Podcasts about baha'is

"B" is for Baha'is. The Baha'i is one of the world's youngest religions. The religion was founded in the nineteenth century. The name "Baha'i" is derived from "baha" ("glory and splendo"”) and is the designation of the adherents of the faith. Some of the religion's principles are the oneness of humankind, the common foundation of all religions, religion and science as integral parts of truth, the equality of men and women, and the elimination of prejudices of all kinds. Louis S. Gregory, a native Charlestonian and graduate of Howard University Law School became a confirmed believer in 1909 and made his first teaching trip back to Charleston and other Southern cities in 1910. There are more than 18,000 Baha'is in South Carolina-- one of the largest concentrations of the faith in the United States.

Hello and welcome to the Baha’i Blogcast with me your host, Rainn Wilson. In this series of podcasts I interview members of the Baha’i Faith and friends from all over the world about their hearts, and minds, and souls, their spiritual journeys, what they’re interested in, and what makes them tick. In this episode, I'm joined by my dear friend Mahnaz Aflatooni Javid, CEO of the Mona Foundation, and one of its founding members. Mahnaz tells me the inspiration behind the Mona Foundation, and how a childhood car ride with her mom changed her life forever. She tells me about coming to the US as a teenager in the 1960s, and being one of only 15 youth volunteers at the Baha'i World Centre. We talk about education, attitudes around development work, the importance of grassroots service, and adopting a humble posture of learning in all that we do. I hope you enjoy our conversation! * Please note that this episode was recorded before the pandemic, so it may sound a little strange that there's no mention of it. If you haven't heard our episode with Dr. Robert Kim Farley about the pandemic when it first hit, I think you'll find interesting: https://bit.ly/2TUFCTK To find out more about some of the things we covered in this episode, check out the following links: * Mona Foundation website: https://www.monafoundation.org/ * We mention the importance of service in the Baha'i Faith: https://bit.ly/2XMxyFW * Mahnaz talks about the Arc on Mt. Carmel (https://bahaipedia.org/The_Arc) and serving at the Baha’i World Centre (http://www.bwc.org/). You may also find this Baha’i Blog article interesting: https://bit.ly/2ySs3Nj * Mahnaz mentions the 1978 Islamic/Iranian revolution and the persecution of the Baha'is in Iran. You can find out more from this article: https://bit.ly/2MjWKyg * Mahnaz mentions the Universal House of Justice (https://universalhouseofjustice.bahai.org/), and the 1983 letter from Universal House Justice establishing the Office of Social and Economic Development [OSED], which you can read here: https://bit.ly/2BnJUN9 * Find out more about the Baha’i contribution to social and economic development here: https://bit.ly/2XkhsnG * Mahnaz mentions Shoghi Effendi (https://www.bahai.org/shoghi-effendi/) and Hands of the Cause of God (https://www.bahaiblog.net/2014/06/hands-cause/). * Mahnaz mentions the following individuals: - Mr. Furutan: https://news.bahai.org/story/261/ - Mr. Fatheazam: https://news.bahai.org/story/964/ - Amatu’l-Baha Ruhiyyih Khanum: https://bit.ly/36NQ4BI - Mr.Faizi: https://bahaipedia.org/Abu%27l-Q%C3%A1sim_Faizi - Dr. Muhajir: https://bahaipedia.org/Ra%E1%B8%A5matu%E2%80%99ll%C3%A1h_Muh%C3%A1jir - Dr. Khadem: https://bahaipedia.org/Zikrullah_Khadem - Paul Haney: https://bahaipedia.org/Paul_Haney - Mr. Nakhjavani: https://www.bahaiblog.net/2019/11/a-tribute-to-mr-ali-nakhjavani/ - Dr. Arbab: https://bahaipedia.org/Farzam_Arbab * Mahnaz talks about the book called 'Olya's Story' by Olya Roohizadegan (https://amzn.to/3gydI9N), Mona Mahmudnizhad (which the Mona Foundation is named after), whom together with nine other women, were killed in Iran for being Baha'is. Find out more about Mona Mahmudnizhad here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mona_Mahmudnizhad * Watch the music video for the pop hit song by Doug Cameron called 'Mona With The Children': https://bit.ly/2ZRPlOy * You may also enjoy this version of 'Mona With The Children' by Tom Francis on Baha'i Blog's Studio Sessions: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bzAbMDmvMLQ Be sure to subscribe to the Baha’i Blogcast for more episodes on: * YouTube: http://bit.ly/2JTNmBO * iTunes: http://apple.co/2leHPHL * Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/bahaiblogcast * Spotify: http://spoti.fi/2IXRAnb If you would like to find out more about the Baha'i Faith visit BAHAI.ORG, and for more great Baha'i-inspired content, check out BAHAIBLOG.NET: http://bahaiblog.net/ Thanks for listening! -Rainn Wilson

Hello and welcome to the Baha’i Blogcast with me your host, Rainn Wilson. In this series of podcasts I interview members of the Baha’i Faith and friends from all over the world about their hearts, and minds, and souls, their spiritual journeys, what they’re interested in, and what makes them tick. In this episode, I'm with Mohammad AL Samawi, an interfaith activist from Yemen and a best-selling author of 'The Fox Hunt', a page-turning book about his life and escape from Yemen. Mohammed tells me about his life in Yemen and the civil war there. He tells me how his disability helped change the course of his life and how he became an interfaith activist. We learn about the importance of seeking knowledge and the truth for one's self, and the positive power social media can play in the world. He tells us about his harrowing escape from Yemen to the U.S, and celebrates the fact that there are so many good people in the world. I hope you enjoy this exciting conversation with Mohammed as much as I did! To find out more about some of the things we covered in this episode, check out the following links: * Mohammed's book 'The Fox Hunt' can be found here on Amazon: https://amzn.to/2SChvZh * Mohammed's non-profit organization is called 'The Abrahamic House': https://www.abrahamichouse.org/ * Learn more about the situation of the Baha'is in Yemen here: https://www.bic.org/situation-in-yemen/reports-situation-yemen * Mohammed mentions supporting the good work that the 'International Rescue Committee' is doing: https://www.rescue.org/ * Mohammed mentions the important Baha'i principle of the 'independent investigation of truth', which you can learn more about here: https://bahaiteachings.org/bahai-principles-independent-investigation-of-truth/ * We mention Layli Miller-Muro and supporting the work of 'The Tahirih Justice Center': https://www.tahirih.org/ * You can also listen to our Baha'i Blogcast episode with Layli Miller-Muro here: https://www.bahaiblog.net/2016/07/bahai-blogcast-rainn-wilson-episode-4-layli-miller-muro/ Be sure to subscribe to the Baha’i Blogcast for more episodes on: *YouTube: http://bit.ly/2JTNmBO * iTunes: http://apple.co/2leHPHL *Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/bahaiblogcast *Spotify: http://spoti.fi/2IXRAnb If you would like to find out more about the Baha'i Faith visit BAHAI.ORG, and for more great Baha'i-inspired content check out BAHAIBLOG.NET: http://bahaiblog.net/ Thanks for listening! -Rainn Wilson

Hello and welcome to the Baha’i Blogcast with me your host, Rainn Wilson. In this series of podcasts I interview members of the Baha’i Faith and friends from all over the world about their hearts, and minds, and souls, their spiritual journeys, what they’re interested in, and what makes them tick. As Baha'is and their friends around the world celebrate the 12-day Festival of Ridvan, I thought it would be nice to create a special episode about Ridvan and its significance, so I got online with my friend, Tom Price, to have a chat about this special time for Baha'is. I hope you find this little conversation about Ridvan interesting and informative. * Find out more about Ridvan by checking out this Baha'i Blog page full of articles and resources: https://www.bahaiblog.net/bahai-calendar/about-the-festival-of-ridvan/ * Check out the 'Ridvan Is Everywhere' playlist, which brings you family-friendly programming for all 12 days of the Festival of Ridvan: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLsn_g0OpWDwIp99WjEHvuNIYIbOfz-WIr * Learn more about Tom Price by listening to this previous Baha'i Blogcast episode: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YF2kiyY_uZ0&list=PLePDtgwcyKAQmifUJTw0Kk-hBGL2ZGMJi&index=37&t=1s Be sure to subscribe to the Baha’i Blogcast for more episodes on: *YouTube: http://bit.ly/2JTNmBO * iTunes: http://apple.co/2leHPHL *Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/bahaiblogcast *Spotify: http://spoti.fi/2IXRAnb If you would like to find out more about the Baha'i Faith visit BAHAI.ORG, and for more great Baha'i-inspired content check out BAHAIBLOG.NET: http://bahaiblog.net/ Thanks for listening! -Rainn Wilson

Hello and welcome to the Baha’i Blogcast with me your host, Rainn Wilson. In this series of podcasts I interview members of the Baha’i Faith and friends from all over the world about their hearts, and minds, and souls, their spiritual journeys, what they’re interested in, and what makes them tick. In this episode, I'm in Los Angeles with four wonderful sisters who live down the road from me named Vadi, Nava, Nika, and Nura Esmailizadeh. Can't pronounce their last name? Don't worry, I still can't get it right and I've known the sisters and their parents for over 15 years now! I wanted them on the podcast to learn how to pronounce their last name once and for all, and also because they've been such great examples of young Baha'is who are actively engaged in serving their community. They tell me about their studies and the community service they're involved in. We discuss the Institute Process, the importance of service and community-building work, and they share their own personal experiences in this process. I hope you enjoy the conversation with these four wonderful sisters as much as I did! To find out more about some of the things we covered in this episode, check out the following links: * Rainn mentions the Baha'i Blogcast episode with Dr. Robert Kim-Farley: https://bit.ly/2UXlvFn Find out more about Baha'i Study Circles and the Training Institute here: https://bit.ly/3a6yyc8 * Find out about the Ruhi sequence of courses here: https://bit.ly/2wAHuc0 * We talk about the 'Junior Youth Spiritual Empowerment Program' [JYSEP]: https://www.bahaiblog.net/junior-youth/ * We mention 'Devotional Gatherings': https://bit.ly/2UX0SsS * We mention 'Children's Classes': https://bit.ly/34yBZHd * We mention the Bosch Baha'i School: http://www.bosch.org/ * We talk about the importance of service in the Baha'i Faith: https://bit.ly/3emWlrA * I mention 'The Dawnbreakers': https://bit.ly/3ed5Yc7 * We talk about the Institute for Studies in Global Prosperity [ISGP]: https://www.globalprosperity.org/ * We mention the Baha’i World Centre (www.bwc.org/). You may find this Baha’i Blog article interesting: Why is the Baha’i World Centre in Israel? bit.ly/2IsLihu * Nika reads the following quote from Baha'u'llah: "If it be Thy pleasure, make me to grow as a tender herb in the meadows of Thy grace, that the gentle winds of Thy will may stir me up and bend me into conformity with Thy pleasure, in such wise that my movement and my stillness may be wholly directed by Thee." -Baha'u'llah * You may also enjoy this musical rendition of the above quote on Baha'i Blog Studio Sessions called "If it be Thy Pleasure" by Alicia: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6wXskVRFYGg * Nura mentions letters from the Universal House of Justice: https://universalhouseofjustice.bahai.org/ * Nura talks about the Baha'i Faith and partisan politics: https://bit.ly/2XprnJ4 * Nava shares a quote from 'The Tablets of the Divine Plan' (https://bit.ly/2UWm827), and you can read this article called 'What Are the Tablets of the Divine Plan?' to find out more: https://bit.ly/2wwbsOk * We mention Baha'i pioneering, which you can learn more about here: https://bit.ly/34rqh12 * We mention 'The Advent of Divine Justice' written by Shoghi Effendi: https://bit.ly/3aZXgw1 * At the end of the podcast, the sisters sing the following quote from Abdul-Baha: "When one is released from the prison of self, that is indeed freedom! For self is the greatest prison." -Abdu'l-Baha Be sure to subscribe to the Baha’i Blogcast for more episodes on: * YouTube: http://bit.ly/2JTNmBO * iTunes: http://apple.co/2leHPHL * Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/bahaiblogcast * Spotify: http://spoti.fi/2IXRAnb If you would like to find out more about the Baha'i Faith visit BAHAI.ORG, and for more great Baha'i-inspired content check out BAHAIBLOG.NET: http://bahaiblog.net/ Thanks for listening! -Rainn Wilson

Fact checker Mark Boyer interviews Burl about his career in true crime and his rare book, LOVE AT THE COST OF LIFEv g - an English version of the Farsi original by Pouran Rahimi about the persecution of the Baha'is in Iran. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/burl-barer/support

Hello and welcome to the Baha’i Blogcast with me your host, Rainn Wilson. In this series of podcasts I interview members of the Baha’i Faith and friends from all over the world about their hearts, and minds, and souls, their spiritual journeys, what they’re interested in, and what makes them tick. In this episode, I'm in Reykjavik, Iceland with Halldor Thorgeirsson, the Chair of Iceland’s Climate Council, and retired Senior Director of the United Nations Climate Change Secretariat (UNFCCC). We talk about the environment, and Halldor teaches me about how Carbon Matter really matters. He tells me about Iceland, his work, how he became a Baha'i, the importance of consultation and accompaniment, Baha'is who have influenced his life, and the importance of moral leadership and engaging in constructive forces in our society. I hope you enjoy the conversation! To find out more about some of the things we covered in this episode, check out the following links: * Find out more about the UNFCCC here: https://unfccc.int/about-us/about-the-secretariat * Here's the official website for the Baha'is of Iceland: https://www.bahai.is/node/51?language=en * I mention that I'm in Iceland for SoulPancake: https://soulpancake.com/ * At the beginning of the podcast, Halldor shares the following prayer by Baha'u'llah in Icelandic: "Ég ber því vitni, ó Guð minn, að Þú hefur skapað mig til að þekkja Þig og tilbiðja Þig. Ég staðfesti á þessu andartaki vanmátt minn og mátt Þinn, fátækt mína og auðlegð Þína. Enginn er Guð nema Þú, hjálpin í nauðum, hinn sjálfumnógi." Here's the English translation of that prayer: "I bear witness, O my God, that Thou hast created me to know Thee and to worship Thee. I testify, at this moment, to my powerlessness and to Thy might, to my poverty and to Thy wealth. There is none other God but Thee, the Help in Peril, the Self-Subsisting." * Halldor makes reference to the following Writings of Baha'u'llah: "Love Me, that I may love thee. If thou lovest Me not, My love can in no wise reach thee. Know this, O servant." * Halldor mentions Baha'i pioneers: https://bahaipedia.org/Pioneer * Halldor mentions the following Hands of the Cause (https://www.bahaiblog.net/2014/06/hands-cause/): - Ugo Giachery (https://bit.ly/2uUhAyH) - William Sears (https://bit.ly/36WiFE5) - Abu'l-Qasim Faizi (https://bit.ly/384fRVE) - Amatu’l-Baha Ruhiyyih Khanum (https://bit.ly/2RjaET7) - Rahmatu’llah Muhajir (https://bit.ly/2tacvln) * Halldor talks about the Kyoto Protocol: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kyoto_Protocol * Halldor mentions the Universal House of Justice: https://bit.ly/2tnb6aX * Halldor mentions the "Mashriqu’l Adhkar", which means a Baha'i "House of Worship", also commonly referred to as a Baha'i temple. Find out more about Baha'i temples here: https://bit.ly/2Nu4rCO * We talk about Devotional Gatherings: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iop-CFOdgFg * Halldor talks about Richard St. Barbe Baker "The Man of the Trees", who was the first global conservationist and was a Baha'i. You can read this book about him by Paul Hanley: https://amzn.to/36Xi4SH * Halldor talks about this book by Arthur Dahl 'Unless and Until': https://amzn.to/35ZFJ3P Be sure to subscribe to the Baha’i Blogcast for more episodes on: * YouTube: bit.ly/2JTNmBO * iTunes: apple.co/2leHPHL * Soundcloud: @bahaiblogcast * Spotify: spoti.fi/2IXRAnb If you would like to find out more about the Baha'i Faith visit BAHAI.ORG, and for more great Baha'i-inspired content check out BAHAIBLOG.NET: bahaiblog.net/ Thanks for listening! -Rainn Wilson

Hello and welcome to the Baha’i Blogcast with me your host, Rainn Wilson. In this series of podcasts I interview members of the Baha’i Faith and friends from all over the world about their hearts, and minds, and souls, their spiritual journeys, what they’re interested in, and what makes them tick. In this episode I'm sitting in a cabin in the woods with Michael Karlberg, as we take part in a Baha'i-inspired retreat for youth in White Salmon, Washington called Windstock. Michael is a professor of Communication Studies at Western Washington University, and he's the author of 'Beyond a Culture of Contest', a book I often reference in my podcast. He tells me how he used to make acoustic guitars and how he became a Baha'i, and we talk about the power of media and how we need to rethink some of the fundamental assumptions we have about the world and how it's moving forward. We discuss nonviolent social change through constructive and peaceful resilience, and the challenges of taking collective action. Michael shares how the Baha'i Faith is a radical movement which addresses change on both the individual and social level, and he explains the ways in which the Baha'is are working towards this. I hope you enjoy the conversation as much as I did! To find out more about Michael Karlberg and some of the things we covered in this podcast, check out the following links: * Learn more about Michael Karlberg and his works here: https://wp.wwu.edu/karlberg/ * Watch Michael Karlberg's TEDxInnsbruck talk here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J0ZCAbYrQ7Q&feature=youtu.be * 'Beyond a Culture of Contest' by Michael Karlberg can be purchased here: https://amzn.to/2WHWvne * Michael's children's book is called 'Rooth Sees a Trooth': https://www.bahaibooks.org.uk/PBSCProduct.asp?ItmID=14201439 * Michael mentions that his first Baha’i book was 'The Book of Certitude (Kitab-i-Iqan)': https://www.bahai.org/library/authoritative-texts/bahaullah/kitab-i-iqan/ * Read the 'The Promise of World Peace' by the Universal House of Justice here: https://www.bahai.org/documents/the-universal-house-of-justice/promise-world-peace * Use these links to find out more about the Baha'i World Centre (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bah%C3%A1%27%C3%AD_World_Centre) and the Universal House of Justice (https://universalhouseofjustice.bahai.org/). * Use these links to find out more about The Training Institute (https://www.bahai.org/action/response-call-bahaullah/training-institute) and the Ruhi sequence of courses (https://www.ruhi.org/materials/list.php). * Rainn and Michael talk about the Junior Youth Spiritual Empowerment Program [JYSEP], which you can learn more about here: https://www.bahaiblog.net/junior-youth/ * Michael talks about the Institute for Studies in Global Prosperity [ISGP]: https://www.globalprosperity.org/ * Learn more about Rainn's non-profit organization called LIDÈ and how you can support its programs here: https://www.lidehaiti.org/ * Michael shares one of his favorite quotes from the Writings of Baha'u'llah: "He Who is your Lord, the All-Merciful, cherisheth in His heart the desire of beholding the entire human race as one soul and one body." Be sure to subscribe to the Baha’i Blogcast for more episodes on: *YouTube: http://bit.ly/2JTNmBO * iTunes: http://apple.co/2leHPHL *Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/bahaiblogcast *Spotify: http://spoti.fi/2IXRAnb If you would like to find out more about the Baha'i Faith visit BAHAI.ORG, and for more great Baha'i-inspired content check out BAHAIBLOG.NET: http://bahaiblog.net/ Thanks for listening! -Rainn Wilson

Two religions, originating in Persia. One, ancient and steeped in ritual. The other, founded in the modern age. What are the connections and differences between them? Jack speaks with Hormuzd Katki, a lay priest with the Zoroastrian Association of Metropolitan Washington (ZAMWI), and Nickole Best, a program coordinator with the DC Baha'i Junior Youth Empowerment Program. Plus, we discuss how each celebrates the start of spring with Nowruz / Naw Ruz, the new year of both Zoroastrians and Baha'is. More info: ZAMWI: https://zamwi.org DC Baha'i community: https://www.dcbahai.org/ Watch Nickole Best perform: https://youtu.be/SDKTOJdUXXg Support her album: http://kck.st/2Tci1zL

Hello and welcome to the Baha’i Blogcast with me your host, Rainn Wilson. In this series of podcasts I interview members of the Baha’i Faith and friends from all over the world about their hearts, and minds, and souls, their spiritual journeys, what they’re interested in, and what makes them tick. In this episode I visit the Honorable Judge Dorothy Nelson in her home in California. Judge Dorothy W. Nelson is a Senior United States Circuit Judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, and is an active member of the Baha'i Faith who served on the National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha'is of United States for many years. She tells me about the fireside she's been running in her home since 1961, and about her late husband Jim and how they both became Baha'is. She shares tips on having a happy marriage and integrating everyday life with your faith. We talk about the importance of 'active' listening, mediation and arbitration, and rehabilitation as an alternative to the justice system. She shares where she sees the Baha'i community going and reminds us that we're a 'learning community', and she tells us the key to happiness. I hope you enjoy the conversation with this remarkable woman! To find out more about Judge Dorothy Nelson and some of the things we covered in this podcast, check out the following links: * Learn more about Judge Dorothy W. Nelson here on Wikipedia: https://bit.ly/2HF8fPG * Judge Nelson mentions the following books: - 'Dynamic Consultation' by Trip Barthel: https://amzn.to/2WcrdBh - 'The Advent of Divine Justice' by Shoghi Effendi: https://bit.ly/2Cp0Kce * Judge Nelson shares the following Writings of Baha'u'llah: "...The best beloved of all things in My sight is Justice; turn not away therefrom if thou desirest Me, and neglect it not that I may confide in thee. By its aid thou shalt see with thine own eyes and not through the eyes of others, and shalt know of thine own knowledge and not through the knowledge of thy neighbor. Ponder this in thy heart; how it behooveth thee to be. Verily justice is My gift to thee and the sign of My loving-kindness. Set it then before thine eyes." "Be generous in prosperity, and thankful in adversity. Be worthy of the trust of thy neighbor, and look upon him with a bright and friendly face. Be a treasure to the poor, an admonisher to the rich, an answerer of the cry of the needy, a preserver of the sanctity of thy pledge. Be fair in thy judgment, and guarded in thy speech. Be unjust to no man, and show all meekness to all men. Be as a lamp unto them that walk in darkness, a joy to the sorrowful, a sea for the thirsty, a haven for the distressed, an upholder and defender of the victim of oppression. Let integrity and uprightness distinguish all thine acts. Be a home for the stranger, a balm to the suffering, a tower of strength for the fugitive. Be eyes to the blind, and a guiding light unto the feet of the erring. Be an ornament to the countenance of truth, a crown to the brow of fidelity, a pillar of the temple of righteousness, a breath of life to the body of mankind, an ensign of the hosts of justice, a luminary above the horizon of virtue, a dew to the soil of the human heart, an ark on the ocean of knowledge, a sun in the heaven of bounty, a gem on the diadem of wisdom, a shining light in the firmament of thy generation, a fruit upon the tree of humility." "...Bring thyself to account each day ere thou art summoned to a reckoning; for death, unheralded, shall come upon thee and thou shalt be called to give account for thy deeds." Be sure to subscribe to the Baha’i Blogcast for more episodes on: *YouTube: http://bit.ly/2JTNmBO * iTunes: http://apple.co/2leHPHL *Soundcloud: https://bit.ly/2Hs5gdM *Spotify: http://spoti.fi/2IXRAnb If you would like to find out more about the Baha'i Faith visit BAHAI.ORG, and for more great Baha'i-inspired content check out BAHAIBLOG.NET: http://bahaiblog.net/ Thanks for listening! -Rainn Wilson

Hello and welcome to the Baha’i Blogcast with me your host, Rainn Wilson. In this series of podcasts I interview members of the Baha’i Faith and friends from all over the world about their hearts, and minds, and souls, their spiritual journeys, what they’re interested in, and what makes them tick. In this episode I'm in London, England with my dear friend, fellow actor and comedian, the hilarious Omid Djalili. Omid takes me on a ride full of stories and banter, where he tells me about his family and what it was like growing up in the UK as the only 13 year old with a mustache. We talk about soccer, prayer, dreams, gratitude, and the importance of connecting our lives to service and community building. Omid tells me how he got into comedy, and he shares four life-changing points about his career, which I think you'll find extremely interesting! Join me and Omid in this thought-provoking and fun conversation! To find out more about Omid Djalili and some of the things we covered in the podcast, check out the following links: * Find out more about Omid Djalili here on: www.omidnoagenda.com * Check out 'Hopeful: An Autobiography' by Omid Djalili: Book: https://amzn.to/2qp7LTD ; Audiobook: https://amzn.to/2SDJUwy * Rainn's autobiography 'The Bassoon King' can be found here: Book: https://amzn.to/2AEXrgs ; Audiobook: https://amzn.to/2QbHlQx * Omid mentions the term "Allah'u'Abha" and “Ya Baha’u’l-Abha” which you can read about here: https://bit.ly/2znwuMu * Omid mentions the Universal House of Justice: universalhouseofjustice.bahai.org * Omid mentions the passing of Shoghi Effendi, known to Baha'is as 'the Guardian of the Baha'i Faith', which can find learn more about here: https://www.bahai.org/shoghi-effendi/ * Omid talks about the 'Shrine of the Bab' which you can learn more about here: https://bit.ly/2F1yKPz * Omid and Rainn talk about the Institute Process and Ruhi books: www.ruhi.org * Omid and Rainn talk about the 'Junior Youth Spiritual Empowerment Program' [JYSEP], which you can learn about here: https://bit.ly/2QnTeD2 * Omid shares the following passage about prayer from the Universal House of Justice: "Prayer is the essential spiritual conversation of the soul with its Maker, direct and without intermediation. It is the spiritual food that sustains the life of the spirit. Like the morning’s dew, it brings freshness to the heart and cleanses it, purifying it from attachments of the insistent self. It is a fire that burns away the veils and a light that leads to the ocean of reunion with the Almighty. On its wings does the soul soar in the heavens of God and draw closer to the divine reality. Upon its quality depends the development of the limitless capacities of the soul and the attraction of the bounties of God, but the prolongation of prayer is not desirable. The powers latent in prayer are manifested when it is motivated by the love of God, beyond any fear or favour, and free from ostentation and superstition. It is to be expressed with a sincere and pure heart conducive to contemplation and meditation so that the rational faculty can be illumined by its effects. Such prayer will transcend the limitation of words and go well beyond mere sounds. The sweetness of its melodies must gladden and uplift the heart and reinforce the penetrating power of the Word, transmuting earthly inclinations into heavenly attributes and inspiring selfless service to humankind." * Omid mentions Baha'i Blog Studio Sessions: https://bit.ly/1LtjUx9 Be sure to ‘subscribe’ to the Baha’i Blogcast for more episodes on: *YouTube: bit.ly/2JTNmBO * iTunes: apple.co/2leHPHL *Soundcloud: @bahaiblogcast *Spotify: spoti.fi/2IXRAnb If you would like to find out more about the Baha'i Faith visit BAHAI.ORG, and for more great Baha'i-inspired content check out BAHAIBLOG.NET. Thanks for listening! -Rainn Wilson

Today's reading is from Selections From the Writings of Abdu'l-Baha, pages 1-3. We continue our reading of The Hidden Words of Baha'u'llah with the Tenth Hidden Word: O Son of Utterance! Thou art My stronghold; enter therein that thou mayest abide in safety. My love is in thee, know it, that thou mayest find Me near unto thee. We close with a teaching prayer from the Baha'i Prayer Book by Abdu'l-Baha which was revealed to the Baha'is of the United States and Canada, pages 205-208.

A brief introductory study of politics and the Bahá'í Writings. This Deepening explores concepts in the Bahá’í Faith related to politics: Baha'u'llah's injunction against Baha'is interfering in secular and partisan politics of any form. We explore how the Bahá’í Faith is political in the original sense of the term: a science of governance, or the organization of society. The Bahá’í Faith offers, as an example, a way of governing the social order - locally, nationally, and internationally - that is dependent upon the free choice of the individual. The Kingdom of God on earth.Sections: 0:38 Intro 4:54 Non Political - How Far Does this Go? What are the Consequences? 12:16 The Unity Principle 28:02 No Political Vision in Line with the Baha'i Faith 35:02 Unable to be Swayed 42:59 Our Focus - The Why 52:48 Our Focus - The What 1:03:56 Our Focus - The Why 1:11:12 Wolf in Sheep's Clothing - Meaning of "Political" 1:16:43 A Global Faith 1:20:26 Government of Baha'u'llah 1:28:34 An Uncomfortable Term - "Theocracy" 1:36:25 Secular Constitutions and the Legitimacy Problem 1:48:57 Sociopolitical Issues - How We Can Engage 1:57:47 Genuine Concerns - Baha'i Commonwealth and Minority Rights 2:09:10 Conclusion and ClimaxDownload MP3 and PDF here: https://drive.google.com/open?id=1JHUZmVd341pDgxS1RWp73ASeXiDSripQYouTubePatreonFacebookInstagramTwitterOfficial Bahá'í websiteAmbient music: “Celtic Music | Ancient Forest | Celtic Lute & Guitar Music” by Soul CandleLicense: creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/#bahai #bahaullah #abdulbaha #bab #scienceandreligion #religion #faith #unity #knowledge #interfaith #religiousstudies #philosophy #god #unity #religion #war #religiouswar #division #conflict #disunity #arguments #investigation #unbiased #search #truthSupport the show (https://www.patreon.com/bridgingbeliefs)

Hello and welcome to the Baha’i Blogcast with me your host, Rainn Wilson. In this series of podcasts I interview members of the Baha’i Faith and friends from all over the world about their hearts, and minds, and souls, their spiritual journeys, what they’re interested in, and what makes them tick. In this episode I speak with Nader Saiedi, Taslimi Foundation Professor of Baha’i Studies in the department of Near Eastern Languages and Cultures at University of California. Born in Tehran, Iran, and having lived in the US since 1978, professor Saiedi tells me about his personal journey from being a staunch Marxist to becoming a Baha'i, and how he was humbled by the sacred Baha'i Writings and moved by the steadfastness of the Baha'is being persecuted in Iran. Among other things, we talk about slavery, historical consciousness, and the thousands of untranslated and unpublished tablets by the Bab and Baha'u'llah he's been studying recently. Hope you enjoy the conversation! To find out more about Nader Saiedi and some of the things we covered in this podcast, check out the following links: * You can find out more about Dr. Nader Saiedi here: https://bahaikipedia.org/Nader_Saiedi * Dr. Saiedi is the author of 'Logos and Civilization' and 'Gate of the Heart'. * You may be interested in this talk by Dr. Nader Saiedi titled 'From World War to World Peace': http://bahaiblog.net/site/2017/06/world-war-world-peace-talk-dr-nader-saiedi/ * You may also enjoy a series of 11 talks by Dr. Saiedi called 'Text and Context in the Baha’i Heroic Age': https://soundcloud.com/bahai-blog/sets/nader-saiedi-text-and-context * In the interview, Nader makes reference to 'The Book of Certitude' by Baha’u’llah and 'The Secret of Divine Civilization' by Abdu’l-Baha which you can find here: http://www.bahai.org/library/authoritative-texts/bahaullah/kitab-i-iqan/ and http://www.bahai.org/library/authoritative-texts/abdul-baha/secret-divine-civilization/ * In the interview I mention the following excerpt from the Writings of Baha'u'llah: "O SON OF DUST! Verily I say unto thee: Of all men the most negligent is he that disputeth idly and seeketh to advance himself over his brother. Say, O brethren! Let deeds, not words, be your adorning." * Nader mentions an excerpt from the following quote taken from the book 'Epistle to the Son of the Wolf' by Baha’u’llah: “Verily, We shall render Thee victorious by Thyself and by Thy Pen. Grieve Thou not for that which hath befallen Thee, neither be Thou afraid, for Thou art in safety. Erelong will God raise up the treasures of the earth—men who will aid Thee through Thyself and through Thy Name, wherewith God hath revived the hearts of such as have recognized Him.” You can find the book here: http://www.bahai.org/library/authoritative-texts/bahaullah/epistle-son-wolf/ * I make reference to my Baha’i Blogcast interview with Native American Baha’i Kevin Locke which you can listen to here: http://bahaiblog.net/site/2017/08/bahai-blogcast-rainn-wilson-episode-19-kevin-locke/ Be sure to ‘subscribe’ to the Baha’i Blogcast for more weekly episodes on: *iTunes: itunes.apple.com/au/podcast/bahai…son/id1127132519 *Soundcloud: @user-545312385 You can also stream the Blogcast on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/7u380ZQPWuEViqO7mGtiGl If you would like to find out more about the Baha'i Faith visit BAHAI.ORG, and for more great Baha'i-inspired content check out http://BAHAIBLOG.NET. Thanks for listening! -Rainn Wilson

Three decades ago, barred from higher education, the Baha'is of Iran embarked on a remarkable journey to educate their youth. Read more at https://news.bahai.org/story/1181/.

Hello and welcome to the Baha’i Blogcast with me your host, Rainn Wilson. In this series of podcasts I interview members of the Baha’i Faith and friends from all over the world about their hearts, and minds, and souls, their spiritual journeys, what they’re interested in, and what makes them tick. In this episode I'm in Toronto, Canada interviewing husband and wife Mary Darling and Clark Donnelly. Besides having more kids than I can ever keep track of, they have their own media company called WestWind Pictures, which aims to promote themes of beauty and unity. Among many other things, they are known for their popular TV comedy series called 'Little Mosque on the Prairie', and I ask them how the series started and what sort of impact the show has had. They share the challenges of working on a comedy that deals with things that are sacred, and how they bring Baha'i principles into the creative process. We discuss the importance of consultation, what it's like working as a husband and wife team, the role of a producer, and how they each became Baha'is. They also share what books they're reading, what they personally strive to be better at, and their favorite Baha'i Writings. To find out more about Mary and Clark and some of the things we covered in the podcast, check out the following links: * Find out more about 'Little Mosque on the Prairie' and Mary and Clark's production company here on their website: http://www.westwindpictures.com/ * Check out 'The Baha'is' documentary and their interview about it on Baha'i Blog: http://bahaiblog.net/site/2017/05/bahais-documentary-mary-darling-clark-donnelly/ * Here's the CNN article Mary mentions about 'Little Mosque on the Prarie' called 'Want to end prejudice? Watch a sitcom': http://www.cnn.com/2016/02/02/health/sitcoms-prejudice-study/ * Mary mentions the book 'Haroun and the Sea of Stories' by Salman Rushdie: http://amzn.to/2qFEZiP * Clark mentions the book 'Abraham: One God, Three Wives, Five Religions' Paperback by Frances Worthington: http://amzn.to/2rGoTnt * Clark talks about the long Obligatory prayer which you can learn more about from this Baha'i Blog article, 'A Prayer to Power Up Your Day: The Long Obligatory Prayer': http://bahaiblog.net/site/2015/02/prayer-power-day-long-obligatory-prayer/ * Mary mentions her favourite prayer which we've added below: "O my God! O my God! Thou seest me in my lowliness and weakness, occupied with the greatest undertaking, determined to raise Thy word among the masses and to spread Thy teachings among Thy peoples. How can I succeed unless Thou assist me with the breath of the Holy Spirit, help me to triumph by the hosts of Thy glorious kingdom, and shower upon me Thy confirmations, which alone can change a gnat into an eagle, a drop of water into rivers and seas, and an atom into lights and suns? O my Lord! Assist me with Thy triumphant and effective might, so that my tongue may utter Thy praises and attributes among all people and my soul overflow with the wine of Thy love and knowledge. Thou art the Omnipotent and the Doer of whatsoever Thou willest." -Abdu'l-Baha Be sure to ‘subscribe’ to the Baha’i Blogcast for more weekly episodes on: *iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/au/podcast/bahai-blogcast-rainn-wilson/id1127132519 *Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/user-545312385 You can also stream the Blogcast on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/7CKRNCqEyyl8lWYW6jvYWI Thanks for listening! -Rainn Wilson

Hello and welcome to the Baha’i Blogcast with me your host, Rainn Wilson. In this series of podcasts I interview members of the Baha’i Faith and friends from all over the world about their hearts, and minds, and souls, their spiritual journeys, what they’re interested in, and what makes them tick. In this episode I interview Maziar Bahari, an Iranian Canadian journalist, filmmaker and human rights activist who was imprisoned and tortured by the Iranian government for five months in 2009. After he was released, he wrote his memoir called "Then They Came for Me", which became a New York Times bestseller and is the basis for Jon Stewart's 2014 film "Rosewater". In the conversation I ask him why, even though he is not a Baha'i, he has been actively campaigning for the rights of the Baha'is in Iran. We talk about his religious background; his thoughts on tyranny; why the situation for Baha'is in Iran is so important for the Iranian people as a whole, and how he went from being a journalist to being an activist. He shares what he learned from his experience in prison, and he also offers some personal advice to the Baha'i community, and a message to the people of Iran and the world. To find out more about Maziar Bahari, what he's involved in, and some of the things we covered in the podcast, check out the following links: * The Baha'is are the largest religious minority in Iran, and they have been killed and persecuted by the Iranian government ever since the 1979 Islamic Revolution. You can find out more about the situation of the Baha'is in Iran from this page on the Baha'i International Community's website: https://www.bic.org/focus-areas/situation-iranian-bahais/current-situation * Find out more about the "Education Is Not A Crime" campaign and initiative, plus how you can get involved here: www.notacrime.me * Watch the trailer to the new documentary "Changing the World, One Wall at a Time" about the wall art campaign here: https://vimeo.com/214890238 * Purchase physical or audio versions of Maziar's book "Then They Came for Me" (now called 'Rosewater') here: http://amzn.to/2qcB2De * Watch the trailer to the movie "Rosewater" based on the book here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GGOYHIqmmiM * Watch the trailer to Maziar's documentary about the underground Baha'i universities in Iran "To Light A Candle" here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v7aE27GyMMo Be sure to ‘subscribe’ to the Baha’i Blogcast for more weekly episodes on: *iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/au/podcast/bahai-blogcast-rainn-wilson/id1127132519 *Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/user-545312385 You can also stream the Blogcast on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/2ALg4rMvcNaQfGJUqD3pLK Thanks for listening! -Rainn Wilson

The recent sentencing of seven innocent members of the Baha'i Faith in Iran is testament to the continued mistreatment of this religion under the Iranian government. Persecution of Bahai's began in the nineteenth century and has continued to the present day. Many members of this minority religion in Iran have been imprisoned and executed. Iranian Bahai's now face increasingly restrictive laws concerning employment, education, marriage and the right to assemble. Why do Bahai's face such opposition in Iran? What tenets of this religion are particularly problematic for the government? Why has religious intolerance continued to escalate even in the face of increased pressure from the U.N. and from many other countries? A discussion of the Baha'i Faith and the chanting of some Baha'i prayers will follow a short history of the oppression of the Bahai's in Iran. Speaker: Janet Youngdahl, D.M.A.; M.M. Janet Youngdahl is a Professor of Music at the University of Lethbridge, and was formerly a Professor at the University of Calgary. Janet is a singer, conductor and music historian specializing in medieval and baroque music. She appears on numerous CD recordings on the BMG, Centaur, BIS, and Toccata Classics record labels, and is a frequent soloist in concerts of baroque music. Janet holds a doctorate of music from the Cleveland Institute of Music, and a Master's Degree from the University of Michigan. She currently serves as the chairman of the Local Spiritual Assembly of the Bahai's of Lethbridge.

The recent sentencing of seven innocent members of the Baha'i Faith in Iran is testament to the continued mistreatment of this religion under the Iranian government. Persecution of Bahai's began in the nineteenth century and has continued to the present day. Many members of this minority religion in Iran have been imprisoned and executed. Iranian Bahai's now face increasingly restrictive laws concerning employment, education, marriage and the right to assemble. Why do Bahai's face such opposition in Iran? What tenets of this religion are particularly problematic for the government? Why has religious intolerance continued to escalate even in the face of increased pressure from the U.N. and from many other countries? A discussion of the Baha'i Faith and the chanting of some Baha'i prayers will follow a short history of the oppression of the Bahai's in Iran. Speaker: Janet Youngdahl, D.M.A.; M.M. Janet Youngdahl is a Professor of Music at the University of Lethbridge, and was formerly a Professor at the University of Calgary. Janet is a singer, conductor and music historian specializing in medieval and baroque music. She appears on numerous CD recordings on the BMG, Centaur, BIS, and Toccata Classics record labels, and is a frequent soloist in concerts of baroque music. Janet holds a doctorate of music from the Cleveland Institute of Music, and a Master's Degree from the University of Michigan. She currently serves as the chairman of the Local Spiritual Assembly of the Bahai's of Lethbridge.

We're discussing cults and world religions, and this time we take a look at the Baha'i World Faith. What started as an Islamic sect is now a worldwide, ecumenical religion that preaches the unity of God, the unity of religion, and the unity of humankind. Baha'is around the world pay reverence to Abraham, Buddha, Jesus, Mohammed, and several other "manifestations" (or phrophets) of God, whose...