking be opening? And what would they put on display?

Questions posed by Rob Weinberg at the end of his current post on his blog Where the World’s Going. -gw

Photo: light of knowledge:  Hagia Sophia (Church of Holy Wisdom), now known as the Ayasofya Museum, is a former Eastern Orthodox church converted to a mosque, now converted into a museum, in the Turkish city of Istanbul. It is universally acknowledged as one of the greatest buildings of the world and sometimes considered the Eighth Wonder of the World. Justinian’s basilica was at once the culminating architectural achievement of late antiquity and the first masterpiece of Byzantine architecture. Its influence, both architecturally and liturgically, was widespread and enduring in the Eastern Orthodox, Roman Catholic, and Muslim worlds alike (wikipedia). Uploaded on April 9, 2006
by shapeshift on flickr, licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 2.0 Generic.

A fascinating and meaty story of becoming a Baha’i is found in Kendra’s thesis-in-progress that involved watching a certain World Cup soccer match. (Hey, this one’s for you, Football and Faith!) -gw

To be honest, I was Catholic the same way I had brown eyes. I was just born that way. And I felt dissatisfied and uncomfortable calling myself something that I really wasn’t. So I went to visit the Baha’is in Bari who were very hospitable and warm to me. I ended up watching a World Cup game with one family who had me over to dinner. It was a quarterfinals game between the US and Italy and the old grandfather was so pleased to be watching the game with an American. I was spiritually seeking but I didn’t really know it at the time. ‘Spiritual’ wasn’t really in my vocabulary and these Baha’is seemed so knowledgeable about all the world religions (oneness of religion being one of the Faith’s tenets). I found this inclusiveness and progressiveness very appealing, and after deep reflection upon returning to San Demetrio I realized that how I aspired to live and my belief in Baha’u’llah made me a Baha’i. So study abroad gave me the safe distance I needed from campus and from home to do genuine soul-searching.

http://italystories.wordpress.com/2009/02/23/precis-process/

Photo: “watching the world cup,” Uploaded on June 19, 2006 by ruminatrix on flickr, licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 2.0 Generic

Another avenue of communication. -gw

SpeakOut4Bahais.net is a volunteer project to provide an online platform for free and organic expression and support by all people over to address the issues of religious persecution and denial of human rights in Iran and other places in the world.

The site is especially intended to focus attention of the current threats facing leaders of the Baha’i Faith in Iran (right).

http://www.speakout4bahais.net/

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Purity and a ring.

Feb. 23rd, 2009 at 12:59 AM

I’m going to sign the Baha’i card soon and give it to Emily. I feel this is right and that this is the next step. So what to do about the whole sex thing. Well…I’m giving it up until marriage. Jared can deal with it and come to terms on his own, but my love for God is more important than my love for Jared. Jared’s love will always be there for me (I hope), so I know he’ll understand.

http://maryofmalice.livejournal.com/3258.html

Mary makes a commitment. -gw

Steph shared with me the letter she got from her Congressman. -gw

February 19, 2009

Dear Stephanie

Thank you for contacting me in regard to the treatment of Baha’i community in Iran. I appreciate hearing your thoughts on this issue. 

As a member of the Congressional Human Rights Caucus, I share your concerns about continued persecution of the Baha’i community in Iran. In my role on the caucus, I am monitoring events in Iran and am keeping a vigilant eye toward human rights reports.

The Baha’is are the largest religious minority in Iran with about 350,000 followers. However, the Iranian government has denied the Baha’is the freedoms granted to other religious groups. Iran has labeled the group as a political “sect” and “apostates,” a term used to describe the Baha’is due to their claim of a religious revelation subsequent to the revelation of the Prophet Mohammed. The term “apostate” is also used to describe any converts from the Islam faith. Unlike the recognized religious minorities who are allowed by the government to establish community centers and certain cultural, social, sports, or charitable associations, followers of the Baha’i faith have been denied the right to assemble officially or to maintain administrative institutions since 1983. The Baha’is are not allowed to teach or practice their faith.

As you may know, on May 14, 2008, six National Baha’i leaders were arrested in Iran and are being held by the Ministry of Intelligence. The six individuals join a seventh Baha’i leader who was arrested in March 2008. Iran claims the arrests were not made based on the individuals’ faith but to protect the national security of Iran. Following word of the arrest, the United States State Department condemned the arrests and stated that Iran’s actions are inconsistent with their obligations to the International Covenant for Civil and Political rights, which require that countries uphold religious freedom for all citizens. Most recently, it has been reported that the Baha’i leaders will go on trial on charges of espionage for Israel, insulting religious sanctities, and propaganda against the Islamic Republic.

Congressman Mark Steven Kirk introduced H.Res.175 on February 13, 2009. The resolution condemns the government of Iran for its state-sponsored persecution of Baha’is and calls on the government to cease activities aimed at the repression of the Baha’i community. The resolution also calls on the Government of Iran to immediately release the seven Baha’i leaders who are currently being held in prison. Finally, H.Res.175 urges the President and Secretary of State, in cooperation with the international community, to immediately condemn Iran’s continued violation of human rights and demand the immediate release of all prisoners being held solely on account of their religion.

This resolution is currently under review by the House Committee on Foreign Affairs. Please be assured that I will continue to closely monitor the situation in Iran and keep your support in mind should this resolution come to a vote.

Again, thank you for contacting me in regard to the treatment of Baha’is in Iran. Should you have any additional questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact me.

Sincerely,

Adam Smith

Member of Congress

As has always been the case, the persecution of Baha’is simply increases the visibility of the Faith, serving to introduce that many many more people in the world to the Message of Baha’u'llah. I doubt that is what the Government of Iran was intending to have happen when they arrested the seven Baha’i “Friends of Iran” and then decided to put them on trial. How much more difficult their actions against the Baha’is makes it for the Iranian government to achieve respect among the community of nations. -gw

Several leaders in the Baha’i faith — that other other other other Abrahamic monotheism — have been charged in Iran with espionage and other crimes, with possible death penalty exposure. These were generally seen as pretext charges for a broad official chronic program of persecution. The charges are regarded as probable pretext most especially because Baha’i have little access to secrets, being denied official employment, and also because the alleged country of espionagery, Israel, is naturally going to have relatively extensive ties with the Baha’i leaders because the city of Haifa, Israel is the site of the Baha’i Vatican. The Baha’i world headquarters have been situated there because that religion’s founding family settled there in early 20th century Palestine around the time of the British Mandate’s start, and after exile from Iran/Persia where they and the faith had originated.

http://www.aqoul.com/archives/2009/02/bahai_anxiety_s.php

Let me clarify things before I begin. This is a conversation I had with my friend who is a Baha’i. First and foremost, I was and I am still a Christian and a servant of the Lord Jesus Christ. However, I find it a responsibility both as a Christian and a thinker to understand the other religions and beliefs. …

Philosopher: If you were asked to sum up your faith in a simple sentence, what would that sentence be?

Teacher: Baha’i Faith is a world religion whose purpose is to unite the people and races of the world in one common Faith, one universal Cause.

http://jamesesz.wordpress.com/2009/02/21/what-is-the-bahai-faith-a-little-insight/

  nadia_rasidi: @rainnwilson wrote a piece on Baha’i persecution in Iran, do read it: http://tinyurl.com/cjatu8 (expand). As a Muslim, I’m deeply concerned by this. 1 day ago from web · Reply · View Tweet ·

Sabby feels the beat. -gw

Check out the ‘BE FREE’ website: http://befreecampaign.com/

There are new Baha’i songs available for free download. The songs are from the guys from ‘Dawnbreakers Collective. ‘One song called “Be Free” for the friends in Iran. And a new version of the song ‘Mona with the children” in english and farsi. Download and share the link with others…

Love,
Sabby
xoxox

And speaking of music, this weekend Kristin Cotts will play “Love at the Baha’i” if any Baha’is show up at her gig in Chicago. -gw

If you know any Baha’is in Chicago who might like it…  I have a gig in Chicago coming up.  I’ll be sure to play the song!

Kristin Cotts with cellist Anne Patterson, Sunday, March 1st, 2009, 8:00 p.m. Uncommon Ground, Clark and Grace, Chicago, IL

Searched for Baha’i between Feb’09, 2009 and Feb’18, 2009 using recency based scoring in 0.4 secs.

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Thanks, Illona, for bringing this article in Al Jazeera that mentions the Baha’i Faith to my attention. -gw 

Focus IRAN: AFTER THE REVOLUTION

Iranian Arabs seek equal rights

By Ahmed Janabi 

Iran’s history is characterised by rich debate over the meaning of Shia doctrine and the implications of theology, and much of this diversity has been suffocated in the Islamic Republic,” Cameron told Al Jazeera.

“As a consequence, women and minorities are subjected to constraints on their freedoms: Bahais are treated as ‘infidels’ without rights, the private lives of women are regulated by the state, and Sunni Kurds are denied basic religious freedoms.”

Iranian officials were unavailable for comment. Al Jazeera’s phone calls and emails were not returned.

http://english.aljazeera.net/focus/iranaftertherevolution/2008/12/200812691745418706.html

Minorities, Peoples And Self-determination (Hardcover)